Roni's June Recs: Read - Watch - Listen

Hey there! It’s summer!

The heat has been blazing here in Texas, so it’s felt like summer for a while, but I know it just became official yesterday. However, I hope you’re already enjoying all those summery things so many of us look forward to.

For me, summer is about vacations, slower days, piles of books to read, escapist TV shows, and listening to great audiobooks and podcasts in the car as I bring the kiddo back and forth to all the summer things.

So I thought today, I’d share some of my favorite finds so far this month!

READ

People have varying ideas of what constitutes a “summer read”. The most classic definition is a frothy, escapist book that is often set on or near a beach and has a cover of bright, summery colors or photos of aforementioned beach. I can definitely be down with that kind of read. However, I don’t limit my summer reading to that.

For me, a summer read means a book that sweeps me away, that I can get lost in. For instance, the first read below is decidedly NOT a summer setting. However, I read almost the whole thing at a NASCAR race when I was hiding underneath the stands from the absolutely boil-your-organs heat. If I can get lost in a book while I’m that hot and while listening to the deafening sound of race cars, that is a book that is truly escapist.

I also tend to reach for “juicy” books during the summer. Over the top reads that are just a little too much but in the best way.

So here we go!

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

About the book:

Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike―particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.

Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.

Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?

When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything―including her own life.

My thoughts:

This was a Book of the Month pick and pushed one of my big reader buttons—my love of a campus novel. (Want more campus novel recs? Check out this post.) I haven’t read The Silent Patient (though I own it and plan to) but the concept of this one called to me, so I picked it up first. Sometimes when it’s hot outside, there’s nothing like escaping into a some place cooler. A prestigious university in England fit the bill. There are lots of twists and turns to keep the pages flipping and enough characterization that my character-driven heart was satisfied.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

About the book:

Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold―a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed.

Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country’s magical military elite―and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift.

As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation.

Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems.

My thoughts:

I read Ninth House by Leigh Badugo a while back and I LOVED it. So when I realized I’d missed her popular GrishaVerse series (and that it was about to become a Netflix show), I knew I needed to remedy this immediately. I’m not always in the mood for a fantasy-type read. I tend to have a love/hate relationship with the genre. When I read a fantasy book, it either becomes one of my favorites of the year or I can’t get though it. I rarely have middling feelings about them.

However, I’m happy to report that Shadow and Bone, which is based on a Russian type mythology, totally hooked me. Really, anything that has a character named The Darkling probably had my name on it. I do love a darkly charming is he/isn’t he a villain type character. I raced through the whole trilogy and promptly bought the spinoffs. Since then, I’ve read Six of Crows (which I liked but didn’t love quite as much since it’s more of a heist-based plot) and have taken a break from the series just because I don’t like to stay in one zone for too long. I will go back though. Choose this if you want to binge a series.

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

About the book:

Frances is a coolheaded and darkly observant young woman, vaguely pursuing a career in writing while studying in Dublin. Her best friend is the beautiful and endlessly self-possessed Bobbi. At a local poetry performance one night, they meet a well-known photographer, and as the girls are then gradually drawn into her world, Frances is reluctantly impressed by the older woman’s sophisticated home and handsome husband, Nick. But however amusing Frances and Nick’s flirtation seems at first, it begins to give way to a strange—and then painful—intimacy.

Written with gemlike precision and marked by a sly sense of humor, Conversations with Friends is wonderfully alive to the pleasures and dangers of youth, and the messy edges of female friendship.

My thoughts:

Last year, one of my favorite reads was Normal People by Sally Rooney. It was far outside of what I normally read—her books are often labeled grim millennial literary fiction. But for some reason, it grabbed me. I watched the TV show first though, so I thought that may have been why. So I picked up Conversations with Friends with a bit of trepidation because I didn’t know if I’d still enjoy the writing as much if I hadn’t formed images of the characters first from a TV show.

I shouldn’t have worried. I can’t exactly pinpoint WHY Rooney’s writing works for me, but it does. As a writer, I tend to write very open, talk-about-their-feelings kinds of characters. (I think this comes from my former therapist background.) So, a book like this where everyone is SO EMOTIONALLY REPRESSED should drive me nuts. And on one level, it does. I want to shake them and tell them, “Just tell people how you feel, dammit!” But but but, I can’t stop reading lol.

This book is grim and literary and there isn’t a ton of plot. (I’m really selling it, eh?) But it’s deeply character-driven, and I’m a junkie for characterization. So…your mileage may vary if you don’t read much lit fic, but I’ll definitely be picking up Rooney’s next novel because her books seem to scratch some itch I didn’t know I had.

I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron

About the book:

With her disarming, intimate, completely accessible voice, and dry sense of humor, Nora Ephron shares with us her ups and downs in I Feel Bad About My Neck, a candid, hilarious look at women who are getting older and dealing with the tribulations of maintenance, menopause, empty nests, and life itself.

Ephron chronicles her life as an obsessed cook, passionate city dweller, and hapless parent. But mostly she speaks frankly and uproariously about life as a woman of a certain age. Utterly courageous, uproariously funny, and unexpectedly moving in its truth telling, I Feel Bad About My Neck is a scrumptious, irresistible treat of a book, full of truths, laugh out loud moments that will appeal to readers of all ages.

My thoughts:

Do I really have to sell you on Nora Ephron? Probably not. If you’re looking for something to make you laugh but that also has some poignant and thought-provoking parts, this is for you. Ephron writes in a way that makes it feel like you’re having drinks will a really wry and entertaining friend. I raced through this one and highlighted a lot of passages. The sections toward the end made me a little sad, knowing she’s not with us anymore, but I’m so glad I read it. Just her thoughts on raising adolescents made me feel better because I’m in the thick of that phase of parenting right now, lol.

WATCH

When it comes to TV watching, I have shows I watch with my whole family, ones I watch just with the kiddo (age 13), ones I watch just with the hubs, and ones I watch alone. I’m looking for different criteria in each category, but here are a few that I’m loving right now.

Show I’m Watching with the Fam

The Good Place (Netflix)

I had watched some of this series on my own when it first came out but then I lost track of it. However, when I was looking for a new show to watch with the whole family, it came up as a suggestion. I’m so glad I went back to it! All three of us are fully enjoying it and truly do laugh aloud. It’s so freaking clever.

The basic premise is that Eleanor (Kristen Bell) has died and finds herself in The Good Place (aka heaven) but it isn’t what she’d thought it be and she realizes quickly that she’s not supposed to be there…because she was actually a really crappy person on earth. But she can’t let anyone find out because then she’ll be sent to the bad place. Antics ensue.

Please don’t look for spoilers—just dive in and enjoy. Also note that even though I’m listing this as a family watch, I wouldn’t recommend it for younger kids. They can’t curse in the good place (it changes curse words to substitutes—go fork yourself) but there are some sexual jokes and situations.

Shows I Watch Solo

Cruel Summer (Hulu)

Admission: I love a soapy, over-the-top or overly angsty teen or college show. I grew up on Dawson’s Creek and Felicity and My So-Called Life. I don’t care that I’m in my 40s, these kinds of shows are still like candy to me. So, when I saw that Cruel Summer was going to be about high school students, a kidnapped teen, and that it was set in the 90s, I was all in.

The premise is unique—each episode covers the same day on each of three different years. So you see parts of the story from the year before/when the kidnapping took place, the year while the girl was missing, and the year of aftermath. The triple timeline really keeps you guessing and there are lots of twists along the way. I finished it this week and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. And fun bonus, it was taped nearby, so I recognized a lot of the locations.

Shadow & Bone (Netflix)

As I mentioned above, I loved the books, so I definitely was interested in the show. I’m only a few episodes in, but so far, they seem to be doing a good job translating the book to screen. I will note, however, that though it’s called Shadow and Bone, they also weaved in the Six of Crows book. So, if you’re someone who wants to read the books before the show, you’ll need to read Shadow & Bone and Six of Crows not to be spoiled.

Elite (Netflix)

I am brand new to this one, so I can’t necessarily recommend it yet, but I’ve watched two episodes so far and I’m intrigued. Warning, this is a show from Spain, so you either have to pick dubbed dialogue or read subtitles. I tried the dubbed, but it sounded weird to me. I’m liking the subtitles better.

As I mentioned above, I love a campus novel, so hearing that this show was set at an elite high school where three not-so-elite outsiders have gotten scholarships pushed my campus novel button. Mean girls, entitled boys, too much money and hormones and not enough parental supervision? Yes, please. If that’s your thing, maybe check it out. I will note that this is about teens but NOT a teen show. There is nudity/sex.

What I’m Watching with the Teen

Big Bang Theory

I missed this show the first time around, but the kiddo and I are enjoying the heck out of working our way through these. I love a show that is both clever and makes you genuinely laugh out loud. And it can be kind of tough to find something that both me and the thirteen year old can enjoy together, so this is perfect.

LISTEN

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

I’m not all the way through this, but it’s been so entertaining so far. I love listening to a memoir as an audiobook because I think it just adds so much to hear a person tell their own story. And Matthew is a storyteller. He’s that guy you’d buy a beer, and he’d just weave tales about “this one time.” His stories are funny and entertaining. He intersperses “bumper sticker” lessons and some poetry. He laughs at his own stories. It’s just a fun ride.

Whew! That was a lot. I hope you found something to add to your summer! Happy reading and watching and listening, y’all. :)

What’s been your favorite read, watch, or listen so far this summer season?

My Summer Reading Wrap-Up & My Book Is Turned In!

Hi y’all! Long time, no blog. I know it’s been a while because I was in the deadline cave, but I’m happy to report that I FINALLY turned in my book! This will be book one in a new contemporary romance series that I’m very excited about. I’ll share more details when I can. Also, I have a new online romance writing class open! (See the bottom of this post for the details or click the link.)

Now on to the real reason why we’re here—books. Since it’s the first day of fall (not that it feels like it in Dallas with our 96 degree high today—UGH), I thought it’d be a good time to share some of what I’ve been reading the second half of the summer. (If you want to see my first half of summer list, go here.) Because even though I was in the deadline cave, I was still reading. If I stop reading, I stop writing. I’m also happy to report that I’ve already completed my Goodreads annual challenge of reading 60 books! I get a thrill every year when I hit that number. I blame Pizza Hut’s Book It program when I was a kid. I love counting up how many books I’ve read and hitting some goal. #nerd

So, what have I been reading? Let’s dive in.

Sweetest Romance

The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg (Btw, the hardback is currently on sale for $7.99, which is 3 bucks cheaper than the Kindle version.)

I thought this was a perfect summer read. A funny and sweet romance set in the world of food trucks. The characters were great and felt real. I also liked the fact that it was set in Arizona. I realized I haven’t read a lot of books set in that part of the west. My only complaint was that romance-loving me wanted an epilogue at the end to see a little more of these characters and their romance.

About the book:

Max: Chill. Sports. Video games. Gay and not a big deal, not to him, not to his mom, not to his buddies. And a secret: An encounter with an older kid that makes it hard to breathe, one that he doesn't want to think about, ever.

Jordan: The opposite of chill. Poetry. His "wives" and the Chandler Mall. Never been kissed and searching for Mr. Right, who probably won't like him anyway. And a secret: A spiraling out of control mother, and the knowledge that he's the only one who can keep the family from falling apart.

Throw in a rickety, 1980s-era food truck called Coq Au Vinny. Add in prickly pears, cloud eggs, and a murky idea of what's considered locally sourced and organic. Place it all in Mesa, Arizona, in June, where the temp regularly hits 114. And top it off with a touch of undeniable chemistry between utter opposites.

Over the course of one summer, two boys will have to face their biggest fears and decide what they're willing to risk -- to get the thing they want the most.

Steamiest Romance

Misadventures with a Professor by Sierra Simone

Everyone had been telling me to try Sierra Simone, and I just hadn’t gotten to one of her books yet. I’m so glad I finally did! This one was well-written and hawt. Plus, some of her metaphors made me envious (nerdy writer moments brought to you by Roni.) I promptly went out and bought more of her books.

About the book:

Zandy Lynch never planned on going to grad school a virgin. So when her professor father finds her a job abroad as a research assistant the summer before she starts her master’s program, she sees her chance. She’s got one night in London to lose her V-card to a Mr. Darcy lookalike before she has to join some ancient professor in the country.

Oliver Graeme is not looking forward to having some American co-ed hovering around while he’s trying to work, but he owes her father the favor, and besides, his office is an untidy mess of uncatalogued research. He needs the help. Still, he decides to take the edge off his frustration while visiting a colleague in London, and winds up having the sexiest, sweetest night of his life with a stranger, who vanishes in the morning without a trace…

To Zandy’s shock when she arrives at Professor Graeme’s house a day later, the door isn’t opened by a fussy old scholar, but by the wild, passionate man she met in London. Cold and reserved by day, Oliver is ferociously greedy with her at night, and it’s not long before Zandy finds herself falling for both versions of him―the aloof professor and the generous, rough lover. The trouble is that summer only lasts so long, and Zandy already has a plane ticket waiting to take her home…

Creepiest Mindf**k

Verity by Colleen Hoover

This one was super dark and quite the mindf**k, so of course I loved it, lol. It had a gothic feel (big house, invalid wife, spooky kid) and was legitimately creepy. It also kept me guessing. I was rooting for it not to be a certain type of trope that I really dislike and it wasn’t. Hurrah! It kept me guessing until the end. I have a feeling this is the kind of book someone will either love or hate. I fell on the love side.

About the book:

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of the night their family was forever altered.

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.

Best for a Mental Reboot

Who is not in need of a mental reboot? I have two picks in this category. The first is a short little read but backed with great nuggets.

In Praise of Wasting Time by Alan Lightman

About the book:

In this timely and essential book that offers a fresh take on the qualms of modern day life, Professor Alan Lightman investigates the creativity born from allowing our minds to freely roam, without attempting to accomplish anything and without any assigned tasks.

We are all worried about wasting time. Especially in the West, we have created a frenzied lifestyle in which the twenty-­four hours of each day are carved up, dissected, and reduced down to ten minute units of efficiency. We take our iPhones and laptops with us on vacation. We check email at restaurants or our brokerage accounts while walking in the park. When the school day ends, our children are overloaded with “extras.” Our university curricula are so crammed our young people don’t have time to reflect on the material they are supposed to be learning. Yet in the face of our time-driven existence, a great deal of evidence suggests there is great value in “wasting time,” of letting the mind lie fallow for some periods, of letting minutes and even hours go by without scheduled activities or intended tasks.

Gustav Mahler routinely took three or four-­hour walks after lunch, stopping to jot down ideas in his notebook. Carl Jung did his most creative thinking and writing when he visited his country house. In his 1949 autobiography, Albert Einstein described how his thinking involved letting his mind roam over many possibilities and making connections between concepts that were previously unconnected. With In Praise of Wasting Time, Professor Alan Lightman documents the rush and heave of the modern world, suggests the technological and cultural origins of our time-­driven lives, and examines the many values of “wasting time”—for replenishing the mind, for creative thought, and for finding and solidifying the inner self. Break free from the idea that we must not waste a single second, and discover how sometimes the best thing to do is to do nothing at all.

Slow by Brooke McAlary

The second pick is a more comprehensive look at how to slow down, declutter, and it leans toward the minimalism philosophy. Some minimalist books can be extreme, but I found this one to be a practical and doable approach.

About the book:

What is slow living? It's a way to find happiness by stepping away from the never-ending demands to constantly succeed and acquire more and more. It's easy to get stuck in the carousel of frantically wanting, buying, and upgrading the things in your life. The philosophy of simple living is about finding the freedom to be less perfect and taking time to enjoy the pure joys of life: a walk in the forest, sharing laughter with family, a personal moment of gratitude. Reconnecting with the living world can help you integrate moments of peace, joy, and mindfulness into an otherwise rapid life.

Simple living: After being diagnosed with post-natal depression, Brooke McAlary learned about the power of minimalism and found that the key to happiness was a simpler, more fulfilling existence. She put the brakes on her stressful path and reorganized her life to live outside the status-quo, emphasizing depth, connection, and meaningful experiences. Brooke shares the story of her journey alongside practical advice for simplifying in ways that work for your life.

Most Compelling on Audio

Evil Has a Name by Paul Holes & Jim Clemente

This was a 6-hour audiobook that I listened to in one day (things you can do when you finally turn in your overdue manuscript.) I found this super compelling and well-told. Now, a caveat: I read I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara already, so this paired well with that. I don’t know if it would have had the same resonance had I not read the other book first. Because in McNamara’s book, you get to meet Paul Holes (the cop/investigator and narrator of this book) through her eyes. Then, in this audiobook, he talks about meeting her. So if you haven’t read, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark and you can handle reading true crime, I highly recommend it. Here’s my original review of that one. Both together paint a really full picture. Also, note the trigger warnings at the bottom of the description.

About the book:

The Golden State Killer. The East Area Rapist. The Original Night Stalker. The Visalia Ransacker.

The monster who preyed on Californians from 1976 to 1986 was known by many aliases. And while numerous police sketches tried to capture his often-masked visage, the Golden State Killer spent more than 40 years not only faceless, but nameless.

For his victims, for their families and for the investigators tasked with finding him, the senselessness and brutality of the Golden State Killer's acts were matched only by the powerlessness they felt at failing to uncover his identity. To be sure, the chances of obtaining closure - or any form of justice - after so many years were slim to none, at best.

Then, on April 24, 2018, authorities arrested 72-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo at his home in Citrus Heights, Calif., based on DNA evidence linked to the crimes. Amazingly, it seemed, evil finally had a name.

Delivering all-new details about the investigation and a stunning final act to the events of Michelle McNamara's haunting best seller, I'll Be Gone in the Dark, this is the true story of how the suspected Golden State Killer was captured, as told, first-hand, by those closest to the case:

Paul Holes - the forensic criminologist and retired Costa County detective who spent 20 years trying to crack the Golden State Killer case, and finally did.

Jim Clemente (Host) - a retired FBI profiler and former New York City prosecutor who has investigated some of the highest profile criminal cases in U.S. history, including The Unabomber.

Please note: This work contains descriptions of violent crime and sexual assault and may not be suitable for all listeners.

So, as you can see, it’s been a great summer of reading! I can’t wait to see what the fall brings.

What’s your favorite thing you’ve read this summer?

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My Favorite Summer Reads of 2019 So Far

Happy July! How’s your summer reading going? Is the pile getting any shorter or is it just growing as you add more books to it?

I’ve been reading like a maniac. This tends to happen when I’m in drafting mode for a book. After I dump all those words onto the page every day, I need my brain refilled with other people’s stories. I read 11 books in June, which is a high count for me, and I’m happy to report that there were some great ones in the mix.

So, I thought it’d be a good time to recommend my favorite summer reads so far. Also, if you like hearing my book recommendations, I encourage you to sign up for my newsletter, which is usually filled with my favorite book recs.

Most Fun to Read

Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

I read all kind of books in the summer, so I don’t stick to only “breezy” books for summer, but if there was ever a perfect poolside read, it was this one. So funny and sweet and sexy. I gobbled this one up on my beach vacation and was left with a big smile on my face.

About the book:

A big-hearted romantic comedy in which First Son Alex falls in love with Prince Henry of Wales after an incident of international proportions forces them to pretend to be best friends...

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations.

The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. Alex is busy enough handling his mother’s bloodthirsty opponents and his own political ambitions without an uptight royal slowing him down. But beneath Henry’s Prince Charming veneer, there’s a soft-hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him.

As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. And Henry throws everything into question for Alex, an impulsive, charming guy who thought he knew everything: What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?

Most Clever Read

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

I mentioned this one in my last post, but this is a modern Pride and Prejudice retelling. The way the author worked in so many elements of P&P in a completely different set up was so smart and fun. I loved catching all the little references back to the original but loved that I also got a completely fresh story.

About the book:

This version of the Bennet family and Mr. Darcy is one that you have and haven't met before: Liz is a magazine writer in her late thirties who, like her yoga instructor older sister, Jane, lives in New York City. When their father has a health scare, they return to their childhood home in Cincinnati to help and discover that the sprawling Tudor they grew up in is crumbling and the family is in disarray.

Youngest sisters Kitty and Lydia are too busy with their CrossFit workouts and Paleo diets to get jobs. Mary, the middle sister, is earning her third online master's degree and barely leaves her room, except for those mysterious Tuesday-night outings she won't discuss. And Mrs. Bennet has one thing on her mind: how to marry off her daughters, especially as Jane's fortieth birthday fast approaches.

Enter Chip Bingley, a handsome new-in-town doctor who recently appeared on the juggernaut reality TV dating show Eligible. At a Fourth of July barbecue, Chip takes an immediate interest in Jane, but Chip's friend, neurosurgeon Fitzwilliam Darcy, reveals himself to Liz to be much less charming. . . . And yet, first impressions can be deceiving.

Best Audiobook for a Nostalgic Summer Road Trip

Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen by Brian Raftery

If you are of my generation or near it, this will be such a fun listen. I was 19 in 1999 and so going back in time and hearing about all the great movies that came out that year wasn’t just a fun nostalgic trip, it was also fascinating. There was so much interesting backstory on each of the movies featured, and it made me want to watch the ones I hadn’t seen and rewatch the ones I had. Be prepared to greatly expand your movie streaming watchlist. Also, I’m sure this reads well in print too, but the audio was fantastic.

About the book:

From a veteran culture writer and modern movie expert, a celebration and analysis of the movies of 1999—arguably the most groundbreaking year in American cinematic history.

In 1999, Hollywood as we know it exploded: Fight Club. The Matrix. Office Space. Election. The Blair Witch Project. The Sixth Sense. Being John Malkovich. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. American Beauty. The Virgin Suicides. Boys Don’t Cry. The Best Man. Three Kings. Magnolia. Those are just some of the landmark titles released in a dizzying movie year, one in which a group of daring filmmakers and performers pushed cinema to new limits—and took audiences along for the ride. Freed from the restraints of budget, technology (or even taste), they produced a slew of classics that took on every topic imaginable, from sex to violence to the end of the world. The result was a highly unruly, deeply influential set of films that would not only change filmmaking, but also give us our first glimpse of the coming twenty-first century. It was a watershed moment that also produced The Sopranos; Apple’s Airport; Wi-Fi; and Netflix’s unlimited DVD rentals.

Best. Movie. Year. Ever. is the story of not just how these movies were made, but how they re-made our own vision of the world. It features more than 130 new and exclusive interviews with such directors and actors as Reese Witherspoon, Edward Norton, Steven Soderbergh, Sofia Coppola, David Fincher, Nia Long, Matthew Broderick, Taye Diggs, M. Night Shyamalan, David O. Russell, James Van Der Beek, Kirsten Dunst, the Blair Witch kids, the Office Space dudes, the guy who played Jar-Jar Binks, and dozens more. It’s the definitive account of a culture-conquering movie year none of us saw coming…and that we may never see again.

Most Life-Affirming and Thought-Provoking

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb

As some of you know, I was a social worker/therapist before I left to be a full-time writer, so I’m already a psychology nerd. But this book was so much more than a look at psychology. Gottlieb is an experienced writer and storyteller, so what could’ve been dry was a rich and heartfelt page-turner. I got attached to the clients she featured and was invested in her own story as well. I have so many underlined passages in this one, and it made me think deeply about big life issues like mid-life crises and how to deal with fear of death and so much else. This one is sad at parts but ultimately uplifting and life-affirming. I want to put this book in everyone’s hands.

About the book:

From a New York Times best-selling author, psychotherapist, and national advice columnist, a hilarious, thought-provoking, and surprising new book that takes us behind the scenes of a therapist's world--where her patients are looking for answers (and so is she).

One day, Lori Gottlieb is a therapist who helps patients in her Los Angeles practice. The next, a crisis causes her world to come crashing down. Enter Wendell, the quirky but seasoned therapist in whose office she suddenly lands. With his balding head, cardigan, and khakis, he seems to have come straight from Therapist Central Casting. Yet he will turn out to be anything but.

As Gottlieb explores the inner chambers of her patients' lives -- a self-absorbed Hollywood producer, a young newlywed diagnosed with a terminal illness, a senior citizen threatening to end her life on her birthday if nothing gets better, and a twenty-something who can't stop hooking up with the wrong guys -- she finds that the questions they are struggling with are the very ones she is now bringing to Wendell.

With startling wisdom and humor, Gottlieb invites us into her world as both clinician and patient, examining the truths and fictions we tell ourselves and others as we teeter on the tightrope between love and desire, meaning and mortality, guilt and redemption, terror and courage, hope and change.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is revolutionary in its candor, offering a deeply personal yet universal tour of our hearts and minds and providing the rarest of gifts: a boldly revealing portrait of what it means to be human, and a disarmingly funny and illuminating account of our own mysterious lives and our power to transform them.

Best Sure Thing

An Offer From a Gentleman and Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Julia Quinn is one of those authors I can go to when I need a sure thing, when I don’t want to risk starting a book that might let me down. Her books are always fun, romantic, and bingeable. I know when I pick one up that I won’t be able to put it down until I’m done. And after I read these two, I heard that The Bridgertons series is going to become a TV show via Netflix and Shonda Rimes. SO. EXCITED. I can’t wait to continue on with the series.

About the book:

Will she accept his offer before the clock strikes midnight?

Sophie Beckett never dreamed she'd be able to sneak into Lady Bridgerton's famed masquerade ball—or that "Prince Charming" would be waiting there for her! Though the daughter of an earl, Sophie has been relegated to the role of servant by her disdainful stepmother. But now, spinning in the strong arms of the debonair and devastatingly handsome Benedict Bridgerton, she feels like royalty. Alas, she knows all enchantments must end when the clock strikes midnight.

Who was that extraordinary woman? Ever since that magical night, a radiant vision in silver has blinded Benedict to the attractions of any other—except, perhaps this alluring and oddly familiar beauty dressed in housemaid's garb whom he feels compelled to rescue from a most disagreeable situation. He has sworn to find and wed his mystery miss, but this breathtaking maid makes him weak with wanting her. Yet, if he offers his heart, will Benedict sacrifice his only chance for a fairy tale love?

Best Advice That Most of Us Need to Hear

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski

I think the title says everything you need to know. Great advice on how to relieve stress and deal with burnout.

About the book:

This groundbreaking book explains why women experience burnout differently than men—and provides a simple, science-based plan to help women minimize stress, manage emotions, and live a more joyful life.

Burnout. Many women in America have experienced it. What’s expected of women and what it’s really like to be a woman in today’s world are two very different things—and women exhaust themselves trying to close the gap between them. How can you “love your body” when every magazine cover has ten diet tips for becoming “your best self”? How do you “lean in” at work when you’re already operating at 110 percent and aren’t recognized for it? How can you live happily and healthily in a sexist world that is constantly telling you you’re too fat, too needy, too noisy, and too selfish?

Sisters Emily Nagoski, PhD, and Amelia Nagoski, DMA, are here to help end the cycle of feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Instead of asking us to ignore the very real obstacles and societal pressures that stand between women and well-being, they explain with compassion and optimism what we’re up against—and show us how to fight back. In these pages you’ll learn

• what you can do to complete the biological stress cycle—and return your body to a state of relaxation
• how to manage the “monitor” in your brain that regulates the emotion of frustration
• how the Bikini Industrial Complex makes it difficult for women to love their bodies—and how to defend yourself against it
• why rest, human connection, and befriending your inner critic are keys to recovering and preventing burnout

With the help of eye-opening science, prescriptive advice, and helpful worksheets and exercises, all women will find something transformative in these pages—and will be empowered to create positive change. Emily and Amelia aren’t here to preach the broad platitudes of expensive self-care or insist that we strive for the impossible goal of “having it all.” Instead, they tell us that we are enough, just as we are—and that wellness, true wellness, is within our reach.

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WRITING WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT

Fellow writers, my How to Write Love Scenes That Readers Won’t Skip class is now open for enrollment! Spaces are limited, so grab a spot if you’re interested. Click the link or the pic for more details.

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What’s been your favorite summer read so far this year?

How to Read More Books This Summer: 15 Tips and Tricks

This weekend I came across a short documentary by Max Joseph (of Catfish fame) called Bookstores: How to Read More Books in the Golden Age of Content. First of all, it’s worth watching for the bookstores alone—so many beautiful bookstores are featured. *heart eyes* However, Max is trying to figure out how he can learn to read more because currently, he’s reading about one book a year. He goes on a quest to get advice, including tips on speed reading. But what I was struck by was that the book he wants to tackle first is Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. That book is a giant 1000+ page tome of literary fiction. And all I could think was, dude, you’re never going to become a regular reader that way.

If you haven’t developed a reading habit and aren’t a regular reader, jumping in to something so big and literary is just going to frustrate you. I think a lot of people go into the “I want to read more” project with this homework mentality or like you’re trying to fit more greens into your mental diet. Like reading is not worth doing unless you’re going to read something super difficult and “high-brow.” But for people who read all the time, reading is FUN. It’s not homework. We’re not doing it because it’s “good for us.” It’s what we do to get away from our work and enjoy ourselves. That doesn’t mean we can’t read literary books or difficult books or sad books. But just like with getting kids to read, if you want to read as an adult, you have to find things that HOOK you and won’t let go. Books that entertain you and make you want to turn the page and stay up too late.

Once kids develop a reading habit with books that are entertaining and fast-moving, then they eventually can develop the muscle to tackle harder books or classics later on. But if you just throw slow-moving literary classics at them first, then they think reading is a slog because they don’t have those reading muscles built up yet. The same goes for adults.

So if you’re looking to read more, stop dismissing genre fiction like suspense, mysteries, horror, fantasy, romance, and young adult books. You don’t have to seek out “important” books. I think all books can be important. If a book makes you think about what it means to be human, or stirs up emotions, or makes you think about love or fear or family, if a book can make you laugh or cry or feel that rush of satisfaction that comes with a happy ending, all those are valuable experiences. And if a book simply sweeps you away from your daily stress for a few hours, that can sometimes be more important than anything because it’s an act of self-care. So stop putting pressure on yourself to read the “right” kind of books and just read whatever sparks your interest and makes you turn the pages.

But if you’re not hung up on the type of books you read and are still having trouble finding ways to fit reading into your life or you want to up your reading game this summer, I’ve gathered fifteen tips to help you out.

15 Ways to Read More Books This Summer

1. Quit books you don’t like.

   Seriously, life is too short to read bad books and summer vacation is DEFINITELY too short to read bad books. If a book hasn’t captured you in the first couple of chapters, you have permission to move on. Otherwise, your reading will come to a halt because you’re not finishing the book and don’t want to move on until you do, creating a vicious cycle that will make you dread reading.

2. Keep a list of what you want to read.

   You can do this on paper or on an app like Goodreads or on an Amazon wish list, but it helps when you have a list to go to when you finish a book and know where you want to go next. This also provides a place to capture books from random recommendations from friends, websites, or podcasts.

3. Put your ebook app in the spot on your phone where you favorite social media app usually resides.

   We think we don’t have time to read, but that’s often because we squander our reading time by mindlessly scrolling through our phones. I’ve taken the social media apps off my phone (except for instagram which I put on the last page) and I have my kindle app on my main screen. That way, when I’m stuck in the grocery line or in a waiting room, I can read instead.

4. Always have a book with you.

   This is sort of related to #3 because if you have an ebook app, you always have access to books. However, our phones can be such a black hole of distraction, that I’ve come to prefer paper books over the last few years because I can’t click out of those. So, I’ve made a point to buy a big enough purse to fit a book. I also bought a Book Beau sleeve to keep in my purse so that my book is protected. It’s become a habit to slip a book in there before I go out because I never know when I’m going to get stuck waiting somewhere. Easy access makes all the difference. And if you’re going on a summer vacation, pack a few books because you may not like one or you may like one so much you finish it super quickly. Have a back up. (My husband teases me because I’ll bring like 3 books plus my Kindle on a 3-day weekend trip and he’s like, “I know you read fast but…” I like to be prepared for all scenarios.)

5. Audiobooks count as reading and are awesome for commutes, chores, and summer road trips.

   I’m relatively knew to the audiobook world, and I will say that I’m still not big on fiction audiobooks. However, I ADORE non-fiction audiobooks. I always have one going so that I can listen to a book in the car while I’m driving. I also listen a lot when I’m washing dishes or cooking dinner. It’s like listening to a really long, in depth podcast. And don’t let anyone tell you audiobooks don’t count as reading.

6. Book review blogs and bookish podcasts can keep your list growing and your excitement about books stoked.

   There are a ton of book bloggers, book review sites, and bookish podcasts out there to keep you busy. Find the ones you like and you will have a steady influx of “ooh, I want to read that” which keeps you excited about reading. These are great to listen to on road trips too.

7. Turn off phone notifications

   I know I’m always preaching about how to tame digital distractions. But if you’re trying to read and Facebook and Twitter notifications keep dinging, you’re never going to sink into the story. Don’t let your phone dictate your attention.

8. Do a summer reading challenge (or a yearly challenge)

   Some of us love to check off a box on a To Do list. I am wholeheartedly one of those people. So reading challenges work for me. That’s why I create my own each year (this year it’s the Read Wide challenge.) But if you don’t want to create your own, just google reading challenges and you’ll find all kinds of fun ones you can join. Modern Mrs. Darcy does a great summer reading challenge/guide each year as well.

9. Review books yourself

   You can do this publicly on sites like Goodreads or you can keep a private reading journal like I do, but I find that recording my reading makes me more likely to read. I enjoy writing down that I completed a book and then scribbling down my opinion about it. It can enrich the experience. Plus you can jot down fun memories like “read this on the beach in Florida.” (I have a free romance reading journal download if you don’t want to make your own.)

10. Read whatever the hell you want and not what you feel you “should”

    I already talked at length about this above, but I’m including it here for those of you who skip the blog content and go straight to the lists. I see you, skimmers. ;) Read what you want without shame. Read what you enjoy, what sweeps you away, what makes you turn the pages.

11. Start your day with reading

    Instead of scrolling through your phone first thing, keep a book on your bedside table and read for fifteen minutes after waking up. It’s a much calmer way to start the day—whether at home or on vacation.

12. Develop a daily time/habit for reading.

    We don’t do what we don’t make space for. Look for the pockets of time where you can read. Do you get a few minutes to yourself after dinner? Or after the kids go to bed? Is the morning your only quiet time? Maybe during your lunch break at work or on your commute? Find a slice of time that you protect for reading and then work on creating a habit of using that time just for that.

13. Create a distraction-free reading nook.

    This may mean you simply leave your phone in another room and keep the TV off. But if you can find some little space where you aren’t going to be fighting distractions while you read, it can make the reading time feel extra special and renewing. And if you’re going on a summer vacation, create a reading nook wherever you’re going—on the beach lounge chair, by the pool, on the hotel balcony.

14. Figure out your reader preferences

    If you’re new to this or just getting back to reading after a long break, you may not know what you like yet (or anymore.) Be willing to explore and see what catches your attention (including the middle grade and young adult sections if the spirit moves you.) Go wander the library and pull books off the shelves to see what catches your eye. If you’re on vacation, wander a local bookshop. There will be trial and error involved but that process can be fun. Make no apologies for liking what you like or disliking what some other people may love.

15. Branch out if you’ve gotten in a rut.

    Sometimes we may be avid readers but we get in a rut. For me, this usually means I need to shake up what I’m reading. That’s one reason why I love the Read Wide Challenge. It forces me not to stay too long in one lane. So don’t be afraid to pick up something out of your normal reading zone and change it up. You may discover a whole new area you like. Or maybe you read heavier books during the year and want something lighter for summer (or vice versa.)

And remember to have fun! Reading can be a great joy in our lives. I know it is in mine. But if we turn it into homework or a self-improvement exercise, we’re just going to run away and scroll through Instagram or binge watch Netflix instead. Find what you love to read. Don’t apologize for it. And give yourself the gift of getting lost in a story.

Happy summer reading!

Roni Recommends: Two Intense But Spectacular Reads

Hey, y'all! I know I've been quiet over here because I've been buried in edits for book 3, but that doesn't mean I haven't been reading in the evening. And today I have two reads, one fiction and one non-fiction, that just captured me completely and had me all...

Hook GIF from Hook GIFs

First up is a novel by an author who most of y'all most likely already know. I've had three Colleen Hoover books on my kindle for YEARS, but like so many other great books, they got shuffled to the back pages of the kindle and I forgot what I had. (This is one reason why I find myself gravitating to more print books the last few years. I can see them on my shelves.) But anyway, when Colleen so kindly blurbed The One You Can't Forget (out June 5th!) I wanted to fix the fact that I hadn't read her books yet. So of course I quickly realized once I started reading that I was a dumb, dumb lady for letting her books languish on my reader. How have I waited so long to read her??? I have since fixed that, don't worry. And it all started with me devouring this book:

About the book:

Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most.

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up
— she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan — her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened. 

Buy the book

So this book took on a topic that would be very hard to do well and non-exploitively in a romance, but she completely pulls it off. I don't want to give too much information about what that issue is, but if you're concerned, check online for trigger warnings. I loved how this book showed the gray areas in a relationship/situation that is often looked at as solidly black-and-white by those looking from the outside in. It's also a well done romance on top of that so you'll still get your swoony happy feelings, too. In addition, her author note at the end really hit home for me as I could relate to her childhood experience on a personal level. So it was one of the best books I've read in a while, and that's saying something, because I've read some good ones lately. If you haven't read it, go forth and buy It Ends With Us!

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Next up is definitely not a romance and is a difficult read but also a compelling one. If you haven't been living under a rock, you've no doubt heard that they've apprehended the person they believe is the Golden State Killer. This brought the recent book about the case, I'll Be Gone in the Dark, back to the forefront. I don't read true crime often but there are occasions where I'm compelled to know more. This was one of them because the author of the book passed away while she was writing the book, and sadly, will never get to see that her book helped this guy finally get caught. I wanted to read the story she wrote.

This book is about the crimes, the investigation, and the search for the killer, but it's also about the woman who dedicated herself so fully to writing this book. Michelle McNamara did a fantastic job taking decades of evidence and a long list of crimes and organizing the information into a compelling portrait of the time in history all this was happening, the investigators, the victims, and the monster who committed the crimes. It was written with a deft hand and in a non-sensationalizing way.

I will say that you should not make the mistake I did and read it when you're home alone at night, but it was worth the read. It's also a good example of how a book can actually change things. I truly believe that the killer was found in part because of this author raising the profile of the case. She also directly suggests in the book the very method they used to catch him.

About the book:

For more than ten years, a mysterious and violent predator committed fifty sexual assaults in Northern California before moving south, where he perpetrated ten sadistic murders. Then he disappeared, eluding capture by multiple police forces and some of the best detectives in the area.

Three decades later, Michelle McNamara, a true crime journalist who created the popular website TrueCrimeDiary.com, was determined to find the violent psychopath she called "the Golden State Killer." Michelle pored over police reports, interviewed victims, and embedded herself in the online communities that were as obsessed with the case as she was.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark—the masterpiece McNamara was writing at the time of her sudden death—offers an atmospheric snapshot of a moment in American history and a chilling account of a criminal mastermind and the wreckage he left behind. It is also a portrait of a woman’s obsession and her unflagging pursuit of the truth. Utterly original and compelling, it has been hailed as a modern true crime classic—one which fulfilled Michelle's dream: helping unmask the Golden State Killer.

Buy the book

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BOOK NEWS

If you haven't heard, The Ones Who Got Away is currently on sale for $1.99!

And book 2, The One You Can't Forget, is almost here! Pre-order your copy and it will be in your hands June 5th. It's gotten three STARRED reviews, y'all! Rebecca's straight-A girl self would be super happy to know her book got all the gold stars. ;)