Another great month of reading! I read 12 books across a variety of topics - historical fiction - including 2 about WW2, racial injustice, nonfiction, romance, YA...AND 2 of them were even physical books! Who am I? Ha!
I'm struggling with what will be my favorite of the month as I have 4 I gave 5 starts to! I think I'm a pretty generous rater because I read things that sound good to me, so I usually like them, but this month had quite a few EXCELLENT reads!
The Office BFFs by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey - I love Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, their podcast, and anything to do with The Office, so this was a huge win for me. Some of the stories I've heard on their podcast or in other Office related things, but that didn't really take away from the book for me. Loved all the pictures they shared - literally hundreds - and all their stories. It felt like having a conversation with friends! If you are a fan of The Office, you'll love this!
Something Wilder by Christina Lauren - I generally enjoy everything written by Christina Lauren, and this was no exception - while not my favorite of theirs, it was still good! It's a semi-typical romance trope {young lovers that got separated by misunderstanding and run into each other again years later} but also different since it's set on a western style treasure hunt. It was cute, a little cheesy, and I didn't like some of the characters, but it ended up cute overall!
Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan - This was our work book club selection of the month - WW2 historical fiction set in Italy. I've only read 1 other Italian WW2 book, so it was an interesting perspective I didn't know as much about. My struggle with this one was the writing wasn't the greatest. It was a really good story with 'fine' writing.
Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood - The 3rd {and final} of the STEM novellas Ali Hazelwood released this summer - my least favorite of the 3 but still adorable! I'm so excited for her next full-length book!
Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray - BFBC selection of the month! YA Fantasy set in an Africa-type country. This was really awesome! I thought it was solid world building and engaging characters, and I'm really excited for the 2nd book!
The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle - This was a delight! Imagine a Harry & Meghan like couple moves next door and you fall for their bodyguard. That's this story but add in the fact that the heroine is super quirky and there some really solid representation of mental health. Fun and steamy!
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - Oooh this was good but also so hard to read. Another book we should all read to learn about and come to terms with another aspect of the racism in our country. This is historical fiction about a juvenile facility in the 1960s and the treatment of the Black boys who lived - and died - there. It had a pretty crazy twist at the end that I wasn't expecting too! Incredible writing and a heart-wrenching story.
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune - Continuing a streak of incredible books that I read all in a row. This story alternates between the present and the past as 2 teens meet and fall in love - in the past - and reconcile after not seeing each other for more than a decade and confronting their past. I could NOT put this down and read it in 24 hours. Loved, loved, loved it!
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - This was my kind of quirky! I have learned I like Fredrik Backman but don't love him as much as others do. Well, Bonnie wrote the type of quirky story that I fell in love with. I loved these characters and their story so much. It followed a mom who is a chemist but the star of a cooking show in the 50s and everything she had to fight against for her rightful place in the working world. It was maybe a smidge overhanded in the 1950s sexism {but how would I know given I didn't live then?}, but the whole thing was just about perfect.
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder - I never read these as a kid, and I bought the series for Trent a long time ago...and he turned his nose up at them. Drew and I started the series, and she loved this one. She and Paige {when she would listen} found Laura and Mary's life fascinating, and I really loved reading this with them!
A Knock at Midnight by Brittany K. Barnett - Holy moly. This was INCREDIBLE. This is the author's memoir of growing up with a parent with drug addiction and how she basically stumbled into being a lawyer working against unfair sentencing. Her resilience and drive are an inspiration, and I cried numerous times {super fun on the plane with a stranger to my left}. Not only is the story itself mind-blowing, but her writing is beautiful and touching. You can't ask for anything more in a book.
The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff - My 2nd WW2 historical fiction book of the month and another story I knew little about - women spies! I thought this was slow to begin but then really picked up and then I wasn't ready for it to end! It felt a little rocky to me at times, but overall, it was pretty enjoyable!
I am up to 75 reads for the year so will probably end close to my 2021 read count of 124 - looking forward to what the rest of the year brings!
