Well, after having a great run of five-star reads, this week was a bit of a downer one. I abandoned two books—both romances. I abandoned Feel the Heat by Kate Meader at around page 80 because it just wasn’t keeping my attention and the story felt very convoluted. I also abandond Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma at around page 70 because, y’all, the plot was so bad and the writing was not much better. Why did I get this from BOTM?! Ugh. Waste of a credit for sure.
Anyway, let’s dive into my reads this week. Hopefully, next week will be a much better one for me!
Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz (★★☆☆☆)
This novel had so much potential, but it was just so poorly executed. Hazel Sinnett has one goal in life: to become a doctor. Unfortunately, that’s not the path a woman growing up in the early 1800s can take, so she has to study and learn in secret. But what she needs most are bodies—corpses—to study. Luckily, a chance encounter with a resurrection man, someone who digs up bodies for a living, will give her exactly what she needs. But resurrection men are disappearing, the threat of Roman fever looms large, and Hazel also has this pesky little issue of an almost-fiance to worry about. A book about a woman trying to become a doctor in the 1800s is a fascinating premise, but my goodness, this book was just so boring for the first 60%. If I wasn’t reading this book for book club, I would have abandoned it but I kept trucking along because I hoped it might get better. It didn’t. In fact, it just got worse until there was a twist near the end of the book that made no sense and tanked my already “blah” impression of the book. I’m going to have some Strong Feelings at book club later this month!
Yours in Scandal by Lauren Layne (★★★☆☆)
Robert is a thirty-something mayor of New York City whose term is ending. He’s trying to figure out what’s next for him. Most people assume he will try to become governor to kick out the current guy who isn’t all that great. Then his campaign manager finds out that the current governor’s daughter, Addie, is now living under a different identity. In her early twenties, she lived a wild life of partying and drinking, behavior that’s not very becoming of a politician’s daughter. In the years since, Addie has reinvented herself, and now, all she wants is to live a life far outside of politics. When Robert hires Addie’s event planning company to throw a party at his home to celebrate the end of his term, sparks fly and secrets are revealed. It’s a sweet, uncomplicated love story that didn’t really hit me in the feels like I had hoped, but I did like the political setting and watching the love grow between Addie and Robert.
What I’m Reading This Week
- Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson (audio) – I’m almost finished with this audiobook, just a few hours left to go. I’m really enjoying it!
- The Maid by Nina Prose (print) – I just started this thriller but I’m fully invested already. The protagonist reminds me a lot of Eleanor Oliphant (from Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine), and I just want to befriend her immediately.
- Read Between the Lines by Rachel Lacey (e-book) – I haven’t started this f/f romance yet, but I’m looking forward to sitting down with it soon. I hope it’s a good one!
What are you reading?