Recently Read 2022 | Part II

Unless the second half of this year goes in another direction, 2022 is not shaping up to be much of a reading year for me. So many books I want to read, but my attention-span is just not there. I wanted to get this post up before summer officially starts so I can maybe do a summer wrap up in September. Linking up for Show Us Your Books.

Wahala | I had a book hangover after finishing this book because I missed reading about Simi, Ronke, and Boo. This is the ultimate new-friend-to-the-group-is-up-to-no-good, quiet thriller where you know something bad is going to happen, it’s just a matter of when. The thriller element is definitely second to the friendship and unique storyline of each of the women– 3 Anglo-Nigerian women, who have been friends since college, are reunited with an estranged friend from childhood of one of the women. 

I think a blurb I read called them flawed but likable & I found that accurate, because mainly Boo– was really unlikable, but I still found myself rooting for her happy ending. The women are all mixed-race, so there are themes surrounding their struggles of often never fitting in with either of their cultures. Food is also a big theme in the book & I love that the author included a few recipes in the back of the book. I’ve never had Nigerian food, but have added it to my list.

One Italian Summer | I had a change of heart halfway through this book and went from being slightly annoyed to mostly enjoying it. Katy’s mother dies right before they’re set to leave on a trip to the Amalfi Coast. Her mom is the great love of her life, so her world is turned upside down & she suddenly no longer knows if she want to be married. She decides to go on the trip by herself and when she arrives she ends up running into her mom when she was her age (enter the magical realism). Reading about Italy was wonderful, as was the relationship with her mom– I really struggled with her decision to seemingly suddenly leave her husband behind & basically act as if he doesn’t exist. When I stopped to think about it I realized she was grieving, and I didn’t need to agree with her decision, but I could be understanding.

Overall, it was a nice quick read– I definitely prefer her last two books to this one, but would still recommend this if you’re a fan of her writing.

Mr. Popper’s Penguins | I read this over a few weeks with my four-year-old and it was the perfect first chapter book for him. Some of the language is definitely a bit dated, and the story took a few turns I wasn’t expecting (especially the ending😂)– but it’s great for a child who doesn’t like any conflict or anything “bad”.

Book Lovers | As I mentioned above, I’ve really struggled to read this year, so this is probably more of a me thing, but it’s a miracle I finished this one. It was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and I love Emily Henry’s writing, but it was not my favorite. The romance and banter between Nora and Charlie was 10/10 and it was sweet seeing their relationship form, but the part about Nora’s sister I just didn’t get. From the start I had a hard time believing a mom is going to leave her two young kids for a month while she’s pregnant. The last 60 pages or so definitely won me over and I loved the epilogue– but overall, definitely my least favorite of her adult novels.

What have you read lately?