Happy Monday! We leave for Ireland in TWO WEEKS. I knew April was going to fly by in the blink of an eye, but I can’t believe our trip is so soon. I am so excited! (More excitement than nerves right now, so that’s good!)
Last week, I finished three books! Here are my reviews:
The Darkest Link by Scarlett Cole (★★★★☆)
This sweet romance was such a blast from start to finish. It opens with a great scene where Lia’s car breaks down in a town she’s unfamiliar with, and she’s rescued by a mechanic no less. The mechanic, Reid, is sexy, friendly, and everything Lia wants in a man. And so begins their hot-and-heavy romance, which grows deeper with each passing day. This book has plenty of action outside of the main romance – Lia’s difficult relationship with her father who wants to run for governor, Reid’s reconciliation with his own family, etc. However, the romance took center stage and I just really loved the way it evolved. There was no will-they-won’t-they and no crazy drama involved in their relationship until the dark moment. It was refreshing!
What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton (★★★★★)
I purchased Hillary Rodham Clinton’s book about the 2016 election back when it was published, but it has sat on my shelf for two years. I haven’t been able to pick it up because I was still too disappointed and frustrated by that election. I am glad I waited because reading it in 2019 was the right choice. I was ready for it now. I listened to What Happened on audio, which is read by Clinton herself, and her pain and anger and frustration come through. I cried multiple times reading this book – sometimes happy tears, like when she accepted the nomination to be the Democratic candidate for president – and it just furthered my immense respect and love for Hillary. She is honest, vulnerable, funny, and introspective. I am still so sad she’s not our president and I still believe she would have been a great one, but this book was more than just a diatribe about that election and her loss. It was also about what it takes to run a presidential campaign, especially as the first female candidate for a major party. A definite must-read.
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas (★★★★★)
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is one of my all-time favorite books, so I had fairly high expectations for this book. I could only hope that Thomas could deliver the same compelling narrative as that book. I’m happy to report that I loved this one just as much as THUG. I’m not really into music in general, and definitely not rap (…says the white girl), but it didn’t really matter. I still found the novel riveting. On the Come Up follows 16-year-old Bri who wants to be a rapper and when she kills it during her first rap battle and makes a name for herself in the local rap scene, she realizes this dream she has could actually become her reality. This story, though, is about more than Bri’s rap career. It’s about family and friendship and love and dreams and being a teenager and poverty and racism and the trope of the angry black girl. Angie Thomas is giving black girls a voice, a perspective, and I’m here for all of it.
I’m currently reading…
> Hot Asset by Lauren Layne. I’m more than halfway through this novel, and I’ll finish it within the next day or so. It’s so good!
> The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown. I’m slowly making my way through this slim book, which was published in 2010. I’ve read two other books by her, so her research isn’t totally new to me, but I’m still getting a lot out of this book.
> Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan, on audio. I’m starting this middle-grade book today after many recommendations. It’s not my typical style of novel, but I’ve been so drawn in by all of the rave reviews!
What are you reading?
I really want to read On the Come Up as I also loved THUG! I just finished my 3rd Fiona Davis novel. I didn’t like it as much as her other 2 but it was still an entertaining read. Now I am reading a memoir about a woman who loses her brother to a drug overdose. I’m not familiar with her brother (Harris Wattels) but he was a writer on Parks & Rec and did stand-up, etc. It’s sad to read about his experience with drug addiction. It’s definitely a very raw read as she details her experience as she grieves the loss of her brother with flash backs to when they found out he was struggling with addiction.
I’m intrigued by Hillary’s book.