Stephany Writes

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (5.15.24)

Knockout by Sarah MacLean (★★★★☆)

E-Book • Library • Historical Romance • 2023

Short synopsis: Lady Imogen Loveless has a penchant for science experiments and explosives… making her quite peculiar among the London set. Detective Inspector Thomas Peck is a buttoned-up man of the law who constantly finds Imogen at his crime scenes. When Imogen’s brother enlists Tommy’s help to keep an eye on Imogen and make sure she doesn’t get into any more trouble, he doesn’t realize he’s being drawn into her web of chaos.

I have been waiting for Imogen’s book (Knockout is the third book in MacLean’s Hell’s Belles series), and it did not disappoint! Imogen is known for her carefully placed explosives, and getting into her scientist mind (during a time when women weren’t allowed to be engaged in such thinking!) was fascinating. I also really loved the dichotomy between chaotic Imogen and buttoned-up Tommy. A true opposites-attract moment! This is an open-door romance but it isn’t too steamy, and I just love the way MacLean creates characters who are so lively and easy to root for. It was a wonderfully sweet love story with some badass women at the center.

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir (★★★★★)

Audiobook • Library • YA • 2022

Short synopsis: Salahudin and Noor are more than best friends—they’re family. Until The Fight threatens to ruin everything they hold dear. Now, as Sal tries to run his family’s motel on his own and Noor tries to find her escape hatch from her wrathful uncle, their friendship is put to the ultimate test.

I loved this book and I also hated this book for the way it made me feel. This book is not an easy read and there are trigger warnings on trigger warnings, so it’s probably not the best book for this highly sensitive reader, but with a 4.5 star rating on Goodreads, I had to find out why everyone loved it so much. Noor and Sal were such amazing characters. They felt full and real and authentic, and I was rooting for them the whole time. I could only listen to an hour of the audiobook per day because I was so distraught by what was happening to them that I just wanted them to have a happy ending. This is not an easy book to read, but it was well worth my time and I’m glad I gave it a chance. (But whew, I am ready for something much more lighthearted next!)

Victim by Andrew Boryga (★★★★☆)

Print • Library • Contemporary Fiction • 2024

Short synopsis: Javier Perez is a hustler from a family of hustlers. As a college student, Javi embellishes his life story until there’s not even a kernel of truth left. Soon after graduating, a viral essay transforms Javi from a writer on the rise to a journalist at a legendary magazine where the editors applaud his “unique perspective.” But when those who know him best find out the game he’s playing, will it all come crumbling down on him?

What a wild ride! There were times when I just felt such a sweet adoration for Javi and times when I wanted to knock him upside the head because, what are you thinking, my dude?! This book is a satire, a look at the world of trauma porn, especially as it relates to people of color and the stories that can go viral. Javi knows what sells: trauma, sob stories, police brutality. So what if it isn’t fully his story? What are a few little lies in the grand scheme of things? This is also a book about power and how intoxicating it can be to be at the top, to get the likes and the retweets and the army of defenders. I wish I could have gotten a bit more of a nuanced look at Javi as a character—it felt like there was a wall between him and us, and I think I would have enjoyed the story a lot more if I felt a deeper connection to him. However, this was Boryga’s debut and what an impressive one it was. I’m excited to see what he does next.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (5.8.24)

The Eighth Detective by Alex Pavesi (★★☆☆☆)

Audiobook • Library • Mystery • 2020

Short synopsis: Many years ago, Grant McAllister calculated the rules for a mystery novel. He worked out the different orders and possibilities of a mystery, and published seven perfect detective stories into a book. These days, he lives a quiet, isolated life on a remote Mediterranean island… until he’s visited by an editor named Julia who wishes to republish his book and wants to revisit these old stories with him. But Julia starts to notice the inconsistencies in the novel, and she’s on a mission to figure out what’s going on.

This was a tough novel for me, and maybe that’s because I don’t really like short stories. This book was a collection of short stories – seven quick mysteries – and I found it hard to get fully invested in the story. I also found all of the mysteries to be quite underwhelming and with very dissatisfying endings, which tempered my enjoyment. While I liked the bigger overarching plot of the novel, involving Julia and Grant as they discuss each short story and talk about the mechanics of them, I wanted a bit more of them and their dynamic, and less of these really underwhelming mysteries. There’s a twist at the end that was quite interesting, I’ll admit, but by that point, I was just done with the novel and wanted it to be over. So, unfortunately, this wasn’t a hit for me but if you are someone who likes short stories, you may enjoy this book!

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley (★★☆☆☆)

Print • Library • Contemporary Fiction • 2023

Short synopsis: When 21-year-old Tanner starts working as a live-in caretaker for Louise, neither is happy about the arrangement and both spend time ignoring each other. It isn’t until Louise shows up in Tanner’s room at 1 a.m. one night, insisting they need to leave, that Tanner realizes she’s not living with a typical elderly woman.

Oh, I really did want to like this book but it just wasn’t for me. This was our April pick for book club and most of my friends enjoyed it for what it is: a cheesy, relatively brainless read. But I was left wanting more. I didn’t find either Tanner or Louise particularly likable, and I think the author sacrificed character development for making a big “GOTCHA!” at the end of the novel. I didn’t really see the growth of their relationship, either, to understand how they became multigenerational friends. And there were so many twists and turns at the end… it felt overly dramatic and unrealistic. Unfortunately, not a book I’m rushing out to recommend.

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham (★★★☆☆)

Print • Owned (Book of the Month) • Thriller • 2022

Short synopsis: Chloe was 12 years old when teenage girls in her town started to go missing… and her father was arrested for their murders. Twenty years later, she’s a psychologist in Baton Rouge, engaged and planning a beautiful wedding. And then it starts happening again. A girl is missing… then another one and another one. These cases seem eerily similar to the ones her father was convicted of. Is there a copycat serial killer out there?

This book has gotten a lot of accolades and won some sort of popularity award through Book of the Month, so I got it for free from them. I was excited to dive in—I’m not a super critical reader of thrillers. I like them to be appropriately spooky with some twists and turns that make sense. I don’t necessarily need to root for the main character, but I want to understand them. In this novel, I could not get past the massive ethical violations of Chloe who is a licensed psychologist and involved in some very problematic behaviors (like prescribing Xanax to her fiancee that she picks up at the pharmacy herself and hides from him…) The overall mystery was an interesting one and I did appreciate the twists and turns the novel took, but there were so many plot holes that were never addressed and I just found it really hard to root for or understand Chloe. She’s a psychologist who needs to find a new line of work and get herself to therapy ASAP.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (4.24.24)

The Women by Kristin Hannah (★★★★★)

Print • Owned (Book of the Month) • Historical Fiction • 2024

Short synopsis: Frankie McGrath is only 20 years old and fresh out of nursing school when she decides to join the Army Nurse Corps in Vietnam. Every day is a battle to stay alive and to keep soldiers and the Vietnamese people alive, but the death and destruction is nearly unbearable. After two tours, Frankie comes home and it’s there that the real battle begins. She returns to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam. She returns to a place where PTSD is not a condition, her parents are embarrassed by her, and every time she tries to seek help, she’s turned away. 

I am consistently in awe of Kristin Hannah. The way she can write about a specific period of time and make me feel so deeply for her characters is truly something. I’ll admit that there’s a lot I don’t know about the Vietnam War. It just wasn’t something that was covered as much as WWI and WWII in my history classes, and we all know that the historical fiction genre is flooded with WWII books. This novel had to take an immense amount of research and interviews, but then also an immense amount of writing ability to place us in Vietnam and then to want to cry along with Frankie as she encounters severe PTSD symptoms on her return home. This is a book about war, but mostly it’s a book about the effects of war. It’s about the bonds you make with the people you’re fighting alongside with. It’s about all of the women who served in Vietnam but whose contributions were lost to history. “There were no women in Vietnam,” Frankie is told again and again, effectively erasing her contribution and the contributions of all the other nurses and volunteers who were there in the trenches. This is not an easy read (but are any of Kristin Hannah’s books easy reads?!), but man was it an impactful one and easily tops the list as my favorite book of 2024 so far.

The Comeback by Lily Chu (★★★★☆)

E-Book • Library • Contemporary Romance • 2023

Short synopsis: Ariadne Hui is a strict rule follower who thrives on routine. And living this way has gotten her where she is today: very close to making partner at her law firm. She comes home one day to find a strange man sleeping on her sofa who turns out to be her roommate’s cousin, Jihoon, who needs to stay at their apartment for a few weeks while he mends his broken heart. What she doesn’t know is that Jihoon is an idol in one of the most famous K-pop bands of all time, and while Ari is busy falling in love with Jihoon, all of the Korean media is trying to find out where he went.

What is it about Lily Chu’s writing that takes a plot that is so far-fetched and wacky, but somehow makes it feel real? Let’s face it: This is a wild premise. Imagine coming home one day and suddenly, there’s Harry Styles just chilling on your couch! Of course, the way this plot works is that Ari doesn’t follow K-pop bands and has no idea who Jihoon is until it’s revealed to her, which makes it all the more believable. (I wouldn’t be able to pick out a K-pop bandmember for anything.) Anyway, I just loved this novel so much. Ari and Jihoon were so sweet with each other, and their chemistry just leaped off the pages. I was so, so curious how the author was going to give the two of them their happy ending. For the longest time, I couldn’t see how she was going to do it, which is always the sign of a great romance. Ari went through her own personal journey through this novel, especially as it related to her job and her family, which was separate from her love story with Jihoon, and I really appreciated the way things turned out for her in the end. All in all, a beautiful story. It could have been a smidge shorter (it was nearly 400 pages and that is way too long for a romance novel, in my opinion), which is why it’s not a full 5 stars from me, but still a delightful romance that I can confidently recommend.

The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Doping, and Deception on Nike’s Elite Running Team by Kara Goucher (★★★★☆)

Audiobook • Library • Nonfiction • 2023

Short synopsis: In this unvarnished and affecting memoir, Olympian Kara Goucher reveals her experience of living through and speaking out about one of the biggest scandals in running: doping allegations as well as physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of the head coach Alberto Salazar. Kara’s memoir reveals how she broke through the fear of losing everything, bucked powerful forces to take control of her life and career, and reclaimed her love of running.

This is a stunning memoir and one that had me saying, “What the fuck?” over and over again as every new revelation came to light. I didn’t know much about the Nike Oregon Project when I started this novel, and I knew even less about Kara Goucher. I’ve seen her name come up here and there, but the only time I really pay attention to running is during the Olympics. Other people not involved in the running community have raved about this book, so I was curious enough to pick it up. What Kara went through at the hands of her coach was horrifying, and my heart absolutely breaks not only for the abuse she suffered but also for the way she felt she had to keep quiet because her coach was such a Big Deal in the running world. (It’s a great book for anyone who thinks it’s easy for abuse survivors to come forward with their allegations, and why they sometimes may wait years or decades to do so.) I am so glad Kara felt that she could finally tell her story, and I really hope it helps other athletes feel comfortable enough to speak up if they’re experiencing similar abuses.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (4.15.24)

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (★★★★☆)

Print • Owned (Amazon) • Contemporary Fiction • 2022

Short synopsis: Tova is a 70-something woman who has been working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, doing basic maintenance tasks. She befriends all of the animals, but is specifically drawn to Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus.

This book has been recommended to me over and over again, and sometimes when that happens, I become stubborn and refuse to read it because the hype is too much. Once the fervor for this book died down, I decided to give it a chance and I’m so glad I did! This book was exceptional. It was sweet and heartwarming, and I completely fell in love with Marcellus. (There are chapters interspersed through the novel with his thoughts, which is a little weird at first but I grew to love his perspective so much.) Tova was such a wonderful character, too, and so easy to root for. I wanted good things for her always. This is largely a character-driven novel so it could feel slow and meandering at times, but it’s the perfect book for people who do love a character-driven story.

White Tears/Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color by Ruby Hamad (★★★★★)

Audiobook • Library • Nonfiction (Social Justice) • 2020

Short synopsis: This explosive book of history and cultural criticism argues that white feminism has been a weapon of white supremacy and patriarchy deployed against Black and Indigenous women and all colonized women. Hamad starts from the slave era—when white women fought in court to keep “ownership” of their slaves—through the centuries of colonialism—when they offered a soft face for brutal tactics—to the modern workplace.

This book is not an easy read and it is not for white women who get their feelings hurt easily. I have come to a place in my anti-racism journey when I want to be challenged and I want to listen to how women of color feel about the way white feminism has halted their progress. This book talks about all sorts of different aspects of white feminism that have centered white feelings rather than listening to what women of color have been saying for generations. Hamad talks frankly about the ways white women slaveholders had an active role in punishing their enslaved people, the way women politicians of color have endured so much more vitriol than their white counterparts, and all the times white women have called the police on Black people who are just trying to live their lives (BBQ Becky, anyone?). It is an outstanding book and I am so glad I read it.

About That Night by Julie James (★★★★☆)

E-Book • Owned (Amazon) • Contemporary Romance • 2012

Short synopsis: Rylann has just moved back to Chicago, accepting a job offer to become an Assistant U.S. Attorney, after her long-term relationship ended. The last thing she expects is to come face-to-face with the man who stood her up nine years ago—and he’s the defendant in her case. 

This is a reread for me, as I’m slowly working my way through all of Julie James’ romances again. I love her writing style and the way she writes her characters, and rereading her books has been so much fun. This one was no exception; it was smart, funny, and super sexy. I loved the banter between Rylann and Kyle, and the sweet way they began falling in love. Are there some jokes and slightly misogynistic comments that haven’t aged well in the 12 years since this book was published? Oh, yes. But all in all, I still loved this book and enjoyed my time with it.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (4.8.24)

Come and Get It by Kiley Reid (★★☆☆☆)

Print • Library • Contemporary Fiction • 2024

Short synopsis: It’s 2017 at the University of Arkansas. Millie Cousins, a senior resident assistant, wants to graduate, get a job, and buy a house. So when Agatha Paul, a visiting professor and writer, offers Millie an easy yet unusual opportunity, she jumps at the chance. 

I had the weirdest reading experience with this book, as I honestly couldn’t have told you its plot most of the time I was reading it, and I’m still struggling to understand the point of this book. This book is mostly about Millie, who is trying to graduate college after taking some time off, and it’s also about Agatha, a professor at the college who is trying to gather research for her next book. It’s also about three girls on Millie’s floor who are sharing an apartment and all of the difficulties that come with trying to live with people who are so vastly different than you. This book should have resonated with me because I felt deeply impacted by the storyline of one of the roommates, Kennedy. She was struggling to find her place at school and had a hard time connecting with anyone else. I also really struggled during my first year of college, and I could relate to everything Kennedy was going through. (Oh, that moment of connection with someone else in your class and hoping you were finally going to make your first friend! I remember that feeling so well.) However, this story wasn’t about three girls making it through a year of college… it was mostly about Agatha and Millie, and I just found them totally boring and their storyline a slog. This book has a 3.46 rating on Goodreads and I should have trusted all of the other people who gave this book a low rating because it just wasn’t very good.

Black Girls Must Die Exhausted by Jayne Allen (★★☆☆☆)

Audiobook • Library • Contemporary Fiction • 2021

Short synopsis: Tabitha Walker thought she had it all—great job, great boyfriend, great friends and family. But then it all comes crashing down with a life-altering diagnosis that would affect her ability to have children in the future. Suddenly, she’s faced with an impossible decision of what to do next.

Ughhh… this book. What a disappointment. Let’s get into my issues with it. First, Tabitha was a hard character to root for. She had a martyr-like demeanor and seemed to think her life was in shambles even though she had so much good going on! I couldn’t understand her attraction to her boyfriend whom she had been dating for a full year and had never been to his apartment or met his family. Girl, he’s a walking red flag. Get out! Honestly, all of the men in this novel were pretty mediocre at best and all of the women deserved better. There was some casual fatphobia in this novel that really grinded my gears, especially once a character started to lose weight and it was mentioned how now she can be on dating apps since she’s looking “better.” Fun fact: There is not a weight limit on dating apps! And do you want to date someone who only dates women who are a certain size? Ugh. After reading this book and disliking my time with it, I wanted to seek out reviews from Black women to see if I missed something with my white perspective. What I found were tons of negative reviews from Black women, which was a bit of a relief. As one reviewer put it, this book “felt about as deep as a kiddie pool.” The final nail in the coffin for this one was the ending, which was so bad that I would have thrown my book across the room if I hadn’t listened to it on audio. Skip this book!

Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa (★★★★★)

Print • Owned • Contemporary Romance • 2023

Short synopsis: Ander is a nonbinary Mexican-American teen who is taking a gap year after high school before enrolling at School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Santi is an undocumented Mexican who starts working at Ander’s family’s restaurant, and they swiftly fall in love. But can their love sustain Ander’s upcoming move to Chicago, or worse, can it keep Santi safe from the ICE agents roaming around their town?

I’m writing this review a few hours after I finished this book, and I can feel the book hangover swiftly approaching. I miss these two people already and just want to start the book all over again. This book was sensational in so many ways. I loved the way the Spanish elements were completely infused into the book: the food, the language, the culture, the art. I loved the way Ander and Santi fell in love and how palpable their chemistry felt through the pages. I was deeply moved by the exploration of undocumented people and the way the system works for people who may not be the “ideal” immigrant that the news likes to talk about. Santi left Mexico because it was unsafe for him to be there, but he’s not a standout student or a model minority. He’s just a guy who wants to live a quiet, happy life, and not be afraid every minute of the day. I could feel the tenseness of Santi as he navigated life in the United States as an undocumented person. It’s stressful and harrowing. This is a book that shines a light on what the experience may look like for undocumented people. They just want the right to live a safe, stable life, like the rest of us. This book had a lot going on, as you can see, but it all works together beautifully. This book has earned its place on my favorites shelf, for sure.

What are you reading?