January 2023 Reads

OK, this was a huge month of reading. It probably 'helped' that I was in Covid jail for the first week+ of the month, well and then using any excuse to not get back to the gym after my very extended hiatus. At least I took a chunk out of my 2023 goal and have myself on a great start! Lots of great read this month!

My most anticipated read of 2023, and it's only January! As soon as this was announced I pre-ordered it! I'm not a royal super fan or even follower really, but I find the saga of Harry & Meghan fascinating. Loved the book, I'm guessing we'll never get an official reaction from the top Royals, but they'd likely just deny it all anyway.

People have a lot to say about Harry writing a tell all, but he's exposing and trying to break the chain of generational trauma here. He does all the things we keep telling men we want - for them to go to therapy, figure out their shit, change for the better. I really applaud him for this book and putting it all out there.

I adore Rabia Chaudry and was so excited about this book, and it didn't disappoint. Rabia recounts her upbringing, the subtitle of 'Food, Fat, & Family' is so ridiculously accurate. This is a heartfelt and funny memoir and is filled with family stories that will have you laughing and smiling and Googling your area to see if there's a Pakistani restaurant anywhere near where you live so that you too can experience all of the dishes she so lovingly describes in the pages of her memoir.

I almost with I'd have listened to this - if you know Rabia you know how amazing her voice is. It's probably worth a listen.

This was a super cute read to end the holiday season. Twin sisters swap places when the classically trained pastry chef sister with a reality TV baking show loses her senses of taste and smell after getting a concussion. She enlists her sister who runs the family bakery back in their home town to save the day and swap places with her.

So, yes, we have the traditional big city girl goes back to her hometown during the holidays, but you also have the small town sister moving to the city to save the day.

It's a cute easy read with some romance (as expected), but it's entertaining.

Considering that I'm a rabid TJR fan I cannot believe it's taken until now to read Malibu Rising. MR charts the story of a family of four siblings (famous in their own rights) starting interwoven with flashbacks of their famous philandering father's upbringing and life.

The book revolves around the siblings' annual blow out bash where anyone who 'knows the address' is invited. The party has been a long standing event that started when the siblings finally found their own success after years of struggling after being abandoned by their famous father and orphaned by their alcoholic mother.

This isn't one of my top TJR books (probably because I just read her Carrie Soto and loved it), but it's a solid TJR read. Consider this a recommendation!

I'm not a CoHo fan, I don't think her writing is very good to be honest - until this month my first and only read of hers was Regretting You. I went in search of Verity since so many people rave about it. I found RoH as a free listen so I downloaded it. I've gotta say...I liked it.

Is a big part of it unrealistic to me? Yeah. Was it still a good book? Yeah. I begrudgingly enjoyed it. In a nutshell, a young woman just released from prison (for being responsible for her boyfriend Scotty's death) goes in search of the daughter she had while in prison. Of course Scotty's best friend and falls for her...even though he realizes who she is...(that's the part I find so unrealistic)...

Brackish Waters is a short story brought to you by Audible Originals. A woman recounts the events from a (nearly) free tropical vacation in true Karen fashion.

As Kate rants, she turns the microscope on herself and comes away with some self awareness.

It's just under a two hour listen and worth your time.

This is supposed to be a thriller, but it's likely the most predictable book I've ever read.

I was annoyed the whole time about how pedantic this entire novel was. I'm actually surprised that I didn't DNR it. It's not even worth describing further.

Pass.

A famous author (Verity) was in a terrible accident and is basically comatose and therefore unable to finish her equally famous series. A ghost writer (Lowen) is enlisted by her publishers and her husband. Lowen goes to stay with the family in order to go through Verity's notes and in the process comes across the manuscript of her autobiography which is filled with horrible admissions...

I gave this book a listen. I found the (many) spicy parts annoying and forced. IDK if CoHo was trying to be spicy, but IMO if she was this was a fail.The story itself...uuuuugh. Really, people? I don't get the appeal of this one. Pass (I know you won't listen to me).

I'm so happy to read a really well written romantic comedy, with the added bonus of it being representative of the LGBTQ+ community, and in an honest and not forced way.

I found myself really loving all of the characters and Alison Cochrun's witty and honest writing. So many romantic comedy books are so lacking in the actual story, character development, and smart writing, but that's not the case here.

It's a fun book and a great little love story. I found myself laughing and hoping for these characters the whole way through.

If you had told me that not only would I read a book about children that spontaneously combust into flames but also that I'd love it, I'd have told you that you were out of your ever-loving mind and I would have been wrong.

Lillian and Madison became friends at boarding school and kept in touch in all of the years since Lillian took the fall for Madison in a school scandal and ended up getting expelled.

Years later, Madison needs help with a little problem. Her husband's ex has died and their twins will now come to live with Madison and her Senator husband and, well, they have this one little problem and wouldn't Lillian please come and be their Governess? This book is funny and heartfelt and it didn't even phase me how ridiculous the concept is.

I listened to this book, and I recommend the audio. The voices of these two Southern women and the twins bring a lot of the book. I have wondered if I'd like it as much if I had read the physical book...

I loved Hester. A newly married young Scottish seamstress (Isobel) and her husband (Edward) set sail for Salem, MA to start a new life after her husband ruins their name due to his opium addiction and mounting debt.

Edward quickly abandons Isobel in their new home to go off on a boat as their 'doctor', leaving Isobel broke and alone in this new place.

In his absence, Isobel falls in love with a young Nathaniel Hawthorne...

I could have done without this book. I really don't know what book Reese read that she meant to put on her Bool Club list...or how it's a NYT Bestseller.

• A best friend's mysterious death while around the main character's boyfriend.

• Almost a decade later another woman dies just as mysteriously.

• Main character goes to investigate.

• Main character is also detoxing from Klonopin.

• Main character also has a ton of suppressed memories.

The book felt muddy and, well, stupid, but as I give it two stars, there are plenty of people on Goodreads giving it five. <shrug>

Last but absolutely not least! John Boyne brings you a companion book for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. While you don't need to read THITSP in order to understand and enjoy this book, I'd still recommend it.

Boyne follows his main character Gretel in parallel time lines in post WW2 and current day (very current). I was enraptured with both young and old Gretel's stories, and when I finished this book I already missed these characters. That to me is the best compliment I can give!

xoxo,

iamfunchris