Book Journal With Me

January 2024 Reading List

For those of you fellow book lovers looking to dive into my own reading list I’ve got something for you. I’ve been adding my monthly reading lists to the Library section of the blog with links to grab the books on Amazon. Most are on Kindle Unlimited (link included) since I’m completely in love with that subscription and it saves me money with the crazy amount of books I read. January’s list is officially updated. I’ll work my way through some of the other months as I have time.

WARNING – The books I read are definitely NOT FOR EVERYONE. Please read any and all descriptions and warnings before starting any of these books. Some of them are very dark and honestly most are pretty smutty. And no judging please! To each their own and all that jazz.

I’ve also started creating book lists organized by authors that I love reading. These lists will be growing bit by bit as I get them caught up. So be sure to keep checking back. CLICK HERE to browse my author list.


Click the image to check out my full list of books for the month. You’ll also find a few related planner spreads and videos.


January 2024 Reading List

Click the book covers below to shop what I’m reading on Amazon.

WARNING: THESE BOOKS ARE NOT FOR EVERYONE.

If you’re thinking of getting these please read the description first to make sure you can handle them. Some of these books contain dark and mature content. Read at your own discretion.

Most of these shown can be found on Kindle Unlimited or through an author mailing list.


Puck Boys of Brooks University #5

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Oh Haley and Cade!

When I first grabbed this book I wasn’t aware it was part of a larger series. I loved it so much that now I definitely have to go back and read all the books before it, and the next ones coming up. But even if it’s part of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

Cade is still dealing with the tragic loss of his best friend and coping the only way he feels he can. He loses himself to his guilt coupled with a knee injury from playing hockey and ends up turning to drugs to get him through. He wants to stay away from Haley because he feels she deserves so much better than him. The problem is he just can’t keep away.

Haley’s crush on Cade ramps up even though she’s forced to deal with his hot and cold tendencies toward her. He’s so perfect at times and so lost at others. When she discovers his drug issue she makes the hard decision to make sure he gets the help needs even if might tear them apart in the end. She just wants what’s best for him.

This is a story with so much love, hardship, determination, and some soul searching. Forbidden love, guilt, angst, and more. So good!


Twisted Roses #1

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I love Felicity and Jude!

Previously stepsiblings from a loveless, business-like marriage, their feelings for each other were of the forbidden variety. But even after more than a decade apart, after a tragedy broke up everything in their lives, they suddenly find themselves back in each others orbit. It brings up the question of fate vs someone working behind the scenes to push them back towards each other.

The push and pull between Felicity and Jude is constant. That’s also what makes their relationship build. They just can’t keep away from each other whether they want to or not. As their romance ramps up more and more secrets from the past come to light. Not everything is what they thought is was when it comes to the past. And this makes for some struggles moving forward.

This book was great. I loved the dynamic between Fel and Jude. The mystery around what really happened in the past keeps you guessing along the way wondering what the truth really is. Then that twist I was not expecting! So good. And I love the subtle dark fairytale vibes mixed in too.


Twisted Roses #2

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Echo and Crew are made for each other…

Book two in this series picks up where book one left off but it also comes with a look into the past with the scene of how Crew and Echo first met. You get another little subtle hint at more dark fairytale vibes like with the first book. And I’m totally here for it.

Echo is stuck between her natural pull towards Crew and her promise that pushes her towards his brother. You get more insight into the back and forth between these two that you saw in book one.

Echo and Crew were clearly made for each other. Their chemistry is off the charts. They show each other parts of themselves that no one else gets. Throughout their hidden relationship they’re both dealing with the fact that she’s publicly dating his brother. Things change for them when Crew finally realizes it’s all just an arrangement and wants Echo to make the right choice on her own.

I absolutely love these two! And I love that he claimed her ring. When you read it, you’ll get it. Trust me. So good!


Memento Mori #3

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Loved this!

After the mess book two left me in, I was really excited to jump right into this third and final book in this Murdoch Mafia spin off. And I was not disappointed. I love this entire world that Samantha has created. There’s so much depth and intensity to these characters.

I really felt for Chaos and what he was dealing with even while he was being a huge a**hole for a lot of his journey through this book. Understandable though. His connection with Cassandra was immediate whether he was willing to admit it or not. They both needed each other in different ways even though it definitely wasn’t what anyone would consider a traditional relationship.

I loved their journey and their growth. The healing amongst the family as a whole was everything too. Such a great series and a great book. I can’t wait to see where the next generational spin off will take us. I love the little glimpse of it that we get.


Falling in Love #2

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

An age gap well worth the wait…

By the time we got to the end of “The Risk of Falling” we had so many new questions about Ellie. What changed for her? What made her put distance between her and the sister who raised her like her own? And when Micah shows up at her door to find her pregnant, we added a few more questions to that list.

“A Risk Worth Taking” picks up where that left off and starts unraveling what really happened to Ellie. We find out the abuse she suffered while being held hostage during the first book and how she’s not really dealing with the trauma afterwards. Running became her go-to response.

The masked Valentine’s event at Elite presents her with the chance to work through her intimacy issues with one of the only two men she trusts. Her crush on Lincoln moves to a new level when their one night together becomes more than she ever dreamed. It leaves him pining and searching after the masked women he can’t get out of his head, not knowing the truth of her identity. And it leaves her finding out later that she’s pregnant with his baby.

So when Micah takes her back home to their family she’s forced to deal with everything she ran from. And Lincoln is forced to face his feelings for the younger girl who’s now become the woman he was looking for.

Their relationship grows and builds throughout it all is such a great way. I absolutely love these two together. Be prepared for a range of emotions mixed in with some spice and danger along the way. Great read! I want more!


Carpe Noctem #1 (The Elite Kings Club 2nd Gen) – DNF

DNF…

This was voted in as one of our Patreon book club “book of the month” for January. It’s a second generation series for The Elite Kings Club series. I got halfway through and decided to stop. I felt like I needed to go back and read the original general series first to get all that background and world-building missing from this series. I would recommend reading in that order.

Start here – “The Silver Swan”


The KORT #1

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Debut novel what?!

I was not prepared for how great this debut novel was going to be. I absolutely loved all these characters and their relationships with each other. So good!

Ivanna (Ivy) has her life thrown off by a surprise development when she’s told she has to be married soon in order to actually get her inheritance. But really that’s just the tip of the iceberg. A chance encounter with a stranger leads to an impromptu engagement because she’s determined to have a say in her future instead of choosing from a list of potential suitors her mother has picked out. All while dealing with the devastating illness her father is facing.

Ivy never could have dreamed the family she would find with Wells and his friends – a new found family that feels like home almost immediately. She finds a connection with Wells through his dominating yet romantic and book loving ways. Fun movie talk with Ty who feels like a brother. Flirty banter and hacking with Liam. And she finds the way to grumpy Gage’s friendship through food and yummy baked goods.

While Ivy connects with Wells and the rest of her found family, secrets about her real family start coming to light. Dangerous people are after her for reasons she never could have imagined. Good thing she’s got a hot group of soldiers of her own now. But it turns out that this book loving, artistic woman with unique ways of thinking is a total badass in her own right.

Be prepared for a story of love and family, secrets and mysteries, danger and excitement, plus plenty of great spice mixed in. Oh and that trippy twist that will have you rethinking things right alongside Ivy. Such a great read! I can’t wait to read more from this new series. And if there ends up being a few spin offs I’m totally happy with that too.


⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dark and gritty must-read….

This book was just another reminder of why I love reading Candice Wright books. The story between Nova and Vice was dark and intense, romantic and complex, gritty and passionate. Their relationship is one that shouldn’t be but at the same time is meant to be.

Nova is brought up in the mafia in a way far from typical. She’s trained as a bodyguard and able to handle her own in a male dominated world. A wrench is thrown into her life that causes her to reach out to the enemy. What better way to protect yourself from a monster than by seeking out an even bigger monster to stand by your side?

So many twists and turns that I did not see coming. This book was oh so good. But definitely check the trigger warnings before because this won’t be for everyone.


Shameless #0.5

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Beau and Blair…

This novella is a prequel to a new series. It’s also my first Kelly Finley book. And I’ll definitely be coming back for more. Not only am I even more curious about her other books now but with the way this ended I absolutely have to know what’s going to happen next.

Beau and Blair start out as enemies from their time in college together. But really all the pranks and arguments between them was just a way to hide how much they actually wanted each other while not being able to be together. So when they run into each other again that connection is still there because it never really went away. They decide to make the most of one night to see who can out-kink the other.

I don’t think either one of them were really prepared for all the emotions it would bring out. Their connection and the back and forth banter was so good. With the teasers we get at the end, I’m really interested in finding out more about the other people in this world. I’m looking forward to this new series.


Like Us #13

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Human Him, Cosmic Her…

I think it’s safe to say that I’m a bit obsessed with this world Krista and Becca have created. Everything in this series is so well thought out, written, and developed. Luna and Donnelly are part of my top favorite couples list in this series. Although don’t actually ask me to rank the couples because that would be way too hard.

This is book three for this couple in this series. They are both still dealing with the ups and downs of Luna’s lost memories after “that night.” And they’re also still dealing with the ups and downs that come along with Donnelly’s troubled family and past. The journey is so emotional and beautiful and just perfect.

I loved so much how the different relationships between not just Luna and Donnelly but between all of their expanded found family developed in this book. I especially loved the evolution of between Donnelly and “Luna’s dad” in this one. Oh Lo!

I’m already looking forward to re-reading in the future. I honestly can’t say enough about how great the Addicted/Calloway/Like Us world is. Luna and Donnelly are just absolutely perfect for each other.




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