Book Review — March 2019

I'm back this month talking about my favorite thing: books. This was the month of YA and contemporary romance (as though I read much else) so if that ain't your thing, you're gunna want to skip over this post.

Now. About the books...

Summary from Goodreads:

Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, the KoBra, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined. But maybe Rose isn't so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet (yes, Hamlet) crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara actually feels invested in her dad’s business. What if taking this summer seriously means that Clara has to leave her old self behind? 

With Maurene Goo's signature warmth and humor, The Way You Make Me Feel is a relatable story of falling in love and finding yourself in the places you’d never thought to look.

I started reading this one back in February but actually finished in March. It was probably my least favorite of the YAs I read this month (maybe...ever. Ah, sorry!). It wasn't bad but it wasn't all that great either. The plot was interesting enough and I liked the diversity of the characters but I think I was put off by how modern everything felt. The main character's mom is an "influencer" and it's kind of a pet peeve of mine when author's include a ton of current technology speak or current slang because I think it can date a book quicker than it may age on its own (who knows if "influencer" is going to be a thing in five years?). The main character was also kind of obnoxious which I know is done on purpose so we can see her grow and change but I was left feeling that growth was too easy or insincere. 3/5 stars on a good day but probably more like 2.5/5.

Plot from Goodreads (which doesn't really do it justice):

Summer in Sand Lake isn’t complete without a trip to Meade Creamery—the local ice cream stand founded in 1944 by Molly Meade who started making ice cream to cheer up her lovesick girlfriends while all the boys were away at war. Since then, the stand has been owned and managed exclusively by local girls, who inevitably become the best of friends. Seventeen-year-old Amelia and her best friend Cate have worked at the stand every summer for the past three years, and Amelia is “Head Girl” at the stand this summer. When Molly passes away before Amelia even has her first day in charge, Amelia isn’t sure that the stand can go on. That is, until Molly’s grandnephew Grady arrives and asks Amelia to stay on to help continue the business…but Grady’s got some changes in mind…

This was a welcome change after the first YA I read this month. This book was amazing. It was exactly the kind of YA (book in general for that matter) I like to read. It reminded me of Sarah Dessen novels. Historical nod, family angles, coming of age (which can sometimes be so annoying, so I appreciate when writers can do it well), feminist vibes, etc. So well written and thoughtful. I thoroughly enjoyed and it and have already recommended it to people. It's definitely my favorite Siobhan Vivian book and now I can't wait to read what she's currently working on. 4.5/5 stars.

Plot from Goodreads:

Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love.

Another one I'm so glad I read but disappointed I didn't wait until summer to read. It got me in such a summer mood! This is another YA that gave me Dessen vibes (even though there really can't be another Dessen) which made me so happy. It's a perfect blend of family bonds and romance in the perfect summer setting. I definitely cried at the end because #DaddysGirl but cried in the best way. Another highly recommended one on my list. I think my only con was I wish the initial conflict between the main character and her male friend was deeper. Once it was revealed, it was kind of a let down, as though he shouldn't been as upset about the thing as he was. Still, 4.5/5 stars.

Plot from Goodreads:

For Nell Becker, life is a competition she needs to win.
For Jackson Hart, everyone is a pawn in his own game.
They both have everything to lose.

Nell wants to succeed at everything—school, sports, life. And victory is sweeter when it means beating Jackson Hart, the rich, privileged, undisputed king of Cedar Woods Prep Academy. Yet no matter how hard she tries, Jackson is somehow one step ahead. They’re a match made in hell, but opposites do attract.

Drawn to each other by their rivalry, Nell and Jackson fall into a whirlwind romance that consumes everything in their lives. But when a devastating secret exposes their relationship as just another game, how far will Nell go to win?

Visceral and whip-smart, Laurie Devore’s Winner Take All paints an unflinching portrait of obsessive love, toxic competition, and the drive for perfection. 

I'm glad I read this one because it was a departure from the YAs I normally read. It definitely had some of those classic YA themes of family stuff, romance, coming of age, etc., but there was a much heavier feminist tone that I really dug. Laurie Devore has to be one of the smartest YA authors on the market right now. I'm on the wait list at the library for her next book. Another definite recommend, especially for women of the teenage age who should be reading books with feminist commentary. 

I think it's also worth noting that the main characters would normally be very hard to read because they have pretty severe personalities but I think it's a huge nod to how fantastic the writing and character development is because I didn't even remotely dislike them by the end. I think it's very clear that these are flawed individuals, who accept they're heavily flawed, and it's refreshing to read since we're all flawed.

4/5 stars and it doesn't get the additional half star I gave the other two just because I was left feeling a little heavy even though the ending was positive. I think that was because it was a realistic ending, which is refreshing and absolutely how the book should have ended, but I'm a sucker for that overly happy ending even if it is unrealistic. I don't fault the book though, that's definitely what this story needed. If it ended any other way, it would have been a disservice to the book, but my personal style and taste is to be left just a tad lighter.

Plot from Goodreads:

I was issued a warning: stay away from Ben Rosenberg. 

As Clifton Cove’s resident “king”, he thinks he’s entitled to anyone and anything.

The trouble is, I’ve spent my whole life following the rules and playing it safe. I know what it feels like to be the good girl. I’m the police chief’s daughter and a librarian—for adorable children, no less. 

An all-nighter with a fictional hunk is about as exciting as my life gets until one day, fate decides to take pity on me and shove me straight into the path of Mr. Off-Limits himself.

Just as I suspected, every inch of him promises to be my demise. Up close, he’s tall, menacing—a lawyer who looks like he’ll bite. A well-behaved girl would do as she’s told and avoid him at all costs, but I’m overdue for a little rebellion.

So, I ignore the warning and throw caution to the wind. But Ben doesn’t just nudge me out of my comfort zone—he thrusts me into a dark corner and presses his hard body against mine, covering my mouth with his hand to ensure we don’t get caught sneaking around. In that moment, I finally understand why everyone thinks he’s going to ruin me. 

To him, this is all a game. 
He wants to tempt me with his dares and taunt me with his words. 
I should play along. After all, I asked him to make me bad. I just never thought he’d take his job quite so seriously...

Up and clearly out of the YA genre with this one...
I have a few guilty pleasure authors even though "guilty pleasure" isn't a commentary on their writing necessarily but instead the genre of book. So I'll say my guilty pleasure is "rom-com books." I didn't know this genre existed until I read found R. S. Grey and proceeded to read everything she's ever written. The books go down smoothly, have 98% funny and witty dialogue (sometimes you get a cringer in there but it's rare), and have fantastic sex scenes. Just gunna admit it, OK? The plot of this is why I gave it 4/5 stars (as far as rom-com novels go) because it's right up my alley. And the delicious tension between the main characters, which R. S. Grey does so well. She's also adorable in real life and real fun to follow on Insta. Her books are also free to Kindle Unlimited users, FYI.

Plot from Goodreads:
Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.

I'm astonished this has 4.46 stars on Goodreads because it's probably one of the worst books I've ever read. I'm clearly in the minority. Even one of my best friends liked it. I would say Colleen Hoover is a guilty pleasure author. Her books are good but also a little dramatic. But she normally writes about important topics like domestic abuse and infertility which I can appreciate (although I would rather read her "lighter" stuff). This felt unnecessarily graphic, and for a thriller, I was left feeling like that's the big reveal?! Really?! It winds up being this sort of odd meta thing that I'm being coded about because I don't want to give it away if you feel like reading it. I basically read this to see what the hype was about and I wish I hadn't. Luckily it only took me a day to read because I would have been even more annoyed if I spent any more time than that reading it.

Her publisher told her they didn't want to publish this book because of the content so she indie published it and I guess I'm left questioning why she felt this was SUCH a necessary story to tell. I'm all for an artist stretching their creative muscle and trying out something new but I still feel like this was an odd departure for her. Maybe I should have read more about it, maybe she talked more about the process on Insta than I realized because maybe some context would make this feel more worthwhile, even though, at the end of the day, I don't really need to understand why she wanted to write something. That's for her to know and feel. But also, she mentions in her acknowledgments that she hopes her kids "never read this." I guess I don't know why a story worth telling is one your children can't read some day? The whole thing was odd which is why it shouldn't be a surprise that I'm giving it 1/5 stars. But again, I'm clearly in the minority. 

Plot from Goodreads:

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases — a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice — with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan — from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but to crave all the other things he's making her feel. Soon, their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic...

I enjoyed this one! It was refreshing to read an adult novel with a lead character living on the spectrum especially when written by someone on the spectrum. I thought her insight into the character was authentic and perfectly done. While the plot was a little lackluster in general, I would recommend it and give 4/5 stars simply for its diverse characters and overall execution.

Plot from Goodreads:
When freelance writer Nikole Paterson goes to a Dodgers game with her actor boyfriend, his man bun, and his bros, the last thing she expects is a scoreboard proposal. Saying no isn't the hard part--they've only been dating for five months, and he can't even spell her name correctly. The hard part is having to face a stadium full of disappointed fans...

At the game with his sister, Carlos Ibarra comes to Nik's rescue and rushes her away from a camera crew. He's even there for her when the video goes viral and Nik's social media blows up--in a bad way. Nik knows that in the wilds of LA, a handsome doctor like Carlos can't be looking for anything serious, so she embarks on an epic rebound with him, filled with food, fun, and fantastic sex. But when their glorified hookups start breaking the rules, one of them has to be smart enough to put on the brakes... 

I love Jasmine Guillory. I really enjoyed this one which is a spin-off her first novel. Overall, I enjoyed the first novel a tiny bit more even though I think I liked the main female character better in this one. But I think that's only because her personality is more in line with mine rather than a comment on the writing or character development. This was a fun contemporary romance, well written and smart which I really appreciate about Guillory. Highly recommend her work. 4/5 stars.

Plot from Goodreads:
Ramona was only five years old when Hurricane Katrina changed her life forever.

Since then, it’s been Ramona and her family against the world. Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she’s fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows she’s destined for something bigger than the trailer she calls home in Eulogy, Mississippi. But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mom, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. Now, with her sister, Hattie, pregnant, responsibility weighs more heavily than ever.

The return of her childhood friend Freddie brings a welcome distraction. Ramona’s friendship with the former competitive swimmer picks up exactly where it left off, and soon he’s talked her into joining him for laps at the pool. But as Ramona falls in love with swimming, her feelings for Freddie begin to shift too, which is the last thing she expected. With her growing affection for Freddie making her question her sexual identity, Ramona begins to wonder if perhaps she likes girls and guys or if this new attraction is just a fluke. Either way, Ramona will discover that, for her, life and love are more fluid than they seem.

Back to the YAs on this one. I'm a huge fan of Julie Murphy ever since I read Dumplin' and Puddin' so I was excited to get this one from the library when my turn was up. It's an awesome YA, plain and simple. Definitely would recommend to any teenager, probably before any other YA on this list. It's a perfect mix of classic YA themes with some really important ones. I loved that our main characters were diverse in multiple different ways. Our female lead initially identifies as lesbian but becomes confused when she develops feelings for her male friend from childhood who is of a different race. I loved that it was coming of age but also dealt with identity in an interesting way in figuring out who we are and where we belong. 4/5 stars only because it wasn't Dumplin' or Puddin'.

Plot from Goodreads:
Desi Lee believes anything is possible if you have a plan. That’s how she became student body president. Varsity soccer star. And it’s how she’ll get into Stanford. But—she’s never had a boyfriend. In fact, she’s a disaster in romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation magnet whose botched attempts at flirting have become legendary with her friends. So when the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi decides to tackle her flirting failures with the same zest she’s applied to everything else in her life. She finds guidance in the Korean dramas her father has been obsessively watching for years—where the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. It’s a simple formula, and Desi is a quick study. Armed with her “K Drama Steps to True Love,” Desi goes after the moody, elusive artist Luca Drakos—and boat rescues, love triangles, and staged car crashes ensue. But when the fun and games turn to true feels, Desi finds out that real love is about way more than just drama.

I finished off the month with another Maurene Goo. I definitely liked this one more. The characters were far more likable than the first novel of hers I read. I'm disappointed I don't like her stuff more because I think we'd actually really get along in real life haha (if one can say such a thing simply from looking at a person's Instagram). I would definitely recommend this one over her other stuff if you're going to read her work. I'm hoping she's working on something new because I think I'll keep giving her a chance. 3.5/5 stars.



That's all for me this month! A little look at what I'm currently working through via my Goodreads.

If reading mediocre book reviews are your thing, see ya back in April!
xo

Book Review — February 2019

I used to do reviews here and there on here but I went through a personal reading lull when I was reading a lot for grad school. Last year I did the Goodreads reading challenge and read 50 books, and this year I've challenged myself to 55, so since I'm reading consistently each month to reach my goal, I thought I would start these back up!

There may be some months in here where I only read one book and some where I read five or six. Some months might be solely romance novels SORRY BOUT IT. Additionally, I rate books within their own category/genre/age group, so if I give a middle grade novel a 5/5, it's to be compared to all other middle grade novels and not the contemporary adult fiction novel that follows it, etc.

So as we round out February, let's talk books—my very favorite thing.

I initially heard about this book from Caroline at Cup of Jo who raved about it saying she had read it two days. It's a memoir about family, life's twists and turns, and identity. So basically my kryptonite. I picked it up the same day and also read it in two days.

Plot from Goodreads:

What makes us who we are? What combination of memory, history, biology, experience, and that ineffable thing called the soul defines us?

In the spring of 2016, through a genealogy website to which she had whimsically submitted her DNA for analysis, Dani Shapiro received the stunning news that her father was not her biological father. She woke up one morning and her entire history—the life she had lived—crumbled beneath her.

Inheritance is a book about secrets—secrets within families, kept out of shame or self-protectiveness; secrets we keep from one another in the name of love. It is the story of a woman’s urgent quest to unlock the story of her own identity, a story that has been scrupulously hidden from her for more than fifty years, years she had spent writing brilliantly, and compulsively, on themes of identity and family history. It is a book about the extraordinary moment we live in—a moment in which science and technology have outpaced not only medical ethics but also the capacities of the human heart to contend with the consequences of what we discover.

Timely and unforgettable, Dani Shapiro’s memoir is a gripping, gut-wrenching exploration of genealogy, paternity, and love. 

It's well written making me want to pick up some of Dani Shapiro's other work. The pace is fantastic which I appreciate in memoirs. I give it 4/5 stars because I think I wanted the tiniest bit more from it although I can't quite pin down what that would be.

A perfect follow to Inheritance even though it couldn't be more different and has nothing to do with the actual book other than being written by the person who recommended it! This debut middle grade was written by Caroline Cala Donofrio of Cup of Jo and you must purchase for every 10-year-old (and up!) you know. It's a perfect dose of early adolescent nostalgia. It's everything I wanted in books when I was the target audience's age, and quite frankly, even now. It has a sweet and believable plot, diverse characters, and witty, funny, age-appropriate dialogue.

Plot from Goodreads:
Once upon a time, a girl named Kristy Thomas had a great idea: to form The Baby-Sitters Club with her best friends. And now twelve-year-old Malia Twiggs has had a great idea too. Technically, she had Kristy’s idea. (And technically, little kids seem gross and annoying, but a paycheck is a paycheck). After a little convincing, Malia and her friends Dot and Bree start a babysitting club to earn funds for an epic birthday bash. But babysitting definitely isn’t what they thought it would be.  

Three friends. No parents. Unlimited snacks. And, okay, occasionally watching other people’s children. What could possibly go wrong?

I couldn't have loved it more and am, like the 10-year-old I am, waiting anxiously for the second book in the series to be released this August. 5/5 stars.

I could talk a long time about this book but I'm hoping to keep it succinct because I would never be able to find the right words to describe how good this book is. Even though I will admit to having a slow start with it—which is no reflection on the writing or story itself, I just think it takes a little adjusting to get in the rhythm of the story telling—it was utterly compelling and I've thought long about it since finishing it.

Plot from Goodreads:

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life--until the unthinkable happens.

Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps. 

I've said it repeatedly, but it's truly one of the most masterful pieces of fiction I have ever read. Delia Owens' (who is remarkable and fascinating on her own) ability to write about isolation and nature and family is breathtaking and mind boggling to me. Her talent is mind boggling. 

I will be recommending it to everyone. I'm especially excited Reese Witherspoon's production company picked it up and is making a movie of it! I can't wait to see who they cast. 5/5 stars without question.

I've been meaning to read Kristin Hannah's books after reading so many rave reviews but haven't gotten around to it till now. I'm definitely going to keep reading her stuff after this one. 

Plot from Goodreads:

Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.

I checked this out from the library and ended up getting stuck in the first chapter too long and lost my loan, so I checked it out again last week and finished it over the weekend. It's on the longer side for contemporary fiction at over four hundred pages but it certainly doesn't drag. The pacing is awesome, the relationships are gripping, and the story is engaging. Something I really loved was how it spanned the main character's life from thirteen years old to late twenties (?). I feel like lately I've been reading a lot where the main character is the same age the whole time, which is obviously totally fine and great, but it's awesome when you can see a lot of development throughout an extended period of time (this is how it is in WTCS too).

I highly recommend. 4/5 stars because I tend to reserve five stars for books with exceptional writing quality (like WTCS) and ones that leave me feeling happier. This story is a heavier one, which is great because sometimes you need that, I certainly did, but at the end of the day, a feel-good story is going to finish out with five stars from me. But Kristin Hannah's writing is stellar and the story has such depth and I kind of can't imagine the amount of time she must have spent researching for this, so... maybe 4.5 stars ;) Ps. I did a quick Google and found out it's being adapted for the screen! Very exciting.

 Currently reading: 

My last two reads were heavier, so as soon as I finished The Great Alone (and stopped crying),  I decided I needed a break from those hefty stories and went back to my tried and true, ol' faithful YA category. My very favorite. 

I'm about halfway through and I like it so far.

Plot from Goodreads:

Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, the KoBra, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined. But maybe Rose isn't so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet (yes, Hamlet) crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara actually feels invested in her dad’s business. What if taking this summer seriously means that Clara has to leave her old self behind?

With Maurene Goo's signature warmth and humor, The Way You Make Me Feel is a relatable story of falling in love and finding yourself in the places you’d never thought to look. 

Maurene Goo is friends with Jenny Han, one of my favorite, favorite YA novelists, and I basically want to be IN their circle of author friends (I love following them on Instagram), so I knew she'd be a great next YA author to familiarize myself with. I'm on the wait list at the library for her first novel (which I wanted to read most) but was able to snag this one without waiting. I'm enjoying it so far. It's a light, humorous read and I'll be interested in the direction it goes toward the end here.

Any books I just HAVE to read? I'd love to hear. xo

Book Talk - February

Today I'm talking books, one of my very, very favorite subjects to discuss.

I read a wider range of books in February and I'm really glad I pushed myself to branch out. Typically I get stuck on a genre and it's hard to tear myself away. I read memoirs for a solid year straight and getting back into fiction was difficult for some reason.

But we have a wide range to discuss today and I'm excited!

1 // The Bright Hour

This memoir was written by Nina Riggs before she passed away after battling breast cancer which then spread throughout her body. It is a stunning look at the process of living while dying. She has such a beautiful voice and style of writing (she's the great, great, great-granddaughter of Emerson, so that explains everything). It's heartbreaking yet incredibly uplifting and I came away feeling so hopeful which is an odd reaction knowing that she ultimately passed away, but I think it speaks to her incredible talent and soul as a human being.

Many have linked it to When Breath Becomes Air a memoir written by Paul Kalanithi who was also dying from cancer. Nina actually blurbed his book (as he passed away before she did) because she loved it so much. 

Both writers (Paul was also a neurosurgeon) are survived by their spouses and children. In a beautiful turn of events, their spouses connected over their mutual tragedy and loss and have fallen in love. You can read about their story from The Washington Post here but, as a long time Cup of Jo reader, I prefer Joanna's take which you can read here since it's her twin sister who was married to Paul :)

ANYWAY.

A beautiful and completely lovely book about something so universal and hard and not so lovely.

5/5 stars, most definitely. 

2 // A Paris All Your Own

I loved this collection of short essays from various female writers who have written books that are about or take place in Paris. It's how I came to discover The Paris Wife and am ever so grateful for that. It was a pretty quick read and I loved reading about everyone's experiences and opinions about Paris. It was really cool to see how different some were, and yet, how similar.

4/5 stars--100% a worthwhile read if this city pulls on your heart strings like it does mine.

3 // Alex, Approximately

This was a YA I picked up because the premise was compared to You've Got Mail and that's all I needed to hear. It's about a girl who meets a fellow "film geek" online and develops a crush on him. She moves to California to live with her dad only to discover that it's the same city where her crush lives and goes on a mission to find him (although he doesn't know she's moved there). She gets a summer job and ends up in a flirty yet angsty relationship with a male coworker. So she spends most of the book conflicted between holding onto the fantasy of her online crush and taking a risk on this new guy she works with, both of whom turn out to be the same guy.

While it definitely didn't compare You've Got Mail, it was a cute, quick read.

3/5 stars

4 // The Paris Wife

OH, The Paris Wife. What can I even say? A lot actually which is why I'm telling everyone to read this (even though I'm very late the party myself). I LOVED this book. I'm a sucker for the 1920s in general, but add in Paris, Hemingway, and romance? I'm a goner. 

This is a fictionalized telling of Hemingway's and his first wife, Hadley's, experience when they were first married, first living in Chicago (hey, hey!) and then in Paris (and traveling throughout Europe). While it's fictionalized, it's clear McLain has done copious research so the details and interactions were rooted in such accuracy.

McLain writes so beautifully and captures such exquisite details and feelings Hadley could have (and must have, quite frankly) felt while being married to such a man. I immediately gave it to my grandma--my prime Hemingway audience--and she's obsessed with it.

I just preordered McLain's newest book coming out May 1 about Hemingway and his relationship with Martha Gellhorn. Absolutely can not wait to get my hands on it.

5/5 stars, especially for those with an affinity to Paris, the Jazz era, good literature, and/or quality writing

5 // Long Way Down

This book recently won a ton of awards from the American Library Association. I mean any award you can think of, this book has won or been an honorary winner of. And rightfully so.

It's about a fifteen-year-old boy named Will whose brother was shot the night before. He knows who did it, and because "The Rules" say if you know who killed someone you love, you have to kill them, so he takes his brother's gun and gets in the elevator of his apartment building on a mission to kill his brother's killer. On his way down, the elevator opens at each floor, letting on a ghost connected to his brother. All six ghosts provide another piece to the story, helping (or not helping) Will make a decision about his future. 

I can't say enough things about this book. It's absolutely incredible. It should be taught in every eighth grade and high school classroom. It speaks beautifully and honestly about the confusing nature of race, culture, ethics, and family. It's perfect for reluctant readers because it's told in verse and can be read quickly. 

Every page was a punch to the gut and the last page gave me goosebumps. 

5/5 stars, because Jason Reynolds is nothing short of masterful.

6 // Hemingway's Girl

And because I can't get away from fictionalized tellings of Hemingway's life... I bring you, Hemingway's Girl. While The Paris Wife was fictional, it was inspired by a real people and a real relationship. This book is almost entirely fictionalized in that it's about a fictional woman who is hired by Hemingway's second wife to be their maid. 

This takes place in Key West and has Cuban influences (Mariella, the protagonist, is half Cuban). Mariella struggles with her growing attraction toward Hemingway (can't blame ya, sister), especially since he's a married man, but she also develops an attraction for a WWI vet she meets. 

I started this on the train one day and it felt a little slow getting in, but after chapter four it picked up. I finished the rest of the book on a Sunday afternoon and found myself really getting into it.

4/5 stars, much about individual ideals and family, with a nicely painted setting. 

7 // Charlie All Night

And so begins the Jennifer Crusie portion of the talk. I read a Jennifer Crusie book as an undergrad when I took a popular romance genre class. Her book Fast Women was on the reading list and I remember feeling fondly about it, so I borrowed the e-book version of Charlie All Night from the library and read it on my Kindle in a few hours.

Her books are super light reads with plots that aren't serious or heavy which is a nice change of pace. This is about a radio producer who gets assigned a new radio personality and she has the intention of making him "a star" except, he's not interested in fame because he has a secret of his own. They end up developing an attraction to one another very early on and the rest is history.

The plots of her books remind me a lot of Hallmark movie plots, which isn't necessarily a criticism because they appeal to so many people, but they're a little fluffy in that respect.

I love that she recognizes body image/self esteem issues by having leading women who are pretty confident in themselves despite not being rail thin or conventionally pretty. I think that's somewhat rare in the romance/chick-lit genre.

She writes pretty good sex scenes and her website is very funny. I love her personal voice a lot.

3/5 stars, easy and light read

8 // Anyone But You

This one is about a newly divorced 40-something-year-old woman who gets a dog that keeps escaping through her apartment window into the apartment of a charming E.R. doctor that lives one floor below her who happens to be a decade younger than her. She's reluctant to acknowledge their attraction because of the age difference but eventually gives in...and you can guess the rest ;)

Another 3/5 stars simply because it's rather fluffy but of the three I read this month, the dialogue in this one was my favorite--charming and funny.

9 // Bet Me

This one felt a little longer to me compared to her other novels and had a lot going on because there were so many characters that were involved in (what seemed like) every interaction which was kind of tiring at times. Because there's so much going on, I'm finding it kind of hard to explain without mentioning every detail, so here's the copy from Goodreads:

"Minerva Dobbs knows that happily-ever-after is a fairy tale, especially with a man who asked her to dinner to win a bet. Even if he is gorgeous and successful Calvin Morrisey. Cal knows commitment is impossible, especially with a woman as cranky as Min Dobbs. Even if she does wear great shoes and keeps him on his toes. When they say good-bye at the end of their evening, they cut their losses and agree never to see each other again.

But Fate has other plans, and it's not long before Min and Cal meet again. Soon, they're dealing with a jealous ex-boyfriend, Krispy Kreme donuts, a determined psychologist, chaos theory, a freakishly intelligent cat, Chicken Marsala, and more risky propositions than either of them ever dreamed of. Including the biggest gamble of all—true love."

3/5 stars, a fun, fast-paced read for those who need to get out of their own head a little bit

I like reading books like Jennifer Crusie because they make ya feel good. I also love that she's dedicated a lot of her education to English literature and feminist study, which makes me feel like her work is reflective of what she's learned over the years and not as fluffy as they may seem.

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Those are all my books for February! 

I'm starting off March with another collection of short essays about Paris, The Pilot's Wife, I'm waiting on a copy of Jason Reynold's Miles Morales, a comic novel about the black Spider-Man, and waiting on a copy of Taylor Jenkins Reid's The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. And I'm guessing another one or two Jennifer Crusie novels will make their way in ;)

xo