What I’ve read in the month, and a summary of my thoughts.
I had a better reading month this month than I did last month. I did, however, have 1 DNF this month, but life is too short to read books you don’t vibe with. I did aim to read more this month than I did, but oh well lol.
Here is what I read, what I rated them and if I recommend them. All books except my DNF have full reviews up on here if you want to read them.
I didn’t have the best reading month in January. I read 5 books, which isn’t bad by any means, but I only read 8 days out of 31, which was not my goal. I was aiming to read at least 5 pages each day in January, but with moving house, everything became too much, and I couldn’t focus on reading. The books I did read in January, however, were all amazing, so in that respect it was a great reading month.
Without any further ado, here are the books I started 2026 with.
My first book of the year was an ARC of Midnight Chase by Harleigh Beck. A book I was so excited for after reading Fatal Collision in December 2025. I loved this book, and I can’t wait for book 3. I gave this book 5 stars. This is out now, and you should read it, read Fatal Collision first!
My second book was another ARC, this was Meet Cute At The Boneyard by C.J Riggs, which is a paranormal romance, and I loved this! It was such a cute book, there was still murder and gore…it’s Riggs, so you bet there was female rage too, which I freaking love! I gave this book 5 stars. This is releasing on 10th February, and you know imma say you need to read it 😀
I then read Pump Two by J Cherry, which was recommended to me by my friend Emma, whom I met on TikTok. This was recommended as part of my 12 Friends, 12 Months, 12 Books challenge. This was also the first book I have read by this author; it is a novella featuring a biker and the mask kink, and I enjoyed reading it. It was a perfect read for a month where I was struggling to concentrate most days. I gave this 4 stars.
I then read Hot Vampire Next Door Season One by Nikki St. Crowe, which was recommended to me by Harleigh Beck as a part of my 12 Authors, 12 Months, 12 Books challenge. I really liked this and will 100% be adding the next 4 books to my TBR. This is set in a supernatural town, and I want to move there. I gave this book 4 stars.
I then read another ARC, which was Slaughter Park by Lauren Biel. This is book 4 in the Slaycation series, and I freaking love this series so much! This book was just as good as the other 3, if not better, because the MMC is Scottish 😛 I can’t wait for the audiobook. I gave this book 5 stars. It releases on 15th February. I think you should read it.
I have got reviews for all these books up on my blog, so if you want a more in depth feel for the book, please go read them 🙂
Stats
•5 Books Read
•All Kindle books
•2 Kindle Unlimited Books
•3 ARCs
•1,008 pages read
•Longest Book: Slaughter Park
•Shortest Book: Meet Cute at the Boneyard
•Prettiest Cover: Midnight Chase
•Favourite of the month: Slaughter Park (this was so hard to choose!)
This month has been a really good month for me reading wise. I’ve managed to read 13 books this month 🙂 Here is what I read and what I rated it 🙂
I started the month with an ARC from Nova Kane, so you already know it was a good start to the month! I read Blood & Throttle, which I devoured! This was Death Race but on bikes, and it was amazing. I gave it 5 stars.
I then read Queens of Ruin by Selena Collins. I read this because I needed to read a book beginning with Q for my alphabet challenge, and I had this on my Kindle. I didn’t enjoy it. The idea was good, the execution not so much. I gave it 2.5 stars.
I then read the book I was most excited for this month! Veradel by Mariah Montoya and Grace Pearce. This was book two in the Guardians and Monsters duology. I read Xantera last month and was obsessed, so I had been eagerly waiting for this ARC to pop in my inbox, and I was just as obsessed with this one as I was with Xantera! 5 stars. This is a new favourite duology for me!
I then listened to and ALC of Dark Desires by Effie Campbell. I enjoyed the narrators, but felt the spice-to-plot ratio was too heavy in the spice direction. I still enjoyed it, just didn’t love it. I gave it 3.5 stars.
I then read Of Darkness and Ruination by Rachel Fallon. This was on my 12 months, 12 Friends, 12 books challenge. I enjoyed this; the only issue was that it was very, very similar to ACOTAR. Had I not read ACOTAR already, then I would have probably given this book 5 stars, but because it was so similar, I kept unintentionally comparing the two books, and Calix just didn’t hit the same as Rhysand for me, and so I gave it 4 stars.
I then read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. I never read this in school, as I think my set did Jane Eyre, anyway, I had to read a classic as part of my StoryGraph challenge, and I picked this because it was 121 pages and figured I could manage that. I’m not a classics girlie, but this was okay. I felt rather uncomfortable reading it, though, which was maybe the point of the book, I dunno. I gave it 3 stars.
I then had another ALC, this one was Becoming Justice by Liv Macy. I hadn’t heard of this author prior to this, but I really enjoyed listening to this. I gave it 4 stars.
I then read A Wife for the Blacksmith by Viola Grey, because I needed a Historical Fiction for my 52 book challenge, I swear these challenges got me reading all sorts of books outta my comfort zone…I guess that’s the point of them though haha. I picked this because it was short, and it was okay. I gave it 3.5 stars.
I then read Mariposa by Lexi Axelson. I’ve wanted to read See You Soon by her, but for some reason, I’m scared to start that book, so I read this one instead. I did not expect to cry reading this book, but I sobbed! 4 stars.
I then read You May Now Kill The Bride by Kate Weston. This had been on my TBR for over a year, and I needed a book beginning with Y to finish my book alphabet, lol. I enjoyed it. I don’t read much mystery/thriller these days, but it was once my comfort genre, so it’s always fun to go back to that genre. I gave it 4 stars.
I then received an ARC of Fatal Collision by Harleigh Beck. You all know by now that Harleigh is one of my favourite authors. I loved this book! Kane had me swooning, giggling, kicking my feet the lot! I can’t wait for book 2. 5 stars!
I then read Fost by Lo Gold, which was another ARC. This was a monster romance, which isn’t a genre I’ve read much of. I enjoyed it, but didn’t love it. 3.5 stars.
I finished the month with Sweet Doe by Melissa McSherry and Dana LeeAnn. I had read the first book in this duet last year and loved that. I didn’t love this one quite the same, and I ended up giving it 3.5 stars.
There should be full reviews for all these books on my blog (except of mice and men).
My favourite book of the month is Veradel.
My top 3 favourite books this month are:
Veradel
Blood & Throttle
Fatal Collision
I hope you all had a good reading month.
Now it’s on to Christmas books xD
I struggled a lot this month with reading. I just couldn’t get my brain to focus. I did, however, finally finish a diamond painting I started last year, so there’s that 😂 I read 6 books this month, well 6.15 since I did listen to 15% of one book but then DNF’d anyway, we will get into that 😂 Here’s what I read this month.
Continue reading “July Reading Wrap Up”
I can’t believe another month has come to an end. The 6th month too! How has half a year gone by already? Crazy.
This is what I have read in June. I haven’t managed to do individual reviews on here for many of them, but they are all on my TikTok. I have not had the best month health-wise. I have been very drained, dealing with insomnia as well as mini strokes. I will try to get to them, though 🙃
Continue reading “June Book Summary: Health Struggles & Reading Highlights”
