The return
*taps mic*
Hello. If you forgot who I am: Hi! I’m Ashley, a professional book person who can’t stop yapping about the books she’s reading and loving.
Since we last met (in February!!!), some things have changed. I quit most of my freelance gigs. I lifted my years-long book-buying ban. I started reading based on vibes rather than pub date. I found out I have sleep apnea and got a CPAP machine and might be getting real sleep for the first time in a decade?? My therapist is calling it a season of rediscovering myself.
It turns out that being burnt out for a year and then taking a break is a really weird shock to the system. I’m finding myself with all this spare time! What do people do for fun? What are these hobbies everyone talks about? How do I get one?
Anyway. WE’RE BACK, BABY. In stepping away, I’ve realized that I do love writing. I just need to go about it in a healthier way. That means this newsletter won’t be set to a rigid schedule, but it will be my goal to send one every month.
Enough chat. Let’s get to the books. Buckle up for some romantasy reads that have kept me company lately.
The books
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Under a friend’s guidance, I dove into this series and didn’t come up for air until I was finished with the fifth book a month later. And then I started them again on audio. If you’re intrigued by fantasy but intimidated by it, A Court of Thorns and Roses is the perfect introductory book. It’s the story of Feyre, a human who finds herself in the faerie lands after killing one disguised as a wolf. A beast takes her to his home as punishment for the crime. Soon, she falls in love with her captor and learns of a darkness coming over the continent, which she must help to fight. It’s spicy and adventurous and seriously unputdownable.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
The TikTok hype for Fourth Wing is so real. Violet was supposed to be a Scribe, but her mother insists on her being a rider. A dragon rider. She’s small and definitely not a fighter, and as the general’s daughter, she’s marked as a target by her classmates immediately. To become a rider, cadets must go through a series of extreme trials where the only ways out are graduate or die. Meanwhile, the war outside the college is brewing, leadership is being suspicious, and the dark and brooding wing leader Xaden can’t stop glaring at Violet.
The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell
When Bryn gets a free trip to a fancy hotel and casino in Vegas, it’s just what she needs after losing her job. Except when she wakes up the next morning, she’s married to Caiden, the hot billionaire who owns the hotel and the city. Turns out, he’s the fae king of the Night Court, and Bryn can’t tear herself away from this surprising new world—and not just because of the lust and money and danger. The Dark King is so very deliciously spicy.
Do you have a favorite romantasy book? Please tell me all about it in the comments!
The links
Keyword Stuffing the Classics, Book Riot. (An absolute banger of a post to end my seven years of Rioting)
Journey Through the World with These Microhistories, Book Riot.
15 Titles To Try If You’re Curious About Living A Life Without Alcohol, BuzzFeed Books.
The nightstand
I’ll probably be writing about this one soon, but in case I don’t: OMG BUSINESS OR PLEASURE BY RACHEL LYNN SOLOMON IS SO GOOD. A perfect romance—complete with sex lessons, quarter-life crises, and karaoke of The Dandy Warhols—to read at the pool/beach/inside where there’s air conditioning.
The backlist
In case you missed ’em, or want to peep the archives:
Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Head’s up! I’m an affiliate with Bookshop.org and may earn a commission if you click through any book links and make a purchase.
Ashley Holstrom 
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