The first half is all the books I read & recommend.

The second half are books I started reading / read but do not think highly enough of to recommend (although some I had to finish simply because I got too invested in what was happening and needed to know the ending).

No book links because I thoroughly encourage you to use a library or a local, independent bookseller and absolutely by all means possible, avoid Indigo/Chapters, and Amazon.

If you need one that delivers in Canada, I very much like McNally Robinson. They can order any book you like.

WHAT I RECOMMEND

Villa for rent on St. Barts: Kiki Astor

Very superficial fluffy read – Socialite turns poor – Island life – Starting again

I am realizing that Astor’s characters aren’t deep at all. And that is okay if you want a superficial beach read where you don’t think and you just read. Don’t think about the plot, the realism of it, the perspective of different people around you, and just read the plot. If this is not your kind of book, avoid it. I am only reading these because sometimes my brain needs to shut off and this works.

One and only: Maureen Goo

Matchmaking – Face reading – Fated loves – Finding yourself

Trigger warning: Parental loss

I LOVE THIS BOOK. I love it. It is so engaging and well written, all about finding your fated one, but of course, what if live throws you a curveball? It is about choosing the path, emphasis on the word CHOOSING and that the stories we are told to us as children, but also the ones we tell ourselves, have a massive impact on our decisions in the future, either consciously or not. Wonderful read, very thought-provoking.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Inkeeping: Sangu Mandanna

Witches and Wizards – Cosy Read – Power – Orphan – Family Neglect – Your True Family

This book, is about finding your true place in the world, the place where you can actually be yourself and not someone else or a shell of someone else to please others. It is about childhood, growing up with different role models around you and trying to figure out your place in the world. Plus, lots of love and understanding the true essence of your worth. It follows a very powerful witch named Sera and her journey to finding inner peace with her power and doing good.

Liberty Street: Heather Marshall

True Story – Non-Fiction – Mercer women’s prison – Toronto – Investigative journalism

A young journalist from Chatelaine, uncovers the truth of what has been going on in the secret women’s prison in the heart of Toronto. It was one of the more difficult books to read because I know all of the places mentioned in the book and could picture it in my head, as well as feel complete and utter despair for those who were lost in that unfair, grossly patriarchal and misogynistic system that unfortunately, still refuses to die to this day.

Ne’er Duke Well: Alexandra Vasti

Ladies in Hating: Alexandra Vasti

Earl Crush: Alexandra Vasti

Regency Tales – Feminist – Lighthearted – LGBTQ-Friendly

None of them are very dependent on each other but the order above is a good order.

None of her books are very heavy, so this is a great read for when you want to concentrate on something, and to be able to pick up where you left off without feeling the need to either (A) waste precious sleeping time on reading to find out what happened or (B) feel a shadow cast over your day over what is to come or feel in any way burdened by the book’s plots and themes. I very much needed and enjoyed the series, though I will say the writing style is a bit too .. simple (?) for me… I liked it, but if I had to recommend a series or an author, it would be more along the lines of Olivia Atwater’s works for Regency-vibe tales.

The storied life of A.J. Fikry – Gabrielle Zevin

Loss of a spouse – Bachelorhood – Unexpected miracles – Finding love

This was a book I wasn’t sure I would like, a few chapters in, but then I was hooked. The writing is sharp, funny, and witty, with great banter and dry humour which I love. It follows a widower named A. J. Fikry and his life, particularly with 3 major events that end up changing the course of his life – the loss of his wife and love Nic, the loss of a rare first edition and the adoption of a little girl who was left on his doorstep. The book is magic.

The Mysterious Affair at Gaunt Hall: Diana Harper

Time Travel of a Sort – Mystery – Finding Love – Vampire-vibes – Feminist

I really loved her first debut – A Party to Murder – and this one did not disappoint. It was both witty and also a nice mystery to figure out what was happening at Gaunt Hall, as well as the ending being a happy one (which I always enjoy). I rather like the addition of the witches in there…

Cross my heart: Megan Collins

Organ donor – Mystery – Famous author – Mental thriller – Murder – Finding love again

This book was totally not what I expected. I liked it, but I have to say, the writing style and the plot was not as refined or as developed as the tried and true authors like Greer Hendricks, or Freida McFadden. Still, I liked that it wasn’t as sensational as McFadden and I was guessing until the very end as to what happened.

Small Miracles: Olivia Atwater

Fallen Angels – Good intentions – Very much like the show “Good Omens” – Heartwearming

I bloody love this book. I love almost everything Atwater writes (except the stuff she co-authors, it seems), and this book was just so HEARTWARMING. This is like the vibe of the show “Good Omens”, which was based on a book by a Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett novel from the 1990s. I am not even mad because this was so cosy and delightful.. I kept picturing the actors in the movie, as the characters in this lovely book. It follows a fallen angel who is then asked to help a “good” angel right a wrong, battle an evil and find in their hearts who they really are. It is witty, funny and really good.

The Bright Years: Sarah Damoff

Broken families – Repeating history – Alcoholism – Resilience

I am torn between recommending this book and saying to forget it because it will break your heart. Anything to do with children, always gets me. I never feel anything but despair and pain when I read about how they suffer in so many ways, and this book was no different. If you are OK with the topics of child neglect, alcoholism, broken families as a result and domestic assault then this book is otherwise wonderfully written and such an intimate look into the aftermath of what happens to those families when hope disappears.. but of course, it reappears again but still.

Annie Knows Everything: Rachel Wood

Fake it till you make it – Love story – Unlikely romance – Corporate disillusionment

A really great book that was fun to read and interesting about a girl who gets laid off without notice and using nepotism at the workplace, she gets her friend in HR to reassign her to a totally random department she knows nothing about. She grows close to the team and ends up falling in love. That is about it, and it is incredibly funny to boot.

The Girl with the Suitcase: Lesley Pearse

Switched identities – WWII setting – Finding and losing love – Second chances

I did not expect to like the book as much as I did. I really enjoyed the story of a girl given a second chance at life and not wanting to waste it, but also living with the real fear of how she achieves her end goals. I liked this story of redemption, happiness, loyalty and worthiness (?)… it was a good story with a great ending.

Bury our bones in the midnight soil: V.E. Schwab

Vampires – Mystery – Curses – Deep and Dark

If you like very gothic, deep, dark novels, this one is for you. Think a modern, mysterious version of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”. Freaking FANTASTIC. I loved every page, and stayed up quite late finishing it.

I READ IT BUT I WISH I HADN’T

The September House: Carissa Orlando

A super goddamn creepy book. Honestly, I am of two minds, because I couldn’t put it down because it was just so well written, but the book itself was creepy AF. It was kind of told in a comedic manner, which let me continue to keep reading, but the whole idea of the house being the way it is, the ghosts in there, the history and the hauntings.. I would not necessarily recommend it unless you like very creepy, spine-tingling, mentally disturbing books.

Oxford Blood: Rachel Davis-Featherstone

A murder mystery set in Oxford, home to racism and elitism (what major good ol, university or college isn’t?) and it is a black girl trying to fight against the prejudice, racism and misogyny. Honestly, a decent read, more for young adults, but I wouldn’t say I wasted time reading it, but I wouldn’t heavily endorse it either. A neutral take.

A Study in Drowning: Ava Reid

What an awful goddamn book. I will give Reid another try but this was just so … terribly written from plot line, start to finish, that I wish I had never picked it up to read it. I had to know what happened of course, but it was just awful in terms of being a fantasy book with a promising storyline. Apparently it is a sequel to another book? Who TF cares, I am not reading the first one. I hated the characters with a passion.

A Reliable Wife: Robert Goolrick

When I read this to the end I thought – I will bet you a man wrote this. And I was right. That sort of tells you all, doesn’t it? It was dry, rather boring and while it tried to be an interesting mystery, it failed.

The Things We Never Say: Elizabeth Strout

This was another OK book. I read it just to know what happened, but it wasn’t very engaging to be honest. I couldn’t really muster myself to care about the characters.

The Best Worst Thing: Lauren Okie

Dear god. This book started off so promising, Nicole has a perfect life, finds out her loser husband Gabe is a cheater when they finally get pregnant with IVF for the child they’ve always wanted, then she goes back to an old flame that was never resolved at work. This is where it falls apart for me.

This guy, Logan, was SO INFURIATING in giving in to this temper tantrum of a woman and being OK with being her doormat while she “figures it out” between the two men in her life. What a goddamn waste it was to read this book to the end to figure out what happened. This isn’t finding a love story, this is a spoiled brat story.

Adelaide: Genevieve Wheeler

I read it. I wouldn’t read it again. It was … okay. I mean I get the idea of the book – mental health, sticking with a bad situation, these are all uncomfortable truths of daily life, but I just did not enjoy reading this book. Essentially, Adelaide stays in a relationship with someone who isn’t as committed and then there is a whole thing on mental health which I support, but I just disliked this book.

The Work Husband: Sophie Ranald

One of her worst books ever. Honestly, I would give this one a pass, and read her others. The heroine is a bit of a doormat, it just gave me the icks. I mean the ending was what I wanted in the end, but the whole book was just… a big WTF for me in terms of plot.

Out with the Ex: Sophie Ranald

Another wimpy protaganist clinging to a useless relationship. I liked the ending, but it just turned me off. Is she losing her touch? I am really getting disheartened here.

House with Good Bones: T. Kingfisher

This was a semi-interesting book. I liked the idea of the home being a bit haunted in a sense, and the whole premise of the story fit in nicely with that idea, but it just took so long to get to the end. I am not sure I would pick it up to recommend it or read it again. I would say give it a pass, no matter how many people say it is incredible.

Miss Gentle & The Case of the Very Flat Monk: Travis Baldree

This was just effing weird. I think I was mainly grossed out by the idea of body parts as holy relics, to be honest.

The Satisfaction Cafe: Kathy Wang

She normally never goes wrong, but this was a miss for me. I kept reading, hoping it would get better and it just made me more annoyed.

The Maid’s Diary: Loreth Anne White

Obviously playing off the popularity of McFadden’s Maid Trilogy. It was a decent read, and I enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t scream to read it immediately. It was still enjoyable with a twist and turn of who the maid really was.

WHAT I COULDN’T EVEN GET THROUGH THE FIRST FEW CHAPTERS OF

Why do people keep recommending some of these books?

• Bow Down: Lindsay Goldwert
• Patricia Highsmith: Patricia Highsmith
• Lady Tremaine: Rachel Hochhauser
• Woodworking: Emily St. James
• A Prayer for Owen Meany: John Irving
• Emily Noble’s Disgrace: Mary Paulson-Ellis
• The Dutch House: Ann Patchett
• Girl with no job: Claudia Oshry
• The Persians: Sanam Mahloudji
• The Courtesan’s Revenge: Frances Wilson
• Pink Palazzo: Kiki Astor