These books feature characters and content for adults.
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House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City 1): A spectacular series opener
A half-fae “party girl” and an enslaved angel must work together to solve a gruesome case involving murder, demon summoning, and black market drugs.
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The Duke & I (Bridgerton 1): Romanticizing toxic relationships
Simon, a duke avoiding marriage, and Daphne, a socialite looking to get engaged, pretend to court – and must avoid falling in love while they’re at it.
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The Librarianist: Hopeful and funny
Bob Comet is a retired librarian. After a chance encounter with a confused elderly woman, Bob begins volunteering at a retirement community, where he reckons with his past.
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The Beautiful Ones: A fairly standard affair
Nina is a young woman making her debut in Loisail who struggles to control her telekinetic powers — until she meets Hector, a telekinetic like her. She begins to fall for him, but Hector has a secret.
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Olga Dies Dreaming: A little slow, but compelling
Olga, a wedding planner, and her brother Prieto, a local politician, grapple with their ambitions, identities, beliefs, and their relationship with their absent mother in 2017 NYC.
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When We Were Bright and Beautiful: Twisty and engaging
A college student, Cassie, and her affluent family reel from the aftereffects of her brother’s rape charge. As the case unravels, Cassie must face the truth about the people she loves most.
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The Priory of the Orange Tree: Somehow too long and too short
In this epic fantasy set in a world besieged by wyrms and dragons, we follow four characters across several countries: a servant tasked to protect the queen until she gives birth, an exiled lord struggling to survive on his quest, an ambitious dragon-rider-in-training who jeopardized her future and country, and a dishonored alchemist.
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The Antiquity Affair: An adventurous tale
In 1907, two sisters, Lila and Tess, are swept up in a scheme to uncover an ancient (and potentially powerful) Egyptian relic.
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Go as a River: Tragic and inspiring
In rural Colorado from the 1940s to the 1970s, we follow a young girl as she navigates becoming a woman, suffers a horrendous loss at the hands of those she trusted, then flees for safety.
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The Great Alone: An all-time favorite
When the Allbright family moves to the Alaskan bush, a young girl must learn to survive not just the dangers of the wild but also the dangers inside her home.
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All the Feels: Cute, but bland
When an actor, Alex, gets bad press as a result of a bar fight, his show runner hires Lauren to keep him out of trouble – which means spending all their time together.
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A Darker Shade of Magic: Disappointing overall
In a universe where there are four parallel Londons, Kell – a rare magician capable of traveling between these Londons – is caught up in a scheme to move a dangerous talisman before other power-hungry individuals get a chance to take it.
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Book Lovers: A light and easy read
A big city career woman agrees to to go to Sunshine Falls in search of a small town romance…and runs into a work enemy instead.
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Verity: My first (and probably last) CoHo book
When Lowen is asked to ghost write for a famous author (who has been in an accident and can’t move or speak), she moves in with the author’s family – only to discover a terrifying and disturbing autobiography.
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Scorched Grace: A new kind of detective
A heavily-tattooed, chain-smoking, queer nun puts her sleuthing skills to the test to solve a crime.
These books target an audience in the 18-23 age range. New Adult tends to straddle the line, featuring tropes or plot points beloved in Young Adult, but with Adult characters and content.
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A Court of Wings and Ruin (Book 3): The worst of ACOTAR
Book 3 for the A Court of Thorns and Roses series.
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A Court of Mist and Fury (Book 2): The best of ACOTAR
Book 2 of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series.
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A Court of Thorns and Roses (Book 1): A good introduction
A human girl is whisked away to a magical High Lord’s court as retribution for killing one of the Fae.
These books have characters and content for teenagers.
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My Lady Jane: Funny and charming
In an alternate history where some humans can shift into animals, Lady Jane Grey’s history is completely rewritten. In this version of events, King Edward, her cousin and dearest friend, marries her off to Gifford – who’s a horse. Not only that, but in the process, she’s unwittingly swept up in a plot to steal…
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Tress of the Emerald Sea: Fun and whimsical
When the boy she loves disappears, Tress sets sail to find him – except on her planet, the seas are made of deadly spores.
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The Isles of the Gods (Book 1): Surprisingly enjoyable
In a world where slumbering gods are awakening, a young sailor, a prince, and a scholar must survive both the ocean and their enemies if they’re going to prevent a war.
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Lies We Sing to the Sea: A decent YA debut
Leto’s story begins with her death. After she is sacrificed to the sea god, she finds herself transformed – and saddled with a mission to kill the prince.
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The Book of Essie: Compelling and interesting
Essie, the youngest daughter in an evangelical family with a reality TV show called Six for Hicks, is pregnant. Now she must orchestrate her freedom.
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Ruthless Vows (Book 2): An okay sequel
Iris and Roman deal with the fallout as the war front heads toward Oath.
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Throne of Glass: Full series review
This series follows a young assassin with a mysterious past who was raised by an infamous Assassin’s Guild leader. Everyone wants to use her unique skills for themselves – or otherwise eradicate the threat she poses. As she struggles for freedom, she is also forced to confront her deepest secrets.
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A Study in Drowning: Entertaining but predictable
Effy, a freshman and the only girl in her college, is accepted to take on the daunting task of redesigning a mansion that pays homage to her favorite author – but things at Hiraeth Manor are stranger than she realized.
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Little Women: Sweet as a toothache
Little Women follows the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, as they grow up in the American Civil War era.
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Divine Rivals: Sweet and well-written
Two competing young journalists navigate life, love, and the front line in the midst of war between gods.
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August 2023 DNF Roundup
In lieu of a review this week, I’m covering a quick list of some recent DNFs (books I gave up on). Come sip the tea.
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A Deadly Education: Perfect for teen readers
At the Scholomance, half the students won’t survive to graduation. El is doing well enough – except her magic is powerful and inconveniently primed for evildoing, so she has to be careful not to raze the whole place down.
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The Ocean at the End of the Lane: Whimsical and creepy
A middle-aged man suddenly remembers the strange, magical happenings he experienced as a child when he returns to visit the house at the end of the lane from his childhood home.
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The Hawthorne Legacy (Book 2): Entertaining but not mind-blowing
The plot thickens as Avery tries to find the one man who may know why a stranger left his billions to her instead of his own family.
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Mary Jane: A delightful, cozy read
In 1975 Baltimore, 14-year-old sheltered Mary Jane takes a summer nannying job in a home where the psychologist father is treating a drug-addicted rock star and his movie star wife.
