Happy book day, friends! I'm so excited to be sharing books with y'all today because I've read so many good books lately! Chris started working nights a few days before the new year (so brutal), which has been a good excuse for me to get some reading done! Also, I had quite a few First to Read ARCs that expired January 1, so I had to finish quickly. Because of this, December was heavy on historical fiction, but it all worked out since most of these books were fantastic!
(c/o NetGalley)
I waited till December to read this book thinking it had a Christmas theme (it didn't), but it was still a great, light read for this time of year, which I really needed after some heavy books. I sped through it and was excited to see how it would end. Here's the thing: I really loved the way the ending was done, but I hated some of the events that lead up to the ending. Some of the main characters' actions really didn't sit right with me, and I think this cheapened the ending a bit. I'm obviously being vague on purpose to avoid spoilers, but I'm happy to discuss it with those who have read it. Overall, it was a cute read, and I would definitely recommend it.
(c/o Penguin First to Read)
Wow, what a story! This historical fiction novel set in the 1920s features Alice "Nobody" James, who, after fleeing a life entrenched in the New York mafia, finds herself at Paragon Hotel, Portland's only all-black hotel. It weaves between Nobody's life in New York and the racism she witnesses as she is thrust into life at The Paragon Hotel. This novel is heartbreaking, interesting, and relevant. One of the things I love about historical fiction is learning something new, and this book taught me so much: about the Italian Mafia in New York, the Prohibition Era, and the rise of the KKK in Oregon (I had no idea Oregon was originally established as an all-white "utopia"-wow!). It's powerful and beautiful, and the only reason I can't give it five stars is the ending fell a little flat for me.
This book definitely lived up to the hype. The writing is absolutely beautiful, and the story is both heartbreaking and hopeful. I love when historical fiction teaches me something new, and I feel like I really have a better grasp on the situation in Cuba, past and present.
(c/o Penguin First to Read)
I read this book right after I read Next Year in Havana, and I was so excited to read a book with Beatriz as the main character. She's a great character, and I loved how she went outside of the norm of society. I didn't love this book as much as Next Year in Havana because I didn't like the romance as much and didn't feel quite as connected to the characters. Overall, though, I liked that this book gave a better overview of life for exiles in the United States after the Cuban Revolution!
(c/o Penguin First to Read)
I love Susan Meissner's books because they always teach me something new. In this case, I learn a lot about internment camps during World War II. Overall, I liked the main character, but this book did lack some emotion for me. It was a good read, but I have read better books from Susan Meissner.
(c/o NetGalley)
Taylor Jenkins Reid is an incredible author. Honestly, when I read the description of this book (about the rise and fall of a fictitious band in the 1970s), I thought that if it wasn't written by Taylor Jenkins Reid, I wouldn't have read it. This story was just incredible. It was heartbreaking, beautiful, and just so raw. I felt a rollercoaster of emotions. I loved the interview format-it was so perfect for this book! I pretty much loved everything about it, except one thing towards the end, but it wasn't enough to change my rating from five stars. I rarely give out five stars, but this book is absolutely worth it. I want to start all over from the beginning!
Favorite reads in Month: The Paragon Hotel, Next Year in Havana, and Daisy Jones & the Six.
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