Stephany Writes

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (6.18.25)

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi (★★★★☆)

Print • Owned (Amazon) • Nonfiction • 2016

Short synopsis: Tracing the origin and evolution of anti-Black racist ideas in America through the lives of five influential figures, Kendi reveals how these ideas were deliberately crafted to justify and maintain racial inequality. 

I FINISHED! It took me 32 days to read this behemoth, but I got it done. This is an exhaustive summary of the history of racism in the United States through the lens of specific historical figures, such as Thomas Jefferson and Angela Davis, and I am so impressed by the amount of research and writing that went into this book. This is a hard book to recommend because it reads very much like a textbook. If you’re new to Kendi’s work, I’d suggest starting with How to Be an Antiracist, which is much more accessible. Still, if you’re looking for a comprehensive dive into how racist ideas were constructed and sustained throughout American history, this is the book for you.

The ending was a bit jarring for me, to be honest. This book was published in spring 2016 during Obama’s presidency, when we were certain that Hillary was going to succeed him, so some of his conclusions felt a little out of step in the world we live in today. But that’s not his fault nor the fault of the book; it’s just something to keep in mind while reading.

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (★★★☆☆)

Print • From a Friend • Contemporary Fiction • 2025

Short synopsis: On a remote island near Antarctica, the Salt family—caretakers of the world’s largest seed bank—grapples with grief, isolation, and change as they prepare for evacuation. When a mysterious woman washes ashore during a violent storm, long-buried secrets surface, forcing them all to confront the past and decide who they can trust before time runs out.

This book has been getting a lot of buzz, and after a friend raved about it, I moved it up my TBR list. Ultimately, I had a bit of an uneven reading experience. Some of the book was exceptional: the writing is exquisite, and I loved the setting: an island that is slowly disappearing due to climate change. It gave the whole book a moody, creepy atmosphere. But other parts of the book were mind-numbingly boring. There were long descriptions of plant life, seed farming, and ocean ecosystems that were just tedious to get through. There were chapters written from the POV of a nine-year-old that felt like they were written by an adult scientist. I found myself skimming those parts. While I can see why this book resonates with so many readers, for me it was just okay. (Recommendation source: IRL friend.)

This American Woman: A One-in-a-Billion Memoir by Zarna Garg (★★★★☆)

Audiobook • Spotify • Nonfiction (Memoir) • 2025

Short synopsis: Award-winning comedian Zarna Garg turns her astonishing life story into a hilarious memoir—from narrowly escaping an arranged marriage in India to carving her own path in America and launching a dazzling second act in midlife.

This memoir was hysterical in parts and deeply moving in others. I wasn’t familiar with Zarna Garg before picking up the audiobook based on a recommendation, but the synopsis of the story was so compelling that I couldn’t help myself! Zarna’s early life was difficult: she lost her mother at a young age and experienced homelessness. Her harrowing journey of finally getting a visa to come to the United States had me on the edge of my seat! If not for getting her visa at the right time, she would have had to go through with an arranged marriage.

What I appreciated most about this book is Zarna. I may not have known who she was before starting this memoir, but man, I am in awe of her now! She is bold, smart, and fierce, and I think we could all do to have a little bit of her in us. For example, when she was in her early twenties, she put up this insane personal ad to find a husband. This was in the early nineties when we weren’t going online to find our future partners. But men responded to her ad, and she did indeed find her future husband through that process. (I need this romance novel written immediately!)

She also devotes a chapter to navigating the brutal private school scene in NYC. This could have felt tone-deaf, but it was honestly just refreshingly honest and hilarious. While the second half was a bit slower than the first half, this was a heartfelt, entertaining memoir that I definitely recommend! (Recommendation source: Jeff O’Neal of the Book Riot podcast.)

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (6.11.25)

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan ★★★☆☆ 1/2

Print • Library • Contemporary Fiction • 2025

Short synopsis: Cate Kay is the bestselling author of a book trilogy that struck box office gold, but the truth behind this magnetic author’s true identity remains a mystery. Now, the real Cate Kay is ready to step out of the shadows and tell her story.

This is one of the buzziest books of 2025, so I was excited to get my hands on it finally. It had everything that should work for me: a propulsive plot, great writing, and a queer woman at the center of the story. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t live up to the hype! Maybe my expectations were too high, but I was hoping for something juicier and more exciting. Instead, it’s mostly about a girl who did a really stupid thing as a teenager, somehow wrote a bestselling trilogy, and became a recluse. That premise had potential, but the execution didn’t grab me the way I’d hoped.

One of my main issues was the abundance of POVs. While some of those POVs were important and I can understand why they were included, others felt unnecessary. I wanted more from Cate’s perspective. I really liked her voice and would have appreciated getting a deeper look into her life.

This book was fine, but not exactly memorable. I don’t see it making my favorites list at the end of the year.

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson (★★★★☆)

Audiobook • Hoopla • Thriller • 2011

Short synopsis: Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love – all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story. Welcome to Christine’s life.

This is an old-school thriller, written in 2011. (We’re not going to talk about how 2011 was 14 years ago, right?!) It was a selection for book club, and most of us were immediately intrigued by the Goodreads synopsis—that’s the whole thing in the “short synopsis” section! This book had such an interesting premise and it was executed beautifully. The early chapters felt a bit repetitive (every morning, Christine has to read a journal to remember who she is and what happened to her), but the story gained real momentum halfway through. I found it hard to stop listening because I wanted to know how things would turn out! I suspected the big twist, and while I was right, it didn’t temper my enjoyment. There was still a lot I got wrong, and I loved the slow, methodical way everything was revealed.

I chose to listen to the audiobook, and wow, has audiobook quality come a long way since 2011! (Who knew?!) I didn’t hate my listening experience, but it was definitely lower-quality, and the narrator had this odd way of speaking that made me feel like I was watching a TV show from the 80s or 90s. I don’t know a better way to describe it!

Anyway, this is a thriller I’d recommend, especially if you’re looking to read something that’s going to be a bit different than all the popcorn thrillers that are published today.

The Takedown by Lily Chu (★★★★☆)

E-Book • Owned (Amazon) • Contemporary Romance • 2024

Short synopsis: Dee Kwan’s perfectly charmed life unravels when she’s pulled into a high-stakes corporate scandal at a luxury fashion brand—only to discover her online gaming nemesis is actually the CEO’s heir. As workplace drama, family tension, and unexpected romance collide, Dee must decide if she’s ready to trade comfort for courage and fight for something bigger than herself.

Gosh, this book was a wild ride for me. There were times when it made me so angry and uncomfortable that I wanted to abandon it. But I decided to power through and I’m really glad I did because the journey was worth it. This book is billed as a romance, but honestly, the romance isn’t a huge part of the story. The real plot is Dee’s work as a diversity consultant and the chaos she uncovers at the company she’s currently consulting for. Between toxic workplace culture, micro (and macro) aggressions, and leadership that just doesn’t see a problem in their mostly white staff, it’s brutal stuff. I had such a hard time getting through some of these scenes because they made me so angry. There’s a part of me that feels some of the blatant misogyny and racism was heavy-handed, but can I really say that as a cisgendered white lady who hasn’t had to deal with this kind of harassment in the workplace? Nope.

This is a romance that is so much more. (It’s also closed-door for anyone who prefers that in their romances!) Dee’s character arc is exactly what I love to see in these kinds of books; I want characters who are deeply flawed but trying their best, and making progress when it counts. The love story was sweet and healthy; no weird miscommunication tropes and I thought the dark moment was handled wonderfully. All in all, this is a smart, engaging romance that I really loved.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (6.2.25)

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean (★★★★☆)

E-Book • Libby • Historical Romance • 2010

Short synopsis: Tired of living by society’s restrictive rules, Lady Calpurnia Hartwell sets out to experience the pleasures she’s long been denied—with the help of the scandalous and irresistible Marquess of Ralston. But in chasing freedom, she risks breaking the one rule she never expected: falling in love.

This was a reread for me, and I loved it just as much the second time around. I needed a fun, sweet, well-written romance after a string of duds. Callie was such a fun heroine to root for, and I especially loved watching her slowly break down Ralston’s walls and make him fall for her. Okay, sure, these books are slightly anachronistic (like most historical romances—because who wants to read about women just following society’s rules?!), but that’s part of their charm. If you haven’t given Sarah MacLean’s romances a try, please do yourself a favor and pick this one up!

The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop (★★★★★)

Audiobook • Hoopla • Nonfiction (Memoir) • 2024

Short synopsis: Beloved award-winning actress Kelly Bishop, famous for playing the iconic Emily Gilmore in Gilmore Girls, finally tells the whole story of her six decades in show business.

Everyone is raving about this memoir, so I moved it up my TBR list. I’m so glad I did! It was the right book at the right time—a pure delight from start to finish. I didn’t know much about Kelly Bishop’s life, other than how much I loved to hate her character on Gilmore Girls. She was perfectly cast as Emily Gilmore, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about her background as a dancer, her romantic adventures as a young woman, and her marriage. She talks about breaking into acting after working for so long as a dancer, how much she loved working on Gilmore Girls, and what it was like to lose her beloved husband to cancer. This book was perfect, and I highly recommend the audiobook because there’s nothing like hearing Kelly’s voice in your ears for six hours!

Pete and Alice in Maine by Caitlin Shetterly (★☆☆☆☆)

Audiobook • Hoopla • Contemporary Fiction • 2023

Short synopsis: Amid the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic and a crumbling marriage, Alice retreats with her family to Maine, only to find herself trapped in a hostile quarantine that forces her to confront her identity and the true foundations of her family. 

I cannot remember the last time I gave a book 1 star. In most cases, I would have DNF-ed this book. But for some reason, despite the glaringly low 3.38 Goodreads rating, I gave this one a shot. I HAVE REGRETS. What did I hate about this book? Everything. The characters were unbearable, especially Alice. She was so insufferable, I wanted to shake her. The level of unacknowledged privilege was off the charts—she had it all but wanted to play the victim over and over again.

I hated the way the author shoehorned in political topics. It felt like a cringe-inducing performance of virtue—“Look at me! I care about George Floyd! I hate Trump! I’m one of the Good White Women!” There are ways to write about 2020 politics with nuance. This was not that.

The kids? Bratty and annoying. Every scene with them made me extra grateful to be childless. The husband? A nonentity. Technically a terrible person, but written with so little depth I couldn’t even muster the energy to dislike him properly.

Listen, if you liked or loved this book, I am so happy that you had a much better reading experience than I did. It’s definitely a character-driven story, and these kinds of stories are hard for me to enjoy, especially if the characters are so unlikable. I should have DNF-ed this one, and let this be a lesson to me and everyone else to DNF books that aren’t working for you!

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (5.19.25)

Happy Monday! I have had a string of “meh” books lately and I’ll admit here that my reviews of two of these books are a little spicy. Normally, I try to be very fair to books I didn’t like because many times, it’s just a personal preference. But for two of these books, it was very hard to be fair because I disliked them so much. If these are books you loved, then I’m glad you had a much more pleasant reading experience than I did. They were complete duds for me.

Let’s Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan (★★★★☆)

Print • Owned (Gift) • Contemporary Romance • 2025

Short synopsis: After the sudden loss of her husband, Juliana Ryan is rebuilding her life and career while sparring with her arrogant, annoyingly handsome coworker, Ben—until a high-stakes project forces them into an uneasy truce that slowly turns into something more. 

This was a solid debut romance. I went to the author’s book signing, and since she’s a semi-local author (she’s based in Orlando), it was great to see all of her Tampa-area friends show up for her. The book itself had its good and not-so-good moments. I thought the romance was fun and the characters were well-developed. The author incorporated Juliana’s kids in a way where they didn’t feel like an afterthought (which can sometimes happen in these kinds of romance novels). But at times, this book definitely read like a debut. The dialogue could be stilted at times, with the author relying too heavily on banter-style humor. And I thought the dark moment was handled very poorly. I really wish the author had gone in a different direction because it felt a bit emotionally manipulative and inconsistent with one character’s established personality. All in all, I have hopes for this author, and I’m looking forward to reading what she writes next. (3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.)

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer (★★☆☆☆)

Print • Owned (Book of the Month) • Fiction/Fantasy(ish) • 2023

Short synopsis: Lucy Hart, a hopeful teacher’s aide longing to adopt the orphaned boy she cares for, gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to compete for a priceless book on the magical Clock Island.

I read Meg Shaffer’s The Lost Story earlier this year and absolutely adored it. I was excited to get my hands on her debut novel, hoping for a similarly heartwarming experience. Unfortunately, it did not work for me at all. I am actually scratching my head as to why this novel is so beloved (with a 4+ rating on Goodreads!).

The central premise involves Lucy wanting to adopt a recently orphaned student from the school where she works as a teacher’s aide. He was a student in her class a year ago, and she has told this boy more than once that she wants to adopt him. Even though Lucy is living with three other roommates in a small apartment, doesn’t have a car, and is barely making ends meet as it is. How in the world does she think she’s going to be approved for adoption? And how is she going to take care of another person when she’s struggling to care for herself? It just didn’t make sense to me. The lack of boundaries between Lucy and this boy felt deeply uncomfortable, and it gave me a very yucky feeling in my stomach.

The majority of the book takes place on Clock Island, where Lucy and three others compete to win the rights to the next book in the series. The enigmatic author of this series, Jack is also a central figure—and he, too, has no sense of appropriate boundaries. Children write him letters sharing their hardships, and his responses are often bizarrely intimate, like telling a child he wishes he were their father. I found that deeply inappropriate and unsettling.

Overall, the book felt unrealistic, with overly simplistic writing, and had a truly dumb ending. This is not a book I would recommend but hey, at least it shows how much Meg Shaffer has grown as a writer between her debut and her second novel. The Lost Story feels like it was written by an entirely different author.

Lease on Love by Falon Ballard (★★☆☆☆)

Audiobook • Libby • Contemporary Romance • 2022

Short synopsis: When a drunken mix-up lands Sadie Green in a stranger’s spare bedroom instead of on a date, she unexpectedly finds the perfect place to reboot her life—and maybe even her love life—with reclusive, grieving Jack Thomas. As mismatched roommates turned unlikely friends, their shared space slowly becomes something much more.

I had high hopes for this book when I started it, but it quickly became a hate-read for me. I should have stopped reading it, but it was a quick audiobook, and I figured I’d just power through. Unfortunately, there was a lot that made this one tough to enjoy.

First, the profanity. I’m not usually bothered by cursing in books—I barely notice it, to be honest—but this felt excessive. It gave major “tween who just discovered swear words” energy. I guess it was supposed to make the dialogue feel edgy or authentic? It didn’t.

Let’s talk about Sadie for a minute. She was one of the most insufferable characters I’ve read in a long time. She’s selfish and needy and borderline mean to the people around her. And yet, the universe bends over backward to hand her everything she wants. She finds a dream apartment in New York City (after getting fired from her job, no less), lands a bartending gig instantly, and then and the icing on the cake: she starts a florist business and it becomes so successful in just a few months that she’s able to open up a storefront… in NEW YORK CITY. (All because she has a multimillionaire for a friend who is able to invest in her business.) Oh, and she’s also super hot, great in bed, and her friends think she walks on water.

Lastly, let’s get into the romance. Jack is as exciting as a piece of dry toast. He is one-dimensional and serves solely to make Sadie’s life easier. He gives her a place to stay, converts part of his home into a flower shop workspace (with industrial coolers and everything!), and once they’re dating, he’s drawing baths for her every night and hand-delivering meals. I mean… I would love to have a Jack in my life, but there was no chemistry, no tension, nothing to give him any sort of depth.

Ultimately, this book wasn’t for me. And I think this author might not be for me either. This is the second book of hers I’ve read, and both felt more like wish fulfillment than realistic storytelling.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (5.13.25)

Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen (★★★★☆)

Print • Library • Mystery • 2022

Short synopsis: In 1952, disgraced ex-cop Evander “Andy” Mills is hired to investigate the suspicious death of Irene Lamontaine, matriarch of a queer household living openly behind the guarded gates of Lavender House. 

This was such an interesting mystery! The story follows two major threads: the investigation into Irene’s death and the circumstances that led to Andy losing his job as a cop. Andy is gay, and he’s caught during a raid at one of the gay bars in the city. Rather than facing jail time, he is unceremoniously fired from his job. And that’s exactly why Irene’s widow hires him to investigate Irene’s murder. Irene is killed at Lavender House, a home filled with queer people—from Irene and her wife, to their son and his paramour, to their lesbian cooks. It’s a queer wonderland for Andy who has never been able to live freely and happily as a gay man. While the mystery itself isn’t particularly exciting and the resolution felt a bit lackluster, the characters and setting more than make up for it. Plus, the author did an excellent job bringing us into the danger and isolation of being queer in the 1950s, where living openly meant risking raids, beatings, jail, and ostracization. I appreciate how this story weaved these serious (and sometimes deadly) realities into a genre that doesn’t always leave room for them. (3.5 stars, rounded up; Recommendation source: Kaytee of Currently Reading.)

The Journey Toward Wholeness: Enneagram Wisdom for Stress, Balance, and Transformation by Suzanne Stabile (★★★★☆)

E-Book • Libby • Nonfiction • 2021

Short synopsis: In this book, Suzanne Stabile explores how each Enneagram type responds to stress and security through the lens of the three centers of intelligence—thinking, feeling, and doing—offering practical tools for achieving internal balance and lasting transformation amid life’s complexities.

I really enjoyed this book—it’s definitely more of a “Level Two” Enneagram resource, meant for readers who already understand the Enneagram. I skipped over parts of this book (she starts every chapter with an anecdote; I skipped over those because I was most interested in the practical application). There’s also a fair amount of Christian language, as Suzanne Stabile is a practicing Christian. That didn’t bother me, but it might be good to know going in.

The heart of this book was teaching us about the three centers of intelligence—doing, thinking, and feeling. Each type processes the world through these centers, and each has a dominant, secondary, and repressed center. As a Type 9, I was surprised to learn that “doing” is my dominant center (because I don’t really feel like Nines are huge “doers”). It made a lot more sense when Stabile explained that some types’ repressed center is their dominant center. (How’s that for a brain twister?). And for Nines, our repressed center is “doing.” We lean toward thinking or feeling, even though we should be doing-dominant.

This passage especially stood out:

“In terms of processing information, Nines decide how to respond to life with thinking and feeling but without consideration for doing. That means they internalize information, and they value their interpretations. But they dismiss the value of acting on this information once it’s processed. In short, Nines take in information with what needs to be done, but it usually doesn’t occur to them that they should actually do anything.”

That description felt like a lightbulb moment. Sometimes I feel like other people are so much better at knowing what needs to be done and just doing it. It never occurred to me that this tendency I have to sit back and let others do things around me is based on my Enneagram!

And then there was this passage, which I consider my life’s work to become the best version of myself:

“Assertiveness is learned through doing, and we’ve learned from Don Riso and Russ Hudson that the unconscious childhood message for Nines is “It’s not okay to assert yourself.” But it is okay. Part of your work and responsibility is to overcome this message and find a way to make your thoughts and desires known to others, even those who might disagree.”

I found this book to be super helpful in my journey to better understand myself as it relates to my Enneagram number, and to better understand my friends and family members. If you have a good understanding of the Enneagram and want to dig deeper into this personality framework, this book is definitely for you! (Recommendation source: Jamie of The Popcast)

Look Closer by David Ellis (★★★★★)

Audiobook • Spotify • Thriller • 2022

Short synopsis: Vicky and Simon seem to have the perfect marriage. But that all begins to unravel after a socialite’s death, exposing an affair, a massive trust fund, and a long-buried grudge. As lies stack up, the question becomes: who’s conning who—and could it all lead to the perfect murder?

I loved this thriller! Every time I thought I had figured out what was going on, the author revealed a new clue that took the story in a completely unexpected direction. I had such a fun time following these characters. I read in one review that they found all of the characters unlikable, and I don’t know what it says about me that I liked all of these characters and found them totally captivating. They weren’t nearly as unlikable as I expected, and instead, I weirdly found myself rooting for the “bad guys,” which is not typical for me. This is a thriller truly unlike anything I’ve read recently, and I can’t wait to discuss all the twists and turns with book club (this was our May pick).

What are you reading?