The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga
Blurb: The New York Times bestselling TikTok sensation with more than 13 million copies sold worldwide, The Courage to Be Disliked is a transformative and practical guide to personal happiness and self—fulfillment.
My Thoughts: I feel mixed about this book. It had interesting points, but it took me a while to actually read. I tried to read the ebook last year, and didn’t finish. Then I tried the audiobook, and also didn’t finish. Then I checked it out a third time and finished it, but didn’t feel super enlightened at the end. It preaches Adlerian psychology, which I don’t know if I totally agree with. In a word, this is how I felt when I was finished: meh. (insert shrugging woman emoji here.)
The Midnight Show by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne
Blurb: An immersive, page-turning novel about surviving as a funny woman in the male-dominated world of comedy—and what happens when the most promising female star of her generation disappears.
My Thoughts: I got through The Midnight Show quickly, which obviously means I liked it! It’s based on an SNL-esque late-night sketch comedy show, which is something I gravitate toward as a writer and performer myself. I usually don’t read thriller-type novels, but I loved the comedy element woven throughout. This book had me captivated from start to finish, and I really loved how the story tied up!
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
Blurb: A traditional American woman, a “tradwife” influencer, suddenly awakens in the brutal reality of 1855—where she must unravel whether this living nightmare is an elaborate hoax, a twisted reality show, or something far more sinister in this sensational debut novel.
My Thoughts: This novel has been polarizing, and I totally get why. I’ve always been fascinated by the tradwife influencer movement, and this felt very timely. I was a little disappointed with the plot twist, but once I moved past that, I thought it wrapped up nicely. It felt reminiscent of a mix of real-life headline-grabbing influencer stories I’ve seen, especially the ending. There’s an upcoming movie adaptation of this novel, produced by Anne Hathaway!
Outofshapeworthlessloser by Gracie Gold
Blurb: A “piercing account” (The Wall Street Journal) of surviving as a young woman in a society that rewards appearances more than anything and demands perfection at all costs—especially if you’re an Olympic figure skater.
My Thoughts: With the recent Winter Olympics taking place, I started thinking about US figure skater Gracie Gold. I’d remembered watching her skate in a previous Olympics, and wondered what she’d been up to. That’s when I came across her memoir, which was a fascinating read. It gave a detailed look into the demanding world of competitive figure skating and just how hard it can be on young people. Gracie has overcome a lot, personally and professionally, and I loved getting to hear her story.
