firewhiskeyreader

Delighted to tell you about my ten favorite books with only cheating a little bit a couple of times in combining books from a series that I read in the last three months. I know I normally have so much more to say in an intro paragraph, but honestly, I’m so behind in getting posts written and out to y’all, that I’m going to have to keep this one short and sweet. I hope y’all don’t mind. So with that said, let’s dive into the books, shall we?

Now, in no particular order besides how they wound up written down on my list, my ten-ish favorite reads!

Love Unwritten by Lauren Asher

Essentially, Love Unwritten is a single dad x nanny trope set in a small town with a really great kid and fantastic emotional depth. I know that so many people think Asher’s books are too long, but honestly, I love the worlds she’s created and I just want to live in Lake Astoria for even longer. But setting my desires to have Lauren Asher write the story of my life, I just really appreciated the way the relationships each character has with the other characters is so nuanced. For example, Rafael has a strained relationship with his son and he’s not really sure why. So he’s jealous of the ease of the relationship between Ellie and Nico. And the way this book just explores that dynamic so resolutely was really wonderful, in my opinion. I loved this one so much. I can’t wait for book three in this series!

You, with a View by Jessica Joyce

For some reason, when I first started You, with a View, it took me a second to get my head fully wrapped up in the book. But then, I fell in love. There is always something for me about a book with a creative main character. (In fact, I neglected to mention that Ellie is a musician in Love Unwritten.) In You, with a View, Noelle is a photographer, but she isn’t really a practicing photographer right now. And so, as this desire to follow the once upon a time dream of her grandmother and her high school nemesis’s grandfather takes off, so too does Noelle’s creative drive. I loved the way Theo supported her in this endeavor too. I loved the way the two of them had great banter, but also such sweet moments. And I adore Theo’s grandpa. He’s the best. All in all, I absolutely loved this book. It made me cry, it made me laugh, it made me squeal… You know, all the signs of the best book.

Business Casual by B.K. Borison

It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with the Lovelight Farms series from Borison and Business Casual was a truly fantastic conclusion to the series. Nova and Charlie have truly fantastic chemistry, the people of Lovelight Farms are everything, as always, and mostly, I just loved the way Charlie and Nova both made one another better. They didn’t fix the other person. But you could tell that being with the other made them feel more confident and able to handle things. I absolutely loved that aspect of this book. And, once again, we have a creatively minded heroine. Nova is a tattoo artist and the way she cares about her craft is brilliant. I loved that aspect too!

You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian

Cat Sebastian is pretty much always a solid choice of author for me. But You Should Be So Lucky blew every other book I’ve read from her out of the water, in my opinion. There was something about the way this book handled loneliness and self-imposed isolation and coming out of that to find community that just absolutely swept me away. The writing in this book is so well done and the characters are just everything. I truly cannot recommend this book more highly. It was everything. You can find my ARC review here.

House of Bane and Blood and
City of Mirth and Malice
by Alexis L. Menard

This romantasy duet gave me LIFE. You think I’m exaggerating, I’m sure, because like, that’s got to be hyperbole. But, on the other hand, this year has been so hard professionally, particularly these last few months. I’ve felt like I’m drowning and trying to tread water and then drowning again. And yet, while I was reading these books, nothing else mattered. The importance of that escapism cannot be overstated. Anyway, if you’ve not heard of them, House of Bane and Blood is set in a world that feels like Peaky Blinders meets Ketterdam (Six of Crows) where magic and science are in a sort of ideological war. Anyway, the world is a bit dark, and Camilla is supposed to marry this man who is… gross, to save her family business. But in steps Nico, who has a metal hand, and she winds up being betrothed to him instead. It truly cannot be overstated how much of a vibe these characters are. Talking about it is making me want to reread. And the narrator who voices Nico in the audiobook? I would highly recommend.

Glow of the Everflame
by Penn Cole

I definitely spent July – August reveling in some fantasy romance series and just escaping the world. I’ve reviewed Spark of the Everflame, which you can find here, and that is the first book in the series. Glow is book two and the way that this world… I want to use the word expands, but I’m not sure that’s quite right. But the stakes certainly increase dramatically. I need to pick up Burn, but I’ve been dragging my feet because I don’t want to be caught up without knowing when book four is coming. I need to get over it. Anyway, Luther and Diem have such an intriguing connection and I’m obsessed. The way this book ends, also?? Like, I really need to pick up Burn. Someone tell me to get over my reluctance because I know I’m about to love it.

These Hollow Vows and
These Twisted Bonds
by Lexi Ryan

For this to be a YA romantasy duet, these books captured my attention and did not let go. I’m still so excited to read the recently released connected but not necessary direct sequel that is the third book in this world, but haven’t quite yet. Anyway, essentially this series starts out with Brie entering the Seelie Court to try and rescue her sister, whom her aunt sold to the fae. I don’t think she knows which type of fae when she sets off to rescue her, but I could be misremembering. Anyway, she quickly becomes entangled (romantically) with her neighbor, Sebastian, and an exiled Unseelie fae. Lots of people have pointed out that the comparisons to ACOTAR are pretty blatant and, I mean, sure, but unlike SJM, Lexi Ryan packs her story into two books that are less than 500 pages. Also, at least she did it well, you know? Anyway, all that to say, if you are an ACOTAR girlie and you want a lower investment series, try this one. It was great for me.

Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver

I really just want to be like, Weston, that’s it. That’s the reason for you to pick this up. But that would actually do a disservice to Skylar, whom I adored. And also the kids, who are precious and adorable and I’m obsessed with them. If you didn’t know, Wild Eyes is the second book in the Rose Hill series, which is a series about single dads. (Although, I don’t think that’s quite true because the hero in book three is not going to be a single dad, so maybe it’s like… parents? I’m unsure.) ANYWAY, this book is fantastic. Skylar is trying to find her way back to herself because her label has really got her questioning everything and also her parents are pretty awful, in my opinion. And I loved the way that Skylar starts to write again. And the relationship with the kids. And again, Weston. What a man. I love this series so much. I can’t wait for book three.

Daydream by Hannah Grace

People have had very mixed opinions on Daydream, which, I guess I understand because the vibe of this one felt a lot more serious than Icebreaker (but that one also had really serious topics, so??), and then there are also complaints that Henry felt very different than he does as a side character. So, here’s the thing, I’m not going to sit here and disagree with those opinions. Because Daydream does feel like rom-com like than Icebreaker, but I don’t personally think Daydream was any different in tone than Wildfire. And Henry is a bit different as a main character than as a side character, and for that, I would like to point to the idea of masking, which Henry definitely seems to have been engaging in. Also, arguably most importantly, I present to you, Halle. The light of my life, Halle is trying to break free from the pressures of being the oldest daughter, of always doing everything for everyone, and to finally learn how to live for herself. She’s breaking free of her terrible ex-boyfriend who deserves to be punched in the junk on a repeated and regular basis, imo. And she absolutely deserves every orgasm Henry bestows upon her. I loved these two. They’re so wonderful together. I just… I want to wrap them both in a hug. Also, Henry’s moms are amazing and I would like to be in this friend group just to convince Henry to take me home to his moms. All that to say, Daydream worked for me so well and I’m sorry if it didn’t for you. But maybe this book was just written for me and if that’s the case, Hannah Grace, I promise to love it so much forever.

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks

This graphic novel was every bit as cute and wonderful as I had hoped it would be and I am so grateful to the person who sold it to McKays in Mebane, NC because picking it up when I did was perfect. I can tell you already that this graphic novel is one I’m going to read again and again. Also, I don’t want to tell you anything more than this book follows two teenagers who are working in a pumpkin patch and this is the last night of it before they’ll both graduate college and presumably move away. It’s… absolutely darling. I loved it so much.

Honorable Mentions

Closing Thoughts

This post is an entire month late and I’m so sorry for that. October was such a busy month and also such a rough one, but November promises to take those challenges and elevate them even higher, so… Thank God for good books? Anyway, if you have any other extremely readable escapist reads, please share. I’m definitely going to need them.

xx