Over the past year or so, I’ve gone from casually reading grocery-store romances (hello, guilty pleasure) to reading 1 to 2 substantial books a week! I’ve done a couple of posts with reviews, but figured it would be fun to keep a page where I can update as I go. My favorite genre is probably a well-written memoir with life lessons, but love a good novel as well. I’m always taking recommendations too – if you know a book I should add to my shelf, let me know in the comments or shoot me a message. Happy reading!
Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
5 Stars
Funny story – it’s clear I love a good romance novel. But since I read on my kindle, I never really get to see book covers and sometimes don’t even read the descriptions. If I did, I would have noticed this was a gay romance between two men before I got very confused by longing looks shared by the main characters. That said, even though it’s not the kind of love story I personally relate to, it was absolutely adorable! There were some parts that were a little steamy but overall a great summer pool read.
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
4 Stars
I’m not saying every book has to be completely realistic, but this premise is quite the stretch. A down-on-her-luck girl who works regular hours decides to share an apartment with a guy she’s never met before who works night shifts. They split the time they’re each allowed in the apartment so they’re never there at the same time. The rest of the book redeems itself with a series of notes left around the apartment until a comedy of errors finally has them run into each other in person. Meet cute, if not a little out there.
Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
3 Stars
This was a cute, but forgettable romance novel in which a grieving widow allows a disgraced athlete live in an apartment at the back of her house. Emotional traumas lead to love and healing. It’s totally fine but I’d say there are far more entertaining books to take to the beach.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
5 Stars
This book can only be described as beautiful. It’s the story of a girl growing up outside of proper society in coastal North Carolina in the 1950s. Based on the nearby community’s fear, she’s accused of murdering the town golden boy. Part mystery, part ode to nature, this is one that will stick with you long after the end.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
17 Stars
Rating not a typo – this is my new all-time favorite book and it’s one I never would have read if not for my office girls book club! The novel is the author’s first – about a biracial girl in the early 1900s who is mysteriously gifted a book which sends her on a journey to understand her own background. If that sounds vague, it’s because I’m desperately trying to remember how much I can say here without giving things away. I love a book that can keep me on my toes and flip chapters back to reread parts I didn’t catch the first time.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
2 Stars
I had high hopes for this memoir written by a therapist about her own journey with therapy. But alas, I found it to be very mediocre in the way of self-discovery memoirs go and highly preferred Tell Me More for a similar vibe.
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal
5 Stars
This book is a few years old, but if you haven’t gotten to it yet, I highly recommend! I am really pushing myself to read books centered around other cultures and this was a mostly lighthearted dive into a relatively heavy topic. Imagine a community of women – mostly older – rising against social taboos for a tame sexual awakening of sorts while learning to read and write.
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
4 Stars
I love an easy breezy romance novel once in a while and this was no exception. It’s an adorably unrealistic tale of a bride and groom unable to go on their honeymoon sending their maid of honor and best man in their places. They start out hating each other … and you know what comes next. If you’re looking for something serious, this isn’t your book, but pretty decent for what it is!
The Huntress by Kate Quinn
5 Stars
After the success of The Alice Network, I read this other book by Kate Quinn and fell even more in love with it! It would be a 6-star review if I did that! Again – the subject matter is heavy, but I was kept in suspense the whole time and flew through it!
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
1 Star
Ahh, I hate giving this one a bad review because the writing is very very good. It’s just not my style at all. One of my closest friends ranked it her favorite book of 2019, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. It’s a novel written in the voice of a man writing his abusive mother a letter. I only made it a third of the way through before I gave up.
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
5 Stars
I’ve had this book on my list for years, and just got around to reading it over Christmas break. While the subject matter is pretty heavy, the story pulls you in. It was one of those that I started reading one evening and found myself finishing around 4 a.m., unable to put it down.
We Are All Good People Here by Susan Rebecca White
3 Stars
This book was fine. I really don’t know what else to say. The writing was elementary and the story line, while interesting, was just ho hum. Skip this one and pick up Ask Again, Yes instead!
Millenneagram by Hannah Paasch 
1 Star
Not going to lie – hated this book with a passion. I’ve been looking for a non-religious guide to the enneagram, but found this book downright irresponsible – feeding into number stereotypes, and flat out unreadable with every other word a curse word. We get it, you think you’re cool. Eyeroll.
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
5 Stars
Highly recommend this book to all women and men as an interesting take on rape culture and our society’s penchant to victim blame. As opposed to The Moment of Lift, I finished this feeling hopeful for the world and not like everything is awful.
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
5 Stars
Probably my favorite read of the past few months this was an incredibly riveting story told over ~40 years. Follows two families through their relationships and struggles. So freaking good. Highly recommend this one!
The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates
2 Stars
I had high hopes for this book, but instead found the prose basic and the story – while important – depressing rather than hopeful. It was very repetitive and didn’t deliver what I was looking to get out of it.
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
5 Stars
I can’t tell you how thankful I am that I read this book now at age 32 instead of when it came out when I was in high school! I absolutely loved it – it’s the best read for anyone whose life is in flux and looking for direction.
You Are The Universe by Deepak Chopra M.D. and Menas C. Kafatos Ph.D.
1 Star
One of my big life goals at the moment is to explore my religion and spirituality some. I was excited to read this book about the universe but was quickly overwhelmed with complicated language and way too much physics. Unless you’ve been through 8 years of post-grad education, skip this one!
The Idea of You by Robinne Lee
4 Stars
Loved this book as a mindless escape that has a bit more substance than a romance novel … a bit. Still a great story with surprising elements to it – don’t want to give anything away! Perfect vacation read or when you don’t want anything you have to think about too hard!
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
5 Stars
Wow. What an incredible book about life and death from an incredibly smart, well-spoken human. An excellent memoir with valuable lessons about living life!
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
5 Stars
I absolutely loved the premise of this book and the way the author told the story. Very unique and thought provoking. I did think it sort of just ended without much closure, but still giving it five stars because it was such a good read throughout!
I’m Not Really A Waitress by Suzi Weiss-Fischmann
3 Stars
I want to say this book is poorly written, until I remember it’s written by an immigrant refugee for whom English is her THIRD language. Her story is incredible and there are some really interesting tidbits if you’re a fan of OPI. That said, the whole book seemed like a brag and didn’t offer any unique business guidance.
The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian
5 Stars
I was pretty skeptical for the first few chapters, but this ended up being one of those books that sucks you in with all sorts of twists and turns. Wonderfully flawed characters and compelling story.
Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan
5 Stars
This book is a fantastic tear jerker and kind of a cross between a memoir and a self-help book. Great messages for women learning to live and deal with life’s ups and downs. Don’t read in public unless you’re happy for people to watch you ugly cry.
Note: Highly recommend for someone dealing with loss or tragedy.
Quiet by Susan Cain
4 Stars
Really interesting look at the history of introverts and how our society treats them. Great read to inspire introverts to leave their mark and for extroverts to understand how they can empower their introvert friends!
More Than Enough by Miranda Anderson
4 Stars
I love the idea behind the book – a family giving up all shopping for a year! I loved hearing about what worked for them, what didn’t and the gratitude along the way. I did think it was a little long and not actionable enough.
The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall
2 Stars
This book was just okay. Two stars because it was a mindless escape from reality, but that’s pretty much where my interest ended. It’s a YA book that was recommended to me and not sure I understand the hype.
Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance
5 Stars
This is a great memoir that dives into class differences and opportunity. Really good read about rural America and making something from nothing.
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
4 Stars
A young adult tear jerker about teenagers fighting illness while falling in love. It’s a tough read but a great story and characters you can love!
We Were Liars by E Lockhart
4 Stars
This is a young adult book about cousins who spend their summers on an island off Cape Cod. There’s been an accident and as the story is told as the main character tries to remember what happened. Huge twist ending – which I always love.
Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
3 Stars
It’s fine. It’s exactly what you would expect and really doesn’t say anything groundbreaking or new. Good to pick up if you need a little inspiration.
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
4 Stars
Mindless and fun – great to throw in your Longchamp for a flight, but nothing life changing. I will say, the book is vastly different from the movie and in a way more complex and interesting way! If you saw the movie and didn’t love it, still give the book a shot!
Plan B by Jonathan Tropper
5 Stars
This is an older book (2010) written by the guy who wrote the book behind This Is Where I Leave You. Hands down my favorite of the past few months, it’s about a friend group in their 30s who contemplate kidnapping their famous friend to help him kick his cocaine habit. There’s self-reflection, mystery, and even romance. Highly recommend!
The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron
3 Stars
I’ve talked about the Enneagram a bit on here and this book is extremely helpful in identifying your number and understanding what all of the numbers mean. It goes into the background of the Enneagram and helps you understand why you may act the way you do in situations and how you can better yourself based on your type. My one warning: while the Enneagram itself is not religious, it has gained popularity with the religious sect, so this book has a lot of talk around God and the Bible. I honestly just read around that a bit because I feel strongly that the tool is so useful.
Good Riddance by Elinor Lipman
3 Stars
The premise of this book sounds really fun – a woman who keeps a log of gossip noted in an old yearbook passes away and bequeaths the book to her daughter … who promptly throws it away. A nosey neighbor picks it out of the trash and decides to write a screenplay based on the secrets written within and causes all sorts of problems digging into the past. I had high hopes for this one, but sadly it fell flat for me. The character relationships weren’t believable and what could have been a dramatic story line seemed predictable and boring. If you’re looking for something mindless for a few hours, this is your pick. If not, I’d pass and grab another!
Becoming by Michelle Obama
5 Stars
Not to get overly political here, but I really, REALLY miss the Obamas. This book was so incredibly well written and helped me understand both the sacrifices Michelle made for her husband and our country, as well as what a rockstar she is in her own right! Even if you don’t line up with her politically, you’ll enjoy this book for tales of triumph and women empowerment.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
5 Stars
Another great book with some mystery and intrigue! It’s about an aging actress who decides to tell her life story to a “nobody” journalist. I tore through this because it was such a fun read and although I did guess the plot twist (a major book / movie pet peeve of mine) it wasn’t until much closer to the end, which kept me in suspense a bit longer.
Molly’s Game by Molly Bloom
2 Stars
This is a memoir from a woman who ran an exclusive underground poker ring in Hollywood for years before getting caught and brought up on federal charges. I was hoping for more girl power vibes, but instead felt this read more like “entitled girl takes credit for men puppeteering her to do bad stuff.” The entire book is a brag about how she built this game from scratch and made money hand over fist, yet her legal defense in the end was that she had been “ordered into” the whole ordeal by her former boss. If you pick it up, expect a fun inside scoop into a world of wealth and fame, but keep your expectations low when it comes to the lady of the hour.
All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin
5 Stars
I was skeptical when ordering this book, but wound up really loving it. It’s about a mom of a teenage boy navigating modern-day bullying and a dad of a teen girl – the victim of said bullying. It’s very topical and the characters are easy to love – or hate … Even though it’s a work of fiction, I think it’s a great book for parents to read.
You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero
4 Stars
I’m not a huge fan of self-help books – mostly because they always seem so preachy. Sincero has this way of writing, though, that makes the process fun and makes you feel good about yourself! I’m wouldn’t say the subject matter is groundbreaking. Throughout the book it recommends techniques like meditation and affirmations – which if you’ve heard once, you’ve heard a dozen times.
That said, her delivery is on point, and it reminded me of practices that have long fallen to the wayside for me and that I will be picking back up.
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
3 Stars
I didn’t think this one had a lot of depth to it. It’s billed as a modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice – which I’m ashamed to admit I’ve never read. Unfortunately, to me it read more like a travel guide to my hometown of Cincinnati – yes, I already know the difference between a 3, 4, and 5-way and all about the city’s neighborhoods. And while you know I love The Bachelor, I thought that part of the story line was a bit of a stretch.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a mindless beach read, pick this one up. If you’re looking for a little more substance, I’d say skip it.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
4 Stars
When I told my mom I was coming to Florida, she said “Oh! You’ll be here for book club, so be sure to read Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Friday.” No pressure or anything …
It’s a quirky book that starts out a bit rough. Eleanor Oliphant clearly has issues and Honeyman helps both the character and the reader come to terms with why she struggles with them. The character evolution was incredible to read throughout the novel. And there were some hilariously cringe-worthy moments along the way. It took a minute to get used to her internal dialogue, but once I did, the pages flew.
The cons: I questioned a few parts of the plot line and I didn’t love the ending. At all. Overall, I’d say it’s worth a read, but keep expectations in check.
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