This December I rekindled my love of reading. I've almost always enjoyed the books I read, even the ones that I have to read for class, but it had been awhile since I read novels that I picked out myself to read for fun. I ended up reading eight books this December, so I've created short book reviews for each novel, including my own rating of each book, which is very much just based on my personal opinions.
Big Summer
Jennifer Weiner
Daphne’s ex-best friend Drue comes back into the plus-size Instagram influencer and dog mom’s life, asking her to be the maid of honor in her lavish, Cape Cod wedding. Drue always seemed to have it all, but Daphne learns that things aren’t always as they seem (as cliché as that sounds, it’s accurate). I thought that Weiner’s novel was written very well, and it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time with unexpected twists and turns and a surprising ending that I didn’t see coming at all. The novel discusses social media, body image, telling the truth versus putting on a façade, and relationships with family and friends. All in all I really enjoyed this book. It made me want to spend time in New York City and Cape Cod. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy romance and mystery.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
American Royals
Katharine McGee
This novel takes place in an America where George Washington became the first king after the Revolutionary War instead of the first president. Hundreds of years later, his descendants are still sitting on the throne with a female as the next in line for the first time. The novel follows the three Washington siblings, Beatrice, Samantha, and Jefferson, as well as two females in competition for Jefferson and the potential partners for the queen to be. This novel was a fun and easy read, and it was incredibly hard to put down. It’s great for young adult readers as well as older, romance lovers. I really enjoyed reading American Royals and am looking forward to reading the second book, Majesty.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
They Wish They Were Us
Jessica Goodman
Goodman’s debut novel follows Jill, a senior at a prep school on Long Island, and one of the few members of a secret society of Players. The book follows Jill as she deals with another year without her best friend, Shaila, who died their freshman year, as she applies for university, as her younger brother joins her at Gold Coast Prep as a freshman, and as she questions whether an old friend was really responsible for Shaila’s death. I thought that this book was relatively good with some suspense, but I did find it predictable. I’d recommend it to young adult readers more than older readers, though it can be entertaining for a variety of readers.
Rating: 3 / 5
Cravings: How I Conquered Food
Judy Collins
This book follows folk singer Judy Collins’ lifelong struggles with food and alcohol. Collins shares what she has learned about her addictions to both alcohol and food, and she shares how she was able to gain control over those addictions, as well as sharing her strict diet that she uses to maintain her cravings and her weight. It was good to hear how she overcame her struggles with food and alcohol. Many people can relate to her relationships to each of the substances, but I don’t think that there is just one universal plan that can help all people overcome their addictions and cravings. I like Collins’ book because it gives another perspective on food and alcohol addictions, and it explains her path to overcoming them.
Rating: 4 / 5
Why Not Me?
Mindy Kaling
This is Kaling’s second book and is just as funny as the first. Kaling was a writer for The Office, and she wrote and starred in her own show, The Mindy Project. In her book, the comedy writer discusses her daily schedule, her sure-fire beauty tips, her strange relationship with B.J. Novak, and her relationships both with men and female friends. I thought this book was super funny and entertaining. It’s a great read that you can get done in one lazy afternoon.
Rating: 4 / 5
Bridget Jones's Diary
Helen Fielding
I have seen the film adaptation of Fielding’s book with Colin Firth and Hugh Grant, but I hadn’t read it before until now. It was hilarious, though clearly written in the 90’s with VCR, lots of smoking, and no cell phones. If you have seen the film but haven’t read the book, I’d definitely recommend reading it. It’s super quick and adds a lot to the story (I loved how the book mentions Colin Firth, playing Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, and then Firth ended up playing one of Bridget’s love interests in the film adaptation). I did find it difficult to read about Bridget’s poor decisions over and over, but overall I enjoyed the book.
Rating: 4 / 5
One to Watch
Kate Stayman-London
I was surprised to find a copy of this 2020 release in a used bookstore in Atlanta, GA, but I’m very glad that I did find it. This novel follows Bea, a plus-sized blogger who is chosen to be the leading lady on a Bachelorette-esque show, Main Squeeze. Along with regular narrative, the book also includes blog posts by Bea, articles written by news sources, and transcripts from text messages, emails, and chats exchanged between people that all add to the show going on within the book. I loved how the book was written and the messages that it included about being open both to loving yourself and to finding love with someone else. The book made me cry. It made me laugh and smile. Overall, I just loved it. I’d recommend this to readers who like romance, drama, and also some suspense.
Rating: 5 / 5
This Time Next Year
Sophie Cousens
My boyfriend, Andrew, gave me this book for Christmas (it was one of the books on my wish-list), and I decided that I wanted to finish it by New Year’s Day. I ended up finishing it at around 11:40pm on New Year’s Eve after reading the majority of it that day. The novel follows Minnie Cooper and Quinn Hamilton, two people born a minute apart on New Year’s Day in London in 1990. Minnie believes that she has bad luck, specifically on New Year’s Day, and she believes that Quinn stole her luck when he stole her name. Cousens does a wonderful job at threading their stories together, covering different points in time from when they were babies, to teenagers, and finally to 30-year-olds. I loved the backgrounds that the characters had and how they grew throughout the novel. I also love how Minnie is a baker, a swimmer, a Capricorn, and a cat mom. This novel would be a great read any time of the year for those who like romance or just a feel-good sort of book.
Rating: 5 / 5
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