January Check In: What Have You Been Reading?

We are almost a month into the new year and I've been steadily reading through my books. How's it going in your corner of the world? Have you come across anything that's completely wow'ed you? Or have you unfortunately encountered a dud or two? I've read everything from a 5-star read down to barely a 3-star read. I thought it would be a good time to check in and share with you all what I've been reading and what I thought about those books.

Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills was the first full length novel I read in 2019 and I REALLY enjoyed it! This was my first Emma Mills book to read and definitely won't be my last. There is a soft poetic sense of familiarity as I read this YA novel, the kind I'd been missing and didn't even realize it. The strong friendships in this novel and how those friendships evolve and change as we grow older, really stood out to me. I love stories being told through the teenage eye, right on the cusp of their futures, deciding which path to take and how those decisions can change so much of your life ahead. I highly recommend this novel for fans of strong contemporary YA that definitely delivers with all the feels.

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang was one of my most anticipated reads of 2019. I cannot properly explain my joy and excitement when this galley showed up in my mailbox (thank you Berkley Romance team!!!). If you're a fan of her debut novel The Kiss Quotient from last year, then get ready, because here comes another book to fall in love with all over again. It's hard to really compare the two because they are very different, at least for me. Hoang truly shines with this sophomore novel, taking adult romance to such a heightened level of emotional growth and stability. There is a deeper story written here, one that is very close to Hoang's personal life, and as the reader you can definitely feel it through the pages. Dare I say I love this novel even more??

I decided to try something new this year, to help broaden my romance books that I read. Over on my instgram (@GReadsBooks), I asked my followers to recommend a romance to me. I decided each month to read a new-to-me romance recommended by you all. It is a great way to discover new books and authors I have never heard of, and/or finally sit down and read those romance books people keep gushing about, yet I never found time to read them. I plan to read one or two from this list each month. If you have a favorite romance you'd like to recommend to me, please do so in the comments below and I'll be sure to add it to my list.

The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker was one of the first books I decided to read after I initiated my "Recommend a Romance" feature on Instagram. To be honest, I was blown away by how many people told me it was either their favorite read of 2018, or their most recommended book for others to read. So naturally I went into it with very high expectations. That might have been part of the problem. Unfortunately, this novel did not wow me like it has for so many others. Immediately I was not a fan of the main character. I struggled to connect with her, and that made my struggle to connect with the story as a whole even more difficult. I found myself putting the book down and not excited to be picking it back up. The romance itself did not spark the chemistry I had hoped for, either. I'm glad I gave this one a try though.

I Knew You were Trouble by Lauren Layne was just the palette cleanser I needed! She has become a contemporary romance author that I know I can count on. All of her books that I've read so far have been sexy, flirty, and just enough emotional depth to keep me tied to the story. I've been slowly making my way through her backlist titles and that's why I picked this one up. This NYC advertising agency is packed full of sexy tension and irresistible charm. Each book in the Oxford series has definitely entertained me. I am also a super fan of her latest series, 21 Wall Street, and have preordered the next book in that series which is due out in February. Her writing style reminds me of old school Christina Lauren (I'm looking at you, Wild Seasons series) & I can never get enough of that!

Overnight Sensation by Sarina Bowen is currently on my kindle app. As you're reading this blog post, I'll probably be finished with it. I came into this series late, starting with book four (Brooklynaire) which I devoured last year and loved. So when book five came out, I immediately wanted to jump back in to this professional hockey adult romance world. These books are the perfect antidote when you're looking for an escape from reality. The sexy banter is great and the steamy scenes are, well, STEAMY! I don't know much about hockey, but when I read these books, I feel like the Brooklyn Bruisers number one fan! Ha! I definitely recommend this series and hope to go back and read them from the beginning.



These are the books I've been reading this month (with the exception of a few short stories, and others not pictured). I'm planning to make a stop at the bookstore on Tuesday to buy my copy of 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne, another 2019 release I am highly anticipating. I have a gift card to spend, so I think I'll also pick up Becoming by Michelle Obama since it's been on my wish list for quite some time. What books have you read? What are you planning to read next? Let's keep the book chat going in the comments!