For most of March, I have been struggling with a reading slump. I tried reading a few books, but didn’t get past the first few chapters. On top of that, I have had a few stressful weeks, so I found myself falling asleep earlier instead of reading before I went to bed. After getting coffee with a friend, I was reminded how I haven’t applied for a library card since moving to our house last year. I visited my local library, received my library card, and strolled around the shelves looking for something new to read. I found two books and two manga that I’m planning on reading throughout March and April. I feel invigorated! I am so excited to read the books I borrowed. I wanted to share what’s on my TBR.

Lore by Alexandra Bracken

Lore takes place in New York City and focuses on Lore. She’s a young woman who has ties to the Greek Gods. Every seven years, the gods are brought back to Earth, stripped of their powers, and need to stay alive. This hunt is called the Agon. During the Agon, hunters will step up to the plate to try to kill the gods and take their powers. Lore’s bloodline is linked to one of the gods, so even if she has no interest in this hunt, she is still a target. Lore is approached by Athena during the Agon as Athena is severely wounded. Lore has to decide if it’s worth putting her life on the line to help Athena and potentially stop a horrible person from becoming a god.

Lore reminds me of The Hunger Games if The Hunger Games involved the Greek Gods. I’m only on chapter two now, but I’m looking forward to how this book plays out.

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

Ciara and Oliver start dating right before the COVID-19 pandemic begins. Oliver suggests to Ciara that she could move in with him to quarantine together. 35 days later, a body is found by the police in Oliver’s apartment. Is Oliver dead, or is he a killer? Did Ciara have something to do with his death? Or was it self-defense?

Thrillers are some of my favorite books to read, and I liked how 56 Days takes place before COVID. I’m curious to see how this plays out, considering that Ciara and Oliver just met and now they are living together. That doesn’t seem like the most logical thing to do. I’m curious about what the twist will be and how everything will be revealed.

Scott Pilgrim Volume #1 by Bryan Lee O’Malley

I have never read the original Scott Pilgrim graphic novels, nor have I watched the film adaptation. Scott Pilgrim is one of the most well-known graphic novels out there, and I figured now is as good a time as any to start reading the series.

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part #1 by Hirohiko Araki

In this manga series, each part of the series stars a family member from the Joestar family. Each Joestar family member has this power that they can harness, which they can use to defeat evil and prevent corruption. In this first volume, Jonathan Joestar meets his adopted brother, Dio Brando, who hates him right away. Dio turns himself into a vampire and comes for Jonathan’s legacy, which prompts Jonathan to take down Dio once and for all.

I have heard good things about Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. I’m still in the process of finding out the type of manga that I like to read, so I’m trying to read the first volumes in a bunch of different series to see what I’m most interested in.

I’m looking forward to going to my local library more often! The librarian who helped me with my library card insisted that I download the library app. In the app, you can select books to keep on hold. How cool is that?? I clearly haven’t been to a library in a long time because I didn’t realize that libraries have their own apps. I’m glad to be back on a regular reading schedule and have something new to read.

February is over, which means that my Romance Reading month has concluded. I had four books and one romance graphic novel on my TBR. I ended up reading the graphic novel plus two of the books. It wasn’t a bad reading month, but I was expecting to do better. Some of the books I was reading took a little bit longer, and I was out of town for one weekend in February, which didn’t help. Here is everything I read last month.

All The Feels by Olivia Dade – Finished

All The Feels was a little bit of a letdown. Lauren was a character I was looking forward to reading about, but she was kind of boring. She’s an ER therapist, yet there’s nothing else memorable about her. She doesn’t have any hobbies or interests outside of her job. I find it hard to believe there wasn’t something that could have been added to make her character more interesting. In contrast to Spoiler Alert, the first book in the series, April was a geologist who was so cool to read about! Besides Lauren, I liked everything else in the book. I rated All The Feels three stars on Goodreads.

Well Played by Jen DeLuca – Finished

Well Played is one of the lowest-rated books in the Well Met book series. Part of the reason for this is the catfishing trope in this book. Stacey reached out to an old fling and later found out that she was talking to his cousin. I didn’t personally have a problem with this because Daniel, the man Stacey was actually communicating with, was apologetic and realized that what he did was wrong. I think what was more concerning to me was what their fight was about. Once that happened, I felt more animosity toward Stacey and Daniel as a couple.

I liked Well Played because I love the Renaissance Fest being the backdrop for the story. I think I will avoid catfishing in romance books going forward. I rated Well Played four stars on Goodreads.

The Love Con by Seressia Glass – Currently Reading

I’m currently reading The Love Con, as I wasn’t able to finish it by the end of February. I’m loving it so far. It’s basically a “friends to lovers” romance with the backdrop of a Project Runway Cosplay reality TV show. I’m planning on finishing The Love Con sometime this month.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry – Didn’t Read

I didn’t get a chance to read Book Lovers, which is completely fine by me. This book would be perfect to read in the summer.

Lore Olympus Vol #1 by Rachel Smythe – Finished

Lore Olympus is so good. I love that there are physical trade paperbacks now, and I think I prefer reading Lore Olympus this way versus on an app. I rated Lore Olympus five stars on Goodreads.

As far as what’s next, I plan on finishing The Love Con by the end of the month. March will be a much busier month for me since I will be attending two conventions out of state. I’m not sure how much reading I will get done, but it’s a nice break to be able to read whatever I’m in the mood for versus doing a full reading challenge. My next reading challenge will be Star Wars books in May, which I always look forward to.

In 2021, I started to prioritize reading romance books in February. I noticed that when I set aside months out of the year as a theme of what to read, I end up reading more. I love saving my romance books for February because it gives me something to look forward to during winter. My romance “to be read” (TBR) pile is ambitious because I have a lot to read. I wanted to share my Romance TBR, along with keeping myself on track for next month.

All The Feels by Olivia Dade

Alexander Woodroe is an actor on one of the most popular TV shows, God of the Gates. After it’s released to the tabloids that he got into a bar fight, his future on the show is uncertain. Lauren Clegg is an ER therapist who’s assigned to keep Alexander on track after his previous bad behavior. As they spend time together, they start to fall for each other, and Lauren has to decide if dating Alexander is worth it, especially with him being an actor and being followed by paparazzi.

I read the first book in this series, Spoiler Alert, a few years ago, and I remember liking it. I like the God of the Gates show being the background to the series. It’s refreshing to read a romance book with a protagonist who doesn’t have the stereotypical body type. For example, I read Ali Hazelwood’s books, and all her characters are thin women, so it’s nice to read something different.

Well Played by Jen DeLuca

Stacey has been working at the local Renaissance Faire for several years and finds herself wanting more. She has her eyes on Dex MacLean, a performer in the group “The Dueling Kilts”. Throughout the past year, Stacey thinks she has been sending messages to Dex, but maybe it’s actually someone else. Stacey may not be looking for love, but it might catch up to her anyway.

This is the second book in the “Willow Creek Renaissance Faire” book series. I read Well Met last year, and I loved it! I read reviews of Well Played, and a lot of readers didn’t like the catfishing part of the story. I’m not sure how I will feel about that, but I still want to read this book, as the other books that come after Well Played are highly rated.

The Love Con by Seressia Glass

Kenya Davenport is a gamer, cosplayer, and anime fan. She has always wanted to turn her passions into a full career. She auditions and joins the cast of a reality TV show called Cosplay or No Way, which will test her cosplay skills. There’s a specific challenge on the show where Kenya enlists her friend, Cameron Lassiter, to help assist her. While Kenya and Cameron are good friends, they end up pretending to date on the show. Will Kenya’s feelings for Cameron become a reality, even if it means that their friendship will be forever changed?

I had no idea that this book existed until I saw it on a shelf at Barnes & Noble. As a cosplayer, I love the idea of a Project Runway meets cosplay romance book. This book, I believe, is a friend-to-lovers type of romance, which I like to read.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Nora Stephens is a successful literary agent who thrives in the publishing industry. She’s convinced by her sister, Libby, to travel to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina, to get away for a little bit. As Nora explores the area, she runs into Charlie Lastra, an editor whom Nora isn’t a big fan of. Nora has a carefully constructed view of herself, and maybe Charlie is the perfect person to break down the wall that she’s built.

Everyone has raved about Emily Henry’s books, and I haven’t read a single one. I added this one to my list because I want to see what all the hype is about. I love the setting of this book, as it takes place in North Carolina, which is such a beautiful part of the US.

Lore Olympus Volume #1 by Rachel Smythe

Lore Olympus is a graphic novel centered around the Greek Gods interacting with each other. Most of the story is centered on Persephone and her budding romance with Hades. Lore Olympus was a Webtoon comic that I started reading and ended up falling behind on. Once I realized that there would be graphic novels being released, I decided to hold off getting caught up on Webtoon and instead buy the graphic novels. One of the best things about Lore Olympus is the art. The art is gorgeous, and I love the contrast between Persephone’s bright pink and Hades and the dark blue Underworld that he calls home.

I’m excited to start reading romance this month! I look forward to it every year. Once the month of February is over, I’ll write a recap post that will feature all the reviews for the books I read and whether I read everything on my list. I’ll have that post written and published in the first few days of March.

Legends & Lattes was one of the most hyped books I had on my TBR. Every person who read this book described it as if Animal Crossing met Dungeons & Dragons. This sounds right up my alley. I received my copy of Legends & Lattes for Christmas this year and was saving it for January, so there was something I could look forward to in my least favorite months of the year. Legends & Lattes didn’t disappoint; it was the coziest fantasy book I have ever read.

Viv is finished with her adventuring days. After collecting bounties, she wants to retire to a more peaceful career, building and maintaining a coffee shop. She hires several citizens from Thune who provide their different talents and areas of expertise to grow the business. Although Viv wants to retire, her old adventuring crew won’t let her go that easily.

It should be no surprise that I loved Legends & Lattes. I loved Viv. Once Viv opens this coffee shop, she seems to let down her guard and helps create an open atmosphere in Thune. I liked learning about all the regulars who come to the shop. There’s Pendry, the bard who plays music. Hemington, the college student. Amity is a dire-cat who sleeps in the shop and acts as a protector of sorts. Besides the customers, there’s Tandri, Cal, and Thimble, who all play a role in building Legends & Lattes. Each of the characters fit into the story and was easy to keep track of.

While I liked Legends & Lattes, it felt like there wasn’t a driving plot. Each chapter was about Viv expanding her shop, learning a new beverage, or Thimble creating a new recipe. There was conflict throughout the latter half of the book, but it sometimes felt a little slow. I think I was hoping for a perfect blend of a coffee shop cozy atmosphere and a driven plot throughout the book.

Legends & Lattes would be a perfect book recommendation for those who want to get into reading fantasy but don’t want something complex. I loved the scenery throughout the book and can’t wait to see if Travis Baldree will expand on this in any future books.

2022 was a great reading year for me. I read a total of 104 books, single-issue comics, graphic novels, and manga. 104!? I can’t believe I hit the triple digits. Since I started tracking my reading on Goodreads, I have gotten into a good rhythm in making time to read, along with figuring out the types of books and genres that interest me the most. Every year, I participate in Perpetual Page Turner‘s End of Year Book Survey. It’s one of the most detailed book surveys that I have found. I always look forward to writing each post as it helps me review the books I read and pick the books that stood out to me the most.

2022 Reading Stats

Number of Books Read: 104

Number of Re-Reads: Two. I re-read Columbine by Dave Cullen and Dracula by Bram Stoker. I read both of these books in high school, so it was time for a re-read. I typically re-read books when it’s been at least five years since I originally read the book, or if I pick up the book from my shelf and I don’t remember the plot of the book.

Genre You Read the Most From: Doing a quick scan through my Goodreads, I felt that I read more fantasy and non-fiction this year.

Best in Books

Best Book in 2022

I read a lot of good books this year. As I scanned through my list, I had at least five books that I rated five stars throughout the year. I had to ponder on this one for a while, but in the end, I chose The Guest List by Lucy Foley. The Guest List is a wedding thriller where the guests travel to an island off the coast of Ireland. The groom is found murdered, and secrets are revealed leading up to his demise. I liked the build-up, the setting, and reading how everything was so interconnected. The Guest List kept me invested throughout and reminded me why mysteries and thrillers are one of my favorite genres to read.

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

One To Watch by Kate Stayman-London had such a good premise. It was a romance centered on Bea, a plus-size woman going on a Bachelorette show to find love. I didn’t buy into the end romance, and there was a cheating side plot, which I wasn’t a big fan of. There was also a side plot where one of the producers slept with a contestant on the show, which I found completely unprofessional. I wanted to like this, but I felt the book went in a completely different direction than what I was looking for.

Favorite New Author You Discovered in 2022?

Ashley Winstead, who wrote In My Dreams I Hold A Knife, is an author on my radar. This book was so good. In My Dreams, I Hold A Knife is centered on a group of college friends who met up at a college reunion. They are confronted with their past as one of their friends was murdered during their tenure at their university. Ashley Winstead did write a book this year titled The Last Housewife, which is centered around a cult. I didn’t read it this year because I didn’t see a paperback copy, and I’m not a fan of hardcover. I could see myself picking up The Last Housewife sometime next year.

Favorite Cover Of A Book You Read in 2022?

The Lost Apothecary was a book I purchased late last year solely on the cover. Out of all the books I read this year, this cover is gorgeous.

Most Thought-Provoking Book / Life-Changing Book of 2022

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy was a heartbreaking book to read. I grew up with the Nickelodeon shows, and I remember watching iCarly when it aired. It came as a shock to me to read this book and hear what Jennette endured from her mom. I couldn’t imagine my mom forcing me into acting at a young age. There were a lot of graphic descriptions in this coming from Jennette, especially when she detailed her eating disorder. Child actors have to endure so much at a young age, and I think this book illustrates why child actors need more protection in the industry.

OTP (One True Pairing) Of The Year

Vivienne and Rhys in The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling are my OTP. They belonged together.

Newest Fictional Crush From A Book You Read in 2022?

The first person I thought of was Simon from Well Met by Jen DeLuca. Simon’s family runs this Renaissance Faire every year and is running around the Faire in costume. Simon seems so sweet and a little nerdy, which makes him easy to have a crush on.

Book That Was The Most Fun To Read?

The Killing Code by Ellie Marney was another great book that I read this year. It was fun to read about the code breakers and learn more about this particular time in history. I’m not usually a historical fiction type of reader, but this was an exception.

Book That Crushed Your Soul?

Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby is the book that sat with me long after I finished reading it. The book centers on two dads who find out that their sons were murdered. Their sons had been in a relationship together, which neither of them supported because of their beliefs about homosexuality. The dads team up to find out who killed their sons and get revenge. I think what hurt the most for me was that these dads couldn’t accept their sons when they were alive, and ended up completely changing their views by the end of the book. It sucks that it happened after their sons died. This book reminded me that this type of environment and hatred are still alive in certain parts of the US.

Your Blogging and Bookish Life

Favorite Post You Wrote in 2022?

My favorite book-related post was Writing Tropes That Aren’t For Me. I wrote this post in July as I was contemplating different books I read and why I liked or disliked reading them. It helped me recognize some tropes I see pop up in books and my feelings towards those tropes when I come across them.

Best Moment of Bookish/Blogging Life in 2022?

I think the moments that I keep coming back to are all the books I picked up while traveling. I stopped in several bookstores and museum gift shops. I have several non-fiction books on my TBR that I hope to read in 2023. I love purchasing books as souvenirs. It helps me learn about other areas outside of where I live, along with parts of history that I haven’t read about in a while.

Did You Complete Any Reading Challenges Or Goals That You Had Set For Yourself At The Beginning Of The Year?

I don’t necessarily set reading goals; however, I’m still in awe that I made it past 100 books. This is the most I have ever read, and I’m so proud of myself for making the time to read.

Looking Ahead

One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2022 But Will Be Your Number #1 Priority In 2023?

Honestly, I ended up reading everything that I wanted to this year. My in-laws bought me a few books for Christmas that I plan on reading in January, which will be a good way to start the year. I may write a post about my post-Christmas TBR, so I can share all the books I received on Christmas.

One Thing You Hope To Accomplish In Your Reading / Blogging Life in 2023?

The only goal that I have is to read 100 books in 2023. I’m impressed that I was able to get there this year, so I want to see if I can do it again next year.

Happy Reading! Let me know in the comments what your favorite book was that you read this year.

I’m finally out of my reading slump! I have been slowly finishing the multiple books I have started. As my reading habits have changed, I realized I can’t read more than one book at once. It ends up slowing me down. If I end up not liking a book or not getting into the book right away, I need to be better at putting it away and reading something else. With that being said, I credit Wolf Gone Wild as one of the books that helped me move out of my slump. Wolf Gone Wild is a fantasy romance centered on a witch trying to break a hex placed on a stubborn werewolf.

Evie Savoie is a hex breaker. Evie is one of the older sisters in her witch’s coven. Based in New Orleans, Evie and her family run a variety of businesses, including a storefront and a bar. During a shift, she’s sought out by Mateo Cruz, a werewolf who’s been unable to change into his wolf, and it’s causing him stress. Mateo has to constantly fight off his wolf persona daily, which is interfering with his art commissions. Evie agrees to help Mateo, which leads to them getting closer, along with uncovering the mystery of who placed the hex on Mateo.

While Wolf Gone Wild is technically a romance, I felt that there were enough fantasy world-building elements within the story. Wolf Gone Wild introduces Evie’s family, along with each of Evie’s sisters and their magical abilities. I liked that while the romance is the center of the story, many other interesting aspects kept my attention throughout the book. As far as the characters themselves, I liked Evie. She’s independent, she doesn’t take any bullshit from anyone, and she has her own hobbies that keep her busy. She’s a comic fan, and it’s shown through several scenes that she’s trying to make her own comic. I thought Mateo was an interesting character, too, but I felt I didn’t know as much about him as I did about Evie.

I liked Wolf Gone Wild. It wasn’t my favorite book this year, but I’m glad I read it. I think Wolf Gone Wild sets up the series as the future romance books focus on Evie’s siblings. I want to read Jules’s story as she is the oldest sister, and it’s hinted that she has a fling with a vampire. I rated Wolf Gone Wild four stars on Goodreads.

I have been in a little bit of a reading slump. I tried to read too many things at once, which dragged me down. I’m getting through it slowly, but surely. While my reading has been a hit or a miss, I have been reading a lot of single-issue comics lately. I wanted to talk through a few series that I have loved reading this year.

Captain Carter – McKelvie, Cresta, and Arciniega

Captain Carter exists in a world where Peggy wakes up after being frozen instead of Steve. As she reenters the world, she works with S.T.R.I.K.E in Westminster, London. Peggy has been working on preventing potential terrorist attacks plotted by Hydra. As Peggy gets more involved, she realizes that there might be a double agent working amongst her team.

The best way to describe this Captain Carter comic series is if Captain America: The Winter Soldier starred Peggy instead of Steve. This feels like a James Bond or Bourne Identity comic series, and I love it. Each issue is action-packed, and there are several guest appearances by other Marvel heroes. Captain Carter is a limited five-issue series, which I hope could be a full series later on because I loved it.

She-Hulk – Rowell, Maresca, and Renzi

She-Hulk left the Avengers and is starting over as an attorney in New York. She reunites with Jack of Hearts, whom she believed to be killed in a previous Avengers mission. Jack of Hearts doesn’t remember much, and She-Hulk is committed to helping him figure out what happened to him, along with getting his life back on track.

Reading the She-Hulk series, it feels like a continuation of the show. Rainbow Rowell does a great job of making Jen relatable to any young working professional. The covers of each issue are done by Jen Bartel, and they are beautifully done. This series alone is worth buying to collect the covers. I would say if you weren’t a fan of the show, you may not like this series.

Bettie Page – Ani-Mia, Celor, Nurmalia, Mangual, and Idelson. Covers by Linsner, Burns, Roux, and Ani-Mia Cosplay.

Bettie Page is a pinup model who stars in her own comic series. Bettie is an academic and archeologist of sorts, and she teams up with Sofia and Young-Ja to travel the world and find clues as to the locations of hidden artifacts.

This series is so fun to read. I liked reading about Bettie and all the locations she travels to. She can hold her own when things get a little dicey. The story is simple and easy to understand. I don’t read a lot of comics from Dynamite, but now Bettie Page is a series I am keeping tabs on.

I always read a lot of comics throughout the year, and it helps that I try to visit my local comic book store every other week. Let me know what comics you’re reading in the comments down below.

I read The Killing Code by Ellie Marney a week or two ago, and I’m still thinking about this book. I am not usually drawn to historical fiction or romance, but the premise of this book drew me in. The Killing Code focuses on the women who helped break coded phrases and messages during WWII. Combining this premise with a murder mystery, I knew I had to bump this up to the top of my reading list. The Killing Code is a wonderfully written, historical thriller focusing on the women who helped the war effort.

Kit Sutherland is a code breaker working at Arlington Hall, helping to break codes from enemy lines. While Kit works for the war effort, she uncovers a string of murders that seem to be targeting girls who work for the government. Kit teams up with her supervisor, Moya Kershaw, Dottie Crawford, and Violet DuLac to review the evidence and find out who’s behind the murders.

I loved everything about this book! I loved the setting in Virginia and how they work in the same compound near Washington DC. I liked how, in each chapter of The Killing Code, there were quotes from actual codebreakers in the war. I thought it added to the aesthetic and setting of the book.

As far as the characters, I thought Kit’s backstory was really interesting, and I liked how it tied into the reveal of the killer. I can’t go into it in detail without spoiling the book. Kit and Moya develop a romantic relationship throughout the book, and I adored them together! They have very different personalities, but I thought they complemented each other. Dottie has personal attachments to the case as she knew one of the girls who was killed. Finally, there’s Violet, who faces racism throughout the book, along with contemplating whether she wants to submit her college application. Each of the characters had their own journey, which I thought helped define them and made them memorable.

Once I started The Killing Code, it didn’t take me long to finish the book. I looked forward to completing my day so I could get back to reading the book. While I think this book was written as a one-off, it would be interesting to see a sequel. It could focus on a different portion of history and on where everyone went after the war ended. The Killing Code was so good, and I will be on the lookout for Ellie Marney’s other books. I rated The Killing Code five stars on Goodreads.