firewhiskeyreader

I finished up #FallInLoveBingo in October and I really loved it. I had a loose goal that I would try and do it twice just because of how much I loved this board, but, well, that wasn’t really working out so well. I’ll probably include a couple of my double ups through here though just for fun! If you missed it, #FallInLoveBingo was created by myself, Dani from Danis_Bookshelf, and Aarya from ardentlyaarya and our board was illustrated by my sister, Sarah!

Row One

Old Habits Die Screaming: The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gomez

A review should be posted by now about this book, but essentially, I think this book works for this prompt in a couple of ways. One, both Theo and Marcela are so willing to drop everything for Alice/Ben respectively and they are trying to actively unlearn that, especially Marcela. But more than that, they also have a weird relationship dynamic between themselves that feels a little like it could work for them intrapersonally as well.

Training Montage: Lady of Embers by Melissa K. Roehrich

In Lady of Embers, Scarlett starts learning about a new aspect of her powers and some other people start training as well. So there’s a lot of training. (P.S. I love this series so much!)

Orange: Love and Sportsball by Meka James and/or Bloom by EJ Blaise

Both of these books have orange covers. Love and Sportsball was an ARC so the review for that will be posted shortly! Bloom will be included in my favorite books from the fourth quarter, if not of the year (probably of the year). Depending on your interests, I would recommend them both!

Casual: Christmas is All Around by Martha Waters or How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang

Both of these books involve characters being like, “we can just have a fling for this brief period of time,” and then, “oops, there are A LOT of feelings, how’d that happen?” Christmas is All Around is much more light hearted than How to End a Love Story, which is really quite heavy. But I actually enjoyed them both.

Excavate Your TBR: All the Best Nights by Hannah Earnest

This is a book I’ve had since 2021 as an ARC and I’m thrilled to have finally read it. Hallelujah. Also, I mostly enjoyed it! My review should be up already so you can take a look at that for some more detailed thoughts.

Row Two

So High School: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

This book made me as giddy as reading Gallagher Girls in high school did. I love Ally Carter, but her writing will always take me back to reading about Cami and co. and I love it.

Hidden Gem: A Castle in the Air by Kelley Armstrong and/or Played by Naima Simone

Honestly, A Castle in the Air works here because I don’t think it gets enough attention, though it is over 1,000 ratings, but also because there are some literal hidden items. But Played by Naima Simone is pretty new so maybe it feels unfair to use here, but it’s definitely under 1,000 ratings and I just feel like it deserves a bit more recognition.

Turn of the Century: If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia

This book is set in the late 90s, which made it perfect for this prompt. Also, I really loved it. If you like a buttoned up woman falling for a single dad, while dealing with some grief (her mom died), then I would definitely recommend it for you too.

Scratches Your Id: Boss in the Bedsheets by Kate Canterbary

The first time I read Boss in the Bedsheets I rated it a four star, which I’m pretty sure is because I didn’t want the fact that everything about this book worked for me to be true. But now, I just lean in. Ash is… a bit of a jerk, but in a way that just really works for me. And he doesn’t mean to be. He’s actually a gem.

Latinx: Striking Gold by Janine Amesta and/or Sleeping with the Frenemy by Natalie Caña

Striking Gold by Janine Amesta is about a woman who is mixed race and doesn’t always seem to feel Latina enough, but actually the book is about her feeling like she’s supposed to be super successful but actually she’s overwhelmed with not wanting to pursue law school and go down the expected path. I really loved this book for how well it navigated her figuring out her way through life, which is always a favorite theme of mine. Sleeping with the Frenemy is book three in a series that just doesn’t get enough recognition so here’s me shouting to everyone that you should read the series. (I will say this is my least favorite so far, but I would still recommend!) The families and characters in this series are Puerto Rican. They live in Chicago and are very proud of their heritage and I love the way this series both celebrates their heritage and brings together community in such incredible ways.

Row Three

Black Love: Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen

This book was so interesting, but also, like, interesting in a way that still has me wondering about some of Danielle Allen’s plotting choices. That said, it was fun and sexy and I loved seeing Aaliyah already being so confident, but still becoming even more so by the end of this book. It felt like she embraced her power in a new way. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but regardless, I loved her personal journey.

ReRead: Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home by Jessa Hastings

I am so obsessed with this series, it’s not even funny and I think I should be applauded for only re-reading this one instead of this one, Daisy 2, and Magnolia 3 because trust me, I thought about it. I don’t even really want to recommend this series to you, but if you have no idea what it is, essentially, it’s Gossip Girl in London, but with a focus on BJ and Magnolia and they’re pretty toxic. But also the writing is great and I loved everything about this book series.

HEA: The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas and/or One Kiss to Desire by Grace Calloway

I found both of these books pretty enjoyable. I love the sense of community in The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas and I really just adore Grace Calloway’s plotting and the way she puts together a story. I can’t wait for more from both authors.

Preordered: Daydream by Hannah Grace

I feel like I preorder so many books, but for the most part, the rest have been slotted in elsewhere. Regardless, I loved Daydream, but can we talk about the fact that Halle is wearing the folklore cardigan on the cover? Like, that’s how you know the book was really meant for me. I talked about it more in my Quarter 3 Favorites.

Cozy: The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore

I… wish I’d liked this more than I did. But I know a lot of people really have! If you’re in the mood for a Gilmore Girls fanfic with the IP filed off, maybe it will work better for you? I wish it had for me.

Row Four

Category Romance: Unexpectedly Wed to the Heir by Lydia San Andres

I included this one in my honorable mentions of my Q3 favorites, but like, truly, y’all, this book is great. This entire series is so well done. I love how unique it is, in setting, in plotting, and in time period. (Okay, I have no idea what time this is set in actually, but let’s not worry about that part.) The point is, I love this. I also really should have read more categories by this point in the year, but at least this one was a banger.

Someone Else Chooses for You: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

This was the book club book for my guild for Book Roast’s Orillium Readathon in September and I really enjoyed it! Mind you, this is definitely a fantasy not a fantasy romance so. I’m just saying. Also, in the realm of cozy, this has higher stakes than Legends & Lattes but it’s not like… high grim dark fantasy by any means.

Audiobook or Graphic Novel: Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks and/or The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

I absolutely adored Pumpkinheads. I included it in my Q3 favorites and I will be re-reading this again and again, I just know it. I also read and really enjoyed The Prince and the Dressmaker, which is such a cute graphic novel, though the stakes felt higher than my emotions were prepared for at the time I read it.

On Page Medication: Only and Forever by Chloe Liese

I have loved the Bergman series and this one was a solid way to end off the series. The diabetes representation was also really great to see. I really loved these characters and the full Bergman crew.

Lost Heir: Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

Not Another Love Song is a book where the MMC is sort of hiding his identity. Sort of. Anyway, it definitely works for this prompt. Also, I had this one as an ARC, so if you want more details, my review can be found here.

Row Five

Grab Your Passport: Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks

It’s pretty exciting to know I’ve actually been to Ireland, though to Dublin not to Galway, but regardless, still exciting! I’ve got to say, I feel like the culture shock of Texas to Galway is understated here, because surely Lark was shook by what they call bacon over there. Just me? I’m truly incapable of moving past it. Anyway, all that to say, the demisexual representation in this book was brilliant. I loved it a lot. I included it as an honorable mention in my Q3 favorites.

Five Word Title: The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava and/or With Love, from Cold War by Alicia Thompson

The Truth According to Ember was good, but also, I hated everything about the set up, which meant that I didn’t really love it. I will definitely try Nava’s next book though. With Love, from Cold War was pretty fun and makes me want to try something else from Thompson.

Road Trip: Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca

I think this one might be my favorite in the series, although I also really loved Well Met. But Well Traveled just felt so personally relatable, in the sense that I am envious of Lulu’s ability to just pivot so wildly. It was great to read about.

Divorce: The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler and/or Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn

The Christmas You Found Me made me cry so much and I’m still not sure I’ve quite forgiven it. Just kidding, I actually really liked it. I have a review already posted about it if you’d like more thoughts, you can find them here. And then Catch and Keep is another ARC where the review should be up by now. I really did love it, minus the stalking sub-plot that truly did not need to be there.

Horses: Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver and/or Homebound by Meredith Trapp

I absolutely loved Wild Eyes, but did not have the same positive thoughts about Homebound, though I also didn’t hate it. It’s just that Wild Eyes is actual perfection and the characters annoyed me in Homebound.

Closing Thoughts

Of my initial reads, my favorites (aside from my rereads) were Pumpkinheads, Daydream, The Fiancé Farce, Morbidly Yours, Wild Eyes, If It Makes You Happy, and Unexpectedly Wed to the Heir. Hopefully I didn’t miss any. If you participated, what were some of your favorite reads? Did you read any of the same books I did? What wound up being your favorite prompt to fulfill?

xx