Autobiography of a Bibliophile: January 2019

2019 is off to a wonderful start when it comes to reading! I'm looking forward to continuing to challenge myself with selections that are outside my comfort zone. Fair warning: I've recently contracted a podcast addiction so the audiobook count might be dropping drastically in the next few months.

Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure by Amy Kaufman3 stars

This book was SO INTERESTING. I can’t call it a masterful piece of literature by any stretch of the imagination, but I listened to it and was hooked. Kaufman addresses the myth of producer rose selection as well as what actually happens in an ITM (In the Moment session, when a producer takes a contestant aside to speak to them individually on camera). She spoke with Bachelor celebrity fans and alum alike to create this book and I highly recommend it, especially for my fellow Bachelor lovers! I rarely do this, but I’d suggest the audiobook over the Kindle/print edition in this case.

When Winter Comes by V.A. Shannon3 stars

Historical fiction is one of my literary love languages PLUS I couldn’t get enough of the Little House on the Prairie books growing up. When I stumbled across this find that details the Oregon Trail, specifically the famed Donner party, I was pumped. However, the book fell somewhat flat for me. The length was daunting and I had a hard time rooting for the main character. However, the details of the journey and the horrific story of what happened to those poor souls was interesting.

A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America by T. Christian Miller4 stars

I think this book should be required reading in school because it really gave me a lot to think about. I hesitated to give it 5 stars for 2 reasons: first, because it was heavy on police jargon/research that makes for tougher reading and second, because it’s really hard to give 5 stars to the subject matter. The book follows real rape cases in America, all committed by the same perpetrator, and the way the survivors are treated by police and the community in general. It’s absolutely an eye-opener, particularly in our current #MeToo climate.

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks5 stars

I was gifted a Book of the Month subscription for Christmas and this was my very first book from the service AND my first read of the year. What a way to kick off 2019! It was a high, to say the least. This book will leave you breathless and gasping as each chapter closes with more suspense. I started and finished it on New Year’s Day and immediately told everyone I knew to add it to their list. If you loved The Wife Between Us and The Last Mrs. Parrish, then you need this book.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides4 stars

This was another Book of the Month selection and it was riveting. I can’t say too much without giving away the plot, but all I can say is read very CAREFULLY and don’t get whiplash from the twist. I had to stop turning pages and take a moment when I realized what actually happened.

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han3 stars

Guys, I wanted so badly to LOVE this series. I tried, I really did. And I’ll still read the final book of the trifecta, but I just can’t rave about them like I see others doing. They’re predictable and cheesy and I really struggle to pay attention. I think I would have appreciated them a lot more if they existed when I was growing up and 15 year old Taylor was writing this review.

I didn’t come here to make friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain by Courtney Robertson3 stars

Do you remember Ben Flajnek’s Bachelor season? The wine guy with a haircut that looks like DW from Arthur? This is his ex-fiance’s tell-all. Firstly, her voice is annoying as hell, but I think between reading this book and listening to it, I’d pick the audio everytime. I didn’t like Ben during his season, but I liked him even less after hearing Courtney’s story. I actually liked Courtney MORE, but she did have a tacky Hollywood name-dropping habit. All in all, an entertaining audiobook!

The House Girl by Tara Conklin4 stars

This story weaves two time period together as half is set in 1852 and half in 2004. The half in 1852 was my favorite half. Josephine Bell plans her escape from the tobacco plantation where she is house girl to Lu Anne Bell. 150 years later, lawyer Lina Sparrow is tasked to build a class-action lawsuit in reparations for American slaves. I found Lina’s family history distracting from what I felt was the more important side of the story, Josephine Bell, but overall the book is worth picking up!

I Said Yes: My story of Heartbreak, Redemption, and True Love by Emily Maynard3 stars

When I first downloaded this audiobook, I braced myself for hours of Emily Maynard’s trademark Southern accent. Therefore, when someone else’s voice spilled out of my headphones I was momentarily confused and slightly miffed that Emily couldn’t be bothered to read her own book. I went into this hoping for more tell-all than Miss Emily was apparently willing to dish, but I appreciated her heartwarming message. If you’re looking for a Bachelor alum book with more bite, I’d say pick Courtney Robinson’s over this one.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood 3 stars

I’m approximately five years late on reading this, but I was encouraged to give the Hulu special a try and wanted to read the book first (per usual). It was dense and I feel like I need to read it again to really get all of the symbolism. One of my favorite books I ever read in school was 1984 by George Orwell. For me, Handmaid’s Tale is similar in both subject matter, density, and overall importance. I watched the first episode on Hulu a couple of nights ago and I’m really glad I read the book before I started it. It makes the heaviness of the drama a little easier to endure.

Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty5 stars

Liane slightly let me down last month with the seemingly never-ending Nine Perfect Strangers, but I thoroughly enjoyed this month’s Moriarty pick. It was light and fun, following the threads of motherhood, sisterhood, and marriage among three sisters. I really appreciated the anonymous snatches of stranger perspective on what they saw when the three sisters interacted and thought it was a clever idea!

Educated by Tara Westover5 stars

8 billion stars to Tara Westover. Seriously, this book was phenomenal. I have become a die-hard Kindle library reader only because #free, but I want to buy a physical copy of this book and add it to my personal collection. It would go right next to The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls in the “badass females who overcame hell and thrived” section. You shouldn’t need any more reason to pick this up in February if you haven’t already.

Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs by Elisa Wall 2 stars

I sure hesitated to give this book only 2 stars because the author has triumphed over so much, but I had a hard time with the audiobook. The narrator can truly make or break an audiobook, and this time it really broke down for me. The story seemed to repeat itself often and I really struggled to listen to how brainwashed many of these women were. Proceed to read with caution.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah4 stars

If you loved The Nightingale by the wonderful Kristin Hannah, you will more than likely have a fondness for this Alaskan tale. The setting was beautiful and the heroine(s) were likeable. I will forever stan authors who write powerful female characters and Hannah does this better than most. It’s a tale that will stay with me long after the library copy expires from my Kindle.

One Day in December by Josie Silver4 stars

I found this recommendation based on MixandMatchMama’s monthly book reviews (Shay Shull, sister of Bachelor extraordinaire, Sean Lowe) as a fun holiday read. I didn’t get off the waiting list until one day in late January (see what I did there? hehe), but it wasn’t too late for holly-jolly holiday read. It fell short of 5 stars for me due to my struggle to like the main male protagonist, Jack, but we all know how much I love a solid rom-com novel set in London!

After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid3 stars

I attempted to receive the written version of this book, but somehow ended up with the audiobook instead. I’ve come to discover that I prefer to listen to memoirs/non-fiction/podcasts and read novels that require more imagination, which is what led to this average review. The story also hops back and forth between past and present, which is always tougher for me to keep up when listening. Overall, it’s a heartwarming story about the trials and triumphs of marriage!