Hey there, everyone! I hope everyone had a fruitful July! I know I gave myself one of those outrageous goals again. I don’t even remember how many I wanted to read anymore. Did I read them all? No, not at all. But I still read 12, and they were (mostly) great.

Anyway, how did everyone else do this past month? Meet any personal goals?

Midnight at the Houdini

I am so glad I picked up this book. Honestly, I was so worried because the cover reminded me too much of Hotel Magnifique, and I intensely disliked that novel. Thankfully, this novel is different! If you love Stardust, this is the book for you. This book is about a hotel enchanted by a fallen star! It was so good and magical, and just tons of fun. There is also a lot of good character development that I enjoyed. And the ending was so sweet.

This Will Be Fun

Oh my god, this book was so good. I loved it! Here, we have four former friends and lovers brought together by the rumors of their long-dead nemesis being resurrected. His death cost them one of their own, something they have not forgiven each other for. But now, back together, they work towards living, towards mending their hearts and their bonds. It’s funny, magical, romantic, and just such a wonderful read.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night

I would call this book The Hunger Games meets Underworld. Oraya reminds me so much of Selene, and it’s such a fast-paced story. It’s funny; it was my friend’s book club read, and a lot of people said it started slow, and for me, aside from that first chapter, it was not slow in the least. This novel was fast-paced and had excellent plot development. The tasks were deadly, the build-up in the romance was meaningful, and the father-daughter relationship was complicated. I didn’t hate Vincent, but was he the best person? No, but this is a brutal world, and the complex characterization showcased that everyone is a little morally grey versus being genuinely evil except for Mische. She is precious and needs to be protected at all costs.

The Blonde Dies First

I loved this book! I love that slasher-themed books are starting to pop up more because I love them. I love the Scream franchise and the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Honestly, Kreuger is my favorite. Anyway, this book was so good. It felt like something Jordan Peele would direct or Produce, and I hope he does. This novel is all Scream vibes, with great characters and nods to all the classics while continuously flipping those tropes on their heads and shattering the boxes people are often placed in.

Godkiller

This novel was so good. If you’re looking for an epic high fantasy, this is perfect. As a girl raised on a steady diet of Dragonlance (I have the logo tattooed on my arm), this novel feels like a fantasy. It has the aesthetic, world-building, and this ancient world feel to it, filled with gods, magic, and a quest! I just loved reading it; I loved Kissen as this fierce female character who takes no shit and the bond that forms between her and Inara and Elo. And after that ending! I need to read book two now.

Two Sides to Every Murder

Another slasher! I loved it. It was so good. What Valentine does so well is her plot twists. They always catch me off guard. That ending didn’t; I was like, “I knew it!” But I also didn’t think it was going to happen. The story moved so fast that I pretty much could read this novel in one sitting if I had let myself. However, I split the book into four parts since I was reading it for the book club. But this is easily a book you could read in one sitting because it’s so cinematic. Valentine is great at setting up a story, plot twists, and making a book feel cinematic.

Check & Mate

This was quite a surprising read for me. Ali Hazelwood is one of those authors who is known for doing romance, and I’m not about that. However, with her young adult debut I thought I would give her a shot and see what she’s all about. Honestly, I liked it. Sometimes, I found Mallory to be unlikable, but I got it. Mallory is her family’s caretaker, which has put a lot of stress on her. Chess makes her light up, but there is also a lot of baggage tied to it. It makes for a complex journey on her part. Honestly, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Wildblood

I did not enjoy this novel as much as Blackwood’s other books. This was her sophomore novel, if memory serves me correctly. It was okay, but it was hard for me to connect to the characters. I liked the complexities and real-world connections the story was discussing regarding the slave trade, but it was just a struggle for me to lose myself in this novel, unlike the other two that I read. However, I absorbed this one as an audiobook, so that might have something to do with it.

The Unmaking of June Farrow

This was a trippy novel, that’s for sure. I love the time loop aspect of the novel, the way the novel can be reread right after reading it the first time. It’s not a fast-paced story, yet it moves in that way. I wish I could explain it, but it’s like watching Bill & Ted or The Lake House. You’re going with the flow of this novel, watching it unfold, seeing the tension rise, listening to the story being told, and losing yourself in it. And it’s so wild! The time paradoxes are mind-blowing, making this novel even more enjoyable.

Hex You

I still hate Mercy so much; for me, she got what she deserved and was not redeemable. I am glad her friend called her out on her shit, though. But poor Hunter. This novel felt rushed as if this was not supposed to be the conclusion it was supposed to reach. It didn’t wrap up everything neatly. Also, Mercy is the worst character and sister ever. She sucks.

These Twisted Bonds

This novel felt less like an ACOTAR dupe than the previous one, and I liked it a little more, even though the pacing was a little slower. I liked Brie’s realization of love and how loving Finn differed from loving Sebastian. You know, young love versus mature love. There were times when Finn felt like two different characters and, yes, times when it felt like he was a lot like Rhys, but I enjoyed some excellent character growth there. I just wished there had been more consistency regarding the characterization.

Hearts That Cut

I liked this novel, but I think I enjoyed this one more as an audiobook, which is rare for me. The problem is, I did like the book, I loved the ending and the way Io developed as a character. I still hate her sister Thais, and I wish Ava, her other sister, would recognize how toxic and horrible she is. Yes, now she is trying to fix things, but that doesn’t excuse her childhood and how she treated her sisters and manipulated them—no redemption for me there. Nevertheless, I loved how Edei’s relationship with her grew, and I loved how the novel ended on a hopeful note. Love finds a way, and it is moving. And Io came into herself here.

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