I finished a decent number of books recently and the results were… mixed. Some I absolutely loved and a few fell into that weird middle space where nothing was wrong, but nothing really stuck either.
Here’s how they held up.
(Note: some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them. It cost you nothing, just helps keep this blog running. So thank you for the support!)
Blood of Hercules
By: Jasmine Mas
Rating: ⭐ 4.75
So freaking good. This one definitely took a minute for me to adjust to the writing style, but once it clicked, I was locked in. Fully obsessed with Nyx. Like… now I need a sassy, deadly snake friend of my own.
I’m usually not a thruple person in books, but for some reason this one absolutely worked for me. No notes. One of those reads where you finish and immediately send a link to your friend and force them to read it too.
Link to order HERE.
Bonds of Hercules
By: Jasmine Mas
Rating: ⭐ 4.5
A perfect follow-up. Spicy, funny, and exactly what I wanted after finishing the first book. The pacing felt right, the characters stayed interesting, and it never felt like filler.
Now I’m just sitting here (very) impatiently waiting for book three.
Purchase it HERE.
Life’s Too Short
By: Abby Jimenez
Rating: ⭐ 4.75
The best example of right person, wrong time meets “if he wanted to, he would.” Absolute swoon material.
Jimenez knows her lane and stays in it, and I mean that as the highest compliment. The family dynamic in this one also hit hard and made me deeply jealous of the FMC in a way that felt personal. Emotional, warm, and very on brand for her. All the feels.
Find it HERE.
Fall I Want
By: Lyra Parish
Rating: ⭐ 3.75
Classic billionaire meets small-town romance and yes, I will eat it up every single time. This one was funny, cute, spicy, and exactly the palate cleanser I needed.
I really vibed with the FMC, which always makes a difference for me. Not groundbreaking, but solid, enjoyable, and easy to fly through.
Read it HERE.
Sunrise on the Reaping
By: Suzanne Collins
Rating: ⭐ 4.25
My sweet baby Haymitch. Absolutely heartbreaking in the way only Suzanne Collins can pull off.
This one had me fully in my feelings, but I will say, it didn’t quite hit the same level as the original series for me. I don’t know if it was my mindset or just tough competition, but it didn’t feel in the same league. That said, still absolutely worth reading and emotionally devastating in its own way.
Get it right HERE.
The Games Gods Play
By: Abigail Owen
Rating: ⭐ 5
This book single-handedly kickstarted my obsession with the Greek gods trope. Hades… I mean, come on.
It gave me everything. Funny, fast-paced, slow burn, romance, spice, multiple storylines that actually work together. I flew through this one and immediately wanted more. Five stars, no hesitation.
Order it HERE.
The Things Gods Break
By: Abigail Owen
Rating: ⭐ 4.75
I seriously loved the direction the author took with this follow-up. It went somewhere I genuinely didn’t expect, and I loved that for us.
Could not put it down. Still emotional, still fun, still very invested. This series has me in a chokehold.
Read it HERE.
Problematic Summer Romance
By: Ali Hazelwood
Rating: ⭐ 3.25
Listen, Ali Hazelwood and I are usually in a love-love relationship. This one just didn’t fully land for me.
Did I have fun reading it? Sure. Was there good spice? Yep. Did I kind of have to make myself finish it? Also yes. I can’t even fully explain what wasn’t working for me, but something was off. Not bad, just not a standout.
Get it HERE.
The Fall Risk
By: Abby Jimenez
Rating: ⭐ 4.25
Another win from Abby Jimenez. This was a shorter read, but she really packed a lot into it. The romance felt earned, the emotional beats worked, and it never felt rushed despite the length.
Definitely worth picking up if you like her writing style.
Download it HERE.
Mate
By: Ali Hazelwood
Rating: ⭐ 4.5
There is just something about the werewolf mate, forced proximity trope that is so damn good every time. I don’t make the rules.
Witty banter, slow burn, tension done right. Another solid entry from Hazelwood and a must-read if this trope does anything for you at all.
Read it HERE.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I feel like this was a really strong stretch of reading for me. Some instant favorites, some solid in-between reads, and a couple that didn’t totally hit but were still enjoyable in their own way.
If you’ve read any of these, I want your thoughts. And if you have recommendations based on this list, even better!
And if you’re interested in some more books or fanfictions (don’t hate it til you try it) to add to your TBR, you can find all the recs HERE.
Thanks for hanging out with me today!
Xoxo
Whitney
