Hello, lovelies!
It's been a minute since I posted about my reading journey, and it's been a rollercoaster. At the beginning of the year, I set a reading goal of forty books, which I thought was pretty realistic. Six months later, and that isn't the case any longer. For the first five months, I only managed to read five books in total, and quite frankly, it left me feeling guilty. So, I decided to lower my reading goal for the year to twenty-five.
It feels much more manageable, and since setting the new goal, I've managed to read seven books. Having a more realistic goal has inspired me to read more, and I've been taking advantage of other reading formats like Kindle and audiobooks. I've been running out of space for books, so having the option of purchasing an e-book has been a godsend as it allows me to continue supporting my favourite authors and feeding my buying books addiction.
So far, I've read some pretty fabulous books this year. Not to list them all (we know I do this at the end of the year), but my favourite books I've read so far are:
- Saving the Star by Rachel Bowdler.
- Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.
- Dirty Laundry by Richard Pink & Roxanne Emery.
These three books have been my reading highlights of the year so far! I'll give a little synopsis below of each, and you'll see exactly why each book was a spectacular read!
Saving the Star by Rachel Bowdler
Saving the Star is a sapphic romance between a bodyguard and a celebrity; it gives The Bodyguard vibes but is modern and very gay. Move on, Costner and Housten, we have a woman-loving woman romance on our hands!
This novella is short and sweet, and I loved every page so much that I devoured it in one sitting. We follow the two main characters, Beck and Atlanta, through both of their point of view. After a robbery of Atlanta's family, Beck is hired to protect her at all costs. We follow the pair escape paparazzi in Paris, attend glitz and glam events, and there's a car chase! This novella is packed with action, suspense, and romance.
So, if you're looking for your next WLW read packed with action and love, I'd highly recommend this gorgeous read.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
This book has done the rounds on Tik Tok, Book Tok, and Bookstagram, and I can't believe it has taken me so long to read it. Why had I been putting it off for so long? God knows, but once I finally decided it was time, I had such a good time reading this book! Red, White, & Royal Blue is a love story between the Prince of England, Henry and the First Son of the President of the United States, Alex.
It's a tame enemies-to-lovers book, to begin with. We follow the pair as they're forced to be friends for the sake of their countries, and in this time, they become closer than ever. These characters' chemistry, romance, and story were enjoyable to read. The book is steamy, and at times I cried, laughed, and, in the end, felt all fuzzy inside.
If you're looking for a gay romance story between two guys with secret lovers, strong female characters, and an enjoyable read, this may be the one for you!
Dirty Laundry by Richard Pink & Roxanne Emery
Dirty Laundry: Why Adults with ADHD are so ashamed and what we can do to Help, what a book. First, I've been following Roxanne and Richard on Tik Tok and Instagram for a while, and their content is hilarious and relatable.
Roxanne shares experiences from her life and how ADHD has affected her over the years, and how when she got her late diagnosis, things started to just make sense. She shares some heartfelt moments and struggles, reflects on how a diagnosis has changed her life, and understands why her brain performs how it goes. Richard shares his thoughts and experiences of living with someone who has ADHD; he explains how different his thought process as a neurotypical person differs from someone who is neurodivergent. He shows his love and support and shares with us ways in which he helps his "ADHDer", which is insightful. Each chapter is broken down into different ADHD symptoms, and Roxy shares her experiences and how she copes, and Richard shares his side of the experience and provides useful ways to be supportive.
I'd recommend reading this book if you've got ADHD and if you've got someone in life who has. It's a great read; it makes you laugh, cry and, most importantly, understand!
It's about what you can read, not what you can't!
At first, I was slightly annoyed with myself for changing my goal, but now I know it's better to play it safe. Having high expectations sometimes do you more damage than good. So far, I've read a grand total of twelve books this year. It's a slow but steady process, but the main thing is to enjoy reading. Reading for the love, not for the goal!
So, for now, I bid you farewell! I'm deep into writing a novel and reading when I'm not writing.
Happy reading, bookworms!
Saving the Star by Rachel Bowdler
