Fast Five Fridays Archives

Lightning Round Reviews.

These are all 2020 reads I enjoyed and recommend adding to your own TBR. Read these five mini reviews to see if the book is a good fit for you!

ONE TO WATCH: This romance novel is perfect for fans of The Bachelor and reality TV. I enjoy neither, yet I LOVED this book. You’ll enjoy taking this journey with Bea and the commentary on inclusivity and being sex-positive and body-positive elevate the book above your average rom-com. The killer fashion & exotic destinations don’t hurt either.

MIDNIGHT AT THE BRIGHT IDEAS BOOKSTORE: (CW: suicide, murder) A mystery set around a bookstore? Count me in! This book is a touch darker than your cozy book for bibliophiles but lighter than your average thriller and with MANY more bookish references. This book takes on a lot, but it’s an enjoyable read as a suicide in the book store where Lydia works causes her to reexamine her past, present, & future.

SORRY I MISSED YOU: Quirky, unique, and hopeful. Three strangers with nothing common move in as tenants in a rental home. When an illegible and cryptic note appears in the mailbox each thinks it’s for them – a ghost from their past coming back to make amends. Or possibly haunt them. Speaking of ghosts, is that what’s causing the strange things happening inside the house? Unlikely friendships form as characters try to unravel the mysteries. It’s funny, heartfelt, cozy, & mysterious; the perfect fall read.

THE OVERDUE LIFE OF AMY BYLER: Amy is a small-town librarian and supermom, but that doesn’t leave her time for much else. When her estranged husband reappears and takes the kids over the summer, she doesn’t know what to do with herself. A trip to NYC could be lifechanging, as she finally has an opportunity to put herself first. This women’s fiction is funny and charming, but it’s the relationships that really shine here.

THE BRIGHT SIDE OF GOING DARK (CW: suicide) Mia is a social media influencer with a perfect life- until it falls apart. Paige is a techie who prefers algorithms to emotions. As multiple storylines intersect 3 women all learn how going out of your comfort zone can change your life for the better.

What do these five books have in common? They’ve all been sitting in my “To Be Reviewed” pile for too long! So, today I’m doing “Lightning Round Reviews” and giving my take on each title in one short paragraph.

Let’s go!

1. 📚 I’D RATHER BE READING

This book spoke to my bibliophile soul. I’m a longtime fan of @annebogel and loved her musings on life as a reader. I also appreciate that she too struggles to write reviews at times and discuss what exactly she enjoys about a book. Reading this was so comforting and felt like a chat with one of my best bookish friend who gets all the #bookwormproblems we face.

I gave this book four stars.

2. 🏨GIRL, INTERRUPTED –

I read this for my nonfiction pick in May for Mental Health Awareness Month. It was troubling to hear Kaysen’s account of the mental healthcare system in the 1960s. Still, it was insightful and an important reminder that having these conversations and shedding light on mental healthcare will help normalize and make care more accessible to those who need it.

I gave this book four stars.

3. 📝THE ROXY LETTERS-

I liked the idea of the book more than I actually liked it. Told entirely in letters, this follows Roxy, a bit of a hot mess as she tries to get it together. There were some funny parts, but Roxy’s immaturity and poor choices made it hard to really enjoy.

I’d probably skip this one. I gave it three stars.

4. 📚BY THE BOOK-

Such a cute read! This YA book is filled with quirky characters, myriad literary references, and plenty of moments that will make you laugh as Mary Porter-Malcom learns that books don’t hold the answer to everything in life- some things she’ll have to experience for herself.

This book is a delightful read for bibliophiles. I gave it four stars.

While I didn’t review this book on Instagram, I did feature it in my June Reading Wrap Up, where you can read more about the plot and my thoughts.

5. 🎤ON THE COME UP-

I adored this book! This was my introduction to Angie Thomas and I absolutely loved her storytelling and characters. I also appreciate the very important themes getting discussed in YA novels. Looking forward to THUG, whuch I’ve heard fantastic things about as well. I listened on audio with Libro.FM and Bhani Turpin, one of my favorite narrators did such a fantastic job bringing it to life, especially the rap scenes.

I gave On The Come Up five stars and recommend it to teens and adults alike!

Do you struggle to keep up with reviewing what you read, or are you good about getting them written and posted? This is a great way to play catch-up on books and get that other TBR pile under control!