Stephany Writes

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (4.2.18)

Happy Monday, friends, and happy April! I am super looking forward to this month because my mom and I leave on a cruise at the end of it. Yayyyyy! We booked this cruise sometime in the fall of 2017, so to say we’ve been looking forward to it for awhile is an understatement. April is also the month I get to see my guys at Pod Save America live, and I couldn’t be more excited about that. I’m also hoping to spend some afternoons at the pool and put some real work into my novel this month.

But before all that, let’s dive into my reading life in the last week of March, shall we? It was another great week of reading for me because I finished three novels (two being romances, which I read super fast).

Books Finished

Title: Roomies
Author: Christina Lauren
Reason for reading: For fun
Published: 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

So, I need to preface this review by saying that I understand why many people are a little leery of this novel, especially with the debates about DACA and immigration in the news. In a way, the plot can be seen as insensitive because the hero in this novel is an Irish immigrant whose visa expired more than four years ago. And yet, due to his whiteness, he has certain privileges that other black or brown immigrants don’t have. And, honestly, that privilege is never brought up in the novel and it can be off-putting for some people. I get that totally. But also? I loved this novel, and I just had to realize that this novel can be problematic and I can love it, too. The characters were so well-written and real. The plot moved along at the perfect pace, and the way Calvin and Holland fell in love with each other felt natural and beautiful. But I think what I liked most about this novel was that while the romance was the central figure, it was also about Holland and her process of finding herself. When the novel begins, Holland is a girl with an MFA in creative writing who wants to be a writer, but is uninspired and feels that she’s just letting life happen to her. She works at her uncle’s playhouse, selling merchandise, and she knows she’s destined for way more than that, but doesn’t know how to go out and get it. Her fears and vulnerabilities were so real and I could see a lot of myself in her. She was a really easy heroine to like and root for. And I love how she came full circle in this novel. (Add to Goodreads.)

Title: Not That I Could Tell
Author: Jessica Strawser
Reason for reading: March Book of the Month pick
Published: 2018
Rating: ★★★★☆

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this thriller as much as I did, maybe because I’d read two lukewarm reviews of the novel that tempered my expectations. (Maybe that was a good thing?) I actually thought it was a truly well-written thriller that wasn’t too over-the-top with crazy twists and turns. And the characters were all super likable; the author didn’t fall into the trap of writing about female relationships in a negative way. Even the contentious relationships had a true-to-life feel to them. As I’ve had time to reflect on this book, I think the core of this book isn’t about the disappearance of a neighbor and her kids. It isn’t about the investigation into her disappearance or her estranged husband’s maybe-guilt. It is about these neighbors, about sisterhood, about vulnerability and opening up. It’s about motherhood and how lonely and isolating it can be. It’s about singlehood and how lonely and isolating that can be. It’s about how we need to watch out for each other and how women can come together and help each other. So, I can really see why this book was compared to Big Little Lies because that was the overarching theme of that novel, and I really think this was a good read-alike to that book. All in all, I really, really liked this novel and I’m really glad I gave it a chance! (Add to Goodreads.)

Title: Irresistibly Yours
Author: Lauren Layne
Reason for reading: For fun!
Published: 2015
Rating: ★★★★☆

This was such a quick, fun read and one that was hard to put down because I enjoyed the characters so much. This novel is about Cole (a character who was present in some of Layne’s previous novels) who is a notorious womanizer and freelance sports writer. He’s hoping to be hired to a full-time sports writer position at the magazine he often writes for, Oxford, and thinks he’s a shoo-in because he already has a relationship with the editor-in-chief and other staff. Enter Penelope, a woman who lives and breathes sports and wants a chance to prove she has what it takes to make it in the cutthroat sport writing world (a world where there aren’t too many females leading the way). Cole and Penelope meet during a baseball game, where he’s enamored with the way she watches the game with her entire being… until he realizes she’s his competition for the job of his dreams. Guys, I loved Penelope. I loved her so damn much that I wish she was a real person because I’d like to be her best friend. It was obvious from the beginning that she wasn’t Cole’s usual “type” – she was short and skinny with no chest and had no fashion sense – but there was something about the fact that she wasn’t his usual type that drew him to her. Their love story was sweet and hopeful and made me happy sigh when I finished this book. (Add to Goodreads.)

What I’m Reading This Week

  • Everybody’s Son by Thrity Umrigar – I recommended this book to my book club as our April read, and everyone was on board, so I’m diving into it this week! By the synopsis, I know it’s going to be a really heavy read, so I’m bracing myself for it by making sure I have some romances on deck to read when I need a break from the heaviness.
  • Take the Lead by Alexis Daria – I’ve heard amazing things about this book (it’s basically like Dancing With the Stars in romance novel form), so I think I’ll start it sometime this week.
  • The Way Home by Cindy Gerard – I’ll be starting this romance after Take the Lead. Cindy Gerard is my favorite romantic suspense author, so I’m really looking forward to this one.
  • Born a Crime by Trevor Noah – I like to listen to one nonfiction and one fiction audiobook every month, so I started Trevor Noah’s memoir yesterday. I actually won a copy of his book through a Goodreads giveaway, but I wanted to listen to it on audiobook because I hear his narration is fantastic. My library didn’t have this on audiobook, so I used up my one free Audible credit to listen to it. So far, so great.

What are you reading this week?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (3.26.18)

Wow… what a week of reading it was for me! This week, I finished four books, although it feels a little like cheating to say that because I read the majority of Nobody But You the week prior. But alas, I finished it this week, so it counts toward my total. This balances out last week when I “only” finished one book. (I say “only,” because it’s uncommon for me to only read one book a week. I realize one book a week is a massive win for most readers! I’m just obsessive about this hobby of mine, haha.) Anyway, let’s dive into what I read last week and my reading plans for this week.

Books Finished

Title: Nobody But You
Author: Jill Shalvis
Reason for reading: For fun!
Published: 2016
Rating: ★★★★★

Oh my, I loved this book from beginning to end. It was the perfect romance. This novel finishes up Shalvis’s Cedar Ridge series and we finally get Jacob’s story, who has been MIA in the previous novels. He left Cedar Ridge when he was 18 to join the military, and while he has returned once a year to visit his mom, none of his other siblings know about his visits. But now he’s on leave and has decided to spend it in Cedar Ridge, reconnecting with his family. And during one of his first days back, the most original meet-cute happens when recently divorced Sophie docks her ex-husband’s boat (the only thing she got in the divorce; she took it out of spite) at his dock and he comes out to tell her she can’t dock there. I felt the zing from the moment Sophie and Jacob met and couldn’t wait for their love story to evolve. It was perfect in every sense of the word and I never wanted this book to end. (Add to Goodreads.)

Title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Author: Betty Smith
Reason for reading: Yearly goal of reading four classic novels
Published: 1943
Rating: ★★★★★

This book took me forever to read (over two weeks!), but it was so well worth my time. (Though I’m astonished how many people read this book in middle school. I don’t think I was reading 500-page novels in middle school! Ha.) It’s a coming-of-age story about Francie Nolan, a young girl who lives in Brooklyn. Her family is poor and I could feel their struggles seeping through the pages. As the novel progresses, Francie grows from a precocious little girl to a woman in her late teens who is desperate for education and love. She encounters setbacks, tragedy, and heartache, but she never loses herself in the midst of it all. Francie is a character I don’t think I’ll ever forget. (Add to Goodreads.)

Title: Love Hacked
Author: Penny Reid
Reason for reading: For fun!
Published: 2014
Rating: ★★★★☆

I said last week that Penny Reid is hit or miss for me, but this book was definitely a hit. It wasn’t a typical romance with the typical hero, which I really appreciated. Sometimes, I can get annoyed when a romance author doesn’t follow the “rules” of romance (I know, I know, I’m working on it), but in this case, it totally worked. This novel follows the story of Sandra who has been on 30 dates, nearly all of which have ended with the man sobbing uncontrollably and her referring them to her psychotherapist friend. On its own, the premise sounds a little unbelievable and it is, but this is Penny Reid and it’s not unusual for her to have a wacky premise like this. All of these 30 dates take place at the same Indian restaurant, and so this is how she meets Alex, her ever-present waiter whom she secretly pines for. It’s after one disastrous date that she has an “encounter” with Alex and begins the process of unraveling who this gorgeous man is. What I appreciated most about this novel is how different it was, especially with a hero like Alex who really wasn’t someone I rooted for at the beginning due to how close-lipped he was about himself. But eventually, as his secrets were slowly revealed, I grew to love him and want the best for him. It was truly a beautiful story about the power of love and how it can change us for the better. (Add to Goodreads.)

Title: Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman
Author: Lindy West
Reason for reading: On my “immediate TBR” list
Published: 2016
Rating: ★★★★★

Do yourself a favor and read this book. I think it holds the top spot of my favorite book of 2018 so far. It was well-written, poignant, funny, vulnerable, powerful… and every other word I can think of. It’s a book of essays that talks about everything from what it’s like to be fat in a thin-centric world to dealing with trolls on the Internet to rape culture in the comedy world. And it is excellent. I found myself nodding my head in agreement during the chapters on fat acceptance, feeling so much disgust about how she was treated when she spoke up against rape jokes in stand-up comedy, and just generally feeling so grateful to Lindy and the way she speaks up even to her own detriment. She is no stranger to trolls and has had to develop a thick skin to deal with the onslaught she receives due to being a woman writing on the Internet – and I know for a fact that I would not be able to handle that world as she does. (Just one mean comment on my blog and I want to burn it all to the ground, so…) I was inspired by Lindy and just want to shove this book in everyone’s hands. A must read. (Add to Goodreads.)

What I’m Reading This Week

  • Roomies by Christina Lauren – My romance read for the week! I bought this novel at Target a few months ago because the premise sounded perfect. A marriage of convenience trope? I’m here for that.
  • Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser – This was my March Book of the Month (<– affiliate link, you get a free book if you sign up using my link!) pick, described as Big Little Lies-esque, which is one of my all-time favorite novels. It’s gotten some mixed reviews, though, so I’m going into it with lessened expectations, which may help me enjoy the novel more! We’ll see.
  • Irresistibly Yours by Lauren Layne – I may or may not get to this one this week, but I’m adding it to the list just in case. My upcoming week and weekend aren’t too busy, which will make for copious reading time, and I can always make time for a Lauren Layne romance. Her books are quickly becoming some of my favorite contemporary romances to read!

What are you reading this week?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (3.19.18)

It’s been a weird week for reading as I only finished one book. That’s probably because A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a long book (around 500 pages and the font is tiny!) and it’s taking me a long time to read it. But that’s okay! Quality not quantity, right? Here’s what my reading life looked like last week, and what I’d like to accomplish in this upcoming week.

Books Finished

Title: Holiday in the Hamptons
Author: Sarah Morgan
Published: 2017
Reason for reading: For fun
Rating: ★★★★☆
Format: Library e-book

This book was all kinds of fun and I read it while I slogged through the beginning of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, so it was a much-needed break from that novel. I had requested this book through Overdrive back in January and I came off the waitlist a few days before Dutch died, and I had to return it without reading it because the two main people in the novel are involved in pet-centric professions and I could not handle it at that time. But I was ready for it this week, and even though there were moments when I got a little heartbroken thinking about my beloved Dutch, it was also the light-hearted read I needed. In this novel, professional dog walker Fliss visits the Hamptons to help her grandma who took a bad fall and needs someone to help her walk her dog. What she doesn’t expect is that her ex-husband Seth (a veterinarian – see why I needed to return it?!) is now living in the Hamptons and she’ll have to run into him again and again. I could wholly relate to Fliss (she grew up with an abusive father as I did) and her struggles to believe in the love Seth had for her, and it was a truly beautiful story of faith, trust, and love. (Add to Goodreads.)

Books Abandoned

I started listening to the audiobook version of First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies by Kate Andersen Brower, but only made it halfway through the second chapter before I had to shut it off because it was making me too angry. Before starting the book, I read some reviews of First Women that said it was overly critical of Michelle Obama and they were not lying. The author seemed to have some sort of beef with her, as she mentioned over and over again how much Michelle hated being a First Lady. (This makes me wonder how the author feels about our current First Lady, but I digress.) Anyway, you don’t come after Michelle Obama. I shut that shit down real fast. Not one I’d ever recommend, unfortunately.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith – I have a little more than 200 pages to go with this novel, and I have a feeling I’m going to be sad to let Francie go when I finish it. She had become so dear to me, probably because I can relate to her so well. I mentioned last week that the beginning was a little boring for me, but I’m really, really enjoying this novel now. I can see why it’s on so many people’s all-time favorites list!
  • Nobody But You by Jill Shalvis – This romance is the perfect, light-hearted companion to ATGiB. It may even be one of the few romances that I rate 5 stars.
  • Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West – Once I finish ATGiB, this is my next read! On top of my normal TBR that I use Goodreads to keep track of, I have what I like to call an immediate TBR and these are books that received or are receiving a lot of buzz and I want to read sooner rather than later (because, let’s be honest, books get lost easily in the mammoth that is my Goodreads TBR). Currently, I have 45 books on this immediate TBR, which means it’s not really all that immediate, ha. But I’m trying to knock off two books a month off this list (I alternate between a nonfiction book and a fiction book), and Shrill is the next book on the list. Excited to dive in later this week!
  • Love Hacked by Penny Reid – I’ll probably finish Nobody But You sometime today, so my next romance is Loved Hacked. Penny Reid is really a hit-or-miss romance author for me (I find her books unnecessarily long, which is probably due to the fact that she’s a self-published author and could use a stronger editor). I haven’t loved her Knitting in the City books as much as others, so I think I’m going to give this one a try and if I don’t like it, just move on.

What are you reading this week?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (Week of 3.12.18)

Happy Monday, friends, and welcome to a brand-new series I’m starting on this blog. For a while now I’ve been reading at a crazy pace, finishing 2-3 books a week, and I thought it might be interesting to track my reads in real-time, rather than recapping everything at the end of the month. I’m not sure if I’ll continue the monthly book reviews (feels like that might be overkill!), but we’ll see.

With this series, I’m going to recap the books I finished over the past week with a few thoughts on the books, and then discuss the titles I’m reading or going to start reading this week. Hopefully, it’ll also give you a little glimpse into how I choose what I’m going to read next, too.

Books Finished

Title: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
Author: Gail Honeyman
Published: 2017
Reason for reading: Work book club
Rating: ★★★★☆
Format: Hardcover (from Book of the Month <– referral link)

Oh, this book was utterly charming and everything I needed after reading something heavy and emotionally devastating. It follows the story of Eleanor Oliphant, a quirky woman in her thirties who lives a very solitary life. She’s worked at the same job for eight years, lives alone, and doesn’t venture out very much. But when she meets the new IT guy at her work, a bumbling man named Raymond, her world opens up a bit and she starts to realize what life truly means when you have friends. It took me about 100-150 pages to truly fall into the story, but that wasn’t because the beginning was a slog or anything. I think the author just had to introduce the reader into Eleanor’s world and it took a bit to really know her and understand her. But once I did, I was completely captivated by her and wanted her to have all of the happiness. A truly feel-good story that may have you hugging your book to your chest when you finish like I did. (Add to Goodreads.)

Title: I Found You
Author: Lisa Jewell
Published: 2017
Reason for reading: For fun!
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Format: Library audiobook

Listen to this premise: a woman living in Yorkshire, England finds a man sitting on the beach outside her house with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Meanwhile, nearly 200 miles south, in Surrey, another woman has reported her husband of three weeks missing after he fails to come home. And that’s when she discovers that the man she thought was her husband never even existed. Crazy, right? And it was! It was really insane to figure out how everything was going to connect, and the story definitely took a turn I wasn’t expecting. Why did I give it 3 stars, then? I think it was just the slow pace of the novel – I definitely prefer my thrillers to be fast-paced – and the way everything was revealed in the end. I also found some of the characters supremely unlikable, but that’s to be expected from a thriller. (Add to Goodreads.)

Title: The Wedding Date
Author: Jasmine Guillory
Published: 2018
Reason for reading: Book club
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Format: Paperback

I had really high hopes for this romance, thinking it might be similar in style and tone to The Hating Game, which is my all-time favorite romance novel. Alas, it did not live up to my expectations. It was really apparent to me that this was the author’s debut novel, and I found most of the novel to be more “tell” than “show.” I also never really fully connected with the characters and didn’t think they were fully fleshed out. If you love romances, give it a try (just be prepared for cheesy language!), but if you’re not so keen on them, I’d steer clear. (Add to Goodreads.)

What I’m Reading This Week

  • A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, which I’m reading to fulfill my yearly goal of reading four classic novels. I never read this one back in high school or college, but so many people rave about it so I have high hopes. I’m a little over 100 pages in right now and I must admit, I’m finding it to be a bit of a slog. Hoping it picks up soon!
  • Holiday in the Hamptons by Sarah Morgan, which I’m reading simultaneously with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. (How I do this: I read about 50ish pages of ATGiB and then switch over to the romance and read about 100 pages, then go back to ATGiB.)
  • Nobody But You by Jill Shalvis, which I’ll start once I finish Holiday in the Hamptons.

What are you reading this week?

Categories: Books

My Favorite Reads of February

February was another great month of reading for me, not just because I read 12 books but because I ended up loving most of what I read. I gave nine out of the 12 books four or five stars.

Losing myself in my books, especially more light-hearted reads and romances, is what has helped me the most during my period of grief soon after losing Dutch. I spent a lot of time alone this month and being able to turn to my books and lose myself in a story was so very helpful.

Here are my reviews for the four and five-star reads:

Killing Time by Cindy Gerard (★★★★★) – Killing Time begins a new romantic suspense series by Gerard and I can tell I’m in for another sensational series from her. This one begins with the hero being drugged and kidnapped by the heroine, and from there, it’s a nonstop thrill ride from beginning to end. It had Gerard’s signature wit, excitement, and romance, and while at the beginning I was unsure if Mike and Eva were meant for each other, by the end, I was sold on their romance. Truly perfect!

The Trouble With Love by Lauren Layne (★★★★☆)- I think I read 60% of this book on the night before we put Dutch down because I couldn’t sleep and I needed something incredibly light-hearted to get me through the night. Enter a romance novel, especially a Lauren Layne romance novel. It was exactly what I needed and kept my mind off my grief for just a little while. It followed the trope of “former lovers turned enemies,” which might be one of my favorite romance tropes. Funny, smart, sassy, and sexy. It was perfect and exactly what I needed during this time in my life.

Thanks, Obama: My Hopey, Changey White House Years by David Litt (★★★★☆) – Lemme tell you – I am here for all the memoirs being published lately from former Obama staffers. Here. For. It. I read Alyssa Mastromonaco’s book and this book couldn’t have been more different. First of all, Mastromonaco had a direct line to Obama while David Litt spent much of his time in the White House without ever seeing him. This book made me actually laugh out loud at moments and then cry when he talked about the Sandy Hook shooting and how it affected all of them in the White House. It made me fall even more in love with Obama and get even sicker to my stomach about this current administration. And it made me realize that it doesn’t matter how many times you screw up (even if the screw-up involves offending an entire nation!), you just get back up, try again, and hope for the best.

The Bastard’s Bargain by Katee Robert (★★★★★) – This book wraps up Katee Robert’s The O’Malleys series and it gives it the perfect ending! I was so excited to read this one that I actually preordered it because I didn’t want to want for my library to get it in stock. This novel finally redeems Dmitri, who has been a constant presence in all the books as he was originally set to marry one of the older O’Malley sisters. It also redeems Keira, who has been in a downward spiral since a tragedy happened a few books back (I won’t say what, so I don’t spoil the series for anyone who wants to read it from the beginning). For some reason, these two crazy kids make it work. Keira doesn’t take Dmitri’s shit and Dmitri needs Keira’s lightness and fun in his life. It’s a sweet yet honest novel, and I was sad to finish it because I didn’t want to leave The O’Malleys.

Sutphin Boulevard by Santino Hassell (★★★★★) – So, this is actually the first queer romance I’ve ever read, and guys, I have been missing out. At least missing out on Santino Hassell because this book was phenomenal. It follows the “best friends fall in love” romance trope, which is honestly one of my favorite tropes and it was everything I could have wanted. It was a bit darker and grittier than the typical romance novels I read, but that just added an extra element to the world that Hassell built. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. Woo!

Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy (★★★★★) – I listened to this fun, heartwarming YA novel on audio and I really loved the narrator and her soft Southern accent. In this novel, Ramona, who came out as gay a few years ago and recently had a summer fling with a girl finds herself falling in love with a guy for the first time, which brings about all sorts of questions and mixed emotions. I know there has been criticism surrounding this book, but I thought Julie Murphy really did a great job exploring sexuality and its fluidity. And seriously, the book was just plain fun and I found myself really looking forward to longer drives where I could listen to the audiobook.

Where Am I Now? by Mara Wilson (★★★★★) – I’ve longed loved Mara Wilson, both from her childhood acting and from the stuff I’ve seen from her as an adult, so it was time to finally read her book. This read less like a typical memoir and more like a series of vignettes, as each chapter had a specific theme, such as her journey to being diagnosed with OCD and losing her mother at a young age to cancer. It was beautifully written and poignant and I loved reading about her time on the set of Matilda and the impact Robin Williams had on her life. Completely worth a read!

Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini (★★★★☆) – I straight-up adore Leah Remini and King of Queens was one of the first sitcoms I watched religiously, so I have wanted to read her memoir for a while now. I really didn’t even know about her Scientology background until this book came out (I guess I used to live under a rock?) I also knew nothing at all about Scientology itself before reading this book and it was truly eye-opening for me. I was incredulous at the things they put Leah through and sickened to learn about how much money she gave to Scientology over the years (millions of dollars). If you’re going to read this book, then you must listen to the audiobook because Leah reads it so well and her sarcastic New York accent is everything to me.

Other February reads: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (★★★★★), Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda (★★★☆☆), Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz (★★★☆☆), and Riding Temptation by Jaci Burton (★★★☆☆).

FEBRUARY BOOK STATS

Number of books read: 12
Number of pages: 3,894
Genre breakdown: romance (6), nonfiction (3), fiction (1), YA (2)
Number of diverse reads: 5 (42%)
Where I sourced my books: library/Overdrive (9), Amazon (2), Thriftbooks (1)
Money spent on reading this month: $9.52