I think rounding up the books in one short paragraph is much better than dedicated posts that don't make that much sense.
Let me know what you think!
I will preface this by saying that I didn't read any of these books -- I listened to them all on Audible, Amazon's audiobook companion. I've been addicted to Audible since April and have listened to too many books. You can read my initial thoughts on Audible here but clearly I love it.
Let's get started, shall we?
1. Primates of Park Avenue: This was a book that I had heard negative reviews on and didn't think I would want to read it, but it somehow drew me in. I listened to this after listening to a slew of nonfiction memoirs and wanted something a little fluffier but still not 100% fiction. It was really interesting to hear stories about the Upper East Side and how it truly is a different world with different rules. There was a lot of science and biology wrapped up into it and I think that made the book a little more credible. Also, the author was in no way similar to these women she talked about, which I think was a misunderstanding in the reviews I read. She wasn't bragging about the lifestyle, she was simply informing people of what goes on (she was just as shocked as the readers!) This was a pretty good book and I would recommend it if you want something light but not completely chick lit fiction.
2. The News Sorority: I had been lusting after this book for a good year and finally listened to it. I was weary of listening to it because I thought I would prefer to read a book like this but OMG, it was amazing. It takes you through the journey of three of the most famous women news anchors of our time and tells the stories of major events in the world, and their lives, and journalism in general. It sparked my nerd bug, big time. It was really long and those are my favorite books to listen too... and it was incredible. I was a journalism major in college and I'm a writer at heart (as you read my blog...duh) so it was wonderful to hear about Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric, and Christiane Amanpour's lives & careers. It definitely made me crave a journalism career and it was inspiring. This was another book that didn't get great reviews but if you love news, journalism, and memoirs, I think you'd really like this.
3. Killing Monica: Written by Candace Bushnell, aka the writer of Sex and the City novel (yes it was a book before the tv show) and it was hilarious. The premiss is that a very successful NYC author who just got divorced is sick of writing about her famous character, Monica. Everyone LOVES Monica & can't get enough of her, but PJ Wallis is tired of living in Monica's shadow. She needs to do something but what happens isn't what she expects.
I was definitely annoyed by it at times, and it may have been because I listened to it instead of reading but it was really outlandish and funny. A fake death? A crazy actress? New York City? Sign me up! It was definitely fluff but there is a deeper meaning behind it. I read some reviews and articles about this and a lot of people thought Bushnell was talking about Carrie Bradshaw in the novel, and it was hard for me NOT to think of that but she assured critics that it isn't based off of real life. It was a great read and I listened to it pretty quickly.
4. Luckiest Girl Alive: I got into a mood where I really wanted to listen/read a thriller novel. This was one that I had begun seeing everywhere and I couldn't resist. Let me start off by saying that this definitely has that "Gone Girl" & "Girl On the Train" feel but not as insane or twisted. It takes place in NYC and the main character works at a magazine as a sex writer so it definitely has a more present day, glamorous feel. I definitely was surprised and pleased with the true storyline, it was really interesting and crazy, and it gave me the chills. It was shocking and intense and a little hard to listen to at times but it was incredible in my opinion. Is it as good as "Gone Girl?" -- no, of course not. I don't think anything will come close to that for a while. I feel like this is a book I'd listen to again, that's how much I really enjoyed it.
As you can tell, I don't care if a book got bad reviews. Never judge a book by it's cover...or a review. If something sparks your interest, always read it! You never know where your next favorite will come from.
What books have you been reading/listening to lately? What do you think I should read next?
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