Recent Books I’ve Read and Enjoyed

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I love to read and have recently read (or listened to) some great books! I’ve also come across some duds, and you can find those listed below.

HITS:

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren. I flew through this book. I LOVE a love story and this book focused on two teens falling in love. There was a pretty decent amount of sexual content, maybe a bit more than I thought the storyline needed, but beyond that, I loved the development of their relationship and how the book ended.

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren. This was a light-hearted, easy read. It was also a story about relationships which had a mix of humor, plenty of sarcasm/sass, and a storyline that kept my interest until the very end. Some parts were predictable, but there were enough shifts that kept me on my toes.

Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella. I listened to this on Audible. It took a little bit to get rolling but once it was moving I was into it. I was curious to see how the ending would play out, and I appreciated how the author managed to describe the tug between career and more of a “homemaker” position.

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren. I LOVED this book. It’s romantic, sweet, and had a unique storyline that felt a little bit aligned with a “How to lose a guy in 10 days” type challenge.

MISSES:

Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro. This wasn’t my favorite book. It felt like the whole book was spent building up to a story that never actually unfolded. There were so many side details that ended up not even supporting the story of the book, so I was left confused and a little sad.

Between Earth and Sky by Amanda Skenandore. I gave up this one after a short bit.

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren. I really like this writing duo, but this book was a dud. The storyline had potential but it got ridiculous and then I just finished it because I was too far into it. It felt so incredibly far-fetched, and that often throws me off when I’m reading.

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I am slowly working my way through A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. I’ve heard SO MUCH about this book, and my friend, who I typically align with on book preferences, told me it was one of her favorite series. It’s a slow build but I’m interested!

You can find my other recommendations (or misses) on my GoodReads account.

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Carrie K says · 04.24.23

I agree 100% with “Something Wilder.” I listen to the Get Lit with Lianna podcast and the authors were wanting to try something new. I thought it was a flop.

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Kate says · 04.26.23

agree!

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Megan says · 04.24.23

True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren comes out in May and is the sequel to The Soulmate Equation! So excited for it!

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Courtney Doremus says · 04.24.23

The Court of thrones and roses is a great series.the first one is slow build. The audiobook is amazing through for the holy series

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marianamooore says · 05.14.23

True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren comes out in May and is the sequel to The Soulmate Equation! So excited for it!

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Roxy ac says · 04.25.23

First of all you wouldn’t like A court of thorns and roses, you’re just going to complain that it’s too smutty just like you complain about everything. EVERYTHING!! also, you say you’ve scaled back on sharing about your kids yet you share with the internet about their buttworms which should be the one thing you should never share, didn’t you one time say you wouldn’t want them coming across your stuff one day when they’re older, how do you think they’ll feel knowing you shared about their buttworms?? Piece of advice: stop complaining, spend more time with your kids and stop acting like it’s a chore to hang out with them. Also…you say they don’t do any extracurricular activities cus you’re prioritizing family dinners yet you never eat dinners together. Smh. Everyone sees thru you Kate.

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Kate says · 04.25.23

“Roxy”, this comment is weird. Sounds like you’ve been a follower for awhile, but you also sound like you hate me so… I find it strange that you are spending your time dedicated to something you hate. I don’t like being the focus of someone’s obsession in this way. Move on. Go outside. Stop following me.

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Sandy lopez says · 09.21.23

This comment is 😖 !! Get some help. Follow people you actually like. Enjoy life and stop being a mean girl

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Taylor says · 04.25.23

I’ve noticed that we have very similar taste in books!! And I just finished ACOTAR and am onto the second in the series. Just give the first book a bit more time and let me tell you… the second book I’m flying through! Definitely worth it. Second is so so good.

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Sheena says · 04.25.23

I am SO excited you are reading ACOTAR!! I am usually not a fantasy reader but I love the series so much! Can’t wait to hear what you think about it!!

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Kate says · 04.26.23

I’m very intrigued!

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Melissa says · 04.25.23

Can you maybe turn this into a series. Like maybe once a month or so. I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on these books.

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Kate says · 04.26.23

I’ll try to! I also update books Ive read and my thoughts on GoodReads!

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debora says · 04.25.23

Hi

Try The Single Wife. . . .Melissa Hill. Surprisingly good! Easy read but fun twist that I didn’t expect.

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Dani says · 04.25.23

I started listening to “The Guest List” based on your recommendation. I love it so far. This English teacher has a hard time leaning into audiobooks, but man is it growing on me. I find it so relaxing listening to books while getting ready for the day. Thanks for your well curated thoughts!

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Kate says · 04.26.23

Hope you love it!

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Jenn says · 04.26.23

I so agree about Signal Fires! I was so excited to read it, but it wasn’t what I was hoping. And – LOVED Love and Other Words! Kept me wondering all the way, and I loved their banter with “words.”

If you like mysteries/drama, try Riley Sager books. I was hooked!

Jenn

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Piper says · 04.28.23

Hi Kate,

I’ve been quietly following you for some time. First let me say, I think you are great! I may not be your target audience since I’m in my 50’s and my kids are big but I trust your recommendations and believe that you influence with integrity. You have a lovely family and seem like a great Mom ( love the way you handle the nasty comments from time to time too).

When you mentioned ACOTAR it caught my eye. This is for sure not a book I would have thought to read but I did, all of them! It’s a great series, spicy for sure but also unbelievaby exciting as it unveils. Feels a bit Game of Thrones to me. I hear HULU has picked it up for series development. Anyway, thought I’d say “hello” and keep up the good work! Piper

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Laura says · 04.30.23

Thank you!

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Kim V says · 05.01.23

Love your book lists! I just finished “The Unsinkable Greta James” by Jennifer E. Smith in one day, good read 😍

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Brooke says · 05.03.23

What is the audio book you just finished?

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laurentgreen says · 05.12.23

Thank you for this info; very useful for all the book lovers here

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gabriellamoore says · 05.12.23

Thank you for this list! I love reading, but lately, for me, it’s so hard to find something interesting and worth reading. The last book I read was called Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, and it was two months ago. Now I’m more into short stories, and I can say they can be so catchy and interesting to read. Huge thanks to my literature professor, who changed the program a little, and this term, we’re mostly discussing them. A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner was the last one I read, and I loved it. One of the best stories I’ve read so far. I also wrote a paper on it, and thanks to the info on https://edubirdie.com/examples/a-rose-for-emily/, I managed not only to finish it but also to understand the story and characters better. And if someone has never read it, I sincerely recommend doing it because the story is for sure worth it. And I can’t wait for my next literature class to find out what we’re reading next.

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ameliabronks says · 05.14.23

Thanks a lot for this post!

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Shannon says · 05.22.23

I would recommend: The Housemaid (read in a few hours!), Weight of Blood (recommend the audiobook), Reminders of Him (best Colleen Hoover book in my opinion), Every Summer After, and Greenwich Park. Those have been some of my favs.

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Jinger Huggins says · 05.23.23

Omg A Court of Thorns and Roses is SO GOOD!! The first book is definitely a slow build and will absolutely infuriate you at times, but the first trilogy is just an amazing ride! I also enjoyed the sequel trilogies for the series.

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Emily Kroodsma says · 08.17.23

When it comes to the Court of Thorns and Roses series, don’t stop at the first book. TRUST ME. The second book is the best one in the whole series and it is just dynamite! Ask your friend who recommended the series. I’m sure she’ll back me up! 😉

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Dana DiSilvestro says · 08.19.23

Yes, yes, yes! Something Wilder was AWFUL. I totally hated it.

I also loved The True Love Experiment – so great.

There is a movie on Netflix right now “Happiness for Beginners” – it is based off a book by those authors. I think I would have liked it more as a book – the movie was pretty cheesy.

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