My Reading Slump Ended with Evelyn Hugo

After July 1st, 2025, I quietly disappeared from writing book reviews. Life happened — loudly, unpredictably, and all at once. Reading slowed down, writing stopped, and somewhere along the way, I lost the energy to sit with stories the way I once did.
    But with the new year of 2026, I found myself finishing a book I had started back in October–November 2025. It took time. It took patience. And more than anything, it took courage to return. This review marks my first book review of 2026, not as a grand comeback, but as a gentle restart.
    I’m setting a simple, realistic goal for myself: one book a month. Just that. And maybe, once I find my rhythm again, two books in a month. For now, I’m choosing consistency over pressure.
    The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo felt like the perfect book to begin this new chapter with — emotional, layered, and unforgettable. It reminded me why stories matter, and why I always find my way back to them.

***      

I’m back.

And if I had to return to reading and writing with one book, I couldn’t have chosen better than The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I started this novel sometime in late 2025 and finished it on January 2nd, 2026 — and it stayed with me long after I turned the last page.

This book is not just about Evelyn Hugo and her seven husbands. It’s about ambition, love, identity, sacrifice, and the price women pay for survival in a world that demands perfection. From the very beginning, Evelyn feels larger than life — glamorous, unapologetic, sharp, and deeply human. She is flawed, selfish at times, vulnerable at others, and completely unforgettable.

What I loved most about this book is how Taylor Jenkins Reid slowly peels Evelyn apart. Each marriage reveals a different version of her, not just as a wife, but as a woman navigating Hollywood, power, queerness, and fame in a time that wasn’t ready for her truth. The writing is immersive and emotionally intelligent, making you feel like you’re listening to a confession rather than reading a novel.

The structure of the story, Evelyn narrating her life to Monique, adds an extra layer of intimacy. Monique’s presence initially feels secondary, but as the story unfolds, her role becomes crucial. The emotional payoff of their connection is subtle, devastating, and incredibly well-earned.

One of the strongest aspects of the book is its portrayal of love in its many forms. Romantic love, forbidden love, selfish love, enduring love, none of it is idealized. It’s messy and complicated, and that’s exactly why it feels real. Evelyn’s choices may not always be likable, but they are understandable, and that nuance is what makes her such a powerful character.

If I had to mention one small downside, it would be that certain sections felt emotionally heavy back-to-back, almost overwhelming, but honestly, that intensity is also what makes the book unforgettable. It demands your attention and your emotional presence.

Reading this after a slump felt personal. This book reminded me why I read in the first place, to feel deeply, to question morality, to sit with characters who don’t fit neatly into right or wrong. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo didn’t just pull me out of a reading slump; it gently pushed me back into myself.

***        

Coming back to reading and writing after a slump isn’t easy. There were days when I felt disconnected from books, from words, and honestly, from myself. This review isn’t about being “back on track” or suddenly being consistent again, it’s simply about showing up.

Finishing this book and writing about it feels like a quiet victory. A reminder that even after pauses, detours, and overwhelming phases, we can always return to the things that once made us feel alive. Slowly. Imperfectly. In our own time.

Here’s to new beginnings in 2026, to stories that meet us where we are, and to finding our way back — one page, one paragraph, one review at a time.

As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson: A Dark, Twisty Finale That Stays With You 🖤🔪

Hey book besties! Sooo… remember how this was supposed to go up on Sunday? Yeah, about that. 😅 It’s Tuesday, consistency has clearly packed its bags, but here we are — Review #15, and what a read it was.

I finally (!!!) finished As Good As Dead, the final book in Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy, and let me tell you: this book took me out. It’s dark, intense, and a wild ride I couldn’t look away from — even if some parts left me side-eyeing the pages.

Pip, But Unraveled

We’ve seen Pip investigate, uncover secrets, and risk it all in the first two books. But in As Good As Dead, we see her unravel. The trauma from past cases is catching up, and Pip’s fear and paranoia are palpable. It’s a bold, risky direction, and honestly? It worked.

This book shifts from YA mystery into something closer to a psychological thriller. It’s gritty, morally gray, and asks big questions about justice, survival, and the thin line between right and wrong.

Dark Twists, High Stakes, and “Did That Just Happen?” Moments

The first half pulls you in with that familiar investigative tension, but when the twist hits, it changes the game. I won’t spoil, but let’s just say I had to close the book, take a breath, and re-enter the chaos.

Yes, there were moments that felt a bit off or stretched, and a few plot points that needed more space to breathe. But overall? The pacing, the moral complexity, and the rawness of Pip’s journey made this a finale worth the emotional turmoil.

A Quote That Lingered:

“Good people do bad things, don’t they? Bad things for good reasons.”
— Holly Jackson, As Good As Dead

If the entire series could be summed up in one line, it would be this.

Final Thoughts

As Good As Dead is not a comfortable read, but it’s an impactful one. It closes the trilogy with the weight it deserves, leaving you questioning what justice really means and how far you’d go to protect yourself and the people you love.

If you’ve read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and Good Girl, Bad Blood, you owe it to yourself to finish the trilogy. It’s haunting, intense, and will sit with you long after the final page.

15 Reviews In — And Counting 🖤

Wow, 15 reviews down, inching closer to 20. I may have lost my Friday rhythm, but I’m still here, still reading, and still sharing what I love with you.

Thank you for being part of this space, for the DMs, the comments, and for screaming about books with me. Let me know: Have you finished this trilogy? Did you see that twist coming? Let’s chat below.

See you next Friday (🤞) for Review #16! Until then, happy reading, and remember: it’s okay if your rhythm is messy — stories still find you where you are. 📖✨

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood – Nerdy, Flirty, and Full of Feels (But I Still Love Olive & Adam More)

Hey book besties! So, I was supposed to post this on Friday… then shifted it to Saturday… and now here we are — Tuesday. 😅 Life’s been a whirlwind lately, but instead of beating myself up, I’m choosing to show up with softness (and a slightly delayed book review). Because reading should be a joy — not a deadline.

So here it is: Review #14, and this time I’m diving into Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood — the reigning queen of STEM-lit romcoms. If you’ve read The Love Hypothesis (like I have, twice), you already know what you’re in for: brilliant women, grumpy-but-soft men, and enough slow-burn tension to make your glasses fog.

Science + Sass + Kind-of Enemies-to-Lovers

Meet Bee Königswasser — neuroscientist, cat-emoji user, Marie Curie fangirl. She’s quirky, chaotic, and 100% convinced that Levi Ward, her tall, broody NASA co-lead, can’t stand her.

Naturally, they’re assigned to the same project. And naturally, tension ensues.

But here’s the twist: Levi’s not distant because he hates her. He’s distant because he’s been in love with her for years. That reveal? Immediate serotonin. Their chemistry is delightfully awkward, full of miscommunication, longing stares, and sweet gestures that sneak up on you. Hazelwood’s formula is predictable — but comforting.

Familiar Formula, but Still Fun

If I’m being totally honest, this book gave The Love Hypothesis 2.0 energy. That’s not a diss — there’s comfort in the familiar — but it didn’t pack the same emotional punch for me.

I loved Bee and Levi, but I found myself comparing them to Olive and Adam (who still own my nerdy romantic heart). The plot moves fast, the banter is sharp, and the added NASA backdrop is a cool switch-up. But emotionally? A tiny bit less impact.

Still, Bee’s chaotic internal monologue and her deeply feminist lens made her voice stand out. She’s smart, sensitive, and relatable in a very “I overthink everything while pretending I’m fine” way.

💔 Favorite Quote:

“What’s the point of loving someone if they don't know you exist?”
— Ali Hazelwood, Love on the Brain

Oof. That one stung. Bee’s vulnerability cuts through the humor, grounding the story in real emotional stakes.

Final Thoughts

If you love:

• Women in STEM owning their brilliance

• Grumpy x sunshine slow burns

• Academic settings with a side of space tech

• Romance that makes you giggle and feel

Then Love on the Brain is a solid pick. It’s charming, nerdy, and packed with enough chemistry (literal and emotional) to keep you turning pages. While it didn’t fully dethrone The Love Hypothesis for me, it definitely holds its own.

Book Review Life Update 📚

Now for a little trilogy update — I’m almost halfway through As Good As Dead, the final book in the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series. It’s intense, twisty, and honestly a lot to emotionally unpack (in the best way).

So here’s the plan: my review for that will be up this Sunday instead of Friday — just for this week! With exams and life still catching up, I’m choosing grace over guilt. But next week? We’re back to our Friday reviews. 

Thanks for sticking with me through the delays, the detours, and the DMs where we scream about fictional men. Let me know — are you Team Bee & Levi, or still loyal to Olive & Adam?

Until Sunday — for a murder-y kind of love finale 🖤🔍

The Spanish Love Deception – Banter-Packed, Beautifully Messy, and So Worth It – Backtracking with Heart

“You don’t need to be fixed, Catalina. You are whole just the way you are.” — Aaron Blackford

Hey hey, lovely people! It’s time for Book Review No. 13 (unlucky for some, but we’re making it work 😄). I know I’d promised to review As Good As Dead, the finale in the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy — and believe me, I’ve been trying! But life has been a whirlwind lately: exams looming, work deadlines piling up, and health acting up. I’m just four chapters in and trying not to break my trilogy streak. Still reading, still trying. But in the meantime, let’s rewind a bit.

We’re revisiting a gem from my 2023 shelf: The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas — a book I didn’t review back then, but one that’s stayed with me long enough to deserve its spotlight.

❤️ Fake Dating, Real Feelings

This one’s a classic enemies-to-lovers setup wrapped in a fake-dating bow. Catalina Martín is desperate for a date to her sister’s wedding in Spain — her ex will be there, and she’d rather not show up alone (understandably). Her solution? Bring Aaron Blackford, her annoyingly perfect colleague who offers to step in as her pretend boyfriend.

Yes, it’s predictable. Yes, it’s trope-heavy. But the execution? So satisfying. The slow burn is real — and delicious.

✈️ Spain, Sizzle, and Emotional Unpacking

The book beautifully blends rom-com charm with family drama, cultural expectations, and that aching feeling of not quite fitting in. The Spain segments are vivid — full of warmth, food, awkward reunions, and heartfelt conversations that show just how layered Catalina’s world really is.

Aaron, who starts off as cold and condescending, ends up being surprisingly kind, patient, and attentive. Their chemistry evolves with each interaction, and honestly, the way he shows up for Lina? Top-tier fictional man behavior.

🧠 Light, But Not Shallow

Romances often get dismissed as “fluff,” but The Spanish Love Deception carries a quiet emotional weight. Catalina’s inner conflict — her anxiety, her work struggles, and her complicated family dynamic — adds depth that might take you by surprise.

There’s also a subtle exploration of healing and self-worth. One quote that especially stood out (yes, I underlined it in dramatic fashion):

                     “You don’t need to be fixed, Catalina. You are whole just the way you are.”

It hit hard. Because sometimes the reassurance we need isn’t about change, but acceptance.

📘 Final Thoughts

This was one of those feel-good reads that I didn’t expect to feel this deeply. It’s funny, heartwarming, a little dramatic (in a good way), and packed with moments that make you smile, sigh, and maybe reread that one scene a few times. You know the one.

If you’re into fake dating, slow-burn romance, or the classic “grumpy x sunshine” pairing, this one’s a must-read. It reminds you that love — the messy, awkward, vulnerable kind — is always worth the leap.

So, while my trilogy goal is on hold (for now), I’m glad to keep showing up here — one review at a time. Let me know: Are you into enemies-to-lovers too? Or did Aaron Blackford win you over like he did me?

Taking a Slight Turn: Into the Heart of Human Darkness

Hey hey! I know, I know — this week was supposed to be about As Good As Dead, the much-anticipated finale in A Good Girl's Guide to Murder trilogy. Trust me, I was just as excited to finish the set. But life, as always, had other plans: exam prep, work stress, a pesky flu, and basically the entire plot of a chaos novel crammed into my schedule. I’m only about four chapters in (I know, I know…), but I’m still challenging myself to finish it by next week. No promises, though — fingers crossed!

So, for review number 12, I decided to shift gears and revisit a classic that has stayed with me since my undergrad days: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. A book I never would've picked up on my own, but one I’m genuinely grateful to have encountered through my literature course.

A Journey Inward: The Darkness We Don’t Talk About

Heart of Darkness isn’t your typical adventure story. On the surface, it’s about Marlow, a sailor who journeys up the Congo River to find Kurtz, an ivory trader who has "gone native" deep in the African wilderness. But once you start peeling the layers, you realize it’s not just about colonialism or exploration. It’s a deep, unsettling look at what lies within us all when the masks of society are stripped away.

Told as a story within a story (Marlow narrating to fellow seamen aboard a boat on the Thames), the book creates this echo chamber effect — you’re never quite sure what version of the truth you’re being handed. And maybe that’s the point.

The Real Darkness

What hit me hardest during my re-read (this time for my second-semester exams!) was the terrifying clarity with which Conrad portrays the human psyche. It made me reflect on how civilization is just a thin layer of order that can crack under pressure. Kurtz, who was once seen as a genius and a beacon of European ideals, ends up consumed by power and brutality when left unchecked.

"The horror! The horror!" — these iconic last words are more than just dramatic flair. They are a terrifying mirror to the chaos that brews beneath restraint, to the sheer vulnerability of human morality in the face of unfiltered desire.

There is this creeping suggestion that everyone carries the seeds of destruction within them — a "heart of darkness" that flourishes in the absence of societal boundaries. The book doesn’t offer comfort or clarity. Instead, it asks questions that sit with you, long after you've read the final page.

Why It Still Matters

Would I recommend this book to someone casually looking for a cozy weekend read? Probably not. But if you want to dive into something that challenges you, makes you uncomfortable (in the best way), and makes you think about history, power, and your own inner compass — then yes, absolutely.

Heart of Darkness is brief but heavy. It’s a book that forces you to pause. To consider. To question. And sometimes, that’s the best kind of reading.

So, that’s review number 12! Slightly unexpected, deeply introspective, and 100% worth it.

Let me know — have you read Heart of Darkness? Did it leave you spiraling too? Or are you planning to pick it up now? Let’s chat in the comments!

And yes, As Good As Dead is still on the table for next week — I’m not backing out just yet! Stay tuned for (hopefully!) the trilogy finale review!

Until next Friday ✨

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson — First read of 2025 and WHAT a way to kick things off! 🎤📖

Hey hey! Kicking off 2025 strong with my eleventh book review — and wow, what a ride. I just finished Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson (yep, book two in the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series), and OH MY GOD, it was a total rollercoaster. The kind that messes with your head and refuses to let go, even long after you’ve closed the book.

Technically, this should’ve been part of my 2024 lineup — but confession time: I started it last year, got distracted (classic me), left it halfway, and only just picked it back up. And now? I’m kicking myself for not finishing it sooner. Regret: 10/10. But I’m also weirdly glad, because revisiting it with fresh eyes made the experience even more intense.

🕵️ Pip, But Make It Darker

In this sequel, we meet a more evolved, more haunted Pip. She’s stepped away from her true crime podcast and is trying to move on with life — but of course, the universe has other plans. When her friend Connor’s brother goes missing and the police brush it off, Pip can’t help but do what she does best: investigate.

The stakes are higher. The emotions are heavier. And the tension? Through. The. Roof. Holly Jackson masterfully builds the suspense, planting clues while still making you second-guess every single character. I felt like I was knee-deep in the mystery alongside Pip — only this time, everything felt more personal, more urgent, more dangerous.

“You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand.” – Good Girl, Bad Blood

🤯 Loved the Journey, Not So Much the Ending

Now for my one little gripe (okay, maybe not so little): I really wish the ending had more closure. After so much tension and build-up, I was hoping for a cleaner, more final resolution. Instead, it felt a bit too open-ended. Maybe that’s just me being greedy — but I wanted that “ahh, yes, we’re done here” feeling. Instead, I was left staring at the last page like… wait, that’s it?

That said, it didn’t ruin the experience at all. The storytelling, the pacing, the twists — all top-notch. Pip continues to be one of the smartest and most relatable YA mystery leads out there. I’ll defend her with my whole heart, thank you very much.

📘 Onward to Book Three (Update!)

I finally found a reasonably priced copy of As Good As Dead — huge win! 🥳
I’ve already started reading it, and while I’m still working through it, I’m hoping to wrap it up in time for next Friday’s review. I really want to complete this trilogy as a set — because let’s face it, consistency is rare in my book-reading life, and I’d love to end this series on a high.

Once I’m done with the trilogy, I’ll be diving into my 2024 TBR — which, let’s just say, is patiently waiting for me. 😅

Starting the year with Good Girl, Bad Blood honestly feels like a solid decision — twisty, bold, and totally addictive. I’m back to building that Friday review habit, one post at a time.

So tell me — have you read book two? Did the ending land for you, or were you also mildly yelling into the void like me? Let’s chat in the comments!

Oh, and yes — still posting every Friday. One review at a time, we’re doing this thing. 💪📚

Catch you next week! 💬✨

Book + Series Review | A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson – A Sharp, Addictive Mystery (But the Book Wins!)

10th Book Review — We Made It to Double Digits! 🎉

Hey hey! Back with my tenth book review (how did we get here already?!), and this one’s a little extra — it’s a combo review of both the book and the series adaptation of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. Because seriously, when a mystery grabs me, I just can’t chill. 😅

The Book: Twisty, Smart & Surprisingly Addictive

From page one, I was hooked. The setup? Pip, a high school student, dives into an old murder case in her town for her senior project — only to discover that things are far messier than they seem. Honestly, I got some very confused looks reading this in public (the title does sound like “Crime 101”), but I didn’t care one bit.

What makes this book so immersive is its mixed-media style — texts, interviews, notes — that pull you into the investigation with Pip. She’s clever, persistent, and a total overthinker (relatable!), making her an engaging narrator to follow.

Yes, the middle dragged a bit — too many suspects and theories — but the ending? Chef’s kiss. Fast-paced, shocking, and completely worth the wait.

One quote that stuck with me:
"Everyone has secrets. It’s just a matter of finding out what they are." — Holly Jackson, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

The Series: Visually Nice, Emotionally Meh

After finishing the book, I couldn’t resist watching the series. Visually, it’s sleek and stylish — definitely a binge-worthy watch. The pacing is tighter, which helps keep the momentum going.

But here’s the catch: if you’ve read the book, you’ll notice a big difference. Pip in the show doesn’t have the same sharpness or depth. Key scenes and emotional moments felt watered down. The tension and layers that made the book special were dialed back, making the series more surface-level.

So, if you’re new to the story, the show holds up as a decent mystery drama. But if you’ve read the book? No contest — the book wins every time.

Bonus: Series Progress Report 😅

I’m done with Good Girl, Bad Blood and currently reading As Good As Dead, the final book in the series. So stay tuned for — yes, you guessed it — another trilogy review coming your way soon! After years of starting and abandoning series, I’m actually finishing one — and honestly, I’m proud of this small win. 📚

Final Thoughts

If you love dark YA thrillers with smart plots, layered characters, and plenty of twists, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a must-read. The book offers more tension, grit, and heart than the series can capture. The show is a fun bonus, but it can’t quite match the depth of the original.