Stephany Writes

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (9.3.18)

Happy Labor Day, my fellow American readers. Is there anything better than a three-day weekend? I think not! It’s been so nice to have a nice, long weekend where I can relax, get outside, and read as much as possible. I’m definitely trying to take advantage of all the sunny weather we’ve been having here in Florida (and since fall doesn’t exist here, wah, it’s something I’ll be taking advantage of for at least the next few months).

Last week, I finished two books, and here are my reviews!

Books Finished

Title: Beartown
Author: Fredrick Backman
Published: 2017
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★★★★

Plot Summary: Beartown is a hockey town, and the entire town’s hopes and dreams lie in the men’s junior ice hockey team where the national semi-final match is the catalyst for everything. By the end of the night, a violent act will have been committed and a town will be in turmoil.

My Thoughts: Okay, yes, sign me up – I am fully on board with the Beartown love. This book was phenomenal. Backman is such an incredible wordsmith, crafting sentence after sentence that had me setting the book down to recover. He really and truly got to the heart of what it’s like when a small town is broken apart by violence, and how each side wants to be heard. In this instance, there is only one right side, but the way Backman explored how people respond to tragedy when it relates to revered sports stars is so timely and important. This book should be required reading, although I do caution anyone who reads this book that the first half is kiiiiinda a slog. While I didn’t have to force myself to keep reading (Backman’s writing is so exquisite and kept me engaged), I do understand why someone might abandon the book. But, trust me, it is worth it. It is so, so worth it. You most definitely won’t regret spending time with this story.

Title: Love and Other Words
Author: Christina Lauren
Published: 2018
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Plot Summary: Elliot was Macy’s first love, and when she runs into him in a busy coffee shop in San Francisco 11 years after they imploded, she can’t help but question everything about her life and what would have happened if their last fateful night had never occurred.

My Thoughts: After reading and loving Roomies earlier this year, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on another Christina Lauren romance, but this one didn’t live up to my high expectations. The novel alternates between two timelines: “now” and “then.” “Now” takes place in present day in which it has been 11 years since Elliot and Macy have spoken to one another. They are both in their late twenties, leading completely separate lives. “Then” takes place from the time Macy was 14 until she turned 18, and gives readers the back story between Elliot and Macy. I loved the “then” storyline and felt like it worked so perfectly. I could totally understand why Macy would fall in love with Elliot and their romance felt real and true. The “now” storyline, however, did not work for me at all. It felt rushed and impractical, and there were times when I really, really could not stand Macy. I wanted the authors to explore their dynamic as adults and what Macy and Elliot have been doing in the time they’ve been apart. I wanted to know why these two are meant to be together now. Sure, they were each other’s first loves, but how does that correlate to the people they are today? First loves are often not last loves, so what makes Macy and Elliot’s love different? I don’t feel like that was explored at the length it should have been to make the romance believable.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • Persuasion by Jane Austen – I started this novel over the weekend to meet my goal of reading four classics in 2018. I’ve never read a Jane Austen book (I tried to read Pride and Prejudice in high school for a class project, but I gave up and just read the Cliff’s Notes version in order to complete the project), so I chose one of her shorter novels. And, oy, is it slow going. I have to read sentences three or four times to understand what she’s trying to say, but I’m getting through it and I don’t hate it, so that’s saying something.
  • My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante – I started this novel over the weekend, too! I’m not quite sure how I feel about it. The writing isn’t totally grabbing me, but it’s not not grabbing me, either. There’s something lovely about the setting and the characters, but I also don’t feel like I would be sad if I just stopped reading the novel. Still debating if I want to abandon it, which is typically a sign I should abandon it. 😉
  • Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan – In between Persuasion and My Brilliant Friend, I’m picking up this light-hearted romance novel by one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. It’s got that Hallmark Christmas movie appeal that I’m digging.
  • A Million Junes by Emily Henry – It’s the beginning of the new month, which means it’s time to listen to a new fiction audiobook. This one was immediately available to download from Overdrive, and it’s gotten rave reviews from friends. I’m hoping I love it just as much!

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (8.27.18)

Reading was a struggle last week. It was this weird feeling where I felt like I was fighting for every page I read. Reading felt… hard and boring, in a way. I was much less excited to reach for my books, preferring to scroll Instagram or play a game on my phone instead. I can’t remember the last time I felt that way, and I’m not really sure what caused it. I was busier, as I’m trying to finish up a freelance project and I’m attempting to walk 10,000 steps every day. So maybe it was just having a little bit more on my plate and needing my downtime to be less mentally focused. Who knows. But I honored this feeling as best as I could, knowing it would pass and I’d be back to voraciously consuming books.

Even still, I finished two books this week! But one of them was an audiobook that I only had an hour left in when Monday rolled around, ha.

Books Finished

Title: You’ll Grow Out of It
Author: Jessi Klein
Format: Library audiobook
Published: 2016
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: This book of essays by a female comedian explores many different topics of womanhood, from how to find good porn to dealing with fertility issues when you’re not even sure you want to have a child.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this essay collection from Klein. I don’t know of her work at all, but have had this book on my TBR list for a while. I listened to it on audio and that was the perfect way to consume this book because Klein reads it herself and had me laughing out loud during some of her stories. She has a great voice and this book felt like I was sitting down with a funny friend to hear stories about her life. Highly recommend for a fun, easy read.

Title: A Princess in Theory
Author: Alyssa Cole
Format: Library e-book
Published: 2018
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: Thabiso, an African prince, has been betrothed to Naledi since birth. But then Naledi’s parents fled the country and she spent her life bumping from foster home to foster home after they died in a car accident not long after coming to America. But the time has come for Thabiso and Naledi to marry, so he flies to America to secure his bride.

My Thoughts: This novel was just pure fun, and I really loved both Naledi and Thabiso’s characters from the beginning. They had their own unique hangups that they needed to sort out before falling in love, but it all worked out perfectly. I will say that I think the author could have tightened up the beginning so that the ending could have been better fleshed out because it felt like the ending came so suddenly that it gave me whiplash. All in all, though, a fantastic read and I can’t wait to read the next book in this fun series!

What I’m Reading This Week

  • Beartown by Fredrick Backman – I have a little more than 100 pages left in this novel and it is completely shattering my heart. It’s so beautiful and so tragic and so timely.
  • Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren – I started this romance over the weekend and it’s offering a nice light-hearted companion to Beartown. I flew through the first half of it in just two days.
  • My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante – Once I finish Beartown, I’m going to start this novel. I’m really not sure if it will be my cup of tea, but I’ll give it my usual 70-page try and hopefully, it will surprise me!

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (8.20.18)

What a weekend! Whew. I’m writing this post on Sunday evening, as I try to get my bearings with a new week on the horizon. This week will bring a viewing of Crazy Rich Asians with some work friends, my annual review at work, and lots and lots of writing as I work on a big freelance assignment. Last week, I finished three books! But two of those were novellas, so they were super quick reads at under 150 pages. Here are my reviews:

Books Finished

Title: Never, Never: Part Two
Author: Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher
Published: 2015
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Plot Summary: In Part Two of this trilogy, Silas wakes up with no memory but finds out that his girlfriend Charlie is missing and he needs to find her before time runs out.

My Thoughts: As much as I loved Part One of this series, Part Two was majorly disappointing! I’m on the fence if I even want to read Part Three, but since the books are so short (around 145 pages), I guess I’ll just finish it out to see what happens. I am interested to know why they have lost their memory! This book took some turns I wasn’t expecting and didn’t particularly enjoy, so blah.

 

Title: Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America
Author: Michael Eric Dyson
Published: 2017
Format: Library hardcover
Rating: ★★★★★

Plot Summary: Dyson doesn’t hold back in this book about race relations today and all the ways white privilege has paved the way for black indignity. Short, impactful, and will leave you forever changed.

My Thoughts: I don’t even know how to accurately describe how incredible this book was, but it’s one I want to put in the hands of everyone I know. It’s a book that will make a lot of white people squirm, but damn do we need to squirm. Dyson really gets to the heart of race relations today and what it’s truly like to be black in America. He talks not only about the different times he’s been stopped by the police but also about the times he’s been asked to leave churches and universities due to his more progressive views, views that not everyone is ready for. He writes honestly and poignantly about his life and about the ways white privilege and white fragility have infected our culture and made black people feel othered. There were so many quotes that just stopped me in my tracks because damn, does Dyson have a way with words. Please read this book. You won’t regret it.

Title: Ninja at First Sight
Author: Penny Reid
Published: 2015
Format: Library e-book
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Plot Summary: In this novella, readers learn the origin story of Greg and Fiona, a married couple who are present in the first four books of the Knitting in the City series.

My Thoughts: I was told I *must* read this book before reading the fifth book in the Knitting in the City series because it gives greater context to Greg and Fiona’s story, as we learn how they got together. And… I just don’t get it? Maybe I will once I read that fifth book, but this felt like something that could have easily been incorporated into that book in flashback scenes. Also, I kinda hated this book solely on the fact that her mom was written outrageously awful. She tells her daughter, who had brain cancer a few years ago, that she’s “cutting her out of her life” if she goes away to college. Um, what? In what world does this make sense? I understand that the author wanted Fiona to have a troubled relationship with her mom, but that’s a little over the top and unrealistic.

Book Abandoned

The Duchess War by Courtney Milan – I abandoned this book on page 71 because it just wasn’t keeping my interest. I felt like the author was trying too hard to create a plucky heroine, but it just didn’t work for me. It was also just… boring. I didn’t feel any sense of excitement whenever I picked up the novel and I found my mind wandering when I was reading. Probably one of those “good for you, not for me” books.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • You’ll Grow Out of It by Jessi Klein – I have one hour left in this audiobook, and it’s been such a fun listening experience over the past week. It’s a book of essays written by a comedian, and those can generally be hit-or-miss for me, but I’ve actually found myself laughing through some of her stories!
  • Beartown by Fredrick Backman – I am less than 100 pages into this beautiful novel, and while I haven’t gotten to the meat of this story just yet, I can tell it’s going to be one I completely love. The writing is so beautiful and I’m reading this book slowly to soak in every word.
  • A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole – I’m reading this alongside Beartown and it’s a fun, light-hearted companion. It’s giving me Coming to America vibes, haha, but I don’t hate that. I love both the main characters and I’m excited to see how everything comes together!
  • Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren – Once I finish A Princess in Theory, I’m going to start this book! I was completely captivated by the first Christina Lauren novel I read (Roomies) and I hear this one is just as great.

What are you reading this week?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (8.13.18)

I cannot believe it’s already mid-August and kids are back in school and it’s almost time for football. Time is a crazy thing. My weekend was pretty great, as it was fairly low-key. I needed that because my upcoming week is going to be busy, busy and the weekend even more so. I got in some reading time at the pool, lots of naps, and a pedicure date with my mom.

Last week, I finished two books and really loved both of them. Reviews below!

Books Finished

Title: Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
Author: J.D. Vance
Published: 2016
Format: Library hardcover
Rating: ★★★★★

Plot Summary: A memoir about a man who grew up poor in Appalachia, but manages to escape the cycle of poverty to become an Ivy League-educated lawyer.

My Thoughts: I loved, loved, loved this memoir. Maybe it’s because I read it two years after the election and approached it solely as a memoir, not as a commentary on the state of the working-class society and why so many of them voted for Trump. This is simply J.D.’s experience growing up poor, with a revolving door of fathers and a mother who struggled with addiction. And it was a story I could relate to all too well. I couldn’t stop taking pictures of quotes that resonated with me, and it really made me stop and reflect on my own childhood and how growing up poor and in a volatile home environment affects me even now. (In fact, I’m planning on writing more about this on Wednesday, so stay tuned for that.) This is a book I would wholly recommend, but with a word of caution: don’t think about this as social commentary. Don’t think you’re going to “get into the minds of Trump supporters” with this book. Instead, approach it as a memoir and to expand your worldview of what it’s really like to grow up poor in middle America.

Title: Wicked and the Wallflower
Author: Sarah MacLean
Published: 2018
Format: e-book
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: Lady Felicity must land a husband, and when a mysterious stranger named Devil promises her he can help her with this mission, she accepts on one condition: she won’t be satisfied with a marriage without passion.

My Thoughts: New Sarah MacLean! New Sarah MacLean! This book starts her brand-new Bareknuckle Bastards series, which looks to be totally fun. In this first book, we follow Devil who reigns over Covent Garden, a place that ladies such as Felicity should never be. From the get-go, I was captivated by both Felicity and Devil (gotta admit, the way he wielded his walking stick was pretty hot!) and rooting for them. They were both completely stubborn and completely right for one another. Like most MacLean novels, I wished this one was a bit shorter (400+ page romance novels are not my jam), but I was still so happy every time I opened my Kindle to read this book and cannot wait for the next one to be released.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America by Michael Eric Dyson – I’m about 100 pages into this slim volume, and it’s been so eye-opening. I didn’t realize it would actually be written like a sermon, but it is and I love it.
  • Never, Never: Part Two by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher – I read Part One two weeks ago and immediately requested Part Two from my library, which I picked up this weekend.
  • Beartown by Fredrik Backman – You guys, it’s time. IT IS TIME. I have put off reading this novel for reasons I don’t even understand. Maybe because I’m worried it won’t live up to the hype. Maybe because I know how much I’m going to love this book and want to savor the anticipation. For whatever reason, I have put off reading this book and I’m stopping that nonsense this week. It’s time for me and Beartown to get acquainted.

What are you reading this week?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (8.6.18)

Happy Monday! I had such a fantastic weekend, full of friends and puppy cuddles and naps. I got to see Chip on Friday evening and he got super excited when he saw me, doing zoomies all over the apartment. It was so cute! That boy totally has my heart, 100%. I also got to celebrate a dear friend at her bridal shower and was thrilled when I won the “how well do you know the bride and groom” game. Of course, I lived with the bride-to-be for a year, so maybe I had a bit of an advantage. 😉 And, on Sunday, I had brunch with friends to celebrate another dear friend’s birthday. All in all, the perfect weekend and I’m diving into Monday feeling really and truly blessed about this life of mine.

Last week, I finished three books and gave all of them 4 stars. Let’s discuss:

Books Read

Title: Lies She Told
Author: Cate Holahan
Published: 2017
Format: Library audiobook
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: This thriller is told in two alternating plotlines. First, there’s Liza who is a thriller author and has 30 days to produce her next masterpiece. And then there’s Beth, Liza’s character in her newest novel, who suspects her husband of cheating and ends up killing his mistress (not a spoiler, it’s in the synopsis). But as the novel progresses, the lines between Liza’s real life and Beth’s fictional one become increasingly blurred.

My Thoughts: Oh man, I loved this novel. I listened to it on audio, and I was concerned that I was going to get the alternating plots mixed up, but thankfully, there were two different narrators with very distinct voices so it was easy to keep them separate. I found the storyline to be so unique and refreshingly different from what we see so often in women-led thrillers nowadays. The twists and turns felt honest and never overly dramatic. And I found the ending to be so satisfying. I would highly recommend this novel if you love a good twisty thriller!

Title: The Woman in Cabin 10
Author: Ruth Ware
Published: 2016
Format: Library hardcover
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: Lo is a travel journalist sailing on a luxury cruise, the kind that’s so exclusive that there’s only a handful of people on board. It seems like the assignment of a lifetime, until her first night when she wakes up to what can only be the sound of someone being thrown overboard. Only, everyone on the ship is accounted for and it’s up to Lo to figure out what is truly going on.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this thriller, and maybe it’s because I went into it with very low expectations. I loved the setting because what’s creepier than a cruise ship that has just a handful of guests and no cell service? And I loved all the twists and turns – it kept me guessing to the very end! I’ll admit that I fairly loathed Lo. I have a hard time with unreliable narrators and Lo is right up there with Rachel from The Girl on the Train. She made a lot of dumb decisions in her quest to find out what happened, but she redeemed herself in the end. All in all, a pretty solid thriller but probably not one that will particularly stand out in my mind.

Title: Never, Never Part I
Author: Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher
Published: 2015
Format: Library paperback
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: Charlie and Silas wake up one morning with no memory of who they are, and it’s up to them and them alone to figure out what happened.

My Thoughts: Oh, boy, do I love Colleen Hoover novels and this one is no exception. The concept behind this novel is so unique, and I just had to know what happened. Of course, this is only part one in a three-part series so I immediately requested part two from my library after I finished this book (I was prepared to buy the e-book, but it’s not available through Amazon weirdly). This novel was everything I love about Hoover’s writing, and I especially just adored the back-and-forth between Charlie and Silas.

What I’m Reading This Week

What are you currently reading?