The Women by Kristin Hannah Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Pub Date: 2/6/2024
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press & Macmillan Audio for the free copies in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Women by Kristin Hannah follows Frances “Frankie” McGrath, a young nurse who bravely joins the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War, facing the chaos of battle and the struggles of returning to a divided America. This historical fiction novel dives into sacrifice, friendship, and shining light on often-forgotten commitment and patriotism.
Kristin Hannah’s meticulous research shines in The Women, with some scenes reading like nonfiction. I was particularly captivated by the first half, detailing Frankie’s Vietnam tour, while the latter part skillfully explores her post-war life. There are so graphic scenes and multiple triggers so I recommend reading the content warnings on StoryGraph as there’s too many to mention. The author’s captivating storytelling and fresh perspective on a rarely discussed topic were eye-opening, especially in portraying Frankie’s post-Vietnam experiences with her family and friends. One of my favorite parts of the book was seeing Frankie, Barb, and Ethel supporting each other which truly highlights the value of friendship. The only part of the book I had a difficult grappling with were the romantic connections and some of the twists that related to that, but I understood why these had to be written into the story. Overall, this has to be one of my all-favorite books from Kristin Hannah and is my first 5-star read of the year! As someone who rarely reads historical fiction, I highly recommend this resonant read.
Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar Publisher: Mindy’s Book Studio (Amazon Publishing) Pub Date: 2/1/2024
This was my January Amazon First Reads pick
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar tells the story of Dunia Ahmed, a New York pharmacist coping with personal tragedies, who becomes the center of a true crime podcast after her mysterious disappearance. As she deals with murder attempts on her life and police suspicion of those close to her, Dunia’s reality blurs with childhood superstitions, leading her to believe that a malevolent force is targeting her.
Having enjoyed Amina Akhtar’s previous works, #fashionvictim and Kissmet, I was thrilled to discover her latest thriller, Almost Surely Dead, released under Mindy’s Book Studios. The narrative is told through three distinct perspectives: Dunia’s experiences from a year or two prior, the podcast’s viewpoint, and Dunia’s memories from when she was five years old. A highlight of the book is its exploration of jinn and Pakistani culture, offering insightful perspectives on these beliefs. The podcast hosts, intriguingly flawed, exhibit subtle racism and a penchant for gaslighting their guests, embodying the antithesis of ideal hosts with their overt commercial focus. Dunia’s character and her interactions with those around her are fascinating along with the extremely horrifying methods at attempts on her life. Though the culprits were easily predictable which had me reduce a star, the integration of jinn into the storyline was chillingly effective which added a haunting and terrifying layer that resonated deeply. Overall, I highly recommend picking this one if you’re looking for an entertaining and spine-tingling thriller!
No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall Publisher: Flatiron Books Pub Date: 1/23/2024
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
In No One Can Know, three sisters confront their dark past in their old mansion, dealing with two mysterious murders and family secrets that could destroy their lives. Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me. While the plot initially sounded intriguing, the execution felt like a commercial thriller and was too predictable. I knew who the culprit was from the start, rendering the red herrings ineffective and leading to a boring reading experience. All the characters, including Emma and Nathan, lacked depth and appeared two-dimensional. I couldn’t muster any sympathy towards any of the characters. The story is told through the perspectives of the three sisters, with Daphne’s being the most interesting. Emma’s perspective was boring and JJ’s seemed odd but better than Emma’s. The flashbacks kept me engaged, but the pacing in the present narrative was slow, which affected the overall momentum of the story. Additionally, the way diversity and queerness were integrated into the story felt forced and less naturally integrated, seemingly added as an afterthought rather than as a meaningful and intentional part of the narrative. The last half of the book picks up, but the scenarios are far-fetched and detract from the storyline. I personally can’t recommend this one.
The Fury by Alex Michaelides Publisher: Celadon Books Pub Date: 1/16/2024
Thank you to Celadon Books & Macmillan Audio for the free copies in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In The Fury, Lana Farrah, a ex-movie star, invites her closest friends to her private Greek island for Easter, leading to a a fateful night of revenge, a game of cat and mouse, and murder. The story is told through the unreliable narrator, Elliot Chase, who reveals secrets, unexpected twists, and betrayal.
I was super excited to hear that Alex Michaelides was coming out with a new book since I enjoyed The Silent Patient. The Fury was an entertaining read that I was able to finish in less than two days. The beginning is intriguing and sets the stage of the murder. Throughout the story, Elliot explains all the backstories of all the suspects and how they are related to each other. I also like that the book is broken out in acts like a play. The way the twists and secrets are revealed kept me on the edge of my seat. There were a couple of twists that I predicted but the way it was written kept me engaged. I found the middle to be a bit slower, but the last act made up for it. As for the audiobook, Alex Jennings did a great job bringing the story to life and had the perfect voice for Elliot. I recommend picking this up if you’re looking for a lighthearted, slow burn entertaining thriller.
Say You’ll Be Mine by Naina Kumar Publisher: Dell (Random House) Pub Date: 1/16/2024
Thank you to Random House & PRH Audio for the free copies in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In Say You’ll Be Mine by Naina Kumar, Meghna, a theatre teacher and aspiring playwright, is set up by her parents with Karthik, an engineer. She’s in love with her best friend, Seth, but he’s getting married to someone else. Meghna and Karthik pretend to be engaged to deal with their problems, but their fake relationship turns into real feelings, complicating everything.
I had mixed feelings about this book. The unique premise and the fact that it’s a debut novel intrigued me. The story is well-crafted and I appreciated how the subplots of supporting characters added depth to the story. However, the pacing felt uneven at times. The beginning was engaging, swiftly diving into the central dilemmas without unnecessary delay. The relationship development between Meghna and Karthik, based on their fake engagement, was interesting but also frustrating. Karthik, in particular, was frustrating due to his frequent indecisiveness which inadvertently harmed others. Meghna was placed in difficult situations, leading her to doubt herself amidst the toxicity of those around her. It was disheartening to see her being overly accommodating and kind to Seth, who seemed undeserving of such treatment. The final 50 pages was a let down which made my lower my rating. There were some major issues introduced earlier that were abruptly resolved and then dropped which felt unsatisfying. I wasn’t a fan of the way Meghna and Karthik’s relationship was towards the end which came to a resolution that seemed to neat and contrived. Overall, I rate this book 3.5 stars but rounded it up to 4 on GoodReads for the compelling writing style and the fact I was able to finish this within a day.
2023 marked a distinctive chapter in my reading journey. It was a year filled with bookish events and meeting my favorite authors which was a highlight. I’m hopeful to continue this trend in 2024. One significant change I noticed is that my preferred reading genres have refined in 2023, gravitating towards romance, thrillers, and fantasy. This shift in my reading tastes isn’t necessarily negative, but it shows my evolution of what I prefer to read.
Reflecting on my 2023 reading goals:
1. GoodReads Challenge: Set at 1 for fifth consecutive year to prioritize reading what I enjoy. This was a success in terms of quantity as this was the second best reading year.
2. South Asian Authors: This goal led me to discover new authors which was great.
2023 Accomplishments
• Successfully finished all the 2023 releases on my NetGalley shelf and reaching 94% NetGalley ratio by year-end.
• Finished all my BOTM selections without carrying over to next year.
• Participated in the 23 for 23 challenge, focusing on BIPOC authors and voices, a challenging but rewarding experience.
• Wrote a GoodReads review for every book I read in 2023.
2024 Goals
I’ve decided not to set specific reading goals this year. Instead, I plan to continue and deepen the intentions I’m already engaging in:
• Keeping my GoodReads goal at 1 for the sixth consecutive year, focusing on quality over quantity.
• Allowing myself the freedom to not finish books that don’t captivate me.
Cheers to a year filled with stories that inspire and connect us!
These are my top 12 favorite reads of 2023! The books are in order of when I read them. These were all 5-star reads. I considered what I read this year regardless of the publication date.
True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren (now my all-time favorite CLO book and second book in DNADuo) Things We Hide From The Light by Lucy Score (now my all-time favorite Lucy Score book and second book in Knockemout series) Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (favorite fantasy) How Not To Drown In A Glass Of Water by Angie Cruz (favorite backlist literary fiction) The Only One Left by Riley Sager (second all-time favorite Riley Sager book) Drowning by TJ Newman (new-to-me thriller author favorite) Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter (favorite backlist thriller) Mixed Signals by BK Borision (favorite sunshine-sunshine romance and new-to-me author I discovered) The Art of Scandal by Regina Black (one of my favorite debut authors) After That Night by Karin Slaughter (favorite book in a series I haven’t completely read) You, Again by Kate Goldbeck (one of my favorite debut authors) This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan (favorite 2024 release I can’t wait for everyone to read)
A few observations about my 2023 reading:
Of my top 12, I met all these authors except for Rebecca Yarros and Kate Goldbeck.
Lucy Score was the top author I read this year with 5 books. The top genres I read this year were romance, contemporary, and mystery.
According to my years books.com, my reading vibes were “adventurous.”
As the holiday season sparkles around us, I’m excited to share my thoughts on three Christmas books I recently read:
A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone Publisher: Avon Pub Date: 10/10/2023
Thank you to Avon for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Holly Jolly Ever After is the second book in A Christmas Notch series and can be read as a standalone, but it’s enjoyed more if you read the first book. This sexy Christmas romance follows Kallum Lieberman, a former boy band member turned pizza chain owner, who seeks to reclaim fame by starring in a Sexy Santa biopic after an explicit tape leak. Meanwhile, Winnie Baker, a former child star with a crumbling perfect life, aims to reinvent herself as his costar, leading to a rediscovery of passion. As the two navigate their roles, they possibly discover more between them.
Overall, this was a cute read, but it wasn’t my favorite. I absolutely loved Part 1 of the book and loved that it had the similar style of A Merry Little Meet Cute, but Part 2 introduced a trope I absolutely hate, which wasn’t mentioned in the summary, yet it surprisingly fit the narrative here. However, I felt that the storyline took an odd turn. I had mixed feelings about Kallum and Winnie as the main leads. First, I loved how distinct their voices were and it was great that Julie and Sierra switched writing characters (Sierra wrote Winnie and Julie wrote Kallum from what I remember saying during a book event last year). Kallum and Winnie frustrated me as they didn’t give each other enough grace. Kallum was a bit too laid back which fit his personality and Winnie was a bit too uptight which fit too, but I didn’t really see them as being fit for each other. This ended up being a 3.5 star read for me but I rounded up to 4 on GoodReads out of appreciation for the authors’ styles and the narrators’ excellent audio rendition that truly brought the story to life.
Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey Publisher: Avon Pub Date: 10/3/2023
Thank you to Avon Books for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
In Wreck the Halls, Melody Gallard and Beat Dawkins reunite their mothers’ rock band amidst chaos and rekindle a romance. Their journey faces a scandal that risks the band’s reunion and their newfound love. However, I struggled to feel the spark between Melody and Beat. While Melody was endearing, I found Beat to be off putting and desperate.
Tessa Bailey’s books are a mixed bag for me so I wasn’t sure what to expect for Wreck the Halls. The cute plot, unique characters, enjoyable banter, and the mystery surrounding the band’s breakup kept me engaged with the story. Their teenage crushes were sweet, but their insta love as adults didn’t seem believable due to the lack of communication. I was expecting the book to have more of a holiday vibe, but it felt like the only festive element was its December setting and a Christmas Eve deadline. Overall, this was a 3-star read for me.
Love Holly by Emily Stone Publisher: Random House Pub Date: 9/26/2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
”Some people you know for a lifetime, but they never really make an imprint on your soul – and some people you only have to know for an instant to know they will be part of you forever.” – Love Holly by Emily Stone.
In Love Holly by Emily Stone, Holly’s journey with the Dear Stranger letter-writing club leads her to a deep connection with Emma and a spark-filled romance with Jack, teaching her lessons in love, healing, and forgiveness.
I’ve been a fan of Emily Stone and her holiday novels are a must-read. I bought Love, Holly a couple of months ago and decided to finally pick it up. Love, Holly delves into strained relationships, beauty of unexpected friendships, healing, and forgiveness. I loved the building of Holly and Emma’s friendship along with unraveling how other characters that are involved in the process. The romance is a bit secondary at first and l a slow burn which works well for the storyline. Highly recommend picking this up if you love Emily Stone’s work, but keep in mind it tackles some intense themes, so check StoryGraph for content warnings!
Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli Publisher: Forever Pub Date: 9/12/2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J Tuli is the first book in the Artefacts of Ouranos series. This new adult fantasy follows Lor, a long-suffering captive, who gets an unexpected chance at freedom when she’s thrust into a deadly competition for the Sun King’s heart. As she competes against nine other tributes, she must not only win but also navigate the challenges of a court she doesn’t belong to and fend off rivals who want her eliminated.
I originally came across this series thanks to Forever. I was so happy to see that this book and the second book are available on kindle unlimited so I decided to give it a try. The best way to describe Trial of the Sun Queen is its A Court of Thorns and Roses meets The Bachelor. I was pleasantly surprised there wasn’t more world building in this book as that’s what typically happens in the first book of a series. It was action-packed and I found each of the trials to be intriguing. The Sun King’s behavior felt somewhat predictable, but I thoroughly enjoyed Lor’s character and her unwavering love for her siblings. As for Nadir’s perspective, I’m expecting his purpose will become clearer in the second book. Just a heads up, the first book ends on a cliffhanger.
Rule of the Aurora King – Book 2
Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli Publisher: Forever Pub Date: 9/12/2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli is the second book in the Artefacts of Ouranos series. Rule of the Aurora King is a true sequel and I recommend reading Trial of the Sun Queen first.
Note: I would recommend reading this review after you finish reading Trial of the Sun Queen so read at your own discretion.
Happy pub day to The Fake Mate & Technically Yours! Check out my latest reviews for these Berkley Romance novels below:
The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson Publisher: Berkley Romance Pub Date: 12/5/2023
Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free copy on NetGalley and PRH Audio for the free audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mackenzie Carter navigates pressure from her nosy grandmother to find a perfect mate which leads her impulsively claim she’s dating Taylor, a cardiologist hiding his true nature. Could their fake dating arrangement possibly lead to more?
I liked Lana’s debut, The Nanny, so I was excited to see that her sophomore book, The Fake Mate, especially since it went into a different direction. This paranormal romance explores fake dating, grumpy-sunshine, wolf shifters, and set against a hospital backdrop. I was engaged in the two distinct perspectives in this novel. The banter and chemistry between Mackenzie and Noah was a great balance of sweet and spicy. There were a few of cheesy moments which weren’t for me and I wasn’t a fan of the glands concept. I found that Noah’s reason for fake dating was justifiable, but Mackenzie’s reasoning came off as silly. Overall, this was a 3.5 star read for me, but I rounded to 4 stars on GoodReads.
Technically Yours by Denise Williams Publisher: Berkley Romance Pub Date: 12/5/2023
Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free copy on NetGalley and PRH Audio for the free audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pearl Harris navigates her new role as acting director of OurCode amidst a scandal, while grappling with her unresolved feelings for Cord Matthews, a board member and her former flame, whose return threatens both their careers and the future of the nonprofit. Their undeniable chemistry challenges their personal rules against workplace romance, making it difficult to separate their professional duties from the pull of a second chance at love.
Technically Yours has been one of my most anticipated reads! I have been excited to see Pearl and Cord getting together ever since I read The Fastest Way To Fall. This can be read as a stand alone, but Britta and Wes show up as supporting characters which is a pleasant surprise. I had mixed feelings about this book. First, I loved that we got to see Pearl and Cord years later. The dual perspective, combined with flashbacks of their meeting and infatuation, added depth to the story. In the present day, Pearl’s wishy-washy feelings towards Cord irked me, as he gave her no reason for doubt, though I understood this stemmed from her past toxic relationships. Cord was lovable, but he seemed too perfect which kind of irked me. The mentor/mentee relationship between Cord and Ty was sweet. I valued how Denise integrated discussions on the significance of pronouns and addressed issues of racism and sexism in the workplace in her writing. Though this wasn’t for me, Denise is always an auto-read author for me and I can’t wait to read her next book!
Asha Reads 