01

What Nora Knew, Linda Yellin

For everyone who loves You've Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, and Sleepless in Seattle. Which is to say every sane person.

 

02

Why Not Me?, Mindy Kaling

Just finished MK's second book and boy, I am I sad that it's over. I could listen to Mindy read anecdotes over my car's CD player forever. She made my insufferable hour-long commute seem like mere minutes of time. I could especially listen to her chapter on confidence and bravery on repeat (which I'll probably do), and I'm trying to think of how to convince the general populace to take a listen or read of that part at least once. Between listening to this and reading Elizabeth Gilbert's "Big Magic," I feel fairly unstoppable (the fact that Eminem's Lose Yourself" just came on the radio after finishing MK's treatise on being badass doesn't hurt-- remember in "Definitely, Maybe " when Ryan Reynolds describes that moment when you have the perfect song for that moment?). I read MK's first book a while ago, and I remember it being funny, but I don't remember it having the profound insight found here. "Why Not Me?" is the perfect, perfect blend of hilarious, on-point humor and sage wisdom a la Amy Poehler's "Yes, Please." Like most fans, I confuse Mindy Kaling with Mindy Lahiri, and I like that MK set the record straight. (We will still confuse the two of you because you are both fabulous people, but at least we have the truth to come back to). I literally cannot wait for another Mindy Kaling installment (a rom-com novel expanding on the email chain found within this book would be acceptable).

 

I will close with a quote from the queen:

"...My secret is: Even though I wish I could be thin, and that I could have the ease of lifestyle that I associate with being thin, I don't wish for it will of all my heart...because my heart is reserved for way more important things. I will leave with one last piece of advice, which is: If you got it, flaunt it. And if you don't got it, flaunt it. What are we doing here if we're not flaunting it? And that, my friends, shall go on my tombstone."

- Mindy Kaling

 

03

Yes Please!, Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

 

04

We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrasingly, a True Story, Josh Sundquist

This one had me laughing out loud. A tall feat for an autobriographical story. Though I couldn't put it down, it lacked some glue that made it not quite as satisfying as I wanted it to be.

 

05

The Rosie Effect, Graham Simsion

Picture Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory trying to navigate love and social relationships. Now imagine the sequel to that novel.

 

06

The One and Only, Emily Giffin

A May-December romance for the millenials.

 

 

Bumped off the recs

 

The Cake Therapist, Judith Fertig

The most delightful (and arguably the only delightful) aspect of this book are the scrumptuously delicious adjectives Fertig uses to describe the multi-purpose decorative creations made by the protagonist.

 

 

Next in line

 

Death at Pemberley, P.D. James

I've watched the miniseries on Netflix. Now the real fun begins.

 

Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee

A prequel to one of my favorite novels? To be honest, most of why I want to read this is the controversy.

 

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë

Just need to finish this one/get to the good part. I'm still stuck on the childhood. Aka the entire first half of the book.

 

North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell

Also need to finish this. Saw the miniseries on Netflix. Rewatched the ending. Again. And again. And again...