When I travel, I always look forward to reading. I pack my Kindle and pre-download several books to keep me occupied especially when waiting around in an airport. During my two-week trip to Europe, I read three books. It helps that our trip had five different flights, so lots of downtime to read books. I wanted to share the three books that I read along with my thoughts on each book.

Love, Theoretically – Ali Hazelwood

Elsie Hannaway is an adjunct professor, racing around different campuses to teach her classes. To supplement her income, she’s a “fake girlfriend” on a dating website. She attends one of her client’s family gatherings and runs into Jack Smith, the brother of her client. Jack wrote a scientific paper discrediting Elsie’s field of study, so it’s safe to say that she hates him. Elsie is trying to get a job at MIT and guess who’s on the hiring board? Jack Smith. Elsie has to interact with Jack throughout the MIT hiring process and it’s clear that Jack may be a lot of things, maybe Elsie misjudged his original intentions.

I can’t objectively review any of Ali Hazelwood’s books because I love them so much. I love reading about academia and the science that each book focuses on. I will say that Ali Hazelwood has a pattern and I would love to see her deviate from that pattern. I want to see a new type of protagonist. How about a chemist who owns a brewery and doesn’t have rock-hard abs. I rated Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood five stars on Goodreads.

A Curious Beginning – Deanna Raybourn

Veronica Speedwell is free to do as she pleases. After planning her aunt’s funeral, she is planning her next move. When she returns home, she catches someone robbing her house. After fleeing from this person, she meets a German Baron who convinces Veronica that she’s in danger. The Baron leaves Veronica with his friend, Mr. Stoker. Before the Baron can collect Veronica, he’s murdered. Stoker instantly realizes the danger of the situation and takes Veronica away into hiding. Veronica and Stoker are forced to work together to figure out who killed the Baron.

This was the perfect book to bring with me while in Europe. I loved the setting in London. Veronica is a character who honestly doesn’t care what other people think of her which is especially important since the book is set in 1887 and women at that time were expected to be married. I liked her partnership with Stoker. Stoker carries a lot of anger and trauma with him and Veronica starts to grow on him throughout the book. I rated A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn four stars on Goodreads.

A Court of Thorn and Roses – Sarah J. Maas

Feyre is hunting in the Forest to feed her family when she kills a wolf that approaches her. As it turns out, the wolf that Feyre killed was really a Faerie, and killing Faeries is strictly forbidden. Feyre is found out and is taken by Tamlin, one of the Faerie high lords, to his kingdom where she will live for the rest of her days. Feyre is taken back by Prythian but starts to enjoy her routine. As she learns more about Prythian, she sees that there’s a dark underbelly to the land. Something is happening and it could lead to the end of humankind.

This was perhaps the most hyped book on my Goodreads TBR shelf. I have heard nothing, but positive things about this series, so I do feel that I went into reading this book with a more critical lens. With that being said, I liked this book for the most part. I liked Prythian, the world that the Faeries live in. I liked the darker creatures that Feyre hunts or interacts with. The romance between Tamlin and Feyre was okay, I wasn’t entirely sold on it especially when the curse was revealed. One of the things that I didn’t like was the latter half of the book when Feyre is imprisoned by Amarantha. Feyre is tormented and abused and it’s difficult to read. It feels like Sarah J. Maas through a bunch of abuse in there and I don’t think it was entirely needed. I can understand why everyone liked this book and I did like it. I rated A Court of Thorn and Roses by Sarah J. Maas three stars on Goodreads.

I haven’t fully decided what I will read next. I have a few options as I’m trying to dwindle my TBR before buying any more books and I have a book on hold at the library. I’m sure it will be something dark and spooky as it’s officially Spooky season.