My 2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge: May - June

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

With the help of Ravi, Pip released a true-crime podcast about the murder they solved last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her. But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie has disappeared but the police won’t do anything about it. And if they won’t look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town’s dark secrets along the way. And this time everyone is listening. But will she find him before it’s too late?

I think my main issue with this was that Pip felt too much like a real detective/investigator in this. I completely get that we're seeing growth from Pip but she just felt a bit too clinical and professional when it came to some things. I enjoyed the whole catfish storyline and the intrigue around who Layla Mead could be. But the eventual reveal kind of comes out of nowhere. The whole 'child Brunswick' twist is an interesting one but I could have read so much more about it. Jamie's whole disappearance was intriguing but not quite as much as the first case. However, I was hooked the whole way through.

The Ghost Woods by C.J. Cooke

In the midst of the woods stands a house called Lichen Hall. This place is shrouded in folklore -- old stories of ghosts, witches, of a child who is not quite a child. Pearl arrives in 1965, one of a string of young women sent to Lichen Hall to give birth. And she soon suspects the proprietors are hiding something. Then she meets the mysterious mother and young boy who live in the grounds. And together they begin to unpick the secrets of this place. As the truth comes to the surface and the darkness moves in, Pearl must rethink everything she knew and risk what she holds most dear.

I wouldn't normally be drawn to this kind of book but I have to say, I was surprised by how intrigued and captivated I was by it. It's really atmospheric, with some great gothic vibes, plus I liked the two different timelines and POVs. It was unsettling and creepy at points but I was still invested in and rooting for many of the characters. It wasn't quite as supernatural as I was expecting, with everything tied up neatly at the end. And yet there were still a few loose ends. But I still found it to be engrossing and I raced through it in less than 48 hours.

As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson

Pip is haunted by the way her last investigation ended. But then another case finds her and this time it’s all about Pip. Pip is used to online death threats, but there’s one that catches her eye. And it’s not just online. Pip has a stalker who knows where she lives. The police refuse to act and then Pip finds connections between her stalker and a local serial killer. The killer has been in prison for six years, but Pip suspects that the wrong man is behind bars. If Pip doesn’t find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears.

What a wild ride this book was! I was definitely not expecting what happened in the middle, even if I was able to guess who the DTK was. I loved the build up of Pip being stalked. It definitely had me on the edge of my seat. I was quite literally kicking my feet as Pip managed to escape and I was so impressed with her plan to get away with murder. But not only that, to pin it on someone else and seek her own kind of justice. My stomach was in knots as they tried to set up everything so as not to get caught. However, it was so frustrating seeing Pip push everyone, particularly Ravi, away at the end.

Lost And Lassoed by Lyla Sage

Teddy doesn't have a plan. She's more of a go with the flow type of girl. But for some reason, the flow doesn't seem to be going her way this time. Gus has a lot on his plate and when his workload starts to overwhelm him, he slips up, and has to admit that he can't manage everything on his own. He needs help. His little sister's best friend, the woman he can't stand, is not who he had in mind. But when no one else can step in, Teddy's the only option he's got. Tempers flare, tension builds, and for the first time ever, Gus and Teddy start to see each other in a different light.

From the very first book in the series, I've been eagerly anticipating Teddy and Gus' story and it did not disappoint. Teddy might just be my favourite character in the whole series and I enjoyed this take on enemies to lovers, as well as a bit of forced proximity. And even though I've never read a single dad romance, I was already so invested in the lives of this extended family and Rebel Blue that it completely worked for me. My only issue was I felt like I flew through this so quickly that I would have loved it to be longer. In a way, them actually getting together felt a tiny bit rushed. However, I am already counting down the days until I can read Cam and Dusty's story.

Publication date: 5th November 2024

The Love Of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwod

If she wasn’t dead already, Delphie would be dying of embarrassment. She’s entered the afterlife wearing the sort of pyjamas you don’t want anyone to see and finds herself face-to-face with the most handsome man she’s ever encountered. In a twist of fate, Delphie is offered a deal in which she can return to her previous life and reconnect with the mysterious man she’s sure is her soulmate. The challenge? She only has ten days to find him. Ten days to make him fall for her. Oh, and he has no recollection of them ever having met.

This is honestly one of the best books that I have read in years. I could not get enough of it and I was hooked from the very beginning. I loved Cooper and all of the friends that come into Delphie's life and seeing her grow throughout the course of the story. It doesn't go down the route that you might think it would when reading the blurb, which I really appreciated. I also loved all the romance book and pop culture references from Merritt and the way in which she played a hand in having some of my favourite tropes be included in Delphie's story. I also loved the library representation and the gala heist. And what a twist the ending was too.

Who's That Girl? by Mhairi McFarlane

Edie thought she was in love, until he told her he was marrying someone else. Then, when he kisses her on the day of his wedding, life really starts to unravel. Labelled a homewrecker, overnight Edie is the office outcast. To help, her boss offers a chance to get out of town and she jumps at it. But when this fresh start unexpectedly throws her into the path of Hollywood heartthrob Elliot Owen and the limelight, the question on everyone’s lips is: who’s that girl? Edie is about to find out.

The kiss at the wedding just felt so out of nowhere. There had been zero build up or explanation of their relationship for me to truly feel for Edie. I did like seeing her come back to her hometown and reconnecting with friends and family, as well as getting to know Margot from next door. I also enjoyed seeing what would it be like to get to know a celebrity. But I didn't quite buy the two of them as a couple. You can tell Elliot likes her but then after about two minutes they're both in love with one another, only for her to not even try to make it work with him. I know many weren't a fan of the open-ended ending but because I know there is a sequel, that didn't bother me too much.

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware

Lyla finds herself boarding a boat to an isolated luxury resort in the Indian Ocean. The rules of the game are simple. Ten strangers have to survive together on the island. And the last couple standing scoops the prize. There will be sun, sea, laughs and plenty of flirting. What could possibly go wrong? But when a huge tropical storm cuts them off from everything, the group must band together. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla realises that someone is playing this game for real. And they'll stop at nothing to win.

I loved the idea of contestants of a reality TV show being stranded on a desert island and then ultimately having to fight to survive. It felt atmospheric and I could picture myself on the island with them. But annoyingly too many things went unanswered for me. For example, was Connor a psychopath? Even though he's clearly abusive to Zana, it's never really explained as to why he acted the way that he did. Why did he steal and hide the insulin? Then why did Joel commit suicide? And then everything builds up to basically nothing really. I did like that Zana was essentially rewriting the story of what really happened on the island. But the actual ending felt like a bit of a copout.

Publication date: 18th July 2024

Love Story by Lindsey Kelk

She’s a small-town schoolteacher, he’s a hotshot creative director. Together, it’s hate at first sight. Sophie has a secret and Joe is the last person she'd tell. He’s devilishly handsome and far too sure of himself. But Sophie desperately needs his help. Because she's not just hiding something small. She is Este Cox, the mysterious romance author the entire world is desperate to unmask. When a trip to the countryside means sharing a cottage with only one bed, it’s a short step to sharing a whole lot more. Can Sophie trust Joe with the truth and be herself?

As a huge fan of romance books, I felt so seen while reading this. But after hearing how steamy Butterflies is, I was expecting the same kind of spice in the actual story. Sadly it was mostly closed door. I'm also not the biggest fan of insta-love or third act breakups and this didn't really change my mind on either. There was some nice sexual tension though and I enjoyed the times that they almost get together and the build up to each. I was pretty disappointed not to get an epilogue or to even see a bit more of them together at the end. But this still had all the wit and charm and plenty of great pop culture references that Lindsey Kelk is known for.

Not In Love by Ali Hazelwood

Rue has a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down. Eli and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through - and he's a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can't stop thinking about. The woman who's off-limits to him.

While Eli and Rue didn't follow the Ali Hazelwood stereotypes of previous books, I didn't feel that deeper connection between them. It just felt like a friends with benefit style relationship and that was all. And then the next thing they were both declaring their love for one another. Maybe it was just a bit too insta-lust for me or maybe I've read too many romances recently but something just didn't quite work. The steamy scenes were decent and I did enjoy seeing Eli show up for and help Rue time and time again. Plus, the whole Florence situation kept my attention. But I was hoping for more.

Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey

Wells was once golf’s hottest rising star, but lately, all he has to show for his career is a killer hangover, a collection of broken clubs and one remaining supporter. Josephine believed in the gorgeous, grumpy golfer, even when he didn’t believe in himself. When a determined Wells shows up at her door with a wild proposal: be his new caddy, help him turn his game around, and split the prize money, they're soon inseparable. Wells starts winning again and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff exterior. But Wells is technically her boss and an athlete falling for his fangirl would be ridiculous… right?

Despite being a bit conflicted about the actual relationship, given the power dynamic and how things felt a bit transactional between them, I raced through this. The steamy scenes were good, even if I could definitely have done without a certain shower scene. I also didn't mind how quickly things moved with them and I really enjoyed their banter back and forth. The premise of a golf sports romance was interesting and I'll definitely be reading the next book in this series.