Melina's Book Club #26

In the midst of disappearing for a month in June, I haven't updated you on what I've been reading for the past two months. I will say, that I haven't been reading anything too interesting. We'll talk about it a little bit below. Keep reading this month's Book Club!

Currently Reading:

The Law of Attraction | Zombie Cash Run in Las Vegas | Not in a Fairy Tale

While I read quite a bit while I was in Mexico, shortly afterwards I lost my motivation to read. I ended up finding one of those cheesy fluffy mystery novels. The name of the series I'm reading is the Tiffany Black Mystery. While they're not the best written thing in the world, I'm on the 12th book of the series, so that has to count for something...right?

I haven't made much leeway on the other books that I've started. They're both very good, it's just that when you can't concentrate on much, it's very hard to absorb poetry or self-help books.

What I'm Reviewing Today:

Lucky an It Girl Novel | Unforgettable an It Girl Novel | The Kiss Quotient | The Da Vinci Code

As always, you can click on any of these links to get to that part of the post! We actually have a pretty good set of books this post, so I'm excited to talk about them a bit.

Lucky: an It Girl Novel (#5) by Cecily von Ziegesar - ★★★

"Was her whole life going to be like this now, avoiding certain songs or music that reminded her of her mistakes? Billie Holiday made her think of Eric Dalton; Iron & Wine was Jeremiah; and if things didn’t work out with Kara, she’d never be able to listen to Bob Dylan again. By the time she reached her twenties, she’d be a huge, lumbering mass of musical baggage."

Cecily von Ziegesar, Lucky

This is the fifth book in the It Girl series, and I think it continues to stay pretty quality. You know how sometimes when you read a series, the quality deteriorates as you continue to read them? That's not the case with these books. Again, these books aren't the best written things in the world, but they are entertaining quick reads. They're full of drama that continues from previous books. All your favorite characters from past books are in this one, and if you like the first 4, I'm very certain that you will enjoy this one as well.

I have taken a small break from reading the rest of these books, only because sometimes I get tired of reading the same content for too long, but that does not mean that I will never finish it! I belive there are 8 or 9 books in the series, so I have 4 more to go! I actually ordered all of them on Thriftbooks last year, so i'll be able to access the rest of them easily.

Unforgettable: an It Girl Novel (#4) by Cecily von Ziegesar - ★★★

“Most people were raised to believe they are just as good as the next person. I was always told I was better.”

Cecily von Ziegesar, Unforgettable

While writing the review for the 5th one, I forgot I hadn't written the review for the 4th one yet? I don't know what else there is to add here other than the fact that while this book switches perspectives from multiple students from the school, this book is the book that follows the character Callie the most! While I'm not personally a huge fan of Callie, if you are, you'll really enjoy getting to hear her perspective.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang - ★★★★

“If you can’t stand being with a woman who’s more successful than you, then leave her alone. She’s better off without you. If you actually love her, then know the value of that love and make it a promise. That is the only thing she needs from you.”

Helen Hoang, The Kiss Quotient

I actually read this book while I was in London in March of 2020, and it brings back super fond memories. This book had a lot of hype surrounding it, so I had high hopes for it. I didn't really know what it was about, other than the fact that it was supposed to be a romance of some type.

The story follows Stella who likes numbers and has Asperger's. The idea of her kissing someone, makes her feel more than uncomfortable. As someone who's in their 30's, she thought she should have more experience than she currently did. She decided to get help from a "professional", and ends up hiring an escort, Michael.

Their straightforward partnership somehow makes sense, and ends up turning to more.

While I have read a lot of fake relationship books, I had never read a book exactly like this. Firstly, Stella had a very unique voice, because of the fact that her character had Asperger's. It was interesting to read her though process. Seeing her personal growth and the development of their relationship was really enjoyable. I really enjoyed reading this, and highly recommend it!

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown - ★★★★

“History is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books-books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe. As Napoleon once said, 'What is history, but a fable agreed upon?”

Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code

I know every person who's read Dan Brown has an opinion on him. Some hate his books, while others love him. I have reviewed Angels & Demons by him, and am a big fan of his books. While I know they are pieces of fiction, I like how he threads real tidbits of history, with the fake facts to make it seem more real.

If you are a fan of the cinematic Tom Hanks versions of these books, you'll love the books even more. The way he draws out the scenes in your head with his words is amazing.

Now these books have a lot of detail, and it takes me a little bit to get sucked into the book. Once I'm in it though, I'm in it for the long haul. This one takes place in Paris, and its just as well written as Angels & Demons. After the murder of a curator, Robert gets a call dead in the night. With the help of Sophie, a cryptologist, they discover the hidden clues found within the Da Vinci Painting, and trail along to find out where the clues lead.

I don't want to give too much away, I really enjoyed it, and highly recommend it!

---

So this is where I’m going to wrap this post up. I hope you enjoyed learning about some new books. Hopefully you find something new to read. What have you been reading recently? Let me know down below, because I’m always looking for new books to read. As always, I hope you have a wonderful day/night. Sending you love, strength, and positivity xx