This month everything I read is by an author I already loved. Each book was great, but I especially recommend the truly charming Meant to Be Mine and fun YA thriller The Counselors.
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
I know I’m *very* late to the party on this one! Side note: I still haven’t watched the TV show. But I will soon!
I absolutely loved Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I Loved Before series and was excited to jump into another one of her series. It’s fabulous.
Belly spends all winter counting down the days to spending the summer at Cousins Beach. Every summer her family goes there to stay at her mom’s best friend Susannah’s house. Susannah’s sons, Jeremiah and Conrad, have always been like brothers to Belly and quite often treat her like their annoying little sister. But this summer things are changing. This summer Jeremiah and Conrad start to notice Belly in a different way. And Belly has had a big crush on Conrad for years now.
The book is told both in the current timeline and with bits and pieces of memories of other summers at Cousins Beach. I loved seeing the world through Belly’s eyes and it reminded me SO much of what it’s like to be 15 and on the verge of adulthood. It’s the perfect quick and fun summer read.
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Meant to Be Mine by Hannah Orenstein
I am a MASSIVE Hannah Orenstein fan. Each of her books is an absolute delight so of course I was pumped to dive into her latest.
The premise: What if you knew the day you were going to meet the love of your life? Brooklynite Edie Meyer does. Her grandma has accurately predicted the day everyone in their family would meet their partner. After many years of waiting, it’s finally Edie’s day: June 24, 2022. And sure enough, she meets a dreamy musician while traveling that day.
As the relationship starts to progress, she begins to question if they really are meant to be. When big reveal happens, she then starts to question everything even more.
Like all of Hannah’s books, this is the perfect “read it in a day” romance that you just want to gobble up as fast as you can. I am kicking myself for devouring it and not savoring it over a few days.
I adored everything about this book but I especially loved how unapologetically Jewish it is. Edie’s family felt so much like mine — there’s a Rosh Hashannah scene that felt identical to my own family gatherings. I could really relate to Edie’s connection to her religion. Whether or not you’re Jewish, this book is a must-read for any romance lovers.
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
The Counselors by Jessica Goodman
Growing up sleepaway camp was EVERYTHING to me. I’m quite literally going to visit my best friend from sleepaway camp this weekend. I’ve loved Jessica Goodman’s previous young adult thrillers but was especially for this one that takes place at camp. It was the best dose of camp nostalgia.
Goldie spends all year looking forward to spending the summer at Camp Alpine with her two best friends. While she’s excited to be back at her happy place, she’s also been hiding a major secret from her friends that’s slowly eating at her.
Camp Alpine is the lifeline of the town of Roxwood where Goldie is from. While most people in Roxwood resent the camp and see it as a place for spoiled rich kids, Goldie has been lucky enough to be going there since she was little thanks to her parents being on staff.
During camp orientation week, a local teen turns up dead in the camp lake. Goldie fears it’s not an accident, but no one else seems to care. What unfolds is both a twisty thriller, but also a love letter to sleepaway camp and the bonds you make there.
I of course loved this book, both thanks to it taking place at a sleepaway camp, but also because it’s my kind of thriller that’s fun but won’t scare the crap out of you.
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
American Royal III: Rivals by Katharine McGee
I’m such a huge fan of Katherine McGee’s American Royals series (you can check out my review of the first book here) and was SO hyped when the third installment was announced.
The overall premise is: What if George Washington was the king of the United States? In the books we are now in present times with the royal descendants of the Washington family. This book starts pretty much where we left off. It felt fun to catch up with Beatrice, Sam, Nina, and Daphne… but it also took me a while to remember all the things that happened in the first two books! We continue to see Beatrice find her footing as the new queen, while Samantha is also figuring out her place as the heir to the throne. I especially loved following along with Samantha’s best friend Nina who starts to bond with Daphne in an unexpected way.
While I was iffy on the book at times, the ending totally won me over. It just blew my damn mind, what. a. cliffhanger. I’ll be impatiently waiting for the next book in 2023.
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand
It’s not *officially* summer until I read the newest Elin Hilderbrand book. Her books tend to take place on Nantucket and are the ultimate beach reads.
This one is about the first summer of a Nantucket hotel that’s been meticulously renovated and is under new management. We follow a cast of characters that are at the hotel from the struggling General Manager Lizbet to a ghost that is seeking revenge after dying in a fire at the hotel back in the 1920s.
The book has a little bit of everything — a budding romance among the staff, lots of deep dark secrets, a ghost, and of course a lot of dreamy descriptions of Nantucket. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the ghost aspect of it and if I’d care, but it pleasantly surprised me. I knew I was in good hands with Elin Hilderbrand and could sit back and enjoy the ride.
This book is the perfect escape from the chaos that is the world these days. It also makes me want to go to Nantucket ASAP.
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
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