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2024 Books I’ve Actually Finished as a Mom & Founder
33
items A growing archive of honest, emotional, and occasionally savage reviews. If it made me feel something or waste my time, I’m talking about it here.
Craving the full scoop on these reads? Head over to my Goodreads for in-depth reviews and ratings: goodreads.com/user/show/182068819
Craving the full scoop on these reads? Head over to my Goodreads for in-depth reviews and ratings: goodreads.com/user/show/182068819
Sections
4
📚Romance / Feel-Good Escapes
🔪 Thriller / Suspense / Dark Fiction
🎭 Drama / Real-Life Fiction
🌙 Fantasy / Witchy / Magical
📚Romance / Feel-Good Escapes
When I need something easy, fun, or full of feelings, these are the ones I pick up. Most of these had me grinning, sighing, yelling, shaking my head, or just happily ignoring the laundry.
This one was... fine. It had its moments, but it didn’t pull me in the way I thought it would. It felt more like background TV—something you read while folding laundry. Not bad, just not a fave. I wanted to love it more than I did.
The Roommate Risk (The Midnight Heat Collection, #2) by Talia Hibbert
Soledad and Judah’s story felt real—slow start, but once it hit, I was all in. The autism rep was thoughtful, the cultural depth was everything, and don’t get me started on Edward. The audacity?? I gasped. Soledad’s growth gave what it needed to give...
This Could Be Us (Skyland, #2) by Kennedy Ryan
I had mixed feelings on this one. Presley’s grief was raw and beautifully done, but the story lost me around the 70% mark. I loved Wyatt (honestly? he deserved more). The romance moved fast and didn’t hit as deep as I hoped—especially given their his...
Say You'll Stay: Small Town Romance
This was a nostalgic reread. I loved it when I was younger and deep into Regency romance, but it didn’t fully hold up. The love story felt more like infatuation than something earned, and the plot went a little sideways. Still, it was a fun dive back...
Devil in Winter (Wallflowers, #3) by Lisa Kleypas
Loved seeing Sloan & Eric’s backstory and the Dom tension—felt those sparks. But knowing Eric’s future fate made it bittersweet. Chris’s arc about his mom’s betrayal felt like someone else’s drama, and Malory’s constant spiraling had me rolling m...
Revive Me: Part One - New Haven Series #2
Amina and Jaxon deserved a full novel—not a quick skim. Their love felt real, but the book leaned on spice instead of honest conversations I craved. He never stopped choosing her, but we needed to see them fight for it with words, not just bodies.
Again by J.L. Seegars
🔪 Thriller / Suspense / Dark Fiction
Unputdownable & Unsettling
OMG. This book wrecked me—in under 70 pages. Frieda packed heartbreak, twists, trauma, and commentary into one haunting, brilliant novella. I started suspecting the twist halfway through, but it still hit like a truck. The ending? No bow, no comfort—...
Death Row (Alibis Collection) eBook - McFadden
This started strong with a promising premise… but it turned into a tangled mess of secrets, suspicion, and a twisty finale that took way too long to land. There were moments that hooked me, but overall? It felt like wandering a maze blindfolded—just ...
The Guest by B.A. Paris
This one let me down hard. The pacing felt rushed, the twists made no sense, and the “big reveal” was just… lazy. Nothing about the plot or characters had time to build. I kept waiting for that Freida tension and payoff—but it never came. Honestly? S...
The Locked Door eBook by Freida McFadden
Started strong with a creepy, intriguing setup… but ended up leaving me with more questions than answers. The tension was there, but the payoff wasn’t. Plot threads went nowhere, key characters felt pointless, and the ending? Just confusion. If you l...
We Used to Live Here: A Novel by Marcus Kliewer
Started strong with a dark, obsessive backstory I was into—but the present-day plot dragged. Heath and Elinor’s twisted relationship was the best part. Everything else? Slow, predictable, and full of side characters who made me mad. The ending didn’t...
The Wrong Daughter: Unputdownable Thriller
This started strong and creepy, with just enough mystery to keep me flipping pages. But the ending? Messy and disappointing. I saw the big twist coming, and Floyd’s dramatic exit felt unnecessary. Poppy was eerie but oddly likable by the end, and the...
Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
Dragged by the end. The sisters’ dynamic was the most interesting part, but the romance didn’t hit and the pacing felt slow. Loved the idea—just wanted more tension and less repetition.
Books - How I'll Kill You: DeStefano, Ren
This one gutted me. It’s about survival, guilt, and the choices we make when everything’s on the line. Not everyone makes it out—and not everyone deserves to. It left me questioning what “good” even means when every option is awful. Heartbreaking and...
In an Instant: Redfearn, Suzanne
Fast-paced and twisty. I didn’t believe Liam was guilty, but the story made me second-guess just enough to keep turning pages. The ending? Unsettling in the best way. It left me wondering if Liam might be more like his dad than anyone wants to admit.
The Perfect Son by Freida McFadden
This one kept me hooked with twists I didn’t see coming—especially the sister drama and the creepy motel vibe. The final reveal? Mind-blowing. A few slow spots and some careless character moves, but overall, a solid, fresh Freida thriller that kept m...
Do Not Disturb: Addictive Psychological Thriller
This had all the Stephen King vibes I wanted—slow dread, creeping horror, and a mind unraveling in real time. Watching the main guy justify his terrible choice while everything spiraled was both tragic and fascinating. The rats? Absolute nightmare fu...
1922 - King, Stephen: Books
This one takes its time but pays off. It’s slow to start, weaving together missing women’s stories with a creeping supernatural vibe. The tension builds just right, and the ending hit me hard. Not for fast-paced thriller fans, but great if you want s...
Ask for Andrea: A Thriller eBook by Ihli
I wanted to like this more, but it fell flat. The story was straightforward with little tension or real cat-and-mouse play. The wife finding out her husband was a killer felt anticlimactic, and the ending didn’t pack the punch I expected. Not the bes...
A Good Marriage (2014)
🎭 Drama / Real-Life Fiction
These stories are all about the messy, beautiful, and heartbreaking moments that shape us—love lost and found, friendships tested, and the “what ifs” that linger long after the last page. Expect raw emotion, authentic characters, and life’s biggest q...
This book wrecked me. Autumn and Finny’s “what if” love was beautifully raw, but the middle dragged. Still, that final foreshadowing line and its tragic payoff broke my heart—and reminded me there’s beauty even in the sadness.
If He Had Been With Me
This one broke me in ways I didn’t see coming. Watching Maisie fight cancer, then losing Colt right after he found his forever—cruel and gutting. It’s a five-star emotional punch, but I’m still angry and heartbroken just thinking about it.
The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros
This book floored me. Like a cozy, grown-up 13 Going on 30, but ten times more heart. The POV twist? Genius. I laughed, I cried, and I stayed up way too late cheering for Liv. Pure, unfiltered romance magic—absolutely unforgettable.
The One Before the One: Discover a BRAND NEW
🌙 Fantasy / Witchy / Magical
When I need to step away from real-life chaos, these magical reads are my portal to something wondrous. From hexed heirlooms to fae-filled academies, each story blends suspense, whimsy, and a dash of danger—perfect for when you want to feel powerful,...
I rarely give fives, but this one earned it. Venesa and Enzo’s bond felt real—crystals, nature magic, and a twisted love that clicks. Watching Gup betray Venesa for a phantom child gutted me, and Bastian’s fierce loyalty was everything. The ending ga...
Hexed (Never After, #6) by Emily McIntire
Decent but didn’t hit like Hooked. Took me a minute to get invested—characters felt flat, and beginner-level spice can only do so much after my Zane standards. Entertaining enough for a chill read, but not one I’d rave about.
Scarred (Never After, 2) by Emily McIntire
Clever Peter Pan twist with pixie dust as a drug and an evil Peter I couldn’t get enough of. Smee’s betrayal was obvious, and Hook’s treatment of Wendy drove me up a wall—I wanted her to stand up for herself. Quick, fun read with a few slow spots and...
Hooked (Never After, #1) by Emily McIntire
700+ pages of filler that could’ve been one solid book, but I’m still here for Seth’s chaos and Darius’s redemption arc. The pacing drags, but those end-of-book cliffhangers suck me right back in.
Zodiac Academy 6: Fated Throne - Books
I wanted to love this witchy tale, but it felt slow and filler-packed. Mika and the rest never clicked for me, and the magic was so surface-level it barely registered. Cute vibe, but as a book it left me feeling… meh.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Picked up right where book one left off—no drag, just full-speed action (and a cliffhanger that’s straight-up disrespectful). Lor’s spunk shines, and Nadir feels more like the one every page. Audiobook guy? Not a fan. Can’t wait for book three—need a...
Rule of the Aurora King (Artefacts of Ouranos, #2)
Throne of Glass × Hunger Games vibes—with deadly trials, crown reclaiming, and a soul-bond destined to be. Pacing was solid, but it’s feeling awfully familiar. Still, I’m hooked and will keep reading—just hoping for a fresh twist in book two.
Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos, #1) by Nisha J. Tuli
Loved the slow-burn between Addie and Feylin—it felt real and raw. But his betrayal—burning her beloved bookstore—was next-level cruel and the quick forgiveness felt too rushed. Solid 4 stars for the emotional journey, but Feylin definitely owes Addi...
How to Fake It with a Fae by Amy Boyles
Fun myth twist and steamy moments
Apples Dipped in Gold (Fairy Tale Retelling 2)
Super slow for a revolution story—I stopped and started so many times. Shade’s death felt inevitable, and the big finale with Mare in Maven’s clutches was the only part that kept me going. Good movie potential, but as a book it dragged.
Glass Sword (Red Queen, #2) by Victoria Aveyard
I need a reread—felt lost and a bit bored, and it didn’t live up to the first two. Not a full review yet, but it was a letdown on first pass.
Onyx Storm Deluxe Limited Edition (Empyrean 3)