Monday Minis

Furiously Happy: A Funny book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson “In Furiously Happy, a humor memoir tinged with just enough tragedy and pathos to make it worthwhile, Jenny Lawson examines her own experience with severe depression and a host of other conditions, and explains how it has led her to live life to the fullest” (Source: library)

I listened to this on audio and Lawson’s voice was so fast that I actually had to slow the speed down to 1x – something I never do. The narration is part David Sedaris (poignant and witty with an occasional gut punch), mixed with a little Jerry Seinfeld randomness – *Seinfeld voice* “Why don’t women’s pants have pockets?” It’s those comic tangents that go off in many different directions that kind of lost me along the way – even though I think that’s incredibly relevant to what Lawson is trying to say about mental illness and how your brain works.

Her style is much more of a dark humor approach that might not work for some but is something that I loved. And I loved the idea of being FURIOUSLY HAPPY.

Happy and positive mantras don’t really work for me. It’s like I don’t trust people who claim you can just positive energy your pain away. But saying – I will be furiously happy as an FU to depression – I get that.


Well Met by Jen DeLuca – “All's faire in love and war for two sworn enemies who indulge in a harmless flirtation in a laugh-out-loud rom-com from debut author, Jen DeLuca.” (Source: Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

I adored the tug of enemies – Emily and Simon - forced to come together for the local Renaissance Faire. Both Simon and Emily have baggage to work through and interact delightfully while in character for the Faire – out of  character though– things get messy. The small town folks were awesome and not the typical busy bodies.

The first half of Well Met was fun and flirty with a great setting. The second have dragged a bit for me when Emily seemingly faced her demons head on – kicked them to the curb – then willfully ignored what people where saying to her and slid backwards. I also thought the Faire setting was underplayed in the second part. But…still super cute and fun read. I can’t wait for her sisters book!! Which, sadly, is not next.


Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert –  “Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with a goal, a plan, and a list. After almost—but not quite—dying, she’s come up with seven directives to help her “Get a Life”, and she’s already completed the first: finally moving out of her glamourous family’s mansion.” (Source: Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

Hibbert takes several familiar romance tropes (enemies to lovers and the bucket list to name a few) but puts a wonderful spin on it by giving us two marginalized characters that often aren't seen in romance novels (or allowed to have an HEA).

Chloe has Fibromyalgia and lives with chronic pain – while Red is recovering from an abusive relationship. Neither of these issues is glossed over or swept away by love or sex and that’s fabulous. But neither is this a story about pain. There are very few romances out there that acknowledge chronic conditions and show treatments while still showing sexy times and a healthy, positive romance without making it about overcoming tragedy.

A few readers have mentioned that this is a low stakes romance and yes... there are no big reveals or moments but getting over your inner demons can be tougher than any big blowout. The strength it takes for Chloe & Red to peel away years of self protection and lay themselves out to the other physically and emotionally wasn't easy.

This book is funny – as are most Hibbert books (& her heroines are always delightfully prickly) but the supporting characters and some situations were overly quirky for my tastes. I seem to have a *quirk reading scale* and if it goes too far over a 5 (out of 10) then I’m annoyed instead of charmed. lol But that’s a personal matter – this is still a great book that I would recommend.