What are you reading for July?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reading My Murder right now. I'm not sure where it's going but I can't stop thinking about it.

Just finished Shrines of Gaiety, which I enjoyed.

I enjoyed My Murder very much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does everyone already know what they're reading for the month ahead? I kind of flow with what comes in for me at the library ... maybe that's just me!

Some that I really enjoyed since the last thread:

- Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez - I think this may be my favorite of hers. Romcom between two doctors with fake dating.

- Yellowface by RF Kuang - I'll be thinking of this one for a long time. About a woman author who steals a manuscript from her another frenemy. Satire/insight into various aspects of the publishing industry.

- Save What's Left by Elizabeth Castellano - a woman has a big life change and moves to a small beach town--the unique thing is that it isn't an idealized place, the story feels like a very realistic take on the politics of a small town, and plus it's very funny.

* The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel - highly recommend this one, it's a kind of revenge based comedy of manners with a school secretary who wants to get revenge on two other women but their lives end up intersecting in this really lovely way.

I also liked Part of Your World. Do you recommend Yellowface?

I’m glad I read it—it’s given me a lot to think about, it was fast paced, and it has some astute observations about publishing and human nature in general. It reminded me in some ways of the themes around the “Bad Art Friend” piece, if you followed that article and the ensuing discussion.

The main character of Yellowface is intentionally annoying which I sometimes found … annoying. I generally don’t mind an “unlikeable” MC and I get why she was made that way. But by the end of the book I was ready to get out of her head. Glad I read it though.

[Anonymous]

I liked part of your world too. But the summary sounds like another book by the same author- Yours Truly. I liked that one even more. Both of them had incredibly an appealing male lead character to me.

[Anonymous]

Just finished Spare. Started reading the In-between, but it was giving me ptsd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I finished Demon Copperhead and The Paris Apartment last month, am currently reading Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. I have A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - son was supposed to read it for Freshman English. I also have The Overstory if I'm up to it. Or I may save that for "Back to School" in Sept.

I also read the Demon Copperhead but wouldn’t recommend. It was one of the most depressing books.

Two books that I like this summer were: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, and Eliza Starts a Rumor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I liked part of your world too. But the summary sounds like another book by the same author- Yours Truly. I liked that one even more. Both of them had incredibly an appealing male lead character to me.

Oh this is embarrassing … I meant Yours Truly! The descriptions are very similar and I mixed them up.

[Anonymous]

I just finished Yellowface. I thought most of it was well-done - great job with a protaganist who is racist and oblivious about it. Good insights about the publishing industry as well.

I eventually got a little impatient for it to end. There was only so much that could keep the plot moving forward, and it got a little repetitive.

Like the PP above, though, I'm glad I read it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I re-read the US Constitution every year. Should be required reading.

I know this is going to sound absurd, but I carry a copy of it with me at all times. It's small, fits easily into my purse. It was given to me by a VIP when I started working years ago, after she gave a speech to all of us new lawyers about our sacred duty to uphold the rule of law. I took it seriously. And have kept that little reminder with me ever since. It's come in handy a few times when someone who didn't know anything about the Constitution started rambling on about it and getting things wrong, lol.

Same. Mine is from the Heritage Foundation. They used to pass them out for free at Metro stops eons ago. Heritage is a questionable org, but I loved this program and I appreciate my copy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I re-read the US Constitution every year. Should be required reading.

I know this is going to sound absurd, but I carry a copy of it with me at all times. It's small, fits easily into my purse. It was given to me by a VIP when I started working years ago, after she gave a speech to all of us new lawyers about our sacred duty to uphold the rule of law. I took it seriously. And have kept that little reminder with me ever since. It's come in handy a few times when someone who didn't know anything about the Constitution started rambling on about it and getting things wrong, lol.

NP. So on these few occasions, did you take out this copy and start reading from it?

RBG did.
https://www.law.nyu.edu/news/Ruth-Bader-Ginsburg-Kenji-Yoshino-Center-for-Diversity-Inclusion-and-Belonging
"Seated onstage in a packed Tishman Auditorium on February 5, US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg reached for her handbag and pulled out a small booklet. “My pocket Constitution, which I carry with me wherever I go in the world,” she explained, to the delight of the crowd."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a quarter of the way into Romantic Comedy, by Curtis Sittenfeld. Different than her other books - lighter and less cynical, IMHO. I'm definitely enjoying it so far.

is it funny?

NP - I wouldn't say it's laugh out loud but she's always got a wit to her writing. This one def does read like a meet cute romance, with some literary groundings. I found the epistolary section really tedious and mostly skimmed it - didn't quite buy the resolution, but still enjoyed the book. Tore through it in like two days.

Thanks for responding. I cannot abide epistolary narratives either, so I think I'll give it a miss.

The letter exchange is only a small part.

It's one of the better books I've read this year in terms of entertainment value. It's light and fun but still smart and well written. She also wove in a lot of cool details from her research on SNL, so I learned some things too. I recommend. I've been a CS fan since Prep and I have not loved all her books, but this is one of her good ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked part of your world too. But the summary sounds like another book by the same author- Yours Truly. I liked that one even more. Both of them had incredibly an appealing male lead character to me.

Oh this is embarrassing … I meant Yours Truly! The descriptions are very similar and I mixed them up.

Don’t be embarrassed! They were both good! Any recommendations for similar books?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t care for the Carrie Soto book. I only liked Daisy and the Six from that author.

I didn’t like Daisy Jones but I liked Evelyn Hugo.

I’ve loved all her books. I think she’s a great writer who makes each book stand on their own.

[Anonymous]

I just finished the Covenant of Water. Amazing book. I think if you liked Panchinko, you would enjoy it. It’s long but I read a lot and it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read.

[Anonymous]

I’m reading Big Swiss, by Jen Beagin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked part of your world too. But the summary sounds like another book by the same author- Yours Truly. I liked that one even more. Both of them had incredibly an appealing male lead character to me.

Oh this is embarrassing … I meant Yours Truly! The descriptions are very similar and I mixed them up.

Don’t be embarrassed! They were both good! Any recommendations for similar books?

Yes! I really enjoy romcoms and I'm also a bit picky about them. Besides Abby Jimenez, I really like:

Rachel Lynn Solomon -- I've really enjoyed all of them, but I think "Weather Girl," "The Ex Talk," and her new one "Business or Pleasure" are especially strong. If you are okay with YA then "See You Yesterday" and "Today Tonight Tomorrow" are very good.

Trish Doller - "Float Plan," "The Suite Spot," and "Off the Map." I suggest reading in this order--differnet MCs but it takes place in the same universe so reading out of order would spoil a few things.

Christina Lauren - I like most of their books (co-written under a pseudonym) but some didn't click for me at all. I really enjoyed: "The Honey Don't List," "Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating," "The Unhoneymooners," "Roomies," and "The Soulmate Equation" (I actually think I liked its sequel "The True Love Experiment" even more).

Emily Henry, "Book Lovers" is my favorite of hers.

Not sure if Annabel Monaghan exactly belongs in this category--her books seem a little heavier to me--but I did enjoy "Nora Goes Off Script" and her new one "Same Time Next Summer"