It's time for another jam-packed Read with Kayla! The past two weeks have been full of good books and I can't wait to talk to you all about them! I finished my monthly TBR for the first month in awhile, so that was super exciting too!
However, this week's RwK is a little different! For the first time ever, I am also uploading a Read with Kayla VIDEO over on StyledByKaylaXO's YouTube channel! So if you would rather hear me rave about books than read about me raving about books, go check it out!
Now let's get into the books!
I had been really excited to read this book for awhile! The concept of the game of Caraval reminds me a lot of immersive/interactive theater, which is something I studied in undergrad and was the specialty of one of my professors. I really enjoyed the growth of Scarlett in this book. She definitely came into her own and by the end of the book was bolder and braver than in the beginning. The overarching mystery of the world is super intriguing and I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
Rating: ★★★★
Read if you love: mystery, sibling stories, forbidden romance
Purchase: Barnes and Noble | Amazon
If you are looking for a unique and sweet coming of age romance, this book is for you! It deals with the standard Senior Year of high school problems (college choice, friends changing, what comes next?) but in a new way. The main character is relatable and someone you want to succeed, and her journey shows the intended audience of this book that there is no one right way to move on from high school. Though there is romance in this book, it doesn't overshadow the character's internal struggles and true journey of figuring out what comes next. I highly recommend this book.
Rating: ★★★★
Read if you love: coming of age stories
Purchase: Barnes and Noble | Amazon
This wasn't my favorite Christina Lauren book, but it definitely was enjoyable! Olive is a highly relatable character and I enjoyed how her relationships, not only with Ethan but with her family, grew throughout the book.
Rating: ★★★
Read if you love: romance, enemies to lovers
Purchase: Barnes and Noble | Amazon
I haven't enjoyed a romance novel this much in a long time! I loved Lucy and Joshua and their chemistry. I'm a sucker for a good enemies to lovers romance, and this one did not disappoint. Now I'm ready for the movie to come out! Highly recommend!
Rating: ★★★★★
Read if you love: enemies to lovers, steamy romance
Purchase: Barnes and Noble | Amazon
This was definitely my most anticipated release of 2021 and it did not disappoint! Nesta and Cassian's story is so beautifully written. I have always loved how SJM handles mental health and how she never take the expected route with healing and growth for her characters. Nesta can be a hard pill to swallow in all of the ACOTAR books, this one included, but I really learned to love her in this book and relate to her a lot. This is definitely my new favorite SJM book! And the spice was prime!
Rating: ★★★★★
Read if you love: ACOTAR, powerful women, emotional journeys, romance
Purchase: Barnes and Noble | Amazon
This book was way more interesting than I thought it would be! The twist was unexpected and both Evelyn and Monique were relatable characters, even though Evelyn was far more glamorous than I will ever be! I highly recommend this book!
Rating: ★★★★
Read if you love: a good twist, drama, romance
Purchase: Barnes and Noble | Amazon
I am a huge Greek mythology and history nerd, and the Trojan war is one of my favorite topics, so I had high expectations for this book exploring the potential romantic relationship between Achilles and Patroclus. Though I really enjoyed it as a coming of age story and in the context of the myth, it wasn't my favorite read of the year but is definitely worth a read!
Rating: ★★★
Read if you love: Greek myth, forbidden romance, coming of age stories
Purchase: Barnes and Noble | Amazon
This book was definitely slow to get interesting and I found myself easily taken out of the world with the pop culture references (though I too love Harry Styles and Legacies). There was a lot of exposition that didn't get to the supernatural/magical elements of the world (the MC doesn't realize there is magic/vampires until 300 pages in) that I probably could've done without. However, the twists toward the end were THRILLING and I cannot wait to read the next book. I'm glad I stuck with it.
Rating: ★★★
Read if you love: Legacies, vampires, forbidden romance, supernatural creatures
Purchase: Barnes and Noble | Amazon
This book was incredibly charming. I really enjoyed Sunny as a character and the concept of running with a lie you told (or someone assumed) with your crush is always fun to see. I definitely am not the intended audience of this book, but I think it is one that teens definitely would enjoy and should read!
Rating: ★★★
Read if you love: coming of age stories, good friendships, family stories
Purchase: Barnes and Noble | Amazon
Stay tuned to the YouTube channel and ReadWithKaylaXO for my March TBR, coming next week!
xo,
Kayla
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