Happy Monday, friends! I had such a lovely weekend, especially considering that the weather cooled down dramatically. It seems like we always get a surprise cold front every April and it’s always much appreciated. I was even able to turn off my A/C for a bit, which was really nice. We’ll be back up in the 80s this week, but it was great to have this reprieve from the heat.
Last week, I finished two books and both were 4-star reads. A good reading week, indeed. Here are my reviews:
The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins (★★★★☆)
I enjoyed this thriller, which can most definitely be categorized as a “popcorn thriller.” It’s a bit of a homage to Jane Eyre with Jane being a dog-walker in a rich neighborhood and Mr. Rochester (Eddie) being recently widowed when his wife and her best friend died in a boating accident. I loved the way the story played with the themes of Jane Eyre (which is one of the few classics that I really like!) within the bounds of a contemporary thriller. You’ll likely figure out where the story is going, but I still found it enjoyable.
The Switch by Beth O’Leary (★★★★☆)
I really enjoyed this contemporary novel, which is a bit of a cheeky nod to The Holiday. In this novel, Leena is a twenty-something who has been running on fumes since her sister’s death and when she botches an important presentation at work, her company forces her to take two months of paid leave. Eileen is 79, recently divorced after her no-good husband left her for someone else, and is ready to enter the dating world again. Leena who lives in a flat in London hatches a plan with her grandma Eileen to switch houses for two months. Eileen can live in London and have a few flings in the city and Leena can stay at Eileen’s home in a small, rural town and get away from her life for a time. It’s a sweet story that goes back and forth between Eileen and Leena’s points of view. Both stories were engaging and fun, and I just love a cast of characters that are in their eighties. We really do not get enough stories of people in this stage of life, and it was so refreshing. There was a lot of romance in this book, but it was a light touch and I think it added just enough to the story without being overpowering. There is a bevy of trigger warnings for this book, though—grief, domestic abuse, cancer, and death of a loved one—so take care if you do decide to read it.
‘Never been one for worst-case scenarios,’ Jackson says. He crouches to dip his roller in the tray; his wrists are flecked with paint now, new, brighter freckles. ‘When they happen, you cope. And it’s usually one you’ve not thought of that gets you, so why worry?’
God, what I would give to think like that. The sheer simplicity of it. (p. 179)
Same, girl, same.
What I’m Reading This Week
- All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (audio) – I am almost finished with this novel, just a little over an hour left. I’ve enjoyed it but it’s also breaking my heart.
- Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain (print) – I’m slowly making my way through this book. Right now, I’m midway through the 1700s. I have to really force myself to slow down while I’m reading this book to really take in the content, so I’m glad I’m only reading a few essays a day.
- The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton (print) – I’m excited to dig into this book this week, as it’s gotten lots of rave reviews from trusted sources.
What are you reading?