July & August Books

This summer I read less than usual, so I decided to combine my July and August reading lists. July was mostly romantic vacation re-reads, so I didn't write plot summaries or opinions. I need familiar easy fluff in summertime! In August I finally finished reading my nonfiction book (The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal) and read an actual new book too. Progress! 

At this point it probably goes without saying, but I watched a number of K-dramas which filled my need for fluff and diminished my book numbers. But this is all for fun so I'm unconcerned about numbers! I'm just sharing what I've read lately. (* = re-read)

July Fiction:

1. The Bluff by Emma St. Clair: grumpy boss romance, newly released second book in the Sheet Cake series... I haven't liked this series as much as I've liked Emma St. Clair's other fun rom-coms, but this book was still alright.
2. *Sammy Keyes and the Kiss Goodbye by Wendelin Van Draanen: Rose and I finally finished listening to the 18th and final book in the Sammy Keyes mystery series. It was so much fun listening to these books with Rose over the past two years! I could never convince Rose to read these beloved books, so I listened to the audiobooks with her and she enjoyed them. 
3. An Heir to Spare by Rebecca Connolly: a novella in The Widows of Somerset collection: sweet but lukewarm.
4. *The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams (see my past posts for summaries and thoughts on my re-reads)
5. *The Match by Sarah Adams
6. *The Off-Limits Rule by Sarah Adams 

August Fiction:

1. *The Temporary Roommate by Sarah Adams
2. I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo: valedictorian high schooler uses K drama plots as a guide to help her find love during her senior year. This book was hilarious for anyone who watches K dramas. It was a sweet little story, but not amazing or surprising. Just a simple straightforward love story. Mild swearing throughout. I listened to the audiobook.
3. My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Ashton, and Brodi Meadows: another fun historical novel with a supernatural twist by these three hilarious authors. This one tells the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, in a world where instead of Catholics vs. Anglicans vs. Protestants, it's people who can change into animals vs. people who can't. The authors do a hilarious job of harnessing similar issues and arguments into their magical world, and this book made me smile.
4. *House Mate by Leah Brunner

Non-fiction:

1. July: We Were Dreamers by Simu Liu: memoir of the Chinese-Canadian actor who played Shang Chi in Disney's superhero movie Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Simu Liu reads his own memoir and tells his story as the son of immigrant parents with heart and humor. The audiobook was so fun to listen to--actors are great readers. This was a fascinating peek into the life of both an immigrant and an aspiring actor. Disclaimer: there is a bit of swearing, even a couple of F-bombs, but it is what I call "good-natured swearing" rather than the dark angry foul language that completely detracts from the spirit and story. While I VERY much prefer authors to leave the bad words out, I can reluctantly accept a certain amount of not-great language as a form of expression. Basically, as always, I pay attention to how I feel when I listen to or read books, and when the darkness grows, I stop. This one didn't make me feel dark. 
2. August: The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal: a fascinating look at how self control works and how to get better at it. Even though this book was published 10 years ago and it shows every now and then in the examples and references, the topic is still very relevant and I loved learning more about willpower. One fascinating takeaway that helped me understand more than I did before was the idea that feeling bad leads to giving in to willpower temptations. The author uses studies and examples to explain how negative emotions like stress lead us to use coping mechanisms that activate the brain's reward system. Those coping mechanisms can be the same activity (like smoking or video games) that we are trying to get rid of. Fascinating! I like how this book not only explains the pitfalls and details of willpower, but also gives simple actions to build willpower. It isn't all doom and gloom; it's hopeful and empowering!

Non-fiction quotes from The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal:

"Willpower is about harnessing the three powers of I will, I won't, and I want to help you achieve your goals (and stay out of trouble)." (p.10)

"While we're stuck with the impulse, we're also equipped with the impulse control... This is what defines a willpower challenge: part of you wants one thing, and another part of you wants something else. Or your present self wants one thing, but your future self would be better off if you did something else." (p. 17)

"How does the reward system compel us to act? When the brain recognizes an opportunity for reward, it releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine tells the rest of the brain what to pay attention to... A dopamine rush doesn't create happiness itself--the feeling is more like arousal. We feel alert, awake, and captivated. We recognize the possibility of feeling good and are willing to work for that feeling... what they were feeling when the reward system lit up was anticipation, not pleasure." (p. 112-113)

"Ten minutes might not seem like much time to wait for something you want, but neuroscientists have discovered that it makes a big difference in how the brain processes a reward. When immediate gratification comes with a mandatory ten-minute delay, the brain treats it like a future reward. The promise-of-reward system is less activated, taking away the powerful biological impulse to choose immediate gratification... It's the 'immediate' in immediate gratification that hijacks your brain and reverses your preferences." (p.161)

Fiction quotes from My Contrary Mary:

“Talk to people?” Francis asked, pretending that he was only pretending to be appalled. “Face to face?” “Well, yes.” Mary smiled wryly. “That is how it’s done.”

“But be careful. I’ve seen a long, arduous road stretched before you. It could be metaphorical. Or it could not. Who’s to say?”

"She looked like a girl having the worst week of her life. But she also looked determined to get through it."