I’m excited to share another recent reads post! Books have been making more of an appearance on my Instagram feed, and it’s been fun to connect with other book lovers! Reading is one of the ways I recharge and it gets me through a lot of time on the NYC subway. I love sharing what I’m reading with you, and I hope you enjoy these reviews! Let me know what I should add to my to-read list, and be sure to follow me on Goodreads for more.
The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer: Teenage sweethearts Alina and Tomasz live a wonderful life in a small village in Poland…until World War II hits and turns their world upside down. It was such a powerful book. It switches back and forth seamlessly between to main characters, Alice in the present and Alina in the past. It’s a story about family, love, heroism and how one decision during wartime changes everything. This was a different perspective on WWII, and although some parts aspects of the storyline were a little predictable, I couldn’t put it down.
Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynne Barnes: 18-year-old Sawyer is totally fine with her life as it is. But, then her wealthy grandmother shows up and gives her a chance to experience how the other half lives (and maybe uncover the secret of who her father really is). This was pure fluff, but incredibly clever, and I was very into the tangled web of teenage drama. Can’t wait for the next one to come out!
America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray: A fascinating perspective on one of our country’s most pivotal times. The story is told through the eyes of Martha Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson’s daughter, who was by his side pretty much his entire life. This book was an incredibly well-researched and detailed account of their family, in and out of the spotlight. Martha was frustratingly compliant at times, but also fiercely protective, and much stronger and smarter than most people gave her credit for.
The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin: This book was heavy. It’s about the Skinner siblings, and how various events in their childhood continue to impact them into adulthood. There’s a lot of introspection and their relationships with each other remain complicated throughout their lives. It was thoughtfully written, but a little dense. A very interesting perspective on how people cope with trauma of varying degrees.
American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson: Marie is a young black woman trying to prove her worth at the FBI during the Cold War. When she’s finally given a high-profile assignment, her personal and professional life become much more complicated than she ever imagined. This book was interesting, and I learned something about a period of time I don’t know that much about.
The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton: A group of young artists led by a man named Edward Radcliffe spends the summer of 1862 in a cottage on the banks of the Upper Thames. Tragedy strikes and leaves questions unanswered for years to come. 150 years later, Elodie, a young archivist sets out to answer them. There were parts of this book that I really liked. It’s very well written and incredibly descriptive. But there are so many different storylines from different times, and while they’re all connected, it was hard to keep track after a while.
American Royals by Katharine McGee: If you follow me on Instagram, you know how excited I was about this book! I loved Katharine McGee’s previous trilogy, and I was so excited to hear that she was writing another one. I had the chance to meet her and get a signed copy of this book, and I couldn’t wait to read it. Honestly, I’ve never been very into the Royals, but I’ve also never thought about what it would be like if we had a monarchy in America. Although it’s a work of fiction, this book was clearly very well-researched. It focuses on the lives of the Washington siblings, Beatrice, Samantha and Jefferson. Katharine’s storytelling is so creative, and I can’t wait until the next book comes out next fall!
How to Walk Away by Katherine Center: Margaret’s life is pretty great. She gets engaged to her dream man shortly after being offered her dream job. Then, something happens that makes her reconsider her priorities and what’s important. This was a great reminder that you never know what tomorrow will bring and you have to make the most of what you’ve got.
Normal People by Sally Rooney: Conner and Marianne have known each other since childhood, and their relationship has never been normal. This story follows their complicated lives through university and beyond. While I liked the message that “normal” is really a subjective and relative term, and that most relationships are much more complicated than what meets the eye, but overall this book just wasn’t for me.
