Stephany Writes

Categories: Books

Reading Wrap-Up | July 2018

I want to start this reading wrap-up with a disclaimer. Often, when I talk about the amount of books I read in a month, I receive comments from people who seem to be self-conscious about their reading life. It happens frequently, so I’m not trying to call anyone out here, but I do want to say that I don’t give my monthly reading total to brag. And it’s not a competition. If you only read one book this month because you were busy corralling kids while on vacation or traveling for work, that’s fine. If you only read one book this month because you chose to binge on Netflix, that’s fine. If you only read one book this month because that’s all your mind could handle, that’s fine. I’m a reader through and through, which means I set aside a lot of time to read in my life. (I’m also single and childless with a low-stress job, which means I have more hours in a day to get things done than most people.)

I also don’t feel like reading is the right hobby for everyone. I wish it was, only because I derive so much joy from it myself and I think reading does wonders for opening up one’s worldview. But for some people, reading just isn’t fun. It’s work. And so, I’m not going to sit here and implore everyone I know to read as much as they can. Read if you want, or don’t. But please don’t feel as if I am bragging when I tell you how many books I read, or that the fact that I can read so many books a month means I am superior. I’m not. I’m just a woman who loves to read and makes a conscious effort (at the detriment of other hobbies) to read as much as I can.

Okay! With that said, let’s get onto my reading wrap-up! In July, I read 13 books and abandoned two. My average rating was 3.9, which is the exact average rating I had last month. I had a few 5-star reads mixed in with a bunch of 4-star ones, so it was a pretty solid reading month for me.

Books Read

1) A Hope Divided by Alyssa Cole (★★★☆☆) – I found this historical romance to be lackluster in the romance department, but really interesting when it comes to the historical element. I learned so much!

2) The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny (★★★★☆) – This cozy mystery was slow to start but super stressful for a good chunk of it due to a secondary plot involving the chief inspector. Not for the faint of heart!

3) Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality by Jacob Tomsky (★★☆☆☆) – I was unimpressed with this memoir and didn’t find it as dishy about working in hotels as one might imagine.

4) The Strongest Steel by Scarlett Cole (★★★★☆) – This romance was so much fun to read that I nearly stayed up late one evening to read the whole book in a night. (I paced myself, however.)

5) The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (★★★★☆) – Pick up this book if you want to read about a bisexual man living in the 1700s and in love with his best friend who goes on a tour of Europe only to be attacked by highwaymen and pirates.

6) Intermediate Thermodynamics by Susannah Nix (★★★☆☆) – A slow plot and lackluster romance mean I probably wouldn’t fall over myself to recommend it, but I loved reading about a woman rocket scientist and how she dealt with constant misogyny and sexism at work.

7) The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (★★★★★) – A beautifully written novel that brings a human element to the topic of immigration and deportation. A must-read.

8) Someone Like You by Lauren Layne (★★★★☆) – This novel had a pretty heartbreaking side plot that had a major bearing on the overarching romance, but it never felt like it was too much or overpowered their love story. A very satisfying read.

9) The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli (★★★★☆) – I loved every minute I spent with this book and could relate the Molly, the main character, more than I’ve ever related to a character. Highly recommend, especially if you love sweet YA love stories.

10) The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager (★★★★★) – Another 5-star Riley Sager novel for me! His thrillers are just so damn compelling, and I couldn’t put this one down for anything.

11) Make Me Crave by Katee Robert (★★★★☆) – Just one of those sexy romances that had a really silly premise, but was carried out in a semi-believable way. And those sex scenes – whew!

12) The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson (★★★★☆) – This is the kind of self-help I love: giving me some great quotes to think about without overwhelming me with a bunch of action steps and to-dos. I hope he writes more books!

13) Lies She Told by Cate Holahan (★★★★★) – The premise of this thriller was so incredible and the execution so flawless that I couldn’t give it anything less than 5 stars. Highly recommend.

From the above list, the three books that I wholly recommend and think just about any reader will like are The Sun Is Also a Star, The Last Time I Lied, and Lies She Told.

Book Stats

  • Number of pages read: 4,019
  • Breakdown of formats: e-books (5), physical copies (5), audiobooks (3)
  • Book that took me the longest time to read: The Cruelest Month (9 days)
  • Book that took me the shortest time to read: Make Me Crave (3 days)
  • Breakdown of genres: romance (5), nonfiction (2), historical fiction (1), YA (2), mystery/thriller (3)
  • Number of diverse reads: 4 (31%)
  • Where I sourced my books: library/Overdrive (10), Amazon (2), Book of the Month (1)
  • How much my books cost me this month: $19.97

What was the best book you read in July?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (7.30.18)

This was my last low-key weekend for the next few weeks, so I tried to enjoy the extra downtime as much as I could. I’m happy to have a few busy weekends on my schedule in August, but also aware that it will limit my alone time, which can lead to anxiety and overstimulation. Just have to make sure to build in some alone time when I can!

Last week, I finished three books and I’ll be interested to see if I can read at this same frenetic pace when my weekends are much busier than usual.

Books Finished

Title: The Last Time I Lied
Author: Riley Sager
Published: 2018
Format: Hardcover
Rating: ★★★★★

Plot Summary: Emma was 14 during her first summer at Camp Nightingale, a summer that ended in tragedy when her three cabinmates turned up missing and were never found. Now, fifteen years later, Emma returns to Camp Nightingale, this time as a painting instructor, with a secret mission to find out what really happened to her friends.

My Thoughts: I loved Sager’s first novel, Final Girls, and I was curious to see if his second novel would be just as captivating. The answer is yes. I think I loved this book more than Final Girls! The setting was terrific (come on, a sleepaway camp? Yes, please.) and I really enjoyed each and every character, even the ones that were written to be unlikable. I was also surprised by all the twists and turns this book took, and definitely didn’t see the ending coming. If you’re on the lookout for a really great thriller, pick this one up!

Title: Make Me Crave
Author: Katee Robert
Published: 2018
Format: e-book
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: Roman has an investor interested in Allie’s women-only gym/women’s shelter, but she hasn’t taken any of his calls about it. When she takes off for a vacation to a Caribbean island for a week, he decides to follow her there to make her finally listen to his spiel.

My Thoughts: Romance novels often require you to suspend belief, and this one definitely required that because in any other setting, a man chasing a woman down on vacation is creepy and stalker AF. But there’s a good reason why Roman is so intent on his investor taking over Allie’s business and it didn’t come across as creepy as it might seem. The chemistry between Allie and Roman was sizzling from the get-go, and I was pulling for them to make it. They both brought a ton of baggage into their vacation-fling-turned-something-more, but I really love the way they worked through it. There was just something so sweet and lovely about their love story. I thought the ending was super rushed and since the book was only 225 pages, I definitely think the author could have tacked on an extra few chapters to flesh it out, but still a fun romance novel. (Be warned: this book has a lot of sex scenes, so if that’s not your jam when it comes to romances, you might want to steer clear.)

Title: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
Author: Mark Manson
Published: 2016
Format: Library hardcover
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: A profanity-heavy book in the self-help genre that begs the question, you only have so many fucks to give, so what do you really give a fuck about?

My Thoughts: I loved this book. I had a feeling I would because self-help like this is my jam, and I found so much incredible insight from Manson’s words. I saved so many quotes from this book, and it really made me think about my life and the pain I’ve experienced in an entirely new way. Manson states clearly that it’s our negative experiences, our suffering, our pain, and our fears that help us to live more fully and happily. It’s only by going through those peaks and valleys that we find our truest selves. “We suffer for the simple reason that suffering is biologically useful,” Manson writes in the book. “It is nature’s preferred agent for inspiring change.” It wasn’t the epiphany I was hoping to get from this book (I mean, yeah, not sure most of us want to know that suffering is useful to our overall sense of self), but it’s one I’m continuing to ruminate on as I think about this book and Manson’s words.

Book Abandoned

Lost and Found Sisters by Jill Shalvis – I abandoned this book on page 55, and it’s the first time I’ve ever abandoned a Jill Shalvis novel. Her contemporary romances are some of my favorites to read, but this women’s fic novel left a lot to be desired. I found the writing to be a little over-the-top cheesy and the main character to be supremely unlikable. Meh.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • Lies She Told by Cate Holahan – This is my book club’s August pick that I’m reading a bit early. I downloaded the audio version last week and have been dipping in and out of it. It’s a fascinating thriller and I have no idea where it’s going!
  • The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware – Reading this for my work book club. It’s been on my TBR list for a long time now. It gets mixed reviews from the people I follow on Goodreads, so I’m hoping that by going into the novel with low expectations, it will exceed them!
  • Never, Never Part 1 by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher – This is a short little novel at just under 160 pages, and I usually speed through Hoover’s longer novels, so I figure I’ll finish this one in just a few days if that.
  • Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance – I’ve heard so many mixed reviews of this novel, so I’m going into it with very low expectations (guess that’s my theme of the week).

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (7.23.18)

Happy Monday! I am starting the week with my heart so full, after a lovely weekend spent with my best girlfriends at Anna Maria Island. It’s just about an hour south of where we live, so it was a nice, quick beach getaway for all of us.

This week, I finished four books! That may be a record for me, but it’s only because I was nearly finished with Intermediate Thermodynamics and one of the books was an audiobook. Let’s get into my reviews:

Books Finished

Title: Intermediate Thermodynamics
Author: Susannah Nix
Format: e-book
Published: 2017
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Plot Summary: Esther strikes a deal with her next-door neighbor, Jonathan. If he will take her best friend on a few dates to distract her from her terrible ex-boyfriend, then Esther will be his science advisor for the sci-fi screenplay he’s writing.

My Thoughts: While I didn’t love this novel as much as I loved Nix’s first one, it was still a pretty decent rom-com. I loved Esther, who is a real-life rocket scientist and is dealing with a lot of sexism at work due to being a female in a male-dominated space. And I always love an enemies-to-lovers romance trope, so I enjoyed watching Esther and Jonathan morph from hating each other to falling in love. I only wish we could have gotten Jonathan’s POV. I find it so hard to really get invested in a romance when it’s only from the female POV. Still – this novel was entertaining and who can deny how cool it is to read about a female rocket scientist?!

Title: The Sun Is Also a Star
Author: Nicola Yoon
Format: Library hardcover
Published: 2016
Rating: ★★★★★

Plot Summary: Natasha and Daniel meet each other hours before Natasha and her family are due to be deported to Jamaica. They spend the day together, falling in love and trying to hope fate wouldn’t be so cruel to tear them apart just when they found each other.

My Thoughts: This book is so lovely. It’s a timely read, as it delves into the topics of immigration, deportation, and being a person of color in a society that celebrates whiteness. It’s also a quick read, as I sped through the novel in a matter of days. I loved the perspectives of Natasha and Daniel, and how differently they viewed the world. And I loved the way they fell in love with each other. It was quick for Daniel, slower for Natasha, but they both got there in their own way, both just trying to hold on to these moments together with the understanding that it could all get ripped away from them. It’s a really sweet, light-hearted YA novel that tackles an incredibly serious topic, and Nicola Yoon has my heart forever.

Title: Someone Like You
Author: Lauren Layne
Format: Library e-book
Published: 2016
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: Lincoln and Daisy meet at a wedding – Daisy’s sister’s wedding, to be exact. She’s the maid of honor, he’s the best man. Unfortunately, they meet at the worst time: Lincoln is unavailable and Daisy’s recently divorced. And then Daisy stumbles upon Lincoln’s secret for why he is so unavailable and their lives become entwined in a way that will heal both of their hearts.

My Thoughts: This is book #7 in Lauren Layne’s Stiletto/Oxford series, and throughout those first six books, Lincoln is a present force. He’s the charming playboy in all those books, but there’s a seriousness to him. So serious that I figured the “secret” that Lincoln’s been harboring is that he’s gay (and believe me, I was here for that). But that’s not the secret! It’s actually a lot more heartbreaking than I could have imagined, and it gave me a profound respect for Lincoln. This book had the potential to get overwhelmed by the overarching plotline, leaving the romance as an afterthought, but it didn’t. The romance felt like the perfect complement to the difficult experiences the characters were trying to heal from. It helped them come to terms with their past and it was a really beautiful thing.

Title: The Upside of Unrequited
Author: Becky Albertalli
Format: Library audiobook
Published: 2017
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: Molly is 17, never been kissed, and has had 26 unrequited crushes. But this summer, something’s going to change. She has a fun new summer job that comes with a cute coworker named Reid, and her twin sister just started dating someone new who has an adorable hipster best friend named Will.

My Thoughts: This was one of those super sweet YA love stories with a lot of complex teenage angst. I could wholly relate to Molly as the idea of having so many unrequited crushes because you’re too scared to put your heart on the line was definitely my reality in high school. The idea of not believing anyone would want to date you because fat girls just don’t get to have that kind of love life is also very, very real. I loved how all of this was addressed in the book in a way that was honest without drifting into the realm of self-loathing. It helped me put into words the way I sometimes still feel when I date and why online dating is so much easier for me than going up to a stranger and flirting. The potential for rejection is huge, and it’s especially heartbreaking when you don’t fit into that ideal mold of womanhood. So, I appreciated the perspective of this novel so much and I can’t wait to read everything else Albertalli has written!

What I’m Reading This Week

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (7.16.18)

Happy Monday, friends! I had one of those pretty perfect weekends where I had the right mix of social plans and alone time to keep me happy. And I took a nap every day! So, I really can’t complain much and I’m starting the work week feeling refreshed and ready to tackle my to-do list.

I finished two books this past week and abandoned one, so let’s get into my reviews:

Books Finished

Title: The Strongest Steel
Author: Scarlett Cole
Published: 2015
Format: Library e-book
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: Harper needs a tattoo artist who can tattoo over the scars on her back, left there by her violent ex-boyfriend. So, she asks Trent, a tattoo artist who specializes in tattooing over scars, to do it. In doing so, Harper finds herself not only healing from the trauma of her past relationship but also finding the courage to fall in love again.

My Thoughts: I loved this novel! From the first page, I was invested in Harper’s story and couldn’t put the book down. It was beautiful to see the arc of Harper’s story, going from a girl who was living a half-life and still dealing with the after-effects of an abusive relationship to someone who understands her worth and can stand up for herself. And some of that change was due to Trent, her tattoo artist. He was such a perfect male hero – sexy, sensitive, tough, vulnerable, and everything Harper needed. He had his own struggles to work through, but I loved watching the two of them fall in love and how it changed both of their worlds. There was just something so sweet about their romance.

Title: The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
Author: Mackenzi Lee
Published: 2017
Format: Library hardcover
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: It’s Monty’s one last hurrah before he has to take over his family’s estate – he is embarking on his Grand Tour of Europe with his sister Felicity and best friend Percy. But a time that should simply be full of drinking and debauchery instead has them on the run from all sorts of dangerous people and fighting for their lives.

My Thoughts: What a fun novel this was! My hardcover copy was 500 pages, but I tore through this book in a matter of days. It was so compelling and fun and a perspective we just don’t get to see in historical novels with a bisexual male character who is pining for his best friend. What I loved most about this novel was how much of an anti-hero Monty was. He wasn’t brave and courageous like Felicity, nor kind and good-natured like Percy. No – he was pretty selfish and inconsiderate. All he wanted to do was drink his life away with no regard for who he hurt. I also liked how useless he was in crisis, ha. He’s just not your typical main character, and I loved how self-centered he was (to a point – thankfully, he had to grow up through the novel and he did so admirably). This book was just a wild ride full of pirates and dukes and alchemists and so much more. It wasn’t anything I was expecting, and I loved it for that.

Book Abandoned

Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman by Anne Helen Petersen – I gave up on this book around page 50, right before the chapter on Melissa McCarthy ended. It was just very dry and a little uninteresting, even though the topic at hand seemed right up my alley. I can download the audiobook version from my library, so I may try it on that medium in a few months, but the book just wasn’t for me right now.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • Intermediate Thermodynamics by Susannah Nix – I’m about halfway through this really fun and smart contemporary romance. The female lead in this novel is a literal rocket scientist, and I am here for that.
  • The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli – This is my fiction audiobook pick for July, and I’ve finished the first few chapters already. It’s fun and romantic and heartwarming, and I can’t wait to spend the next week with these characters.
  • The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon – I’ve officially reached my limit with library renewals for this novel, so it’s time to sit down and read it finally. I have a feeling I’m going to love it and question why it sat on my nightstand so long before I read it.
  • Someone Like You by Lauren Layne – Once I finish The Sun Is Also a Star, I’ll begin this fun contemporary romance. Yay!

What are you currently reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (7.9.18)

Happy Monday! I am feeling refreshed and ready to begin a new week, and I haven’t felt that way in a really long time. I had a really great weekend; my mom’s birthday was yesterday, so I basically spent the weekend celebrating her and that was lovely in all respects. My brother and I spent Saturday night with her, playing games and eating pizza and cake. Then, yesterday, I brought over mini doughnuts and then took her out to lunch. It was perfect.

This week, I finished three books! One of them was an audiobook, so don’t get too excited. 😉 Here are my reviews:

Books Finished

Title: A Hope Divided
Author: Alyssa Cole
Format: Library e-book
Published: 2017
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Plot Summary: For three years, Marlie has been a spy for the Union, even though she lives in the South where the Confederacy is strong. When she has to harbor a Union soldier who recently escaped from prison in her laboratory, she does so not knowing the effect he will have on her. Then, the home Marlie is staying in becomes a new base of operations for the Confederate Home Guard, and in doing so, she becomes a prisoner in her own home. When a stunning family secret is revealed, Marlie and her Union soldier have to go on the run, following the path of the Underground Railroad.

My Thoughts: I was a little disappointed in this historical romance, especially since I loved the other Alyssa Cole romance I read. I just did not enjoy Marlie’s character and the romance between her and the Union soldier, Ewan, was lackluster. I didn’t really feel any chemistry between the two of them, any reason for why they needed to be together. There were also a ton of loose ends that were never fully wrapped up. And it’s not that I need a tidy ending to love a book, but it’s rather annoying when an author opens up a can of worms, but then never really resolves it. I needed a little more closure. What I did love and appreciate from this novel was learning so many new things about the Civil War (there’s so much my high school history classes never covered!)

Title: The Cruelest Month
Author: Louise Penny
Format: Library paperback
Published: 2008
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his team is called back to Three Pines when a murder happens at the old Hadley house during a seance. Was the victim merely scared to literal death, or was something more sinister at play?

My Thoughts: While a lot of this book moved a bit too slowly for my tastes – I’m still trying to get used to the pace of a cozy mystery since I’m so used to reading thrillers full of crazy twists and turns – the last 30% was pretty much perfect. I also struggled with this book because there was a secondary plot line involving an old case that Gamache had solved in which he sent the former Superintendent of the police to prison. In the previous two books (The Cruelest Month is the third book in Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache series), there have been a few storylines leading to this one, so it wasn’t a surprise, but it was still very stressful to read about and hard to stomach. In the end, though, the mystery at hand had the starring role and when everything was finally revealed, I was pretty surprised at who the murderer turned out to be!

Title: Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality
Author: Jacob Tomsky
Format: Library audiobook
Published: 2012
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Plot Summary: Jacob Tomsky is an experienced hotelier who dishes on the secrets of the hospitality business, and provides some tips and tricks for your next hotel stay.

My Thoughts: I listened to this memoir on audiobook, read by the author, and it was just okay. It was the kind of memoir that didn’t really seem like it needed to be written. Know what I mean? Like, just because you can write a memoir about working in the hotel business doesn’t mean you should. It was kinda boring, to be honest, and his tips can be boiled down to: treat hotel employees with respect and bribe them with money (preferably a “brick,” aka $100) for upgrades. This won’t be a memoir that I recommend to everyone I know, nor do I think I’ll remember reading it just a few months from now.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • The Strongest Steel by Scarlett Cole – I am loving this contemporary romance by a new-to-me author. This is the first book I’ve read from Scarlett Cole, but you can be sure it won’t be the last. I’m nearly finished with it, and kinda don’t want the story to end!
  • Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman by Anne Helen Petersen – I talked about this book in a previous What I’m Reading post, but I didn’t end up reading it the week I said I would because I had to read a more time-sensitive book (Educated by Tara Westover, which was on a two-week loan from the library and I knew I wouldn’t be able to renew it.)
  • Intermediate Thermodynamics by Susannah Nix – Once I finish The Strongest Steel, I’m picking up another Susannah Nix contemporary romance. I read the first book in the series, Remedial Rocket Science, and loved it so much. I’m hoping this one is just as good!

What are you reading this week?