The time it was a mutiny {17}

Hi guys! Welcome to another edition of the mutiny.

What’s the mutiny you ask? Well, I have always said that I wasn’t going to become a review blog and yet, I’ve had this itch in the back of my head… so here we are. I’m waging a mutiny against myself and I’m going to do some mini reviews + feature upcoming reads I’m excited about.

For this specific edition, I’m going to share some of my favorite reads from May, so settle in!

I didn’t read many YA books in May and the few that I did read weren’t my favorites.

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean — 5★ — I went into this one wanting to see more of Penny and Bourne’s HEA, but I got quite a surprise. I love love loved Pippa. She’s smart and logical and I fully enjoyed her approach to figuring out the after-marriage-bits. Cross is tortured and brooding and the perfect dark compliment to Pippa’s sunshine. It did feel a bit repetitive and drawn out at times, but I couldn’t help but devour it. The redemption arc wasn’t what I was expecting and I was here for it.

When You Wish Upon a Rogue by Anna Bennett — 4★ — I had enjoyed the previous books in the series and I was excited to get to Sophie’s story. I’ve liked Sophie from the start. She’s sweet and loyal and quietly feisty. Reese is struggling with PTSD and desperately wants sleep, among other things. Together they have an easy connection and a lovely friendship that evolves organically. There are a lot of sweet moments between the two of them (which is what I always want) and the story is nearly all fluff as the conflict wasn’t really severe or long lasting.

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner — 4★ — I only needed to lay eyes on that cover to be interested in this book. I really liked Emma and Jo. They’re both loyal and strong and truly good people. I loved Emma’s sister Avery and Jo’s BFF Evelyn and am absolutely ready to read books for those two women. They added support and levity when it was needed. There is a lot of inner monologue at times, loads of push and pull, and I wanted to jump in and shake the both of them for always assuming what the other wanted instead of asking. There’s also loads of women supporting women, horrible men, and enough tension it may actually choke someone.

Say Yes to the Duke by Eloisa James — 5★ — I’ve loved this series from the beginning and I couldn’t wait to read another book. I love love loved Viola and Devin. They’re more similar than they think and I enjoyed watching their relationship morph from antagonistic strangers to antagonistic acquaintances to antagonistic friends to antagonistic and in love. I adored his devotion to her and her acceptance of him. I wanted Viola and Devin together a lot and that’s what I got. I did spend a good amount of time waiting for the angst to happen, but the slight conflict was minimal and over in a couple of pages.

The Marriage Game by Sara Desai — an annoyance to love in an shared office space + food? I can’t wait.

Stranger in the Lake by Kimberly Belle — a new marriage in a small town + a dead body of a woman who was last seen talking to the husband? This could be everything I want.

To Catch an Earl by Kate Bateman — a thief and a cop with the added bonus of being reunited lovers? Yes, please.

The Devil of Downtown by Joanna Shupe — a criminal and a do-gooder forming an alliance to help people? I need it now.

What about you? Have you read any of these books or do you want to?