This was by far the best book in the trilogy!

Having read this before season 3 came out, I had limited knowledge on the plot line and went into this with few expectations.

Everything worked so well in this one. The book had the perfect amount of drama and suspense that the conclusion to the series needed.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/07/05/review-well-always-have-summer-th...

This was a super cute romance with some spice!

First off, I loved that it was dual POVs. I will never not be a fan of them in romance novels. I always love seeing how and when the characters start to fall for one another through their POVs.

I loved all the characters. The leads, Piper and James, were both so likable and sweet. They made a great couple.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/07/01/review-somewhere-along-the-line/

This was an insightful self help book on love! As someone who is perpetually single, I need all the help I can get.

It is very easy to feel powerless when it comes to love, but this book tells you what you can do to improve your love life and relationships.

The book is very accessible and is written in an easy to understand manner.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/06/25/review-it-begins-with-you/

What an amazing novel in verse!

First off, I love novels in verse. I always find them to be so creative and moving and this book was no exception.

This is the debut book from the author and I was very impressed. The poems were all well crafted and really hit the mark, which is a tough thing to accomplish.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/06/21/review-top-heavy/

This book is technically the last book in a trilogy but can be read as a standalone. I have not read the previous two books and was able to follow the story. Reading the other books would have been helpful, but it was not necessary.

I enjoyed the writing style the most. It was elegant and felt like a throwback to classic literature.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/06/19/review-the-forgers-requiem-forger...

This one was so much better than the first book!

First off, I have to preface this review by saying I have seen the second season of the show, so I did know a lot of the plot points going into the book and obviously wasn‘t surprised by some of the things that happened.

This book was much more emotional than the first.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/06/15/review-its-not-summer-without-you...

Honestly, I don‘t quite know how to feel about this book which is why I gave it 3 stars.

This book started off so slow. It took me a while to get into it. It just felt like the story was meandering and that made it boring.

By the second half it got more exciting and it low key got a little horny, which I typically don‘t mind but in this case it felt random.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/06/13/review-how-to-read-a-book/

This was such a fun YA fantasy!

First off, the world building was fantastic. It was simple to understand their world and how it related to our world. Everything was explained gradually which made grasping the world easy to digest. Sometimes fantasy novels can do a lot of info-dumping, but this book did not.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/06/09/review-guardians-of-glyndor/

This book was a ton of fun!

Many years ago (like when I was 12 or 13) I read one of the author‘s other books, Bergdorf Blondes, and remember enjoying it. It‘s no surprise that I loved this one!

This book is like Crazy Rich Asians but with rich Brits in the English countryside. I am a sucker for books about rich people.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/06/04/review-wives-like-us/

I am a huge fan of the show and of her other series, To All the Boys I‘ve Loved Before, so I figured it was finally time to read this series. This book wasn‘t as exciting as the show, but it was still an enjoyable read.

The first half of the book was a little slow and heavy on flashbacks.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/06/02/review-the-summer-i-turned-pretty...

What a cute story told from the perspective of a dog! I love dogs so it was no surprise that I loved this book.

The story follows Teddy and his quest to find out what happened to his owner, Maggie. The book is told entirely through Teddy‘s perspective with some emails and texts messages between the humans interspersed throughout.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/06/01/review-unnatural-selection/

This was an adorable middle grade romance!

I loved the premise. It‘s the classic “popular guy helping the nerdy girl with a makeover and they up falling for each other” trope. Not a novel premise, but one that I do adore. I thought the execution of it was well done, especially for a middle grade audience.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/05/30/review-what-if-you-fall-for-me-fi...

What a powerful read!

This memoir is about experiencing trauma, unlearning it, and breaking cycles. It is extremely personal and heartfelt. I loved how the author portrayed trauma as complex, which it is.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/05/20/review-girl-unlearned/

This was a cute rom-com!

The premise is so fun. Two authors facing immense writers block decide to “switch” plot ideas for their next books.

The star of the book was the two authors, Allie and Martin, and their writing relationship and friendship. I love that an old male crime author can become friends with a young female romance author.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/05/17/review-the-plot-twist/

This is the second book in the Miner & Mulville series, but can be read as a standalone. I have not read the first book and was able to follow this book just fine.

My first impression was that it was very evident the author is a doctor. The medical parts were incredibly detailed.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/05/09/review-change-of-heart-miner-mulv...

This was a super cute middle grade romance!

First off, I loved the amusement park setting. The majority of the story took place there and it worked so well. It was fun and added to the playfulness of the romance. The park reminded me a lot of the fictional Walley World from the movie, “National Lampoon‘s Vacation” (which is a movie I love).

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/05/06/review-meet-me-at-wonderland/

What a gorgeous Hawaiian mystery drama!

I‘ve been to Hawai‘i many times, but surprisingly I have never been to Kaua‘i. I was very eager to get a glimpse of the island through this book and it did not disappoint.

This book may be classified as a mystery, but it is so much more than that. It explores Hawaiian life, especially the family dynamics.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/05/03/review-kauai-storm/

This was an incredible look into the Italian resistance and the women involved!

Going into this book, I didn‘t know a whole lot about what went on in Italy during WWII. That being said, I learned so much from this book, not just about these 4 courageous women, but also about the war in general.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/04/28/review-women-of-war/

What an adorable manga! A vampire being obsessed with a vampire anime was a fun premise. It was so meta!

The main character, Hina, was extremely lovable. She‘s a reclusive vampire who travels to Japan because of an anime. She‘s an otaku (which means she‘s a huge fangirl of anime) and her personality was so cute.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/04/27/review-otaku-vampires-love-bite-v...

This was such a cute middle grade romance!

The book is about tween girls and their crushes which reminded me of when I was that age. I always had crushes and would obsess over them just like the main character, Julie. Having crushes at that age is so fun and the book encompasses that.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/04/24/review-meet-me-at-sunset-spotligh...

This was a fun rom-com with a lot of depth!

First off, the title is perfect because it sums up the book so well. Two friends, Theo and Evie, get married so Evie (who has a chronic illness) can get good health benefits and together they qualify for Theo‘s rent controlled apartment.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/04/23/review-friends-with-benefits/

This was a star crossed lovers fantasy romance and it was so beautifully executed. I loved Clarion and Milori together. They had such a strong emotional bond and I loved how they helped each other grow. Milori has my heart. I can see why Clarion fell in love with him. I also thought the supporting characters, particularly Petra and Artemis, were well crafted.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/04/20/review-wings-of-starlight/

This was such a fun coffee table book!

This book is just like the title suggests, good movies as old books. Essentially, movies turned into vintage book covers. The term “good movies” is subjective. The author states in his introduction, “These are films that made me laugh, cry, think, question, and celebrate” (pg. 7).

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/04/19/review-good-movies-as-old-books/

What a funny and fabulous little book!

This book is filled with art featuring dogs alongside a short blurb offering commentary on the piece. The commentary was hilarious. I laughed out loud so many times.

Additionally, I loved the random fun facts that were incorporated into the blurbs. For example, I learned that the Olympics used to have art competitions.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/04/15/review-museum-of-dogs/

This was such a fun fantasy tale!

The strongest part of the book were the two lead characters, Cinna and Hokuren. I absolutely loved their friendship and the found family nature of it. They have both been through a lot and it was so heartwarming to see them act and care for each other like family.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/04/14/review-cinnamon-soul-cinna-and-ho...

What a fun (and informative) little astrology book!

I am a huge astrology nerd, so naturally I was very excited for this one.

I loved that the book opened up with a short introduction into astrology and briefly explained birth charts and houses (although the graphic for the houses has an error on the numbering).

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/04/09/review-astrolographs/

This was a fascinating look into the lives of fictional child stars!

The story follows three child stars as they navigate fame and all that comes with it. The book is broken up into 3 parts, with each part taking place during a different decade (2006-2008, 2018, and 2028), so we got to see the characters age and grow.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/04/07/review-when-stars-align/

I was debating whether or not to give this 3.5 or 4 stars. I finally decided on 4 because the story was so clever!

This was my third Jane Austen novel. Previously, I had read Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility and enjoyed both of them.

My immediate impression of this book was that it was hilarious.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/04/05/review-northanger-abbey/

What a beautiful collection of poems!

Going into this, I was only vaguely familiar with Rumi and his poetry. I was always curious about his work and I‘m happy I finally read it.

I love that the translator gave a ton of context to the poems. The book opens with notes on the transliteration, Rumi‘s life, and on the poems.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/04/02/review-the-flame-of-love/

This was such a cute and sweet manga!

The story is very interesting to say the least. Essentially, the main character, Nasa, gets saved by a mysterious girl named Tsukasa. He immediately asks her out and she says yes on the condition that he marries her. This volume primarily explores the very early days of their marriage.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/03/31/review-fly-me-to-the-moon-vol-1-f...

This was such a fun and sweet romantic comedy!

This is my first book by the author, Amy Lea, so going in I didn‘t have any expectations. After reading this, I can tell why so many people love her books. Her writing style is so engaging that it made the book go by so quickly!

I loved the premise and it was executed so well.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/03/30/review-something-like-fate/

This was such a fun romance set in NYC!

This was my first book by Alex Aster, so going into it I had no set expectations. I was pleasantly impressed!

Immediately, I was drawn in by the author‘s writing style. It was easy, effortless, and genuinely funny.

As for the two main characters, Elle and Parker, I liked Parker way more than I liked Elle.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/03/26/review-summer-in-the-city/

This was a fun heist story!

The premise is basically Crazy Rich Asians meets Ocean‘s Eight, which I loved. The plot is essentially a mashup of the two. I thought the story was super entertaining and amusing. I wasn‘t shocked at any of the twists and turns at the end because it was slightly reminiscent of Ocean‘s Eight‘s heist.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/03/20/review-women-of-good-fortune/

When I first started reading, I did not know if I would like this book. I was a little confused on the world and magic system. However, once I got about 80 pages in, things started making more sense and the story picked up. After that I was hooked.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/03/17/review-the-elf-witch-plot-of-the-...

This was an odd read to say the least. I was very confused when I finished it.

The story was very superficial. It never dove deep into any of the characters. I never felt like I knew any of them beyond the surface level.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/02/23/review-empire-of-billions/

First off, trigger warning for diet culture and eating disorders, particularly anorexia. This book deals heavily with anorexia and the toxic diet industry, so please be aware of that. I thought the book did a good job exploring these two topics. I found all the discussion on the diet industry and how it is designed to fail to be so fascinating.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/02/19/review-what-we-give-away-bold-jou...

This was an enchanting and unique fantasy read!

The story is described by many as Beauty and the Beast meets Howl‘s Moving Castle. I haven‘t seen Howl‘s Moving Castle so I can't comment on that. However, it does have major Beauty and the Beast vibes. As a Beauty and the Beast retelling, the story felt so refreshing because of the Polish folklore.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/02/10/review-where-the-dark-stands-stil...

I had previously read the author‘s graphic novel, The Boy and the Man, which detailed the author‘s life and struggles recovering from his stroke. I enjoyed the graphic novel so I was excited to read his poetry collection.

This poetry collection is a poetry interpretation of the same events. I found this interpretation to be even better than the graphic novel.

Full Review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/01/27/review-thunderstroke/

This book reminded me a lot of the Magnus Chase series by Rick Riordan (I‘ve never read the Percy Jackson series but I assume it‘s similar to Magnus Chase). It had that same adventurous spirit.

The world building was well done. It was easy to understand and follow. The book included a map, which also aided in comprehension.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/01/26/review-georgie-summers-and-the-sc...

Like other books set in WWII Philippines, parts of this book is brutal. The treatment the soldiers received from the Japanese was horrendous and this book does not sugar coat any of it. Specifically, the scenes on the warship were the stuff of nightmares.

I liked that the story was told from the perspectives of the two main characters, Sam and Sarah.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/01/15/review-hold-strong/

The story was well executed. It tackled the complex issue of gentrification (specifically in a Chinatown context) in an accessible way. At the end of the book, there were a few pages with background information on Chinatowns, gentrification, community activism, and a short note on the language used (Chinese dialogue is used throughout the story).

Full Review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/01/09/review-noodle-bao/

The story is reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. Both stories revolve around a girl who is lost in a fantasy world and meets all kinds of interesting folks along the way. It‘s a simple plot line that works so well.

The cast of characters really made this an enjoyable read. The Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion were all so lovable!

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/01/07/review-the-wizard-of-oz/

This book is such a hidden gem!

It showcases 50 different “hidden” libraries from all around the world (plus outer space). Every library profile tells you how to find it (if applicable, some are no longer around and some are not open to the public). Also, all the photos have captions which I appreciated.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/01/05/review-hidden-libraries/

This was such a cute and sweet read!

Plot wise, there really isn‘t much going on. It‘s about 2 girls who are dating but are keeping it a secret from everyone. Most of the story consists of semi-awkward moments of them hiding their relationship. I didn‘t mind the lack of plot. The slower pace worked well for the story.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/01/02/review-rainbows-after-storms-vol-...

The story is very engaging and I liked the way it was told. Having the author tell his story to a boy on the playground was clever. It kept the story interesting and made his story feel even more personal. Throughout the graphic novel there were small parts of just prose, which was an effective storytelling tool.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2024/12/28/review-the-boy-and-the-man/

This book is very similar to the dog version. It follows a similar layout and article scheme, just with cats instead of dogs. The title, Catwalk Style, was perfect. I can‘t think of a better title for a cat fashion magazine.

The photos were fun and really captured a fashion magazine feel. I actually thought the photos were even better in this one!

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2024/12/24/review-catwalk-style/

This was such a fun parody book!

The book is essentially a magazine written by dogs which is such a cool concept. The title, Doggy Style, was perfect. I loved the use of a famous innuendo as the title.

The pictures were entertaining and had an editorial, high fashion feel to them. I enjoyed the articles about dogs, especially the one with canine facts.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2024/12/24/review-doggy-style/

The story is so adorable and hilarious. I laughed out loud many times. The Herdmans are a mischievous (but humorous) group of kids. The message behind the story was very cute. I loved that the town grew to like the Herdmans and their antics, and that the Herdmans were able to be part of a community and learn more about the story of Christmas.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2024/12/21/review-the-best-christmas-pageant...

The book is laid out fairly simply. It is divided up into sections for different book nook types (Small Space, Kids, Gardener, etc.) The tips in the book aren‘t necessarily groundbreaking but there were some that I liked. The most memorable tip was in the Kids section and it was to covert an armoire into a reading nook (pg. 68). It gave me major Narnia vibes!

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2024/12/15/review-book-nooks/

Prior to reading this book, I read volume 1 of the comic and loved it. Because of that, I was very familiar with the start of the book and the characters.

Like with the comic, I liked Maxi and Riftan together. I enjoyed their dynamic and look forward to seeing how their relationship progresses in future volumes.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2024/12/06/review-under-the-oak-tree-the-nov...