Happy Monday, friends! And happy Independence Day? I guess. I’m finding it very hard to be patriotic for a country that doesn’t believe in my bodily autonomy, is trying to kill the planet as fast as possible, and doesn’t care about election integrity. BUT I DIGRESS.
I read some really good books last week, one of which will likely make my favorites list at the end of the year, so let’s dig into the reviews:
Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon (★★★★★)
Oh my heavens, I loved this book so very much. It’s a story about love and loss, falling in love and heartbreak, and what happens when a girl can start seeing the entirety of a relationship play out in her head after seeing a couple kiss. In this book, Evie is dealing with the divorce of her parents who she thought had the perfect love story and has decided to swear off romance and romance novels forever. As she’s dropping off a bunch of her romances into a Little Free Library, a woman comes by and hands her a book called Instructions for Dancing. She doesn’t really know what to do with this book but there’s an inscription in the book for a nearby dance school. So she decides to visit the school to drop it off. What she doesn’t know is that she is about to change her life with this visit to the dance school. It’s there she is drawn into the world of dance, where she meets X, and where she finds herself again. It’s a beautiful story that may have you in tears at the end, but it was just so lovely. I really thought it was clever the way Yoon sprinkled in romance tropes throughout the book, from the way men are usually described in romances to all of those silly meet-cutes. I also really appreciated the way Yoon explored this idea that many, many relationships have a shelf life. There’s usually a beautiful beginning followed by a breakup, but it’s what happens during the middle that counts. The middle is worth it, even if the end is coming. I have a hard time recognizing that fact (I’m always like, “Why go on a date if it’s not going to lead to forever??”) and this book was a good reminder that even if a relationship does end, it doesn’t mean that there wasn’t beauty and goodness in that relationship.
The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland (★★★★☆)
Loveday Cardew has a mysterious past, but it’s one she doesn’t share with anyone. And then she meets Nathan, a poet with a penchant for the absurd, and he seems to have a thing for her. But why? And why are all of these mysterious packages arriving at her bookshop, reminding her of her past? The past she desperately wants to leave behind. This book had a slow start and it was going to be a solid 3-star read for me. In the beginning, it was hard to understand the main character’s motivations and to feel much of a connection with her. But I think that was the point, and a genius decision on the part of the author. As Loveday began to open up to the people in her life, so too were the readers brought into her inner life and began to understand why Loveday acted the way she acted. There were so many times when I wanted to shake her, but the more I learned about her trauma and her motivations, the easier it was to understand why she acted the way she did. A brilliant book that was made even sweeter with the bookstore setting.
What I’m Reading This Week
- You Can’t Be Serious by Kal Penn (audio) – I’m a few hours into this audiobook by actor and former Obama staffer Kal Penn, and I am loving it. I love reading about the ins and outs of an actor trying to make it in Hollywood (although the racism he endured as an Indian actor trying to make it in the 90s is super infuriating).
- Twice Tempted by a Rogue by Tessa Dare (e-book) – This historical romance by one of my faves is excellent so far. I anticipate it will be an easy 4-star read for me.
- The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano by Donna Freitas (print) – I’m zooming through this fictional novel about the different paths a woman’s life can take when her husband suddenly decides he wants to have kids, while she is vehemently opposed to the idea. It’s really, really good so far.
What are you reading?
I loved 9 lives. It was such an interesting look at the decision whether or not to have children. It was a 5-star read for me! I will have to check out instructions for dancing. That sounds really good! I finished ‘The Violin Conspiracy’ which I really enjoyed. It had me googling different songs that were mentioned! I love the violin and wish I had learned to play but it wasn’t an option in my tiny town.
Now I am reading ‘the postmistress of Paris’. I am kind of WWII’d out but it is well written and interesting. Then I have Bomb Shelter which I am super excited to read and then a non-fiction book written by a woman that John Green mentions in one of the essays in his essay collection. Anne Bogel mentioned it recently so I decided to check it out.
Ooh, you’re making me want to try The Violin Conspiracy on audio – I wonder if they play some of the songs on audio with a violin! Hmm… I need to research that. That would make it such an amazing listening experience if so!
I really enjoyed The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano! I had some issues with the ending, but overall, it was a fantastic read.
Ooh the Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano was sooo good. I was worried I’d confuse the lives at first but it got easier as it went along. Great selection this week!!!
It was such a great book and will make for a fantastic discussion at book club this month!
I haven’t read any of those. I’m currently reading Sorrow and Bliss – I can’t put it down but it’s hard to summarize the plot, do you know what I mean? Anyway, it’s very good.
I haven’t heard of Sorrow and Bliss. I’ll have to look it up!