At the beginning of every few months, I will be going over some books that I loved reading recently. Some posts will inevitably be longer than others, but I’m excited about this series. Since I first published The Paperback on August 9th, this month’s blog post only includes three books I loved reading. I hope you enjoy!
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
The first book I loved reading this month was Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover. Tate temporarily moves in with her brother, Corbin. While moving in, she is met by a drunk man, named Miles, who passed out in front of their door. Corbin, Miles, and Ian are best friends who like to spend a lot of time at Corbin’s apartment, which Tate doesn’t initially enjoy. Attraction is flying between Tate and Miles, but Miles is scared of love. The two agree to just have sex, with zero attachments, but this is easier said than done. Rules are made and broken between the two, with an ugly love forming.
I truly loved reading this book. It is a very relatable book for twenty-somethings, although I find myself, personally, away from this scenario. Miles and Tate make an appearance inVerity by Colleen Hoover, which I reviewed in my very first blog post. It does contain a minor spoiler alert, but it is nothing too unexpected. It is clear from the beginning that Tate and Miles have strong feelings for one another and are hiding them, but learning more about Miles’ past is lingering throughout the chapters. Lots of sex scenes (even full chapters) and inevitable heartbreak kept me turning page after page, ready to find out what is holding them back from loving each other.
Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake
Ashley Herring Blake brought her new fans an LBGTQ+-friendly novel with Delilah Green Doesn’t Care. Delilah Green gets a call in the middle of the night from her uptight stepsister, Astrid Parker. Astrid is getting married in Bright Falls, Delilah’s hometown filled with negative memories. With both of her parents deceased, Delilah was stuck living with her stepmother and stepsister. When she arrives back in town, Claire, one of Astrid’s best friends, tries to hit on her at the bar, before realizing who she is. In a two-week trip back to a place filled with horrible memories, Delilah Green is stuck trying to not fall in love with a girl she has known for years.
While it was a slower read for me, I did love the plotline and the characters. Delilah Green Doesn’t Care is a very feel-good book that also shows raw moments between the characters. It was also a pretty easy read; it just took longer for me to finish it because I typically enjoy thriller books but am trying to expand to more genres. I loved the character development and the relationships, both from the beginning and the ones that formed throughout the book. Iris, one of the best friends in the group, was a personal favorite character for me. I’m excited to read Ashley Herring Blake’s second book, Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail. It is said to be published by the end of the year! I’m also loving the graphics that Ashley is sharing on Instagram for this series.
The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead
Ashley Winstead’s books are now at the top of my TBR list after reading The Last Housewife. Shay Evans hear about the death of a former friend while listening to a podcast. Jamie, the host and lifelong friend of Shay, is determined to get in contact with Shay. The horrors of her past come rushing back to her when she makes the decision to reveal the truth. Returning to a place she promised she would never go back to, Shay is on a mission to unravel the truth about her friend’s death. Secret cults, countless murders and assaults, and horrifying memories are revealed as Shay looks into her past.
I loved reading this book, beginning to end. There is a long list of trigger warnings at the beginning of this book, with lots of sensitive topics being discussed. It is a heavy read for anyone, especially those who have experienced similar traumas. If you are prepared for it ahead of time, it is definitely worth the read. There was nothing about this book that was predictable, and I easily rated it 5-stars on my Goodreads account.
