2020 Reading Stats & 2021 Reading Goals

I did a YouTube video for this as well if you want to check it out. 

I love stats (mine and other people’s). I track a bunch of stuff for my reading each year. I think it’s fascinating to see trends.

Below are a bunch of the stats I have along with graphs for your viewing pleasure.

Now, let’s talk bookish goals for 2021. I used to do a ton of goals, but that was too much pressure for a hobby. I do have ideas of things I would like to accomplish, but I don’t formalize them. So, the only goal i have is my 2021 Goodreads goal which is to read 100 books. This is an incredibly easy number for me to hit and I never plan on raising my goal. Again, reading is a hobby, so I’m not trying to add stress to my life-I have enough of that already.

If you want to watch the video where I also talk some of my favorite books, you can check it out here:
Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Beard in Mind by Penny Reid

I freaking loved this! I liked it even more than Jenn and Cletus which I didn’t think was possible.

Shelly and Beau were both amazing characters. Shelly really got to me. Parts of her OCD experience are very similar to my own so it was easy to connect with her. It was so raw and great to read about someone like me. She also isn’t magically fixed. Instead, she goes to therapy and is on medication. Beau was a pleasant surprise. He could’ve been a one-note standard romance hero, but he was complex. His complexity really comes out with the difficult situations he faces.

And Ms. Reid does a great job in developing a romance. They are typically on the slower side, but in the best way possible. In this story especially, Shelly has a lot of personal stuff to work through before getting in a relationship. I really appreciate that Ms. Reid takes time for that. It also gives them time to build more of a relationship outside of sex. Personally, that’s what I like in a romance.

There was also so much sequel bait here-for both Billy and Roscoe. I’m completely in love with the Winston family and can’t wait to spend more time with them. 

And I 100% recommend the audiobooks. That’s how I’ve read all of these and have enjoyed it so much.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Shipped by Angie Hockman

This was fun. It felt a lot like a rom-com-complete with physical comedy. It’s a no-sex-on-page story if that bothers you or makes you more interested.

Henley is a workaholic who often sacrifices personal relationships for work. She has a rivalry-type relationship with Graeme. They end up competing for a promotion.

The bulk of the story takes place on a cruise ship. Graeme and Henley work for a cruise line so part of their competition is that they must experience a cruise to the Galapagos. It was a really good setting-both on the ship and on the excursions. Ms. Hockman does a great job of weaving in conversation lessons without feeling like you’re being lectured.

The romance was cute. Graeme and Henley are very clearly attracted to each other. They also have a lot of those bickering conversations which I typically like. I do like them together and was on board, but it wasn’t a particularly deep relationship.

The characters were also a little shallow. While I liked the story, I’m not sure I really know the characters. I enjoyed my team with this and would recommend it, but I also think I’ll forget most of this in just a few days.
Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Roommate by Sarina Bowen

I love the whole True North world. I’m really happy we’re going to get more books in this world in 2021. They are minor, but can we talk about Ruth Shipley and Grandma Shipley? They continue to be amazing people and I love how they love their families.

Now, let’s talk about the actual book. I didn’t remember a lot about Kieran, so I had no idea what to expect from him. Kieran is very quiet and not a big people-person. He also keeps a lot of things bottled-up. Roderick recently got out of a complicated and emotionally abusive relationship. They end up as roommates and start a romantic relationship which pushes them both. 

The romance was cute and not too steamy. Don’t get me wrong, there are graphic sex scenes, but that isn’t the main focus of the story. Roddy and Kieran have a very physical relationship, but it includes things like cuddling and casual touching. I really like how these subtle things build chemistry and my buy-in to the relationship. Plus, a relationship isn’t just about orgasms. 

A huge part of their story is Kieran figuring out his sexuality. It isn’t so much that he is hiding himself, but that he hasn’t really thought about it. It’s part of his bottle-up everything personality. I liked this look at exploring sexuality-everyone’s experience is different. 

Let’s talk about some small issues. I did occasionally have trouble distinguishing between Roddy and Kieran’s POV chapters. When this happened it was particularly noticeable, because they have very different personalities. It should’ve been hard for them to sound similar. There was also a little bit of a secret in Kieran’s past. I didn’t have a problem with the actual secret, but it felt very sudden and random. I’m not sure how much it added to the story overall.

This also set up some of the new books that will be coming out in The World of True North books.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: And I Darken by Kiersten White

I wasn’t going to write a review, but I’m very conflicted about this and I’m hoping this will help me. 

This is loosely based on real people and events. I know of Vlad the Impaler and have a high-school level of history of the Ottoman Empire. So, I had no expectations going in other than that I have liked Kiersten White’s books in the past.

Let’s get into it.

This primarily follows Lada and Radu who are brother and sister. They’re father is harsh and sends them to basically be political prisoners of the Ottoman Empire. They both react to their life circumstances in different ways. Lada is cruel and calculating. She wants power and to prove herself. Radu is a sweet boy who becomes a charming young man. He is also strategic and calculating in his own way.

Radu is the more likable character. He most noticeably has a conscience. Honestly, I’m not sure if I could’ve read this without him. There is a lot of grey morality and it is not clear who is right and wrong. I’ve talked about this being something I don’t like, but I can appreciate it. Part of me liked it here because it is real.

Lada and Radu meet Mehmet who is the future sultan of the Ottoman Empire. THis relationship, like the larger political conflicts of the world, is complicated. They are friends on a personal level, but because of larger political and religious situations they struggle. I have no idea how Ms. White navigated this without picking a side is impressive.

This is on the slower side. And I’m not really sure how it is structured-it didn’t feel like a normal fantasy in pacing.

I thought this was incredibly well written. Ms. White explores difficult social, political, and religious concepts deftly. But I also think this isn’t quite the book/series for me. I do plan on continuing with the series, but not right away.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: You Have a Match by Emma Lord

Emma Lord’s next book better feature TikTok or I’m going to be severely disappointed. Just saying.

On to the actual book.

This was a super-stressful read. I kind of remember Tweet Cute being the same, but not quite as much. I think it’s because of how Abby handles difficult situations is very similar to my own. It probably isn’t the best way to handle things and I don’t like confronting my flaws. So, sometimes I was really uncomfortable while reading. 

This had some real Parent Trap feels. There’s sisters who didn’t know each other getting to know each other at a summer camp. Savvy and Abby are very different people who butt heads over their personality differences. Although this isn’t as light and humorous as The PArent Trap. The relationship between Abby and Savvy was probably my favorite part of the story.

Now that I think about it, Ms. Lord does good/complex friendships. She did it in Tweet Cute and again here. They feel very real and organic. Each person in the friend group has a different relationship with each other. I love when writers acknowledge that happens.

It’s a small thing, but I love the lesbian rep. It just exists. I think Tweet Cute had a similar thing. I know there are still bigots out there, but this feels a lot more like my high school and how my friends treated anyone gay in our school. It wasn’t a big deal or issue. I’m hoping that fiction being like this is representative of the world as a whole. 

I’m still not in love with Emma Lord, but I’ve enjoyed both her books and am interested to see what she writes next.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

December Wrap-Up (2020)

I’m surprised how many books I was able to finish in December. And some of them were really good. I am definitely a huge Penny Reid fan now. I end my year with a new favorite. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come in 2021.

Below are all the books I read with some of my thoughts.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

January TBR (2021)

I do make TBRs in my reading journal every month even though I don’t do videos for them anymore. I thought I would do a blog post to start tracking some of the books I plan on reading that month. These are some of the books I’m hoping to pick up in January. I classify my book choices into different categories like projects I’m working on, ARCs, and backlist books.

ARCS

Nighttime Audios

Smash or Trash

Backlist

Book Review: Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibanez

I liked this, but didn’t love it. But I do want to read the companion novel.

So, what did I like? A non-European based fantasy is refreshing. And Ms. Ibanez weaved Spanish into the story. She rarely explained the language and food. Could that be frustrating? Yes, but it’s also realistic. Ximena would never translate in her own head. She made the politics it bit more complicated than most YA fantasy I read. And the animals were adorable. 

But I also never fully connected with the stories or characters. I was interested but not deeply invested in the plot. The magic was interesting, but I don’t understand it. I don’t need a hard magic system, but I’d like some sort of explanation. Maybe the second one will help me better understand.

The thing that really bothered me was the romance. It felt so forced. And I love a good romance. There’s a twinge of chemistry, but I don’t buy that those two actually fell in love. Maybe they would someday, but not as fast as they did. Sometimes I think the expectations of a romance in YA weakens the story and that is the case here.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Longbourn by Jo Baker

I picked this up for a project on my YouTube channel. I’m glad I did. While I do like Pride and Prejudice and Austen, I’m not big on literary fiction which is how I would classify this.

This doesn’t have the same tone or whit of the original. It’s actually kind of a downer. Instead of “copying” Austen, Ms. Baker made her own story. The original story and characters are the background while this focuses on the downstairs of Longbourn. That’s one of the things I love most about retellings-putting a spin on the source material.

Sarah, one of the maids, is probably the main character, but it definitely isn’t just about her. You get to spend time with all the servants including a new footman to the household. The characters are well-developed and complex. I like them, but also felt frustrated by them at times-like real people.

Ms. Baker also shows the reality of the servant class. She showcases things like the hard physical labor, mistreatment by superiors, and servant politics. Sometimes it felt like things were repeated too many times. But it also felt like I was living the painful and repetitive drudgery of their lives.

I’m sure some people won’t like some of the creative choices Ms. Baker makes with the characters from the original. That didn’t bother me. The writing style wasn't my favorite thought. Is this 3rd person omniscient? Whatever it is I Wasn't a fan. My main issue was that she would switch which character she was talking about and I’d be confused because it wasn’t a clear distinction.

Like I said, this has a kind of sad and real-life vibe. But it also has hope and happiness.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: How the Dukes Stole Christmas by Tessa Dare, Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan, and Joanna Schupe

I finally picked this up and ended up getting the audio from Scribd. I’ve read Dare, MacLean, and Jordan before and Dare and MacLean are two of my favorite historical romance authors. Each story is loosely based on various Christmas movies which was a cute way to tie them together. They also all feature “magic” shortbread.

I did make a little review for each one as I finished it which are below. I think Tessa Dare’s was my favorite. That’s not a surprise because she is really good with novellas.

Meet Me in Mayfair: A cute Christmasy novella. It takes place over the course of one night, so you have to suspend some disbelief. James unknowingly kicked Louisa’s family out of their home so there’s some bickering banter. You could picture the cozy feels of a snowy London night. Tessa Dare is still one of the best at writing novellas in my opinion.

The Duke of Christmas Present: I don’t have much to say. This was good, but maybe a tad too long. Jack and Eben had the same “fight” over and over. But I’m also always game for a second chance romance.

Heiress Alone: Not my favorite. I’ve read some Sophie Jordan before and think she just isn’t the author for me. It isn’t anything in particular-sometimes you just don’t click with an author. This story was pretty standard and I never connected with the characters. And the heroine literally said she wasn’t like other girls. I personally find that really annoying.

Christmas in Central Park: This was good, but also felt a little fast. The pacing at the end was rushed. This is a common issue for me with novellas. But I did enjoy Joanna Schupe’s writing and will definitely check out more books from her.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: The Princess & The Rogue by Kate Bateman

Honestly, I don’t have too much to say. This was fine, but a little forgettable. It’s definitely one of those books I’ll probably forget in like 2 days.

Anya was nice, but a little one-dimensional. Same with Sebastian. I did like that he really cared about his clothes. It was a subtle addition to his personality and one that you don’t see very often.

The romance was kind of flat. It wasn’t horrible, but it also didn’t feel real. It was like Anya and Sebastian were together because they were supposed to and not because they have good chemistry.

OK...that’s all I’ve got. 

Thanks for reading!
Holly 

Book Review: Charming Like Us by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Yay! I really liked this one. It was exactly what I needed in the LIke Us series. It isn’t as dramatic and soap operay as the other books which was a nice change of pace.

And, as predicted, I liked being outside of the famous families. Of course I love the famous ones, but I also like getting another perspective on the world. 

I was worried this would be a gay-for-you story, but it wasn’t. Now, I could argue that it’s on a borderline, but I’ll lean toward it being fine. And Oscar didn’t push Jack which I’ve read in some books and really gets on my nerves. I did appreciate the commentary on sexuality and how not everyone has the same experience.

I did have an issue distinguishing between Oscar and Jack. I love both of them and they have great chemistry. But their voices weren’t distinct. I constantly forgot whose head it was in.

I see you Aerial Ethereal reference. Now, I’m just going to live in my delusional world where we’ll get another AE book. Especially if that character ends up with Charlie. Speaking of Charlie, I’m starting to like him.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

I’m so glad I stuck with this one. When I first started it, I wasn’t feeling it, but I grew to really love it. 

Luc is a little hard to like. He’s kind of immature and judgey, but I think he’s also self-aware of these faults. I think that’s why he doesn’t bother me. And Oliver is a precious bean that I want to protect. The stuff with his family makes me so sad. THey work very well together and learn from each other.

This is a fake dating story which isn’t my favorite romance trope. It didn’t really bother me though. I think it’s because boht Luc and Oliver have been or are attracted to each other. And it was paced so well. THey both have to develop as men before committing to a relationship. I love when authors take time to do that. And it didn’t quite develop the way I would’ve expected which was good, too. 

I think I need to read more male-written gay romance. This was different and makes me question some of the woman-written romances I’ve read. Maybe it’s just Alexis Hall, but I have a feeling it isn’t. And I will definitely check out another Alexis Hall book, because I liked his writing style.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Lady Bridget’s Diary by Maya Rodale

This was cute and fun. I didn’t know it was going to be a Pride and Prejudice retelling. Although, I’ll probably forget most of it in a few days. It isn’t the type of story to stick around. 

I really liked Bridget. She and her siblings come to England from America when her brother inherits a dukedom. They are all stereotypical brash Americans. Bridget does want to fit into society. Eventually she finds a happy medium. I liked that she grew, but was also herself. Her family is fun and obviously love each other. I really loved the supportive camaraderie between all of them. 

Darcy was pretty Darcy-like. He’s stuffy and cares about society and propriety. He’s definitely the most similar character to the original. He also really cares about his family-his brother Rupert. 

The romance was pretty good. It was a little one-note and predictable. It’s a lot like Pride and Prejudice in structure, but you get in Darcy’s head which I like.

I did enjoy spending time with the Cavendishes and will definitely continue with the series-I already own the second one.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Rifts and Refrains by Devney Perry

This may actually be five stars, but I’m going to leave it at four right now. This is also my first Devney Perry book. And it follows effortlessly from the first one even though they’re by different authors. 

Quinn. I immediately connected with her. I felt so much for her and was tearing up constantly. I really liked her insecurities with her family. And the awkwardness felt so genuine. It’s nice seeing this big, famous, strong rock star struggle. That may make me sound like a horrible person. Graham was so great, too. He’s got some angst to him, but he’s a genuinely nice guy. He’s also a single-dad. Initially, I was annoyed by another romance with a kid, but Colin wormed his way into my heart.

The romance is another second-chance one which I love. Quinn and Graham were high school sweethearts who haven’t seen or talked to each other in about ten years. There is so much angst with them, but I was in the perfect headspace for that. It escalated faster than I expected, but was actually paced really well. And the epilogue was adorable.

A lot of this surrounds a big family falling out. This is the part that mostly stops me from giving it a five star rating. It just doesn’t seem serious enough for the impact. But things can start “small” and snowball. So, I’m all over the place with this.

Nixon. I’m so glad I already bought his book. It’s another author I haven’t read, but seems like it will have so much of my catnip.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

November Wrap-Up (2020)

November was a lower quantity of reads month. I figured that would happen, because I did go on vacation at the beginning of the month. I never read while in Disney World or on most vacations.

But I’m still happy with my reads this month. I’ve caught up on ARCs from NetGalley and some books for projects I’m working on. I also read the next book in the Hush Note series-Rifts & Refrains by Devney Perry. I absolutely loved that and found a new other.

Below are the books I read in November along with my ratings and thoughts.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkowski

At first I was really confused, but then I just embraced the confusion and enjoyed myself. And I finally found a F/F book that worked for me. I was starting to think I was defective, because I’ve always thought a romance is just a romance so it shouldn’t matter. I think my issue is more with YA contemporary in general. But my self-discoveries are not what this review is about.

First, let’s talk about my confusion. This doesn’t hold your hand with the world building. Or maybe I’m not the brightest. As I continued I definitely understood more about the social structures. I also now understand more about why it was written the way it was. I’m really trying to avoid spoilers here.

Nirrim was a little hard to connect with, but I think that’s on purpose. She’s the narrator, but also is kind of closed off from even herschel. She’s been emotionally manipulated her whole life, so naturally she has to protect herself somehow. It is a risky choice to make for your protagonist, but I appreciate it. And I’m definitely interested to see how she changes in the next one.

Then, there’s the romance. I really liked the chemistry between Nirrim and Sid. The attraction jumps off the page. But the “L” bombs came a little too fast for me. Maybe I just need Nirrim to work through some of her personal stuff first. It wasn’t completely insta-love or a deal breaker, but a little annoying.

I have a lot of questions and am really excited  to read the next one. Unfortunately, I have to wait. I already had a slight desire to re-read The Winner’s Curse trilogy, but now I really want to. I don’t know how related they’ll be, but I want to try and find all the connections.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Loverboy by Sarina Bowen

Oh my gosh, I loved this more than I expected. That may sound weird because I’m a total Sarina Bowen fangirl, but it just completely warmed my heart. I felt so happy the whole time I was reading it. 

Let’s start with Posy. I freaking loved her. She is so strong and independent. She works hard for what she wants and cares about the people in her life. And she’s competent-we love a competent heroine in this house.

Gunnar was also great. He could’ve been a little scummy, but he wasn’t. I found him charming with a little bit of an over-the-top personality. He’s no Blake from Good Boy, but a bit dramatic.

The romance was a 2nd chance romance which may be my favorite trope. There isn’t a ton of their first “relationship”, but it still worked. They had great chemistry, but didn't immediately fall all over each other. Personally, I really liked that, because I love the building of sexual tension. The romance was paced so expertly.

Then, there’s the suspense part of this. Honestly, it’s the part I care about the least. This also is where it’s most connected to the first book-and I assume the next book. It was fine, I just don’t really care about it. I did get to see my buddy Duff again which I was very happy about.

This will probably move to a five-star upon a re-read. That happens a lot with Sarina Bowen books for me.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: The Brightest Night by Jennifer Armentrout

I got the audiobook of this from NetGalley, so I decided to read this that way even though I pre-ordered the hardcover. It’s my first JLA audiobook. I wasn’t a huge fan of the narrator. It wasn’t horrible, but not my favorite either

Let’s get to the actual story. I didn’t realize I forgot so much from the last one, but I quickly got caught up. 

Evie grows a lot here which I liked. She also had to face difficult moral decisions which I appreciate. This world is becoming more life or death, so that was realistic. Luc is still arrogant and over-the-top. I appreciate him as a character, but he does get on my nerves sometimes.

The romance continued to progress and I liked where that part of the plot went. I’m curious to see what happens next.

The larger plot was ok. I’m just not sure how much actually happened. And it didn’t completely hold my attention. I would get distracted and have to rewind my audio. This will probably end up being a bunch of set-up for the next/final book.

Thanks for reading!
Holly