Reader Recs with Nikki

I am so happy that Nikki from @Nikkireads365 said yes to doing this edition of Reader Recs because I absolutely love her answers! Without future ado, here is our special blog guest, Nikki :)

1.) Introduce yourself!

Hiya! I’m Nikki. I’m a high school English teacher & college instructor by day, but a dragon hoarding book devourer by night. Like a classic bookworm, I used to read my paperback books via flashlight (even when my parents yelled at me not to) and have now migrated to my Kindle, because my eyesight ain’t what it used to be (mom, you were right!) I also love to bake and travel and when ANY books combines those hobbies, I’m a sucker for it.

2) Book (s) that you are currently reading and your thoughts so far.

Ok, so last year I read over 300 books. This year, I’m trying to read MUCH less (but not working so great…) In the last few days, I’ve started and/or finished the following:

Pitcher Us by Mollie Goins - FABULOUS best friend’s little sister romance that is also forbidden - chef’s kiss (Finished)

The Best Mistake by Nina Rey - DEBUT novel that had me on the EDGE of my seat! Dual timeline & second chance romance — OMG I ate this almost 500 page book up SO QUICKLY. (Finished)

Into the Mountains by Kelsey Schulz - I’m 11% in and vibing with this book. It’s the third in her series, and the main characters have such tension BECAUSE of an intense past, and it’s also a dual timeline. Kelsey can write only the best compelling books. I was a beta reader on her last one, and oh man, that was life changing.

3) Which books are your next reads?

Escape by Dani Elias - I’m on Dani’s permanent ARC team, and this is the second novella in a series about the aftermath of a serious situation. All three books will be released within two weeks of other! Dani writes the best novellas.

Warmer, Colder by Alexia Onyx - DARK ROMANCE trigger - THIS beauty has been in my TBR forever, and I’m ready to leave sports romance and contemp. romance for a bit to explore the darkness of romance.

4) 2 books that you recommend!

The Wedding Menu by Letizia Lorini - it’s a dual timeline contemp. romance and it’s probably one of my top 5 favorite books to read. Period. I’m even getting my partner to read it, and it sucked him in from the beginning.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls - it’s a memoir that has such heart wrenching and compelling writing throughout. For anyone who grew up with an alcoholic parent, this is a must read.

5) Do you ever judge a book by it's cover?

Look, I love me an aesthetically pleasing book and I will ALWAYS read the back of a book (any books that features a dog on the cover), but otherwise, I don’t really judge books by covers. I DO however judge when they have sprayed edges because it’s extra and I’m all about that and I’m 2x more likely to buy a sprayed edges book than anything else haha.

Find Nikki on her socials: Instagram

Reader Recs with Ashley

Hello podcast fans! (I wanted to say "podcast listeners" but you're actually reading this blog post, so...I stuck with "podcast fans" with this one.) I have a new Reader Rec post to share with you all! Ashley is a BookTuber and the nicest person ever, so I was very happy when she said yes to share some of her bookish thoughts with us :) Introduce yourself! Hi! I’m Ashley, a 33 year old obsessive reader and a part of WAY too many fandoms. I love reading mainly fantasy and thrillers. I also have my BookTube channel that I love creating content for. 

Book (s) that you are currently reading and your thoughts so far

Ok I’m reading way too many so I’ll list the 3 I’m most interested in! I’m halfway into The Final Empire (Mistborn #1) and I’m loving it! I’m doing a reread of the ACOTAR series so I’m currently 25% into A Court of Wings & Ruin, which is book 3. Lastly, I’m reading Party of Liars which is a thriller coming out in July. I’m 65% of the way through and it’s a solid “rich people problems” thriller (one of the best kinds lol)  Which books are your next reads? I’m going to dive into Binding 13 which is the first in the Boys of Tommen series and I’ve heard it’s absolutely devastating (yay, can’t wait lol) I’m also going to be picking up the next 2 in the ACOTAR series to finish the reread. OH! And I’m excited to read the most recent Grady Hendrix book, Witchcraft for Weyward Girls. 2 books that you recommend! Any genre, any book! Omg ok UMMMM for romance, just all of Emily Henry lol. They have more substance than your standard fluffy romcom, so I love them. ACOTAR, obviously. Great gateway drug into romantasy lol. Lastly, a thriller throwback but Gone Girl got so many people into thrillers and it’s a classic!! Follow Ashley on her socials: Instagram BookTube/YouTube channel Goodreads Storygraph

Reader Recs with Mandi

I am so excited to start off this Reader Rec series with a really cool Bookstagrammer, Mandi! Her content is so cute with Reels, book mood boards, and her big love of My Fault is so relatable, honestly. Without further yapping from me, here is the first segment of Megan’s Bookish Life Podcast on the Bookish Life Blog:

Introduce yourself

Hi! My name is Mandi, and I am a creator to my core! I love reading, writing, and binge watching the latest romance movies. I am also content creator and have run my own Bookstagram for over 4 years now. I’m studying English and Journalism at my university and I hope to pursue a career in entertainment journalism and publishing!

Book (s) that you are currently reading and your thoughts so far

 I am currently reading an ARC given to me by Victoria Lum! I love her writing and storytelling! The book is called When Hearts Awaken and it is book 4 in the Orchid Series. I love a brooding bad boy, and the book touches on some deep themes. Overall, I am really enjoying so far!

Which books are your next reads

There are 2 books that I have seen everywhere, so I finally decided this is the year I read them. The first one is Haunting Adeline (I love dark romance) and the other is Binding 13 (along with the rest of the series). They are both sitting on my shelf and hope to start them soon!

2 books that you recommend

This is REALLY hard, so I’ll give you two series instead of two books! One is the Bad Boys Don’t Die Series by BB Easton. She is the sweetest woman, and this series is probably one of my all-time favorites… like ever! Another would be the Twisted Series by Ana Huang. I read them before they blew up and I am obsessed with that universe! Do you read multiple books at once or one at a time?

I used to be able to read multiple books at once, but now I just can’t! Every time I try, the characters and stories mesh together in my brain! I love focusing and escaping into one amazing story, rather than multiple stories that don’t pull me in! Follow Mandi on her socials: Instagram: @Mandi_Bookshelf TikTok: @Mandi_Lucille