What I Read in August 2023

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I read 23 books this month. Let's talk about them! With each book I mention, I will provide a synopsis, my rating of the book, the date I finished it, and what I liked/disliked about it.

~Becoming Mrs. Abbott by Kiersten Modglin: "The Abbotts are liars. Their charming facade is far from the chilling reality that exists behind closed doors. Despite their secrets, they aren't killers...or are they? When a member of their quiet community is brutally murdered, the Abbotts find themselves prime suspects of the crime. The couple is desperate to prove their innocence, but when a tape is discovered with horrifying evidence, everything changes. With shocking truths beginning to surface, Rachael and Caide must decide just how far they are willing to go to protect those they love. Can they trust anyone around them, including each other?"

I rated this book 4/5 stars and finished it on August 1st. The biggest reason why this book wasn't five stars was the length. I feel like the story would've been much better if the author had cut out at least 100 pages of the book. I felt there was too much inner dialogue between characters and unnecessary development into others who didn't need it. My favorite part was the twist though; I feel like the author really nailed it well and I wasn't expecting it at all.

~The Chase by Elle Kennedy: "Everyone says opposites attract. And they must be right, because there’s no logical reason why I’m so drawn to Colin Fitzgerald. I don’t usually go for tattoo-covered, video-gaming, hockey-playing nerd-jocks who think I’m flighty and superficial. His narrow view of me is the first strike against him. It doesn’t help that he’s buddy-buddy with my brother. And that his best friend has a crush on me. And that I just moved in with them. Oh, did I not mention we’re roommates? I suppose it doesn’t matter. Fitzy has made it clear he’s not interested in me, even though the sparks between us are liable to burn our house down. I’m not the kind of girl who chases after a man, though, and I’m not about to start. I’ve got my hands full dealing with a new school, a sleazy professor, and an uncertain future. So if my sexy brooding roomie wises up and realizes what he’s missing? He knows where to find me."

I rated this book 4/5 stars and finished it on August 2nd. This was the first in the Briar U series and is interconnected with her Off-Campus series. I liked this book a lot! I thought Summer and Colin's story was similar to Hannah and Garrett's in the off-campus series, and I think that's why I enjoyed it. It was a bit slow at times but both were fairly likable. There isn't anything I outright didn't enjoy about this book though. I'd recommend it, especially if you're into hockey romances.

~The Risk by Elle Kennedy: "Everyone says I’m a bad girl. They’re only partly right—I don’t let fear rule me, and I certainly don’t care what people think. But I draw the line at sleeping with the enemy. As the daughter of Briar’s head hockey coach, I’d be vilified if I hooked up with a player from a rival team. And that’s who Jake Connelly is. Harvard’s star forward is arrogant, annoying, and too attractive for his own good. But fate is cruel—I require his help to secure a much-coveted internship, and the sexy jerk isn’t making it easy for me. I need Connelly to be my fake boyfriend. For every fake date…he wants a real one. Which means this bad girl is in big trouble. Nothing good can come from sneaking around with Jake Connelly. My father would kill me, my friends will revolt, and my post-college career is on the line. But while it’s getting harder and harder to resist Jake’s oozing sex appeal and cocky grin, I refuse to fall for him. That’s the one risk I’m not willing to take."

I rated it 5/5 stars and finished it on August 3rd. This is the second book in the Briar U series and honestly, I liked this one a lot more. Brenna and Jake's story was more enjoyable for me to read overall, and I really liked both of the main characters. Five-star reads are easy for me to give out, but this one definitely deserved it. Again, wouldn't recommend if you're not into hockey romances. Both the Briar U and the Off-Campus series by Elle Kennedy are hockey romance series.

~Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy: "When former bad girl Genevieve West returns home for her mother’s funeral, she’s prepared to keep her distance from her ex-boyfriend, Evan Hartley. Their history is rife with turbulence. And passion. A heck of a lot of passion... which she’s trying desperately to forget. But it’s impossible not to run into Evan in the small coastal town where they once ran wild. And the moment she sees her gorgeous ex again, it’s clear to Gen that Evan is still as unruly, sexy, and irresistible as ever. This time around, however, she’s resolved to walk a new path. No more partying. No more foolish mistakes. Her plan is to temporarily remain in town to help her father run his business, but the second he finds somebody else, she’s out of there. Evan has other ideas. He knows they can be good together, but he just has to convince Genevieve of that, even if it means turning over a new leaf himself. But can a bad reputation ever truly be shed? Do second chances really work? Genevieve and Evan are about to find out."

I gave this book 3/5 stars and DNF'd it about halfway through on August 3rd. This was the second book in the Avalon Bay series, and while I loved the first book (Good Girl Complex), I hated this one. It completely fell flat and was completely mid for me. I didn't really like Genevieve or Evan as characters, and I found myself constantly checking my progress to see how much I had left. I'd stick with the first book since they're all standalone though.

~The Edens, a Legacy Story by Devney Perry: "Anne Snow planned to ring in the 1988 New Year wearing pajamas and watching Unsolved Mysteries. Instead, she’s been guilt-tripped by her friends into a cabin getaway slash cross-country skiing fiasco. No sooner than she arrives, Anne realizes it’s not a fiasco but a nightmare. Harrison Eden, the guy she’s managed to avoid since their break up in high school, greets her at the door. Unfortunately, in the past six years, he’s only gotten more handsome. And apparently, he still loves to push every one of her buttons. Anne’s plan is to avoid him at all costs. Except then she learns that her friends invited too many people. There aren’t enough beds for everyone to have their own. And guess who volunteered himself to be her New Year’s roommate?"

I rated this 5/5 stars and finished it on August 6th. It's the short story set to be read between Jasper Vale and Crimson River, the fourth and fifth books in the Edens series. I loved this! I thought it was so cute and I loved getting to know Anne and Harrison's backstory together. Not necessarily a required read in the series, but I loved it nonetheless.

~Things We Hide From The Light by Lucy Score: "Nash Morgan was always known as the good Morgan brother, with a smile and a wink for everyone. But now, this chief of police is recovering from being shot and his Southern charm has been overshadowed by panic attacks and nightmares. He feels like a broody shell of the man he once was. Nash isn’t about to let anyone in his life know he’s struggling. But his new next-door neighbor, smart and sexy Lina, sees his shadows. As a rule, she’s not a fan of physical contact unless she initiates it, but for some reason Nash’s touch is different. He feels it too. The physical connection between them is incendiary, grounding him and making her wonder if exploring it is worth the risk. Too bad Lina’s got secrets of her own, and if Nash finds out the real reason she’s in town, he’ll never forgive her. Besides, she doesn’t do relationships. Ever. A hot, short-term fling with a local cop? Absolutely. Sign her up. A relationship with a man who expects her to plant roots? No freaking way. Once she gets what she’s after, she has no intention of sticking around. But Knockemout has a way of getting under people’s skin. And once Nash decides to make Lina his, he’s not about to be dissuaded…even if it means facing the danger that nearly killed him."

I rated this 5/5 stars and finished it on August 6th. It's the second out of three books in the Knockmeout series by this author. I looooved Nash and Lina, almost more than Naomi and Knox actually. I read this in Large Print which made it easier to get through, so I liked that a lot. Also, they named their daughter after me at the end which was cool.

~Christmas in Quincy by Devney Perry: "Cleo Hillcrest would rather cancel Christmas than endure another one of her father’s pretentious holiday parties, making small talk with his rich colleagues and her stepmother’s shallow friends. She’s leaving home to spend three peaceful and quiet days in Quincy, Montana, trading gifts and grandeur for room service and slippers. But she should have expected her family to thwart her plans. The minute she finishes unpacking her suitcase at the quaint Eloise Inn, Austin Myles knocks on her room door. As the head of her father’s security team, Austin’s been ordered to drag Cleo back to California. Only when she refuses to leave, he has no choice but to stay. After a Christmas in Quincy, everything between them is about to change."

I rated this 5/5 stars and finished it on August 7th. This book is the prequel to the Edens series but isn't required to read before you start it. I liked this! It was short and sweet, and Cleo and Austin are very likable characters.

~The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave: "Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to whom the note refers: Owen’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother. As Hannah’s increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered; as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss; as a US Marshal and FBI agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn’t who he said he was. And that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity—and why he really disappeared. Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth, together. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen’s past, they soon realize they are also building a new future. One neither Hannah nor Bailey could have anticipated."

I rated this 4/5 stars and finished it on August 7th. I thought it was pretty good! I liked the way the chapters were structured and how the book seemed to be divided into parts. I didn't like the end because it felt unresolved for me personally. Other than that, kept me on my toes and would be something I'd recommend.

~People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry: "Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together. Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since. Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees. Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?"

I rated this 4/5 stars and finished it on August 7th. I was excited to pick this one up because I'd just read Book Lovers by her sometime in July and absolutely loved it. I think Poppy and Alex are great characters, and I did enjoy learning about their past vacations/alternating timelines between past and present. However, aside from that, I found it to be incredibly boring. While Poppy and Alex were likable, they weren't standout characters for me. I'd recommend Book Lovers, but not this one, unfortunately.

~The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren: "Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is lost. Sure, she’s got an incredible career as a beloved romance novelist with a slew of bestsellers under her belt, but when she’s asked to give a commencement address, it hits her: she hasn’t been practicing what she’s preached. Fizzy hasn’t ever really been in love. Lust? Definitely. But that swoon-worthy, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him, all-encompassing feeling? Nope. Nothing. What happens when the optimism she’s spent her career encouraging in readers starts to feel like a lie? Connor Prince, documentary filmmaker and single father, loves his work in large part because it allows him to live near his daughter. But when his profit-minded boss orders him to create a reality TV show, putting his job on the line, Connor is out of his element. Desperate to find his romantic lead, a chance run-in with an exasperated Fizzy offers Connor the perfect solution. What if he could show the queen of romance herself falling head-over-heels for all the world to see? Fizzy gives him a hard pass—unless he agrees to her list of demands. When he says yes, and production on The True Love Experiment begins, Connor wonders if that perfect match will ever be in the cue cards for him, too."

I rated this 5/5 stars and finished it on August 11th. It was so cute! This was set to be the follow-up book to The Soulmate Equation, which was where we first met Fizzy on her journey to find love. I think her finally getting her own story was awesome, and I'm glad I was finally able to read it. I thought her and Connor had great chemistry together and both were extremely likable. I'd definitely recommend this one, especially if you've read The Soulmate Equation.

~Normal People by Sally Rooney: "At school Connell and Marianne pretend not to know each other. He’s popular and well-adjusted, star of the school soccer team while she is lonely, proud, and intensely private. But when Connell comes to pick his mother up from her housekeeping job at Marianne’s house, a strange and indelible connection grows between the two teenagers - one they are determined to conceal. A year later, they’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin. Marianne has found her feet in a new social world while Connell hangs at the sidelines, shy and uncertain. Throughout their years in college, Marianne and Connell circle one another, straying toward other people and possibilities but always magnetically, irresistibly drawn back together. Then, as she veers into self-destruction and he begins to search for meaning elsewhere, each must confront how far they are willing to go to save the other."

I rated this 2/5 stars and finished it on August 11th. So, I tried to read this book sometime earlier this year; I'd like to say the beginning of April, since that's when I read Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake and loved it. This one though..didn't hit the spot for me. I wasn't a big fan of Marianne and Connell's friendship because to me it just felt toxic. They fed off of each other's shitty problems and it wasn't my jam. Also, the lack of quotation marks completely just put me off. I don't recommend it at all.

~Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas: "In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien. The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world."

I rated this 4/5 stars and finished it on August 11th. This is the first of seven books in the Throne of Glass series. For it being the first in the series, I thought it was pretty good. Easy to understand and follow, and for someone who's primarily a romance girly, being easy to follow was important to me. I liked the characters a lot as well. The only thing I'd say was the world-building was hard for me to follow, so I'd say read the ACOTAR series first. Other than that, I think it's great!

~Twisted Hate by Ana Huang: "Gorgeous, cocky, and fast on his way to becoming a hotshot doctor, Josh Chen has never met a woman he couldn’t charm—except for Jules f**king Ambrose. The beautiful redhead has been a thorn in his side since they met, but she also consumes his thoughts in a way no woman ever has. When their animosity explodes into one unforgettable night, he proposes a solution that’ll get her out of his system once and for all: an enemies-with-benefits arrangement with simple rules. No jealousy. No strings attached. And absolutely no falling in love.

Outgoing and ambitious, Jules Ambrose is a former party girl who’s focused on one thing: passing the attorney’s bar exam. The last thing she needs is to get involved with a doctor who puts the SUFFER in insufferable…no matter how good-looking he is. But the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes there’s more than meets the eye to the man she’s hated for so long. Her best friend’s brother. Her nemesis. And her only salvation. Theirs is a match made in hell, and when the demons from their past catch up with them, they’re faced with truths that could either save them …or destroy everything they’ve worked for."

I rated this 5/5 stars and finished it on August 17th. This is the third book in the Twisted series and honestly, I loved it. I ate this up so much. I think up to that point, it ended up being my favorite out of the four in the series. It follows Josh and Jules, who have the brothers-best-friend trope going, but it's heavvvvy on the enemies-to-lovers trope. Like, heavy heavy. The slow burn was great, the romance was great, and honestly, I loved it from beginning to end. I'd definitely recommend this one.

~Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake: "Delilah Green swore she would never go back to Bright Falls—nothing is there for her but memories of a lonely childhood where she was little more than a burden to her cold and distant stepfamily. Her life is in New York, with her photography career finally gaining steam and her bed never empty. Sure, it’s a different woman every night, but that’s just fine with her. When Delilah’s estranged stepsister, Astrid, pressures her into photographing her wedding with a guilt trip and a five-figure check, Delilah finds herself back in the godforsaken town that she used to call home. She plans to breeze in and out, but then she sees Claire Sutherland, one of Astrid’s stuck-up besties, and decides that maybe there’s some fun (and a little retribution) to be had in Bright Falls, after all. Having raised her eleven-year-old daughter mostly on her own while dealing with her unreliable ex and running a bookstore, Claire Sutherland depends upon a life without surprises. And Delilah Green is an unwelcome surprise…at first. Though they’ve known each other for years, they don’t really know each other—so Claire is unsettled when Delilah figures out exactly what buttons to push. When they’re forced together during a gauntlet of wedding preparations—including a plot to save Astrid from her horrible fiancé—Claire isn’t sure she has the strength to resist Delilah’s charms. Even worse, she’s starting to think she doesn’t want to..." I rated this 5/5 stars and finished it on August 18th. It's the first book in the Bright Falls trilogy, with each book following Delilah, Astrid, and Iris. The first book was about Delilah and again, I completely ate it up. I'd never read a lesbian romance novel before so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I thought it was funny, well-written, and I can't wait to read more by her. I have nothing bad to say about it, absolutely nothing.

~Losers by Harley Laroux: "I was supposed to have it all. I’d been Prom Queen, Cheer Captain - high school’s most savage Queen Bee. I could have everything I wanted. Except them. The freaks, the weirdos, the school’s ultimate losers: Manson, Jason, Lucas, and Vincent. Our hatred for each other couldn’t keep us apart, not even when my own mistake got Manson expelled and made me the ultimate villain to the rest of them. One night was supposed to be enough. I couldn’t resist forever. For one night I gave myself over to the men I wasn’t supposed to want and satisfied the darkest parts of my soul. But some things are meant to stay in the dark. One night, and it was over. Nothing more than a game. Now, with college behind me, our worlds collide yet again. Four men, all willing to share me as their plaything until my debt to them is paid. Another game to satiate my dark cravings, the twisted rules of which bring us all even closer than before. But games aren’t meant to last. When the debt is paid and the game is done, what if I don’t want to walk away?"

I rated this 5/5 stars and finished it on August 19th. This is the first of the Losers duo (excluding the prequel novella). Before I read this, Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton and Credence by Penelope Douglas had been the spiciest books I'd read this year. That is of course, until I read this one. I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I started this book, I'm not gonna lie. There was a lot of characters to follow and a lot of things that happened. As far as the smut goes though, it was..something. I'm not sure how to describe it other than you'd have to read it to find out. While it does end on a cliffhanger like Haunting Adeline, it only made me more excited to read part two. While I'd recommend this one, I highly suggest and advise you to check the trigger/content warnings. They're pretty intense.

~Twisted Lies by Ana Huang: "Charming, deadly, and smart enough to hide it, Christian Harper is a monster dressed in the perfectly tailored suits of a gentleman. He has little use for morals and even less use for love, but he can’t deny the strange pull he feels toward the woman living just one floor below him. She’s the object of his darkest desires, the only puzzle he can’t solve. And when the opportunity to get closer to her arises, he breaks his own rules to offer her a deal she can’t refuse. Every monster has their weakness. She’s his. His obsession. His addiction. His only exception.

Sweet, shy, and introverted despite her social media fame, Stella Alonso is a romantic who keeps her heart in a cage. Between her two jobs, she has little time or desire for a relationship. But when a threat from her past drives her into the arms—and house—of the most dangerous man she’s ever met, she’s tempted to let herself feel something for the first time in a long time. Because despite Christian’s cold nature, he makes her feel everything when she’s with him. Passionate. Protected. Truly wanted. Theirs is a love twisted with secrets and tainted by lies…and when the truths are finally revealed, they could shatter everything."

I rated this 6/5 stars and finished it on August 20th. This is the fourth and final book in the Twisted series, and it ended up being my favorite. The books are interconnected standalones where all four FMC's in the series are best friends. This book followed Stella and Christian, Rhys' former boss from Twistec Games. Stella realizes she has a stalker and has to move in with Christian to his apartment and from there things get spicy. It's giving forced proximity for sure, and the slow burn is kind of insane. I've never been one for slow burns in books, because I always felt they were unnecessary or took too long, but this one nailed it perfectly. The reason why this book is a six-star read versus a five-star was everything I mentioned above. I felt like by the end of the book, every relationship throughout the series had been resolved and everyone got their happy ending. I'd definitely recommend this series.

~Please Love Me at My Worst by Michaela Angemeer: "Please Love Me At My Worst is a collection of four sections of poetry inspired by loneliness, unrequited love, and not being able to let go of past relationships. Written during the 2020 COVID-19 quarantine, the book is a reflection of what it means to yearn for people who are unavailable and how important it is to focus on self-love and healing."

I rated this 5/5 stars and finished it on August 22nd. When I picked up this book, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I read 2am Thoughts by Makenzie Campbell in May and thought this would have the same/similar effect/vibe that that one had. For the most part, I think I was right. It's a series of poems that I felt I personally resonated with. I took pictures of the ones that had the biggest impact that I plan on keeping in mind from now on. While I think it was good, it didn't tug at my heart strings personally, which is why it's not a six-star read. Still enjoyed it though!

~This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar: "Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future. Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There's still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war."

I rated this 4/5 stars and finished it on August 23rd. This book..dude. I don't even really know where to begin. When I had initially seen this book on Tiktok, I was like "Wow, a book about a budding friendship between two men on opposite sides of the war. Cool!" As I finally got to reading, I realized..that's not entirely what it's about. First of all, it's two women, not men. And second of all, it's birds. Yep...birds. There's a red cardinal and a bluejay on the front cover, and it's quite literally about birds communicating back and forth. That's really the only thing I didn't like about it. It just felt too confusing by the end, which you'll see, is a trend with my next book.

~Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins: "When Lux McAllister and her boyfriend, Nico, are hired to sail two women to a remote island in the South Pacific, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. Stuck in a dead-end job in Hawaii, and longing to travel the world after a family tragedy, Lux is eager to climb on board The Susannah and set out on an adventure. She’s also quick to bond with their passengers, college best friends Brittany and Amma. The two women say they want to travel off the beaten path. But like Lux, they may have other reasons to be seeking an escape. Shimmering on the horizon after days at sea, Meroe Island is every bit the paradise the foursome expects, despite a mysterious history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and even rumors of murder. But what they don’t expect is to discover another boat already anchored off Meroe’s sandy beaches. The owners of the Azure Sky, Jake and Eliza, are a true golden couple: gorgeous, laidback, and if their sleek catamaran and well-stocked bar are any indication, rich. Now a party of six, the new friends settle in to experience life on an exotic island, and the serenity of being completely off the grid. Lux hasn’t felt like she truly belonged anywhere in years, yet here on Meroe, with these fellow free spirits, she finally has a sense of peace. But with the arrival of a skeevy stranger sailing alone in pursuit of a darker kind of good time, the balance of the group is disrupted. Soon, cracks begin to emerge: it seems that Brittany and Amma haven’t been completely honest with Lux about their pasts––and perhaps not even with each other. And though Jake and Eliza seem like the perfect pair, the rocky history of their relationship begins to resurface, and their reasons for sailing to Meroe might not be as innocent as they first appeared. When it becomes clear that the group is even more cut off from civilization than they initially thought, it starts to feel like the island itself is closing in on them. And when one person goes missing, and another turns up dead, Lux begins to wonder if any of them are going to make it off the island alive."

I rated this 4/5 stars and finished it on August 24th. In either April or May of this year, I read The Wife Upstairs by her and enjoyed it. I enjoyed this one as well, I just think it may have been a bit confusing. I think. I'm not really sure. I felt it was longer than necessary, the twist didn't make any sense whatsoever, and the end was even more confusing. I felt like some of what happened wasn't entirely resolved either. I dunno, but what I do know is I don't think I'd recommend this one.

~Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid: "At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan. Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan? In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate? Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him."

I rated this 5/5 stars and finished it on August 27th. Maybe in Another Life! Yay! Prior to reading this book, I'd only read Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by TJR and I feel like I've been living under a rock since then. Her writing is so good! Like, SO good. I loved Hannah, and I absolutely loved getting two sides of her perspective based on the decision she made. I think learning different things throughout was cool, and at the end of the day, she did find love. I loved this and would recommend it to anyone and everyone.

~Electric Idol by Katee Robert: "In the ultra-modern city of Olympus, there's always a price to pay. Psyche knew she'd have to face Aphrodite's ire eventually, but she never expected her literal heart to be at stake...or for Aphrodite's gorgeous son to be the one ordered to strike the killing blow. Eros has no problem shedding blood. But when it comes time to take out his latest target, he can't do it. Confused by his reaction to Psyche, he does the only thing he can think of to keep her safe: he marries her. Psyche vows to make Eros's life a living hell until they find a way out of this mess. But as lines blur and loyalties shift, she realizes he might take her heart after all...and she's not sure she can survive the loss."

I rated this 5/5 stars and I finished it on August 28th. This is the second book in the Dark Olympus series and follows Eros and Psyche. Prior to reading this, I'd dabbled in some Greek mythology romance. They've all followed Hades and Persephone's story, so I was intrigued to get a new one. I've found when I read these that I learn something new about Greek mythology and the gods/goddesses in it that I didn't know before. I think Eros and Psyche are absolutely fantastic together. I don't really know what else to say aside from saying I loved it. *laughs*

~Redeemed by Lauren Asher: "Santiago Alatorre: One mistake destroys my career. I go from most eligible bachelor to monster, hiding from the world. At least until Chloe breaks into my home. My new fake girlfriend is a temporary fix to my biggest problem. But as our game changes, so do my feelings. There’s only one issue stopping me from claiming her. Me.

Chloe Carter: It all started with a birthday wish, some vodka, and an ancestry kit. That’s how I end up in Italy, finding my long-lost father. But one decision lands me a fake boyfriend I don’t want. The more we pretend, the easier our ruse becomes. I told myself not to fall in love with a liar like Santiago. I should have listened."

I rated this 6/5 stars and finished it on August 29th. This is the fourth and final book in the Dirty Air series and follows Santiago and Chloe. I was SO excited to read this because I'd finished her Dreamland Billionaires series in July and adored it, I knew I had to finish this one too. While Chloe was a wildcard, Santiago is Maya's brother from the first book. I think their love story was very well done, and for the first time, didn't focus a lot on the Formula 1 side of it like her other books. Definitely a six-star read as the finale of the series, and I'm sad I won't have anything new to read by her until her next release.

~Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid: "Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock ’n’ roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things. Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road. Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend. The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice."

I rated this 5/5 stars and finished it on August 30th. Ah yes, Daisy Jones. When I'd seen this book on Booktok for months, everyone was saying the audiobook was better. Well, I decided I'd finally bite the bullet and read the physical copy and I am so glad I did. I have a music background and love everything about it, so I was very excited and intrigued to pick this up. I enjoyed how the structure of the book was set up like a radio show, and I can imagine that's probably why people prefer the audiobook. I knew nothing about this band going in, and coming out, I learned a lot. Like, a lot. I had no idea I'd learn this much about a 70s band and their infamous breakup in 1979. I thought it was fantastic and TJR is an amazing author. I plan on reading the rest of her books in the future, for sure.

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So, that's it! That's everything I read in August. I hope you enjoyed it, and you should lemme know what you read in August down below!