One of the many perks (at least to me) of being an author is having to read. Not only do I do it for research purposes, but I also do it to study the craft, but mostly, I do it for the love of it. So, if you’re looking for recommendations, check out my posts below!
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Two More Books
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!
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My Latest Reads
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
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Another Day, Another Book
Suspense/thrillers are my jam. I love reading them, including Megan Miranda’s, The Last Guest House. So when I heard the hype about her newest book, The Last To Vanish, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it (I just noticed how both her books are about the last of something!). But in my opinion, this wasn’t as good as her The Last Guest House.
Don’t get me wrong––it wasn’t a bad book. It just wasn’t as good. And as I find books that I can’t connect to or don’t love, I try to figure out what it is about that book that leads me to feel that way. Sometimes I can pinpoint it, other times, I can’t. For this book, it was the setting. I am not an outdoorsy kind of person, so I had a hard time “feeling” the book. The story takes place near a mountain many people travel to go hiking on. Mysteriously, people have disappeared while staying at an inn at the base of the mountain.
I liked the characters, it was just hard for me to get into the setting. Some suspense/thrillers are jam-packed with action. I found this one to be a bit slower. It was a lot of internal dialogue from the protagonist since it’s written from the first point of view. Also, I was a bit disappointed in the ending. It wasn’t what I’d hoped it to be.
Please remember that books are subjective. What one person loves, another may despise. The above statements are my opinion, so take them with a grain of salt. If you are a Megan Miranda fan, I suggest you try it and see if you feel differently, especially if you’re an outdoorsy sort.