2021 Week the Thirty-First: Here, Have Some Feelings

Hey There Bookworms!
How is everyone doing? I’m a steamy pile of anxiety. Like, I woke up this morning because I was having a dream so awful I was dry-heaving. I mean, I always have anxiety dreams but this was unusually horrible. I have a lot on my plate right now, so it’s not unexpected, but I just sent my kiddo off to a new daycare in a new town and the Delta variant is lurking. For whatever its worth, if there is anyone out there reading this blog that is not already vaccinated, for the love of Jane Austen, PLEASE go get that shot. I know some people are concerned about the side effects, which is valid as nobody wants to feel like crap. But. There are lots of people who have no side effects at all. With either shot. Like me! I got the Pfizer vaccine and all I had was a sore arm for a day. Not even a BAD sore arm, just like, “oh it feels like I might have a bruise from accidentally bumping into the wall.” And, you know, even if you do feel like crap for a day, if you do get COVID, you’re WAY less likely to land in the hospital and/or die. Not dying is one of my favorite things, truly. I know there are buckets of misinformation out there and conspiracy theories and I’m probably not going to change anyone’s mind, but I wanted to put it out in the universe. Your friendly neighborhood book blogger things vaccines are GREAT and the more eligible people who get vaccinated, the safer every single kiddo under 12 is, not to mention every immuno-compromised person, cancer patient, and senior. Also those who are unable to be vaccinated due to allergies or medical conditions- let’s not forget them! I’ve seen people who faced real barriers to vaccination making the effort to go out and do the thing. If they can, so can you! The minute the FDA approves an EUA for kids in Sam’s age bracket, I’ll be getting him protected, but until then? How can you say “no” to this face?!

This is Sam and “his girl,” Charlie. Charlie was a going away gift from one of his former daycare teachers and has quickly risen in the ranks of the lovey heirarchy.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abi Waxman- I haven’t decided how I feel about this book yet. There were a lot of things about it I liked, but it’s complicated. Nina Hill works in a book store in her hometown of LA. She’s content to enjoy her books, her cat, her apartment, and her trivia nights with friends. Her nicely ordered life is upended when she finds out she’s been left money by the father she never knew about. All of a sudden, her life is full of a complicated web of newly discovered family members, a contested will, and a potential love interest. I’m not entirely sure where my reticence over loving this book is coming from. I liked it well enough, but there are some sticky points in it that I’d love to discuss with someone who’s already read it. I don’t think I can talk about them here without revealing a billion spoilers.

It’s Not Me, It’s You by Mhairi McFarlane- Another day, another opportunity to enjoy a new regional British accent! This book was an interesting mix of romance, self discovery, and full on caper. Our heroine hails from Newcastle and sports a thick Geordie accent (super fun to listen to.) Delia finds out her long term boyfriend has been cheating on her right after she proposes marriage. Ouch. Deciding she needs a change of scenery, she moves from Newcastle to London to stay with her friend. Delia’s on a JOURNEY to self discovery. A JOURNEY. The whole Paul (the ex) situation is incredibly messy. Then there is a bonkers job and an even more bonkers boss. New friendships. New enemy-ships. New love interests. It’s a little all over the place. Not that it’s bad, just, a bit… wild. Anyway, I’m terrible about issuing content warnings, but I’ll give you one right now. This book has a scene with the death of a beloved pet. It’s not violent or anything, but I ended up sobbing and I don’t even have a pet. If that’s going to be a deal breaker for you, you deserve to know before you get invested in the story. I always go into Mhairi McFarlane books expecting more comedy but they tend to be pretty intense on the feelings. Always great books, but OOOF perhaps one day I will learn to expect the gut punches.

Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev- I have adored every installment of Sonali Dev’s Austen retellings, and Incense and Sensibility is no exception. But holy smokes, the A N G S T. Yash Raje is running for governor of California. He’s lived his entire life with integrity and whole-heartedly wants to make the world a better place. After a hate-fueled attack at a campaign rally, Yash is left feeling that his whole life has been a lie. When he begins to have anxiety attacks, his family encourages him to seek help from their close personal friend, India Dashwood. India is a yoga instructor who specializes in stress management, and could certainly help Yash if the two of them didn’t totally have a secret complicated history. And then there’s the small matter of Yash’s very public relationship with another family friend that is based completely on a benign lie but that can’t be escaped without causing a scandal. Sonali Dev’s flair for bringing new life to Jane Austen’s classic tales will never cease to delight me. Even if she insists on ALL THE ANGST. Gracious. Thank goodness I knew how this book would end (because of course I’ve read Sense and Sensibility) otherwise my delicate nerves would have been put through a meat grinder.

Alright Bookworms, I am tapped out for the day. Go forth and read good books. Get vaccinated if you’re able to. Stay safe and healthy. I am so sick of living in a plague novel. Let’s get out of this wretched timeline, OK?

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