We’re almost halfway through the year and I’ve plowed through sixty-two books so far. As was the case last year, they’ve mostly been in audio format. I like audiobooks because they leave my hands free for working on crochet projects, and they give me something to listen to in the car. My work commute is less that five minutes, but every minute counts I guess.
I started the year finishing up Michael Connelly‘s entire back catalog. I then shifted into a few light-hearted reads, promptly followed by some EL James (don’t judge – Zachary Webber‘s voice makes the Grey series an annual re-listen for me). Then I dove into contemporary romance again for the first time in over a year with B.K. Borison‘s delightful Heartstrings series (I am very impatiently awaiting book 3 next year). This was followed by some hit-or-miss titles, and then I eventually landed in Heated Rivalry territory. Because how could I not? I still have not seen the series yet (it’s on my to-watch list), but the books were fun.
April and May were filled with books by some of my favorite auto-buy authors:
- I felt like Alison Cochrun delivered Every Step She Takes directly to me. I felt every bit of it deep in my soul and I will carry the character of Sadie in my heart forever. Also (name drop) Alison is just about the sweetest person you’ll meet in real life and I want her to be my best friend.
- I had to catch up on Ali Hazelwood‘s catalog a little bit since I took a break from romance last year. She’s definitely still got that wonderful spark in her writing, which (another name drop) perfectly matches her IRL personality.
- I restarted Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series just to refresh my memory and finish the series. Delightful as always, and the narration is brilliant. I think these will be an annual re-listen for me.
- And then there was TJ Klune. Damn, this man just can’t write a bad book. I re-read The House in the Cerulean Sea before diving into the sequel, which was very nearly as good as the original. And then I picked up his newest, We Burned So Bright, and the damn thing nearly broke me. It was absolute perfection. And (name drop #3) he is an absolute riot in person. More on that in a later post though.
- Abby Jimenez. What can I say? Every book of hers is a dream come true for readers. The Night We Met has all of the romantic angst you could ever want, and it’s in the running for my favorite book of the year. Also (you guessed it – name drop) Abby is one of the most engaging authors I’ve met. She’s very gracious with her fans.
Most recently I’ve apparently decided to read Kayley Loring‘s entire catalog. I hadn’t intended to, but a scroll through available titles on Libby brought me to her Name in Lights series, and then I remembered how much I liked her Brodie Brothers series so I listened to them again (I aspire to be Mama Brodie), and that led me to the Boston Tomcats, which I’ve just finished, and who knows what I’ll pick next. I love her narrators, so whatever I choose it will definitely be an audiobook.
And if you’re curious about the rest of what I’ve read so far this year, here are all of the covers, complete with star ratings…
