livinliterary

Y’all. It is HOT outside.

Am I the only one who feels like we just skipped right over spring and went straight into summer? My body and my electricity bill are not ready for the heat! Welp, time to retreat indoors to write this post and tell you about all the books I’m reading, the books I’m loving, and the books I can’t wait to read and love in the near future. I think you’re going to love them too!

Books Currently Reading

These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan

Fans of These Hollow Vows will be stunned by this spellbinding conclusion to the fantasy-romance duology as Brie’s role in determining the fate of the magical realm becomes increasingly clear. And of course, there’s no shortage of romance in this twisty finale.

Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas

 The YA Peter Pan reimagining I didn’t know I needed. Darkly atmospheric, the novel follows a modern-day Peter Pan and Wendy as they work to uncover the truth behind a frightening series of disappearances in Wendy’s hometown. Mystery, intrigue, and magical realism abound in this haunting twist on a classic tale.

Can’t wait for These

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

When June Hayward, a young white writer, and Athena Liu graduated from Yale, they were meant to rise together. At least in June’s mind. Instead, Athena became the literary It Girl, and June remained on the sidelines. But then June sees Athena die right in front of her and she steals her manuscript. Once she edits the novel about the contributions of Chinese laborers during WWI, she passes it off as her own and is catapulted to book fame. She, a white woman, even gets a rebranding as Juniper Song and an ethnically ambiguous author picture. But she can’t shake the feeling that someone out there knows the truth, and she is down to do what she has to do to protect her secret. 

Interestingly enough, the premise of someone pretending to be another race for clout in academia or publishing has actually happened. A couple times, I might add.

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee

This cover alone is irresistible. A cute queer baking romance? With a corgi sidekick?? Dylan is in a mooncake baking competition for teen chefs when he meets Theo, who is wealthy, handsome, and extremely distracting, especially when he asks Dylan to be his fake date for a wedding. When he brings rich people’s problems with him, though, Dylan will have to decide what’s more important: the competition that could save his parents’ restaurant or this fledgling romance?

Words of Literary Wisdom

“Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

What I’m Watching This Weekend

Friends, has anyone seen Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves? It’s now available for streaming, so it seems like a good, fun one to watch this weekend. Speaking of movies, I also need to get to the theaters to see Fast X ASAP. It looks so good! I’m also going to be catching up on some of those TV shows. At the top of my list are XO, Kitty, and Doctor Cha. Are you watching these too? Or have you watched them? I would love to hear your thoughts!

And that’s all for now, friends. Have a lovely weekend!

Liv ✨