Maybe blame it on waiting for some anticipated annual releases to come out, but I find that I usually spend January reading books. One of the themes of this reading update post is definitely popular books that I’ve avoided, but should’ve picked up sooner!

The Boys’ Club by Erica Katz – I’ve seen so much hype surrounding Erica Katz’s upcoming Fake (Release Date: February 22nd) that I finally decided to pick up her debut, The Boys’ Club. I think I originally heard about this one through Bad on Paper Podcast but something about it just didn’t grab me… and wow I wish I didn’t listen to my past self because I was SO addicted to The Boys’ Club. It was the definition of a book that I did not want to put down. The Boys’ Club follows recent law school grad Alex, who gets her first job working at a BigLaw firm in NYC. She soon starts doing work for the male-dominated M&A practice group. Definitely some darker themes, to say the least, (tw for alcohol & drug use, sexual assault & abuse), but this was the kind of book I didn’t want to end. My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars 

All the Feels by Olivia Dade – All the Feels was on so many readers’ favorite books of 2021 posts, so I decided to pick up this fan favorite from the library on a whim. This is the second book in the Spoiler Alert companion series – definitely don’t need to read the first book in order to understand All the Feels– following television star, Alex, who after a scandal/bar fight, & Lauren, an ER therapist who is assigned on 24/7 Alex watch to ensure that he doesn’t get into any more trouble.  I definitely see what all the hype is about, as Alex and Lauren’s romance is quite unique – I’d say it is a mix of enemies-to-lovers and opposites attract. However, I just couldn’t get into Alex as a character, and I kind’ve thought that it was weird he pictured Lauren as a bird?? I did ultimately enjoy this one, but it just wasn’t my FAVORITE. My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Writers & Lovers by Lily King – Writers & Lovers by Lily King wasn’t exactly on my TBR, but like The Boys’ Club, I always have popular books in mind that I know that I’ll eventually pick up. I totally understand the hype about Writers & Lovers. Writers & Lovers follows thirty-one year old, Casey, an ex golf prodigy and writer. Set in 1997, Casey is a writer who has been working on her first novel for the past 6 years, but her life feels like it has been on a standstill ever since her mother passed.  The book was a case where I wouldn’t say I was in LOVE… but at the same time I read it in less than 24 hours during a snow day. I really liked the story-telling, and the book tackled a ton of them surrounding grief, family, relationships, writing, and so much more. I LOVED the ending, & I definitely see myself picking up more of Lily King’s books. My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Eliza Stars a Rumor by Jane L. Rosen – Everyone knows that I love getting book recommendations from bookstagram, and two of my favorite authors, Hannah Orenstein and Elin Hilderbrand, had glowing reviews of Jane L. Rosen’s drama, Eliza Starts a Rumor. Honestly, I’ve been craving a good suburban/contemporary drama since eating up Minor Drams and Other Catastrophes by Kathleen West at the end of 2021. Eliza Starts a Rumor takes place in a Hudson Valley suburb, following four woman all involved in an online parenting board (picture a Facebook group) and whose lives quickly get even more interconnected when the bulletin director, Eliza, starts a rumor about her neighbor’s affair. Eliza Starts a Rumor starts off as a seemingly light-heartened read, but the book took on some heavier themes than I expected – the book has various mentions of sexual assault and rape. The main character, Eliza, also has agoraphobia. I recommend picking this one up if you enjoy books like Big Little Lies. My Rating: 4/5 Stars 

How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams – I really liked Denise William’s The Fastest Way to Fall earlier this month, and in semi-preparation to attend BBBC’s Q&A with her next week, I decided to pick up How to Failat Flirting.How to Failat Flirting follows math education professor, Naya, whose university is making staff cuts just as she approaches tenure review. After experiencing a terrible relationship (warnings for domestic violence and assault), Naya’s friends encourage her to try dating again and she falls head-over-heels for a guy at a bar named Jake… who happens to work for the consulting firm Naya’s college has hired to make said cuts. How to Failat Flirting was Denise William’s contemporary romance debut, and it was evident to me throughout reading that she’s grown a as a write from book #1 to book #2. I read Lily Herman’s (one of my most trusted book recommendation sources) compare the book to the first book in Jasmine Guillory’s The Wedding Date series & couldn’t help but agree. The book puts a ton of emphasis on the romance and maybe blame it on my The Love Hypothesis high, but I wanted more from the higher education/academia setting. There a lot of romance scenes in the first half of the book, which I admit is different from most romance books & not getting those scenes until halfway through, but I really wanted to get to the plot & conflict sooner – I really fell into the story about 150 pages in. My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

What have you been reading lately? Have you read any of the books that I mentioned? Share in the comments!