Book Club October 2019- Daisy Jones and the Six

By: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Published year: 2019
Publisher: Hutchinson
Pages: 368

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): In 1979, Daisy Jones and The Six split up. Together, they had redefined the 70’s music scene, creating an iconic sound that rocked the world. Apart, they baffled a world that had hung on their every verse.

This book is an attempt to piece together a clear portrait of the band’s rise to fame and their abrupt and infamous split. The following oral history is a compilation of interviews, emails, transcripts, and lyrics, all pertaining to the personal and professional lives of the members of the band The Six and singer Daisy Jones.

While I have aimed for a comprehensive and exhaustive approach, I must acknowledge that full and complete accounts from all parties involved has proved impossible. Some people were easier to track down than others, some were more willing to talk than others, and some, unfortunately, have passed on.

All of which is to say that while this is the first and only authorised account from all represented perspectives, it should be noted that, in matters both big and small, reasonable people disagree.

The truth often lies, unclaimed, in the middle.

What I thought

Initially, Meghan, who chose October’s book, asked me if I had read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I told her that I had and that I had really enjoyed it. She then told me she had been thinking about picking it for book club. Slightly selfishly, I suggested she check out Jenkins Reid’s newest book because I’ve been meaning to read it since it came out. But also, because I know that Meghan is very into music and bands and rock and roll. So she picked that!

Daisy Jones and the Six is told in the style of an interview tell-all. The members of band each share their point of view of how the band came to be and how it ended.

I have never read a book like this before and I really enjoyed it. I initially thought that because of the interview style that I would fly through the book, but it ended up taking a little bit longer than I originally thought. I think I got a little burned out on some of the drama, but not necessarily in a bad way? Real memoirs sometimes take me a little time to get through and, in the best way, I think this read more like a memoir than a work of fiction.

I enjoyed every band member except for Eddie. He irritated me. I understood where he came from, but he drove me nuts and I just wanted to skip over his parts.

This book is very different from Jenkins Reid’s previous novels. Even though it is most similar to Seven Husbands, it’s still very very different. I find it fascinating that she can write such varying content and it’s still done so well.

The story itself wasn’t groundbreaking, but I don’t think it needed to be. I think the best part of this story was the storytelling and that was done perfectly.

What Book Club Thought

I don’t have much more to say as we were all on the same page with this one. I don’t know if I would say it’s a great book club pick because it didn’t spark a lot of discussion with us. Everyone really liked it and we all liked the unique way in which it was written. If you have read this book, I would recommend looking at Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Instagram because she has posted bits of behind the scenes information from her writing process during Daisy Jones and it is really interesting!

CAUSEBOX Fall 2019

If you’ve been reading the blog for a little while, you’d remember that last Fall, I purchased my first subscription box from CAUSEBOX. I have kept an eye on their other seasonal boxes, but nothing had caught my eye enough to purchase another one. Then this fall, I was drawn in again.

CAUSEBOX is a quarterly box that costs $49.95 per box if you are an annual member. The difference between Causebox and other quarterly subscription boxes is that CAUSEBOX only puts items in its boxes from companies that give to charities or to a cause and are cruelty free.

If you are an annual member, you are offered the opportunity to pick some of your items. I am not an annual member, so I did not make choices, but I will indicate what the other options could have been.

The items that I saw that drew me in were the Known Supply Weekender Duffel and the Nashelle Lariat necklace. I’ve been tempted to buy myself a grownup duffle for a long time, but continually make excuses and I found the necklace to be beautiful. Those two items alone made the $50 purchase worth it so I went ahead and bought the box. The other items I received were Underwood Letterpress Felt Letter Board, (MALIN + GOETZ) Recovery treatment oil, la beaute Soi 10-piece Makeup Brush Collection, and the La Lueur Candles White Cactus Coconut Wax Candle.

I always find it interesting to see the cost breakdown of the items along with what the actual value of the box is, so I’m going to list that below. I will also give a little blurb about any thoughts I have on any of the products.

Weekender- CAUSEBOX Estimates $108. On the Known Supply website, there is a similar duffle listed for $98. If you are an annual subscriber, you get to customize the color duffle you receive. I liked all the colors so I’m very happy with what I got! The quality of the canvas feels wonderful. It’s a little smaller than I imagined, but it will definitely be the perfect back for overnight or short trips.

Necklace- CAUSEBOX Estimates $38. On the Nashelle website, the closest necklace I could find comes in at $73 but it’s definitely a little fancier than the one in the box. I love this necklace. I have to learn how to wear it exactly, but I’m sure I will get a lot of use out of it. this was another item where you could choose between silver and gold if you are an annual member.

Letterboard- $30 and available on the Underwood Letterpress website. This was another choice item. As an annual member, you could choose between this and a Glass Ladder & Co. Terrazzo Travel Wallet. Honestly, I would’ve been fine with either option. They’re both items that I have wanted but consistently talk myself out of buying. However, I wanted the letter board a little bit more so I was very excited when I got one. The letters are great and the board feels sturdy. As you can tell from the picture I’m already having fun!

Candle- $35 and available on the La Lueur website. I am obsessed with candles so any time I can get a new one I am excited. This one smells AMAZING. It’s a beautiful sweet yet warm cactus scent. The packaging is also gorgeous. I’ve never had a coconut wax candle, so I’m curious to see how the scent payoff is once it’s burning. It also says it has a 45 hour burn time!

Oil- $82 and available on the MALIN+GOETZ website. Back when I got Birchboxes I received a few MALIN+GOETZ items that I loved. I appreciate that they’re a cruelty free brand that works. I was beyond excited to try this oil and let me tell you, after only two nights of usage it does not disappoint. I have yet to find a face oil that I like. This one sinks in beautifully without leaving me greasy and I wake up with happy skin.

Makeup Brushes- $24 and available on the la beaute Soi website. This was the only item I was a little bit disappointed to receive. I bought myself a makeup brush set last year, so it’s not something I necessarily need. However, they are beautiful and soft and I will use and love them.

Paid Value- $49.95 Actual Value- $317!

My last CAUSEBOX was valued at $260 so this one ended up being worth even more! And I prefer more of the items!

Now, if I’m being honest, subscription boxes are not a necessity. I would say purchase with caution because you can end up with a lot of items you don’t need and that end up going to waste. I am so happy I decided to go with this box and that I ended up with all of the choices I wanted, even though I didn’t get to make choices.

If you are looking for a subscription box, I would highly recommend checking out CAUSEBOX. Their items have been consistently high quality and useful. I also know from past experience that their customer service is wonderful.

Evvie Drake Stars Over

By: Linda Holmes
Published Year: 2019
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Pages: 304

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): In a small town in Maine, recently widowed Eveleth "Evvie" Drake rarely leaves her house. Everyone in town, including her best friend, Andy, thinks grief keeps her locked inside, and she doesn't correct them. In New York, Dean Tenney, former major-league pitcher and Andy's childhood friend, is struggling with a case of the "yips": he can't throw straight anymore, and he can't figure out why. An invitation from Andy to stay in Maine for a few months seems like the perfect chance to hit the reset button.

When Dean moves into an apartment at the back of Evvie's house, the two make a deal: Dean won't ask about Evvie's late husband, and Evvie won't ask about Dean's baseball career. Rules, though, have a funny way of being broken--and what starts as an unexpected friendship soon turns into something more. But before they can find out what might lie ahead, they'll have to wrestle a few demons: the bonds they've broken, the plans they've changed, and the secrets they've kept. They'll need a lot of help, but in life, as in baseball, there's always a chance--right up until the last out.

First Impression

I LOVE the cover of this book. The font, the colors, everything. Then my friends shared with me that it was written by one of the hosts of the podcast Pop Culture Happy Hour and I was intrigued. Add in that it was a romance novel about baseball and I knew it was going to be on my summer reading list.

What I thought

Evvie lost her husband about a year ago on the day that she was planning on leaving him. Dean is a Major League Baseball pitcher who has lost the ability to pitch. Evvie and Dean are both friends with Andy, who decides that it would be mutually beneficial for Dean to move into Evvie’s extra apartment. Evvie needs the money and the company and Dean needs to get away from New York City.

Have you ever read a book that makes you feel nothing? That was, unfortunately, the case for me with this book. Two of my friends read it prior to me and both of them enjoyed it a lot, so I expected to enjoy it too. We pretty consistently have the same taste in books. Unfortunately, something about this book just didn’t work for me.

It started out with Dean. He didn’t give me those excited “aw” feelings. I read this book immediately following The Rest of the Story, where I got “aw” feelings about Roo and Dean didn’t compare, even though Roo was a teenage boy. I also didn’t like the 0 to 100 anger escalation that Dean had going on. I get that he had a lot going on in his life, so it’s not that I felt like he had no right to be angry. But I felt like he was getting angry at Evvi in such an over the top way. Like, his reactions did not sit with the situation at all, in my opinion. Besides that, I didn’t see what Evvie saw in him. He was just an average, normal guy. I mean, besides the fact that he’s a talented pitcher.

I did like Evvie. I know she had a lot of issues, but I found that for the most part I liked the way she handled everything. I thought that she was going to get on my nerves, but she didn’t. Sure, there were moments when her choices bothered me, but overall I was ok with her.

I also got a little annoyed with Andy. I liked him at first and then he irritated me. He did redeem himself but it was hard for a little in the middle. Since I like character driven novels, it was a little hard for me to get excited about this story when I wasn’t really excited about any of the characters.

The other issue I had was the timeline. While the story was broken into seasons, I still felt like I never knew how much time had passed. I was reading about Thanksgiving and then next thing I knew it was after Groundhog Day? Where did Christmas go? I also think that this book had a little too much realism for me. It wasn’t a fairytale type of story, but more of a realistic love story and that was a little harder for me.

Like I said, this book kind of left me with no feelings at all. I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it. I think it will end up being pretty forgettable for me. However, if it sounds interesting to you I would recommend checking it out. I have two friends who really enjoyed it, so maybe I’m in the minority.

On the Corner of Love and Hate

By: Nora Bocci
Published Year: 2019
Publisher: Gallery Books
Pages: 336

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this book.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): What’s a campaign manager’s worst nightmare? A smooth-talking charmer who’s never met a scandal that he didn’t like.

When Emmanuelle Peroni’s father—and mayor of her town—asks her to help rehab Cooper Endicott’s image, she’s horrified. Cooper drives her crazy in every way possible. But he’s also her father’s protégé, and she can’t say no to him without him finding out the reason why: Cooper and her have a messy past. So Emmanuelle reluctantly launches her father’s grand plan to get this Casanova someone to settle down with and help him lose his lothario reputation.

Cooper Endicott wanted to run for Mayor, but he never wanted the drama that went with it. Now that he’s on the political hamster wheel, the other candidates are digging up everything from his past. Even though he’s doing all the right things, his colorful love life is the sticking point for many of the conservative voters. He wants to win, badly, and he knows that if he wants any chance of getting a vote from the female population, he needs to change his image. The only problem? He might just be falling in love with the one person he promised not to pursue: the Mayor’s off-limits daughter.

First Impressions

I initially heard about this book through some of my favorite authors, Christina Lauren. When they recommended a romance novel, I was intrigued because I love their novels. The cover is fine. I honestly don’t know, whether or not I would have picked it up based off of the cover alone. The summary immediately hooked me though, because I am a sucker for hate to love stories.

What I thought

Cooper and Emma were friends growing up. Life got in the way and now, even though they work together, they bicker and Emma claims to hate Cooper. Cooper decides to run for Mayor of their hometown in which Emma’s dad has been Mayor for the past 23 years. Emma and her father back Cooper, and Emma ends up running his campaign.

This is a bit of an interesting book for me to review. I didn’t get as pulled into it as I thought I would, but in the end I did really enjoy it. It look me about a month to read this book and I think in the end that kind of helped me? I had a lot of other books that I was reading and had to get read by certain dates, so this became my background book that I would read when I didn’t have my other books around. But in the end, I think that helped because it made me feel like I had known Cooper and Emma for a long time. I became more invested in the slow pace of their relationship and I really got behind them by the end.

I loved the energy between Cooper and Emma. Cooper is a bit of a cocky womanizer but he’s a genuinely good guy. Emma is the mayor’s daughter and is good at her job. When Cooper doesn’t do his part of the job, she gets irritated with them and I enjoyed their banter.

The other part of this story I enjoyed was the suspense of who was going to with the mayoral election. I liked the tension between Cooper and the other candidate. In fact, I wouldn’t have minded a little bit more. There were bits and piece that seemed like they were going somewhere seedy that were never touched on again.

While I wouldn’t put this book on the same level as the Christina Lauren books, it was still a well written romance. The smut level is very low, so if you want a romance story that is all about the relationship development and not a lot of physical romance, I would recommend checking this out. Since it is the first in a series, I am looking forward to the next books. The town is adorable and I liked Cooper and Emma’s friends, Nick and Henry, so I would love to read their stories of finding love.

No Judgements

By: Meg Cabot
Published Year: 2019
Publisher: William Morrow Books
Pages: 384

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): The storm of the century is about to hit Little Bridge Island, Florida—and it’s sending waves crashing through Sabrina “Bree” Beckham’s love life…

When a massive hurricane severs all power and cell service to Little Bridge Island—as well as its connection to the mainland—twenty-five-year-old Bree Beckham isn’t worried . . . at first. She’s already escaped one storm—her emotionally abusive ex—so a hurricane seems like it will be a piece of cake.

But animal-loving Bree does become alarmed when she realizes how many islanders have been cut off from their beloved pets. Now it’s up to her to save as many of Little Bridge’s cats and dogs as she can . . . but to do so, she’s going to need help—help she has no choice but to accept from her boss’s sexy nephew, Drew Hartwell, the Mermaid Café’s most notorious heartbreaker.

But when Bree starts falling for Drew, just as Little Bridge’s power is restored and her penitent ex shows up, she has to ask herself if her island fling was only a result of the stormy weather, or if it could last during clear skies too.

First Impressions

Meg Cabot is one of my favorite authors and I was so excited to see she was coming out with something new and for adults! The cover is cute and falls in line with the trend of cartoony romance covers that I enjoy. I couldn’t believe my luck when I got to review this book because it was one I was beyond excited to read.

What I thought

Bree moved to Little Bridge Island off the coast of Florida 3 months earlier to start over. Now there is a Category 5 hurricane coming straight for the island and Bree is refusing to evacuate. Luckily, she is looked after by her boss, his wife, and their nephew and town lady’s man, Drew.

Normally one of the things I love about Meg Cabot is her characters and these ones I didn’t quite connect with. Bree fell a little flat to me and it seemed like there was a bit of a cheap backstory meant to give her depth but it didn’t work for me. It wasn’t that I disliked the characters, I just didn’t find myself falling in love with them.

Other than the mediocre main characters, I enjoyed the story. I have never read a story about a hurricane and it was fun. I liked the hurricane party and I liked the aftermath of the hurricane too. I also really liked the secondary characters. Neveah, Drew’s niece, cracked me up. She loves animals and she’s a teenager, and I really appreciated her comments. Maybe part of the reason I liked her so much is because I’ve always enjoyed Cabot’s young adult novels.

I don’t have too much to say about this book, unfortunately. It was a quick read and I found myself enjoying it while I read it.

Overall this book was fine. It was a solid romance novel with decent characters, a cute connection, and a great setting. The writing was solid, as could be expected with Cabot, but it wasn’t anything special to me. It looks like this is going to be a series and I am curious to see what the next book is going to be about. I’m curious whether it is going to continue to follow Drew and Bree or whether it’s going to follow other characters. I think that Cabot’s previous adult novels were better, but again, this one is solid.

The Vanished Bride

By: Bella Ellis
Published Year: 2019
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 304

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Before they became legendary writers, Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, and Anne Brontë were detectors in this charming historical mystery...

Yorkshire, 1845. A young wife and mother has gone missing from her home, leaving behind two small children and a large pool of blood. Just a few miles away, a humble parson's daughters--the Brontë sisters--learn of the crime. Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë are horrified and intrigued by the mysterious disappearance.

These three creative, energetic, and resourceful women quickly realize that they have all the skills required to make for excellent "lady detectors." Not yet published novelists, they have well-honed imaginations and are expert readers. And, as Charlotte remarks, "detecting is reading between the lines--it's seeing what is not there."

As they investigate, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne are confronted with a society that believes a woman's place is in the home, not scouring the countryside looking for clues. But nothing will stop the sisters from discovering what happened to the vanished bride, even as they find their own lives are in great peril...

First Impressions

Bronte sisters as detectives? Count me in! When I first read the description that sounded so cute and I couldn’t pass it up. To be honest, the cover isn’t my favorite. I would not have been drawn to it on the shelf.

What I thought

Charlotte, Emily, and Anne stumble across a mysterious disappearance that involves one of Charlotte’s old friends. It seems as though no one is going to go looking for the missing woman, so they decide to take it upon themselves to become detectors and find out what happened.

I think I would’ve liked this book more if it was a Young Adult novel with the Bronte sisters being a little younger. I couldn’t quite get behind the sisters being in their 20s and running around trying to solve a murder. The other issue I had was that it seemed as though being a detective was a new field, yet the Bronte sisters understood the need for someone to have a motive and a lot of other classic detective tropes.

The story alternated chapters told from the perspectives of each sister, yet I didn’t find them to be very different. It seemed like when the chapter was from Emily’s perspective, for example, but if all the sisters were in the scene, it didn’t focus on Emily’s thoughts or views.

I kept waiting for the story to find it’s rhythm, but it just didn’t do much for me. Again, I think if the girls were younger it might’ve been a bit more believable for me. The curiosity getting the best of them and trying to escape from the boredom of their lives. I also found the mystery to be predictable which always knocks a story down a bit for me.

The story wasn’t terrible, and I enjoyed a lot of aspects of it. But there were still some kinks to me that need to be worked out. The mystery wasn’t a page turner and there were some things that needed to be streamlined. I think maybe a few books down the road that maybe they will find their rhythm, but for now, the Bronte Sister’s Mysteries are not for me.

Book Club September 2019- Beyond the Poind

By: Claire Gibson
Published Year: 2019
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 528

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Duty. Honor. Country. That’s West Point’s motto, and every cadet who passes through its stone gates vows to live it. But on the eve of 9/11, as Dani, Hannah and Avery face four grueling years ahead, they realize they’ll only survive if they do it together.

Everyone knows Dani is going places. With athletic talent and a brilliant mind, she navigates West Point’s predominantly male environment with wit and confidence, breaking stereotypes and embracing new friends.

Hannah’s grandfather, a legendary Army general, offers a stark warning about the dangers that lie ahead, but she moves forward anyway, letting faith guide her path. When she meets her soul mate at West Point, the future looks perfect, just as planned.

Wild child Avery moves fast and doesn’t mind breaking a few rules (and hearts) along the way. But she can’t outpace her self-doubt, and the harder she tries, the further it leads her down a treacherous path.

The world—of business, of love, and of war—awaits Dani, Hannah, and Avery beyond the gates of West Point. These three women know that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. But soon, that adage no longer rings true—for their future, or their friendship. As they’re pulled in different directions, will their hard-forged bond prevail or shatter?

Beyond the Point is a heartfelt look at how our closest friends can become our fiercest battle buddies. After all, the greatest battles we fight rarely require a uniform.

What We Thought

Beyond the Point follows Hannah, Dani, and Avery from their decisions to attend West Point through their years following through parts of their service. At West Point, Hannah Dani and Avery are all on the basketball team and as women, are in the minority of the population. Because of these two commonalities, they become close friends.

It was fascinating to read about their college experience and how it differed from my own. I loved learning about their training and the different years of school and how they worked. This was also where Dani, Hannah, and Avery’s friendship was born and I loved watching that bloom. In fact, one for the parts I was disappointed by the most was how short this portion of the book was. I would’ve gladly had this be 75% of the book. Unfortunately, we were only privy to their first two years and it got cut off right at a big cliffhanger. The rest of the book I felt like I had missed important information and missed some of their bonding. I would’ve appreciated the full four year.

One of the issues with the book that Meghan mentioned was how a chapter would end with a cliffhanger, not pick up until 5 chapters later, and then it wouldn’t even really pick up where it left off. Instead, leaving the reader to find out what happened through flashbacks even more chapters later. This happens a few times and did get a little bit irritating. Not so much that it ruined the book for me, but I know that it frustrated a few of the other book club members

I enjoyed the friendship aspect of this book a lot. I liked that each of the girls had their own problems and they were envious of how perfectly they felt their friends’ lives were. There were times when Avery talked down her issues because Hannah was dealing with something a lot worse and I could really relate to that. There are so many times when we don’t tell our friends about our issues because we worry that they’re insignificant. It was nice to not feel alone in doing this as it is something I find myself doing a lot. I haven’t read a lot of stories in which that is so openly shared and discussed.

Considering that this is Gibson’s debut novel, I was very impressed. I felt like the story moved quickly and taught me a lot. I haven’t ever read a story about West Point and to have it from an insider’s perspective it was fascinating. It definitely piqued a curiosity in me and I would love to learn more about what it’s like to go there as well as the other military colleges.

The overall consensus was that everyone enjoyed the book. We each found different aspects fascinating and it sparked some interesting conversation. There were bits and pieces that each of us weren’t crazy about, but not enough so to ruin the book for any of us. For example, I found the bits about religion and Faith to be mostly unnecessary and out of place, but they were so excessive that I couldn’t deal with them.

If you like historic war novels or novels about friendship, I would recommend checking this out. I know it’s not historic, as it takes place in the early 2000s, but it has that vibe to it, so I think people who enjoy those types of novels would enjoy this as well.  

Book Club August 2019- Red, White, & Royal Blue

By: Casey McQuistion
Published Year: 2019
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Pages: 423

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): What happens when America's First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales?

When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius—his image is pure millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There's only one problem: Alex has a beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an Alex-Henry altercation, U.S./British relations take a turn for the worse.

Heads of family, state, and other handlers devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the two rivals. What at first begins as a fake, Instragramable friendship grows deeper, and more dangerous, than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. Soon Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations and begs the question: Can love save the world after all? Where do we find the courage, and the power, to be the people we are meant to be? And how can we learn to let our true colors shine through?

Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue proves: true love isn't always diplomatic.

What I thought

This is one of those books that has been making the rounds of the internet. I had read many good things about this book. Anyone that read it was raving about how good it was. Seeing that politics and LGBTQ centered books are not typically my style, I shied away from it, even though I do love royal dramas. I was a little nervous when Logan picked this for her book club book, but was pleasantly surprised.

Alex is the son of the first female President of the United States. Henry is the youngest Prince of England. Alex hates Henry until he is forced to pretend to be his best friend to avoid political scandal. Alex and Henry end up falling in love.

That’s pretty much the gist of this book. And while my summary is short and sweet, that’s because I want you to read and enjoy this book for yourself and not give anything away. The writing in this book was so solid. It was the perfect balance between smart and funny.

The interesting thing about this book is that it is advertised as a Young Adult novel, but I don’t think I would classify it as that. In fact, I think the bubblegum pink cartoon cover doesn’t do this book justice. But, I do appreciate that this book is targeted towards a young audience because I feel like it’s one that can positively influence so many people who might not pick it up if it was geared toward an older audience.

I was a bit surprised by exactly how political this book got. I expected it to be heavy on the romance and not as heavy on the politics. That’s why I said that this book is smart. McQuiston does a great job at not dumbing anything down and making it believable that this is a family deep into the political world. I loved some of the parallels to the real world.

Alex and Henry were both a lot of fun to read. Alex is unlike any character I have ever read and I enjoyed him. I liked reading about his personal struggles and he doesn’t become whiney. Henry was a lot of fun too. I think I appreciated Alex a little more than Henry, but I think that’s because the story wasn’t told from his perspective. I did like the insight into Henry’s life in the palace and would’ve loved to learn more about his life and his sister’s life.

This book also made me laugh. The emails were so much fun and there were some great one-liners. Again, I didn’t expect this book to be as funny as it was. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I have drank the Kool-aid. I will gladly push this book onto everyone and can’t wait to discuss it at book club.