Disclaimer: I am not as big of a reader as most people, but the past few summers have inspired me to read more. Summers are usually my time to read, sit down, relax, and tan. Without further ado, here are all the books I’ve read this summer and my ratings on them.
Twisted Love and Twisted Games
Written by Ana Huang, these are the first two books of Huang’s Twisted Series. She writes steamy and darker romances and let me tell you these were just that. The books are connected by a friend group. Each girl in the group falls in love with a different man. The men are portrayed as a dominant alpha protective males. They have never experienced real love before and are not interested in finding love. This all changes when they meet the girls, who are depicted as innocent and happy. They are also not interested in finding love because of their busy lifestyle, which I think only draws the characters closer. The tension rises throughout the books until finally, it breaks. In my opinion, the men are too aggressive and extremely toxic. While these are spicy romance books, there is much more to the plot than just that. I handed it to Huang for keeping me on my toes as I flipped through the pages wondering what possibly could happen next. I rate Twisted Love and Twisted Games a 6/10. I feel that even though they are a series both the books almost have the same storyline in different fonts. Also, the type of love the men show is not my cup of tea. But if you enjoy these types of romance books, I would highly recommend it!
Happy Place
Happy Place is Emily Henry’s first published romance novel, but it’s not the first of her’s that I’ve read. Last summer, I read People We Meet on Vacation and Beach Read. This is when I decided that Emily Henry was my favorite author. Her books have very little spice and instead focus on the true connections the characters have. The couple in Happy Place previously dated but then broke up before their best friend’s wedding. So they decided to keep that a secret in order to keep the wedding festivities positive. Although this may be a spoiler, the ending is predictable as the characters confess, they still have feelings for each other. Little do they know that their friends found out about their breakup and used their wedding activities as an excuse to bring them back together. Following along with the book made me feel as if I were one of their best friends rooting for them. I wanted them to stop arguing and realize they were always meant to be together. I rate Happy Place a 7.5/10! I LOVE Emily Henry, but I have to leave room for my other favorites from her.
Funny Story
Soooo this was actually a funny story, again by Emily Henry (her newest published book), because I began reading rooting for the wrong guy. My jaw dropped at the way this book played out. I don’t know if I was blind, but I honestly didn’t know who the girl would end up with. I also couldn’t decide who I thought was better for her. I think that is exactly how the character must have felt. Props to Emily Henry for putting me in the character’s shoes. I was happy to find out that no matter how she thought her life would be, it was better than what she asked for. This book told us readers that even if you don’t expect it, be open to all the opportunities that are presented to you. I give Funny Story a 8.7/10. It was such a good read from the plot to the message I took from it but let me tell you these next books are even better reads.
Just for the Summer
When I initially saw this book pop up on my TikTok (as a book cover judger) I knew I had to read it. Not to mention Emily Henry’s little review on the front cover. This is one of those books where the girl is very set in her tracks, she knows what she wants, and will get what she wants. This makes the main male character fall in love right away, which is always the best type of romance to read. The two characters had a curse. They would date a person for a short time, and then that person would find their soulmate immediately after. Once the girl found out that this guy had the same curse, they thought what better way to experiment it on themselves. Instead of their soulmate being the next person they date, they couldn’t get themselves past the breakup. The two formed a special bond where the rules of their dating scheme kept being broken because they truly cared for each other. They showed love through sickness, grievances, and happiness. Love never was forced with these two, and it was always shared in little ways. This is the exact love I look for and because of that I rate it a 9/10. Applause to Abby Jimenze because now I can’t wait to read more from her series.
Call It What You Want
When I thought it couldn’t get better… it did. Call It What You Want, sound familiar? Clearly written by a Swiftie, Alissa DeRogatis’s debut novel, as she was writing a love letter about her past situationship. This was directed to those who fell in love with someone who they never dated or someone who never loved them back. This book showed what kind of guy every girl deserves. As a college sophomore, this is the perfect book to read. It is a lesson and learning experience as something I haven’t had to experience myself but definitely have seen. Love can blind you and this book shows that clearly, with views on both sides of the relationship. The man holds back his love for her because he was never shown love himself. The girl never receives the love she should from him but gets more than what she’s asked and ever dreamed of from another man. She unfortunately still falls back to the wrong one. The ending is nowhere near what any of us would expect from a usual romance novel, but it teaches us that not every relationship ends with a happy ending. Finally, I’ll give this book a 10/10 for finishing off my summer with more jaw drops, gasps, and the most meaningful story that I appreciate from the author.Â