REVIEW: Freud's Mistress by Karen Mack & Jennifer Kaufman

Title: Freud's Mistress
Authors: Karen Mack and Jennifer Kaufman
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Release Date: June 3, 2014 (paperback)

384 pages

Rating:  ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Summary: {Goodreads}    

In fin-de-siècle Vienna, it was not easy for a woman to find fulfillment both intellectually and sexually.

But many believe that Minna Bernays was able to find both with one man—her brother-in-law, Sigmund Freud.

At once a portrait of two sisters—the rebellious, independent Minna and her inhibited sister, Martha—and of the compelling and controversial doctor who would be revered as one of the twentieth century’s greatest thinkers, Freud’s Mistress is a novel rich with passion and historical detail and a portrait of forbidden desire [with] a thought-provoking central question: How far are you willing to go to be happy?”*

*Publishers Weekly

Short version? Good premise, interesting subject, good and detailed writing, but overall disappointing. It was slow and the ending left a little to be desired.

I really wanted to like this one. Sigmund Freud is fascinating, and so are his contributions to psychology. But this book... not so much. I didn't hate it, but I didn't enjoy it very much either.

Let's start off with the good. The writing is great! - especially in the beginning when we get setting, characters, and all that good stuff. I actually really enjoyed the beginning and thought that Minna's character was going to be a good one. She was intelligent and driven, but she was dealing with dwindling funds, no job, and no marriage prospects so she moved in with her sister and her husband (Freud). That's the start of a good story in my opinion.

The premise is great, it has so much potential. I didn't know about it, but I wasn't surprised that Freud would have a mistress. While thinking about Freud as a romantic prospect isn't the easiest thing to do, I was excited to see how this would play out. Unfortunately, the relationship between Minna and Freud dragged on too long. There's only so many secret looks and whispers I can take! And when they finally take their affair to the next level, the story seems rushed to the end. I think that focusing more on the affair itself, instead of what led up to it, would have been a much more interesting story.

Overall, I was disappointed. I picked it up and put it down maybe 7 or 8 times over the 2 weeks it took me to read it. It was just OK for me, so I don't have much to say about it.

Review also posted on Goodreads.

REVIEW: 10 Habits of Highly Successful Women

Title: The 10 Habits of Highly Successful Women
Editors: Glynnis MacNicol & Rachel Sklar, co-founders of TheLi.st
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Release Date: August 26th, 2014 (paperback)

Originally published as an Amazon Kindle Serial.

198 pages


Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

* I received this paperback copy through a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: {Goodreads}

The 10 Habits of Highly Successful Women is a collection of essays revealing the secret career habits and hard-won wisdom of a diverse group of accomplished women, selected by Rachel Sklar and Glynnis MacNicol, co-founder of TheLi.st, the well-known network to elevating professional women. 

Perhaps no group has experienced more upheaveal in the last few decades than working women. In this series, each woman explores the one key habit or lesson that has made the difference in forging her career and attaining professional success. 

Short version? You should probably read it. If you're in a rut and looking for professional inspiration, if you're interested in media careers, or if you simply like stories of successful professional women, you're bound to like something here.

First off, this book couldn't have arrived at a better time. I was going to hold off posting the review until closer to the publishing date, but it resonated with me enough to warrant an early review. I'm currently in the middle of a disappointing and stressful job search after leaving a dead-end job. After a couple months of searching and searching, going on endless interviews, and working on take-home assignments (I mean, who does that?) only to never be contacted again... I was hitting a major low.

Then, last week, I got this in the mail!

Now, I'm not going to lie, this isn't a step-by-step book for success, but you'll find a few good tidbits of advice. The ten contributors, including MacNicol and Sklar, have all worked in some form of media, but they are diverse in their ages and individual experiences. So, no matter your background, you're bound to relate to some of these women.

Personally, I would say four out of the ten stories really hit home for me. In particular, I want to talk about the first two: Sally Kohn's "Emotional Correctness" and Nisha Chittal's "Why I Never Tell Anyone My Age." The first because I studied politics in college, I've worked on political campaigns before, and, as a staunch liberal, I've gotten caught up in all the partisan vitriol. So, reading the story of someone who has worked with the likes of Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly, I can understand the skill and emotional maturity it takes to work in such an environment. The second because as a 20-something, recent grad, young professional, I understand that no matter what your achievements or credentials, some people will still look at you as too young or too inexperienced.

My only criticism would be that all of these women were employed in the media industry somehow. While it's a great industry, there was the opportunity to tell the stories of female scientists, politicians, NGO executives, etc. It could have been more diverse in that sense, but, overall, a good read.

*Review also posted on Goodreads.

TBT No. 1: Carolyn Meyer's Young Royals Series

Earlier this week I mentioned that I wanted to do some Throwback Thursday posts to highlight some of my favorite books from the past. 

And since it's AUGUST, the month millions of kids are going back to school, I decided to honor that by focusing on books I read during my middle-school years. 

I'm starting off with one of my favorites and the series that planted my love for historical fiction and the Tudors. 

      

The Young Royals Series (#1-3) by Carolyn Meyer

There's actually 7 books in this series, the most recent published in 2012. As far as I remember, I only read these three sometime in 6th or 7th grade. 

Meyer's Young Royals series tells the stories of the young lives of famous monarchs.

In Mary, Bloody Mary we get Queen Mary I's teenage years: from watching her father carry on an affair with Anne Boyleyn, to her marriage prospects being used as political pawns, being declared a bastard, and taking care of her baby half-sister Elizabeth.

Beware, Princess Elizabeth follows the future Queen Elizabeth I through her teenage years including learning of her mother's beheading, being locked up in The Tower by her jealous half-sister Mary, and rising up to be queen.

Doomed, Queen Anne tells the ambitious story of Anne Boleyn and her rise to being the king's mistress, then queen and the events that led up to her death.

I remember enjoying these books as a kid and being inspired to research more about the Tudors and British monarchy. The writing is simple and the plot easy to understand. They are written in first-person narrative, so it made it easier to relate to the characters, almost as if she was sitting in front of me telling me these stories. 

I think middle-school really is the right time to read these because they are so simple. They don't have a lot of historical depth or any of the sexy intrigue from more adult historical fiction. It's enough to get kids interested and that's what I loved about them. 

I don't think I could read them now that I'm in my 20s.


** If you click on the pictures, it'll take you to Goodreads for a more detailed summary. 

Top Ten Books I'd Give to People Who Haven't Read Non-Fiction

Today I'm linking up with The Broke and The Bookish for their Top Ten Tuesday feature. Today's topic is: Top Ten Books I'd Give to People Who Haven't Read ____ (fill in the blank). 

I chose to focus on Non-Fiction. I really love reading non-fiction books because I always feel like I'm learning something new and life is about learning new things everyday. Non-fiction tends to get a pretty bad rap. People say it's boring, or too long, or they don't want to read educational things after being in school or at work all day. But, you know what? Non-fiction is such a broad genre and there are so many books about so many different topics, that I'm sure anyone can find something they're interesting. 

So here I present 10 Non-Fiction books about different topic that I think you'll find interesting. 

...about feminism.

1. When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present by Gail Collins

A book for those who don't exactly know everything about the history of women and the feminist movement in the USA. Simple, easy to read. Collins combines history with personal anecdotes of regular women who were involved or affected by these events.

2. How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

Moran is blunt, funny, and crass. She takes real important issues in feminism and funny, weird stories from her life. At the very least, you're in for a fun read. 

...about the Middle East

3. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

In this, you'll see the transformation of Iran after the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Nafisi was a literature professor at the time and through discussions of different novels she tells the stories of women, including her students, and the difficulties they faced in an increasingly oppressive regime. 

4. The Complete Persepolis (#1-4) by Marjane Satrapi

Similar, to the one above, Satrapi grew up in Iran and witnessed the Islamic Revolution first-hand. In this she tells her story about living in Iran and studying in France. AND, it's a graphic novel - four short volumes. How cool is that?

...about famous people

5. Bossypants by Tina Fey

I think Tina Fey is one of the funniest people on TV. I love SNL  and 30 Rock and her book is equally funny, but she throws in a few tidbits of advice here and there. Loved it!

6. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

Another funny lady in comedy. Star and creator of The Mindy Project. This book in particular just added to my overall love of Mindy Kaling. She's funny and witty and reading this just made me want to be best friends with her. It's an easy read. 

...about personality/psychology

7. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

We're all readers here. So I'm guess a good chunk of us are introverts. I know I am! On that alone this is an interesting read about the mind of introverts, their contributions to the world, and even their advantages.

8. Outliers by Malcom Gladwell

Want to know what makes people successful? Gladwell argues that it isn't what kind of person they are, but more where they come from - the culture, their hobbies, they environment they grew up in.

...about economics

9. Supercapitalism by Robert Reich

Robert Reich is a former Secretary of Labor under President Clinton, he's also an economic and public policy professor at UC Berkeley. I have a special place in my heart for this book since I took Robert Reich's undergraduate course at UC Berkeley. I can't help but recommend it to everyone. He makes economics about every day people and easy to understand. 

10. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

Economics is at the root of pretty much everything. Levitt and Dubner collaborated to present the statistics behind some pretty important issues: everything from drug dealers to parenting to schoolteacher. It's an interesting read that will leave you thinking about the economics behind other things in your life. 

I hope you find some interesting reads!

For more about Top Ten Tuesday, future topics, and how to participate, click here. 

 

A Look at: *AUGUST*

Hello!

I have a couple of fun things coming up in August! 

There's two books I won through  Goodreads Giveaways, some books I found at the library, one book I've been looking forward to all year, and maybe I'll throw in a couple of classics for my Gilmore Girls Challenge.

August Reading List

I'm currently reading:

10 Habits of Highly Successful Women by Glynnis McNicol and Rachel Sklar, co-founders of  The Li.st. 

This book was originally a Kindle Serial, but I won the paperback through a Goodreads Giveaway. You can expect the review closer to the paperback release date. 

Expected Publication: August 26th, 2014 by Lake Union Publishing

 Hard Choices by Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Secretary of State, former U.S. Senator (D-NY), former First Lady

I'm a big fan of Hillary Clinton and I've been excited for this book since I found out about it. I FINALLY have my own copy. It's quite a biggie (635 pages!) and there is a lot of important information about global policy so I plan to take my time. You can expect a review in about a week or so. 

Publication date: June 10th, 2014 by Simon & Schuster

Coming up on my TBR: 

Longbourn by Jo Baker

I found this at my local library. It is a re-telling of Pride and Prejudice through the perspective of the servants. We'll see how this goes. 

Publication date: October 8th, 2013 by Knopf

Freud's Mistress by Karen Mack and Jennifer Kaufman

Another library find! A fictional portrayal of Sigmund Freud's affair with his sister-in-law. 

Publication date: July 9th, 2013 by Putnam Adult

When White Fades to Black by Joe Conlan

Another book I won through a Goodreads Giveaway. This one is a political thriller by indie author Joe Conlan. 

Publication date: April 2014

 I'll also be reading a couple of classics from the Gilmore Girls challenge list. Any suggestions?

Events I'm Participating In:

I'm excited for my first Bout of Books event. I posted a little more about this on August 2nd. There, you can find more information about the event and how to sign-up.

Bonus!

August is usually known as Back-to-School Month for most kids. Some of my favorite things about August growing up were going school-supply shopping, organizing my backpack and folders, getting to go to book fairs at school, and looking through the Scholastic catalogs we received at school. In middle-school, especially, is when I really amped up my personal reading habits. 

So, in honor of August and back-to-school, I'll be writing some Throwback Thursday posts about some of my favorite books from my middle-school years. 

 You're welcome to chime in with your favorites as well!

REVIEW: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

   

      Title: The Help
      Author: Kathryn Stockett
      Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
      Date Released: January 3, 2011
      First published: February 10, 2009

      522 pages

      Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Summary from {Goodreads}                    

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody’s business, but she can’t mind her tongue, so she’s lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women—mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends—view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don’t. 

Short version? Read it. It's a good novel with well-developed characters, a great story,  and it touches on some important themes in the history of race relations. 


I love Emma Stone. She's one of my favorite young actresses out there right now and I've been wanting to watch her play Skeeter in the movie-version of The Help, but I've been putting it off for so long because I haven't read the book. Well, no more delays! I finally got my hands on a copy and I finished. 

The Help is told through the narratives of Skeeter, Aibeleen, and Minny. Every few chapters they trade responsibility of narrating the story. In some books, this doesn't work well and can sometimes get confusing, but it worked here. The three of them were very different from each other, had very different mannerism, and speech so it was easy to tell who was speaking when. I think it especially worked in this case because we're looking at a story that involves completely different spheres of life that often intermingle, but continue to have set boundaries.

Frankly, I was a little worried coming in to The Help.  I was worried that the characters would be complete caricatures of the white woman/black maid stereotypes. I was worried it wasn't going to live up to the hype - even years after it's been published, I still hear about it everywhere. 

I was pleasantly surprised. Aibeleen and Minny, the two main black maids in the novel, are a little stereotypical. But there's so much more to them. I was impressed that Stockett, a white woman, was able to create such well-rounded, complex characters who grew and developed into better people over the course of 522 pages. She somehow incorporated the intricacies of black womanhood in 1960s Mississippi and balancing life as a maid and life as a mother and wife.

Skeeter, personally, was such a relatable character. She didn't quite fit in socially, politically, and physically with Mississippi's high society. Through the course of the novel, I think she's the one who evolved the most and became a symbol of the "new woman" that was coming out of the 1960s. Even now, I can relate to Skeeter's desire to get away from home and make a name for herself doing what she loves. 

My only criticism is that some of the pretty important supporting characters (Elizabeth Leefolt, Stuart Whitworth) were a little weak and a little boring. There were times in the novel, particularly when these characters were involved or at other society functions, that it was boring and a little hard to get through. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at some of it.

Overall, a good novel, good story, and good characters.. I recommend it if you've seen the movie and especially if you haven't. 

Bout of Books 11.0: 8/18-8/24

I'm right in the middle of two books right now, The Help and 10 Habits of Highly Successful Women, and I'm really excited to review both, but I just can't seem to sit still long enough to finish reading. 

So, I figured this is as good a time as any to sign up for my first Bout of Books read-a-thon....ever!

So what is Bout of Books?

Here's a few words from the creators themselves.

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 18th and runs through Sunday, August 24th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 11 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog.  

- From the Bout of Books team

My goal is to read 1,000 pages. It's my first time, so we'll see how I do. 

Check back here for updates during the week of August 18th. 

Wanna join me? Head to Bout of Books to sign up or sign up on Twitter using the hashtag #BoutofBooks.

The Gilmore Girls Challenge

 So, I recently found this on Buzzfeed:

How Many Books From Gilmore Girls Have You Read?

My Result?

A measly 36.

There's a total of 334 books! Plus 5 more that I found out were missing from this list. 

A little back story: Gilmore Girls is one of my all time favorite shows. As a reader and a self-diagnosed bookworm, I've always identified with Rory. Plus, my mom is young and cool and we've always had that kind of mother-daughter relationship. 

So when I saw this list and my horrible, disappointing result, I just needed make this one of my life reading goals. 

Anyway, I've compiled the entire list in my Gilmore Girls Challenge page. 

I'll be updating that page with links to thoughts on those books. I've already read 36, but some were so long ago (when I was in high school) that they warrant a re-read. 

You can see the first post for this challenge, my review of Daisy Miller by Henry James.

How many have you read?

WWW Wednesdays: No. 1

Hello! 

I'm excited to get involved with all the fun challenges and memes across the book blogging community. 

The first one up is WWW Wednesdays hosted by Should be Reading.

How to Play: Just answer the following three questions on your blog and leave a link in the comments!

1. What are you currently reading?

The Help by Kathryn Stockett {Goodreads Summary} 

Just started this last night and I'm a couple chapters in. So far, so good. 

2. What did you recently finish reading? 



Yesterday, I finished reading Daisy Miller by Henry James.

I rated it ★★★. You can find my review here .








3.  What do you think you'll read next?

I finally got my hands on Hard Choices by Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former Secretary of State and former First Lady.  {Goodreads Summary}

I'm looking forward to tackling the massive hardcover edition.

I'd love to hear what you're reading!

GG Challenge: Daisy Miller by Henry James (#53)

Title: Daisy Miller
Author: Henry James
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Date Released: December 18, 2007
Originally published in 1878

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Summary: {Goodreads}

Henry James' 1878 publication that brought him international fame. "Daisy Miller" is subtitled "A Study in Two Parts." The plot centers around a Europeanized American man named Winterbourne, who meets a nouveau riche American woman going by the name Daisy Miller. A short novel, James wields the sword of fiction to craft a "study" of the roles of men and women, social relationships, cultural intersection, the allure of money, foolishness and wisdom, the responsibilities of parents, and the impact of one's life upon others. 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I read this as part of my Gilmore Girls Challenge. You can find my progress here.

Frederick Winterbourne is an American who has settled down in Geneva. While visiting his aunt in Vevey, he meets Daisy Miller, a pretty, young American girl travelling through Europe. Winterbourne is immediately smitten, but he quickly finds that there is much more to Ms. Daisy Miller. 

Henry James first published this little novella in 1878. An American in Europe himself, in Daisy Miller, he tackles the difference in social norms and customs between the two regions through the characters of Mrs. Costello and Daisy Miller. Winterbourne, like James, is stuck between these two worlds. 

Mrs. Costello, Winterbourne's aunt, is very traditionally "European". She follows traditional European customs to a "t". 

Daisy Miller, on the other hand, represents everything that Europeans believed about Americans. She is naive, outspoken, and a little too forward. 

Winterbourne believed Daisy Miller to be, "completely uncultivated... But she is wonderfully pretty, and, in short, she is very nice."

Mrs. Costello, however, said things like:

"They are very common," Mrs. Costello declared. "They are the sort of Americans that one does one's duty by not-not accepting."

"They are hopelessly vulgar," said Mrs. Costello. "Whether or not being hopelessly vulgar is being 'bad' is a question for the metaphysicians. They are bad enough to dislike, at any rate, and for this short life that is quite enough."

The Good: 

Henry James is a wonderful writer. Like many of his 19th century peers, he has a certain style to his writing, his descriptive language, that makes it easy to really imagine the 19th century environment. It's beautifully descriptive and that alone made me enjoy reading it. 

The Bad: 

I did have some issues with the characters. 

1. Frederick Winterbourne - I felt like his character lacked depth. I didn't know enough about him to really care about his comings and goings or his relationship with Daisy. 

2. Daisy Miller - For a title character, I really, really did not like her. In fact, she annoyed me the entire time, which makes it hard to care about what happens to her. Winterbourne describes as "innocent" many times, but I thought that it was simply immaturity. Innocence is one thing, but immaturity is annoying. Here are some examples of what I mean:

"That's all I want - a little fuss!" And the young girl began to laugh again.

"I don't want you to come for your aunt," said Daisy. "I want you to come for me."

"I've been telling Mrs. Walker how mean you were," the young girl announced.

Overall, it's still considered a classic, and since it is so short, it doesn't hurt to take an hour or two to read it. Personally, it was just OK.

** Review also found on Goodreads here.

Persuasion by Jane Austen

Title: Persuasion

Author: Jane Austen

Publisher: Penguin Classics

Date Released: March 27, 2003  

Originially published in 1817

Rating:  ★★★★★

Summary: {Goodreads}

At twenty-seven, Anne Elliot is no longer young and has a few romantic prospects. Eight years earlier, she had been persuaded by her friend Lady Russell to break off her engagement to Frederick Wentworth, a handsome naval captain with neither fortune nor rank. What happens when they encounter each other again is movingly told in Jane Austen's last completed novel. Set in fashionable societies of Lume Regis and Bath, Persuasion is a brilliant satire of vanity and pretension, but, above all, it is a love story tinged with the heartache of missed opportunities.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Urban Dictionary defines book hangover as ”when you've finished a book and you suddenly return to the real world, but the real world feels incomplete or surreal because you're still living in the world of the book.”

Seldom does a book affect me so much, make me feel so deeply, whether it be rage or sadness or adoration, even confusion, that for a few hours I’m no longer just me. Instead, I’m a character. I live in this world; I know their stories, feel their pain, witness their love. It happens, but not often.

It’s a lot like falling in love. It wasn’t sudden. In fact, it began a bit slowly. You get to know each other, you wine and you dine, and at some point… You just know. You know that it’s love.

Persuasion did this for me. Jane Austen did this.

Now, I’m no stranger to Ms. Austen. I’ve read Pride and Prejudice. I’ve read Sense and Sensibility and I’m slowly working my way across the rest of her works (in no particular order). They’re both great pieces of literature, but neither had a great effect on me. Somehow, I just figured I would pick up Persuasion next and I’m so glad I did.

Here, we meet Anne Elliot - an exquisite heroine. She is one the most mature, self-aware female characters that I’ve ever encountered. One of my greatest attractions to her is my own reflection in her character. She is a reader, very intelligent, and, as an introvert, quite socially outcasted from her family. She is surrounded by people who value wealth and rank over pureness of character, yet she has managed to learn to love one man (our dear Captain Wentworth) with so much emotion, over many years, despite the opinions of others. That is the great testament of this novel. Love conquers all.

I could go on and on about the plot, the characters, or Austen's criticisms of social norms, but for once, I’ll leave it at that. There are plenty of reviews that can critique and expand on all that. Here, I just want to express my own thoughts upon finishing this novel. If you’re looking to get your spirits lifted, to witness the strength of deep, true love across many years, the beauty of forgiveness, and a happy ending… just read.

** This review is also found on Goodreads here.

The GQ Candidate by Keli Goff

Title: The GQ Candidate

Author: Keli Goff

Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: July 5, 2011

Rating: 3.5 out 5

Summary: {Goodreads}

After a sex scandal brings down a local politician, Luke Cooper finds himself catapulted into the Michigan Governor’s mansion, making him one of the few black and—by virtue of adoption—Jewish elected officials to hold such an office. His national celebrity is increased when he heroically saves the life of an avowed racist, and his good looks and charm earn him the nickname “The GQ Candidate.”

One day Luke stuns his inner circle by informing them that he has decided to run for president. His friends offer to help but a fundraiser, hosted by one, and a major scandal involving another, become the subject of negative gossip that threatens the campaign. Meanwhile, Luke’s wife is ambivalent about her husband’s political aspirations, and grows wary of life in the spotlight especially after a surprise from their past inconveniently reappears during his historic run.

The GQ Candidate gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at what happens in the lives of candidates, and the people closest to them, when the cameras aren’t rolling. In addition to the story of the campaign, the novel also follows the lives of Luke’s tight knit circle of friends and reveals how his amazing race changes their lives forever.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I'm giving this 3.5 stars, but I'm hesitant to round up for a couple of reasons.

"GQ magazine named him to its list of "Political Power Players," noting that 'the handsome governor is known so much for his debonair suits that some in the Michigan statehouse have been known to refer to him as Mr. GQ.'"

The Good:

As someone who studied politics in college and even worked on a couple local campaigns, I was excited with the premise of following Luke's presidential campaign behind-the-scenes. And on that front, it did not disappoint. Goff made it a point to show us a lot of what goes on. Fundraisers, stump speeches, media, scandals. All of it. I even appreciated several of the "media clippings" she inserted throughout the book.

Also, let's give it up for some strong female characters! I was a little worried that with Luke as a candidate, we'd be stuck with a bland carbon-copy Stepford wife. Instead, we got Laura! I loved Laura's character as Luke's wife. I think out of all of them, she was the most interesting as an educated, ambitious, and supportive wife and mother. Then we also had Brooke - Laura's best friend, who as a successful publicist, is great in her own right, but she's also a very supportive friend to Laura through the whole process. Finally, there's Esther, Luke's adoptive mother. She was a civil rights activist in her youth and still has a feisty, protective attitude towards Luke and her other sons. These three ladies on their own are interesting and strong characters, but their relationships with their husbands make them even better because they have positive relationships built on equality, mutual respect and support, and unconditional love.

The Bad:

Too many characters. Seriously, the first 100 pages or so are spent introducing characters in depth and, frankly, only about half of them are very important. I think at my last count I was at 11 - and it certainly didn't stop there. I thought that spending so much time on the back stories of the minor characters took away from proper development of the plot.

Which bring me to...the ending. I was a little disappointed at the end. It felt rushed and a little incomplete. Just when it had started to get exciting and the story was moving forward, it was all rushed to the end. It felt like some of the characters and some aspects of the story needed closure.

Finally, a special mention to Brock, one of Luke's best friends from college. Brock, you're an asshole. I'm sorry you had a tough life; I'm sorry you were poor and unpopular. However, that is no excuse to be a misogynistic pig! You made it in life. You're a big-shot attorney, you have a gorgeous ex-model wife, and two twin boys. What's wrong with you? There's no need to be so condescending and insulting to your wife. Talk about abusive relationship... I hated his character.

Overall, it was a good read. I enjoyed all of the campaign staff and I was surprisingly happy that it dealt more with the personal effects of a presidential rather than the issues. If I wanted tor read about the issues, I'd stick with non-fiction. It definitely took me a while to get through the first third of the novel (all those characters!), but once the campaign got underway, the story sucked me in.

** This review also found on Goodreads here.