It’s been a weird week for reading as I only finished one book. That’s probably because A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a long book (around 500 pages and the font is tiny!) and it’s taking me a long time to read it. But that’s okay! Quality not quantity, right? Here’s what my reading life looked like last week, and what I’d like to accomplish in this upcoming week.
Books Finished
Title: Holiday in the Hamptons
Author: Sarah Morgan
Published: 2017
Reason for reading: For fun
Rating: ★★★★☆
Format: Library e-book
This book was all kinds of fun and I read it while I slogged through the beginning of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, so it was a much-needed break from that novel. I had requested this book through Overdrive back in January and I came off the waitlist a few days before Dutch died, and I had to return it without reading it because the two main people in the novel are involved in pet-centric professions and I could not handle it at that time. But I was ready for it this week, and even though there were moments when I got a little heartbroken thinking about my beloved Dutch, it was also the light-hearted read I needed. In this novel, professional dog walker Fliss visits the Hamptons to help her grandma who took a bad fall and needs someone to help her walk her dog. What she doesn’t expect is that her ex-husband Seth (a veterinarian – see why I needed to return it?!) is now living in the Hamptons and she’ll have to run into him again and again. I could wholly relate to Fliss (she grew up with an abusive father as I did) and her struggles to believe in the love Seth had for her, and it was a truly beautiful story of faith, trust, and love. (Add to Goodreads.)
Books Abandoned
I started listening to the audiobook version of First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies by Kate Andersen Brower, but only made it halfway through the second chapter before I had to shut it off because it was making me too angry. Before starting the book, I read some reviews of First Women that said it was overly critical of Michelle Obama and they were not lying. The author seemed to have some sort of beef with her, as she mentioned over and over again how much Michelle hated being a First Lady. (This makes me wonder how the author feels about our current First Lady, but I digress.) Anyway, you don’t come after Michelle Obama. I shut that shit down real fast. Not one I’d ever recommend, unfortunately.
What I’m Reading This Week
- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith – I have a little more than 200 pages to go with this novel, and I have a feeling I’m going to be sad to let Francie go when I finish it. She had become so dear to me, probably because I can relate to her so well. I mentioned last week that the beginning was a little boring for me, but I’m really, really enjoying this novel now. I can see why it’s on so many people’s all-time favorites list!
- Nobody But You by Jill Shalvis – This romance is the perfect, light-hearted companion to ATGiB. It may even be one of the few romances that I rate 5 stars.
- Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West – Once I finish ATGiB, this is my next read! On top of my normal TBR that I use Goodreads to keep track of, I have what I like to call an immediate TBR and these are books that received or are receiving a lot of buzz and I want to read sooner rather than later (because, let’s be honest, books get lost easily in the mammoth that is my Goodreads TBR). Currently, I have 45 books on this immediate TBR, which means it’s not really all that immediate, ha. But I’m trying to knock off two books a month off this list (I alternate between a nonfiction book and a fiction book), and Shrill is the next book on the list. Excited to dive in later this week!
- Love Hacked by Penny Reid – I’ll probably finish Nobody But You sometime today, so my next romance is Loved Hacked. Penny Reid is really a hit-or-miss romance author for me (I find her books unnecessarily long, which is probably due to the fact that she’s a self-published author and could use a stronger editor). I haven’t loved her Knitting in the City books as much as others, so I think I’m going to give this one a try and if I don’t like it, just move on.
What are you reading this week?
I read ATGiB so long ago and I know that I loved it but I honestly can’t remember much about it specifically. I almost never reread books but I feel like I should with this one.
I am about to start All the Ugly and Wonderful Things for book club, and also a book about binge eating which is for work. I also checked out a Brene Brown book, can’t remember the title, and that’s also technically for work.
Ohhh, I’m interested about your thoughts about All the Ugly and Wonderful Things. A couple of my friends read it and raved about it, even with the stomach-turning subject matter.
I really enjoyed Shrill & hope you do, too. It had me laughing out loud at points! And thanks for the heads-up on First Women. I will NOT be reading anything that comes for Michelle!
Ugh, I was so disappointed in the author! I’m not sure what beef she had with Michelle, but it made me too angry to continue listening. Oh, well.
I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn & loved it, but somehow I forgot just how long it is, ha. I’m currently reading How to Find Love in a Bookshop & it’s so sweet & well written, definitely would recommend even though I’m not done yet.
I have seen “How to Find Love in a Bookshop” everywhere lately, and I think I’m going to pick it up to read on my cruise. Seems like the perfect light read I’m looking for!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is quite possibly my most favorite book of all time. I just adore it!! I read First Women and remembered some negative stuff about Michelle Obama, but overall I enjoyed it. I did like Upstairs at the White House better!
I wish I could have gotten past the Michelle Obama stuff because I liked learning a bit more about the role of a First Lady. It just made me too angry to continue! Ah, well.
I know now that you read and loved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I am so glad you liked it. I loved that book so much. I should re-read it at some point.
Last week I was reading ‘Commonwealth’ by Ann Patchett. I loved it! Now I am reading a WWII novel called ‘from sand and ash’. I just started it so it’s too early to say what I think but it gets great reviews on goodreads!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was so long, but well worth the read. It’ll probably make my favorites list for 2018. Such a great classic!
I just started An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, which is good so far (I’m one chapter in), and just finished The Wife Between us, which I liked but didn’t love. I’ve read SO MUCH already this year, which has been awesome.
I’m bummed to hear your comments about First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies – I read The Residence, all about the White House and really enjoyed it and have First Women on my Kindle waiting to be read. But I have to agree – Michelle Obama is magic!
I’ll be interested to know if you’re able to make it through First Women! Maybe I just needed to get through the parts about Michelle, but I kinda stopped on principle. Don’t come after Michelle Obama! 😉 I have An American Marriage sitting on my bookshelf, but I feel like it’s going to be triggering for me (anything involving a prison storyline is), so I’m putting it off until I feel ready for it!