People Person by Candice Carty-Williams

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars 

Pages: 336 pages
Published: April 2022

People Person by Candice Carty-Williams is her second novel after bestselling and award-winning novel, Queenie, which I also adored! While I did see some similarities in the main character, Dimple, of People Person, the more recent book is a complete departure from the first. This is not a criticism. I find it refreshing when authors can write and offer something new rather than formulaic. Well, I am getting a little ahead of myself. Let me tell you about the book. 

It centers around Dimple and her four half-siblings: Nikisha, Danny, Lizzie, and Prynce. Having grown up without financial or emotional support from their absent father, Cyril Pennington, the siblings don't know a whole lot about one another until one day when Cyril picks them up in his gold Jeep and takes them to the park for ice cream. For the remainder of their formative years, they largely grow up with little interaction (save the oldest, Nikisha, and the youngest, Prynce, who have the same mother). However, at the age of 30 Dimple finds herself in a troubling situation and remembering her oldest half sibling, Nikisha, told her she could call if she ever needed anything on that fateful day they all met in the park, Dimple takes her upon that offer. Nikisha calls the other three siblings and together they find themselves in a tense situation that brings them together and helps them learn more about one another ... and their absent father too.

When I first began this book, I thought there is no way I am going to be able to enjoy it and follow this cast of characters than Carty-Williams sets up in the first chapter. However, she is such an excellent storyteller than I quickly found myself engrossed in the shenanigans that the Pennington siblings were trying to resolve as a family unit. Each character is distinctly developed that makes it easy to follow and fall in love with their flaws. Having said that, some characters, like Dimple, were a little more frustrating at times than others. But isn't that the way people work outside of books too? 

I found this story to be driving, funny, and endearing further solidifying my love of Carty-Williams' writing. We need more stories like this that feature people of color. 

Recommendation: I highly recommend this book. I snagged my copy at Barnes & Noble, but I am sure you can find it at your local library or discount book store since it's been over a year since initial publication. I think it would make for a fun Saturday afternoon read. 

Please note there are some descriptions of violence, domestic abuse, and a couple of mild sex scenes. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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We are the Light by Matthew Quick

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars 

Pages: 256 pages
Published: November 2021

I held high hopes for my latest Book of the Month selection. Written by the same author who wrote the critically-acclaimed book turned movie, Silver Linings Playbook, We are the Light touches on some of the same themes of Matthew Quick’s earlier popular book. In the quaint community of Majestic, Pennsylvania reeling and trying to heal after a mass shooting at a local theater, we find Lucas, the main character deep in grief after an unimaginable tragedy and the abrupt and involuntary end of his relationship with his Jungian analyst, Karl. The book is told in epistolary format as Lucas writes unanswered letters to Karl. In the midst of these letters, the reader learns that Eli, the brother of the mass shooter, has taken up residence by pitching a tent in Lucas' backyard. This circumstance creates an opportunity for Lucas to help Eli in the aftermath of this tragedy. 

The book is relatively short, but there is a level of complexity and a large cast of detailed characters that make it a slower read. The heavy themes of grief,  tragedy, abusive relationships, anger, spirituality and gun-control are a lot to process. Additionally, because of the format in which the story is told, there isn't much room for dialogue and the narrator (Lucas) comes off as a bit of a rambler. I am not sure if that's the challenging writing style or if it is done on purpose so that the reader can sense the same despair as the main character. Finally, the aspect of Jungian therapy didn't resonate with me. I don't know if this is because I don't know a lot about it or it's too complex of a therapy method to cram into a ~250-page novel. 

Overall, I found this book to be promising, but I think I read it at the wrong time. I was looking for something lighter to begin closing out the year, even bypassing a book about suicide, to read this one because I thought there would be a little more light at the end of the tunnel. While the ending did create a bit of a lift, it wasn't as satisfying as I would have liked. After listening to Quick's interview on the Virtual Book Tour podcast, I can appreciate that he tried to provide some light for the reader. 

Recommendation: I've said it before, books find us a different times. Sometimes it's the right time, but I think this book wasn't something I was ready to read during the holiday season. If I was a re-reader, I might pick it up again. However, I will chalk this up to a BOTM loss for me. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy

Rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Pages: 320 pages
Published: August 2022

I’m not gonna lie. When I first read the title of former child star Jennette McCurdy’s book, I’m Glad My Mom Died, I thought it was a little harsh. Who really thinks that? Who actually says that? Who writes that down for all the world to see? Well, apparently, Jennette McCurdy does. And after reading her memoir, I’m less judgey about her title. Honestly, I’m kinda glad her mom died too. 

McCurdy grew up in a dysfunctional household with a manipulative narcissist for a mother who coerced her into child acting well before the age of 10. Many parents and their children grew to love her as she played the character of Samantha Puckett on Nickelodeon’s iCarly and spin-off Sam & Cat sitcoms. I do not have children, and I was too old to watch these shows at the time they aired, but what seems like a fun thing turned out to be a grueling career - especially for someone so young. 

I think McCurdy did an excellent job with the writing in this book. She presents her autobiographical information in such a way that the tone and thought processes align with her age at the time being described and not her synthesis of it as a young adult. I think this made the book very engaging and also allowed the reader to feel the emotions she was feeling. There were so many times when I just wanted to give 6-year old Jennette a big ole hug. The first third of the book is dark, the second third is very dark and the last portion of the book offers some hope and much-needed light. The reason for my less than five-star review is that I felt that some of the stories jumped around a bit and often made it difficult to follow the timeline. Having said that, if you don’t get caught up in those details and just focus on the emotion and challenges, I don’t think it takes too much away from the story. 

I took away so many things from McCurdy’s story, but one of the main things that is still troubling me after completing the book is the use of child actors for such graphic shows and films. For example, do we really need to be employing and featuring child rape victims on Law & Order? Yes, I get that those situations and storylines are a reality, but do we need to subject real children for fictional stories to satisfy our need for entertainment. Additionally, I think every child actor should have a third-party advocate that stands to gain no financial benefit from his or her career but rather be put in place to guard against children basically being forced into a career with grueling schedules like McCurdy faced. Overall, we must work to protect the physical and mental well-being of children. 

Recommendation: This was a difficult but necessary read. I pray blessings and continued growth for McCurdy. I wouldn’t recommend reading this book at a dark time in your life as it is very depressing in certain parts, but I would encourage everyone to read it - especially mothers. And take it in bite-sized chunks. This is easily accomplished with the short 91 chapters in 320 pages. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire (audiobook)

Rating: 2 of 5 stars 

Duration: 10:30:53
Published: January 2014

I listened to Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire as part of a group read with a small group of coworkers. Let me just say, this is not a book I would have read on my own. It is not something I would have enjoyed in my late teens/early 20s. And it is not something I care to listen to nor read again. The over-written teen romance novel surrounds Abby Abernathy, her best friend, America, and her college mate, Travis Maddox. 

The book is too long. It’s basically something you might watch on the CW television station where teens are in angst about their love interest of the moment. There is no real depth to the story, there is an absence of diversity, and much of the plot is far-fetched and unrealistic. Additionally, I found the main male character, Travis, to be emotionally abusive to Abby, and I don’t think the book addressed this properly and glorified his outrageous behavior. I didn’t find a ton of value in this book. I don’t think I really learned anything other than I definitely do not enjoy this genre. The best part of this read/listen was discussing it with coworkers over happy hour. 

Recommendation: This probably would have been a DNF (did not finish) for me had I not been reading with others. I do not recommend this book at all, especially for someone in my demographic. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley

Rating: 5 of 5 stars 

Pages: 342 pages
Published: May 2022

I don’t even recall where I first heard of Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley, but like many books this one found me at just the right time. The story is centered around, you guessed it, Iona Iverson who commutes to work on the train from Hampton Court to Waterloo Station everyday. She’s made up nicknames for the repeat commuters based on their physical traits. Then, one day, a man she’s deemed the “Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader” chokes on a grape, and this man, Iona, and several other people connect and create an eclectic group of relationships with one another. 

There is nothing surprising about this book. Honestly, a lot of it is predictable, but I think that’s the beauty of this novel. From the moment you pick it up, you know where it’s going, the message is conveying, and the vehicle it’s using to get there, but much like a train ride, it’s a fun, predictable journey nonetheless less. I’m a sucker for a train ride, and I very much enjoyed meeting Iona and the people around her in this heartfelt story that left me with a smile on my face. 

Recommendation: If you’re feeling down and just need some good and kindness in your life, this book is an excellent choice. Thank you to the Fort Worth Digital Library for this loan. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

Read More