What a month! Between reading challenges and the Cybils and finally hearing that I got my dream job (!!), January 2018 was one for the books. And the reading I got done! Oh man, I did some good reading. Let’s recap, shall we?
A note, before I remind y’all of the rating system – I can’t talk about the books that I read for the Cybils yet, and two of them are in this recap. So what I’m going to do is say a one sentence summary of what those books are about, and that’s it! I’ll be writing full reviews eventually, but it’s not going to happen until summer, at the earliest. Huzzah!
A reminder of my super classy rating system (puppies!):
You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone by Rachel Lynn Solomon
This was so achingly beautiful. Twins. Huntington’s Disease. Ugh, my heart. You can read my full review here.
Rating: 4 dogs petted.
Smoke by Meili Cady
Hard pass. Super narcissistic narrator who only wants readers to find her innocent. I didn’t believe a word of it and my husband and I abandoned the audiobook at the 25% mark.
Rating: 0 dogs petted.
Chemistry Lessons by Meredith Goldstein
I’ll be writing this review in the next couple of weeks (before my hiatus!) so you’ll be able to see why this book doesn’t sit right with me, but here’s the short version – IRB approval is necessary for human trials. It is not necessary for manipulation, however, which is what this entire book consisted of.
Rating: 2 dogs petted.
The Lake Effect by Erin McCahan
A Cybils finalist! The story of a high school graduate who takes a summer job on the shores of Lake Michigan and finds bits and pieces of himself along the way.
A Short History of the Girl Next Door by Jared Reck
A Cybils finalist! Matt is in love with his best friend Tabby, who is, in turn, in love with a popular senior basketball player. Tragedy strikes, and Matt has to reevaluate everything.
Right Kiss Wrong Guy by Natalie Decker
The concept of this is an enemies-to-lovers story, but it fell super flat for me. Plus, the only other girl who was introduced before I abandoned the book was a typical every-girl-who-isn’t-a-main-character-is-a-slut tropey thing that I hate and I could not. GTFO with that nonsense, girls and women deserve better.
Rating: 0 dogs petted.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
I still have no words. You can read my full review (which is actually full of a lot of words) here. #kaztrash
Rating: 4 dogs petted.
A Scot in the Dark by Sarah MacLean
I love these Scandal and Scoundrel books so much, and this one reminded me of how much I love Scottish heroes. Especially giant, grumpy ones. I’m writing this review before my hiatus, as well!
Rating: 4 dogs petted.
Big Rock by Lauren Blakely
This was the first romance I’ve read that was entirely from the POV of the hero, and I surprisingly loved it! Spencer was a bit of a dick in the beginning, but he really grew on me. Even with Charlotte being “not like other girls” and all that. I still liked it.
Rating: 3 dogs petted.
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
*flails around on the floor while making nonsensical noises* I C A N N O T. (Full review here.) #stillkaztrash #alwayskaztrash
Rating: 4+ dogs petted.
Sugar Lump by Megan Gaudino
I wanted to like this book! It had a weird, intriguing premise. Buuuuut the ableist language was everywhere, and COME ON, it’s 2018, GTFO of here with that nonsense too! Can’t we be better?
Rating: 0 dogs petted.
Like I said, it was a pretty productive month. I had more DNFs in a single month than I think I’ve ever had, but I’m cool with it. 2018 me isn’t going to put up with nonsense, and I am more than willing to put a book down because of NONSENSE. Some of these tropes and lack of sensitivity editing are starting to wear on me. I read a lot of books! Is it too much to ask that I don’t want them to harm others? That I want women to be multi-dimensional? That I want more?
I refuse to believe that any of that is too much to ask, and I will put down books that violate my fairly low standards. 2018 me doesn’t have time to that crap.
Anyway! On to February!
Happy reading!
-A.
Snark & Squee 