Created by Amber, Ari, Lynell, and Nick, The Swoonies is a romance award focused on transparency and nominated and voted on by readers with a wide variety of categories across the genre. So far we’ve got award winners for the 2020 year (which included some late 2019 titles) and Amber put together a readathon called Read the Swoonies for May 1 – September 1 to try and tackle the award winning titles. This list is 38 books long for the top three books in each category. I’ve read 18 of the 38 books on the list, which leaves me with 15 books to go. However, I only have plans to tackle 13 and I thought I would cover the those here!
Please note that both of these pretty images came from the Read the Swoonies team and not me!!
As you can see, I’ve read quite a few of the books that won first, second, or third place in their respective categories, but as I mentioned, I have fifteen left. Australia by Skye Warren et al. is no longer available so I won’t be reading that collection of stories. Additionally, I am not in a place where I think I can handle the storyline of the abusive ex in How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams so even though I’ve heard many good things about it, for the sake of my mental health, I’ll be skipping that one.
What that means is that I’m hoping to read the following thirteen books in the next couple months!
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout is a book I bought as a kindle deal one day, I think, and then I wound up with the whisper sync audiobook so I have two format options and just need to actually read either one of them.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune is a book that everyone has raved about that’s read it and it is high time I finally listen to the audiobook I bought because of all the rave reviews.
Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid is a cozy mystery starring Jen and Cletus and, tbh, I just don’t know if I’m actually going to read this one. I like Penny Reid’s writing usually, but unlike the majority of people apparently, Jen and Cletus were far from my favorite couple and I was good with the amount of time spent with them. That said… I’m a completionist so maybe.
The Beast of Blackmoor by Milla Vane is a novella in the A Gathering of Dragons series. I’ve read and loved the first two books in the series and despite the dark content in this novella, I anticipate loving this one too!
Murder on Cold Street by Sherry Thomas is book five in the Lady Sherlock series and I still need to read book four. However, I own both (well, all of them technically) and want to do a re-read. I loved the first three books so much!
Duke I’d Like to F… by Sierra Simone, Joanna Shupe, Eva Leigh, Nicola Davidson, and Adriana Herrera is a collection of short stories that I believe are erotic romances? Or at least are steamier than a lot of traditionally published historical romances. I had this one preordered, I’m just slow sometimes (usually) to get to books.
A Favor for a Favor by Helena Hunting is a hockey romance with a grumpy man and the woman who helps him after his injury. I don’t know much about it and I’m not sure I’ve read a Helena Hunting book before, but I do tend to like sports romance. I got this one out from KU.
Naughty Brits by Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan, Louisa Edwards, Tessa Gratton, and Sierra Simone is a collection of novellas that are linked by one fancy art event. I’ve read three so far out of the five so I’ve at least started this one! It’s another that I pre-ordered and have dragged my feet on.
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson is a YA contemporary that is centered around prom for a scholarship and everyone loved this book. I’ve got it out from Hoopla, yet again, so hopefully I’ll actually get it read soon! Oh, and it’s f/f, which is delightful.
Harbor by Rebekah Weatherspoon is a polyamorous book about finding love after losing someone you love. Also, I think maybe the people they lost were cheating on them? I’ve heard nothing but great things about this book though, so I’m excited to finally read it.
Tweet Cute by Emma Lord is another YA contemporary that Aarya has told me I will love. I own it in ebook format and currently have the audiobook out from Hoopla so hopefully I’ll actually read it this time around.
Loverboy by Sarina Bowen is a romantic suspense romance and the follow up to Moonlighter, which I really enjoyed. This time around, it’s also a sort of second chance situation between two people who knew each other in high school. I’m optimistic I’ll like this one too!
The Redemption by Nikki Sloan is the fourth book in the Filthy Rich Americans series, of which I devoured the first three by joining the Bad Decisions Book Club a couple of weeks ago to get to the HEA with Marist and… Well, technically that would spoil things here. But I’m a little more than halfway through The Redemption now and it’s still steamy and I’m still enjoying it!
Have you read any of these? Are you participating in #ReadTheSwoonies? Have you already picked out books you’re going to nominate this winter? Let me know!
xx
firewhiskeyreader 
3 responses to “Read the Swoonies TBR”
AAHH I thought you had already read You Should See Me in a Crown. It’s amazing. From Blood and Ash is my high-priority book!
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I keep trying to read You Should See Me in a Crown and failing!! It’s been on like a dozen tbrs, it feels like. I finally started it, but I think I had burnt myself out on YA contemporaries because I read Tweet Cute and Today Tonight Tomorrow right before. (My sister got to vote on the audiobooks we listened to in the car and was like, “I did not like prom when I went and I do not want to read about it now.” Lol)
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