Welcome back to Read with Kayla! I hope you read a lot of brilliant books this week! This week I read 10 awesome books that I can't wait to share with you! Be sure to follow me on Instagram - ReadWithKaylaXO to see what I'm reading in real-time!
Physical Books/eBooks
1. Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins
I am incredibly emotionally invested in these characters after reading this book and the follow up - "Her Royal Highness". I'm gonna need about 8 more books about these people!!
I'm a sucker for a royalty story, and this book is prime!
Rating: ★★★★★
Read if You Love: Royalty, Scotland, Romance
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
2. You Had Me At Hola by Alexis Daria
ME ENCANTA!!!! Is that enough of a review? I’m a sucker for a good co-stars illicit romance story. I loved every minute of this book. As an actor and director it was incredible to see the scene breakdown chapters with actor internal monologue. I am just as analytical an actor as Jasmine and so those chapters felt like getting in my own head. I want more of Jasmine and Ashton and I want Carmen to be a real show - oh Netflix?!?!
Rating: ★★★★★
Read if You Love: Telenovelas, Steamy Romance, Acting
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Target
3. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Okay, so I may be the last person in the world to have read this book! I couldn't put it down though! I loved how well thought out the world and all of the characters are. I had to order the rest of the series the second I finished this one. If you have not read these books and like YA Fantasy, don't miss out on these!
Rating: ★★★★★
Read if You Love: Fantasy, Badass Women, Mysterious Quests
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
4. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
I really loved Red Queen when I read it last week and was really excited to dive into the sequel! This one was just as good and full of action and drama! I took an Instagram workshop with Victoria Aveyard while I was reading it and knowing how she structures and writes her books gave me a whole new perspective and love for this series! I can't wait to read the next one!
Rating: ★★★★★
Read if You Love: Magic, Adventure, Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
5. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
This sequel to Throne of Glass is every bit as good as the first book! The character development is strong, there are plenty of twists and turns and a HUGE twist at the end! It took everything in me to not jump straight into the third one when I finished it last night!
Rating: ★★★★★
Read if You Love: YA Fantasy, Magic, Mystery
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Audiobooks
1. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
I don't know how I hadn't read this book by now. I also have never seen the movie (which will be remedied this week). I really loved this book and DID NOT see the twist coming! I also really enjoyed the narrator and how dedicated she was to each of her individual books. I always get nervous about fiction audiobooks, but this one was fabulous!
Rating: ★★★★
Read if You Love: Romance, Coming of Age Stories
Purchase: Amazon (Audible)
ARCs/eARCs
(I received these eARCs from NetGalley and their respective publishers in exchange for my honest review)
1. The Gifted, The Talented and Me by William Sutcliffe (Out September 22nd, 2020)
I am a sucker for a book about drama kids, so this was right up my alley! I really enjoyed this book. The dynamics between Sam and his family felt realistic and I loved how the author handled so many different complexities of being a teenager without being preachy and "you'll be okay!" Sam was going through so many changes in his life and his (and Freya and Ethan's) reactions to the changes in their lives seemed age appropriate and natural. The sibling and parent relationships were relatable as well. Though there was some stereotypical "middle kid left out" storylines, that wasn't the entirety of Sam's issues with his family. All in all, I liked this book and would definitely recommend it for teens, especially those interested in the arts!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me access to this eARC!
Rating: ★★★
Read if You Love: Theater, Non-Traditional Education, Realistic YA
Pre-Order: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
2. Fifty Feminist Mantras by Amelia Hruby (Out October 6th, 2020)
I cannot wait to have a physical copy of this journal in my hands! Reading through all of the prompts made me excited to start this journey at the end of the year of self reflection, meditation, and finding my feminine power. This journal is for EVERY woman. There are mantras and prompts that will be beneficial to us all as we move into a new year of becoming our best selves. This journal is evidence that fighting the patriarchy and capitalism is not just an external battle, but an internal one as well. We've grown up in a society that tells us we are less than and in order to combat that system, we need to combat the internalized messages we have held onto. This journal will be a great tool for that work and I can't wait to buy copies for all of the powerful women in my life!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for granting me access to this eARC!
Rating: ★★★★★
Read if You Love: Journals, Badass Women, Motivation, Feminism, Mantras, Meditation
Pre-Order: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
3. How to Vegan: An Illustrated Guide by Stephen Wildish (Out September 15th, 2020)
Disclaimer - I am not a vegan, nor do I have solid plans to become one any time soon. I am however trying to be more conscious about reducing my meat consumption. I found this book to be insightful and hilarious. It joked about the preachiness of some vegans and was filled with puns and comics. Though it is at its core a reference. book, it was highly entertaining. I am excited to try some of the recipes and food swaps!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me access to this eARC!
Rating: ★★★★
Read if You Love: Veganism, Sarcasm, Recipes, Flow Charts
Pre-Order: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
4. Historically Inaccurate by Shay Bravo (Out September 29th, 2020)
I'll admit that I had a pretty slow start to this book, but once I got in a few chapters I really enjoyed it! Though, as a white woman, I'll never truly understand the hardships Soledad faced because of her parents' immigration status, I really connected to her character. Her insecurities, her desire succeed, her opinions on relationships, and a lot of her personality really clicked with me.
I love a good college troublemaking story and this one definitely was enjoyable! Pranks, romance, scandal, friendship - all the makings of a great college story! I highly recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me access to this eARC!
Rating: ★★★★
Read if You Love: College Stories, Mischief, Secret Societies
Pre-Order: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
What did you read this week? Let me know in the comments!
xo,
Kayla
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