One of the things I love to do is read. I go through dry spells where I have nothing to read or don't have the time but when I get my hands on good books, I'm ravenous for them. My husband will routinely give me the side eye and be like "slow down, it's not going anywhere." He's the type of reader who remembers EVERYTHING he reads, which is great. I don't always, because I'm often catching a few minutes here and there and I'm a fast reader. But that's neither here nor there...

Now on to my recent reads.

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld



This is by it's own subtitle, "a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice," which could really go any which way given how beloved Austen's original is. I loved this book--the retelling of P&P is  modern but also very true to the original. You know who each character is (many of them share the same names) and I can visualize scenes from Pride and Prejudice as Sittenfeld retells them in modern day Cincinnati. I highly recommend it. Also, it's a quick read. I finished it within the week.


Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty



Ok, so I finally read this book after so. much. hype. I hate that, because I rarely feel like books live up to that hype and unfortunately I felt the same about this one. Don't get me wrong, I devoured it. Like read it in 3 days. The way it's written makes it quite the page turner and I genuinely cared about the fates of some of the characters but it was darker than I expected and when I was done I just wasn't as excited about it as everyone else seemed to be. I am wanting to read another of Moriarty's books to see how I feel about a different one. I know a lot of people have read all of her books--is there one you loved best?!


Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Ella Macneal



This is the first in a series of mystery/spy novels set during WWII. I loved this book. Totally in my wheelhouse--mystery & historical fiction, winning x2. Maggie Hope is the main character (who presumably continues her adventures in the subsequent series' titles.) and she is an American raised, English born woman in her twenties living in London during the start of WWII. She ends up with a job in the Prime Minister's office and gets embroiled in some espionage. As a result in this book she makes a career shift to spy work. It was a great read--fast paced, again, likable characters, and a couple of good twists. I've already reserved the sequel, Princess Elizabeth's Spy at the library and plan to dive in soon.


If you love podcasts, like me, I highly recommend "What Should I Read Next." It's a podcast by Anne Bogel, blogger at Modern Mrs. Darcy. She interviews people and asks for 3 books they love, 1 book they hate, and what they've been reading lately. And then based on their answers she provides them with 3 recommendations. It's delightful to hear people talk about books and why they love them and I always pick up on a couple of titles I would not otherwise have heard of. I also think about what my answers would be if I were on the show...


Next up on my "to read" list...

Mama Always Put Vodka in the Sangria! by Julia Reed.

I can't say enough about how much I love Julia Reed--she is one of my most favorite authors and she is funny and Southern and brilliant and I want to be her when I grow up. Her memoirs/essays are always entertaining and remind me of what's best about my own Southern heritage.