It’s time for another Show Us Your Books with the lovely Steph and Jana. I’m here today to share mini reviews of some of the books I read in the past month. So far I’ve read 30 books this year! Where are you at? Remember though – it’s quality over quantity! Oh, and to get it out of the way, all of the books are from my library!
Archival Quality is a graphic novel perfect for those who love the library and museums. I thought it was done really well, and I liked the secondary story line surrounding mental illness. The illustrations are really well done as well. This is a book I’d love to own for myself.
4/5 stars
Lonely Hearts is actually the third in the Love Lessons series, but they are all companion novels, so I didn’t really feel like I missed much. I loved the relationship between Elijah and Baz- they come from vastly different worlds but they’ve both been through a lot and it’s just one reason they work so well together. This is an emotional one, but so worth reading, and it’s full of great secondary characters.
4/5 stars
Short Stay is the sequel to Lonely Hearts, though not as long. I guess you could say it’s a novella but I felt like it was a pretty good length, unlike other novellas. I don’t want to spoil Lonely Hearts, so I’ll just say that this was just as good and I loved getting more Elijah and Baz.
4/5 stars
Oh my god – Rend was fantastic. It’s the companion novel to Riven, which I do recommend reading because it’s just as amazing and it helps establish all the characters. Rhys is a musician who is finally making his own music and he’s ready to go on tour, but his husband, Matt, has a lot of past issues that make being alone difficult. I really loved these two, and I definitely felt for Matt who suffers from really bad anxiety. I can’t wait to read the third book in this “series.”
5/5 stars
A Forced Silence is a book I’ve had on my wish list for awhile now, and I really enjoyed it. I didn’t realize it was the first in a “series” of sorts – there is another out now but it follows a secondary character from A Forced Silence, but the overall mystery in AFC continues in the second book. The reviews aren’t great for the second book, but I might need to read it just to find out what’s happening with this serial killer (it’s not a huge plot point in A Forced Silence, but there is still plenty of other mystery and suspense).
4/5 stars
I’ve read books by Sidney Bell before and I’ve really enjoyed them, so I’m not surprised that I loved Bad Judgement, but man! This book had me skipping almost everything else so I could read it. There’s a romance, yes, and it’s a big part of the book, but it’s also a really suspenseful book full of plotting and revenge. Highly recommend.
5/5 stars
Friendly Fire is another book full of mystery and suspense! There’s also a romance, which I really loved and thought was well done. I’ve read the Bad Behavior series that this author co-wrote with L.A. Witt and I loved them, so it was nice reading something by just Cari Z. If you’ve read the Bad Behavior series and enjoyed them you are sure to love this one. I only wish there was a sequel!
4/5 stars
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Show Us Your Books: Some mini reviews of some amazing books #ontheblog #bookbloggers Share on XAnything catch your eye? Have you read any of these? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
I’ve read 35 books so far. I was kind of surprised it was so many, lol. Looks like you have nice mix of books here! 🙂
Friendly Fire is giving me Grand Theft Auto vibes with that cover. Gosh 30 already Lauren, you’ve read some brilliant and wonderfully diverse books so far this year and lots of queer favourites and recommendations. I’ll have to check a few of these out. Thank you for showing us your books!
I really should do more mini reviews, there are so many books that I read that aren’t ARC that I never review on my blog. Love this post!
I’m going to see if my library has Archival Quality – it sounds terrific!
Yay for 30 books! Theres just so many good reads these days.
I love these mini reviews! I’m not much of a graphic novel reader but I might have to check out Archival Quality because I do like libraries and museums. 😉 I love Heidi Cullinan so I’ll pick up the Love Lessons series. And Roan Parrish is on my tbr so I’ll definitely pick up that series. 🙂 I’ve not heard of Sidney Bell or Cari Z but you have me very curious about them as well. Thanks for sharing your books, Lauren!
I love plotting and revenge, definitely adding Bad Judgment to my list.
Looks like you’ve read a lot that you’ve enjoyed lately!
Archival Quality sounds super cute!
You are kicking butt and making your way through loads of books!
30 books and we are in March! Oh my goodness that is my goal for the entire year! Well done 🙂
I’m hoping to do a “Show us your books” link up this week still. They are always fun to read.
I added Rend to my to read list!
30 books this year is awesome! You go!! And I have to confess to being insanely jealous because my reading love is still low. It feels like it might be coming back but not as fast as I’d like. I’m generally not a big graphic novel fan but Archival Quality sounds interesting – adding it to my TBR.
I think I need to check out Archival Quality 🙂
You do great with reading so many books! I have consistently read 2 a month so far this year, already done with 1 book this month. Proud of myself for that!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Thirty books! You are my hero! I am on lie maybe 10 that I read to the end. Keep on going girl!
That is so awesome that you have read 30 books so far, this year 🙂
I think I’m at 21. I had a couple of DNF in there, too. Thirty is impressive!
My desk literally has a massive mountain of books I need to get through. Any kind of organization I had for my review books is apparently gone. Hot mess over here!!
Archival Quality sounds really fun! I really need to try some graphic novels, I’m embarrassed to admit that I haven’t read any!
Looks like you read some great books recently! I’m definitely going to add a few of these to my list. Thanks for sharing!
We are close. I’m reading my 29th book of the year. I’m glad to hear these were all such good reads for you. 🙂
I have read nowhere near as many books as you! Look at you go! Thes elook awesome btw!
Wow 30 books, that’s a lot! I’m surprising close to that number…somehow I’ve read 25 already!
I love that you read so many books so far! I got stuck on one damn book and I have this thing where I have to finish it through. Then I got stuck in the hospital which really threw me off. I’m just getting back into reading now. The one graphic novel that I read was Hypberbole and a Half. That book is hilarious if you ‘re interested. I laughed so hard.
Bad Judgment sounds intense! I love a good suspenseful read.
30 books?? wow lucky! I read 7 … not doing as well this year unfortunately ): I wish I was 30 down thats amazing, I have so many on my TBR that I want to get to
I love your mini reviews, they are sweet and straight to the point
I have read 34 books so far this year. Most of them have been pretty good. I keep going through periods when I get a lot of reading done, and then I don’t. Glad that most of your reads have been good so far.
I don’t know how many books I’ve read this year. I’ve found I enjoy reading more when I don’t worry about my numbers 🙂 Archival Quality looks really cute! And I’m happy to see these were all 4 and 5 stars for you!
WOW! 30 books so far!? That’s incredible. I’m only on 16 or 17! Well done!
Sounds like you really enjoyed all your above reads which is awesome too!
30 books is incredible! I’m currently working through my eighth, hopefully completing my goal of 52 this year. I definitely have some catching up to do! How do you get so many read so quickly?!
Archival Quality looks like a great graphic novel. I’ll have to check it out!
You had an awesome month. Most of these are new to me, but I love your mini reviews!
All new books to me!
Archival Quality sounds fab – I need it! 🙂
xx
Looks like some great books! I’m curious to if Archival Quality would be appropriate for my high school library students.
That graphic novel sounds really good! I’m going to have to check it out!
Archival quality looks so good!
Archival Quality looks so fun!! 🙂 XO – Alexandra
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