Quick Reviews

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (2023)

Sally is a writer for an SNL-type show, when a famous musician, Noah, is tapped to be the host and musical guest.  Sally pokes fun at the phenomenon of average-looking men dating extremely beautiful women but finds the tables may be turned when she and Noah seem to hit it off during his time hosting.  I really loved this book - first, I listened to it on audio, and the narrator (Kristen Sieh) is spectacular.  She really brought Sally to life, creating a smart, funny, but also vulnerable woman.  The story is divided into three main sections - the first takes place during Noah's week of hosting the show.  Not only do we get a great behind-the-scenes look at late-night television and all the work that goes into creating each show, but Sittenfeld perfectly captures how the unusual circumstances lead Sally to wonder if Noah might be interested in her.  Their time there together, however, ends poorly, and the story picks up again a couple years later, actually during the COVID-19 pandemic.  I'm not crazy about fictional books that already incorporate the pandemic, but this felt natural, as Sally and Noah reconnect through email and then as she goes to visit him.  I found Sally to be very relatable - she's so honest and endearing, although she can be very negative towards herself.  And although he's a celebrity, Noah comes across as friendly, charming, and rather normal.  At the beginning I felt like he was being a bit too vague about his feelings, but I did really like his and Sally's connection - their conversations are full of banter and were totally engrossing to listen to.  I was rooting for these two all along!  4.5 stars

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren (2023)

Felicity "Fizzy" Chen is a romance novelist who has never been in love; Connor Prince is a documentary filmmaker who is now tasked with producing a reality tv dating show.  It seems like the perfect fit to showcase the queen of romance finding her own true love - but what happens if Fizzy and Connor fall for each other?  This book is linked to a previous Christina Lauren novel; Fizzy was a side character in that story.  I think it helps to have read the first book, but I barely remembered it and I don't think it hindered my enjoyment of this book at all - and I really loved this book!  Although, let me get this out of the way now - I think "Fizzy" is a terrible character name, it just sounds really silly.  Ok, rant over.  There was so much to love about this book!  A romance novelist who has never truly experienced the love she writes about every day?  A dating show where the male "contestants" represent romance archetypes (the cinnamon roll, the alpha, etc.)?  A single dad who still has a great relationship with his ex?  A forbidden love?  Just so many swoons over here.  I loved Fizzy - there is a lightness, an effortlessness to her, although she still has her issues.  And I loved Connor - his devotion to his daughter, especially.  And the two of them together?  Pure chemistry.  These two spark from the moment they meet; it's so obvious they belong together, but there could be major repercussions for the show.  I was anxious to find out how it would all work out, and the ending just had me smiling the biggest, cheesiest grin.  4.5 stars

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Can't-Wait Wednesday: Husbands & Lovers

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

Husbands & Lovers

Beatriz Williams

Expected publication date: June 25, 2024

Two women—separated by decades and continents, and united by a mysterious family heirloom—reclaim family secrets and lost loves in this sweeping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Wives.

New England, 2022. Three years ago, single mother Mallory Dunne received the telephone call every parent dreads—her ten-year-old son Sam had been airlifted from summer camp with acute poisoning from a toxic death cap mushroom, leaving him fighting for his life. Now, in a search for the donor kidney that will give her son a chance for a normal life, Mallory’s forced to confront two harrowing secrets from her past: her mother’s adoption from an infamous Irish orphanage in 1952, and her own all-consuming summer romance fourteen years earlier with her childhood best friend Monk Adams—now one of the world’s most beloved singer-songwriters—a fairytale cut short by an agonizing betrayal.

Cairo, 1951. After suffering tragedy beyond comprehension in the war, Hungarian refugee Hannah Ainsworth has forged a respectable new life for herself—marriage to a wealthy British diplomat, a coveted posting in glamorous Cairo. But a fateful encounter with the enigmatic manager of a hotel bristling with spies leads to a passionate affair that will reawaken Hannah's longing for everything she once lost. As revolution simmers in the Egyptian streets, a pregnant Hannah finds herself snared into a game of intrigue between two men…and an act of sacrifice that will echo down the generations.

Timeless and bittersweet, Husbands And Lovers draws readers on an unforgettable journey of heartbreak and redemption, from the revolutionary fires of midcentury Egypt to the moneyed beaches of contemporary New England. Acclaimed author Beatriz Williams has written a poignant and beautifully voiced novel of deeply human characters entangled by morally complex issues—of privilege, class, and the female experience—inside worlds brought shimmeringly to life. - from Goodreads

Little Free Library Sightings

It's always fun to see a Little Free Library "out in the wild!"  I love to spot them, browse their selection, leave a book if possible, and then look them up on the official website, because sometimes they have interesting stories to go along with them!  There's also an app you can download to find local Little Free Libraries where you can even "check in" to keep track of the ones you've visited!  Here are a couple I've visited recently!

#129722 - I stopped quickly at this Little Free Library on the way home from a birthday party.  I love the bright white library and the story that goes along with it - "Ryan built this little library as an anniversary gift. Melissa is an English teacher and loves sharing books with others!"  How sweet!  The street it's on is very narrow, so parking was a little dicey and I only spent a minute perusing.

#170072 - How fun is this library?  It's made out of an old newspaper bin, the kind that pulls down from the top.  There is a row of books against the door window, and there are more shelves inside.  It was completely full with books, which was great to see!  I left a children's book but didn't take anything.  This one was located not far from the previous one.

#9915 - On our recent weekend trip to Maryland, I spotted this LFL in a lovely neighborhood.  The weather wasn't great, but Tom convinced me to stop!  This is another one with a great story - "I love and treasure books, and own over 800 of them, but even I need to cull sometimes! This library is what happens when I have multiple copies of a book, or perhaps when I outgrow a particular story. Every book has something to recommend it! The books are split fairly evenly amongst books for young children, YA books, and books for adults."  I love that the owner is always sharing books from their own collection and that they have such a great variety of books - something for everyone!

#54230 - We stopped in Baltimore to walk around the Inner Harbor for a couple hours and Tom asked if there were any LFLs I wanted to stop at nearby.  I checked the app and saw there was one at a museum just a couple blocks away, so we walked over.  Here's the story - "The Star-Spangled Banner Flag House & Museum’s Little Free Library was made possible by the Little Free Library Impact fund. It is the first Library in our historic Baltimore neighborhood, Jonestown. Our Library will serve the families and children of Baltimore and the more than 6,000 school age children who visit the museum each year. The Flag House is the historic home of Mary Young Pickersgill, maker of the Star-Spangled Banner Flag (1813)."  I thought the library would be accessible, but unfortunately, it's inside the grounds of the museum, which was not open the day we went.  So, this was the best photo I could get from behind the gate!  I wish the library was outside but it's still wonderful for the neighborhood.

 

And lastly, something fun - my husband actually sent me these pictures of a lending library he spotted out in the wild!  He was at the Bay Head rail station and next to the building is the "Railside Garden."  Someone installed this lending library, which I think is just perfect for train commuters!  It's not an official LFL, but it was still a cool sighting!

Indie Bookstore Spotlight: Queen Takes Book

We recently drove to Maryland to visit my college roommate and I came across Queen Takes Book while we were there!  This indie bookstore had actually opened only three weeks earlier, and when we visited on Indie Bookstore Day, it was quite crowded!

The store itself isn't very large, but it's a beautiful space.  I loved this little corner with some chairs and a chess set, as well as a table featuring recommendations from the staff.

The atmosphere of the store is very cool, too - dark walls and shelves but with some fun chandelier lighting.  These butterfly decorations added some whimsy to the wall!

They have a small children's section in one of the back corners, with a cozy rug and a couple of small chairs for kids to sit and read while their parents browse!  Apologies for the poor picture, there were two children nearby and I was trying to avoid getting them in the shot!

This is a view of the store from the children's corner.  There are a few more shelves against the walls you can't see and some tables of recent releases.  I checked out the romance section, which is on one of the shelves in the middle of the store, although I didn't do too much browsing since my guys were waiting in the car.  The store has a nice open feel, perfect for browsing.

I ended up choosing a book about planets for Henry, which of course we had to read that night.  I enjoyed my trip to Queen Takes Book and if you're ever in the Columbia, MD area, I encourage you to check them out!

Michele's Monday Picks #45

Angela is so generous to let me pop in with my little series, Michele’s Monday Picks!  I’m not a blogger or bookstagrammer, but I love getting excited about new releases with the rest of you.  Here I’ll be sharing new books I’m really looking forward to!

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Past Present Future

By Rachel Lynn Solomon

Expected Publication: June 4, 2024

From Goodreads:

They fell for each other in just twenty-four hours. Now Rowan and Neil embark on a long-distance relationship during their first year of college in this romantic, dual points of view sequel to Today Tonight Tomorrow.

When longtime rivals Rowan Roth and Neil McNair confessed their feelings on the last day of senior year, they knew they’d only have a couple months together before they left for college. Now summer is over, and they’re determined to make their relationship work as they begin school in different states.

In Boston, Rowan is eager to be among other aspiring novelists, learning from a creative writing professor she adores. She’s just not sure why she suddenly can’t seem to find her voice.

In New York, Neil embraces the chaos of the city, clicking with a new friend group more easily than he anticipated. But when his past refuses to leave him alone, he doesn’t know how to handle his rapidly changing mental health—or how to talk about it with the girl he loves.

Over a year of late-night phone calls, weekend visits, and East Coast adventures, Rowan and Neil fall for each other again and again as they grapple with the uncertainty of their new lives. They’ve spent so many years at odds with each other—now that they’re finally on the same team, what does the future hold for them?

Today Tonight Tomorrow is probably my favorite YA book of all time so I have high hopes for this sequel - do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Fiction/Nonfiction Quick Reviews

Best Served Hot by Amanda Elliot (2023)

After a social media restaurant critic loses out on a newspaper reviewer job, she finds herself working with the man who actually got the job, in an effort to boost both of their online presences.  Although at first Julie is reluctant, she comes to find that she and Bennett have more in common than just a shared love of food.  Although this was a cute premise, ultimately this story was a let-down.  I liked the social media aspects; the author does a good job of incorporating Julie's side gig as a restaurant critic, how she operates, etc.  The descriptions of food were mouth-watering at first, but they got a little overwhelming.  I also enjoyed the relationship between Julie and Alice, a coder who faces a lot of sexism at work.  Unfortunately, a lot didn't work for me.  Julie isn't particularly likable - she's very judgmental and constantly late, which is a big pet peeve of mine.  I felt no chemistry between her and Bennett; her feelings towards him felt very immature.  The author included these little threads of potential storylines that ultimately ended up going nowhere (for example, Julie makes a big deal of pointing out that things at Bennett's apartment all seemed new and unused; he remarks later that he lives in one of his dad's many apartments - ok, but that doesn't really explain it?).  I was expecting some deeper thoughts but the story is disappointingly surface-level.  3 stars 

 

Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come by Jessica Pan (2019)

 

Stuck in a rut, writer Jessica Pan decided that branching out from her introvert comfort zone and acting like an extrovert for an entire year might be a solution to her problems.  I've wanted to read this book for awhile, and I'm glad I finally did!  I listened to this on audio and I think the author did a great job with the narration (which isn't always the case).  I identify a lot with Jessica - I'm not super comfortable in group settings, small talk can be difficult for me, and being on stage or the center of attention is one of my worst nightmares.  So, I wanted to see if it was possible to learn how to be more extroverted (and actually be comfortable with it).  Jessica sought out experts in various fields to get their advice, which she then put into practice, things like talking to strangers on the bus (and asking them ridiculous questions) and hosting a dinner party.  I think her ability to seek out and talk to these experts was somewhat unrealistic for some of us (I don't think I'd be able to just call a famous comedian) but the intent was good.  And while some of the exercises she took part in are things I would never do (or think are necessary to become an extrovert, like improv or performing stand-up comedy), I did take away some good bits from the book.  I especially enjoyed the chapter on making friends as an adult (because I think we can all agree, it's very difficult!).  I think my biggest takeaway is that sometimes, just putting yourself out there a little bit more can have amazing results.  4 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Month in Review: April 2024

 

April was an absolute whirlwind!  Here's what happened:

• I turned 40!  Not gonna lie, kinda been dreading that number for awhile, but so far it hasn't been too bad!
• We experienced an earthquake!  I was in a Barnes & Noble when it happened, and I was so scared that I just froze.  It wasn't a very big one, 4.8, but it was unsettling to feel the shaking.  I didn't know if something happened to the building or outside.  I was also pretty close to Henry's daycare and I was trying to calculate in my head how long it would take to run there.  Funnily, Tom was only a couple miles away and he felt nothing!
• Then, we experienced an eclipse!  Guys, I swear it felt like the apocalypse was coming - earthquakes, eclipses, turning 40 all within a few days of each other!  Anyway, we took Henry out of daycare early and he had a blast watching with his safety glasses.  He was actually really interested in it.  We were in the approximately 90% totality area and the clouds were coming in and out, so Henry was alternating yelling, "I see nothing!" and "I see the moon!"
• Tom and I went to see Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and it was pretty good!
• Henry got a haircut and I'm not sure what was so different this time, but he did NOT want it to happen.  He cried and squirmed the whole time!  I felt so bad for the barber.  
• My sister and I went to see Abby Jimenez in person to celebrate the launch of her new book!  A recap of the event is below.
• We took Henry to the zoo one weekend, finally taking advantage of our membership.  
• Tax season ended and our company threw a little happy hour event.  Wanting a change of pace (and to talk to some adults for awhile), I went to work in the office for the day and then attended.  The firm also gave us off the first Friday after tax season ended, so that was nice.
• We attended our nephew's birthday party at an indoor trampoline park (or a "jumping place," as Henry calls it).  
• My college roommate's mother passed away last month, so we traveled down to Maryland this month to see her and attend the celebration of life.  Although she was understandably busy, it was nice to catch up for a short time.  Henry was excited to stay in a hotel and sleep in his pack n' play (I'm not really sure why, but he did great, so I'm not going to question it!).  We stopped in Baltimore and walked around the Inner Harbor for a couple hours on our way home.
• Henry has learned to say "I love you!"  This is the cutest development ever, especially when combined with the hugs and kisses he freely gives now, too!

The Books

First Comes Love // The Gimlet Slip // It's In His Kiss // The Romanov Sisters

Daughter of the Deep // Best Served Hot // Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come // My Killer Vacation

The Posts and Reviews

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Demon of Unrest

Review: Wild Card by Staci Hart

Michele's Monday Picks #43

Little Free Library Sightings

Meeting Abby Jimenez!  Plus, A Giveaway!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Paradise Problem

Fiction/Nonfiction Quick Reviews: The Romanov Edition

Top Ten Tuesday: Unread Books on My Shelves

Quick Reviews

Michele's Monday Picks #44

How are you doing?

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.