Welcome to Style and Savings 2020 Reading Review! It’s time to link back to this year’s book posts and highlight some of my favorites:
Reading really helped me to pass the time this year. We didn’t visit our local libraries for a couple months at the beginning of the year (due to the pandemic!). Once the library opened for drive-through pick up, my reading really increased. I read more than double the amount of books I planned to read this year!
Here are my favorite books of the year!
Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid (read my review here)
Friends and Strangers by J. Courtney Sullivan (read my review here)
His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie (read my review here)
Favorite Book – Runner Ups
Pretty Things by Janelle Brown (read my review here)
Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika and Maritza Moulite (read my review here)
One of the positives of this year is the increase in virtual events. I have been fortunate to attend virtual events featuring Britt Bennett (author of The Mothers and The Vanishing Half) and Megan Giddings (author of Lakewood). I have also really enjoyed being part of the Tanya Time Book Club, hosted by Tanya Sam. The first Tanya Time book discussion I participated in was The Perfect Find by Tia Williams, which I read in 2016 when I won an autographed copy in a Goodreads giveaway!
Tanya Time Book Club introduced me to the world of Jasmine Guillory when we read Party of Two. Since then, I have read all but one of Jasmine Guillory’s books and am looking forward to her upcoming book, While We Were Dating to be published in 2021. One of my 3 favorite books of the year – His Only Wifeby Peace Adzo Medie was the December Tanya Time Book Club pick. This virtual book club has brought together over a hundred women from around the world and I have really enjoyed the interactive community of readers and authors.
What were your favorite books this year? If you’ve read any of the books mentioned above – tell me what you think about them! Are you part of any virtual book clubs?
Welcome to another edition of Style and Savings Reads!
Photo Credit: Goodreads
Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim, 2020, Penguin Random House Short Synopsis: Vanessa Yu is a reluctant clairvoyant – throughout her life she has struggled to control her unique ability. Blurting out her visions of the future has quickly ended any chance she’s had at romantic relationship. Vanessa moves in with her aunt, also a clairvoyant, to receive lessons in mastering her ability while helping to open her aunt’s Parisian tea shop.
Not being able to travel, this year, books and shows set it desirable locations are more than welcome! When Vanessa meets a handsome stranger who guides her through the city’s sites, it felt like I was on a tour too. I googled at least a few of the sites that I wasn’t familiar with. I loved the detailed descriptions of pastries and the scents of vanilla, sugar, and coffee. The magical elements were enjoyable and reminded me of how much I enjoyed Roselle Lim’s previous book Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune. I was glad to see Vanessa take charge of her life by shedding the obligation of working in her family’s accounting firm and taking a chance to help her aunt in Paris where her true talent reveals itself in a magical way.
Photo Credit: Goodreads
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix, 2020, Quirk Books Short Synopsis: Set in the 1990’s housewives start a true-crime book club. Their friendships and beliefs are tested when a mysterious man moves to their peaceful neighborhood.
On the surface level, this is a horror story about a vampire inserting himself into the community and preying on children. There is also social commentary about the dynamics between women and their husbands and the disparities between the wealthy suburban neighborhood and the poor area of town. Sometimes it was hard to believe the book was set in the 1990’s instead of the 1950’s. Unfortunately, the story shed a light on how money can blind people and allow them to overlook any red flags in someone’s character. It also addressed the uncomfortable truth that there are people who are willing to ignore people who are in danger as long as their own families and properties are safe.
Photo Credit: Goodreads
Friends and Strangers by J. Courtney Sullivan, 2020, Knopf Publishing Group Short Synopsis: Elizabeth reluctantly moves from Brooklyn to a small college town so her husband can pursue a new venture. As a new mother, Elizabeth relies heavily on Sam, the college senior she hires to care for her son.
Friends and Strangers has similarities to Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid, which I also gave a 5-star rating. Both stories explore the dynamic between in-home childcare providers and their employers and how lines become blurred when either party loses sight of the transactional nature of the relationship. Elizabeth leans on Sam far too much for friendship and emotional support. Instead of racial tension, the social commentary in Friends and Strangers focuses on economic status. Sam comes from a middle-class family and is well-aware of the differences between herself, her well-off classmates, and the women she befriends while working in the dining hall kitchen. Elizabeth despises the way her father uses money to manipulate everyone in his life. She also witnesses her in-laws’ financial collapse when her father-in-law’s car service business becomes obsolete with the rise of ride-sharing apps and as a result he becomes obsessed with the demise of small businesses. I really loved that the book was set in a college town and generally enjoy the way it captured certain aspects of the college experience: the fun of being surrounded by people of the same age, but also occasionally missing being in the comfort of a home with your parents or other “real adults”. Sam’s character embodied the anxious feelings of a college student who doesn’t have her future plans set and who jumps to the false conclusion that adults who are settled into careers and families have it all figured out. She learns that Elizabeth’s life is not as perfect as it appears.
Photo Credit: Goodreads
Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay, 2014, Harper Collins Short Synopsis: A collection of essays critiquing society and pop-culture
This book was on my To-Read list for a while (probably since 2014) and I finally decided to read it. I was interested because I knew it would have references to pop-culture and the conflict the author felt in enjoying content that she knew was problematic (i.e. pop and rap hits, reality TV). I appreciated some of the chapters more than others based on whether or not I was familiar with the movie, book, or event she was discussing. Also, reading the book six years after it was published gave me a different perspective due to the many cultural movements that have happened since then including the #metoo and the downfall of Bill Cosby, the 2012 U.S. Presidential election, #oscarssowhite, and the year 2020 in general. Basically I wish that instead of reading the entire book in 2020 that I had read some of the essays in the form of magazine or online articles back in 2014 when they were more timely.
Have you read any good books lately? If you’ve read any of these books – tell me what you think!
The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin, 2018 Short Synopsis: Emma and Zadie, best friends (and medical professionals) thought they had buried a painful experience in the past until their former chief resident from medical school moves to town.
This book felt like Grey’s Anatomy in book form. I’m not a fan of the show and I can’t really say that I enjoyed this book. Since it is centered around a pediatric cardiologist and a trauma surgeon, there are descriptions of gory medical procedures and literal life and death situations. The medical theme was present throughout the book and not just when they were at work. Saving a choking man at the country club and staying home to care for sick kids when they all catch the flu showed that a doctor’s work is never done.I admire the dedication, skill and sacrifice it takes to have this type of career. I also found it happily surprising that their friendship could survive the decades and the competing commitments of marriage and motherhood.
The author did a great job of keeping The Secret until the end of the book. Each chapter alternated between Emma and Zadie and between present day and their med school years. The short chapters kept me turning pages as pieces of the past were uncovered. The suspense of wanting to know what happened was really the only reason I kept reading.
Dear Haiti, Love Alaine byMaika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, 2019 Short Synopsis: As a consequence for a class presentation gone wrong, high school senior Alaine Beauparlant’s dad sends to to her mother’s family in Haiti to complete a volunteer immersion project and learn more about her family’s history and culture.
Alaine is a high school senior at a Catholic school in Miami, Florida looking forward to graduation and college. She hopes to attend Columbia – her famous journalist mother’s alma mater. “Call me Rumi and Sir, because the Ivys are calling my name”. Alaine is confident, smart, and funny making her a character readers will care for and want to see succeed.
The framework for the story is her Latin American History/Creative Writing class project to write about and present on notable individuals in a country’s revolution and to highlight their defining moments and claims to fame. Being Hatian American, Alaine chooses to learn about Haiti. I really loved that this book was told through journal entries, letters, postcards, group chats, and emails in Alaine’s unique voice.
Alaine’s Tati Estelle (her mother’s twin sister) is a prominent person in Haiti as both the Minister of Tourism and also as CEO and Founder of the nonprofit where Alaine interns to complete her volunteer assignment. When she’s not working, Alaine spends time getting to know her mother, the famous Celeste Beauparlant who has spent most of Alaine’s childhood in D.C. or travelling the world as a political journalist. ( I really think Estelle and Celeste are gorgeous names for sisters!)
“History is a Compass if You Just Know How to Read It”, is the chapter title that most resonated with me. I generally don’t take much interest in history, but I have been told that it is important to learn about the past to avoid making the same mistakes or to understand why things are the way they are today. Through her school project and spending time with her family, Alaine learns about Haiti’s history and uncovers past and present family secrets. Having arrived at a turning point in her career, the story ends with Celeste and Alaine begin working on a new project together.
Lakewood by Megan Giddings, 2020 Short Synopsis: When Lena’s grandmother dies, she discovers how much debt her family is in. Lena drops out of college to financially provide her sick mother by taking a job as a medical research subject for a secret government program. I immediately noticed some similarities with The Circle by Dave Eggers with the main character being a daughter who takes a job that has great pay and health benefits to care for an ailing parent. In exchange for financial security, she sacrifices both privacy and the separation of work from her personal life. The compensation Lena receives is a relief, but she also becomes increasingly aware that it is a form of exploitation.
“If Crooked Nose hadn’t been sitting there, Lena would have said, “I think having my teeth for as long as possible is more valuable than money.”
I have to wonder if the participants would agree to these risks if they weren’t in financially desperate situations. Most participants in the The Lakewood Project are are Black, Latinx, or of Indian descent, while researchers are White. The book confronts the history as recent as the 1970’s of unauthorized medical experiments performed on African American people. For this reason, Lakewood has been compared to both The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and the 2017 film Get Out.
I can also see similarities to the Amazon Prime series Homecoming.
There is a lot to think about in regards to the ethics of medical research. Participants in The Lakewood Project are told that they are serving to improve the lives of future generations. We have to wonder – at what cost to themselves?
Lakewood unexpectedly shares a commonality with Dear Haiti, Love Alaine, in that both stories emphasize the importance of family passing down knowledge and not keeping secrets so that the next generation doesn’t repeat the same mistakes.
I was excited to find out that Megan Giddings lives in Indiana and earned her MFA at Indiana University. Her writing is imaginative, descriptive and haunting to the point that I found myself thinking about the book in between reading its chapters. If you haven’t read this book yet, I recommend it!
Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory, 2020 Short Synopsis: Olivia is a lawyer who moves from New York back to California to start a law firm with one of her best friends. When a handsome stranger flirts with her at a bar, she isn’t looking for a relationship and doesn’t expect to see him again…. until she turns on the television and discovers he’s California’s hot, young senator.
This is the first Jasmine Guillory novel I have read. Back when I used to wander the aisles of Target, I noticed the brightly covered book covers and liked that they had diverse main characters. I also heard that Royal Holiday was inspired by Meghan Markle’s mom. When Tanya Sam (of Real Housewives Atlanta fame!) named Party of Two her next book club pick, I decided to give romance novels a chance.
I was glad to find Tanya’s book club and last month, I participated in the author chat with Tia Williams who wrote The Perfect Find. Sometimes it can be hard to find local friends who also love to read and will commit to reading a book by a specific date. Tanya’s virtual book club was able to bring together over a hundred women from all over the country (or world?) to talk about books.
Party of Two is marketed as book #5 in The Wedding Date series. I’m not sure that “series” is the most accurate description because the books don’t have to be read in order. I think there are characters who show up in more than one book, but each story stands on its own.
As I was reading, I thought Wow, you can really tell this was written by a woman for women. Jasmine Guillory really knows what women dream about. Characters in a romance must have qualities that make them attractive to each other and the reader. Olivia likes that Max is a good listener, cares about others, sends thoughtful gifts, and is handsome and very attentive. Max likes that Olivia is treats him like a normal person and not like a Senator and her laughs and smiles are always genuine. Olivia is also a good listener, a volunteer at the community food pantry, and a partner in a new law firm she started with her best friend.
“He was falling in love with her? Not despite her ambition but because of it?”
Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory, page 148
Of course, every story needs a conflict. Olivia likes to plan ahead and think things through before making decisions. Max is often impulsive and follows his feelings. Will opposites attract or will their differences tear them apart?
While Olivia and Max’s romance was at the center of the story, I appreciated that there were mentions of bigger issues. Max’s job as a Senator created the opportunity to mention restorative justice, and the flaws of the current legal system. Max’s awareness of his privilege and the challenges Olivia faced as a Black woman working in a male dominated field made him seem almost too good to be realistic.
I have seen other readers complain about how many times the characters eat cake and unhealthy meals. I personally love the references to french fries, pie, pastries, and picnics. It fits into the wonderful fantasy that Jasmine Guillory is creating – who doesn’t want to have Olivia’s shameless love of cake and the confidence to enjoy food while on a date with no concern for the calorie count?
On the March issue of Oprah Magazine, Oprah shares the cover with her co-stars of the new movie A Wrinkle in Time. Seeing some of my favorite Hollywood stars together made me want to go see this movie.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle is a Newberry Award winning children’s fiction book that was recently made into a movie directed by Ava DuVernay and starring Oprah, Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon and Storm Reid.
I have a vague feeling that I read it in elementary school, but since I didn’t remember the plot I decided to read it before seeing the movie. I searched for it on the library website – I have been making great use of the public library lately, having access to so many books for free is wonderful! (#styleandsavings)
Of course there was a waiting list, but I was happily surprised when it was available for me to pick up a week before the movie came out. Luckily, A Wrinkle in Time is a quick read and I was able to start reading on Monday and finish it by Friday evening.
A Wrinkle in Time has really withstood the test of time – probably because when it was written it was decades ahead of it’s time. The main characters are strong women. They are not waiting to be rescued by any man – they have the insight, intelligence and bravery to be the rescuers. I’m sure that Mrs. Murray being both a scientist and a mother was not a typical trait in children’s books of the 1960’s.
Most times when I read a book and see the movie, I like the book better. There’s usually something in the book that the movie leaves out or a major change that I wish they had kept the same.
This time was an exception to the rule – I liked the movie so much more than the book. There were a few very noticeable differences that I’ll refrain from spoiling for those of you who haven’t seen it yet, but they didn’t make me like the movie less.
Besides the beautiful scenery, what I liked most about this movie was the diverse cast. Diversity was present not only in the main characters Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which and the Murray family, but also in the background characters in the neighborhood, at school, in Mr. & Mrs. Murray’s science conference and even in the other parts of the universe.
In the Oprah magazine article “Brave New Worlds” director Ava Duvernay says “When you’re dealing with fantasy, storytellers have no excuse not to embrace new visions”.
If you haven’t had a chance to see A Wrinkle in Time – I recommend a trip to the theater. This is a good reason to spend an afternoon with friends or to inspire a younger girl in your life.
I first read about this book in Essence magazine book reviews and added it to my Want to Read list on Goodreads.
When I got the email about the Goodreads giveaway, I entered the giveaway and won!! Now I always enter Goodreads giveaways – who knows, I could win again : )
It was fun and romantic, and better than the usual rom-com because its plot is not predictable.
The main character Jenna, is in a similar situation as Liza of TV Land’s Younger, being a 40-something woman working in a youth – obsessed industry (although Jenna is honest about her age and experience), trying to keep up with millennial culture and falling in love with a younger man, Eric.
I liked that the story began with Jenna’s current situation but later covers the backstory of her college days, rising up in her career, and her previous long-term relationship with her college sweetheart Brian.
Unlike Younger –
The Perfect Find has diverse characters!
If the book is made into a movie or TV show (I wish!) it would have a Shonda Rimes-esque cast. I can see Vanessa Williams as Jenna’s “queen of mean’ boss. The handsome leading men chosen to play Brian and Eric must have looks, charm and personality worthy of attracting a beautiful, unique, and accomplished yet down-to-earth woman like Jenna (and worthy of being my new celebrity crush!)
The New York backdrop and fashion culture are both integral to the book and would translate well to the silver screen or flat screen.
Without giving away any spoilers, I was satisfied with the book’s ending. It ends with a five year jump into the future. It was a nice stopping point, but still leaves room to for follow up stories in the form of a sequel or series.
Thank you Tia Williams for writing such great book and allowing us to peek into your glamorous life!
Jen Hatmaker, the author of this book lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and 5 children (2 are adopted from Ethiopia). This book is categorized as Religion/Christian Life/Social Issues, so there are many references to church activities and Christian scripture. Jen defines 7 as “an exercise in simplicity” and for seven months, challenges herself to set limits in seven different categories.
For Part 1 of my Review (chapters 1 – 3) click here
Media
Jen’s Lessons: During the Media month, Jen and her family significantly cut down their screen time
TV • Gaming • iPhone • Apps • Radio • Limited texting • Limited internet
Just for practical purposes of safety and school they did not completely cease texting and internet usage, but it made them a lot more mindful as to how often and for what purpose they were using technology (eg. research for a homework assignment vs. a Facebook status update)
Of course this was challenging at first, but they filled their new found free time with more imaginative games, family time, cleaning, and cooking meals together
My Take: It would be challenging for me to not read blogs online, scroll through social media posts, or watch TV after work. If I did choose to accept this challenge, I would read more, spend more time outdoors, and meet up with friends in person
Waste
Jen’s Lesson’s: Jen’s family focused on reducing their reducing, reusing, and recycling during this month by taking the following actions:
Gardening • Composting • Conserving Energy & Water • Recycling • Sharing 1 car • Shopping Thrift & Second-hand • Buying local
There were several ways that reducing waste tied back to previous months’ challenges:
Just as Food month, made Jen appreciate the variety and abundance of food in the U.S., gardening gave her an appreciation of the skill and effort it takes to grow your own produce
Continuing the habits of Media month’s goal of cutting back TV and computer usage helped with energy conservation
Wearing a limited number of clothing items during Clothing month, and participating in the clothing swap prepared Jen for shopping thrift & second hand
This month coincided with back to school season, and Jen realized that buying lunch size packages of snacks is not as economical as purchasing full size or bulk. Basically you pay extra for the convenience.
What stood out to me most was that Jen called attention to a wide-spread issue: buying organic food is not cheap!
During this challenge she felt conflicted between wanting to buy organic food and locally grown produce and wanting to reduce spending. For many people, this isn’t even a choice – they must choose the lowest cost option.
My Take: I have been good about recycling lately, but I know I could do better as far as conserving electricity. Thrift shopping was the inspiration this blog and I still believe that buying pre-owned is a great way to save money and support sustainability by reusing products that already exist rather than using resources to create new items
Spending
Jen’s Lessons: During the Spending month of Seven, Jen’s family limited their spending to only 7 Vendors/categories
Farmers Market• Target • Gas • Limited travel • Emergency medical • Bills • School
The most memorable part of this chapter was the realization that her son was in need of a haircut. With Great Clips not being one of the Seven vendors he was subjected to the embarrassment of an at-home haircut gone wrong. Jen also struggled with once again limited food options as fast food and restaurants were also off limits.
This chapter also had some eye opening statistics about the amount of U.S. spending on things like cosmetics and perfume vs. the cost of global clean water and education.
My take: Target was on Jen’s list because it’s a one-stop shop that would cover all of her family’s necessities – but I could really do some damage shopping at Target. I don’t think leaving Target as one of the seven vendors would help me cut spending. Restaurants and fast food do make up a significant chunk of our monthly budget so there would be material cost savings there, but it would be a challenge to prepare dinner and lunch every day.
Jen’s lessons: During the final month of Seven, Jen planned to pause for prayer 7 times daily and for her family to observe Sunday as a day of rest and a Sabbath dinner. Two of the seven prayer times were midnight and dawn and it was challenging for her to be awake at those times. She also set an alarm to as a reminder to observe the scheduled prayers.
My take: It was during our last vacation that I realized the need to build pauses into a busy schedule. I like to have action packed sight-seeing trips, but this time I was feeling tired and jet-lagged. Next time, I make a travel itinerary, I will be sure to leave time for napping.
Overall, I enjoyed reading 7: an experimental mutiny of excess. In each month of Jen’s journey, I was able to see habits that I could also adopt in order to simplify my life.
Jen Hatmaker, the author of this book lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and 5 children (2 are adopted from Ethiopia). This book is categorized as Religion/Christian Life/Social Issues, so there are many references to church activities and Christian scripture. Jen defines 7 as “an exercise in simplicity” and for seven months, challenges herself to set limits in seven different categories.
Food
Jen’s Lessons: During the first month of 7, Jen focused on food, limiting her diet to only 7 items
She really ate only these seven items – that means no sauces, condiments, seasonings aside from salt and pepper, and what she seemed to miss most – no coffee! (There wasn’t much detail about other drinks – maybe she only drank water?)
This led to occasional awkward meals when she socialized with various friends at restaurants. Also, it was hard for her to watch others enjoy tasty meals. By the end of the month, she had more appreciation for the abundance and variety of food we have in America.
My Take: I’m not willing to change my eating habits that dramatically, but I see the value in cutting back on snacks & junk food. Instead of a diet limited to 7 foods, it would be better for me to add 7 new healthy foods to my routine.
Clothes
Jen’s Lessons: During month 2 of 7, Jen limited her wardrobe to only 7 items
Being a public speaker, eyes would be on her and at certain church events, the members wore their Sunday best. As most of us can relate, in her self-consciousness, Jen thought people would notice or comment more than they actually did. Part of the challenge was making sure those 7 clothing items were clean. Without a closet full of clothes to choose from, laundry had to be done much more often.
Being in Texas, Jen didn’t add a coat or jacket as one of her 7 items and suffered the consequences on an unusually cold day. This experience was a reminder that members of the homeless community often do not have the clothes, outerwear or shoes to properly protect them for the weather.
My take: My favorite part of this chapter was the Austin Women’s Clothing Swap. Ladies brought in gently used clothing they no longer wanted and all of the items were sorted and displayed on racks like a boutique. For a $5 entrance fee, the women could choose “new” clothes to take home. All unclaimed items + the money collected from the entrance fee were then donated to charity.
Swapping clothing with friends is a fun way to “shop” without spending money and cuts back on the use of natural resources used in the production of new clothing.
I regularly clean out my closets and donate clothes that are no longer my size or style. Donating clothes leaves you with a good feeling when you know that they are going to a good cause.
Prom Dresses donated to a local event called “Gown Town” which offered free dresses to girls who were unable to buy a gown for prom.
Jen’s lessons: During month 3 of 7, Jen gave away 7 items each day for 30 days – a total of 210 items. Instead of dropping things off at the local Goodwill or Salvation Army, she tried to give to directly to people in need including a family of refugees who just moved to the U.S. and children whose school counselor noticed their need of clothes. Meeting refugees who were starting over with nothing (they needed bedding, dishes, and furniture) made Jen & her friends realize their own abundance of possessions.
My take: Listening to the podcast The Minimalists (mentioned in a previous Friday Faves post) has made me more aware of excess clutter. One of the tips I learned from the podcast is called the Minimalists Game in which you challenge someone with a similar de-cluttering goal to each give away a number of items every day ( 1 item the first day, 2 items second day, 3 items on the third day – until 30 items on the 30th day for a total of 465 items in a month)The winner is whoever completes the challenge, but of course both people have succeeded to some extent in simplifying their home. Jen’s whole family of 5 was included in the purge of 210 items – so this may or may not be more challenging for a smaller family or single person depending on how many items they own.
Stay tuned for the rest of my review in Style and Savings Reads: 7: an experimental mutiny against excess (Part 2)
I read several magazines each month and often find myself pinning recipes and decorating ideas from their pages. When I discovered this fun, monthly link-up “Glossies Made Me Do It” (“Glossies” are what our British friends across the pond call magazines – especially those related to fashion & beauty) I knew I wanted to join in.
This ad for Maybelline’s The 24K Nudes made me thinkof Urban Decay’s Naked 3 pallet. Have any of you beauty bloggers tried it?
Oprah
“Gooey, Crispy, Melty and Glorious Grilled Cheese” on page 130 made me pull out the panini pressto make my own sandwich creation. This mix of cheese, bacon, guacamole and tomato was so melty and messy it had to be eaten with a knife and fork.
Redbook
“The great plastic basket makeover” on page 20 made me want to decorate. I love that this basket looks so simple and cheap to make (#styleandsavings). Craft Cord comes in a variety of colors – you can choose one to match your color scheme.
Media
Waste
Spending
Stress
Food
Clothes
Possessions
Style and Savings 