My February Reading List

Well, my January reading list was completed super quickly… so, new books? I think so.

“By The Book” by Julia Sonneborn

Chronicling the ordinary life of a literature professor up for tenure at a small college… until her ex-fiance shows up as the new president of the university! Our protagonist is forced to wrestle her current and former feelings while keeping her head above water at work, with her family, and with the new guy she started seeing. How will it all play out?? Hmmm…

I absolutely adored this “ode to bookish girls… and the men who love them.” Side note: for someone like moi, who isn’t too ooey-and-gooey mushy with my feelings all the time, this has hands-down one of my all-time most romantic scenes ever. And it happens twice: *cue me squealing.* (So, future whoever-you-are, take notes. Lol.) JK. Ok, back to the 2018 novel, it’s not too cheesy romantic, but feels current and realistic and keeps you turning the page (which I finished in a day lol.). Would definitely recommend to all the book lovers out there reading this! One of my February faves, for sure!

“Still Me” by Jojo Moyes

Written as a sequel/follow-up of sorts to the book-turned-movie “Me Before You” (the latter which starred Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin; and the former which made me cry), “Still Me” picks up post-“Me Before You” and sees Louisa Clark as she moves to the Big Apple working as a caregiver to a Manhattan elite-type family.

Of course there’s love and drama, and intrigue (and plenty of all three!) to keep the pages turning. The one plus: I didn’t cry in this book, so seriously thanks Jojo Moyes, my tear ducts thank you! (Because you know, they are such a mess due to other programs and books *cough cough* “This is Us.”)

“Match Made in Manhattan” by Amanda Stauffer

This was my cheesy Manhattan Millennial read this month. (Also being a Millennial in NYC when online dating is so popular, it’s um *cough cough* accurate.) A twenty-something serial monogamist living in NYC breaks up with her serious boyfriend and tries Match dot com. Capturing a series of bad and interesting profiles, our protagonist encounters a unique batch of suitors to say the least (and as a single girl in Manhattan, I can’t say I disagree lol).

It was cute, and made me laugh-out-loud at the sheer relatability (which idk if it should be??). Definitely a modern-day beach read for sure. Fair warning: while yes our heroine gets a happily-ever-after ending, it’s not the way we all would expect– which I like, because reality isn’t all sunshines and rainbows and every other scripted scenario from “The Bachelor.”

Next up on nightstand:

“Luckiest Girl Alive” by Jessica Knoll

Soon to be adapted into a film from “Big Little Lies” star and producer Reese Witherspoon, the novel describes protagonist Ani’s “perfect life as a lie.” Hmm… After a shocking public humiliation in high school, Ani was desperate to reinvent herself; and it seems she has. Until a buried painful and private secret threatens her seemingly perfect facade and could ruin everything. With “a singular voice and twists you won’t see coming,” this has the potential to be a dramatic page-turner and I can’t wait to find out this secret and if it could destroy Ani’s life or set her free from the truth. Color me intrigued…

“Someday, Someday Maybe” by Lauren Graham

Well, I’m finally going to give the debut novel of everyone’s favorite TV mom (aka Lauren Graham) a chance. I wanted to read for ages, and I finally took the plunge and picked up at the bookstore post-January reads.

In her fiction debut, that slightly is reminiscent of her own experience as a young actor in New York, Graham chronicles dreamer Franny who’s Broadway goals are still unfulfilled based on her set timeline, but she’s not ready to give up yet. We follow Franny who “keeps believing that she might just get what she came for.” And I think I might just get what I wanted with this novel: an adorable read that will be hard to put down.