Well, friends, I didn’t hit my personal goal of 5 books a month during the 2nd quarter of the year. Life was busy. But I did read 11 books over the past three months, and there were some really good ones in the mix! One will likely end up in my top 5 of the year!
The Good Sister
This was my third read by Sally Hepworth, and she’s quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. Hepworth has a really special talent for writing female characters and relationships that feel so human on the page they really come to life in your mind. The Good Sister wasn’t my favorite of the three I’ve read by her, but I did enjoy this mystery thriller very much.
The story is narrated by two sisters, fraternal twins, who are wildly different but share a unique bond. It has somewhat of a slow start, but about halfway in, I couldn’t put this book down. I definitely recommend The Good Sister if you’re a fan of Liane Moriarty or someone who enjoys mysterious family dramas. 4 stars
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
When I finished reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, all I could think was, why on Earth did I wait so long to read this book?! So many people have recommended this one to me over the past few years, but I just kept putting it on the back burner. Perpetually distracted by the shiny new release, you know? 😉 But YOU ALL, I am so glad I finally decided to make time to read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid!
I enjoyed it from beginning to end! This fictional story of a glamorous, reclusive Hollywood starlet ready to work with a writer to release a tell-all biography about her life is heartachingly beautiful. This story takes you on a reflective journey through old Hollywood into the complexities of choices made and the struggle to tell – and to embrace – the truth. 5 stars
The Meaning of Mariah Carey
It doesn’t even matter if you consider yourself a fan, you will LOVE this memoir! At least I did. And in fairness, I’m DEFINITELY a fan. SO maybe I am a little biased. I’ve been a Mariah Carey fan since way back in the day….when I was rolling around my backyard in white roller skates with hot pink wheels and a cd player walkman. For me, it all started with a Vision of Love. 😉
But in all seriousness, The Meaning of Mariah Carey was incredible. She doesn’t hold back. It’s vulnerable, raw, and real but also sweet and funny. Definitely do the audible version, her words in her voice, and she sings! 4 1/2 stars
Dirt
This will likely make my top five of the year! Dirt, a memoir by Mary Marantz, is one of the most beautifully written memoirs I’ve ever read. I discovered this book via an interview with the author on The Ten Things To You podcast. And immediately downloaded it and proceeded to listen to the entire book in one day!
This is a single-wide trailer to Yale Law School story. But mostly it’s a story about grace. It’s a story about forgiveness and healing. And there aren’t enough words to describe just how much I loved this book! 5 stars
Come As You Are
Way, like waaaaaaayyyy, outside of my normal reading zone, Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D., is a nonfiction book about women’s sexuality, and it was eye-opening, to say the least. This was a book chosen by a woman in my book club, and to be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to reading it. And while reading it felt more like a homework assignment than an enjoyable pastime; I am really glad I read it, and I did learn quite a bit. I feel like every woman should read this book. It’s part science part guide, and it’s basically the sex education I never received but could have benefited from learning twenty years ago. Never too late to learn new things though, right? 😉 I have no idea how to rate this book.
The Next Right Thing
Where my Enneagram Type 9’s at?! If you, like me, struggle to make decisions, I think you’ll really enjoy The Next Right Thing. This is a nonfiction guide to sorting through decision-making chaos. And I found it both practical and enjoyable to read! 4 stars
A Million Little Ways
I enjoyed Emily P. Freeman’s The Next Right Thing so much that I immediately jumped right into another book authored by her. A Million Little Ways is less practical more poetic. It’s inspiring and filled with so much wisdom. If you enjoy a morning reading practice, this nonfiction book is the perfect read to start your day! 4 stars
The Woman in the Window
I moved this book to the top of my to-read pile when I found out the movie was coming to Netflix. And of course, the book was better than the movie. Although Amy Adams did do a fantastic job of bringing Ana Fox, the agoraphobic main character, to life. This psychological thriller kept me guessing, and the last few chapters had me ferociously tearing through the pages. I couldn’t put it down!
The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn hooked me from the very beginning. It felt like a reading roller coaster. 😉 So if you’ve not yet read it, and you love suspenseful, mystery thrillers, give this one a go! 5 stars
When Life Gives You Lululemons
This quick read was all kinds of fun! This third book in The Devil Wears Prada series focuses on Emily Charlton, Miranda Priestly’s first assistant. Although this story picks up years later. Emily is no longer working for Runway magazine, but rather is a well-known celebrity image consultant.
While I did love Andrea Sachs, the main character, in the Devil Wears Prada, I thought Emily’s cool but spicy personality added so much to the story! So I fully enjoyed catching up with Emily in When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger. 3 1/2 stars
On the Way to the Wedding
I had to finish what I started. 😉 This book wasn’t my favorite in the Bridgerton series, but I did enjoy it. On the Way to the Wedding focuses on the youngest brother’s, Gregory Bridgerton’s, pursuit of love. And in classic Julia Quinn style, there are lots of twists and turns on his journey to find his one true love.
As a character, Gregory isn’t my favorite, so that is likely why I didn’t like this book as much as some of the others in this series. But it was still entertaining. 3 stars
The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After
This was the perfect end to the Bridgerton series! There are 8 Bridgerton brothers and sisters, and each of them have their own books in this series. And while all 8 of the books end on a happy note, Julia Quinn knew her readers wanted to know more. So she wrote The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After, a collection of “2nd epilogues” to all 8 books.
And she even included a bonus story about the incomparable, wise, and witty matriarch of the family, Violet Bridgerton herself! And that was absolutely my favorite part of the book! Since Violet was a part of all 8 books but never had her own book, it was so nice to learn more about her.
This last book was like the cherry on top of this delicious Bridgerton sundae! 4 1/2 stars
So tell me, what have you read and loved over the past few months? What’s currently in your to-read stack?
