It’s been a minute since I did a reading recap & let me tell you, the reading kick is still in full swing. To be honest I was never really much of a reader before this year. I’d usually read about 1-2 self-help books a year, max. However, ever since reading Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends with Us” I’ve been really into reading. I think some of it has to do with the fact that it get me off my phone and away from looking at screen first thing in the morning and right before I go to bead. I’m honestly not sure how long it will last but I’m so excited to review some new books for you! I’ve read some real winners the past few months. My top reads are currently – 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, The Guest List and Reminders of Him.

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1 – The Guest List by Lucy Foley – 5/5 I WAS OBSESSED. it’s a murder-mystery thriller that I couldn’t put it down. I legit audibly gasped multiple times!! – it’s a wedding that takes place in Ireland and the chapters toggle between the perspectives of different people on the wedding guest list, so it took me a second to catch on to who was who. But it kept me on my toes the entire time. There’s SO much to unpack with this one.

2 – November 9 by Colleen Hoover – 3/5 NOT HER BEST, BUT I WAS HOOKED. Colleen Hoover gets me EVERY. DAMN. TIME.

I’ll admit I wasn’t the biggest fan of the story line in the beginning, I just couldn’t really get into it. But for some reason CoHo just has a way of writing books I can’t put down, so when I reach the half way point, where the plot starts to unfold, it was like my eyes couldn’t read it fast enough. Tears were shed and my jaw was on the floor.

I will say, the main characters weren’t my favorite & I just pretended they were older then they were because for some reason I just can’t relate to 18 year olds. I just felt like the love was so manipulative on Ben’s side. But, definitely a good read none the less!

3 – One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle – 3/5 VERY UNEXPECTED.

I wanted to love this book so bad, I mean it practically transported me to Italy and really set itself up to be an amazing story of love, healing & self discovery.

I really expected to rate this book so much higher — it had me HOOKED! But, the twist was so out of left field. Like I can’t get over it, I wasn’t a fan and it felt too abstract to grasp. I don’t want to give anything away, but if you read it, you’ll know what I mean.

I really loved the intention & life lessons behind the whole story, it’s a really quick read being under 3o0 pages! – It was filled with very impactful & insightful moments, but I just didn’t feel a connection with the main character towards the end & I just can’t let go of how the twist could’ve been done 100x better.

I will say I love how the book makes you realize that we all are living our own lives and there is so much more then meets the eye. Especially in the way we view parents. “I hope you’ll understand someday that just because you become a mother doesn’t mean you stop being a woman”

4 – Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid – 3.5/5 A PAGE TURNER. first off I’m literally just obsessed with Taylor Jekin Reid as a writer & this one did not disappoint – it’s broken up in two half & I loved the first half so much, it shares multiple POVs of different family members and their struggles coming from a
broken home. Such a page turner in the beginning. The second half lost me for a little cause there were like 20 characters introduced, that made it a bit confusing and chaotic. But the ending gave me everything I need and more!

Also fun fact, one of characters is a Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, from Taylor’s other book!

5 – People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry – 3.5/5 HIGHLIGHT SO MUCH. This book was filled with good nuggets of life lessons and quotes, but it felt like the first few chapters and last few chapters just wrapped this book with the perfect bow — it dragged a bit in the middle, but the ending really drove it home for me. I MEAN THE FIRST PAGE OF THE PROLOGUE?! So iconic

Maybe it was the title of the book, but I really thought the story was going to give a bit more “eat pray love” / self discovery vibes. (This is what happens when I don’t read reviews before starting a book) Instead, it’s a tale of friends to lovers. All in all, it felt predictable but wholesome and heartwarming at the same time.

One things for sure, Emily is an incredible writer, I took away so many life lessons, highlighted so many quotes & really fell in love with the main characters.

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6 – Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score  – IT’S SO LONG.

I have such a hard time rating this one — because I think I went in with too high of expectations based on the ratings. But, I did genuinely love so many aspects of the story. Once the story begins to unravel I got hooked. I also found the character development absolutely impeccable.

It’s a very small town vibe, good vs. bad sibling story with a steamy romance & lots of life lessons! I can see why it’s a fan favorite. I highlighted so many quotes from this book too!

I loved the story line between Naomi and Way, it felt so wholesome and special — I wish the book spent more time on it.

7 – The People We Keep by Allison Larkin 4/5 BUT IT DRAGGED. I really ended up loving this one, it took me a second to get into it because I couldn’t really figure out what the plot was and it dragged on in the middle. But I ended up loving the main character, April & her journey. To be honest the entire book was 3/5 until the final few chapters, part 3 just had me 😭 it really closed off the book so perfectly and was the reason I gave it a 4/5 — but be warned it really takes a minute to get into.

8 – Reminders Of Him by Colleen Hoover 5/5 COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN. Hands down one of my favorite reads recently. Such a refreshing story line, written in typical CoHo fashion of course. I literally shed tears multiple times throughout reading this one. The book really reinforces that life isn’t always just black and white. It was such a page turner and your heart iust breaks for everyone. I was not expecting to love this one as much as I did, but 1000% reccomend

9 – The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave 3/5 HAD EVERYTHING GOING FOR IT.

I really loved this one at the beginning & got hooked so quickly, I could barely put it down – but the ending was SO vague imo. It just didn’t feel well thought out, like there were so many directions the story could’ve gone and, I don’t know, I just didn’t vibe with the direction the author chose.

I will say, it was a refreshing story line though, I needed a change of pace from CoHo romances. It’s about a father/husband who disappears & the journey find him/uncover his past.

10 – Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover 3.5/5 DON’T HATE ME. I was shocked I didn’t love this one as much as everyone else, because this seems to be a fan favorite! I really loved the way CoHo wrote this one, the love story just really pulled at my heart strings the entire time. It switches between character perspectives each chapter & I just kept wanting to skip to Miles. It was a tad bit predictable and felt a little unoriginal imo, but I will say the entire last few chapters just had me so emotional.

11 – A Court Of Thorns And Roses by Sarah J. Maas 2/5 I’M NOT A FANTASY FICTION GIRL

I feel like the odd man out for how widely popular this book is, but maybe fantasy fiction just isn’t my genre? Cause it wasn’t ✨obsessed✨

First off, I couldn’t tell what direction the book was headed and everything felt so confusing. It picked up about half way through and got good once everything was explained, that when I couldn’t put it down. But, it ended up feeling a tad bit like a beauty & the beast (which now that I’ve read reviews is apparently the point of the series?) —— either way, I felt like it was widely predictable, the second half was rushed & there’s something I just don’t like about Tamlin

Writing a review before reading the whole series is interesting though cause I’m sure my thoughts & opinions will change drastically cause you all said the next books are the best!

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