This post, like the previous, is a companion post for my monthly newsletter, so as not to clutter it up with links. There you can find not just news about my latest and upcoming books, but insights about my writing process, along with my thoughts about the media I’m reading/watching/listening to every month. Sometimes you’ll even get an early look at a cover reveal or exclusive access to a free story. If that sounds like your thing, you can subscribe here.
Here’s a look at the books I’ve read in 2023 so far. Pretty amazing considering my original reading goal for the entire year was just 20 books! 📚🏆
I enjoyed all of these for different reasons but I’ve put stars next to the standouts. For reviews on select books, follow me on BookBub.
- ⭐ Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola
- Too Wrong to Be Right by Melonie Johnson
- Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
- Not Your Ex’s Hexes by April Asher
- Ana María and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa
- ⭐ Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention—and How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari
- The Break-Up Artist by Erin Clark and Laura Lovely
- ⭐ A Proposal They Can’t Refuse by Natalie Caña
- Coming Home by Kennedy Ryan
- Dance with Me by Alexis Daria
- Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley
- Vanessa Jared’s Got a Man by LaQuette
- On the Hustle by Adriana Herrera
- ⭐ You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
- The Burnout Generation by Anne Helen Petersen
- Nubia: Real One by L.L. McKinney, Robyn Smith (Illustrator)
- ⭐ After Hours on Milagro Street by Angelina M. Lopez
- Break the Good Girl Myth: How to Dismantle Outdated Rules, Unleash Your Power, and Design a More Purposeful Life by Majo Molfino
- Kiss Me, Catalina by Priscilla Oliveras
- ⭐ A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera
- Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon
- Splash Me by Laura Lovely
- ⭐ Pumpkin Pounder by Laura Lovely
- It Happened One Fight by Maureen Lee Lenker
While in Los Angeles earlier this month, I happened to be around Culver City for the grand opening of The Ripped Bodice, the first romance-only bookstore. After raising over $90,000 on Kickstarter, sisters Bea and Leah Koch opened the doors on March 4th, 2016.
Alexis Daria 