What I Read | April 2020

April was quite the reading month for me! I read nine books in total and felt like I really found my groove with reading this month, since I’ve cut back so much on watching tv and being on my phone. One of the benefits of being stuck inside all day, is that it gives me a lot of time to read and really get stuck into a book and feel full immersed in the process of reading. Overall, I really liked the majority of the books that I read this last month and I know that I have a lot more to look forward to in May!

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern ~ I’m not usually one for fantasy, but I had heard so much about this book from a few friends of mine who really loved it recommended that I read it anyways. The book is about a young man named Zachary Ezra Rawlins, who is wandering through his school library one day and picks up a random book and as he starts reading the book he realizes that the book is his life story. He ends up on a fantastical journey trying to figure out where this book is from and is whisked up into an alternate universe that is at risk of being destroyed. Overall I really liked this book, it definitely is a great one if you like fantasy and want a bit of escapism. At times, the writing felt a bit too meandering and I had to remind myself what was going on at times, which was a bit annoying. This book made me more interested in trying out some more fantasy novels in the future.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead ~ As I’m writing this post I just found out that Colson Whitehead has won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for this book! This book is about a boy named Elwood, who is living in segregated Tallahassee during the 1960s, and is sent to a brutal reformatory school and there he is exposed to abuse and violence. Elwood is a firm believer in Dr. King’s nonviolent movement, but being at The Nickel Academy as well as his peers and their beliefs, test his ideology and his firm belief in non-violence. This book is incredibly thought-provoking, yet manages to be subtle even while confronting truly horrific history. I do wish that this book had been a tad longer so we could have delved a bit deeper into certain sections, but overall I appreciate how much Whitehead packed into such a short novel. This is easily one of the best books I have read this year and it will most likely be in my top picks from 2020.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid ~ And the first disappointing book of the month award goes too… Ok first off, this book is so hyped up, which always makes me far more critical of a book because I’m expecting it to be great (is that unfair?). Any-who, this book is about Emira, a 20-something African-American woman, who babysits for a white family. She is called in to help out the family she babysits for on short notice after a night out with her friends, and is asked to take the young daughter, Briar, out of the house whilst the parents deal with the police (their house got egged). At the grocery store Emira is accused of kidnapping Briar by the security guard on duty. The plot devolves from that point and explores the relationship between Emira and Briar’s mother Alix, a woman who tries so hard to be an ally that she ends up doing the opposite, as well as the role that race and privilege play a role in both women’s lives. I didn’t think this book was horrible, in fact I thought the plot, at the beginning was engaging and thought-provoking, and that the central themes of white savior-hood and privilege are certainly important topics that should be explored more. Where things went wrong for me was the writing, I thought that overall the dialogue was flat and dull and the plot lost it’s way about halfway through. I also thought that Emira’s boyfriend and Alix were pretty insufferable characters, which is kind of the point, but it was so over the top that it made the book less than enjoyable to read at times.

Lanny by Max Porter ~ Unlike Such A Fun Age, I went into reading Lanny with almost zero expectations and loved it so much! This book is definitely experimental both in its form and content, which I imagine some will love and some definitely will not. Lanny is about a small village outside of London, which is inhabited by a local spirit called Dead Papa Toothwort, who listens to the village people and becomes fascinated by a young boy named Lanny. Though Lanny is the main character of the book, we never actually hear from him, but rather the adults that have the most influence over him, that is to say, his mother, his father and “Mad” Pete (a local artist who takes Lanny under his wing as a kind of protégé). I loved this book’s structure as well the depiction of childhood imagination, and the process by which children lose that imagination as they get older. I definitely see myself re-reading this in the future.

You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington by Alexis Coe ~ Yet another book I had high expectations for that ultimately let me down. I was so excited to read this book because 1. I’m a history nerd (I majored in history in college) and 2. Coe sets out to bring a new perspective and analysis to the life and legacy of George Washington’s life. The reason why I didn’t like this book is because there was absolutely no analysis, and as someone who studied history and has read a decent amount of historical writing, I expect exhaustive and extensive analysis when I read an historical book. I don’t think that I’m this book’s intended audience because it is meant to be a more popular history book, but even still, I wish Coe hadn’t been so rushed in her description of George Washington (this book is a mere 300 pages and spends about 40 pages on his presidency).

The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott ~ This is a work of historical fiction about the Cold War and the role the CIA played in disseminating the famous Russian novel, Doctor Zhivago, in order to undermine the Soviet Union. I really expected this to be a crossover between a spy novel and an historical fiction, and while the beginning really built up momentum, the last third of the book fell flat plot-wise and ended up turning into a love story, which was a bit disappointing. This book is ok, it’s an easy read overall, but I think there are better works of historical fiction that are based around similar subject matter.

The Idiot by Elif Batuman ~ This book is quite a divisive one, some people absolutely hate it, while others love it. I happen to fall in the category of those who love this book. The main issue people have with this book is the fact that it doesn’t have a plot, but I’m a firm believer that a book doesn’t need a plot to have meaning. This book is about a college freshman named Selin, who embarks on her first year at Harvard and navigates new friendships and academic life. This book made me tear up and laugh out loud, and I could relate so much to Selin and her experiences. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more nostalgic for college and academic life as I did when I read The Idiot.

These Ghosts Are Family by Maisy Card ~ Last book of the April! This book is about Abel Paisley, who faked his own death decades ago, and assumed the identity of his friend, Stanford Solomon. Abel left behind a wife and a family back in Jamaica when he faked his death and started anew with his second wife in New York, the consequences of which reverberate for generation. The narrative perspective constantly jumps around from chapter to chapter, which can be confusing at times, but ultimately serves to underline how Abel’s decisions have had effects on nearly all of his living relatives. This book really dives deep into the idea of inter-generational, since it also explores Abel’s own ancestry and the legacy of slavery that looms over his family. I really liked the first 85% of this book, but the ending was just a little rushed and came out of nowhere. Had Card had an extra fifty pages to resolve and weave in the last few chapters to the overall narrative I think it would have been more successful. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future novels from Maisy Card!

What I Read | March 2020

March has been quite the month. It honestly feels like a year has passed since March began, since so much has changed in such a short space of time. This month has been a tough one, I think for most people around the world, however, with all the newfound time spent at home, I’ve had quite a bit of time to tackle some reading and dive into some books that have been on my to-read list for quite some time. I can honestly say that even though this month has been pretty awful overall, all of the books I read this month were books that I absolutely loved and would highly recommend.

Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips ~ I have seen this book on the main shelf in my local book store for so many months now and have been really interested in reading it for so long, but just never got around to picking it up. We have kind of an informal book club amongst 3-4 of my coworkers and some of them had been talking about how much they loved this book and one day my sweet sweet coworker picked up a copy for me from one of those little free libraries. The book is set in the far eastern part of Russia and is about two girls who go missing and the journey the local community goes through in grappling with their disappearance. The book is more about the intricate social and cultural dynamics within this region, more so than it is a who dunnit type book. The writing is absolutely beautiful and it is clear that Phillips took a lot of time and care when it came to researching this region in Russia. The one critique that I have is that there are a lot of characters and at times it can get confusing when different characters start weaving in and out of each other’s stories.

Circe by Madeline Miller ~ When I got my Kindle last summer, I immediately downloaded this book, because it had been on my to-read list for over a year at this point. This book is a modern re-telling of the Greek goddess Circe’s story. Circe is most well-known in Greek mythology for playing quite a pivotal role in the Odyssey. I really enjoyed this book! As someone who loves Greek mythology and who has read the Odyssey, it was so fun to read about so many of these critical moments in Greek mythology from Circe’s perspective. If you don’t know a lot of Greek mythology or haven’t read the Odyssey I wouldn’t be at all discouraged from reading this book, since it’s very easy to read and understand all the different characters. I will say that the first third or so of the book did feel a bit like a slow burn, but it did get more and more exciting as the book went on!

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Raden Keefe ~ After I read Circe, I was really in the mood to read a non-fiction book and I had wanted to read Say Nothing for so so long and figured it would be the perfect book to fit the bill. I’m not exaggerating in saying that this is probably is one of my favorite books I will read in 2020, if not my favorite overall. I am fascinated by Irish history, specifically the history of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, which I partly attribute to the fact that I have very strong Irish heritage from nearly ever side of my family. This book specifically focuses on the murder of Jean McConville, which was committed by the IRA, and how that murder can reveal so much about the social fabric of the Troubles how these conflicts affected “normal” Belfast citizens. Obviously the topic of the Troubles is incredibly complex and I’ve read several other books on the subject, none of which were as clear and concise as Keefe’s. I loved how much research and history was weaved into this book and it never took a side (whether that be pro-Loyalist or pro-IRA). Keefe managed to write an historical non-fiction that read more like a thriller at times.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman ~ After reading Say Nothing I was definitely in the mood for a happier, lighter read. I have a few chick-lit type books on my to-read list at all times just in case I’m in the mood for something lighter and this one had been on that list for awhile. This book is about a woman in her late twenties who lives on her own, is obsessed with books, works at a bookstore, and who was raised with a relatively absentee single mother and therefore doesn’t have much family. Nina finds out that her father, who she never knew, recently passed away and left quite a large family and fortune behind. She gets to know her newfound family and navigates the tricky waters of branching outside of her normal bubble being alone and being accepted by a family she never knew about. I enjoyed this book and it was very quick to read. Unlike a lot of other books in a similar vein, like Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine (a book that I found completely overhyped and at times annoying to read), the main character is flawed but not at all unlikeable. If you’re looking for a book that lifts your mood, this one would be great to read.

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What I Read in 2020 | January & February

Last year I completed by goal of reading 30 books and actually ended up reading 35, which I am super proud of. As a result of beating my goal from last year, as well as the fact that reading so much improved my overall mental wellbeing (we love decreasing screen time!), I decided to up my reading goal to 40 books this year and I’ve already gotten off to a good start. Because my reading goal is so hefty this year, I’ve decided that instead of writing up my book recaps on a seasonal basis, I’m going to switch to monthly recaps. Now I did miss December and January since I made this decision this morning to switch up the consistency of these posts, but I will just be lumping December, January and February together for the sake of today’s post.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood ~ I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to read the Hand Maid’s Tale! I’ve read other Margaret Atwood books during my school days and loved them, but kind of avoided reading Handmaid’s Tale because it had been so hyped up and because, quite frankly, I thought it would be too depressing given our current political climate. When the Testaments (the sequel) came out last year, I felt compelled to finally read The Handmaids Tale, and while I do think the book is very hyped up, there’s good reason for it. I really love Atwood’s writing and I don’t think it’s necessarily for everyone but I enjoyed it and will definitely be reading the Testaments in the coming months!

Ritz and Escoffier by Luke Barr ~ My friend was reading this book over the holidays and after I read the Handmaid’s Tale, I definitely needed something a bit more lighthearted to read. This book is a nonfictional account of the opening of the Savoy Hotel in London and the history behind the development of high-end hotels. I found this book so fun to read, and if you aren’t much into non-fiction or historical books, it honestly is so engaging that it reads like fiction. I recommend this to anyone who is intrigued by the Gilded Age or just wants a fun and somewhat indulgent read!

The Gown by Jennifer Robson ~ Following off of the prior book, I was definitely in the mood for some more historical-based books. That combined with the fact that The Crown had just come back, I was in desperate need for a royal-related book and one random search of Goodreads later, I found The Gown. This book is about two women who are seamstresses in the atelier that make Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding gown. The book flips back and forth between the 1940s when the gown was being made to the present day, which explores the life of the granddaughter of one of the women who made the gown and details her search to find out more about her grandmother’s past. I really recommend this book for those who are interested in historical fiction and the British Royal Family.

The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates ~ This is Ta-Nahesi Coates’ first work of fiction and I really enjoyed it. The book revolves around a young man named Hiram Walker who was born into slavery and by an almost magical/mystical experience, decides that he is going to escape. Even though he successfully escapes, he is pulled back to the plantation by the need to free his loved ones from bondage. The story is absolutely incredible, beautifully written, and intensely thought-provoking. I also loved how Coates weaved in elements of magical realism in a way that felt organic and enhancing to the story.

How To Do Nothing by Jenny Odell ~ This book had been on my list of books to-read for awhile and I started reading it at a particularly stressful time where I was feeling incredibly burnt out from work and then ended up having the flu for over a week and was forced to be bedridden. The title is definitely a bit tongue-in-cheek but the message Odell conveys is crucial to our day-in-age. Odell’s thesis centers around the idea that our attention is a commodity in the modern world and it is being taken advantage of almost 24/7 between technology, social media, work, and capitalism and her methods on resisting what she deems the “attention economy”. I loved this book and was recommending it to everyone in my real life. I love that so much of what Odell talks about is rooted in real research and cultural critique rather than being a simple how-to guide on how to use your phone less.

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo ~ Woah baby this book caused quite a stir! This book was based on about a decade worth of research on three different women and their sex lives. The premise is extremely interesting, but the execution definitely fell short for me. The main issue that I had with the book was how little diversity their was within all the women’s stories; their all white, middle-class, and heterosexual. In the introduction Taddeo sets out to make some overarching claims about women’s sexuality, but, to me, that’s an impossible task when your sample of women come from relatively similar socio-economic backgrounds. The narrative style also was a bit too fictionalized for me and contained zero analysis, which is something I expected to get. I wouldn’t say I flat-out don’t recommend that book, but I certainly wouldn’t expect to get a lot of deep insights out of it.

Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino ~ Talk about another book that got a lot of hype in 2019, but unlike Three Women I absolutely loved Trick Mirror. If you haven’t already heard of Jia Tolentino, she’s an essayist for the New Yorker and the New York Times, I believe, and she writes a lot about millennial culture and politics. The book is a collection of essays on “self-delusion”, which honestly meant nothing to me when I first read that subtitle, but I was intrigued. The essays range from discussions of social media, marriage and weddings, and optimization culture. The book definitely errs more on the intellectual side and you might find yourself googling terms while you’re reading this book, but her humor adds much needed levity to otherwise heavy topics.

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong ~ A few of my friends had read this book in 2019 and recommended that I read it. Vuong is first a foremost a poet and this book is technically a novel, but it’s written in a very poetic way. The book is written as a series of letters from a son to his mother, and those letters chronicle his family’s immigration to the United States from Vietnam, his identity as a member of the LGBT community, racism, and class. I really loved this book and it is a beautiful read, I can’t wait to see what Vuong’s future novels will be!

The Course of Love by Alain de Botton ~ After Brad and I got engaged, I was fully immersed in wedding culture and wanted to read some good books about marriage. This book constantly came up in my searches and I really enjoyed it. The book is a work of fiction, but it is one of the most realistic portrayals of marriage and relationships I have ever seen both in books or film. If you love realistic portrayals of relationships, I highly recommend this book.

Dear Girls by Ali Wong ~ To say I love Ali Wong would be the understatement of the century. Not only is she a native San Franciscan like me, but her comedy specials are some of the best I’ve ever seen. I even went to see her with one of my best friends this past winter and I don’t think I’ve ever laughed harder in my entire life. I loved the format of this book; she wrote about different topics in letters to her two daughters. The book is both heartwarming and hilarious and honestly I aspire to have the kind of marriage that she has with her husband. I also learned so much about her journey getting into standup and her work ethic is incredibly inspiring.

What I Read This Autumn | 2019

After the summer, I increased my reading goal from 25 books in 2019 to 35 books! I was reading ferociously over the summer and knew that habit would continue well into the Fall since I had a good chunk of time off in September. I ended up reading a total of 11 books over the course of the Fall and loved so many of the books I read during this season.

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng ~ Celeste Ng was an author I was very interested in last year given that her second book Little Fires Everywhere was a hugely popular release! One of my friends told me that I should read her first book Everything I Never Told You first because it is super well-written, easy to read, and is not nearly as hyped up as Little Fires Everywhere (although in my opinion it should be). This book follows the Lee family after their beloved daughter Lydia has died. It’s not clear in the beginning whether she has committed suicide or she was a victim of murder, but rather than the book being a classic ”who dunnit?”, it focuses more on her individual relationships with her family members as they grieve her death. While this book is incredibly heartbreaking, it is stunningly written!

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle ~ What a fun piece of magical realism this book was! The Dinner List plays off the commonly asked question “If you could have five people, living or dead, at a dinner part who would you pick?” Sabrina, the main character comes to her thirtieth birthday dinner and is met with some surprising guests, some of whom include her ex-boyfriend Tobias, her father, and Audrey Hepburn. While the premise seems a bit fluffy, there are some very heavy themes in this book when it comes to love and loss. Would definitely recommend this for anyone interested in both chick-lit and magical realism.

French Exit by Patrick DeWitt ~ This was one of the books I read this Autumn that I really didn’t enjoy. The plot is focused on a wealthy widow and her son, who face bankruptcy and essentially run away to Paris to avoid ridicule from their wealthy friends in New York. While the plot sounded intriguing to me, it didn’t end up materializing into much and ultimately fell flat.

One Day in December by Josie Silver ~ I never thought a Chick-Lit book would be one of my favorite books of this year but I was wrong! This book takes the whole concept of falling in love at first sight and puts it in book form. The main character, Laurie, catches the eye of a complete stranger at a bus stop on a random day in December and thinks she’s found “the one”. She searches for this mystery man everywhere, only to meet him at a Christmas party as her best friend’s new boyfriend. As you can predict, what comes next is some serious turmoil. I absolutely loved this book because while it’s romantic and cheesy at times, it’s not over the top and most of the book is very realistic in its portrayal of both friendships and romantic relationships.

Calypso by David Sedaris ~ I love David Sedaris and everyone and their mother has been talking about Calypso so I thought I would finally get around to reading it when I had a trip planned and would have time to whiz through this book on the plane. While the hype around this book was a bit nuts, it was a very funny read and one that I would definitely recommend if you are in the mood for a good laugh.

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary ~ This one was recommended by one of my friends who absolutely loved this book! The book is about two twenty-somethings who live in London and share a flat together but never actually cross paths (one works evenings, the other works during the day), however when they inevitably do cross paths, sparks fly! It does sound pretty corny from the outset but it was super well-written and not too fluffy for a rom-com style book.

The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne ~ Delving into something a bit heavier, I had heard so many people sing the praises of this book earlier this year and put it on my list! Cyril Avery, the main character, was adopted by a couple when he was a baby, and while he was close to his adopted parents he never felt as though he belonged. The book is wide in its scope, ranging from Cyril’s childhood and spans into his old age. The book is a real tearjerker and hits on some heavy topics like exploring one’s sexuality, the AIDS epidemic, and the loss of friendships. This is a book I would 100% recommend.

Say, Say, Say by Lila Savage ~ This is Lila Savage’s debut novel and it was a pretty good one at that! I definitely thought it was a bit on the short side, but overall I enjoyed it and thought the writing was beautiful! The book is about a young woman named Ella who is a caretaker and becomes entrenched in the lives of Jill (the woman she takes care of) and her husband Brian. Ella is caught in somewhat of a crisis, having just turned thirty and having no real direction or security in her life, so she leans on the relationship of Brian and Jill to give her solace even though their situation is heartbreaking for different reasons.

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett ~ I haven’t full decided, but I think this is my favorite book I’ve read this year. This came as another recommendation from a friend who was absolutely obsessed with this book! The story is about two kids who grow up in this old historic home and are later kicked out of the house by their awful step-mother after their father dies. What follows is a meandering tale about the kid’s adult lives and how the house symbolizes both everything beautiful and tragic about their childhoods. I haven’t read any other Ann Patchett books, but I definitely will be in the new year.

Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb ~ Another book that absolutely stuck with me and I will most likely be re-reading in the future. Lori Gottlieb is a psychologist in Los Angeles, who sees a myriad of different patients with a myriad of different issues. When she faces a major crisis in her life, she seeks therapy herself. The book is interwoven between her patient’s stories as well as her own story seeking therapy. It definitely goes to show that everyone has their own issues and no one ever has everything figured out.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah ~ Sorry to end on a sour note but I did not get the hype with this book. It had a solid 4+ stars on GoodReads, which is rare for a book this popular. The story itself could have been incredible, as it was about the French resistance during WWII and two sisters who fight Nazi forces in their own, individual ways. However, I thought this book was way too long and it definitely dragged on at times. Ultimately I thought the writing fell flat and did nothing to make this a compelling book even though it had the potential to be an extremely compelling read.

What I Read This Summer | 2019

I feel like it’s been forever since my last book recap post, which is probably been down to the fact that I have been reading like a woman possessed over the summer. I don’t know what got into me, but I’ve been reading a book about every two weeks since the summer started, and I don’t see that letting up any time soon! One slight change in my reading habits this past season was investing in a Kindle. Now I have never thought I would be the type of person to buy an e-reader, because I will always prefer a real book to a screen. That being said, books are expensive especially when you’re reading upwards of twenty a year and they take up a lot of space (of which I don’t have a lot in our 750 sq ft apartment). One of the really great things about the Kindle is that if you live in San Francisco, you can rent e-books through the SF public library, which has been so nice when there’s been a book that I haven’t been completely up to spending $20 on, but still wanted to read. All of the Kindle talk aside, I’ve been so happy with all the books I’ve been reading this past summer and I’m always open to recommendations so please leave them below!

Normal People by Sally Rooney ~ If you haven’t heard about this book in the past year I will have assumed you have made your inhabitance under a rock. The story revolves around a boy and a girl who start casually dating at the end of their last year of high school and follows them through their trials and tribulations both as friends and lovers in their time at university. The plot is not anything earth-shattering or insanely innovative but Rooney’s writing is absolutely gorgeous and the characters she writes are not only deeply flawed and fallible, but also incredibly endearing and nuanced. I loved this book and it’s one I definitely see myself re-reading at a later date.

Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple ~ I had heard about this book a long time ago but didn’t get around to reading it till this summer. If you’re in the mood for a fast, easy summer read this one is definitely for you. Even though it definitely wasn’t my favorite book I’ve read this year, it was entertaining and fun!

The Friend by Sigrid Nuñez ~ If you like a bit of magical realism I would 100% recommend this book! The story is about a woman whose best friend/mentor passes away and leaves her with his beloved Great Dane. As the book goes on, she becomes more and more attached to the dog and it becomes almost a stand-in for her friend. This was a pretty quick read for me, but I absolutely loved how Nuñez gets across how messy and confusing loss can be.

Priestdaddy: A Memoir by Patricia Lockwood ~ My friend recommended me this book last year since it was one of her favorites and I finally found it in a book store this past spring and decided to get it. This memoir is about a young woman whose father is one of the only married Catholic priests in the US. Long story short, he used to be a Lutheran pastor, had a family, and decided to convert to Catholicism and become a priest. While a lot of this book deals with religion, albeit in a fun in light-hearted way, I would say it’s much more about family dynamics and how both families can simultaneously be hilarious and infuriating.

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane ~ I love books about family dynamics (if you couldn’t already tell by my other summer book picks)! This book follows the lives of Peter and Katie, whose fathers are partners on the NYPD. They grow up in the same suburb and while it might sound like their families should get along, they absolutely do not. The book follows both Peter and Katie through to middle age and explores the complications of family life and how major events in childhood can have lasting effects into adulthood. Even though this book about 400 pages, I blew through it in about three days because it was just that captivating and easy to read.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman ~ I tried reading this book a while ago and really had a hard time getting into it. However, I picked it back up when I was going on the trip and I knew I would have a lot of time to read on the plane. Honestly, this book is a cute story but I did not think it lived up to the amount of hype it had around it. I found the main character, Eleanor, to be pretty obnoxious and she really didn’t become likable until the very end of the book. It’s certainly an easy-to-read book, but there are other books I’ve read this year that certainly were better.

Educated by Tara Westover ~ Unlike Eleanor Oliphant, Tara Westover’s memoir, Educated, was a majorly hyped up book that I loved. Westover recounts her childhood growing up in a Mormon survivalist family, who did not believe in sending their children to school because of a deep distrust in government and the educational establishment. Despite growing up in a very isolationist family, Tara decides at the age of 16 that she is going to go to college despite having no GED or high school diploma and she eventually ends up with a PhD. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good non-fiction read!

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah ~ Brad and I were taking a trip to Alaska at the beginning of September and so I figured the few weeks before going on the trip was the perfect time to read this book! The book is about a family in the 1970s who decide to move to Alaska to forge their own path. The father is a Vietnam vet and struggles with paranoia and PTSD and is very erratic in his decision-making process, which has monumental effects on his wife and daughter. Not only is this book great if you love a family-based, adventure-type story, but it also is beautifully written and does such a great job capturing the beauty and destruction that exists within the Alaskan landscape and way of life.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn ~ I watched the TV show when it came out last year and was absolutely captivated (and horrified) by the story so I knew I had to read the book at some point. Luckily, my friend had a copy that she kindly gifted to me and I tore through it in the course of a day and a half (its only about 240 pages). It’s almost the exact same as the TV show so I won’t give out too many spoilers, but while it has almost the exact same plot, reading this story is almost scarier than watching it. I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a good thriller to read quick!

Less by Andrew Sean Greer ~ I didn’t think I wanted to read a book about a man going through a mid-life crisis, but this book was so much more than what the blurb on the back teased. This book follows Arthur Less, who is a middle-aged writer who finds out that his ex-boyfriend is getting married and so he decides to book a trip to travel the world. I loved that while this book is clearly about working through a mid-life crisis and finding oneself it wasn’t clichéd and full of tropes like so many other books about the same topics.