Book Review, Fiction, Romance

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover ~ Book Review

Morgan

Atria Books
Genre: Romance
Release Date: August 5, 2014
My Rating: 🍪🍪🍪🍪

Ugly Love was far heavier than the fluffy romance I expected. It has a split-timeline narrative, one with Miles as a teenager meeting and falling in love with Rachel, and the other with Tate meeting Miles as an adult. Miles is good friends with Tate’s brother, and she finds herself increasingly physically attracted to Miles the more they spend time with each other.

What struck me initially in this book was the unique beauty of the writing. I haven’t read much Colleen Hoover before and I found her descriptive prose immersive and illustrative. The way she explained feelings and emotions was so striking that I felt like I knew exactly what the characters were experiencing.

As the story goes on, we begin to see that something in Miles’s relationship with Rachel must have gone very, very wrong. Their love is described with an intensity that made me eager to find out what happened. I found Tate’s part of the story slightly less engrossing than Miles’s, but I really liked her as a character and felt like I had a solid sense of who she was.

I found the ending of this book very compelling and loved the way that Hoover tied in the title and the concept of ‘ugly love.’ I will definitely be picking up more of her work in the future.

Buy Ugly Love at an indie bookstore near you
Ugly Love on Goodreads

Book Review, Fiction

The Sweet Taste of Muscadines by Pamela Terry ~ Book Review

Morgan

Ballantine Books
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: March 16, 2021
My Rating: 🍪🍪🍪

The Sweet Taste of Muscadines is a family drama that follows Lila and her brother Henry as they return to the town they grew up in following their mother’s sudden and suspicious death. They arrive to find their younger sister Abigail, who lived in their hometown, gone somewhat off the rails and frantic that their mother indicated that she wanted no funeral.

The siblings band together to organize a wake at their house instead of a funeral as they search to discover what led to their mom’s death and why she doesn’t want to be recognized by the community she lived in. The deeper the siblings dig, the more they realize they didn’t know so much about their family at all.

This story has a little taste of a thriller in it combined with familial drama and set against the picturesque backdrop of a Southern muscadine arbor. I enjoyed the relationship between Henry and Lila, and Lila and her friends, but there was nothing especially compelling about the storyline. The writing was beautiful, but I wasn’t fully convinced of the discoveries the siblings made, and I would have liked some more character development from both of them and from their parents (perhaps via flashbacks.)

Buy The Sweet Taste of Muscadines at an indie bookstore near you
The Sweet Taste of Muscadines on Goodreads

Book Review, Fiction, thriller

The Survivors by Jane Harper ~ Book Review

Morgan

Flatiron Books
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: February 2, 2021
My Rating: 🍪🍪.5 

The Survivors is a tangled mystery that brings its characters back time and time again to a fatal storm during their teenage years. Kieran Elliott has always felt guilty for the loss of his brother that resulted from the storm, and returning to his hometown with his wife and baby stirs up those feelings all over again, especially when a new fatality occurs. The townspeople are forced to reconsider the past in an attempt to draw parallels to the murder at present.

The setting of this book was especially fitting for the plot. ‘The Survivors’ themselves refer to iron slabs that stick out from the sea — resulting from a shipwreck. They guard the entrance to a series of seaside caves that fill with water as the tide comes in. The eeriness in the depiction and creation of this setting was wonderfully atmospheric and made me distinctly uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, the story itself just didn’t grab me. It was slow for a mystery and I had trouble keeping track of how everyone fit together. There were ‘clues’ along the way that were obvious plot devices and kept me from feeling fully invested in the ultimate reveal of what was going on.

Buy The Survivors at an indie bookstore near you
The Survivors on Goodreads

Book Review, Fiction, Romance

Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory ~ Book Review

Morgan

Berkley Books
Genre: Romance
Release Date: June 23, 2020
My Rating: 🍪🍪.5 

Olivia Monroe moves to LA to start her own law firm. She works hard, loves finding the best desserts in the city, and is not interested in pursuing a relationship. When she meets a cute guy at a bar, all she’s thinking about is a one night stand. He ends the night without even asking for her number, and although she’s peeved, she goes on with her life. When Olivia realizes the man she was talking to is junior senator Max Powell, she’s shocked. After they cross paths again, Max sends her a cake to signal his intent (aww).

The repetition in this book infuriated me. The number of times Max sent Olivia baked goods got incredibly old by the end. It was a cute way for them to bond and banter at the beginning, but I would have appreciated some more variety to their relationship. I wanted to love this boss main character so badly, but unfortunately I found her lack of self-awareness frustrating. She thought obsessively about how she and Max were just having a physical fling when it was so blatantly obvious they both wanted a relationship. I don’t know if the character was supposed to be so dense, but it really did not need to be brought up so many times.

I enjoyed the nature of Max and Olivia’s relationship and the ways they navigated their busy jobs, especially with him flying back and forth to DC all the time and trying to figure out when it was the right time to go public. The way they addressed political and policy discussions and conversations about race was also interesting and added depth to the story. These aspects made this stand out from other similar romances. That being said, I really couldn’t get past the repetitive elements in this story.

Buy Party of Two at an indie bookstore near you
Party of Two on Goodreads

Book Review, Fantasy, Fiction

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig ~ Book Review

Morgan

Viking
Genre: Fiction/Fantasy
Release Date: September 29, 2020
My Rating: 🍪🍪🍪🍪

I’m not a big fantasy person, but The Midnight Library toes the line just enough that it didn’t jar me too much. Conceptually, this book is fascinating. It tells the story of Nora Seed, who finds herself in the Midnight Library where she’s faced with shelves of books that each represent a different way her life could have gone, had she made different choices along the way.

Nora racks her brain to try to figure out what decisions would have led to her happiest life, but as soon as she feels disappointed in the life she’s trying out, she’s automatically returned to the library. This book focuses heavily on mental health. Nora lands in the library after a suicide attempt, suspended between life and death. Her journey through her lives is a powerful reminder to be thankful for all the little things we take for granted day-to-day and to make the most of your life.

Matt Haig’s writing sucks you in and immerses you in this story wholeheartedly. I read this book in two sittings and loved the illustrative nature of the story. My one complaint is that the concept got a little repetitive for me by the end, but nonetheless, this was a beautifully crafted story with a powerful message.

Buy The Midnight Library at an indie bookstore near you
The Midnight Library on Goodreads

Book Review, Health, Nonfiction, Self Help

The F*ck It Diet by Caroline Dooner ~ Book Review

Morgan

Harper Wave
Genre: Nonfiction/Self-Help
Release Date: March 26, 2019
My Rating: 🍪🍪🍪🍪

The F*ck It Diet is a humorous and informative exploration of how pervasive and manipulative diet culture is and why dieting doesn’t work long term. The research that went into the writing of this book backs up the main points powerfully and was extremely eye-opening. There are so many aspects of society that have been formed by the diet industry and an unrealistic focus on one ‘ideal’ body type. The facts and studies woven into this book shocked me again and again and truly highlighted the toxicity of diet culture.

This book examines the concept of the ‘f*ck it diet’ and is targeted toward anyone who has struggled with their relationship with food, their body, and their weight. It outlines steps to learn how to let go of food rules and unlearn what constitutes ‘good’ and ‘bad’ food. It promotes letting go of the stigma and fear surrounding weight gain and provides tools and activities to help take steps to get there.

I really appreciated the format of this book. It was set up almost like an activity book, introducing and describing a topic and then providing a writing prompt or activity to do to try to internalize the new information.

I would not recommend this book for everyone, but if you have struggled consistently with trying to fit society’s view of a ‘perfect’ body and have a toxic or addictive relationship to food, eating, and the affect your weight has on your mood, this is an informative and powerful read. 

Buy The F*ck It Diet at an indie bookstore near you
The F*ck It Diet on Goodreads

Uncategorized

After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid ~ Book Review

Morgan

Washington Square Press
Genre: Romance
Release Date: July 1, 2014
My Rating: 🍪🍪🍪

After I Do opens by detailing the love story of Lauren and Ryan. Taylor Jenkins Reid does a wonderful job of crafting a cute, believable romance between them and then carries us through time as we watch it slowly derail. The couple ultimately decides to take a year-long break from each other with the hope that it will help them realize the value in their relationship.

I loved the initial love story in this book and watching Lauren’s character development as she learns to be on her own, strengthens her relationships with her friends, and realizes what she took for granted in her partner. Her friendships were really beautifully written and I loved the way her friends supported her.

I sped through this book in about a day, but nothing super noteworthy really happened. I absolutely love TJR, but this is the first book of hers that hasn’t absolutely swept me away. My big problem was with the ending. I felt like it didn’t do Lauren justice after the development and growth her character went through and left me ultimately dissatisfied.

Buy After I Do at an indie bookstore near you
After I Do on Goodreads

Book Review, Fiction, Historical Fiction

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles ~ Book Review

Morgan

Viking
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: September 6, 2016
My Rating: 🍪🍪🍪.5

I was instantly intrigued by the premise of A Gentleman in Moscow, which chronicles the life of Count Alexander Rostov who is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol Hotel. The decadent hotel made me think of The Grand Budapest Hotel somewhat, and it was at odds with Rostov’s new life, in which he is stripped of his title and made to move into a small attic room and take on a job. Despite his change in circumstances, Rostov carries himself with the grace of a Count and many of his daily rituals remain somewhat pretentious. I loved this layer of his character.

Because the book essentially had a single setting, the characters really made the story. Rostov’s quirks and mannerisms made him so lovable, and his creativity and ingenuity in adapting to his life were admirable. His relationship with those he works with, and with a little girl who visits the hotel, were heartwarming and beautifully written. Towles also includes robust footnotes in the text to provide background on different characters and their circumstances, which additionally helped the narrative transcend the boundaries of its setting.

The story takes place in 1920s Russia, a time and place I knew little about going into this book. I did get a little lost in the cultural and historical context sometimes because of my lack of background knowledge, but at the same time, Rostov’s story ignited an interest in learning more about this time period in Russia.

The book extends through decades of Rostov’s life and it did tend to be slower than what I usually read. That being said, the writing and descriptions were wonderful, and the humor Towles infused through the Count’s thoughts and actions added a lot. I am left in awe of how Towles was able to make the Metropol hotel into such a lively and unpredictable setting.

Buy A Gentleman in Moscow at an indie bookstore near you
A Gentleman in Moscow on Goodreads

Uncategorized

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid ~ Book Review

Morgan

Ballantine Books
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: May 25, 2021
My Rating: 🍪🍪🍪.5

I was beyond thrilled for Taylor Jenkins Reid’s new book and went into it with very, very high expectations. Malibu Rising occurs largely over one night, during the annual party put on by Nina Riva, with flashbacks to her and her siblings’s childhood throughout. I tend to struggle with books set over one day because I like a lot of plot and action. I found the party scenes a little slow, but I appreciated the rich and in depth development of the main characters’ mother through the flashbacks.

The setting of Malibu, and Nina’s mansion in particular really comes alive through Reid’s writing. She adds a lot of historical context about the area, and I could perfectly picture the beaches and the kind of place the Riva’s grew up in. I loved that Malibu was almost like its own character throughout the story.

Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit, are successful models, surfers, or photographers living in Malibu, and the offspring of a famous singer, Mick Riva. Despite their relative wealth and success, they all have secrets and sorrows that threaten to spill out over the course of the party. Unfortunately, I didn’t really feel for any of the main characters. Reid did a really wonderful job crafting their mother as someone layered and realistic, but none of the siblings really had my sympathy. Although the writing was fantastic, as always, the characters didn’t capture my heart, and since this was a character-driven story, I felt a bit let down.

Buy Malibu Rising at an indie bookstore near you
Malibu Rising on Goodreads

Book Review, Fiction

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu ~ Book Review

Morgan

Pantheon Books
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: January 28, 2020
My Rating: 🍪🍪🍪.5

Interior Chinatown is an innovative look at the Chinese American experience in Hollywood. Yu writes much of the narrative as if it’s a script, mirroring the context of the main character, Willis Wu, as he performs for work. He is mostly in the periphery, made to play nameless characters who are defined by their Asian-ness. It was a searing, often cynical look at how Asian Americans are stereotyped and often feel constrained by their race.

The main character’s greatest dream is to play ‘Kung Fu Guy’ in a movie. He believes that is the most he can achieve, because that’s the most he’s ever seen someone who looks like him attain. He doesn’t know that he can dream bigger, beyond the constraints he has come to accept as being placed on Asian Americans. Interior Chinatown is an incredible creative exploration of race in America, and of how stereotypes are played out again and again in pop culture and the media.

The format of this book didn’t really work for me. The TV show that Wu is in is woven together with the narrative to the point of confusion as to what is actually happening and what is scripted. I read this as being self-aware and indicating how stereotypes in the media are mirrored in real life and vice versa, but it still made the narrative feel muddled and confusing. I also felt that there was some unnecessary repetition to try to get the main point across.

Overall, Interior Chinatown is an extremely quick, unique, and thought-provoking read that leaves you with a lot to think about.

Buy Interior Chinatown at an indie bookstore near you
Interior Chinatown on Goodreads