Summerween Readathon 2025 Wrap-Up
July 19, 2025 | Book Reviews, Summerween
Hello fellow readers! And just like that, Summerween 2025 is over. I’m a little late posting this wrap-up but I finally have my thoughts about the books I read and want to share them with you. Check out my thoughts below and let me know what you have read so far this summer.
Bad Tourists by Caro Carver – Centering on three best friends who travel to the Maldives to celebrate one of the ladies getting a divorce, this beachy retreat soon becomes a living nightmare when dark secrets are revealed and someone ends up murdered. If you’ve been following my blog for a while now, you might recall my Spring TBR 2025 Wrap-Up in which I talked about another beachy thriller, She Started It, in which a group of friends go to a remote island for a bachelorette party. If you have read that one, then you don’t need to pick up Bad Tourists. The plots are very similar and honestly there wasn’t much here worth mentioning. It wasn’t a bad book by any stretch of the imagination but it also did nothing overly impressive.
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager – Now let’s talk about a book that was my standout from the readathon. Last year during Summerween I read my first Riley Sager book, The Only One Left, and gave it a solid 3.5 stars. However, Home Before Dark is a superb five star read. Everything about this book was superbly done but the standout was the atmosphere.
From the first page, the creepiness and the mystery of Baneberry Hall sets in, pulling you deeper into the story. Honestly, if I had not started this book on the Fourth of July, I would have finished it in one day. There was never a point where I wanted to take a break, I just wanted to keep going and figure out if Baneberry Hall was haunted or not. Unlike The Only One Left‘s main protagonist, who made quite a few questionable decisions that I found to be unbelievable, the main character of Maggie doesn’t. That is not to say she doesn’t make bad decisions but they are believable and moved the plot along in a good way. I could not recommend this book enough for either Summerween or the actual Halloween season. You’ll get through it quickly and hopefully love it just as much as I did.
Comfort Me with Apples by Catherynne M. Valente – Let’s move on to the weird and puzzling. Earlier this year I read Bunny by Mona Awad and noted in both my review and Spring 2025 TBR wrap-up that I wasn’t going to score this book because it was such a weird story that I didn’t feel I could accurately rate it.
The exact same thing can be said about Comfort Me with Apples.
This novella, barely a hundred pages long, is a retelling of a Biblical story (I won’t say which one in case you want to read it though it sort of is obvious after reading a few pages) and in the last twenty pages, Ms. Valente cranks the weird factor from one to a thousand. The novella also has an ambiguous ending, in my opinion, and I was left more confused than satisfied. That being said, I don’t think I was the target audience for this so if you enjoy something a bit odder this one would be worth picking up.
The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark – The final book I actually finished during the readathon was this new release by Julie Clark. Centering on a ghostwriter, Olivia, the story follows Olivia writing a horror author’s memoirs. But, not only is the author Olivia’s father, Vincent Taylor, who she has an ice cold relationship with, but the memoirs are focusing on one particular event in Vincent’s life that has followed him throughout his career; the murders of his brother, Danny, and sister, Poppy, who the public believes were killed by Vincent himself. As Olivia tries to uncover the mystery, secrets are revealed and Olivia finds herself asking more questions.
Truthfully, I was very conflicted about this book after I finished it. On the one hand I loved the premise and the idea that we are following a ghostwriter who is trying to put together the pieces of a messy puzzle. And yet, there were parts of the book that left me unfulfilled, particularly the ending. I won’t reveal it but the twist was okay. If you have read a lot of thriller/mystery books you might be able to guess it and that’s why I am conflicted. Ultimately, I settled on 3.5 stars out of 5. As I mentioned, the premise was the part of the story I liked the most but between the ending and the development of the characters (not a huge fan of Olivia, sorry) I didn’t feel like it lived up to the current hype it is receiving.
When Chloe was twelve years old, her father was arrested for the murder of six teenage girls. With a full confession and evidence to support he committed the crimes, Chloe’s father was sentenced to prison and Chloe was left to pick up the broken pieces of her former life.
Hello fellow pumpkin spiced readers! Yes, it’s that time of year again. It’s time for the Summerween book readathon! This super fun readathon was created by _myfictionalworld (also known as gabbyreads) and oliviareadsalatte on Instagram and YouTube. If you aren’t familiar with this popular readathon, it is a week long event in which fellow book lovers are encouraged to read thrillers and chillers that give you the spooky vibes in the summertime.
Hello fellow readers! Somehow we’ve made it to the end of June, which means we are already halfway through 2025! And that it is time for the Mid Year Freakout book tag. I’ve done this challenge for the last two years and am back for a third year to share with you my answers to this viral book tag.
4. Biggest disappointment. Unfortunately, I have had a couple of disappointments this year. But the one that hurt the most was Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors. I really thought this was going to be a five star read but it just wasn’t what I hoped it would be.
10. Book that made you happy. I mean, who can read a Finlay Donovan book and not be happy?
Hello fellow readers! With June now here, it is now time for my Spring 2025 Wrap-Up. Check out all my thoughts on the books I picked up (and some cases put down) during the Spring 2025. What did you read?
They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman – Not starting on the best note, my first read of Spring 2025 was a DNF. I knew going into this that it was a young adult book, but Ms. Goodman’s story read very young for a young adult. If you have someone who is just moving into young adult stories, this would be a perfect book to pick up. Unfortunately for me it just read a bit too young.
Normal People by Sally Rooney – Moving on to adult, Normal People was a highly anticipated read for me in 2025. Knowing how beloved Sally Rooney is, I had some expectations for this story that unfortunately fell flat. The story was not compelling and I found myself not connecting with either the story or the characters. Also, Ms. Rooney did one of the few things I greatly dislike in books and that is no parenthesis around the text when someone was talking. This is not a deal breaker for a lot of people but for me it is and I had to put the book down after almost 100 pages.
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano – Now here is a book I greatly enjoyed. Unlike Normal People I went into the third Finlay Donovan book with low expectations, based on how disliked it is by the fandom and other book reviewers. However, after reading the story, there was nothing about it that turned me off from the series. Yes, the story itself fills a bit like a filler for the overall Finlay Donovan story and that is why I didn’t give it five stories like the previous entries, but I still enjoyed the hijinks of Finlay and Vero and will continue on in the story. A solid four star read.
Bunny by Mona Awad – Now let’s talk about a really weird book that I still don’t know how to grade. For those of you who get my newsletter (and if you aren’t signed up, what are you waiting for? Link at the bottom of the main page) you will know that Bunny was one of the twelve books I planned on getting to in 2025. It’s dark academia and has a cult following so I was happy to pick it up this season. And to say this book isn’t for everyone is an understatement. The first half of the story was easy enough to follow, but it takes a sharp turn into crazy town by the second half and I was left not exactly sure what to make of the story. I haven’t given it a star rating and I don’t think I will, only because I have no idea how to do it justice. Either way, if you enjoy a book that has a concept that is out of the box, Bunny might be the one for you.
The Dance Tree by Kiran Milwood Hargrave – This historical fiction novel takes place in 1518 France and centers around a dancing epidemic (yes, really. Check it out, a very bizarre story). The story follows Lisbet, a pregnant farmer’s wife whose sister-in-law was involved in a scandal that resulted in her being packed away for seven years. But now she is back, along with strange events occurring in the town. It was a good set-up but The Dance Tree failed to live up. I do give Ms. Hargrave an extra star for writing a historical fiction story set in a less discussed time period, but other than that there isn’t much else to say. Three stars.
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors – A literary fiction focusing on the three surviving Blue sisters, Blue Sisters is very much a character study and an analysis of how grief can affect the family unit. As the Blue family approaches the one year anniversary of the death of the fourth sister, the three girls reflect on their past and where they are now. As they come together one last time to get the family home ready for sale, they are forced to confront their past mistakes and their unclear futures. Blue Sisters is a book I had been excited to read for a while now and unfortunately it didn’t meet my expectations. While Ms. Mellors is a gifted writer and some of the sentences she weaves together are impressive, there wasn’t enough here for me to rave about. Another three star read.
The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins – Unfortunately, I think this is the year where I have to admit to myself that while Rachel Hawkins’ books have really interesting premises, they almost never live up to their potential. The exception to this is probably The Wife Upstairs, which I gave four stars, but everything else has fallen underneath that and The Heiress is no exception. This was sadly another DNF for me. I got 100 pages into the story and had no connection with any of the characters or, frankly, cared about the plot.
She Started It by Sian Gilbert – Best friends Annabel, Esther, Tanya, and Chloe seem to have the world at their feet. They are all successful, beautiful, and still close to one another after many years of friendship. They are hard to forget, which may explain why they suddenly get invitations to attend the hen party of Poppy, a girl they went to school with. Only odd part is, the four friends were never close with Poppy and were more like bullies to Poppy than friends. From the summary, you can tell that She Started It has an interesting premise. That being said, if you have read a thriller book in the last few years, you have probably already read this book. There are a couple of plot twists in this story, all of which I mostly guessed and the big reveal at the end was something any reader would have picked up on at the beginning of the book. Still, for the occasional reader there are plenty of thrills and it is fairly enjoyable. 3.5 stars.
A Likely Story by Leigh McMullan Abramson – I’ll admit, I had never thought of picking up A Likely Story. It had never been on my radar and the only reason why I had a copy of it was because I got it on clearance at one of Barnes & Noble’s end of the season sales. And, honestly dear reader, I need to stop doing that. A literary fiction centering on a grieving daughter and her now deceased mother, through a series of flashbacks, A Likely Story focuses on family relationships and what some people have to give up in order for other people to succeed. In this case, the mother sacrificing her career so her husband could become a successful writer. But, Ms. Abramson’s writing didn’t click for me and very quickly I started to lose interest. A DNF for sure.
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell – Guess what reader? We are actually ending on a strong note! I know, kind of surprising given how I’ve graded all the other books, but None of This Is True is an excellent read. If you want a full review, you can head to https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2025/06/none-of-this-is-true-by-lisa-jewell-review/. A great, slow burn read that deservedly earned 5 stars from me.
On her forty-fifth birthday, Josie is able to convince her husband to go out for a celebratory birthday dinner. While she should be celebrating this milestone, Josie can’t help but feel that her life hasn’t turned out the way she hoped. She married young, had her two daughters early, and is now stock in a rut. And she might if she had stayed in that rut if she didn’t run into Alix Summer.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore – Last year Ms. Moore’s Long Bright River ended up as one of my honorable mentions for best books of 2024. Despite her works being quite long, they hold my attention and I’m expecting the same for her latest release, The God of the Woods. Set at a summer camp in 1975, where a thirteen year old girl goes missing we follow a camp counselor trying to find her. But this might not be all it appears to be and I’m sure the ending will provide quite the interesting twist.
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacey Willingham – When Chloe was a child, six teenage girls went missing. The killer was caught, and the killer turned out to be Chloe’s father. Twenty years later, Chloe has started a new life for herself. But when girls begin to mysteriously disappear again, Chloe finds herself drawing parallels between the events happening now and those that occurred all those years ago. Is she making connections that aren’t really there or did the police arrest the wrong man? A Flicker in the Dark promises to be a delicious, twisty turny thriller and I can’t wait to finally pick this one up.
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle – What’s summer without a good book that transports you to another country? And is there a better country to daydream about during this hot summer months than Italy? Following a young woman who goes on a two week holiday in Italy, this promises to be a fun, heartful, and humorous story that will make me dream of pasta, Aperol spritzes, and gelato.
Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid – While beloved by the BookTok community, Taylor Jenkins Reid is an author that is either a hit or miss for me. I loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo but didn’t see the hype for Daisy Jones and the Six. Which way will Carrie Soto fall? So far (I just picked this one) so good. It follows a retired tennis player who decides to re-enter the world of tennis after a new, younger woman threatens to break all her records. Will I want to become a tennis fanatic after this? I’ll report back soon to let you know.
Bad Tourists by Caro Carver – A 2024 release, this thriller focuses on three sisters who go on a post divorce trip to the Maldives. But while the women hope to unwind and forget about their messy divorces, a killer is lurking amidst the picturesque resort and the three friends will have to work together to catch the killer.
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry – So my first dive into an Emily Henry book wasn’t exactly a smashing success. I gave Happy People three stars but once I heard from other book reviewers that they agreed that book wasn’t one of her best, I decided to give Ms. Henry another chance and pick up one of her works that is absolutely adored, People We Meet on Vacation (it was also available at my local Half Price Books, a rarity so I figured it was a sign). Centered around Poppy and Alex, who had been friends for a decade before a bad following out, they find themselves once more vacationing together and romance inevitable ensues.
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman -A leftover from my Spring 2025 TBR, I really need to get to this mystery thriller since the Netflix adaptation is hitting sometime this summer.
Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman – Ten years ago, three friends went on a vacation to Greece. But only two came back. While never convicted, the two surviving girls fell under public scrutiny. While one tried to get on with her life and another chose to capitalize on the infamy, the events of that fateful trip are about to bubble to the surface all over again. I haven’t heard much else about this book, reviews wise, so I’m excited to see if I have stumbled upon a hidden gem.
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager – Last Summerween I read my first Riley Sager book (The Only One Left) and I found it be very quick and all consuming read, a hard one to put down. Two years earlier Mr. Sager released another summer book that got everyone talking; The House Across the Lake. Focusing on Casey, a recently widowed actress, who is spending some time at her family’s remote cabin. When she saves a neighbor from drowning, Casey becomes entangled in another couple’s lives until one day the wife goes missing. Promising to a an adrenaline filled ride, I’m looking forward to reading my second Riley Sager novel.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach – This romance book was not on my radar until the end of last summer when one of the bookstagram accounts I follow (@emilybookedup) couldn’t stop raving about it. Focusing on Phoebe, a young woman heading to Newport, Rhode Island for a vacation, she gets sucked up in a wedding she has nothing to do with and hilarity becomes the order of the day. The premise itself doesn’t sound overly interesting but given how much hype I’ve heard I’m willing to give it a try. And who can go through summer without a good wedding book?
