Journal

Let's start a book club?

Written by CLAIRE HOLT | Apr 25, 2024
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I wasn’t a big reader as a kid. As my siblings devoured novels every couple of days, I was busy dreaming about my crush and the seven children we would share when he finally realized he was in love with me. Of course, I read the classics. I had delusions of running off to Hogwarts. But I never really had a burning desire to lie awake until 2am turning pages. 

When I moved to America, my excuse was always: I read too many scripts, I don’t have time for books. What a loser thing to say!!! Thank god I’ve grown into a die-hard, fully fledged bookworm. The kind of person who lives and breathes this shit. I cancel plans to read. I form relationships with characters in my head. I get annoyed with my dream of a husband because he’s not quite as perfect as my book boyfriend. What do you mean you aren’t panting with desperation every moment you’re in my presence?!

I switch back and forth between audiobooks and Kindle, unable to waste time existing in my own brain when the fate of the faerie world is at stake! Now that I’m typing this I realize I may have taken it a little too far... but I can’t see myself stopping anytime soon. Not when the entire S J. Maas universe awaits. 

Since I’m committed to this new identity, I figured it was time to start a little book club. I’ll tell you my faves, you tell me yours. We can discuss ad nauseam (since Andy really doesn’t want to get into it with me and I’ve read all Reddit message boards). Here are a few to start off:

The ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Mass

I know I sound like a broken record about this but it’s just. that. good. The second book might be one of the best books I’ve ever read. If I had to rank them in order of favorites: 

  1. A Court of Mist and Fury (book 2)
  2. A Court of Silver Flames (book 5)
  3. A Court of Thorns and Roses (book 1)
  4. A Court of Wings and Ruin (book 3)
  5. A Court of Frost and Starlight (book 4)


Read them all. I’m still thinking about them. I will say the first book took about 200 pages to really suck me in but once I was there, I was a goner. 

In Scientia by Luke Baines 

I would argue that this is the book that really got me into the world of Romantasy. This was my friend Luke Baines’ first foray into fiction and I was BLOWN AWAY. I knew he was an amazing script writer, but had no idea he could pull off a novel like this. I finished it in two days (no small feat for a mother of tiny ninjas) and cannot wait for the next book in the series.

I’m a Kindle girlie so this is my one and only hardcover (but she’s a beauty).

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 

I still have 100 pages to go but you were all right. This book has me in a chokehold. I love that the action sequences start right away, and don’t even get me started on the raunchy scenes. Worth the wait. That’s secretly why we are reading, right? 

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover 

Colleen Hoover is one of my favorite authors. I’m pretty sure I’ve read every single one of her books, but It Ends With Us is my favorite. Colleen has an amazing way of combining darkness with light. Honorable mentions go to: Reminders of Him and Maybe Someday.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I loved this beautiful book about Old Hollywood, romance, and self discovery. I think this is Taylor Jenkins Reid’s best book, but I also loved Malibu Rising (couldn’t get into Carrie Soto Is Back).

After I finish Iron Flame, I’m planning to tackle the Throne of Glass series, and then Crescent City. God I’m excited. Pray for Andy! 

C xxx

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  • A
    Arielle | 04.29.2024 | 12:33PM

    Have you tried Daisy Jones and the Six? Also by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I didn’t like it as much as Evelyn Hugo but it was turned into a mini series.

    Also if you have any interest in historical fiction, I really enjoyed The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros.

    Good luck with Throne of Glass and Crescent City. Welcome to the Maasverse :)

    On a nonbook front, super excited to see you at the Til Death Do Us Part Party and A June Wedding!!

  • W
    Weronika | 04.29.2024 | 12:33PM

    Book club sounds amazing 😩 I’m a sucker for the classics like Pride and prejudice, or criminal my personal fav Perfume: The Story of a Murderer or The Name of the Rose. But I have trouble to keep up with the novelties from this century 🤭

  • E
    Elizabeth Woodward | 04.29.2024 | 12:33PM

    You have to get in to Elsie Silver, such good books and the chestnut springs series link together in a lovely way!

  • S
    Shannon | 04.29.2024 | 12:33PM

    Oooh if this is your vibe now I’d recommend Cassandra Clare and the mortal instruments series. Thank me later 🥰

  • N
    Nicole Newman | 04.29.2024 | 12:33PM

    Claire. First off, thank you for this. Second, I literally just pulled an all-nighter finishing another one of Holly Black’s books. The Cruel Prince series? Now my favorite. PLEASE READ, I beg of you, I want to hear your thoughts. P.S. thank you for being the only celebrity worth following <3

  • S
    Shani ora Lapidot | 04.29.2024 | 12:33PM

    I’m sooooooo excited for you to read the throne of glass series a little warning though you will never be the same after Kingdom of Ash

  • F
    Fernanda Moreno | 04.30.2024 | 03:27PM

    Can you please reas shadow hunters by Cassandra Clare? I think you would LOVE them. Or at least the Dark Artifices from the series. Also I got a Bob because of you and LOVED IT.

  • S
    Shaeigh | 04.29.2024 | 12:33PM

    If you liked ACOTAR you should try One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig! I hope you enjoy TOG and CC! 💖

  • T
    Thoko | 04.30.2024 | 03:27PM

    I’m so sorry, but I forgot to include these in the last one. “You deserve each other” is a really fun book and its romcom that is actually funny. I grew up reading a lot, definitely loved the Percy Jackson series best. However, it is a children’s book.I would say the tv series is a bit more mature but also really good.

  • P
    Paige Trout | 04.30.2024 | 03:29PM

    I liked the A Touch of Darkness series by Scarlett St. Clair, would recommend. Also her King of Battle and Blood series is great.
    Bridgerton was a great quick read series. The Caraval series by Stephanie Garber was great, and her Once Upon a Broken Heart series.
    The Crave series was a great YA quick read by Tracy Wolff.

  • J
    Jessica | 04.29.2024 | 12:33PM

    LOOOVE THIS!!!! and your taste in books is perfection

  • T
    Thoko | 04.29.2024 | 12:33PM

    Since your into romantasy I would love for you to read The Folk of the Air series. However, I would just like to say that romance is a subplot. It focuses a LOT more on the political aspects of the realm. But it’s really good, one of my favorite books by far.

  • W
    Wiktoria Jablonska | 04.29.2024 | 12:33PM

    The best romance book
    Only love can hurt like this by Paige toon 💗

  • J
    Julie | 04.29.2024 | 12:33PM

    1000% agree to all of this!! Carrie Soto has a slow start but I was turning pages by end.

    Also on the same reading schedule as you, just finished ACOTAR/starting Fourth Wing (then TOG, CC). Love the book club idea!!

    P.S. I always imagined you for Morrigan

  • S
    Sarah Miller | 04.30.2024 | 03:27PM

    I haven’t started the ACOTAR series yet, but they’re high on my list. Since you’re a Colleen Hoover girl, I’d recommend Ugly Love. One of my favorite books of hers, along with It Ends with Us. A few others book recommendations to put on your “To read list”

    -Every Summer After by Carly Fortune: definition of a page turner, cute story about first love!
    -The Housemaid by Freida McFadden: one of my favorite thriller authors! There’s always a wild twist. This book is a part of a series.

    Love that you started this book club, I get together monthly with two of my girlfriends for book club meetings. We take turns picking a book and meet at a new restaurant for dinner to chat about the book and give our opinions – also just catch up on life! My boyfriend, Sam, is also thankful for these nights so I don’t bore him to death with all my book talk.

    Happy Friday!
    Sarah

  • J
    Jimena gamboa | 04.29.2024 | 12:33PM

    Oh, you need to read “The Silent Patient”!