Stephany Writes

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (8.10.20)

Happy Monday! I have a looooong list of books today since this recap comprises two weeks worth of reading. And I got a lot of reading down over the past two weeks—seven books, to be exact! Let’s dive into these reviews:

No Place to Run by Maya Banks (★★★☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: When Sophie, the woman Sam had a fling with on assignment in Mexico, shows up at his home, injured and pregnant, Sam will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

I liked this book, which is the second novel in Banks’s KGI series, but it felt oddly similar to the first book in which the hero has to take care of the heroine, who is in fragile condition. Really hoping the author gives us something different in the next book! There were parts I really liked about the novel—it was super suspenseful and I loved the family dynamics at play—and there were parts I super despised, mainly how the women in the book were treated. (As one reviewer pointed out, there was no real character development for Sophie. What did she do for work? What were her hobbies? Who were her friends?) Sophie felt one-dimensional and just a side character when she was actually the heroine! Just… meh.

Woman 99 by Greer Macallister (★★★☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: When Charlotte’s sister, Phoebe, is placed in a mental health facility against her will, Charlotte gets herself committed to save her sister.

What I enjoyed most about this novel was the historical aspect, as it took place in the late 1800s and discussed the type of women who would be committed to these mental facilities. Some of the women were in desperate need of a calm facility that valued order and isolated them from the outside world. Others, though, were only there because they had become a nuisance to their family by not marrying or desiring other women or wanting to seek higher education. It was horrifying to recognize what could sentence a woman to a place like this. What I didn’t love so much about this book was Charlotte. She was so naive and it drove me crazy at times. (I think that was the point, though, as she grew up very sheltered.) I also found the ending to be a bit of a letdown. Everything wrapped up in this neat little bow and something about that didn’t sit right with me. It left me wanting more.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (★★★☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: High school senior, Elwood, is sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called The Nickel School due to an innocent mistake.

I had high expectations for this book and I don’t know if they were fully met. That’s not to say that this book wasn’t beautifully written, because it was. Colson Whitehead uses sparse language to convey complex, horrifying themes and this book is phenomenally well-written. The incidents of brutality were vivid, but so were the hope and the tenacious spirit of Elwood and the other boys. From time to time, though, I felt myself a little bored with the plot and not sure where things were going. The book almost felt like a collection of vignettes rather than one cohesive story. Even still, this novel is one I will definitely be recommending because it’s worth the read.

Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams (★★☆☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: When Liv gets fired from her job after confronting her boss about the sexual harassment she witnessed, she vows to seek vengeance, but that means relying on the one man she absolutely despises, Braden Mack.

Ugh, this book. I had such high hopes and I was so disappointed. This book attempts a #MeToo plot involving a serial sexual abuser, but I do not feel as if the author treated the subject matter with sensitivity. Instead, there’s victim blaming, boundary-pushing, and, well, harassing sexual assault victims in appalling ways. It was hard to root for any of the characters with the way they treated the sexual assault survivors in this story, and I just really wanted so much more from this book, the characters, and the writing.

Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider (★★★★☆)

One-sentence synopsis: Lane, who has just been diagnosed with tuberculosis, is sent to Latham House, a sanatorium for other young TB patients.

This novel was so interesting! I learned a lot about tuberculosis and what it means to be diagnosed with this chronic illness. It felt fairly timely, too, with our current pandemic as TB patients are highly contagious and those without the condition have to wear masks when they’re around those with TB. The novel switches back and forth between two perspectives: Lane, who has just been diagnosed and is a new patient at Latham House, and Sadie, who has been at the sanatorium for over a year. It takes place in present day and Latham House operates like a boarding school for the sick. The kids go to classes, eat in a cafeteria, have regular doctor’s appointments, and require regimented downtime. The novel is heartbreaking at times (because these kids are sick with a potentially fatal disease) but also beautiful and heartfelt and fun. I really enjoyed it!

The Witches Are Coming by Lindy West (★★★☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: A collection of essays discussing the #MeToo movement, the misogyny inherent in so many pop culture phenomenons, abortion, politics, Ted Bundy, and so much more.

I enjoy Lindy West’s voice so much. She doesn’t hold back and man, is it refreshing. These essays are truly timely (so timely, I wonder if some of the references are going to feel super outdated even a few years down the road) and filled with humor, heart, and disdain for white males. I laughed my way through the chapter about wellness culture, got emotional when she discussed abortion rights, and felt uncomfortable as she schooled me on the misogyny inherent in Adam Sandler films (and most comedy films of the 90s/early aughts). There was so much good in this book, however, I struggled with the fact that I felt like West didn’t bring anything new to the table, especially when discussing politics and the #MeToo movement. These are the same points anyone entrenched in liberal politics has been hearing and reading about for many years. It read like an echo chamber of my own thoughts. It left me wanting more.

Deep Cover by Scarlett Cole (★★★★☆)

One-sentence synopsis: Sparks fly when FBI agent Amy and government contractor Cabe are partnered together for an undercover assignment, but is Cabe ready to move on after the death of his fiancee two years ago?

I loved this romantic suspense novel, and after a string of “just okay” romances, I was grateful to finally find one that I could truly sink into and enjoy. I loved the dynamic between Cabe and Amy; their chemistry was palpable! Cabe spends the majority of the beginning of the novel comparing Amy to his late fiancee, and at a certain point, it started to grate on me. But, gradually, as Cabe gets to know Amy better and they begin to fall in love, he stops spending so much time comparing the two women and starts to simply enjoy Amy as she is. It was really beautiful. As for the undercover assignment, which involved taking down a money laundering and sex trafficking ring at a successful casino, it was so well done! I loved the look into casino culture and being a dealer, and the ending had me quickly turning pages to make sure everything would turn out okay in the end! All in all, a great romance that came into my life at just the right time.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • A Yellow Raft in Blue Water by Michael Dorris (print) – This is my “slow but steady” read. I have a friend’s copy from high school, which is so special! I’m spending 10 minutes every day with this novel (and not stressing if I don’t get around to sitting down with the book on a particular day). I’ve read 75 pages so far and I’m enjoying it!
  • The Chain by Adam McKinty (audiobook) – I’ve been dipping in and out of this thriller on audio and it’s so good so far! I’m only 3 hours in (it’s a 10-hour audiobook), though, so fingers crossed it lives up to my expectations.
  • The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (print) – Eeks, I’m so excited to be reading Brit Bennett’s latest. The Mothers was in my top five the year I read it, and The Vanishing Half is shaping up to be just as excellent. And I’m buddy-reading it with Kim, which is so much fun!
  • You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria – New Alexis Daria, woohoo! It’s been a few years since we’ve had a new romance from her, and I’m excited to dig into this one that takes place on the set of a romantic comedy. Fun!

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (7.27.20)

Happy Monday and happy last week of July! Whaaat. I’m hoping August flies by as fast as July did, because that means I’m just that much closer to my MOVE. (It’s all I can think about, honestly.) Last week, I made my first trip to the library since March! I’ll talk about the experience in my next COVID-19 update post, but I’m just so happy to have a whole stack of library books to get through. I didn’t realize how much I missed the crinkle of a hardcover library book until I opened my first one this week, and ahhh, such a delight.

Last week, I finished two books and abandoned one. Let’s discuss!

Down with Love by Kate Meader (★★★★☆)

One-sentence synopsis: Divorce attorney Max and wedding planner Charlie are thrown together when Charlie is hired to plan Max’s brother’s wedding.

What a fun, flirty romance! I really enjoyed my time with this one. I think what I loved most was how distinct Max and Charlie’s voices were. Typically in a romance, there’s not a huge difference in voice between the male and female leads (aside from the male saying “fuck” a lot, which is always a little eye-roll-y). But with this novel, I could truly feel the difference and I really liked it, even though Max was a huge douchebag at the beginning. But he started to endear himself to me as the story progressed and especially when he began to lose his heart to Charlie. Their love story gave me all of the heart-eyes and I couldn’t get enough of this book! Definitely one to add to your list if you’re looking for a fun romance (but be warned: it’s steamy!).

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes (★★★★☆)

One-sentence synopsis: A story set in the Depression era about a group of women known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky who deliver books to rural communities.

Gosh, I loved this book so very much! It was compelling right from the start, but then it hit a point about 150 pages in where I just couldn’t put it down for anything! I found all of the women to be such well-rounded, complex characters and the setting to be so vivid that I felt as if I was riding with these women or inside their library. I loved the emphasis on literature and reading, and how necessary it is for the betterment of society. All in all, a lovely, compelling story that reminded me what a privilege it is to be a reader.

Circe by Madeline Miller (abandoned)

Well, I tried but this book just really wasn’t for me. It was just a little too… weird. I prefer my stories firmly rooted in reality and Greek mythology is certainly not that. I can certainly see why so many people rave about this novel and I really loved Miller’s writing style (I read 125 pages before abandoning it because the writing was so compelling!), but it just wasn’t the right book for my taste. Live and learn!

What I’m Reading This Week

I’m halfway through Woman 99 by Greer Macallister, a historical thriller following a girl who enters a mental health facility hoping to free her sister who was just committed. It’s fantastic so far and considering it draws on what these asylums for women were like back in the late 1800s, also really troubling. I’m also dipping in and out of No Place to Run by Maya Banks, a fast-paced romantic suspense that is keeping me on my toes. Once I finish Woman 99, I’m going to start The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, which I hear is a really difficult but necessary read. I’ll probably take my time with it, so it’s a good thing that my next romance coming up is Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams—a good palate cleanser!

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

My Audiobook Reading Life

I listened to my first audiobook in 2013. It was The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner, read by Olivia Thirlby, and she was a truly fantastic narrator. I loved that she didn’t make up silly voices for the male actors and just narrated the story the way I would read it in my head. After that, I picked up The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, read by Carrington MacDuffie. I didn’t enjoy that listening experience as much, as Carrington used a lot of strange accents and voices throughout the novel. (I would soon learn, though, that Carrington’s way of reading is much more common in audiobooks—and I would come to love that way of reading a novel.)

After that, I took a break from audiobooks for a few years and then slowly started incorporating them into my reading life—five books in 2015, nine in 2017, 20 in 2018, 25 in 2019, and 12 so far in 2020. They’ve been a regular part of my reading life since 2017 and I try to finish two per month, if I can. Obviously, the pandemic and not having a commute anymore threw everything for a loop—I only started reading audiobooks again last month after a three-month break and I’m averaging one per month, but I’m just glad to have the bandwidth to listen again!

People have strong opinions about audiobooks, and I’m not just talking about the lame debate on whether or not audiobooks count as “real” reading. There are those who love audiobooks and those who don’t. Those who only consume books via audio and those who only listen to a few a year. Those who listen at a frighteningly fast speed and those who are happy with normal speed. Those who can only do nonfiction on audio and those who can only do fiction on audio. Audiobook listening comes in all shapes and sizes!

Since I’m a fairly regular listener of audiobooks, I thought it might be fun to take a look into what my audiobook reading life looks like. Let’s discuss!

1. Speed. I listen to most audiobooks at 1.75x speed. For the two mystery series I’m listening to (Sherry Thomas’s Lady Sherlock series and the Louise Penny series), I slow the speed to 1.5x, since I want to be sure I’m not missing any pertinent details. I had to work up to listening at a high speed, though—it wasn’t something I did immediately. I listened at normal speed (1x) for a really long time, until I started growing frustrated with how long it would take me to listen to an audiobook. I could read so much faster! When I discovered I could speed up the narration, it made the listening experience much more pleasant. I first bumped up the speed to 1.25x and then when that started feeling slow, I went up to 1.5x. After a while, I decided to try an audiobook on 1.75x and discovered I could understand the narration and pay attention easily.

I’ve been thinking about trying an audiobook at 2x speed, but haven’t made the switch yet. I’m feeling a little resistant to the idea! Maybe because I don’t know if the point of listening to audiobooks, at least for me, is to get them done as quickly as possible.  The point is to slow down and enjoy someone reading a book to me. (What’s interesting about this speed thing, though, is that I don’t do this with podcasts. I listen to them at normal speed. The few times I’ve sped up a podcast episode, I didn’t enjoy the listening experience as much!)

2. Genres. I love memoirs, YA, thrillers, mysteries, historical fiction, and literary fiction on audio. I haven’t ever tried a romance on audio, but I don’t think I’d be able to handle it! (Oh, the blushing I would do!) I don’t do too much nonfiction on audio, especially heavy nonfiction that requires me to pay attention and take notes. I prefer those books in printed/e-book form.

I really like listening to books that I feel would be a bit of a slog if I had to read them myself (Rules of Civility, I’m looking at you!) There’s something about having someone else read to me and allowing myself to dip in and out of listening as I please that makes the reading experience so much better.

3. Narrators. It’s common knowledge that a narrator can make or break your listening experience. A great narrator who can switch back and forth between accents easily? Perfection! A narrator with a voice that grates on your ears? Ughhhh. It’s often just a personal thing, and I think I’m extra-sensitive about narrators because I’m an HSP. There’s one narrator who narrates a TON of popular fiction titles and her voice graaaates on me. I don’t know what it is about her voice, but it just irritates the hell out of me, ha. Many audiobook readers have their own favorite narrators, but I haven’t come across anyone I absolutely love, although I will say that the narrator for the Louise Penny books is outstanding.

4. Libby vs Overdrive vs Audible vs CDs. I mainly use Libby for audiobook listening. I haven’t felt the need to get an Audible subscription since my library system has a great selection of audiobooks. (It’s actually pretty rare for me to not see an audiobook option!) The wait can get long for popular titles, of course, which is why I focus on backlist books for audiobook listening. It’s a great way to finally read all those books that have been languishing on your Goodreads TBR for years and years! Overdrive works well, too, but I like the interface for Libby more.

When I first started listening to audiobooks, though, I used CDs! (This makes me feel really old, ha.) CD audiobooks come with about an hour of narration per disc (so you can imagine how unwieldy a really long audiobook would be!), and there’s always that annoying task of removing one disc to put in the next one in line when the narration finishes. Such a first-world problem!

5. Little things I hate.

  • When a multiple POV book only has one narrator
  • When an author reads his/her own memoir and doesn’t have any inflections in their tone
  • Really long audiobooks (anything over 14 hours is too long for me!)
  • Not being able to highlight passages (you can bookmark passages in the Libby app, but it’s not the same!)

6. Little things I love.

  • Being able to read a book while I’m doing other things, like cooking dinner or driving
  • Fun accents that really bring the story to life
  • Learning the correct way to say certain things (especially phrases in other languages—I’ve learned all of the correct ways to say the French names in the Louise Penny series!)
  • Audiobooks that feel more like performances (Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan comes immediately to mind)
  • Finally reading books that have been on my TBR for years and years
  • Having a completely different way to consume a book

What are your thoughts about audiobooks—love them, loathe them, indifferent to them? 

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (7.20.20)

Happy Monday, friends! It’s an exciting day here, as I will be going into my office this morning to pick up some of my personal belongings. It will be so weird to make that drive and walk into the office after four months away! When I left the office on March 13th, I imagined we’d be back within a few weeks, so I left everything. I’m looking forward to finally bringing home so many of my office comforts, like my daily cat calendar, my large Yeti tumbler, pictures of the girls, and my cozy blanket. I’m looking forward to seeing some coworkers, too! There’s a limit to how many people can be in the office at one time (I think 25?), but it will be good just to see some faces. (Well, their masked faces!) I don’t plan to be there long, just long enough to grab some stuff, but I am sure I will have lots of FEEEEEELINGS about being there.

Let’s talk about reading, shall we? I finished three books last week and liked everything I read—yay! Here’s what I read:

To Love and to Cherish by Lauren Layne (★★★☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: Alexis and Logan have been friends for six years, ever since he became a silent partner in her wedding-planning business, and after spending all of that time in love with her, Logan is ready to take their relationship to the next level.

Ooh, the friends-to-lovers trope! It’s one of my faves! (One of these days, I need to write a post about romance tropes. They’re so much fun!) I really enjoyed this book—it’s the culmination of Lauren Layne’s Wedding Belles series and I think it tied up the series nicely, although I will miss these ladies and their partners something fierce! I had trouble liking Alexis for most of the book, especially with the way she constantly went hot and cold with Logan, who was just the most perfect hero. (I mean, how could he not be with his British accent?) Her inner conflict felt right and true, though, and I could understand her reluctance. I just wanted her to see how perfect Logan was for her and to stop jerking him around! Of course, she eventually does and it’s lovely when she lays her heart on the line for Logan.

Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue (★★★☆☆)

Short synopsis: This novel follows the lives of two very different families: Jende and Neni, Cameroonian immigrants who have a six-year-old son, and Clark and Cindy, a wealthy white couple with two sons. Clark is a senior executive at Lehman Brothers and Jende becomes his driver right around the fall of 2007. The differences between these two families are stark and the impending doom of the Lehman Brothers collapse plays heavy in the background.

This book provides a much-needed lens to the immigrant experience in America. The macro- and microaggressions both Jende and Neni deal with as they try to navigate this new world were hard to read about, as was the awfulness of the American immigration system. Jende’s difficulties in trying to become an American citizen place a deep strain on his marriage, and I was once again reminded of the resiliency of immigrants and the unacceptable way they are treated by the courts and by Americans themselves. The characters in this novel are complex and well-drawn. I loved and loathed all of them at separate intervals—Jende could be so lovable and sweet, and then swing around to be rage-filled and hurtful to his family. Clark could be friendly and affable with Jende, but then dismissive and cold toward his wife. It spoke to the complexity of human behavior and the way circumstances can cause us to hurt the ones we love most. I’d caution readers that this isn’t a happy or hopeful book, although there are moments of joy, but it is a true exploration of family, the immigrant experience, and what it means when dreams don’t come true.

The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas (★★★★☆)

One-sentence synopsis: Charlotte Holmes and her team are back on the case when a blast from Mrs. Watson’s past comes seeking their services to steal a priceless piece of artwork.

These books just get better and better. I love that Charlotte now has a whole team of people working with her, including the suave Lord Ingram who pines for Charlotte in the sweetest way. I’m listening to these books on audio, which is a really wonderful way to consume this mystery series as the accents are perfection. I don’t really have too much to say about this novel, other than the fact that it was propulsive, witty, and sweet, and had a queer subplot that I wasn’t expecting (especially for a novel taking place in the 1800s!) but was really lovely. I highly recommend this series.

What I’m Reading This Week

I’m currently speeding through The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes. I was on page 125ish on Saturday evening but then got to a point where I couldn’t put it down and read 150 pages alone on Sunday. It’s so good!

I’m also dipping in and out of Down with Love by Kate Meader, which is also outstanding. The voices in this novel are so distinct—the male voice is so unflinchingly honest and I love it—and I’m just thoroughly enjoying my time with this romance and don’t want it to come to an end!

Later this week, I’ll start Circe by Madeline Miller. It’s my July book for the Unread Shelf Challenge, and the prompt was “voted on by #bookstagram.” I’m not part of #bookstagram, so I picked two books outside the genres I normally read and had my Instagram peeps vote on which one I should read (the other book was Recursion by Blake Crouch)—Circe won by a landslide, so I hope it lives up to the hype! (Lots of people told me it was in their faves!)

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (7.13.20)

Happy Monday! If you’re reading this in Feedly or another feed reader, you’ll want to click through to see my brand-new blog design! Yay! I’m so happy with it and it feels like the perfect change. And it was only $20! (I used HelloYayDesign and was really impressed with how thorough the installation instructions were. Plus, she edited the blog header for me for free!)

Last week, I finished two books so it was a much lighter reading week than last week, haha, but finishing six books in a week was crazy. Here are my reviews:

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain (★★★★☆)

One-sentence synopsis: A fictionalized account of the life of Beryl Markham, a celebrated horse trainer and the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic.

I really enjoyed this book! While I expected to read more about her journey to becoming an aviator, it was mostly about her teenage years, her tumultuous twenties, and her horse training career. I loved Beryl so very much. She’s an unconventional woman who makes a lot of terrible mistakes with men, as many women in their twenties are wont to do. I loved the setting of this novel (it mostly takes place in Nairobi) and all of the eclectic characters. I would definitely recommend this book, and just about everything Paula McLain writes. I love her writing!

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez (★★☆☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: The attraction between Kristen and Josh grows stronger every day, but it can’t go anywhere because Josh wants a big family and Kristen can’t have children.

Ugh, this book. It’s like the author was trying to fit as many problematic elements into one novel. First, there’s the idea that Kristen is “not like the other girls,” something Josh explicitly states early in the novel. She’s a cool girl, ya know! She’s crass and sarcastic and looooves eating. Ugh. Second, there’s the infertility plotline. I loved how honest this book was about periods and infertility, but I hated how much shame Kristen had about her condition and upcoming hysterectomy. I really wish the author had taken a different tactic with this—it honestly didn’t fit Kristen’s personality to be so ashamed of her malfunctioning uterus. I know that can lead to sooo many complicated feelings, but none of those were fully explored. Most of the novel is about Josh wanting to be in a relationship with Kristen and her going hot and cold on him again and again, and I was so frustrated by her. I just wanted her to tell him why she didn’t want to commit! Be honest! The plot device of one character keeping a huge secret from another character is my least favorite, and it was particularly brutal in this novel. I also want to caution sensitive readers because the novel takes a complete left turn about three-quarters of the way in that I wasn’t expecting and it made a previously light-hearted novel feel heavy and tragic. Not what I expect from my romance novels! Anyway, as you can probably tell, this isn’t a book I would recommend but I’m willing to give the author a second shot. I hear her next book is better.

What I’m Reading This Week

What are you reading?