"𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶." -𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘦
"𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦." -𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘢
published: 2020
pages: 243
read: 9/10-26/2020
book: 71 in 2020
SYNOPSIS
Some people have a voice for radio, but I must have a fanny for infidelity. This is why I bought a one-way ticket from London to New York and decided to ignore all men forever. And then I meet Owen.
Owen holds all the red flags I can’t resist: mysterious and handsome, sarcastic with a clever smile… Plus, he works in tech like I do? Here’s my knickers, good sir.
But, a few cybersecurity breaches at my job means I don’t have time for anything, especially not a classic New York City romance. The bad part is I think the break-ins are coming from the same source. The worst part is that Owen is quickly stealing my heart.
The more time I spend with mysterious, handsome Owen, the more I wonder if maybe he’s the man I’ve been looking for all along. And unfortunately for me, I think that statement might be true in more ways than one.
Some people have a voice for radio, but I must have a fanny for infidelity. This is why I bought a one-way ticket from London to New York and decided to ignore all men forever. And then I meet Owen.
Owen holds all the red flags I can’t resist: mysterious and handsome, sarcastic with a clever smile… Plus, he works in tech like I do? Here’s my knickers, good sir.
But, a few cybersecurity breaches at my job means I don’t have time for anything, especially not a classic New York City romance. The bad part is I think the break-ins are coming from the same source. The worst part is that Owen is quickly stealing my heart.
The more time I spend with mysterious, handsome Owen, the more I wonder if maybe he’s the man I’ve been looking for all along. And unfortunately for me, I think that statement might be true in more ways than one.
THOUGHTS
this is one of those where i read the book but didnt do a post right after so you know how that goes. ...i dont remember shit.
but when i read the quote above i remembered that LOL I LOVE THE SHIT OUT OF LARA! and i would read a freaking book on her alone!!!!!
i think this was when i was in the height of my "i feel meh about reading" so i wasnt super into this one but i do want to re-read it eventually. it took me longer than it ever should have and i should have just waited to read it...but i guess i rushed it because it was an ARC and i had to do my duty.
this one is all one me because i love JO and will forever read whatever she writes.
either way, ima cut it short; i liked it but i know i didnt devote the time to it that i should have. (see it over on instagram!)
...in other news, it looks like i wont be done posting 2020 reads in 2020...so we're carrying it on over into 2021. yall will get a full update of all my 2020 reads sometime in February lol (100 freaking books!!!!!!!)
thanks for reading!
when you're a child you long to be an adult and decide everything for yourself, but when you're an adult you realize that's the worst part of it. that you have to have opinions all the time.
pages: 336
heard: 9/5-24/2029
book: 70 in 2020
"she liked a drink and could tell dirty jokes, no matter who she was with. if anyone even asked what God would think about that she always replied: "i don't think we agree about everything, but i have a feeling He knows im doing the best i can. and i think maybe He knows i work for Him, because i try to help people."
Looking at real estate isn't usually a life-or-death situation, but an apartment open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes a group of strangers hostage. The captives include a recently retired couple who relentlessly hunt down fixer-uppers to avoid the painful truth that they can't fix up their own marriage. There's a wealthy banker who has been too busy making money to care about anyone else and a young couple who are about to have their first child but can't seem to agree on anything, from where they want to live to how they met in the first place. Add to the mix an eighty-seven-year-old woman who has lived long enough not to be afraid of someone waving a gun in her face, a flustered but still-ready-to-make-a-deal real estate agent, and a mystery man who has locked himself in the apartment's only bathroom, and you've got the worst group of hostages in the world.
THOUGHTS
i did not write a post on this book as soon as i was done which means i also didnt do spoilers because honestly, to this day, i still really have no full idea as to what i read...erm, heard.
i mean, i have the basics but this book was something else that i still feel like i didn't really grasp the entirety of this read.
and it wasnt until a bookstagrammer that i follow said that she liked it but didnt like how this book made her feel lost, like they were trying to pull one out from under her that i understood what i felt when i was done with this.
what she said is what i didn't have the words to say at first.
i still stand by my thoughts in that there is no other writer that i have come across that writes like this man. the way he tells his stories is like none other and i will absolutely adore (i think) anything this man writes. but that doesn't mean that you wont get a little bit lost along the way.
i cant really tell you where (up here anyway) this book truly lost me because its a hella spoiler but it did and i dont really remember where even that twist could have came from. maybe its Backman's way of saying "see, bitch. dont assume."
either way, i liked this read.
to be honest, im not sure if i was ready to read this one and i think i just jumped on because of FOMO and I KNOW i always say this but i do think if i ever do a re-read, ill understand it better since i know.
but i will say, i love the way that this man writes and the way he takes you in and makes you fall in love with the characters, his story and his writing is just purely magical to me.
the upside to this one is that i actually also own the audio so chances are i maybe will sometime get to it once again! and if i do, ill be ready cus i really did like this one.
𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳.
published: 2016pages: 310
read 8/31 to 9/1/2020
book: 68 in 2020
SYNOPSIS
Andy Carter was happy. He had a solid job. He ran 5Ks for charity. He was living a nice, safe Midwestern existence. And then his wife left him for a handsome paramedic down the street.
We’re All Damaged begins after Andy has lost his job, ruined his best friend’s wedding, and moved to New York City, where he lives in a tiny apartment with an angry cat named Jeter that isn’t technically his. But before long he needs to go back to Omaha to say good-bye to his dying grandfather.
Back home, Andy is confronted with his past, which includes his ex, his ex’s new boyfriend, his right-wing talk-radio-host mother, his parents’ crumbling marriage, and his still-angry best friend.
As if these old problems weren’t enough, Andy encounters an entirely new complication: Daisy. She has fifteen tattoos, no job, and her own difficult past. But she claims she is the only person who can help Andy be happy again, if only she weren’t hiding a huge secret that will mess things up even more. Andy Carter needs a second chance at life, and Daisy—and the person Daisy pushes Andy to become—may be his last chance to set things right.
THOUGHTS
Matthew Norman has become an auto read for me.
I loved the last couple standing and I loved this one just as much. it was such a delight to find this one as a UK read.
it has been a while since i read this and i was more focused on writing out spoilers than i was thoughts but i do remember that i really liked this read. everything about it to me was perfect.
andy is going through his shit with his ex wife who we later on learn that no matter what or who, will never be happy. we see Andy with Daisy who, oooof!!!!!, in the end, my heart breaks for her! she...i loved her in the end. what she says about going to New York breaks my heart because i feel like ive been in the same place. that might have been my favorite part because of the emotions that were involved.
...Andy in the end, the way it all clicked in the end! i was so happy to see that. i definitely liked the ending. just this entire story. its funny and highlarious and i found myself laughing out loud a lot of the time and there wasnt a moment where i wished the story would hurry up and end.
its been a while so ill leave it here but know that i liked it so much im looking to buy this one as soon as i come across it!
jump over for spoilers!
thanks for reading! (:
 #bookslesreads on IG * sorry for whatever misspellings there are....its been a while and honestly, im just being lazy AF. |
....𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬𝘴.
published: 2020
pages: 310
read 8/25-29/2020
book: 68 in 2020
A chance meeting with a handsome stranger turns into a whirlwind affair that gets everyone talking.
Dating is the last thing on Olivia Monroe's mind when she moves to LA to start her own law firm. But when she meets a gorgeous man at a hotel bar and they spend the entire night flirting, she discovers too late that he is none other than hotshot junior senator Max Powell. Olivia has zero interest in dating a politician, but when a cake arrives at her office with the cutest message, she can't resist--it is chocolate cake, after all.
Olivia is surprised to find that Max is sweet, funny, and noble--not just some privileged white politician she assumed him to be. Because of Max's high-profile job, they start seeing each other secretly, which leads to clandestine dates and silly disguises. But when they finally go public, the intense media scrutiny means people are now digging up her rocky past and criticizing her job, even her suitability as a trophy girlfriend. Olivia knows what she has with Max is something special, but is it strong enough to survive the heat of the spotlight?
THOUGHTS
SHORT VERSION:
same story as all before it. nothing new. little spice. 🥱
I'm praying and hoping there won't be a sixth book.
(i think there is. sad face)
same story as all before it. nothing new. little spice. 🥱
I'm praying and hoping there won't be a sixth book.
(i think there is. sad face)
LONG VERSION:
If Maddie & Theo had TOO much heat going on, these two could've definitely taken some of it to steam them up.
I have no idea why I keep reading Jasmine Guillorys books. I havent been a fan of a single one and I don't know why I keep picking them up but I do.
I saw that this one was coming out and I wasn't excited about it. I was bummed because I knew I was going to read it because idk, I just couldn't not.
I'm fucking odd.
I will give it to JG. She does tackle subjects that need to be touched up more. Like how Olivia has to deal with certain aspects of her life way more carefully than lets say Max. Because he is a privileged rich white male where as she is a Black woman who grew up nowhere near Max's level. Her actions require way more work and effort and thought and execution.
She does not have the freedom he does.
Or how Max is a rich white dude who.....knows it and happens to use it to his advantage....so much so that he "doesn't see" when he does use it, no matter who its aimed at......until he finally does and then.....🙄
I noticed that she has flipped the script a bit in the sense that instead of hating to dating, some of these couples acknowledge their feels, date THEN fuck it all up just to end up happily ever forever after.
In this books case, we get the new formula but omg! No.
I still think Maddie & Theo had a very borderline abusive relationship but they at least had believable fire since the very moment they first hated each other. Max and Olivia had the kinda fire that goes away right after it finally lights even though you'd spent that last hour trying to light it; it just wasn't there.
All this book was just the same boring discussion over: "how can I date a politician that im madly in love with without having to be in any of the spotlight!?"
same
fucking
shit
for
300
fucking
pages.
😞😬🙄😦😧😖🥱😤
Ima just end this here.
anyway, jump over for b a s i c spoilers.
thanks for reading! (:
#bookslesreads on IG |
"I know that sometimes moving fast and breaking things is how progress gets made. but its also how things get broken, and sometimes those things are people."
published: 2020
pages: 449
read: 8/9-24/2020
book: 67 in 2020
April May and the Carls are back in the much-anticipated sequel to Hank Green's #1 New York Times bestselling debut novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing.
The Carls disappeared the same way they appeared, in an instant. While they were on Earth, they caused confusion and destruction without ever lifting a finger. Well, that’s not exactly true. Part of their maelstrom was the sudden viral fame and untimely death of April May: a young woman who stumbled into Carl’s path, giving them their name, becoming their advocate, and putting herself in the middle of an avalanche of conspiracy theories.
Months later, the world is as confused as ever. Andy has picked up April’s mantle of fame, speaking at conferences and online about the world post-Carl; Maya, ravaged by grief, begins to follow a string of mysteries that she is convinced will lead her to April; and Miranda infiltrates a new scientific operation . . . one that might have repercussions beyond anyone’s comprehension.
As they each get further down their own paths, a series of clues arrive—mysterious books that seem to predict the future and control the actions of their readers; unexplained internet outages; and more—which seem to suggest April may be very much alive. In the midst of the gang's possible reunion is a growing force, something that wants to capture our consciousness and even control our reality.
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is the bold and brilliant follow-up to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. It’s a fast-paced adventure that is also a biting social commentary, asking hard, urgent questions. How will we live online? What powers over our lives are we giving away for free? Who has the right to change the world forever? And how do we find comfort in an increasingly isolated world?
The Carls disappeared the same way they appeared, in an instant. While they were on Earth, they caused confusion and destruction without ever lifting a finger. Well, that’s not exactly true. Part of their maelstrom was the sudden viral fame and untimely death of April May: a young woman who stumbled into Carl’s path, giving them their name, becoming their advocate, and putting herself in the middle of an avalanche of conspiracy theories.
Months later, the world is as confused as ever. Andy has picked up April’s mantle of fame, speaking at conferences and online about the world post-Carl; Maya, ravaged by grief, begins to follow a string of mysteries that she is convinced will lead her to April; and Miranda infiltrates a new scientific operation . . . one that might have repercussions beyond anyone’s comprehension.
As they each get further down their own paths, a series of clues arrive—mysterious books that seem to predict the future and control the actions of their readers; unexplained internet outages; and more—which seem to suggest April may be very much alive. In the midst of the gang's possible reunion is a growing force, something that wants to capture our consciousness and even control our reality.
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is the bold and brilliant follow-up to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. It’s a fast-paced adventure that is also a biting social commentary, asking hard, urgent questions. How will we live online? What powers over our lives are we giving away for free? Who has the right to change the world forever? And how do we find comfort in an increasingly isolated world?
THOUGHTS
hhhmmmm.......i liked this one but if im being honest, it was a bit tough on me.
what does this classify under? like scifi? idk. but whatever it was, since its not something i usually read, it took me a while to get into.
it wasnt bad at all.
its just all me.
its a good read and very relevant in today's times given all the shit that we are currently and have been going through and i mean, i really couldnt have read it at a better time. i just wish i would have been more in the moment with it.
"im trying to show you how good my brain was at convincing me that i never belonged where i was. these are the lies that our brains tells us to push happiness out of reach."
...either way, ima keep this short cause i really don't know what to say other than i liked it but it was kind of a heavy-ish read for me and if im being honest, i think this put me in a bit of a reading funk cause it took so much of me to read it. while i am glad that i read it, maybe 2020 wasnt the year for me to read this.
(im doing suuuuuch a horrible job on this one. lol. but im doing this one emotionally i guess......)
"For me it goes without saying that much of the dogma of many religions is harmful. thinking other people will burn forever because they love the wrong person or worship the wrong god hos done a whole lot of bad."
anyway, jump over for b a s i c spoilers.
thanks for reading! (:
#bookslesreads on IG |
"when you're faced with something you don't understand, i think the most natural thing but also the least interesting thing you can be is afraid."
published: 2018
pages: 338
heard: 8/5-7/2020*
pages: 338
heard: 8/5-7/2020*
book: 66 in 2020
*originally read: 10/28-31/2020
SYNOPSIS
The Carls just appeared. Coming home from work at three a.m., twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship--like a ten-foot-tall Transformer wearing a suit of samurai armor--April and her friend Andy make a video with it, which Andy uploads to YouTube. The next day April wakes up to a viral video and a new life. News quickly spreads that there are Carls in dozens of cities around the world--everywhere from Beijing to Buenos Aires--and April, as their first documentarian, finds herself at the center of an intense international media spotlight.
Now April has to deal with the pressure on her relationships, her identity, and her safety that this new position brings, all while being on the front lines of the quest to find out not just what the Carls are, but what they want from us.
Compulsively entertaining and powerfully relevant, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing grapples with big themes, including how the social internet is changing fame, rhetoric, and radicalization; how our culture deals with fear and uncertainty; and how vilification and adoration spring from the same dehumanization that follows a life in the public eye.
THOUGHTS
I knew there was a possibility for a second book; with an ending like that, how could there not be....but because I read this when it first came out and I didn't really think about it after I read it, I didn't know the sequel was coming out this year. Of course once I found out, I pre-ordered it right away. It was such a nice surprise to see that book 2 was coming out this year in only a few short months (wtf is time now a days!) while randomly scrolling bookstagram. 🙂
I originally read this one back in 2018. I didn't blog about it then because it was during that time where I didn't care to give the books I was reading their own posts. Back then i knew not doing one for this book would come back to bite me in the ass because I really liked this book then but luckily, I did end up doing a re-read so it's all good!
.....except that this time I did it as an audiobook and while I was invested I know there are parts where I kind of glossed over. not because the story sucked, because it didn't, but because I already knew, I guess, subconsciously what was going to happen so idk, I zoned out. overall, I am glad I did a re-read since I never really do them in the first place.
i'm glad I got to it and now that I've read book 2 (its been a slow/lazy reading month) I can say I'm glad I dove into these books. They're kinda science fiction-y which hasn't really been my jam so im glad I liked these.
Its also eerie how this book touches on a lot of things that are currently going on right now. (yes I know a lot of those things were also going on back then but....you get my drift.)
anyway, ima make this one short cus im over blogging rn and so yea....but def read these books if you have a chance!
Anyway, jump over for spoilers.
"I know its mean, and I only think like this when I remember those bad times, but sometimes, just sometimes, I'd like him to experience what it feels like to not know where somebody you love is, to be out of your mind with worry. To fear the worst."
pages: 340
read: 7/30-31/2020
book: 65 in 2020
SYNOPSIS
It’s Livia’s fortieth birthday and tonight she’s having a party, a party she’s been planning for a long time. The only person missing will be her daughter, Marnie.
But Livia has a secret, a secret she’s been keeping from Adam, her husband, until the party is over. Because how can she tell him that although she loves Marnie, she’s glad their daughter won’t be there to celebrate with her?
Adam is determined everything will be just right for Livia and the party is going to be perfect… until he learns something that will leave him facing an unbearable decision.
THOUGHTS
this is BY FAR my FAVE BAP book.
I did not care for Bring Me Back. I fucking disliked the dude in Behind Closed Doors (but I mean overall, it was a good story!) ....and apparently I loved The Breakdown but I dont remember what it's about because it was during that period where I didnt blog what i read so I don't remember much.
This book is not at all like the 3 above.
And I think knowing that is the reason why I really liked this book.
Her first 3 books were about a mystery of some sort...-ish. Suspense, thrillerish, what happened kinda deal.
This one is more so about a marriage and "testing" it and Livia's big ass 40th bday party.
There is no mystery, there is no whodunnit, there's only a party and family secrets.
And that's it.
And I think that's why its received a lot of flack on bookstagram; because readers i guess expected the usual BAP we've all come to know.
seeing everyone rate it low because it wasn't what they expected prepared me for it once I dove in. I didn't expect much which is why I loved it! I'm telling you starting on page 300 til I finished it, I was tearing up a bit. no lie. I didnt go in with high ass expectations so there was nothing to break my heart.....and i still ended up crying. lol!
I wanted to take this one with me when i went camping (instead I took The Last Flight) but now that's it's all said and read, I'm kinda glad I waited til I was home to read it because once I picked it up I didn't want to put it down. And you know what, i really did like this book. because it's the 14th book of the month and I don't really remember any other book pulling me to keep reading it like this one. once I picked it up, i didnt want to put it down (and i only did cause sleep cause work). I couldve easily read this one in one sitting. I just breezed through the pages.
all that being said, man, if I ever get that nuts over a party, smack me.
I can understand Livia's reasoning. and home girl financed it herself so fuck it but man. Admittedly the party is kinda like another character in this story in that it brings it all in together but this story really revolves around 2 main things. There are other things that add to the story that I felt fit just right but if you read it you'll see what I mean about the 2 things. I don't want to spoil it here but you do find out what they are kinda early on so the story is more so about the journey in revealing them.
I liked it.
It works out.
I really did like this one.
I think the one thing that threw me off a bit was the love Adam and Livia have for each other. Only because, fuck it, they got knocked up early on before they really knew each other. They talk about how in love they were in the present but when you read about them in the past, they talk about how "fuck it, we got married cause we done fucked up." That didn't really match up.
B U T my fave part HAS TO BE when Adam does some math on Livia towards the end. Its 100% fucked up for me to say that that part is my fave but oooooh honey, you can only push so far before someone pushes back and Adam pushed the fuck back. I was like tearing up a bit but then also cheering him for him.
Tbh, I wont remember this story a year from now because of who I am as a human. But I hope I remember that this was my fave BAP book up to date.
Anyway, jump over for spoilers.
thanks for reading!
#bookslesreads on IG |
"....I hope I've become someone who doesn't get angry when others are just trying to get by. I hope I can be the kind of person who looks towards forgiveness first."
published: 2020
pages: 302
heard: 7/25-27/2020
book: 64 in 2020
SYNOPSIS
Two women. Two Flights. One last chance to disappear.
Claire Cook has a perfect life. Married to the scion of a political dynasty, with a Manhattan townhouse and a staff of ten, her surroundings are elegant, her days flawlessly choreographed, and her future auspicious. But behind closed doors, nothing is quite as it seems. That perfect husband has a temper that burns as bright as his promising political career, and he's not above using his staff to track Claire's every move, making sure she's living up to his impossible standards. But what he doesn't know is that Claire has worked for months on a plan to vanish.
A chance meeting in an airport bar brings her together with a woman whose circumstances seem equally dire. Together they make a last-minute decision to switch tickets ― Claire taking Eva's flight to Oakland, and Eva traveling to Puerto Rico as Claire. They believe the swap will give each of them the head start they need to begin again somewhere far away. But when the flight to Puerto Rico goes down, Claire realizes it's no longer a head start but a new life. Cut off, out of options, with the news of her death about to explode in the media, Claire will assume Eva's identity, and along with it, the secrets Eva fought so hard to keep hidden.
The Last Flight is the story of two women ― both alone, both scared ― and one agonizing decision that will change the trajectory of both of their lives.
THOUGHTS
Oooooohhhhh, honey!
I was thisclose to missing out on this book. I was going to skip June's BOTM selection but at the last minute decided to give this one ago. And lately I've seen it all over bookstagram receiving all sorts of praise so I took it with me while I went on an overnight camping trip. It was calling me to pick it up and I'm so glad that I did.
this is Inception in book form. I won't say much up here because I don't wana spoil it for anyone who wants to read it. But I guess what I'm trying to say is: remember how in Inception, if the thingy was spinning it was all a dream? Or some shit like that? and even though we knew that, we were somehow still not sure of what had happened? Like was it a dream or real or wtf happened? That's this book.
I'm still a bit unclear at that epilogue. (Gah! It sucks not being able to say it up here!!!!) what truly happens? did you read this!? lets talk because i need to know!
anyway, this book. i can see the hype. completely see the hype. the other night i caught myself thinking about this book and how i was sad that it was over. i want to re-read this one again. eventually i will i think.
usually in stories like these with a connection like that i kinda get thrown off by it because it seems so far fetched and kinda lazy but in this case, i didnt mind it at all. i think i would have preferred for it not to have happened but it doesn't bother me.
i think the thing i like about this book is that it fucks with you. i dont want to mention it here because i don't want to spoil it but i do like that you can't really rely on your narrator. and then there's the whole inception thing that im getting from it that im like WOAH!
but yeah, anyway, i really liked this book. and im so glad i didnt skip it.
jump over for spoilers!
thanks for reading!
#bookslesreads on IG |
"you're so sure about the world Leena. but i'm not like that. you know the best way for you to deal and you've been doing it. ....i haven't worked out how to heal so i'm trying everything.
that's my way."
published: 2020
pages: 336
heard: 7/22-25/2020
book: 63 in 2020
SYNOPSIS
Eileen is sick of being 79.
Leena's tired of life in her twenties.
Maybe it's time they swapped places...
When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house for some overdue rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She'd like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn't offer many eligible gentlemen.
Once Leena learns of Eileen's romantic predicament, she proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire. But with gossiping neighbours and difficult family dynamics to navigate up north, and trendy London flatmates and online dating to contend with in the city, stepping into one another's shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected.
Leena learns that a long-distance relationship isn't as romantic as she hoped it would be, and then there is the annoyingly perfect - and distractingly handsome - school teacher, who keeps showing up to outdo her efforts to impress the local villagers. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, but is her perfect match nearer home than she first thought?
THOUGHTS
hooray for netgalley having audiobooks and offering this one up for grabs for freeeee! (cause other wise, i'm sure i wouldn't have been approved.)
I read the flatshare back in 2019 and while it wasnt a super favorite of mine, I was down to read this one once it was available at my library but then Covid happened and the release date got pushed back and uh, anyway, here we are.
This was a cute little story that I could've gone 100% never having read.
Bah, that sounds bad.
Hear me out....
Eileen and Leena swap lives because well, shit hit the fan for Leena and if I'm being 1000% honest (and sorry it is a bit spoilery) because Eileen was looking for dick. I know I'm crude but in this case, I'm not being crude i'm just stating whats said in the book.
I can't really go into details about their similarities because there's one thing they have in common that's not mentioned in the synopsis that I don't wanna spoil for anyone who wants to read this book but I guess I can see how that one thing is leading them both to have the same lives. or no, not even that. not even that one thing. its just there really wasnt much to differentiate them besides their age. what Eileen wanted to accomplish in her hometown, she did in Leena's and what Leena wanted to accomplish in London, she did at her grandmas. yea, sometimes you need a change of scenery but this was meh at most to me.
Out of all the twists this story had I was only really surprised by one. and that one was done good but eh. but in general everything else was kinda predictable. I didn't care for Ethan (Leena's) boyfriend. I get WHY he was in the plot but tbh, this story would've been fine without him. There was no need for him at all. Leena could've fallen in love with the other dude just fine without having to introduce Ethan. And she could have strongly disliked homegirl without well, having to have had all that happened. (See!, kinda can't talk about it too much cus its spoilery)
It wasn't a bad story but to me it was just 2 women living repetitive lives at different ages/stages in their lives.
I felt like the problems they had were idk...not to sound like a bitch but aside from the one major thing, small. Eileen's was easily solvable if she'd just accepted the dick that was there for her all along....and Leena's was solvable if she'd just accept that other people are allowed to make their own choices no matter what YOU think is the right thing to do. Tbh, that fucking pissed the fuck out of me. I get her feelings are her feelings but she was just too much there. no one can tell anyone how to live their lives so i don't really sympathize with her there. (but please note that i 1000000% understand that i have NEVER been in that situation so who knows how i would act in that moment. its always the easiest thing to talk about when it isn't you that the thing is happening to.)
Anyway, it's not out in the US yet but somehow everyone is already reading it so I'll leave it here cause I don't wanna continue spoiling anymore for those that are waiting until August to read it.
....but jump over for spoilers if ya want.
thanks for reading!
#bookslesreads on IG |
SPOILERS
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Leena gets put on a 2 month leave from work after having a panic attack.
to explain it clearly, her sister passed away. i didnt really pay attention to the timeline but if it wasnt a year that its been, i think its the anniversary that's coming up. so idk that clearly but i know it has to do with her sisters death.
so anyway, she has a panic attack so they place her on a 2 month PAID work leave.
she goes to visit grandma and catches Eileen's list that she had made about finding someone to date and that's when they decide to swap lives.
Leena is mad at her mom because her mom let her sister Carla end her life even though there was possible treatment. she thinks she's the only one suffering her sisters death but her mom is also heartbroken. it just so happens that Leena was the "adult" when all this was going on.
Leena is looking to open up her own company with her best friend, Bea, but keeps putting it off. its not until her grandma catches Ethan cheating on her that she kicks her shit into gear (after being a dumb bitch about it) and gets it all going. she eventually decides to leave London and move down with her grandma to start her life over.
she also breaks up with Ethan and finally gives into dating Jackson (tbh, i can see it but this shit also came out of left field because its not like they spent lots of time together.)
Bea of course ends up moving with her daughter to whatever town it is because a) London is horrible for dating but also, the new dude that she is now dating that she was conveniently set up by Eileen, happens to live there or visit or some shit.
---
Eileen goes to London, sets up a dating profile, gets a hit and ends up having casual sex with some dude (forgot his name). she realizes that he is good times but ultimately that's no the kind of man she wants to end up with. (she's dating now because her husband left her).
Eileen doesnt really care for her neighbor Richard and thinks he's annoying but it turns out that they actually had chemistry way back when but because she was married she decided to turn cold against him.
this trick knew all along that she had dick right next door but had to travel on the train to realize it. in the end they end up together.
tbh, there's a lot im leaving out but im over this book so...yea, if you have questions, ask. if i remember, ill answer.
thanks for reading!
“It would be nice if you were here,” she murmurs. Then she falls asleep. I am alone in the bookstore, looking across the city at her sleeping form, lit only by the gray light of her laptop. In time it, too, falls asleep, and the screen goes dark."
published: 2012
pages: 242*
read: 7/17-18/2020
book: 62 in 2020
*according to the kindle version of my library hold.
SYNOPSIS
The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon away from life as a San Francisco web-design drone and into the aisles of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, but after a few days on the job, Clay discovers that the store is more curious than either its name or its gnomic owner might suggest. The customers are few, and they never seem to buy anything; instead, they "check out" large, obscure volumes from strange corners of the store. Suspicious, Clay engineers an analysis of the clientele's behavior, seeking help from his variously talented friends, but when they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, they discover the bookstore's secrets extend far beyond its walls.
THOUGHTS
what in the world did I just read?
this is one of those books that's been around for forever therefore has forever been on my tbr list but I just never got around to it.
I was thisclose to buying it at B&N when I bought Open Book by Jessica Simpson book and I couldve read it for free when I had scribd but somehow, I ended up putting it on hold at my library and like always, i forgot.
I got it the other day and I decided to finally jump in.
Like I said on goodreads: "what in the Sally sells seashells down by the seashore did I just read?"
I haven't really seen reviews for this one around in a while besides Rad's on ig but even then prior to that, I dont think anyone really spoke about what this book entailed.
I knew it was about a dude who works at a 24 hr bookstore. I just thought idk, spooky ghost shit would happen if I had to guess. No idea really where it would go but I did not expect at all what I got.
Uh. So this was a funny read (it had its moments) and overall, I do think this was a good read. While I'm definitely not mad I read it, I do have to say I'm glad to be done with it. Something about it kinda gave me the hibbie jibbies. First when I started reading it and kinda the overallness of it all in the end.
At first it was kinda dragging for me, then it picks up but about 70% in I was kinda just ready for it to be over.
This story is about essentially a "cult" hell bent on discovering the message one person left behind that leads to the discovery of everlasting life.
This has been going on for 500+ years. Here comes Clay to (unknowingly) shake things up.
I won't go into details about that because it would be considered spoiler-ish and I dont wana do that here but woooah, what the fuck.
Maybe I still need time to process this book but..., not really. I mean, idk if it was just weird af because I had no idea what it was about or what but!, while I know I should focus on what it's really about, the bigger picture, I'm choosing to focus on Clay's relationship with Neel. And how they both bonded as kids over some dorky ass books which I wont say anything else about except: 😍. And how I love the way their relationship was played out in this story.
Or I can also focus on how Clay had what he needed when he needed it (can also be a bit spoilery)...basically what I'm tryna say is that theres a lot going into this story besides the main point but I kinda dig that!
overall, trippy read.
anyway, jump over for super basic spoilers because I couldn't even if i tried.
This story is about essentially a "cult" hell bent on discovering the message one person left behind that leads to the discovery of everlasting life.
This has been going on for 500+ years. Here comes Clay to (unknowingly) shake things up.
I won't go into details about that because it would be considered spoiler-ish and I dont wana do that here but woooah, what the fuck.
Maybe I still need time to process this book but..., not really. I mean, idk if it was just weird af because I had no idea what it was about or what but!, while I know I should focus on what it's really about, the bigger picture, I'm choosing to focus on Clay's relationship with Neel. And how they both bonded as kids over some dorky ass books which I wont say anything else about except: 😍. And how I love the way their relationship was played out in this story.
Or I can also focus on how Clay had what he needed when he needed it (can also be a bit spoilery)...basically what I'm tryna say is that theres a lot going into this story besides the main point but I kinda dig that!
overall, trippy read.
anyway, jump over for super basic spoilers because I couldn't even if i tried.
thanks for reading!
SPOILERS
S P O I L E R S
S P O I L E R S
S P O I L E R S
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Clay is walking around San Francisco looking for a job when he inadvertently stumbles upon Penumbra's bookstore which happens to need a night clerk.
He interviews for it, gets it and starts the job. But the peculiar thing is no one really buys books it's more like they borrow them and then return them for other books.
He was told not to look inside of them so he doesnt until his roommate Matt stops by one night and does the looking for him.
The point of the story is that there is a Society (cult) whose set their life mission to find the message hidden in these books.
Theres the one main book that lives in NEW YORK but you don't get to touch that book until you've solved the mystery in all of the other tiny books and written your own book that passes the test you are given.
For 500 years theyve tried cracking the ultimate message. Here comes Clay and cracks the first piece of the puzzle with the help of Kat who happens to work at Google. From there on Penumbra let's him in on the story and basically, he goes to New York and copies the one book that is never supposed to be leaked and then hands it over to Kat to crack.
....which of course she doesnt.
It's not until Edgar (the dude that guards the entrance to the underground library in New York) asks Clay to track down the missing Gerritszons font pieces (honestly, I'm missing a lot here so it makes sense if you're all wtf? *head scratch*) that Clay makes the connection to the mystery message.
When Clay was in 6th grade, he bonded with Neel over some dragon books. They've both read them several times but it's not until hes driving home with the missing pieces that hes listening to the audio version of the book that he realizes how to find the message.
Turns out the message was in all of the Gerritzons font tablet things. They were like carved in all tiny and when put together, its Gerritzon saying thank you to his friend Teobaldo for essentially giving him the key. (Garritszons was forced to work in i forgot where that went against his beliefs so when he turned 16, he ran away and ended up working with Teobaldo where he was able to create his font and live his life they way he wanted to.)
Penumbra and crew had spent 500 years looking to find this message because they believed that it would lead to everyone finding immortality (they believed Garritszons never really passed away and that once they found this message not only would he come back but also revive all those who wrote their own books and have since passes but also all those currently doing the work)
Honestly, a lot of other shit also goes down but I don't feel like getting into it.
At the meat of the story, everything I wrote above is what the story is all about.
The end. :D
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