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? 

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – June & July 2023

Am I in my romance era??? I’ve always been a proclaimed…romance belongs in movies not the sole plot of a book, girl, but I feel like maybe that’s changing? Or maybe it’s just these dog days of summer getting to me. Regardless, I think I’ve figured out what I like in romance (yes it only took a handful of books to do that) and I’m excited to start intermingling this genre more into my monthly reading. Also- I’ve entered my rereading era- I’ve decided to dive back into a couple of my favorites and mark the living…pages out of them. It’s a fun activity and I am finding all sorts of little tidbits I didn’t get the first time around. 

(The whole era thing has rubbed off on me…sorry not sorry?)

It’s a double header today (a sports- specifically baseball- metaphor today, the boys are also rubbing off on me)- summing up 2 months of books in one post. When June started, I wasn’t doing a lot of reading (I was doing a lot of stressing and anxiety moments, and A LOT of disassociating/scrolling on social media), so when my reading finally took off it was almost halfway into the month. I figured I wouldn’t get too much read as we were headed on holiday…6 books later I realized my mistake haha. Then July was a bit of a hit and miss- the first full week back home from holiday I struggled, but then got back into the swing of reading and haven’t stopped since. 

Over the two months I read a total of 16 books and gave an average rating of 3.46. 

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas 5 Stars – Welcome to my re read era, where I am re reading certain…fantasy romance novels ahead of releases and just for the sheer delight of it. As I’m going, I am marking up my books (I purchased copies specifically for this purpose) and, it’s just been a really fun addition to my reading. A delight. I really think that this particular one is her best in this series objectively. The world expands, we see character growth, and the romance is top notch. 

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren 4 Stars – I want to say this opened the romance era can of worms. I picked it up because I love a good science experiment tells you something about mankind, and this gave me The One by John Marrs but not killer=y vibes. And that’s exactly what it was, and I loved it. Color me shocked (no seriously- romance was the only plot of this book and I loved it). 

The Measure by Nikki Erlick 5 Stars – I have to say, I was not disappointed by this book. In fact, I was crying at the end. This is one of those books that really makes you think, what would I do? I enjoyed seeing a variety of perspectives that fell…real (my biggest gripe- as someone who sees every side- is when an author is clearly one sided but trying to write multiple sides). I highly recommend this one- it is worth it. 

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman 4 Stars – This solidified my romance era as, like The Soulmate Equation, I really enjoyed this solely romance novel. The subtle Jewishness of it all, the Hollywood commentary, the female writer commentary- this was beyond just a romance but also just a romance. 

Royally Not Read by Meghan Quinn .5 stars/No Rating – Boy was this a miss for me. To be honest, I’m not going to talk too much about this one as I don’t want to bash it- it just…was not the book for me. And we’ll leave it at that. 

A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chamber 3.5 Stars – I really liked this one. It’s just soft and cozy and introspective and gentle. It allows the reader to follow on one person’s journey inwards, while journeying outwards. And a robot who is just trying to understand humanity. Together there is magic, and I loved it. I will say- it did get a bit too slow at points, but only in a mild detract. 

Episode Thirteen by Craig DeLouie 3.5 Stars – I enjoyed this, but I wasn’t freaked out by it, nor do I really know entirely the point of it. I enjoyed that it was all written in transcripts and journal entries, I do feel like that added something and I did enjoy the very last entry of the book, BUT I think that something about this…missed the mark it was trying to hit?

The Bookstore Sisters by Alice Hoffman 3 Stars – This was fine! A short story for Kindle and I didn’t feel strongly one way or the other- a cute coming home story. 

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison 5 Stars – The last time I felt so conflicted about giving 5 Stars was Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter…but as I said then, I really loved the book, not the content and it was done so well. This was GOOD, from the writing to the story, to the ending. I enjoyed the reading experience, even if the contact is twisted. 

SpyxFamily 3 by Tatsuya Endo NR – This is the next volume, and this was heavily focused on the family life of this little Spy Family. There wasn’t a lot of content, but I feel like it is really setting the story up to move forward in future volumes. 

Everything the Darkness Eats by Eric LaRocca 3 Stars – Boy Eric LaRocca writes some dark stuff. Stories that you don’t really understand while you’re reading, or when you finish it, but is just dark overall. I don’t know how I really feel about this one, other than uneasy. 

Forever Never by Lucy Score 4 Stars – This was a romance that had just enough for me. There was enough outside the romance to move the story forward, the romance was believable and enjoyable (a very will they won’t they set up). This is, I think, the kind of romance that I would read more of. 

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas – 4 Stars Another reread to round out this trilogy and again, I’m loving everything that I am picking up on on this reread. It has me excited to pick up the next couple of books as I know I’ve missed more, and Sarah has a new book coming out soon!

A Soul of Ash and Blood by Jennifer L Armentrout – 2 Stars Let’s talk about books that don’t need to exist and maybe how sometimes giving your readers what they want isn’t the…greatest idea. Because I didn’t need to read the entirety of the first book just retold through someone else’s eyes. Nope. Didn’t need to happen. And we didn’t get any…true insight into the present circumstances of our character that couldn’t have been handled in the next book, or as a novella to bridge books. 

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang – 4 Stars I’m not sure how I want to talk about this book. I really enjoyed it, R.F. Kuang is a truly incredible writer. BUT the topic of conversation in this book is one that we are actively working on within the public and the industry. While publishing is not truly changing anytime soon, there are various bodies within the industry that are working hard to change it and are aware. I think it’s important to read and absorb, but it is difficult to read from this perspective. 

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace – 1.5 Stars Ok- hear me out. I stay far away from figure skating books – unless they are written by actual figure skaters (and sometimes even then too). They are typically quite far-fetched, and I just can’t help but side eye them. But everyone has been raving about this book, its all-over social media, and I do enjoy hockey (despite my better instincts…side eye). And…I mean this ended up being a hate read by the end of it. Not only was the figure skating aspect unbelievably far-fetched to absolutely anyone who is either in the sport or follows it, but the hockey player was a piece of cardboard, and the figure skater had her head stuck so far up her own behind (so maybe spot on?) and was just “so emotionally mature” yet missed the signs of emotional abuse and manipulation by her partner…ok I’ll stop. 

And that wraps the past two months of reading up! Anything stick out to you? What’s been a favorite of your Summer Reading? Overall, I’m glad I’m starting to reach out genre wise once again and it’s paying off- for the most part. 

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – May 2023

***Before I get into this post- I recognize that it’s been radio silent over here for the full month. I’m sorry- More info coming soon!!***

Another month has come to an end and boy was it a doozy. I saw a reel that talked about how May is busier than December and, to be honest, I wholeheartedly agree. It was incredibly busy, with changes and meetings and a whole lot of waiting around for documents. But it was also good- we got a taste of Spring, a taste of Summer, and I got a whole weekend to myself when the boys went camping. I didn’t think I was going to have the greatest reading month, but I am here to say- it wasn’t as bad as expected! I somehow managed to read 7 books and give an average rating of 3.1. I keep wondering- as life gets busier, when will my reading slow down a bit more, but I don’t know that it will. I’ve found myself trying to be better about turning to books (rather than my phone) to wind down and decompress (aka disassociate after being around people so much). It’s a slow, over time goal, but it’s happening. 

So, the books…

Paper Cuts by Ellery Adams 4 Stars As always, I really enjoy stepping back into this town, into these characters and the stakes stay low but not too low. It’s more lifechanging stakes rather than death stakes and I really appreciate that in a cozy mystery. This book was unique to the series as we learned a bit more of our main characters backstory and history prior to present day. 

Authentically Izzy by Pepper Basham 3 Stars So…I enjoyed this- it’s written 60% in emails and such between our characters and while I felt like that added to the story, it then made the “in person” interactions feel different. It was a fine romance and one I enjoyed but I found the main character to be a bit too much of a pushover at times and it took her a bit to figure herself out (which I get is normal and human, but for me was a bit…much).

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 5 Stars Welcome to my new obsession. I’m in love. I’m going to push this book on to everyone that I can. Picture- dragons, dragons that actually play a prominent and important role, picture a school where all the kids are above age, picture a rivals to lover’s slow burn, and then picture a twist at the end that leaves you wrenched out of yourself. Enjoy!

The Marriage Act by John Marrs 3.5 Stars I feel like John Marrs is one of those authors I will always buy because I know the books will be good, even if they start to get a bit…tried and true and old at times. This is the third of his (I think) in this futuristic world- post The One. I would say this was probably my least favorite of the bunch, mostly because I think something needs to change in these novels. It’s becoming a bit – same plot, different characters/story. 

One of Us is Dead by Jeneva Rose 3.5 Stars I was hesitant to pick this one up after the disaster that was The Hunting Wives, but I’m glad I did. It’s fast paced, well written, and the small rich community politics is…accurate. The twist was…not shocking, but it didn’t ruin the vibe the book was going for and I enjoyed it. 

Awakening The Zodiac Academy (1) 0 Stars I despised this book, and I don’t know how much of that is the author’s fault- because had I been fully aware of the trope this book follows (and it’s a bully romance so there you go), I would have never picked it up. I spent the entire time beyond uncomfortable and I got rid of the book almost immediately. 

One for My Enemy by Olivie Blake 3 Stars So this would be my second Olivie Blake book. I read 75% of Atlas Six, which I ended up having to put down as it just went…too far and too overcomplicated in the plot, and I am not sure if she is the author for me. I LIKED this book; HOWEVER, I feel like in the last two acts it became to wrapped in making this grand plot work, this large overarching scheme to the story, which then led to the actual story becoming tedious and…not boring but boring. And I think this was a similar problem that I had with Atlas Six. So, I’m not sure where I stand with Olivie Blake. 

And that wraps up my May! I’ve kicked off June with a reread and a whole bunch of new books! 

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – March 2023

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like the month of March really dragged by. I’m not sure what it was about it, but it was just slow moving…and not in a good way! I honestly don’t know what to really say about my reading- it was alright, but I feel like none of my ratings are really sticking- they may change over time, they may not. But here we are- I read a total of 7 books and gave an average rating of 3.43 and wow is that average beyond average. Let’s get into it. 

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas – 3.5 Stars This was my second time reading this and once again, I found it alright. Having read her other works, I can definitely tell this is a debut (and to be honest- I only set out trying to read this series as to how it will potentially tie in to her other two series). I enjoyed it, but I will say- I DNF’d the second book in the series and I don’t know that I’ll be trying again…in all honesty I’ll probably watch some review/spoiler videos/blog posts to get my information about this series at this point. 

The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell – 3 Stars. This was ok- standard fantasy romance, not quite enemy to lovers, but along those lines. I will say- as of writing this review, I read this book not quite a week ago and I’m struggling to remember any further thoughts about this book. So maybe that says something.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano – 3 Stars I feel like this series had a strong start, a stronger second book, but has lost readers a bit in this third book. I enjoyed it, but also felt bored at moments (this is a theme for the first half of the month I suppose). I’m glad I got it from the library and while I will probably check out the fourth book when it comes out, I don’t think I would go much further past that. It’s losing steam across the board. 

A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers – OOF I don’t know what I rate this one. I was so intrigued by this book, and it started off so strong, but then it just…withered and died- like our main character would do I imagine. There was just so much…I don’t know, dynamic missing in this whole book. It felt so flat, and I don’t know if that is because we are reading from a self-proclaimed psychopath or if the author was not able to engage the reader in a meaningful way- as we should have had such a great book from this premise.  

Planning Perfect by Haley Neil – 4.5 Stars – I really enjoyed this book. This is a YA contemporary romance that features a Jewish main character on the ace spectrum with an anxiety disorder. To be honest this felt very much like if Gilmore Girls was Jewish and queer. I loved it. I’ll have more to talk about in a Jewish Literature Edition, but again- a big hit! 

Skyward Flight by Brandon Sanders – 4 Stars Oh Brandon Sanderson has me wrapped around his finger. At this point, I just pre order whatever it is that he’s publishing, and I ask questions about those decisions later. This is a collection of short stories that are set in the Skyward world. I love Skyward and I loved this collection and being about to read other perspectives from some of my favorite side characters. And it got me back in to the world- now eagerly waiting for the next full book in the series!

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murder by Jesse Q Sutanto – 4 Stars I’m really liking the adult comedy of error stories that Jesse is publishing. She really has a way with them that allows them to be funny, for the reader to suspend their beliefs, and just enjoy the ride. This is the third that I’ve read now, and I’ve loved every single one. 

And that’s it! I did DNF two books, though one I do plan on picking back up (when it’s not just me in the house). I DNF’d Simone St. James Silence for the Dead- I think this was on its way to being great, it just wasn’t quite doing that for me. Especially after reading The Book of Cold Cases, which was much eerier and dread inducing. I also DNF’d Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. I hope to pick this one back up once my husband is back- as it is definitely unnerving, but also because I need to wrap my head around the main characters POV. So, all in all I think a good month, if not as strong as my prior ones. Looking forward to April, which has already been strong!

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – October 2022

We have reached the end of another month, one that seems like a blur…at least to me. I’ve felt all the emotions and read a wide variety of books. I wish I had a lot of insight to add to this introductory paragraph, but to be honest, I’d like to just put October to bed- literally. I’m done with that month- nothing super bad, but when life is just…a lot I want to be done with that time. So, let’s just get into the books that I read. 

Lore Olympus Vol 1 by Rachel Smythe 4 Stars – Look- I’ve been on a Hades/Persephone, modern era Greek myth retelling, and this fit that mold perfectly. A graphic novel/comic style story, it’s a great quick read. 

The True Love Bookshop by Annie Rains 3 Stars – This was fine. I feel like every once in a while, it’s nice to just read a hallmark esque style story and that’s basically what this was. 

The It Girl by Ruth Ware 4.5 Stars – I think this was probably one of my top reads of the month. I really enjoyed this slow unfolding story, with a shocking culmination that did get me. I was very one the fence about picking up another Ruth Ware, but this one was just different enough and she does a great job at leading and misleading the reader throughout the story.

A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout 3.5 Stars – I was really craving some more books along the fantasy romance genre- something I notice I gravitate towards when things are rough in the real world, so I dived back in to Armentrout’s world. This is the prequel to the Blood and Ash series and while it took me a bit to get into the story, once I did, I was in. The only detriment, realistically, for me is that we go through the same thing as the other series- where I want to shake the main characters. 

A Touch of Malice by Scarlett St. Clair 4 Stars – This is the third book in this series and all I could think of was FINALLY (which is something even the author acknowledges). The second book had a lot of moments of self-doubt, whereas this third book is a lot more plot and action. I feel like this might be my favorite, depending on how the next book goes. 

Silver by Chris Wooding 3.5 Stars – This was a book that I just picked up off the shelf at the library. It’s a YA Thriller about a virus outbreak at a boarding school. I’m not going to give too many details, but I found it to be quite the ride- even for YA readers. It was well done, though the ending left me a little…downtrodden. He created such tension and such fear, but there wasn’t any like final to the final fight. 

Lore Olympus Vol 2 by Rachel Smythe 4 Stars – This is the second volume of the same series and, once again, I really enjoyed it. I can’t say that this is one of my favorites, but I am enjoying reading this series. 

You’ve Lost a Lot of Blood by Eric LaRocca My final read of the month, and it was Halloween weekend and I wanted something disturbing. This definitely filled that spot; however, I don’t know if it filled it in a satisfactory way. I feel like this book maybe tried to do too much in too short of a time frame or if it was just supposed to feel disjointed and not fully formed. If that was the case, it definitely did that, but I feel like a lot of attention was given to the book inside the book and that book was interesting, and then the rest just…wasn’t much? I don’t know- but it was definitely disturbing.

And that’s it for October! It was actually a good reading month- I did overall love everything that I read

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – June 2022

Hello! Long time no post! Not really, only a couple weeks, but it was a good, very much needed break away. We had our annual summer holiday and, once again, had a really nice time! We traveled to seven different spots (so look forward to seven blog posts coming your way with all the details) and just really enjoyed the time together, away from work, phones, and computer screens. Somehow, I managed to read 8 books in the month of June, with an average rating of 3.85. A win of a month for sure! Let’s get into those- please keep in mind the reviews might be shorter as it’s been a minute since I’ve read/thought about them so things might slip through the cracks. 

Rivals by Katherine McGee 3 Stars This the third book in this series and I found it…fine. I always enjoy this American Royal reimagining, even if I feel like sometimes, it gets a little dragged out. It’s young adult and there will be a fourth book coming (that I will be purchasing and reading). An average to good book to start the month with!

Tokyo Dreaming by Emiko Jean 3 Stars This is another royal re-imagining, though if I had to pick, I might have enjoyed this one slightly more than Rivals. I think it’s a bit…fresher and the insight/view into a different culture is wonderful. 

Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert 4 Stars Another hit from Katee Robert’s Dark Olympus series. This pushed the boundaries a bit and definitely re imagined Greek Mythology (in a sense, who knows though), but I really enjoyed it!

The Vanishing Type by Ellery Adams 4 Stars I was really in the mood this month for light and fun, so I read two Ellery Adams, this one being her Book, Tea & Scone Society series. I’m not quite sure which I really prefer- I love and relate to both so much. Anyways, another really enjoyable cozy mystery, plus a smattering of romance. 

I Hope This Finds You Well by Kate Baer NR I swung in the complete opposite direction with this one, a black out poetry collection designed to take “hate” or “negative” messages and turn them into a positive argument. And, once again, Kate Baer did an excellent job not only with the poetry, but with the collection as a whole. 

The Sprite and The Gardener by Rii Abrego 5 Stars This was a short, fun graphic novel about a Sprite trying to get back to her…roots of sorts. She’s new to town and she befriends and helps a human with a small garden. It was just quaint and fun to read. 

All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody 4 Stars Ok, I was unsure about this one for a long while, but somewhere it hooked me and I really enjoyed it! We’re following “villains” (at least in their communities’ eyes) as they compete against each other for the final bit of magic left. It’s reminiscent of The Hunger Games, but if every victor trained like they lived in District 1. It was good and I’ll definitely be reading the next one (I think it’ll only be a duology). 

Murder in the Reading Room by Ellery Adams 4 Stars I ended the month on a high note with another Ellery Adams cozy mystery. I don’t have much to say about these, but they’re always just really nice to read in a day or two. 

All in all, it was a great reading month- especially for having traveled the last week or so of it! We are also at the halfway point in the year, so I might be posting a little…mid-yearbook freak out towards the end of this week, so keep an eye out for that bonus post before all the travel content begins!

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