Like the Comet

You know what? May is a really long month. Like a lot of stuff happened recently, and in my head, I’m like, “oh yeah, that definitely happened in April, right?”

Nope. It was May.

It also starts during Taurus season and ends in Gemini season. So, that in itself is a wild transition to go through in the span of just one month.

Anyway, I read a bunch in the last 31 days and wrote out all of my thoughts for you to consider before picking up any of the said books.

I’m TRYING to keep my reviews shorter, but if you’ve ever heard me try to tell a “quick” story in-person then you know how hard this is for me. :’)

All righty, here we go!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

START WITH WHY by Simon Sinek

Rating: 2/5 stars

Summary: In studying the leaders who’ve had the greatest influence in the world, Simon Sinek discovered that they all think, act, and communicate in the exact same way - and it’s the complete opposite of what everyone else does. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with WHY.

My Thoughts: I had to read this book for work, and I have to preface this review by saying, I’m not a non-fiction type of gal. I’ve seen Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle TED Talk more times than I can count, and is it a solid presentation? Yeah, for sure. Is there enough material there to extend it into a book? Absolutely not. Though there were a few key points I took from the book, this honestly could have been 100 pages shorter. It was extremely repetitive, pretty dry, and hard for me to get through because it honestly just didn’t keep my interest. I’m sure if you’re the “read to learn” type of person who usually enjoys books like this, then you’d appreciate it. I’m just not that person and that is WHY this book was not my jam lol.

NAMESAKE by Adrienne Young

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: With the Marigold ship free of her father, Fable and the rest of the crew were set to start over. That freedom is short-lived when Fable becomes a pawn in a notorious thug’s scheme. In order to get to her intended destination, she must help him to secure a partnership with Holland, a powerful gem trader who is more than she seems. As Fable descends deeper into a world of betrayal and deception, she learns that the secrets her mother took to her grave are now putting the people Fable cares about in danger. If Fable is going to save them, then she must risk everything - including the boy she loves and the home she has finally found.

My Thoughts: Similar to the first book in this duology, Namesake uses incredible imagery that amplifies and illustrates this sun-kissed, sea-misted world perfectly. It gave us all the bright and colorful descriptions we know and love, so that it feels like you’re on the ship with the crew or walking through a gem encrusted palace. A lot more tea was spilled in this book - figuratively and literally. In Fable, the author provided a small glimpse into each of the characters’ origin stories, but Namesake truly cracked open the family albums like embarrassing parents on a bad first date and allowed us to dive deep into each person’s history. I do wish the secondary characters such as Willa, Paj, Auster, etc. had gotten more page time because they provided a lot of depth to the story in Fable, but at least we saw a different side to Koy, who had previously left us with the impression that he was just a bloodthirsty jerk. My other critique is that this book wasn’t as eventful, and there were some scenes that felt as though something BIG was about to happen, and then they just fizzled out. West’s and Fable’s romance storyline was a lot more straightforward, which I appreciated, and though the ending felt kind of rushed, I was extremely pleased with it. Overall, I think if you enjoyed Fable, then you will appreciate Namesake!

JOSH AND HAZEL’S GUIDE TO NOT DATING by Christina Lauren

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Hazel Camille Bradford knows she’s a lot to take - and frankly, most men aren’t up to the challenge. If her army of pets and thrill for the absurd don’t send them running, her lack of filter means she’ll say exactly the wrong thing in a delicate moment. Their loss. She’s a good soul in search of honest fun. Josh Im has known Hazel since college, where her zany playfulness proved completely incompatible with his mellow restraint. From the first night they met, Josh has always thought of Hazel more as a spectacle than a peer. But now, ten years later, after a cheating girlfriend has turned his life upside down, going out with Hazel is a breath of fresh air. Not that Josh and Hazel date. At least, not each other. Because setting each other up on progressively terrible double blind dates means there’s nothing between them, right?

My Thoughts: This was the cutest book I’ve read in a while and I was absolutely smitten. It was the perfect blend of mildly cheesy parts, borderline saccharine interactions, and comedic moments that had me grinning like a doofus. Starting with Hazel, her whimsical, free-flowing spirit was excessive, benevolent, and perfect. I absolutely loved her character and think we all need someone like this in our lives to remind us not to take anything too seriously and appreciate being authentically ourselves. Josh’s character was calm, grounded, warm, generous and the perfect balance to Hazel. I thoroughly adored and enjoyed watching them go from college acquaintances to mutual friends via Josh’s sister to best friends to something a little more. The entire experience of this book was incredibly heartwarming - especially being buckled into the ride that is Hazel and Josh learning they may not be the perfect fit for everybody, but they’re perfect for each other :’). Plus there were a couple of v hot scenes sprinkled throughout, so it’s not all just “cute” lol. If you’re looking for a quick, fun romance read, this would be my recommendation for sure!

TW: I do want to note a potential trigger warning of emotional abuse. It’s not talked about outright, but through the explanation about one of Hazel’s previous relationships, it’s clear that she was being manipulated.

AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Empire risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. It is in this brutal world that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the impoverished backstreets and do not dare to challenge the Empire.

When Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, she is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy. There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier - and secretly, it’s most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize their destinies are intertwined - and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

My Thoughts: This was so different from other books that I’ve read, and definitely kept me on my toes. It was the perfect mixture of action-packed battle scenes, thoughtful emotion-provoking events, and varying perspectives that make you continuously question where everyone’s motives lie. That said, this book is pretty dark and stress-invoking - especially, in relation to the military academy - depicted through blatant cruelty, violence, and brutality towards slaves/Scholars and defecting students. There were a few times I found myself wanting to “cover my eyes” like if I was watching a scary movie during a suspenseful scene lol. The main characters had a great connection and are easy to root for. However, I definitely liked Elias a little more than Laia. I understand Laia had to blindly put her trust in the Resistance to get her brother out of prison, but she made some decisions that put me ON EDGE a few times and she is literally the worst spy ever lol. Elias just had a really genuine innocence and benevolence about him. Even as he’s cutting people down with swords, his internal conflicts about it made him so much more human and warm than the character he’s supposed to be. If that makes sense? The only reason I didn’t give this book 5 stars is because it’s randomly revealed that a second-tier character has a magical power. But, like, that was it lol. The author didn’t unpack that any further. We don’t get to know why she has it or how she got it or if any of the other characters have similar gifts - the story just keeps on pushing after that quick plot detour. So, I’m hoping there’s more explanation and insight into that discovery in the next book because I’m definitely going to continue with this series!

Trigger warning: rape is mentioned a bit in this book.

REBECCA by Daphne Du Maurier

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady’s maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives - presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave.

My Thoughts: The last time I read a book in the classics genre, I was in high school. So, I wasn’t confident in how much I was going to like this one, but was pleasantly surprised! Though it took me about 30ish pages to get into, I was really impressed with the contemporary writing style. There was definitely still the essence of it being written in the 1930s and the dialogue was a little ridiculous - like I was literally lolling at how absurd some of it was - but, overall it was easy to read. Unaware of what this book was about going into it (lol), I was tempted to put it down a couple of times because I couldn’t figure out where it was going and felt like I was just wandering aimlessly around Manderley, but after the author threw in a couple of creepy scenes and unexpected plot twists, I was invested. I also found it extremely impressive that she never used the main character’s first name. All in all, I enjoyed this book and recommend it if you’ve been considering branching out from your usual genres and want to dabble in the classics.

LOVE FROM A to Z by S.K. Ali

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: When Zayneb gets suspended for confronting her Islamophobic teacher, and he starts investigating her activist friends, Zayneb heads to her aunt’s house in Doha, Qatar for an early spring break. She resolves to try out a “nicer” version of herself in a place where no one knows her.

Then her path crosses with Adam’s. Since he got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the fall, Adam stopped going to classes with the intention of keeping the memory of his mom alive for his little sister and keeping his diagnosis a secret from his grieving father.

Alone, Adam and Zayneb are playing roles for others, keeping their real thoughts locked away in their journals until a marvel and an oddity occurs: Adam and Zayneb meeting.

My Thoughts: This was an absolutely lovely book and a much-needed narrative. I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never read a book that centers around Muslim characters, and after reading other Goodreads reviews, I realize how few and far between books like this are. This book expanded my understanding of Islam in general, the microaggressions people of that religious community face every day, the significance of Hijabs, and more. It was cool to see that the main characters, Adam and Zayneb, had different levels of religious practice and backgrounds. Zayneb was raised in a Muslim family, she wears a hijab, attends prayer at the Mosque occasionally, and her parents are more relaxed when it comes to the traditional rules for their daughters to date. Whereas Adam converted to Islam when he was nine after his mother passed away, he practices the daily prayers and attends service at the Mosque every week, and his dad is also laid back when it comes to dating. The love story of this book was cute, but I wasn’t as fully connected to it as I was to the educational aspect of this narrative. In addition to the meet-cute romance and learning portion, the storyline involving Adam’s multiple sclerosis hit close to home as someone in my family has that disease and it can be very scary. There really wasn’t anything to dislike about this book, however, there were a couple of areas where the writing style felt mildly choppy or staccato (?), I guess, would be the best way to put it. Overall, I highly recommend this read to everyone. Periodt.

TW: Islamophobia, racist micro-aggressions, cultural appropriation, death of family members, and war/victims of war.

LAST NIGHT AT THE TELEGRAPH CLUB by Malinda Lo

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can’t remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club. America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father - despite his hard-won citizenship - Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.

My Thoughts: This book was an absolute delight, and will definitely hit you in the heart and feels. This was ultimately a coming of age story about seventeen-year-old Lily Hu who is navigating her sexuality in 1950s San Francisco Chinatown. I loved how easy it was to connect with the main characters, Lily and Kath. They felt genuine and innocent at their core which made it extremely satisfying when their rebelliousness came out as they took risks to follow their hearts. The various glimpses into the past that we get from other characters’ perspectives throughout the book added the perfect amount of depth to understanding Lily’s family dynamics and melding together the overall story. The plot is pretty straightforward, but with so many different themes woven into this novel, it was hard to put down. Definitely recommend this book!

YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN by Leah Johnson

Rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars

Summary: Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay - she’s got a plan to get out of Campbell, Indiana forever: attend Pennington College, play in their orchestra and become a doctor. When the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure the social media trolls and catty competitions, but despite her fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington. The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack, who is also running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams or make them come true?

My Thoughts: I recently realized there are a bunch of audiobooks available on Spotify and being a novice to them, I figured I’d give it a try. This was a very cute, “rooting for the underdog” type of story. Though the plot was pretty predictable, it was still enjoyable. Liz’s character development was probably my favorite thing about this book. At the start, she’s quiet, keeps to herself, and is struggling with anxiety. Over the course of the story, she becomes confident in who she is and isn’t afraid to take up space that originally wasn’t available to her in this podunk town. Plus, as she grows, so do the relationships with those around her. I absolutely loved watching Liz rediscover her friendship with Jordan (he is just the most genuine soul <3) and watching her fall in love with Amanda (who is definitely cooler than me). There are your fair share of awkward, teenage, cringe-worthy moments, but empathizing with secondhand embarrassment is good for the soul, right? Overall, I really enjoyed this book and all of the messages the author layered throughout. My only critique, and this is just because it’s my first audiobook experience, I don’t think I was as invested as I would’ve been had I been reading it. The narrator (Alaska Jackson) did a phenomenal job, but I wasn’t motivated to listen to this every time I put my earbuds in, yanno?

THE EMPRESS OF SALT AND FORTUNE by Nghi Vo

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: A young royal from the far north, In-yo, is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. She has few resources, fewer friends and has to choose her allies carefully as she plans her enemies’ demise while in exile. Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace to pay a debt, befriends the emperor’s lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for.

My Thoughts: “Angry mothers raise daughters fierce enough to fight wolves. I am not worried for her in the least.” Can I get a “yussss”? This 120-page gem was the perfect mix of feminism and fantasy and we were here for it. We follow a non-binary cleric named Chi and their bird (it’s a hoopooe, but like Google that and it’s a bird) named Almost Brilliant (I’d be mildly offended, but like ok?) who are trying to learn as much as they can about the previous empress’s experience in exile from a former handmaiden, Rabbit. To keep it brief, the empress is a badass who shows her enemies what she’s made of, and the power she can muster in the middle of nowhere. This was a beautiful book about resilient and rebellious women, dripped in feminism and mythology, sprinkled with a cast of queer characters and topped off with a delightful storytelling experience. :) The only thing that threw me off was the riddle-ish writing. I got used to it, but it took a minute.

THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END by Adam Silvera

Rating: 3.8/5 stars

Summary: A little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today. Though they are complete strangers, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: there’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure - to live a lifetime in a single day.

My Thoughts: LOL. This book was different to say the least, and boy did it prove me wrong in my assumptions of where the plotline was leading. Though I didn’t connect to the characters until I was about 45% into the book, the premise of this story kept me interested enough to get me there. The main takeaways were perfectly illustrated through the character developments of Mateo and Rufus - i.e. living without fear or regret, letting go of what you can’t control, focusing on all the good around you, and finding the beauty in the unplanned or unexpected turns in life. The blooming friendship to romance between the two main characters was v cute and an endearing part of an otherwise mildly morbid novel. It was kind of slow at parts that made the experience mildly meh, but there also were some plot twists towards the end that I didn't see coming - specifically, how their last day ends lol. I didn’t get emotionally wrecked by this book (as I’ve seen many people say they were in other reviews), and if you’re not big on the writing format of constantly changing POVs, then this probs isn’t for you. Otherwise, I’d say it’s worth the read if it has piqued your interest.

THE INHERITANCE GAMES by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into a sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man’s touch - and his love of puzzles, riddles and codes. Unfortunately, the House is also occupied by the family that Tobias just dispossessed. Including the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation they would one day inherit billions. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

My Thoughts: The best way I can describe this book is that it’s like if Gossip Girl and Knives Out had a baby. I thoroughly enjoyed trying to figure out the riddles and mysteries that are Avery’s connection to Tobias Hawthorne. Admittedly, I don’t read a ton of mystery novels, but there was not one moment while reading this book that I thought I had it all figured out. Avery, the main character, was a strong lead to this story, but I think the four Hawthorne grandsons are what made it interesting. Their personalities are so contrasting to one another, and the brotherly-love dynamics truly served us some dramatics to say the least. If you like the sound of “unsupervised rich kids solving a mega rich grandfather’s last twisted riddle” and are looking for a quick read, then I highly recommend this for you. :) The sequel doesn’t come out until September, but I am definitely planning to get my hands on it!

2021 Book Count: 40 down, 15 to go.

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YOUR TURN! Let me know in the comments below what books you’re planning to read this summer. :)