One Day in December by Josie Silver: I really enjoyed this sweet romance. And I did the audio, which was fun with the British accents. It’s possible if I’d read this book at the wrong time, I would have found the story too predictable, but there were some good surprises and I grew to adore the characters. I read it immediately after Homegoing (on my February post), which was excellent, but extremely heavy. So One Day was the right book at the right time.

This Will Only Hurt a Little by Busy Philipps: This was my favorite celebrity memoir other than Tina Fey’s, which is still number one. I did the audio, which I always recommend for memoirs whenever the author is also the one reading the work. I found Busy’s honesty about how many ups and downs she experienced before getting to where she is now really refreshing. She didn’t seem to sugar coat Hollywood life. Her story was entertaining and thought-provoking.

The Last Book Party by Karen Dukess: I devoured this novel in two days. It had all the things I love in a story: writers, readers, some forbidden romance, an 80s setting, and good literary writing. (Doesn’t release until July 2019. I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy.)

A Woman of Independent Means by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey: Deep into my run of reading epistolary novels, my friend Lisa asked if I’d read this one. She said it was a must for the form. I really enjoyed it. Written in the 70s and based on Hailey’s grandmother, the novel gives us a portrait of a one woman’s childhood, marriage, motherhood, and more. She’s determined to maintain her independence despite’s society’s expectations for women in her time, and watching her do so is an interesting read.

The Idea: The Seven Elements of a Viable Story for Screen, Stage, or Fiction by Erik Bork: Helpful breakdown of what makes readers love a story (or deeply dislike one or simply not connect with one). I always read a few craft books each year. This was a good, straightforward one. Thanks to KJ Dell’Antonia for the recommendation on the #Amwriting podcast.

Asking for a Friend by Jessica Weisberg: I absolutely loved this nonfiction read about the history of advice columns. I learned tons and read it in only a few days.