What a weekend! Whew. I’m writing this post on Sunday evening, as I try to get my bearings with a new week on the horizon. This week will bring a viewing of Crazy Rich Asians with some work friends, my annual review at work, and lots and lots of writing as I work on a big freelance assignment. Last week, I finished three books! But two of those were novellas, so they were super quick reads at under 150 pages. Here are my reviews:
Books Finished
Title: Never, Never: Part Two Author: Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher Published: 2015 Format: Paperback Rating: ★★☆☆☆ Plot Summary: In Part Two of this trilogy, Silas wakes up with no memory but finds out that his girlfriend Charlie is missing and he needs to find her before time runs out. My Thoughts: As much as I loved Part One of this series, Part Two was majorly disappointing! I’m on the fence if I even want to read Part Three, but since the books are so short (around 145 pages), I guess I’ll just finish it out to see what happens. I am interested to know why they have lost their memory! This book took some turns I wasn’t expecting and didn’t particularly enjoy, so blah. This website listed 12 books similar to Ugly Love, one of my favorite books. 
Title: Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America Author: Michael Eric Dyson Published: 2017 Format: Library hardcover Rating: ★★★★★ Plot Summary: Dyson doesn’t hold back in this book about race relations today and all the ways white privilege has paved the way for black indignity. Short, impactful, and will leave you forever changed. My Thoughts: I don’t even know how to accurately describe how incredible this book was, but it’s one I want to put in the hands of everyone I know. It’s a book that will make a lot of white people squirm, but damn do we need to squirm. Dyson really gets to the heart of race relations today and what it’s truly like to be black in America. He talks not only about the different times he’s been stopped by the police but also about the times he’s been asked to leave churches and universities due to his more progressive views, views that not everyone is ready for. He writes honestly and poignantly about his life and about the ways white privilege and white fragility have infected our culture and made black people feel othered. There were so many quotes that just stopped me in my tracks because damn, does Dyson have a way with words. Please read this book. You won’t regret it. 
Title: Ninja at First Sight Author: Penny Reid Published: 2015 Format: Library e-book Rating: ★★☆☆☆ Plot Summary: In this novella, readers learn the origin story of Greg and Fiona, a married couple who are present in the first four books of the Knitting in the City series. My Thoughts: I was told I *must* read this book before reading the fifth book in the Knitting in the City series because it gives greater context to Greg and Fiona’s story, as we learn how they got together. And… I just don’t get it? Maybe I will once I read that fifth book, but this felt like something that could have easily been incorporated into that book in flashback scenes. Also, I kinda hated this book solely on the fact that her mom was written outrageously awful. She tells her daughter, who had brain cancer a few years ago, that she’s “cutting her out of her life” if she goes away to college. Um, what? In what world does this make sense? I understand that the author wanted Fiona to have a troubled relationship with her mom, but that’s a little over the top and unrealistic.
Book Abandoned
The Duchess War by Courtney Milan – I abandoned this book on page 71 because it just wasn’t keeping my interest. I felt like the author was trying too hard to create a plucky heroine, but it just didn’t work for me. It was also just… boring. I didn’t feel any sense of excitement whenever I picked up the novel and I found my mind wandering when I was reading. Probably one of those “good for you, not for me” books.
What I’m Reading This Week
- You’ll Grow Out of It by Jessi Klein – I have one hour left in this audiobook, and it’s been such a fun listening experience over the past week. It’s a book of essays written by a comedian, and those can generally be hit-or-miss for me, but I’ve actually found myself laughing through some of her stories!
- Beartown by Fredrick Backman – I am less than 100 pages into this beautiful novel, and while I haven’t gotten to the meat of this story just yet, I can tell it’s going to be one I completely love. The writing is so beautiful and I’m reading this book slowly to soak in every word.
- A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole – I’m reading this alongside Beartown and it’s a fun, light-hearted companion. It’s giving me Coming to America vibes, haha, but I don’t hate that. I love both the main characters and I’m excited to see how everything comes together!
- Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren – Once I finish A Princess in Theory, I’m going to start this book! I was completely captivated by the first Christina Lauren novel I read (Roomies) and I hear this one is just as great.
What are you reading this week?
Just finished audiobook: The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter, Lies She Told
Next up audiobook: An American Marriage, The Great Alone
Just finished, ebook: The Kiss Quotient, One of Us Is Lying
Next Up ebook: Columbine, Educated
I finished The Handmaid’s Tale over the weekend. It was well-written and I liked it better than when I read it in college but it was just soooo depressing so I can’t say I ‘loved’ it. It will make for a good book club discussion, though. Now I’m reading “The Heart’s Invisible Furies.’ I bought it for my MIL for Christmas and she lent it to Phil and me to read. It’s a huge book, though, and my bags are already heavy enough with all the stuff I haul back and forth to work for pumping so I will only be reading it at home. So it might take me awhile to get through it!
I finished the audiobook for Ramona Blue this afternoon; next up is a re-read of Just Listen by Sarah Dessen (I’m a big Sarah Dessen fan and usually re-read her books several times throughout the year).
What I wish I was listening to right now is the audiobook for Obsido by Amie Kaufmen and Jay Kristoff but it’s not available at my library yet 🙁
You read such a variety of books! I love it!
I am still reading A Lady’s Guide to Selling Out, and saw that a bunch of my holds just came in at the library, so I can finally finish The Last Time I Lied!
Beartown is on my list of books to read next year when I’m back to books written by men. I’ve heard so many incredible and wonderful things about that one!