Book – World of Bai

Book Review: “Book Lovers” By Emily Henry

Emily Henry is probably my second favorite author after Casey McQuiston and it just so happened that they each released their third books on the exact same day, May 3rd. Like most books I read, I don’t really read the back of the books, I typically go in blind only knowing the main genres and of course I did that with this book. I knew this would be a romance book just like her other two books before this, I also heard it was the enemies to lovers trope about thirty minutes before I started. In the past I haven’t loved that trope so I was interested to see how I would rate this one.

“You’re in books. Of course you don’t have a life. None of us do. There’s always something too good to read.”
Direct Quote From The Book

About The Book

Author: Emily Henry

Publisher: Berkley

Published Date: May 3rd, 2022

Page Count: 384 Pages

Main Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction

GoodReads Rating: 4.55

“That’s the thing about women. There’s no good way to be one. Wear your emotions on your sleeve and you’re hysterical. Keep them tucked away where your boyfriend doesn’t have to tend to them and you’re a heartless bitch.”
Direct Quote From The Book

Synopsis

Nora’s whole life has been centered around books and her little sister Libby. They basically grew up in a book store so it was no surprise to anyone that she became an agent for authors, helping them get the best editorial and publishing deals. But unlike most book characters she’s not that happy go lucky girl who gets the dream guy. Instead, all her relationships fall apart because she is too focused on taking care of Libby and making a career for herself to really focus on her personal life.

Libby is a lot different than Nora. She has always been a romantic and she thinks her sister needs to experience that small town romance all romance book characters get to have. So her and Nora pack up for a month long trip to Sunshine Falls, the small town featured in one of Nora’s clients books. With a bucket list of book tropes to complete will Sunshine Falls finally help Nora find her true self?

“Sometimes, even when you start with the last page and you think you know everything, a book finds a way to surprise you.”
Direct Quote From The Book

Rating

“She wonders whether what comes next could ever live up to the expectations. She doesn’t know. You never can. She turns the page anyway.”
Direct Quote From the Book

Review

I mentioned above that I heard this would be an enemies to lovers type book and to be honest I was a little worried to actually start it for that reason. However, I felt like the characters had some slight animosity towards each other and just a small misunderstanding of each others feelings. Over all I really loved Nora and Charlies relationship. They had really cute banter and I felt like they were the most perfect couple! Their relationship didn’t feel forced which is something I find happens in a lot of romance books but Emily Henry really just nailed this couple and wrote them in a way that you could literally feel their connection while reading.

I gave this five stars but to be honest I was on the edge of giving it four stars and the reason why is because I didn’t love the disconnect between Nora and Libby. Their relationship honestly felt exhausting. I couldn’t really love Libby’s character because every time she came into the scene it felt like she was finding an excuse to leave. Their background story is heart breaking which really helped build their characters but I guess I wished they had more scenes together even though this is a romance book and should be mostly focused on the love interest but this was so much more than just a romance read. Their was a lot of family aspects in this book so I just felt like I needed more of the sisters and Libby’s husband and kids.

The ending of this book, OMG! I cried so hard at the end of this book and I felt like all loose ends came together by the last chapter. I think I need a second book because I need to know how their lives all turn out!

Over all This was a really great book that any book lover will enjoy! If you are on the edge to read this just pick it up and read it! I know you won’t be disappointed!

“The last-page ache. The deep breath in after you’ve set the book aside.”
Direct Quote From The Book

QOTD: Do you wish you could have a small town romance?

May Hopefuls

I have been thinking about not posting a May hopefuls post because I have a ton I would like to read this month and I know there is no way I would actually be able to read all these books but why not make the post and see how many I actually get too.

Funny enough I am getting ready to move in a few months so I keep telling myself that I need to start getting rid of books to make the move easier and to free up space. However, in the past two weeks I have either bought or been given over probably 15 books. I want to read every single book I have gotten in the past two weeks but I am a pretty slow reader and also a mood reader so the odds of me reading these books this month is actually slim to none.

Because I have already finished “I Kissed Shara Wheeler” by Casey McQuiston I won’t add it to this list but it was my number one book for this month and I knocked that out before I could get to this post. Make sure to check out that full review!

Full Book Review

Hopefuls

Ok so these are my top three most anticipated reads for this month. “Book Lovers” by Emily Henry has been on my reading list for months! It came out on May 3rd and I meant to pre order it but forgot, but it is now here and I am hoping I get into it this month! I really loved Emily Henry’s othe rtwo books “Beach Read” and “People We Meet on Vacation” and I really loved them so I have high hopes for “Book Lovers”.

“The Change” by Kristen Miller and “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus are both from Book of the Month club and I have heard so many great reviews that I couldn’t imagine passing them up so they are extremally high on my list for this month! Also I really love their covers and we all know I am a sucker for a book with a cute cover!

I am not saying that these books are low on my list, I do still want to get to them this month but if I can’t get to them I know I will soon! “Darling Girl” by Liz Michalski is another Book of the Month pick and the main reason I picked it was because I needed a book for my main pick and this sounded the most like my style. It is a Peter Pan retailing which I think could be really fun and cute! “No More Bad Days” by Lindsey Whitaker and “Doctor Glass” by Louise Worthington are both books I have received from the authors for an honest review and both of them sound like really amazing psychological thrillers which I have been needing in my life! So I really hope to have these reviews up soon especially for the authors who so kindly sent them to me.

I am obsessed with the “HeartStopper” Series by Alice Oseman and I have only read the first two books so I know that i will be reading these last two as long as amazon delivers them this month like they say they will. Fingers crossed!

If you haven’t read this series please do! It is so cute and a fast read because they are graphic novels. After you read the first two you can watch the Netflix show and I promise it is worth it!

As I said above before I got into my hopefuls, I read “I Kissed Shara Wheeler” by Casey McQuiston already earlier this month. Casey McQuiston is my all time favorite author and I fell in love with her writing through her first two books “Red, White and Royal Blue” and “One Last Stop” with One Last Stop” being one of my all time favorite books! Well Now that her new book has came out I decided I would really love to reread these two books if I can find time in my busy reading schedule this month. I just think it would be fun to read all three of her books in celebration of the new release of “I Kissed Shara Wheeler”.

I have no clue if I will be able to read even half of these books this month but I think I have a pretty good list curated for this month. It would be a miracle if I don’t stray from this list due to mood reading but we will see. Wish me luck!

QOTD: Do you have an ambitious monthly TBR? Are any of these books on your TBR currently?

Book Review: “I Kissed Shara Wheeler” By Casey McQuiston

Casey McQuiston is my all time favorite author! They wrote “Red, White and Royal Blue” Which I read pretty early on in my reading journey and probably the first romance read I had ever picked up and immediately I was hooked on their writing! When “One Last Stop” came out last year I knew I had to buy it and of course I fell in love all over again with their writing and their characters. “One Last Stop” Is still one of my all time favorite books to this day. I pre ordered “I Kissed Shara Wheeler” Back in early February and I have been not so patiently waiting to get my hands on my copy! Well I got it on Monday and read the book in about two and a half days! Lets see how this book held up.

“Shame is a way of life here. It’s stocked in the vending machines, stuck like gum under the desks. Spoken in morning devotionals. She knows now that there’s a bit of it in her. It was an easy choice not to go back in the closet when she got here, but if she’d grown up here, she might never have come out at all. She might be a completely different person.”
Direct quote from the book

About The Book

Author: Case McQuiston

Publisher: ST. Martin’s Press

Published date: May 3rd, 2022

Page Count: 320 pages

Main Genres: Romance, LGBT, Young Adult

GoodReads Rating: 4.24

“While she does like boys, she generally finds the traits of a compelling villain—arrogance, malice, an angsty backstory—tedious in a man. Like, what do hot guys with long dark hair even have to be that upset about? Get a clarifying shampoo and suck it up, Kylo Ren. So your rich parents sent you to magic camp and you didn’t make any friends. Big deal.”
Direct quote from the book

Synopsis

Chloe has one thing on her mind: being Valedictorian. She is so close she could taste it! All that’s standing in her way is her rival Shara Wheeler. Shara is the most popular girl in school, not to mention the principals daughter, but Chloe lives and breathes beating Shara in all that they do. But when Shara kisses Chloe out of the blue and then vanishes, Chloe’s main goal is to find Shara so she can beat her to Valedictorian fair and square.

Chloe quickly realizes that she’s not the only one Shara kissed and ditched. There’s Smith, High school quarterback and Shara’s long term boyfriend. Then there’s Rory, the class bad boy and Shara’s next door neighbor. Together, they must work to solve cryptic clues left in some very creative places in order to find Shara and get some answers.

Along the way, new friendships are made, and old friendships are put to the ultimate test.

Rating

“She feels like the spine of a book about to crack and spill out all the love story guts.”
Direct quote from the book

Review

Possibility for light spoilers nothing you couldn’t guess by the back of the book though. Read Cautiously.

You might be thinking to yourself, “Hmm What’s with all the Taco Bell?” Well let me tell you, this book is full of a lot of Taco Bell! It only felt right to ask my local Taco Bell for as many sauce packets as I could get and I believe they gave me like 70 packets! I am not someone who eats at Taco Bell and I don’t think that before today I have ever even had one of their tacos but now I can say I have, all because of this book!

Ok, but really, lets get on to the stuff I know you all came here for. The book review!

Like I said at the beginning of this blog post, I have read all of Casey McQuiston’s books at this point and I waited with much anticipation for this one to be released however, this one is my lowest ranked book of theirs. I really loved their writing as usual but for me it really came down to the characters. So the reason this book is getting four stars rather than five is because by page 200 I was still not in love with Chloe and Shara. I was however invested in all the sub characters and their story lines. I could really use a book about Rory and Smith or even Georgia and how their lives are after high school. I don’t want to give away any spoilers but I just had a hard time really falling in love with Chloe and Shara both as individuals and them as a couple. I am not really an enemies to lovers trope person so that might be why.

What I really loved was the mystery behind every clue Shara left behind. It was a really fun and unique story line. Also every book Casey McQuiston writes is extremely LGBTQ friendly and this book especially felt like a great book for teens who felt like they were unable to come out in high school now or even 30 years after graduating. This book will be one that touches many people for the rest of their lives.

Even though the main characters weren’t for me, this was still a really cute read that I would highly recommend to everyone!

QOTD: What is your favorite fast food Mexican chain?

April Wrap Up

In April I read a total of seven books and I was seriously surprised! However, two were graphic novels I finished in like an hour and another was an 80 paged short story, I guess all those combined might equal one total book but I am still counting them individually. I had an amazing reading month and I read so many amazing books! This year has been full of five star reads, I think it will be really hard to pick my end of the year favorites.

Remember to check out the full reviews for my initial thoughts on the books!

The Books

“The Hate U Give” By Angie Thomas

Starr is a sixteen year old girl that lives in a poor neighborhood but attends school in the suburbs. Living two separate lives proves to be a big challenge but only gets worse when she witnesses her childhood friend get shot and killed by a police officer. Being the only witness to the murder, it quickly becomes Starr’s word against the officer’s.

The officer thought Kahlil had a gun: he didn’t. People believe Kahlil is a drug dealer: he had nothing on him. The officer thought Starr was a threat and kept his gun on her: she was compliant.

It is up to Starr to break the misconceptions and bring justice to her friend.

Full Review

“Talking As Fast As I Can” By Lauren Graham

Lauren Graham is everything you expect her to be and more. In this memoir she breaks down her life from where she lived when she was little to her struggle to break into the world of acting all the way to the end where she is asked back for “Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life”. Unlike most memoirs I can guarantee you will be laughing and crying from the turn of a page!

Full Review

”The Existence of Amy” By Lana Grace Riva

Amy lives no ordinary life but this isn’t by choice. She is burdened with a really bad case of OCD and Depression that makes every day tasks nearly impossible. Amy has been missing out on many social situations because her disabilities hold her back. This causes stress between her relationships and it only gets worse because she doesn’t think her friends will understand where she is coming from or why she is always flaking out on plans. But when the opportunity to travel to Australia for work arises she takes ahold of her life and makes the trip. Can this trip help break some barriers or will they only make situations worse?

Full Review

“Lucky” By Merissa Stapley

Lucky has lived a life on the run. Having a con-artist as a father, Lucky never got to experience an ordinary life, just one of crime and fake Identities. All Lucky ever wanted was a shot at some normalcy: a house, a stable job, some kids and a dog. She thought she would finally get this life when she and her boyfriend decide to settle down in Idaho. But when one last con goes horribly wrong, Lucky is found all alone and forced to stay hidden from the cops with a multi-million winning lottery ticket tucked away in her wallet. Her whole life could change, but is it worth cashing in the lottery ticket just to get caught by the cops? Or should she continue to stay on the run?

Full Review

“HeartStopper” By Alice Oseman, Books 1 & 2

This Graphic Novel series just came out with a show on Netflix and so I decided I needed to pick them up real quick. For the TV show right now you only need to read the first two books. I am still waiting not, so patiently, for book three and four to be shipped to my house.

I am not typically someone who likes to read graphic novels but I quickly fell in love with the characters and their stories, not to mention the illustrations! The pictures in this book were so beautiful! I loved how much emotion this book had in such a small amount of pages, the art work really brings those emotions alive!

I had my boyfriend reads these books right after I finished so that we can watch the TV show together. We can’t wait to see how well the TV show holds up to the books! Stay Tuned!

I only bought the first two books like a dummy and now books two and three are sold out! I have an order placed but I don’t think they will arrive for another few weeks. I will be posting a full review on these books soon, I will keep you posted! In the mean time get your hands on these cute books!

“Evidence of the Affair” By Taylor Jenkins Reid

This is a quick 80 paged book full of Letters between two spouses who have been cheated on. they have found letters between their spouses that reveled a secret affair. Read this book to learn the heart breaking story of how these two strangers found a glimmer of hope in their darkest times.

This was a super cute and really heartbreaking story. I can’t believe so much hurt could come from a few letters. My heart aches thinking about the horrible situation these characters were placed in. Taylor Jenkins Reid has really wrote some amazing books and I need to deep dive into more of her unpopular releases real soon.

Favorite Quotes

“The world’s like that. What matters in one moment, it doesn’t matter the next. Things that fall apart eventually come back together again. Everything passes. You can be sure of that.”
Direct quote from “Lucky” By Merissa Stapley

“That’s the problem. We let people say stuff, and they say it so much that it becomes okay to them and normal for us. What’s the point of having a voice if you’re gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn’t be?”
Direct quote from “The Hate U Give” By Angie Thomas

“Because here’s the thing: I was fine on my own, and so are you. But it can be hard when you feel ready for Happy Couplehood and you seem to have missed the train.”
Direct Quote from “Talking as Fast as I Can” By Lauren Graham

“You can’t tell whether people are gay by what they look like. And gay or straight aren’t the only two options.”
Direct quote from “HeartStopper” By Alice Oseman

QOTD: What was your favorite April Read?

Five Finger Book Challenge

Five Finger Book Challenge

I have been seeing this all over Bookstagram for months! Anyways, I took this picture awhile ago and I was scrolling through my photos and decoded now is a great time to post this.

Pinky: (A book I promise to read)
“The Priory of the Orange Tree” this book has been on my shelf for months and I look at it longingly but then I pick it up and before I can even read it the size of this book makes me put it back on the shelf. I promise I will read you one day…but that day is not today!

Ring Finger: (A Book Boyfriend/Girlfriend)
“The Love Hypothesis” I really love Olive and Adams relationship and I just think from all the book boyfriends I have read about I think I like him the most.

Middle Finger: (A book I hate)
“Anxious People” ugh I hated this book! So boring! I have it one star… I have no clue why its still on my shelf

Index Finger: (A book I recommend)
“One Last Stop” I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who will listen! One if my most favorite books ever! If you haven’t read it read it now!

Thumb: (A book I like)
“It Ends With Us” I love this book so much I git a tattoo for it! I really related to this book and so if will hold a place in my heart forever!

QOTD: Have you read any of these books? Do you agree with any of my picks?

Book Review: “Talking As Fast As I Can” By Lauren Graham

I am a long time fan of the TV show “Gilmore Girls”. This is actually one of me and my boyfriends favorite shows! I love all the characters and I feel like it is a show you can just sit back and just laugh and forget about your day to. I am not someone who typically reads non fiction and memoirs but when I saw that this book existed I had no choice but to grab a copy and dive in!

“Because here’s the thing: I was fine on my own, and so are you. But it can be hard when you feel ready for Happy Couplehood and you seem to have missed the train.”
Direct quote from the book

About The Book

Author: Lauren Graham

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Published Date: November 29th, 2016

Page Count: 224 Pages

Main Genres: Non-Fiction, Autobiography, Memoir

GoodReads Rating: 3.95

“To me, Lorelai was equal parts Gal About Town and The Mom, plus a magical mix of smarts and humor that made her totally unique.”
Direct quote from the book

Synopsis

“An important tool against self-doubt is just to ignore it. Forge ahead anyway. Just keep going, keep going, keep going.”
Direct quote from the book

Rating

“You know how before a party you clean up your house so that everyone thinks you live that way all the time? That’s meeting someone at an awards show.”
Direct quote from the book

Review

All I can say is that Lauren Graham is so much like Lorelai it is uncanny! You can tell that in real life she talks just as fast as she does on the show! The writing in the book was pretty fast paced just as you would have imagined.

I loved everything about this book. Especially reading what it took to get into acting and becoming the star she is now. I remember one part where she was asked to show her naked butt in a scene and she talked about how in that moment she had to decide what kind of actor she wanted to be. She could get her first big break by doing this part but is that how she really wanted to get into show business? In the end she chose to decline the part and she thanked herself later on in life. I love that even when she was about to excel in her career she wasn’t willing to damage her values.

Another part that really stood out to me was at the end of the book and I really don’t want to give too much away here but there is a part where she explains this person inside her that she calls Mrs. Jackson, she is the one who is always putting other best interest at heart such as do you really want that tattoo? Maybe think about it for a year and if you still like the idea get it then. She liked being able to say oh no that was just Mrs. Jackson talking you do whatever your heart decides.

Overall this was a book you did not want to miss and it really did talk a lot about her time on the “Gilmore Girls” set and what it was like knowing each actor and some of her favorite and even least favorite scenes. It was fun to get a background look into what it took to make the show come to life! I think if you like “Gilmore Girls” you should really read this one!

“Because who wants to Fast Forward anyway? You might miss some of the good parts.”
Direct quote from the book

QOTD: If you have seen “Gilmore Girls” who is your favorite character?