On My Bookshelf No.5

This post is a tad overdue! I have to admit, with COVID and quarantine, I found it hard to get in my groove when it came to reading. Prior to quarantine, I had a really regimented schedule, where I would take two 70 minute train rides in and out of the city each day, with little cell service, and built-in blocks for reading and stitching. It was actually really blissful. So, this post is a little late because it took me a minute to find my rhythm! This was such an interesting group of books, I had some I loved, a few disappointments, and one that I had to put down. CONFESSION: I tried to read We Wish You Luck and I could not finish it. I always try to finish a book, even if I am not loving it, but it’s a pandemic so I just decided “on to the next!”

CURRENTLY READING + UP NEXT

When Less Becomes More by Emily Ley 
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Beach Read by Emily Henry
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

DEAR EDWARD BY ANN NAPOLITANO 5/5

Dear Edward is excellently written and is one of the more powerful and compassionate pieces of coming of age fiction I have read. I listened to this on audio, and could NOT focus on anything else until I finished it. Napolitano tells the story of 12 year old Edward, who is the sole survivor of a plane crash that took his entire family, and how he navigates life, and the guilt and grief that follows. The story was heavy, and you really feel it, but in a touching way, not in a discomforting way. 

The main character, Edward, takes you on a deeply emotional journey through his heartbreaking story, and I really felt connected and sympathetic towards him. It prompts you to question so many things surrounding life and gratitude. I cried throughout, mainly because the human ties established with Edward through the storytelling are so powerful.

THE JETSETTERS BY AMANDA EYRE WARD 3/5

Sadly, this didn’t live up to the hype for me, and it took me a while to get through it. I found the character development to be lackluster, and characters are what I cling to most in any book. It is about a mom in her 70s, who lost a friend, and wanted to bring her children together and reconnect over a cruise she won. The family goes on the cruise and as time progresses, we learn the secrets and hard issues of each family member. 

Even when layers of the characters’ vulnerabilities were revealed, I just couldn’t get there. It may have been the writing, it may have been the choices of the author, I can’t quite pinpoint it. But, even though I wasn’t thrilled, the plot took me to a mental place that felt different from where we all are: aka a Mediterannian cruise. 

SAINT X BY ALEXIS SCHAITKIN 4/5

This is a refreshing and unique slow burn thriller that I was HERE FOR. If you don’t have the patience for a slow burn, this one isn’t for you, but I loved it. I was impressed by the author’s balance of an intricate, yet digestable character-driven story with a thoughtfully executed plot of an unsolved murder. It dives into race, class, and family issues through a lens you can’t look out of. Claire is 7 years old when her family goes on a vacation to Saint X, and on their last night her older sister Alison, never comes home. As an adult, Claire encounters one of the resort employees that was arressted for Alison’s murder, but never charged, so she tries to find out what happened.

There are a few plotlines, but for me, the part that drew me in was the raw and complicated emotions Claire experiences while learning the harsh reality of who her sister was, and how it affects her mental health and identity. I will say, it had moments where I felt like we were treading water, but I loved the writing and unique storyline. 

GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD BY JENNIE ALLEN 4/5

I listened to this on audio because Jennie Allen’s voice is so comforting and empowering. This book is rooted in Christ, and speaks to the struggles of toxic thoughts from anxiety, stress, and depression. Jennie addresses the concept of thoughts from physiological, emotional, and spiritual perspectives, always directing things back to God. The book guides you on how to stop the spiral of negative thought patterns by leaning on your faith and following who God calls you to be. 

I have clinical anxiety myself, and truly believe The Lord helps tremendously in shifting negative thought patterns. But, there are chemical areas of anxiety that this route is unable to remedy, and I don’t feel that Allen is trying to discredit that. The overall message of this book is how to get out of your own head and take control of your thought process through Christ. It is uplifting and encouraging. If your beliefs do not align with Jennie’s, it might not be for you and that’s okay! I loved this for how relevant it is in my life right now.