What I'm reading now
As I mentioned in my post about what I read in May, my reading has slowed down A LOT and it’s actually been very good. I don’t believe in making yourself feel guilty for taking care of yourself, and for the past few weeks I have needed to do other things besides read. I’ve needed to stare at walls, take long walks, dance like a moron in my kitchen to music, watch all of Netflix and then watch it all again, clean my house, go for more long walks, and listen to my buddy Harry Dresden kick butt in Chicago while laying on the floor doing nothing. It’s been great. Refreshing and wonderful.
So please, if you are a reader and find it difficult sometimes to actually read, don’t be too hard on yourself for it. Go figure out what else your soul is wanting and do that for a while. The books will be there for you when you’re ready again. They don’t hold grudges. They’re just happy to be here.
Alright, now that I’ve said all that, here’s what I have been reading lately:
Finished in June-
What You Wish For, by Katherine Center - I was lucky enough to get an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of this cute story and it was fun to read. It’s a bit brain candy with some real characters with real flaws and issues sprinkled in. I appreciated the plot turns, and there were some very charming moments. It was a cute story even if the main character did things at times that made me go, “huh. that was a little odd” but hey, she’s fictional! That’s what makes it exciting. The book centers around a woman who had a major crush on a colleague so she moves to get away and restart. Then, who becomes the new principal of the school she works at? HE DOES! However, he is NOT the dude she remembers. There’s trauma to unpack for both of them that is handled pretty well, though parts of it are difficult to read but they’re brief (Trigger warning for violence in schools, and emotional abuse). One of the things our main character deals with is worry that she won’t be accepted or loved fully because of the potential severity of an illness she suffers from. There’s a bit of emotional trauma for her from childhood and the way that is discussed and worked through between the two characters is pretty well done. If you’re looking for some beach reads, add this to the list. It’s a cute easy read and would make a great romcom someday. The frisky times are really light too, if that’s something you’re looking to know. This will be published July 14th - watch for it then!
Home Before Dark, by Riley Sager - FYI - Riley Sager is a pen name for a male author. I still hear people refer to Riley in she/her terms and it makes me feel weird. Nothing against pen names. But still. I’d rather you have all the information. Alright. This is Sager’s fourth thriller novel and. . . it just didn’t hit the right spot for me. I loved Final Girls, his first one, but I found this one a bit too formulaic for my personal taste. It’s highly possible that I just wasn’t in the mood for a haunted house story. The spooky spooks in here didn’t do anything for my nerves, the twists I was able to predict, and I struggled staying interested. BUT this book could definitely be for you!! So! If you’re looking for a haunted house story, a mystery to figure out, a little bit of ambiance to heighten the suspense, and something to read quickly, this might be your jam. It’s a little bit Amityville Horror and a little bit Shirley Jackson’s Haunting at Hill House. If that sounds good to you, go pick this up.
In Progress-
The Happy Ever After Playlist, by Abby Jimenez - I’m about half way through listening to this and it’s cute. I liked Jimenez’s other book (fun fact, she’s also a baker and infamously made the “vageode” cake of recent years) and this one has been a treat as well. A girl finds a dog, the dogs owner is a rock star but out of town, they exchange text messages and phone calls and then meet and hit it off. It’s cute. Probably a medium on the spicy scale.
Dresden Files #13, by Jim Butcher - I know, you’re shocked aren’t you. I’m trying to finish this series in time for the new one to come out this month. I love these books. They’re still great this far in and that’s quite a talent. New things keep happening, the characters keep growing and changing, the magic systems are still interesting and unfolding. It’s great. Also, the man who narrates this has a voice of gold velvet. It’s wonderful.