This month was a movie! I read 7 books and I think I found the worst book I have ever read this year. Again, I got it from TikTok! All these books that I seem to dislike are recommendations from #BookTok! I never learn my lesson and every single time I still pick up a book because it is popular on TikTok. How does this translate to my personal life?
Anyways, let’s get into it.
Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams ⭐⭐⭐
I am obsessed with sleep! I have a Fitbit Charge 5 to simply track my sleep so I was curious to read this book and understand the science of sleep. Matthew Walker, a neuroscientist, examines the importance of sleep and how it affects our physical and mental well-being. I loved this book and I am more intentional about getting my 9 hours of sleep every night. I swear, my ideal night is to sleep by 10pm. I felt that the book felt too repetitive at times and was a little bit confusing if you do not understand the scientific terms Walker mentions.
Love In Colour: Mythical Tales From Around The World, Retold by Bolu Babalola ⭐⭐
Great gowns, beautiful gowns! Real talk, I hated this book! It is a collection of short stories retold from history and mythical stories. I thought the stories were too long and I found them boring. I honestly do not remember some stories because I simply skimmed through them to finish the book. I was so uninterested ://
I really wanted to like it but nothing appealed to me. Only reason this is not a 1 star is because of the gorgeous cover.
Take A Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hilbert ⭐⭐⭐
My second book from the Brown Sister series. I love the fake dating romance trope so I was eager to read this. I love that Talia always comes through with the spicy and steamy scenes. Yes, it is cliche but it’s a great beach read. If you enjoy romance novels, I would recommend it.
The Trouble With Hating You by Sajni Patel ⭐⭐⭐
Another romance novel I read this month! Liya Thakkar, a successful biochemical engineer, is single and is to be set up by her Indian parents. The man she meets also happens to be a new lawyer hired to save her struggling company. Of course they fall in love but the buildup was too slow to enjoy the book. This is a series so I hope to read the remaining books this year.
For a romance novel, this lacks spice. It is simply implied but I wish they showed instead.
Remember: The Science of Memory and The Art of Forgetting by Lisa Genova ⭐⭐⭐
A nonfiction novel I would recommend to anyone interested in understanding the brain. Lisa Genova explores how memories are made and how we retrieve them. I love that I learnt so much about the science behind our memory. There is the normal forgetting (a person’s name) and the worrying forgetting (think Alzeheimers).
I also loved that Lisa mentions ways you can improve your memory. I need to work on my sleep, physical health and continue to journal everyday. Those small things do matter!
Terms and Conditions (Dreamlands Billionaires) by Lauren Asher ⭐⭐
My fourth romance novel this month. I think I needed a break from serious topics and wanted something relaxing. I saw this trending on #BookTok and of course I was influenced to read this.
Iris, Declan’s assistant, marries Declan so he can inherit his grandfather’s media company. Worst romance novel I have ever read! Terrible dialogue, mediocre character development and every character annoyed me. Declan is too grumpy and annoying.
The only redeeming quality is the Halsey song in the music playlist!
The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani ⭐⭐⭐
I know what happened but I also don’t know what happened because I borrowed the audio version. Myriam, a French-Moroccan lawyer, decides to go back to work and hires a nanny named Louise. The nanny murders her two young children (not a spoiler, its mentioned first page in). I expected a thriller and was never on my toes but I loved the commentary about relationships between parents and the nanny especially when it comes to boundaries.