Hey, everyone! Welcome back to another “What I’m Reading”! I’ve got a fantastic lineup of books to share with you for July. Let’s dive right in!

**First up is “Catfished: A Rylie Cooper Mystery Book 1” by Stella Bixby.**

Why I picked it: This looks like a fun contemporary romance/mystery, perfect for a July read! I like that the FMC becomes a park ranger in this book. I love light summer romance reads and think this fits the bill!

Synopsis: Rylie Cooper is at rock bottom, living in her parents’ basement, her life a tangle of failures and broken dreams. But opportunity knocks in the most unexpected form—a park ranger job. It isn’t glamorous, but it promises fresh air, nature, and a chance to start anew.

Too bad on her very first day, she finds a body caught in a catfish trap. Enter Luke Hannah, Rylie’s first love, now wearing the badge of lead investigator. Their rekindled connection is both thrilling and complex, sparking old flames and bringing up memories they’d both rather forget.

As they delve into the case, it becomes clear something’s not right. The evidence points to the wrong man. Justice is on the line, and Rylie feels a pull to intervene. With determination and a newfound courage, she begins her own investigation, juggling her budding romance with Luke, her job, and a mystery that seems to twist and turn at every step.

Could she herself be in danger? Is she the next target, or perhaps the perfect bait to lure a cunning killer from the shadows? Fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, take note. The Rylie Cooper Mystery series is a rich tapestry of intrigue, humor, and romance. In a world where every park guest might be a suspect, Rylie’s adventure is a cozy mystery with teeth.

Your next favorite detective is waiting. Dive into the first book in the series and lose yourself in a mystery that’s as heartwarming as it is thrilling. Will Rylie catch the killer, or will she be caught in the trap? Only one way to find out!

**Next, we have “Butcher & Blackbird,” the first in the Ruinous Love trilogy by Brynne Weaver.**

Why I picked it: This is a #1 New York Times bestselling series and USA TODAY Bestseller, and it’s not hard to see why. “I want to ruin her so that she’s mine, my beautiful disaster. My wild creature. My goddess of chaos.” This is a viral friends-to-lovers dark romantic comedy I kept seeing all over booktok… and I’m curious to find out what the buzz is about. I’ve heard that it’s full of murder, chaos, and sizzling chemistry and that it’s pretty unique.

Synopsis: When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, they find something elusive—the friendship of two like-minded, pitch-black souls who just happen to enjoy killing other serial killers. From small-town West Virginia to upscale California, and from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country.

But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?

**Finally, my third pick for this month is a re-read: “Throne of Glass” by Sarah J. Maas.**

Why I picked it: I’ve read this one before, but now I’m sharing it with my husband as we read together. We’ve already enjoyed Sarah’s ACOTAR and Crescent City series together, so I decided to dive back into Throne of Glass with him. I love these books but have never actually finished the last book or two in the series-and I’ve gotten caught up fully on ACOTAR and Crescent City recently-so I’m curious to see if I notice anything new in the books I’m re-reading and then I get to finish the series!

Synopsis: Enter the world of Throne of Glass with the first book in the #1 bestselling series by Sarah J. Maas. In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not come to kill him. She has come to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three murderers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she will be released from prison to serve as the King’s Champion.

Her name is Celaena Sardothien. The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. And a princess from a faraway country will befriend her. But something rotten dwells in the castle, and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying mysteriously, one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival—and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

I hope you found something new to add to your TBR list.

Happy reading, and I’ll see you next time!