✨ A Fresh Start Book Haul: New Reads, New Year Energy

-

✨ A Fresh Start Book Haul: New Reads, New Year Energy

There’s something about starting a new year with new books that feels extra special. Not in a pressure-filled TBR kind of way but in a soft, intentional, let’s see where these stories take me kind of way.

This little haul is a mix of comfort, curiosity, angst, romance, and a few future reads I’m already counting down to. One book I’ve already started, five that came home with me on a Barnes & Noble date with my best friend, and a few January preorders waiting patiently in my future ☕📚

📖 The Book I Just Started

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

I started the year with something heavier, emotional, and meaningful and The Nightingale felt like the right choice. Set in France during World War II, this story follows two sisters navigating survival, resistance, love, and sacrifice during the Nazi occupation.

It’s already beautifully written and quietly powerful, focusing on the often-overlooked stories of women during war. This feels like one of those books you read slowly, letting each chapter settle before moving on.

☕ Coffee Pairing: a warm, simple latte comforting, steady, and grounding
📖 Current vibe: emotional, reflective, and intentional

🛍️ The Books I Picked Up on My Barnes & Noble Date

Sometimes a bookstore trip with your best friend is exactly what your soul needs and apparently, so is coming home with five new books 🤍

See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon

This month’s Barnes & Noble $5 café pick and I couldn’t pass it up. A college setting, a time loop, and a romance that unfolds while two characters are stuck reliving the same day? Yes please.

This feels like a fun, emotional, slightly chaotic read that balances romance with self-discovery  perfect for when I want something lighter but still thoughtful.

☕ Coffee Pairing: iced vanilla latte
💫 Vibe: rom-com meets existential questions

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I’ve officially entered my why did I wait so long to start this era. This is the first book in the Blood and Ash series, and it has everything  forbidden romance, destiny, secrets, and a heroine questioning the life she was forced into.

I’m expecting angst, tension, and lots of feelings once I dive in.

☕ Coffee Pairing: caramel macchiato
🔥 Vibe: fantasy romance with slow-burn tension

Misfit by Elle Kennedy

Prep school drama, forbidden romance, hackers, rich kids behaving badly this one screams fun chaos. RJ and Sloane already feel like a couple I’m going to love yelling about.

This feels like the kind of book I’ll fly through when I need something fast-paced and addictive.

☕ Coffee Pairing: mocha
🎓 Vibe: enemies-to-lovers, forbidden, prep school drama

Meet Cute: Count Down to Valentine’s Day

This one is pure romance fun. Fourteen sealed short stories meant to be opened from February 1st to Valentine’s Day and I already know this is going to be such a cozy little ritual next month.

Perfect for quick reading moments and romantic vibes without commitment to one long story.

☕ Coffee Pairing: pink drink or strawberry latte
💌 Vibe: bite-sized meet-cutes & swoons

The Wrong Heart by Jennifer Hartmann

This one came home with me knowing full well it’s going to hurt. A grief-filled, emotional romance dealing with loss and complicated connections  definitely a read when emotionally ready kind of book.

Heavy themes, but I’ve heard it’s incredibly powerful.

☕ Coffee Pairing: strong black coffee
⚠️ Vibe: emotional, angsty, bring tissues

Because no bookstore date is complete without at least one bookish mug, I also came home with a Macbeth-inspired mug featuring one of my favorite quotes:

“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.”

From Macbeth by William Shakespeare, this quote feels especially fitting alongside this haul  a mix of soft romance, emotional depth, and stories that remind us there’s always more beneath the surface.

It’s giving:

  • dark academia vibes

  • quiet strength

  • subtle chaos hiding behind cozy aesthetics

Basically, the perfect mug for reading something emotional, angsty, or morally gray while pretending everything is fine ☕🐍

☕ Best paired with: a strong latte or espresso
📚 Reading mood: reflective, dramatic, slightly dangerous

📦 January Preorders I’m Waiting On

These are all set to arrive January 27th, and future me is very grateful.

The Kiss Thief by L.J. Shen

This one has L.J. Shen chaos written all over it stolen kisses, rival men, forced marriage, and morally gray everything. I’m expecting drama, intensity, and lots of emotions.

☕ Coffee Pairing: espresso martini
🔥 Vibe: dark romance, love triangle, high drama

Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden

I needed a thriller in the mix and this one sounds deliciously unhinged. A woman finally snapping and taking her own advice? I’m already intrigued.

This feels like a perfect palate cleanser between romances.

☕ Coffee Pairing: cold brew
🖤 Vibe: twisty, revenge-driven thriller

Play Along (Special Edition)

Fake marriage? Vegas chaos? Sports romance? This one didn’t even hesitate going into my preorder cart. I already know this will be a devour in one sitting read.

☕ Coffee Pairing: iced caramel latte
⚾ Vibe: fake marriage, sports romance, swoon-heavy

🤍 Closing Thoughts

I’m starting this year without reading pressure just following my mood, my heart, and whatever story feels right in the moment. This haul feels like the perfect mix of emotional depth, romance comfort, and a little chaos sprinkled in.

If you’ve read any of these, let me know which one I should pick up next ☕📚

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

📖 Favorite Friday: My Top 5 Romance Reads (So Far This Year)

-
Image
📖 Favorite Friday: My Top 5 Romance Reads: (So Far This Year) 💘 1. Betting on You by Lynn Painter Why I loved it:  I loved how this book felt like a full-on rom-com, it was funny, heartfelt, and impossible to put down. Bailey and Charlie’s relationship completely won me over, especially the way he truly saw her & her little nickname for her "Glasses" . With so many twists and turns, I devoured it in just a few hours! Favorite Quote:  “When you’re in the room, every single cell in my body – every nerve, every muscle, every breath – is lost in you.”  💘 2. Throttled by Lauren Asher (One of My Favorite Authors! Also #1 in Series) Why I loved it: This was my first Formula 1 romance, and I know there probably aren’t many out there! Noah is kind of a mess, but he’s got such a good heart. He’s also Maya’s brother’s teammate (and not exactly his biggest fan), which makes things very complicated. Everyone warns her to stay far away, but of course, she can’t. Watching their r...
Read more

📦 August Book Mail & Preorders ✨

-
Image
  A Cozy Peek Into What’s Coming to My Shelves There’s something special about that flutter of excitement when new book mail arrives—the crinkle of packaging, the scent of fresh pages, and the promise of swoony stories waiting to unfold. This month, my TBR is growing with everything from pumpkin spice romance to forbidden love and billionaire tension...and I’m not mad about it. ☕💌 So here’s what’s landed (or is about to land) on my doorstep this August—and a few preorders I’m counting down to in September! ☕ August Book Mail 🎃 Love & Lattes at Pumpkin Hollow by Victoria Walters 📅 August 4th Autumn leaves, second chances, and just a touch of small-town magic. Willow’s only shot at saving her family’s farm? Creating Birchbrook’s very first pumpkin patch—with no pumpkins and six weeks to spare. Enter Dylan, a clipboard-carrying property consultant with every reason to walk away. But what starts as a challenge quickly turns into something softer, deeper… and possibly romanti...
Read more

What’s the Hype Wednesday: Obsession Never Looked This Dark 🖤

-
Image
Obsession, shadows, and a love that blurs the line between desire and danger. 📖 What’s It About Adeline is a writer who thought she understood control—until she met him. The Manipulator can twist anyone’s emotions with his words, but against The Shadow , her pleas fall flat. He watches. He waits. And no matter how much she begs for distance, her heart betrays her with every stolen glance. The Shadow never meant to fall in love. But now that he has, he won’t let go. He’s consumed by her smile, her body, her very existence—and once she’s his, he’ll never release her. Not even when she begs him to. ⚠️ Trigger Warnings This book contains graphic violence, stalking, kidnapping, sexual assault, non-consensual situations, blood play, and psychological manipulation. It is intended for mature audiences only and may not be suitable for all readers. 🔥 Why It’s Hyped Dark Gothic Vibes — Shadows, obsession, and an eerie cat-and-mouse dynamic. Morally Gray Antihero — A stalker lo...
Read more