What I’m Reading (7.20.20)

Happy Monday, friends! It’s an exciting day here, as I will be going into my office this morning to pick up some of my personal belongings. It will be so weird to make that drive and walk into the office after four months away! When I left the office on March 13th, I imagined we’d be back within a few weeks, so I left everything. I’m looking forward to finally bringing home so many of my office comforts, like my daily cat calendar, my large Yeti tumbler, pictures of the girls, and my cozy blanket. I’m looking forward to seeing some coworkers, too! There’s a limit to how many people can be in the office at one time (I think 25?), but it will be good just to see some faces. (Well, their masked faces!) I don’t plan to be there long, just long enough to grab some stuff, but I am sure I will have lots of FEEEEEELINGS about being there.

Let’s talk about reading, shall we? I finished three books last week and liked everything I read—yay! Here’s what I read:

To Love and to Cherish by Lauren Layne (★★★☆☆)

One-sentence synopsis: Alexis and Logan have been friends for six years, ever since he became a silent partner in her wedding-planning business, and after spending all of that time in love with her, Logan is ready to take their relationship to the next level.

Ooh, the friends-to-lovers trope! It’s one of my faves! (One of these days, I need to write a post about romance tropes. They’re so much fun!) I really enjoyed this book—it’s the culmination of Lauren Layne’s Wedding Belles series and I think it tied up the series nicely, although I will miss these ladies and their partners something fierce! I had trouble liking Alexis for most of the book, especially with the way she constantly went hot and cold with Logan, who was just the most perfect hero. (I mean, how could he not be with his British accent?) Her inner conflict felt right and true, though, and I could understand her reluctance. I just wanted her to see how perfect Logan was for her and to stop jerking him around! Of course, she eventually does and it’s lovely when she lays her heart on the line for Logan.

Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue (★★★☆☆)

Short synopsis: This novel follows the lives of two very different families: Jende and Neni, Cameroonian immigrants who have a six-year-old son, and Clark and Cindy, a wealthy white couple with two sons. Clark is a senior executive at Lehman Brothers and Jende becomes his driver right around the fall of 2007. The differences between these two families are stark and the impending doom of the Lehman Brothers collapse plays heavy in the background.

This book provides a much-needed lens to the immigrant experience in America. The macro- and microaggressions both Jende and Neni deal with as they try to navigate this new world were hard to read about, as was the awfulness of the American immigration system. Jende’s difficulties in trying to become an American citizen place a deep strain on his marriage, and I was once again reminded of the resiliency of immigrants and the unacceptable way they are treated by the courts and by Americans themselves. The characters in this novel are complex and well-drawn. I loved and loathed all of them at separate intervals—Jende could be so lovable and sweet, and then swing around to be rage-filled and hurtful to his family. Clark could be friendly and affable with Jende, but then dismissive and cold toward his wife. It spoke to the complexity of human behavior and the way circumstances can cause us to hurt the ones we love most. I’d caution readers that this isn’t a happy or hopeful book, although there are moments of joy, but it is a true exploration of family, the immigrant experience, and what it means when dreams don’t come true.

The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas (★★★★☆)

One-sentence synopsis: Charlotte Holmes and her team are back on the case when a blast from Mrs. Watson’s past comes seeking their services to steal a priceless piece of artwork.

These books just get better and better. I love that Charlotte now has a whole team of people working with her, including the suave Lord Ingram who pines for Charlotte in the sweetest way. I’m listening to these books on audio, which is a really wonderful way to consume this mystery series as the accents are perfection. I don’t really have too much to say about this novel, other than the fact that it was propulsive, witty, and sweet, and had a queer subplot that I wasn’t expecting (especially for a novel taking place in the 1800s!) but was really lovely. I highly recommend this series.

What I’m Reading This Week

I’m currently speeding through The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes. I was on page 125ish on Saturday evening but then got to a point where I couldn’t put it down and read 150 pages alone on Sunday. It’s so good!

I’m also dipping in and out of Down with Love by Kate Meader, which is also outstanding. The voices in this novel are so distinct—the male voice is so unflinchingly honest and I love it—and I’m just thoroughly enjoying my time with this romance and don’t want it to come to an end!

Later this week, I’ll start Circe by Madeline Miller. It’s my July book for the Unread Shelf Challenge, and the prompt was “voted on by #bookstagram.” I’m not part of #bookstagram, so I picked two books outside the genres I normally read and had my Instagram peeps vote on which one I should read (the other book was Recursion by Blake Crouch)—Circe won by a landslide, so I hope it lives up to the hype! (Lots of people told me it was in their faves!)

What are you reading?