I love this list of book recs. These sound like some amazing choices and I'll be sure to add some to my GoodReads list. That said, I'm thinking some might have to wait until I'm on vacation or retired because, as always, "too many books, too little time to read."
If you've read or read any of these, let me know what you think!
I also included a pic of my latest book purchases. I'm behind on my reading due to work commitments, life commitments, etc. Heck, my Christmas tree is still up! I'm hoping that if we do get snow this weekend, I can hang inside a bit, ignore the dishes and laundry, and catch up. Below I put some quick descriptions about each book, except Know My Name, a memoir by Chanel Miller, the sexual assault victim in the Brock Turner case. I plan on writing a longer, in-depth review of that one since it's, quite frankly, one of the best books I've ever read (I also listened to Chanel read it) and it definitely brings up a host of topics that I think we all need to talk more about.
Followers by Megan Angelo
A fictional take on the dark side of social media, this debut from Lancaster-born Angelo follows two women, Orla and Floss, who are determined to make Floss a social-media star. However, their machinations may not always be above board. But, it all doesn't matter, right? The only thing that does is the number of followers Floss has. 35 years later, social media is a scourge on society. There are state-appointed social media stars who are on TV 24/7 (reminiscent of the terrifyingly terrific Amazon series, The Boys). Their lives are sponsored by corporations and the public eats up every perfectly curated story with a spoon, particularly Marlow Clipp's recent pregnancy. When Marlow starts digging into her past, Orla, Floss, and Marlow's lives connect and, well, things go from bad to worse. Eerily prophetic, supremely timely, and compellingly inventive, this sounds like a book not to miss.
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
The latest rec from Reese's Bookclub, this book is another debut by a female author (from Philly!) that explores the timely topics of white privilege, the viral aspect of social media, and the challenges faced by the younger generation of today. Alix Chamberlain, a successful career women, is upset when her daughter's babysitter, Emira Tucker, is falsely accused of kidnapping when a video of her taking Alix's daughter to the supermarket late at night blows up on social media. Alix is determined to make things right, but is she really doing the right things, or making it worse? Meanwhile, Emira is attempting to determine what she wants to do with her life, while dealing with challenges like finding health insurance, navigating romantic relationships, and handling the prejudices she faces in society as both a millennial and a black woman. This exploration of emotionally fraught, timely issues explores sounds compelling and engaging. This one is getting a spot at the top of my TBR list.
Love Her or Lose her by Tessa Bailey
I liked Bailey's last romance, Fix Her Up well enough, but I was more intrigued by the secondary characters of Rosie and Dominic. This is their story. Rosie and Dom's marriage is in trouble plagued by ennui, a lack of passion, and Rosie's yearning to do more with her life AND get her marriage back on track. When she suggests marriage bootcamp, she never expects Dom to agree; but he does. Just as these two crazy kids start to connect again while doing one crazy bootcamp exercise after another, a secret threatens to ruin it all. I'm excited for this one. In just their brief appearances in Fix Her Up, I was intrigued by the very relatable idea of a wife feeling unheard and a husband unable to express what he's feeling. Looking forward to this one!
And, one last thing before I get to work. I want to include a plug for www.thelily.com. I really like this offshoot of WaPo that is based on "The Lily," the first newspaper for women and published/written by women. It covers a host of topics about women's issues, but the writing is fresh, bold, eloquent, and timely. If you don't have time to read it all, I highly suggest signing up for their eNewsletter, Lily Lines. Check it out!
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