It’s time for my first half of December book review post! I am sharing what I read in December so far, although I am skipping my 5 star reads to share later in the month. The Amazon links to the books I’ve read are affiliate links and if you use them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. If you’ve read any of these books or are interested in them, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Title: If You Would Have Told Me
Author: John Stamos
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co, 10/24/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
Celebrity memoirs are not my go to but I couldn’t resist reading more about Uncle Jesse!
“If you would have told a young John Stamos flipping burgers at his dad’s fast-food joint that one day he’d be a household name and that, at the height of his success, he’d be living alone, divorced, with no kids, high on a cocktail of forgetting, he might’ve asked, ‘You want fries with that?’ John burst onto the scene in General Hospital, propelling him into the teen idol stratosphere, a place that’s often a point of no return. But Stamos beat the odds and over the past four decades has proved himself to be one of his generation’s most successful and beloved actors. Whether showing off his comedic chops on Full House or his dramatic skills on ER, pushing the boundaries on Broadway or living out his youthful dreams as an honorary Beach Boy, John has surprised everyone, most of all himself.”
This memoir is told in a straight forward style, in the present tense even when talking about the past, and is full of lots of famous names. John Stamos reflects on his relationships with various influences in his life and shares about his time on General Hospital, Full House, and ER, as well as touring with The Beach Boys and spending time at Disneyland. Fun fact: I saw The Beach Boys in concert in 1996 but John Stamos sadly wasn’t there.
Title: Raiders of the Lost Heart
Author: Jo Segura
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: Berkley, 12/5/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
This book is about archaeologists on a dig in Mexico. Corrie is looking for her family history, while her nemesis, Ford, is hoping to earn money to support his mom. Corrie also was known for her body and wanted to prove that she is more than just her looks. Every time she got into sticky situations, Ford was there to rescue her.
“Archaeologist Dr. Socorro ‘Corrie’ Mejía has a bone to pick. Literally. It’s been Corrie’s life goal to lead an expedition deep into the Mexican jungle in search of the long-lost remains of her ancestor, Chimalli, an ancient warrior of the Aztec empire. But when she is invited to join an all-expenses-paid dig to do just that, Corrie is sure it’s too good to be true…and she’s right. As the world-renowned expert on Chimalli, by rights Corrie should be leading the expedition, not sharing the glory with her disgustingly handsome nemesis. But Dr. Ford Matthews has been finding new ways to best her since they were in grad school. Ford certainly isn’t thrilled either—with his life in shambles, the last thing he needs is a reminder of their rocky past. But as the dig begins, it becomes clear they’ll need to work together when they realize a thief is lurking around their campsite, forcing the pair to keep their discoveries—and lingering attraction—under wraps. With money-hungry artifact smugglers, the Mexican authorities, and the lies between them closing in, there’s only one way this all ends—explosively.”
I think the two characters were meant to be seen as Lara Croft and Indiana Jones! Forced to work together, there was some enemies to lovers in the story. While some parts of this were slow, it did pick up towards after the midpoint.
Title: The Land of Hope and Fear
Author: Isabel Kerschner
Genre: Non Fiction
Publisher: Knopf, 5/16/23
Source: Library Audio
Why I Read It: Self education
My Rating: 4 Stars
In an attempt to further educate myself about a country I grew up loving, I listened to The Land of Hope and Fear by Isabel Kerschner. This book does include some history and politics, but mainly focuses on the divides within Israeli society, focusing on some of the more fringe communities and not actually providing a lot of hope for the country’s future.
“Despite Israel’s determined staying power in a hostile environment, its military might, and the innovation it fosters in businesses globally, the country is more divided than ever. The old guard—socialist secular elites and idealists—are a dying breed, and the state’s democratic foundations are being challenged. A dynamic and exuberant country of nine million, Israel is now largely comprised of native-born Hebrew speakers, and yet any permanent sense of security and normalcy is elusive. In The Land of Hope and Fear, we meet Israelis: Jews and Arabs, religious and secular, Eastern and Western, liberals and zealots—plagued by perennial conflict and existential threats, citizens who remain deeply polarized politically, socially, and ideologically, even as they undergo generational change and redefine what it is to be an Israeli. Who are these people and to what do they aspire?”
In the face of this current conflict, this book did not feel wholly appropriate. At the same time, it was educational and did allow me to see the country as its citizens might. Like any country, it obviously has its problems. The author has recently been interviewed by NPR, and this interview proved to be an interesting addendum to the book. On a side note, the narrator for this book was absolutely awful, having no idea how to pronounce Hebrew names and words and causing me to cringe repeatedly while listening.
Title: Pretty Boys are Poisonous
Author: Megan Fox, with illustrations by Audrey Kawasaki
Genre: Poetry
Publisher: Gallery Books, 11/7/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
I had no idea who Megan Fox was before I was offered this book for review, and truthfully I still don’t know who she is. She writes poems about abusive relationships in this small volume of poetry.
“‘These poems were written in an attempt to excise the illness that had taken root in me because of my silence. I’ve spent my entire life keeping the secrets of men, my body aches from carrying the weight of their sins. My freedom lives in these pages, and I hope that my words can inspire others to take back their happiness and their identity by using their voice to illuminate what’s been buried, but not forgotten, in the darkness,’ says Fox. Pretty Boys Are Poisonous marks the powerful debut from one of the most well-known women of our time. Turn the page, bite the apple, and sink your teeth into the most deliciously compelling and addictive books you’ll read all year.”
The poems sometimes seemed fairy tale like and it was interesting how the titles were printed below the poems themselves. I liked the illustrations in the book.
This post includes 4 of the books I read this month. 3 were print books and 1 was on audio. They were all adult books. Genres included memoir, rom com, non fiction, and poetry.
Have you read any of these books or do you want to? What have you been reading lately?