The inaugural yap

Plus five books I can't stop thinking about

Hi friends, and may I start out by saying thanks for being here! I’m MacKenzie, a thirty-one year-old living in Chicago with my husband, pup, and two kitties. You might know me as @bennetandthebookworm on Instagram. A few more fun facts: I love pickles, summer, a perfectly ripe peach, casual clothing, sweaters, yoga, books, writing and I’m known to enjoy a good yap.

I hope you’ve got your favorite bevvy ready for the ‘inaugural yap’ newsletter of Short Story Long. Let’s dive in!

First you might be wondering why I started this newsletter, and as the name suggestion, there’s a simple answer and a long one.

The simple answer: after over three and a half years, six managers, more trips to Oakland than I’d care for in a lifetime I was laid-off from my corporate tech job. I have many feelings regarding this recent change—spanning from shock, to dread, back to shock at the prices of laptops these days, to a sort of numbness that peters out into… dare I say freedom?

The long version: without the prospect of a nine to five I’m left with the age old question of What do I do now? Which if I’m honest is not a new feeling for me. I’ve been carrying that around in my back pocket since graduating college. It’s only been amplified. I’ve never been the person who knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wish I was! I envy those people who easily seem to know that their true calling in life is to be an actuary, and to which I say good for you and how did you decide on that?

Here is what I do know: I am now left with a lot of free time on my hands which allows me to explore hobbies that I do enjoy like writing. While I search for a new job, I plan to finish up the current draft of my manuscript (gasp! more on this another time. Perhaps this is what I want to be when I grow up?) and write here on Substack too! I’ve been craving more of a creative outlet that stops me from doom-scrolling.

My goal is to provide you with a weekly—if not bi-weekly—newsletter where I’ll be sharing various musings from the chunky sweater that has transformed my wardrobe to favorite Chicago haunts to the best books I’ve read lately!

Which leads me into the perfect segue of the five books, I’ve read this year, that I can’t stop thinking about!

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The following, in no particular order, are the books I’ve read this year that I can’t get out of my head. These are the books I would recommend the most and a few I’m already eager to reread!

Ready or Not by Cara Bastone | RomCom

I saw @katyisreading rave review of this one on Instagram and immediately downloaded it on Libro.Fm. Eve Hatch finds out she is unexpectedly, expecting from a one night stand and the book follows how the news cracks apart her well kept world; changing her relationships in more ways than one. Not gonna lie going into it, I was skeptical. I’m not really a fan of the pregnancy trope, but the way Cara handled it and wrote Eve’s character was wonderful. I loved Eve! Sooo much. Such a positive, unique character with so much hope. It was infectious. I rooted for her from page one. Don’t even get me started on Shep! Holy swoon-adorable-book boyfriend! Everyone would be so lucky to have a Shep in their life. And I loved how each trimester of Eve’s pregnancy was a new act in the book. I highly recommend the audio.

Read if you like shows like Friends, The Bold Type or Modern Love.

Remain Nameless by HeyJude19 | Harry Potter FanFic

My first introduction into the world of Dramione FanFic (not technically a published book but seeing it was the length of four books, I’m counting it!) and wow, I’m hooked. It felt like going home. I know this world so well that I was immediately absorbed. The storyline takes place about ten years post-wizarding war with Voldy and follows Draco and Hermione as they grapple with their lives and baggage following. It’s sweet, it’s tender, it’s spicy. The author got the voices of the characters down pat, and I truly enjoyed being back in that world exploring a different side of the characters or what could’ve been.

Read if you wish there was an eighth Harry Potter book!

Sandwich by Catherine Newman | Literary Fiction

I picked this one up on a trip to London simply because I liked the book cover and I knew it was set on the Cape in the summer. It sounded like the perfect escape. The book takes place over the course of one week at the summer house Rocky and her family have rented every year for the last two decades. Rocky is ‘sandwiched’ in age between her young-adult children and her aging parents. The book is an immersive experience of emotion, life, and the messiness of sand between your toes, a handmade sandwich wrapped by your side. It evoked memories of my own family vacations on the UP in Michigan. I could picture everything the author described so precisely. It was so real, and the family dynamics had me cracking up and choking up throughout. Simply put, I was blown away.

Read if you loved Tom Lake by Ann Patchett!

The Wedding People by Alison Espach | Contemporary Fiction

Oh my word this book. When I say I think about it almost every day, I’m not kidding. Phoebe Stone arrives at the beautiful Cornwall Inn in New Port Rhode Island in a stunning green dress having hit rock bottom, only to discover she is the only guest on the premise not there for the extravagant wedding taking place that week. At a core level this book is about finding yourself again—hoping, dreaming, healing, and discovering the charm of every day happiness. It is filled with the best little nuggets of wisdom and banter that is truly next level! I wish I could have a coffee chat with Alison and get a glimpse into how she created this world. Know that the beginning is dark, but I promise it is worth it! I highly recommend the audio.

Read if you love complex female characters. Books with depth and heart.

Margo’s got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe | Literary/General Fiction

Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve probably seen or heard of this book. It is already being made into an AppleTV show featuring Elle Fanning, and Nick Offerman. The audiobook is also narrated by Elle Fanning too. Another unexpected pregnancy trope (lol, maybe I do like them?) where Margo tries to navigate the world of adulthood, new motherhood while her meager bank account dwindles. Oh, and then her famous pro-wrestler dad shows up and moves in with her which sparks her starting an OnlyFans accounts. Sounds crazy? Yes, but does it work? Also YES. This book is literary and self-aware and very meta—the use of first person narrative to third person is fascinating. Margo is wholly unique, and dynamic. She fights for herself, her dad, her son and it was inspiring. All of this while still maintaining lightness and humor. A true gem! I highly recommend the audio.

Read if you like shows like Schitt's Creek.

Thanks for yapping with me! I’d love to know what book you’ve read this year that you can’t stop thinking about.

See you soon,

MacKenzie