Reads by Denny

🔥Blood Over Bright Haven🔥

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This year also introduced me to a new favorite genre: Blood Over Bright Haven, my very first academia dark magic read, and what an unforgettable introduction it was.

I expected a fantasy novel, but I found a story about ambition, injustice, sacrifice, and the courage to question the world you’ve always known. It was heavy, thought-provoking, and deeply emotional. More than once, I caught myself thinking, I don’t just understand this feeling.I am this feeling.

As a whole, it was not a light read, but it is a meaningful one. It challenges you to sit with discomfort, to question power, and to reflect on what it means to be complicit, brave, or simply trying to survive. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t just tell a story. it leaves an imprint.

March Reading Wrap-Up 📚✨

I only started reading around the second week of March, and life got a little busy, so I ended up finishing just two books this month. But honestly, I couldn’t be happier about it.😊

🍋 As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
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heartbreaking, timely, powerful, and something that really stayed with me even after I turned the last page.

🚀 Project Hail Mary
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such a fun and immersive experience, and watching the movie right after reading the book made it even better. Both the book and the film are solid five stars for me.

Even if it was just two books, I think this is my best reading month of 2026 so far because every single read was a five-star one 🥹



Quality over quantity, always. Hoping April brings more stories like these 🤍

🍋As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow🍋
By :

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One of the most beautifully written love stories I’ve ever read 💔🍋

I started bawling my eyes out on page 20, and it only got more heartbreaking from there.
I read this on the plane on my way to a pharmacy training conference, which made it feel even closer to me—and I finished it on my flight home.
The story feels so personal, not just because of its raw emotional depth, but because Salama, a pharmacy student, made it even more meaningful.

Timely, heart-wrenching, and deeply resilient. I truly think this is a book everyone should read at least once in their life. It opens your eyes to the realities of war, makes you reflect on your own privileges, and reminds you that their stories matter. And while the ending isn’t simply happy or sad, it leaves you with a quiet, lingering hope that stays with you.

To those living through it, you are seen.💛

👾Project Hail Mary👾

By
📝Book Review📝

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First of all, this is my first sci-fi read, and I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much. As someone who’s familiar with science jargons, I found myself appreciating a lot of the scientific concepts in the book. It made the experience even more fun and immersive.

That said, I do think that if you’re not used to heavy science terms, the first few pages might feel a bit overwhelming or even boring. But honestly, if you just push through, it becomes so worth it. The humor kicks in early, and it really carries the story.

Speaking of humor🤣Dr. Grace is so funny. I don’t even know how Andy Weir does it, but the way Grace thinks and narrates everything is just effortlessly entertaining. His inner monologue and reactions feel so natural and witty.

And okay… Stratt? Yeah. She’s… a lot 😏

What surprised me most is that even without a strong female lead, this book still felt complete for me. It’s not lacking at all. Instead, it highlights friendship, trust, and connection in the most unexpected ways.

It also explores themes of sacrifice, survival, and what it really means to do something bigger than yourself. The plot is incredibly engaging, with twists that keep you hooked, and pacing that makes it hard to put down.

Also, I highly, highly recommend reading this while listening to the audiobook. It makes the experience so much more immersive. You really feel the story more deeply, and Dr. Grace becomes even funnier when you hear his voice and delivery. The audiobook is honestly super, super perfect and elevates the whole experience.

Overall, Project Hail Mary is funny, smart, emotional, and surprisingly heartwarming. I didn’t expect to love it this much but I really, really did.

YOURS TRULY
by: Abby Jimenez

The story follows Briana and Jacob. Two ER doctors with very different personalities, who connect through heartfelt letters that reveal their fears, dreams, and vulnerabilities.

📝Book Review📝

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The book is more than just a romance. It’s a story about vulnerability, healing, and choosing love even when you’re scared. BECAUSE LOVE ALWAYS SHOWS UP♥️

I appreciate how the book tackled mental health. It didn’t romanticize it. It showed the quiet battles, the anxiety, the overthinking and how love can exist alongside those struggles without magically “fixing” everything. That part meant a lot to me.

Yes, there was miscommunication (and at times you just want to shake them 😅), but given the plot and the backstory, it was understandable. Their fears, their trauma, their past experiences shaped the way they reacted. It wasn’t frustrating for no reason. It made sense.

And oh, Jacob… the man that you are. 🥹
And Briana is such a cool girl. Confident, warm, a social butterfly with a big heart. I love how strong yet tender she was.

This wasn’t just a romance ploy. It was about healing, timing, understanding, and choosing each other despite fear.

NORMAL PEOPLE
by: Sally Rooney

The story follows Marianne and Connell, two Irish teenagers from the same small town, as they navigate the complexities of friendship, love, and identity. Their relationship is intense, quiet, and often complicated, shaping who they are even as they struggle with class, insecurity, and the challenges of adulthood.

📝Book Review📝
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“It’s not like this with other people.”

The story is not your typical romance novel plot. It shows how love can be quiet and imperfect and complicated yet deeply transformative, It reveals how even the most “normal” people are deeply complicated.
It reminds me that love isn’t always dramatic or perfect. Sometimes it’s quiet, messy, and full of complicated and contradicting stuff. Yet it shapes us in ways nothing else can. It shows that even ordinary people carry complexities, insecurities, and hidden struggles, and there’s someone out there who accepts you fully. With all your flaws and shortcomings.

🤐The Housemaid’s Secret🤐
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It’s a psychological thriller about Millie, a woman starting over with a new housekeeping job for a wealthy couple. At first, everything seems normal until she realizes something is deeply wrong inside the household. As she uncovers disturbing secrets, Millie is pulled into a dangerous situation where trust, lies, and survival blur together.

📝Book Review📝

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The plot is very Freida McFadden. I so love Freida♥️ Fast paced yet twisty, and full of “wait, what just happened?😱” moments. She really knows how to make you keep turning the pages even when you think you’ve figured it out.

I still love the first book though.

The plotwist, I kinda expected it, but at the same time, I didn’t really know what it was going to be (if that makes sense 😅). Like I felt it coming, but it still surprised me anyway.

Sidenote: I’m baaackkkk🥹 Been so MIA lately. My husband’s home for vacation, and I’ve been soaking up every moment with him. After months of being apart, it just feels so good to slow down, catch up, and enjoy the simple things together. I know my books can wait😊