40-Love by Olivia Dade

  • Twitter summary: A woman turning 40 is on vacation with her best friend when she accidentally loses her bathing suit top in the water. Luckily, a man in his mid-20s is there to help be a human towel.
  • The good: This book had so much promise and I was immediately drawn in by the first few chapters. The main characters were different and felt fresh for a contemporary story. I was impressed with Lucas’ maturity and character development — his growth was evident. On a random note, I loved the mention of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir!
  • The bad: For a book that had a promising start, I was severely disappointed with how the plot progressed. A few of my turn-offs include
    • Dare I say that there was just too much unnecessary sexy times?
    • I could not stand Tess’ mood swings — hello, your best friend leaving is not about you. It’s about her. I could not stand the self-inflicted pity party when Belle left the island.
    • This leads me to my biggest issue with the book: the lack of character development for Tess. To be fair, I acknowledge that she does shifts her mindset at the end but it was at the very end, the last possible moment! She went from 0 to 60 in the last chapter!
  • Recommendation: Meh, skip it.
  • Overall rating: 2/5 nude beaches

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

  • Twitter summary: The first five decades of Matthew McConaughey’s life. This is his memoir of his greenlights.
  • The good: I’m not a fan of McConaughey’s — yes, I’ve watched his rom-com movies (specifically The Wedding Planner and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) — as he has never appealed to me. So colour me surprised when I actually enjoyed his memoir. He is an entertaining fella; his stories and narration (of course i listened to the audiobook) drew me in. The book is structured in eight parts and each part focuses on a distinct experience. I now have a new found respect for him and for the choices he’s made to live his life. He bluntly shares his notes to self and bumper sticker moments all while remaining truthful to who he is as a person. I especially enjoyed Part 8.
  • The bad: Again, I’m not a fan so parts of the book went in one ear and out the other.
  • Recommendation: Yes
  • Overall rating: 4/5 greenlights (I’m being lazy and using the book title as the rating scale, sorry!)

The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  • Twitter summary: Poppy, Casteel and their group of friends are now in Atlantia to plan how to save Ian and Malik.
  • The good: Can’t even begin to process what we happened in Book 3 of this series. Poppy is a what?! Poppy’s parents are who?! My babies (do Poppy and Casteel have a couple name?) are not together at the moment! There are drakens, of course there are drakens! Too many thoughts are running through my mind to even compose full sentences. The character development! Poppy! Casteel! Oh my gods, Willa’s diary is epic. I always had a feeling about Alistair and Casteel’s mother — not surprised. Sorry, this review is not making any sense. I need more time to process. While I process, please read this book!
  • The bad: THE CLIFFHANGER ENDING! I’m pretty sure I said this for FBAA and AKOFAF — JLA loves to make us wait because I definitely binged this book in two days once I started reading it.
  • Recommendation: Gods yes!
  • Overall rating: 5/5 Casteels when he smiles with both dimples

Better Together by Christine Riccio (ARC)

  • Twitter summary: Late teenaged sisters are reunited at a wellness retreat, think The Parent Trap style.
  • The good: I am trying to think of something… oh! I like the cover and back book design! It is a beautiful design — Siri got the bad end of the deal, though, because she’s only on the back cover…
  • The bad: I felt as though I was reading a tween novel (think: 11 year old girls who think they are the shit but really are in their late teenaged years, basically young adults), I couldn’t stand the narrative and was constantly wondering when the plot would develop. I was annoyed, bored and found the book terribly predictable. I’m not sure how I read the entire book, which is over 400 pages and heavy to hold.
  • Recommendation: No no no… *shakes head vigorously*
  • Overall rating: 1/5 sibling arguments
  • Goodreads link

ARC was won from a Goodreads giveaway.

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

  • Twitter summary: We have the ability, once aware, to change our habits. Our habits are what we choose them to be.
  • The good: Know the cues and rewards of our habits. Duhigg presents a framework and guide on how our habits might change since “change is a process that never fully concludes.” I loved the deep dive examples (Target and consumer data as well as the song Hey Yeah are just a couple) — open opening. I don’t say that lightly because I love self-development books and theories. Utilize what you know to change your habits. Got it. Time to implement.
  • The bad: I listened to the audiobook and I selfishly wished Duhigg read his own book. Of course the narrator did an amazing job but ever since I discovered audiobooks, I have a fascination with hearing authors share their own stories (especially for non-fiction). Think about it — they put in all that research, time, energy — I want to hear the passion in their narration.
  • Recommendation: Yes!
  • Overall rating: 4/5 bad habits (I’m singing the song and I’m not a fan of Swift…)
  • Goodreads link

If I Knew Then by Jann Arden

  • Twitter summary: Brutally honest life advice from Jann Arden.
  • The good: I was intrigued to listen to this audiobook even though I have never actually listened to Arden’s music. All I know about her is she’s Canadian and she’s a singer/songwriter; also, I think her mom is famous? Arden writes and reads with beautiful yet brutal honesty of her life lessons. It was a quick three-hour listen. No BS, although she does mention that swearing is good for you. Nurture yourself. Be responsible for yourself. You have the control. These are the life lessons.
  • The bad: Can Arden write and read a 15-20 minute pep talk?
  • Recommendation: Yes
  • Overall rating: 4/5 crones
  • Goodreads link

Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl

  • Twitter summary: The memoir of a restaurant critic turned editor-in-chef of a food magazine.
  • The good: I’ll be completely honest and say that I had never heard of Reichl until a coworker mentioned she loved Reichl and her memoir. So, of course, I had to read (listen because I’m still all about audiobooks) this book. I enjoyed Reichl’s honest retelling of her experiences in the food and magazine industries, especially her memories of 9/11 and how the restaurant industry came together to feed frontline workers. Also included are the recipes for specific dishes mentioned in the book.
  • The bad: Since I had no prior emotional connection to Reichl, it was difficult to fully appreciate the memoir. I did mention that the recipes were a pro above but not best consumed as audio!
  • Recommendation: Yes if you’re a food aficionado and know of Reichl.
  • Overall rating: 3/5 Michelin stars
  • Goodreads link

Remember by Lisa Genova

  • Twitter summary: I already forgot the four steps to make a memory. Guess I should have paid more attention…
  • The good: This book is easy to read and digest — in fact, it was almost too easy to read and digest. Genova provides basic examples and scientific notes to deliver her message with zero fuss; it’s also short and to the point. Perfect for individuals diving into our anatomy and how the brain works. Our brains are truly amazing.
  • The bad: I would have liked to read more scientific research in this book. At this point, we can all guess what we can do to help improve our memory and brain function; no surprises there. So, unfortunately, this book is a bit too basic for me.
  • Recommendation: Yes for a great introduction to the brain’s memory functions.
  • Overall rating: 3/5 bakers, not Bakers
  • Goodreads link

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

  • Twitter summary: The familial story about four generations of Koreans living in Japan.
  • The good: Even though this book is fiction, I learned a great deal about the tense relationship between Korea and Japan; I was fascinated. I was immediately drawn to the characters of Sunja and Kunghee — I felt as though I could relate, or at the very least, know aspects of them in my own life. Lee beautifully weaves in the four generations yet still mainly focuses on Sunja’s story. The last chapter is perfectly satisfying.
  • The bad: I didn’t have a care for the last quarter of the book, which mainly focused on Solomon’s story (the last generation). Hana’s character made me roll my eyes countless times and I kept waiting for the narrative to return to Sunja (spoiler: it did).
  • Recommendation: Yes as long as you promise to finish reading the book because the last chapter is satisfying.
  • Overall rating: 3/5 pachinko parlours
  • Goodreads link

The Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll

  • Twitter summary: Learn why and how to bullet journal to “track the past, order the present and design the future.”
  • The good: I started bullet journaling in 2016, fell off the wagon sometime in late 2018 and kickstarted it at the beginning of the pandemic. It has become a daily practice to self-reflect, plan and manifest my days, goals and desires. I absolutely love it! This book has rekindled my intention behind why I bullet journal and has given me practical yet purposeful strategies to supplement my current practice. Carroll is a genius — this book is great for beginners with its excellent examples and is also a wonderful resource for users far along on their own bujo journey.
  • The bad: There is this “expectation” that sometimes arises in the bujo community about perfection or being artistic. I’m reminding myself that my journal is for me and not for anyone else. There are moments when I think “I can make this look beautiful” but then I easily lose motivation when the upkeep is too time consuming. Bullet journalling is only about me, my days, goals and desires, however it may look.
  • Recommendation: Yes!
  • Overall rating: 5/5 Leuchtturm1917 journals
  • Goodreads link