What I Read: May 2020

Hi! I held off on posting this last week. It felt inappropriate to be talking about light-hearted books with something much much bigger happening in this country. My cute little blog can wait, but Black lives can’t.

Looking back at the books I read this month it’s apparent that I can be better about both reading and sharing books with a more diverse cast of characters and from diverse authors. While every book I’ve read this year (I’m up to 22 as of the time I’m writing this!) has been by a female author, all but 4 have been by white authors.

I can’t realistically promise that I’m suddenly going to read all the non-fiction books on racism and you’ll see them popping up on my monthly reading lists. I’ve literally read 1 non-fiction book in 2020. But I can promise you that I am doing the work to learn more in other ways. I’m taking a course geared towards fitness professionals by Chrissy King this week as a jumping-off point. I personally gravitate towards courses as a vehicle for learning whereas others might want to start with books, audiobooks, or movies.

I can do better when it comes to reading and sharing rom-coms and light-hearted fiction that are by Black authors and feature Black characters. A preview for next month — I just finished The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rachon and highly recommend it. Anything by Jasmine Guillory is fantastic. And my favorite book, ever, The Idea of You, by Robinne Lee is a must-read. I’m still thinking about it 3 months later.

This is not the end of this discussion by any means… but I’m going to awkwardly segue to talk about the books I read this month now.

What I Read This Month:

Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein (Comes Out 6/23)

I am absolutely obsessed with everything Hannah Orenstein has written (and her amazing instagram where she talks a ton about her writing process). I read her first book, Playing With Matches, in less than 24 hours — it’s the only book I’ve ever read in one day. Her newest book Head Over Heels, which comes out later this month, might be her best yet. I was super excited to snag an Advanced Reader Copy and absolutely devoured this rom-com about professional gymnastics.

Avery Abrams is a former pro-gymnast. After spending her whole life training, her dreams of competing in the Olympics were crushed seven years ago thanks to a disastrous performance that both left her injured and ended her pro-career.

She’s now in her late 20’s and has been floundering to find her footing and purpose in life ever since. A break-up with her famous, football playing, boyfriend forces her to leave LA where she’s been living and move back to her suburban hometown in Massachusetts. It’s there that she reconnects with an incredibly cute former pro-gymnast she knew from her competition days, Ryan. He’s training an up-and-coming gymnastics star and needs Avery’s help to polish the teenager’s floor routine.

The book follows Avery training this teen gymnast who is on the road to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. (Yes, it’s a bit sad to read about the 2020 Olympics which have been postponed IRL). While this is going on, a major scandal in the gymnastics world is also revealed.

Even if you know next to nothing about gymnastics (like me!) this book is still so delightful. I highly, highly, recommend it.

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

✨

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

During quarantine, one of the fitness studios I teach at has been hosting a monthly book club. I had the honor of choosing our book for May. I wanted to find a book that would be great for women of different ages and stages in their life but would also leave room for discussion. After posting a poll on Instagram, I decided on Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

30-year-old Eleanor Oliphant is… odd. She lacks certain social skills and rarely strays from her beloved routines and rituals. Then one day her new co-worker, Raymond, befriends her. Through their friendship, Eleanor starts to learn more about herself, self-worth, and the trauma from her past that she’s pushed aside for many years.

Overall I did not love this book and probably would have ditched it if it weren’t for the book club. I found Eleanor to be just plain annoying as a character in the beginning and not quirky or funny like the book description lead me to believe.

I did grow to like the book (and Eleanor) more as the story went on. During the book club discussion, many of us agreed that the book cover and description are a bit misleading. It’s not some cutesy rom-com about an awkward girl finding love but instead how she finds out who she really is.

Not my personal favorite book I’ve read this year, but some others in the book club really loved it.

My Rating: 3/5 Stars

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Happy & You Know It by Laura Hankin

This book was one of my Book of the Month picks for May (<— get your first box + book for $10). I actually couldn’t decide on just one book and ended up ordering a few because they all sounded SO GOOD. Happy & You Know It definitely delivered and was the perfect fun, addicting, read.

Claire is a struggling, out-of-work, musician in NYC. She recently got replaced in the band she had been a part of for years, and of course, the band is now hitting it big with the song she helped write. She decides to take a gig as a musician for a playgroup of wealthy, Upper East Side, moms, and their young children. What starts as a job ends up bringing her a new group of friends… but Claire starts to realize everything isn’t picture perfect for these moms.

The hilarious and at times satirical book takes some awesome turns and is full of juicy gossip and scandals. Think of it as Gossip Girl all grown up.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

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Most Likely by Sarah Watson

After I saw one of my favorite book bloggers, Morgan, post about this book on Instagram I knew I had to read it. This YA book is written by the creator of The Bold Type, one of my favorite shows currently on TV. I saw this book described as the more feminist Sisterhood of The Travelling Pants. I will forever stan all things Traveling Pants, but I do agree this is a kickass book about female friendship in your teens.

It’s the beginning of senior year for BFFs Ava, CJ, Jordan, and Martha. It is a tradition in their town for the seniors to carve their names into the playground at the local park on the first Friday of the school year. When the senior class gets there, they realize the park has been shut down by the town and will soon be a construction site for new condos. This springs the 4 friends into action in order to save the park.

The premise sounds kind of cheesy, but this book was such an enjoyable read. Yes, it’s about saving a park. But really, it’s about 4 very different females navigating senior year of high school and that feeling of OMG I’m on the brink of adulthood. Although at age 30 I still kind of feel like I’m only on the brink of adulthood…

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

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