autumnokumreads's reviews
242 reviews

The Best Girls by Min Jin Lee

4.0

 

🥣The Best Girls, by Min Jin Lee
⭐ 4 stars

Finished Reading: January 24, 2025

Reading Challenge: 3/100 books read in 2025

Novella Challenge: 1/100

In a culture that values sons, who bring the family honor, what use is a daughter, let alone 4? There’s only one thing for a good girl to do, and she’s one of the best. The Best Girls is a horror short story set in 1980s Seoul and inspired by true events, a short little book that packs a punch.

I went into this book completely blind and didn’t know what to expect, but at just 20 pages long I can say without a doubt I had no clue that I was in for one of the biggest plot twists I’ve come across in a while. This novella will stay with me for a long time.

 

A Kiss on a Dare by Gaia Tate

3.0

 

🎄A Kiss on a Dare, by Gaia Tate
⭐ 3 stars

Finished Reading: January 25, 2025

Reading Challenge: 5/100 books read in 2025

Novella Challenge: 2/100

Dr. Ray Hale has had a crush on his superior forever, and when the hospital holiday pary rolls around on Christmas even Ray’s best friend dares him to kiss Dr. James Gabrielle. What starts off as a simple game of truth or dare, leads Ray on a journey of discovery and brings the two doctors together in unexpected ways.

This was a cute little holiday novella, while the story did read a little like a Wattpad fic, it was light hearted and fun and hit all the notes it needed to hit. A cheesy, hot and heavy novella with a touch of forbidden workplace romance, mutual pining and Christmas spirit, and what more can you ask for?

 

How It Unfolds by James S.A. Corey

4.0

 

🌌 How It Unfolds, by James S.A. Corey
⭐ 4 stars

Finished Reading: January 26, 2025

Reading Challenge: 7/100 books read in 2025

Novella Challenge: 4/100

Roy is among one of the few chosen to fulfill a destiny that could be once in a lifetime, duplicated and sent into the far reaches of space where they can build new societies - over and over again. 

I really enjoyed this one, Roy, ever the hopeful romantic, hoping to rekindle his relationship with his ex-wife in a whole new millenia, was romantic, but ultimately unsuccessful, which gave birth to a new theme. I loved the underlying themes of family and love, while watching entire civilizations rise and fall, and ultimately realizing that sometimes love means letting go.

 

One Lucky Subscriber by Kellye Garrett

2.0

 

📱 One Lucky Subscriber, by Kellye Garrett
⭐ 2 stars

Finished Reading: January 26, 2025

Reading Challenge: 6/100 books read in 2025

Novella Challenge: 3/100

Kennedy was just given the opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to participate in a viral youtube stunt and win a life changing amount of money that could set her and her brother up for life, when things go awry. When someone makes off with the cash, Kennedy takes it upon herself to solve the mystery.

This was a fun premise for a short story, a Mr. Beast-like influencer asking other people to dance for their prize, when things go wrong but it falls a bit flat in execution. Kenney’s character seemed forced throughout the story, her personality was rough and didn’t feel very organic, and the ‘plot twist’ at the end felt really unsatisfying. It’s only 39 pages long, but didn’t really hit the mark for me.

 

Puck Now, Talk Later by Lina George

2.0

 

🏒 Puck Now, Talk Later, by Lina George
⭐ 2 stars

Finished Reading: January 27, 2025

Reading Challenge: 8/100 books read in 2025

Novella Challenge: 5/100

Puck Now, Talk Later is the first in a collection of short stories revolving around the players of the Somerset seagulls - a collegiate level hockey team. This story is about Ansel the star goalie on the team, who puts pressure on himself to be the best at all times. When straight laced Ansel runs into free spirited Aria  their worlds collide - literally - and Aria turns his life upside down.

I found this story to be a little silly, there was a lot of exposition to set the scene at the beginning, and a lot of repetitive descriptions that really could have been done without, but it was cute enough. I found Aria a little obnoxious, and the insta-love came a little out of nowhere but because the story is so short that’s understandable. Overall it was a quick read so I wasn’t too invested, or too disappointed in the story as a whole.

 

Silly Pucking Mistakes by Lina George

3.5

 

🏒 Silly Pucking Mistakes, by Lina George
⭐ 3.5 stars

Finished Reading: January 28, 2025

Reading Challenge: 10/100 books read in 2025

Novella Challenge: 6/100

Jared is just a benchwarmer but he hopes that doesn’t last forever, with all the changes happening in his life lately this is one he looks forward to. When his new roommate - a hot girl - Ramona catches him in the middle of relieving some of the tension that’s been building up, they get caught in an unfortunate situation that leads to a hot night together and a happily ever after.

I thought this was a really cute addition to the Hunks Who Puck collection, Ramona was the highlight of the book, she was spunky and bold and didn’t let Jared intimidate her even though she was blushing down to her toes, and they had some very spicy scenes. 

 

Best Pucking Friends by Lina George

4.0

 

🏒 Best Pucking Friends, by Lina George
⭐ 4 stars

Finished Reading: January 28, 2025

Reading Challenge: 11/100 books read in 2025

Novella Challenge: 7/100

Dom is one of the cockiest players on the team, but he has every reason to be, he’s good looking and one of the best players on the team - but the one thing he doesn’t have -is someone to share all his successes with. He’s been crushing on the team manager Layla for a while, so his best friend Maisie comes up with a plan. Little does Dom know that his plan is about to backfire - the best way possible and that the right girl for him has always been right under his nose.

I’m a sucker for friends to lovers as a trope and then pair it with fake dating and I’m a goner, I thought Maisie had some guts to propose such a risky idea, but the girl knew what she wanted, and she got just that. I really liked this one, my favorite of the series up to this point.

 

Second Pucking Chances by Lina George

3.5

 

🏒 Second Pucking Chances, by Lina George
⭐ 3.5 stars

Finished Reading: January 29, 2025

Reading Challenge: 13/100 books read in 2025

Novella Challenge: 8/100

Miles has dreamed of playing hockey since he was a little kid, he always had big plans, but they came at a cost - his dreams to be with his high school sweetheart Haley forever. But as it turns out, getting his dream with no one to share it with has it’s drawbacks,

This was such a cute novella, I never knew how much I liked second chance romances, and seeing Miles’ live through his flashbacks to when he first met Haley, and then having her show up at Miles’ gave for a really sweet reunion was really adorable. I loved this one. It was really cute, and both Miles and Haley were two of my favorites of the series so far.

 

A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow

4.0

 

🏰 A Mirror Mended, by Alix E. Harrow
⭐ 4 stars

Finished Reading: January 29, 2025

Reading Challenge: 15/100 books read in 2025

Novella Challenge: 9/100

Xenia is a former Sleeping Beauty prototype who escaped her own grimm fairytale ending, and jumps into other tellings of the classic story, each time with a new twist. Every ending is predictable until she’s pulled into someone else’s story - Snow White’s evil queen, who’s desperate to escape her own fate, and only Xenia can help her.

Wow, once again Alix knows how to pack so much into so few pages, and this was no exception. I do believe this is the second book in a series, meaning I missed the first one and therefore might have lost some context, but still loved this one. Xenia helping someone find a happy ending who never had a chance, while figuring out that it’s not always about the way things end but the journey that matters most was such a great throughline.

 

Egghead: Or, You Can't Survive on Ideas Alone by Bo Burnham

3.0

 

🥚 Egghead; or, You Can’t Survive on Ideas Alone, by Bo Burnham
⭐ 3 stars

Finished Reading: January 30, 2025

Reading Challenge: 17/100 books read in 2025

“I love you just the way you are

but you don't see you like I do.

You shouldn't try so hard to be perfect.

Trust me, perfect should try to be you.”

This was fun, not much substance but there were a few standouts among the bunch. Very typical Bo Burnham type humor.