Reading Update (2025 #61-63)

[61] Forget Me Twice by Carina Taylor
Fiction / Romance, saw in Hoopla, Audio
TW: assault
Synopsis: Meyer’s ex-husband Archie crashes his plane and ends up in the hospital with amnesia, and believes they’re still married. His doctor insists he recover in familiar surroundingsâmeaning he moves back in with Meyer. Unable to tell him the truth without risking his recovery, sheâs forced to play along while he showers her with affection and tries to mend their âmarriageâ (she told him they had a fight).
Review: Wow, what a complete trainwreck. I obviously read this book because it has a plane on the cover and I thought it might be about a pilot. Let’s talk about the actual “plot” before I get to that though. The premise is simpleâpretend to be married until he remembers then kick him out again. The story remained too simple though. Simple, superficial, and extremely surface level. There is nothing deep about these characters. Nothing to make you root for them to get back together. We don’t get their history, or much into why they are divorced. They’re completely immature and insufferable. It was a bit infuriating. The writing is questionable (do we really need a long description of peeing in the woods? what’s with the assault drive-by?) and there’s a bit of an ethics dilemma with the doctor that is brushed over. The whole story was just BAD.
Okay, now onto the flying stuff (next 3 paragraphs). I don’t want to be esoteric (but I am), but would it have hurt the author to research aviation a bit more? The plane stuff was so unrealistic it made me stabby. Like he crashed in someone’s yard and no one got badly hurt including Archie? There’s no way he just plopped down in a yard in a suburban neighborhood without doing a lot more property damage. Just the glide in would have caused so much destruction. And it just happened to be the yard of someone he knew? Then the plane was there a week and the homeowner had a party outsideâwith the plane still there? Then Archie hired to have it hauled away and the NTSB hadn’t already taken it? Or interviewed him? Yeah… doubtful.
Then it turns out he is 25 and owns this plane. I was like, what does this bro do to OWN a plane at that age. it was finally explained he’s in finance. The realistic part of the crash is that it was a Cirrus (LOL, won’t get into the stereotyping of Cirrus pilots). BUT THE PLANE ON THE COVER IS NOT A CIRRUS. Details, I know (and I know author’s have little say in cover art). Then it turns out he crashed from was fuel starvation, which his mechanic tells him just saying “you ran out of gas.” Again, where is the NTSB and FAA?!
And the most annoying part is how much Meyer keeps saying “I knew when he became a pilot he would crash a plane.” Girl, what?! Then you think maybe that will be the root of their divorce and maybe some substance there. Nope, she is just terrified of flying.
Recommend? What do you think? Hell no.
[62] Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy, because it’s Emily Henry, Kindle
Synopsis: When aspiring author Alice Scott and brooding Pulitzer winner Hayden Anderson are both invited to write the biography of reclusive heiress Margaret Ives, they find themselves stuck on a remote island in Georgia competing for the job. Margaret gives each of them only part of her storyâand a strict NDA keeps them from sharing notes. As they try to unravel the mystery of Margaretâs past, a simmering attraction develops.
Review: So this has the beautiful Emily Henry writing that a lot of us love, but it’s missing the romance and banter her other stories often have. This is billed as a romance but it felt more like a slow burn… mystery? Kind of trying to give The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes but missing the mark? The story within the story bored me. It didn’t get “juicy” until the end, and even then it was a bit ho hum. I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters in it. It was like reading a family tree. Alice and Hayden were actually interesting characters and I wanted more time with them. I wanted their romance to actually develop. And I wanted Henry to actually tell us what the heck was wrong with Alice’s sister as a kid instead of just alluding to it all the time.
All that said, it was really well written and I didn’t hate it even though it sounds like it! LOL.
Recommend? Sure
[63] She’s Not Sorry by Mary Kubica
Fiction / Thrillers / Domestic, saw in “Available Now” on Libby, Audio
Synopsis: Divorced mom and hospital nurse Meghan Michaels tries to keep a healthy emotional distance from her patients, until a young woman named Caitlin is brought in after a mysterious fall from a bridge. When a witness suggests Caitlin may have been pushed, Meghan finds herself pulled into the girlâs life and her familyâs secrets. But as the investigation deepens, Meghan realizes too late that getting involved may have put her and her daughter in serious danger.
Review: Ahh this book. I felt like it was going in so many different directions. The intro starts with the kidnapping of her daughter and that isn’t revisited until 60% into the book. You’re just in suspense, waiting for it to happen or wondering if she imagined it. So it kept me listening, but felt like cheap bait. The twist after that was really good. I figured it out right before it was revealed and liked how sneaky it was. But then the ending was obvious. That’s all very vague but I don’t want to spoil anything in case you decide to listen, which I don’t recommend. This book is just too all over the place.
Recommend? No
19, not 18
Welcome to another edition of âInside Kimâs Brain,â a scary place we sometimes explore together.
So today a customer asked for some information with the state code MP. And I am like âwhat the f state is MP??â I love geography. How do I not know this state?!
Then a memory is triggered of another instance where I didnât know something you learn in primary school, this time, history.
On July 3rd we got dinner out at this burger place, and we were both like âwait is that the waiter who quizzed us on history the last time we were here?!â
Sure enough, when it was time to pay, he told us if we could get 4/5 history questions correct (ha ha ha!) heâd give us our appetizer for free.
Spoiler: no free app for us.
Question 1: What was the first state in the Union?
Our guess: Maryland
Correct answer: Delaware
Question 2: Which amendment gave women the right to vote?
Sigh, I was like, âAHHHHH!!!!!! I should know this one!â
Our guess: 18th
Correct answer: 19th
UGHHHHHHH.
So we talked a bitâhe wants to be a history teacher, which is why heâs so into all this. We told him we played this game with him before and we lost on state capitals. He asked me New Hampshireâs, and I was like âGDammit Steven, we were there!â Then with a hint of the first letter I got to Concord.
He quizzed us on who Obama ran against in 2008 (John McCain) but I could only remember 2012 (Mitt Romney).
He also asked us the circumference of a circle and I said Ďr2 and he said I was right but thatâs the area, ha. Itâs actually 2Ďr. Oops.
Long story long, I donât remember this stuff, as you all know. But I have fun guessing!

Oh, and MP is the Northern Mariana Islands.
Reading Update (2025 #58-60)

[58] Between the Pines (Black Springs Ranch #1) by Amber Palmer
Romance / Western, saw on Kindle U, Kindle
Synopsis: After Josie Hayes catches her boyfriend cheating on her, she flees Texas for Tennessee, to spend time at her family’s cabin. She never quite makes it to the cabin thoughâshe stops at the bar in town and ends up having a spontaneous week-long fling with the bartender, Lincoln Carter. Despite her feelings for him, she can’t imagine how their relationship will ever work out geographically, so she leaves early one morning before he’s awake. A year later, sheâs built a new lifeâonly to find Lincoln back in it, working at her fatherâs summer horse training program.
Review: I really liked how this book broke from the typical slow-burn romance formula and dove right into a passionate connection between the characters (similar to Sawyer, another cowboy romance I read LOL), and I didn’t even roll my eyes at Lincoln showing back up in her life. But after that, it felt so predictable, ho hum, and obvious. I think this is the book that finally got me off my cowboy romance kick. They’re all starting to blend together!
Recommend? No
[59] Swan Song (Nantucket #4) by Elin Hilderbrand
Fiction / Women, 4th in series, Audio
Synopsis: Just days from retirement, longtime Nantucket police chief Ed Kapenash is pulled back into duty when a $22 million home goes up in flames, and the homeownersâ personal concierge mysteriously vanishes. With personal ties to the missing woman and the flashy newcomers behind the chaos, Ed must delay his exit and piece together the tangled lives of island residents.
Review: This was peak rich-people-behaving-badlyâthink over-the-top parties, fake charity pledges, and petty drama on the pickleball court. It was entertaining, and I loved seeing familiar characters from past books (though you donât need to have read them to enjoy/understand this one). I was really into it, until the ending, which was so cheesy it took it from a 5-star to 4-star read.
Recommend? Sure
[60] The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin
Fiction / Women, saw in “Available Now” on Libby, Audio
TW: Suicide, death of a parent
Synopsis: Lainey, Tyson, Summer, and Hannah meet their freshman year of college and form a deep bond that lasts throughout college. After the heartbreaking loss of Summer to suicide at the end of their senior year, Lainey, Tyson, and Hannah make a pact to always be there for one another. A decade later, when Hannahâs life is upended, they reunite, each facing personal struggles of their own. They decide to take a trip togetherâeach choosing a meaningful destinationâas a way to escape, reconnect, and honor Summerâs memory.
Review: Ha, this book is so ridiculous and bad, I had to stick with it to see what the hell happened and if it made ANY sense (spoiler: no). The characters are all unlikable, and despite being out of college for ten years, they’re very immature and have poor decision making skills. Hannah is devastated her fiancĂŠ cheated on her (understandable) and that she may never start a family. Lainey has daddy issues she deals with by acting wild, drinking too much, and sleeping with random men. And then there’s Tyson… who seems to be a standup guy but dumps his girlfriend and quits his job to go on this trip?! Without spoiling too much, the ending makes NO sense. The plot makes NO SENSE. This book is just a big ole NO.
Oh! Almost forgot. I really disliked the way the narrators did the other charactersâ voices. For example, Lainey’s narrator made Hannah sound extremely whiny, and the women did a horrible job with the man and vice versa.
Recommend? No
Random Thoughts Thursday 506
- I’ve had a really odd work schedule this week. I was supposed to work a full week, with a situational telework day tomorrow for my blood appointment, but then I got this weird headache so I went home early on Tuesday. It was a type of headache I’ve never had beforeâa pain along my upper left jaw and eye. It hurt to chew or open my mouth very big, but nothing hurt inside my mouth or in my jaw joint. It was still bugging me Wednesday, but not as bad, so I went in to the office and just took small bites and ate really slowly (actually good for me to practice that, ha) and tried not to laugh too much (actually harder than it sounds).
- Then I had taken today off to ride my bike! A very random-ass reason to take a day off work, but the day of RAGBRAI we are doing is just over two weeks away and until today I had only ridden up to 34 miles for our 62+ mile ride! Today I got 46 in. Getting there! I still had to be careful eating breakfast this morning and chewing my Clif Bloks on my ride but it went fine!

- And no need to worry about me or diagnose me! I have my annual with my PCP on Monday so someone will be looking at me soon.
- Gosh, I was so excited for Onyx Storm to come out on Graphic Audio. I think regular audio came out early this year, and I was like, “no, I am going to wait until both part 1 AND 2 are out to listen to it.” Then I caved in June and downloaded part 1 and couldn’t get into it. So I waited until both parts were out in July as originally planned and downloaded part 1 again, started it over, got farther, maybe 25% in… and was like “I can’t do this.” It was just too boring! I saw my snister rated it 2 stars so I asked her about it and she shared my sentiment, then I read a few reviews that said nothing happened, the series was extended from 3 to 5 books, and you could just read the first and last 3 chapters of this book and get the gist of it. Eek. I’ll just pass. There are plenty of other books to listen to/read.
- So I returned it to the library Monday night and just HAD to find a new audio book to listen to the next day and when I went to check one out it said my library card was expired! AHHHH! And I couldn’t fix it until I called LIKE AN ANIMAL the library the next day. I obviously did that as soon as they opened. Then they were just like, okay, you can pay online now. LOL, great… why couldn’t I do that before? All good though.
- I used to post a lot of personal stuff in the stories on my rock Instagram page, just things like pics of the cats, us flying, things I was painting, etc. And I had fun with it! People would send me messages and I would chat with them. Then I tried it again this week and people sent me messages and I was like, ugh, I don’t want to make time for this, so I took it down đ Not even sure why I tried that. I know I’ve been really struggling with communicating on my phone and preferring in person.
- Here’s my mani from last week!

A taste of home
I bet youâll never guess which file cabinet is mine!

Ha ha. I had to bring a little taste of home into the office.
Steven often shares click-baity article/listicle titles he sees with me, and I sometimes ask him to read the list or tell me whatever the âone thingâ is the article is talking about. Then we laugh. Sometimes we add to the list or make our own list up. Weâre so fun, I know. LOL.
Yesterday he said âthis article says people who have this one hobby are thriving compared to everyone else.â And of course, I HAD to know what the ONE hobby was.
Any guesses to what it is?
I would have thought it was some sort of physical exercise or mind puzzle or spending time with other people but it was⌠drumroll⌠arts & crafts!
I thought that was particularly funny since I was painting as he told me.

And even funnier, I have an arts and crafts hobby, and am absolutely, in no sense of the word, thriving. At all. I am squarely in a survival state.
But it gave me a good laugh.
I do agree with the points of the article that being creative is good for your emotional and mental health, that it will make you calmer and happier. and the generalization that people with hobbies are happier than those without⌠but that headline? Nah. Painting is helping me survive! It makes me proud! It does soothe me!
A delicious chai in Michigan City
I had the most delicious iced chai on Saturday, at Fluid Coffee Roasters in Michigan City, IN. When I picked it up, I could just sense it was going to be amazing. The spice blend was a dreamy perfection.

Sigh. Why have all the best chais I’ve ever had been far from home? Decorah in 2018, Kansas City in 2022, now this. Maybe the distance and occasion is part of the charm. And that it was coldâwe were so hot when we got there!
I had the best avocado toast of my life too. It was on a “Chicago style” (??? what’s that?) bagel that was perfectly chewy, and just drenched in balsamic. Who knew I liked balsamic so much?

Ugh, it was amazing.
I definitely recommend Fluid Coffee Roasters!
So why were we in Michigan City? We were doing attempt #2 to fly there! We tried on May 18 with Eric but had to turn around and land in Gary because of low clouds over Michigan City. It obviously worked out this time! Although when we checked the weather that morning it called for low clouds and MVFR (marginal visual flight rules) flying conditions, so we were like “maybe it’s just that part of the lake?” and had a Gary back up plan again. It cleared up. Again, obviously.

Anyway! We took off just after 9:00, and it was already 85°. The Cessna 172 we fly doesn’t have AC (lol), and the vents don’t have (hot) outside air flowing through them until the plane is in the air. I immediately opened my vents all the way up and actually felt fine, until we landed and I had sweat through my shorts. Lovely. And that’s why I brought a dry washcloth with me to wipe sweat off my skin. I remembered how sweaty you realize you are once the plane stops moving.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. We hugged Lake Michigan to fly over to Michigan City. We were mindful to stay gliding distance from the shore, to stay under the Chicago Bravo (we flew around 2,500 MSL), and out of temporary flight restrictions (TFR).

There was an active TFR for the Chicago NASCAR qualifiers on the way out and back, and a Cubs one on the way back.

We listened to Chicago Approach to pay attention for any other aircraft cruising along the lake, but we didn’t see anyone. And of course, we lost WiFi and didn’t have live data on our iPads, so we just used our eyeballs.
But it was chill and we enjoyed the cruise and looking at the lakeshore, and boats out in the water.

As we were flying along the shore I could see how you’d easily get disoriented by just following a curved shoreline if you didn’t have navigational aids or weren’t paying attention. Since we started going south it still felt like we were traveling south, even though we turned east and then a bit north. The wind changes were big cluesâwe started with a headwind and ended with a tailwind.
We actually flew into Michigan airspace, then turned back to do our approach to the Michigan City airport in Indiana. Because of the direction of the runway we were landing on (200°) and due to that airport being a skydiving airport, we wanted to come in with a straight approach, rather than do a teardrop over the runway to enter the pattern.
The skydivers weren’t out yet though, thankfully, and there was just a plane doing pattern work.

We landed, parked, used the bathroom in the FBO (fixed based operator), then called an Uber into town. We got our drinks and ate, walked around a bit, trying to stay in the shade and not melt, then Lyfted back (our Lyft driver thought it was very cool we flew there)!


We did some flight planning in the FBO, and started preflight. The skydiving plane was operating, so we waited for them to land before we headed toward the runway. We’ve always been cautious around skydivers, but are even more now since the last time we took off at a skydiving field. The skydiving plane actually loaded up and took off right before us, so we knew we were in the clearâit takes them a bit of time to get to elevation to offload the meatbags. I mean, skydivers.
We left around 1:00 and the airspace was a bit busier on the way back. It would have been a great time to have that extra data source on our iPads showing other planes in the sky but of course… that stopped working halfway (or earlier?) through the flight. Sigh. Might be time to invest in our own WiFi device. As much as I say I want to solely be able to use my eyes, it’s frustrating when that cuts out and it’s a Saturday along a major city, under a Bravo airspace.

It was a cool flight (not temperature, ha ha, it was 86° when we took off and 91° when we landed in Waukegan)âwe saw lots of people out on the beaches, lots of boats, and even saw the Goodyear blimp over the city! It looked really weirdâlike it was pointed down.

It was a bit windier on the way back though, and we were being thrown around a bit, so it felt good to land. And especially to open the doors and get a breeze going through the plane. That heat really takes it out of you!

Despite all my heat complaints, I had a really fun day. I hadn’t flown with Steven in 4 weeks because he’s been training to fly a bigger Cessna (182) than this one. I miss flying with him. I’ve really enjoyed learning about his training though. We even practiced the landing checklist he’d use on the larger Cessna in this one and I giggled each time we confirmed the gear was “down.” It’s always down in this plane. If it’s not it’s a big problem. That seemed really funny on the way back when the heat was getting to me.
Random Thoughts Thursday 505
- Last Sunday, for the first time ever, I had a blood spot in my eye. That might be called a subconjunctival hemorrhage? I won’t subject you to a photo! It is almost gone by today, but it was alarming to find Sunday morning.
- The Project Hail Mary trailer that came out this week is so good, it makes me want to reread (or maybe listen?) to the book. But gosh, I still vividly remember how hard it was to get through all the math calculations in it.
- I took leave Tuesday afternoon and my coworker and I went to see F1. It wasn’t on my radar but she’s a huge F1 fan and I was like, eh, why the hell not?! It was fun and engaging in the theater. But probably something I’d struggle to pay attention to at home. I always do better with action movies at the theater.

- I told Steven I noticed I’ve been making more typos and forgetting more words in emails lately, due to the large amount of communication I am sending and he said he read that seeing mistakes makes people think it’s more sincere because AI didn’t write it. Ha. I liked that interpretation.
- The horrible heat we’ve had from the end of last month until now is making me so cranky. I kept thinking it’s too early for that kind of heat (the extremely oppressive kind with dew points of 76°), but then I read a note in my line-a-day journal from last year where I said we’d been having similar weather for weeks. So I guess we went through this last year too. The difference last year is I wasn’t commuting every day of the week, carrying a backpack and gym bag, and walking a mile from the train station to my office.
- We harvested some cilantro from our garden! I gave it to a coworker on Tuesday and he made salsa for the entire office, and a jar for me to take home. So nice!

A little short
When I got back from my Sunday bike ride I was telling Steven it was my longest of the year so farâjust over 34 miles!

He asked me how long our RAGBRAI ride will be. I told him I didnât remember, but I was thinking about 50 miles, so I was getting pretty close with my training!
Then I remembered to look at the course Monday.
And I was wrong.

Itâs 62.5 miles. Which means it will probably be closer to 67 or 70 (not because itâs measured wrong, but because we often start before the start then ride past the finish).
ANYWAY. Iâm not actually that close with training, oops.
At least I figured it out now. And still have a few more rides (um, 3?!) before the event!
(I warned Dad in case he too had made up a number in his head. He hadnât. đ)
Reading Update (2025 #55-57)

[55] My Favorite Bad Decision (The Favorites #1) by Elizabeth O’Roark
Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, saw on Kindle U, Kindle
Synopsis: When Kit shows up for a group climb of Mount Kilimanjaro, the last person she expects to see is Miller Westâher sisterâs “one who got away” ex from ten years ago that Kit couldn’t stand. Kit is beyond annoyed. But as the days go on, she finds it harder to despise him when he keeps showing up for her… which is the exact opposite of her boyfriend back in the states.
Review: What a strange, strange storyâone that tries too hard to be profound and layered. Kit could be interesting in the sense that her story is a chance to peer into how the 1% liveâsheâs the ultra-privileged daughter of a model and a media mogul. She works for her father but dreams of being a doctor, and even made it pretty far in med school but dropped out (for a mysterious reason thatâs revealed later). So sheâs smart. Sheâs also sassy and her and Miller banter back and forth, which is fun. But I just was not buying this connection they made 10 years ago. The story didnât sell it to me. And this isnât even letting the fact that he dated and slept with her sister bother me (which a lot of people on Goodreads couldnât get past). And her status and the ridiculous things her family and boyfriend did (remember, she has a boyfriend!) became less amusing and more âis anyone really like this?â Meh.
Recommend? No
[56] The Perfect Couple (Nantucket #3) by Elin Hilderbrand
Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, third in series, Audio
Synopsis: The body of the to-be maid of honor is found in the harbor just hours before a high-society wedding in Nantucket. The entire wedding party is under suspicion. As the police interview the wedding party and guests, many secrets unravel.
Review: More rich people behaving badlyâexactly what I expect from Hilderbrand. This was entertaining, even though I guessed what happened about a third from the end. And you could totally read this as a standalone.
I have some complaints though. I feel like Hildebrand hates women. Maybe thatâs too harsh. She writes them of superficial caricatures of how I know real women to behave. Who knows though, maybe this is how women behave in Nantucket, where all her books are set.
Complaint 2: are we still calling women âchunkyâ in 2018? Maybe. It just rubs wrong.
Complaint 3: this one is on meâthe bride develops a lisp while wedding planning and I listened to this on audio, and it made me bonkers. I am an asshole.
Recommend? Sure! Despite my complaints is an easy summer read
[57] The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
Fiction / Literary, Green Light from Knox on The Popcast, audio
Synopsis: When Sara returns home from a trip, sheâs detained by a government agency that claims her dreams predict sheâll harm her husband. Sent to a mysterious facility with other women flagged as future criminals, she must navigate shifting rules and mounting uncertainty. As her confinement stretches on, she becomes more rebellious and tries to take what little control of her fate she can.
Review: This is really well written and interesting but it made me feel anxious and upset. The idea that she is being held for something she never did just feels like⌠something that could actually happen, KWIM? And that all this data is being collected from multiple sources to score your risk factor⌠also feels like something that could happen soon. It made me feel uneasy. And a book that makes me feel things, even if I donât want to, is a good book! Iâm just leaning more toward good feelings now (which is why I am also struggling with Careless People). I am reading to escape and I did not with this book.
Recommend? Yes if youâre in the mood!
Random Thoughts Thursday 504
- We went out for ice cream Friday night and a father and son ended up sitting at our table and we had a lovely conversation and exchanged numbers. What a nice surprise to make a new friend!

- Itâs been so damn hot I finally broke down and bought a bunch of new dresses. I found three styles I mostly liked and then got several colors in each style. My summer work wardrobe is set! Iâve been getting a lot of compliments at work which makes me feel nice!

- Speaking of the heat, I had a weird reaction last Saturday where my left cheek was swollen most of the day. Like I could see it (and feel it lol). I was like⌠âam I having a stroke?â (A legit risk since I am on blood thinners.) We confirmed I was not having a stroke. Probably a reaction to the disgusting 96 degree day and the facial I had two days earlier. It was less swollen Sunday and fine on Monday.

- Itâs been constant farewells to my work colleagues over the last 5 months. Iâd been handling it okay enough, but a close teammate of mine left Monday and I was all up in my feels. I work with amazing people that I really like so⌠itâs been tough. Iâve been burying my feelings deep and just gaslighting myself through each day and I wonder when all that is going to boil over.
- Hereâs my new mani!
