October tried to convince me I was too busy to read. Cute, right? I truly believed I barely made a dent in my TBR pile…until I checked my reviews for this post and realized I somehow got through 18 books. Eighteen! Apparently the library fairy gods decided to drop every single hold into my lap at once, so it was a glorious month of lugging home physical books while also pressing play on plenty of audiobooks. Even better, I walked away with two 5-star reads (honestly some reallly good ones too that were 4.5)! One came with all the hype and absolutely delivered (The Love of my Afterlife). The other? Criminally underrated. I am officially shouting from the rooftops about Blood of Hercules. If you love ACOTAR or Fourth Wing, this one deserves a spot on your nightstand immediately. Honestly the biggest plot twist of the month was me giving a romantasy book 5 stars. Who even am I?
If you want to check out my past reviews, they’re right here. I just joined Book of the Month, loving it (two of the books I’ve gotten have gone on to be everywhere online and I feel cool knowing I read them first lol)! I finally joined Goodreads —let’s be bookish besties! Here’s my profile. My rating system is at the bottom. Don’t forget you get 15 hrs audiobooks with Spotify if you have a membership. Now, let’s dive in!
Blood of Hercules 5/5 – Check those warnings, and the beginning welcome/acknowledgement is a treat! I normally don’t like fantasy books or romantasy books, too many names and worlds to keep track of, but this was amazing. Loved her relationship with Nyx!! So hard to read child abuse and food sacristy. It was so good I did not want to stop reading and go to sleep, I had to force myself 2 nights in a row to finally go to sleep (I finished this in 2.5 days). Deffffffinitely had Fourth Wing and Huger Games vibes. Chapter 15 when August used his powers on those two losers, hottt. Of course in chapt 19 “if anyone in Sparta lays a single finer on Alexis – they answer to me!” hot. Omg talk about slow burn, they didn’t even kiss until pg 490 (out of like 500). Wish Alexis would have opened up to them a little bit more about her horrible past and let them rage on her behalf. I mean she lived in a box for Pete’s sake. I immediately pre-ordered book 2! I liked it so much more than I thought I would, I normally don’t like romantasy or dark romance. This book was so well written. I cannot believe I’m giving this a 5, but I just have to.
The Love Of My Afterlife 5/5 – This was a Libby listen- loved the accent! Super unique concept. Good story! Omg “caramel slice” instead of “camel toe” I died LOL!!! Omg that car crash! The twist with Merrit! Cooper! This was so cute, cuteness overload and perfection. No notes! A unique and super cute story that I didn’t think I would like and ended up loving!!
The Road To Tender Hearts 4.5/5 – I thought it started a little slow but then at chapter 3 my mouth was agape and I could not put the book down! Elaine, such a crazy and heartbreaking series of events. I got goosebumps at the end of chapter 3, wow how things were tied together. Omg in chapter 10 when uncle PJ acknowledges what an ahole his brother was to Luna, and how Luna felt finally someone addressed it, I teared up, that was beautiful. What was the last book that made you cry? Broken Country, now this! When PJ tells Ollie what it means to love kids in the mall, tears! The twist with Michelle, lol omg. I told my husband, the ending, so beautifully wrapped up/ and the last line from the perspective of the cat was so beautiful!
Never Been Shipped 4.5/5– It’s always hard to go from a romantasy (Blood of Hercules) where things are so fast paced and other worldly back down to contemporary romance, they can tend to be slow, but this book delivered! I have never heard hair described as a “sunset”, so cute! Such well written tension between John and Micah! I loved his admission in chapter 30, swoon! If you like music- bands- stuff about the music world this book is for youuuuu! What Tatiana said in chapter 34 about failure-success- mind blown and so sweet! Track 3. ‘only if’ that Micah sends him – the words – I teared up! So beautiful. Really cute book and nice amount of spice for the book, would definitely recommend this one and am going to check out some of the authors other books.
Slipstream 4/5 – Arthur is really sweet with her, swoon worthy. Like when he calms her anxiety on planes? When he teaches her to dance! “I see forever in you” 😭 verrry slow burn, wished it would have sped up a little bit. Like they didn’t even kiss until the last fourth of the book. Overall very sweet book, I enjoyed. Reminded me of the other race car romance I had read (Throttled, which I just discovered is a series, now I need to go read that brb), loved learning about that world!
If You Give a Single Dad a Nanny: Aspen Grove 4/5 – this was my second Spotify one, so free because it fell within my 15 hrs. “Lola isn’t the only one I missed when I was gone” hottt. Marlo is cute and I love that they both admit when they’re wrong. Just an all-around cute romance. Loved how instead of a dramatic act 3 breakup they actually talked like adults!! Was a cute romance, thought the epilogue could have been way better, it was like it wasn’t even about them!
Battle of the Bookstores 4/5– This was a Libby listen. I love books and bookstores, this was so cute! It’s a feel good romance and I really enjoyed listening to it. And there’s a little spice but not too much. Quirky bookish chaos, lovable characters, and just enough romantic tension to keep you interested. Very well done.
That’s Not My Name 4/5– God I felt for poor drew!! Liked this thriller, very quick read because I could not put it down! Did not end like I thought it was going to, what a surprise, but a sad one. It’s a good not super gory thriller.
The Heartbreak Hotel 4/5– I had preordered this little gem, I don’t know why or how but it came in the mail. I liked that they both had their own issues. Omg Henry’s tattoo, tears! I love that she has such a wonderful best friend. I was thinking 5 stars but the first 1/2 seemed like it was just so much better than the second half, but it was still good so 4 stars!
The Room Next Door 4/5 – I listed to this on audible. It was narrated in part by my fave Julia Whelan! It was an audible original so since I have audible it was free! Has crazy long pauses between chapters which was weird, every time a chapter ends I have to look to see if the book stopped playing lol. It was so annoying! And omg did not see that eding coming!!!! Good thriller, great audiobook! I listened to this on a rainy day and it was perfect.
Exit Lane 3/5 – This was a Spotify audiobook for me. This review contains SPOILERS. Why is she so hell bent on not being friends with Teddy, who btw, is adorbs. Omg Mirin is the worst- her reaction to Teddys health news!!! It was cute in the end but still, Marin is the worst. I hated that I had to go read the epilogue on the 813 website and oh you can buy the sweater or notebook. They ended up together in the book. She had kept a small notebook and written what she was feeling during the three years they hadn’t seen each other DURING WHICH HE HAD CANCER and his best friend told her not to contact him. They like swept it under the rug and everything was fine after one small conversation? She’s a pile of trash! Oh btw go to a website, where you could BUY A NOTEBOOK like she had or a sweater. Are you bleeping serious?!! So salesy. Glad the book was free.
Pen Pal 3/5– This one is a v. spicy number. I love how straightforward Aiden is at the bar in the beginning. Love how she describes his weight, hot. They have such great chemistry! I love how they joked around. I loved how he wouldn’t take her money! So cute. Can I just say I died when she asked logistically what he meant by her sitting on his face. Dead! The intimate scenes were really well written. It was so good the first 3/4 of the book and then it lost me. There were ghosts and dual time lines and it was like whattt? I think I’m still confused by the ending. Definitely not the book I thought I was reading at the beginning lol. But overall it was good!
With Love, From Cold World 3/5– This was a libby listen. I listened because I had read Never Been Shipped, this one was a little slower, but it was very sweet – Asa’s Christmas gift, omg so sweet. The first ‘I love you’ was amazing, an overall cute book, but a little slow.
Good Spirits 3/5– This was an audible listen for me – male narrators accent is hot. His magic when they’re “you know” was so cute. Kinda slow, the story didn’t really go anywhere. Her family sucks and maybe a little got resolved, but not really. This one fell flat for me, her other books were such winners (First Time Caller!)
Darling Venom 3/5– what a unique storyline!! Having kids now always makes me so sympathetic of troubled kids! Hot that Tate was an obgyn. There was one slightly steamy scene towards the beginning and then nooooothing until the endish, too much of a slow burn for me, like omg so much waiting and tension, and he doesn’t want to do anything. Didn’t like that Tate and Charlie never really got to be together. That he wouldn’t even go to dinner with her. It was so annoying. Not enough good stuff, this was a more somber one.
Priest 2.5/5– omg dirtiest book ever. Should have known because it’s the same author as American Queen. I just don’t like when in dirty talk they use the words like “little slut” or derogatory terms and there’s a lot of that in this book and soooo much steam, almost too much steam and too little plot, like waaaay too little plot, but if you’re into super steamy, this is for you. If you’re into the Catholic religion this is not for you (I went to a Catholic/Jesuit preparatory high school so I did not enjoy.)
No One Ever Asked 2.5/5– Read it for a book club but then didn’t end up going. It was annoying at the beginning how the chapters kept jumping to different characters, but you get used to it as the characters and storylines start to blend. It was a slow start. Oh man, the birthday gift opening. I really felt that, it’s so tough for kids to see other kids open presents and then when they shout “I have that” or aren’t appreciative – it’s just so hard. And I can’t even imagine the extra trauma Jubilee had. And those mothers gossiping, so awful. Love the name Anaya. The characters felt a little one dimensional, nothing really got resolved, and the characters didn’t grow. And why can’t Camille tell Kathleen how awful she is? Sweet moment during the scary party that Jubilee ran into Jen’s arms. And how awful is Camille to bring that to the race, like oh my god. And NO ONE even questions or get mad at that fact? Oh and you’re telling me you hire a private investigator to look into your husbands affair and then you don’t have a single conversation about it and let him come live back in the house? These women needed therapy, all of them. Did not like this. This book gets crazy good reviews so maybe it’s just me.
Venomous Kiss 3/5 – This book was very messed up and hot, very steamy. Hot in the airplane, of course. He stole and wore her necklace, cute. The society and the hunt were a litttttle much for me, but loved how crazy they both were? It worked. If you liked Lights Out you’d like this.
Leave a Reply