2023 was an incredible year, except, it wasn’t the best reading year for me. Besides the reading slump, I have had so many DNF (did not finish) books. I was thinking back to other reading years and honestly, I think this was a new record for me. While 2023 may not have been the best reading year, I think I read a few books that were absolutely favorites for me and I’m ready to spill the tea on the books that I wasn’t the biggest fan of. Let’s get into my 2023 End of Year Book Survey.

As a reminder, I utilize Perpetual Page Turner and their End of Year Book Survey, so check out their information if you want to do your own end-of-year book tag.

**2023 Reading Stats**

Number of Books I Read: 71

Number of Re-Reads: 2. I re-read the first and second volumes of Nailbiter.

Genre You Read the Most From Romance, does A Court of Thorn and Roses by Sarah J. Maas count as Romance? or is that Fantasy? I would say most of my books were Romance.

Best Book in 2023

I had two books that I was going back and forth between. I decided to choose Book Lovers by Emily Henry. This was the first Emily Henry book I read and it won’t be the last. Book Lovers details the romance between Nora and Charlie as they are rival literary agents who fall in love in a small town in North Carolina. I think what made Book Lovers such a good book is how it’s so much more than a romance story. It illustrates the bond between the two sisters and Nora confronting her grief over losing her mom. This book warmed my heart and Nora and Charlie are so perfect together.

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

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik was a book that I thought would be a five-star read for me. It takes place in a magical school, some sorcerers are fighting to the death while learning their studies and I liked the world-building with all of the dark creatures invading the school. With all of that being said, I struggled to read this book. There were a few reasons that I can attribute to why I felt this way. First, the chapters were really long, on average 20-30 pages. I like to read before I go to bed, so I usually like to read 1-2 chapters in one sitting. With A Deadly Education, it felt like each chapter took forever to read and it distracted me from the story. If that wasn’t enough, the main character was someone I couldn’t click with. She seemed extremely mean for no reason. I don’t need the main characters to be likable as I think it’s interesting to read about someone who has flaws and isn’t perfect. However, I need to care about what happens to them and I didn’t feel this way while reading A Deadly Education.

When I purchased A Deadly Education from my local bookstore, the person who rang me up made a comment about how I have to have the sequel on standby. I was so looking forward to this book which made it even more disappointing that this series simply isn’t for me.

Best Series You Started in 2023?

I reviewed every book I read and the book that stuck out to me for this prompt was A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn. This is the first book in the Veronica Speedwell series. I read this while in Europe this year and it was the perfect book to read while on vacation. This series centers on Veronica Speedwell, a young woman who is defying social norms by refusing to get married. She’s attacked in what seems to be a random act of violence until she’s sent to live with Stoker, a man who’s been assigned to protect her. When Veronica’s acquaintance is found murdered, Stoker takes it upon himself to keep Veronica safe.

This series gives off Sherlock Holmes vibes and the chemistry that Veronica has with Stoker is FIRE. I’m looking forward to continuing in this series.

Most Action-Packed / Thrilling / Unputdownable Book of the Year?

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay was the other book I was considering as the best book I read in 2023. The Night Shift opens with a crime that occurred in 1999 at a Blockbuster. Years later, another murder happens at a local business, and some think the crimes are linked together. This book tells the perspective of an FBI agent, a woman who survived the Blockbuster massacre, and the brother of the suspect from the Blockbuster killing.

As I was reading The Night Shift, I felt like I was reading an episode of Criminal Minds. Keller is the FBI agent and I LOVED her. She’s eight months pregnant with twins along with being successful in her career. I would read a whole series of Keller investigating crimes. In my head, I pictured JJ from Criminal Minds (played by A.J. Cook) whenever I read the story from Keller’s perspective. I loved the other characters and how everything came together when it was revealed who committed these crimes. I did predict who the final killer was, but there were a few other shocking moments that threw me for a loop.

Favorite Cover of a Book You Read in 2023?

I think whoever illustrates Sarah Penner’s books needs a raise. I have read both The Lost Apothecary and The London Seance Society and both of the covers are stunning.

Book You Read in 2023 That You Read Solely Based on a Recommendation From Someone Else?

If there is one book series (besides Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros) that has a strong fan base, it’s Sarah J. Maas’s books. I felt like I was missing something by not reading her books, so I figured why not test the waters by reading A Court of Thorns and Roses. I had no expectations when it came to this series and I did like the first book. I liked the world that Sarah J. Maas built along with the fae not being able to remove their masks. It’s funny, once I finished the book, I read online that this book was a Beauty and the Beast retelling and my brain did not put that together while reading the book.

I do plan on continuing this series as I think the story and the world that Sarah J. Maas has built are intriguing to me. Apparently, some of the characters evolve into different people (Tamlin becomes the villain and Rhys is someone Feyre falls in love with, ummmmm what??????) and I want to see how that goes.

Book that was the Most Fun to Read?

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree is such a cute book. It’s basically if a Dungeons & Dragons campaign had a coffee shop and the players had to run the coffee shop, that’s what this book is about. This was such a soothing read and I like how there are more low-stakes Fantasy books out there to read.

Favorite Post I Wrote in 2023

My Europe Comics Haul was easily my favorite post I wrote in 2023. It was cool to visit some comic book stores overseas. I think my favorite store that I went to was Gosh! Comics in London. Gosh! had a big selection with a lot of local comics printed in the UK. They made for the best souvenirs from our trip.

Favorite Bookish Related Photo I Took in 2023

This photo perfectly describes what it’s like to own a cat. Athena loves being in the background of my photos.

Most Challenging Thing About Blogging or Your Reading Life This Year?

The toughest part for me was all the DNFed books that I read this year. In total, I DNFed 4 books this year which is a record for me. I’m usually pretty good at picking books that I know that I will like. I think this was a great reminder that if I do not like a book that I’m reading, it’s okay to put it down and move on to something else.

Book You Are Most Anticipating for 2024?

I think the book I’m looking forward to reading is The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead. Ashley Winstead knows how to write thrillers and I have heard nothing but good things about The Last Housewife. I have heard that it’s really dark, so I might need a breather after reading it.

One Thing You Hope To Accomplish In Your Reading / Blogging Life in 2024?

I want to get back into a regular routine when it comes to reading. This includes creating TBRs (to be read) posts, so I can pre-plan what I read in the next month. I want to keep utilizing my local library as that’s helped keep me motivated to keep reading. Finally, I want to make sure that I DNF a book as quickly as possible versus trying to force myself to read a book that I’m not interested in.

As always, Happy Reading! Let me know if you end up participating in this end-of-year book survey.

It’s been a hot minute since I last went to my local comic book store. I try to get there every other week if possible although, I think it’s been a few months since my last trip. Since it’s been a while, I ended up purchasing quite a bit to read. One series that stood out to me on the shelf was Dark Ride. The image for the first cover is this red, menacing, devil mascot with a roller coaster in the background. Based on that, I could gather that this is a horror series that takes place at a theme park which piqued my interest. Dark Ride was so interesting to read and kept me on my toes with what would happen next.

Dark Ride takes place at Devil Land, a horror theme park. The theme park was created by Arthur Dante and his idea to create an adult theme park experience. Arthur’s current whereabouts remain unknown which has caused a lot of fans to speculate. There’s also something sinister with Arthur as one of his wives mysteriously disappeared. The first issue follows Owen Seasons, a new employee at Devil Land. He’s in training and meets Sam, Arthur’s son, who is trying to keep the park afloat even though it’s losing money. From there, Sam’s sister, Halloween, shows up at the park which angers Sam. The issue takes an even darker turn towards the end when it’s clear that none of the characters are safe from the secrets at Devil Land.

I loved reading this series. One of the other reasons I picked up Dark Ride was because it was written by Joshua Williamson. If that name rings a bell, Joshua Williamson wrote Nail Biter, which is another series that I enjoy. Without spoilers, this series went in a completely different direction than I anticipated it would. I thought I knew who the main character was and how they would interact with the characters in future issues and then this series did the exact opposite. From a story perspective, I’m curious to see what happens in future issues.

Besides the story, I liked the art. I think the art fits in well with the series. The covers are beautifully designed and clearly captured my eye when I saw the series on the shelf. I liked how at the end of the first issue, there was a map of Devil Land that broke down all of the attractions at the park. I think it helped me feel more in tune with the story.

Dark Ride might be one of my favorite comic series that I discovered this year. Usually, when I see a new comic series, I don’t buy more than two issues in case I don’t like the series. I wish I had bought all the Dark Ride issues because I think there were at least the first five consecutive available. With that being said, I do plan on visiting my local comic book store again because I want to find out what happens in Dark Ride.

I can’t believe 2023 is already almost over. There were so many memorable moments from this year. The one thing that I will say about 2023 is that it wasn’t the best reading year for me. I mentioned this before how I started 2023 in a reading slump. I somewhat overcame that halfway through the year, but it felt like I lost my drive to read. I started so many books that I later ended up putting down to read something else. With 2023 wrapping up, I wanted to come into 2024 with a reading plan. I wanted to share a few goals that I have for next year.

Going Back to TBRs

In previous reading years, I used to plan out my TBR (to be read) books far in advance. This way, I knew what I would be reading ahead of time, so it helped to keep me organized. This year, I found myself picking up whatever book I was in the mood for. That may work for some readers, but I don’t think it works for me. I like having a plan because it’s easier for me to stick to it.

Additionally, I am going to aim to read 3 books a month. I think that’s doable. I read before I go to bed and I tend to do most of my reading on weekends. On top of the 3 books I pick, I will be reading graphic novels, manga, and single issue comics as well.

One Book on my TBR has to come from the Library

This is the goal I am looking forward to the most. I started using my local library this year and it’s been a game changer. I can request holds from the app on my phone which I think is the coolest thing. This way when I go to the library, I can quickly get my books and get back into my car to run my next errand. There have been several books that I rented from the library and read this year where I am glad I didn’t purchase the books for my own collection.

Speaking of which, I have been noticing a pattern in myself when I buy books. I tend to buy books, read them, and then when I’m done, I donate them. While this isn’t a bad thing, it’s something I do want to cut back on. I want to stick to a budget and I have to be honest with myself that buying books is where I tend to spend a portion of my disposable income.

Using my local library will help save money, but if I end up really loving a book I read, I can always buy it for my bookshelf at home.

Completing Reading Challenges

To help keep myself engaged, I want to set a few reading challenges to complete throughout the year. I already have one reading challenge planned. I want to pick the ten books that have been on my Goodreads TBR shelf the longest and read them next year. I think most of them are graphic novels which is something I could easily do next year.

Reading challenges can keep some spontaneity in reading which I think will help to read more than I read in 2023.

Reviewing My Bookshelves

When we moved into our house in 2022, I packed away my books, but I didn’t end up going through them like I wanted to. There are several books on my book shelf that I haven’t read in a few years and I never continued in the series. I either want to pull them off my shelf and re-read them or I want to donate them to make space for other books I want to collect. I want to make sure that the books on my shelves are books that have meaning to me and if they don’t, this will help to free up precious book shelf space.

These goals are ambitious, but I think they will help get me back on track. I love to read and I want to make reading more of a priority in 2024.

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday! I always look forward to the holidays because even though I’m busy, I tend to find enough downtime to catch up on reading. This holiday was no different as I brought two books to read while staying with my inlaws. One of the books I read was My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine. My Roommate is a Vampire was a paranormal romance that hit my expectations.

Cassie Greenberg is an aspiring artist who is currently juggling multiple part-time jobs. Living in Chicago has proven difficult as she’s been incapable of paying her rent on time. As a result, she’s evicted and needs to find a new place to live. She answers an ad in the paper for “$200 rent” on a beautiful home near Lake Michigan. She is introduced to Frederick J. Fitzwilliam who appears to be friendly and not a serial killer. As Cassie moves in, she realizes some quirks that Frederick has. Cassie quickly realizes that Frederick is a vampire who has been asleep for a century. Living with a super hot vampire doesn’t at all get complicated for Cassie.

Starting with the characters, Cassie wasn’t my favorite to read about. She’s passionate about her art, but that’s all I know about her. Cassie is written as being in her early 30s, but I felt that her demeanor aligned with someone in their early 20s. Frederick was definitely the highlight of the book. He has his awkward moments which I think helped to bond Cassie and Frederick together as a couple.

With that being said, I don’t think Cassie and Frederick would be a good couple long-term. There were a few comments that Frederick made towards Cassie that didn’t sit right with me. For example, Frederick goes through Cassie’s Instagram and sees a picture of her in a bikini. He makes a comment something along the lines of how she’s showing off a lot of her body. I get that Frederick was asleep for a century, but I felt there were better ways to demonstrate that than having him make comments towards Cassie’s body. I don’t feel that Frederick supports Cassie like I’m made to believe by the end of the book.

My Roommate is a Vampire takes place in Chicago which I loved. Chicago is one of my favorite cities to visit and I liked being able to picture where Cassie and Frederick were at any given moment. I thought it made the book more enjoyable to read since it isn’t often where I can picture the setting as I read the book.

My Roommate is a Vampire met all of my expectations. I wanted a paranormal romance that was easy to read and that’s what this book was. While I don’t fully ship Cassie and Frederick together, I enjoyed reading their story. I rated My Roommate is a Vampire three stars on Goodreads.

Scarlet Witch is quickly becoming one of my favorite Marvel characters to read about. I loved Elizabeth Olson’s take on the character despite Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness erasing Wanda’s growth in WandaVision. I picked up issue one of Steve Orlando’s Scarlet Witch comic run and I enjoyed reading it. Unfortunately, I fell behind, so I wasn’t able to keep reading the series. I found the first volume while comic shopping and decided to read the full arc. Scarlet Witch – The Last Door is a fun, low-stakes comic series.

In Scarlet Witch – The Last Door, Wanda opens a witchy shop with Darcy. This is the same Darcy from Thor and WandaVision. As a side note, I appreciate that these two are friends. I feel like that was a missed opportunity in WandaVision especially since Darcy was brought back. Anyway, Wanda has a door towards the back of her shop and if someone walks through the door, it means that they feel they have nowhere to go. Each issue focuses on Wanda going off on an adventure to help someone in need.

I liked this series! I liked Wanda and Darcy’s banter. Each issue was easy to read and I ended up finishing this volume rather quickly. I liked Wanda’s look. She has this scarlet red and burgundy body suit. It’s not overtly sexualized and it’s functional when Wanda needs to fight or cast her way out of trouble. I loved the art style along with the different cover art that was featured throughout.

Scarlet Witch – The Last Door is a low-stakes series. In previous Scarlet Witch comic book stories, there would be a consequence for Wanda if she used her powers. I believe in one comic book story, any time that Wanda used her powers, it would age her. This element does add depth to Wanda’s character and I think forces Wanda to be more careful when using her abilities. With that being said, I liked how this wasn’t featured in this story. Why can’t Wanda use her abilities for whatever she wants? Does there always need to be a drawback every time? In comics, I don’t think every comic needs a world-ending type of story. Wanda has been through so much as a character that it’s nice to have her just live her life normally.

I’d recommend Scarlet Witch – The Last Door to any new comic book fans who want to learn more about Scarlet Witch as a character. I think this felt like a cozy series and it was really easy to read. I rated Scarlet Witch – The Last Door four stars on Goodreads.

I write a lot of book and comic reviews on BizarreBrunette. I like sharing what I like to read and as a big comics fan, I like finding out about new series. After many years of writing reviews, I have found what works for me. I wanted to share a little bit about how I review and rate all the content that I read.

As far as my scale, I follow a 1-5 with 1 being “I did not like it” and 5 being “This is amazing and it’s the best thing I have read”. This aligns with Goodreads as they use a five-star scale in reviews. I considered changing this to be a 1-10 rating, but that feels like there are too many options. 1-5 is a good base and it feels more concise.

Starting with books, any book that I rate five stars is a book that I finish and I feel a sense of euphoria. This is a book where I want to immediately call my friends and my family and tell them to read this book, so I can talk about it with them. This is a book I will want to re-read in the next few years and I will buy future books from the author.

If I rate a book four stars, it means that I liked the book, but maybe there was one thing that I didn’t like. Something is holding me back from the full five-star rating. It could be the writing, the characters, the setting or if it took me a bit to finish the book, that could also result in a lower rating. If I rate something three stars, it’s usually a few significant things that I didn’t like about the book. It could be that it didn’t feel memorable or it didn’t stand out to me. If I rate something three stars, I do start to contemplate whether I need to continue the series or own the book if I end up buying it.

If I rate a book two stars, it’s usually a book that I had trouble reading. I may have put it down several times before finally forcing myself to read it. It could be a book where I didn’t look forward to finishing it. If I rate a book one star, it’s usually something that I found boring or I DNFed it (DNF meaning “Did Not Finish”).

For comics, there isn’t much of a difference except the fact that comics obviously have art. For me to rate a comic five stars, I have to love the art. If the art style isn’t for me, that does make a huge difference in how I rate a comic. Additionally, any comic that has a convoluted story or a story where I have to constantly go back a few pages, so I don’t get lost will lead to a lower rating. I like comics where I can read them, follow along with the story, and become entranced with the art on each page.

Another important element in comics and rating comics is how badly do I want to read the next issue. If I read a comic and I could care less about reading the next few issues, that will lead to a lower rating. I can tell when I like a comic because I tend to visit my local comic book store more often, so I don’t miss an issue. I may even check out Midtown Comics’s website to order the back issues that I missed. I do try to give a comic series five issues before deciding to continue the series. I think it does take a bit to develop a story in comics and I like to be fair in my assessment.

It’s not like any of this is unique as I think a lot of book or comic reviewers do something similar. I hope this provides context the next time you read a review of mine!

I mentioned this before, but I find it easier to read manga than to watch anime. I found it difficult to balance watching anime on top of all the other shows that I watched. I don’t watch shows very quickly as I tend to watch a few episodes here and there whenever I feel like it. That’s why reading manga is so much easier because I can read a few of the volumes and commit to watching the anime at a later date. One of the series I just finished reading was Cat Gamer Volume #1 by Wataru Nadatani. Cat Gamer was adorable.

Cat Gamer follows Riko, a twenty-nine-year-old working professional. She works at an office job by day and at night, she plays video games with her friends. One of her coworkers brings in a stray kitten that they found lurking near her work. Riko spontaneously decides to adopt the kitten. Riko brings the kitten home and has absolutely no clue how to take care of it. Each chapter focuses on Riko and her kitten which she names Musubi.

As a gamer and a cat lover, there’s no way that I wouldn’t love this manga. Some manga series can be gritty and dark, so this is a nice change in pace. I love Riko as she is the same age that I am and still plays video games as often as she can. Some of the dialogue that Riko has with the other characters feels awkward, but that could be the way that Riko is written. Musubi is a tuxedo cat and like most cats, gets into trouble and climbs into any cardboard box that’s around. At the end of each chapter, there are a few panels of Musubi adventuring around Riko’s home. It’s a cute way to end the chapter.

Cat Gamer was adorable and I can’t wait to buy the other volumes. I rated Cat Gamer five stars on Goodreads.

One of my friends came to visit me a few weeks ago and we decided to wander around Mall of America. I tend to avoid Mall of America for the most part due to the traffic and the amount of people, but it was kind of nice to walk around. Every time I go to Mall of America, I like to stop in the Barnes and Noble as it’s been in the same location for decades at least? Of course, I ended up buying books. It’s rare for me to walk into a bookstore and not buy anything. I wanted to share what I bought.

The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead

Shay Evans and her friend Laurel were recruited by a man into a cult while they were in college. Shay and Laurel barely managed to escape and Shay has since built a new life for herself. Shay learns from a podcast that Lauren has died. Shay feels extremely on edge as she’s not entirely sure that Laurel’s death was a coincidence. Shay decides to go back to the town to get some answers and if Laurel was murdered, Shay will do nothing to get justice.

I have read some reviews and I heard this book is really dark. I think it helps to look up content warnings for a book ahead of time as I like to be prepared before reading a book. I was thinking I would read The Last Housewife either in December or January when it gets darker outside.

Wreck The Halls by Tessa Bailey

Melody Gallard is the daughter of a famous musician. She tends to avoid any publicity and keeps to herself. There are talks about her mother’s band reuniting, so Melody decides to get involved. Beat Dawkins is the lead singer’s son. Beat and Melody knew each other when they were young, but stopped being friends after the band disbanded. Now that Melody and Beat will spend a lot of time together, they may see sparks begin to fly again.

I don’t read Holiday romances too often, but I thought this would be cute to read in December to get into the holiday spirit.

Chainsaw Man Vol #2 Tatsuki Fujimoto

Chainsaw Man follows Denji who has a demon named Pochita living inside of him. Chainsaw Man follows Denji’s adventures in demon hunting.

While I do think Denji’s obsession with boobs feels a little too on the nose for a manga, I loved Pochita. Pochita is the cutest thing and one of the main reasons why I’m continuing on in the series.

For the remaining months of the year, I want to have more of a TBR type of plan for November and December. I’m also writing out a few 2024 reading goals as well since 2023 was a little bit of a wash when it comes to hitting my reading goals.

It should be no surprise to anyone that I found a variety of different comic book stores while in Europe. I love comic book stores. I think it’s cool how a hobby or an interest can connect people from across the world. I went to four different comic book stores while on our trip. I remember waiting for our flight from Boston to Minneapolis and thinking about how heavy my backpack had become since I bought so much. I wanted to share which stores I went to and what I bought!

Gosh! Comics

The first comic book store we visited was Gosh! Comics. Gosh! was a random find as it wasn’t on my list of things to do while in London. We were walking around and I saw the Batman sign above the entrance. Gosh! might be my favorite comic book store from this list. On the first floor, they had local comics published in England. I bought a few local comics along with a few trade paperbacks on my list. Gosh! had two floors with the downstairs having its DC, Marvel, and Manga sections. Gosh! was such a fun, random find in London.

Sub-City Comics

Sub-City Comics is a comic book store in Dublin that’s a short walk away from downtown. Sub-City Comics also had a shelf of local comics from a publisher called Atomic Diner. I bought two graphic novels, one takes place in WWII in Ireland which I thought seemed interesting. Sub-City also had a big Manga section which is cool to see. I’m seeing more local comic book stores expand their Manga section which I think has directly contributed to me reading more Manga on a weekly basis.

Forbidden Planet

Forbidden Planet is more of a chain of comic book stores with locations in both the United Kingdom and Ireland. I stopped in the Dublin location during our trip. Forbidden Planet was cool, but it was more toy-heavy than the other stores. I like action figures and collectibles, but it’s not the main reason I go into a comic book store. Forbidden Planet also had a huge collection of Loungefly backpacks. I ended up finding a few single issues to purchase. One of the comics that I was going to purchase was an expensive variant. The person who was ringing up my order warned me that the issue I picked was really expensive which I appreciated! It would have been easy for her to let me purchase it without knowing how expensive it was.

Honorary Mention – Newbury Comics

The last store I visited was Newbury Comics in Boston. I wasn’t planning on buying anything else since I bought so many comics, but of course, I ended up finding things. The first thing I stumbled upon was the Critical Role Jester Lavorre action figure. I just started watching The Mighty Nein and I’m slowly getting into the story. Jester is so fun and a fan favorite which I can see why. Jester is still in the box and I’m contemplating where to put her. I think I might put her either on my Table Top Roleplaying shelf or on my desk when I work from home.

In total, I bought six graphic novels, seven single issues, and an action figure. It’s no wonder why my backpack was so heavy. I’m looking to organize what I bought and determine which comics I want to read first.

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.