Everything I've Read So Far this Summer
I've been keeping a running list of everything I've read this Summer, and thought it'd be fun to share and update each month. I'm usually reading 2-3 books at any given time. I like to always have an audiobook for when I'm getting ready in the morning or driving somewhere, and then 1-2 books on my Kindle depending on what I'm in the mood for.
Romance and thrillers are my genres of choice, so most everything on this list will fit into those categories. You can always keep up with what I'm reading, new books on my TBR list and reviews on my Goodreads page. This is my favorite way to track my books!
Subscribe to The Book List newsletter for a monthly round-up of latest reads, my ever-growing TBR list and more.
JUNE
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (YA Thriller, Book 1/3) - 4.5⭐
YA usually isn't my genre of choice but I heard so many good things about this one and wanted to give it a try. I ended up LOVING it. The character development was great, it was a fast-paced storyline with lots of twists and overall just a really fun read.
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson (YA Thriller, Book 2/3) - 4⭐
I didn't expect to love the sequel to AGGGTM as much as I did, but the second book in the series, which follows a new mystery, was great. PS - this series is coming to Netflix this Summer!
Funny Story by Emily Henry (Contemporary Romance) - 2.5⭐
Emily Henry fans, dont @ me. I listened to this one as an Audiobook and really just couldn't get into the characters. I felt bored, and didn't see a connection. This was my first Emily Henry read so going to give her another try with another one of her books.
Bridesmaid for Hire by Meghan Quinn (Romance/Comedy) - 3⭐
I went into this expecting it to be a mindless and fun Summer read, and it was just that. It was cute with some laugh out loud parts, but nothing overly great. It's an enemies to lovers, forced proximity story of two people vacationing at the same resort.
Off to the Races by Elsie Silver (Small Town Romance, Book 1/4) - 3.5⭐
The Chestnut Springs series by Elsie Silver is my Roman Empire and so I wanted to go back and read her Gold Rush Ranch series, which was released first. It doesn't compare, in my opinion, but it was still a fun read. Heavy on the horse girl vibes but I can forgive because it's Elsie.
As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson (YA Thriller, Book 3/3) - 3.5⭐
This book ended up being my least favorite in the AGGTM series, but it still kept me on the edge of my seat. I personally think Holly Jackson could have wrapped up this series in 2 books, and some parts of this third book felt a little outlandish, but to be expected with a 3-book series.
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren (Contemporary Romance) - 5⭐
This book wrecked me. I loved it so much. It's about two best friends who were each other's first love reconnecting after a major event that broke them apart. You go in not knowing, so it was fun to read the dual-timelines as you learned more about their story.
The Sinner by Shantel Tessier (Dark College Romance, Book 2/5) - 2⭐
This was book 2 in a 5-book series and it just fell flat. Heavy on the smut with no plot for the first 85% of the book, and then the action and excitement picks up in the last 15%. This one just felt too all over the place.
The Finish Line by Kate Stewart (Contemporary Dark Romance, Book 3/3) - 3⭐
This whole series was just 'eh' for me. People rave about it, and I do think the first 2 books had potential, but the way the story is told just didn't make sense for me. This 3rd book follows the backstory of a character who was introduced in book 2, and I just don't think a whole 3rd book was needed to tell his story.
The Sacrifice by Shantel Tessier (Dark College Romance, Book 3/5) - 3.5⭐
This was my favorite book in the L.O.R.D.S. series so far. I'll always be sucked into a good revenge plot. Just make sure to read the TW's for any book in this series!
The Women by Kristin Hannah (Historical Fiction) - 5⭐
I would have never picked up a historical fiction book if it weren't for all of the recommendations in our IG group chat (if you want to join Books for the Girls, just shoot me a DM!). It follows the story of a young combat nurse during the Vietnam War. Overall a fantastic coming of age story about finding oneself, trauma and friendship that captivated me from the very beginning.
The Housemaid is Watching by Frieda McFadden (Thriller, Book 3/3) - 3.5⭐
I really enjoy Freida McFadden's books but they also always tend to bore me for the first third or so of the book. I had high expectations for this third installment because I loved the first two so much, and while I didn't enjoy it as much, I still ate up the multiple twists.
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera (Mystery/Thriller) - 4⭐
This is a really fun one to listen to on audiobook. It follows a unique format where it jumps between a podcast exploring a past crime, present day, and what actually happened.
The Risk by S.T. Abby (Dark Crime/Romance, Book 1/5) - 4.5⭐
The Mindf*ck series is 5 short novellas, around 100-150 pages each that follows a revenge serial killer who falls in love with an FBI profiler. That plot sounded outlandish to me when I first picked this book up, but it was SO good. It's not for the faint of heart, and there is definitely some graphic gore, but it was such a fun, quick read and I can already tell this is going to be a highly-rated series for me.
The Next Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine (Mystery/Thriller, Book 2/2) - 3.5⭐
I loved The First Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine and was really excited about this one. I do enjoy her writing style, and overall it was an enjoyable read with a satisfying ending but it didn't captivate me as much as the first book did.
JULY
The Maid's Diary by Loreth Anne White (Mystery/Thriller) - 4⭐
This inverted mystery reveals the crime in the very beginning and unravels the pieces as the book goes on. There were so many fun twists and turns that I wasn't expecting.
Sidetracked by S.T. Abby (Dark Crime/Romance, Book 2/5) - 4.5⭐
Book 2 in the Mindf*ck series did not disappoint! This was another really quick read that I flew through in a few hours. Not really sure why S.T. Abby didn't just compile these into one book, but I'm not judging because I'm eating them up!
Scarlet Angel by S.T. Abby (Dark Crime/Romance, Book 3/5) - 5⭐
Serial killer falls in love with FBI profiler has to turn risky at some point and in Book 3, I felt like I was at the edge of my seat waiting for something horrible to go wrong (in a good way...I couldn't put this one down). Highly recommend this series if you can stomach a little gore.
A Photo Finish by Elsie Silver (Small Town Romance, Book 2/4) - 2.5⭐
I hate to do this to Elsie, but this one just didn't land for me. I felt like I never really got to know either of the main characters and their story felt awkward and a little forced at times. I enjoyed the first book in this series so hopefully the next one redeems book 2!
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Mystery) - 3.5⭐
I rounded this up to a 4 on Goodreads. Set in the 70's, the daughter of a wealthy family who owns a Summer camp vanishes. This was definitely a slow burn but the characterization was fantastic. I recommend it as an audiobook over a hard copy!
All the Lies by S.T. Abby (Dark Crime/Romance, Book 4/5) - 5⭐
Book 4 finally tells the story of why main character and serial revenge killer came to be. Sad and graphic at times, but fast-paced and kept me on the edge of my seat as the story finally comes to a head.
Paint it All Red by S.T. Abby (Dark Crime/Romance, Book 5/5) - 5⭐
I hate to do this to Elsie, but this one just didn't land for me. I felt like I never really got to know either of the main characters and their story felt awkward and a little forced at times. I enjoyed the first book in this series so hopefully the next one redeems book 2!
Girls Who Burn by M.K. Pagano (YA Mystery/Thriller) - 2.5⭐
This one was unfortunately a let down. It felt like it was trying to achieve what AGGGTM did, but totally fell flat in terms of character development. Maybe I'm more critical of the YA genre, but this just wasn't it for me.
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston (Mystery/Thriller) - 3⭐
This book sucked me in from the start but the meat of the book just didn't deliver for me. That said, most people who have read this book really enjoyed it, so I wouldn't count it out!
The Witches of Bellinas by J. Nicole Jones (California Gothic Fiction) - 2⭐
An exhaustingly tedious read that I'm so glad I never have to think about again. Trust me, just skip it.
Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas (Contemporary Romance) - 3.5⭐
THE slowest of slow burns but overall an enjoyable read. People always hype up Penelope Douglas — I think she delivers good stories, but nothing mind-blowingly great. Definitely recommend if you want a lighter read with a little spice!
AUGUST
The Front Runner by Elsie Silver (Small Town Romance, Book 3/4) - 4⭐
This series needed a redemption after book 2 and this was it. My favorite of the series so far. Veterinarian begrudgingly falls for broody and misunderstood ranch owner. A light, spicy read with all of the small town vibes.
Carnage by Shantel Tessier (Dark College Romance, Book 3/5) - 1⭐
My toxic trait is not being able to DNF a book (or series for that matter) I don't like.
Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter (Crime Thriller) - 4⭐
This was a really gripping story that was hard to put down! Warning, this is a darker crime thriller that can be very graphic in parts. If you can stomach the TW's, the story underneath is worth reading.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (Psychological Thriller) - 4⭐
The eerie, claustrophobic setting of the psych facility gave way to a dark and chilling undertone that perfectly complemented the suspense. I wish the author dug a little deeper into the main character but thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover (Romance) - 3.5⭐
Thought this was a really well-written story, but it just didn't feel special to me like It Ends with Us did. I think it just boiled down to a personal preference not loving the mother/daughter trope.
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston (Romance) - 4⭐
I originally added this to my TBR list simply because it kept popping up everywhere, without knowing much about it. When I realized it involved magical realism, I almost set it aside, but I'm so glad I didn't! It's a beautifully written, moving story that explores themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. This one will stay with me for a while.
A False Start by Elsie Silver (Small Town Romance, Book 4/4) - 4.5⭐
The perfect conclusion to the Gold Rush Ranch and my favorite in the series by a landslide. It felt the most adjacent to the writing and overall vibe of Chestnut Springs, which I loved!
Done & Dusted by Lyla Sage (Small Town Romance, Book 1/4) - 3.5⭐
This was a highly recommended series for fans of Chestnut Springs and unfortunately Book 1 just didn't deliver for me. Although it was enjoyable, the character development just wasn't there, so I was less invested. Already loving Swift and Saddled (book 2) though so I have hope for this series!
