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July Reads

5 books this month!

When Gods Die by C.S. Harris (★ ★ ★/5)

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5)

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn (★ ★ ★ ★/5)

Oathbound by Tracy Deonn (★ ★ ★ ★/5)

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5)

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Atmosphere - Taylor Jenkins Reid

★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5

I think I forgot how good TJR is at capturing human emotions and that is no one's fault but my own. This book sucker-punched me in the heart and I feel like I need to stare at the ceiling for a few hours. But here I am, writing a review mere minutes after finishing the last page because otherwise I'll explode. I love books that have two timelines where the one set in the past tells the story of how we got to the present (I'm sure there's an actual name for it, but I can't be bothered to look it up).

The book opens with Joan preparing for a NASA mission in December 1984 from the side of mission control and five of her friends and colleagues up in space. Very quickly, things go wrong, leaving some dead while Joan must maintain composure to get the sole conscious member of the crew, Vanessa, back down to earth safely. What we don't find out until later is that Joan and Vanessa are lovers, having developed a relationship during their time with NASA. Although this book was shorter, I feel like the pacing was just right. We see how Joan gets into NASA, how she makes friends and quickly becomes known as one of the more level-headed of the group (definitely due to her experience with her younger sister Barbara... more on her later) and how she discovers that she does, in fact, know how to experience love, she's just never tried with a woman before. I am obsessed with everyone clocking Joan as queer before she's able to recognize it herself and for her to have said awakening while drunk and in a strip club... hilarious. TJR does a great job of describing what it meant to be gay in the 80s, especially when working for a government organization. It was already difficult enough to be a woman in the field, but to be a queer woman? Joan and Vanessa struggle to navigate it and yet they persevere. I'm incredibly grateful TJR didn't let them give up or break up, I think it shows how strong willed these two are, something clearly evident within their passion for space as well.

The last thing I want to talk about is Joan's relationship with her sister, Barbara, and her niece, Frances. I felt for Frances so deeply, being born to a woman that didn't want her and handed her off to her aunt when all she needed was her mother. As far as I'm concerned, Barbara is a piece of shit, and I feel little to no sympathy for her. It shocks me that the parents weren't more involved in how Barbara was treating Frances and using Joan as a stand-in parent, but I think it speaks well to The Older Sister Experience- always expected to cater to the younger sibling. I'm glad that Joan will take care of Frances (poor thing), but I hate that it comes at the expense of her career and relationship... although there is something to be said about the prevailing of love, and I think that's the more important message.

Overall! I highly enjoyed this book, and I have a feeling it'll stick with me for a while- I mean it's two lesbian astronauts... what's not to love??

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Oathbound (Legendborn #3) - Tracy Deonn

★ ★ ★ ★/5

It's hard to remember that these characters are just teenagers. They are put into SO MANY situations like Bree really is just a baby and yet she is living with an ancient being that cursed her bloodline 8 generations ago and is actively grooming her to consume her power?? And he takes the people she loves from her memory to make her "stronger," separating her from love, her support system, and just her past in general. Fucked up.

This book reminds me of the moment in book one when she is so full of grief that she begs Sel to mesmer the memories of her mom away; and how in book two she realizes she actually would never want that to happen to her, making the shadow king's theft of her memories, of her soul, all the more sinister. It does, however, lead to a fun scene where she's fighting Nick but doesn't realize it's him (can we take about how perfectly matched they are btw I keep thinking about the whole "call and response" thing they have going on and it's driving me insane).

The whole auction thing was just wild in general, a meeting of Bree's separate worlds; her past with Nick and the Order, the rootcrafters and Mariah, and her newer reality with Zoe and Elijah and the Shadow King. Bree balances so much on her shoulders, she deserves the biggest break, but with Sel (and his parentage reveal), I fear it might be a while before she gets one.

Nick, by the way, is a genius. He genuinely has the capacity to burn the Order to the ground and tbh I hope that's the path he takes. Brought up as the prodigal son and heir, even though we now know wasn't true, he represents everything the Order wanted for the future. And for him to challenge them, to play their rules and laws against them and win, is such an insane power move. I'm obsessed with the way Deonn is forming these characters and carving their paths, I feel like I could keep going but I fear it'll be more of a ramble. Tldr; I'm looking forward to what Deonn is gonna do with the rest of the series and I hope these babies get to rest at the end of it.

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Reread July 2025: ★ ★ ★ ★/5

Bloodmarked (Legendborn #2) - Tracy Deonn

★ ★ ★/5

I'm not going to lie, I was quite disappointed by this book. I was highly anticipating this sequel, but it was nothing like Legendborn. Up until I finished this book, I wasn't sure if this was going to be a duology or series and knowing that there is one or potentially more books coming makes a lot of things clearer. This is a typical middle book, there is a lot going on but not much happening. Bree and the other characters go from traumatic event to traumatic event without a breath to process what just happened. There is an astounding amount of miscommunication between her and Sel and Nick is conveniently nowhere to be found?? Bree struggles with being the Scion of Arthur and how that came to be and very few people genuinely understand the weight of why that matters. The Regents are absolutely terrible and chalk it all up to Bree's existence being a mistake... as if that can excuse the rape and suffering of her ancestors. One of the things I did like was how Deonn balances Brees Legendborn side and her Rootcrafter side and how Bree never lets anyone forget why she's Arthur's Scion. The true history of Black America and representation is a very important addition that Deonn integrated really well. For some reason, the various myth jargon was difficult to puzzle through in this book, it felt like a lot of info dumping and random terms and then just moving on. I think I will still read the next book, but I'm sad at how much of a letdown this one was.

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Reread July 2025: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5

Legendborn (The Legendborn Cycle #1) - Tracy Deonn

★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5

Wow, I flew through this book. I've had it on my tbr for so long and I can't believe I waited to read it until recently. This book brings something new to the young adult fantasy genre, which is desperately needed as I find myself rereading the same plotlines over and over again. I think what made it so interesting and new was the additions of the legends of Arthur and the round table. I can't say I've ever read much about those legends/stories before, and it was really cool to delve into a new mythology. At this point most people have heard of Greek/Roman/Norse legends (thank you Rick Riordan lol) in the ya genre. Deonn adds something new by building an entire magic system and world around a new set of stories. Aside from the world building, her characters are so complex as well. Her main character, Bree, and her struggle with the loss of her mom and how she fits into the world as a young Black girl was so good to read about. I especially like how the author didn't shy away from the microaggressions Bree faces; it adds authenticity that a lot of other books with minority MCs lack. The story itself was fast paced and I smell a love triangle on the horizon with Bree, Nick, and Sel. Also, the reveal of Bree being the knight of Arthur (and the KING) is going to cause so much drama in the second book I can't wait. Overall, this book was highly enjoyable and just the type of representation ya fantasy needs. I look forward to the sequel!!

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When Gods Die - C.S. Harris

★ ★ ★/5

Another good mystery with everyone's fav independent nobleman detective, Sebastian St. Cyr! The strings tying Sebastian to this murder are far less personal (ish... the dead woman was found with his mother's necklace after all) and it's obvious that the politics are what pulled him into this one (you know, like some casual blackmail). Although he has no love for the spoiled regent, he believes the victim deserves justice, even when everyone else wants to swipe the incident under the rug. Sebastian's character is really developing in this book and I'm liking him more and more. These stories are fast paced and easy to read, I feel like I'm just tearing through the pages.

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June Reads

6 books this month!

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Cortland

The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami

King of Pride by Ana Huang

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris

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What Angels Fear - C.S. Harris

★ ★ ★/5

An intro in Sebastian St. Cyr's world, this book was fast faced and fun. Set in 19th century England, a young woman is murdered and Sebastian, an unruly heir fresh back from the Napolean war, is the prime suspect. He takes it upon himself to clear his name, probably breaking many more laws in the process. Despite being a nobleman, Sebastian is actually a pretty good man with a strong sense of justice and a desire to protect people (and definitely a loverboy at heart, if his relationship with Kat is any indication) (although his grumpy ass will probably deny it). This book 100% uses the classic mystery formula and does it well, I can see myself diving back into this world for some more action.

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My Sister, the Serial Killer - Oyinkan Braithwaite

★ ★ ★ ★/5

A sister that enthralls every man she meets and has a habit of killing them once they become her boyfriend? Who weaponizes her incompetence and beauty to get everything she wants? Who manipulates and guilts her older sister into covering for her every time? Frustrating as hell. This book was short, straight to the point, and a thrill to read. I was tearing through the pages wondering when/if Ayoola would ever get caught or if Korede will finally get tired of her sister's shit and leave her to deal with her messes. It was just the right amount of backstory, action, and conflict to make a solid story and I highly enjoyed it (even if I wanted to strangle Ayoola with my bare hands at some points).

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Big Swiss - Jea Beagin

★ ★ ★/5

This book was probably one of the weirdest books I've ever read. It's a dumpster fire if the dumpster kept accumulating weird shit on it while rolling down a big hill. Greta is transcribing sessions from a sex therapist in town (who is probably one of the worst therapists to ever exist btw) and starts to become infatuated with one of the clients, who she nicknames Big Swiss. Greta then goes on to start an affair with this woman (who is married, btw) meanwhile continuing to lie about so many things (name and age included). Everyone in this town is weird and has issues, Greta especially, and nothing was resolved by the end either. This was chaos for chaos' sake and felt like a trainwreck I couldn't look away from. Don't even get me started on the bees.

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King of Pride - Ana Huang

★ ★/5

I fear Ana is not taking advantage of the creativity tropes can offer. In this book, we have Kai and Isabella's "forbidden" romance. Which is actually just her working as a bartender at an exclusive club he's a part of. And the way they could've gotten around it, but she just had to "own up to her mistakes" and admit to their relationship. Which gets her fired, obviously. Secondarily, there's this whole thing about how he's rich and primed to take over as CEO of his family's company while she is a struggling writer trying to make it work (a plot point which only exists to show her overbearing brother that is way too involved in her life) only for it to be revealed that she's from a rich family as well. Boring. Where are the discussions of a class divide and the elitism that runs rampant in these upper circles? Where's that forbidden romance?? It could've been so good... but it just wasn't.

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The Dream Hotel - Laila Lalami

★ ★ ★/5

This book pissed me off and freaked me out at the same time. A company has taken to monitoring people's data and dreams and assigns them risk scores. Essentially, if you have a dream (or any thought really) about causing any type of harm you get detained. Doesn't matter if you don't have a record or any other inclination for actually carrying out, they don't care. And of course, they don't call it detainment, it's retention. And retainees are still "free" citizens... they just can't leave until they prove themselves to be innocent (again note- of a crime that was never actually committed). This book was incredibly frustrating just for the sheer number of injustices and bureaucratic roadblocks that are presented to our MC throughout the story. And although it was written as a dystopia, there are far too many things that parallel real life right now to call it that. It's a good read about the very real threats companies can pose with all the data they've collected on their consumers. Arguably, a warning of what may come.

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Four Ruined Realms - Mai Corland

★ ★ ★/5

Honestly I read the first book so long ago it took me 50ish pages to remember what was going on. Turns out, it didn't really matter all that much as very little gets accomplished in this book (or rather, not enough that warranted me to reread book 1... so I'm glad I didn't). I gotta say, I am getting tired of Aeri and Royo's back and forth- he needs to figure out if he wants her or can't stand to be with a liar. I think I'm gonna blame it on the heterosexuality. Don't get me wrong, the gays are a disaster too, Mikhail and Euyn are incredibly toxic for each other but at least their issues have layers. Plus Euyn's sacrifice at the end is probably the only good things he's done with his life (sorry, I'm a hater). This book wasn't bad, don't get me wrong, it just has middle book syndrome where we can't get much in the sense of character development because they're constantly in prison or fighting for their lives. But hey, I never said I didn't like a bunch of dysfunctional and dramatic ppl together in a quest so bring it on! (Actively have months wait for book three at the library)

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King of Wrath - Ana Huang

★ ★ ★ ★/5

Ah, Ana Huang books are a guilty pleasure of mine. They aren't groundbreaking or super deep, but they're fun and I do love making fun of these rich men that find their weakness in a pretty woman. This is the first of Ana's newer series, Kings of Sin, and I wasn't surprised to find some overlaps with her other series, Twisted. She has a tendency to have lil cameos and it's fun to see how all these billionaires are connected. This book follows Vivian (jewelry heiress with helllllaaa mommy and daddy issues) and Dante (ruthless CEO that wasn't held enough as a child) as they're forced into an arranged marriage by Vivian's father who is blackmailing Dante. I will say, I do love an arranged marriage, but the strings holding this one together were so thin. Like there really were other options and the drama was played up too much for me to actually care about the danger Dante's little brother faced from Vivian's dad (also his little brother is stupid and should clean up his own messes because he's a grown as man but whatever). One thing I'm glad about is Vivian maintaining her autonomy and still pursuing her own business interests- it makes the relationship feel far more balanced. Naturally, Vivian and Dante are inexplicably drawn to one another and they fall in love and happily ever after,, the end!

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May Reads

5 books this month

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston (★ ★ ★ ★/5)

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne (★ ★ ★ ★/5)

The Blueprint by Rae Giana Rashad (★ ★ ★ ★/5)

When the Moon Hatched by Sarah Parker (★ ★/5)

King of Wrath by Ana Huang (★ ★ ★ ★/5)

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When the Moon Hatched - Sarah Parker

★ ★/5

This book was... disappointing to say the least. I need to stop believing the romantasy hype, it has yet to really pay off. Raeve, an assassin with hidden powers and snark and an interestingly forgotten past, basically kills people and then falls in love with a mysterious and hot and big man (Kaan) who turns out to be a king. In case you couldn't guess it, this king is supposedly really evil and terrible enough that even Raeve, heartless and immoral etc, has heard stories that make her wary. But plot twist! he's actually kind and benevolent and loves his people. Or something like that. And they have weirdly intense sex and he gives her a token from his culture that's like equivalent to marriage. The more I remember about this book the more I'm realizing there isn't much about it that makes it stand out from other fantasy books I've read. The powers are just the elements, and people are forced to wear colored beads that designate their element(s) in their ears. And as a surprise to no one, Raeve can control all of them. She's also some long last princess who was in love with Kaan and then sacrificed herself to save him but didn't actually die because her dragon (yes, there are dragons but they literally add nothing) saved her and now is a moon that she is drawn too for no particular reason. This review really isn't coherent but oh well, neither was book. Overall, this book was all flavors of bland and that's about it.

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The Blueprint - Rae Giana Rashad

★ ★ ★ ★/5

This book was incredibly disturbing and yet so apt for the current (US) political climate. An algorithm chooses who you marry, where you work, and essentially everything you do in a dystopian United States. Your emotions and thoughts are monitored by cameras and a chip in your thumb, it is a surveillance state to a T. Solenne has the misfortune of being enthralled by a high-ranking official in this new Society and falls for his pretty lies and love (which is really just obsession). All he tries to do is tame the wild spirit that caught his eye in the first place and secure and heir (gag). This story is rough and brutal and doesn't really have a happy ending, but wow does it tackle the dystopia genre so well (is it really dystopia if it's starting to feel like reality?)