You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto (★★★★☆)
Audiobook • Spotify • Thriller • 2024
Short synopsis: Meredith Lee helped Aspen Palmer rise to social media fame, but after being cast aside, Meredith starts stalking Aspen. But when Meredith goes missing and threats emerge, Aspen must protect her perfect image before everything comes crashing down.
This was an excellent audiobook read, and it was one of those books that I could hardly stop listening to because I was so curious about where it was going. At times, these characters could be so frustrating because, well, they’re influencers and as such, they live a life I do not want to live in a million years. Documenting so much of their lives and making video after video, taking photo after photo, all to project a certain image to their followers… what an exhausting way to live. And yet… being an influencer gives women agency in their lives. Some of these women are making six figures! It is a legitimate business and as social creatures, we buy into what they’re selling. Anyway, this book was both an interesting look into the life of an influencer and a thriller filled with twists and turns I really wasn’t expecting. I loved the way I was constantly going back and forth between what I thought was happening, and how the two timelines in the book converged. It was truly a one-of-a-kind thriller that was really enjoyable for me to read.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach (★★★★★)
Print • Owned (Book of the Month) • Contemporary Fiction • 2024
Short synopsis: When Phoebe Stone arrives alone at Newport’s grand Cornwall Inn, she’s mistaken for a wedding guest but is actually there to kill herself. As the bride navigates her meticulously planned weekend, an unexpected bond forms between the two women, reshaping both their lives.
I have heard so many rave reviews of this book so my expectations were super high. And wouldn’t you know it? This book met every single expectation! It’s the kind of book I was immediately drawn into and could hardly put down. The author has such an easy writing style and the characters were so well-developed. Phoebe was a woman who was at rock bottom and didn’t see a way out… until she meets Lila, a bride who has a week-long wedding planned at this hotel. I loved the scenes between Phoebe and Lila so much. They were so honest and raw and real. There’s a message throughout the novel about happiness and what we owe to ourselves. Why do we constantly strive for happiness and what happens when we get the thing we so desperately wanted? Because of course when we get the thing, we zip along to the next thing that we think will make us even happier. There are trigger warnings for this book, of course. Suicidal ideation, miscarriage, infertility, depression, and death/grief are some of them. It is a very sad book at times, but it is such an intimate look at the way life circumstances can so vastly affect our mental health. Life just sometimes really sucks, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Anyway, I really loved this book and I think it’ll be sneaking its way into my favorites list for 2024!
Suddenly One Summer by Julie James (★★★☆☆)
E-Book • Library • Contemporary Romance • 2015
Short synopsis: Divorce lawyer Victoria Slade and investigative journalist Ford Dixon team up to solve his sister’s case, but their sizzling chemistry forces them to confront their doubts about love—and each other.
This is a reread for me and I really have to condition myself to read this book through the lens of 2015. First of all, there was a reference to one of the characters moving into an apartment in Trump Tower, which was very triggering! But this book was written before his run for president so… deep breaths, Steph. There was a bit of toxic masculinity on the part of Ford, but I wonder how differently he would have been written today. (It wasn’t anything too troubling, but just some scenes that made me cringe a little.) I don’t think I loved this book as much the second time around; I found it really hard to get into Victoria’s head and root for her. But it was an easy romance to zip through around Christmas.
What are you reading?
I’m having FOMO of The Wedding People, so I put it on hold at the library. I’ll read it SOMEDAY!!
I have The Wedding People lined up in Spotify and plan to start listening today at the gym. I am NOT a fan of audiobooks, but I know it will take forever to come in at the library and I can listen immediately using Spotify (limited to 15 hours free/month I think, so this might be the only book I squeeze in). I do 30 min of cardio and figure I can listen to the book the whole time.
We’ll see if I can make it through. I really am SO awful at listening to audiobooks because I am conditioned to read and I love the physical presence of something in my hands. It keeps my mind focussed.
I am so glad that you loved The Wedding People so much! It was my best read of 2024. I rarely re-read books, but I think I will reread that one. I had so much compassionate for Phoebe and she was such a wonderful character.
I just started Grey Wolf by Louise Penny. I’ve heard/read mixed reviews so am keeping my expectations kind of low although I don’t know that I’ve ever disliked one of her books, especially the later books in the series.
I love love love The Wedding People! Yes, the topics were often sad but I found it such an ultimately uplifting book! Right now I’m reading Worry and I am really enjoying it. It’s satirical and insanely funny, in a very dark way.
I basically felt the same way about You Will Never Be Me. Especially with what you said about it being exhausting to live that way.
Someone just told me about The Wedding People last week and I requested it from Libby! I’m more excited now that is has your 5 star rating.
I am still reading that flying book! It’s kind of melting my brain with knowledge each night lol. I wonder if this is what Steven felt like the whole year+ he was training and this is a personal book with anecdotes to boot – he didn’t have that luxury!
I really enjoyed ‘The Wedding People’ as well, more than I thought I would.
I’m currently listening to ’10 Things that Never Happened’ by Alexis Hall, which I am loving. I was all out of audio books for awhile, but now I have several lined up, so that’s a big relief!
Aww, I have both the Sutanto and the Espach books on my list to buy. I love Jesse Q’s style of writing and laughed at Dial A For Aunties. Now I have to get both of these. Especially as The Wedding People has had a lot of really good reviews too.