FALL in Love with Reading

September was a good month for books. Almost all of my reads were five star ratings. October was fair. I had a really good one, a pretty bad one and the remaining books were closer to the good side, so I’m satisfied. Initially, I had all the books in a single post, but I don’t want to overwhelm. Part two will be shared tomorrow. As always, if you decide to read any of these or have a book or two that you recommend, I would love to hear from you.

1. The Sweetest November (September Series Book 2) by P.R. Keys (Kindle): Synopsis – It is no secret that debutante Cecilia Eubanks is a gold digger. But no one knows that her plans for a financial marriage have nothing to do with a superficial need and everything to do with her dark secret. Only money will cover the sins of her past. All her plans go just fine until she meets a dark and handsome stranger who has a remarkable and annoying tenacity to see right through her façade (Goodreads). I read this in one sitting; probably the first time I’ve done that in a while (without having insomnia). I cried a few times and laughed out loud. It was the sweetest and had a hint of danger with an unexpected antagonist. I just love Keys’s writing style. I’ve already read the first book and I’ve now added book three to my TBR List. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. The Pretty Ones (Kate Reid #6) by Robin Mahle (Kindle): is about a series of murders in South (Central) L.A. where the murderer mutilates his victims then gives them flawlessly made up faces. Special Agent Kate Reid offers help from the prompting of her friend to catch the killer. I know… this is a terrible description. But I struggled through this one, skipping a lot of pages. I felt like there was too much time spent on the subplot (the romantic interest of Kate and her former boss). However, the actual plot, the main story, had me on edge and I didn’t know how things would end. Because of that, I give it ⭐⭐⭐
3. The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory (Libby Audiobook): is a BWWM (black woman, white man) Romance. I usually tend to steer clear of them, but this one was good. After a chance encounter, Alexa Monroe agrees to be the plus one for Drew Nichols who is a groomsman in his ex-girlfriend’s wedding. What was supposed to be two nights turns into a long distance relationship that is tried and tested. Will these two realized they’re made for each other or count it as a pleasant distraction in their busy lives? I’m pretty new to the Jasmine Guillory rage, but one hundred percent here for it. I’ve heard about her books for a while now, but I’ve only recently started reading. This is only my second, but so far it’s a two out of two. There’s drama, affection, and a steamy love scene or two. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (Libby Audiobook): a novel in verse about Camino Rios who looks forward to the summers when her father comes to visit in Puerto Rico and New Yorker Yahira Rios who learns that her father has perished in a plane crash. Yahira, who has been holding her father’s secret, not only learns that it’s not really a secret but that she has a sister. At the same time, Camino, who feels alone in the world, learns that someone else on this earth shares her blood. This was a beautiful story. There is just something about a plot told in poetry that makes my brain smile. Also, after reading it, I appreciate the relationships I have with my sisters all the more. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5. His and Hers by Alice Feeny (Libby Audiobook): There are two sides to every story: yours and mine, ours and theirs, His & Hers, which means someone is always lying. Anna Andrews finally has what she wants. Almost. She’s worked hard to become the main TV presenter of the BBC’s lunchtime news, putting work before friends, family, and her now ex-husband. So when someone threatens to take her dream job away, she’ll do almost anything to keep it (Goodreads). This read was a wild ride. That’s all I can say. I was shook, shocked, and whatever falls between the two. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
6. Pretending I Love Lucy by Julie Christianson (Kindle): Felix Dodd III has a problem. Before he can access his trust, his grandmother–the only other living family member–requires that he be married or engaged by his thirtieth birthday. That’s where Lucy Devlin comes in. Sweet, unselfish Lucy, who only wants to make sure her mother and adopted siblings are taken care of, has agreed to be Felix’s (Fix for short) fake girlfriend to appease his grandmother until thing start to take a turn and they fall for each other for real. I liked the story. I found Lucy to be very endearing, and the love story was sweet. However, there were some editorial hiccups that I found distracting which I’m sure no one else noticed. But they drove me a little crazy. ⭐⭐⭐
7. The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa (Kindle): Synopsis-Wedding planner Carolina Santos was left at the alter and managed to recover to keep her business thriving. When the chance of a lifetime comes with working with the former fiancé and his brother Max, the former best man, Lina has to put her feelings aside to get her dream job. Somewhere along the way, she and Max fall for each other. The classic enemies to lovers story, this one does not disappoint. The characters were hilarious. The enemy part of this was my favorite–pranks aplenty–that made me laugh out loud. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8. This Time Net Door (Oakland Hills #2) by Gretchen Galway (Kindle): Synopsis – Twenty-six year old Rose Devlin may shop in the plus size department, but she’s never had a problem attracting men–with disastrous consequences. Recovering from her latest mistake, Rose has sworn off casual sex and moved to California to grow up, help her best friend, and make something of herself. When Rose asks the cute-but-geeky Mark to help her land a job in high tech, she never expects to unearth his quiet strength, stunning accomplishments–and hidden talents (Goodreads). I loved how unapologetic Rose is. I’m going to add her to my list of favorite main characters. The secrets the blurb hints at (not quoted in this review) had way more shock factor than alluded to. This book was interesting enough for me to check out the others in the series. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
9. No Ordinary Thursday by Anoop Judge (Kindle): Immigrant Lena Sharma has turned her love for food into a successful career as a restauranteur. When her son, under the influence, is involved in an accident that has deadly consequences, Lena’s life and her relationship with both her son Sameer and daughter Maya, who is recently engaged to a family friend twelve years younger, begins to fray. Years of misunderstanding and miscommunication make matters worse for the family. However, they work to rebuild the connection and bonds they thought were lost. There were so many relationships that intertwined and overlapped and I felt like I understood the Indian American community a little better. I really enjoyed this book. I was rooting for everyone.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
10. The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel (Kindle, not pictured): Synopsis – A woman embarks on an unexpected journey into her past in an engrossing novel about identity, family secrets, and rediscovering the need to belong. Meena Dave is a photojournalist and a nomad. She has no family, no permanent address, and no long-term attachments, preferring to observe the world at a distance through the lens of her camera. But Meena’s solitary life is turned upside down when she unexpectedly inherits an apartment in a Victory brownstone in historic Back Bay, Boston (Goodreads). This book gave me all the feels. As someone who mostly prefers to keep to herself, I could identify with Meena. But this book is a testament of how we all need our own little tribe: to support, to share laughs, and to help us become better versions of ourselves. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you all think of the new format. I’ve tried to add a brief 2-3 sentence synopsis, either from Goodreads (notated in quotation marks) followed by my two cents 😉

Until Next Time,

Inilya XOXO

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