Honor Roll // Vol. 3

I’m certainly not one to declare the book review dead, but I do think it’s the type of post that’s less engaging, less likely to be clicked on, less likely to be read… You get the idea. And, dear readers, I’m secure enough in my insecurity to admit I do want people to read what I write, if only to continue to share my love of whatever wonderful/quirky/clever/delightful/daunting/terrible book I just read. These are a few that made my honor roll, and here are the ones I don’t think you should miss.

Wicked Saints // Emily A. Duncan. How great is that title? This book will work for the right person. I was not that person. Although I hesitate to describe it as such – because I have my own negative connotations with the word – this book is trendy. It has all the right elements – blood magic, ancient enemies, and attractive boys – for the right person.

Downfall // Jay Crownover. I am a nightmare to fly with, so I usually try to pick a book that’s light, easy, and doesn’t require my full concentration. This one fits that bill perfectly. It’s got a little bit of grit, a little bit of angst, but they live happily ever after.

Cape May // Chip Creek. Cape May is a complex look at getting married when you’re both too young and too naive (the novel is set in the 1950s). Henry and Effie are newlyweds from rural Georgia and they’re in Cape May, New Jersey for their honeymoon, only it’s the off season and they’re bored. They stop by a neighbor’s house when they see a light on, only to get sucked into a world of debauchery and drinking. Both are easily manipulated, and soon Henry and Effie are barely recognizable to each other. Cape May, though a bit steamy and explicit, is a well done character study looking at the ramifications of betrayal and remorse.

When the Sky Fell on Splendor // Emily Henry. I recently included this one my what to read if you love Stranger Things, and that still stands. Franny and her friends – The Ordinary – investigate paranormal activity and legends near their small Ohio town. One night, a bright light comes hurtling from the sky, and after that, things aren’t quite the same. Much like Stranger Things, this isn’t a book just about the unique abilities that develop, but much more about the meaning of friendship and family.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely // Brigid Kemmerer. This is absolutely a situation of “it’s not you, it’s me.” Brigid Kemmerer’s retelling of Beauty and the Beast is well done and I’d recommend it to the right person. It just wasn’t for me.

Daisy Jones and the Six // Taylor Jenkins Reid. I started this in book format, but switched to the audio version and it was AMAZING. When a book is told through so many different perspectives, actually hearing the characters is so helpful to me, otherwise their “voices” tend to blend together in my mind (I find myself going back to the beginning of the chapter to find out whose perspective it is). Given the huge amount of coverage this novel has received, there’s no need for me to say anymore than “it’s a good one.”