And we’re back with another round of book reviews! I read so many good books in June, and a few that weren’t so great. Is there anything worse in the reading world than a book that sounds good in summary but ends up being a complete and total let down? I don’t think so. There was one that had a really cool sounding title and premise, but the book itself fell so short. I immediately returned it to KU and tried to wipe it from my memory. Unfortunately, the title of the book haunts me every time I scan through my list of read books for this year.
Anyway. Today I am only bringing you the good ones. Or rather a portion of the good ones. If I listed all of the good books I read last month, we’d be here awhile, so I gotta cut them down.
All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
After a string of brutal murders in Las Vegas, Cassie Hobbes and the Naturals are called in to investigate. But even with the team’s unique profiling talents, these murders seem baffling: unlike many serial killers, this one uses different methods every time. All the victims were killed in public, yet the killer does not show up on any security feed. And each victim has a series of numbers tattooed on their wrist. Hidden in the numbers is a code––and the closer the Naturals come to unraveling the mystery, the more perilous the case becomes.
Meanwhile, Cassie is dealing with an equally dangerous and much more painful mystery. For the first time in years, there’s been a break in her mother’s case. As personal issues and tensions among the team mount, Cassie and the Naturals will be faced with impossible odds––and impossible choices.
The minute I finished this book I should’ve done what I wanted to do, which was post it on Instagram and tell the world Jennifer Lynn Barnes has done it again!!
I will forever delight in the day I took a chance on The Inheritance Games and The Naturals. The days I took a chance on Barnes and found an excellent writer whose books reel me in. Seriously, I get so absorbed in her books that my moods often reflect the mood in her book. I devour them. I currently have the final book in this series (I think it’s the final book) sitting on my shelf, patiently waiting for me to finish my current books and pick it up. As addicting as these books are, they’re also intense, especially The Naturals series, and while I’m tempted to jump to the next book right away, I need to have breaks between them because they’re so intense.
Going into this book, all I knew for sure was that there’s finally a break in Cassie’s mother’s case. Based on the summary, I had a feeling All In would be about Sloane. I’ll say, I was right. (Does this mean Bad Blood will tie in with Michael’s story???) Cassie remains the main protagonist, but All In delves into Sloane’s history with some devastating results. Barnes definitely knows how to pull on the heartstrings as well as the psychological ones.
Jennifer Lynn Barnes does an excellent job of weaving everything together while leaving the question of “Who dunnit?” masterfully unanswered. She’s really good with misdirection even when it’s unintentional. Or is it? I’m not sure. It’s something I’ll have to ask her about if I ever get the chance. The point is, I went the majority of the book thinking it was one person only for it to be another. Even her subplots are masterfully done and I cannot wait to see where this all goes.
All In is book three in The Naturals series.
Left Field Love by C.W. Farnsworth
Lennon Matthews has been looking forward to the end of senior year since the first day of high school. She’s sick of the stares and whispers that follow her around, of balancing staying at the top of her class with all her other responsibilities. And she’s especially over interacting with Caleb Winters. The town golden boy who refuses to ignore her existence, no matter how hard she tries to remain invisible. The star pitcher with a bright, shiny future in front of him, very different from Lennon’s path after graduation.
But Caleb’s life isn’t as perfect as it appears. His family is fractured beneath the facade and the pressure of high expectations is constant. He had no interest in moving to the small, horse-racing-obsessed town of Landry, Kentucky, and no say in the matter either. And the one girl he’s interested in stubbornly refuses to give him the time of day.
Until persistence finally seems to shift Lennon’s perception of him. But one thing that doesn’t change as graduation creeps closer? Her insistence that their lives are too different for anything serious or lasting between them. Caleb’s professional baseball aspirations are more present than ever, and he hasn’t hidden his desire to leave Landry. Lennon’s tied to Landry with no intention of that ever changing.
Lennon has spent years eager to see Caleb leave. She’s the only reason he wants to stay. Together, they’ll have to decide what they’re willing to sacrifice. For themselves…and for each other.
Left Field Love is an edited combination of Farnsworth two books, The Hard Way Home and The Easy Way Out. I have read both of those books already and it in no way took away from reading Left Field Love.
Farnsworth made enough changes to the plot that it didn’t feel like re-reading the duology again. Most of the changes were made to The Easy Way Out, as far as I could tell. They added to the book and we weren’t caught in the petty back and forth that frustrated me in the second book. One scene I do wish she hadn’t changed was the diner scene. Their interaction there was one of my favorite scenes in The Easy Way Out.
If you’ve read both books already and are worried about the changes, let me put you at ease. The heart of the story remains the same. Everything I loved about Caleb and Lennon remained the same. If anything, the changes Farnsworth made only emphasized those things (you know, apart from the diner scene. Sorry, Farnsworth, I really loved the original interaction there).
Left Field Love, The Hard Way Home, and The Easy Way Out are all available on Kindle Unlimited.
Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe
Witness what the gods do after dark. The friendships and the lies, the gossip and the wild parties, and of course, forbidden love. Because it turns out, the gods aren’t so different from us after all, especially when it comes to their problems.
Persephone was ready to start a new life when she left the moral realm for Olympus. However, she quickly discovered the dark side of her glamorous new home––from the relatively minor gossip threatening her reputation to a realm-shattering violation of her safety by the conceited Apollo––and she’s struggling to find her footing in the fast-moving realm of the gods.
Hades is also off-balance, fighting against his burgeoning feelings for the young goddess of spring while maintaining his lonely rule of the Underworld. As the pair draw ever closer, they must untangle the twisted webs of their past and present to build toward a new future.
The myth of Hades and Persephone is one of my favorite myths. Don’t ask me why, it’s just up there along with the one about Athena and Arachne. So of course I love retellings of the myth.
That being said, I was hesitant to actually start this one because of the art style. I wasn’t sure I would like it at first, but the more I read it the more I enjoyed it. Confession: I read this on Webtoons instead of in its book form. Now that I have read it, I may need to go buy the physical copies for my library.
I love how this book modernizes the myth while staying true to most aspects of the myth. Like most retellings, Lore Olympus leans heavily on an initial romance between Hades and Persephone instead of her being stolen away and forced to remain in the Underworld. However, Smythe doesn’t shy away from the harsh reality of someone being used against their will.
Smythe weaves together the relationships between the gods in ways I haven’t really seen before, making them more personable. As the graphic novel is not finished, I look forward to seeing what Smythe has in store for us in the future.
There are currently five volumes of Lore Olympus out in print. New chapters of the story are available on Webtoons.
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Overnight, Avery Grambs went from sleeping in her car to billionaire heiress. Now ensconced in a world of opulence, riddles, danger, and family secrets, Avery is on the hunt for the one person who might hold the answer to all her questions––including why eccentric billionaire Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to Avery, a virtual stranger, instead of to his daughters and four grandsons.
Grayson and Jameson Hawthorne pull Avery in different directions as she works through puzzle after puzzle. Nothing is as it seems, and it’s getting harder to tell who her allies are and who will stop at nothing to see Avery out of the picture…by any means necessary.
Avery and co think they’ve solved the mystery, but it’s far from over. I spent this entire novel knowing how I wanted it to go, satisfied that all the clues were adding up to my very wishful thinking. And then Barnes just had to go and throw it all into a tailspin and crush my dreams. Thanks, Barnes.
The journey to that dream-crushing conclusion was full of everything that has made Jennifer Lynn Barnes one of my new favorite authors. The question this time revolves around Toby Hawthorne, the long presumed dead son of Tobias Hawthorne, and his connection to Avery. But his and Avery’s connections aren’t the only one being uncovered as more of the Hawthorne grandson’s legacies come to light.
I don’t want to say too much because honestly, the way everything unravels is part of the fun. Just know that even though my dreams were crushed, Barnes makes up for it and the only reason I don’t already have the third book in my possession is I’m waiting for the paperback to come out. One thing’s for certain: The mystery isn’t solved yet and I cannot wait to read where Barnes takes it next.
The Hawthorne Legacy is the second book in The Inheritance Games series.
Four Months, Three Words by C.W. Farnsworth
Jace Dawson is less than a year away from accomplishing everything he’s spent the past decade striving for. Not only has playing professional football been the dream since he was a kid, the financial incentive isn’t one he could walk away from even if he wanted to. That is, until a chance collision has the unexpected outcome of making Jace realize he might want something more than the goal he’s spent most of his life pursuing. Might want someone more.
For Vivienne Rhodes, the opportunity to attend Lincoln University represents what she’s always craved more than anything: normalcy. One semester is all she has before returning to a future that’s set in stone. Her mere presence on campus is only made possible by an elaborate arrangement. The essential component of it is that no one can know her real identity. Falling for the star quarterback is most definitely not part of the plan. But it will all be fine, just as long as she keeps those feelings to herself. Because that unchangeable future? Can’t include Jace Dawson.
Just like all her other books, C.W. Farnsworth keeps me coming back for more. This round is a re-read for me and I’m not sure if it’s the third or fourth time. Four Months, Three Words has everything I love about her books.
I’m trying to write this review without spoilers, but it’s so hard when I want to tell you about my favorite scenes. Doing that would only spoil the story for you, though, and I would hate to do that to you.
Throughout the novel, it feels like Jace and Viv are random collisions (in some cases, literally) that happen but will never be able to stick together. Missed opportunities and life goals that are destined to keep them apart. Yet every time they do come together, explosions happen and no one can deny their chemistry (trust me, they try).
One thing’s for sure though, Jace and Viv are still one of my favorite Farnsworth stories.
What books did you read in June?
Have you read any of the ones I shared today?
Do you have any recommendations for my TBR?
Let me know down below!
Above My Waves 
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