Outlawed

By: Anna North
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Pages: 261

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): In the year of our Lord 1894, I became an outlaw.

The day of her wedding, 17 year old Ada's life looks good; she loves her husband, and she loves working as an apprentice to her mother, a respected midwife. But after a year of marriage and no pregnancy, in a town where barren women are routinely hanged as witches, her survival depends on leaving behind everything she knows.

She joins up with the notorious Hole in the Wall Gang, a band of outlaws led by a preacher-turned-robber known to all as the Kid. Charismatic, grandiose, and mercurial, the Kid is determined to create a safe haven for outcast women. But to make this dream a reality, the Gang hatches a treacherous plan that may get them all killed. And Ada must decide whether she's willing to risk her life for the possibility of a new kind of future for them all.

Featuring an irresistibly no-nonsense, courageous, and determined heroine, Outlawed dusts off the myth of the old West and reignites the glimmering promise of the frontier with an entirely new set of feminist stakes. Anna North has crafted a pulse-racing, page-turning saga about the search for hope in the wake of death, and for truth in a climate of small-mindedness and fear.

First Impressions

Honestly… not great. This cover didn’t appeal to me at all and neither did the summary. The only good thing I can say about it is that it’s unique and would often catch my eye. It just is like everything wrong all in one cover and I don’t find it attractive. If I hadn’t had a friend encourage me to read it I would not have one so.

What I thought

My friend Carly loved this book and we have similar taste in books, so I had high hopes. Unfortunately, I don’t think I enjoyed it as much as she did.

This story takes place in an alternative America in the 1890s. Women who are barren are declared as witches and hanged. When Ada is married for a year without falling pregnant, she is essentially run out of town and joins the Hole in the Wall Gang to become an outlaw.

This is a relatively short book and I did enjoy it. I also thought it had a lot of really good messages. It focused a lot on how religion can make people not believe in science and especially focused on how people continually try to explain the unexplainable by finding any possible reason. It also gave some interesting perspective on how humans handle those that are different be it race, sexuality, or just general life choices.

The perspective about reality in this universe was interesting and I kind of wish we had spent more time in the towns and a little less as outlaws in the wild. Ada was a good main character but I was left with so many questions. Not only about her but about so many of the choices and the other members of the gang.

The hardest part for me were the scenes where they were actually stealing and shooting and getting into general good old western mischief. I’ve never been someone who is into westerns so maybe that’s why I struggled with those scenes. I also found the ending to be a bit unsatisfactory.

While there were a lot of parts and, like I said, messages, that I liked about this book, it somehow felt significantly longer that 260 pages for me. Carly loved it, so it obviously works for others, but I think I should’ve trusted my gut when I read the summary and just passed it by. Reese always has good recommendations but this one wasn’t for me. I’d say if you read the summary and find it interesting,  you’ll likely enjoy it a lot.

Take Me Home Tonight

By: Morgan Matson
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Simone Schuter
Pages: 416

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Two girls. One night. Zero phones.

Kat and Stevie—best friends, theater kids, polar opposites—have snuck away from the suburbs to spend a night in New York City. They have it all planned out. They’ll see a play, eat at the city’s hottest restaurant, and have the best. Night. Ever. What could go wrong?

Well. Kind of a lot?

They’re barely off the train before they’re dealing with destroyed phones, family drama, and unexpected Pomeranians. Over the next few hours, they’ll have to grapple with old flames, terrible theater, and unhelpful cab drivers. But there are also cute boys to kiss, parties to crash, dry cleaning to deliver (don’t ask), and the world’s best museum to explore.

Over the course of a wild night in the city that never sleeps, both Kat and Stevie will get a wake-up call about their friendship, their choices…and finally discover what they really want for their future.

That is, assuming they can make it to Grand Central before the clock strikes midnight.

First Impressions

A new Morgan Matson book! Finally! I have loved all of Matson’s other books and it has been a while since she has written a new one. I added this book to my list without even reading the summary. The cover is cute, maybe not my favorite. The summary also sounded interesting and different from her others.

What I thought

While this isn’t one of my favorites by Matson, it was still a fun and enjoyable story that I flew through.

Kat is best friends with Stevie and they are in their senior year of high school. They are both theater kids but Kat is hoping to do theater in college. Being immersed in the theater world means that their life revolves around their castings. When the theater director decides to postpone posting the castings and Stevie’s dad cancels on her birthday dinner in the city, Kat and Stevie decide to go to New York City on their own for a night of adventure.

There was a lot that I loved about this story. I was a dancer growing up and was very immersed in the theater/performance world in high school. Reading about how Kat described being in the theater and the comradery after a performance brought me right back. The politics, the drama, the family, I related to all of it and it reminded me of things I had forgotten. I also related to living in a suburb outside of a big city. While Kat and Stevie live in Connecticut, a 45 minute train ride into New York City, I lived a 45 minute train ride outside of Chicago. I connected with the comfort yet the unfamiliarity of the big city.

What didn’t work for me was the third storyline. The story mostly alternated between Stevie and Kat’s perspectives starting once they got separated, which I enjoyed, but there was another storyline with their friend Teri that just seemed very out of place to me. I guess it added some comedy and broke things up but honestly, it didn’t add a thing to the story and actually pulled me out of the connections with Kat and Stevie.

One of the things Matson does so well is write relationships. Whether that’s friendships or families. The friendship between Kat and Stevie really shone in this story but I did feel like some of the family side that I love so much from her previous novels was missing. This book was just very different from what she usually writes and I don’t know if that’s because it doesn’t take place I summer or what it was. Overall, it was still a strong and delightful story and I look forward to talking about it with my friends.

A Special Place for Women

By: Laura Hankin
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 368

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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 on this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): It's a club like no other. Only the most important women receive an invitation. But one daring young reporter is about to infiltrate this female-run secret society, whose beguiling members are caught up in a dark and treacherous business.

For years, rumors have swirled about an exclusive, women-only social club where the elite tastemakers of NYC meet. People in the know whisper all sorts of claims: Membership dues cost $1,000 a month. Last time Rihanna was in town, she stopped by and got her aura read. The women even handpicked the city's first female mayor. But no one knows for sure.

That is, until journalist Jillian Beckley decides she's going to break into the club. With her career in freefall, Jillian needs a juicy scoop, and she has a personal interest in bringing these women down. But the deeper she gets into this new world--where billionaire "girlbosses" mingle with the astrology-obsessed--the more Jillian learns that bad things happen to those who dare to question the club's motives or giggle at its outlandish rituals.

The select group of women who populate the club may be far more powerful than she ever imagined.

And far more dangerous too.

First Impressions

The bright pink cover definitely caught my eye. Then reading how it was about an elite club of women that needed to be taken down? I was in. Admittedly, the summary did seem a bit dark for some reason which made me a little hesitant to pick it up until I was in the right mood, but it definitely was a strong first impression.

What I thought

While not quite what I expected, this book was so fun and fast ad exactly what I needed.

Jillian is a journalist who recently lost her mother and her job. When she runs into Margot at her friend Raf’s restaurant opening she is struck with the idea to write an article about the exclusive women’s club that Margot is a leader of, Nevertheless. Jillian believes they had something to do with the takedown of Nancy, the first woman elected as New York City’s mayor and a woman poised to become the first female president so she decides to infiltrate the society and take them down from the inside.

I love a good takedown of privileged people. This book, however, is a little bit more. I wasn’t at all bothered by the fact that there was some “witchiness” involved, but I could see how it could throw people off and make them dislike the book if they aren’t into that kind of thing. It’s not true supernatural magic, but it is important to the book.

The writing was quick and easy to get through. I never felt like I was slogging through and I couldn’t wait for Jillian to get further and further into Nevertheless. I also liked the addition of the fake romance between Raf and Jillian.

One of the things that worked so well with this book was the balance of sisterhood and secrecy and a little it of nuttiness. It never felt like it got over the top insane to me which I think is why I was ok with some of the turns taken. I could see this happening in real life, though I definitely related more to Jillian than I did to the other women in the story.

This book has a bit of everything. Mystery, betrayal, family, sisterhood, and even some romance. I think this would be a really fun book club book and am a little sad that I didn’t read this with the girls. Even though the tone changes a bit part way through the book I still found it balanced. If you’re looking for a contemporary book with a bit of a twist I highly recommend checking this one out. I didn’t read Hankin’s previous novel but am now considering going to check it out!

Book Club June 2021- Baseball's Leading Lady: Effa Manley and the Rise and Fall of the Negro League

By: Andrea Williams
Pages: 336
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Roaring Book Press

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): For fans of Hidden Figures and Steve Sheinkin's Undefeated, this is the powerful true story of Effa Manley, the first and only woman in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Before Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier in 1947, Negro Leagues Baseball was the only game in town for black athletes. And those leagues owed their existence and success to savvy businesspeople like Effa Manley, the black female co-owner of the Newark Eagles. Effa was the team's business manager, leading her team to win the Negro World Series in 1946. But this victory was bittersweet: Integration was on its way, and the demise of the Negro Leagues would soon follow.

In this riveting nonfiction account, author Andrea Williams weaves the parallel stories of the segregated leagues with the tale of an inspiring woman who was at the center of it all.

This month’s pick was Meghan’s. Meghan is a huge baseball fan and her dad (also a huge baseball fan) recommended this book to her and she thought it would be a fun and different read for book club.

What I thought

This book focuses on the Negro League and Effa Manley, who was the first woman elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I do think the cover is a bit misleading because while Manley’s story is a large part of this book, I think it’s mostly about the Negro league and their struggle to make it and find equality.

While I enjoy watching baseball, I’ve always struggled to call myself a true fan. I enjoy watching it and going to games but it’s not one of my favorite sports. I could not confidently name any Hall of Famers and couldn’t tell you much about baseball’s history. Because of that, I was excited to read this book. Not only was I going to be able to learn more about the history of baseball, but specifically about black history in baseball.

The one disappointment to me was that I wanted more about Effa. They mention that she was married briefly and then married a second time. I want to know more about her history and her life and why those things happened to get her to where she was. The book gives a little background, but this definitely isn’t a biography on Effa Manley, if that’s what you are hoping for.

It was definitely a slower read for me because I’m not a huge baseball fan, but it’s under 300 pages, largely spaced and typed and well written. It’s not difficult to get into and there is a lot of history and interesting facts that kept me interested. I also was fascinated by the names of all of the Negro League teams.

Overall, is this a book I would pick up off the shelf myself? Probably not. Am I glad that I read it and educated myself on an awesome woman and some black history? Absolutely. I would definitely recommend this book to any and all baseball fans as well.

What book club thought

Everyone really enjoyed this book! It was a lot of fun getting to discuss the history as well. We all agreed Effa was a strong woman way ahead of her time but that this book title is a little bit misleading as the book focuses more on the Negro League than Effa herself. It was a really fun book and pushed me out of my comfort zone. I’ve already recommended this book to my dad!

It Had to Be You

By: Georgie Clark
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Pages: 384

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

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): For the past twenty years, Liv and Eliot Goldenhorn have run In Love in New York, Brooklyn’s beloved wedding-planning business. When Eliot dies unexpectedly, he even more unexpectedly leaves half of the business to his younger, blonder girlfriend, Savannah. Liv and Savannah are not a match made in heaven, to say the least. But what starts as a personal and professional nightmare transforms into something even savvy, cynical Liv Goldenhorn couldn’t begin to imagine.

It Had to Be You cleverly unites Liv, Savannah, and couples as diverse and unique as New York City itself, in a joyous Love-Actually-style braided narrative. The result is a smart, modern love story that truly speaks to our times. Second chances, secret romance, and steamy soul mates are front and center in this sexy, tender, and utterly charming rom-com.

First Impressions

What a beautiful cover! I definitely would pick this book up off the shelf based off of that alone. The summary was fun as well. I like stories where two unlikely characters have to work together and that’s exactly what this sounded like.

What I thought

Uh… well… this book was not as described.

The summary makes it seem as though this story is going to be about Liv and Savannah as they navigate working together after Eliot dies and leaves his half of the business to Savannah (his mistress). In reality, it’s 5 different romance novels squished into one. I honestly feel like this one book could’ve been broken up into a 5 book series and would’ve faired better. Liv and Savannah do have a storyline following the business they’re now forced to run together. But it’s also about Henry and Gorman, the gay couple that owns the flower shop, Darlene and Zach, the DJ and Singer duo, and Zia and Clay, the waitress and the famous actor.

I liked each of these stories individually but I think the summary does this book a huge injustice. Being thrown into another couple’s story really threw me and then four there to be a total of 5 love stories? I had to completely change the idea of what I was reading in my mind and I don’t think I recovered from that. I also never felt like I got enough of each couple. Just as I was starting to get into their storyline, it switched to another.

Liv’s romance after her husband dies is maybe my favorite. I liked how she dealt with her grief and I would’ve enjoyed really diving into the complexities of their romance dynamic. Savannah’s story was slightly harder for me to get into and I think that’s because it was so choppy. She makes a pretty big realization about her life, but it comes off pretty quickly. Henry and Gorman were a hundred percent my least favorite couple and could’ve been eliminated completely. They didn’t bring anything to the other stories and I didn’t like their romance.

Zia and Clay were fun and I did like that Zia and Darlene were roommates so their stories tied together that way. However, they didn’t tie into Liv or Savannah. Darlene and Zach are the only other couple competing for favorites. They were very classic romance novel with a combination of friends to lovers and fake dating. I looked forward to each of their chapters.

Honestly, I don’t feel like I got much out of this book. There was a lot of bouncing back and forth and it felt like every character was underdeveloped. They would’ve been much better served had they each had their own book where the romance could’ve been fleshed out. I debated between 2 and 3 stars for a while, and honestly would’ve rated it a 2.5. But, because I think people will enjoy this story more once they know what they’re truly in for, I rounded up. I also never felt like I wanted to give up on the story and did enjoy most of it while I was reading.

Beth & Amy

By: Virginia Kantra
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 352

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

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Amy March is more like her older sister Jo than she'd like to admit. An up-and-coming designer in New York's competitive fashion industry, ambitious Amy is determined to get out of her sisters' shadow and keep her distance from their North Carolina hometown. But when Jo's wedding forces her home, she must face what she really wants...and confront the One Big Mistake that could upend her life and forever change her relationship with Jo.

Gentle, unassuming Beth grew up as the good girl of the family. A talented singer-songwriter, she's overcome her painful anxiety to tour with country superstar Colt Henderson. But life on the road has taken its toll on her health and their relationship. Maybe a break to attend her sister's wedding will get her out of her funk. But Beth realizes that what she's looking for and what she needs are two very different things....

With the March women reunited, this time with growing careers and families, they must once again learn to lean on one another as they juggle the changes coming their way.

First Impressions

I read the first book Meg & Jo when it first came out and really enjoyed it. I was excited to read the second one and then the pandemic happened and I kind of forgot about it. when I saw it was finally coming out in May I got really excited. I love the style of these covers and I love how the fit together.

What I thought

This was such a fun read and I flew through it.

Since the first book, Beth has been on tour for 3 years and is finally coming home. Amy returned from Paris to sell her purses for her line Baggage in New York City. The reason they are back in Bunyan is for Jo’s wedding to Eric. Will Beth discover who she is and who she wants to be? Will Amy get over Trey?

I love that this book both simultaneously did and did not pick up where it left off. It was fun to fast forward in Jo and Meg’s lives and the pick up with Amy and Beth. Jo has always been my favorite March sister so I was curious to see how I would enjoy a story focused on Beth and Amy. Surprisingly, this book really made me like Amy. I still feel meh about Beth but that’s nothing to do with the story. In fact, I did enjoy Beth’s story a lot but it’s just that overall she’s not my favorite.

In case you didn’t read my review of the first book, this duology is a modern day retelling of Little Women and it is done so well. I love seeing the March sisters brought into the 21st century and dealing with present day problems. If you’ve read the original, you know that Beth dies. Spoiler, she doesn’t die in this version which I very much appreciated. I don’t want to give too much away but I really liked the way they handled a modern day illness for Beth to deal with that didn’t end up killing her off.

The one issue I did have with the book is the time line was a bit confusing. I was never sure how much time passed between the alternating chapters. Sometimes Beth’s chapters would pick up a week after Amy’s ended and sometimes it would pick up back at the beginning of where the previous chapter had started. It wasn’t a major issue, but it did take me out of the story from time to time.

This series is very fun and well done. If you like Little Women you will enjoy this modern retelling. There are a lot of good lessons in this story and the writing is well done. I also liked reconnecting with Jo and Meg. I would definitely recommend this duology and look forward to other books by this author.

Social Graces

By: Renee Rosen
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 400

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

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): In the glittering world of Manhattan's upper crust, where wives turn a blind eye to husbands' infidelities, and women have few rights and even less independence, society is everything. The more celebrated the hostess, the more powerful the woman. And none is more powerful than Caroline Astor—the Mrs. Astor.

But times are changing.

Alva Vanderbilt has recently married into one of America's richest families. But what good is money when society refuses to acknowledge you? Alva, who knows what it is to have nothing, will do whatever it takes to have everything.

Sweeping three decades and based on true events, this is a gripping novel about two fascinating, complicated women going head to head, behaving badly, and discovering what’s truly at stake.

First Impressions

I read Park Avenue Summer by Rosen and was a little surprised by how much I enjoyed it. When her newest book was offered to me, I knew that I had to read it. the idea of more modern historical fiction appealed to me and I don’t personally know much about the Vanderbilts so I was immediately into it.

What I thought

While this book did have a dip in the middle, I enjoyed it overall.

Caroline Astor comes from old money is the queen of Society. Alva Vanderbilt is nouveau riche and wants nothing more than to be welcomed into Society. This story tells the tale of how modern day high society came about as well as the uprising of the Vanderbilts.

I really enjoyed the first and last thirds of this story. The first third intrigued me and I was fascinated by Alva and how she had pulled her way up out of poverty and into one of the richest families of the time. It was also fascinating to read about the rivalry between old money and new money in society.

The middle third, however, was so boring and I almost put the book down because of it. Once Alva worked her way kind of sort of into society, nothing happened. I know that it’s historical fiction and so you can’t make up stuff that didn’t happen to make a story interesting, but I think maybe less time could’ve been spent on those middle years.

Alva’s life as she got older was intriguing. I learned a lot about her that I admired and had no idea. For example, she was very passionate about the women’s sufferage movement and was known to contribute a lot to it. I am now curious about the rest of the Vanderbilts, since this really only focused on Alva, but I probably won’t go looking too far into it. In case you are curious though, Alva is not Anderson Cooper’s grandmother. She would’ve been his great aunt and the story didn’t touch on his side of the family other that vague mention of his parents in passing.

Honestly, if the middle of this story had been a bit shorter or faster paced, I would’ve given the book 4 stars. But I can’t give a book a fourth star if I debated setting it down at about 60%. The story was very interesting and if you are intrigued by the subject matter then I do recommend picking this one up. I didn’t enjoy it as much as Park Avenue Summer but it was still very well written. If you are someone who can push through a slower middle, I definitely recommend picking this one up.

The Soulmate Equation

By: Christina Lauren
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Gallery Books
Pages: 368

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Single mom Jess Davis is a data and statistics wizard, but no amount of number crunching can convince her to step back into the dating world. Raised by her grandparents--who now help raise her seven-year-old daughter, Juno--Jess has been left behind too often to feel comfortable letting anyone in. After all, her father's never been around, her hard-partying mother disappeared when she was six, and her ex decided he wasn't "father material" before Juno was even born. Jess holds her loved ones close, but working constantly to stay afloat is hard...and lonely.

But then Jess hears about GeneticAlly, a buzzy new DNA-based matchmaking company that's predicted to change dating forever. Finding a soulmate through DNA? The reliability of numbers: This Jess understands. At least she thought she did, until her test shows an unheard-of 98% compatibility with another subject in the database: GeneticAlly's founder, Dr. River Pena. This is one number she can't wrap her head around, because she already knows Dr. Pena. The stuck-up, stubborn man is without a doubt not her soulmate. But GeneticAlly has a proposition: Get to know him and we'll pay you. Jess--who is barely making ends meet--is in no position to turn it down, despite her skepticism about the project and her dislike for River. As the pair are dragged from one event to the next as the "Diamond" pairing that could make GeneticAlly a mint in stock prices, Jess begins to realize that there might be more to the scientist--and the science behind a soulmate--than she thought.

First Impressions

I mean… do I even need to fill this part out at this point? It’s a Christina Lauren book. Obviously I’m going to read it.

What I thought

Love love LOVED this book. This was what I had been hoping for when I read The Love Proof.

Jess and her friend Fizzy meet River at their local coffee shop where they find out that he is creating a dating app that is based off of your DNA. He invites them to check it out and Fizzy jumps on it because she’s a romance novelist. Jess, a single mother and statistician is a bit more skeptical. When she finally decides to submit her sample, she ends up match with River with 98% compatibility. Problem is, neither of them have felt any type of compatibility with each other during their previous meetings.

How can I squeal about this book over writing? I just loved everything about this book and enjoyed every moment. I read it in just over three days, but mostly read it over the weekend because I couldn’t put it down. This is one of their less spicy romance novels, so if you’re wary of that, you will be safe with this one.

I loved the science aspect of this story. Does your DNA play a part in who you fall in love with? Does it predetermine who you will be attracted to? If you know that information, does it change how you view a person?

I’m also, as I’m sure many of you know by now, a sucker for the enemies to lovers trope in romance novels and this one definitely toes that line. Jess and River do not like one another at first which makes it all the sweeter when they find out that they’re meant to be. I also appreciated the point of conflict that was chosen. I don’t want to say much about it, but I didn’t see it coming and it didn’t make me angry.

River and Jess were also adorable. I loved their chemistry and was rooting for them the entire time. The side characters were great too! I loved Jess’s daughter Juno, her grandparents, and of course Fizzy. I know it’s not common for Christina Lauren to do sequels to these stories but I would love to see Fizzy get her own book.

How many times have I said I loved this book? The concept, the characters, the story, it was pure perfection for me. This may have moved up the list to become my second favorite Christina Lauren book and that’s saying something! Especially since I did really love their last book, In a Holidaze. But yes, this one is a close second in my mind to Josh and Hazel (which will likely never be beat).