Tag: book

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!

My 2020 reading list is off to a great start!

This month I read five books (four physical and one on my Kindle). Genres are all across the board – from romcom to courtroom drama to self-help – but I enjoyed them all!

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

Olive’s sister and her new husband both get too sick to go on their non-refundable honeymoon so they offer the trip to Olive instead. There’s only one problem: the best man and Olive’s enemy, Ethan, is also going.

This fun romantic comedy reads a lot like The Hating Game so it felt a little cliche at first with the will-the-enemies-turn-to-lovers story line but this one had some extra swerves in the plot that made it less predictable. The themes of trust and honesty came up at several points throughout the story and I feel like it had a good amount of depth for a romcom. I  really enjoyed it and feel like it’s a perfect vacation beach read (although I read it in the Midwest in January so…I guess it’s enjoyable anytime ha!)

Fair Play by Eve Rodsky

I wasn’t entirely sure what this book was going to be about, but I knew it was going to address the unequal labor division between men and women regarding all the tasks that go into home and family life and I was very intrigued. The author goes into details of how she came to realize that she (and many other women that she talked to) were becoming the default parent in charge of almost all of the household tasks. She came up with a card system to divy up household responsibilities more fairly.

Many aspects of this book resonated with me, and made me realize how much of the “invisible” work falls to me. I like that her emphasis was not on divying up things equally into a true 50/50 split, because I feel like that is rarely realistic, but instead on finding a good balance where both partners contribute in ways that maintain their shared home. I also really loved the focus on finding “unicorn space” – things that give each partner passion and purpose beyond their career and role as a spouse and parent. Justin and I did talk through her “cards” and realized a few tasks are split between us and it does lead to things slipping through the cracks. For example, we both do things with our pets (he’ll pick up food, I’ll schedule vet appointments) but then vacation comes and neither of us remember to schedule a dog sitter. This game helped us to realize we need to have one point person to be in charge with this task. I think even if you don’t play the “game” (we aren’t really), it is a helpful way to look at the division of labor and find a balance that feels good to both partners.

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

“Good things and bad – every friendship and romance formed, every accident, every illness – resulted from the conspiracy of hundreds of little things, in and of themselves inconsequential.”

A hyperbaric oxygen chamber explodes while administering treatment, leaving multiple people injured and two people dead. A murder trial ensues. Secrets and lies are exposed. (Can you hear the “Law and Order” gavel bang?)

I cannot believe this is a debut novel. The author did an absolutely incredible job writing this highly addictive courtroom drama. Throughout the trial the story unfolds through the varying perspectives of each person involved with the explosion of the “miracle submarine.” There are so many layers to the characters and their stories: the struggles of an immigrant family, the toll of infertility on a marriage, the complex emotions involved with parenting a child with special needs. It took me a little while to get into the story and figure out the characters, but once I did, I was hooked. It made me think so much about perspective – how two people can view the exact same scenario in completely different lights – and how our perceptions of people influence how we react to them. It also made me think about how many little decisions we make throughout our life and how we may never know the full ripple effect that our actions cause. I think this would be a great choice for a book club! I found myself wanting to immediately discuss it once I finished. Highly recommend!

To Have and to Hold: Motherhood, Marriage, & the Modern Dilemma by Molly Millwood

This book is an intimate look at many of the challenges women face as they become mothers. This book is often recommended by one of my favorite bloggers and I’ve had it checked out since AUGUST 2. I finally reached my maximum amount of renewals so this month I  made time to sit down and read it. I think I put it off because I thought it would be dense, but honestly, it’s not at all. It could read quickly, but personally I had to stop frequently to process or reread something that struck me as profound. I have so many thoughts on this book that I’m likely going to devote an entire blog post to it (I also plan on buying the book so I have my own copy to highlight and underline) so I’ll just say this: I think this book applies to women in all stages of motherhood. I felt like it was written specifically for me, but I have a feeling many women would feel the exact same way. One line that especially struck me: “Other mothers, despite the smiles on their faces, are not free of the occasional thought that a life without children sounds much more appealing.” (p. 57) I can relate so much to that and I’m not sure I’ve ever said it out loud before. This book felt like a giant permission slip to talk about many topics that often seem taboo – that motherhood is beautiful and amazing but can also include some really complicated feelings like boredom, loss of identity, struggling with how this time is so short but also so dang long. It’s such an important read and I highly recommend it!

Season of Wonder by RaeAnne Thayne

I checked this book out from the library using my Kindle – it’s book 9 of the Haven Point Series (that I started in December and loved) and I have to say, it was probably my least favorite of the books so far. The characters were fine, the plot line was fine, it was all just fine. I think one issue for me was that the main characters had only each gotten one quick mention in previous stories so going into the book I wasn’t very invested in them. Then there were hardly any cameos from other Haven Point residents I’ve grown to love through the series. It just felt a little disconnected from the rest of the series and wasn’t my favorite. It was fine, and I’m glad I read it, but it’s not going to be one I go back and reread.

And lastly, it’s worth a mention that I started reading American Royals this month too. I got about 40 pages in and was really enjoying it, but then I discovered that this book is going to be part of a series. Book two is currently in the works and will be released in the fall, and just by reading 40 pages I could tell that the book was going to be binge-worthy and would likely leave me hanging at the end. I took a poll on Instagram and got some feedback from others who have read it, and ultimately decided to put off reading the rest until closer to book two’s release so I can read them back to back.

When it comes to books in a series, do you prefer to read them back-to-back or do you read other books in between?

It’s time for my favorite post of the month – my book reviews!

I read four books this month and they’re kind of all over the place. Two non-fiction and two fiction. One memoir and one self-help-ish. One about a plane crash and one that crashed in other ways for me. It was a fun mix of reads! Let’s dive in!

Outer Order Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin

It’s no secret that I love Gretchen Rubin so I’ve been anxiously awaiting her new book for months. It finally came out in March and I snapped up a copy (you know I’m excited when I actually buy the book instead of check out from the library) and flew through it.  This is a very quick read chuck full of inspiration for making small choices and changes towards clearing clutter to make more room in your life for order, calm, and happiness. In other words, pretty much all my favorite things in one place. 🙂  I started off underlining little nuggets of wisdom that particularly spoke to me, but I quickly realized that I would be underlining most of the book so I had to stop. It was just full of tips, tricks, and smart little hacks. I’ll stop gushing now because I think my inner nerd is showing  (ha!), but I really loved this book and will likely incorporate it into a full blog post at some point in the future. I highly recommend it if you need a little push in the right direction to make changes, big or small, towards a less cluttered life.

The Secret of the Irish Castle by Santa Montefiore

I happened to see this book on the shelf as I was checking out at the library and it peaked my interest but I had a lot of books already so I didn’t check it out. Then on another trip, I saw it again on a different shelf and took that as a sign I should read it. I’ll be honest, this book did not meet my expectations. It really seemed like it was going to be my jam: historical fiction, WWII Europe, family secrets and mysteries, what’s not to love? The Amazon blub even raves that it is “perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Beatriz Williams” and I adore both authors. So I was pretty disappointed when about 70 pages in I kind of just wanted to quit reading. This story just fell flat for me. There are SO many characters and plotlines and it feels really soap opera-y and hard to keep track of. I did find out afterwards that it’s part of a series, so maybe it wouldn’t have seemed so overwhelming and confusing if I had read the other books too? I don’t know. I kept reading because one storyline did interest me and I wanted to see how that particular one turned out. Overall, I felt like this book was just okay, but I really don’t have any interest in reading the rest of the series.

Inheritance by Dani Shapiro

I started this book because it was the first chosen book of the Happier Podcast book club and I was instantly intrigued. The author takes a DNA test without thinking much about it and is rocked to her core to find out that the father who raised her was not actually her biological father. Since both of her parents are deceased, she begins a journey of research and discovery to find out as much as she can about the truth of her origin. Her memoir is poignant and thought-provoking and touches on the deeply held beliefs we hold about ourselves. I could not stop talking to Justin about it as I was reading, and I’ve brought it up in several other conversations with other people since. It was just absolutely fascinating and I think it would make an excellent book club read! Highly recommend!

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley

I wouldn’t say I have a fear of flying but I definitely have increased anxiety on planes so a book about a plane crash is not exactly my normal pick. I enjoyed this one though! The plane crash actually happens very early on in the book and the rest of the story jumps back and forth between the lives of the victims before the crash and the present day where a team of agents try to unravel the mystery of why the plane crashed. A media circus forms around the two survivors of the crash: a four-year-old boy who is now worth millions and a man who swam them both to safety. Controversies and theories form about the man who was an unexpected passenger in the first place and he alternates between victim and suspect throughout. This book is part mystery, part thriller and I got really into it! There are some characters you root for, some you despise, and there were enough surprises to keep me guessing until the end. Overall, this was a good read!

That’s a wrap on my March reads. What is on your reading list this month?