Happy Wednesday, friends! We’re halfway through the work week, yay! It’s always weird to settle back into work mode after taking a full week off, but it hasn’t been too bad thankfully. There is a lot to do as the end of the month is coming quickly (howwww) and I’m just trying to keep up with my workload. 🙂
I’ve got quite a few book reviews today, as this comprises two weeks’ worth of reading. Let’s dive in!
Deacon King Kong by James McBride (★★★★★)
One-sentence synopsis: A drug dealer is shot by a cranky old church deacon in front of a large crowd and the shooting reverberates throughout the community, from the people who witnessed it to the detectives investigating it.
I have no idea how this book got on my radar, but I’m so glad it did! This book was excellent and perfect for those who love character-driven novels. (Although I would suggest making a character list as new characters get introduced to keep everyone straight!) I found every character to be so well-written and dynamic and easy to root for (yes, even the drug dealers). The setting of the novel is a Brooklyn housing project in 1969 and there was something so vivid and alive about this setting, almost as if it’s a character on its own. There was something so special about this close-knit community and the way they cared for one another. This story will stick with me for a long time.
The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (★★★★★)
One-sentence synopsis: After Nick (second-in-line to the throne, after his father) and Bex get married, they escape to Scotland to get away from the press, until a family emergency summons them back to England.
The Heir Affair is the sequel to The Royal We, which is essentially William and Kate fanfic. 🙂 I still consider The Royal We to be one of my favorite novels and The Heir Affair did not disappoint in the least! I’ve been seeing a lot of mixed reviews of this novel, but what can I say? I enjoyed every minute I spent with this book. The writing style is fun and engaging, and I just really adore Nick and Bex’s relationship. And the growing relationship between Bex and the Queen was *chef’s kiss*. (Trigger warnings for pregnancy and infertility.)
Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai (★★★☆☆)
One-sentence synopsis: When a conversation Katrina had with a man at a coffee shop goes viral much to her dismay, she needs to get away so her longtime bodyguard (and longtime crush) takes her to his family’s cabin in a remote location.
Does anyone remember the viral sensation that was #PlaneBae? Here’s a good primer. Essentially, it’s about someone else exploiting other people for a viral moment. This is the basis for this novel and it’s even more troublesome given Katrina’s social anxiety and need for privacy. When a conversation she had with a guy at a coffee shop goes viral with a nearby patron speculating about their “romance,” Katrina knows she needs to get away so she’s not scrolling through Twitter every two minutes to see what people are saying about her. Her longtime bodyguard Jas takes her away to his family’s cabin where she can decompress and hopefully get away from the madness. And it’s there that they’re both able to face the feelings they have for one another and, well, you know what happens after that. 🙂 It was a cute romance and I really enjoyed the critical look at viral culture and what it really means for the people on the other side of it.
Experimental Marine Biology by Susannah Nix (★★★☆☆)
One-sentence synopsis: When Brooke’s childhood best friend Dylan comes for a visit, they decide to try being friends with benefits until he leaves.
Let me tell you, the old “let’s be friends-with-benefits-we-won’t-catch-feelings” trope is not my favorite of the romance tropes. It just feels… lazy, I guess? I just always finish these books wanting more, and the same holds true for this book. Here’s what I liked about this book: I love Brooke’s approach to singleness and her internal struggle felt so real to me. (She’s never had a successful long-term relationship because she always gets bored or annoyed by her partner a few months in.) I could relate to her on so many levels! Dylan, however, felt so one-dimensional. He was too perfect—an underwear model with a face and body to die for, but also a sparkling conversationalist who loves reading romance novels and is surprisingly smart. He didn’t have any flaws! This book just fell flat for me, one of those romances where it seemed like the author rushed it to press rather than spending time developing the characters and story.
The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History by Andy Greene (★★★★☆)
One-sentence synopsis: An oral history of The Office that discusses some of the most important episodes and standout characters, as well as a season-by-season behind-the-scenes recap.
This is a must-read for any fans of The Office! While I feel like the Office Ladies podcast does a great job of breaking down behind-the-scenes details of every episode, this book is much more easily digestible. I loved the oral history format and I’m sure this book would be perfect on audio! All of the fun tidbits about how each role was cast and the BTS details about some of the more important episodes (it was super interesting to learn how Jim’s proposal to Pam was directed!) were everything this Office fan could want. I think the author could have easily trimmed at least 50 pages (did we really need a chapter where everyone is fawning over Steve Carrell and a chapter where everyone speculates about a reunion?), but I sped through this book in the midst of my move and it was the perfect easy read I needed during that time!
What I’m Reading This Week
- The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly: A Physician’s First Year by Matt McCarthy (audiobook) – I only have a few hours left in this audiobook and I am super enjoying it. It’s fascinating!
- All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of the Single Nation by Rebecca Traister (print) – This book started off slow and felt a little too academic at first, but I pushed through and now I’m really enjoying it. I don’t agree with all of the points being made, but I’m glad this book is out there in the world.
- When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare (e-book) – I’m nearly finished with this historical romance and it’s okay but nothing special. Most likely a three-star read.
What are you reading?
The Office book was on sale for $1.99 last Friday so I grabbed it! Did you read a hard copy or Kindle copy? I am wondering if there are photos or anything that would be better in hard copy. (I wonder if I will ever even read it – I always feel so behind with my library reads as it is, I rarely get to what I own!)
All of these books sound interesting to me! Especially Deacon King Kong since I love character driven novels. Your feelings about Experimental Marine Biology are helping me work through mine about Beach Read. Not that the stories are super similar, but I felt like the relationship in Beach Read was not very believable and I can’t pinpoint why (I think I just loved One to Watch so much that any romance I read right after that would feel meh to me, ha).
The Heir Affair makes me think of that alternative reality royalty book where the US has a king and queen that just came out with a sequel… is this the same thing or am I making absolutely no sense?
I am finally reading All Adults Here! I’ve had it in Libby FOREVER.
I read “All the Single Ladies” and I think I had a similar feeling about it as you. I gave it 3 stars but remember feeling a bit ‘meh’ about it.
I want to read Deacon King Kong. Gretchen Rubin recommended it this summer. She’s been featuring a book by a black author every week on her podcast which has been a great new feature to add as I’m trying to read more works by BIPOC.
I just finished “Girl, Woman, Other” which was kind of a slog for me at times. I gave it 3 stars but it was probably a 2.5 star book. There was not punctuation or grammar and also lots of characters. I should have written down who was who and how they were related to each other. Now I am reading “Rodham” which I am LOVING. But it’s kind of weird to read a reimagined life of a prominent figure who is still living. But overall, it’s been difficult to put down!