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dress // headband // earrings // book
Since I was home in Ohio for all of the spring season, I did not read as much as I would have done if I were here isolated in NYC. Still, I read some really great books that I highly recommend you putting on your summer reading list. Most of the books I read were about friendship and romance. Books that you can relate to the characters, but maybe not the storyline. Here is part one of the books I read this past spring.
If you are looking for an easy, fun read this summer then When Life Gives You Lululemons is for you; the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada. After leaving Runway Magazine, Emily Charlton is one of Hollywood’s top PR gurus as the go-to woman to smooth out any public disaster. With fewer clients and an unknown future, Emily finds herself in Greenwich, CT of all places. Opportunity strikes when Karolina Hartwell, a super-model-turn-Senator’s wife, finds herself arrested, divorced, and in need of help. Emily along with her and Karolina’s mutual friend Miriam band together to navigate suburban life and a public image disaster. This book is about friendship, letting go of what you think life should be and finding strength on your own. Highly recommend!
Review and Spoilers
For a long time, this book was on my to-read list. I don’t know why I kept putting it off, most likely forgetting about it. Until I saw a friend of mine posting about it on IG Stories. I purchased it and devoured through it, soaking up the juicy story. I absolutely loved this book. I am glad the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada is about Emily and not Andy. Emily, I always felt, was a much more interesting character and wanted to know more about her story. Anyway, I loved the friendship between the three women. Each of their stories, I found, were easy to equally get invested in; Karolina’s with her DUI setup and cheating husband, Emily with her glamourous life, witty attitude, and her BA approach to business, and Miriam trying to get used to the stay-at-home life, diving into Greenwich suburban society. The only thing I did not like about the book is that it seemed a little man-bashing; that every man cheats and is terrible. I do not believe that at all. I was so glad when Miriam’s husband ended up not being a cheater, even though the storyline leads you to believe he might have been for a while. Anyway, I felt this was easy to read, kept you entertained and wanting more.
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird is a complex story. Lydia, after the death of her fiancé Freddie, finds herself at a crossroads. To move on from the life she had with Freddie or to stay in an unexpected way that gives her another chance to live a life with him. With the help from her family, co-workers, and Freddie’s best friend Jonah, Lydia must choose which life is right for her, past or present. This book pulls on your heartstrings. It’s about love, loss, friendship, strength in moving on, and pulling yourself out of depression. I have to admit I cried for the first half of the book. It’s filled with a lot of different emotions; a storyline where you yourself can not choose which life Lydia should live. I highly recommend this book but do say it may be triggering or therapeutic for those who have experienced such a loss like this in any capacity.
Review and Spoilers
As mentioned this book put me through a lot of emotions. I cried for most of it, feeling the sadness and anger Lydia felt navigating the year after Freddie’s death. I can not imagine, and hope to never experience, what she went through. Although I personally have never experienced a loss like this, I feel the author did an amazing job articulating the different emotions someone may go through. From sadness and anger to find the strength yourself to move on. From making subtle changes that help you get through the day to being at peace with life moving on. Throughout the book, I had a feeling Lydia was going to find love again and for a while I thought it was going to be Jonah. It was so obvious he was in love with her. Then when Kris came along from the speed dating event, I thought maybe he will be her new love. A fresh start for Lydia with a person who knows nothing about Freddie. No attachment to her previous life. I, of course, was wrong, but I did think they made a great pair. Everyone holds a reason to be in your life, and Kris was in Lydia’s life to help her get over the hump of dating. Of being with someone else besides Freddie. I was happy to see that Jonah and Lydia end up together. As the story progressed, and we found out more about Freddie, Jonah, and Lydia, I started to feel like Lydia and Jonah made way more sense than her and Freddie. By the end of the book, Lydia is happy, healthy, and living her life. The book gives you a perspective on life; to be grateful for all that you have, to tell the ones you love that you love them, to go after the things you want, to live life to the fullest.
Daphne Berg is navigating the world of social media as a plus-size Influencer. A career she stumbled upon after a viral incident that happened 6 years ago. The day her friendship with childhood best friend Drue Cavanaugh ended. Drue is a rich, beautiful, popular girl who everyone envied and despised at the same time. She wasn’t always a great friend to Daphne. So when Drue after years of not hearing from her, reached out to Daphne to be her maid-of-honor, Daphne was filled with different emotions. Should Daphne be there for her childhood best friend, even though she was terrible to her or continue on her path as a strong, independent woman who can hold her own? Big Summer is about friendship, doing what is right, realizing things are not always what they seem, and to be grateful for who you are and what you have. There is a lot more to the story than what meets the eye. I highly recommend and think it should be at the top of your summer reading list.
Review and Spoilers
I have to admit at the beginning of the book I thought it was all fluff. That there was no substance to the story and that the arc was going to be rekindling a friendship. Then when Drue is murdered at her wedding, I suddenly became very invested in the book and couldn’t put it down. I don’t know what that says about me, ha. Murder mystery aside, I could really relate to Daphne. Of course, being an Influencer and trying to navigate life in NYC. But also feeling less than and put down by “good” friends. I was happy to learn that Drue was trying to change and make right all the things she had done wrong in the past. And what I really liked the most is how Daphne ended up appreciating her life, her parents, her body even more after everything that happened. Although it does stem from a tragedy. loved that Nick was a genuine guy who really does love Daphne, she deserves such care and affection. And I really had NO idea who the killer was and was shocked to find out. For a while, I thought it was either Corina or Stewart’s sister. But it seemed too obvious. I even thought maybe Drue’s parents or Darshni did it but was never fully convinced. I even thought Drue committed suicide. Never once did I think it was Leela, but after learning it was her it sorta does make sense. I never really understood her purpose in the storyline besides one or two pages of being a business client of Daphnes. Why she kept being mentioned. The book ended up being so much better than I originally thought and think this would make for a good Netflix movie.
