Y’all, these three books delivered a lot of fun, a lot of melancholy, and a lot of self-reflection somehow. I think all three of these books are pretty fantastic and I would absolutely recommend. The MASH Up is Laura Marie Meyer’s debut and if this is where she’s starting, I can’t wait to see where she’s going. Destination Funeral is Paige Harbison’s sophomore novel and I’m really intrigued to see how many time travel-y books she has in store for us, because she is fantastic at writing them. And finally, One for the Road by Elliot Fletcher, the third book in the Macabe Brothers series, and it was my favorite book of June. I received e-ARCs of The MASH Up and One for the Road from their respective publishers and an ALC from the publisher for Destination Funeral via Netgalley. I read the finished copy of The MASH Up from my Book of the Month subscription though. I was delighted to get the book in that box. So let’s dive into talking about these three books, shall we?
The MASH Up
by Laura Marie Meyers
I really enjoyed this so much. Essentially, Ruby finds herself transported from her beige life to the MASH game her 13 year old self had played where she has 13 fish, lives in a mansion with two pools, owns a fantastic roller rink, and is “with” Penn, her brother’s best friend and her sort of nemesis. This new reality means some things are also different for her twin brother and her best friend and Ruby finds herself wrestling with how much she really wants to return back to her very carefully curated life.
My favorite part of this book is how it explores the ways in which we can create a life that feels so safe because we have placed our own limits on it and not because we have created the life of our soul. It reminded me of reading <I>Untamed</I> by Glennon Doyle, which I think about all the time because for all of its imperfections Doyle’s talk of being wild has stuck with me. I loved the way that it showcased the idea that we can can change though. That our life doesn’t have to stay in this safe bubble that we’ve created. Unfortunately, real life doesn’t usually come with a childhood MASH game come to life, so this lesson has to be imparted through fictional means.
I feel like I’ve barely touched on the romance, but I promise it’s integral to the story. Penn is always there and as Ruby lets herself feel things, it makes for a really fantastic time. And we sort of get to watch their relationship happen twice. If I had a criticism, it would be that I wanted a little more from the second time through, but the gimmick of the book makes the first time more important and I understand that. Anyway, this was a fantastic debut and I really look forward to reading from Meyers again in the future. She’s definitely staying on my radar.
Destination Funeral
by Paige Harbison
Someone explain to me why time loop stories and stories that play with time have me in a chokehold. This book was SO frustrating at the beginning. Didion is deeply aggravating and I found myself genuinely wanting to scream at this fictional character that perhaps going to therapy should translate to talking to the people in your life about things. Or just talking to them in general. But slowly (so slowly) as the Saturdays turn into days and days of Saturdays, Didion actually starts to make progress as a character. And by the end, I teared up because that emotional catharsis will always do it for me.
Anyway, this book is about Didion, her sister, her best friend, and her first love. And her mom, Babe, who has died and through her death brought the four of them back to Birdsong for her funeral. Then Saturday happens a second time and y’all… It’s great. Genuinely. Even the things that happen again and again are used in ways that are different and fun. I really enjoyed this book so much. I think Paige Harbison may just work for me as an author, but if she keeps playing with time then I’m really, super down.
Thank you to the publisher to the ALC via Netgalley! I really did enjoy the audiobook, which is also narrated by the author. I think it helps that it was narrated by the author because the emotions are so apparent based on what the characters were feeling and I really appreciate when a book can do that.
One for the Road
by Eliott Fletcher
You may have already seen that One for the Road was my favorite book of June. I have really enjoyed all three books in this series that I am begging not to be over. There’s a sister left and I know the series title is The Macabre Brothers by Heather deserves to have her story told too! Anyway, this book delivers on a fake dating situation with the grumpiest doctor, who is just carrying so much, and an exhausted single mom. And they’re sort of forced into fake dating because of the silliest of small town reasons, but everything feels so real and grounded. That’s the thing about these characters and this setting, it feels like I could hop a flight and go to this small village and pop into the doctor’s office and have Alistair greet me. I’m not sure how Fletcher does it.
Anyway, I really did enjoy this book tremendously. I feel like I’ve told you so little about it, but basically, this has complicated family dynamics and forced proximity and baking and cute dates eventually and rain. It is also sexy and funny and melancholic and full of heart. I had a great time and definitely recommend it.
Closing Thoughts
What a really fantastic set of three books to talk about today. I hope if you pick any of these up that you also really enjoy them. Please let me know your thoughts!
xx
firewhiskeyreader 