My deep thoughts/ review of Katherine May’s memoir, Wintering. ..
Best Books to Read Now - May 2020
Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!
Welcome to the Best Books to Read Now Book Club! My (hopefully) monthly blog featuring my reading list, my TBR pile and the books I think you and your best friends should be reading.
If you’re not sure whether you’ll agree with my recommendations, check out my blog post on My Reader Wheels and my podcast, Women With Books . Those should help you decide if you’re going to be into my recommendations.
The best book club recommendations for you and your friends!
We’re all still stuck at home, hopefully healthy or recovering. Because we need books now more than ever, I’m still doing this.
My book recommendations for May….
Untamed - Glennon Doyle
Amazon || Apple Books
I’ll be honest. I bought this book.
Yes, I know I’ve been on a book no buy this year but my book club wanted to read this and what, exactly was I supposed to do in the middle of the pandemic?
WAIT for it to become available on the CloudLibrary app???
Dear reader, I hate to wait for books.
I mean, I do it all the time, but I don’t have to like it.
I recommend this book, a selection of essays mostly written about the last few years of Ms. Doyle’s life, for anyone who’s reached their 40s and are rediscovering who they are supposed to be or wondering why they are the way they are. This book won’t necessarily explain it for you, but you’ll definitely walk away with new insights about how we’re all still growing up even when we’re supposed to be adulted already. I highlighted a bunch of parts that I need to go back and re-read so I’m really glad I bought it.
Say Yes to the Duke - Eloisa James
Amazon || Apple Books
I did NOT buy this book. Instead, it was graciously sent to me by my good friends at Avon/ Netgalley. (Thanks guys!) I’ve read the entire Wilde series now and jumping back into the pages with this fictional family meant this was an extremely comforting read. I felt like I used to feel, back when I could see friends in person. Remember those days???
Manhunting - Jennifer Cruisie
Amazon || Apple Books
I DID buy this book… a long time ago. It’s from my TBR pile! Look at me! I think I bought it a long time ago because a friend told me it was her favorite Jennifer Crusie book. Now, I’ve loved and read Ms. Crusie’s romcom classic, Bet Me, at least five times but I’ve never dug into her other books and let me tell you, I LOVED THIS. Another comforting, funny, easy read during my stay-at-home days. It was published in 1993 (I think) which somehow added to the 2020 comfort. Why? No one had cell phones or internet or email in this book. It’s set at a resort and everyone there has to basically TALK TO EACH OTHER THE WHOLE TIME. What a concept. I can’t even imagine.
I saw some reviews that stated that the book was dated for another reason: The female main character keeps getting grabbed on dates/ in bars. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I can say that this is what dates the book as this kind of behavior does still happen, and often. I will say that it is done for comedic effect and the female main character is in NO WAY a victim. In fact, she handles each of the offenders efficiently and on her own, which is very au courant.
The Forbidden Rose- Joanna Bourne
Amazon || Apple Books
Another one from the TBR pile! This one is a prequel/ sequel to a book I included in my uber popular Swooniest Book List: The Spymaster’s Lady. (I think it’s officially the first book in the series if you go by events but it was published after The Spymaster’s Lady so it’s listed as #2). A Joanna Bourne book is like a box of expensive, dark rich chocolates. Exquisitely crafted. Meant to be savored. Extremely satisfying.
If you’re looking for EVEN MORE comfort read recommendations, I made a separate list (along with everything I’ve ever recommended, practically) here: What To Read During a Pandemic.
As always, I’ll be talking more about the books I don’t finish and why I think they didn’t connect with me in my newsletter this month.
Do you like books on sale?
Make sure you’re following me on Facebook because that’s where I post great books on sale!
And what about you?
I’d love to hear what you’ve read and loved while stuck at home or what you’re looking forward to reading next! If you want these book recommendations (and a sneak peek at my TBR list and advanced reading copies) sent straight to your inbox, remember to sign up for my newsletter where I’ll be including all the best book club recommendations throughout 2020!
Some links on this page may be affiliate links, which means I could receive a few coins for posting them. As always, thank you for your support and encouragement!
Best Books to GIVE Now - 2018 Holiday Gift Edition
Last year I selected six books that would make excellent gifts for anyone and I decided to sort-of continue the tradition this year. I’m editing the list this year to only focus on the books I think my readers would enjoy. I picked three non-fiction books and three novels that portray smart, full-hearted women who are defining their place in the world.
The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson
I was lucky to receive an advanced copy of this and I have not stopped talking about it. From the author of the “Unleashing Mr. Darcy” series (you may know them from Hallmark movies), Teri Wilson’s book about a beauty pageant is thoroughly funny, entertaining and romantic and would be perfect for teen/college aged readers on up.
Any excuse for a Miss Congeniality GIF
And this one too!
The Light Over London by Julia Kelly
So technically this book doesn’t come out until January 8, 2019 but do yourself (and the reader you love) a favor and pre-order it. It’s a fantastic story about the inspiring women who protected London during World War II and their heartbreak, sacrifice and friendships.
There are no funny GIFs about WWII and the Blitz but this one came up when I searched for “Women Fighting Nazis” so I guess it will do…
Becoming by Michelle Obama
I’ve always followed politics and probably knew of Barack Obama before a lot of people had heard of him. I remember there was a column I read about how his wife, Michelle, was far more successful and accomplished than he, and that if he were to run for President, they expected her to be the first candidate’s wife to keep her job. Of course, she ended up being a fairly traditional and active First Lady but that original impression of her always stuck with me – that she was the brains in the marriage. I am very excited to read (and give!) this memoir to learn more about this half of the former White House power couple.
Any excuse for my favorite world leader friendship GIF…
Together – Our Community Cookbook – HRH The Duchess of Sussex
When I heard about this cookbook project, I knew I would love it. It supports a community of women who banded together to provide fresh food to their neighbors after a horrific tragedy. And it was announced by The Duchess of Sussex at an event where Prince Harry was caught stealing samosas so what’s not to love? (Watch it here)
Speaking of stealing food… turnabout’s fair play…
Whiskey in a Tea Cup by Reese Witherspoon
I don’t buy every celebrity memoir, but I love the ones from celebrities I adore (usually the funny smart women – Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, Shonda Rhimes). So of course Reese Witherspoon’s book instantly made the cut. Part memoir, part lifestyle guide, it reminds me of all the quirky things about being a modern Southern woman. We may be educated, independent businesswomen, but some rules about etiquette and fashion and food are still deeply ingrained in us. This book would be a great gift to anyone who loves Elle Woods.
Any excuse for an Elle Woods quote…
The Royal Runaway
Yes, my book IS the perfect Christmas gift for your girlfriends, daughters and sisters who fell head over heels during the royal weddings in 2018. The book is a blend of mystery, adventure, and romance so there’s something for every type of reader!
Amazon || BN.Com || Simon & Schuster ||Apple || Amazon UK || Kobo
Any excuse for a royal wedding clip….
Best Books to Read Now: February 2016
Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!
So this last month has been a hard reading month. You'll notice that I'm not including four books and that's not because I didn't read four (or more) books, it's just I can't talk about all of them (*cough* RITA *cough*).
Hopefully next month I'll be right back to devouring my 2016 TBR pile, which will include diverse authors and genres to talk about! Yay!
But actually, this month's reads were pretty diverse. In fact, they're so diverse, I'm finding it hard to find a theme that will hold all of them. I have a memoir by an Indian-American actress/writer/producer, a paranormal about the Grim Reaper and an Italian literary novel translated into English.
mindy kaling
I've been a HYUGE (say in a Donald Trump voice) fan of Mindy Kaling since WAY back in the day. I even used to follow her shopping blog back before shopping blogs were a thing (like, circa 2004). I love her voice in her television shows (The Office and The Mindy Project) and I loved her voice in this memoir, as well. It was seriously LOL funny. I know, lots of people say that but trust me. I've also decided that one day Mindy and I will develop a project together. This is a serious Bucket List item, along with
*meet Dolly Parton,*
*see Hamilton on Broadway* and
*get my eyebrows on fleek.*
eighth grave
I feel kind of dumb talking about this book, when apparently book #9 in this series was just released? I don't know how I got behind, because I usually jump on new releases in series I love. This is another book / series where I just love the voice (Wait....
I now know the theme for this entry. VOICE. All of these books have great VOICE. Carry on.
Charley Davidson (the main character in this series, also known as the Grim Reaper) is one of those voices that can inspire me, make me laugh and make me feel immediacy. It took me a little longer to get into this book, probably because I waited so damn long between books, but the cliffhanger and the way Ms. Jones wrapped up on plot point and jumped into a new direction has me so excited to pick up #9, The Dirt on Ninth Grave ASAP.
elena
Last month I mentioned that I had been invited to a real, grown-ass, booky book club. I was so excited! All of my other book clubs have dissolved like:
[embed]http://https://youtu.be/qkTzDh8IKNU[/embed]
This month's selection was MY BRILLIANT FRIEND and I'm still trying to process it. The voice is incredibly intimate yet distant, with a beautiful musical quality. It's a story of a complicated friendship between two girls in post-War Naples and I flipped through the pages trying to figure out what was going to happen next, who was good, who was a psychopath, who was maybe a mentally ill murderer. I'd love to discuss this one with more of you!
rushing cover
In case you aren't a digital reader, RUSHING TO DIE came out in paperback yesterday! If you've read it (or any of my books), please consider leaving a review wherever you bought it. I'm also giving away two copies on Goodreads and you have until February 14th to enter there!
As always, I'd love to hear what you've been reading and what you thought about it! Leave a comment or hit me up on Facebook to discuss books, #mancrushmonday and more.