Books, Boots and Bakeries

I haven’t been reading much lately. Which feels weird to say because I still read all the time, just not the fun kind. Slightly terrifyingly, I decided to go to uni. Yep. Nearly 40 and back in the books, only this time it’s textbooks and lecture slides and APA referencing rules that haunt me. Between full-time work and part-time uni, I’m completely cooked. One Apocalypse is the only fiction that I’ve read that isn’t a case study or a chicken marinade in the last couple of weeks.

As Chastity so wisely said in 10 Things I Hate About You, “I know you can be overwhelmed and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?” Honestly? I think I’m there.

So when I do read for fun, it has to be worth it. And Kristy Cunning’s One Apocalypse, the fourth and final book in her Reverse Harem “Four Psychos” series, is absolutely worth it. I first read these books a while back, but I came back for a re-read recently and I’m so glad I did. Sometimes you need a comfort read where the girl is unhinged, the boys are chaotic and the world might just end.

One Apocalypse picks up right where Three Trials and Two Kingdoms left us, with the gang still bickering, still bantering and still trying to save the world while figuring out what the hell they actually are. It’s hard to explain without spoiling it, but it’s a book (and a series) where the main character really grows into herself. Paca isn’t just some quirky girl tagging along with four hot supernatural guys. She’s powerful, deadly and absolutely hilarious. I adore her.

The boys: Keylan, Ezekiel, Gage and Jude continue to walk that line between protective and completely ridiculous. It somehow works. Their group dynamic is messy, sharp and emotional in all the best ways. If you’ve made it this far in the series, this book delivers on everything you’ve been waiting for. Secrets come out. The world goes to hell. And Paca? She owns every bit of it.

What I love most about Kristy Cunning’s writing is that even when things get a bit wild (and trust me, they do), there’s always heart. Underneath all the chaos and banter is a story about identity, love and what it means to choose your own path, even if that path is made of fire and sarcasm.

It’s bittersweet knowing this was the end. Not just of the series but also of Kristy Cunning’s work. For those who don’t know, Kristy Cunning was the pen name of author C.M. Owens, who passed away a few years ago. Her books were sharp, funny and weirdly profound and One Apocalypse is a fitting final chapter.

So, while most of my reading lately has been about organisational behaviour and meal planning, it was nice to take a break from the chaos of real life and return to the chaos of Paca’s.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a textbook to skim and a lecture recording to pretend I listened to, since I’ve discovered I am not an auditory learner.

And maybe just one more re-read. For comfort.