Today marks 11 years of marriage for Mike and me. It feels wild to say that out loud—so much life has happened since our wedding day. We’ve seen a lot—adventures abroad, the chaos and joy of becoming parents, and the pain of learning that one of our children has an emotional disability that could make his entire life harder. Through it all, I couldn’t ask for a better partner. We’re really good at sharing the load and showing up for each other.

This probably isn’t the intro you expected based on the title of the blog—so where do books come in? Well, one thing that really works for us as a couple is having separate hobbies. I read. Mike plays video games and board games. We do our own thing, often in the same room, and just let each other be.

When I picked reading back up after becoming a mom (I was a total bookworm in high school—hello, Twilight era), it ended up having a huge impact on our marriage. Why? Because the books I gravitate toward almost always center on a relationship dynamic between a main female character and a main male character. And I’m one of those people who fully becomes the character—I have an obsessive personality, so reading fiction feels like living another life.

Experiencing intimacy, conflict, growth, and connection through those stories actually made me appreciate my own relationship more. Discovery of Witches genuinely rewired my brain—I even have a tattoo of a chain to symbolize my bond with Mike (if you’ve read the series, you get it). Our connection deepened when I started reading again. I know that might sound weird, but… if you know, you know.

So with all that said, here are my top five reads from the first half of 2025. I’ve read 37 books so far this year, and while this list isn’t in any particular order… let’s be real—Shardless is the standout for me.

1. Shardless by Stephanie Fisher

I picked this one up after an influencer I follow wouldn’t stop raving about book three in the series—and I’m so glad I did. I’d never heard of the author and hadn’t seen anyone else talking about it, but Shardless totally blew me away. It gave me the same vibe as A Discovery of Witches, blending fantasy (magic, wyverns, etc.) with science (time travel, mechanical inventions). It’s definitely more high fantasy with a romance subplot, not the other way around. I’m obsessed. Book three is currently melting my brain in the best way. You need to read this.

2. Wild Love by Elsie Silver

Wild Love was my entry point into the Elsie Silver universe—and after finishing it, I immediately binged 12 more of her books. Yes, 12. Her books are definitely spicy, but they also feel grounded. The characters are flawed in a good way, their backstories have depth, and (thankfully!) there are no dramatic third-act breakups just for the sake of it. I hate those. Plus, all her books are set in Canada, and now I’m itching to plan a trip.

3. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

If you thought you were getting out of this blog without a Fourth Wing or ACOTAR mention—sorry, but no. Onyx Storm absolutely wrecked me in the best way. It’s the third book in the Empyrean series, and it did not disappoint. I couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks. It messed me up, y’all. If you haven’t read Fourth Wing yet…what are you doing? Go read it.

4. Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

I love a good duology—it gives you enough time to build an amazing world, but it doesn’t drag on forever. That said, I would’ve happily read three more books in this series. Heartless Hunter has a really unique magic system, a dash of mystery, and one of the best enemies-to-lovers plots I’ve read in a while. These two genuinely wanted to kill each other—a witch and a witch hunter. What’s better than that? I’m a sucker for a witchy storyline.

5. Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

I read Say You’ll Remember Me while we were on vacation at Disney World, and it was literal rom-com perfection. It had me laughing and kicking my feet like a teenager. It’s fluffy and lighthearted, but the characters also have real, heavy stuff going on—which made it even better. The story follows two people falling in love slowly, over the course of months, and the banter is top-tier. It just felt like a warm hug. If you need something to lift your mood, this is the one.

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So yeah, books and marriage—maybe not the obvious combo, but for me, they’re connected in a really meaningful way. Reading has made me more reflective, more appreciative, and more in tune with what I want out of life and love. It’s given me language for things I feel but don’t always know how to say. And in a season of parenting and life where everything can feel heavy, reading reminds me what it feels like to get swept up in something good.

Here’s to 11 years with my favorite person—and to all the fictional couples who’ve somehow made our real-life bond even stronger.