Lights Out by Jenni Fletcher

“He’s a future F1 champion, but she’s making it hard to stay on track…

F1’s resident bad boy Giovanni Bauer isn’t used to losing, but when his non-stop partying leaves his position on the team at risk, he needs to turn his reputation around - fast.

Maisie Evans is a dedicated psychology student, desperate to break into Gio’s competitive world and reignite her dreams of a glittering sports career, but with no clue how to do it.

When Gio and Maisie’s worlds collide, the answer to their problems seems a fake relationship. She gets to travel the world and brush shoulders with sports royalty, and he gets to fix his image by settling down.

But as sparks fly on and off the track, will their ‘relationship’ see them cross the line together, or crash and burn?” - taken from Goodreads.

Maisie Evans is going to college to become a sports psychologist. Her own mountain biking career came to a screeching halt after an accident. Lately her grades have plummeted and she's in danger of having to repeat the term. When she meets F1 racing's resident bad boy Gio Bauer while working at a party, he proposes a solution to each of the problems. Fake date to improve his reputation and provide a research project for Maisie.

As the two continue to carry on their sham, real feelings between the two begin to surface. Can their burgeoning relationship survive Gio’s high speed world?

Visit Jenni Fletcher’s website.

A Theory in Dreaming by Ava Reid (A Study in Drowning book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, A Study in Drowning, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“All stories come to an end.

Effy learned that when she defeated the Fairy King. Even though she may never know exactly what happened at Hiraeth, she is free of her nightmares and is able to pen a thesis with Preston on the beloved national fairy tale Angharad. She has finally earned a spot at the literature college, making her the first woman in history to enroll.

But some dreams are dangerous, especially when they come true. The entire university—and soon the entire nation—is waiting for her to fail. With the Fairy King defeated and Myrddin’s legacy exposed, Effy can no longer escape into fantasy. Who is she without her stories?

With Effy under threat, Preston is surprised to discover a rage simmering inside him, ringing in his ears like bells. He begins to dream of a palace under the sea, a world where he is king—visions that start to follow him even in waking.

As the war between Llyr and Argant explodes, Effy and Preston find themselves caught in the crossfire: Effy losing her dreams and Preston losing himself in his.

Are dreams ever truly just dreams?” - taken from Goodreads.

Where Drowning was Effy’s story, Dreaming tells what happens next from Preston’s point of view. Effy is the first female literature student at the college and Preston is ostracized for being Argantian. As Effy begins to spiral under the weight of school, Preston finds that he is now the one caught up in a fairytale that will change the war between neighboring nations. A bit slow in the beginning, the story picks up as Preston begins to uncover the lies.

Visit Ava Reid’s website. 

Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis

“Eighteen-year-old Mirabella “Mira” Owens grew up in Timber Plains, Kansas hearing all about the local legend—that werewolves had, many years ago, traveled to their small Midwest town to protect humans from the growing threat of a vampire enclave. Just a story of course, a fairy tale, one Mira had stopped believing in when she was young—just like she stopped believing in the idea of her mom returning, after she up and left without a trace when she was only thirteen.

Mira is grown up now, starting freshman year at the nearby Lakeland University. College feels normal, exactly the thing she’s been craving most... except for one particular classmate: Julian Santos, a mysterious boy with long hair, golden eyes, and a coldness that seems directed exclusively at Mira for reasons she can’t understand and he won’t explain.

When Mira receives an unaddressed letter from her mother, she’s told the world isn’t as it seems. She suspects her mom might be telling the truth when she stumbles across strange animal tracks on a hiking trail, and when she’s miraculously saved from a twenty foot drop by the one and only, Julian Santos.

The problem? Julian would have had to jump the length of the cliff to catch her, making him incredibly fast and strong beyond belief. When she confronts him about this, he denies everything.

But when a Blood Moon rises, Mira soon finds herself caught in the middle of an ancient, magical war, with Julian on the other side of the line. She discovers there’s much more truth to the old town legends than she could ever have anticipated—and her family’s historic role in it will change her world forever.” - taken from Goodreads.

What happens when you learn that the folk tales you heard as a child turned out to be true? When Mira discovers that her town is protected from the wrath of vampires by werewolves, her world is turned upside down. Her mother, who disappeared without a trace years earlier, sends her a letter with a mysterious necklace in it. It turns out that her role in the town's history is not what she expected. Who can Mira count on when her life is suddenly on the line? Why has her mother finally made a reappearance in her life?

Book two, Blood Lust, is due out on Sept. 8, 2026.

Visit Britney S. Lewis’ website.

The Romance Rivalry by Susan Lee

 

“She’s read every romance…except her own…

Irene Park loves romance novels—so much so she’s made a career of them as an online book reviewer with a massive following. But Irene’s real life dating story? Non-existent. So when she starts her freshman year of college, she sets her sights on finding true love using the one thing she really understands…romance book tropes.

If only it were that easy.

Enter Aiden Jeon, Irene’s online book review rival and biggest nemesis. When Aiden challenges her to see who can find love-by-trope first, he becomes the one person standing in her way to getting everything she wants both professionally and personally, too. So when the competition takes an unexpected turn, forcing the two of them to have to partner in the ultimate trope, fake dating, Irene is not prepared for everything she believed about romance, and Aiden, to flip on its head.

As Irene tackles the challenges of college life, struggles to figure out what she really wants for herself, all while trying to win the race for love, Irene realizes the answers may not be found in a romance novel. Happily Ever Afters seem so easy on page. But for Irene to find her ultimate HEA, she’ll have to get her nose out of the book and become the main character of her own story.” - taken from Goodreads.

Visit Susan Lee’s website.

Fangirl, Vol. 4: The Manga by Rainbow Rowell

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first three volumes in the series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, everybody is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life. Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath just can’t let go…

Cath and Levi are officially dating—finally!—but Cath still has a lot on her plate as the end of freshman year approaches. She only has a few more weeks to save her grade in Fiction Writing, her twin sister, Wren, is acting increasingly reckless, and an unexpected reunion with her mother has thrown everything off-balance. Plus, with the release date for the last Simon Snow novel looming, Cath is struggling to focus on anything except finishing her epic fanfiction—including her relationship with Levi.

In this final volume of Fangirl , Cath must decide whether finding her own path forward means walking away from Simon Snow for good.” - taken from Goodreads.

This volume finishes up the manga version of the book Fangirl. I will say that this is an incredible graphic rendition of the book. Well worth the read!

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

 

“Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. She’s had no choice. Since childhood, she’s been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She’s found solace only in the pages of Angharad - author Emrys Myrddin’s beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, and then destroys him.

Effy’s tattered, dog-eared copy is all that’s keeping her afloat through her stifling first term at Llyr’s prestigious architecture college. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to design the late author’s house, Effy feels certain this is her destiny.

But Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task: a musty, decrepit estate on the brink of crumbling into a hungry sea. And when Effy arrives, she finds she isn’t the only one who’s made a temporary home there. Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar, is studying Myrddin’s papers and is determined to prove her favorite author is a fraud.

As the two rival students investigate the reclusive author’s legacy, piecing together clues through his letters, books, and diaries, they discover that the house’s foundation isn’t the only thing that can’t be trusted. There are dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspiring against them - and the truth may bring them both to ruin.” - taken from Goodreads.

This book was incredible! Fantasy, books, and romance, what more could you ask for. I loved everything about the story; the mystery, the slow burn romance, the lyrical writing, Effy’s attitude. I couldn’t wait for the ending to see if my suspicions came true. Definitely a top 10 book of the year for me.

Visiting Ava Reid’s website.

Fangirl, Vol. 3: The Manga by Rainbow Rowell

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two volumes in the series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, everybody is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life. Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath just can’t let go…

Everything in Cath’s offline life is going wrong. Just when she’s started to realize her feelings for Levi, she sees him kissing someone else. Plus, her writing partner, Nick, is acting strange, and her twin sister, Wren, is suddenly making time for their mother—the same woman who walked out of their lives ten years ago!

When their dad ends up in the hospital, Cath decides it’s time to rethink her plans for the future.

But how can she leave the past behind when it keeps showing up at her door?” - taken from Goodreads.

And of course, volume 3 ends on another major cliffhanger. Good news is that volume 4 will conclude the story.

The story will be finished with volume 4 due out in 2024.

Fangirl, Vol. 2:The Manga by Sam Maggs

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first volume in the series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Cath just wants to hang out with her twin sister and write fanfiction. But now that they’re at college, her sister doesn’t have time for her. And life keeps pulling Cath further and further out of her shell. For the first time ever, Cath has her own social circle. There’s Nick, her handsome classmate who wants her to write short stories with him… And then Levi, who keeps showing up when she isn’t looking for him … Actually … maybe Cath’s circle is more of a triangle?” - taken from Goodreads.

So I discovered at the cliffhanger ending of volume 2 that readers are being treated to four volumes in total. Now to wait.

To be continued with volume 3 due out on August 8, 2023.

Fangirl, Vol. 1:The Manga by Sam Maggs

 

“The manga adaptation of the beloved novel by #1 Bestselling author Rainbow Rowell!

Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, everybody is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life. Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath just can't let go. Now that they’re in college, Cath must decide if she’s ready to start living her own life. But does she even want to if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Cath doesn’t need friends IRL. She has her twin sister, Wren, and she’s a popular fanfic writer in the Simon Snow community with thousands of fans online.  But now that she’s in college, Cath is completely outside of her comfort zone. There are suddenly all these new people in her life. She's got a surly roommate with a charming boyfriend, a writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome new writing partner ... And she's barely heard from Wren all semester!” - taken from Goodreads.com

This graphic novel adaptation of Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl novel and spot-on. Only the first half of the book is portrayed, so fans will be left eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

“A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan.

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving. Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?” - taken from Goodreads.com

Okay, here's another book that I'm late to the party for. Fangirl has been on my TBR pile forever so I finally took a chance on the audio version. I loved Cath’s journey of self-discovery and independence during her freshman year at college. Cath’s anxieties begin when her twin sister Wren decides she needs her own space and doesn't want to share a dorm room with her. Cath stretches, not always willing, her wings and comes into her own. Cath’s story is interspersed with her popular fanfiction stories based on a Harry Potter-like book series. I adored Cath’s story and hated for it to end, but the ending was truly awesome. 

Visit Rainbow Rowell’s website.

 

The Heir and the Spare by Emily Albright (The Heir and the Spare book 1)

“She's secretly royal. He secretly loyal.”

"Family can be complicated. Especially when skeletons from the past pop up unexpectedly. For American Evie Gray, finding out her deceased mother had a secret identity, and not one of the caped crusader variety, was quite the surprise. Evie’s mom had a secret life before she was even born, one that involved tiaras.

In this modern day fairytale, Evie is on a path to figure out who her mom really was, while discovering for herself what the future will hold. Charged with her late mother’s letters, Evie embarks on a quest into her past. The first item on the list is to attend Oxford, her mom’s alma mater. There, Evie stumbles upon a real life prince charming, Edmund Stuart the second Prince of England, who is all too happy to be the counterpart to her damsel in distress.

Evie can’t resist her growing attraction to Edmund as they spend more time together trying to unravel the clues her mother left behind. But, when doubts arise as to whether or not Edmund could ever be with an untitled American, what really ends up unraveling is Evie’s heart. When Evie uncovers all the facts about her mom’s former life, she realizes her mom’s past can open doors she never dreamed possible, doors that can help her be with Edmund. But, with everything now unveiled, Evie starts to crack under the pressure of new family responsibilities and the realization that her perfect prince may want her for all the wrong reasons.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This book has been on my TBR pile for several years but I just hadn't picked it up. Needless to say I am so glad that I finally read it, and in just over one day. It was just the pick me up I was needing right now. The story felt a little familiar but was so much better than any other book like this I've read. I loved that Evie's mom sent her on a quest of sorts to uncover her past and how supportive Edmund was of her. Both Evie and Edmund's group of friends at Oxford were awesome. Now on to read about Preston's story in Everyday Magic. He is the one character I really needed to see have his own happily ever after.

Visit Emily Albright’s website.