March 2020 Book Reviews

In the interest of total transparency, I’m trying something new this month. I’ve always provided a link to the books I’ve reviewed for your convenience (should you want to read that book too), but in this post, I started using affiliate links. This means if you purchase something through the link I provided, I may earn a small commission. I link these books because they are what I read, and none of my reading decisions were based on any commission I might receive from your purchases. The decision to buy a book is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy one through the link I provide is completely up to you. Thank you!

Starting off the month of April with my favorite type of post: book reviews!

I initially thought I would read like, 17 books, since the second half of March was spent almost exclusively at home; however, I got busy with a few home projects (making over a $15 dresser, giving our basement a quick refresh, and spending time with Justin on our DIY Date Night) so I wasn’t non-stop reading like I thought, although I did still finish several books. I’m very glad that I had checked out plenty of books from our library before it closed down (and that digital copies are still available to check out!) so I can continue to read while staying at home.

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa

Lately I have been into romcoms in the haters-turned-lovers category (i.e. The Unhoneymooners and The Hating Game) so when this book happened to catch my eye at the library, I decided to check it out. Andrew and Lina are getting married, until Andrew decides to bail and asks his brother and best man Max to tell Lina he’s not going through with it. On their wedding day. Yikes. Flash forward three years, and Lina is vying for her dream job. The catch is, she needs to work with Max to land it. I’ll be honest, this book was just kind of “meh” for me. I thought the characters were pretty underdeveloped – I wanted to see more of what made each of them tick. I did not understand the different levels of animosity Lina showed Andrew vs. Max. The author was clearly trying to make their different cultures play into the story and incorporated a lot of Lina’s Brazilian heritage and family, but it kind of felt forced. I wanted to feel more of the spark between Lina and Max but I couldn’t get into their relationship and actually felt like their dynamic was awkward at times, even when they were supposedly falling for one another. Also, all the sudden, it got super steamy but with cringe-y dialogue and I just felt weird reading it, especially because I wasn’t even really feeling the characters’ connections. Overall, this one fell flat for me and I would say if you’re in the mood for a romcom, I have many suggestions to read before this one.

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Every time I start a book by Taylor Jenkins Reid, I have to mentally brace myself, as she tends to write doozies with complex characters and thought-provoking “how would I handle this in my own life?” situations. This book is no different. Hannah Martin moves back to her hometown of LA and celebrates her first night back by meeting up with some old friends at a bar. At the end of the night, she is presented with a choice: does she stay out and reconnect with her high school boyfriend Ethan? Or does she decide to pass on staying out and instead go home with her best friend Gabby? The rest of the book is split into two story lines and follows the effects of each decision. As with all the other work I’ve read from this author, I found this book to be incredibly compelling. I thought it would be hard to follow the alternating stories, but it really wasn’t hard to keep up with at all. Each story line was drastically different, and yet it was really intriguing to see the elements of each world that remained the same. I liked the characters, I liked the premise, and I was super invested in figuring out how it was all going to end (honestly, I had huge doubts that it would get wrapped up in a satisfying way, but I did feel like there was closure). I flew through this book and it gave me a lot to think about in terms of how every decision we makes has long-lasting consequences, whether good or bad. It’s a good middle ground fiction – not too fluffy, but not dark and heavy. I definitely recommend!

Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds

This book is technically a young adult/middle school level read but I honestly think it’s a great choice for everyone. It’s written in short story format, and each chapter shows a look at what happens to various middle schoolers after a school day is over. The stories all take place on the same day at the same school, but each story stands on its own. It’s really interesting to see the different perspectives and even see some of the overlap between stories. I’m always impressed when an author can develop a whole story line and make you care about a character in just a few pages, but that’s just what this book did. I wouldn’t necessarily call this “light” reading; it’s quick and easy to read, but packs a punch. I even teared up at one of the stories! I thought this was a very unique, poignant look at how different kids deal with situations in their lives. It also made me think about how we can be so wrapped up in our own lives that we don’t really notice what is going on in with others around us. I recommend it!

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

A couple years ago, I read Colleen Hoover’s book It Ends with Us and that book haunted me for a long time. I was excited to read another book by her and Regretting You did not disappoint! The book is told in alternating points of view between Morgan and her seventeen-year-old daughter Clara. Their mother-daughter dynamic is full of conflict and frustration, and when their husband/father Chris is involved in a tragic accident (that leaves a lot of unanswered questions), they start to drift apart even further. I could not put this book down! The writing is strong, the plot is multifaceted yet not overly complicated, the characters were complex but likable, and I adored the supporting characters.  It did get frustrating at times because Clara and Morgan keep secrets from each other that cause a lot of heartache and misunderstanding, but that just spurred me on to keep reading and see if/how things got resolved. This was a book that once I finished, I wanted to re-read my favorite parts over and over again.  I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend!

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

“I get this now. I get now that you can love what you have, love your kids and your life and your friends, and still want more. I get that it’s ok to go out and get more – more love, more friendship, more fulfillment – and still be a wonderful mom.”

Amy’s husband left her (and their two children) without warning three years ago, leaving her to scramble to make ends meet and support her family working as a school librarian. One day, her husband reappears out of the blue, apologizes profusely, and begs for a chance to be back in their kids’ lives. Against her better judgement, Amy agrees to give him one week with their children. She heads to a library conference in New York City and soon begins a journey towards rediscovery and redefining her identity and life.

I read this book on my kindle, so it sounds a little weird to say, but it needed like 20-30 fewer pages. In my opinion, there was too much time spent on Amy’s backstory/life as a librarian and mom; the beginning felt slow and a little too woe-is-me (which I get was the point, but it was overkill at times).  That being said, once Amy actually got to New York, the story picked up and I was hooked! Personally, I felt like I could relate to a lot of what she experienced – she sacrificed so much for her family and kids that she lost her own sense of self, then felt guilty for taking time away from them to have some fun on her own. I loved all the characters and enjoyed rooting for Amy as she began to let loose and realize that she is a mom, but she is also a woman and that woman is important too. This was a fun, cute, even empowering read!

 

Since the social distancing recommendations have now been extended through April, I have a feeling there will be a lot of books read next month. If you have any great suggestions, send them my way!