"Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid Broke Me—in the Best Way

June TBR_The Conditions of Will

 The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings

 

Author: Jessa Hastings
Genre: Literary Fiction / Contemporary Fiction / Family Drama
Themes: Grief, identity, family estrangement, addiction, legacy, love
Rating: 4.75 out of 5

 

The Setup

Jessa Hastings trades the high-gloss world of Magnolia Parks for something quieter, more introspective, and deeply affecting in The Conditions of Will. The novel follows Georgia Carter, a 24-year-old lie-detection expert in London who is called back to South Carolina after the death of her estranged father, Will Carter. The death is jarring, but what unravels from it is even more destabilizing—a surprise inheritance left to a stranger, a hidden side of her father, and the reopening of wounds the Carter family buried long ago.

 

Character Deep Dive

Georgia Carter is messy, smart, cynical, and emotionally layered. Her voice carries both biting wit and unflinching vulnerability as she tries to reckon with the version of herself that left the South—and the one who is now forced to return.

 

Oliver Carter, her brother, is battling addiction and haunted by their shared past, his storyline is both redemptive and tragic.

 

Sam Penny, Oliver’s AA sponsor and Georgia’s complicated love interest, is not your typical romantic lead. He is soft, present, and understanding Aussie.  A man who listens, rather than saves. His presence is as healing as it is disruptive.  The rest of the Carter family especially the mother, Margaret, and siblings Maryanne and Tennyson are shades of resentment, denial, and slow-burning revelations.

 

Plot & Pacing

The story unfolds like a Southern summer—slow at first, then sticky with secrets. The pacing is measured, intentionally so. This is not a plot-heavy thriller, but a character study one that unearths buried truths at the precise moment the reader is ready for them.  The catalyst for much of the tension is Will Carter’s will, which bequeaths a lake house to a mysterious man named Alexis Beauchêne, a figure no one in the family has ever heard of. What follows is a slow-burning unraveling of Will’s hidden identity, Georgia’s past shame, and the real conditions—emotional, spiritual, personal—that define family.

 

Themes & Emotion

 

At its core, The Conditions of Will is about the legacy of silence.  What we do not say to the people we love, and the truths we withhold to survive our own stories. Hastings beautifully explores:

·      Grief and estrangement

·      The illusion of the “ideal” Southern family

·      Addiction and recovery

·      Queerness and generational shame

·      Feminine rage and forgiveness

Hastings does not shy away from tough questions: What do we owe to family? Can love and harm exist in the same space? What happens when someone you loved turns out to have lived a life you never truly knew?

 

Who This Book Is For:

Those who love….

·      Multi-layered family drama

·      Emotionally intelligent romance

·      LGBTQ+ representation handled with care

·      Stories about women coming back home to reclaim their power

·      Southern Gothic settings without the ghosts, but all the haunting

This book is for you.

My Final Thoughts:

 

The Conditions of Will is not a book you race through. It is one you linger in. I found myself stopping the audio several times to reflect and even to highlight or annotate in the book.  It is a literary meditation on the quiet violence of secrets and the soft redemption of being seen. Hastings proves herself not just as a romance writer, but as a true literary voice.  This story can be seen and reflected in many families.  Parents DO have favorites whether they admit it or not.  Worse is when parents actually voice or favor that child(ren) over the other.  What that does to the child impacts either positively or negatively for a lifetime.  To grow up in a world when not even your parents will help or love you or even ask how you are doing in the world.  The story made me sad as an inner child and as a parent.  Read with caution but READ the book.  It’s worth it.

 

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

I am finally reading Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. It has been on my physical TBR shelf since 2023. I am a huge fan of Ms. Bardugo. #booktubetbr #books #booksuggestions #tbr

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings

Quicksilver by Callie Hart

 Book Review: Quicksilver by Callie Hart (Book series “Fae & Alchemy)

“He’s everything I should fear. But I’ve never felt safer than when he’s near.”

Book Started: 2 June 2025 / Book Completed: 9 June 2025

Total pages read: 6089 / Total Listening Time: 20 hours:42 minutes

Overall Star Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 / Format: Libby and I own the physical book

Goodreads Book Synopsis: In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn't much a girl wouldn't do for a glass of water.  Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about her strange powers, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen's reservoirs for as long as she can remember.  But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone.  When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently reopens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, legend, and nightmares... but it turns out they're real, and Saeris has landed herself in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.  The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior with secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist's magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him . . . or her.  Death has a name. It is the Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he's the only way Saeris is going to make it home.

If you are a dark romance lover and if you’ve been craving a story that wraps danger in desire, blends raw chemistry with revenge-fueled secrets, and serves up an antihero who will ruin your standards forever, Quicksilver by Callie Hart is a must-add to your TBR.  From page one, this slow-burn, morally gray SPICY romance sinks its claws in. Here’s my deep dive into the chaos, passion, and gritty brilliance that is Quicksilver.

“Do not touch the sword. Do not turn the key. Do not open the gate.”

Content Warning: The source material and this guide feature “madness” in a literary context, genocide, forced sterilization, discrimination against sex workers, fantasy violence, sexual violence, genocide, and suicide.

Spoiler-Free Summary

Saeris Fane is the reluctant heroine in this story.  She is the main female protagonist, a thief, later discovering that she is an alchemist.  She is fiercely independent, resourceful, and emotionally guarded.  Saeris begins as a survivalist thief in a brutal desert society, shaped by trauma and secrecy. Her journey is self-discovery as she learns about her true heritage and powers as an alchemist. She evolves from a lone wolf into a reluctant leader, learning to trust others and embrace her destiny.  She has many strengths.  She is quick-thinking, brave, and morally complex.  She is also flawed, distrustful, impulsive, and emotionally repressed.  Through this story, you get to read how Saeris goes through this transformation, both literal (alchemy) and emotional. Her control over Quicksilver mirrors her struggle to master her identity and emotions.

 

Kingfisher is the fae warrior with secrets.  He is the main male character who will be Saeris’s love interest.  He is also a fae warrior and guardian of Yvelia.  He is extremely stoic, enigmatic, and fiercely loyal.  Kingfisher is initially cold and distant, bound by duty and haunted by past failures. His relationship with Saeris forces him to confront vulnerability and rediscover hope. He’s a classic “wounded protector” archetype with a slow-burn emotional thaw.  He has many strengths, mainly his strategicness, power, and emotional intelligence.  Like Saeris, he is also flawed.  He is overly secretive, emotionally withdrawn, and burdened by guilt.  Kingfisher embodies the theme of death and rebirth—his icy realm and demeanor contrast with the warmth Saeris brings into his life.

Tropes & Themes

1.       Enemies-to-Lovers

·         Saeris and Kingfisher begin with mutual distrust and hostility, but their relationship evolves into a slow-burn romance filled with tension and emotional depth.

2.       Hidden Identity / Chosen One

·         Saeris is unaware of her true heritage and powers at the start. As the story unfolds, she discovers she is an Alchemist with a rare and powerful connection to Quicksilver.

3.       Portal Fantasy

·         The protagonist is transported from one world (a desert realm) to another (a frozen Fae kingdom), introducing new rules, magic, and politics.

4.       Fae Romance

·         The love interest is a mighty, immortal Fae warrior. This trope often includes themes of ancient magic, long lifespans, and emotional restraint.

5.       Found Family

·         As Saeris navigates her new world, she forms bonds with unlikely allies, creating a surrogate family dynamic.

6.       Reluctant Heroine

·         Saeris doesn’t seek power or glory. Despite her reluctance, she’s pulled into a larger conflict and must rise to the occasion.

7.       Magical Training / Power Awakening

·         A classic trope where the protagonist must learn to control and understand her newfound abilities, often under pressure or threat.

8.       Dark Royalty / Brooding Male Lead

·         Kingfisher fits the archetype of the emotionally distant, decisive male lead with a tragic past and a hidden soft side.

9.       Political Intrigue

·         The story includes court politics, ancient rivalries, and power struggles between kingdoms and magical factions.

Spice Level: 4/5

The sexual tension is slow and loaded with restraint, but once it hits? FIREWORKS. The scenes are passionate, raw, and emotionally charged.

 

Final Overall Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

If you like your romance intense, complex, and edged in shadows, Quicksilver delivers everything and more. It’s a haunting, seductive story about grief, vengeance, healing, and trust — told through two broken souls finding salvation in each other.  I cannot wait for book two to come out this November (18 November 2025 – “Brimestone”)

June TBR Book Two Completed. Quicksilver by Callie Hart

June Book Review: The Ex Hex

 

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling – A Bewitching Rom-Com with a Magical Twist

If you're in the mood for a cozy, witchy romance with a dash of charm, The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling is the perfect escape. This witchy romantic comedy blends second-chance romance with magical mayhem.

Goodreads Plot Overview

Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.  That is, until Rhys Penhallow, descendant of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and appear at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless.  Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off-the-charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.

Themes and Tone

The Ex Hex is a story about:

Second Chances: Vivi and Rhys must confront their past and decide if they will risk their hearts again.

Unintended Consequences: The novel explores how seemingly small actions, like a “harmless” hex, can have far-reaching effects.

Love and Friendship as Strength: Vivi’s relationships with her cousin Gwyn and Aunt Elaine provide emotional grounding and comic relief, emphasizing the importance of community and support 

The tone is lighthearted and witty, with plenty of banter, magical mishaps, and romantic tension. Sterling’s writing is breezy and fun, making it a perfect weekend or vacation read.

Characters to Love

Vivienne Jones: A relatable, slightly chaotic witch trying to do the right thing—even if her spells sometimes go awry.

Rhys Penhallow: The charming, sarcastic Welsh heartthrob who’s more than just a pretty face.  His return to Graves Glen forces him to reckon with his past and feelings for Vivi.

Gwyn and Aunt Elaine: Vivi’s magical support system offers wisdom and comic relief.

Why You Should Read It

If you enjoyed the movie “Practical Magic” with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, then you will enjoy this supernatural twist. The Ex Hex will feel like a warm, magical hug. It’s a story about love, redemption, and chaos when you mix heartbreak with hexes.  Whether you're a fan of paranormal romance or just looking for a fun, feel-good short read with a Halloween vibe (any time of year), Erin Sterling’s The Ex Hex is a charming addition to your bookshelf.

 

#theexhex #erinsterling #romcomreads #witchyreads #magicalromance #bookgram #booklover #bookrecommendation #currentlyreading #cozyreads

One Book Down

 

June TBR 2025

Ready for your next Book adventure...#bookcollection #booktok #books #tbr

MAY TBR Final Results

 In Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee 

Quote: “Worrying is expensive. It costs you the one thing you can’t get back. Time.”

 

Goodreads synopsis: A dark urban fantasy romance set in New Orleans; Cate Holloway knows the unspoken rule of New Orleans: avoid the powerful Gage crime family at all costs. Of course, that was before her brother got caught in their chaos. Now Cate has no choice but to confront the dark prince of New Orleans himself and beg for her brother’s life.  But Lachlan Gage is as lethal as he is beautiful…and the only currency he’s interested in is her soul.  Lachlan is not merely a ruthless criminal. He’s fae. And he has his secret reasons for binding her to him.  Tricked and desperate, Cate is torn between the Realworld and the Otherworld. A place filled with shadows and secrets, with members of each fae court plotting against her, just as her captor’s motives for trapping her become more mysterious.  And if she can’t break this sinister bargain in the next thirty days, she’ll be bound to the inscrutable yet infuriatingly tempting fae prince and his deadly world…forever.

My view: I have read the first three books of The Filthy Rich Vampire series and still need to read the final book. I enjoyed this palette cleanser. It was the month's first book after completing “A Sky Beyond the Storm.”  There is an attraction between the two characters, but I am unsure if I am as invested in the vampire series. I will decide after I officially read book two.  Some areas seem rushed or forced.  I am not sure that I fully feel their passion or connection to one another.  Also, the story is set in New Orleans, and you get little to no New Orleans atmosphere.  I feel like this is missing.  New Orleans has that witchy…vampire…Fae vibe already as you stroll through the French Quarter.  I still recommend the read and gave it four stars because I did not hate the story, and was still invested in it.

Book Started: 02 May 2025 / Book Completed: 12 May 2025

Rating: 4.0 Stars / Total Listening Time: 14 Hours: 27 Minutes

Total Pages Read: 353 pages / Format: Libby (own the physical book)

 

Mile High by Liz Tomforde

Quote: "Stevie,” Zanders says. “You following me?"

Quote: "You don’t have to love your body every single day. That’s unrealistic to expect, but I’ll be here loving it for the days you can’t."

 

Goodreads synopsis: EVAN ZANDERS: The Chicago Raptors hockey squad isn't complete without me - everyone's favorite player to hate. I know my role, and I play it well. I thoroughly enjoy spending most of my game time in the penalty box before leaving the arena with a new girl on my arm each night.  I don't like the latest flight attendant on our team's private plane. She works for me, not the other way around. But I'll be sure to remind her of that, and I can guarantee that by the end of the season, she'll be begging to quit her job.  But every road trip blurs the lines, and I can't quite figure out if I keep pushing that flight attendant call button to push her buttons, or if it's more than that.

STEVIE SHAY: I've been a flight attendant for years.  She has a twin brother named Ryan (he will be the MMC in book two).  Ryan is a professional basketball player in Chicago.  Stevie lives with her brother in his penthouse.   I thought I'd seen it all, but I second-guess everything when my new job lands me onboard working for the most egotistical and self-righteous diva in the NHL. Including my promise never to hook up with an athlete again, no matter how annoyingly tempting he may be.  Evan Zanders is unfiltered, unapologetic, and too attractive for his good. He loves his image, but I hate everything about it.  Everything but him.

My view: This is book one in a five-book series (Windy City).  I know some people have differing opinions on book one.  I love this book because Stevie (Vee) is like me.  Not tiny, small, and not all too confident.  Outwardly she exudes confidence but internally she is very self-conscious of her body due to an ex-boyfriend and her mom and her shitty so-called friends.  Stevie’s relationship with Zanders helps her to embrace her true self and to reclaim her voice. With Zanders, Stevie doesn’t feel insecure or unworthy, as Zanders values Stevie for her gentle heart and her fierce spirit. His belief in her and his investment in her life helped her to believe in herself again. Stevie also proves capable of change even when Zanders isn’t around. 

Zander (Zee) to the outside world is the bad boy on the ice.  But his best friends (Eli and Logan Maddison) know better.  Their daughter, Ella, thinks Zanders walks on water, and she is 6 years old.  Eli and Zander co-founded “Active Minds of Chicago: but people only see that to Eli. While Stevie deals with her trauma, so does Zander.  His mom abandoned him, his Dad, and his sister to go off and marry a rich guy. This forced Zander’s dad to work a lot to pay for everything, including Zander’s hockey. This left Zander home alone a lot, which caused a rift between him and his Dad.  Zander’s relationship with Stevie gradually teaches him that he is worthy of love and capable of embracing his true self. Stevie sees, understands, and respects Zanders for the first time. Stevie isn’t interested in Zanders’s money or professional success; instead, she devotes herself to Zanders because she sees his heart.

I was invested in their love story and felt the characters had instant chemistry. I love how they helped each other with their emotional and personal baggage, both knowingly and unknowingly. I am looking forward to completing the series.

 Book Started: 13 May 2025 / Book Completed: 21 May 2025

Rating: 4.0 Stars / Total Listening Time: 13 Hours: 39 Minutes

Total Pages Read: 473 pages / Format: Libby (own the physical book)

  

The Deal by Elle Kennedy

Quote: "Just out of curiosity,” she says, “after you wake up in the morning, do you admire yourself in the mirror for one hour or two?”

“Two,” I reply cheerfully.

“Do you high-five yourself?”

“Of course not,” I smirk. “I kiss each of my biceps and then point to the ceiling and thank the big man upstairs for creating such a perfect male specimen."

 

Goodreads synopsis: (Trigger Warnings) She's about to make a deal with the college bad boy... Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she's carrying around a complete set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush's attention, she'll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice...even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date. ...and it's going to be oh so good!

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA threatens everything he's worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he's all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn't take long for Garrett to realize that pretending isn't going to cut it. Now he must convince Hannah that the man she wants looks like him.

A college sports hockey romance where Hannah Wells tutors hockey player Garrett Graham in exchange for a fake date. Their relationship evolves into something real, with humor, emotional depth, and sizzling chemistry. The book is widely loved for its engaging characters and intense romance. A modern classic in college romance! Garrett Graham is the charismatic hockey player who needs tutoring, and Hannah Wells is the no-nonsense student helping him. Their fake dating trope quickly turns into real feelings, featuring humorous interactions and genuine emotional depth.

My view: I was reading this book at the same time I was listening to “Onyx Storm”. I laughed quite a few times reading their story. I also loved how, even though they were both broken, they could help each other heal. This book reminded me a little of “Mile High.” There are several trigger warnings for this book, so look it up before reading. This is book one in a five-book series. The Off-Campus series by Elle Kennedy is a popular new adult romance series that follows the romantic and personal lives of a group of college students at Briar University. The series primarily focuses on male members of a fictional hockey team at the university as they develop romances with female love interests. Each installment alternates between the first-person perspectives of the male and female love interests. Known for its humor, emotional depth, and steamy romance, the series features four standalone stories with interconnected characters and a final novel with a plot that encompasses all four couples.  This book features some hockey but not much. It skips ahead at the end, so I felt rushed, especially since this series has five books. The last book, Legacy, covers all four couples. I own the entire series, so I will continue it. You must read the books in order since items from this book will appear in the other couple’s story.

Book Started: 15 May 2025 / Book Completed: 31 May 2025

Rating: 4.0 Stars / Total Listening Time: N/A

Total Pages Read: 360 pages / Format: Read the physical book I own

 

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

 

Quote: "To the ones who don’t run with the popular crowd, the ones who get caught reading under their desks, the ones who feel like they never get invited, included, or represented. Get your leathers. We have dragons to ride."

 

Goodreads synopsis: (Trigger Warnings) The third installment in The Empyrean series follows Violet Sorrengail as she navigates war, alliances, and secrets. This book expands the world significantly, offering adventure, political intrigue, and deep character development. Many readers consider it the best in the series so far.  After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.  Now, Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.  It could destroy everything, even if it means keeping a secret so big. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.

My view: Damn…. I cried. I screamed…and now I am pissed.  That ending was INSANE and now I must wait…it’s SO unfair.  The best series so far.  It’s up there with The Ember in the Ashes series and ACOTAR.  As the third book in The Empyrean series, it takes readers deeper into war-torn alliances, political intrigue, and the evolving magic system. Violet Sorrengail faces new dangers, unexpected betrayals, and heartbreaking twists that thrillingly expand the world. Fans of epic fantasy and strong-willed heroes will find this installment riveting. The third installment in the Empyrean series continues Violet Sorrengail's journey as she navigates alliances and battles against the venin threat.  It’s like Hunger Games meets Game of Thrones (plus sex but not too much sex)," highlighting its blend of fantasy and romance. Yes, there will be a book four and I am so pissed that I have to wait over a year for the conclusion to Xaden, Violet, Imogen, Aaric, Brennan, etc…  This book was emotional for me and the writing had me fully engaged.  Rebecca Yarros' writing is intense.  Because of it, I had to start my June TBR with a romance palate cleanser.  After completing the story, I had to sit with it for a few hours before making my June TBR reading list.  This is a top series for me, and I highly recommend it.  This is why Onyx Storm was my best read of May.

 Book Started: 21 May 2025 / Book Completed: 31 May 2025

Rating: 5.0 Stars / Total Listening Time: 23 Hours: 52 Minutes

Total Pages Read: 527 pages / Format: Libby (own the physical book)