It has been quite a busy month over here! Two camping trips (one which lasted five days), loads of traveling and I still managed to read three books. I honestly didn't think I was going to achieve it, but I did! Reading is such a getaway for me, but summer seems to be the busiest time of year for us. It feels like I have to squirrel away an hour here and there to have some downtime. One would think since it's so hot outside, the kids would want to stay in the air conditioning and relax (that's what I want to do!), but no. The outside calls them like a moth to a flame, and extra supervision is a necessity. I have no idea how other moms can read at the playground or on their back porch. I feel like I can't take my eyes off my kids for a second! They are akin to walking death traps. Goodness.Moving on.
Two of the books I chose this month were not what I usually read. I went out of my way picking them, forgoing my usual random number selection process. I feel like my reading lists have become very biased and favor psychological thrillers, murder mysteries, and dystopian type books. Nothing is wrong with these categories, at all. I just feel like, lately, it's all I've been reading. So I went against the grain this month and chose two books that did not fit into those categories, and it was a nice change of pace. The book club book still fell into that dystopian thriller category (or at least, I felt like it did), but the other two did not. Let's get started.
"The Undomestic Goddess"- Sophie Kinsella
If you have never read a book by Kinsella, this is a perfect place to start. She's hilarious! She wrote the Shopaholic Series, in case you've never heard of her. This book sucked me in right away and, I swear, I've never laughed so much in my life! It was a nice change of pace for me, and I loved every minute of it.Samantha Sweeting is a workaholic. She's spent every minute of her time since high school pursuing her career as a lawyer. She is reachable and accountable every hour of the day, and all her hard work has finally paid off. Or has it? Samantha goes from having it all to walking out of her job in a matter of minutes. When she finally stops, she finds herself at a country estate mistaken for a domestic worker. On a whim and a fragile state of mind, she decides to stay. How hard could domestic work really be? Read and laugh along as Samantha muddles her way through her new job and finds love unexpectantly. This book will make you laugh, cry and puts into perspective that getting everything you ever wanted, may not be what you expected. This book was terrific, and I'm so glad I picked it up. You will too.
"Little Earthquakes"- Jennifer Weiner
This book. Oh, my God, I didn't think this would be that great, but it blew my socks off. Every mother (no, every woman!) needs to read this book. It follows the lives of four women as they unexpectantly find friendship in the journey of motherhood. I know it sounds a little corny, but it is so relatable on multiple levels. It establishes motherhood as the great equalizer, the one thing that can connect us as women on a level playing field. It doesn't matter if you come from money, or grew up with nothing; if you went back to work after you had your kid, decided to stay home or something in between. This book will resonate with you in some way, I promise. Each of these women went through something that I have experienced, and it rang in my heart. This book was terrific. I promise you will not regret picking this one up. You'll laugh, cry, sympathize, love, hate and appreciate all this book has to offer. I have never related to a book more. You'll love it, I promise."When She Woke"- Hillary Jordan
This was the book club selection and, let me tell you, it delivered. I was stunned by this book, and it never let up. Once you get started, you won't be able to put it down. A reviewer wrote that it fell somewhere between the "Scarlet Letter" and "The Handmaid's Tale" and I have to agree.In the not-so-distant future there have been quite a few changes to the world. One being, instead of serving sentences in jail or prison, tried persons are released back into society almost immediately. They, instead, serve their time amongst the general population with their crimes openly worn on their skin. Through melochroming, a person's skin is dyed to represent their crimes, red being the highest form of punishment. Murder. When Hannah Payne gets tried and convicted of murdering her unborn child, her life spins in directions she could have never fathomed. Growing up in an uber-religious community, similar to FLDS, and a world where Roe V. Wade has been overturned, you cannot even imagine the kind of life women would lead. This book hits all the controversy high notes. Pro-life vs. pro-choice. Check. The death penalty. Check. Racism. Check. Separation of church and state. Check. I mean, this book is packed with just one irritation after another. And I had to finish it. I had to know if Hannah would 1.) Live and 2.) Change her mind about her beliefs, her family, everything. I had to see if she would question things after she got a good, heavy dose of the world. I feel like the ending could have been better, but still, this book was a real eye-opener. After about fifteen pages my thoughts were, "Holy shit. This is going to be us in another decade."
And I honestly believe that. I don't know why we are still fighting over things we have been fighting over for decades, but we are. And I don't think it will ever stop. This is a glimpse of our future, folks! Read it. Trust me.
Three very different, but outstanding books this month. I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. I have some good books lined up for June and can't wait to get started. Do you have any recommendations for me? I'd love to hear about what you've been reading! Remember to like, follow and share. Happy Reading!
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