Reading has always been my sanctuary; a place where I could go to make the world go silent and fully immerse myself into the literature placed in front of me. A little over a year ago, I was blessed with a person who shared this same experience with me and it became something we bonded over. While this summer grew hard to maintain balance, emotional wellness, and stability, Minali and I were able to use our passion for reading to decompress and grow a deeper connection and sense of learning with each other.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
|
Karrington: A Good Girl's Guide To Murder was the first mystery book I ever read and what I say is the best out of the series. Pippa Fitz-Amobi was tasked with creating a capstone project in which she selected to do on the murder of Andie Bell which happened 5 years ago in her town. Through researching and digging up information on the case, she quickly is comforted in the belief that Salil Singh didn't kill Andie –his girlfriend– and continues to fight and learn the truth despite being shot down countless times. Throughout the book, the plot continued to thicken and it was by far a page turner. I prioritized this book over all of my Summer of Physics work, and it did not disappoint. Minali: I first read this book back in 2021 when it gained a lot of popularity and was so excited to read it again with my baby over the summer. Rereading this book, especially before the Netflix show came out, was very fun and a great trip down memory lane. Out of the trilogy as well as the prequel novella, this is by far the best book there is. The plot, the conflicts, the relationships, the murder itself, it all gives the intended effect of one giant and twisted murder board. Although there are flaws, the overall story makes up for them and it comes together to be a perfect murder mystery worth all the hype. |
4 out of 5 stars |
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson
|
Karrington: Good Girl, Bad Blood is the second book in the series which is completed after Pip was sucessful in solving Andie Bell's case. While she tries to regroup after being drained from the previous year, her friend Jamie Reynolds goes missing, leading to her creation of the podcast A Good Girl's Guide To Murder. She then goes back into a spiral of figuring out what happened. I found this book to be okay, yet not boring as nothing spectacular really happened.
Minali: In my opinion, Good Girl, Bad Blood is a huge step down from the first book, but still is very good. If anything, this book showcases Pip’s extreme obsessive natures. I thought it was a cute spin off of the true crime podcasts that everyone knows– and some love. Overall, the plot was okay, with the ending being the true star of the show. |
3.5 out of 5 |
As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson
|
Karrington: As Good As Dead is the final book in the series. In this book, Pip is being stalked and threatened after learning more information about the people in her town. She learns a connection between her stalker and the local serial killer–who stopped attacking 6 years earlier– and uses all the information from the previous two books to find the suspect herself to ensure that no one becomes hurt, but this book had a crazy plot twist.
Minali: This book cuts deeper than the other two in the series. With themes of mental illness, addiction, and of course, murder, this book dealt with a lot more serious topics than the others. The plot twist of this book was insane and brought the entire series full circle but did leave a lot of holes. Overall, this series had many pros and cons, but was a cute, fast read and a great start to our reading marathon. |
3.8 out of 5 stars
|
Kill Joy by Holly Jackson
|
Karrington: Kill Joy is the prequel novella to the AGGTM series. It takes the readers through Pip attending a 1920's murder mystery party that she didn't want to go to but ends up becoming drawn to solving cases and learning what truly happens to people. Nothing spectacular happened but I appreciated how quick this novella was. I did love the connection between this book and how it led to Pip doing the AGGTM series because of the thought of things being too simple.
Minali: This prequel novella was super cute and super fast, perfect for an afternoon. It was nice to get a peek into what Pip’s life was before her project and how she decided on her project. It made total sense and was a very smooth transition. A nice addition to the series as well as a great progression into the original trilogy. |
3 out of 5 stars |
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
|
Karrington: All The Bright Places has been my favorite movie for the past 4 years (clips of the movie are literally my macbook wallpaper), so it was only right to read the book with my favorite person. All The Bright Places takes us through the lives of Theodore Finch and Violet Markey; two struggling souls whocome together with scars of their past and discover Indiana. Throughout the book, they learn how even the smallest moments can mean something. "We alternate choosing places to go, but we also have to be willing to go where the road takes us. This means the grand, the small, the bizarre, the poetic, the beautiful, the ugly, the surprising. Just like life" – Theodore Finch. This book will forever hold a special place in my heart and is now an all time favorite.
Minali: I first heard of All The Bright Places from Kam who showed it to me in the movie form. One day when I was at a bookstore, I saw the original book and begged my mom to buy it for me. I was so excited to read it with her and it did not disappoint at all. Finch and Violet have my heart and their individual and collective stories break my heart every single time. I loved this book so much and there are so many amazing quotes in it. For sure an all time favorite that has a special place on my bookshelf and in my soul. |
5 out of 5 stars |
Normal People by Sally Rooney
|
Karrington: I honestly don't have much to say about Normal People. To be honest, I didn't understand the characters or the plot, and I absolutely hated the style of Sally Rooney's writing. I wholeheartedly think giving it a 2 was even being gracious. I finished this book on a train ride in Arizona fairly quickly, just so I could get it over with.
Minali: So. This book. It was not good. I honestly could talk about how bad this book was forever. I had to get up and walk away at some points because it pissed me off so thoroughly. I don’t understand how this book is a romance book at all since all it contains is miscommunication and masochism. The characters were so problematic but maybe that was the point? This book was just weird whether it was the actual story or the writing itself. |
2 out of 5 stars |
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
|
Karrington: The Five People You Meet In Heaven tells the life of Eddie– a 83 year old amusement park mechanic who dies in an accident– trying to save the life of a young girl. is taken through a personalized heaven, where he meets five people from his life. Each person helped tell the story of his life as well as helping him understand why things happened the way they did and allow him to make peace with what was. This book was so good and I got fairly emotional and understood that I have to make peace with the things that I cannot control. This was one of my top reads of this year, and I cannot wait to read The Last Person You Meet In Heaven.
Minali: This book was so adorably serene and showed how to find your peace. I think this book showcases a beautiful version of heaven and how it is created to come to terms with your life as well as your death. The characters and the connection to every part of Eddie’s life was so heartwarming and I definitely shed a couple tears reading. |
4 out of 5 stars |
Honorable Mentions
Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
|
Karrington: My All Time Favorite Book Ever– well aside from a few others. Every Last Word takes us through the life of Samantha McAllister with OCD who finds a secret poetry club with teenagers who are experiencing the same things and change her life. The bulk of the story ultimately takes you through a girl falling in love with writing and learning how to express her pain through words. "Silence speaks louder than words sometimes. It echoes in your thoughts and screams in your soul," and "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light," will forever be engraved in my heart. Tamara Ireland Stone expressed everything I wish I could, and I believe everyone should read this book. Minali: I give this book credit for bringing my girlfriend and I together. The gift of Every Last Word and the note that came with it has genuinely been the most thoughtful and sweetest gift I have ever received. This book was the first that I ever annotated and it was an amazing read. I loved the story and the quotes and just the book as a whole. Everything fits together so perfectly and I fell in love with it so thoroughly. |
|
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chbosky
|
Karrington:
Wallflower (noun): A shy or retiring person who remains unmotivated at social events. Charlie is a wallflower. Entering high school, Charlie is disconnected from people as he is trying to cope witht he loss of his aunt and his close friend. He feels like an outcast, as he lacks trustworthy companions. What I gained from this book was the fact that people can flourish when they are accepted for who they are and how hard it could be for a person to suffer when they feel alone and hopeless. Minali: I first read this book right before and during an extremely hard period of my life and rereading it was an amazing reminder of how far I have come and how far I have left to go. Charlie’s story is one that makes me sob every single time because he is just so pure and genuine. I love Charlie so much and I love this book. Everyone needs to read this book. |
|
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
|
Karrington: Little Women is one of the books we are currently reading together. It follows the lives of the four March sisters going from childhood to womanhood, showing how family is important in times of tragedy. So far, I am thoroughly enjoying this book and am excited to finish it.
Minali: I have been meaning to read Little Women for a really long time and I am so glad I get to do it with my favorite girl. I love, love, love Little Women and how cozy and girly it is. This this story is womanhood and,–along with the Greta Gerwig adaptation in the movie– it is one of my favorite pieces of literature. |
|
Overall, reading these books has been one of the best experiences of our relationship and was such a great way to both indulge in one of our favorite hobbies as well as spend more time with each other even when far apart. It brought us closer together and helped us cope with the stress of the world around us. I am so glad I was able to read these books and discover some of my newfound favorites with the person who has brought me so much joy. To many more books and many more favorites to come.
