book recommendations

5 Book Recommendations Based On Songs from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Posted on by AmandaKay
Image from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, property of the CW 

Is it a bit random to pair books with songs from a show that ended years ago? Yes, possibly. But, I loved (most of) Crazy Ex-Girlfriend when I watched it a few years ago, and I still frequently listen to my favorite songs from the show. 

The inspiration behind matching books to songs was seeing something about being the villain in your own story, which got the song from the show stuck in my head. From there, I wondered about which book might fit the theme from the song, and then I got on a roll. So, I present to you a great excuse to revist the hilarious songs from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and grab some book recommendations along the way. 

A quick note in case you’re not familiar with this show… the lyrics of some of these songs are pretty NSFW, so proceed at your own risk. 

If You Love “First P**** I Saw”… 

Read: The Virgin Romance Novelist by Meghan Quinn

I read this book ages ago, but it immediately popped into my head when thinking about Paula’s song about her first, erm, cucumber. The book follows an aspiring romance novelist who realizes her lack of real world experience might get in the way of her career. She goes on a quest to gain some experience in the bedroom, and hilarity ensues. 

While belting out “Villain in My Own Story”… 

Check out: Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

“Villain In My Own Story” is, to me, about those times when you can’t stop getting in your own way, but you’re not always super honest with yourself about it. This book about a young woman navigating her divorce has a similar vibe. 

If you’re into “Who’s The New Guy?”… 

Try: Just My Type by Falon Ballard 

In Just My Type, Seth’s a new guy in the office and everyone is abuzz about why he’s there and the competition between him and his ex-girlfriend. He’s not quite the bad boy that Nathaniel is when we first meet him, but something about the office vibe feels similar to me. And of course, there’s the romantic tension between our new guy and the protagonist. 

If you plan to get “A [Lot] of Cats”… 

Why not read: All Grown Up by Jami Attenburg

This song is a joke but it’s also about embracing the single life, which reminds me so much of All Grown Up. The book follows a single woman who’s struggling to balance her own contentedness with singlehood with her family’s expectations about growing up and what it means to be an adult. 

(I had some issues embedding the video for this one, so here’s a link if you want to listen).

In the mood to “Generalize About Men”… 

Get revenge on one with: Payback’s A Witch 

I still think about the “John Tucker Must Dies meets Triwizard Tournament” pitch for this book because it is so perfect. Two women team up to get revenge on a cheater in this witchy, sapphic rom com. 

And there we have it, five of my favorite songs from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and the books to match. I could, to quote Captain America, do this all day, but I think I’ll stop for now.

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What We’re Reading Wednesday, December 21st

Posted on by AmandaKay

Happy Wednesday and happy winter solstice to my friends in the Northern Hemisphere. Today is the darkest day of the year, and then the days will slowly lengthen again. Thank goodness. 

As much as I’ve tried to lean in to the cozy hygge vibes these past several weeks, I do always struggle a bit with the extended darkness. This year I’ve been sitting by the Christmas tree with a candle lit and a blanket on when I read, and it’s helped a bit. Plus, my Little Free Library has its own set of holiday lights, a little spark of happy whenever I look out the front window. 

Things are slowing down now that the semester is over at work, and I’ve gotten a lot of reading done in the past week or so, which is exciting. I definitely won’t hit my 100-book goal for the year, but that’s okay. Let’s get to the reading updates, shall we? 

(Full disclosure: This post uses Bookshop.org affiliate links. Books marked with an asterisk were received as complimentary review copies).

Recent Reads

Earlier this week, I finished up Jean Meltzer’s The Matzah Ball, a Hannukah-themed romance about a Jewish romance novelist with a Christmas-obsession secret. 

Even though it’s a second chance romance and dual POV (not my favorites) it really worked for me. As I mentioned last week, the protagonist has a chronic illness and it was really refreshing to read about, particularly at a time when I’ve been struggling with my own chronic health issues more than usual. 

Current Reads

I’m now on to holiday book number four, A Cat Cafe Christmas. I love cats and cafes, so I’ve been really looking forward to this one. There are cute little cat illustrations at the start of every chapter, and plenty of good banter between the protagonists. There’s a good bit of plot and personal growth for both of the love interests to be invested in outside of the romance, which I always appreciate. I’ve been racing through this one and expect to finish it soon. 

Up Next & On to You

I’m excited to be making this much headway in my holiday TBR, even if I still have three more books to go. I haven’t quite decided which book I’ll pick up after A Cat Cafe Christmas, but it will either be Twelve Swipes of Christmas, Twelve Dates of Christmas, or All I Want for Christmas. 

Depending on whether I can maintain the holiday read mood after December 25th, I’ll be bringing some of these books with me on our brief mountain getaway next week. 

I hope you’ve had a great week in reading and in life. I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading as we round out the year!

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