The Scarlett Synopsis

Read. Finish. Review. Taking a dive into my recent reads and takes.

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Hi! I’m Scarlett. I love reading, and I’m opinionated about the books I read. If you want to read a book I’ve read or like reading reviews, I’m here for you! About

  • A (Very) Belated Year in Review P.2 – The Lows

    A (Very) Belated Year in Review P.2 – The Lows

    If there are highs, there are lows.

    We’ll start this part with some more highs before we hit the lows. As mentioned in P.1, 3.75 stars and above means that I enjoyed the book for the most part. Once you get below 3.75 … something or another leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. Now, I will preface this by noting that not all 3.75 are equal. There are some that I enjoyed a little more than the others. For me, the 3.75 is the middle of books that had a lot of good going for them. Or the ones that had one too many things that irritated me. Although not all 3.5′ ratings are bad, either. I do need to give lower ratings for books I did not like. But I feel bad when I do.

    So, without further ado. Let’s go!

    The “3.75”

    Weyward by Emilia Hart

    Date Read: May 4, 2025

    Rating: 3.75 stars

    It took me some time to get invested in the story. That is why I did not rate the book higher.

    In this novel, we follow three different women. Each woman is set in a different time period. They are all connected in one way or another.

    I have found that Emilia Hart is a hit or a miss for me. The same can be said for this book. I enjoyed it overall with a few qualms here and there. I’ve read reviews from people who didn’t like it. So … I leave this book up to each person to read for themselves.

    The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

    Date Read: May 31, 2025

    Rating: 3.7 stars

    And I quote: “The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is a cozy, found family book that is centered around magic, with a bit of romance added.

    That is about it.”

    That is how I started my review. This book was cozy, but not a lot happened. I think that is why I wasn’t the biggest fan of it. It’s not a bad book, though. It wasn’t for me when I read it. I had finished an action-pack book before this one. My biggest gripe was that the book focused mainly on the “will they, won’t they” trope. This involved Mika and Jamie.

    This book is quite popular in the cozy fantasy genre. I am one of those who don’t love it as much. But still enjoyable enough. Mandanna has another book that I’m on the fence about, but feel I should read. Who knows, I may like it!

    10 Marchfield Square by Nicola Whyte

    Date Read: June 20, 2025

    Rating: 3.7 stars

    An overall enjoyable book. I picked this book up due to the Only Murders in the Building vibes. It did deliver on those vibes, but not in the same quirky way that the show does. A murder took place, and we meet our main amateur sleuths. Lewis is a crime author who is facing an almost writer’s block due to his last book being a failure. Then we have Audrey, a cleaner. Celeste is the rich old lady paying them to figure out this crime before the police.

    I wish that I remembered this story more, but it’s not very memorable. Audrey got annoying throughout the book. It is a slow-burning murder mystery, with a lot of exposition. More showing, less telling is more my cup of tea. The mystery was not as surprising. I do want to read Whyte’s second book. She did an overall good job, which I know means she can only go up from here.

    Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and Making of Modern Queerness by Michael Koresky

    Date Read: June 30, 2025

    Rating: 3.75 stars

    This book is nonfiction and was informative on exactly what the title said. We visit different Hollywood films that had undertones in their movies. I have to re-read this book because I read really fast, and I swear I missed a few things.

    The Children’s Hour is where the title comes from. More specifically, the quote that is said by Shirley MacLaine’s character Martha Dobie.

    Oh, I fell so God-damned sick and dirty—I can’t stand it anymore.

    A play turned movie with a controversial plot. It’s an overall sad movie. I highly suggest watching it.

    This book was informative and made me view things in a different light.

    The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

    Date Read: June 23, 2025

    Rating: 3.7 stars

    My introduction to Stephen Graham Jones. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and gave it a 10 out of 10 for its horrifying and graphic scenes. That being said, this book does have major trigger warnings for gore.

    A story that is based on vengeance. A group of friends is now suddenly being tracked down by an unknown killer. The killer reveal was unseen by me. You also get to spend some time in the POV of the killer. Except it’s done in 2nd person. I had never experienced that!

    Each chapter title is based on Agatha Christie’s novel, And Then There Were None. Well, the children’s rhyme in that story. I found that to be a nice touch and a way to reclaim a once racist rhyme. The title of the book also comes from a speech … a racist speech.

    The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

    Date Read: September 13, 2025

    Rating: 3.7

    Ah, this book. The more I think about it, the lower rating I want to give it. I personally think this book is highly overrated for a story told before. What I mean by that is how we follow Nora, being at a low point in her life. She’s facing many circumstances that have put her in situational depression.

    I don’t know. Nora’s selfishness is what made me dislike the book. If you want a story about how choices change lives, then It’s a Wonderful Life portrays this well. Plus an angel gets their wings by the end!

    The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang

    Date Read: Oct. 19, 2025

    Rating: 3.8 stars

    In short form: this is what Midnight Library was intending the overall message to me.

    Long form: Serin (our protagonist) is unsatisfied with her life. She’s young, but she knows her life isn’t headed where she wants it to go. One day she gets invited to the Rainfall Market, and we follow her on this fantastical adventure.

    It’s not exactly the same as Midnight Library. The plot deals with more than Serin learning to love her life.

    A great way to dive into and learn about Korean folklore, while mixed with modern issues. It can read juvenile, but it may have to do with how it was translated. Still a great overall story.

    The Institute by Stephen King

    Date Read: Nov. 2, 2025

    Rating: 3.8 stars

    Stephen King does not need an introduction. Nonetheless, this is the first book I have read by him.

    The main reason this book did not get a higher rating is the slowness. I was told by a friend that the majority of King’s novels are context-heavy. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, but this dragged on for me. There was a lot of information to take in that took away from the main plot. Again, that is my take on this book.

    A unique take on X-Men.

    The 3.5
    • The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers | April 26, 2025 | 3.6 Stars
      • A well-known horror book that is a compilation of short stories. The book’s title is also the title of a fictional play. This play is mentioned throughout a few of the short stories. This play is said to drive those who read it mad.
    • The Guest List by Lucy Foley | May 12, 2025 | 3.45 Stars
      • Another thriller that takes place on an island. A “perfect” setting. Gave it a lower rating because I could not stand any of the characters. I did not feel bad about what happened. In fact, he deserved it. Overall, not a bad thriller. I just felt the wedding was never-ending, and everyone needed to be slapped.
    • Archenemies by Marissa Meyer | March 12, 2025 | 3.5 Stars
      • After a year’s break, I decided to finish this series. An enemies-to-lovers book, with some really naive characters. You mean I have to put my trust in them? I can see why there are those against the heroes. Adrian is an airhead because she missed so much. But hey, at least I was slightly entertained.
    • In the House in the Dark of the Woods by Laird Hunt | March 12, 2025 | 3.5 Stars
      • Wait … I read 3 books in one day?! This book was weird. It was a vague story, which is not my cup of tea. There were too many questions and not enough answers. Although touche character. Good job in hoodwinking our protagonist and me. This book is a fast read, which is a plus.
    • Caraval by Stephanie Garber | June 16, 2025 | 3.6 Stars
      • I still stand by the fact that the OUABH series is better written. This book reads very YA. It was predictable, but a lot of the dialogue had me rolling my eyes. I didn’t have the story. I can see why it’s popular, but I feel it’s slightly over hyped.
    • The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes | June 19, 2025 | 3.5 Stars
      • It was enjoyable until the 56% mark, and then I found it annoying. This book felt like it dragged. Figuring out the clues as the reader is easy. So, having to read your characters who still do not know can be very annoying to read. Avery is too naive for how smart she is. The love triangle still kind of exists, which is weird at this point.
    • Legendary by Stephanie Garber | June 28, 2025 | 3.5 Stars
      • To put it simply: I don’t like Tella. She is an annoying character and protagonist. I couldn’t enjoy this book as much due to her. I was told that I would change my mind about her at the end, nope!
    • Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang | August 7, 2025 | 3.5 Stars
      • It was a fast read, an interesting look into the life of an influencer … but darker. But I couldn’t give it a higher rating because Julie is an annoying main character and narrator. She’s dumb and too impulsive. I am honestly surprised that she made it to the end of the book if I am honest.
    • Ocean’s Godori by Elaine U. Cho | September 6, 2025 | 3.6 Stars
      • Godori, or as I know it, is Go-Stop. A Korean (and I think Japanese) game. I’ve seen many K-dramas that have characters play this game. I found that the plot was confusing. We didn’t get a lot of information, which you then had to make sure to pick up on. Cho is great at action sequences, though. She had me at the edge of my seat many times.
    • Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose | September 14, 2025 | 3.5 Stars
      • The good of this book: I fell for the red herring and did not see the twist coming. The bad: too many POV’s. It made me confused, and I also hated the way the sibling relationship was written. They didn’t get along, but they didn’t even have some sense of care for each other either.
    • The God of the Woods by Liz Moore | October 8, 2025 | 3.6 Stars
      • I had higher expectations, which made me not enjoy the book as much as I could have. Another multiple POV book, along with time jumps. The fall of this book was how things would get good. However, in the next chapter, we will get a new POV. It made the action disjointed. Like The Guest’s List, this book makes the point that men (mostly) suck.
    • The Sirens by Emilia Hart | October 12, 2025 | 3.65 Stars
      • I liked it, but it wasn’t as cohesively written as Weyward, which is why it’s not rated as high. I solid book, but maybe not if you’re not interested in historical fiction that shows the woes women can face.
    The 3.25 aka “The Ones That Could Have Been Better”

    Read: April 15, 2025

    Rating: 3.25

    The reason why I have this 3.25: I found out the big reveal 30% in the book. There was no twist, and the different personalities were the only reason I kept reading. And to find out what our protagonist would do.

    Read: July 7, 2025

    Rating: 3.4

    This book was my revelation to the knowledge that maybe, just maybe pure romance genre is not for me. I did not hate the book, but I did not love it as I had hoped. Did not meet expectations. Also, Miles reads like he was written by a woman. (He was, in fact, written by a woman.)

    Read: August 2, 2025

    Rating: 3.4

    The weakest of the trilogy. Garber had so much going in the book, but not all the loose ends were fixed. Too much was going on. Tella had more of a high playing role than Scarlett. Ironic since this was supposed to be a joint POV. And nope, I did not like Tella by the end. Her and Legend were meant to be.

    Read: March 7, 2025

    Rating: 3.25

    The premise and prose of this story sounded better than what it delivered. It was a slow-paced book for what it wanted to tell. Holly Black took her time setting up the world we are in, but nothing happened. Everything went down in three chapters. A character I was supposed to care for in the sequel, I didn’t. Charlie is give “not like other girls” vibe. It made her unlikable.

    Read: April 3, 2025

    Rating: 3.4

    This book made it to the rating because it was close, but not close enough for 3.5. It was going to be higher than Archenemies. However, Nova was way too gullible. I felt her character development took a back step. This book gets a plus for its stakes. My initial review of this book is rather long. So, you can read it on my Goodreads.

    The 3.0

    The books on the list are a case of it wasn’t for me. I know people who have enjoyed these books. But one thing or another did not work for me. Or the after feeling of reading the book was more sad than happy. Memorable in a sad way, not my favorite feeling.

    • Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck | February 24, 2025 | 3 Stars
      • This book is a classic, but it made me sad. It’s a mean book. The way things were done in the past was mean. (Hello, is that you past? Are you here for the future? Because humans are reverting back!) There is animal death, which only added to the sadness. It’s a good book that makes you look at different characters.
    • The Henna Artist | April 27, 2025 | 3 Stars
      • I will say that this book was out of the norm of what I gravitate towards. I wanted to like the book. The downside is that I took too long to get invested in the story. Lakshmi did questionable things that I didn’t like. Radha, who apparently has her own book in this series, is so annoying. She is thirteen, but acts like she knows more. Honestly, I don’t feel bad for her. Anyway, this book ended up not being for me.
    The 2.75

    Read: April 29, 2025

    Rating: 2.75

    I fell for another over-hyped book. The book cover also intrigued me. Too low stakes for the premise. An adult Caraval, but people actually die, and does Ophelia care? Nah! She’s there to save her sister, but even then, she’s more interested in having sex every chance she gets. She also can’t do a single task without help. Who Blackwell was is obvious. There’s no twist. Not if I figured it out 200 pages before Ophelia did. This felt like a smutty Caraval. I’m not much of a smut lover.

    Read: June 13, 2025

    Rating: 2.85

    Oh boy. The more I think about the book, the more I want to lower the rating. I blame myself, though. I expected too much. What did I get? I weird white-washed version of Fruits Basket. Ganymedes is one of the most incompetent protagonists. He’s also so full of himself that it doesn’t read as confidence. It reads like arrogance. All the clues were given to him in the form of exposition. We were told everything! There was no action in him, figuring anything out. Everyone just told him. Which is ironic when you remember that they all hate him.

    Anyway, this book left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Good for diversity, but man, was the story not fun.

    Cover of Voyage of the Damned book. Blue with the skeleton of a fish and its fins in gold. On one of its tail fins, a ship is depicted.
    The “I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone” 2.25
    Book cover of Diavola. A Victorian Italian painting of a woman reading a book. Her face is smeared, giving a scary setting.

    Read: August 15, 2025

    Rating: 2.4

    This is one of those books that made me realize I hate giving low ratings. I don’t know. I feel bad when I do.

    Diavola looks like it will be this intense, haunting ghost story. It’s not. It’s an underwhelming family drama. I didn’t go in for a family drama. I wanted to feel suspense and chills. I got eye rolls and irritation. Not one character in the book is likable.

    I will now quote what I put in my review: “Not unnerving or scary in the slightest. I get more freaked out seeing my cats staring in the abyss at my home, and I think they’re seeing a ghost.”

    That’s it! That’s my belated year in review. This second part is as belated as could be. I have a goal this year. I want to post more blog posts and keep my reading up-to-date.

    We all have different ways to rate books. If I gave a low rating to one of your favorite books, please keep this in mind. What doesn’t work for me could work for you.

    ‘Til next time!

  • A (Very) Belated Year In Review P.1 – The Highs

    A (Very) Belated Year In Review P.1 – The Highs

    2025 far surpassed my expectations.

    It’s one thing to meet your reading goal, but to meet that goal in May? Unheard of! (For me, at least.) That was my experience. I kept updating my goal until I decided that 55 was a reasonable target. It was. I read 64 books, 13,604 pages, and listened to 296.17 hours in 2025. That is 51 more books than I read in 2024. Of course, not all the books I read were gems. I had a few misses here and there. But I was introduced to new authors who are most likely to be some of my favorite authors to read.

    So, let’s get to talking about my books! We’ll dive into my top -rated in this post. The lower-rated books will be in the P.2.

    To Start–Some Stats

    I gathered these stats from fable.co. I’ve linked my profile, where you can keep up with what I am currently reading this year.

    A pie chart showing the most read genres of 2025 for this user. Genres featured are Fantasy with 24 books, Thrillers with 16 books, Young Adult with 16 books, Romance with 12 books, and Horror with 10 books.
    A bar graph that shows the average rating of books is 3.9 by the user. Shows which books are rated under 2.25 starts to 5 stars.

    I challenged myself to read genres that I had not given much of a try. One of those was thriller/horror books. Amazingly, I quite enjoy reading this genre. Some books are a miss, if I am being honest. Yet, the horror and thriller genre is vast. So there’s bound to be a book you enjoy out there! I will say, I doubt I will ever head down the route of extreme horror. I don’t like watching extreme horror. Which means I do not want to read extreme horror. There is only so much desensitization I can take.

    Although my ratings seem low, I don’t usually give books anything less than 2 stars. If it’s less than 2, I thoroughly did not like that book. I don’t know. I feel bad rating them lower than 2. I also don’t give many 5-star reviews either. I’ve come to the realization that ratings are subjective and change from person to person. We all have metrics for how we rate. Someone’s high rating can be your low rating.

    For me, a rating of 3.75 or higher means I enjoyed the book. 3-stars and lower means I probably forced myself to finish. Or it wasn’t memorable, and honestly mid. I did DNF one book this year. That honor goes to Deep End by Ali Hazelwood, my first try at reading one of her books. Maybe I’ll try reading another of her books this year. We’ll see. The pure romance genre and I don’t mesh that well together. Or I just haven’t found the right book.

    The “5-Stars”

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Finished: January 23, 2025

    A YA historical mystery fiction by author June Hur. This book has an average rating of 3.93 on Storygraph, 4.0 on Fable, and 3.96 on Goodreads.

    I gave this book 4.95 stars, and it was one of the first books I read in 2025. I’ve enjoyed Hur’s earlier books, and this did not disappoint.

    This book is for the K-drama lovers who don’t mind the way a plot can seem slow-moving. It has yearning, murder, and high stakes. A perfect K-drama setting if you ask me! Both of our male and female leads are relatable in a sense. You want to root for them to succeed!

    “…if by any chance we do not meet again in this lifetime, then I will find you in the next–or as many lifetimes as it takes to see you again.”

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Finished: April 18, 2025

    A historical literary fantasy fiction novel. Babel is a polarizing book (R.F. Kuang is a polarizing author!), where many love it, and just as many dislike it. With themes dealing with racism, anti-colonialism, and misogyny, this book had much to tell.

    My official rating was 4.95, but it is one of my favorite reads of the year. It has an average rating of 4.33 on Storygraph, 4.2 on Fable, and 4.14 on Goodreads.

    This book is for the dark academia lovers, the ones who want to get hit in the gut with emotions.

    “That’s just what translation is, I think. That’s all speaking is. Listening to the other and trying to see past your own biases to glimpse what they’re trying to say. Showing yourself to the world, and hoping someone else understands.”

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Finished: May 7, 2025

    A YA Romantasy Mythological Retelling by Axie Oh.

    My most polarizing rating! I gave this book a 4.9. The average rating is 3.79 on Storygraph, 3.9 on Fable, and 3.78 on Goodreads.

    I liked the simplicity and premise of the book. Did it read YA? Yes. But I’ve noticed a lot of Romantasy focuses on the Romance part of it. This means more mature scenes than I would like. Due to this being YA, I got to read a fantasy romance that made me go: awww.

    The first of a duology. I’ve yet to read part two, so I am left hanging.

    This book is for those who love retellings of myths, and an action adventure between star-crossed lovers.

    “Remember that, Sunho. Even in darkness, there is always light.”

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Finished: May 10, 2025

    A children’s fantasy fiction classic by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

    A true 5-star rating from me. This beloved classic made me cry. I feel the older we get, the more we understand what this story was about. Actually, this is a timeless story that can have different meanings as you grow older.

    Average rating is 4.26 on Storygraph, 4.3 on Fable, and 4.33 on Goodreads.

    This book is for anyone and everyone who has wanted adventure.

    “Goodbye,” said the fox. “Here is my secret. It’s quite simple: One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.”

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Finished: December 31, 2025

    A nonfiction historical science and health book.

    Just under 200 pages, John Green managed to fill this book with information. I gave this book a 4.9 rating. Average rating is 4.44 on Storygraph, 4.4 on Fable, and 4.35 on Goodreads.

    A clutch read for me. It was one of the two books I was working towards finishing last year. I needed that Goodreads badge! (For my own personal ego.)

    This book is for those who like a deep dive into something that has been plaguing our world for centuries. Tickled with slight humor from Green.

    We know how to live in a world without tuberculosis. But we choose not to live in that world.

    The 4.75-4.25

    Storygraph has this cool feature where you get to rate books on the quarter! Due to that, I can more accurately rate on Storygraph than on Fable or Goodreads. For these next ratings, I won’t make long individual comments on the books, considering I read 64 books. That’s a lot of commentating. I’ll summarize in parts.

    4.75 rates:

    Finished: July 7, 2025

    Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng introduced me to Kylie Lee Baker. I am looking forward to reading her upcoming novel this year and her past novels. This book made me feel visceral emotions of anger and horror. Asian ghosts are another level from Western ghosts. This book is a prime example that you need to listen to your aunt and take her talismans! There are trigger warnings for death. It is set during COVID. If you dislike books set during COVID, at least try this one first. You might like it.

    Rating: 4.7 stars

    Finished: December 31, 2025

    Becoming is not a revolutionary book. It also isn’t a book to simply rave about without the context. It is a book that lets us look into the life of Michelle Obama. Before she became an Obama and after. I enjoyed this book because Michelle is so good at telling a story. Her stubbornness as a young child was funny to read about. She is more ambitious than me that’s for sure. Also, I learned Obama was a smoker, huh.

    Rating: 4.75 stars

    Finished: January 3, 2025

    Almost American Girl by Robin Ha is a graphic novel that I found relatable. This is an autobiography about her migration from Seoul, South Korea, to Huntsville, Alabama. She faces dilemmas of not fitting in in either South Korea or the United States. An easy read that can relate to any child whose parents migrated to the U.S.A.

    Rating: 4.75 stars

    Finished: December 7, 2025

    Behind Five Willows by June Hur (the second book of Hur’s read in 2025). This was an ARC. This book is expected to be released on May 26. I loved this book! It was an enemies-to-lovers story inspired by Pride and Prejudice. (A book I have regrettably not read yet, but a movie I love!) I will make a blog post about my thoughts on this book separately.

    Rating: 4.8 stars

    4.5 rates:

    Rating: 4.5

    Finished: April 11, 2025

    A science fiction novella by Martha Wells, and the first of a series. This book is funny, adventurous, and Murderbot is honestly a mood. I have more of the series to read, yet this, less than 200-page novella, was entertaining. It made me want to read the next books.

    Rating: 4.5

    Finished: June 10

    Second book in the Murderbot series. Not as funny as the first one, but still an enjoyable read. We are introduced to a new AI, in ship form! Also a mood. I related to this AI a little more, mainly from how “annoying” I can be. Ha!

    Rating: 4.5

    Finished: June 2

    A haunting read that deals with the ghosts of the past. Set in NC and taking place in a plantation turned into an amusement park/wedding venue. This book is a glimpse into how attempts to rewrite history have been made. Moving and angering. McQueen did a beautiful job.

    Rating: 4.5

    Finished: May 21

    A historical horror fiction set in Mexico (modern-day Texas) before the Spanish-American War. A star-crossed lovers and second-chance romance story with a mix of horror. Certain scenes made my skin crawl. A romance book hidden in this horror premise. A fun read.

    Rating: 4.5

    Finished: December 28

    A literary thriller that makes you ask why. You get a look into what the publishing world probably looks like. A self-aware novel that you can tell is based (a little) on Kuang’s own life. After this release, real-life “Yellowfaces” have happened. I felt like the book could have kept going with the way it ended.

    Rating: 4.6

    Finished: February 25, 2025

    Wow, it’s been almost a year since I’ve read this book. This book’s dust cover and cover get a 10/10! It is a beautiful cover. Beautifully written with nice, lyrical words, but did lack a few things. An odd book that is higher than 4.5, but not high enough to be 4.75. There is some insta-love, which is why I didn’t like it as much as I should have. I still tabbed this book to no end due to the number of quotable quotes.

    4.25 rates:

    • Rating: 4.3
    • Rating: 4.4
    • Rating: 4.3
    • Rating: 4.25
    • Rating: 4.2

    A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder finished: May 10. I liked following Pip as she tried to solve a past murder. It was both fun, exciting, and anxiety-inducing. Not a hard mystery to figure out, but the ride was fun. Pip did do a lot of questionable things, but I gave her a pass due to being young. I’ve been told by my friend and sister that the rest of the series isn’t as good as the first. Whether I’ll finish this series is up in the air.

    A Curse for True Love finished: July 12. The last of the Once Upon a Broken Heart series. This is my highest rating in the series. I enjoyed this “spin-off” series more than Caraval. Stephanie Garber was my most-read author of 2025. I read six of her books. It would have been seven had I gotten to her newest release before the year ended. Jacks is my favorite character ever, and anything with him in it, I like. Good thing he’s the main love interest in this series.

    The God and the Gwisin finished: August 9. Part 2 and the ending to Fate’s Thread duology. I liked this book more than the first, by a little. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I usually dislike when current pop culture is used in stories, but this one did it seamlessly. I compared it to Voyage of the Dammed (a book that will be featured in P.2 of my year end review) because this one succeeded in what that book couldn’t do. A solid 4.3 stars.

    The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom finished: May 2. This book … I don’t know. The more I sit on it, the lower I want to rate it. I did give this a higher rating because you saw that Shari was growing and learning. She is still young. That is why I was annoyed that she did not make the connection to what caused what happened to her. Her mother and the grooming have one common cause. I hope she may see it in the future. She also didn’t blame her father. I want to rate it lower because he needs to be held accountable for letting everything happen.

    The Socialite’s Guide to Murder finished: June 14. A cozy murder mystery. This book really was cozy, quirky, and enjoyable. The first in a series that I would like to finish, but not a high priority. Evelyn is purposely a caricature, which is half the fun. She also has agoraphobia, adding to the context of this hotel heiress. A lovely lead character that carried the story for me.

    4.0 rates:

    My highest number of rated books under 4 stars: 14. So buckle up!

    For my sanity, I will be making a table. This way, I won’t get lost on what each book was rated and when it was read.

    TitleRatingFinishedThoughts
    The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim4.2January 13A solid start to the Fate’s Thread duology. We meet Seokga, the trickster god and Kim Hani, the gumiho. This is an enemies-to-lovers story set in 1992 South Korea.
    The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber4.1July 4The second book in the OUABH series. This book didn’t get as high a rating as the third. There was still a lack of world-building in this series. This book suffered the most from that and clichés.
    Come Fly the World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am by Julia Cooke4.0April 26A historical nonfiction novel about Pan Am, its stewardesses, and the downfall. We follow five different Pan Am stewardesses in this book, and their fascinating stories. With fewer than 300 pages, this book packs a lot of information and reads slowly.
    The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon4.0July 8This historical fiction is based on a real-life woman named Martha Ballard. This is one of those books that has stuck with me longer than I anticipated. So, I want to give it a higher rating. Slow at parts, but intriguing overall.
    Legendborn by Tracy Deonn3.9 December 17A solid start to a series, with some slight annoyances. Doesn’t read as YA as it is, which makes some situations jarring when you realize they’re 17. But pretty good, I’m willing to continue the series.
    The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas4.1December 20Not as good as Vampires of El Norte, but still pretty good. I was left thinking, “What did I just read?” when I finished the book. Which could be a good or bad thing. Trigger warnings for possession and talk of demonic things. If you’re “sensitive” to that (like my mom says she is) you should skip this book.
    Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukes4.0November 5A surprising read. I enjoyed this cozy “murder mystery” more than I thought. Actually, I’d like to sign up to solve a murder in a small English town as part of a vacation.
    Fable by Adrienne Young4.0December 6I had to restart this audiobook twice because I was not paying attention, ha! Fable is not just the title of the book but of our main character. A pirate-ish adventure. I’d like to see how the series ends.
    I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham JonesGraham Jones
    3.9
    December 13    		A killer’s POV, but make it meta! This is a fun, yet gory read. I liked the meta-ness of the story. Think Scream, but in book format. Trigger warnings for gory scenes.
    The Troop by Nick Cutter4.0March 11A horror book set on an island when a virus spreads. Yeah, it’s gory and sickening. But boy did I enjoy it. I wanted to punch Shelly because he was just a horrible kid.
    The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong4.0
    April 12    		A cozy fantasy that has some bases related to real life. This is very cozy to the point where it feels like not much happened. An adventure that takes place. It may not be the cup of tea, though.
    The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin3.95February 19This book was so much more than I anticipated. It follows two friends and their POV. It flashes back from their residency days at medical school to modern times in their late 30s. For medical drama lovers, this book is for you!
    Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber3.9May 19A predictable, entertaining, and fast read. We meet Evangeline and Jacks (re-meet Jacks if Caraval was read first). We enter a fairy tale world, and it’s great! The start to the OUABH series I enjoy. For the fairy tale lovers out there.
    Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 1 by James Tynion IV4.0April 26A graphic novel that is centered in a town where its children are going missing. Why? What is taking them? I don’t know! This was volume one, and I need to read on.

    Well, there you have it. The end of part 1. Looking back at all these books I read, there were a lot of good ones. (Obviously, these are the higher-rated books.) All of these, in one way or another, were fun to read. Some left bigger and longer impressions, but they expanded my genres. I know what I like and what I don’t like, for now. I feel the more I read, the more I learn what makes a book great or mediocre for me. I have noticed that I should read more memoirs and non-fiction. I am a mood reader, though. So, I’ll do my best to pick up more memoirs somehow.

    Til next time! What were some of your favorite books?

  • Rediscovering My Passion for Reading

    Welcome to the Scarlett Synopsis, where I read and comment on what I liked and disliked.

    Let me introduce myself. I’m Scarlett, and I enjoy reading. I also enjoy other activities in my spare time. However, I’ve been passionate about reading since I was younger.

    There was a period in my time when I didn’t pick up books in the way that I used to. I got busy with school, work, and plain ol’ stress. Books went from my everyday hobby and comfort to something I was too busy to do. Did I still read? You bet I did! Fanfiction was my jam for the years that I didn’t pick up books. Sadly, a lot of fanfics are not finished, so that didn’t fulfill the need for a conclusion of a story. Don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing fanfic writers out there. Yet, they do this as a hobby. Because it is a hobby they aren’t obligated to finish a story if life gets very hectic for them. I was left hanging for far too long. (There are some stories I will never see a conclusion to, and that hurts my heart a little.)

    Cue in last year. I finally got over the slump of reading one or two books the entire year, and hit a whopping thirteen! (Two shy of my goal of fifteen. A big step from my average of one to two for the last five years.) This year, I took my reading seriously by exploring new genres I had never read before. Reviewing the books I enjoyed or didn’t enjoy for various reasons.

    “Book Reading” by Caio Resende/ CC0 1.0

    That is why we are here. I’m here to share my thoughts and reviews on my current reads. This allows me to read for enjoyment and learn what I like and what I see as good writing. I want to expand my knowledge on what makes something well written. Reading is the best way to gain this knowledge. I hope my reviews help someone find a new read or create a conversation. Reading is this amazing thing, where it is very subjective. If I did not enjoy a book someone else did, let’s start a conversation! I will never ick your yum, so don’t ick mine.

    This blog is not only for my book reviews. It is also here for things I want to share. Do you want to start annotating? Me too! Let’s do it together. Do you like books with dark academia? Here is a list of books that fit that vibe I enjoyed. Etc.

    I’ll link my Goodreads, Fable, and StoryGraph accounts soon, featuring the past reviews of books I’ve read.