School’s out, and summer break is finally here which means ’tis the season to read! So, if you are looking for a book or two to read this summer, you are in luck! Today, I’ve got another dose of book reviews for you.  

Without further ado, here we go!

The Great Big Beautiful Life

After reading People We Meet on Vacation, and Book Lovers by Emily Henry, I was excited to get my hands-on The Great Big Beautiful Life.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t drawn to it like her other books, and it was not for me.  The banter was amiss, the chemistry felt off, and honestly, it was just a bit underwhelming.  

Little Secrets

Another book that I thought was going to be a dud was Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier.  It started off slow, but as I continued to read the book, the plot takes a turn, and the end has a twist I didn’t see coming.  Character wise – I liked the rawness and honesty of the characters given their situations.  It made the storyline that much more believable, and it begs the question, had I been in their shoes, what would I have done? 

The Last Thing He Told Me

I don’t have a strong opinion about The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave.  That’s because, it’s a  book I didn’t dislike nor was it a book that I loved.  But the writing was easy, and the circumstances surrounding the main character kept me invested in the storyline.  That said, I am unsure how I feel about the ending.  To me, it felt unrealistic, and a bit far fetched.  

Arsenic and Adobo

Ever since Arsenic and Adobo by Mia Manansala came out, it has been on my reading list.  Fast forward to 2026, I am happy to report that I finally did, and I highly recommend.  It’s a fun mystery thriller that is not dark in any way.  But don’t let that fool you, there are some good twists and surprises in there.  Apart from that, I loved getting to know Lila, her family, and friends so much so that after finishing this book, I immediately went online to put Homicide and Halo Halo on hold at the library.  

The Kind Worth Killing

From the writing style to the character development to the suspenseful plot twists, The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson is a thrilling roller coaster of a book, and I enjoyed going along for the ride.  The story pulls you in right away, and is packed with twists after twists.  In fact, there were so many layers to this book that just when I thought I had the plot figured out, the author pulls the rug from underneath me, and BAM! I am back at square one. If you are someone who likes reading thriller or mystery books, I’d recommend this one.  

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**Additionally, some items linked above are not the exact item shown because it is either old or sold out, but I linked similar items for those that are unavailable.