I read First Lie Wins in one afternoon because I simply had to know how it was going to end.

This week I'm reacting to First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston — a standalone thriller following Evie Porter, whose name is not actually Evie Porter. The flashback structure is so well done, the aliases pile up in the best possible way, and the ending completely reframes everything.

Spoilers throughout.

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

Follow on Instagram: @getbooksbybritt

This description contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no cost to you.

The Deal started it. I have been chasing that fake dating high ever since.

This week I'm giving you five books that do fake dating exactly right: The Fake Out by Stephanie Archer, Till Summer Do Us Part and Bridesmaid for Hire by Meghan Quinn, The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren, and Funny Story by Emily Henry.

Books mentioned in this episode:

The Deal by Elle Kennedy:

Bookshop.org | Amazon

The Fake Out by Stephanie Archer:

Bookshop.org | Amazon

Till Summer Do Us Part by Meghan Quinn:

Bookshop.org | Amazon

Bridesmaid for Hire by Meghan Quinn:

Bookshop.org | Amazon

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

Bookshop.org | Amazon

Funny Story by Emily Henry:

Bookshop.org | Amazon

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: ⁠@getbooksbybritt⁠

This description contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no cost to you.

Queen of Shadows is hands down my favorite Throne of Glass book so far, and I have a lot of feelings about it.

This week I'm reacting to Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas, book 5 in the Throne of Glass series. My favorite prince is possessed by a demon, Arobynn is somehow worse than I remembered, and we finally get a love interest that I think will stick. This book made me want to throw it across the room more than once, in the best way.

Spoilers throughout.

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon

Follow on Instagram: @getbooksbybritt

This description contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no cost to you.

Jenna wrote in wanting her best summer romance: she has three kids and no time to read, but she wants something she can't put down with real emotional depth.

This week I brought in my first-ever podcast guest, Cait—a professional romance editor who's worked on 100+ books—to help me with the best summer romance book recs.

We talk about Heathen and Honeysuckle by Sarah A. Bailey, Passion Project by London Sperry, Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt, Happy Place by Emily Henry, For The Plot by Katie Van Brunt, and In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes by Stephanie Archer.

You can find Cait on Instagram at @chronicledbycait. If you're looking for a book editor, you can find more info on her services here.

Books mentioned in this episode:

Heathen and Honeysuckle by Sarah A. Bailey:

Bookshop.org | Amazon

Passion Project by London Sperry:

Bookshop.org | Amazon

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt:

Bookshop.org | Amazon

Happy Place by Emily Henry:

Bookshop.org | Amazon

For The Plot by Katie Van Brunt:

Bookshop.org | Amazon

In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes by Stephanie Archer:

Bookshop.org | Amazon

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @getbooksbybritt

This description contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no cost to you.

I've read 100+ books this year and 5 five romance and fantasy reads still won't leave me alone.

Part 2 of my favorite books of 2026—last week was literary fiction and thrillers, this week is all romance and romantasy.

The Wild Card by Stephanie Archer, my first five-star read of the year and possibly her best book yet. Till Summer Do Us Part by Megan Quinn, a rom-com so chaotic I was laughing out loud. The Wolf King by Lauren Palphreyman, the most obsessed I've been with a series since Twilight. The Empire of Flames and Thorns by Marion Blackwood, an underrated fae fantasy that's basically Hunger Games with dragons. And Until the World Falls Down by Jordan Lynde, a dark Beauty and the Beast retelling I have not stopped raving about.

Search for your next book by mood on Britt's Bookshelf.

New episodes every week. Follow so you never miss one.

The Wild Card by Stephanie Archer. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon

Till Summer Do Us Part by Megan Quinn. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon

The Wolf King by Lauren Palphreyman. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

Empire of Flames and Thorns by Marion Blackwood. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

Until the World Falls Down by Jordan Lynde. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @getbooksbybritt

This description contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no cost to you.

100+ books this year, and these five still won't leave me alone.

This week I'm going through the first five books from 2026 that are still sitting with me, weeks or months later. Fair warning, this batch leans heavy: grief, secrets, hard family stuff. Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy, a wolf reintroduction program in the Scottish Highlands that turns into something much darker. Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston, a twisty thriller where literally everyone is hiding something. I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, the most honest memoir I've read this year. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, my top pick of the year, no contest. And The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, for anyone who's ever wondered about the life they didn't choose.

Part 2 is next week and it's the fun ones. New episodes every week. Follow so you never miss one.

View my book recommendations by mood on ⁠Britt's Bookshelf⁠.

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston. Get it on: Bookshop.org⁠ | ⁠Amazon⁠ | ⁠Libro.fm⁠

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon

Follow on Instagram: @getbooksbybritt

This description contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no cost to you.

Witches, wyverns, and a fae who bites people. Book three did not hold back.

This week I'm reacting to Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas—book three in the Throne of Glass series. We've got Celaena drunk on a roof, a fae warrior named Rowan with an interesting training method, a wyvern named Abraxos who is now my everything, and enough love interests that I am losing track.

Spoilers throughout. New episodes every week. Follow so you never miss one.

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @getbooksbybritt

View my book recommendations by mood on ⁠⁠Britt's Bookshelf⁠⁠.

This description contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no cost to you.

Ashley wrote in for this week's Ask Britt. She's about to have her second daughter, her brain is in ten places at once, and she just needs someone to tell her what to read next.

This week's mood-based book recommendations are for the reader whose brain needs something it can actually enjoy right now — Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (literary fiction with an octopus narrator who will steal your heart), Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (pure fun, family chaos, zero emotional labor), and The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood (cozy mystery you can dip in and out of without losing the thread).

No spoilers. New episodes every week. Follow so you never miss one.

View my book recommendations by mood on ⁠⁠Britt's Bookshelf⁠⁠.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @getbooksbybritt

Get my free summer reading list.

This description contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no cost to you.

I went into Assassin's Blade already knowing how it ends—that has been spoiled since Throne of Glass. Knowing what was coming didn't make it hurt any less.

This week I'm reacting to Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas, the Throne of Glass prequel—five novellas following Celaena Sardothien before the events of book one. One devastating throughline with an ending that's going to take me a few days to recover from before I can even think about Heir of Fire.

Spoilers throughout. New episodes every week. Follow so you never miss one.

Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

Follow on Instagram: @getbooksbybritt

Get my ⁠⁠⁠free summer reading list.⁠⁠⁠

This description contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no cost to you.

Miriam wrote in for this week's Ask Britt. She just finished Yesteryear and wants a book she won't feel meh about. She'd rather be furious at a character than apathetic—she wants to feel like the read was worth it.

This week's mood-based book recommendations: three literary fiction picks for the reader who wants to feel something. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (a mystery that will make you quietly furious at every adult in it), Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy (a wolf reintroduction story that's been rolling around in my head for weeks), and Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (a narrator who makes every wrong choice available to her and cannot stop watching).

New episodes every week. Follow so you never miss one.

View my book recommendations by mood on ⁠⁠Britt's Bookshelf⁠⁠.

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. Get it on: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Libro.fm

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @getbooksbybritt

Get my free summer reading list.

This description contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no cost to you.