Stephany Writes

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (7.15.19)

Happy Monday, my friends! How is it already mid-July? Time is a-flyin’! This weekend was so good for my soul. I got a massage, spent some time at a bookstore (and if you don’t think I came home with more books to add to my overflowing shelves, you don’t know me), and went bowling with the fam. My older nephew is in a bowling league and he impressed me so much with his skill. He certainly put me to shame, but he was so encouraging and supportive, it melted my heart.

Anyway. Let’s talk books! I finished three books last week and here are my reviews:

Christmas Ever After by Sarah Morgan (★★★☆☆)

This was a sweet romance that followed the enemies-to-lovers trope and took place over the Christmas holiday. It was essentially one of those beloved cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies (the kind where a man brings a woman home for his family’s Christmas gathering and shock! They have to sleep in the same room because all the other rooms are occupied!) It was great fun, although I felt that the author did a little too much “telling” and not enough “showing” for certain plot points.

Normal People by Sally Rooney (★★★☆☆)

This book follows two characters – Marianne and Connell – over the course of a number of years, beginning in high school and continuing through college. They have an on-again/off-again relationship, going months and months without seeing each other and then suddenly finding each other again. It’s a quirky book with the kind of writing style I don’t normally love, but it somehow worked for me in this instance. (Maybe because I bought my copy of the book while in Ireland, so it gave me lots of happy feels remembering my trip!) I didn’t love that the author didn’t use quotation marks when people were talking, but it didn’t end up bothering me too much. I wavered between 3 or 4 stars for this book, ultimately settling on 3.5, because there was a certain melancholy element to this novel that I didn’t love. It’s the type of book I won’t be recommending to everyone, but I think there are certain people who would really enjoy the writing style and melancholy.

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (★★★★★)

Oh, I loved this novel. It was so well-written and it’s shocking that it’s the author’s debut. It’s a courtroom drama filled with mystery and intrigue, as a woman is on trial for allegedly setting fire to the hyperbaric chamber where her son was enclosed. The fire killed her son and another woman and seriously injured three other people, but was it her? Or someone else? The courtroom scenes in this novel were so good and they played like a movie in front of my eyes (which is troubling, since I listened to the audiobook during my commute, but I promise I paid attention to the road!) I also loved the scenes with the mothers who were taking their special-needs children to this hyperbaric chamber. These scenes were so brutally honest about the reality of taking care of a special-needs kid, and I ached for these mothers. I would love for this to get picked up for a miniseries, but until then, please do yourself a favor and pick up this book. It’s incredible!

What I’m reading this week…

> Elliott Redeemed by Scarlett Cole. I’m a little more than halfway through this romance and it’s fine. Some of the plot reads a little cheesy and too perfect, but it’s entertaining me still.

> White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo. I’ve seen this book everywhere lately, and it’s inspired me to pluck it off my shelf and finally dive in. It’s a short book (under 160 pages) but not one to rush through. My plan is to read two chapters a day and take lots of notes.

> A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas, on audio. I read the first book in the Lady Sherlock series in October and wasn’t sure when I was going to get around to reading the next book when I discovered it was available on audiobook through my library. Perfect! I’m starting this today.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (7.8.19)

Happy Monday, my friends! It’s an especially great Monday for me because it’s my mom’s birthday! I have today off from work (I wanted to give myself an extra-long holiday weekend!), so we’re hopefully going to do something fun this afternoon to celebrate, and then have dinner with my brother tonight. The weather isn’t looking great (50% chance of rain), so a lot of our previous plans are out the window, but we’ll find a way to keep busy!

I had a great reading week, as I finished three books and started two new books that I’m really enjoying. Here are my reviews:

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole (★★☆☆☆)

This novella follows the love story between Likotsi and Fabiola, who had a whirlwind romance a year ago that ended abruptly. Likotsi is back in town and winds up on the same subway car as Fab, which prompts a reunion that Likotsi isn’t quite keen on. She had fallen in love with Fab when Fab ended their relationship, and she has been trying to get over her ever since. The novella switches between their present-day rekindling and their first meeting, discovering what happened to cause Fab to abruptly end things and if there’s hope for them today. It’s a sweet story but it just left me wanting more. I think this is more of a “me” thing than a slight against the novella. Novellas just aren’t for me.

Huge Deal by Lauren Layne (★★★★☆)

This romance nearly earned five stars from me, which is a hard thing to come by. It’s very rare for me to give a romance five stars! Ultimately, it fell just short due to the end but it’s still one of my favorite romances lately. It’s about Kennedy and Kate, who have worked together for the past six years. Kate is his assistant and she’s had unrequited feelings for Kennedy since they met. But she believes she’s over him and to prove it, she agrees to date Kennedy’s brother, Jack. What follows is the typical romance plot – Kennedy recognizes his feelings for Kate and Kate comes to terms with the fact that she’s never gotten over Kennedy. It was such a fun romance and I loved both of these characters so very much.

All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin (★★★★☆)

Most people think “chick lit” when they see the name Emily Giffin, but this book is not that. (Not that there’s anything wrong with chick lit or reading that genre. I love those kinds of books and grow tired of people who condition reading chick-lit with effusive statements as to why they read a chick-lit novel. Let’s stop turning up our noses at women’s fiction, mmkay?) Anyway, this book. It’s about Nina, Tom, and Lyla. Lyla is a high school sophomore who gets drunk at a party and a photo of her goes viral. Tom is Lyla’s father who has been raising her alone since his wife left when Lyla was young. And Nina is the mother of Finch, the boy who circulated the photo of Lyla. It’s a book that will break your heart as you watch each character come to terms with this atrocity, and it’s a timely read in the wake of the #metoo era. It’s a novel about privilege, about racism, about injustice, and about doing the right thing even when it hurts.

What I’m reading this week…

> Miracle Creek by Angie Kim, on audio. I’m 60% finished with this novel, and I am loving it. It is so well-written and complex and engaging. I’m looking forward to my commutes this week just so I can finish this book!

> Christmas Ever After by Sarah Morgan. Who says you can’t read books about Christmas in July?! This book was surprisingly hard to find through Amazon (it wasn’t available at my library, nor could I find it to recommend!), probably because the U.S. version of the book has a different name than the U.K. version. Woof.

> Normal People by Sally Rooney. I started this book yesterday and I’m liking it so far! However, I vehemently dislike that there are no quotation marks when people are talking. WHY?! It makes no sense.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (7.1.19)

Happy Monday and happy JULY. (Whaaaat?!) I have a three-day workweek and then a five-day weekend, so I am feeling good. I did not mean to go MIA from my blog last week, but I just couldn’t find the time to write. Ah, well. It happens!

Even in the midst of my busy week, I still found lots of time to read! I finished four books last week, woop! I also abandoned not one but two books this week:

Here are the reviews for the books I did finish:

Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (★★★★★)

I was worried I wasn’t going to like this book, even though it’s gotten rave reviews from many of my trusted sources. The 70s music scene of “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” isn’t really my thing, so I didn’t know if it would all feel a bit too much. However, when I went to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s author signing for this book, I got to hear her process of writing. I listened as she admitted she doesn’t know much about using drugs or music in general, and that made me more excited to read it because she was coming to this book from a truly honest place. And, you guys, this book is so good. I’m not even much of a music fan and I was completely captivated by the scenes of the band writing and performing. As I was reading the book, I wanted to download all of their music on Spotify. It’s a phenomenal story, written as an oral history, and definitely one of my favorite books of the year. I’m planning on rereading this book by listening to the audiobook because I hear it’s an incredible listening experience.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (★★★★★)

The book was so delightful and worth every minute I spent with it. It follows the First Son of the United States falling in love with the Prince of England, and what could be better than that? The chemistry between Alex and Henry crackled on the pages and I found myself so completely charmed by them and their love story. I also loved this parallel universe that McQuiston created, in which the president is a woman (and a Democrat). The story is set during 2020, as the president is running for her second term, and just… how I wish this was our reality. Oof. It was a lovely story in all respects, although I should offer a warning that the sex scenes get a bit steamy. However, there aren’t a lot of them and you can easily skim over them. I would definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for an escape and just want to read a sweet, fun romance.

The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige (★★★☆☆)

This book continues the story of Amy Gunn and her twisted journey in Oz. The first book ended on a cliffhanger and the second book jumped right into the action with very little explanation, so I’m glad I read these books back-to-back. While I didn’t find the second book as compelling as the first – and there were many more high fantasy elements that were hard to wrap my mind around – I still enjoyed my reading (er, listening) experience. Throughout the novel, Amy has to fight against her instinct for evil and I really loved the growth of her character from the first novel to this one. Excited to dive into the next one soon!

Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis (★★★★☆)

Another winner from my tried-and-true romance author! This is the fourth novel in Shalvis’s Lucky Harbor series, following the love story of ER nurse Mallory and a character who made frequent appearances in the previous novels under the moniker Mysterious Cute Guy. Nobody really knows who he is or why he’s in Lucky Harbor, but Mallory and MCG (whose real name is Ty) make a connection during a snowstorm that grows deeper the more time they spend together. It was a sweet story that I flew through over the weekend.

I’m currently reading…

> Miracle Creek by Angie Kim, on audio. I’m so excited to dive into this novel that has gotten rave reviews from so many people.

> All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin. I recently picked up this novel at my library’s book sale, not realizing it was Giffin’s latest and I had yet to read it! I’m only about a chapter in so far.

> Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole. This quick novella is a F/F romance, a subgenre I’ve never read somehow. Looking forward to diving in this week.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (6.24.19)

Happy Monday! I had a really busy week and equally busy weekend, and I was worried I wouldn’t finish any books to write this post. Thank God for audiobooks. 🙂 I finished Dorothy Must Die, my book club’s June selection, earlier in the week but that’s it! Then again, I finished four books last week so it makes sense that this week would be quieter on the reading front.

Here’s my one review, as well as details about what I’m reading now:

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige (★★★★☆)

Fantasy isn’t a genre I typically find myself reading, so I was excited to pick up this novel when my book club picked it for our June read. It’s about a girl named Amy who finds herself in Oz (yes, that Oz), but this city is not the Oz she’s read about in books. Instead, it’s ruled by an evil Dorothy, the yellow brick road is crumbling, and there are angry witches and wizards intent on killing Dorothy. It’s a fascinating premise, and I thoroughly enjoyed this world the author created. I listened to the audiobook version (which has a fantastic narrator) and was gripped from beginning to end. I immediately downloaded the second book in the series to listen to when I finished it. It ended on such a cliffhanger – how could I not?!

What I’m reading this week…

> Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I have about 100 pages left in this novel and I am loving it. I can’t get over how vivid and descriptive this book is when it’s written as an oral history! Just fantastic.

> Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. I’m nearly finished with this book, too, and I’m also loving it so much. My only gripe right now is how long the chapters are, which is probably more of a personal quirk.

> The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige, on audio. This is the second book in the Dorothy Must Die series that I mentioned above. I’m really excited to dive back into Oz and find out what happens next!

> As Long As We Both Shall Live by JoAnn Chaney. I heard about this novel on the All the Books! podcast and the premise sounds really intriguing. Hopefully, it lives up to the hype!

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (6.10.19)

Happy Monday! I have a really busy week and weekend ahead of me (plans almost every night, ahh), so I’m trying to prepare myself. Ideally, I like to only have plans once during the workweek and once or twice during the weekend but every so often, schedules align so that everything happens in one week! Thankfully, I had a very low-key weekend so there’s that.

Let’s dive into the books I finished last week. There were three and I liked all of them:

The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker (★★★★☆)

A girl at a college in Southern California falls asleep… and stays asleep. For days and days and days. Nobody can rouse her. And then… another girl falls asleep and then another… until it’s become an epidemic. The local hospital is filled with sleeping patients, people in town are terrified that they’re going to be next. As the weeks go by and more people succumb to this contagion, the town is put on lockdown as doctors try to figure out what this is and why it’s happening. Throughout the story, we follow a handful of people: the college freshmen whose dorm saw the first cases of the disease, a man and his two young daughters, a young couple with a newborn, a college professor. I actually didn’t have too much difficulty keeping all the storylines straight, probably because each one was so different from the other, and I really loved Walker’s writing style and the way she really made you understand how pervasive hysteria can be.

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams (★★★★☆)

Oh man, I both loved and was frustrated by this novel. Queenie is a 25-year-old black woman living in London who is dealing with a messy breakup with her boyfriend of three years. She’s living in a tiny flat with two other roommates, sleeping with men who aren’t good for her, and constantly wondering what more she could be doing with her life. Early reviews have said this book is like a mash-up of Bridget Jones’s Diary and Americanah and I wholly agree with that comparison. Queenie is such a well-written, complex character – someone who makes so many bad decisions that frustrated me, but even so, I was still rooting for her. Ultimately, I think this story is about mental health in the black community: what it looks like and how it’s evolving. This book was smart, funny, and refreshing, and the growth of Queenie from the beginning to the end of this novel was lovely to witness.

Jordan Reclaimed by Scarlett Cole (★★★☆☆)

For the most part, I really loved this novel. Jordan is in a successful heavy metal band called Preload, which is made up of the guys he met in a group home as a foster kid. All of the men have traumatic childhoods, and Jordan’s involves being locked in an attic for years as a child. It’s horrific to think of a young child suffering such abuse, and Jordan bears many scars from it to this day. And then he meets Lexi, a principal ballerina for the National Ballet of Canada. Lexi is beautiful and sweet and a breath of fresh air for Jordan, and they have a connection toward one another that cannot be denied, even though Jordan has a hard time believing someone as perfect as Lexi could have use for someone like him. However, Lexi is dealing with her own demons, such as an eating disorder and a volatile relationship with her father. I found Jordan and Lexi’s love story to be sweet and original and fun to read, but I was rather unimpressed with the way the author handled Lexi’s eating disorder and the way it was all wrapped up. It felt irresponsible to me.

What I’m reading this week…

> Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny. This is the sixth book in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. I’m slowly making my way through the series, reading maybe one book a quarter. The ending of the last book was incredibly unsettling so I’m hoping the same does not hold true for this one.

> An Unconditional Freedom by Alyssa Cole. This book wraps up Cole’s The Loyal League historical romance series. These books are actually ones I would recommend to non-romance readers since they aren’t too explicit with the romance and provide a look into the Civil War era from the perspective of freed slaves, so they’re really interesting!

> Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige, on audio. This is my book club’s June selection from our resident sci-fi/fantasy lover. It’s completely out of the realm of what I normally read, but the premise sounds GREAT so I’m excited to start listening to it this week.

What are you reading this week?