Book It!

What have you been reading lately, friends? Here’s my latest…

–Marissa

A Guide to Midwestern Conversation by Taylor Kay Phillips made me smile on every page, but it was SO.DAMN.TRUE. This is a self-deprecating look at how we Midwesterners do everything from say goodbye (for 45 minutes), describe dream homes, have garage fridges, and puts a spotlight on every state and their “claims to fame”. This was darling, made me laugh, and nodded my head waaaay too much!

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano is the third in the series and continues to be entertaining, zany, funny, and of course, features a hot cop.😉 Finlay and her sidekick Vero are a whole vibe together, and this feels in the vein of Stephanie Plum (before they became formulaic and repetitive and kinda boring). I listened to the audio, and the narration helps make the story zing. Fun!

Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes pulled me in right away, which is exactly what I wanted. This story follows two women – Nisha, the uber-wealthy wife about to be divorced and financially cut off and Sam, a mid-40s woman at her breaking point with work and her husband – and contrasts the two throughout until their storylines intersect. This is full of fantastic supporting characters, and I was rooting for EVERYONE in this feel-good story that starts off so dark and ends so happily. This is full of warmth and humor and ‘girl power’, and it was exactly what I wanted. I love a story where one little thing can spark off a zillion others. Loved it!

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon is just a delightful little book to read, filled with quote and art and inspiration on how to build a more creative life. I listened to the By the Book podcast about this self-help book and knew I’d have to read it. Fun and fast and easy!

Heating and Cooling by Beth Ann Fennelly is better described by it’s subtitle: “52 Micro-Memoirs”. These essays (ranging from just a few words to several pages) filled my bucket in the best way. Some were so funny, some so poignant, some near poetry, this celebrates the highs and lows of a woman’s life in bite-size pieces, and I was here for every single one. This is not a memoir to plough through… better to dip in and one, reading one here and there. I loved every page. I’m starting my own “micro memoir” immediately… and will probably begin posting some here on ye olde blog. 🙂

Do I Know You? by Emily Wibberley and Austin Seigemund-Broka (married writing team!) is about Eliza and Graham, who are celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary with a Northern California getaway, but it’s safe to say the spark has gone out from their union. Though a misstep, they decide to spend the week pretending to be other people (and strangers to each other) and try to get the butterflies back in their relationship. This is another sweet romance novel with very likable characters – I’ll definitely keep reading this duo!

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt was an unexpected and absolute delight. This combines Tova, an aging aquarium cleaner and Marcellus, an aging and insightful octopus who form a strange friendship. I thought this was going to be silly and trite and make the octopus a magical creature, but I loved the glimpses into Marcellus’ mind, their relationship, and how Van Pelt then weaves in other characters into their central story to solve mysteries, bring families together and heal the hearts of many. This was amusing, affecting, and charming – I read it in one day.