Howdy! By the time this reaches you, I’ll be in Portugal, where I’m spending most of September. Having a Portuguese boyfriend has many perks, this is one of my favorite ones. You’ll still hear from me, but I’m excited to take a break from work and be a little less “online” in general.
I slowed down a bit in August on reading, mostly because I hit my Goodreads reading goal for the year— four months early! Woo! I set a high goal for myself this year (60 books) and I’m a little surprised by how quickly I smashed that.
Since hitting my goal, I treated myself to re-reading a book I’d already read, and slowing my reading roll in general, which was necessary after finishing the gargantuan Long Island Compromise. (I LOVED this follow up with the author in the New York Times.)
As for September reading? I’ve already gobbled up most of God of The Woods. Can’t wait to clock lots of reading time in Portugal! In the meantime, scroll on for August reads. 🤍
All Fours by Miranda July // Like everyone else, I read All Fours this summer. I’ll tell you what… not for me! Maybe I would like this more if I were 45, but right now… just didn’t hit. I love dystopic, unhinged novels about women on the edge, so this should have been up my alley, but it just wasn’t.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach // This was easily one of if not my actual favorite book I’ve read this year. (Probably tied with Long Island Compromise, which is very different.) The cover makes it seem like more of a beach read than it is (though you won’t be sad if you pack it for a vacation!) and it’s actually just a really beautiful story about hitting rock bottom and finding your way out— in this case, through crashing a wedding, sort of.
// I always get excited and nervous to read a book by someone I know or have known in real life! If you like dystopic, you’ll love this futuristic novel— honestly, it felt very close to home, too possible, too real. It definitely made me not want to have children if this is the future we’re on track for, and I sort of think we are. By the last quarter of the book I was barreling ahead full steam to try to find out what was going to happen, which is pretty much always what I desire out of a book.The Coin by Yasmin Zaher // Another book that should have absolutely been up my alley: I was excited to pick up this debut novel by a Palestinian author, particularly since it was also a tad dystopic, unhinged, and all about a woman on the edge— specifically a woman on the edge of the Palestinian diaspora in NYC. This also did not land for me at all… if you’re called to it, it’s worth the ride, and I’d read another Yasmin Zaher novel, but it felt a bit like reading something where you’re left out of the punch line.
Tehrangeles by Porochista Khakpour // This is not my first rodeo with Porochista Khakpour, nor Tehrangeles. This was one I obviously had to pick up as an Iranian American from California. The cover alone was worth buying the hardcover for! This is also a novel about a woman— well, women— on the edge. It’s a Kardashian-esque family (heiresses to a frozen pizza fortune with a new reality tv show) making their way through the pandemic, each wrapped up in their own stuff: thirst for fame, sexual identity, missing a country that is not what it was, etc. There is no satisfying or punchy ending, but I enjoyed the ride, and this is one I’d recommend to my Iranian American friends, who I’m sure would have already bought it anyway, like I did.
The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand // While in and preparing to head to Nantucket, I wanted to read nothing but Elin Hilderbrand. I picked up this book to reread since the Netflix show was about to come out. It’s now out but I do not want any spoilers! I will not be watching until I’m back from Portugal in late September! I am covering my ears and going LA LA LA LA! I will report back later as to whether or not I think the book was “better” than the show.
The Island by Elin Hilderbrand // I’m working my way through the few remaining Elin Hilderbrand books I haven’t read, and I’ve been saving what I thought would be the “worst” for last for a few years. Not the case! I really liked this book, set on Tuckernuck, an island off the coast of Nantucket where residents live without power or frills.
Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand // See above: re saving the “worst” for last. This book surprised me! I liked it so much more than I thought I would based off of the premise. It’s probably better to not even read the back of the book and just trust that this is a good read about life, love, family, death, and marriage.
That’s all for today, folks! If you are in search of more book reviews and books worth reading, I’m linking two recent letters I’ve written below.
The Wedding People was my favorite read last month too!!! It’s so so good!
Thanks for helping me add to my tbr list! Have you read “My Year Abroad,” By Chang Rae Lee? It was not what I was expecting based on the title! Much darker and meatier. I’m still chewing on it weeks later.