August 2024 Reading Wrap Up

I feel like posting a reading wrap up is a sure sign that we are back! Back in action! August was quite the reading month- I introduced a new series on my social media (IG, Facebook, Tik Tok all- @acuppacosy) where I pair a couple of books with a cocktail of a sort and then you get my thoughts on the cocktail, the books and if it worked out. I’ve filmed two episodes so far (posted one, another is coming very soon!) and I truly am enjoying it. I’ve also posted a “silent review” video to pair with this post. So, shameless plug if you’re not following me on social media, you’re possibly missing out haha! 

 Ok. Let’s get into books and thoughts and reviews, shall we? A little stat breakdown for you- I read a total of 7 books (and DNF’d 1), with an average rating of 3.12. My favorite was The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, and my least favorite was Quicksilver by Callie Hart. See all my thoughts below! 

Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 4 Stars I really enjoyed this story- it is simply a coming-of-age story, with a minor climatic event, but ultimately it is a story of friendship. It ambles around a little bit, but in a way that works, and the writing is wonderful. 

 Quicksilver by Callie Hart 1 Star This was not my jam…at all. I found the trope redundant; I wasn’t a fan of the characters. Not sure what else, but it just did not work for me.  

Born of Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout 4 Stars I really enjoyed this concluding novel to the series- and make no mistake, this is the superior series in the world that Jennifer Armentrout has created.  

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst 5 Stars This was easily one of my favorite books of the month, maybe even of the year. This was just a wholesome cozy fantasy romance. Very low stakes, I would almost just consider this a cozy romance, but there are some fantasy elements within. 

 Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanaugh 3.5/4 Stars I’m not sure where this falls on the rating scale. I enjoyed this book, and the twist was spot on (both of them), but I also didn’t feel super strongly about “loving” it. It is a solid thriller.  

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay 2 Stars Boy was this a disappointment. I liked the script, that was where Tremblay really shined, but when we went into the narrative of the book it lost me. I can understand the reasoning and where the jarring can work for the story, but instead for me it just pulled me out in a different way.  

***Quick interjection- when it comes to romance, I don’t typically have a lot to say, so you might see the next two reviews (and future romance ones) being a bit shorter. And yes, I’m reading romance, I started sometime in the New Year, and it has stuck haha.  

Drive Me Crazy by Carley Robyn 3 Stars This was a solid romance- a racing romance that I quite enjoyed. The spice level wasn’t the highest I’ve ever read, but it was a cute one that I enjoyed.  

The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson 3 Stars This was another solid romance- I might have preferred this one above Drive Me Crazy. A bit more spice and the third act was a bit more…a fight (?) rather than a miscommunication.   

That wraps up August! I will say- I am excited to get into the ‘Ber months, the more atmospheric reads, the darker novels. Happy Reading!

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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 – March 2022

We have come to the end of another month, and similar to last month, my reading started out great, then I read one book that slumped the rest of the month! I saw it coming, but it also bummed me out because I have so many great books that I desperately want to read, but life and certain books just gave me other plans. I read a total of 6 books this past month and gave an average rating of 3.8. I thought, overall, it was a really good reading month. I found a couple really good ones, some new to me authors that I’ll continue with, and a couple of not for me books. 

So, let’s get into the books, shall we?

An Unorthodox Match by Naomi Ragen 4 Stars I truly loved this book. It bordered a 5 Star read for me, but I really reserve those (apparently). Much preferred to the Matzah Ball, I feel like this book handled both its appeal to Jew and Non-Jew audiences really well. As a Jewish Woman, this is what I would want to showcase my culture and religion. The romance was super sweet and adorable too. 

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 3.5 Stars This is the second novel in this duology, and it was alright. I found to be an average young adult mystery, but it had a couple nice twists placed throughout and it was a quick easy read. 

Address Unknown by Katherine Kressmann Taylor 5 Stars I loved this. It’s short, told entirely in letters and painfully illustrates what so many Jews have experienced in their life. Set in the early 1930’s we are following two friends, business owners as Hitler rises to power. 

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake 3 Stars I feel so disappointed in this book. The premise, the first half, the whole concept was great! It started off so strongly but somewhere along the way it lost me, and really lost me. I barely finished and just honestly felt disappointment in the…loss of the storyline? I’m not even sure if I could describe exactly what it was, but it just lost me. 

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James 4.5 Stars I LOVED this book too. Simone St. James sure can set an atmosphere. This book has something for everyone (except a romance really), true crime, mystery, supernatural, haunted house, I mean it- everything! And it’s done really well- everything it seamlessly melded together and comes out beautifully. Will definitely be checking out some of the authors other works.

War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout 3 Stars Ok, I’ve said it from book one, these books are not great works of literature. We do not judge them on their quality, but rather the escapism, the ridiculousness, the…je ne sais quoi that keeps you reading. And while this one was the same bingeable readable book as the first 4, I found it to be a bit…lackluster. Armentrout introduced quite a bit of plot into this book, a lot of the mythology and lore to the communities that she created, but I think it set it at odds with what we’ve come to expect from this series. 

And that’s it! War of Two Queens and life put me in a minor slump towards the end of March, but I’m emerging victorious with a large April list that I’d like to get to! 

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