HAPPY NOVEMBER!
Full disclosure: I make this statement every year. But this time, I REALLY MEAN IT; this year is kicking my tooshie. The upside is, I’m never bored. The downside is I’ve been neglecting my inner hermit and haven’t had as much time to wind down, read, and reflect.
Despite the hectic state of my professional life, I’ve gotten to enjoy some great times with my family and friends. But am 100% looking forward to everything winding down as the temperature drops. My plan until May: blankets, coffee, a huge stack of books by my side, and my dachshund in my lap.
Since it’s been a whirlwind month, I’m going to do a brief roundup of some books I enjoyed in October!
Frankly in Love by David Yoon
Um, more like frankly ADORABLE! A contemporarily cute YA romance, that follows the main character Frank Li (get it?), a Korean-American teenager navigating the paper-thin divide between one culture and another.
Frank is the son of South Korean immigrants who have big dreams (and expectations) for him. Score a 1600 on the SAT, get into Harvard, and only date affluent Korean-American girls. The first two requirements are attainable for Frank to accomplish…but the last one? Well, the heart makes its own choices.
As Frank finds himself in the exact position his parents would disapprove of enough to threaten disownment, he begins to ponder what’s really important in life. And things begin to unravel in ways his family could have never planned for.
Cute, quippy, and comparable to the Field Guide to the North American Teenager. A bitter sweet ending at the end, but fun to read.
The Fountains of Silence by Ruth Sepetys
Honestly, this book deserves its own spotlight in a separate review:
- Because Ruth Sepetys is BRILLIANT, hands down, period. Salt to the Sea left me broken and sobbing. The picture she painted of German refugees attempting to flee their broken home land on the Wilhelm Gustloff was so tragic. Sepetys’s writing in beautiful and she puts so much research into her novels. I’ve learned quite a bit about events in history that aren’t largely discussed, but have been tremendous in the loss and sadness they caused.
- Sepetys’s writing style keeps the reader constantly on their toes. She writes from different characters’s perspectives, which allows her audience to fully understand the events unfolding in the story. I’ve read a few reviews that find this to be a drawback because it may be difficult to keep up with. But personally, I love it.
The Fountains of Silence is set in post-World War II Spain, which is under the fascist regime of Francisco Franco. Told from multiple perspectives, the reader is able to experience the state of the country through the eyes of native Spaniards, as well as a young American named Daniel, who is in Spain as his father and mother handle business (which is mysterious in itself). Daniel discovers that the most important rule of this unfamiliar world is: Keep secrets. Your own and everyone else’s. But for Daniel, an aspiring photographer, unveiling the truth behind what he sees is his destiny. As he finds himself in precarious positions, Daniel enlists the help of Ana, a maid at his hotel who has seen far more suffering and sorrow than she can say. With Ana helping him navigate the dangers lurking on the streets of Madrid, he discovers a dark secret rotting away behind the shiny surface Spain presents to the world.
A little romance, some espionage, a deep, dark national secret. A YA historical fiction novel that will have its reader’s heads spinning and will definitely result in some extra research afterward.
That’s What Frenemies Are For by Sophie Littlefield and Lauren Gershell
So really, this is a “summer read,” but I was in need of something light and highly superficial. This one hit the nail on the head. Reading about rich people problems always lifts my spirits, and this book was no exception. Pure entertainment and highly appreciated.
Julia Summers is a typical upper Westside housewife – she’s part of every committee and club, she is well versed in how to throw an outlandish soiree, and she constantly suffers from boredom and pursues new forms of entertainment regularly.
When an unexpected glitch in her family’s summer plans leave Julia stranded in the humid outskirts of the city, Julia decides it’s an opportunity to improve herself. While her frenemies cavort on the beaches of the Hamptons, Julia plans to improve her mind, body and soul. And she’s going to do it with a little help from the spin class gift certificate she won at a school auction.
When she enters the studio doors of Flame, Julia runs smack into her new pet project – Tatum. Tatum is a sweet, naïve girl trying to make it big in New York City. With Julia’s passionate and all-knowing wisdom, she knows she can mold Tatum into the next “it” girl of the fitness world. Tatum could be the key to launching Julia right back into the social center of high society.
But things go awry when Tatum forms an agenda of her own. Will this wrench in the plan ultimately destroy Julia? Can money really buy influence? What’s the price a person would be willing to pay to be the center of the Manhattan social scene?
That’s What Frenemies Are For definitely reminded me of Fitness Junkie and When Life Gives You Lululemons. This is a great read when you need a minute to get out of reality and into the headspace of a Stepford Housewife.
Hope this little roundup gives you some inspiration for your next reading venture!
Happy & healthy reading!
Lexi
