Reading Challenge Update: Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge

A few months ago, I decided to participate in the Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge. I went with the beginner level, which had 23 prompts. I’m happy to report that, while I didn’t finish the challenge, I did complete twenty of the prompts! (Given another week, I probably could’ve finished the challenge, but it’s okay!)

Into the Great Wide Open: read a book that takes place out in the great wide open

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (★★★☆☆)
Goodreads | my review

Get Your Grill On: read a book that features summer recipes or outdoor summer activities

😦

The Colors of Summer: read a book that features a yellow, green, or sandy cover

The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur (★★★☆☆)
Goodreads | my review

Beach Bum: read a book that could be considered a beach read

Save the Date by Morgan Matson (★★★★☆)
Goodreads | my review

Sand Between My Toes: read a book that takes place in or around a beach/ocean

Seaside Sweets by Melissa Chambers (★★★★☆)
Goodreads | my review

Ocean Blue: read a book that takes place on the water

How to Breathe Underwater by Vicky Skinner (★☆☆☆☆)
Goodreads | my review

Hook ‘Em: read a book that features fishing or fishermen

😦

Sports-a-holic: read a book that features a popular summer sport

Running With Lions by Julian Winters (★★★★☆)
Goodreads | my review

Campfire Story: read a book that scares the bejesus out of you

😦

One and Done: read a book that you can finish in one day

To Be Honest by Maggie Ann Martin (★★★★☆)
Goodreads | my review

Let’s Get It On: read a book that features falling in or out of love

Paper Hearts by Claire Contreras (★★☆☆☆)
Goodreads | my review

Take Pride: read a book written by an LGBTQIA author or that features an LGBTQIA character

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour (★★★☆☆)
Goodreads | my review

Read the World: read a book that takes place in a country – or focuses on a culture – other than your own

Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram (★★★★☆)
Goodreads | my review

Diversify Yourself: read a book by an author of color

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (★★★★★)
Goodreads | my review

You Have a Lovely Accent: read a book that was translated from another language

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli & Francesca Cavallo (★★★★☆)
Goodreads | my review

Won’t Be Long: read a collection of short stories or essays

Summer Days and Summer Nights anthology (★★★☆☆)
Goodreads | my review

Poet at Heart: read a book of poetry

The Princess Saves Herself in This One by Amanda Lovelace (★★★★☆)
Goodreads | my review

My, What Big Teeth You Have: read a book that puts a spin on a well-known fairy tale

Kingdom of Ash and Soot by C.S. Johnson (★★★☆☆)
Goodreads | my review

High Noon: read a classic or contemporary Western

Lights, Cowboy, Action by Cindi Madsen (★★★☆☆)
Goodreads | my review

TBRing It: read a book from the bottom of your TBR pile

The Pawn by Skye Warren (★★☆☆☆)
Goodreads | my review

Unshelve It: read a book that’s been sitting on your Goodreads Shelves for a while

Very Bad Things by Ilsa Madden-Mills (★★☆☆☆)
Goodreads | my review

Childhood Reboot: read a choose-your-own-adventure novel

My Lady’s Choosing by Kitty Curran & Larissa Zageris (★★★★☆)
Goodreads | my review hasn’t been posted yet, but it’s coming!

Listen to Me: listen to an audiobook

We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates (★★★★★)
Goodreads | my review hasn’t been posted yet, but it’s coming!

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Did you participate in the Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge? If so, how did you do? What should I have read for the prompts that I missed? Let’s talk in the comments!

Book review: Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Links: Amazon • TBD • Goodreads
Publication Date: March 3, 2009
Source: Borrowed

Behind closed doors, they’re laying down the law.

When it comes to the laws of attraction…

Payton Kendall and J.D. Jameson are lawyers who know the meaning of objection. A feminist to the bone, Payton has fought hard to succeed in a profession dominated by men. Born wealthy, privileged, and cocky, J.D. has fought hard to ignore her. Face-to-face, they’re perfectly civil. They have to be. For eight years they have kept a safe distance and tolerated each other as coworkers for one reason: to make partner at the firm.

…There are no rules.

But all bets are off when they’re asked to join forces on a major case. Though apprehensive at first, they begin to appreciate each other’s dedication to the law—and the sparks between them quickly turn into attraction. But the increasingly hot connection does not last long when they discover that only one of them will be named partner. Now it’s an all-out war. And the battle between the sexes is bound to make these lawyers hot under the collar…

So, Practice Makes Perfect should have been a book that I loved. It’s an enemies-to-lovers office romance, which is basically my favorite thing ever. I mean, The Hating Game is one of my all-time favorites! But maybe I missed something? Maybe I’ve been in a bad mood for several weeks and that’s why I haven’t liked most of what I’ve read? But I feel like I read a different book than all of these people who’ve left glowing five-star reviews on Goodreads.

I’ll keep my review short and sweet: I didn’t like either of the main characters, I didn’t feel any chemistry between them, and I thought that JD was unnecessarily mean to Payton for no real reason and he never really even tried to make things right. Also, JD’s whole thing about how difficult life is as a rich white man drove me absolutely crazy and not even Payton’s feminist ideals could redeem the book for me.

Thank you to Alyssa Grace @ Serendipitous Reads for the recommendation! I’m sorry that I didn’t love this one!

#mm18: award winners

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Have you read Practice Makes Perfect? Do you like enemies-to-lovers romances? Let’s talk in the comments!

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