THE BOOK LIST | #6

Here's what I read in December:

 

AFTER I DO BY TAYLOR JENKINS REID

 

"Ryan and I are two people who used to be in love.

What a beautiful thing to have been.

What a sad thing to be."

Let me gush about the perfection of AFTER I DO for a moment. This book. This. Book. I felt as though I crawled into Ryan and Lauren's life. I felt their pain. I felt their frustrations and indifference and joy. I laughed. I cried. Oh how I cried! This is my favorite TJR read yet, and she has cemented herself as one of my new favorite authors of all time.

TALKING AS FAST AS I CAN BY LAUREN GRAHAM

This book was exactly what I expected it to be. I could easily have glossed over some of it, but that's okay, because really, I just wanted to hear about Gilmore Girls and her writing career. Done and done.

NAILED BY STACI HART

As a big fan of Staci Hart's, I knew I would devour this little, sexy novella. Four stories. Four sets of strangers. Four sexual encounters. I mean, who hasn't fantasized about such a thing before? These stories were short and delicious ... just like I knew they'd be.

FOREVER, INTERRUPTED BY TAYLOR JENKINS REID

At the time of this review, I have read three of Reid's novels, and I can say, without a doubt in my mind, that all three have made me cry. What a truly, truly wonderful story. And what an inspiring, yet heartbreaking ending.

MILK AND HONEY BY RUPI KAUR

I loved this collection of poetry, mainly because it is just how I like my poems; short, direct and powerful. This book is one I'm happy to own and will be reading over and over again.

SWEETBITTER BY STEPHANIE DANLER

Ok, where do I start? I was on the library waiting list for this book for MONTHS. When it finally came, I was so excited and read the first section with gusto. But then, despite the beautiful language and the intriguing cast of characters, I had to continually push myself to keep reading.

BEAUTIFUL WORDS I'VE READ LATELY

You say you love me

with your shot of whiskey

you say I'm the one

with your glass of champagne

but then you don't say a word

with your cup of coffee

- Rania Naim

++

i do not want to have you

to fill the empty parts of me

i want to be full on my own

i want to be so complete

i could light a whole city

and then

i want to have you

cause the two of us combined

could set it on fire

- Rupi Kaur

++

Let's reveal

and revel and rebel in our insanity, instead of

slathering on another coat of paint

as the veneer cracks

along the sides

- Abby Rosmarin

++

You don't deserve someone who comes back

you deserve someone who never leaves.

- Rania Naim

++

And let's not forget, THIS.

WHAT I'M LISTENING TO // IN MY MIND BY MATY NOYES

One of the songs on repeat as I write.

MEETING SUZY

"I'm really nervous about meeting new people."

She said it first, before I had the chance. I had definitely been thinking it.

On the drive over, I went from turning the heat on to warm my cold hands, to cracking the windows to cool myself off. I was cold, but on the verge of sweating through my clothes.

This is typical Rachel behavior when it comes to meeting someone new. So imagine the relief when we'd just sat down to lunch and she told me she was nervous!

"That's funny, because earlier today I was telling Dom about how this should be interesting because we're both introverted, shy people," I said.

Suzy and I are friends in the sense that we've known each other online for some time, and have emailed back and forth for a while now. But getting to meet someone in person who you built a friendship with online is uniquely special. You feel as though you know them, know their family and what gets them out of bed in the morning, but getting to see them with your own eyes, getting to wrap your arms around them in a warm hug ... it just can't be beat.

We ordered the same meal for lunch. I pulled toy cars out of my purse for her son to play with. She finished off my sweet potato fries when I couldn't eat them all. We talked about writing, about parenting, about where we live and what we do for fun. And I thought, here's a girl I could spend the day with and never get bored.

Suzy has a contagious smile. I swear that just being in close proximity to her made me feel happy and relaxed.

After lunch, she asked me to go on the search for donuts with her, which I would surely have done had I not had piles of work to do (oh, that's right, I have a full-time job....). We said our goodbyes and off I went towards the parking garage.

And then I remembered I had wanted to take a photo of Suzy and I.

Damn.

I turned on my heels, heading for the monorail. Out the door, around the corner, up the humorously tall escalator ... but they were gone.

I turned the radio off in the car on the way home, wanting to be alone with my thoughts.

For two shy, young women, we did pretty well for ourselves.

++

Go check out these photos she took of Vegas. I told her at lunch that she has encouraged me to go out and see more of this city that I have lived in for nearly six (!!) years.