January Book Report
it's a short list, i'm a slow reader.
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So let’s talk books for a sec. I thought I’d share with you what I’ve been reading lately—or at least trying to read. Either my attention span is getting even shorter, or I’ve just run into a cache of books that don’t seem good enough to finish. It’s probably a little of both.
Look, I know my own books aren’t award winners. But I wrote a lot of them a while ago. My first books are a mess! Maybe all the books I’ve read lately were also written early in the writers’ careers?
One thing’s for sure: all the things that drive me nuts about a book and make me ditch it before I’ve finished, make me appreciate the ones that are good enough to actually finish. Some books that hit the big time were not written well but dude, I just can’t do it. If it bugs the bejeezus out of me, I can’t slog through it, no matter how popular it is. Sadly, I’m always reading as an editor nowadays.
So with all this in mind, here are a few books I’ve read recently.
QUICK NOTE before we dive in: all my books are now available on Bookshop.org in ebook format! Please consider stopping by my Bookshop bookshop to check them out. And you’ll also find links to purchase the books I list below. These are affiliate links – thanks for supporting a one-woman independent bookshop.
The Wedding People, by Allison Espach (Audiobook)
Ebook version, Hardcover, Paperback preorder
Well, dear friend, this is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I listened to the audiobook version, but still. I do plan to read it at some point, when/if the ebook goes on sale or the paperback comes out later this year.
This is a fantastic book. I’m not even sure where to start!
The book takes place just after the Covid lockdown. The main character leaves the Midwest for a hotel on the East Coast with a very specific purpose in mind. But she runs into some hiccups and has to change her plans. This causes her to grow and move beyond her original intent and into a world with a lot more possibilities. Yay!
This book is sometimes categorized as “upmarket fiction,” or “book club fiction.” (Please don’t ask me to define those right now, I’m still working on figuring it out.) Interestingly, it looks like the publisher has put it in the Humor & Entertainment and Popular Fiction BISAC categories. It’s not really a romance, but there’s some romance in there. It’s not really a comedy, although I found it witty and a touch dark. It’s well-written and didn’t derail me with the overuse of adverbs or four million occurrences of the word “that” (once you start watching for them, you’ll see them everywhere and it’ll bug the sh*t out of you, you’re welcome).
The main character is well written and her story arc is clear and very satisfying. Along the way we encounter plenty of discomfort (as does she) but it’s all worth it. There are a few characters who start out quite unlikable, but by the end even they have grown and you’re rooting for them all.
Book Lovers, by Emily Henry (Paperback)
I read a paperback version this one. It was cute. Two rival book editors team up on edits for a book that might just be A Really Big Hit and end up with more than just a business partnership. Books ftw, hooray!
It’s got books, some small-town charm, some unresolved family dynamics hiccups, books, and of course, romance.
Emily Henry is squarely in the romance genre, but she writes great dialogue and nice characters. I don’t think it’s my favorite book I’ve read of hers (that distinction goes to Beach Read, which I found to be pleasant and more emotionally satisfying) but Book Lovers was cute enough. Emily Henry is always good for a palate cleanser.
Have you read any of her books? Which one is your favorite?
Margo’s Got Money Troubles, by Rufi Thorpe (Audiobook)
Wow. This was one of the most unique books I’ve come across in a long time! The writing was very good, the characters were flawed but likable, and the subject matter was … interesting?
Our main character is 19, a brand-new mom, and flat broke. Her mom is trying to be normal even though she’s anything but, and her father is a retired pro wrestler with a knack for marketing but a few bad habits. Margo embarks on quite a journey. By the end we’re pretty sure she’ll be okay, but I found myself hoping, hoping, hoping, that she found better ways to use her talents. That said, who am I to say what’s “better” or “worse” for someone? I’m in my fifties, the MC is nineteen. I probably have no idea what I’m talking about. Or maybe it’s the other way around, but we’ll never know.
OMG! I just read that this is going to be a series with Nick Offerman as Margo’s dad. I’m so here for it!
That’s it for this month - I’ll try to do a few reviews every month so stay tuned. I’ve read a few advance copies of some books coming out this spring, and I’ll tell you about those when they’re released, so you can go buy them to support the authors.
I loved The Wedding People, too. Margo was a DNF for me, not sure why. Maybe I'll go back to it, who knows.
This was a fun read. Thanks Andrea! Looking forward to the next post.