Category: Book review

What’s Ashley Reading?: Only Say Good Things

Only Say Good Things by Crystal Hefner

First line: Last night I dreamed about the mansion again.

Summary: Crystal Hefner, the widow of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, finally opens up about her time at the mansion and life within the Playboy world. She spent her youth only seeing value in her looks and the attention she received from those around her. Through her memoir she describes how she survived her time in the fantasy world of Playboy and came out the other side with a new view on her own self-worth.

My Thoughts: I had no idea this book was coming out until I was putting it in the library’s catalog. I remember watching The Girls Next Door on E! but I was never really interested in the season with Crystal and the twins. However, I have spent the last year listening to the Girls Next Level podcast where Holly and Bridget, previous girlfriends, speculate on Hef’s last years. So when I saw Crystal was writing about life with Hef after the show, I immediately placed myself on hold to learn more about Crystal’s time as Mrs. Hefner.

I listened to the audiobook which Crystal reads herself and found it heartbreaking and fascinating. She rushed into this lifestyle after some personal hardships and became stuck in this new life for years. I remember hearing about her runaway bride and eventual marriage to Hef but she never really interested me too much. However, after reading this I find myself liking her more than I did before. It was very interesting to listen to and I applaud her for being willing to tell her story no matter how hard it probably was for her.

FYI: Contains abuse (verbal and sexual).

Monica’s Musings: Crying in H Mart

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

“In fact, she was both my first and second words: Umma, then Mom. I called to her in two languages. Even then I must have known that no one would ever love me as much as she would.” ― Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Summary: A memoir about growing up Korean American, losing her mother, and forging her own identity.

Michelle Zauner tells of growing up one of the few Asian American kids at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother’s particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother’s tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food.

As she grew up, moving to the East Coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, performing gigs with her fledgling band—and meeting the man who would become her husband—her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live. It was her mother’s diagnosis of terminal cancer when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her.

My thoughts: Michelle was only 25 when she lost her mother to cancer. Michelle and her mother had many ups and downs, especially in her adolescence and early adulthood. This emotionally intense memoir reflects the complex nature of the mother-and-daughter relationship while representing Korean culture, traditions, rituals, and hierarchical patterns.

Michelle finally attempts to see things from her mother’s perspective and realizes the importance of her life lessons. It is impossible not to be shaken to the core or not to feel the intense pain Michelle had as she said goodbye to her mother. This book is great for anyone who would like to relate to grief or who wants to understand it more. Losing family is something no one fully prepares for. I would rate this highly for the author’s ability to portray such a drastic life event in a way readers can emotionally understand.

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Guncle

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

First line: All right, here goes nothing.

Summary: Patrick loves spending time with his niece and nephew. But only for short times. He isn’t prepared when their mother dies and their father has his own health problems to deal with, leaving him to take care of Maisie and Grant. Implementing his “Guncle rules” he learns that taking care of the kids is more than treats and fun. As he helps them cope with their grief he comes to terms with the loss of his partner from years before.

My Thoughts: I have wanted to read this since it was released and finally picked it up for my recovery time after surgery. The cover is beyond cute and the premise really reminds me of Mame starring Lucille Ball. I listened to the audiobook which was read by the author who brings the character of Patrick to life. He has the sass and the hilarious Guncle vibes making the book even more enjoyable.

I loved seeing Patrick grow throughout the story. He was thrown into this situation but he changed and dealt with his own demons. It is just a heartwarming story of family and resilience with a sharp witted Guncle in the starring role. If you need something to read on vacation, a feel good story or a good belly laugh then I highly recommend picking this book up! And Guncle will return in May 2024!

Monica’s Musings: After I Do

After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

“Why do we do this? Why do we undervalue things when we have them? Why is it only on the verge of losing something that we see how much we need it?”
― Taylor Jenkins Reid, After I Do

Summary: When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes.

Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for?

My thoughts: While the summary was intriguing, I do not think that I really knew where the plot would take me until I truly got into it. What a controversial idea on how to save a marriage. What an interesting way of navigating love and all the different ideas surrounding it.

Taylor Jenkins Reid writes flawed and clueless characters, which helps make the book feel relatable. The character development was so wholesome and satisfying to read in this one particularly. While we only see from Lauren’s point of view, I must say all the characters were fleshed out. I truly enjoyed each one and their journey!

My only complaint is that the ending wrapped up a little too neatly for my liking. I felt that there were some parts of how Lauren and Ryan handled their separation that were not realistic at all. The ending was too fictional for me, but I still rate it highly!

Monica’s Musings: Daughters of the New Year

Daughters of the New Year by E.M. Tran

“Even after forty-one years here, she wore American citizenship with discomfort, like a pair of shoes half a size too small.”
― E.M. Tran, Daughters of the New Year

Summary: In present day New Orleans, Xuan Trung, former beauty queen turned refugee after the Fall of Saigon, is obsessed with divining her daughters’ fates through their Vietnamese zodiac signs. But Trac, Nhi and Trieu diverge completely from their immigrant parents’ expectations. Successful lawyer Trac hides her sexuality from her family; Nhi competes as the only woman of color on a Bachelor-esque reality TV show; and Trieu, a budding writer, is determined to learn more about her familial and cultural past.

As the three sisters begin to encounter strange glimpses of long-buried secrets from the ancestors they never knew, the story of the Trung women unfurls to reveal the dramatic events that brought them to America. Moving backwards in time, E.M. Tran takes us into the high school classrooms of New Orleans, to Saigon beauty pageants, to twentieth century rubber plantations, traversing a century as the Trungs are both estranged and united by the ghosts of their tumultuous history.

My thoughts: The beginning of the book explores the relationships between Xuan and her three daughters, Trieu, Nhi, and Trac. The history of Xuan is essential to understanding her attitude toward moving to the US and her attitude towards her husband and daughters. I wouldn’t call her a cold mother, but I would definitely consider her emotionally absent with her daughters. Her history of fleeing with her own parents and her unhappy move to the States provided some explanation for that.

The final part of the story delves into the family’s ancestors and how they came to own a rubber plantation during the final years of French colonial rule in Vietnam. The exploration of Xuan and her daughters felt like it was left unfinished before it switched timelines back to the history of the family. I wanted to know so much more about them! Overall I found this story very intriguing and I would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction.

What’s Ashley Reading?: Remarkably Bright Creatures

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

First line: Darkness suits me.

Summary: Tova Sullivan has spent her nights cleaning at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. It has helped her cope with the quietness of her life after the death of her husband. Over time she has developed a friendship with the aquarium’s octopus, Marcellus. Then when Tova has to take a leave of absence from her job, she befriends and teaches the young man who is her temporary replacement. As they interact, Marcellus starts to notice that there is a bond between the two and he has to reveal what he knows before it is too late.

My Thoughts: If you are looking for a feel good book to end your 2023 reading challenge then this is the book for you. This very much reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman in the way I felt reading it. There is little to no romance, great friendships are made and at the end a secret is revealed that leaves the reader feeling all the feels.

I loved each chapter narrated by Marcellus the octopus. He plays such an important part to the story but is mostly an observer. His haughtiness about the humans around him was always funny to read.

Even though reading something like this it is pretty obvious how the story resolves it still feels right when it happens. It is like putting a puzzle together and the final piece being added. I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook because the narration is well done and the Marcellus’s voice is perfectly cast.

Monica’s Musings: All I Want for Christmas

All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox

“You can love someone who isn’t perfect and be deeply loved despite your own imperfections.”
― Maggie Knox, All I Want for Christmas

Summary: True love wasn’t on their holiday wish list.

When Sadie and Max are selected as contestants on the famed reality singing show Starmaker, each thinks they’ve finally gotten their big Nashville break. But then they’re paired up for duet week and stun the world with their romantic onstage chemistry. With fans going wild for #Saxie the network demands that they remain a duo on and offstage, or exit the competition. Faking a relationship until their final performance in the Starmaker holiday special shouldn’t be too hard, except for one small problem–Sadie and Max can’t stand each other.

But with their dreams just within reach, they agree to the ruse. Will their fake relationship be exposed before they can win? Or will an unexpected trip to Banff spark real feelings by the Christmas finale?

My Thoughts: This was such a fun little story to listen to. The audiobook is available on Libby, and I felt like the narration of each character really brought the story to life for me. I loved the mix of music, Christmas, and romance. Altogether this book feels exactly like what you would want out of a simple Christmas movie.


Although the storyline didn’t really surprise me, it made for a nice and easy read. I do find the fake dating tropes entertaining, so I really enjoyed that aspect of the romance! This is exactly the kind of book for you if you enjoy a nice and easy festive read. I would recommend this to fans of Christmas-y romcoms and the fake dating trope!

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Palace

The Palace by Gareth Russell

First line: As it has done for centuries, Hampton Court Palace draws thousands of visitors every year – as far back as the reign of Elizabeth I, staff were supplementing their incomes by offering tours to visitors, and the fascination shows no signs of dwindling.

Summary: Gareth Russell’s new book looks at the important events and people who resided at Hampton Court Palace from the age of the Tudors until the present day royal family. This royal palace has seen many of the most thrilling times and stood the test of revolutions, regime changes and remodeling. It is one of the most famous and long standing palaces in England, which the author shows us through this new book.

My Thoughts: I have visited Hampton Court three times in my life and hope to go many more times. There is something magical about this place and its history. As you approach there is the wonderful Tudor brick entrance, the courtyards, the great hall and the original kitchen complex. But as you move through the styles change to the remodeled section designed by Christopher Wren. It truly is a wonder to see and imagine the lives that have lived here.

I enjoyed how the author broke down the book into chapters covering the palace during each of the reigns since the days of Henry VIII to the present day. Rather than cover architectural history the author dives into the events and people who lived and worked at the palace. The early years are the ones I am more familiar with but I found the information of the Stuart and Georgian times to be fascinating. Plus the idea that people were given Grace and Favor apartments is such an interesting idea. I would have loved to live in such a historical building.

I highly recommend this for lovers of English history and if you have been or are planning to visit Hampton Court.

Monica’s Musings: The Last Thing He Told Me

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

“This is the terrible thing about a tragedy. It isn’t with you every minute. You forget it, and then you remember it again.”
― Laura Dave, The Last Thing He Told Me

Summary: Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to whom the note refers: Owen’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother.

As Hannah’s increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered; as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss; as a US Marshal and FBI agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn’t who he said he was. And that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity—and why he really disappeared.

Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth, together. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen’s past, they soon realize they are also building a new future. One neither Hannah nor Bailey could have anticipated.

My thoughts: This was my first Laura Dave book, and she hooked me right from the start. Her writing style, the characters, the plot, and the pacing felt authentic. Hannah narrates events in the present moment, but we also get flashbacks to her marriage to Owen. It helped that Hannah doesn’t feel sorry for herself. Her emotions are subtle, real, and honest.

While the mystery of Owen’s past is intriguing, the strength of this book lies in the characters. This is not as much about Hannah’s relationship with Owen, but more about her relationship with Bailey. Overall, I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to read more by Laura Dave!

What’s Ashley Reading?: A True Account

A True Account by Katherine Howe

First line: I don’t know what made me determined to go to the hanging.

Summary: Hannah Masury has spent her life working along the Boston harbor, seeing the ships and crew coming and going each day. When she needs to flee the city she decides to disguise herself as a cabin boy and stows away on a pirate ship, captained by Ned Low. As she chooses her own destiny she knows that there could be rewards as well as danger lurking in her future.

In 1930, Marian Beresford is given a manuscript by one of her students which leads them on the hunt for Hannah Masury’s buried treasure. Marian, a professor, believes that this mystery will help her career if she is able to authenticate the document and discover the history that has been left for them in the beaches of the Caribbean.

My Thoughts: Like Howe’s other books, this a dual narrative spanning centuries. She does this very well and it makes for an interesting and enjoyable story. As I was traveling to the Caribbean at the time, this felt like a good book to listen to as we prepared for our trip.

I have been fascinated with pirates ever since the Pirates of the Caribbean movie came out years ago. And then with the show Black Sails I really got hooked on the real life pirates who actually sailed the seas. It seems like such a crazy life but one that could be very lucrative.

Hannah is a tough girl who is able to deceive many of the men who she sails with. Marian is struggling with her career and is sucked into the thrill of adventure. I definitely enjoyed the parts with Hannah much more than Marian. Marian was more of a supporting character who never seemed too developed while Hannah was the star with a full life and more of a personality.

The end has a big twist which I did not see coming and then another twist that seems to shift the other twist completely out of whack. It was an interesting ending to the story but this was definitely not my favorite of the author’s books.