888 Love and the divine burden of numbers by Abraham Chang

This was the first book I picked up this month because it was my most anticipated.
Written in first person perspective but with second person pronoun “you” , is a different type of challenge.
(Not unlike Buddhas in the attic using the collective “we” all the time.)
It distances the main character from his own story, almost as if he’s afraid to own up to it.
Jumping back and forth in time and playing in numbers. I loved the numerology and cultural representation here, but I struggled with the writing.
I’m so unbelievably sad, because I was so looking forward to this one. The premise sounds so good! The writing just didn’t work for me.

Read with Jenna: Swift River by Essie Chambers

A mixed race, overweight young girl named Diamond wants to learn how to drive, while her mother desperately tries to have her missing husband declared dead so she can cash in her insurance.
Jumping between 1987 where the main story takes place, to earlier in the 80’s – memories Diamond has with her Pops, and letters from her auntie Lena telling stories about the 50’s when her and the dad were kids and the racism they endured during segregation in Swift river.

The book is well written, but the struggle for me was in the disjointed story and the dead ends. When I got excited about a plot point, it dropped and then it jumped in time to something else. And there was not enough excitement around it to keep me interested.
I love the premise, but the execution just didn’t work for me.

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

I had only read Lily and the octopus by Steven Rowley previously but it’s a book that has stayed with me. What I can say now after reading The Guncle is that Rowley is solid in delivering characters with depth and emotion in a heartwarming way.
I am not a big fan of books with small children because I often feel the narration becomes “dumbed down” but not in Rowley’s case.
Patrick or “GUP” – Gay uncle Patrick as they call him is the main character and he doesn’t treat them with kid gloves or talks down to them, he speaks to them like he would anyone and I adore that and found a lot of humor in it.

I love that there’s a second book here, because now I get to spend even more time with this wonderful trio! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Guncle abroad by Steven Rowley

Another heartwarming adventure with the guncle! I was surprised by 5 years having passed (I just read the first one!) but I absolutely love that we’re not trying to replicate the first book here. The kids are teenagers now and it brings forth a whole new relationship dynamic. They’re no longer the wide eyed adoring little kids that hang on your every word.
Sign me up for any guncle adventure! And I see a movie is in the works -sign me up for that too! I love this universe. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The housemaid is watching by Freida McFadden

Millie and Enzo are back, this time in suburbia, in a cul-de-sac with horrendous caricatures barely resembling humans.
One thing Frieda McFadden has down, it’s writing characters that are absolute dumpster fires. This time around the housemaid has wed her gardener and they have 2 kids. It’s a family affair!

Honestly, I’m not sure this one works. I was all aboard the first two, but this one feels like a reach. The first half drags out to no end, and ruined Enzo as a character that has been built up over the past two books. He’s withholding, evasive and shady af. He does a few very questionable things that I won’t spoil.
Millie is observant, but hasn’t learned how to communicate or handle situations that triggers her alarms. She may be watching, but it does her no good when she doesn’t manage to put two and two together or act on her suspicions.
I have to give it to McFadden though, the end was satisfying – I almost want to give it 5 stars. I just wish the first half was more than a boring marriage full of jealousy and shitty neighbors, because that was no more than 3 stars, even with McFaddens easy writing and short chapters.⭐⭐⭐⭐

Open water by Caleb Azumah Nelson

Writing in the second person narrative always feels a bit distant to me. Almost hypothetical in a way.
But within that distant narration there’s also some beautiful descriptions of emotions, like «Grief rattles about your mind like a loose pebble in a shoe.»
As an effect I really like it, but with the whole book written in the second person I struggle getting invested in the story.
It became a bit of a struggle for me, but at the same time, there were so many beautiful passages that it was hard not to like it.⭐⭐⭐

Housemates by Emma Copley Eisenberg

The first chapter was so good I was instantly hooked, but then the observer was left outside and we followed the people into the house. After that I felt so lost. I missed the observer and hanging out with the people didn’t feel as interesting anymore. I put it on the shelf for now, but I’m torn about. Might return later.

It happened one summer by Tessa Bailey

I have read that the book is inspired by Schitt’s creek, but it’s also giving Caroline Channing from the show Two broke girls. Rich girl get’s cut off and put in a small fishing town, living in a studio above a bar. She meets a grumpy captain and so grumpy/sunshine – enemies to lovers begin.

I was all aboard this fun story of riches to rags until the stoic and grumpy fisherman started oversharing his thoughts about the rich girl’s underwear and her pussy underneath. Jumpscare much? It was all smut from there. If that’s your thing, then go for it, but it was not what I was expecting and I want a bit more story than just smut.⭐⭐

The age of magical overthinking by Amanda Montell

A commentary on our current collective culture. I found myself nodding along more often than not, and highlighting more text than not.
Part personal stories, part research based pop psychology on Zero-sum bias, the IKEA effect, AI, Anemoia and other curiosities, I found this to be such a fun and interesting read.
The stories are relatable, and mind-opening in the sense that the author urges us to be a bit more awakened not not take the entire internet for granted and at its word.
At one point the author even pleads with us to not instantly google a question that arises, but to sit with our wondering for a while and let our minds work.
As a person who has been an extreme fan of the internet since its conception, I’m starting to feel like the rubber band has just snapped and I’m craving more and more time off the internet and social media.
This book was a great reminder and I had a great time reading it and not spending those hours on socials.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐