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 – February 2023

Wow oh wow did February just blow me out of the water. Not only was it a busy one in real life, but it was a busy reading month too! I somehow managed to read a total of 10 books (insert a woah face here). Not only was it a whopper of an amount, but my average rating was a 4.125. Not too bad for a month I’ll say! I’m really hoping that this is a sign of a continued good reading year ahead of me- I was excited about every book I picked up, intrigued to read them, and just devoured books in a way that I haven’t in a long time. Let’s talk about them. 

Small Game by Blair Braverman 3.5 Stars – This is a book about contestants that are on a wilderness challenge game show. Think…oh I don’t know The Challenge or Naked and Afraid, but the production and camera crew just disappear halfway through. You follow the contestants as reality well and truly starts to set in. I enjoyed this one, even if I had this weird incomplete sense while and after reading it. 

Crave by Tracy Wolff 3 Stars – I picked this one up and while I don’t regret it, I definitely think that this…story didn’t end up working for me. I don’t know if it was too much of the play off of Twilight, or if it was just an overall feeling of “too much” for me, but it just didn’t work out. We are following a girl who has lost her parents as she relocates to a school where…not everyone is human. 

Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare 5 Stars This concluding book to this trilogy was incredible. Such highs, such lows, such a ride from start to finish. The past few months has seen me really fall back into Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter World and I’m not mad about it- especially with these later novels and trilogies. 

Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn 4 Stars I picked this up on a whim- I wanted to see if I would even enjoy the books- as Bridgerton the show is one of my favorites, but I was pleasantly surprised. I feel like the romance came on a bit suddenly, but it’s all in good fun. There definitely was some spice too, which I don’t know if I thought would be there – I figured Netflix embellished, but nope. 

*** The next three books I read as part of a read 3 books in a 3 day weekend challenge- you can read a little snippet HERE or catch the full “vlog” on my Instagram (@acuppacosy)***

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna – 5 Stars This was like a cozy cup of good tea- just a wonderful way to spend an afternoon) and yes, I read it in an afternoon). I heard someone say this was a “soft place to land” and I couldn’t agree more. This is just a good one. 

Radiant Sin by Katee Robert 4.5 Stars Wow oh wow, somehow, I go into each one of these wondering…what can we do this time and each time it stuns me. I highly recommend these if you need something a little (or a lot depending on your preference) spicy, quick/captivating, and fun to read. Modern reimagining’s of Greek myths (heavy on the re-imagining).

Finley Donovan Knocks Em Dead by Elle Cosimano 5 Stars Ok, wow what a difference book two makes in a series! I found the first book to be OK- in fact the main character just irritated me for a third of the book, but that was not the case in this second book. I loved it! I don’t know if it was actually better, or if we just didn’t need all the groundwork that the first book provided. 

I Survived the Nazi Invasion by Lauren Tarshis & I Survived the Nazi Invasion Graphic Novel by Georgia Ball NR I read both this one and the next for a middle grade/juvenile edition of Jewish Literature (hence the no rating) and found these to be alright. I don’t really know what to expect from middle grade literature as I feel like it’s so catered to each individual child and their own concepts of reality- as well as the parents and their parenting philosophies. As a Jewish child, I was intimately familiar with a lot of aspects of The Holocaust that I would venture to say my non-Jewish peers were not. So, while these were good and they do tell a story of a part of The Holocaust (and a good one for children to read), I don’t know that I would rely on this to teach or talk to my children about The Holocaust. 

Linked by Gordon Korman NR I’ll keep my thoughts on this brief, but I found this to be such a good read- age appropriate, content appropriate, and very good at tying history, to modern life, to children, to society and to Judaism. This book is a great jumping off point for a wide variety of conversations, not just about Judaism and Jew Hatred, but also about racism, history, and people. 

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton 3 Stars This book was…ok. It was fine. A woman’s society of pirates, with flying houses, dry humor, and a tie to the Bronte’s? Sounds great! I don’t know what about this missed the mark for me, but it was a combination of probably a couple of things (the romance not being swoonish, the ending seemingly dragging, the plot being second…second to what though I couldn’t tell you). 

And that’s it! Like I’ve already shared- these first two months of the year have me really excited for what this year will hold for me in books and reading.

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – January 2023

New year, new books! I’m pumped for this new year of reading and to discover a whole slew of new books and authors that I’ll come to love. I’m not sure, I just feel like 2023 is going to be my reading year (not that the past few haven’t been, but I definitely slowed down a lot the second half of last year). And we are starting out with a good bang! I gave an average rating of 3.96 over 8 books. I didn’t expect it to go that well, but it’s a strong start to the year. 

So, let’s get into the books…

The Silent History by Eli Horowitz – 3 Stars I honestly had some real excitement about this book when I read the back in Half Price Books. An entire generation that can’t speak? Let’s talk about that! It sounded so intriguing, and it WAS, BUT I feel like I missed out on something by not reading it in its’ original medium (which was an app that would drop sections of the book- which is told entirely in like recorded interviews). I don’t know that it translated well to book format as it definitely drags on in spots. I enjoyed it and it’s an interesting idea, but again, think I missed out on part of the experience by reading it in book format. 

Legends & Latte’s by Travis Baldree – 4.5 Stars I loved this. I’m not even sure what it is specifically about this book, but it was just so…cozy. We are following an orc who has decided to get out of the game, retire as it were, from bounty/treasure hunting and start a slower calmer life opening a coffee shop in a small town. We follow her on this new quest of sorts and watch how she learns what life can truly be. Fantasy meets cozy meets the smallest hint of romance in a book that made me feel all the feels. 

Spare by Prince Harry – NR I mean is anyone surprised I picked this up? I pre ordered the minute I was able to and started reading it once it landed on my doorstep. I have to say, I feel like readers will get what they want out of this, whether they are pro or con. Reading the entire context of the book, rather than the sensational articles nit picking, paints a very definite picture. It is only one side of the story, and there is definitely more to the story, but Prince Harry is very frank in (most of at least) his…errors and he doesn’t really badmouth the Royal Family as a whole. I could write a whole blog post just about this situation, but for now I’ll say- I did enjoy reading this book. 

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas – 4 Stars I wasn’t going to pick this up- I’m not a massive fan of Nesta and after the initial trilogy ended (and that weird novella) I was good. I just didn’t care anymore. HOWEVER, after completing the second book in the Crescent City series, and hearing from a couple of friends that this book was worth it, I picked it up from the library. I will say…I enjoyed it. I don’t know if it’s beyond that, but I did like the conclusiveness at the end of the book. It felt very complete, more so than the original trilogy conclusion. 

Graceling (Graphic Novel) by Kristin Cashore, Adapted and Illustrated by Gareth Hinds 3 Stars I cannot tell you how many times I’ve picked up Graceling in my local library only to not actually read it and then return it. It’s been many. I’ve heard so many good things, but I just have never brought myself to actually read it. So, when I saw the graphic novel while volunteering, I figured why not. I’m glad I read the graphic novel over the book- I enjoyed the story well enough, but it is very much something I’ve read before and not something I’m interested in actually reading again at this time. 

Galatea by Madeline Miller – 4.5 Stars When I saw this, I had to get it. I love when Madeline Miller writes from a mom’s perspective. She just manages to truly encapsulate so many of those feelings so beautifully and this was no different. My only complaint was that it was so short- though I don’t know how it would have translated to a longer work. Truly enjoyed. 

Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare – 3.75 Stars This is the third book in this trilogy (series maybe?), and I feel about the same as I did about the first two. I enjoyed this one, but I felt like it could have been edited down quite a bit. There was a lot of repetition as we hear/see things from different viewpoints. When it was good it was good, but when it was repetitive it dragged. 

The Savior’s Book café Story in Another World Vol. 2 by Kyouka Izumi – 5 Stars This is just one of my favorite manga’s – it’s just so quaint, and basically my dream life. I can’t wait to get to the next in the series. 

And that was it! A pretty good start this reading year and I am looking forward to seeing a couple of new releases over February, and the coming months. What did you read in January?

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Best & Most Disappointing Books of 2022

Better late than never, right? Every year I compile a best and most disappointing books list for the previous year. I go through all of my stats and just give a quick…debrief as you will. And while I think the time might be close to passing to do this, life has just gotten away from me a bit. And to be honest, this is going to be a bit of a book heavy month on the blog…it’s what I’ve got going on over here right now haha. 

Also- I realize that I never wrapped up the books I read in December…I read 6 books and I honestly just don’t have it in me to go backwards and review them at this point. The standout reads were The Savior’s Book Café Story in Another World by Kyouka Izumi (manga), The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton ((Historical Mystery) and that’s really it. 

So, in 2022 I read a total of 31,032 pages across 85 books. I gave an average rating of 3.8 stars. My longest book of the year came in at 805 pages! I feel like I had several standouts for both good and…not good reasons. I will say- most of the books were average to good – even some great ones in there and this year it was actually hard to narrow down to the best books I read.  Let’s get into those…

Best Books of 2022

People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn – Be prepared to hear a lot about this one this month (as I’m doing a nonfiction edition of Jewish Literature), but I’ll scream this to the rooftops- read this book. Seriously. This single handedly changed the way I looked at several things, and a lot of it was relating to how I look at what we consume and Jew Hatred. Read it. Read it. Read it.

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes – Let me tell you, this science fiction novel took me by surprise. I enjoyed the suspense, the slow build up to the explosive ending, even if the ending felt a bit like an empty balloon (and I mean the end end, not the explosive ending). The atmosphere and that foreboding feeling was enough to make this a standout success for me. 

Neon Gods by Katee Robert – Boy did this book set me off on a course that I didn’t expect. Hades/Persephone retelling with a whole lot of smut thrown in…I guess I’m there. Now I will say, I do think that A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair is BETTER, but this one gets the props because it really set me off on the road. 

My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen – You’ll hear me talk about this one again next month I believe as it features in a Jewish Literature post, but I loved this young adult novel. It talks about so many different, but very real and very similar social issues that we deal with in a historical baking setting. A gender swapped retelling of Pygmalion (by Shaw) it’s a good time that had me shouting YES throughout. 

It wouldn’t be a best of list if there weren’t some Honorable Mentions…

You Truly Assumed by Laila Sabreen – I found this book, similar to My Fine Fellow, really tackled those social issues at a YA level incredibly well. As a reader you are really able to see the modern world, where internet and reality collide and how that impacts everyone, as well as different levels of hatred. 

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare – This was a surprise for me as I put down Cassandra Clare a long time ago and had zero interest of picking it back up. I read this on a whim and fell right back down the rabbit hole of her worlds. Looking forward to continuing on with all the series (minus the very first). 

A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair – I mentioned this earlier, but I find this Hades/Persephone retelling to be just top notch. The entire series is a great coming of age story with a fantasy romance that just makes for fun reading. 

Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong – Another smash hit by Chloe Gong! I’m looking forward to just about anything she writes. 

Disappointing Books of 2022

Only two this year as, like I said, I feel like most of my stuff was average and above, so really only two notables stand out as disappointing.

The Hunting Wives by May Cobb – This was just…not great. It was supposed to be one of those fun mystery/thrillers with like bored housewives who start something, and it gets out of hand. And it is, but it’s horrible. The main character does not have any redeeming qualities, none of the side characters are developed in a way that maybe you could root or find enjoyment in them, and the story is…predictable and nothing great. 

Trouble on the Books by Essie Lang – This one wasn’t much better than the other. I was hoping for a good cozy mystery set in/around a bookstore, small town community (a la Ellery Adams) and it was just…not. The story was flimsy, the main character who was supposed to be a “detective” in the amateur sense, was horrible and she just went off the deep end so many times. The story was a bit too convenient in too many ways and it just wasn’t enjoyable. 

So, there you have it! My Best and Most Disappointing for 2022. What tops your list for the past year??? 

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – November 2022

Happy end of November! Happy almost end of 2022! What a crazy thought to thing. I’ve been seeing a several memes circulating about how it’s about to be 2023, but we’re all still stuck in some way in December of 2019 and…well facts. Hard to believe it’s about to be 2023. 

November was a good reading month for me! A lot of can’t put down, stay up late books and that really, honestly, just makes a reading month for me. I did have a little reading break Thanksgiving Week with family and the boys off of school for much longer than anticipated (we got a massive snowstorm, which you would think would be great reading weather, but instead I just kept staring out the window in absolute wonder), but overall, a total of 8 books read and average 4.28 rating. 

So, let’s break that down…

The Last Final Girl by Stephen Graham Jones NR This is a screenplay horror that takes the final girl slasher and puts a bit of a spin on it. I really enjoyed this, and it was a good way to keep the Halloween horror vibes going just a bit longer. 

Lore Olympus: Volume 3 3.5 Stars I’m still enjoying these graphic novel interpretations of the Greek G-ds/Hades & Persephone myths, though I wouldn’t say they’re my favorite. I’ll keep on keeping on with them because boy are they beautiful and I’m still feeling this whole Greek Mythology retelling genre.

Anon Pls by DeuxMoi 3.5 Stars This was borderline bumped up to a 4 (and I did on Goodreads) because I just really enjoyed it. I really love pop culture in so many ways, and the DeuxMoi account on social media is really great to just get all the random tidbits about “famous” people. While the author does a really great job at adjusting and making clear this is fiction (though based on real life events), it does give some insight in to the behind the scenes of an industry that prides itself on looks/appearances/smoke & mirrors. 

Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong 4 Stars Chloe Gong does it once again. This is a separate duology set after the These Violent Delights duology, following one of our characters. I loved this one, even if it took me a good chunk of pages to get into it. 

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng 5 Stars This book was a start and stop for me, mostly because it terrified me. This book could be so close to our reality in so many ways that it almost made it unreadable (for me). Celeste Ng just has a way with writing and storytelling, and I always end up crying throughout her books. 

A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L Armentrout 4 Stars This is the second book in the Flesh & Fire Series (that takes place prior to the Blood & Ash series) and once again, these books do exactly what I need them to do. The world building and character development is a bit better in this series than Blood & Ash- it feels like maybe now she’s a bit more comfortable in the world or maybe she’s figured out the rhythm to these characters. Regardless, romance with slight fantasy plot and I’m good. 

My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen 5 Stars I read this for my Jewish Literature project, so I’m not going to talk about it too much, but I loved it. I was hesitant to pick it up, but it was well worth it. Of note, it’s shocking the things that the characters experienced in the 1800’s are things we experience today. Just some food for thought before my post.  

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin 5 Stars – Boy this one punches you in the GUT and I enjoyed it. We are following a podcast host while she is working on a current events podcast, so not only are you getting the narrative, but you also get the podcast. Highly recommend, however this does come with some content and trigger warnings so please check those out before reading.

And that wraps up my November in books! Not bad, not bad at all! Looking forward to that last month of holiday reading!

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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 – September 2022

Oh man- that September slump was real! I didn’t really want to read, I didn’t really want to write, I didn’t really want to do much of anything! To be fair- it was my first month with both kids away at school, and I managed to fill my days quite quickly! I’ve undertaken several different things and between those, the non-desire to really read, and life- I didn’t read near as much as I normally would. I’m hoping that things calm down a bit as I really missed reading and I think it affected my mood from time to time.   

Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare 4 Stars I started by dipping my toes back in to Cassandra Clare and ended up falling face first all the way. I’m now anxiously awaiting the next in this (I think) trilogy!

The Minders by John Marrs 5 Stars Another John Marrs for the win over here- this book builds off of both The One and The Passengers and I LOVE how interconnected they all are. It’s not necessary to read them in any sort of order, but I would start with The One, then The Passengers, and finally The Minders. It’s wonderful to see him connect so many threads and I cannot wait to read another of his!

By The Book by Jasmine Guillory 3 Stars Hmmm…I enjoyed this- it was a good beauty and the beast retelling, but I don’t know if I would say it was amazing. I enjoyed my time reading it, felt satisfied in the end, and moved on. 

Ink and Shadows by Ellery Adams 4 Stars Yet again, a cozy Ellery Adams to grace my eyes and brain. Continuing to love this series and a lot of what Ellery is putting out. It’s a perfect balance of believable reader, mystery, romance, and small-town politics/comedy. 

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare 3.5 Stars I may have stumbled ever so slightly in my Cassandra Clare read- I wasn’t as big a fan of this one as I was in the past. She got me on that last page though- oh did she get me good. I think my biggest issue was just timing and location- reading this so soon after a Victorian England setting, this is modern California, just threw me off. 

Accomplished by Amanda Owain 3 Stars I’ll be honest- I know this book, I know I enjoyed this book, but I’m struggling to remember this book fully. It’s a modern Darcy’s sister viewpoint (set when Darcy is still just meeting Jane if you’re tracking the viewpoints during the Pride and Prejudice story), but more than that? I would say it’s well done- it translated well into a new viewpoint, while still giving you enough of the established Pride & Prejudice characters, but its, obviously, not super memorable either. 

And that was it! Not too much to really share. I’m hoping that my October goes better, but we’re looking iffy at this point in time…

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – August 2022

It’s September? Talk about a month flying by- I don’t even know if I truly know where the time went…truly, I’m not just saying that. I feel like we were all just excited about August and here we are school starting, leaves changing, crisp mornings (maybe, we’re still lagging a bit in that department). My reading was really good for the month of August- a total of 10 books and an average rating of 4.16. A great month! Lots to talk about, so I’m just going to jump right in…

The Tea Dragon Festival by Kay O’Neil 5 Stars Much like the first, these next two graphic novels are just the most feel good, quaint ones of the bunch. I just loved seeing our characters change and grow and learn more about the different tea dragons. 

The Tea Dragon Tapestry by Kay O’Neill 5 Stars In this one we found one of our characters really grow into who she is now, rather than living in the past of who she was and that was really special. 

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes 5 Stars This is easily one of those books that I could recommend to anyone (and everyone). It may be a science fiction thriller, but it doesn’t feel like science fiction. It is set in space, but atmospheric enough that the fact that it is set in space simply fades to the background. It’s definitely just one of those books that I love. 

Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay 3 Stars I’ll be honest…I’m drawing a blank with this book. I think it was just a standard cozy mystery.  

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede 4 Stars Now this book I remember. I found the premise interesting, the execution well done, but a smidge predictable. It’s a good book and one that I enjoyed reading as you get to see characters fight against what they truly want, only to get it and it’s maybe not what they expected or needed. 

Break Your Glass Slippers by Amanda Lovelace NR This is a poetry collection, the first in a series that I enjoyed, but didn’t find groundbreaking. I’ll continue on though.

A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair 4 Stars Ah another Hades and Persephone retelling. I don’t know where this obsession has come from, but oooo do I love a good Hades and Persephone dark re-imagining. I’m definitely excited to see what comes next…

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare 3.5 Stars I started this on a whim after seeing someone do a “outfits inspired by”. I haven’t read a Cassandra Clare since ages ago when she was still doing the Infernal Devices series and I…petered out from those. However, this one I enjoyed. Something about it really struck a chord, whether it was the time period or the location I’m not sure, but I definitely preferred it. Might dip my toe back in to the world. 

The Game by Linsey Miller 4 Stars This is a, basically, novella about a game that high school seniors play at a prestigious school that turns deadly one year. Fast paced, good action, and just enough suspense to keep you on your toes, but short enough you won’t stop- this had it all. 

Jade War by Fonda Lee 4 Stars The second of three novels in this trilogy and while it was a bit slow to start (it started off veeeerrrrrryyyyy middle book in a trilogy), it quickly shed that and went to work on destroying my heart. I want to read the third…but I don’t want to read the third (in a good way).

And that is it! I’m about 2/3rds of the way through my current read as I’m typing this (8/31/2022) and it’s a good one too. What was a big hit for you in August?

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