This summer, I participated in my library’s Summer Reading Challenge through Beanstack! Of the titles I read, here were some of my favorites and why I liked them so much!

 

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Hearts on Thin Ice by Katie Kennedy is a really emotional and heartfelt sports romance that surprised me with how much depth it had. Even though it’s written in third person, Nick’s emotions come through so clearly as he tries to recover from the deaths of his closest friends in the plane crash only he survived, and figure out who he is now. The book follows Nick, a pro-hockey player finally able to return to the ice after his injuries and trauma, and Alyssa, an interior designer he meets at a teammate’s gathering. When Nick’s coach gives him the choice between therapy or decorating his nearly empty apartment—just one chair, blank walls, and a mattress—Nick chooses the redesign, and that’s where his connection with Alyssa begins. I loved the slow build between them: the secret feelings, the moments where they grow closer, and then the distance again as they each confront their own internal conflicts. Nick is working through therapy, and Alyssa is dealing with how she and her family have always been judged for their low economic status, which adds a lot of meaning to their story. The way they help each other heal, and Alyssa becoming closer with her brother, made the book feel even more heartfelt to me. The only thing I didn’t love was the high spice level, which was a bit too much for my taste, but the emotional themes and the way their relationship grows still made it a really good read.

 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead is such a fun, heartfelt read, and I loved this book—5 stars for me! It starts when Alexis and Logan meet at what was supposed to be a one‑night stand, but ends in a full‑blown publicity stunt so that Logan’s reputation isn’t tarnished while he runs for office. Their fake relationship begins as damage control, but feelings grow stronger the closer they work together, especially as Alexis steps into a spotlight she never expected. As a librarian, she suddenly has the stage to advocate for what matters to her in the education space, especially as several jobs are being cut and many of her colleagues are left without work, with the fear that she might be next. Watching Alexis find her voice, and seeing how her connection with Logan shifts from pretend to something real, made the story feel both empowering and genuinely sweet. The mix of political chaos, personal growth, and slow‑building romance made this such an enjoyable read for me.

 

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune is a beautifully nostalgic romance that I really enjoyed, even though the back‑and‑forth perspectives between the past and the future confused me a bit at times. Percy and Sam’s relationship has that perfect “strangers to lovers to people who don’t talk anymore” arc, especially after Percy suddenly leaves one summer without notice of explanation why. Percy and Sam’s connection grows and fades in such a real way, with Sam pouring himself into his summer ventures and his dream of becoming a doctor after losing his dad to a medical emergency, while Percy struggles with her own guilt and longing. When Percy returns to town years later for Sam’s mom’s funeral, everything she tried to leave behind comes rushing back: the memories, the chemistry, and the heartbreak tied to the place she once loved so much. Even with the timeline jumps being a little hard for me to follow, the romance, the emotional tension, and the way Percy and Sam slowly find their way back to each other made this a solid 4‑star read for me.

I am tired. I am sick. Tired of this place, and tired of being alone. Tired of trying too hard to put myself out there. To make myself seen. To stand out; to dazzle my girlfriend. Stuck in a classroom, with this iPhone 17 of  mine always in my pocket, maybe that’s why I’m tired and sick. 

       I am physically sick at the moment. A sore throat, a thumpy son of a gun. It doesn’t hurt, but it isn’t normal. And I like normal. I got it checked out by a nurse the other day. Wasn’t mono or strep, so it’s probably allergies. I thought maybe I got something from my girlfriend since we’ve made out a few times recently. Which was heaven, but not heaven, if that makes sense. It gets boring pretty fast.

       She is a nursing student, a lovely being, a ginger who will always stand out, at least to me. The most beautiful woman I’ve seen in a while. You know, with her being around a lot of people just because of what she studies, I’d expect to get sick from her sooner or later. She also had mono in the past, from her previous boyfriend, I believe. So maybe that’s why I checked. Plus, I’m a college student, and it seems like a normal thing to get nowadays. As you know from a quick search, mono comes from a virus that can stay dormant in the body even after the symptoms fade, and sometimes it can reactivate.

       But this phone of mine; it’s always in my pocket. Always there, waiting for a thump. Just like the sickness sitting in the pocket at the back of my throat, my tonsils constantly draining. Maybe I’m just tired of always having something there. Something draining, asking for my attention. Right now, I just want to lie in a pocket created by my western quilt and a silver, soft blanket, with my phone. 

       I’m so tired.

The shadow appeared in the corner, no movements for me to believe.

A shriek from the shadow with a signal, a flash of light shines across the room, to an object for me to retrieve.

With no fear walking over to the mysterious figure, a dark presence fills the air.

Standing still, looking closely at the figure, I feel a strong stare.

A sudden spark ignited me to shout: “Leave now! Trouble me again and you will regret!”

The shadow clouds into the air as it lets out a scream so loud I will never forget!

the sink leaks as you stand over

the stove of my body, wondering

 

what flavor of emotion you’ll try

today. did my blood taste sweet

 

when you had your first sip?

did it stain your teeth like the bite

 

of a pomegranate? i wish you didn’t 

have to drain me every time,

 

lapping at my will until the very

last drop. you’re never satisfied.

 

you open me up like a can of soup

so that i can spill out the edges

 

and you cut your lip on my metal

when you try to drink it right out

 

of me. my bitter aftertaste lingers

like a rotten peach in the fridge.