Category: What I’m Reading

Gayle's Gazette, What I'm Reading

Two More Books

Gayle Brown, Author

Thankfully, I didn’t take as long to post my last two reads! Still, I did fall short of posting as soon as I finished each book, so today, I will combine the two into one post.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin

This book was recommended to me by a fellow writer. She said it was a Jimmy Fallon pick, and I could totally see him enjoying it. This book is about two friends, through thirty years, who have developed video games together. So if you’re a gamer, then you will love this book. I did enjoy it and of course, I was rooting for them to be successful personally and professionally. I will not spoil it by letting you know just how successful (or unsuccessful) those aspects of their lives turned out, but I will tell you, it’s an enjoyable read.

Carrie Soto Is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid

If you are a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid, then you are familiar with the character Carrie Soto, the tennis player from Malibu Rising. I was excited for this book to come out because to date, anything Jenkins Reid writes, I have loved, so I was hoping this book would not disappoint. And guess what? It didn’t. I absolutely loved it. I can totally relate to Carrie Soto’s drive and determination, always moving the goal posts, wanting and striving for the next level of success, never recognizing when enough is enough––you’re the best you can be. There are numerous sentences from the book that have now become my favorite quotes of any book. Jenkins Reid has done it again, writing another entertaining, relatable book will hold your interest, even if you’re not a tennis fan.

Up Next?

Here’s the deal: I’m scheduled to have shoulder surgery this week, so I don’t know when I’ll be able to type again. It may be two weeks, it may be six. I’ll have to see how my recovery goes. So while I’m recuperating, I’ll be buried in books, reading away, making notes for the next blog post. Until then…happy reading!

a book cup of coffee and flavoured donut on square white ceramic bowl
Gayle's Gazette, What I'm Reading

My Latest Reads

Gayle Brown, Author

Here’s what I’ve learned: I fall behind on posting when I’m writing a new book, even though I’m reading like a fiend. Here are the past few books I’ve read:

  1. Verity, Colleen Hoover; Yes, another Colleen Hoover book. What can I say? I love her writing as well as her storylines. This book, however, is unlike any other of hers that I’ve read. It is much more graphic, darker, and leaves you wondering what was true and what wasn’t. Although it is very different from her other books, I did like it. Every once in a while, a darker story is nice to read when I’m dabbling in various genres.
  2. Lucky, Marissa Stapley; I really enjoyed this book. Despite her “criminal-type” behavior, I rooted for the protagonist. She’s such a likeable character, and Stapley puts Lucky in a very precarious position: After she’s won the lottery, she can’t come forward because if she does, she’ll be caught for her illegal activities––she’s wanted by the police. She needs to find a way to claim the winning ticket all while not being caught by the authorities. It’s a great read. Fun and fast-paced.
  3. Counterfeit, Kristin Chen; This book is a Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club recommendation, so naturally, I was intrigued. I was less than enthused. The premise is about two women who produce top-notch counterfeit purses, then return them to the retail stores, making a lot of money duping the companies. Apparently this is a real thing, but I was less than impressed with the characters and the ending. And the hardest part for me? There are NO quotation marks until the Epilogue. The reason? The main character is talking to a detective the entire time, so it’s her speaking for the whole book. But even at that, there is dialogue within dialogue so technically, some sort of punctuation should denote this. It took me a while to get used to it and often, I didn’t realize someone was speaking until after the word “said” appeared in the sentence. I’m sure there are plenty of readers who absolutely loved the book, I’m not one of them. Again, it’s all so subjective. If the premise peaks your interest, I say go for it.

Currently, I am reading Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin. Hopefully, after I finish it, it won’t be a month before I post my “review”!

Happy Reading, ya’ll!