Stephany Writes

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (5.11.20)

Happy Monday! My heart is so happy today. Spending Mother’s Day with my mom (and my brother!) was something my soul needed. I needed to see them and talk to them and laugh with them. I’m so glad we were able to hang out—and also shower my mom with lots of love! She definitely deserves it.

Last week was another solid week of reading for me! I’m on a three-books-a-week binge lately. I’m about seven books ahead of my goal of reading 135 books, so I’m pretty sure this will be another banner year of reading for me. I’ve said it so many times before, but I’m so, so glad that reading continues to be a comfort for me.

Books Finished

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn (★★★★☆)

One-sentence synopsis: A year after Meg hand-lettered a secret message into Reid’s wedding program, he returns to find out how she knew his marriage was doomed to fail.

I mentioned last week that I was having a little trouble getting into this book, but now that I’ve finished it, I can fully sign off on it! It was such a fun read, and I loved learning more about the world of hand-lettering and the planner/paper goods industry. Reid and Meg were both such great characters—Meg with her bubbly personality and Reid with his more stoic one—and I found it hard to tear myself away from the book as it progressed. I also loved how NYC was essentially another character of the novel; I found that to be such a special touch. There was a secondary plot between Meg and her best friend, who had started drawing away from Meg and their friendship as a whole, and I was interested to see how the author would address this issue. I was coming off a book that seemed to glorify a toxic friendship, and I was really hoping this author would do better. Thankfully, she did. She addressed the situation in an honest, relatable way that I think most people with long-term friendships could identify with.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (★★★★★)

One-sentence synopsis: At 79 years old, movie star Evelyn Hugo tells her life story and the truth behind her seven marriages.

This is a book that I have been highly anticipating! I love everything TJR writes and I was positive that I would love this novel as well, especially since it came so highly rated by many trusted readers. And it most definitely lived up to the hype! Evelyn Hugo is a sensational character and the Hollywood setting of the 1950s-1980s was perfection. This book has made me look at movie stars in a completely different light, though. How did some of them get their breaks? What are they truly like outside of their media persona? What’s the real truth behind some of their mishaps and foibles? We really don’t know! It’s crazy to think about. There was a little “twist” in this novel, as Evelyn Hugo is telling her life story to a woman, Monique, a writer who isn’t sure why Evelyn specifically requested her for the story. It all comes to light in a way I really wasn’t expecting but didn’t feel too out-of-place in the novel. Anyway, this book was delightful from beginning to end and now I’m just dying for TJR’s next release!

For Better or Worse by Lauren Layne (★★★★★)

One-sentence synopsis: When Heather confronts her playboy neighbor about the live music he plays every night, sparks fly for these two very different people.

Ahhh… this book was so charming. I loved the verbal sparring between Heather and Josh, and the very natural way their enemies-to-lovers relationship evolved. I thought it was a little silly the way the author tried to keep us in the dark about Josh’s cancer (he’s in remission) because it’s right in the synopsis about it! I suppose the author was trying to mirror the way Heather was in the dark about it, too, because Josh finally talks about his cancer once it’s revealed to her. But I still found it all a little unbelievable at times. However, this book earns five stars because I had a stupid goofy grin on my face the entire time I read it. (Good thing nobody could see me! Ha.)

What I’m Reading This Week

I have about 100 pages to go in The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall and I am loving this book! It’s a character-driven novel and the characters are so dynamic and fascinating that I’m finding the book hard to put down. It’s about two men who become ministers at the same church at the same time in 1963 and the way their faith evolves through this experience. And it’s also about their wives who are two very different women and choosing two very different paths as ministers’ wives. It’s not a Christian book in any way, but I think my faith background is helping me forge a special connection to this book.

I’m also dipping in and out of Hurts to Love You by Alisha Rai, which is the third book in her Forbidden Hearts series. I’m not very far into it—maybe 50 pages—so I don’t have much to say about it just yet!

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (5.4.20)

Happy Monday! I am really happy with my decision to read based on my mood. I really love not being tied to my TBR list and just picking a book that feels good to read in the moment. Who knows—maybe this will become my new way of reading! Ah, no need to make decisions about that just yet. 😉 All I know is that it’s working for now. Exciting! Last week, I finished three books and one of them might be the best celebrity memoir I’ve ever read. Ooh!

Books Finished

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams (★★★★☆)

One-sentence synopsis: It’s the summer of 1938 and Lily is spending it at the beach with her family, but things get much more complicated when her former best friend and former fiance—now married to each other—arrive.

I really, really enjoyed this novel! It was a delight from start to finish. Beatriz Williams really knows how to write the 1930s socialite scene so, so well. The novel culminates with a cataclysmic hurricane that adds another layer of drama to an already-dramatic story, but it raised the stakes in an interesting way. A great read if you’re looking to take your mind off things, and since it was published in 2013, you may be able to download it from Libby right away!

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann (★★☆☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: After Alice tells her girlfriend that she is asexual, her girlfriend dumps her, causing Alice to wonder if she’ll ever find true, lasting, romantic love.

Asexuality isn’t something we get to read about in books, especially with a main character, so I had high hopes for this novel. Unfortunately, it didn’t really meet my expectations. I found Alice to be almost childlike in her approach to romance, which does a disservice to the representation of the Ace lifestyle. I was also horrified at the toxic friendship between Alice and her best friend, Feenie. The friendship was billed as being a “soulmate” kind of friendship, but it felt unhealthy and unrealistic and damaging. Meh. Not a book I’d recommend, unfortunately.

We’re Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union (★★★★★)

One-sentence synopsis: Actress and activist Gabrielle Union pens essays about her life in Hollywood, her marriage to Dwyane Wade, her life as a Black woman, and much more.

I think I might have a new favorite celebrity memoir! Gabrielle Union has always been one of those actresses I know of, but don’t really know about. I remember her iconic role in Bring It On… but couldn’t really tell you what she’s done since then. (Which is my own whiteness showing.) In this essay collection, Union gets real about her life both as a young Black woman growing up in Omaha and as a Black actress trying to make it in Hollywood. The title is perfect because it truly did feel like sitting down with a glass of wine to hear stories from a girlfriend. Gabrielle is brutally honest in this memoir, especially about sexual assault (she was raped when she was 19) and the macro and microaggressions she has endured as a Black woman. I found Gabrielle’s voice to be fresh and sharp and funny, and I really hope she writes more essay collections because this one was truly a standout.

What I’m Reading This Week

Time for another Anna Karenina update. I’m a little more than halfway through this tome and I’m really enjoying it. There are definitely sections that are kinda boring to me and I slog through them, but then things get exciting again (like scenes with Anna and Vronsky! And Kitty and Levin! <3). I love the honest way relationships are written in this novel.

In other reading updates, I started The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid yesterday. I’m reading this to fulfill May’s challenge for the 2020 Unread Shelf Project, which is to read a backlist title. I am a TJR superfan, so I can’t believe I’ve yet to read this book but I’m about 60 pages in and loving it.

I’m also reading Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn, a contemporary romance set in NYC. At times, the pace of the novel is slow and a little boring, which aren’t two adjectives I’m normally use for romance novels, but not so much that I’m not invested in the lives of the characters. I’m willing to see how it all plays out!

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (4.27.20)

I’ve never been a mood reader—I’m someone who follows a very specific TBR list and never veers from it. There’s something about working my way down this list of books that I carefully chose for myself to read that makes me oh-so-happy. But following a specific TBR list is tougher when I can’t just request books from the library and have a limited selection via Libby. Now, I could focus on only reading from my bookshelves (both my physical bookshelf and my Kindle bookshelf), but that option didn’t feel right to me.

So I’ve decided to become a mood reader. This goes against everything I’ve ever believed about myself as a reader, but I think it’s what my reading life needs right now. I’ve thrown away the TBR list and I’m focusing on what feels good to read. What will make me happy? What books fill me with readerly excitement? What stories will satisfy me? It’s an entirely different way of choosing what to read, but I think it’s exactly what I need right now.

Last week was a good reading week, although I definitely felt less inclined to pick up my Kindle than usual. I think it’s normal for reading to ebb and flow during this time, and I’m still finishing books at a record pace, but I can feel myself slowing down. We’ll see what this upcoming week brings for my reading life!

Books Finished

American Sweethearts by Adriana Herrera (★★★☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: Juan Pablo and Priscilla have been an on-and-off couple for 16 years… can they make this one last attempt at love work?

I liked this book, but as with nearly all of this author’s work, I wish it had had one more round of tighter edits. (I used the “Report Content Error” function on my Kindle way too frequently while reading.) Herrera’s strong suit is creating vibrant characters and dialogue that is so real that you feel like you’re living inside the scene. I loved the emphasis on therapy and LGBT+ rights and family and friendship. One of my main gripes with this novel, however, was the distinction Herrera kept making between JuanPa and Priscilla’s sad single lives in comparison to their couple friends. I really hate when authors make it seem like the only way for a person to be happy and whole is to be coupled up. Every single couple in this novel was in a fairy tale relationship where everything was so perfect and the people were sooo in love with their partners. Which is great! Happy for them! But it started to feel disingenuous and I just really wanted one of the characters to have a happily single friend. We exist, you know! Ugh.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate (★★★★★)

One-sentence synopsis: Twelve-year-old Rill has to keep her four younger siblings together after they are taken away from their parents and put into an orphanage. 

What a horrifying, fascinating, propulsive novel! The Tennessee Children’s Home Society was a real orphanage run by Georgia Tann that kidnapped children who were living in impoverished homes and sold them to wealthy parents. This story is not an easy read, but it is one that will stay with you for a long time. Our main character Rill was someone who was so easy to love and root for, and I wanted more than anything for her to find safety and happiness. This book will definitely be a strong contender for my favorites list of 2020!

Instacrush by Kate Meader (★★★★☆)

One-sentence synopsis: Theo and Elle give into temptation on a Christmas Eve night which results in a surprise pregnancy and a commitment neither of them were anticipating.

This hockey romance was just plain fun! I loved Theo’s character—he was such a ray of sunshine next to Elle, who definitely struggled to open up and reach out. I grew frustrated with how long she waited to tell Theo about her parents (who are professional con artists), but I also understand not wanting their toxicity to infect Theo and Elle’s precarious relationship. While I normally don’t love the surprise pregnancy trope, it ended up working out really perfectly for the plot and these characters. Another win from Kate Meader!

What I’m Reading This Week

Right now, I’m finishing up A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams, a book I bought on Kindle a really long time ago. It’s the perfect light read that I need and the 1930s time period is such a great setting.

As far as romance goes, I’m currently reading Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann. It’s a YA romance with an asexual main character. Asexuality is nonexistent in romance, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this novel is a good representation of this identity.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (4.20.20)

Happy Monday, friends. How’s everyone doing today? I had yet another slow, lazy weekend. I really wish my weekends could be as productive as other people’s seem to be, but I find myself so much more inclined to laziness. Maybe I should make a to-do list of sorts? Or not. I don’t know. I’m not necessarily upset about it—what else is there really to do?! And at least I’m getting lots of good sleep now. I’ve never been so well-rested!

Last week, I finished three books so I’m still five books ahead of where I need to be for my Goodreads yearly goal of 135 books. One of the things I’m not doing that’s moderately affecting my reading life is listening to audiobooks. I used to bang out 2-3 audiobooks a month thanks to my commute and driving around, but I’m barely driving these days so I haven’t listened to an audiobook in over a month! I miss audiobooks, but I can barely keep up with my podcast feed as it is, so I don’t know when I’ll add them back into my listening rotation.

Books Finished

Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave (★★★★☆)

One sentence synopsis: After finding out a week before her wedding that her fiance has been keeping an explosive secret from her, Georgia flees to her family’s winery.

This novel was such a wonderful, light, easy read! I’m not much of a wine connoisseur, but I’m sure the setting of a winery in Napa Valley would be a great pull for some readers. (Eight hundred grapes refers to the amount of grapes needed for one bottle of wine.) There were times when I thought some of the dialogue was a little too… honest… but maybe that’s because my family operates in an entirely different way, haha. The writing was beautiful and I love how I wasn’t sure whether I wanted Georgia to end up with her fiance or not!

Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore (★★★★☆)

One sentence synopsis: Oona is 19 on New Year’s Eve 1982, but then she faints right before the stroke of midnight and wakes up 32 years later, thus beginning her life as a time traveler, leaping to a different age at random every year.

This book was so inventive and fun! It made me really consider what it would be like to wake up in an entirely different body every year and have to figure out who the people in your life are and what they mean to you. The relationship between Oona and her mom was so special and lovely. It’s always nice to see healthy mother/daughter relationships in books! I will admit that Oona could be a bit unlikable at times (of course, she was also in her early twenties throughout the novel and I could understand her frustration at this crazy life she had to come to terms with) and made decisions I didn’t entirely agree with, but it was a really fun read—perfect for quarantine!

Advanced Physical Chemistry by Susannah Nix (★★☆☆☆)

One sentence synopsis: After Penny discovers her boyfriend is cheating on her, she swears off men, only to find out that the hottie barista at her local coffee shop has a crush on her.

This book had a lot of potential, but it just didn’t live up to my expectations. I felt like Nix used the character’s plus-size body in a way that felt disingenuous and fat-phobic at times. It was almost as if the author felt like she had to make her main character fat because it would make it all the more crazy that this hot, looks-like-Zac-Ephron barista was crushing on her. Meh. That said, I enjoyed the relationship between the two characters and the way they grew together as they learned to open up and trust one another. The sex scenes were also pretty tame, so this book may appeal to readers who love a closed-door romance.

What I’m Reading This Week

I’m about halfway through Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, a novel many friends have read and raved about. I’m enjoying it, although the heaviness of the story feels a little much for me right now and I find myself less inclined to pick it up. I may need to adjust my TBR list to make sure I’m sticking to lighter reads until life gets back to normal.

I’ve also picked up American Sweethearts, the last book in Adriana Herrera’s Dreamers series. I’m dipping in and out of this one, and it’s a good palate cleanser for when Before We Were Yours gets heavy.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (4.13.20)

Happy Monday, friends. How’s everyone doing today? I am proud of myself for not logging on to work at all this weekend—I didn’t even check my email! I was tempted a few times, but I adhered to the boundary I set for myself and I am entering this new week feeling a bit more refreshed and as if I really did have a “weekend away.” I’ve never been one who struggles with work/life balance, but it’s been more difficult lately. Baby steps, though!

I finished three books this week (nearly four!) so my reading pace has not suffered one bit with this pandemic. I’m glad for it. Reading has become more of an escape than ever. My reviews are below.

Books Finished

> Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey (★★★☆☆) – I liked this book, even though it did feel a bit more “fluffy” than the other romances I read. Georgie Castle is ready to turn her clown business (no, really, she’s a clown for kids’ birthday parties!) into a full-service entertainment company. She’s also ready to date and come to terms with her years-long crush on her brother’s best friend, Travis. It’s a cute story that combines two different romance tropes (brother’s best friend/fake relationship), and I enjoyed it… until the ending. The ending was just so far-fetched and ridiculous! It’s maddening when an author ruins a story that was so well-written and fun with a silly ending. Ah, well.

> Long Bright River by Liz Moore (★★★★☆) – This book is billed as a thriller, and there are definitely some thriller-y parts to it, but it read more to me as an exploration of the opioid epidemic and the distinct ways siblings’ lives can diverge. Mickey is in her thirties and a cop and her younger sister, Kacey, is a sex worker who’s been hooked on heroin since they were teens. But then Kacey disappears right around the time there is a string of murders against sex workers. Mickey begins searching for her sister, hoping to find her before it’s too late. I really loved the twists and turns this novel took—there were a lot of plot twists that I didn’t see coming, and all of them added deeper layers to the story. Mickey could be a really frustrating character at times, as she took risks that seemed super reckless, but even so, I could understand her motivation. I would have done the same if it were my brother! It’s a story that brings into sharp focus the pervasiveness of addiction and what a scary reality it is for those who live it or who have loved ones who do.

> It Had to Be You by Jill Shalvis (★★★★☆) – I finished this sweet contemporary romance yesterday evening, and it was a delight from start to finish. Ali Winters is not having a good day: her boyfriend has broken up with her, she’s accused of a crime she most certainly did not commit, and she’s about to be kicked out of her home. Then her landlord shows up, the sexy, elusive Luke, who offers her a place to stay and help with clearing her name. It was a super fun read and I loved both main characters so very much. Their love story was sweet and progressed in a natural way that allowed them both to come to terms with their relationship/life baggage before committing to each other.

What I’m Reading Now

I’m currently finishing up Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave—I have just about 50 pages left, so I’ll definitely finish it today. Then I get to start Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore! My dear friend Kim generously gifted me the e-book of this novel that I’ve been dying to read, and I’m excited to dive into it this week. I’m also planning on starting Hot to the Touch by Jaci Burton. Her books can be very, very sexy (enough to make this seasoned romance reader blush!) so we’ll see if I can get through it, heh.

What are you reading?