Erica Kartak

I’m on pace to read as many books as I did last year. At the beginning of quarantine when our library was closed, I stocked up on books from our local bookstore and Amazon. I still have several to read and am mixing in new releases plus the occasional book from the library. Below are the six books I read most recently.  

Rating System

5: A book that you treasure and keep prominently displayed on your bookshelf. All other books will likely be measured against this one.
4: Could not put it down, possibly read through the night, still thinking about it, extremely satisfying and highly recommended
3: Captured my interest, entertaining, would seek other titles by the same author, would recommend
2: Okay to pass the time, probably not memorable, just okay
1: DNF or ended up feeling dissatisfied

Reading List: No. 12

ONE // A Happy Catastrophe by Maddie Dawson in the sequel to Matchmaking for Beginners, one of my favorite books from 2018. I didn’t think it was possible, but I loved it even more than the original. Marnie’s belief in love is tested through her tortured artist boyfriend, the appearance of a fiesty 8 year old, her mother’s reawakening, and a whole cast of quirky characters. 

• Rating: 4  

TWO // The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan follows Rebecca “Bex” Porter and Prince Nicholas from their meet cute at Oxford to an eventual engagement with lots of drama in between, including with their siblings Prince Freddie and Bex’s twin sister Lacey. I actually pre-ordered the sequel, The Heir Affair, and didn’t realize I hadn’t read The Royal We until I was ready to read it. If you are at all into the royals, I think you will love it. It’s one of my favorite royal books to date. I really liked the parallels with Prince William and Kate.

• Rating: 3.5

THREE // The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is about Starr Carter, a 16 year old girl that lives in the ghetto and goes to a private, mostly white, high school. One night she is with her childhood best friend when he is pulled over and shot by police. I am embarrassed to admit I kept thinking “gosh, how does the author know exactly what is going to happen” because it’s so similar to the events after George Floyd was killed. Of course, it’s because this same situation has happened over and over again countless times. There’s more to the book – how she deals with the aftermath and kind of her coming of age as a young Black woman. It’s made me think about some of my pre-conceived notions about the Black community. The Hate U Give is one of the best books I’ve read in 2020. 

• Rating: 5

FOUR // In One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London, a plus size fashion blogger becomes the new star of a reality TV dating series (essentially The Bachelor). It has all the typical twists and turns of a reality dating series plus a few extra that didn’t exactly seem realistic (but what do I know, maybe reality series are crazier than I think!) 

• Rating: 2.5

FIVE // The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan is the follow up to The Royal We. It picks up after Bex and Nicholas escape the fall out from their wedding by hiding out in disguise before they return to London. Whereas The Royal We had a lot of similarities to Prince William and Kate, The Heir Affair had elements that were pretty farfetched. I preferred the most realistic aspects of The Royal We.

• Rating: 3

SIX // The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton is set in 1935 and follows three women that are forever changed when one of the most powerful hurricanes in history barrels toward the Florida Keys. Over the course of the holiday weekend, the women’s paths cross unexpectedly, and the danger swirling around them is matched only by the terrifying force of the deadly storm threatening the Keys. I found myself rooting for each of them. There are twists and turns I didn’t anticipate. 

• Rating: 3.5

TBR: Up Next

The release date for Majesty, which is the sequel to American Royals, is Tuesday. I preordered it as a birthday gift to myself since American Royals is one of my favorite royals books I’ve read. I also have The Vanishing Half, So you want to talk about race, I’ll Give You the Sun, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and How to be an Anti-Racist on my pile.

The links for each book above go to bookshop.org, which supports independent booksellers. If you’re open to shopping there, please do! If you prefer Amazon, they’re linked below.