Sometimes it can be so easy to forget the things that had formerly engrossed our world—one of the many reasons why I track everything in journals. But, when you don’t, it can be a challenge to drudge up the memory correctly. Nevertheless, when it comes to bookish things, it can actually be fun trying to cipher through your mental library to get it right and remember a moment when a book interacted with your life.
At least, that’s what I discovered as I completed this book challenge. Here’s what I got:
The last book I gave 5 stars
This one was a tough read because it was detailed and seemingly random for most of the book. However, that plays into what makes it eventually beautiful when it all comes together as a reflection of how intertwined our histories are.
Simply put, this book is set in Western Massachussetts and follows the occupants of an old house across centuries, revealing how their connection with the home becomes part of a bigger history that can get lost in life.
The last book I bought
The sequel to my 2025 book of the year, I paid full price on this one as soon as they hit the shelves of my store! And, what do you know, it’s already holding a finalist spot for my 2026 book of the year!
Without giving any spoilers, a former side character becomes the main character in this satirical fantasy, but doesn’t fit the bill to be the hero, leaving the other characters scrambling to save the story plot that has been disrupted.
The last book I finished
I started reading this series in, like, 2016, and I finally finished this 4th book (out of 8) this year. Not the best written, but still fun and I will finish it!
Overall, the series follows 8 brothers who are fated to fall in love and create a nation from scratch, much to the dismay of the country that had exiled them because they feared a prophesized disaster should this fate come to pass.
The last book I DNF’d
I had high hopes for this book because of the cover. But, that’s how all YA ropes me in, then it always leaves me disappointed. This has been the only book I’ve DNF’d this year so far.
I can only say so much about it, but I gathered that it was about a town under a curse that they generally ignored. Except, when the most cursed family returns to town, it distresses a girl who feels no one can escape their fate under the curse.
Note how many times I say curse…she does the same.
The last book I borrowed
I prefer the graphic audios for romantic fantasies when available, and my county library has them for all the popular books. So, I borrowed all three sections for this book and enjoyed all 18 hours of it!
This is a third book in a series, so essentially, it is the culmination of war that has been threatening the characters as they tried to figure out how to resist the what feels like inevitable doom since the fae courts are unable to work together and trust one another.
The last book I was gifted
A gal in my book club is a hardcore Navessa Allen fan and insists that I read this one since I like dark romance as much as she does. It’s going to take me a while to get to it on my TBR, but I will!
Without having read this one myself, I understand that it’s about a woman who is being stalked by a man she follows on social media who comes to rescue her when he finds out she is also being stalked by a man with ill-intentions for her. Together, they defeat this man, and explore love in the midst of life’s darker realities.
The last book I added to my wishlist
I actually stock these ones in my store since the author is local to me and I know him personally. I enjoyed the first one and had been waiting for this sequel. Haven’t set aside my own copy yet, though, so it is on my wishlist for now!
I don’t know as much about the second, but in the first book, a virus escapes its lab just as a war between the elite breaks out, forcing a bodyguard to come out of his shell to protect the woman he loves, who is caught right in the middle of it all as a key to their culture and world.
The last book I gifted someone
I loved this book and try to pass it along to every woman who is going through change in her life. So, I gifted it to my whole book club for Books & Roses Day back in April.
The first book of a trilogy, a woman tries to start her life over in New Orleans when she is pulled into a secret society of women who help people explore their identity through their sexuality to empower them with experience instead of living wiht yearning for what they never had.
The last book I gave less than 3 stars
I don’t even know what to say about this one. Just dark, for dark’s sake, lacking all plot. However, she did warn us to expect that, so I can’t even be mad about it. Just confused.
In a nutshell, a woman is kidnapped and trained to be a sex slave for the man who started helping her explore the kinks she had always suppressed.
So, those are the “last books” for me so far this year and I enjoyed recounting them. In time, I’ll be trying to review each; so stay tuned for that on the blog later!
What were the “last books” for you this year?
Let us know in the comments below!
