What I've Been Doing Lately
Some life and career changes have kept me from posting regularly but I'm ready to share the good news!
I recently enrolled in a graduate program to get my master’s degree in Library and Information Science! It’s been a long time coming to get to this point but I’m excited about this new path. For the next three years I’ll be going to school part-time while working so my reading time will be much more limited. Sadly I will have to read less books though I’ll occasionally share some thoughts on my studies here.
I did manage to read a few newsletter worthy books recently though and everything I’m talking about today was a three start or higher read for me.
Three Star Reads
Cursed Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber
I was a bit let down by this book largely because I liked the first one so much. All of our favorite characters are back but Wren spent most of the book acting like an idiot. Her motivations barely make sense and don’t match with the consequences of her actions. I liked where the story ultimately went but it felt really contrived to get us there. It suffers from some second book syndrome but I’m still going to read the next one.
Rating: 3.5/5
Codename Charming by Lucy Parker
I wish I liked this one more. I’m a huge Lucy Parker fan so it pains me to admit I didn’t fall in love with this book. I was really put off by how much random violence and crime were part of the plot. It made for a bizarre reading experience. There were some bright spots of humor and Parker’s usual delightful banter as well as an emotionally rewarding ending.
Rating: 3.75/5
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
This book is eerie and atmospheric even if it does hit you over the head with a hammer with the environmentalism of it all. The sheer amount of violence in this book was off-putting as well. I think the author could have gotten her point across without going as far as she did. There’s quite a lot of suspension of disbelief required to process the ending too. I think there’s a better book hidden away in here.
Rating: 3.5/5
Knockout by Sarah MacLean
I am devastated by how much this book was just fine. I love Sarah, I love her podcast, and some of her books are 5 star reads for me. I think there were a few reasons I didn’t love it as much as I’d hoped to. First, the hype is strong and while I like this series and I loved the first installment, this one didn’t quite deliver for me. Second, the romance was not fully formed in my opinion. The main couple is built up over the first two books in this series so by the time we get to their story so much of that fun foreplay and banter has already happened. I missed having it here on the page. The third is some of the language. There’s this recurring phrase of “she wasn’t for having” or “he wasn’t for keeping” and noticing it throughout the book really took me out. Especially because the language elsewhere is so superb. I liked Imogen and I liked Tommy but for me this book was a solid three stars to hold me over while waiting for the last one in this series.
Rating: 3/5
Four Star Reads
Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Taylor Jenkins Reid really did her research to write this book and it shows. The portrait of Carrie as a high performing athlete was incredibly compelling. Where the book fell a bit flat for me where the portrayals of her interiority and her romantic relationships. For the most part, when it comes to TJR I really like her books and enjoy them immensely but I never quite love them. Daisy Jones and the Six is the one exception to that rule of course.
Rating: 4/5
Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore
This is on me but I somehow missed the fact that Kristin Cashore returned to the Graceling realm. In my excitement I read this book completely out of order and accidentally skipped the predecessor. I still really enjoyed it and was able to figure out what happened in the previous book with some context clues. The first portion of this book is excellent. It’s an adventure and survival story. The last third didn’t totally work for me in large part due to the change in pacing. Cashore writes beautiful stories.
Rating: 4/5
Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
This is easily the most immersive experience I’ve had reading a romance novel in a long time. The town, characters, and relationships l feel so real and lived in. Our heroine is likable and we are rooting for her from the get-go. The hero is grumpy and prickly but not actively an asshole. We do have a slight case of a precocious kid but it’s forgivable for how completely involved the story feels. We’re also set up perfectly for the rest of the characters to get their own books and I’m looking forward to reading them.
Rating: 4.25/5
Five Star Reads
Will They or Won’t They by Ava Wilder
This book is extremely my shit. It has a lot of tropes that I love. Enemies to lovers, celebrity romance, behind-the-scenes Hollywood, and so much angst. I loved that our two main characters really did need time apart to become the best versions of themselves before getting into a relationship again. I have a tiny quibble with the ending and some choices around it but I ultimately really enjoyed this reading experience.
Rating: 5/5
Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
This is a perfect book. There’s a little bit of everything. It has action, adventure, romance, and a small town bookstore that sells tea. What more could you possibly want? It’s inspired by the cozy fantasy trend made popular by Travis Baldre but the stakes are a bit higher without losing that cozy vibe. I loved the cast of supporting characters and our two MC’s are fun to root for as they fall deeper in love with each other.
Rating: 5/5
Chaing-Gang, All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
This was easily the best book I read all year. It’s a tough sit but well worth it. The book is part thrilling action story and part scathing criticism of the American prison system. You can’t help but think of The Hunger Games and just like with that story, we are equally as complicit when reading and being absorbed by the action, character arcs, and story plots. The book is bleak and at times devastating but it’s also really really good.
Rating: 5/5
Looking Ahead
I expect to share some of my thoughts and musings on my MLIS program later this year. There is also still time to get your 23for23 reading challenge in this year. I’ll share some of my favorites that I’ve read and suggest titles for your list in the coming months.