5 must reads for right now

hi! long time, no type. can we please not do the whole, “i couldn't post to my blog because life was really crazy” bit and just move on? perfect. since i went AWOL, i picked up books and forgot all my worries. seriously though, i have always been a huge reader. like never cheated on my reading logs in elementary school type of reader. anyways, i read soooo many book this year so these are just five for just right now that i definitely think you should run and grab!

also, i linked all the books to either barnes and noble or thriftbooks, which sells new and gently used books while being eco-conscious! here is to a year of limiting our amazon shopping! :-)

luster by raven leilani

this book was just so consuming and demanded to be read fast. this was leilani’s first published novel and it was so incredibly done. leilani writes in tangents and reading the novel was like reading a stream of her conscious. it was an incredibly raw yet beautiful book. the relationship edie forms with eric, his wife and daughter becomes more complex and messy as the book goes on. when i finished this book, i wanted to sit next to edie and hold her hand. does that make sense?

sisters by daisy johnson

this was a book that was quick and haunting. it creeps up on you in a way the reader does not expect. it feels like a sinister book, but you realize that it is about so much more. as you read, the characters slowly reveal their true selves and the actions that brought them to the present. the way it unfolded was absolutely shocking and twists what the reader views is their reality. i would love to see this adapted.

in five years by rebecca serle

whoooo was this book a doozy. dannie falls asleep on what should be one the best days of her life and wakes up in a different bed, with a different man (that’s not her fiancé) five years in the future. then just like that, she is back in the present and yet cannot get the time she spent in the future out of her head. she spends the next five years watching her premonition slowly unfold right before her, yet it’s nothing she expected.

ok, i didn’t mean to give a full on summary but i feel like it was needed in order to tell you just how much the book just was a crazy ride!! i mean i laughed, cried, and pretty much felt every emotion. it was a quick read but it sticks with you in a great way. it is a love story in the purest form. i loved it so much.

it ends with us by collen hoover

i started this book one night when i couldn’t sleep and stayed up *all* night just to finish it because i had to know what happened next. i needed to know what happened next! let me just tell you, this book is nsfw!!! when i tell you this book is spicy, i mean it is a make you blush even though you’re by yourself blush. obviously no fifty shades of grey, but this book packs a hot punch haha. *hopes my parents aren’t reading this review* anyways, this book takes a turn that i was not expecting. like jaw on the floor, eyes bugging out of my head, what the hell is going on?! either way, the book overall has a powerful message of love, loss, and everything in between. it has the reader rationalizing actions you didn’t think you would. i recommend 10000%.

TW: mention of abuse

the guest list by lucy foley

i eat up any type of whodunit read. i love looking for the red herrings and making terrible predictions. this book is like clue but with a hotter, younger cast. it is set on an isolated island and every character has a motive. each chapter is from a different pov so the reader is really able to build onto these characters. foley does a great job at keeping the reader guessing, while also leaving the tiniest breadcrumbs that lead to the big twist at the end. this had everything a good murder mystery needs: resentment, heartbreak, a messy love, jealousy, and a lot of unresolved feelings. you can’t go wrong with this book. i NEED this book to be made into a mini series!!

alright, that is it for now! but fear not, i have been reading many books that i can’t wait to share with you all! you can also follow me on instagram (@gabengle) where i do more in depth book reviews of my current reads that may not end up on my must reads! these are just a few faves right now, but feel free to message me or comment if you have a read you think i might like!

thanks for letting me gab :-)

x,

gabs