issue #188 - the one about nostalgia

Hitha on Book It!, summer camp, and reconnecting with the past

Author

Hitha Palepu
July 23, 2023

I’m feeling quite nostalgic as of late.

There was my weekend at the MTHR Retreat in Cape Cod last week, which felt like I was transported to Cousins Beach and vibing with an incredible group of women.

It’s what I expect sleepaway camp to be like (though I treasured my solo time in my own Airstream between activities).

This nostalgia has continued with reading as well. If you’ve been here for a bit, you know I’m a voracious reader and am juggling multiple books at any given time (currently reading Anna and Divine Rivals). But I’ve missed the days of sticker charts to log the books I read and redeeming a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut every week, for years, because of said book logs.

Book It! has a lot to do with the person I know am, and I’m not afraid to admit it.

I think many of us take advantage that we read as much (or little) as we want, and that we have the income or resources to have a book on hand at most times. I certainly do, and I was missing that little bit of magic that a book log or that tiny pizza brought to my life. And it turns out I wasn’t alone, given that my friend Shibani had shared this post to her Story a couple of weeks back:

So we decided to do something about it.

After a few DMs and some time spent on Canva, we came up with this simple Book Log bookmark (figured it was smart to make it functional as well!).

And because we don’t gatekeep AND we want everyone to be a little bit smarter, we decided to share them as long as you share #5SmartReads (and yes, you’ll get the sticker sheet with the bookmarks).

Because why should kids have all the fun?

What We Read This Week:

Hitha

Only Bad Options and Only Good Enemies by Jennifer Estep - I’ve been craving another sci-fi romance series, and immediately downloaded the first book in this series after seeing Amanda Bouchet’s post about it (given how much I love her books, I trust her recommendations fully). It was exactly what I was craving - smart, enemies to lovers, and gave me Thousandth Floor vibes. It’s a slower burn, but worth the wait.

Meant To Be Mine by Hannah Orenstein - As you all know, I'm a single mom with two companies, so my time to read is slight, but...when I tell you, I read this amazing novel in one day, I mean it. The novel is about a woman whose grandmother predicted an important moment in her life - and she spends her whole adulthood searching...but, was it even worth it? Was it even true? This book is a TRUE ROM COM - love triangles, heartbreak, grandmothers, sisters, it was...PERFECT! I laughed, I cried, and now I need a movie adaptation! Who can make this happen??

Top #5SmartReads Of The Past Two Weeks

The rest of the week’s reads (and conversations!) are below:

Hitha’s Book Recommendations (Based On Your Vibes)

Total wanderlust mood, but no plans for jet setting further than the Jersey Shore at the moment!!
Nisha Sharma’s Dating Dr. Dil is a love story and a love letter to NJ! But if you want something wanderlusty, Nalini Singh’s Psy Changeling series takes you all over the world!

Coworkers to lovers
Nisha Sharma’s Singh Family series, and Elena Armas’ The Spanish Love Deception

OOOO something angsty and Feist and spicy

Current mood: wanderlust. Ready for a summer vacation
Oooooh have you read Emily Henry’s People We Meet On Vacation or Happy Place? I love them both!

Armchair international travel and adventure
Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant and Runaway Royals series. Travel! Royalty! Shenanigans! These books have them all and they are two of my favorite series to re-read.

More books like Red White and Royal Blue or the American Royals series please!
The American Royalty duology by Tracey Livesay and Alyssa Cole’s aforementioned books

Renewing perspectives
Definitely Red, White, and Royal Blue, and I have to recommend Kennedy Ryan’s entire backlist - I learn something new in everything she’s written. Abby Jimenez’s books tackle hard issues and offer new perspective with such heart.

Looking for more in the vein of Fourth Wing!
Have you picked up any of Sarah J. Maas’ books?? I would read A Court Of Thorns and Roses series, then the two Crescent City books, and then the entire Throne of Glass series (warning - they WILL take over your life).

Zodiac Academy is another gripping fantasy romance series, but be sure to read The Awakening As Told By The Boys after the first book (otherwise you will be irrationally angry).

I also just read The Foxglove King per Deidre Rose Morgan’s recommendation and LOVED it.

Amanda Bouchet’s Kingmaker Chronicles is another excellent fantasy romance series.

But if you want to keep a foot in the real world and actually get things done, I would opt for Ilona Andrews’ Hidden Legacy and Innkeeper Chronicles series. Incredible, slower paced world building. Hidden Legacy really brings the spice!

That stomach swooping sensation when you’re reading a dramatic romance that HITS
The Idea Of You. Robinne Lee wrote such a magnificent, emotional book.

Feeling quite lonely on a solo trip and craving a partner
Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan, Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory!

It’s not a romance but The Charm School by Nelson DeMille was recommended to me when I was traveling solo (struck up a conversation with my neighbor at a restaurant) and it was so gripping that a lot of those lonely feelings slipped away.

Something like Eighteen Acres with romance
Kennedy Ryan’s All The Kings Men series. It’s so good!

Still have a book hangover from The Discovery of Witches series!
I LOVE Juno Dawson’s Her Majesty’s Royal Coven! I can’t wait to read the sequel (in my TBR pile). I would also recommend Sangu Mandanna’s The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. And I’ve mentioned it before but Ilona Andrew’s Innkeeper Chronicles series has cured many a book hangover.

I need one that quickly pulls me in to binge
The Court of the Vampire Queen by Katee Robert - it’s a stand-along but a great introduction to her entire backlist and one series in particular.

She makes reverse harems make sense and this one brings the spicy immediately.

Lawyer enemies to lovers!
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane - not quite enemies, but a lot of loathing between the characters!

A multibook saga - have read ACOTAR and most of your other recs 10/10
Ruby Dixon’s is who I’d recommend! Have you started Ice Planet Barbarians yet? It’s also great if you’re feeling lethargic in this weather and hating summer.

The third book of Sarah Maclean’s Hells Belles series is coming out next month - it’s a great time to start that particular series! And if you read Julia Quinn’s Rokesby and Smythe-Smith series.

Something like the Thousandth floor series!
Ilona Andrews’ Fated Blades novella 
Amanda Bouchet’s Nightchaser duology
I picked up the Galactic Bonds series based on Amanda’s recommendation, and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Reviews are in the earlier section.

I’m a little anxious
I love how Abby Jimenez writes about difficult issues with honesty and love and acceptance. Highly recommend her two latest books if you’re feeling this way - Part Of Your World and Yours Truly.

Here’s to reconnecting with our younger selves and finding the beauty in the mundane.

xo,
HPN

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