Hello, hello! Thrilled to bring you three 5-star books, all read recently, that I absolutely loved. Plus, as usual, one overrated book. Because I just can’t help myself.
A Book I Couldn’t Put Down 📖
The first one is How to Read a Book by Monica Wood, and I absolutely loved it. This was one of those rare books that is both a quick, punchy read and also deeply emotional. It felt gut-wrenching at times, but also really hopeful. And the premise felt so original.
The story follows a prison book club led by an elderly woman named Harriet, alongside a young incarcerated woman named Violet, and a third character whose life becomes intertwined with theirs in unexpected ways. The alternating points of view were done beautifully—each voice felt distinct and grounded, and I never felt confused moving between timelines.
It wrapped up in a way that felt satisfying without being overly neat, and I did cry a little at the end. Two signs I loved this book: (1) I couldn’t put it down… and after finishing it, (2) I needed a few days before starting anything new. I just wanted to sit with it. That’s always a five-star read for me.
Thoughtful, Unsettling, and So Relevant 💻
Next up is What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown. I listened to this one as an audiobook, and it completely surprised me in the best way. On the surface, it seems quiet and straightforward, but it really lingers. It follows a young woman raised in a highly controlled, isolated environment by her father. Slowly, she begins to question everything—her reality, her identity, and the truth she’s been told.
It’s part coming-of-age, part psychological unraveling, and it deeply explores the tension between protection and control in a parent-child relationship. But what really stood out to me was its exploration of our relationship with technology. It’s set in the late ’90s, right as the internet is emerging, and it raises such interesting questions about where we were headed—and where we are now.
The pacing is steady, the writing is clean, and it allows you to sit in discomfort rather than rushing to resolve it. It’s more introspective than plot-driven, but if you love character-driven stories that feel slightly unsettling and thought-provoking, this is a great one.
A Masterful Family Drama 🏡
The third book I read was The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen—and wow. I picked this up on a whim at Half Price Books (a $4 “super buy,” which always feels like a win), and didn’t realize it was nearly 600 pages. But it didn’t matter—I flew through it in about a week.
At its core, it’s about a Midwestern family: aging parents and their three adult children, all navigating complicated, messy, deeply human lives. The mother, Enid, just wants one last Christmas together, and the story unfolds from there. It’s uncomfortable at times, sharply observant, and incredibly real. Franzen has this uncanny ability to expose the ways we justify ourselves, avoid each other, and still long to be seen.
Also, as someone living in the St. Louis County suburbs, it was impossible not to notice how much the fictional town felt rooted in this area. That added a whole extra layer of enjoyment for me. If you love family dramas and don’t mind a longer book, this one is absolutely worth it.
An Overrated Read (In My Opinion) 🙈
Okay… time for a slightly unpopular opinion. The book that didn’t work for me was Buckeye by Patrick Ryan. I really wanted to love this one. It has strong ratings and all the elements I usually enjoy—multi-generational storytelling, multiple points of view, a sweeping family narrative.
And to be fair, the first 100 pages pulled me in. But somewhere along the way, I just lost interest. I wasn’t invested in the characters, the pacing felt off, and it became harder and harder to stay engaged.
It’s a great example of how length itself isn’t the issue—because I happily read The Corrections at a similar length—but whether the story holds your attention. For me, this one just didn’t.
Final Thoughts (and Back to the Chaos) ✨
So those are my recent reads—three I absolutely loved and one that didn’t quite land for me.
If you’re looking for recommendations:
- How to Read a Book
- What Kind of Paradise
- The Corrections
All highly, highly recommend.