Howdy Bookworms!
I have a massive backlog of books to tell y’all about so I’m going to put some little bite size reviews together for you today. Maybe someday I’ll catch up. Stranger things have happened. (Also, STRANGER THINGS did happen. Did you watch it yet?! Did you love it?!) Here we gooooooo!
ONE: Girl Underwater
by Claire Kells– I got this book through Netgalley (which means I got a free book, full disclosure.) It was a quick read, but MAN I have GOT to stop reading books about plane crashes if I ever plan to fly anywhere again. Engrossing, reminded me of Before the Fall
by Noah Hawley (review) though that’s probably moooostly because of the plane crash survivor swimming and rescuing children thing. I did get a little bit frustrated by the protagonist sometimes, though. Her hangups and secret keeping seemed unnecessary and weird, especially the way she acted around Colin even prior to the crash.
TWO: Hamilton: The Revolution
by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter- Hamiltome. It was everything I wanted it to be. Plus pictures! I now know a whole lot more than I ever did before about what goes into making a Broadway show, and I got all sorts of delightful little backstage snippets. Lin-Manuel’s commentary is priceless. I love his glorious nerdery. I stand by my statement that LMM could convince aliens that humanity has something to offer the universe and that we shouldn’t be exterminated. (Please don’t have a scandal, please don’t have a scandal, please don’t have a scandal…)
THREE: Sweetbitter
by Stephanie Danler- Girl runs away to NYC and gets a job working in a high end fine dining restaurant. Plus sex and drugs. Anyone who has ever waited tables should read this. Even if you waited tables at a super lame chain restaurant and wouldn’t know red wine from white with a blindfold on, you’ll still relate on some level. Fun fact! I waited tables for a few months in college. I was terrible at it. I’m an excellent tipper as a direct result of this experience.
FOUR: We Are Unprepared
by Meg Little Reilly- I snagged a copy of this book at BEA and was super excited to read it. Hipsters move to Vermont to homestead, world weather patterns go wonky and apocalyptic storms are forecasted. I liked the whole concept, I mean, I love a good apocalypse story. It also seemed especially fitting because I was reading this during the Baton Rouge floods. BUT. I did not love the relationship between our hipster couple Pia and Ash. I don’t want to get super spoilery, but fetishizing mental illness is nooooooooooot cool, and I think this book went there. Proceed with caution.
What have you been reading, Bookworms?
*If you make a purchase through a link on this site, I will receive a small commission.*
Like this:
Like Loading...
Sarah's Book Shelves
Agree that Sweetbitter will resonate with anyone who worked in a restaurant! I worked the breakfast shift in a beach resort restaurant.
wordsfor
I worked lunches in a chain restaurant- it’s a humbling experience.
Megan M.
Oh, man. A Lin-Manuel Miranda scandal would CRUSH ME. I would never believe in anyone again. I’m excited for the Hamildoc coming to PBS really soon (I forget the date now but I think it’s really soon.)
I might pick up Sweetbitter just because of the waiting tables. It never leaves you, man. I did it (terribly) for 3 years more than ten years ago and I still have nightmares about it.
wordsfor
LMM can never have a scandal. My poor heart couldn’t take it. But I’m excited for Hamildoc toooooooooo! I only waited tables for 4 or 5 months and I still have occasional nightmares about it. It’s the kind of thing that sticks with you!
Lindsey
The reading about flying thing is very true in our house this week! We are traveling soon and my husband started watching something last night and then turned it off because he wants to actually make it on the plane!
I’ve heard such great things about Sweetbitter. Do you think it would remind me of my days working at a beachside sea food shack?? 🙂
wordsfor
I think Sweetbitter will register on some level with anyone who’s worked in food service. But yeah, lay off the plane crash stories if you’ve got a trip coming up!
Michelle
I agree that We Are Unprepared was not quite all that it was made out to be. I had many issues with the book as well, the least of which was Ash and his need to feel better than Pia.
wordsfor
I might have to email you about this one because I don’t know anyone else who has read it and I can’t be all SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER on the internet. But yeah. FEELINGS.
Heather
Ha! I am an excellent tipper too, for much the same reason!
STRANGER THINGS!!!! I am on episode 4. I need to loose the children this weekend and binge the rest.
I tried to listen to Sweetbitter and, even with prior table waiting experience, it didn’t hook me. Maybe I should read it?
wordsfor
I dunno. I mean, Sweetbitter resonated with me pretty much ONLY because of the restaurant stuff. I wouldn’t blame anyone if it didn’t grab them. I actually actively discouraged my MIL from reading it because I KNOW she wouldn’t be down with the drug use and casual sex.
Jenny @ Reading the End
HAMILTOOOOOOME. Please don’t say scandal about LMM, I can’t deal with it, all my heroes have feet of clay, let me at least have Slytherin cinnamon roll LMM, please dear universe.
Today I learned that there is a song in Camelot called “C’est Moi” about how awesome Lancelot is, and I guess that means “who is the best? C’est moi” is shouting out Camelot, and bless LMM’s sweet heart.
wordsfor
I definitely didn’t catch the Camelot shout out. So much cute. Also, I think Lin would be cool with you calling him a cinnamon roll as a term of endearment because he REALLY LIKES CINNAMON. I saw that on Twitter once. He like got a bagel shop to name something after him- a “Cinnamon Lin.”