Reading was a struggle last week. It was this weird feeling where I felt like I was fighting for every page I read. Reading felt… hard and boring, in a way. I was much less excited to reach for my books, preferring to scroll Instagram or play a game on my phone instead. I can’t remember the last time I felt that way, and I’m not really sure what caused it. I was busier, as I’m trying to finish up a freelance project and I’m attempting to walk 10,000 steps every day. So maybe it was just having a little bit more on my plate and needing my downtime to be less mentally focused. Who knows. But I honored this feeling as best as I could, knowing it would pass and I’d be back to voraciously consuming books.
Even still, I finished two books this week! But one of them was an audiobook that I only had an hour left in when Monday rolled around, ha.
Books Finished
Title: You’ll Grow Out of It
Author: Jessi Klein
Format: Library audiobook
Published: 2016
Rating: ★★★★☆
Plot Summary: This book of essays by a female comedian explores many different topics of womanhood, from how to find good porn to dealing with fertility issues when you’re not even sure you want to have a child.
My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this essay collection from Klein. I don’t know of her work at all, but have had this book on my TBR list for a while. I listened to it on audio and that was the perfect way to consume this book because Klein reads it herself and had me laughing out loud during some of her stories. She has a great voice and this book felt like I was sitting down with a funny friend to hear stories about her life. Highly recommend for a fun, easy read.
Title: A Princess in Theory
Author: Alyssa Cole
Format: Library e-book
Published: 2018
Rating: ★★★★☆
Plot Summary: Thabiso, an African prince, has been betrothed to Naledi since birth. But then Naledi’s parents fled the country and she spent her life bumping from foster home to foster home after they died in a car accident not long after coming to America. But the time has come for Thabiso and Naledi to marry, so he flies to America to secure his bride.
My Thoughts: This novel was just pure fun, and I really loved both Naledi and Thabiso’s characters from the beginning. They had their own unique hangups that they needed to sort out before falling in love, but it all worked out perfectly. I will say that I think the author could have tightened up the beginning so that the ending could have been better fleshed out because it felt like the ending came so suddenly that it gave me whiplash. All in all, though, a fantastic read and I can’t wait to read the next book in this fun series!
What I’m Reading This Week
- Beartown by Fredrick Backman – I have a little more than 100 pages left in this novel and it is completely shattering my heart. It’s so beautiful and so tragic and so timely.
- Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren – I started this romance over the weekend and it’s offering a nice light-hearted companion to Beartown. I flew through the first half of it in just two days.
- My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante – Once I finish Beartown, I’m going to start this novel. I’m really not sure if it will be my cup of tea, but I’ll give it my usual 70-page try and hopefully, it will surprise me!
What are you reading?
I’m glad you are liking Bear Town as I think I saw that you were feeling a little ‘meh’ about it initially. It is such a great book. I didn’t love the 2nd book in the series as much, though, so don’t think I will read the 3rd book when it comes out. :/
I finished “The Heart’s Invisible Furies” which was really good and then I finished “How to Find Love in a Bookshop” which was really delightful and fun! I needed a light book like that after a string of heavier books. Now I am reading “The Keeper of Lost Things.”
I think I’m going to give the second book in the Beartown series a try because I really loved this one a lot and I’ve actually heard great things about it! I’m actually pretty surprised that you didn’t like it, but maybe that will temper my expectations for it. 😉
I just snagged a Kindle deal for How to Find Love in a Bookshop, and I can’t wait to read it soon! Definitely my kind of book. 🙂
I loved Love and Other Words! It was a delight and such a pleasant world to be immersed in. I’ve also wondered about starting Elena Ferrante’s books, but I’m like you and not sure if they’ll be my thing. I’ve felt more drawn to lighter stories than heavier stuff recently, but I’ve also struggled in focusing on reading too. Something about the August heat and end-of-summer mood are just distracting, I think.
I currently have a few library books on my Kindle I’ve put off reading for a while (The Handmaid’s Tale, A Place For Us, the new Princess Margaret biography). I’m really only reading Kristan Higgins’ new book Good Luck With That. She had a signing at a new bookshop near me (that also serves wine!) and I was so excited to go to that since interesting authors never have events in my area. The book is okay so far, but what pleases me the most is how excited she got when she signed my copy and realized my name was also Kristen!
Ahhh… I would LOVE if Kristan Higgins ever did a book event near me. She’s one of my favorites, although I haven’t read some of her newer releases. I need to get on that!
You’ll Grow Out of It sounds SO fun to listen to!!!
I was going to ask if you’re hoping you’ll feel more like reading this week, but I would think so, with three books!
I am starting to read Extreme Ownership. Not sure I am in the mood for it! And I finished The Last Time I Lied, which of course, kept me guessing until the end!
It was a great listening experience and I would totally read more books by her. She’s a great narrator and actually had me laughing out loud at some of her stories. Definitely recommend!