To Read or Not To Read

TJ Klune is back with another adult fantasy, and it's quite a bit different than his previous novels. Still just as cozy and life-affirming as we've come to expect from him, In the Lives of Puppets has more adventure than the other works, but plenty of the found family trope, cozy fantasy elements, and character growth that makes his writing strong and his stories heartwarming.   TJ Klune is the New York Times and USA Today  bestselling, Lambda Literary Award-winning author of The House in the Cerulean Sea , Under the Whispering Door , The Extraordinaries , and more. Being queer himself, Klune believes it's important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive queer representation in stories. You can find him online at tjklunebooks.com or on Instagram @TJKluneBooks. You can find more of my reviews of his work here .  In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees live three robots—fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadist...

An instant favorite, Business or Pleasure is everything you could want in a romance novel and more. Rachel Lynn Solomon absolutely nails it with Chandler's and Finn's relationship, navigating the fun of their relationship with the serious topics the book hits on, like the importance of mental health. I was addicted to this read, laughing out loud at the banter between the main characters, and already recommended it to friends of mine before I finished. Don't sleep on Solomon's books—they are, in my mind, cornerstones of the contemporary romance genre.  Rachel Lynn Solomon is the New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk, Weather Girl , and other romantic comedies for teens and adults. Originally from Seattle, she's currently navigating expat life in Amsterdam, where she can often be found exploring the city, collection stationery, and working up the courage to knit her first sweater. You can find her online at RachelLynnSolomonBooks.com or on Instagram and T...

This return to the Love & Tacos world is just as fun, fresh, and fast-paced as it’s predecessor,  Ramón and Julieta . Albertson focuses on the second Montez brother, Enrique, as he pursues Carolina, a Latina farmworker seeking her independence, in a  The Taming of the Shrew  retelling structure.  Kiss Me, Mi Amor  is a novel that addresses the traditional versus the progressive, and makes for a quick, romantic, and thought-provoking read.  Alana Quintana Albertson has written over thirty romance novels, rescued five hundred death-row shelter dogs, and danced one thousand rumbas. She lives in sunny San Diego with her husband, two sons, and too many pets. Most days, she can be found writing her next heart book in a beachfront café while sipping an oat-milk Mexican mocha or gardening with her children in their backyard orchard and snacking on a juicy blood orange. You can find her online at  AuthorAlanaAlbertson.com  or on Instagram @AuthorAlanaA...

Lana Ferguson's The Nanny is a super fun read, one that I was wary of picking up for myself, but that the second it was in my hands, I couldn't stop reading. Not only is the romance as steamy as you'd expect, but the characters form real and heartfelt connections, and you'll be rooting for all of them by the end. A definite must-read for all fans of romance, The Nanny does one of my favorite things in romance, which is telling a larger story about something—in this case, Ferguson chooses family, and the lengths we'd go to for them.  Lana Ferguson is a sex-positive nerd whose works never shy from spice or sass. A faded Fabio cover found its way into her hands at fifteen, and she's never been the same since. When she isn't writing, you can find her randomly singing show tunes, arguing over which batman is superior, and subjecting her friends to the extended editions of The Lord of the Rings . Lana lives mostly in her own head but can sometimes be found chasing...

I devoured Love, Theoretically in less than a day (and my Goodreads progress check update time stamps definitely prove this). Full of everything that I love in Ali Hazelwood books—women in STEM, a dive into the weeds of academia—with some new refreshing twists (with a cameo that made me smile like crazy!), Love, Theoretically was just such a delight to read.  Ali Hazelwood is the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis and Love on the Brain , as well as a writer of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the US to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. She recently became a professor, which absolutely terrifies her. When Ali is not at work, she can be found running, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her two feline overlords (and her slightly-less-feline husband). You can find her online at AliHazelwood.com or on Insta...

I remember reading The Dead Romantics last year and being blown away by the masterful way Poston wove a story of grief and love together. If I was blown away then, then I'm even more so now after finishing The Seven Year Slip . An inventive time travel love story that plays on the seven year itch, Poston's characters Clementine and Iwan meet seven years apart and through a story of growth and grief have to find a way to come back together.  Ashley Poston is the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics . A native of South Carolina, she lives in a small gray house with her sassy cat and too many books. You can find her on the internet, somewhere, watching cat videos and reading fan fiction. You can find her online at AshPoston.com and on Instagram @HeyAshPoston. You can find more of my reviews of her work here .   Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it. For Clementine West, that means burying her head i...

The thing about Tessa Bailey is that only she has the superpower to turn tropes that I am wary of into stories that I completely enjoy. Unfortunately Yours is no different. Natalie's and August's story is fun and honest, and I truly believe Bailey does some of her best character development in the "sequels" to her duologies. If you love romance, you'll love Unfortunately Yours , and if you're a Tessa Bailey fan, I'm sure you'll finish this one just as quickly as I did.  #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey can solve all problems except for her own, so she focuses those efforts on stubborn, fictional blue-collar men and loyal, lovable heroines. She lives on Long Island avoiding the sun and social interactions, then wonders why no one has called. Dubbed the "Michelangelo of dirty talk" by Entertainment Weekly , Tessa writes with spice, spirit, swoon, and a guaranteed happily ever after. Catch her on TikTok @authortessabailey or che...

As twisty and chilling as I've come to expect from Holly Jackson, the finale to the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is even darker than its predecessors, leading Pip and readers down unexplored paths for an explosive ending. If you love Holly Jackson or character-driven mystery/thrillers, you won't want to miss this trilogy, which ends with a bang. Holly Jackson is the #1 New York Times  bestselling author of the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series, an international sensation with millions of copies sold world-wide, and the thriller Five Survive . She graduated from the University of Nottingham, where she studied literary linguistics and creative writing, with a master's degree in English. She enjoys playing video games and watching true-crime documentaries so she can pretend to be a detective. She lives in London. She lives in London. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter @HoJay92. You can find more of my reviews of her work  here .  Pip is still haunted by the ...

Holly Jackson does it again with a new twisty, dark mystery solved by the characters we've come to love. Back in Fairview, Pip thinks she's given up sleuthing, until one of her close friend's older brother goes missing—then all bets are off as Pip investigates another murder, taking her to old suspects and new, getting caught in a net of her own expectations, and figuring out exactly what kind of girl she wants to be.  Holly Jackson is the author of the New York Times  bestselling series A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, an international sensation with millions of copies sold worldwide. She is also the author of the thriller Five Survive . She graduated from the University of Nottingham, where she studied literary linguistics and creative writing, gaining a master's degree in English. She enjoys playing video games and watching true-crime documentaries so she can pretend to be a detective. She lives in London. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter @HoJay92. You can...

I had high expectations for this one based on how much I loved the first two books of the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series (don't worry, I just haven't read the third one yet!) and Holly Jackson knocked this one out of the part. A fast-paced story full of tension and nuance, I found that I couldn't trust any of the characters as they figured out how to survive the night. If you love twist, unpredictable narratives and unreliable characters that you find hard to trust (including the narrator!), you will love Five Survive .  Holly Jackson is the author of the New York Times bestselling series A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, and international sensation with millions of copies sold worldwide. She graduated from the University of Nottingham, where she studied literary linguistics and creative writing, with a master's degree in English. She enjoys playing video games and watching true-crime documentaries so she can pretend to be a detective. She lives in London. Yo...

Stephanie Perkins's latest YA mystery/thriller is chilling, gory, and compelling in the most unnerving way. Following two best friends through a trip into the woods meant to resuscitate their friendship, they find that there might be other reasons they'll need to save their breath. Literally. Stephanie Perkins is the New York Times bestselling author and anthology editor of multiple books for young adults, including There's Someone Inside Your House , Anna and the French kiss , Lola and the Boy Next Door , and Isla and the Happily Ever After . She has always worked with books—first as a bookseller, then as a librarian, and now as a novelist. Stephanie lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her husband. Every room of their house is painted a different color of the rainbow. You can find her online at stephanieperkins.com or in Instagram @naturallystephperkins. You can find more of my reviews of her work here .  Best friends Neena and Josie spent high school as outside...