Reading Wrap up (Jan, Feb, March)

Since last time's topic was slightly heavy, I thought it would be nice to do something lighter. I know I write a lot about books on my blog but I do genuinely think that books change your life. no matter the genre, they help me cope with the stressful events in my life and it’s nice to not look at my screen once in a while. I find it crazy to think that one person’s brain created this entire world that allows you to escape your reality ever so often. So, I encourage everybody reading this blog to pick up a book instead of scrolling for hours on your phone like you had planned to (after reading this post of course)

I kind of went insane these few months, it was exam season so what can I say? 50 hours of phone time to distract me from my studies 🙅‍♀️ 50 books to avoid my studies instead!

1. Better than the Movies- Lynn Painter

(I already mentioned this book in my, ‘5 Books I have given 5 stars’ blog. I will give you a brief summary but if you want to hear my thoughts go read it!)

Summary- Liz is entranced by the concept of movies in her life. every situation has a song, and every possibility in her life has arisen from an idea in a movie that she loved. Her childhood crush, Michael just moved back and Liz wants to see if the sparks between them are still there. She enlists her annoying neighbor Wes’ help. Soon things take a turn…

Fun fact: I actually read this book twice in the same month

2. One True Loves- Taylor Jenkins Reid

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Summary- Emma and Jesse are happily married but things take a turn when Jesse goes on a helicopter trip and never returns. Sam, Emma’s childhood friend, rekindles their friendship. things are going well for them until, years later, Emma suddenly gets a call from her “presumed dead” husband saying that he is coming home.

My review- I absolutely loved this book. I will say that this book is not plot heavy, rather it is much more character-driven and that’s what makes this book so interesting. I could literally feel the tension in the book. Even though the premise of the book is quite simple and there is only one main conflict, it was so well executed. I did not know what the outcome would be until the very end of the book. It was just right, it did not drag on for too long or just become repetitive at a point in time.

What I learned- Life is everywhere. You don’t always need to go to see these amazing sights to feel like you are living an extraordinary life. it is the simplest things that give you that thrill you cannot even experience when you are at the top of a mountain

“I had predicated my life on the idea that I wanted to see everywhere extraordinary, but I’d come to realize that extraordinary is everywhere.”- One True Loves, Taylor Jenkins Reid

3. The Paris Apartment- Lucy Foley

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Summary- Jess needed a clean slate, to start over where nobody knew her and what she had done. She called up her half-brother Ben to come to stay in his apartment in Paris but when she arrives he is missing. The people who live in the building all seem suspiciously happy that he has disappeared. After all, everyone has their secrets which might come to light during the investigation of Ben’s disappearance

My review- Okay, this book is kind of wild. Please check the age rating of this book before proceeding to read it. I did not really like this book. I gave this book three stars because of its premise and the first half of the book really did build the suspense pretty well. The second half of the book was… very questionable. I am not very fond of Lucy Foley’s writing style. The characters confused me a little bit because there were so many points of view. Let’s just say the ending is crazy.

“I only hope she knows what she's doing. Climbing so high, so quickly: it only makes for further to fall.”- The Paris Apartment, Lucy Foley

4. Heart Bones- Colleen Hoover

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Summary- Beyah has to go live with her father due to a series of unfortunate events that occurred. Her father is now well off. The whole concept of this fancy vacation home she was taken to is foreign to her. She adjusts to her new life and meets someone along the way who resonates with her more than she ever thought they would. Their lives intertwine in ways she could not even imagine.

My review- This book got a lot of hype when it was released. I thought it was simply average. It was easy to read and the plot was interesting enough to keep me entertained to finish the book. There were some parts that were interesting but overall the book was quite average. I would not necessarily recommend it but if you need something to fly through, this book is for you. Although, the topics discussed in this are quite heavy so please check the trigger warnings before picking this book up.

What I learned- our connection to people is so unfathomable. We are all so alike but we don’t know it because we make it a point to differentiate ourselves from one another. We never know what a person is going through and they can hide it so well. Maybe take the time out to check on people and how they are doing

“People sometimes still drown in the shallow end,”- Heart Bones, Colleen Hoover

5. The Fine Print- Lauren Asher

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Summary- Rowan has to take over a certain part of an amusement park owned by his grandfather. He absolutely despised his task at hand until he hired Zahra. She is an optimistic, bubbly woman who chooses to see the good in everyone. These two are like opposite poles of a magnet. So different but when together they bring out the best in each other, enough to stay together

My review- I thought that this book was really cute. It fits the grumpy x sunshine trope pretty well. The plot was quite interesting and I was in it for the romance. Initially, when I finished this book I was blown away but when I read the second book in this series, it seemed kind of average compared to that. It had lots of moments when it made my heart burst and I liked that this book had slight depth. I really like that the author included a playlist before the book started, it kind of helped me understand the vibes of the characters as a couple. (check the age rating before reading the book)

“How can we appreciate the sun every morning if we don’t live through the dark?”- The Fine Print, Lauren Asher

6. Terms and Conditions- Lauren Asher

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Summary- Declan has to find a wife in order to become CEO according to the will his grandfather left him. He has trouble finding someone until his assistant volunteers. They both are head-strong and Declan and Iris do not want to hurt each other so they set rules in their marriage but they become blurred

My review- First off, any book which has the song ‘Daylight’ by Taylor Swift as part of the playlist automatically has me captivated. I thought this book was so good because there was so much tension, and so much resistance to change between the characters but there are so many cute moments in this book that makes my heart burst. There was depth to this book besides girl meets guy, the guy falls in love with a girl and they live happily ever after. I am yet to read the third book in the series to see which is my favorite book

What I learned- Love can heal you. Of course, love has its ups and downs and it takes a lot to love a person. you give a lot of yourself to them, show them your vulnerability, your faults, the depths of yourself but if you find the right love, it can heal you. The right person can show you that you are worthy to be loved and you deserved to be loved.

“Some people need a hundred words to express a single thought, while some people only need one word to share a hundred thoughts.”- Terms and Conditions, Lauren Asher

7. Layla- Colleen Hoover

⭐️⭐️/5

Summary- Leed and his girlfriend Layla suffer a traumatic incident that leaves Layla much more fragile and broken than before. He decides to take her back to the place they first met in order to heal her soul. They meet an unexpected guest over there which turns their lives upside down. Secrets are exposed and their relationship is put to the test

My Review- All I thought after I read this book was, “What did I just read?” but not in a good way. Verity by her was insane but in a good way, this book is just unhinged and crazy. The plot made no sense. You know how you’re a child and your teacher tells you to come up with an interesting story for your essay but you cannot really compile your ideas together so you just write them all down at once, this is kind of what that book was. A waste of how many ever hours I spent reading it. I would not recommend this book

“Perhaps what we desire can sometimes be so strong it overpowers our fate.”- Layla, Colleen Hoover

8. After I do- Taylor Jenkins Reid

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Summary- Lauren and Ryan decided that their marriage was not working for them anymore. They were unhappy in their marriage and liked spending time alone rather than with each other. They separate ways for a while to see if their two paths join at the end and bring them back to each other

My review- Taylor Jenkins Reid can do no wrong. This book is very character-driven, there is no definitive plot to it and mostly follows ordinary people and their mundane lives which just makes the book all the more enjoyable. It is so simple yet so sophisticated. You can see two people grow as individuals and navigate their life. I really enjoyed this book.

What I Learnt- Life is so beautiful. It is the time within which we grow, learn, and live. It is so simple, yet we complicate it for ourselves. if your love is strong enough to stand the test of time, you will always find your way back to the one you love.

“The sun will rise no matter what pain we encounter. No matter how much we believe the world to be over, the sun will rise.”- After I Do, Taylor Jenkins Reid

9. Before We Were Strangers- Renee Carlino

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Summary- Matt and Grace were madly in love until life pulled them apart. This book is set in alternating timelines where Matt and Grace reconnect and life takes them from before they were strangers to after they were strangers

My review- I love second-chance romances so much. It kind of makes you feel like if you have found your person, you will choose them every single time. I love the way this book was written. The parts where they first met and the way they rekindled their friendship. I could feel their love through the pages of the book

What I learned- No matter where you are, you will always find your way back to the person you love. As you can see I have been reading a lot of second-chance romance books

“Poetry is just evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash.”- Before We Were Strangers, Renee Carlino

10. A Thousand Boy Kisses- Tillie Cole

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Summary- Rune Kristiansen and Poppy Litchfield are madly in love teenagers. Poppy finds out some information that changes their entire life and leaves a strain on their relationship that they may never overcome

My review- This book is basically Fault in Our Stars. It is quite average and gets very repetitive. I feel like the word Poppymin (The nickname Rune has for Poppy) could fill at least fifty pages of this book. It was cute and their love was very pure but I got tired of the same thing happening again and again. if you want a book you could finish in a day, then this is the one for you but it is a very forgettable book

“I think hearts beat a rhythm like a song. I think, that just like music, we’re drawn to a particular melody. I heard your heart’s song, and yours heard mine.”- A Thousand Boy Kisses, Tillie Cole

11. Exes and O’s- Amy Leah

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Summary- Tara Chen is a book influencer who has found herself with a new roommate, Trevor who is a firefighter. She comes up with the idea of reconnecting with all her exes to have her moment at a second-chance romance like the ones in her books. She enlists her roommate to help her find the romance she is looking for

My review- I thought the book was very mediocre. It was forgettable and the plot was mildly entertaining. It was a fast and easy read, so if you just read a heavy book and need something light and cute you should read this book but you are not missing out on anything by not reading this book.

“I’ve always been a bit of an anomaly, finding purpose not through what I do but through my relationships with friends and family. But when everyone is absorbed with their own lives, where does that leave me at the end of the day?- Exes and O’s, Amy Leah

12. Heartstopper 2,3,4- Alice Oseman

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Summary- These books are basically about Charlie spring navigating his teenage years and discovering who he is as a person

My review- These are graphic novels that are really easy to read and fun to follow. I would recommend watching the show because it is so well done and Alice had a huge part in making it which makes me happy because I love it when authors are involved heavily in the process of their books becoming movies.

“Nick’s so in love with you it’s a little unbearable to watch sometimes.”- Heartstopper Vol 3, Alice Oseman

13. The Cheat Sheet- Amy Adams

(I have already mentioned this book multiple times on my blog so if you want to hear my thoughts on this book, you can find it in one of my other blogs)

14. Mr. Wrong Number- Lynn Painter

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Summary- Olivia receives a text from the wrong number and she quickly befriends him while she is in the middle of the process of moving into her brother’s apartment with his very annoying roommate because of a series of unfortunate events that preceded this move. Soon she becomes attached to this mystery man and she starts to wonder if it is better to just remain a mystery or find out who he is.

My Review- I had high hopes for this book because I love Lynn Painter but I was really disappointed by this book. It was cute and I loved some of the moments but I found Olivia really annoying and Colin, the roommate had no personality. They had no sparks between them and they kind of just happened for the sake of the book

It was like the line in You've Got Mail. All this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings.”- Mr. Wrong Number, Lynn Painter

15. The Ex Talk- Rachel Lynn Solomon

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Summary- Shay has been a producer in radio all her life and Dominic, a new employee has become the boss's favorite very quickly. Shay and Dom get the opportunity to host a show about two exes and why they broke up. Can they keep up the act even though they never dated?

My review- Well, the premise was really interesting and I was excited to read this book but it almost put me in a slump. The execution was pretty poor, I found the plot really boring and there was nothing really going on in the entire book. It was a mediocre read but it is nothing you’re missing out on

“So often, I'm trapped between the pain of remembering and the fear of forgetting.”, The Ex Talk, Rachel Lynn Solomon

I hope you got some recommendations after reading this blog. Now, go pick up a book because it might change your life!

Thanks for reading,

Xx mahika

(Ps: follow my Instagram: @blogbanterandbigwords where I share polls and put teasers for my upcoming blogs, you might also find some nice quotes in there)