April was all about reading books by authors I already knew and loved. I think any of these books would be a great choice for a long weekend or a day at the beach this summer.
The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
After tender Gabrielle’s latest book Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow I was curious to read some of her previous books.
Quick Plot: AJ Fikry’s life is not what he thought it would be in his late 30s. He is the owner of a struggling bookshop on a hospitable island and is grieving the death of his beloved wife. When an unexpected delivery arrives at the bookstore, AJ’s life changes completely.
My thoughts: I wanted to love this book more than I did. It had all the right elements: A cozy island location, a bookstore, and the makings of a touching story. But something about it just didn’t sit well with me and it went on for a fairly short book. However, this may also have been my own engagement with life while reading this book.
What I loved is Zevin’s glorious ability to develop incredible characters. and how this book spoke about books and people who loved books.
If Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is a love letter to video games, this book is a love letter to books and bookstores. And for that, I love this book.
My rating: 3.5/5 stars ★
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Romantic comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
CW: Early days of the pandemic.
I remember liking Curtis Sittenfeld’s book Preparation back in high school and was curious to read her take on the rom-com genre.
Quick Plot: Sally is a writer for a late-night comedy show (think SNL). It seems like all the average men she works with are constantly dating women far more attractive and successful than them… but the reverse of an average woman with a hot guy never seems to happen. She then meets Noah, the famous pop star who is the guest host on the show this week. What follows is an unexpected romance between two unlikely lovers.
My thoughts: Like I said, I was curious how Curtis Sittenfeld would do a rom-com. The answer? It’s smart, full of great characters and takes risks with form. I don’t want to give too much away as I think that’s some of the fun of the book, but the book is in 3 sections and the middle section really surprised me.
While the rom-com genre is ultimately predictable, I loved that this book felt surprisingly unpredictable in the way the story was told. It would be a great book to read at the beach this summer.
My rating: 4/5 stars ★
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Happy place by Emily Henry
Oh, this book. I won’t lie, Emily Henry books can be a bit lost on me, so I wasn’t sure where I was going with this one. If you’re looking for a light and fun rom-com, this isn’t it. But if you’re in the mood for a romance with big emotions that will blow your mind, this is for you.
Quick Plot: Harriet and Wyn broke up 5 months ago. But no one in his life knows. Now they have to pretend they’re still together while stuck on vacation with their close group of friends.
My thoughts: Even though I read a lot of romance, I can sometimes find the genre too sugary and fake. As a romance centered around a breakup, this one felt much more grounded and rooted in reality. The book is raw and tender in how it talks about the complexities of breakups. I found myself sobbing at various points from passages that felt so revised.
It was a refreshing take on romance and fake dating. I also really appreciated the subplot about how friendships change and evolve in your 30s.
Where it fell *slightly* flat for me is some of the lines that just made my skin crawl with how squished they felt. The fix also seemed pretty simple for how big I thought the problem would be.
Overall though I enjoyed the journey I took with this book. She counts Cake as my favorite Emily Henry book.
My rating: 4.5/5 stars ★
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The Daydreams by Laura Hankin
When I first heard the plot of this book I *knew* I was going to love it…
Fast plot: In the early 2000s, Kat, Liana, Summer and Noah were the stars of a hugely popular youth television show. Think Hannah Montannah in her prime. The show ended in a major scandal, but now 13 years later the four stars have been invited back together for a reunion.
And of course, all their secrets from the past begin to surface…
My thoughts: It is now my mission in life to make everyone fall in love with this book. It is *such* a treat. It has 2000s nostalgia, juicy drama and some very unexpected twists. There was one part that SHOCKED me with how brilliant the twist was.
Throughout the book, I felt like I was reading the behind-the-scenes gossip of a TV show that actually existed. It just felt so real and fully embodied. Definitely Laura Hankin’s best book to date, and I say that having thoroughly enjoyed her other novels.
My rating: 4.5/5 ★
