What a week it’s been! I spent Friday in the emergency room with my grandma and it was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. The important thing is she’s back home and doing just fine; you’d never know anything happened! Then on Saturday, I spend the day back in the emergency room, but this time with my grandpa. He was admitted and got home on Monday, and again, you’d never know anything happened.

I’ve been so emotionally exhausted from last weekend’s ordeal that I’ve been absent from here and my Bookstagram account. I’ve still been reading because duh, but I just don’t have the mental energy or capacity to engage in the commenting, following, and likes game. I think it just means I need a break, and I hope my desire returns, but for now, you’ll probably see a little less of me. I want to keep up with these Week in Books posts because it’s my online journal of what I read – at this point, that’s the very least that I want to be sure to keep up with!

Anyway, onto books! Here’s some of my recent posts, in case you missed them:

• Book Flights Vol. 2
• My Week in Books {2/19/20}
• My Week in Books {2/12/20}
• Libro.fm’s Bookstore Link – Allowing you to easily buy physical books from your favorite indie bookstore!

What have you been reading (and loving) this week?

Last Week’s Reads:

🎧 *** Open Book by: Jessica Simpson

I’m not a huge fan of Jessica Simpson, but I was still interested in her story. She is very open and honest in this memoir, and I really appreciated it. Listening to her read her own story on audiobook was powerful. I was struck by her insecurity – always feeling not good enough and fighting her bodyweight to make the music industry happy. Though most of us aren’t celebrities, I think a lot of us can relate to those insecurities and battles with our bodies. I loved feeling like Simpson was relatable.

There is speculation that Simpson used a ghostwriter – for me, I absolutely think she did. And while I appreciate how readable it made the book, it also frustrated me because it truly didn’t sound like her voice. It kept this from being a five-star review for me (I fluctuated between 3 ½- and 4-stars, but settled on 4 because, even if it is ghostwritten, I was still captivated by her story).

I’d recommend the audiobook on this one because stories are always better told through the voice of the real person. Also, at the end, there’s a bonus of six songs that help inspire the book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Dey Street Books | Pub Date: February 4, 2020 | 416 Pages | Audiobook | Purchase via Bookstore Link

📖 *** Darling Rose Gold by: Stephanie Wrobel

The creep factor is high in this one! I don’t want to say too much and spoil the book for anyone, but I enjoyed this dark pshycological thriller even if it was predictable. I love a book with an unreliable character and in this book, you get two! And what freaked me out the most is that there are actually people like this in the world! 😳 Anyway, if you need a quick read and you like a good psychological book, this would be a great one to pick up!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Berkley Books | Pub Date: March 17, 2020 | 320 Pages | E-book | Purchase via Bookstore Link

🎧 *** Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by: Layla F. Saad

This is a must read, especially if you’re a white and don’t believe you’re racist and that you don’t perpetuate racist stereotypes and behaviors. It’s uncomfortable – in a good way – and helped me see where some of my blindspots are. I want to keep reading books that help open my eyes and continue to make me a better person.

(The audiobook is great, but the book is good to have as well because the contents are presented in a workbook format.)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Sourcebooks | Pub Date: February 4, 2020 | 256 Pages | Hardcover | Purchase via Bookstore Link

📱 *** Big Lies in a Small Town by: Diane Chamberlain

I wish this book would have been more engaging. It’s almost like it was too long. It took me awhile to get into, but once I did, I enjoyed the story and the mystery element very much. This is the first book I’ve read of Chamberlain’s so I wasn’t totally sure what to expect from her writing. I think I liked it enough to give her another shot, but overall I think I was definitely hoping for more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 | St. Martin’s Press | Pub Date: January 14, 2020 | 391 Pages | E-book | Purchase via Bookstore Link

📖 Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by: Emily and Amelia Nagoski

This was one of the most raved about nonfiction books of last year. I heard about it all over #bookstagram and on podcasts. Because of all the hype, I was expecting (and wanting) so much more than what I got.

I can understand how this book was helpful to many women. But, for me, it fell flat. I have spent the better part of the last six years exploring my health and so many of the concepts presented in Burnout were not new news for me.

Also, the patriarchy aspect was a little too over-the-top for me. I didn’t totally understand how it fit into the rest of the book and its inclusion felt a little forced, in my opinion.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Ballantine Books | Pub Date: March 26, 2019 | 277 Pages | Hardcover | Purchase via Bookstore Link

Currently Reading:

📖 *** The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World by: Jeff Goodell

Halfway through and I’m still amazed at all the things I’m learning! Highly recommend if you’re curious about climate change, rising water levels, and where we may be heading in this modern day crisis.

Little Brown | Pub Date: October 24, 2017 | 352 Pages | Hardcover | Purchase via Bookstore Link

📖 *** Wyoming by: J.P Gritton

Picked this up on a whim because I couldn’t get to my Kindle (which I was reading Big Lies in a Small Town on) that was on my nightstand and I was trying to be nice to my sleeping husband. Anyway, this one is gritty and the writing really reminds me of Cherry, though the plots are very different.

My main reason for picking this one up is because I just don’t get to read dark and gritty books. Men write in a way so different from women and I like that diversification from time to time. But I hardly ever really love or connect to the story…so I’m not sure how this one will finish for me. Stay tuned. 

P.S. For a dark and gritty book written by a male author that is so, so good, read The Line That Held Us and thank me later!

Tin House Books | Pub Date: November 19, 2019 | 242 Pages | Paperback | Purchase via Bookstore Link

🎧 *** Running With Sherman: The Donkey With the Heart of a Hero by: Christopher McDougall

I loved McDougall’s previous book, Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, and I’m not even a runner! I’ve heard unbelievable things about Running With Sherman, so I decided to give it a try on audio!

Knopf | Pub Date: October 15, 2019 | 341 Pages | Audiobook | Purchase via Bookstore Link

(#partner #freebooks: All books noted by asterisks (***) indicate I received the book for free from the publisher, the author, or another promotional company to review. All opinions are my own.)

FINALLY – a week of good and consistent reading! It feels like forever since I’ve enjoyed my reading life.

I finished four books this week which is much closer to my usual pace. I think the biggest difference is that I actually enjoyed what I read – it didn’t feel like a struggle. I had two 5-star reads back-to-back…and NO DNF’s this week! 🙌🏼

What have you been reading (and loving) this week?

In case you missed them, here are some of my most recent posts:

• Book Flights Vol. 2
• My Week in Books {2/12/20}
• Things I Loved in January!
• Libro.fm’s Bookstore Link – Allowing you to easily buy physical books from your favorite indie bookstore!

Last Week’s Reads:

📖 The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by: Anissa Gray

I was so impressed with this debut novel! I saw it all over booksta last year and for whatever reason I never picked it up…I’m kicking myself now! 🙄

I love a book with hidden secrets that are revealed over time. Secrets that make you understand why a character is the way they are, and how those secrets impact who they’ve become and how they then relate to one another. This book nails that dynamic so well.

This is a story about a family – three daughters and one brother – and what happens with the oldest (and stand-in mother figure to the other siblings), Althea, is sentenced to prison after her husband and her are convicted of a crime. Althea’s daughters, Baby Vi and Kim, are left swirling in the aftermath of their parents’ crime, and the siblings come together to help take care of them as best as they can. Through the transitionary process, deep secrets begin to emerge and old hurts are brought to life.

The course of this book is only a few days with flashbacks to childhood, but I became so attached and invested in these lives that I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I loved Gray’s writing and felt like I was absolutely immersed in her storytelling.

There are trigger warnings for disordered eating and childhood trauma and abuse.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Berkley Books | Pub Date: February 19, 2019 | 304 Pages | Hardcover | Purchase via Bookstore Link

📖 *** The Girl With the Louding Voice by: Abi Daré

After the first chapter, I wasn’t sure I could read this entire book due to its syntax…but I was wrong, and I couldn’t imagine the story being told any other way!

This is an incredible coming-of-age (my favorite!) debut novel. Adunni is a 14-year-old girl who her father marries off to an old man who already has two wives, but no sons. Her sole purpose is to bear him a son, but after a tragedy happens, Adunni is forced to run away. She then becomes a housemaid for a wealthy woman in Lagos. There, she meets some of the best (and worst) people and she fights for her dream of furthering her education to become a teacher and to have a “loading voice”.

While parts of Adunni’s story is hard to read (trauma, abuse, rape, oppression, etc), the core of who Adunni is and what she stands for is heartwarming. I couldn’t help but cheer her on and hope the best for her. I also loved the secondary characters – Tia and Kofi. The way they took risks and had Adunni’s best interests at heart added so much texture to the story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ |Dutton | Pub Date: February 4, 2020 | 384 Pages | Hardcover | Purchase via Bookstore Link

📖 Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by: Emily and Amelia Nagoski

Because this is the #HWRbooks selection for February, I’ll keep most of my comments for the discussion on February 22 (you can find me that at: @happiestwhenreading.) Overall, I liked this book (A LOT in the beginning, but slowly lost interest by the end). It has some great insight, but as a person who has already negotiated a lot of the advice given within the pages, it was redunant information for me personally. If you’re new to discovering why you feel like crap all the time, this book will be extremely helpful for you! Please head to Instagram on Saturday to participate in the book discussion!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Ballantine | Pub Date: March 26, 2019 | 277 Pages | Hardcover | Purchase via Bookstore Link

📖 Tuesday Mooney Talks To Ghosts by: Kate Racculia

For a book that started off well, it slowly lost its momentum and eventually kind of fizzled out for me. When a billionaire dies, he sends the public on a scavenger hunt. Tuesday Mooney is quickly drawn in as she is naturally inclined to research and putting together pieces of puzzles. I really loved Tuesday Mooney – she’s a quirky character that gave me Eleanor Oliphant vibes (though I didn’t like Eleanor). She’s sort of that nerdy and lonely person that you can’t help but root for. Most of the story I really liked, it’s just that there were a lot of characters to keep straight and the story jumped around quite a bit. It wasn’t that it was hard to keep track of – it just interrupted the flow. I can’t quite put my finger on what went wrong for me, but I couldn’t care less how it wrapped up at the end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | Pub Date: October 8, 2019 | 359 Pages | Hardcover | Purchase via Bookstore Link

Currently Reading:

🎧 *** Open Book by: Jessica Simpson

I just started this one yesterday and I’m hooked! Jessica Simpson narrates this one herself and it’s really good. She’s open and vulnerable and honest, and I can’t wait to keep listening!

Dey Street Books | Pub Date: February 4, 2020 | 416 Pages | Audiobook | Purchase via Bookstore Link

📖 *** The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World by: Jeff Goodell

This book is interesting! Full of scientific fact that details the urgency we must be making right now in order to help out our planet, my heart actually hurts while reading this. Maybe not so much for myself, but so much for my children and future grandchildren. I’m not sure what kind of world we’re going to be handing them, but this book is a good glimpse of where we’re headed…and it’s not good!

Little Brown | Pub Date: October 24, 2017 | 352 Pages | Hardcover | Purchase via Bookstore Link

(#partner #freebooks: All books noted by asterisks (***) indicate I received the book for free from the publisher, the author, or another promotional company to review. All opinions are my own.)

My reading has slowed waaaaay down…so far, I’ve only read two books this month. When I’m used to knocking out two books a week, I’m shocked. It kind of bugs me, but I also remember that one of my goals was to read less this year. I’m really trying to focus on quality vs quantity…or at least I think I am until I see those numbers and it starts to stress me out.

My low count isn’t because I’m not trying…I think since I decided to participate in The Unread Shelf 2020, I have been giving myself permission to put books down that aren’t working for me. Sometimes I may be halfway through the book! I’ve been asking myself, “This book is feeling like a 3-star read…do you really care if you actually finish it?” And the answer inevitably keeps being no.

So my book count is low, but I am making new space on my shelves (a goal for 2020) so I’m still going to count this situation as a win!

In case you missed them, here are some links to my recent posts:

• Things I Loved in January!
• January 2020 Reading Wrap-up
• Libro.fm’s Bookstore Link – Allowing you to easily buy physical books from your favorite indie bookstore!

What have you been reading (and loving) this week?

Last Week’s Reads:

*** Lovely War by: Julie Berry

Honestly? Slap an Eiffel Tower image on any book cover and I’m sure to add it to my TBR, so thank goodness when that silly reason for picking up a book pays off! 🙌🏼

I really loved this book and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. It has one of the most unique premises for a book I’ve ever heard of – the narrators of the story are a rich cast of Greek mythological characters.

The book is set during The Great War (WWI) and it follows two couples and the hardships they must endure while trying to navigate a world at conflict. It has romance, friendship, strength, and survival…weaving it all together in the most beautiful way.

Because historical fiction is so often set in WWII, I was excited to read a book that talked about WWI instead. I have little knowledge of that time period and what led up to the war, so I was hoping I would gain some insight into some of those issues from this book. Unfortunately, it is not rich in historical context – it’s really more about the characters than the war itself. Though a little disappointing, this issue did not ditract from the book at all.

Also, don’t let the categorization of “YA Romance” or Greek mythology deter you. I didn’t feel like this read as a YA at all, and the Greek characters are only there to narrate the story. Any necessary information is provided through the text.

Overall, this was a fantastic read and I know it will stick with me for awhile!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Viking Books for Young Readers | Pub Date: March 5, 2019 | 480 Pages | Hardcover | Purchase via Bookstore Link

📖 The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding by: Jennifer Robson

Every review I see of this book has glowing reviews. I’ve been meaning to pick it up for some time and to finally urge me to do so, I added it to my Unread Shelf: Top 10 TBR List for 2020.

While I definetly enjoyed the story and would recommend it to others, it did fall a little flat to me. I knew going in that it was about the embroiderers of Queen Elizabeth’s wedding dress, but I still thought there would be more royalty in the story. It was also divided into three separate narrarators – Ann, Miriam, and Heather – so I totally found myself more interested in one storyline than the others.

Miriam’s story was the most interesting to me and I would love a book alone about her and her life in France (prior to coming to England). I enjoyed Ann and loved her character, but I felt like Robson just dropped her by the end of the book. It was almost as if she ran out of things to write so she gave Ann this grand escape and we literally learned nothing more from her. After spending 85% of the book with her, this felt like a huge disappointment to me. Lastly, Heather was the modern day storyline that helped piece together the past, but I found so much of her story eyeroll worthy and just a little too convienent. I hate when an author makes things so obvious that the reader can tell she’s using that as a way to make the rest of the story fit and Heather’s part of the book was full of these hints.

Again, this was a good book and I think a lot of people would really enjoy it. I just wanted something more from it that was never really delivered.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | William Morrow | Pub Date: December 31, 2018 | 388 Pages | Hardcover | Purchase via Bookstore Link

Currently Reading:

📖 Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by: Emily and Amelia Nagoski

This is the #HWRbooks selection for February! If you’d like to join in on the discussion, all you have to do is read the book by February 22, and then read and comment on my post on instagram that day! (You can find me here: @happiestwhenreading.)

I’m about halfway through and it has given me A LOT to think about!

Ballantine | Pub Date: March 26, 2019 | 277 Pages | Hardcover | Purchase via Bookstore Link

📖 The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by: Anissa Gray

I’m not too far into this one, but I feel like it’s going to be a solid 4- or 5-star read for me!

Berkley Books | Pub Date: February 19, 2019 | 304 Pages | Hardcover | Purchase via Bookstore Link

🎧 *** Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by: Layla F. Saad (Sourcebooks) – Pub Date: February 4, 2020

I didn’t realize this is a workbook so I started it on audiobook. I do have the hard copy as well, so I may end up switching back and forth! I’m only a few chapters in and it’s been mostly settin gthe book up, so I’ll need to get further into it to have an opinion.

Sourcebooks | Pub Date: February 4, 2020 | 256 Pages | Hardcover | Purchase via Bookstore Link

DNF (aka: Not For Me and/or Skipping For Now):

📖 There Will Be No Miracles Here by: Casey Gerald (Riverhead) – Pub Date: October 2, 2018

I read the first couple of chapters and decided it is too densely written for where I’m at right now in my reading life. The premise sounds amazing, so I may return to it in the future; but for now, I’m putting it down.

#DNFingWithoutApologyin2020

Riverhead | Pub Date: October 2, 2018 | 394 Pages | Purchase via Bookstore Link

(#partner #freebooks: All books noted by asterisks (***) indicate I received the book for free from the publisher, the author, or another promotional company to review. All opinions are my own.)

I’m two days late on this post, but life has been a little hectic. My grandpa had some health issues and I have had to take over some daily care for him. My reading life is definetly suffering, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

This weekend we have a bit of a drive to my daughter’s basketball tournament and I will be able to get some good reading in during that, so to say I’m looking forward to it is an understatement!

In case you missed them, here are some links to my recent posts:

• January 2020 Reading Wrap-up
• February #HWRbooks: Burnout: The Secret To Unlocking the Stress Cycle
• Libro.fm’s Bookstore Link – Allowing you to easily buy physical books from your favorite indie bookstore!

What have you been reading (and loving) this week?

Last Week’s Reads:

📖 *** The Sun Down Motel by: Simone St. James (Berkley) – Pub Date: February 18, 2020

I LOVED this book! The perfect amount of mystery and spookiness and pacing. I read this book in less than 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down! St. James is now on my autobuy author list, as I also loved her first book, The Broken Girls!

Currently Reading:

📖 *** Lovely War by: Julie Berry (Viking Books for Young Readers) – Pub Date: March 5, 2019

I just started this one yesterday and I can already tell it’s going to be a 4- or 5-star read for me. The premise is so unique – weaving in mythology with the story of 4 young people and their love stories as they navigate through World War I. The writing is absolutely beautiful and I can’t wait to spend more time in Berry’s world!

DNF (aka: Not For Me and/or Skipping For Now):

📱 *** When We Were Vikings by: Andrew David MacDonald (Scout Press) – Pub Date: January 28, 2020

Everyone seems to love this one and I seem to be in the minority in my opinions, but I can’t get over the use of the r-word, the f-word, or what seems to be the sexual conquest of Zelda, a character with fetal alcohol syndrome. While I appreciate what I think the author is trying to do, he didn’t accomplish it for me. The continual references to the Vikings began to be repetitive to me and became an extremely boring part of the book. I liked Gert fine, but AK47 was probably my favorite character in the book. Overall, this book reminded me of Eleonor Oliphant Is Fine, another book I didn’t care for.

DNF @ 49%

📱 *** The Mountains Sing by: Nguyen Phan Que Mai (Algonquin) – Pub Date: March 17, 2020

The writing is clunky and the sentences too simplistic for my writing. Some of the metaphors feel forced. Just not cohesive enough to gain my attention.

DNF at 18%

📱 *** Strung Out: One Last Hit and Other Lies That Nearly Killed Me by: Erin Khar (Park Row) – On Shelves: February 25, 2020

I wanted the motivation behind using, but at 23% in, we’re still talking about boyfriends and failed relationships. It was lacking any sort of depth; I struggled to care.

DNF at 23%

📖 Little Women by: Louisa May Alcott ( Roberts Brothers) – Pub Date: September 30, 1868

I wanted to care so, so much…but I just didn’t. It sat on my table for most of January, begging me to read it, but the little that I did was just so incredibly boring for me. I think this is exactly why I don’t read classics!

DNF at 1%

#DNFingWithoutApologyin2020