A Cuppa Cosy Reads – March 2022

We have come to the end of another month, and similar to last month, my reading started out great, then I read one book that slumped the rest of the month! I saw it coming, but it also bummed me out because I have so many great books that I desperately want to read, but life and certain books just gave me other plans. I read a total of 6 books this past month and gave an average rating of 3.8. I thought, overall, it was a really good reading month. I found a couple really good ones, some new to me authors that I’ll continue with, and a couple of not for me books. 

So, let’s get into the books, shall we?

An Unorthodox Match by Naomi Ragen 4 Stars I truly loved this book. It bordered a 5 Star read for me, but I really reserve those (apparently). Much preferred to the Matzah Ball, I feel like this book handled both its appeal to Jew and Non-Jew audiences really well. As a Jewish Woman, this is what I would want to showcase my culture and religion. The romance was super sweet and adorable too. 

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 3.5 Stars This is the second novel in this duology, and it was alright. I found to be an average young adult mystery, but it had a couple nice twists placed throughout and it was a quick easy read. 

Address Unknown by Katherine Kressmann Taylor 5 Stars I loved this. It’s short, told entirely in letters and painfully illustrates what so many Jews have experienced in their life. Set in the early 1930’s we are following two friends, business owners as Hitler rises to power. 

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake 3 Stars I feel so disappointed in this book. The premise, the first half, the whole concept was great! It started off so strongly but somewhere along the way it lost me, and really lost me. I barely finished and just honestly felt disappointment in the…loss of the storyline? I’m not even sure if I could describe exactly what it was, but it just lost me. 

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James 4.5 Stars I LOVED this book too. Simone St. James sure can set an atmosphere. This book has something for everyone (except a romance really), true crime, mystery, supernatural, haunted house, I mean it- everything! And it’s done really well- everything it seamlessly melded together and comes out beautifully. Will definitely be checking out some of the authors other works.

War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout 3 Stars Ok, I’ve said it from book one, these books are not great works of literature. We do not judge them on their quality, but rather the escapism, the ridiculousness, the…je ne sais quoi that keeps you reading. And while this one was the same bingeable readable book as the first 4, I found it to be a bit…lackluster. Armentrout introduced quite a bit of plot into this book, a lot of the mythology and lore to the communities that she created, but I think it set it at odds with what we’ve come to expect from this series. 

And that’s it! War of Two Queens and life put me in a minor slump towards the end of March, but I’m emerging victorious with a large April list that I’d like to get to! 

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – February 2022

Ah, the month that I read the least, the least I’ve read in a while. I’m not sure what really happened, whether it was having the kids home for the last week of February, a minor outpatient surgery for one of the kids, my need for a little staycation, the world at large, or a combination of everything, but man the last half of February I just…stopped reading. It wasn’t a bad thing, it’s actually happened several times before, but it does mean that this post will be shorter than normal. I read a total of 4 books (though I started 2 more in addition to that) and gave an average rating of 3.8.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman 3.75 Stars This is the second book in the Thursday Murder Club series and while I don’t know if I enjoyed this one as much as the first, I still really enjoy watching the characters bumble about. Just the idea of this senior citizen club solving murders and cheating out the cops…it just really tickles me haha. 

You Truly Assumed by Laila Sabreen 3.5 Stars I think this is an EXCELLENT young young adult novel to read to understand a bit more about Islamophobia, the intersection of different minorities and learning how we can help and do better by these communities. It follows three young women as they are learning about themselves, being activists, and standing up for what they believe both in personal relationships AND in the world. I think it would be great for the Jr High age range.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimand 4 Stars This book, on the whole, was a fun one to read. If you want a quirky main character bumbling and stumbling into something larger than herself, then bumbling and stumbling to get out of it…this is the book for you. I really had a good time once I got through the initial few chapters. At the start it’s a bit too…heavy handed with certain things, but once we got into the swing of things it lightened up quite a bit. 

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas 4 Stars This. This book. This is what I’m ultimately blaming the rest of the month on. Because this book…once I finished it, I just wanted to read it all over again (but not really) and all I really wanted was just more of the same. The second book in the Crescent City Series, this was an excellent follow up to the first, though (like the first), a bit long winded in places. 

And that’s it for books I finished in February. I started both Jade War and An Unorthodox Match, but the former wasn’t being read at the right time (aka I was not being captivated for whatever reason) and the latter is still being read currently (so look for a review next month!). How was your reading month in February?

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – January 2022

Ah the first month of 2022! I’ve always loved the first reading month of the year. The fresh start, everything looks bright, and I always seem to have good luck with books at the beginning of the year. This month was…no different. I had almost all wins, aka I didn’t give less than 3 stars to any book I read, and I overall enjoyed everything that I read. I read a total of 6 books and gave an average rating of 3.6. 

So, let’s talk about those books…

Jade City by Fonda Lee 4 Stars – I LOVED this book. Thinking back, I don’t know why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, but I usually go with my first gut rating on most books. This is an Asian inspired Urban fantasy that has the perfect mix of politics, fighting, and a hinting of romance here and there. It really checks so many boxes and I can’t wait to continue with the series. 

People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn NR – This was another great read, though a difficult one at times. This book not only covers the fascination of dead Jews, but also gives insight into so many stories that we don’t normally hear or talk about in relation to the Jewish Community. It’s such an important read for both Jews and Non-Jews and I highly recommend it. 

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey 3 Stars – I have mixed feelings about this book. This is a space melodrama that involves both political and interpersonal battles. For me, about half of the book I was really intrigued, really into what was happening, and then half of the book I was questioning why I was bothering to read it/wasting my time. I get the appeal, but there were moments that I was just bored. There was also some initial confusion about the different “sects” of space and trying to work that out in my head. 

Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday 4 Stars – This is actually the second book in a series which I didn’t realize, but I don’t think you need to read the first to get on with the second (and I probably won’t go back and read the first). A fun, lighthearted, aristocratic romance, we follow two characters who have sworn off love only to find that maybe they just needed the right person to fall in love with. My only “negative” was towards the end I felt like the “conflict” was a little…over engineered. But this was the perfect read for a weekend.

Reprieve by James Han Mattson 3 Stars – I’m not really sure how I feel about this one. This is a murder mystery that takes place in a “famous” full contact escape house. I found this to be a really good character study that pushed a variety of characters from different backgrounds past their limits to see what would happen. It was good, but unsettling. 

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire 4 Stars – This book reminded me how much I loved this series in the first place. The 6th book in the Wayward Children Series, we get to see a second school that isn’t quite like Eleanor Wests’. We follow some of our previous characters, meet some new ones, and expand the “human” world a bit more. I really enjoyed this one, which was nice after feeling meh from the past couple. 

I’m currently reading The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel, but I don’t know if I’ll finish it before the end of the month, definitely not before this blog post needs to be scheduled to go up on Wednesday. So far, I’m enjoying it and looking forward to seeing where the story goes (I’m about 75 pages in). And that’s my first reading wrap up of 2022! How has your reading started off this year?

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – Best & Worst 2021

It is FINALLY time (almost too late, but we’ll roll with it) to talk about what I thought were my best and worst reads of 2021. 2021 was a really good reading year for me, a solid pack of books to choose from. I read a total of 97 books with an average rating of 3.7, which I think is pretty good. I had initially set a reading goal of 50 books, knowing that I would read closer to 100, and while I was a little bummed, I didn’t hit that 100, the second half of the year presented a slight change to my mindset and reading goals. 

For 2022 I’m not setting a reading goal, because I just want to read what I want to read, when I want to read it. I’ll track what I read and note it, but I don’t want to do much more than that. Even if it’s supposed to be a fun thing (or a tracking thing), I find that without realizing it, there is a pressure on your reading. So, we’re just taking all that pressure away. I still plan on doing monthly reading recaps because I think that’s just the best/easiest way to share my reads with you, but there may not be too many stats in those anymore. Ok, brief interlude re: 2022 aside, let’s look back at 2021. 

So, how do I determine what is “best” and what is “worst”. It’s simple, just what I think were some of my reading highlights of the year and some of my reading lows. I find that if we get too much into the semantics of it all at the outset it gets too complicated. I’ll give a brief explanation of what worked or didn’t work for me with each book that I mention, but you won’t find me splitting out disappointing OR overhyped from bad OR enjoyed for pleasure vs well written. Basically, I’m scrolling through all the books I read in 2021 and noting what stands out. Trying to simplify things across the board moving forward for everyone’s sake 

Best Books of 2021

The Golem and The Jinni by Helene Wecker – I LOVED this book. I really truly do, and I feel like this is one of those books that I would recommend to those who love Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Erin Morgenstern, any author who loves flowery language, describing little moments and day to day, and using words in a manner befitting a writer. This also just placed Jewish life at the forefront, in a day to day setting that I hadn’t read before. 

The Troop by Nick Cutter – This book solidified that the way to well and truly freak me out is through body horror…and I loved that feeling.

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson – I’ve been putting this off for a while, thinking of how much I’ve loved his stuff, but this was different than that and I didn’t want to mess with the good thing I had going with Sanderson. Boy did I not need to have that fear. This is Sci-fi, but it holds the excellent storytelling and world building that Sanderson does so you don’t feel like you’re out in the middle of space with no clues.

Know My Name by Chanel Miller – I mean, I think this has topped everyone’s list who has ever read it. I would highly recommend reading it, would almost say it should be required reading, but please note the themes and content as it could be triggering for some. Truly incredible, angering, and heartbreaking, but also a show of strength, of courage, of standing strong in the face of those who would brush you aside. 

The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle – This was just a fun one that solidified exactly what I like in “romance” stories. Looking forward to seeing not only what this author publishes next, but also what else this “royal/royal adjacent” genre can offer. 

Worst Books of 2021

Luxe by Anna Godberson- To be quite honest, I debated on whether to actually include this in my list because I am quite clearly not the intended audience, BUT even if I was…it’s still not great. Like there are so many other “societal melodramas” that could be read instead of this that would accomplish the same thing and do it better. This was just not it. 

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner – This was a disappointment more so than a bad book. I just had really high hopes for this to sweep me off my feet, into a different time and place, but instead it felt clunky and flat the entire way through. Definitely a debut, definitely lacking some editor insight in terms of 3 dimensional characters and storytelling. 

Answered Prayers by Truman Capote – I mean, this was just garbage that I wish I hadn’t wasted my time on. That’s all I need to say. 

HM- As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson – I’m including this as an honorable mention as I didn’t actually finish this (with good reason), but it was just incredibly off putting and disappointing. I felt like our main character was acting so beyond out of character that it wasn’t even off character for her (where an author can have a character be out of character due to circumstances). It just…wasn’t even worth the 100 pages I attempted to read.

And that’s it for 2021! I could have probably talked about so many other books, but I really just wanted to showcase some of the ones that stood out to me upon review. Tell me, what were some of your favorite reads of 2021? Any least favorites?

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – December 2021

How is it the last month of the year??? I don’t get how this year has literally flown by. In this final reading wrap up we’re just covering my December reads. I will have a post in January talking about my best/worst reads of 2021 and we’ll talk about my reading year as a whole. In December I read a total of 7 books with an average rating of 3.4. So, I don’t have too much to say beyond that, so we’ll just dive straight into the books. 

The Chosen by Chaim Potok NR This classic was an incredible read both enlightening and heart breaking. A true story of fathers and sons, of differing religious viewpoints, and of being able to open your eyes in the face of those differences. I think the real importance of this story is in the understanding and willingness to look beyond our initial thoughts and judgements, to see and understand those who are different than us (and maybe in the end not so different). 

A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine 3 Stars I’m going to be completely honest, I don’t really remember much of this book at all. Similar to the first book in this duology, it’s dense, but again we deal with trying to understand those who are different from us. There’s first contact with aliens, which I was meh about, and the ending left things concluded, but also open for more books in the future. I honestly just think part of this was a “too much time has passed” and my excitement about the first and the world had faded.

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean 3 Stars I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This story where one girl’s feeling of not fitting quite in…anywhere leads to a remarkable discovery about herself and how to change her own world. It’s very much a coming-of-age story, with royal stakes, and one that was just nice and fun to read. 

The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk 3 Stars I gave this a 3 star, but I will say it probably ranks lowest on my list of books from this month. I just…didn’t care about it. At all. It, too, is a coming-of-age story, but I found it to by typical of not like other girls’ girl asserting her independence and defying societal expectations. It’s something I love, but in this case, it felt like a robotic regurgitation of some previous thing that I’d read. I fully recognize that this was a “me” thing, which is why I gave it 3 stars (as I didn’t hate it, just didn’t get on well with it). Just very bland for me. 

Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson 4.5 Stars A tricky read for me as I LOVE this, now, series, but I think this would probably not be my favorite of the set. We see Spensa go through a lot of character growth, which I loved, we see her struggle with what she wants vs what is best vs what she needs, all with outside sources messing with her very person, BUT I missed the camaraderie of some of the other characters we’ve grown to love. With that being said, the last 20 pages had me visibly crying and very much heart broken. And now I have to wait for who knows how long for the next one…grrrr.

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan 3 Stars Another conflicting read for me (seems to be a trend for the month). I LOVED the setting, the concept of saving this bookshop and the stakes that come with that. I even liked the mystery aspect of the shop owner and his history. BUT, but, but, but, I did not care for our main character at all. I didn’t care for the weird jumping around to different character viewpoints and I didn’t care for how the story…presented itself. It felt jumbled and almost like Jenny Colgan wanted to have a bit of mystery, but didn’t quite know how to insert it? Not sure, but while the setting was cute, the execution wasn’t incredible. I’ve loved her previous two books so I’m not sure what this one had that didn’t really work for me. 

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead 4 Stars Man did I really love this. I found it to be captivating, twisting and turning every other page, with the perfect pacing to truly unfold a story for you. I could have done without the very last twist (the one that literally comes on the last two pages), BUT this is a really great thriller to read if you’re looking for an “in one sitting” kind of book. 

And that was it for December! I think at least, there are still a few days left in the month and we’re not doing much of anything so I may just finish another book or two in these last few days. 

A Cuppa Cosy – November 2021

I’ll be honest with you; I don’t really know how great this month’s reading recap is going to be. It’s not that I didn’t do a lot of reading (6 books) or that it was that I didn’t like the books that I read (average rating of 3.6), rather the fact that over the last week of the month and into the first week of this month that my mind kind of went to mush. We had some personal things going on and so, basically everything has left my mind. I’m going to try and do my best to share my thoughts (some of which are strong worded), but it also might be a little bare compared to previous months. We shall see how it goes…

Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins 3 Stars: This was fine, exactly as it should be. Not groundbreaking, but a fun little pick me up. I really love this royal/royal adjacent romance trope, and this fell really well into that, though I wouldn’t say it was a memorable one. 

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire 4 Stars: I read this toward the beginning of November, when I had a reading plan for the month (that fell apart), and I still don’t quite know how to talk about it. It’s a weird one…almost like if you ever wanted to read a sci-fi fantasy set in our modern-day world. 

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson 4 Stars This is not my favorite Sanderson novel by any stretch. I still enjoyed it, BUT I felt like a lot of the book (like at the very least 2/3) was a set up for possibly a duology or trilogy, only for the last 1/3 to ¼ to conclude everything. Almost like he wanted to turn it into a duology at the least but wasn’t given clearance from editor/publisher. I still really enjoyed it, but it is definitely towards the bottom of the list of Sanderson novels I’ve read. 

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong 4 Stars This book was such a good, epic conclusion to this Romeo & Juliet meets fantasy (maybe a bit steam punk too???) meets Shanghai duology. While there were a couple parts that I…thought could have been edited down a bit more, on the whole it was a great book. 

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 3 Stars A book that I don’t know what really stuck with me. I enjoyed it, will probably pick up the second book, but I don’t know that there was anything truly “stand out” about it. It was a fine read. 

The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer NR This book…this book I feel passionate about. For starters, you’ll note that I didn’t give it a rating; that’s because I don’t really know HOW to rate this book. I’m conflicted because while I enjoyed seeing a “Jewish” themed holiday romance (a la hallmark in a novel), I had some very direct notable issues. For starters the fact that this is book is marketed to both Jews and Non-Jews, BUT it doesn’t handle writing for both well. It seemed to waffle back and forth, rather than sticking with one and then adding an appendix or some description section. I also don’t really like how the concept of “liking Christmas” is akin to abandoning Judaism is handled in the book and a couple of other specific religious issues were handled. But then I DO appreciate that this is hitting the market, that it is being done, and that we can see some Jewish books. So, conflicted. I could go on and on, but I’ll stop. 

And that was it! I know some had a lot, others had little, but I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts anyways. Let me know, what was one book you read in November that you enjoyed.

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – October 2021

It was actually, surprisingly, a stellar reading month! I think I was surprised because looking back, I enjoyed everything I read, I didn’t feel like I was reading as much as I normally do in a month. This makes sense as we traveled, then had family visiting, had PTO kick off, and then needed to decompress from everything. Somehow, I managed to read 6 books and give an average rating of 4 Stars. So, maybe not by best of the year, but certainly a high rating month. 

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones 4 Stars I found this to be suitably, atmospherically spooky. The book has a haunting nature to it, far surpassing the haunting that is happening in the book itself. I really enjoyed it. 

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson 4 Stars This is the second book in the Good Girls Guide to Murder trilogy and I did enjoy this new case. I don’t know if I enjoyed it as much as the first book, but I did enjoy seeing some character development and I feel like the underlying tone of the book got suitably darker. 

The Tree by John Fowles NR I don’t really have too much to say about this book as I wasn’t really…feeling it? I don’t know, it might have just been a miss for me, but while I understand and believe what he was saying in his long essay, I didn’t connect with it.

The Passengers by John Marrs 5 Stars Easily one of my favorite reads of the month, maybe even of the year (who knows- I haven’t even started to look at end of the year lists). John Marrs is just quickly becoming one of my go to authors for quick paced, unputdownable thrillers. This is my second one and I loved it just as much as The One. I would recommend reading The One first, as this is set in the same “universe” (read: the same modern-day era) and does have a couple of near spoilers for that book. 

Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault 3 Stars Ah, this book fell a bit flat for me. I know I’m not necessarily the intended audience (this is a lower end of the young adult spectrum book) and I think that was the major reason for the average rating from me. I think this book would be excellent for a 12/13-year-old (depending on maturity level- there isn’t anything graphic or super inappropriate, but parent discretion on it), who loves Belle and Beauty and the Beast and wants more post Disney story. I did appreciate the historical references that took place. 

Not All Diamonds & Rose by Dave Quinn NR Ah, THE housewives book. I’m going to be doing an entire podcast on this book, but I’ll just say that I actually really enjoyed it. This is a Bravo/Andy approved book, so you’re not going to get ALL the tea, but you get a good amount of “tea”, but also behind the scenes producer content. 

So, that’s it! Not too much to say on the books, but I’m hoping to end the month strong with a good November and December (even though spoiler alert- I’m not loving my current read…).

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – September 2021

Well, we’ve come to the end of another month and I’m once again sat here wondering…where did the month go??? It was a busy one for us, we traveled at the beginning, and then school started, Autumn sports started, I got a little burned out in doing some forward planning and thinking about all the things that are coming, and it seemed like the world just continued much the way it has been over the past year or two. It was just…wow. You would think I would run to a book, take to reading and escaping even more and yet, it wasn’t a great reading month. I feel like there was a lot of…this was fine/ok, but not a lot of in-depth thoughts happening about really any of the books that I read. It was just a very…meh reading month to be honest. 

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing 4 Stars  Ok, I was a bit on the fence about this one, but upon reflection I think I enjoyed it more than I thought. We are following a couple of characters at a prestigious private school who all just want the best for themselves/their friends/ their students and will go to whatever lengths to do what they think is right and best. While I think this was good and well done, and I enjoyed the overall concept, I do feel like there could have been a bit of change or editing. There were a couple bits that were…unnecessary? Or were intended to be like red herrings, but in reality, had just nothing to do with anything. 

Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurlan 4 Stars Ah, if I had to guess, I would say this was the book that started the reading mood I found myself in as the month wore on. There is just something to be said about reading a book from a variety of psychopath’s perspectives that will…just do something to you. Now, don’t get me wrong I really liked this book- the hunter becomes the hunted? Yes please. BUT there is something about reading from points of views of people who don’t “feel” as we do that just makes it…a struggle. 

Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer 4 Stars I think that Kemmerer is just one of my go to light romance, light fantasy authors that I know will give me a book that I enjoy and captivates me. This was my fourth of hers that I’ve read and, similar to the other three, I enjoyed this one. 

To Be Taught If Fortunate by Becky Chambers 3 Stars This is a novella that is space centered, like many of her other books. I don’t have a lot to say about this one as it was shorter, but I will say (and maybe this is because it was shorter) but what I will say is there is quite a bit more of the “science-y” stuff that I struggled with in this one. 

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé 4 Stars I think this was probably one of my most unnerving books that I read this year. This is an academic thriller, with very much Gossip Girl vibes (a mystery person sending out texts that harm others reputations), but with much more sinister undertones and connotations. It hits you in a way that you don’t expect when you find out the common denominator (though as a reader I feel like we figure it out much faster), but it brings up quite a bit of good social commentary that could start some very important social commentary.

The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle 4 Stars This is the final book I’m going to talk about, the final book I’ve read at this point, and the easiest fastest read of the month. I think I’ve settled on my overly specific romance genre I prefer- which is royal or royal adjacent romances. In this case, the neighbor and the bodyguard. It’s good, some of the romantic thoughts made me giggle, and there was definitely some smut, but also some sweetness. A true win to the end of the month. 

I’m sure I’ll still read another book before the month ends, or maybe I won’t this month has been a strange one in terms of reading. What about you?

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – August 2021

How is it already the end of August? How are we only 4-5 months away from 2022? How has this year quite literally flown by??? Minor crisis over, let’s talk about August in Books. I read a total of 11 books, with an average rating of 3.93 (whoa!). I will be honest; I ALMOST got a little slumpy there for a week. I read one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it might find its way on my most disappointed list for the year. It put me in quite the mood that took a bit of work to get out of. Any guesses on what book that was? Let’s get into it…

Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton 3.5 Stars This needs to come with trigger warnings for abuse, school shooting, terror to children of all ages, and some pretty harsh words and content. This story is about a school shooting that seemingly melds the school shooting, family life, and diversity together in a way that just feels so real. 

Starsight by Brandon Sanderson 5 Stars Honestly, at this point I’m just a sucker for anything Brandon Sanderson writes, and I need the third book in this series STAT. 

The Nesting Dolls by Alina Adams 4 Stars I really really enjoyed this novel. It’s a generational saga of sorts, following a single-family line as they go from a small shtetl in the USSR to America and the struggles that each generation faces in each space. Part of this reason I enjoyed this is because there are similarities between my own family and that of the Nesting Dolls family (it’s basically the same in so many ways), but I found it to be beautifully written and a great insight into a time that was complicated for so many. Honestly, I could do a whole standalone chat about this book…maybe I should?

Night Sky With Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong NR I’ve added 10 minutes of poetry reading into my morning routine and loving it. This was the second book that I worked through a little at a time and it was just so beautifully, artfully written. You could feel the authors pain and longing to be in each and every poem, almost as he was writing himself into existence and into memory. 

A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee 3 Stars Ah, the disappointment of disappointments. I had such high hopes- EVERYONE had talked about how good this was. And it wasn’t BAD, it just…well it wasn’t really sure what it wanted to be. It focused so heavily (and did so well) on the atmosphere, the school setting, the love of literature, that everything else (namely plot) kind of fell flat. I had read almost half of the book before I even took a look at genres and the fact that it was a thriller helped and hindered it. Honestly, this is another book that I could do a whole standalone chat on…so many thoughts.

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo 4 Stars  Man was this book a ride. I don’t know if part of my enjoyment of this was just because I read after the disappointment referenced above, or if it was actually that good, but this twist…man this twist. I read this in 24 hours- I could not stop. 

The Royal Art of Poisoning by Eleanor Herman NR This was my second Eleanor Herman novel, and I loved this one just as I loved the other that I read, Sex with Kings. She has this way of writing such detailed history but infusing it with dry humor that leaves you both dumbfounded and cackling. This book divides into three sections, the first about the general concept of poisoning in history, the second notable figures in history that were thought (at one time) to be poisoned, and the third the modern art of poisoning in the political/royal realm.

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca NR This is a struggle. Honestly, I don’t even know what I actually read with this book, let alone how to talk about it. 

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong 4 Stars. I very much enjoyed this book, borderline loved it. If you like (but maybe not love) Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, this is a retelling that shakes up the initial narrative, introduces a sci-fi/supernatural hit, and sets it all in Shanghai. I found it to be a dynamic read that is just enjoyable from start to finish. And then I immediately pre ordered the second book. 

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix 4 Stars I really enjoyed this book. The entire book is a sort of satirical look into what life in the small-town south in the 80’s was like with a supernatural twist. It’s a fun one to read through and enjoy the ride. 

Know My Name by Chanel Miller NR This was easily the most incredible, powerful book that I’ve read this year. Beautifully written, incredibly powerful, and provides a massive insight into the court system and looks at various different things that we can work to change for the court system. 

And that was it! I’m currently reading For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing and enjoying it. What was your favorite book of the month? Any above interest you or have you read any of the above books?

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – July 2021

Happy August! I’ve just got a quick reading catch up post today as I’ve become quite a bit behind (due to summer holidays) on…well just everything. I don’t truly remember all of my thoughts for these books, but I’ll do my best to give some brief opinions. I ended up reading a total of 9 books and giving an average rating of 3.875, so a quite good month. I did also DNF (Did Not Finish) some books, so I’ll talk about those at the end. 

Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston 4 Stars – I really enjoyed this contemporary novel, even if I found it to be a bit of wishful escapism. I’m kind of a sucker for royal family stories though.  

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo 4 Stars This was a beautiful and captivating story that just had me in a trance from start to finish. 

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert 4 Stars Yet another cute contemporary story that I really enjoyed. 

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto 4 Stars I think this might have been one of my favorites for the month, this was just such a great romantic comedy of errors. I will most definitely be reading the next one just to see the family antics once again. 

The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher 4 Stars This is one of those horror books that I think will just live in my brain for a little bit, kind of like The Troop by Nick Cutter or maybe even The Hunger by Alma Katsu (I recommend the former, but maybe not the latter). I didn’t realize that it had truly gotten under my skin until we were on holiday and I saw something that was described in the book and it spooked me a bit haha. 

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo 4 Stars This is the second in what I think is just a companion grouping of stories following a “recorder of history”. Again, I found myself entranced in the story and swept away by the writing. 

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro 4 Stars This was my second Ishiguru novel and I did, once again, enjoy it. I liked Never Let Me Go a bit more, but it was a VERY different book to this. I found the conversation within our relationship to our work, to our employers, to our own morals and values and the relationship of those with our work and our employers. 

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides 3 Stars Ah, this was a bit of a disappointment and the more I think about it, the more I talk about it, the more upset I get about it. It wasn’t BAD, by any stretch, but I also felt like it…had a lot of far reaching stretches for our main character and the twist made ZERO sense. I also wasn’t a fan of the main character, but that could just be a me thing. 

Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies by J.B. West NR A memoir of sorts, this book talks about what it is actually like working in and running the White House, on the family side of things. He doesn’t speak badly about any of the families, instead highlighting the differences and similarities and personal relationships of each family. 

And finally, the books that I…gave up on: Reputation by Lex Croucher and The Binding by Bridget Collins. I have actually fully gotten rid of Reputation. It was a bit TOO spot on for what it was trying to be and the main character was obnoxious. The Binding I might try again another time as I didn’t feel strongly about it either way, which is why I stopped reading it. 

And that’s it for July! I’ve got big plans for the rest of the year for reading and I’m very excited. 
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