2023 Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: June

After coming off the low that was the month of May, I surprised myself and ended up reading a record-breaking 21 books in June. That is an abnormally high number for me as my average is usually somewhere between 8-12. I'll blame it on two things: the excitement of being able to read whatever books I wanted instead of just eARCs, and that I got to go on a weekend trip to Florida that allowed 14 hours one way of audiobook listening opportunities. Before the trip, I loaded up on the audio versions of books I had on my physical TBR, and was able to check quite a few off my list.

I hope everyone is having an alright summer, staying cool, and spending some time doing what you enjoy. Onto the stats and reviews!

Famous for a Living by Melissa Ferguson

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Chick Lit

Review: I was kindly sent this book in exchange for a social media highlight, so thank you to TNZ/Thomas Nelson for the free copy. This title published May 16 and is available wherever books are sold.

Famous for a Living follows Cat, a social media influencer, as she hits rock bottom over a scandal and has to spend some time in Montana working for her uncle, a park ranger, while things cool off. In the process of rewriting her image, she learns lessons on social media presence and catches feelings for a fellow park ranger who seems to be against everything she is.

While I thought the overall story was pretty tame and the message of social media wellness was appreciated, I had so many issues with this book. The big reveal, first of all, for why our MMC is so against social media was not only predictable but so heavy-handed that my eyes rolled pretty hard. Outside of that, I found the character development to be really flat. The plot development was not great, with subplots being introduced and then just dropped off and never mentioned again. Most of the dialogue was vapid and didn't enhance or further the story at all, so when the story did pick back up, I felt like I missed whole sections where more chapters and context should have been. I also wasn't a fan of the way the one indigenous character was written. There was a lot of opportunity for dialogue on her being a park ranger for the US National Park system on indigenous land, and instead she was exploited for her cup cozies.

This wasn't a book for me. Maybe it'll land with a better audience, and I do appreciate the publisher reaching out to me to spotlight this book. Unfortunately, this was one I could have done without reading.

Happy Place by Emily Henry

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Shelves: ARCs, Beach Reads, Favorites, Chick Lit, Romance

Review: Emily Henry does it again. I loved People We Meet on Vacation and I loved Happy Place. It will always speak to those in their late 20s/early 30s as they navigate how to maintain the friendships they made in college as their own lives develop and move forward. How do you make time for those people you don't see on a regular basis anymore but who meant so much to you at one point in your life? I loved those discussions, and I loved each of the characters. Henry has a talent for writing flawed but lovable characters.

What kept this from being a perfect read for me came down to a few minor things that are personal preference. (1) The audiobook narration wasn't my favorite. I didn't like the voices assigned to some of the characters (looking at poor Kimmie, Sabrina, and Wyn). Kimmie and Sabrina, especially, were so grating to listen to that I had to keep reminding myself that I liked them as characters. (2) I know the title of the book is called Happy Place but the constant focus and hyper-obsession with Harriett on people being happy was a lot. And I don't think her story was compelling enough to convince me that that's why she was so focused on being happy and making others happy as well. And (3) I just was left wanting for the ending. I know it's a romance, but it felt like it came together too perfectly.

I enjoyed this, and I will purchase it once it publishes in paperback like the rest of her novels :) A perfect book to share with friends. Thank you to Libro.fm for the advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review. This title has already published!

Psyche and Eros by Luna McNamara

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Shelves: ARCs, Fantasy, Romance

Review: Psyche and Eros has always been a "no notes" story that I thought could really benefit from a modern retelling to add more sweeping depth and emotion to their timeless love story. I had high expectations for this novel, especially once I started getting acquainted with the author's voice. Her writing style felt very much in line with the other Greek myth retellings I've read by some of my favorite authors.

However, I really didn't see a reason for most of the artistic choices the author took in changing the narrative of the story (yes, even after reading the author's note). Not giving Psyche her two sisters and fleshing out their complex relationship (which all families could relate to) and instead making her a tough tomboy trained by Atalanta while also being the cousin of Iphegenia and Elektra, Agamemnon's daughters. Like, it's okay for a woman to be feminine and likable, and also heroic and feminist without turning her into a warrior type. Making her father the third brother to Agamemnon and Menelaus?? Making her sort of abrasive in character so her arc can be to become well-loved when she was supposed to be that from the beginning. Including a whole extra storyline about the Trojan war that just didn't need to exist. Not building more of Psyche and Eros's relationship so it could feel deep and epic, like it's supposed to. And then not even allowing Psyche to become a goddess in her own right felt like a cheap disservice. I feel like I could keep going on and on, but I'll stop there.

I think if you're not familiar with the original story, you'll enjoy this. But if you're a fan of the original, steer clear of this. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. This title published June 13, 2023.

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: All-Time Favorites, Graphic Novels, LGBTQIA+, Young Adult

Review: This was such a wholesome and beautiful story. The graphics were fantastic. The messages on sexuality, gender, and acceptance were lovely. And the fashion show at the end brought tears to my eyes.

I loved everything about this from start to finish.

You Can't Stay Here Forever by Katherine Lin

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: ARCs, Beach Reads, Favorites, Modern Lit

Review: You Can't Stay Here Forever follows Ellie the moment she finds out her husband died in a car accident to the weeks following her receiving that news. Her and her husband, Ian, are successful lawyers in San Francisco, recently married and new homeowners, and the news feels cruel and unfair. After one of Ian's partners at his firm makes a pass at Ellie in the wake of his funeral, divulging information that Ian was being unfaithful to Ellie, she discovers one of her own co-workers was the other woman. Ellie, needing space and time away from the city, books a luxurious vacation to the south of France with her best friend, Mable, and the story continues from there.

I thought this novel was slow-moving, heavy with detail, and most definitely one of the best definitions of a "disaster girl/sad girl lit fic" novel that I've read in a while. Ellie is clearly lost after her husband passes away, and becomes even moreso as she attempts to navigate a new life without him. Mable, her best friend, helps coax out unresolved or unrecognized issues that were within her marriage, but also in all of her other important relationships. There was a feeling of unease that permeated throughout most of the novel that left me on edge while reading. However, I thought the commentary on grief and anger, relationships, and privilege were all very intriguing.

Outside of the slow pacing, the only other thing that I picked out was the habit the author had of dropping a name or a memory and then jumping into an explanation of that person or instance in the middle of the current moment. It played fine with how the novel was set up, but it was sometimes a bit of a whiplash to then get back into the present moment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for the advanced reader copy. This title published June 13, 2023!

Sí, Se Puede: The Latino Heroes Who Changed the United States by Julio Anta, Yasmin Flores Martinez (Illustrator)

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: ARCs, Graphic Novels, History, LGBTQIA+, Nonfiction

Review: I loved this graphic novel. It was like a rewritten history textbook focusing on just influential Latine figures throughout the US's history. The information was easy to read and digest, but I go into every graphic novel thinking I can read it in one sitting. Sí, Se Puede should be read chapter by chapter with breaks in between. My history-loving heart couldn't help it, but I think that would be my number one suggestion for readers. There is a lot of information here, and readers should take the time to sit with what they learned about in between to better grasp what's being taught.

I agree with other reviewers that setting this in a museum felt like a good way to introduce these concepts, with the museum goers being people from different Latine backgrounds to put the lessons into perspective. But it also felt a bit cliché. It works well, but there were some moments of dialogue that I felt like could have been taken out and the impact of the stories would have been just as powerful.

Overall, this is a 100% recommended read from me. A great history to have on your shelf to learn more about how influential Latine people have been, and a good resource for a classroom or high school library. Thank you to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press. This title publishes October 10, 2023.

Wild Asana: Animals, Yoga, and Connecting Our Practice to the Natural World by Alison Zak

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: ARCs, Environmental, Health, Nonfiction, Travel

Review: If you were a fan of Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer or World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, but you're also a practicing yogi and you want to tie your practice in more with nature and the animal poses associated with it, I recommend this book. While it didn't deliver quite what I was hoping (I pictured more education and history, less personal memoir-style narration), I still think this is a great book to pair with a yoga practice. I liked the exercises at the end of each chapter and the flow at the end of the book that incorporates all the poses we learned about. They called for positive reflection and awareness while in nature without feeling preachy or agenda-driven.

The only thing that kept it getting a higher rating from me came down to, again, my misguided expectation. I went into this thinking we'd get more history of these yoga poses (we get some!) and while I appreciated the expertise of the author in sharing what she knew and experienced in her travels and with friends regarding these animals, a lot of it was information I could have (or did) learn watching documentaries on nature channels. There were a lot more personal essays than I expected, which were nice but, again, not what I went into this book for. However, I will be going back and doing the exercises and yoga flows from this book in my own practice in the future :)

Thank you to NetGalley and North Atlantic Books for giving me advanced reader access to this in exchange for an honest review. This title published on June 27, 2023!

Solomon's Crown by Natasha Siegel

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Historical Fiction, LGBTQIA+, Romance

Review: I loved the premise of this: two destined-to-be-rival kings in history turned to lovers? King Phillip II and Duke of Aquitaine, Richard the Lion Heart? A cameo by the regal, the ever-powerful Eleanor of Aquitaine??? Say. Less. Fam.

And for the most part, this was a lovable alt history romance. If you go into this expecting it to be accurate to history, it 100% is not. These people did not exist in any way close to the characters in this book. Fictional in everything, even in events, after reading the author's note, I was totally fine with that. Although I certainly understand the alternative view of creating a completely new story inspired by these two people but with different names, places, etc.

The only thing I was disappointed with was the overall lack of plot. There are a lot of internal monologues, which led to mostly pretty language over plot. I'm fine with character-driven books, but it didn't even feel character driven so much as drawn out pining. I liked the voices of the characters, and their interactions were cute and fun and romantic. But substance, this story didn't have quite enough for me. The audiobook narration was fantastic. I'm glad I read it. But I hoped for a bit more than what it gave.

The Joy Luck Club (abridged) by Amy Tan

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Beach Reads, Chick Lit, Historical Fiction, Modern Literature

Review: I unfortunately listened to the abridged version of this audiobook without realizing and I feel like that, paired with the narration style, left me wanting. I appreciated the overall exploration of mother-daughter relationships but the abridged version really lacked depth in building those relationships, and instead they felt jumbled, rushed, and sometimes harsh. Tan also made her characters almost feel like caricatures in a way that I don't think would have been the case in the unabridged version.

This book was fine, but I have a feeling I would have enjoyed the full version better. I just didn't enjoy it enough to want to read the unabridged version.

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: All-Time Favorites, ARCs, LGBTQIA+, Modern Literature

Review: I was pleasantly surprised by The Rachel Incident. It's another sad girl litfic/disaster girl novel with all the things you can expect from those: character-driven, slower paced, nuanced and detailed, all with characters who make questionable decisions. In the end, though, I loved these characters and I loved this story.

The Rachel Incident follows Rachel Murray in her last semester of college in 2010 and then a bit afterward, occasionally jumping to her present-day life. We see her move in with a co-worker from the bookstore she works at, James, who is a closeted gay man. They immediately hit it off, and in his plot to get Rachel to hook up with the English professor she has a crush on, he ends up hooking up with the professor instead. After Rachel graduates, she interns for the professor's wife, who works in publishing, and a myriad of chaos ensues all alongside Rachel trying to figure out life and find stable work during the 2010 economic crisis.

I really related to Rachel in a lot of ways. I felt like the general topics of finding friendship, making any kind of connection, searching for a career, and trying to find a place in the world after college were all very relatable. It made me laugh out loud at times. I loved the overall arc of the story, and the journeys these characters took from start to finish. I enjoyed the writing style and the ways in which the author caught the essence of scene-building with her words. I pictured everything vividly. I felt every emotion. And, unlike some disaster girl novels, I enjoyed watching Rachel grow into a person with merit.

This was an advanced reader copy provided to me by NetGalley and Knopf in exchange for an honest review. This title published June 27, 2023 and I think if you like other books along these same lines (I'm thinking My Last Innocent Year, Sirens & Muses, and Boy Parts), you should check this one out too.

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Fantasy

Review: The only reason I read (and then persevered to finish) this book was because a dear friend said it was an influential one to them. It was touted as introductory high fantasy, and I can see how this could appeal to someone looking to dip their toes into fantasy. Unfortunately it just felt like the lost tapes from The Sword and the Stone for me.

I wasn't able to connect with the characters, and I felt like most of the women were written in a negative way . . . by a woman. If they weren't trying to seduce with their beauty, they were ugly or evil or otherwise horrible (not all of them, but the majority, and there were few of them present).

But at least now I can have a conversation about it, and let my friend know I read it.

Letters from Hawaii by Mark Twain

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Classic Literature, History, Nonfiction, Short Stories, Travel

Review: Manifest Destiny at its finest.

While I did enjoy this mostly (I learned quite a bit about Hawaii pre-colonization), there was very clearly an underlying agenda to his letters. He was writing them for the San Francisco Chronicle, I believe, and so there were comments about the beautiful landscapes, how profitable the islands were, how pretty the women, and how civilized they were now that Christianity and missionaries were teaching them the proper ways of living.

There were some good one-liners that you can always expect from Mark Twain, but I was disappointed by the overarching theme the letters seemed to have to them.

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Shelves: Chick Lit, Modern Literature, Romance

Review: Seven Days in June is a booktok darling, so I went in trying to keep my expectations reasonable. Being someone who also doesn't read a lot of romance, I was also prepared for what has been described as a sexy book. To my surprise, I really enjoyed the adult romance aspect of this book. I thought the way Tia Williams wrote her adult characters was well done. I appreciated the way female friendships were represented, the relationships between mothers and daughters, and the relationships between strangers essentially. While the 12-year-old daughter of Eva was a bit too precocious for me to believe, I enjoyed reading the ways she interacted with the adults in her life.

My only two issues with this book come down to the epilogue and the foundation for the romance aspect of this story. First, the epilogue. It just felt way too long, and I felt like that could have been broken up into at least two chapters and just been made the ending chapters. I listened to the audio of this, and it felt like it just went on forever.

And then, lastly, the foundational aspect of the romance. I understand substance abuse and self harm are very real things that adults, let alone teens and young adults, struggle with. I appreciated the ways those conversations presented themselves, but I did take an issue with the way Williams wrote those as being a very present, up front aspect of our main characters meeting and then "falling in love." For that week of drug and alcohol abuse and self harm essentially being the basis for this epic romance didn't sit well with me. That isn't love, and from what I've witnessed, it realistically isn't a solid basis for a healthy, sustaining relationship. Especially given the lack of support systems they both had. Most people don't have the 180 changes that Eva and Shane have in the book, so it felt like a huge stretch in what the author was asking me to believe and a bit naïve overall. So then any language between them about it always being the two of them and them always loving each other just made me roll my eyes because what they experienced as teens showed clear signs of the unhealthiest forms of codependency. Not love.

If I overlooked these things and the myriad of pop culture references, then it would have sat higher for me. Overall, I thought it was a good book! I can see why it's popular, but the love story aspect of this really detracted from my overall enjoyment of this. I would caution anyone who has (or has directly had family members who have) a history with drug and/or alcohol abuse and self harm to approach with care.

The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: LGBTQIA+, Sci-Fi, YA/NA

Review: This review will be brief because I feel like if I stay too much, it will give away key plot elements. This book is structured in a way that I generally tend to not enjoy because it feels like I'm wasting my time as a reader (even if I'm not!). When it's structured this way, and then there is a lot of effort put in the front end of the book to build a relationship dynamic that ends up essentially becoming moot because of that structure, then I get frustrated. So, really, the romance aspect of this story doesn't kick in until about 70% of the way through it and then we keep having to relearn it essentially. It should be noted, though, that this book isn't really a romance. It's a twisty space drama, dare I say thriller, with emotional turns.

The two main characters are 17! And at first they read as 17, but as things progress, they feel older . . . when they're not. (There is an argument that could be made that I could almost accept, but again...spoilers. lol.)

It was a creative, fun idea for a story but it wasn't the story I expected. I'm still glad I read it though :)

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Beach Reads, Modern Literature

Review: By now, I feel like I have a pretty good hold on the sad girl lit fic/disaster girl genre, and I've read some pretty good books within that category lately. I've been looking forward to reading this one because the premise sounded right up my alley. At its core, it was! As usual, I enjoyed the slower paced, descriptive, character-driven way the story moved. I enjoyed the exploration of grief. I enjoyed that it was set in 1997, and that the main character was a writer.

While I connected with her on a few things, though, her overall story I just didn't enjoy as much as I wanted to. Once the romance aspects of this book came into play, even with the sweet and very relatable moments of testing out these different wants and societal expectations of herself, I found myself distancing from the story. I don't know if it was because her specific struggle started to feel like a 31-year-old in 2023 rather than a 31-year-old in 1997 (two very different economies) or I just didn't really like our main character as much I had hoped to. But having just read some other books within this genre/style that I enjoyed immensely more, that's why it has the rating that it did.

Worth a read if you enjoy these types of books. I understand why it resonates with readers the way it has!

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Shelves: Beach Reads, Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, Romance, YA/NA

Review: This was a cute little gay high seas romance. I thought the story idea was fun and creative, like a gay Little Mermaid, but the writing of the main characters took me out of the story a little bit. I understand they're teenagers, and they're awkward and still learning but sometimes they were emotionally capable of expressing more mature, deeper emotions. Other times, they flew off the handle at the smallest thing, and the whole time the writing around all of it felt underdeveloped.

And then the only thing that kept it from being rated higher for me was the rising tension and climax of the book. There were a lot of moments that could have been the climax of the book, but we would have a really big action moment and then come down like the book would end. And then we'd have another really big, climactic moment, and then book would come down again. It just felt like a bit too much there in the last 25-30%.

This is a fun summer read that would be perfect for a beach though! I'm glad I read it!

Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: Favorites, Modern Literature

Review: Adelaide surprised me, both the book overall and the title character. I empathized with her and found myself pulling for her and hoping for her success. I also appreciated the way this book discussed mental health, and showed how easy it can be to fall into a toxic and abusive relationship. They come in all forms, and some of them can be subtle but just as hurtful. The conversations around both of those topics felt needed, and were done in ways I hadn't read about before (or, at least, recently).

This is a very frustrating read. Terrible men play a big role in this text, and Adelaide is such a sweet, relatable character. There were times that I really wanted to reach into the book and shake both her and her love interest. It's a sad girl lit fic all the way, so if those aren't your jam, I don't know that this would appeal to you. Slower in pace, descriptive writing, etc.

It's set in London (which I always love), and I also really liked the way this book showed what a healthy and supportive friend group looks like. It was heartwarming and needed amid the shitty relationship between Adelaide and Rory.

Overall, a well done book in my opinion. But if you have triggers surrounding suicidal thoughts, mental health in general, and/or toxic relationships/abusive relationships, check those before going in and then approach with care.

Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: All-Time Favorites, ARCs, Historical Fiction, Modern Literature

Review: Caleb Azumah Nelson does it again. If you were a fan of the prose of Open Water, but maybe you wanted less romance and more family dynamics explored, then this is the book.

Small Worlds follows Stephen over the course of the first three summers after he graduates high school as he navigates a relationship with his childhood best friend, Del, his first semester of college, growing pains with his father, and finding what brings him joy and purpose in life. Open Water explores community,--I truly, truly love how Nelson builds community in his books. They are warm, inviting, and a big hug wrapped in light--identity, love, family relationships, systemic racism and colonialism, immigration and the pressure of first generation immigrants living in a place where they aren't fully welcome.

I think I loved this book more than Open Water because the majority of Small Worlds was written in simple present tense, mainly following Stephen during a period of growth and transition. I enjoyed that Open Water was told as "You are doing this..." but I liked that only a small portion of Small Worlds did this (a chapter from Stephen's father's POV).

This was such an emotional experience for me, and I appreciate the concept of this story. The title, Small Worlds, referring to the small worlds each of us are living in every day. The little things we're going through every minute of every hour, some feeling or being harder than it may seem on the outside. And the prose is the same as you can expect from his previous work--repeated phrases that show up throughout the book that provide emphasis or gentle reminders or themes. It was stunning. I loved pretty much everything about this, and I will be thinking about it for a long, long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for giving me advanced reader access in exchange for an honest review. This title publishes July 18, 2023.

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Book Club, LGBTQIA+, YA/NA

Review: The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School was such a good YA/NA book! I think it would resonate with the age group it's meant for, especially those who are looking to see themselves in books and just don't feel represented. The way Yami navigates the challenges she's given felt real and relatable.

While this book isn't a "fun" read per se, the language and overall feeling of the book is mostly joyful and light. Even when discussing serious, heavier topics that tend to come up when dealing with sexuality, religion, and conservative family members, Reyes manages to still engage the reader in hopeful and positive ways. Never once did I feel hopeless, even when things got really messy. Lol. I loved the characters. I felt for all of them, and I liked the conclusion of the book. If I were still teaching high school, it would definitely be a book I'd recommend to my students.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: All-Time Favorites, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Review: Gods of Jade and Shadow was such a fun ride. It mixed Mayan and Mexican folklore that I think would appeal to those who consider themselves Greek myth retelling fans. This has adventure and a very clear plot, beautiful writing and intriguing characters, and even a bit of a romance aspect as well (although, it's very mild). This was fun as an audiobook too as I didn't have to worry about how to pronounce some of the gods' names. And outside of some of the characters feeling a bit infantile at times, the narrator did an overall good job.

The culture in this book as the characters travel all over Mexico was so beautifully done. As someone who read Mexican Gothic and was wanting more, this book delivered! It did take me a little bit to get into the story, but once I found my groove with it, I was 100% invested. I was happy with the story arc, how it ended, and the ways the characters grew. Just overall really pleased and pleasantly surprised by my level of enjoyment of it. I would recommend if you're looking to expand your myth retelling catalog!

The Answer Is...: Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Memoir-Biography, Nonfiction, Short Stories

Review: Alex Trebek presents a highlight reel of his life in this shorter-length memoir. Instead of providing details from beginning to end, he gives us chronological snapshots of him growing up and landing his job as legendary host of Jeopardy! The audiobook is read mostly by Ken Jennings, with Alex coming in to narrate certain chapters for certain, very touching reasons (like meeting his wife). But the physical book has photos that were nice to look at while reading along.

The narrative is woven with the sharp wit and humor we know and love Alex Trebek for. At times, the book felt a little bit lacking in either focus or impact. However, I do think if you're looking for a touching book about Trebek because you enjoy Jeopardy or just have sentimental feelings around the show and/or his passing, that you'll get something from this. It was a quick read and overall I'm glad I read it, even if it didn't quite meet the expectations I had for it.

I would suggest pairing the audiobook and the physical book together for a more rounded reading experience.

Did Not Finish

Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur

Shelves: ARCs, Modern Literature

Review: DNF'd after maybe 16 pages.

Two out of the three perspectives that I had read up to that point were insufferable. If it was supposed to be funny, it didn't come across that way at all. And if I have to spend an entire book with these characters, I need them to be more likeable at the beginning before making them terrible.