Have you read any books that have surprised you this year? Maybe it far surpassed your expectations, maybe it was actually terrible, or funnier, or more profound than you thought.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Yellowface - I’d put it off after seeing so many mixed reviews over the years, but definitely one that consumed me for the time I was reading it!

Another was The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. Again, I’d seen mixed review and so was expecting it to be a little mediocre, but it really worked for me!

This is the first time I've done this, and I can't tell you why I haven't done it before, but anyway. I've been keeping up with the book forum for my current read, and honestly, its making the whole experience far more enjoyable! It's really like getting the gossip from a bunch of friends. I will be doing this with all future books, as long as they have forums. Does anyone else do this? Have I inspired you to try it? It really could just be this book, or the series, because it is so popular, but I'm really enjoying it. It's also making me want to read more because I can't wait to see what others have said.

Hey y'all! I'm having a bit of decision paralysis, and I'd love your assistance, if you'd be so kind.

Each Summer, I reread a series from my childhood/adolescence to see how they hold up, how I feel about them now, and what things I notice now as an adult. I usually choose something I have fond memories of reading the first time around but haven't read since, though I have also selected books that I've returned to multiple times throughout my life. In the last few years, I've reread the Percy Jackson series, the Jessica Darling series, the Gemma Doyle trilogy, and the entirety of The Princess Diaries among others.

For this year, I've come up with four possible contenders. I'd absolutely love it if you could help me choose which of the four to dedicate this Summer. Also, feel free to shout out any suggestions of series I may have forgot so I can add them to the list for future rereads!

Option 1: The Luxe by Anna Godbersen This is a young adult historical romance series set in Manhattan in 1899. Basically a Gilded Age version of Gossip Girl, it primarily follows the lives of two sisters, Elizabeth and Diana, kicking off with Elizabeth's sudden disappearance and supposed death. It's been a solid 15+ years since I read this and I remember absolutely devouring it.

Option 2: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Many of you may be familiar with the story of Anne Shirley and her life with Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert at their home of Green Gables. This is probably my favorite series from childhood -- I deeply identify with Anne and adore her story in a way that is beyond words. I've reread this a few times, but it's probably been about 10 years since I last read the series.

Option 3: Fearless by Francine Pascal This series follows Gaia, a 17-year-old girl who cannot feel fear. On top of that, her mother was murdered, and her father is a CIA agent who has gone into hiding. Now Gaia is living in NYC fending off the terrorists who are targeting her. I remember discovering this book at the Marshall Public Library when I was ten and losing my mind over it, but I haven’t read it since.

Option 4: House of Night by P.C. and Kristin Cast Zoey Redbird is 16 years old when she’s marked as a vampyre fledgling and is admitted to a special boarding school, the House of Night, so she can learn about and survive her transformation into a vampyre. This series came out around my junior year of high school and I spent the next several years keeping up with the story, but I never finished it (I think I had two or three books left).

Thanks again all!!