Stephany Writes

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (10.5.20)

Happy Monday! I thought it might be fun to start off these reading updates with a “bookish moment of the week.” This is something that starts each episode of the Currently Reading podcast, so why not talk about some of my own bookish moments? This week, my bookish moment was searching my book collection for a book for my mom. She’s a notoriously picky reader: It can’t be too romance-y, nor too depressing, nor too character-driven. No thrillers, no historical fiction, closed-door romance only. She mostly reads celebrity memoirs and some light fiction but also gets bored very easily while reading. (She used to be a huge reader and is the person who inspired my love of reading, but doesn’t do much of it these days.) I really think that getting back to her love of reading would be great for her mental health, but searching for the right book is tough. Anyway, I picked up One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London (my review below!) for her, so fingers crossed! (And, seriously, any book recommendations for my picky mom are WELCOME. I’m always at a loss of what to recommend to her!)

Okay, now let’s dive into my reviews!

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London (★★★☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: When Bea becomes the first plus-size star of a Bachelor-type reality TV show, she’s determined not to get her heart involved—but then she meets the men she’ll be “dating.”

I liked this book, and I think it’s perfect for people who want to read something light-hearted without it being too “romance-y.” Plus, you can’t beat a plus-size heroine, and Bea is one of the best. She’s vulnerable and funny and sweet and snarky—everything I want from my heroines! I could intimately relate to her internal struggles, including how difficult it can be to date as a fat person. It’s hard when you know you’re a catch but you feel as if nobody wants to date you because of your size! I wish this book had given us more body diversity in terms of the men (here’s a great blog post about this very topic—so great to see more plus-size heroines in our romances, but why can’t we also have plus-size heroes?) I also wanted a bit more from the actual romance—for me, it was easy to figure out who Bea would end up with at the end, but there wasn’t a whole lot of depth to their relationship considering she was dating multiple men in addition to him! But still, it’s a great book to pick up and Bea gets all the heart-eyes from me. (Closed-door romance.)

Passion on Park Avenue by Lauren Layne (★★★★☆)

Short synopsis: Naomi, CEO of a successful accessories business, moves into a Park Avenue apartment—the same one she lived in as a child when her mom was the live-in housekeeper for a rich family. The son of that family used to be her tormenter… and now he’s going to be her neighbor. 

Oh, Naomi and Oliver! I loved these two fools so much. Their romance was a slow burn (I don’t even think they kissed until the 70% mark!), but there was so much fun banter and flirting between the two of them leading up to that magical kiss that I didn’t even mind it. I loved the way they slowly opened up to one another, letting their walls come down. Oliver is taking care of his father who has Alzheimer’s, and I really loved the addition of this storyline. It really brought awareness to what it’s like to be a caretaker and the realities of Alzheimer’s disease. (Closed-door romance.)

The Guest List by Lucy Foley (★★☆☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: It’s the destination wedding of a rising TV star and a successful magazine publisher on a remote island off the coast of Ireland, but the dream day turns into a nightmare when someone turns up dead.

The Guest List is the October book for my work book club, so I picked it up to read this weekend… and it was just okay. It was one of those forgettable thrillers with supremely unlikable characters and trigger warnings galore. I found the writing to be overwrought, especially with the heavy-handed foreshadowing. There were bright spots, though, such as the island setting that functioned as a character itself. The actual mystery of who was going to die and who the killer would be was interesting and kept me engaged. But in the end, I just didn’t care because all of the characters were so awful that they could have all died and I would have been okay with that. Eeps.

The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett – abandoned

Oh, I really thought I was going to power through and finish this novel, even though I wasn’t really enjoying it. I am very much someone who believes in abandoning books so I don’t know why I was forcing myself to read something I didn’t like! But at the 60% mark, I had enough. This novel follows three paths that two characters take after a chance meeting in college. In one path, they act on their chemistry, break up with their significant others, and eventually get married. In another, nothing happens—they say goodbye and continue with their lives. And in a third, they start dating but then break up. Over the course of the novel, we follow these two characters throughout their lives but I just couldn’t handle all of the infidelity. That could be a spoiler, and if so, I’m sorry, but I feel like people should know what they’re getting into. Maybe that’s not a deal breaker for you, and if so, you might actually enjoy the novel! But if bad people behaving badly isn’t your cup of tea, I’d recommend steering clear.

What I’m Reading This Week

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (9.28.20)

Happy Monday, friends! I am starting this week on Chip duty, which means spending my evenings with him (and sleeping over at my mom’s place) and the late mornings/afternoons at my place to give the girls some attention. It feels a little hectic (and I always hate spending nights away from my cats), but I also love getting one-on-one time with Chip! He’s the best boy and I’m excited to hang out with him this week. 🙂

It was a good reading week for me—three books finished! Let’s review:

When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare (★★☆☆☆)

Short synopsis: Shy, socially awkward Maddie discovers an easy way to make sure she never has to attend a ball: She invents a sweetheart named Captain Logan MacKenzie. She believes she properly deceived her family for years—until the real Captain MacKenzie shows up on her doorstep!

What a fun premise! I could most assuredly relate to Maddie and being socially awkward (she has what are essentially panic attacks whenever she’s in a crowd). Unfortunately, most of this novel just didn’t work for me. I didn’t find the romance to be very believable and lacked the depth I wanted from my romances. I wanted to feel something for the characters, and there was just nothing there. It was all a bit… boring? Eeks. I usually love Tessa Dare’s historical romances, but this one just very much missed the mark.

The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly: A Physician’s First Year by Matt McCarthy (★★★★★)

One-sentence synopsis: A memoir of a medical intern’s year spent in various departments in a New York hospital. 

This memoir was so good! This is the second memoir written by a physician that I’ve read, and this subgenre really appeals to me. Matt is vulnerable about his mistakes, especially during his first few months as an intern, and it was really amazing to see his growth as a physician throughout the year. At times, this book could be triggering for me, only because I’ve had way too much experience with ICUs in the past few years, as both of my grandparents were ICU patients who passed away in the hospital. But Matt’s engaging writing style and hopeful tone kept it from being too much for me, thankfully. Definitely a memoir I would recommend!

All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation by Rebecca Traister (★★★☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: A research-based look at why more women are choosing to stay single and unmarried at this point in history.

I have complicated feelings about this book. On the one hand, as someone who has been single for most of her adult life, I am grateful this book exists. I felt so seen while reading it. We’re at such a defining moment in history where women can be unmarried and still live big, full, exciting lives. It wasn’t always possible to do that—it was only in the 1970s that unmarried women could even open their own bank account! On the other hand, I don’t believe those who got married young have trapped themselves. If I had found my person in my early twenties, I would have gotten married! But I didn’t, and I haven’t, so I remain unmarried and happy in my singledom because I have the freedom that wasn’t afforded to my mom or my grandma or the legions of women that came before me. There were times when this book felt a little too academic, and I really despised the chapter of “Where Are They Now,” which basically just tells us if the women Traister interviewed for the book are married or not (…which seems to defeat the purpose of the book???) Anyway, I am still piecing together my thoughts on this book, so I’ll probably write a blog post about it in the future.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett (e-book) – This has been a really fun read so far! It’s about two characters who have a chance meeting one afternoon while they’re in college and the different paths their lives can take if they act (or don’t act) on the sudden chemistry they feel with one another.
  • One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London (print) – I’ve had this book on my shelf for a while and I’m finally reading it. It follows a plus-size woman on a Bachelor-type reality TV show. At times, it’s been a little triggering for me, but I’m hanging in there for now.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (9.23.20)

Happy Wednesday, friends! We’re halfway through the work week, yay! It’s always weird to settle back into work mode after taking a full week off, but it hasn’t been too bad thankfully. There is a lot to do as the end of the month is coming quickly (howwww) and I’m just trying to keep up with my workload. 🙂

I’ve got quite a few book reviews today, as this comprises two weeks’ worth of reading. Let’s dive in!

Deacon King Kong by James McBride (★★★★★)

One-sentence synopsis: A drug dealer is shot by a cranky old church deacon in front of a large crowd and the shooting reverberates throughout the community, from the people who witnessed it to the detectives investigating it.

I have no idea how this book got on my radar, but I’m so glad it did! This book was excellent and perfect for those who love character-driven novels. (Although I would suggest making a character list as new characters get introduced to keep everyone straight!) I found every character to be so well-written and dynamic and easy to root for (yes, even the drug dealers). The setting of the novel is a Brooklyn housing project in 1969 and there was something so vivid and alive about this setting, almost as if it’s a character on its own. There was something so special about this close-knit community and the way they cared for one another. This story will stick with me for a long time.

The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (★★★★★)

One-sentence synopsis: After Nick (second-in-line to the throne, after his father) and Bex get married, they escape to Scotland to get away from the press, until a family emergency summons them back to England.

The Heir Affair is the sequel to The Royal We, which is essentially William and Kate fanfic. 🙂 I still consider The Royal We to be one of my favorite novels and The Heir Affair did not disappoint in the least! I’ve been seeing a lot of mixed reviews of this novel, but what can I say? I enjoyed every minute I spent with this book. The writing style is fun and engaging, and I just really adore Nick and Bex’s relationship. And the growing relationship between Bex and the Queen was *chef’s kiss*. (Trigger warnings for pregnancy and infertility.)

Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai (★★★☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: When a conversation Katrina had with a man at a coffee shop goes viral much to her dismay, she needs to get away so her longtime bodyguard (and longtime crush) takes her to his family’s cabin in a remote location.

Does anyone remember the viral sensation that was #PlaneBae? Here’s a good primer. Essentially, it’s about someone else exploiting other people for a viral moment. This is the basis for this novel and it’s even more troublesome given Katrina’s social anxiety and need for privacy. When a conversation she had with a guy at a coffee shop goes viral with a nearby patron speculating about their “romance,” Katrina knows she needs to get away so she’s not scrolling through Twitter every two minutes to see what people are saying about her. Her longtime bodyguard Jas takes her away to his family’s cabin where she can decompress and hopefully get away from the madness. And it’s there that they’re both able to face the feelings they have for one another and, well, you know what happens after that. 🙂 It was a cute romance and I really enjoyed the critical look at viral culture and what it really means for the people on the other side of it.

Experimental Marine Biology by Susannah Nix (★★★☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: When Brooke’s childhood best friend Dylan comes for a visit, they decide to try being friends with benefits until he leaves.

Let me tell you, the old “let’s be friends-with-benefits-we-won’t-catch-feelings” trope is not my favorite of the romance tropes. It just feels… lazy, I guess? I just always finish these books wanting more, and the same holds true for this book. Here’s what I liked about this book: I love Brooke’s approach to singleness and her internal struggle felt so real to me. (She’s never had a successful long-term relationship because she always gets bored or annoyed by her partner a few months in.) I could relate to her on so many levels! Dylan, however, felt so one-dimensional. He was too perfect—an underwear model with a face and body to die for, but also a sparkling conversationalist who loves reading romance novels and is surprisingly smart. He didn’t have any flaws! This book just fell flat for me, one of those romances where it seemed like the author rushed it to press rather than spending time developing the characters and story.

The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History by Andy Greene (★★★★☆)

One-sentence synopsis: An oral history of The Office that discusses some of the most important episodes and standout characters, as well as a season-by-season behind-the-scenes recap.

This is a must-read for any fans of The Office! While I feel like the Office Ladies podcast does a great job of breaking down behind-the-scenes details of every episode, this book is much more easily digestible. I loved the oral history format and I’m sure this book would be perfect on audio! All of the fun tidbits about how each role was cast and the BTS details about some of the more important episodes (it was super interesting to learn how Jim’s proposal to Pam was directed!) were everything this Office fan could want. I think the author could have easily trimmed at least 50 pages (did we really need a chapter where everyone is fawning over Steve Carrell and a chapter where everyone speculates about a reunion?), but I sped through this book in the midst of my move and it was the perfect easy read I needed during that time!

What I’m Reading This Week

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (9.8.20)

Happy Tuesday, friends! I had a lovely long weekend, although I spent most of it packing and cleaning my apartment. Things are getting serious around here, as I’ve packed up my spices and shelf-stable food, haha. I also took some time yesterday to visit my mom and float in the pool for a few hours. Much needed! 🙂

I’m happy to have a great list of book reviews for you guys today! I finished five books over these last two weeks and most of them were excellent:

Once in a Lifetime by Jill Shalvis (★★★☆☆)

Short synopsis: Aubrey is determined to right all of the wrongs she committed when she was younger so she created a list of the people she needs to apologize to. She doesn’t expect Ben, one of the people she needs to make amends with, to help her during her mission.

Mehhhh. I gave this book 3 stars because there were parts that were very good: I loved the exploration of bullying and making amends, and the friendships in this novel were rock-solid. I knew I wasn’t going to love this book when Aubrey, a bookstore owner, continually made disparaging comments to patrons who visited her bookstore looking for romance novels. Jill, why you gotta do your fans dirty like that? I can see something like that happening in general fiction, but in a romance novel? Come on now. (Also, can we stop with the idea that everyone looking for romance only wants to read Fifty Shades of Grey? It’s not even a romance novel! ARGH!) Anyway, the love story itself was fine. It was a little lackluster but I didn’t love the plot device of making Ben’s late wife into a villain for the purposes of the love story. Basically: This book was not my favorite and Jill can do better than this.

Inside the O’Briens by Lisa Genova (★★★★★)

Short synopsis: At 44, Joe is diagnosed with Huntington’s disease and learns he may only live another 10-20 years. And because it’s an inherited disease, he may have passed along this fatal condition to his four children. 

Oh, this book was so very heartbreaking and it will make my top-10 list at the end of the year. I didn’t know anything about Huntington’s disease before reading this book, but man, what a brutal condition. This book focuses on Joe and his youngest child, Katie, who is 21 and trying to make the decision about whether or not to get tested. (All of Joe’s children can get tested to determine if they have the genetic marker for this condition.) We learn all the ways HD is impacting Joe’s life, as it causes mood swings, sudden outbursts, confusion, and jerky movements. What I found most impactful, though, was the way Joe’s diagnosis affected his children. Not only do they have to come to terms with the fact that their father is dying young and will do so in a brutal way (eventually, Joe won’t be able to communicate or even feed himself), but they also have to decide whether or not to get tested. It’s a tough decision for all of the kids, as there are pros and cons to either option, knowing or not knowing. I like how this decision played out with each child and especially with Katie.

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (★★★★☆)

One-sentence synopsis: In order to win a $10,000 scholarship so she can attend the college of her dreams, social outcast Liz Lighty must try to become prom queen.

This book was so much fun! I loved the exploration of prom culture and its absurdities (the book began with a “promposal,” if that gives you any idea of what you’ll be getting into), and I adored Liz Lighty as a character. She is funny and sweet and smart and knows what she wants. She was such an easy character to root for! There is a cute love story involving Liz (who is queer but not exactly “out” at school) and another girl vying for prom queen, and man, did it turn my heart to mush. This is Leah Johnson’s debut and I am so excited to see where she goes from here!

The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race edited by Jesmyn Ward (★★★☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: This essay collection, published 53 years after James Baldwin’s iconic The Fire Next Time, gathers some of today’s most influential thought leaders to talk about race.

This essay collection came highly recommended and it was one among MANY books on my antiracist reading list. I’m so glad I finally read this book and took it as slowly as I did. It took me 18 days to finish this slim volume as I read one essay (or poem) a day so I could fully immerse myself in each writer’s story. Some of the essays were better than others, making it a bit of an uneven essay collection, but the essays that were good were really, really good. Like Garnette Cadogan’s essay Black and Blue that reflects on his love for walking around the streets of Jamaica, a hobby that became dangerous when he moved to the States. Or Emily Raboteau’s photo essay Know Your Rights! chronicling the murals of the same name found in the five boroughs of New York City that inform Black people of their rights when they are stopped by police. The essay collection was solid but with many of the essays leaving me wanting more, it’s a three-star read for me. (Which means I liked it, but didn’t love it.)

Fumbled by Alexa Martin (★★☆☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: When Poppy runs into her high school sweetheart and realizes she still has feelings for him, she knows she’s going to have to tell him the truth—he has a nine-year-old son.

Oof, the secret baby trope is my LEAST favorite in the romance genre because the reason why a woman would keep her baby a secret from the father is never justified, in my opinion. However, in this novel, it worked. Mostly. I could understand Poppy’s reasoning but I still think TK deserved to know he had a son. Here’s what I liked about this romance: most of the characters were BIPOC, the discussion about CTEs with football players, and the female friendships. All of this was good stuff. However, this book could have used a stronger editor. There were so many additional asides and details that weren’t necessary, such as this really weird side plot about a stalker that didn’t propel the story forward in any way and ended in such a lackluster way. When I’m spending more of my time editing a novel than I am enjoying it, something’s wrong. Not one I would recommend, unfortunately.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • Deacon King Kong by James McBride (audio) – I don’t even know how this book got on my radar but it did, and I put in a Libby request for the audiobook. It is EXCELLENT. It’s very character-driven, which is why it’s working really well for me on audio. But I definitely need a character map to keep all the characters straight!
  • A Yellow Raft in Blue Water by Michael Dorris (print) – I’m still making my way through this novel (it’s my “slow and steady” read right now and I’m finishing about 50 pages per week). Honestly, none of the characters in the novel are very likable and it’s starting to feel like a slog.
  • The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (e-book) – I loved The Royal We and I was excited when the authors announced they were writing a follow-up. This book is LONG (464 pages!) but I’m here for all of this William & Kate fanfic. 🙂
  • Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai (e-book) – My romance pick for the week! Alisha Rai is solidly a 3-star author for me (I find her writing to juuuust miss the mark for me) so I’m going into this book with low expectations and hoping it surprises me.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (8.24.20)

Happy Monday, friends! I had a lovely weekend of shopping with my mom and enjoying game night with the fam. I haven’t seen my brother in weeks and it was so nice to catch up with him! And, of course, there was plenty of time for naps, cat snuggling, and reading. I mean, that’s a given, right?

Last week, I finished four books. Astonishing! Having two days off during the week definitely helped me knock out some books. 🙂 Let’s dive into the reviews.

The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord (★★★★★)

One-sentence synopsis: It’s been a year since Paige’s boyfriend, Aaron, died in a freak drowning accident and she has a plan to move forward: join a club and get the cutest guy at school, Ryan, to be her boyfriend.

YA love stories are my sweet spot, and this one was no exception. I could not put this book down for anything and it just made me happy-sigh constantly as I was reading. I loved the exploration of grief in this novel, especially the grief over losing someone you had only known for a short time. Paige and Aaron had only been dating for two months when he died, so she’s not as emotionally devastated as, say, his best friend but she’s still grieving—grieving the boy she knew and the man he wanted to be and the plans they’d never make. However, this book isn’t a sad one. It’s hopeful and fun and sweet, as Paige learns to move forward with her life. The love story was beautifully written and the emphasis placed on Paige’s relationships with her girlfriends was inspiring. A good novel to pick up if you need a “palate cleanser” after reading a bunch of heavy books.

Applied Electromagnetism by Susannah Nix (★★★★★)

One-sentence synopsis: Coworkers Olivia and Adam aren’t too fond of one another, but they’re going to have to learn to get along when they’re paired together for an offsite work project.

Oooh, I just loved this contemporary romance! Susannah Nix has been very hit-or-miss for me so I truly wasn’t expecting much from this novel, but it far exceeded my expectations. It combines the tropes of enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity, giving me a novel that was so hard to put down. Olivia and Adam were so easy to like and so much fun together that I was rooting for their romance from the start. Plus, there was a really interesting exploration of sexism in the workplace, particularly as a woman in the STEM field, that I found inspiring. Such a fun book and I’m so glad I didn’t give up on Nix after a few lackluster novels in this series!

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict (★★★☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: A fictionalized retelling of the life of Hedy Lamarr, a Jewish woman who escaped Austria in 1937 and went on to become a Hollywood starlet.

I think one of my sweet spots is fictionalized retellings of a real person’s life. They aren’t novels that will get five-star, glowing reviews from me but I do find them comforting to sink into. This novel was no exception, as I loved getting an insight into the Holocaust from an entirely different perspective. Hedy Lamarr was married to Friedrich Mandl, Austria’s most infamous ammunition manufacturer who eventually sold weapons to Hitler. Hedy is Jewish, although her husband kept that fact a secret from the many men he dealt with. Hedy ends up escaping from her husband and becoming a famous Hollywood actress as well as an inventor. What a life, huh?! I enjoyed this novel, although I thought the writing was a bit lackluster and I felt like the ending was rushed and anticlimatic. But I appreciate all the research that went into this book and getting to know Hedy Lamarr, who was such an interesting person.

Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare (★★★★☆)

One-sentence synopsis: Rafe has one week to convince his soon-to-be sister-in-law that marrying his brother is the right choice, although the more time he spends with her, the more he’s convinced HE is the right choice.

What a fun historical romance! I loved Rafe and the heroine in this novel, Clio, who was sweet and witty and so much fun to root for. She was a good juxtaposition to Rafe, who was described as a brute many times. Rafe is a prizefighter who has been out of the ring for some time and his brother, the man Clio is engaged to marry, is more of the classic Regency hero: a peer, someone with means and a more noble job, etc. This novel was all about the expectations a family can place on a person, as well as the expectations we place on ourselves to live up to our family’s ideal of us, and the way Tessa Dare dismantled these notions was perfection. I was rooting for Rafe and Clio to make it from the beginning, and ugh, I just loved this novel so much!

What I’m Reading This Week

  • The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race, edited by Jesmyn Ward – I’m reading one essay a day in this essay collection with a wide range of Black voices. It’s excellent so far.
  • Inside the O’Briens by Lisa Genova – I’ve had this book on my TBR for five years now, and I’m finally picking it up! It has rave reviews from friends so I’m looking forward to digging in, although a little apprehensive since the subject matter isn’t exactly light.
  • Once in a Lifetime by Jill Shalvis – A Jill Shalvis romance is usually exactly what I need to power through an emotionally heavy read. I’m excited to start this one.

What are you reading?