Well hello there!
After a short break, I’m back on Lemonade Press with some fun posts in the upcoming weeks! I’ve missed sitting down to blog as writing has always been cathartic to me. After the series of events in January, I honestly have been down and disappointed and feeling the weight of so many things in the world. From the insurrection at the capitol to the inauguration, it feels a bit like emotional whiplash. Anyone else? In so many ways, I’ve been a bit overwhelmed, scared, angry, upset, and numb. It’s been helpful to take a step back and process. If I’m also being honest, I’ve done a great deal of scrolling, watching the news, on top of being on my computer all day to teach online, and I have felt the burnout. While taking a step away, I have come to the realization that I have to set limits for myself and also converse with people about what is going on in the world instead of keeping it all inside. Anyone else feeling the emotional toll of not only the last month but the last year?
On a bright note, while I’ve been away from the computer, I’ve been reading as much as possible! In 2020, I set the goal for myself to read 100 books. While I fell shy of that goal and only made it to 88, I re-set the goal for 2021 to read 100 books and so far I’ve read some really incredible ones!
1 // The Christmas Star by Dona VanLiere
This was a book I had on hold in Libby before the holidays and it became available right at the New Year. Such a sweet story about an orphan who plays matchmaker to the two adults that she loves in her life. It’s a sweet story of hope and faith. 3/5 stars.
2 // Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
I absolutely loved this book! Chanel Cleeton shapes a dual story of Marisol, a young woman who has grown up in Miami listening to her grandmother Elise’s stories of her home in Cuba that she was forced to leave when the Revolution began. After her grandmother’s death, Marisol finds herself heading back to Cuba in search of the answers to the unknown questions about her grandmother. This story is beautifully written and a must-read! 5/5 stars.
3 // The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
This story tells about the young women who work a traveling library in Depression-era Kentucky when women having thoughts and feelings and jobs were frowned upon. The story is set against the backdrop of the mountains in an era that seems far juxtaposed with today’s world. To be honest, this book didn’t cut it for me. It was long and felt a bit drawn out. After reading others’ reviews, it sounds like it’s very similar to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. While I haven’t read that particular book, I’d now be curious to do so. 3/5 stars.
Last year I dove into more of the psychological crime thrillers and I absolutely love them! To be totally honest, I am a jumpy person and definitely get jumpy when I read scary books or watch scary movies. I’ve found that with some of the books I read, I have to read them in the daylight. Yup. This book tells the story of a tech startup company that plans a retreat in the French Alps for its members. Tucked away in a mountain chalet, tensions are high, especially when members of the team start to die. But is it because of natural causes, or something more sinister? 4/5 stars.
5 // The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Written by the same author of Daisy Jones and the Six, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo tells the story of Evelyn Hugo, a glittering Hollywood Starlet that makes up the stories of legend. Known for her convincing acting and her troupe of husbands, at the end of her career Evelyn calls on a young journalist to tell her story, for the first time completely unscripted and raw. This story reads like a true story and is incredibly well-written. I would highly recommend this one, as well as Daisy Jones and the Six. 5/5 stars.
6 // The Christmas Table by Dona VanLiere
This was another Christmas waitlist book I had been wanting to read. This sweet story continues on with the characters from the other Christmas book (see above) and tells about a mysterious table that shows up in a young family’s life with a drawer full of recipes. 3/5 stars.
7 // The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
This book is still one of those that is sitting with me. In the mid 18th century, Addie LaRue makes a deal with the god of darkness that in order for her to flee her arranged marriage and extend her time on the Earth to pursue her passions, she must give up her home and lose the ability for people to remember her. Haunted by her decision for 300 years, Addie witnesses history as she wanders the Earth. It is not until an early Spring day in NYC that Addie runs into someone who not only remembers her but sees her for who she is. This book is truly spellbinding and tugs at your heartstrings. I definitely could feel the weight and pain of this main character and still find myself reflecting on this story. 5/5 stars.
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