A Cuppa Cosy Reads – September 2025

Boy oh boy, September came in with a bang and left with a bang…and I still don’t know what happened during the month. Whew. 

We had family visit at the beginning, my husband was in and out throughout the month, I started working. And volunteering and community events started ramping up. I feel a bit all over the place to be honest, so here I am, sitting down to write some posts in the hopes that it’ll ground me before I have to move on to the next thing. 


With all of that- I somehow read 8 books this month! While I had some average reads in there, I also had some absolute winners and new favorites. I gave an average rating of 3.857, which might be the highest average in a while! I’m really hopeful about October too as I’ve picked some real good ones out, I think.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy NR One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was how frank she was. We share a semi similar history with traumatic childhoods through our mothers and it was nice to hear someone else discuss it with such frankness. You can tell she has been in therapy and is working through a lot of issues (which I love for her!) and therefore is able to now recognize certain issues or patterns. As someone who went through a lot of therapy, I can speak about certain life experiences with such frankness that it throws people off. This was a breath of fresh air in that sense. 

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid 5 Stars Boy does this live up to all of the hype! It was such a slow but beautiful story, and you can’t help but just fall in love with what exists between the covers. I will say, I recognize some people have some issues with the ending (and I’d love to talk them through with you if you do), but I found it to be exactly as I’d imagined and there is only one thing I’d change if anything. 

Beautiful Things by Emily Rath 4 Stars Mia- you have a why choose book on this wrap up AND you gave it 4 stars?! Yes- I really loved this book. It has the best mix of social society and dynamics in regency England with smut. The fact that this worked for me (or at least this book) is fantastic and I cannot wait to read the second one. 

Fall I Want by Lyra Parish 3 Stars This was “fine”. I learned that I really like to have that 3rd act breakup, even as ridiculous as it can be, it progresses things and gives a little drama. I found that things went a little too easy (and not because everyone was emotionally mature, but because it just went easy). I don’t have too much more to add to it. 

Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang 5 Stars When I tell you that I loved this book- I mean it. This was great, a mix between social commentary, social media, thriller, a hint of the horror…it had it all. This was such a great ride to read, and I would highly recommend it. 

Spookily Yours by Jennifer Chipman 3 Stars Again, another OK book. This is actually a novella and a very cheesy one at that (which I expected based on the cover), but I wish there had been a bit more to it. Give me a bit more struggle, a bit more development and I might have rated it higher.

The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols 3 Stars I think the word that I can best use to describe my issues with this book is “lazy”. There was so much about this book that was lazy- from the character development to the actual makeup and twist to the story. There was also a bit too much performative diversity that ended up detracting from the story as a whole. I didn’t hate the story or book, but I definitely found some issues that could have been handled before publishing. 

Love Arranged by Lauren Asher 4 Stars This was the third book in this sister series, and I really enjoyed this one! I loved the dynamic between our two main characters and the fact that they didn’t waste time. This was the first series of hers that I have read start to finish and I’m glad I did! 

So, that was September! I’m really happy with the reading I did and the books I chose. What was your favorite book in the past month?

acuppacosyLeave a comment

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – August 2025

I feel like this year is just flying by and I can’t catch up! Before we know it, it will be time to be talking about the year as a whole and new reading goals- which is scary to think about. I would say August was a fairly average reading month for me; a couple of standouts, but on the whole nothing super special in any of the books. I read a total of 8 books and gave an average rating of 3.28. 

Loving a Vampire is Total Chaos by Aura Hayes 2 Stars – This book was total chaos…

Mean Moms by Emma Rosenblum 3.5 Stars – This book was so much fun in all good ways, but it was also just a standard thriller esque story. 

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna 4 Stars – I thoroughly enjoyed all the coziness this book brought, but I also felt a little let down (possibly because it was so built up after all the publishing delays). 

Rush Week by Michelle Brandon 3 Stars – Another average thriller, though this one was more boring in certain parts than Mean Moms. I don’t know if it was too much with reading it during Rush Week or if it was the book itself (probably the latter to be honest).

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz 4 Stars – This was just a delightful novella- I could have read more about these robots trying to open a noodle spot. 

Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare 3.75 Stars – While I enjoyed this immensely and am looking forward to picking up the second, I also felt like at times it was a bit…long winded and was repeating itself in ways that wasn’t necessary (the author does a great job at showing not telling, but then would tell us after). 

How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive by Craig DiLouie 3 Stars – This was solid in some parts and yet feel short in other parts. I felt like it was a little drawn out, so when we got to the punchy parts, it was already a little tiring to read. I enjoyed the last sections, but the lead up was a little overdone. 

To Have and To Heist by Sara Desai 3.5 Stars – This was cute and fun and a great comedy of errors, but I don’t think I need to read any further. 

And that’s it! A solid month if not as high a rating as I’d like. On to September and the start of all the autumnal reads. 

acuppacosyLeave a comment

The Home Library – Alaska Edition

I think this is now the third iteration of my home library that I’ve shared on here (3rd or 4th I can’t recall) and this one is my favorite of them all. I don’t know if I’ll ever have this set up, this perfection again, so I firmly plan on being here every single day (and I have been so far). But first, let’s go back and see through the years how the home library has existed in our various houses…

The 1st edition (the one I don’t know if I shared or not) was known as the wall of books. And was simply, a wall of books. It was dreamy in its own way (I mean who wouldn’t want to just have a wall of books), but there wasn’t much seating within the books- the chair was opposite- and it was also in the office- so lots of other things happened instead of reading. 

The 2nd edition was the first corner set up. It was where I first started becoming “Belle”. It didn’t have a chair within the library itself, but it was moldable, and I would move the boy’s little nugget in, I would re arrange easily, and it became our Hogwarts library of dreams when we did the hanging candles from the ceiling. It was my first chance to start seeing what I’d like in a library and what I don’t need. 

The 3rd edition was the shortest of them all- our one year in Texas. Another corner shelf set up, though we added a lamp, had the chair in the library, and had a separate area for library books. This was a great set up- I learned that I absolutely need a lamp (multiple would be nice if possible) and I placed a speaker on one of the shelves- which was a great addition. 

Finally, here we are this 4th edition. You will be able to see why I won’t be able to top this one- it’s an absolute dream. I’ve got a cushioned window seat, the wall of books, but still two corners, the chair and lamp within the library, but also plenty of space to host/bring in more cushions for the kids to read too. It’s dreamy in all the best ways and I really truly plan on spending a little bit of time here every day.

acuppacosyLeave a comment

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – June/July 2025

June & July were a couple of busy months- both personally and for reading! I somehow managed to read 15 books across both months and across one and a half countries. It was two months filled of high highs and some very memorable lows (at least reading wise). I gave an average rating of 3.75. 

So, let’s get into it…

Lights Out by Navessa Allen 4 Stars: This is marketed as a “dark romance”, but I found it to be rather charming (no, I’m not sure what that says about me). While it can have darker themes, these are quickly pushed to the side as you get to know the characters and the story unfolds. 

Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon 4 Stars: This was just a classic Jewish good time. 

The Will of the Many by James Islington 4 Stars: This is one of those books that I just loved the complex nature that I had zero understanding of. Do I find that some things needed further meaning and explanation? Sure. Did we get that? No. Did I love it anyway? Yes. Especially that ending- I need more information now. 

This Summer Will be Different by Carley Fortune 3.5 Stars: I picked this up because it takes place on one of my favorite places- Prince Edward Island, Canada. I really enjoyed it, the romance was endearing, even if I’m not a second chance type of person (if this could even be a second chance- maybe more of a physical to emotional romance. 

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry 2.5 Stars: Look this was overhyped for me in the worst way. I found the female main character to be obnoxious, the story to be too obvious and predictable and I just was not a fan from start to finish. 

The Compound by Aisling Rawle 3.75 Stars: This came a bit out of a left field, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Big Brother meets Survivor (in a weird way)? Sign me up! My only big complaint about this book was that at times it was almost too complacent, then it would do something shocking to try and push the characters into the arc, but the timing was off. Highly recommend though. 

House of Bane and Blood by Alexis L. Menard 5 Stars: Sometimes a book comes at just the right time when you’re in the right place and that was what this duology was. An excellent steam punk urban fantasy story that I loved from start to finish. This first one is full of world building (but not overwhelmingly so), and the beginning of the tension. 

City of Mirth and Malice by Alexis L. Menard 5 Stars: This is the second book in this duology, and I found it to be the perfect concluding story, while still allowing the door to be open for any future spin off stories (which I think could easily happen). This was a good balance between the world and the fantasy with the romance- neither one crowding the other out. 

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto 3.75 Stars: I think this is the first “dark romance” that I’ve read that I’ve felt uncomfortable during. Granted I don’t read a lot, and I am very aware of what my triggers are when it comes to books, I found this to have some very uncomfortable moments (as it should given the world). Still, I enjoyed the overall story and I need the next book ASAP. While I know where the trope is going, I am appreciating the tension and slow build/burn of the characters. 

The Hunters Way by Craig Raleigh NR: To be honest, I don’t know if I could tell you anything about this book today. Zero. This was an audio book my husband picked while we were driving, and I think that’s about all there is to tell. 

Gloves Off by Stephanie Archer 4 Stars: Stephanie Archers is like Elsie Silver or Elle Kennedy; I can usually count on her for a solid (if maybe not memorable) romance that’s a good time. 

A Photo Finish by Elsie Silver 3 Stars: This was a solid romance that covered some more …mature (? Not sure the word, just haven’t seen some of the convo’s that exist in here in other books) themes and conversations that I enjoyed. I also enjoy the parallel to the first Elsie Silver series of books that I read (this follows the sister from the reckless series of books). 

Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza 5 Stars: What an absolute delight of a book. From start to finish I loved this. Maybe it’s because it ties very much into the current themes of social media, with a mystery twist, or it just came at the right time, but boy do I recommend this one for a fun time. 

Call Me Hunter by Jim Shockey 3 Stars: Another audio book selection by my husband, but this one I have thoughts one. I enjoyed it, though I think it was almost too expansive- the through line between the two timelines/stories became lost and muddled as the story grew. 

The Fraud Squad by Kyle Zhao 2 Stars: I was hoping for something fun and instead I got an annoying main character (who I don’t know if she was naïve or dumb), a very loose predictable plot, but fun details. Basically, The Devil Wears Prada but not. 

And that wraps it up! We’re halfway through August now and I’ve already read 4 books…will August shape up to be as good as the rest of the months this year? 

acuppacosyLeave a comment

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – May 2025

Um hi- where did May go and why is June going just as fast? I’m literally writing this post on a late evening because quite honestly, I have no time, but I really want to keep up with all the things (this is definitely me and how I handle life). Somehow June is shaping up to be just as busy as May, coinciding with a move- which means things should be winding down, except I’m me and I keep saying yes! 

Anyways- you didn’t come here to read about that this week, that was last week (and maybe next week who knows). You came here today to hear about all the books I read in May- and boy did I read books in May. I read a total of 9 books and gave an average 3.54 rating. There were some real highs and some real lows there, and only one “this was fine” book in there. 

So, without further ado…

Wild by Cheryl Strayed NR This takes the cake as my least favorite of the month and honestly probably of the year. We picked this for our book club and honestly- hated every minute. I could write an entire thesis on it, but the wonderful people on good reads have already done it (I did give an entire essay verbally at book club though). 

The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose 4.5 Stars I actually loved this one- the set-up, the storyline, the ending- this was exactly what I wanted in a thriller…

The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose 2 Stars However this was completely unnecessary and relied on the same plot devices as the first (which you spend the entire book going- surely, she wouldn’t). I did not need to read it and I will not continue if there are new books with this same character. 

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey 3.75 Stars This was a solid romance, HOWEVER it felt flat in terms of characters. I felt like I was being told all these anxious things and being told that the characters felt this way, but I didn’t feel that. I also felt like the wrap up was very convenient. 

The Royals Upstairs by Karina Halle 3 Stars This is my OK book of the month. It’s a sister book and I just didn’t really need it. Convenient and not enough of the couple from the first book. 

Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus 4 Stars This was a good literary fiction read. I always enjoy when women make fields work for them, especially in era’s when it was harder, and this was one of those stories. This was just a really lovely read, hard at times, but overall, so good to read. 

Off to the Races by Elsie Silver 3.5 Stars I think one of my favorite aspects of this was the horse racing and that we were following an owner/trainer- this wasn’t something I had read before, and I really enjoyed it. I am going to continue on in the series as I know Elsie Silver will always be a solid romance for me. 

Tentacle Kitty by John Merritt NR I picked this up at the book fair because it looked adorable- creatures sharing tales of adventure around an afternoon tea? Sign me up. And it delivered- just a fun short read! 

Little Heaven by Nick Cutter 4 Stars This was my final read of the month and what a way to go out. What Nick Cutter does so well is really setting the atmosphere, while you’re reading, you really get absorbed into his world and when you come out of it it takes a little bit of time. I always know his books are going to be dark, uncomfortable, and all encompassing. 

And that’s it for the month of May! It was a good reading month overall (I don’t know how I did it to be honest) and with summer coming, all the travel happening, and a break from saying yes to everything…well I’m looking forward to how many books I’ll be consuming!! 

acuppacosyLeave a comment

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – April 2025

April (specifically the second half) was not kind to me- in any way outside of my husband and kids. I didn’t do a lot- of reading or of much of anything else. I don’t have too much to say other than I hope to get back to regular posting (blame a lack of focus for the disappearance) and regular reading. This is going to be a very small post as I only read 5 books. My average rating wasn’t that high either, probably right around a 3. 

Collide by Bal Khabra 3 Stars As far as a romance- this was fine. My biggest complaint is that there was a lot of telling not showing in a way- I was reading these feelings, but not quite feeling them. There were also a couple of timing issues and bringing things back up that hadn’t been fully discussed prior. 

Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli 3.5 Stars While I didn’t feel like this needed to be written, and I felt it very formulaic, this was not a bad read. The romance was good, but the pacing was slightly off. 

Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody 3.25 Stars This is a good start to what I’ll assume is a trilogy. It’s a Les MisĂ©rables reimagining (that I didn’t even realize that was written on the back until I was 60% already knowing that) and I really like this almost Sci-Fi/Fantasy view. I will say- I am very interested to see where the story will go, if it’ll differentiate from the original or stay the same. 

1984 by George Orwell NR This was the book choice for my local book club and it was very…topical. I think that’s all I’ll really say on it. 

Story of My Life by Lucy Score 3.75 Stars I really enjoyed this- might be my new favorite Lucy Score, BUT my forever critique for Lucy Score is that she could edit down 100 pages and the story would be better for it. Looking forward to the “sister” stories that’ll come from this world. 

And that was it! Here’s to hoping May will be kinder. I know this was short and a bit harsh, but that’s where my mindset is at and honestly that’s ok. 

acuppacosyLeave a comment

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – March and Q1 Stats

Where did March go and what even did, I read? Seriously- thinking back I don’t know what happened (aside from Spring Break- which those posts are coming!) and even less of an idea of what I read. I’m going to actually have to go back into my reading log to see what happened. 

Ok, now I’ve referenced back- I read a total of 9 books and gave an average rating of 3.43. Not terrible! We’ll just ignore the fact that I had to review things to remind myself of those reads haha. I’m not going to reread my reviews; I’m going to write from what I remember at this time. Sometimes I think that is actually better because then you get a more accurate review- what stood out at the end of it all. 

The Charlie Method by Elle Kennedy â€“ 3.75 Stars – I really enjoyed this third book in this series. I’m not sure if there will be any more after this, but I did feel like this was a good conclusion. We saw some great character development across characters we knew and those that were introduced in this book, while still keeping with the fun-ness of a romance. 

The House of My Mother:  A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom by Shari Franke – NR – How do I feel about this book? I mean it was freeing for Shari to write, triggering at times to read, and provided an insight that I don’t think that we’ve gotten from the Franke family. I read this after watching the Hulu documentary (and very much remembering when everything went down with the family), and I found that it gave so much information and insight. 

The Employees: A Workplace Novel of the 22nd Century by Olga Ravn, Translated by Martin Aitken – 3 Stars – To this day, I still don’t know what to make of this short, strange, little story. Told in jumbled up entries, this is a futuristic novel that just makes you question everything from the story to your own reading of the words. But not in a good way (in my opinion). 

The Human Experiment: Two Years and Twenty Minutes Inside Biosphere 2 by Jane Poynter â€“ NR – Spoiler Alert, during Spring Break we visited Biosphere 2, an experiment that took the early 90’s by storm. Folks trying to keep a second, fully enclosed atmosphere viable and regenerating to live and exist in. This book was written by one of the “Biospherians” who lived inside for 2 years- to encompass her early life to post Biosphere. I found it to be well done and very interesting, even if I found that she still throughout the book couldn’t call certain things out for what they were. 

Fake Empire by C.W. Farnsworth â€“ 3 Stars- I remember writing in my review “The miscommunication trope is strong with this one” and I still stand by it. That is the singular thing I remember from this book – the miscommunication was way overboard and annoying and definitely took away from some things. And not just the miscommunication between the characters, but between the author and reader as well. 

Magnolia Parks Into the Dark by Jessa Hastings â€“ 4.5 Stars – I don’t think this concluding novel (concluding for Magnolia at least) could have gotten any better. It was such a solid ending, filled with equal parts of joy and sadness. It felt like we left in a really strong, full circle moment and I loved it. 

You Killed Me First by John Marrs â€“ 3.75 Stars – I think John Marrs is always just a solid easy buy and read for me. The thriller is thrilling, the book is fast paced, and there is always some fun level of banter somewhere. This one was no different and I loved seeing the suburbs of his brain and characters rather than the city life. 

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson – 4 Stars – I enjoyed this mystery, the second “locked door” mystery from this author. The story is captivating and enjoyable with a…doesn’t know what he’s doing but has rules narrator. I don’t know how I felt about the ending- conflicted to say the least, but still a solid read overall. 

The Secrets & Lies of Military Wives by Jenna Lumb â€“ 2 Stars (generously) – I picked this up to be supportive of a fellow military spouse in a book group I’m in and because the people reading it in the group were giving such rave reviews. What I found were stories I either already knew (because I either lived where they took place or knew of them through groups/friends) OR stories that didn’t strike far from the norm of any military spouse group. We won’t get into the stereotyping because that’s standard and I don’t care about that, but what I will say is that this doesn’t offer much beyond just retyping the stories you’ve probably already read or seen. 

So, that’s that for March. 

I wanted to take a quick moment and do a little check in on the reading year as we are now fully finished with Quarter 1 of 2025 (WILD!) and wanted to see kind of where I stand. Apps do wonderful things and tell you these things haha.

So, so far in 2025 I have read a total of 10,577 pages across 25 books. I’ve bounced around the genres, though not as widely as I’d hoped, so I will note that and see where/what I can adjust. My current average rating for the year is 3.55, which I’m hoping will improve as I read more throughout the year. Overall, I’m feeling really good about this reading year at this moment. 

Some standouts out of those 25 books are the Daisy Haites portion of the Magnolia Parks universe, The Favorites by Layne Fargo, and Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros. 

How is your reading going? Any goals? Favorites?

acuppacosyLeave a comment

A Cuppa Cosy Reads – February 2025

Wow…I mean when I said that I hoped January would set the bar for 2025 I think I might have jinxed myself. I went from reading 10 books in a month to barely making it through 5 books. To be fair, I had an incredibly busy February- that I couldn’t predict would have gone the way it did. Life really life-d this month, but I’m hopeful that it’s a one off and moving forward things will mellow and average out a bit more. As I said I read 5 books and gave an average 3.5 for the rating. Not terrible, but definitely not where we started. 

Let’s get into it, shall we?

The Striker by Ana Huang 2 Stars – This was just not for me- I think I enjoyed the concept more than the execution. It went on a bit too long, felt a bit recycled, and was boring for 2/3rds of the book. Once things happened, they seemed to happen all at once and were resolved a bit too quickly. 

Lore Olympus Volume Six by Rachel Smythe 3 Stars – This too was…fine. It continues the story on, but I think I’m going to pass on finishing the series. Not that I don’t enjoy the reading of them, but I think we need a bit more pushing the story along. It’s very stop and start and doesn’t feel as continuous as it should. 

Magnolia Parks The Long Way Home by Jessa Hastings 4.5 Stars My first win of the month came with the third book, and I should have known Magnolia would be that win for me! I LOVED this third book. We actually see some character growth and development, along with the conflict that we love to see. Where the first book of Magnolia’s story was toxic and you loved it for that feeling, this was matured, and you loved it for that. 

Daisy Haites and the Great Undoing by Jessa Hastings 4.5 Stars I loved this book. It was exactly what it needed to be, and I feel like, similarly to the Magnolia Parks I read this month, the character growth was top notch. While some of it feels very…” falling back into old habits”, I feel there was enough groundwork laid for Daisy that we could still see the growth there. As always though, the core of the book is toxicity and I eat it up. 

That’s S’more Like It by Justine F. Orun No Rating I think my online review for this (on the apps) says it all: “I read it and that’s all I can really contribute.”. I don’t really know what to say about this one except that I took smut to a new level, and I don’t need to continue haha. 

And that’s it! A much smaller month, but that’s ok- we’ll come back strong 🙂

acuppacosyLeave a comment

Reading Wrap Up – January 2025

If January is any indication of my 2025 year in reading (and in reading ONLY), it’s going to be a damn good year. And I Mean that in every bone of my body. Not only did I love everything I read, but I read a lot. To go along with that, I feel invigorated to share about it all- to talk through all the books and my thoughts in a way that I don’t think I did in 2024. I read a total of 10 books and gave out an average rating of 3.7. Not too shabby to start off the year!

Let’s get into them- if you want a quick just book by book, check out my IG or TikTok (acuppacosy). 

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson 4.5 Brandon Sanderson is always going to be a win for me. I feel like I’m starting to get back into high fantasy, and what better place to start than one of my favorite authors? The world building, character development, and storytelling is masterful, and it was such an enjoyable read. 

Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings 4 Let me tell you- watching toxicity/reality tv is kind of a guilty pleasure of mine and this book was exactly that. Somehow you feel all of the feelings WITH and AT the characters in this book. The friend group and relationships in this book are all so toxic and you as the reader know they are, the characters know they are, but it’s all done a bit tongue and cheek that makes it bearable and have you fully invested in every moment. 

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden 3 I think I’ve resigned myself to what I’ve known all along- I’m not really a Freida person. I’m not knocking anyone who is- I think she’s a solid writer and her books are super easy to read, I just am not feeling them to be honest. I don’t really have much more to say on this one- it was fine. 

Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas 3.75 I was a little worried about this one- it’s a “dark romance”, HOWEVER, it didn’t feel like it was all that dark. At least not to me. The setting itself is dark (and maybe that is the dark portion), so any potentially questionable acts were tame in comparison to what they experienced in the “college”. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this until the very end, where I questioned everything, I read and then needed the next book immediately. 

The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy 3.5 Elle Kennedy is quickly becoming my favorite “go-to” author for a sports romance. I know I’ll enjoy anything she puts out and it’ll be a nice chance to step back without feeling full on cheesy hallmark romance. She manages to bring in real world issues and events and things that happen every day, but in a way that feels real? I’m not sure how to say it- she brings in the real in a way that feels natural, not forced and not just a plot device. 

Daisy Haites by Jessa Hastings 3.75 Take it from me- this should be read either in tandem or directly after Magnolia Parks. You are in the same time period as Magnolia Parks, but from a different viewpoint and different friend group that loosely associates with Magnolia Parks’ group. There is crossover and I really enjoyed this alternate viewpoint. I actually prefer Daisy to Magnolia, BUT I wish I had read this sooner after Magnolia- it might have gotten a higher rating then. 

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros 4.5 I’ve somehow said a million words about this book AND STILL cannot manage to form coherent words. While I do have a complaint where the pacing of this book feels a bit off, I LOVED being back in this world. And we are in the world- we’ve gone further out and have learned so much in this book. And that ending?! Ready for the next one, please and thank you. 

The Favorites by Layne Fargo 4.5 Ok, I need to read this and that’s saying something given the content. I’m infamous for not liking figure skating books because, to be honest, they are unrealistic for the most part (looking at you Icebreaker). This one though? This was everything. It took my right back to my own skating days and all of the politics, melodrama, and…just life that is the figure skating world. I loved it. 

Heartless by Elsie Silver 3 I’ve been working my way through the Chestnut Springs books by Elsie Silver and overall enjoying them. My biggest complaint with this one is there is something that is used as a plot device that I despise. It brought the entire rating down for me (I had truly enjoyed it in so many ways up till that point). 

Hopeless by Elsie Silver 3.5 This book- so much good in this book. Similar to Elle Kennedy, Elsie Silver can wield real world issues in a way that feel real to both the story and the characters. She worked through PTSD, Alcoholism, abuse and so much more in this romance. 

And that’s it! February has gotten off to a bit of a slower start, and I don’t think it will be as large of a stack based on my calendar, but I’m hoping for the best and some more good reads!

acuppacosyLeave a comment

Reading in 2024 and 2025

I’m going to do a bit of a combo post- mostly because we are well past the whole “best books” season and I’m ready to focus on what is to come rather than what has already happened. So, 2024 was an OK reading year by rating. However, I found myself having more fun while reading, e.g. I despised something but I had a lot of fun reading it, or something was average but I was reading it with a friend so that made it better. 

In 2024 I read a total of 70 books and gave out an average rating of 3.3 (is that accurate? Maybe- this was calculated by Goodreads so it’s not precise). My goal for 2025 is to read 75 books (though I’d like to get closer to 100), but I also want to focus on quality of book- reading what I enjoy or enjoying the experience rather than just the number. 

Let’s talk about some of the standouts as I peruse my little Goodreads graphic for 2024…

First up, a genre…

I read a lot of hockey romance this past year. We could talk about that all day long, but I’d rather not lol. I found new favorite authors in Elle Kennedy (she’s an auto buy), and Stephanie Archer. I did have some misses, notably Pucked and Pucking Around. We will just conveniently ignore those. Hockey romance led me to dabble in other sports romances- baseball, racing, and rodeo-ing were also in the mix and it’s safe to say I enjoyed them as well (for the most part). For 2025 I do plan on continuing to dabble in this hyper specific genre (as in sports romance), but I want to be a bit pickier about it. 

Continuing along the genre trend and romance trend…

I read, as many people also probably shared for 2024, a lot of Fantasy Romance. A Lot. It still stands to be my favorite sub-genre of both the fantasy and romance genre’s. Sarah J Maas, Rebecca Yarros, Scarlett St. Claire, Penn Cole (a new favorite there), Abigail Owen, and Kaylie Smith all toped my list in 2024. Most of these authors have books coming in 2025 that I have pre ordered and will be reading once released. There were not too many misses in this category that can’t be explained by age or trope. 

Finally, just a couple honorable mentions for books I enjoyed that don’t fit into either category above, I enjoyed The Family Experiment by John Marrs (the third or fourth in an interconnected series), The Last One by Will Dean, and The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst (this is an all-time favorite and could fit into the fantasy romance but it’s much more cozy fantasy than anything else). 

Looking back, I do see some true standouts of 2024, books that will easily make a favorite of all time or re-read section and I also seem some real…not great books. In 2024 I joined a book club, which is continuing through part of 2025 and that has really been incredible. I’ve found such a wonderful group of women to come together and chat books (both the one read that month and beyond) and life once a month. It’s been such a blessing of our time here. I’m looking forward to continuing it on and then hoping to find another once we move. 

One other goal I have for 2025 is to actually stick to and complete a reading journal for the year. I’ve worked hard on creating one for 2025 and I want to desperately stick to it. I think it will really help when it comes down to doing lengthier reviews and posts (as I do plan on getting back to those here on the blog this year). I was heavily inspired by several users on TikTok and have created some really beautiful spreads and ideas for my reading. 

(Oh, and to harken back to my LAST post- I’ve backed up my computer through 2019…so that’s something at least)

acuppacosyLeave a comment