week of reviews | day 5: some 5-star reads… and a DNF

Today’s the last day of my week of mini reviews! Which of the books that I reviewed was your favorite? Which book should I pick up next?

Here are three reviews to wrap up the week…

A SONG BELOW WATER BY BETHANY C. MORROW

I was SO looking forward to reading A Song Below Water while relaxing on vacay, but I ended up DNFing the book :/ I wanted so badly to love this book because its allegory of Black Lives Matter and siren hunts was so interesting and unique, but I couldn’t get behind the writing style. I felt pretty sucky for DNFing this, but I wasn’t enjoying it and knew that, if I read the whole thing, I would’ve given it a pretty bad review.

Rating: DNF

BEACH READ BY EMILY HENRY

Y’all. This book had me ROLLING. I picked up Beach Read at the exact right time: I wanted a sweet and steamy romance, I needed a pick-me-up to get back to my writing routine, and I was looking for a good laugh. This book checked all of those boxes. After reading it, I totally understand why Beach Read has been getting so much hype, especially among authors. If you haven’t read it yet, pick it up soon. I also got major 27 Dresses vibes from this book, which is always a plus.

Rating: 5/5 stars

THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH BY RICK RIORDAN

If you’ve been following my reread of the Percy Jackson series, then you know how much I love these books. What we don’t always talk about in this space is how middle grade books genuinely present important ideas and can bring about serious change. One of my theories is that Gen Z is a generation of activists because we grew up reading books like The Hunger Games and Divergent in which literal children dismantle a corrupt government. The Battle of the Labyrinth discusses sustainability, treatment of animals, and jealously, but presents these topics in a humorous way so young readers can engage in the conversation. This book, and pretty much everything Rick Riordan writes, is pretty close to perfect.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Thanks for joining me during this week of reviews!

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