I will be adding more to this page when I read more books that I really do recommend. Romance is my all time favourite genre (as you can probably tell), but this year (2023), I have read my first fantasy books and I loved them, so I can’t wait to read more!
Romance books
The Magnolia Parks series by Jessa Hastings
If you are looking for a series that is like gossip girl mixed with Made in Chelsea, this is the perfect series for you.
Following high profile people in London, this series focuses on Magnolia and BJ and Daisy Haites, Julian Haites and Christian Hemmes. There is LOADS of drama, and if you’re wanting a more in depth review, read this post where I give a more detailed (mostly) spoiler free review. http://bigsisterera.com/book-review-the-magnolia-parks-series/
Book 1 = https://amzn.to/3K2QlpR
Book 2 = https://amzn.to/3Z4g1Xn
Book 3 = https://amzn.to/40aW2HR
Book 4 = https://amzn.to/407ABap
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
This book was amazing. BookTok definitely got me to read it!
It follows Patroclus and Achilles relationship from when they meet when they are younger. It is set in the Greek Heroic age (which is so interesting to read about!), and follows the events before and after the great Trojan war. It is a devastatingly, amazing love story that will 100% break your heart.
One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This book made me feel so many emotions, I felt the pain of the main character.
Emma is married to Jesse, they are childhood sweethearts and live a wild life travelling and exploring. Until he goes missing and dies in a helicopter crash. She’s eventually moving on decides to give Sam (has loved her since he met her) a chance.
She then gets a call FROM JESSE, who she thought was dead, saying he’s coming back home to her…
Love and other words by Christina Lauren
Elliot went from being Macy’s entire world to be strangers after something happens… until their paths cross again. This book is a then and now timeline allowing you to see their relationship both times. They both have a love for books and it’s such a wholesome read.
P.s. Elliot is a golden retriever boy and needs protecting at all costs.
All your perfects by Colleen Hoover
This is a second chance romance book that absolutely RIPPED MY HEART OUT.
This is a then and now book, allowing you to see their relationship then (when it was perfect) and now (when they’re struggling). You can see how perfect they are for each other and it’s so upsetting seeing why their relationship is falling apart in the present.
The off campus series by Elle Kennedy
The whole off campus series is amazing. My favourites being ‘The Deal’ and ‘The Score’.
It’s a dual perspective series following hockey players and their love interests. The whole series is a nice read, nothing too deep, although very spicy!
All Rhodes Lead Here by Marina Zapata
I didn’t expect to love this book so much! It follows a woman who comes back to her home town, where her mother died, after being in a toxic relationship.
When she gets to the place she’s staying, the owner explains he never offered for anyone to stay, which is when he finds out his son listed the property for rent.
It’s a grumpy sunshine romance that is slow burn and so good!
Fantasy Books
The ACOTAR series. As a whole I would rate this series 5/5!
I’m going as far as saying this is my favourite series ever!
It follows a human Feyre, who has been taken to Prythian (land of the immortal high Fae) because when hunting for her and her family (Nesta her older sister, Elain her younger sister, and her father) to survive after they have ended up in poverty, she killed a Fae wolf. Prythian is where humans have always been warned against going, so what will it be like for Feyre?
I feel sad now that I have finished this series, and wish I could re read it again for the first time! (Especially book 2)
The Six of Crows duo by Leigh Bardugo
These were the first fantasy books I’ve ever read and I absolutely LOVED them!!!
It follows ‘The Crows’ which are six members, assigned to complete a seemingly impossible heist.
Kaz Brekker is the main guy, and is so smart, I don‘t know how he gets out of some situations.
They end up accepting to do the heist after they were granted a huge amount of money if they’re successful. The whole book is so tense and such a page turner!
Other
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Reid wrote this book so well that I genuinely thought Evelyn Hugo was real.
It follows Evelyn Hugo and her experiences and life of being a Hollywood star. The book shows you why she had seven husbands, and her motives behind it.
It’s a book that I will never forget. I loved being inside Hugo’s mind and grew really attached to the characters in this book.
I feel like it’s also a good representation of Hollywood (or what I’ve heard of it).
Verity by Colleen Hoover
This book was an absolute page turner!!
I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The story line is amazing and I genuinely didn’t expect the twist coming.
A writer (Lowen) is asked to finish writing a famous author, Verity’s, book series, by a man called Jeremy (verity’s wife) because she has been in a crash and is unable to finish the series. But when Lowen comes to their house to find research material to start writing, she finds a manuscript, written by Verity, about verity’s life…and it reveals some gruesome and outrageous things. So now she has to live in this house knowing what she knows reading the manuscript, but not wanting to tell Jeremy she has read it.