Hey y’all! It’s been an embarrassingly long time since I shared what I’ve been reading. It’s easier for me to make “in the moment” updates on Instagram (@perpetualpageturner is where you can find me!). SO some of these book talks are from books I read back in the spring and summer.
No secret I’ve been quiet lately. I’ve got some health stuff going on and it’s just been….hard. I’m not reading as much because my brain space has been a rollercoaster.
I’m not blogging as much for the same reason but I’ve been updating a lot of old posts behind the scene because that’s easier than creating something brand new.
I think there’s also a lot of fatigue of doing this for 9 years — does anyone give a crap about what I think about a book anymore? Is there anything new and interesting I can do anymore? And, like, for myself….I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 9 YEARS. I have been able to keep it fresh for so long and now it feels just so STALE for me, too.
So, I’m just trying to work my way through that. I thought the answer was making this more of a lifestyle blog with a heavy book focus but I don’t know what the answer is at this point. I want to create things that people care about and find valuable/entertaining/helpful/whatever. I want to create things that I feel strongly about.
Anyways, let’s talk about the books!! I have been reading quite a variety of things and I had some VERY strong opinions.
[Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you click on a link and purchase something I’ve talked about or recommended, I’ll receive a very small percentage of the sale. Please see my disclosure policy for more info.]
Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck & Fortune by Roselle Lim
What It’s About: Natalie has been estranged from her mother for 7 years because of Natalie’s desire to become a chef. When she finds out that her mother has passed away, Natalie must come back to the neighborhood she grew up, which is a lot less vibrant and seems to be in hard times, and finds out she inherited her grandmother’s old restaurant that has been vacant for years. A turn of events has Natalie trying to help save the neighborhood by cooking 3 important meals.
I don’t know why I thought this was more of a romance but it kind of took me off guard that the romance element was really minor (and honestly not that compelling for me personally nor very well fleshed out). But the story itself, a lovely story about community, food and family, was one that I ultimately enjoyed regardless.
This book had my mouth-watering. It’s a foodie’s dream. I love the way we see food weaved into her family story/heritage and the sense of community. It just all felt so vibrant that I could smell the food and imagine it. Plus it reminded me of all the ways I remember a good meal. And I loved watching Natalie interact with all these members of her community in a new way, rallying to fight for this special neighborhood and see her family legacy in a new way. It was such a good story of self discovery and community — sprinkled with a little magic.
At points it felt like it lost momentum or something but by the end of the story it found its way back to my heart. If you enjoyed Like Water For Chocolate, pick this one up! (FIND IT: Amazon // Barnes & Noble)
Rating: 3 or 3.5/5
At A Glance: #ownvoices, Chinese culture, Chinatown/San Fransisco, food, family, community
The Rest of The Story by Sarah Dessen
What It’s About: Emma Saylor unexpectedly ends up spending the summer with her deceased mom’s side of the family whom she hasn’t seen since she was little. Even though she doesn’t remember much about her mom, she remembers the stories of the lake where she will be living for the summer, and she spends her time exploring the two different communities that make up the lake town, working and getting to know the family she doesn’t remember at all.
As I mentioned in my best books of 2019 post, THIS BOOK WAS CLASSIC DESSEN. Like literally all the things that made us all love some of her most beloved books. I had a friend who hasn’t entirely LOVED Sarah’s books lately and I was like LISTEN YOU NEED TO READ THIS….and she said it felt like coming home.
It was such a touching story and I was REALLY into this journey of self-discovery Emma finds herself on as she reconnects with these roots and family history she doesn’t remember anything about and it opens up more of a view into her mom for her. I loved watching her get to know her family and they quickly found their way into my heart, too. I would love a book about each and every single one of her family members she meets, to be honest. AND THE ROMANCE. It was sweet and well done.
Just classic, Dessen!! It’s up there for me in my top 3 Dessen reads!! (FIND IT: Amazon // Barnes & Noble)
Rating: 4.5/5
At A Glance: Young Adult, Summer, family, romance, class differences
You may also like: Books For Fans Of Sarah Dessen’s Books
What It’s About: A woman tries to get in with the other mom’s in her son’s class by repeating a juicy rumor she heard about a notorious female killer who has settled in their small town under a new name. Accusations and suspicions fly as everyone, especially Joanna, try to figure out who the killer might be and it becomes dangerous to Joanna and her family the more she keeps stoking the fire to find out who it is.
This one was a let-down, I’m going to be honest. I don’t even have much to say about it. I wanted it to be a great twisty thriller but it was just….not. It really had the potential to be great in my eyes when I look at it as a whole — but the execution was just lacking and felt very amateur me. It was like LOOK HERE I AM A RED HERRING. DID I TRICK YOU?
Interesting premise and a twist that good have been great….but the book was a bit of a mess. I will say it kept me turning the pages but with eyes rolling a lot. Very mediocre thriller.
(Find it: Amazon // Barnes & Noble)
Rating: 2/5
At A Glance: thriller, small town, dangerous gossip, ex-con killer with a new identity
Related: Books To Read If You Liked Pretty Little Liars
The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker
This book was as incredible as every single person who told me to read it said it was! I don’t have enough words to express my love for it. It had the right amounts of everything for me that made for a sweep-me-off-my-feet kind of experience — the right amount of funny and sad and tender and reflective with perfect portions of romance and self discovery and nuanced relationships.
I loved this story of reconcilation (and romance) set in this vividly written small village in Alaska. The romance with Jonah (oh grumpy Jonah!) was a thing of beauty but the thing I loved most was the exploration of this relationship with her father as she faces the possibility of not getting the chance to get to know him. Watching her get to know him in both time spent with him and with the people around him who adore him and have been family to him all this years was incredible. It challenged her view of him and everything she thought about him and reconciling her childhood. It was so touching and real and raw. I found myself sobbing by the end of the novel.
Romance-wise? If you are into hate-to-love romances with great banter….PICK THIS UP!
FIND IT: (Amazon // Barnes & Noble)
Rating: 5 GLOWING STARS
At A Glance: Alaska, father/daughter, reconciliation, community, hate-to-love romance
Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center
This review pains me because I’m so conflicted on my true feelings of this one — my initial reaction after reading it was one of love and then the more distance I got from it the more things I started to pick apart about it. I love Katherine Center’s books (you know how much I love them especially Happiness For Beginners!!) but I don’t think I loved this one. I think I LIKED it and it was what I needed when I read it but when I look at it weeks later I’m just not as impressed with the story though her writing is as wonderful as ever.
I loved the premise of this fierce female firefighter trying to make her way in a career that is not easy for woman. I really enjoyed those parts so much because I think, as a woman, I can relate to everything she encountered on a smaller scale. But then so many things bothered me or made me roll my eyes that I felt this main character perpetuated when it came to ~female empowerment~ like some of her comments about “girly” things or things that make women weak.
The romance was mega weak — it was so fast and not given enough time to make me care (though I really LOVED the rookie and wished the relationship would have developed better because I think it had potential). Plus it was SUPER like a bandaid to fix what happened to her.
And the whole point of her making this move in the first place? The thing with her mom. Was not even explored very well at all. I really started to enjoy the bits between the mom and the neighbor friend and I just really wanted to see the reconciliation be more fleshed out. It was such a switch in her feelings to her mom that I didn’t even really believe the more I looked at it.
I feel like I’ve said all negative things when really, while reading it, I was SO, SO invested and into it. It was a compelling read for me but some things about it just BUUUUUG me now. Also hello really dramatic thing at the end that was SOOOOOOO over the top. FIND IT (Amazon // Barnes & Noble)
Rating: 3/5 (it gets 3 because I genuinely flew through it and was invested….but once my thoughts marinated it docked it down)
At A Glance: Female firefighter, Boston, ol’ boys club, romance with a co-worker
Have you read any of these books? If so, thoughts?! Putting any of the ones I talked about on your TBR? Tell me what you’ve been reading!
Need something to read? Check out my 2019 summer reading list or this list of must read young adult books for 2019 !
Emily says
I haven’t read a single one of these, but the newest Dessen is DEFINITELY one I need to get my hands on. I have been a fan of hers for forever and this book just sounds fantastic.
The other books I have heard a lot about. VERY intrigued by The Simple Wild. I read one book set in Alaska and LOVED it, so I am so interested in how this author works with the setting. Definitely adding that one to my TBR.
Jamie says
It’s SO good. Definitely a new fave for me.
And I LOVED the Alaskan setting and thought it was really cool because as part of the story the main character’s dad has charter planes and it was cool to see how these planes are so important to getting to other Alaskan villages and you see some of the struggles. It was really well done! It was small village so not like the wilderness. What other Alaska book have you read?
Emily says
I have read The Great Alone and Into the Wild. Ha not like the happiest of books necessarily, but I LOVED reading about the setting. It’s crazy how inviting and yet dangerous it can be. Made me think I could probably visit Alaska but that’s about it. I definitely need some more Alaska settings in my life ♥️
Penny says
The Simple Wild was so good. When I read it the first time I wasn’t even into the romance genre, but I couldn’t put it down! That book opened me up to a whole new genre that I’m now loving!
Jamie says
YES it’s definitely going to be one that I rec to friends who aren’t necessarily into romance novels because I think it holds strong in a lot of other areas that readers will like! I love how it opened up the genre for you! What are some faves you’ve read recently romance wise?
Amy C @ The Turquoise Reading Room says
I haven’t read any of these books, but I think I’ll add The Rest of The Story to my list of book choices for my next book club meeting. We each take turns hosting and consequently providing a list of books to choose from for our next meeting. I always leave it to the last minute and end up putting together a list of sub-par choices. But THIS time around I’m already ahead of the game! Thanks for the reviews!
Jamie says
ANNNNND you just reminded me that I needed to get our November pick for book club hahaha. I will be curious what you guys pick!
Hana says
I’m sorry to read that you are having health troubles! I’ve been reading your book rec’s for a long time and I still love to read everything you post. I read book reviews for work and because I’m a voracious reader. Just wanted to leave a quick note to let you know you are appreciated!
Jane @ Raincity Librarian says
It’s such a wonderful feeling to pick up a book from an author you once loved and get that thrilling feeling of reading their books for the first time all over again. 🙂
Jamie says
It really is!! It just felt fresh but also like a familiar feeling!
Jas says
I haven’t read any of these, but they are all on my TBR-list! I cannot wait to read Sarah Dessen’s newest novel, because they are always my fave. But the Simple Wild sounds really good too!
Rachel @ Never Enough Novels says
I adored The Simple Wild too and I’m excited to go back and read other books by KA Tucker now. Also between that and The Great Alone I’m all about books set in Alaska recently!
Lauren @ Bookmark Lit says
I loved the new Dessen too! Also felt basically the same with Natalie Tan – if I knew it wasn’t romancey, maybe I would have liked it more, but it was too underdeveloped on that front. The food sounded SO GOOD. I didn’t looove her writing either though.
Jessica Magruder says
Hi Jamie,
I also really loved The Simple Wild, way more than I thought I would. The setting, the romance, the character growth, father daughter relationship, the community – it was a special well rounded read! I haven’t read a book by her before that one and read her newest, Say You’ll Love Me and didn’t like it very much. It’s crazy how your opinions can differ between books written by the same author. So that makes me wonder if I should try The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen but the things is, I loved the Truth About Forever and that’s it. I’ve read a handful of hers and they all have been unmemorable to me. I tried to read Once and for All and DNF’d it but you do have me wondering about it. I read both of Katherine Centers fiction and both were just good reads, enough to keep me reading her books but not enough to add her as a favorite author. I liked How to Walk Away better due to the romance of that one I liked way more! I recommend the Flatshare by Beth O’Leary, one of my favorites of the year. Cute romance!
Keep your head up, think positively, and write whatever is in your heart and what you enjoy writing in that moment.
Jess