Hi, friends! What a weekend, huh? I am currently typing this post on my tiny Google Chromebook (pretty sure the screen size is 13 inches), since my laptop broke over the weekend! I spilled (or rather, Ellie’s tail spilled) soda on the keyboard and, well, you can guess what happened after that. I went to a computer repair shop to get it fixed and they have to order me a new keyboard, sigh. I’m just glad I have this Chromebook to use in the meantime, even if it’s going to be a much different experience working on it all day long!
Of course, this is a tiny inconvenience. It’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, and it feels so trivial to talk about it when there are much bigger problems right now. My heart is heavy with the protests happening about George Floyd and the true pain and anguish Black people are experiencing right now. I’m doing my best to listen, to not turn away even if it feels easier to do so, and to share Black voices when I can. I’ve also donated to my local community fund which is raising money for bail-out costs and medical expenses from protesters injured by the police during their protests. (Find your local fund here.) White people, we must listen. We must donate. We must not be silent.
It feels weird to jump from that paragraph to talking about books, but alas. That’s what I’m going to do. I finished a whopping four books last week and here are my reviews:
Books Finished
Final Siege by Scarlett Cole (★★★★☆)
One-sentence synopsis: Delaney and Mac may not have seen each other in a decade, but he becomes her closest ally when she finds out men want to kill her to silence the story she’s pursuing.
I really enjoyed this romantic suspense novel! It had everything I love in this subgenre: intrigue, a compelling plot, and a hot romance. 🙂 At times, I felt a little bogged down in the details of Delaney’s investigation (something to do with selling illegal weapons…?) and it wasn’t all that interesting to me, but the scenes between Delaney and Mac were perfection. There was so much baggage between them, as they had been in love as young adults but after Delaney’s brother (and Mac’s best friend) died in an accident, she blamed him and walked away from their relationship. Delaney’s actions could frustrate me at times because I just wanted her to see Mac for the good guy he is! But those are the best kinds of novels, aren’t they? The ones that make you feel so strongly about the characters!
The F*ck It Diet: Eating Should Be Easy by Caroline Dooner (★★★☆☆)
One-sentence synopsis: Comedian Caroline Dooner offers a look at why diets don’t work and delivers a simple plan for healing your food struggles: just eat.
This book had such a great message, one I am totally on board with: We must stop living a life ruled by food restriction because we are so scared of being fat. I have been working hard on unlearning the unhealthy diet behaviors that dominated so much of my life: going to bed hungry means I’m dieting correctly, all fat is bad fat, eating dessert means I’m a failure, etc. And this book really affirmed the work I am doing and that I’m on the right path. I don’t want to be ruled by diets. I don’t want to buy into diet culture and fatphobia. It’s not worth it to me. I want to be able to eat what I want, as long as it makes me feel good. However, I did have some issues with this book, mainly that it wasn’t a book driven by data and studies, but of one person’s experience. For a book that’s telling me to “eat what I want,” well, I’d like some data to back up what you’re saying. (Because, no, I do not think being 60 lbs overweight is good for my health, no matter how many times you tell me it is.) I was also turned off by the copious grammar mistakes in this book (and the way she would CAPITALIZE words to make a POINT, or add three or four question marks to questions). The editor in me just wanted to get my hands on the rough draft so I could work through all of the badly worded sentences and grammar mistakes. This probably wouldn’t bother most readers, but it most definitely annoyed me. I don’t think this is a bad book and it’s actually one I would recommend, especially to those who struggle with body image and dieting. It’s a good reminder that we need to listen to our cravings, that being thin should never be an end-all, be-all goal, and that above all else, if you are hungry, just fucking eat!
The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren (★★★★☆)
Short synopsis: Carey and James, assistants to home remodeling and design gurus Rusty and Melissa Tripp, must work together to keep these two celebrities in line during their book tour about their successful marriage. Because the truth about Rusty and Melissa isn’t that they have a happy, loving marriage, but that they hate each other.
Calling all HGTV lovers! This romance is perfect for those who can’t get enough of Chip and Joanna Gaines and home remodeling TV shows. Although I desperately hope the Gaines do not have the kind of relationship that the Tripps’ have—eeks. The romance between Carey and James was such a sweet antidote to the toxic relationship between Melissa and Rusty, as well as Carey’s relationship with them. I loved the way Carey and James cared for one another and the natural way their relationship evolved from acquaintances to confidantes to lovers. A fun read that made me long to watch episodes of Fixer Upper. 😉
Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger (★★★☆☆)
One-sentence synopsis: When Ridley gets a mysterious letter that tells her her entire life has been a lie, she goes on a quest to find out the truth.
Lisa Unger is one of my favorite thriller writers, most especially because she’s a local Tampa-area author! This book was published in 2006, so it’s one of the first books she ever got published. It was fun to see all the details of life before smartphones (dial-up Internet, using an old Nokia brick phone, no GPS to guide her, etc.) The plot itself was a little lackluster, although I’m sure I would have appreciated it more if I read it back when it was published (and before the thriller genre exploded). It was still a really twisty-turny thriller with a satisfying ending. I liked it!
What I’m Reading This Week
I’m currently reading The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir, a book I selected from Book of the Month over two years ago! It’s been sitting on my bookshelf, waiting for the perfect moment for me to pick it up, and I think I found it. I am a little less than halfway through the novel and really, truly loving it. I’m so intrigued about where the plot is going!
I’m also halfway through a romantic suspense novel, The Darkest Hour by Maya Banks. It’s the first in a long series, and I am really enjoying it! I’ve been on the hunt for a really good romantic suspense novelist so I don’t wind up reading Suzanne Brockmann’s Seal Team 16 series for the fourth or fifth time, and I think I’ve hit the jackpot with Maya Banks!
Also, as it’s the beginning of the month, it’s time for my monthly update about Anna Karenina! I would like to say I’m nearly finished it with, as I’m at the 78% mark, but that probably means I still have 200 pages to go, ha. I think this might wind up being a four-star read for me, though, which is the best rating I’ve ever given a classic! Honestly, reading classics on the Serial Reader app is the way to go, guys. I may have to try a Jane Austen novel this way to see if I have a better experience.
What are you reading?
Thanks for sharing that fund list. Every little thing does seem so trivial, doesn’t it? I feel bad using my friends’ bandwidth right now for personal issues when we’re all feeling so emotionally heavy to start.
Ha, I totally capitalize things to make a point (especially in places where I can’t use italics! But I also don’t write books 😉 That book sounds more like a memoir or humorous tongue-in-check self help than actual guide. Which is totally useful, but yeah, if people are thinking it’s a guideline, it needs some data 😉
The Honey Don’t List sounds really fun!
I am reading Dread Nation! I didn’t have much reading time this weekend to get to in to it, but it seems good so far!
I am reading “How to Be an Antiracist” – it’s my June book club book. Could not be more timely. We picked our books back in January so it’s total coincidence that we are reading it during a time of such turmoil and angst. I can only read a chapter/day because there is a lot to soak in and think about so it’s not something I can read quickly. After I read a chapter of that, I read “Untamed” by Glennon Doyle. It’s also non-fiction and covers some heavy topics but her style is lighter so it’s a good compliment right now.
This was a really sad/heavy weekend here in Minneapolis. I am hopeful for real change but it’s also been devastating to see the destruction that has occurred. it’s being done by a different group – not the peaceful protestors. It’s just really sad to see the state of my city right now.
Ooh, glad you liked the Honey Don’t List! That’s on my TBR.
I’m still reading This Team Is Ruining My Life — made some more progress but have not had a lot of reading time this week. I picked up How To Be An Antiracist today, so I’ll be starting that soon, too.