A pretty average month this month. I read 10 books. A total of 3,157 pages. And an average of 102 pages a day. So let’s get into what I read, shall we?
Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood (386 pages). Elsie Hannaway is a theoretical physicist (think Sheldon from Big Bang Theory) and adjunct professor at several Boston area colleges, hoping to one day become a tenured professor. But Elsie is also a people pleasing chameleon who supplements her income by being a fake girlfriend. And she’s hoping to get a job at MIT. But the experimental physicist (think Leonard from Big Bang) standing in her way is Jack Smith, the man who made a mockery of theorists with one article. Jack also happens to be the older brother of her favorite fake girlfriend client. Turns out all that hatred she thought was emanating from Jack was actually admiration. Once Elsie learns to be honest, she opens herself up to the idea that theorists and experimentalists can actually get along, maybe better than she ever imagined. Not many rom-coms focus on women in STEM, so I love that about this author. It was a cute, nerdy love story. I finished in 4 days.
Heard it in a Love Song by Tracey Garcia Graves (289 pages). Layla is an elementary school music teacher who once has dreams of being a rock star. She’s also recently divorced. Josh is the father of Sasha, one of Layla’s kindergarteners, and recently separated himself. After Sasha asks Layla if she likes dogs, Layla inadvertently ends up as their dog sitter. But Josh and Layla slowly realize their attraction to each other. I liked the slow pace of their relationship. Both of them are still trying to figure out who they are (Layla’s marriage was about a decade, Josh got married after high school graduation). The book also contained flashbacks for each of them, so you understood their former relationships. It was pretty good. I finished in 3 days.
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell (117 pages). 10 year olds Billy and Alan make a bet. Alan bets Billy $50 that Billy can’t eat 1 worm a day for 15 days. Billy knows he can. And the rules are that he must eat every bit of the worm but can cook it and condiment it any way he wants. As the days pass, Billy worries that he’s bitten off more than he can chew (literally). And Alan plots on how he can keep Billy from winning. I hadn’t read this book since I was a kid. It was fun then and fun now. Kids are crazy! I finished in 1 day.
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio (338 pages). Lauren comes home to her flat after a night out with the girls to find her husband, amused with her attempts to quietly come in. The problem? Lauren doesn’t have a husband. When he goes up into the attic to change a lightbulb, he comes down a completely different man. And this begins Lauren’s discovery of her magic attic. Some husbands stay for a few moments before she sends them back up into the attic. Others stay for a week until she decides they aren’t the right fit. But when do you know you’ve found the right one? I finished in 2 days.
The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood (380 pages). Stan and Charmaine are just a young couple, trying to make it in a world that is in the midst of economic collapse. When they hear about the Positron Project in the city of Consilience, they decide to sign up. In Consilience, they’ll have jobs and a house and security. Every other month. Those alternating months? They’ll be living in Positron Prison and the inmates will take over their lives. At first, everything seems perfect. But things are never as they appear. And bad things are happening in Positron. Very bad (and crazy) things. I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this one (Atwood is the queen of social commentary), but I wasn’t expecting what I read. It wasn’t bad, but I didn’t love it like some of the other books of hers I’ve read. I finished in 3 days.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (444 pages). Starr Carter is 16 years old and divides her time between two worlds- her predominantly white private school where she’s cool just because she’s black and her poor black neighborhood where she doesn’t really fit in anymore because she goes to a white school. One night, she leaves a party with a friend from the Heights. And they get stopped by a cop. What happens next changes Starr’s life and the lives of her entire community. I saw the movie adaption years ago and found it very powerful. The book is even more so. It’s a very heavy book, so I wanted to take it slow. And I’m glad I did- it’s one that needs to be processed to be appreciated. I finished in 5 days.
Endless Summer by Elin Hilderbrand (356 pages). This was a collection of 9 short stories (that were really more continuations of novels). I think I need to read more Hilderbrand novels so I appreciate this one even more. But the ones that were connected to the books I had read were a lot of fun to revisit! I finished in 2 days.
The Bookseller of Dachau by Shari J Ryan (265 pages). In 1940’s Augsburg, Germany, 17 year old Matilda Ellman enjoys spending time with her best friend (and love of her life), 17 year old Hans Bauer. The problem is that Hans is Jewish. So Matilda does everything in her power to save him, including hiding him in the attic. In 2018 Boston, architect Grace Laurent receives the shock of her life. After her mother spent her entire life trying to track down family, Grace learns that she had inherited a bookshop in Dachau from her maternal grandmother. So Grace did something completely out of character- she immediately flew to Germany to learn the story of her family. And what a story it was! Y’all know I love some WWII historical fiction! And this one had me in tears for the entire last quarter of the book it seemed. I finished in 2 days.
Diva by Daisy Goodwin (324 pages). When I was in college, I planned to double major in English and Theater. And one of the classes I took toward my theater major was a current NY seminar. For spring break, we went to New York and saw 6 plays in 4 days. One of those plays was Master Class. I doubt I had ever heard of Maria Callas before then. Maria Callas was the greatest soprano to ever live. She was glamorous and world famous. And when she met Aristotle Onassis, her whole world changed. She left her husband for him. And after 9 years of a relationship, found out that he was leaving her when it was announced that he had married Jackie Kennedy. On his private island. In the chapel he’d been building for Maria. I loved this novel so much. I finished in 4 days.
Blood on their Hands by Mandy Matney (258 pages). I started listening to the Murdaugh Murders Podcast back in 2020. And followed it up through Alex’s conviction. This is the story of how Mandy became the Murdaugh expert. I really enjoyed reading the background of her journalism career and how it took off. She truly is a phenomenal writer. I finished in 4 days.
This month’s favorite is…….a tie. Between The Bookseller and Diva. I can’t choose a favorite and you can’t make me!
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