It’s finally fall everyone! Which means I am spending all my spare time inside drinking tea and wrapping up my yearly reading challenge! we’re starting October at 38 out of 50 books so without further ado, here’s what I thought of the books I read last month!
1. Where’d You Go, Bernadette? By Maria Semple:
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I’m a little late to the party on this one because everyone else read this book back in 2016, but I wasn’t really reading at that point in life okay!? Anyway, When I went to see “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood…” (great film) a few months back, they showed the trailer (yes, I do show up to movies early for the trailers) for the movie adaptation starring Cate Blanchett and the book was once again placed at the front of my mind. I picked up the audiobook at my local library and finished it within a couple of days. It was good. It was enjoyable and interesting but there was something about Bernadette that bugged me. Even though she is a redeeming character, and finds herself by the end of the book, I am still a huge advocate for the fact that having a mental illness does not mean you can do whatever you want and hurt the people you love, which Bernadette did and received a shockingly large amount of forgiveness on her family’s part. Looking past the character flaws, I really enjoyed the artifact/document compilation style, as well as the narration of her daughter. Overall I gave it 3/5 stars and I do intend to see the movie.
2. The Mermaid Chair By Sue Monk Kidd:
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OH BOY. I don’t even know where to start on this one. It was the last of my summer reads and as far as southern island imagery goes it’s great…but that’s also where any greatness in this book ends. Maybe it was just because I had high expectations from “The Secret Life of Bees,” or maybe it was because I’ve never been married, but I thought all the characters in this book were childish, and selfish. Jesse is a 40 year old woman who has for some reason never bothered to realize she’s her own person? So she needs to sleep with a monk? For like independence or something? Also, her mom clearly needs serious medical help but Jesse’s just like “no she’s fine,” causing her mom to sever off ANOTHER finger. I was rolling my eyes, through the whole book. I don’t recommend it, unless you need reassurance that you shouldn’t cheat on your spouse…2/5 stars.
3. Carry On By Rainbow Rowell:
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I read the book this series is based off of, “Fangirl,” probably back in the year 2014. It’s a YA romance, and that’s why, even though it’s been on my shelf for awhile, I still hadn’t read Carry On. I knew it was going to be a slow burn YA and I thought I had grown out of it by now. I am here today to say…I have not…at all. I started it on a Friday and finished it 2 days later because I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. Rainbow Rowell has such a strong writing style when it comes to keeping you turning the pages. It is perfectly paced and the romance is definitely cheesy but not to the point, that it covers all other story lines in the book. The characters were lovable but also flawed, and representing of all groups. It is an LGBTQ+ themed book which gives it even greater merit in the current world climate. This book was just so fun. I haven’t read anything this quickly since middle school, and I was reminded of just how much I like sitting on the couch for twelve hours straight hanging out with book characters, plus it was a great palette cleanser after reading so much true crime lately. 5/5 stars.
4. Wayward Son By Rainbow Rowell:
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Good thing I didn’t read “Carry On” 4 years ago when it came out because I was able to pick up the sequel that just came out last month right when I finished the first one. I read this one in two days too. I loved this one for all the reasons that I liked the first one but also because it represented real relationships very well. Communication is hard and the fact that Rowell uses that difficulty to contribute to her story lines is entertaining and once again keeps you turning the page. I just want these boys to figure out their feelings and be happy! Hopefully it won’t take another 4 years to get a third book. 5/5 stars.
There they are! All female authors in the month of September, so that’s cool. Check back Saturday for my October TBR!
AVE JAM 