The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret Atwood

This was sitting on our condo's community bookcase. I swiped it because seeing the cover put me in the mood to re-read it. When I was a freshman in college, this was one of our "common read" options. We were supposed to read the book before new student orientation and then attend a discussion group. I ended up speed reading the book on the long car ride from upstate NY to DC. So.... yeah... not a lot of it stuck. I've been meaning to re-read it for years. 

I've only made it through the Forward and chapter one at the moment. I know that this is going to be the kind of book I enjoy reading. But, I also know that I'm going to get angry at the context in which I'm reading it. It's going to be an emotionally volatile 300ish pages.

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Chasm
Stacey McEwan

Normally, I would have finished this kind of book in about a week. Sadly, I'm just not vibing with it. I've read only a few chapters the last few days. It's not bad it just not hitting the spot. I should probably put it down and try something but, since it's a library book, I'm just going to keep pushing through. At this point, I just want to know how it ends without all the plot in the middle.

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Chasm
Stacey McEwan

This is book two in the Glacian Trilogy and it picks up immediately where the first book ended. That ending was a blockbuster! I’m only a few chapters in but, admittedly, I’m struggling to remember some key plot points and characters from the first novel. There’s enough explanation that I’m not too lost, but I wish I could have read these back-to-back.

Also, I totally called that something would happen. I can't share even a hint of details because it would be a complete spoiler to a big reveal.

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Cruel Seduction
Katee Robert

After I finished book five of the Dark Olympus series, I rolled right into book six. Once I finish this title, I will be caught up. I'm kind of sad about that. As formulaic as these titles are, they've been enjoyable to read. Also, at this point, I've finally admitted to myself that this series falls firmly in the erotica category of romance. This book in particular. It leans heavily into polyamory. 

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Radiant Sin
Katee Robert

I started reading book four in the Dark Olympus series a few days ago. By this point, I've learned that the series is fairly formulaic. The leads are forced to be together. Then each book has it's own spin on the kind of romance. Finally, all of that is set within a broader narrative of what is happening in the city of Olympus. It's entirely predictable but it works. I will read this series until the very last book.

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Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture.
Sara Petersen

Petersen writes one of my favorite newsletters, In Pursuit of Clean Countertops, so I grabbed her book as soon as it was available at my local library. In this book, Petersen is putting the world of momfluencers in deeper cultural conversation with how we view motherhood. It’s fascinating. This is a work of academic non-fiction but Petersen’s friendly tone and sassy nature shine through making it less of a chore to read.

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Killer Kung Pao
Vivien Chien

This is another title in the Noodle Shop mystery series. I am about 50 pages from the end and I still have no idea who did it. The thing with this particular entry is that the author has lined up three plausible killers but only one of them has a clear motive. I doubt I'll figure it out before the reveal.

Also, there was one scene where the author describes what are heroine is eating that almost had me calling for a midnight order of Chinese takeout.

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Wicked Beauty
Katee Robert

This is the third book in the Dark Olympus series. So far, it's the one I've enjoyed the least. I still like the world the author has created, but the characters feel a little flat. It's hard to explain completely, but there is a bit of depth missing. That said, I'm only a few chapters in so that perception may change as the plot develops. I do like the hints of Hunger Games this story has.

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Rivals: American Royals III
Katharine McGee

This is a YA book series set in a world where the US is run by a royal family. In this entry, we get to see a conference of royals from around the world along with a side story where two rivals team up to take on an interloper. Nothing about this is realistic except for the fact that teens are leading with their emotions. I'm loving it.

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Neon Gods
Katee Robert

I flew through this title in just a few nights. It was an updated retelling of the Persephone myth. I very much enjoyed it and, as promised, it was spicy. My main quibble was the world building. The Olympus the author created is great. What's weird is that it seems to sit within the modern United States. Maybe? I'm not sure. They mention Ohio and random things like that. This wasn't enough to ruin the story, but it just felt odd.

Tonight, I will be starting book two in this series - Electric Idol.