Another quarter of the year is complete, which means it’s time to look back on the books I read and pull out my favorites. I read 72 books during the last three months, so let’s try and pull out my ten favorites and to put them in order.
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I’ll be honest. Ranking these books is actually impossible. But we’ll go with this order for today at least. Don’t be surprised if they shake out a little different by the end of the year.
10. The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn
I had an ARC of this book, which is absolutely wild. I am fairly certain I still waited to read this with the audiobook which came out later because of who I am as a person. The reasons I love this book as much as I do are multifaceted. For one, there’s the writing quality. Kate Clayborn is one of my favorite writers ever. She’s just got such gorgeous prose. This is not even my favorite book of hers, but it’s still so wonderful. Second, this book and the dual perspective just really allowed for this deep dive into both characters and all of their own internal neuroses in a way that made them feel so very real. Finally, I just really appreciated this romance. I loved the slow burn, the gradual opening up. Even the way there would be one step forward and then a few steps back. This was just so brilliant.
9. Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage
Miss Elsie Silver and Miss Lyla Sage have full on converted me to a cowboy girlie. Like, if I hadn’t been out of the country during the local PBR(?), I was going to go with one of my friends. There’s just something about the family dynamic that Lyla Sage captures so well that I just love. I really struggle to read about toxic family situations so much of the time, and while the family in Done and Dusted is not perfect, their dynamic was just really great for me. I also loved the relationship so much. Like now that I’m writing about it, I’m ready to go reread the book.
8. Wild Love by Elsie Silver
Speaking of Elsie Silver… I am obsessed with Ford and Rosie and Cora. I know so many people did not love this transition of Elsie to traditional publishing, but personally, I felt like this book was just soft and sweet and so, so good. Plus we got to see Willa and she is absolute perfection. This is basically a childhood siblings best friend to lovers and the way that their relationship unfolded was so, so perfect to me.
7. Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage
I liked this book even more than the first one because I truly loved Wes and Ava so, so much. I felt like their conflict was so well grounded in the character development that we saw and the way that it was handled was just so perfect. I just love the way that this book was constructed!!! Also, please admire that cover.
6. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Justin is truly the “if he wanted to, he would” vibe that Travis Kelce brings to Taylor Swift. So, if that wasn’t a telling enough sentence, I was obsessed with him. And like I said in my paragraph about Swift and Saddled, Abby Jimenez also fully grounded the conflict in this book in the deep character development that she engaged in. For me, I am not always up for a third act breakup. But if we’re going to have one, then I need it to at least really make sense. And in this book, it absolutely did. I mentioned earlier too that sometimes I struggle with toxic family dynamics and while that was certainly present here, I was able to handle it without wanting to set the book down and run away. So that’s something!
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5. Savor It by Tarah DeWitt
Savor It swept me off my feet and I am so grateful for the ARC copy I received that led to me picking this up because without it, I really would have kept dragging my feet. As soon as I finished the ebook, I immediately ordered a physical copy because I will be re-reading it soon so that I can properly annotate it. Annotating this year has been something that’s giving me so much joy.
4. Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle
I really need to commit to purchasing the hardcover copy of this book, but I really wish they would just give it to me in paperback. Anyway, speaking of favorite books of the year where I immediately finished my ARC and then wanted to re-read it physically so that I could annotate it, Just Some Stupid Love Story absolutely tops the list for me. I loved it so much. The emotional depth of this book swept me away. The characterization was just so real. I don’t, though, think this book will be for everyone. But it was absolutely for me.
3. Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home by Jessa Hastings
I feel like it’s cheating to split these final three books into their own numbers, because I devoured these books back to back at the end of June. However, they are so far beyond the other books I’ve read… Like, these books have taken over my brain. I was literally at Dublin Night One (Eras Tour) suddenly realizing how many songs remind me of BJ and Daisy. Like. These characters are more real to me than my own life some days. Does that sound deranged? Yes. Well. It is what it is. This book was everything. Except the end. Which was devastating. And I lived my little delulu life that it wasn’t real right up until I started Into the Dark. So. But for real, I kept crying randomly for the next SEVERAL hours when I remembered the end of this book. I could still cry, just thinking about it. Let me move on.
2. Daisy Haites: The Great Undoing by Jessa Hastings
I really just need to tell you that Julian Haites is the love of my fucking life and I am so obsessed with him. That’s… That’s it. This book was everything.
1. Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark by Jessa Hastings
Y’all. This book had tears streaming down my face in public in so many places. On the plane from London to Dublin, in our hotel room, and on the bus to Wicklow. I… loved it. Like, loved it. Instead of looking out the window at the Ireland countryside (gorgeous), I really just wanted to read and cry about this book. It was truly, TRULY everything to me. The healing journey. Also, it made me laugh a good many times even while I was sobbing. I kept nudging Chels (my bestie who I was traveling with) so I could read her little sections of it. Not sure if my sobbing really sold her on it, but… perfection. Honestly.
Closing Thoughts
I’ve read so many books in the last quarter and so many of them were great. But here are ten books that will not leave my brain. Please share with me some of your favorites!
xx
firewhiskeyreader 