Sourdough by Robin Sloan

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I've had this book in my possession for a while, but was never really motivated to pick it up. Last week, however, when I was looking for a short, light read, this one jumped out at me so I decided to give it a go. And it was SO GOOD. Sourdough by Robin Sloan is an adult contemporary with a few fantasy elements mixed in.

This story follows Lois, a software engineer living in San Francisco. Lois primarily subsides on food from a local sandwich shop, so she is distraught when it closes. That is, until the brothers who ran the shop bestow upon her the gift of their sourdough starter when they move away. But Lois knows nothing about baking bread. Through a comedy of errors, she learns to care for the sourdough starter and bake her own bread. Eventually, she even takes it as far as attempting to sell her bread at farmer's markets, and lands a spot in a futuristic, experimental farmer's market that opens her eyes to a whole new world.

This book was just so good. From the somewhat magical sourdough starter to the Mazg brothers and their odd music, and the experimental farmer's market to the Lois club, everything in this book was an enjoyable inclusion. I loved getting to see Lois thrive by doing something that she loved in becoming a baker. I appreciated the inclusion of technology in everything, including the pros and cons that go with that. And all the side characters in this story really brought something of their own to the table. It's short, at only 259 pages, and reads extremely quickly.

And this book passes the Bechdel Test, which is always a plus.

While I am not nearly ambitious enough to try to bake my own sourdough bread, I DID go out to Whole Foods and buy a loaf after finishing this read.

If you love bread and baking, integrating technology into our everyday lives,  farmer's markets, or bread starters that might possibly have a mind of their own, this book is for you. 

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters

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A romantic comedy set within the film industry? Count me in. I was so excited when Putnam Books sent me a free copy to review as a partner. Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters follows Evie, an assistant at a film agency who is desperate to finally move up in her career. When she's given an ultimatum, get screenwriter Ezra Chester motivated to write a script he still hasn't started or lose her job, Evie has to resort to staging "meet cutes" for herself in order to prove to Ezra that the romantic comedy genre is realistic. Will Evie be able to achieve the impossible and get Ezra to write a blockbuster romantic comedy? 

I absolutely LOVED this book! I'm super into the "meet cute" trope, so I loved getting to see all the ones that Evie set up. I'm also very interested in the film industry, so reading about the roles these characters played within that industry was great. 

One major thing to note here was that this really was a true romantic comedy versus a romance. There were no sultry or explicit scenes that you see with a lot of comedic romances on the market today, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that out.

This book made me laugh. A lot. A lot of this is British humor though, so if you don't typically like that kind of thing it might go over your head some. I really liked Evie's friends and thought they each brought something unique to the table. I even loved Ezra's character...in a love to hate kind of way! He was the perfect kind of arrogant and slimy for this type of story.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Putnam Books for a free finished copy of this read! Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters is out now, so be sure to pick up a copy!

The Nobodies by Liza Palmer

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With each book I pick up, I am so terrified of breaking my 5 star streak, but I haven't been let down yet! As far as this one, a book hasn't spoken to me on this much of a personal level in a long time! The Nobodies by Liza Palmer is the perfect story of a thirty-life crisis, and as I am quickly approaching 30 myself (only a few months to go!), I really identified with the main character Joan and the subject of impostor syndrome.

Joan feels like her life is at a dead end. After being laid off from her job, having her writing dreams crushed, and having to move back in with her parents, she has no idea which way is up or how to get herself out of this hole. When she lands a job at tech start up Bloom as a junior copywriter, she resigns herself to the fact that her life as a true journalist is over. But then again, the perfect career-making story might just be right under her nose.

I just loved every single character in this book! I would absolutely want to be friends with Joan, Hani, Thornton, and Elise. The irony of the trendy tech startup was not lost on me. The romance element in the story was perfect, just the right amount, and added to the story in the best way. I really identified with Joan's career struggles, as I myself have been laid off from a job in the past, and took my next job for a paycheck rather than a calling. I loved all the realistic differences between millenials and gen z, and this book made me laugh on more than one occasion. 

I do think the ending was a little rushed, and I still had a some questions, but it wasn't bad enough for me to take off a star. I have no idea if there is a sequel planned for this, but if there was I would definitely read it!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

A big thanks to Flatiron Books for an ARC of this read! The Nobodies by Liza Palmer is out September 10th, so be sure to pick up a copy!

Love at First Like by Hannah Orenstein

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I've been getting a lot more into chick lit lately and this book definitely fell into that category. Love at First Like by Hannah Orenstein follows Eliza, part owner of a small Brooklyn jewelry store. 

When Eliza sees that her ex boyfriend is engaged, she takes one of the rings from her store and drafts an Instagram engagement post of her own to make herself feel better...even though she is single as can be. When she accidentally posts the picture and her business starts reaping the marketing benefits it provides, Eliza finds herself stuck in a lie that she can't get out of. But maybe, if she meets the right guy, it will all end up working out...

The story absolutely spoke to the realities of the internet today. From online dating to the importance of Instagram likes, from internet scams to app creation, it really does have it all when it comes to addressing the digital age we live in. It really makes you wonder how many "influencers" are actually honest vs how many do or say whatever it takes to get free clothing, trips, etc. 

This book was definitely a fun read! It was pretty predictable, but that didn't take away from the story for me. I will say that I wasn't the biggest fan of Eliza and was appalled at some of her actions. I think she had some great friends in her life, even if she didn't always deserve them. I really liked Raj and Carmen as side characters, and appreciated that Eliza and her sister were entrepreneurs owning their own business. The story behind why Eliza wanted to work in jewelry was precious as well. This was a cute, light read that is perfect for poolside reading this summer!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Atria Books for an ARC of this read! Love at First Like by Hannah Orenstein is out Tuesday, August 6, so be sure to pick up a copy!

My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren

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After absolutely loving Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren, I knew I needed to pick up another one of their books. Enter My Favorite Half-Night Stand. 

In this story, Reid and Millie are best friends. When an opportunity for a fancy event requiring plus-ones arises, they immediately decide to go with each other. But then they end up sleeping together, and suddenly the chance to go to the event as just friends is out the window. When one of their other friends suggests a dating app for all of them to find dates, Millie and Reid are reluctant but go along with it. And when Reid matches with Catherine, Millie's secret profile, things get really complicated really fast.

This story was definitely cute! I loved the relationship dynamics, not just of Millie and Reid, but with all their other friends: Ed, Alex, and Chris. I also loved how they were all working in academia as professors and researchers. This book was interspersed with pseudo-multimedia in the form of dating app messages, online chat messages, and text messages which was a nice touch. I also really appreciated that this story addressed family dynamics, especially with a sick and elderly parent. This is a hard topic to address, and the authors did a good job of showing how difficult this can be.

I'm not generally a fan of "romance" and smut makes me squirm, but this book was very tame and the sexy bits were done well (and not too frequently!). 

I will say I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as Josh and Hazel because it was super predictable. It was very easy to tell what was going to happen so even though it was adorable, there were times where I just wanted to skip to the end since I knew how it would all play out. That being said, I did still really like this read and can't wait to pick up another Christina Lauren book. The Unhoneymooners is next on my list!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

In at the Deep End by Kate Davies

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I don't think I quite knew what I was getting myself into with this book, but I definitely didn't hate it. In at the Deep End by Kate Davies follows Julia as she realizes she might in fact be a lesbian after realizing that sex with men is always terrible for her. This book was definitely explicit, so be aware if you are taking a copy of it with you into public! 

Julia throws herself headfirst into the world of lesbianism, experimenting both sexually and emotionally with women and finding herself more satisfied than ever before. When she meets the alluring Sam, she falls head over heels, but there is one problem...Sam doesn't like being monogamous. And she might also be more than a little controlling.

This was an excellent read for pride month! It was rewarding seeing Julia find herself and achieve happiness for the first time in a long time. I loved the supportive friend group that Julia had throughout the story, and I wish I had more people like that in my life! I also really loved that Julia had a super commonplace job as a civil servant. She wasn't in fashion, or an executive, or anything fancy...she was just an average woman, and I think that made it easy for readers to identify with her. I also really liked the side stories happening in the book.

I think we have all dated a Sam at some point or another...someone that makes us furiously happy one minute then puts off red flags all over the place the next. We don't want to lose those moments of happiness, but also have to decide if all the negatives that come with it are worth it. You know the relationship isn't really healthy, but it's just so hard to leave. This might be challenging for some to read if you have had a Sam (I know I have) and have traumatic memories associated with that relationship.

I was super satisfied with the ending! I did take off a star because some parts just made me squirm. I was proud of Julia's sexual liberation, but sometimes it was just a little too much to read about if you aren't typically into explicit literature. I think the point could have come across just as well with a little less graphic detail.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for an ARC of this read! In at the Deep End by Kate Davies is out now!

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

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So this is the first Christina Lauren book I've ever read. I know, I know...what have I been waiting for? I don't know, but now that I've read this book I am desperate to get my hands on more by this author duo. Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating is an adorable contemporary romance that follows best friends Josh and Hazel and their riotous relationship as they navigate trying to hide that they have feelings for each other.

Josh and Hazel were friends in college, but had since drifted apart. But when Hazel finds out that Josh is actually her new best friend Emily's brother, the two rekindle their friendship and ultimately end up becoming roommates. The pair tries to set each other up on blind dates with friends of theirs, with each new date ending in disaster. Maybe strangers aren't who they should be dating after all.

I absolutely loved this story! It had me smiling and laughing the whole way through. It was told in alternating chapters between Josh and Hazel, giving the reader insight into each of their feelings and what they were thinking as the story progressed. I loved Hazel's zany personality and menagerie of pets, and I loved Josh's reserved yet playful demeanor. I actually think I was hesitating on reading this because it was labeled as a romance and I am not a fan of smut. Yes, there were a few sexy scenes in this book but it was much less than I thought it would be and did not at all deter from my overall enjoyment of the book. 

There were the perfect amount of side characters, and the plot was very easy to follow. I thought the epilogue was adorable, even though I've seen some people saying they weren't a fan of it. I could absolutely see this fantastic romantic comedy becoming a movie! And can we talk about how pretty this cover is?

Now that I know what Christina Lauren's books are like, I've already ordered My Favorite Half-Night Stand to try out next!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Amy Cole Has It All Figured Out by Elizabeth McGivern

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I've been a major reading slump lately, and this was the perfect book to pull me out of it. I've raved about the Amy Cole books by Elizabeth McGivern here on my blog before. Amy Cole Has Lost Her Mind and Amy Cole is Zen as F*uck are both hilarious stories with engaging plots that simultaneously tackle some taboo issues. I obviously jumped at the chance to read the third, and sadly last, installment in the Amy Cole series: Amy Cole Has It All Figured Out. With Elle recently diagnosed with cancer and Amy pregnant again, life is maintaining its regular chaos. Will these two best friends be able to weather the storm unphased, or will life's circumstances win out?

As with the other Amy Cole books, this read had me both laughing and crying. One scene had me doing both! The friendship that Amy and Elle have is so pure and genuine, and I hope that one day I'll develop a friendship like theirs. This book, like the other installments, definitely touches on some tough subjects, like cancer, mental illness, grief, and loss. 

One thing I wasn't a huge fan of in this book was the pacing. There were multiple times throughout this read where I felt like the story was coming to a natural end, only to have it start revving right back up again followed by another major event shortly after.

I liked how more characters were introduced in this story and expanded Amy's universe. You really saw a lot of growth from Amy throughout this book. I will say that by the end of this story, I was really not a fan of Ben anymore. I thought he could have done a lot more to support Amy and lend a hand rather than make things harder for her. Like come on, who gets a puppy for his wife right before she is about to give birth then expects her to care for it?! I thought this was an absolutely perfect ending to the Amy Cole series. Even though I am super sad to not get any more, I am very content with the way it wrapped up. 

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to the author, Elizabeth McGivern, for reaching out and asking if I wanted to review this read. Amy Cole Has It All Figured Out is out now, so be sure to grab a copy of not only this read, but the entire Amy Cole series!

Tomorrow There Will Be Sun by Dana Reinhardt

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It's still pretty cold here in Virginia, and there's no escape like a read about somewhere sunny and warm. This adult fiction read, Tomorrow There Will Be Sun by Dana Reinhardt, takes place in Mexico and has a gorgeous beachy cover that screams warmer weather.

In this book, two families head to a gorgeous villa in Puerto Vallarta on a joint vacation and birthday celebration. But as they always say, there's soon trouble in paradise. Jenna's husband keeps taking secretive calls, and she's on edge from her recent cancer diagnosis and the trouble she is having finishing her next book. Not to mention the fact that the family they are with is getting on Jenna's last nerve, and there is unrest in Puerto Vallarta dealing with rival drug cartels. 

What appeared on the surface to be a pretty light read was actually really heavy. It has the struggling family dynamic, drug violence, medical drama, references to autism, and more. Even though the dust jacket said this book was funny, I don't think I laughed once. To me it was much more serious, and evoked anger and sadness rather than comedy. 

I absolutely felt for Jenna. I thought that everyone around her treated her like crap when she was just trying to be a good wife, mother, and friend. I absolutely hated how they treated her diagnosis like it was nothing, just because the prognosis was good. I hope to God I never find myself in her shoes, because I don't know what I would do if I was surrounded by such cruel people.

I did fly through this read, as it was only 275 pages, but it left me feeling on edge and really uncomfortable. While I thought it was a good book, I don't think I can quite say that I enjoyed it simply because of the way it made me feel. But it was written well and thoroughly developed. I'm glad it's over, but I'm also really glad I read it.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Pamela Dorman Books for a finished copy of this read! Tomorrow There Will Be Sun by Dana Reinhardt is out now!

The Girls at 17 Swann Street by Yara Zgheib

Cover Art Courtesy of St. Martin's Press

I have not read a book this captivating in a long time. The Girls at 17 Swann Street by Yara Zgheib is a haunting tale of eating disorders that follows Anna, a 26-year-old woman with anorexia. 

About the Book:

Yara Zgheib’s poetic and poignant debut novel is a haunting portrait of a young woman’s struggle with anorexia on an intimate journey to reclaim her life.  

The chocolate went first, then the cheese, the fries, the ice cream. The bread was more difficult, but if she could just lose a little more weight, perhaps she would make the soloists’ list. Perhaps if she were lighter, danced better, tried harder, she would be good enough. Perhaps if she just ran for one more mile, lost just one more pound.

Anna Roux was a professional dancer who followed the man of her dreams from Paris to Missouri. There, alone with her biggest fears – imperfection, failure, loneliness – she spirals down anorexia and depression till she weighs a mere eighty-eight pounds. Forced to seek treatment, she is admitted as a patient at 17 Swann Street, a peach pink house where pale, fragile women with life-threatening eating disorders live. Women like Emm, the veteran; quiet Valerie; Julia, always hungry. Together, they must fight their diseases and face six meals a day.

Every bite causes anxiety.  Every flavor induces guilt. And every step Anna takes toward recovery will require strength, endurance, and the support of the girls at 17 Swann Street.

My Review:

This book was so engrossing that I just couldn't put it down. Told in present day mixed with flashbacks and patient medical reports, the story was hauntingly beautiful. It told the real story of anorexia, and really showed how eating disorders impact the families and loved ones of those that have them.

I absolutely LOVED that this read tackled eating disorders in grown women. So much fiction surrounding eating disorders focuses on teenagers/young adults, and while that population is definitely the most at-risk, adults do still experience eating disorders. It also did not at all glamorize eating disorders, as I've seen some fiction tend to do.

I flew through this story. I absolutely devoured every word of Anna's journey, and became so invested in not only her recovery, but the recoveries of all the girls at 17 Swann Street. It takes a lot for a book to make me emotional, but this one really did. I experienced a full range of emotions while reading, from compassion and understanding, to excitement and hope, to utter despair depending on what was happening. I do suspect this book could be very triggering for someone that is currently dealing with or has dealt with an eating disorder in the past. I will put a trigger warning on it for suicide as well.

Photo Courtesy of St. Martin's Press

About the Author:

Yara Zgheib is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters degree in Security Studies from Georgetown University and a PhD in International Affairs in Diplomacy from Centre D'études Diplomatiques et Stratégiques in Paris. She is fluent in English, Arabic, French, and Spanish. Yara is a writer for several US and European magazines, including The Huffington Post, The Four Seasons Magazine, A Woman’s Paris, The Idea List, and Holiday Magazine. She writes on culture, art, travel, and philosophy on her blog, "Aristotle at Afternoon Tea" (http://www.aristotleatafternoontea.com/).

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this beautifully haunting read and for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour. The Girls at 17 Swann Street by Yara Zgheib is out TODAY, February 5th, so be sure to pick up a copy! You can purchase the book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indie Bound, or Powell's. 

The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth

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At first glance this book doesn't look like much, and it might be hard to guess what it's even about, but it quickly sucks you in. The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth follows three moms in the perfect neighborhood, who seem to have it all together. But you soon realize that Fran is hiding a secret. Ange is trying to uncover one. And Essie doesn't know which way is up most days. So when single, childless Isabelle moves in, eyebrows are raised and the women begin to obsess over her to distract themselves from their own issues.

I absolutely did not see the twist coming in this one. Even though this really isn't a thriller per se, there is a huge reveal at the end. Everything you thought was playing out was actually something completely different entirely. Some of the subject matter is definitely heavy, including postpartum depression and infidelity. 

I appreciated getting the perspectives from all the women, in addition to the flashbacks. They were all relatable in different ways, and I really felt for them all at different points. 

I did think a few parts of the book were unrealistic, especially when it came to things like hospital security. I honestly can't comprehend how I would have reacted to the new knowledge at the end, so I don't want to say if the ending was valid or not because it would be such a precarious situation to be in.

I loved that this was set in Australia! So many thrillers are set in the US, or somewhere in England, so this change of scenery was nice. Hepworth is also a Melbourne resident, so this totally makes sense.  This was the first book I'd ever read by Sally Hepworth, but after finishing I know I need to pick up some more of her works ASAP!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to St. Martin's Griffin for a finished copy of this read! The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth is out in paperback on February 5th, so be sure to pick up a copy!

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle

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I was in desperate need of a short, fluffy read, and I thought The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle would be the perfect answer. This was a Book of the Month pick for me a few months back, and the gorgeous yellow cover drew me right to it. Well, fluffy, this coming of age contemporary was not. But I did really enjoy it!

You know the premise. If you could have dinner with any 5 people, living or dead, who would they be? But Sabrina never expects to actually get to have that dinner. Yet on her thirtieth birthday, she walks into the restaurant and there they all are: Audrey Hepburn, her estranged father, her best friend, her favorite college professor, and her ex. Throughout the course of the evening, Sabrina learns and laughs with this unexpected group, as well as reminisces on times both good and bad, and tries to pinpoint what went wrong with the main relationships in her life.

I was not expecting this book to get to my emotions as much as it did. Whether it was the relationship with her estranged father, drifting apart from her best friend, or trying so hard to make a doomed romantic relationship work, I really felt for Sabrina. I saw her grow and mature a lot throughout the dinner, and enjoying seeing how she interacted with and learned from each guest.

This read super quickly, so it was definitely the short read I was looking for. It was just a little more emotional than I was expecting! I liked how it alternated between the dinner scenes themselves (prefaced by times so you knew how much time was left in the night before the group had to disband) and flashbacks to different parts of Sabrina's life.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

As a side note, I think my 5 people would be Walt Disney, Stevie Nicks, Princess Diana, my late grandfather, and Steve Irwin.