This book was a mixed bag for me, but in a good way. The real standout wasn’t the romance—it was the caregiving. That part hit hard in the best way. The moments where the characters show up for each other, take care of family, and deal with the quiet, tough stuff of real life? That’s where the story shines. It felt honest, relatable, and way more emotional than I expected going in.

The romance, though? Just okay. The banter was cute, the setup had potential, but the chemistry didn’t totally click for me. It kind of felt like the romance was going through the motions, checking the trope boxes without really giving me butterflies.

Still, I appreciated how the book balanced lighthearted rom-com energy with some real-life emotional weight. It’s not a swoony read, but if you like your love stories with a side of heart and caretaking, it’s worth picking up.

This was such a sweet, thoughtful read. The Secret Keeper of Main Street has that cozy small-town vibe I love, with just a hint of mystery regarding Elsa and Charlene’s lives.

 The main character, Bailey, runs a wedding dress shop and can see people’s heartstrings. Often that means seeing that many of her brides are not in love with their grooms. But sometimes it leads her down even darker paths, uncovering crimes. Bailey refuses to turn a blind eye to anyone who needs her help, by doing so she become entwined with Elsa. A bride who seems anything but excited for her wedding day. 

I also really appreciated the author’s handling of race, power, and queerness in this story. Sometimes I think balancing all of those at once can feel too heavy, especially for a book that doesn’t reach 300 pages. But here it is done extremely well and all of those themes come together to form a beautifully human ending that had me wanting to give the author a big hug. 

Goddess of the River is a beautifully written, emotionally charged retelling that reimagines the story of Ganga with a fresh, feminist perspective. Vaishnavi Patel gives voice and depth to a figure often sidelined in mythology (as she states in the end note). This story turns Ganga into a fully complex character wrestling with her duty, and the pain the accompanies it. The writing was lyrical but still accessible, and the emotional weight of certain scenes really stayed with me (chapters 7 and 8 particularly).  

Motheater has a “screw the corporations” (kind of?) vibe and some really striking imagery, but the storyline left me pretty confused. The plot is fragmented and abstract, with characters and events that feel more symbolic than grounded. I get that it’s supposed to be unsettling, but I kept feeling like I was missing key pieces. It didn’t quite click for me, and unfortunately the romantic aspect felt really lack luster. 

I’m on my classics journey and wanted to read this after finishing Dracula… and it’s so much better than Dracula!

If you’re into gothic vibes, eerie castles, mysterious strangers, and slow-burn suspense, this book is everything. Sheridan Le Fanu does such a great job building this creepy, dreamlike atmosphere. The intense nightmares particularly are vivid, and Carmilla’s ability to gaslight Laura felt all too real. 

Carmilla herself is such a fascinating character…charming, a little scary, and way more complicated than you’d expect for an early vampire story. And the relationship between her and Laura? So intense and layered, it feels way ahead of its time, particularly due to the immense attraction between them. The continued mix of affection, fear, and mystery between them felt realistic for a girl in her teens. 

Even though it’s a short read, Carmilla leaves a huge impact. It’s spooky without being too much, and it’s got that perfect mix of beauty and horror that makes so many gothic fictions instant classics . If you love vampires, ghost stories, or just want a classic that’s still insanely readable today, Carmilla is 100% it. 

I didn’t really love or dislike this, it was just kind of forgettable. Nothing wrong with it though. 

“I love you. I have loved you and I will love you.” Is forever going to be a top 10 quote 

This read was reminiscent of Gideon the Ninth and The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi and I loved every minute of it!