Okay so March was the dawn of my obsession with audiobooks. It all started with Sissy, when I left it to the last minute to read for my IRL book club. I clicked it on to listen while I worked. It was phenomenal on audio, thanks to the sassiest author-narrator. I realized that maybe I did love listening to books, as long as the work I was doing was mindless. Then I started listening along to my next few reads as I read the physical or e-book copy, which I loved too. Fully immersed is definitely a fun way to read.
At the end of April I also read two foodie themed novels, Accidentally Engaged and With the Fire on High. These books inspired me to start a new series on my account called Read It and Eat, a combined post with one book review and a recipe review or dish inspired by that book. Keep an eye out for my first #ReadItAndEat post with my review of Accidentally Engaged and the Indian-inspired picnic dinner I made to go along with it!
Back in January I told myself I'd read a backlist book each month (a book I owned prior to the start of the year). Well I only managed to read one - Maybe in Another Life, which admittedly, just barely counts since I received it as a gift in December 2020. I think I'm going to switch the goal to read 12 total backlist books by the end of 2021. Still doable!
Check out my short stats and reviews of each book below! Also I'm sorry for the overload of Taylor Jenkins Reid books. They're all just so good!
Genre: Coming-of-Gender Memoir
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Audiobook (my first ever)
Quick Synopsis: Jacob Tobia lets loose in this coming-of-gender memoir, focusing on the (in their words) complex, messy, dramatic, and beautiful gender nonconforming and nonbinary trans narrative that is their life. And Jacob is a hot mess, but this story is theirs and they own it.
Quick Review: This book focuses on gender-based trauma throughout Jacob's childhood and formative years. Jacob's memoir shows us a new-to-the-mainstream perspective on the trans narrative, which includes those with some of the messiest, ever-changing identities, gender nonconforming and nonbinary people, and people whose gender continually evolves over time. This is a book everyone should read, or rather, everyone should listen to. The audiobook, narrated by Jacob, was equal parts profound, heartbreaking, entertaining, and sassy.
Who should read this: Everyone.
Genre: Fictional Interview/Oral History
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Audiobook & E-book
Quick Synopsis: It's the 1970s and Daisy Jones is rock and roll's newest it-girl, thanks to her singer-songwriter skills, her hauntingly beautiful looks, and her addiction to sex and drugs (that's rock and roll, baby). Billy Dunne, a recovering addict, built The Six from the garage up, turning it into one of the most successful rock groups of the era. But when his producer suggests putting Daisy Jones at the front of The Six, will Daisy turn into Billy's newest addiction?
Quick Review: It was entertaining to read each character's different perspective of the same event - I can't imagine how complex that is for Taylor Jenkins Reid to write. I loved listening to the full cast on the audiobook. You could tell how much wistfulness and grit they had just from their voices, as they reminisce about their time in the band.
Who should read this: Anyone who is interested in rock and roll. Anyone who has a book hangover after Evelyn Hugo. Anyone who is looking for an audiobook that will captivate them.
Genre: Mystery
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Paperback Advanced Reader Copy
Quick Synopsis: Two members of The Maidens, a female secret society on Cambridge University’s campus, are found murdered. Mariana, a group therapist, is convinced that beloved Greek tragedy Professor Fosca is behind these sinister crimes, and will stop at nothing to prove his guilt.
Quick Review: This was super readable (short, quick chapters), but ultimately nothing super crazy happened. Not too many thrills, and a lot of one-dimensional characters I didn't care too much for. Lots of Easter Eggs for The Silent Patient, Alex Michaelides first novel, though.
Who should read this: Anyone who couldn't get enough of The Silent Patient. Anyone who likes Greek tragedies or secret societies. Anyone who loves red herrings in their books.
Thank you to Celadon Books for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Genre: Humorous Mystery
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Audiobook & E-book
Quick Synopsis: Finlay Donovan is a self-proclaimed hot mess of a mom, struggling to come up with ideas for her new mystery book. As quickly as you can order a soup and salad from Panera, her life turns upside down when a stranger overhears her talking about her latest book idea and mistakes her for a hit-woman, and ultimately finding herself tangled with real-life bad guys.
Quick Review: I love suburban dramadies and while I really did love the idea of a fresh, modern, and humorous attempt at a thriller, I'm not sure if the funny bits really came across on paper. I would have loved more banter, outrageous moments, more giant gleaming mistakes. I am intrigued by the possibility of a second book, and it definitely has the potential to make up for the lack of funny in this one!
Who should read this: Anyone who watched Dead to Me or Desperate Housewives. Anyone who loves people watching.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Genre: Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Audiobook & Paperback
Quick Synopsis: Maybe in Another Life follows Hannah and two concurrent paths her life can take after having a quarter-life crisis. There are some drastic differences, but both lives endure a bit of hardship while exploring relationships with family and friends who are like family.
Quick Review: It was fun to see the similarities in each life and the different ways Hannah and her friend Gabby find out important information in each life. While I didn’t think Hannah was particularly relatable, I did love the focus on their friendship. I knocked off a star because I found myself rooting for one of Hannah’s stories much more than the other, which I don't think was the end goal.
Who should read this: Anyone who loves cinnamon rolls. Anyone who still reads Nicholas Sparks. Anyone who needs a quick beach read.
Genre: Romance
My Reviews: Goodreads
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Paperback
Quick Synopsis: Reena dreams of writing her own cookbook and baking bread all day long. When she loses her corporate job, what better time than to follow her foodie dreams and enter the newest Canadian cooking TV contest. The catch? It's a couples cooking contest. Good thing her meddling Indian parents have already arranged her engagement to the hunkiest Muslim bachelor who happens to move in right into next door...
Quick Review: Farah Heron writes the most likable main characters and from the moment they meet, you can't help but root for Reena and Nadim. They were endearing and adorable. There is a huge baking aspect of the book that was very meta since it seems like a lot of us have cultivated a keen fascination with sourdough and bread during quarantine this past year. You're going to want to keep a list of the foods they make and eat which include a lot of bread and Gujarati-Indian dishes.
Who should read this: Anyone who started baking bread during quarantine. Anyone looking for a diverse romance. Anyone who is constantly asked about their love life during family dinners.
Genre: Young Adult
My Reviews: Goodreads
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Audiobook
Quick Synopsis: Emoni Santiago wears many hats: high school senior, teen mom to an adorable baby girl, fierce friend, promising young chef. With real life decisions looming after graduation, Emoni must balance responsibility and stability for her family with her dreams to feed her soul as a chef for herself.
Quick Review: I always love a book with short chapters, but what stood out to me was how some chapters read like short essays or anecdotes - purposeful and meaningful. You never spend too much time in one scene, but the amount we learn about Emoni is enough to fill your heart. She is driven and talented, graceful yet tough, and is a character that I think so many people can look up to.
Who should read this: Anyone who wants a young promising heroine to root for. Anyone who likes to travel via books. Anyone who likes to read essays.
Genre: Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Audiobook
Quick Synopsis: When every conversation with your husband ends in annoyance and you both resent every little thing each other does, what would you do? Resolve to do better? Call it quits? Take a year-long break with no contact? This is the heartbreaking decision Lauren and Ryan have to make in order to figure out if their marriage can be saved, or is even worth fighting for.
Quick Review: As someone about to get married, I was so uncomfortable, scared for, and so so so heartbroken for Lauren and Ryan. There were multiple points I ugly cried and I think my heart rate was through the roof at certain parts. As soon as I started reading this book, I immediately thought, this is either going to be one star or five stars. It's going to make me feel so much that I'll be in pieces and it will haunt me forever, or it will give me a new perspective about life and love. The book is a perfect balance between those uncomfortable real life scenarios, but also some inspirational, quotable life lessons, a combination that really makes you reflect on your own relationships with family and loved ones.
Who should read this: Anyone who wants something more realistic than The Notebook and Me Before You. Anyone who wants to understand their marriage a little bit more. Anyone who likes advice columns.
Genre: Romance
My Reviews: Goodreads
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Paperback
Quick Synopsis: When We Fell, a prequel to Ex on the Beach, explores Kim and Blake's whirlwind romance before they became A-list movie stars, Hollywood's It-Couple, and finally the tabloids' dream come true during their divorce.
Quick Review: This was the prequel we needed: a few cute Easter eggs from Ex on the Beach, one super steamy, fake on-set sex scene, and a closer look at Kim and Blake's endearing relationship. I recommend reading Ex on the Beach first, and then circling back to this book. It really shows you exactly the reasons for their miscommunication and really shines a light onto what undiagnosed OCD could look like.
Who should read this: Anyone who read Ex on the Beach. Anyone who just likes a bit of open-door romance. Anyone who likes to read books set in the same world but that are stand-alones.
What's on deck for the next two months?
Lock Every Door by Riley Sager to buddy read with a friend
The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed M. Masood for my IRL book club in May
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry for a group chat on Bookstagram
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour for a group chat on Bookstagram
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo to buddy read with a friend
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles since Mike just finished it and I want to buddy read it with him!
The Chai Factor by Farah Heron because Accidentally Engaged was so cute!
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid because that's the newest TJR book coming out!
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