Braiding Sweetgrass

I read Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer for a book club. The book description says, "Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings―asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass―offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices. In reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return."

This was one of those books that I would have never picked up if it weren't for book club. And even when I started it, I don't think I really knew what to expect. I thought it was going to be primarily a factual book when really it turned out to be a beautifully written memoir of sorts, with facts and lessons woven throughout. I listened to the book on audiobook, and I'm so glad it was read by the author because I think it just captured the beauty of the writing. There were times that I was just like, Wow. Other parts of the book bored me a little bit (long section on the deep science of lichen and things like that), but overall the book really opened my eyes and was thought-provoking. I left pondering my relationship with the earth and reflecting on the wisdom of the indigenous people that is really missing in our world today. I loved the author's wide knowledge -- that she was well educated in the scientific field but also had this important background of being Anishinabekwe. Really, this was a beautiful book, and I almost wish I didn't read it on audio because I was often driving and couldn't write down or mark the parts that really stuck out to me. It was a long book, so I don't know if I really want to re-read it, but I am actually tempted.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

There was one section I remembered particularly liking (about motherhood), so I got a hard copy of the book to mark some of the quotes to share at book club. So I'll record them here:

• So it is my grandchildren who will swim in this pond, and others whom the years will bring. The circle of care grows larger and caregiving for my little pond spills over to caregiving for other waters. The outlet from my pond runs downhill to my good neighbor's pond. What I do here matters. Everybody lives downstream. My pond drains to the brook, to the creek, to a great and needful lake. The water net connects us all. I have shed tears into that flow when I thought that motherhood would end. But the pond has shown me that being a good mother doesn't end with creating a home where just my children can flourish. A good mother grows into a richly eutrophic old woman, knowing that her work doesn't end until she creates a home where all of life's beings can flourish. There are grandchildren to nurture, and frog children, nestlings, goslings, seedlings and spores, and I still want to be a good mother.
• 
  
• The earth, that first among good mothers, gives us the gift that we cannot provide ourselves. I hadn't realized that I had come to the lake and said feed me, but my empty heart was fed. I had a good mother. She gives what we need without being asked. I wonder if she gets tired, old Mother Earth. Or if she too is fed by the giving. "Thanks," I whispered, "for all of this."
• 
  
• We are showered every day with gifts, but they are not meant for us to keep. Their breath is in their movement, the in hale and the exhale of our shared breath. Our work and our joy is to pass along the gift and to trust that what we put out into the universe will always come back.

Big Dumb Eyes

We are big fans of the comedian Nate Bargatze, so when I heard he had a book coming out, I put it on hold from the library. I got the audiobook before the physical book, so I listened to the book: Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind. The book description says, "Nate Bargatze used to be a genius. That is, until the summer after seventh grade when he slipped, fell off a cliff, hit his head on a rock, and 'my skull got, like, dented or something.' Before this accident, he dreamed of being 'an electric engineer, or a doctor that does brain stuff, or a math teacher who teaches the hardest math on earth.' Afterwards, all he could do was stand-up comedy. But the 'brain stuff' industry’s loss is everyone else’s gain because Nate went on to become one of today’s top-grossing comedians, breaking both attendance and streaming records.  In his highly anticipated first book, Nate talks about life as a non-genius. From stories about his first car (named Old Blue, a clunky Mazda with a tennis ball stick shift) and his travels as a Southerner (Northerners like to ask if he believes in dinosaurs), to tales of his first apartment where he was almost devoured by rats and his many debates with his wife over his chores, his diet, and even his definition of 'shopping.' He also reflects on such heady topics as his irrational passion for Vandy football and the mysterious origins of sushi (how can a California roll come from old-time Japan?)."

This was an enjoyable read. I enjoyed listening to it because part of what makes Nate Bargatze so hilarious is how he says things, and the audiobook can capture that. Parts of the book weren't completely engaging, but other parts made me regularly laugh out loud. I definitely am glad I listened to it and was entertained throughout the book. I'm still waiting for the physical book and will enjoy looking at the pictures he referred to and the blank pages he described. 

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Wolves of K Street

I read The Wolves of K Street: The Secret History of How Big Money Took Over Big Government by Brody Mullins and Luke Mullins for book club. The book description says, "In the 1970s, Washington’s center of power began to shift away from elected officials in big marble buildings to a handful of savvy, handsomely paid operators who didn’t answer to any fixed constituency. The cigar-chomping son of an influential congressman, an illustrious political fixer with a weakness for modern art, a Watergate-era dirty trickster, the city’s favorite cocktail party host—these were the sort of men who now ran Washington. Over four decades, they’d chart new ways to turn their clients’ cash into political leverage, abandoning favor-trading in smoke-filled rooms for increasingly sophisticated tactics, such as “shadow lobbying,” where underground campaigns sparked seemingly organic public outcries to pressure lawmakers into taking actions that would ultimately benefit corporate interests rather than ordinary citizens. With billions of dollars at play, these lobbying dynasties enshrined in Washington a pro-business consensus that would guide the country’s political leaders—Democrats and Republicans alike. A good lobbyist could ghostwrite a bill or even secretly kill a piece of legislation supported by the president, both houses of Congress, and a majority of Americans. Yet nothing lasts forever. Amid a populist backlash to the soaring inequality these influence peddlers helped usher in, DC’s pro-business alliance suddenly began to fray. And while the lobbying establishment would continue to invent new ways to influence Washington, the men who’d built K Street would soon find themselves under legal scrutiny, on the verge of financial collapse or worse. One would turn up dead behind the eighteenth green of an exclusive golf club, with a $1,500 bottle of wine at his feed and bullet in his head."

This was the third super long book this book club picked in a row (after Warmth of Other Suns and Middlemarch), so I wasn't sure what I'd think of this. But I was so engaged in the book from the start. I was fascinated by the story and appalled by how much money influences decision-making in DC. I was disgusted by the greed of the lobbyists highlighted in the book. The book is one that I was just thinking about all the time and recommending to my husband and father-in-law. It was really fun to discuss at book club, especially because the host invited a friend from church who is a top lobbyist in DC so she could share her experiences in that position (not being a greedy maniac like the ones in the book). It was super fascinating to hear about her job and the differences of how she approaches things. Overall I'll say I liked (not loved) the book because there were times I was less interested or lost track of people or whatnot, but it was a great read that really opened my eyes to a lot of things (and made me realize I can't trust pretty much anything related to politics).

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

These Silent Woods

I read These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant for book club. The book description says, "No electricity, no family, no connection to the outside world. For eight years, Cooper and his young daughter, Finch, have lived in isolation in a remote cabin in the northern Appalachian woods. And that's exactly the way Cooper wants it, because he's got a lot to hide. Finch has been raised on the books filling the cabin’s shelves and the beautiful but brutal code of life in the wilderness. But she’s starting to push back against the sheltered life Cooper has created for her―and he’s still haunted by the painful truth of what it took to get them there. The only people who know they exist are a mysterious local hermit named Scotland, and Cooper's old friend, Jake, who visits each winter to bring them food and supplies. But this year, Jake doesn't show up, setting off an irreversible chain of events that reveals just how precarious their situation really is. Suddenly, the boundaries of their safe haven have blurred―and when a stranger wanders into their woods, Finch’s growing obsession with her could put them all in danger. After a shocking disappearance threatens to upend the only life Finch has ever known, Cooper is forced to decide whether to keep hiding―or finally face the sins of his past."

This book was SO GOOD! I was just about 1 chapter in when we got on a flight to go to Utah and then read it and finished it during the flight because it was so engaging. I loved the story and characters. At first I felt like there was no way for the book to end well, but I was pretty satisfied with the ending. I was pretty much sobbing by the end of the book and had to try to not be an embarrassment to my family haha. I really enjoyed this read.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Maid's Secret

I finished out the Molly the Maid series with The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose on audiobook. The book descriptions says, "Molly Gray’s life is about to change in ways she could never have imagined. As the esteemed Head Maid and Special Events Manager of the Regency Grand Hotel, two good things are just around the corner—a taping of the hit antiquities TV show Hidden Treasures and, even more exciting, her wedding to Juan Manuel. When Molly brings in some old trinkets to be appraised on the show, one item is revealed to be a rare and coveted artifact worth millions. Molly becomes a rags-to-riches sensation, and a media frenzy swirls as she prepares to sell her priceless treasure. Then, on auction day, the treasure suddenly vanishes. and Molly and her friends find themselves at the center of the boldest art heist in recent memory. But the key to this mystery lies in the past, in a long-forgotten diary written by Molly’s Gran. For the first time ever, Molly learns about her grandmother’s secrets: how she was born into a wealthy family and fell head-over-heels in love with a young man her parents deemed below her. As fate would have it, Gran’s greatest love was someone Molly knows quite well."

This was another fun read. I liked learning more about Gran's history and liked the way the story went back and forth from the past to the present. Even though I didn't really like that format in book 2, I felt like it worked really well in this one as more and more information was uncovered throughout the story. Sometimes parts of the story dragged on for me a bit, but the end had me tearing up a couple times. I love how things came together in the end, and it was also fun to see how things from the earlier books totally had meaning in this last book in the series. (How do authors do that??) I do feel like Molly has changed a lot as a character since book 1, like she's not as recognizable in this book in terms of all the things she struggled with in book 1 (like she seems more socially aware now and such), but I don't mind and it seems to just work with regular character growth. Overall, this was an enjoyable series, and I would read more if the author wrote more.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Mistletoe Mystery

I decided to continue with the Molly the Maid books by Nita Prose with this book #2.5, a novella called The Mistletoe Mystery. The book description reads, "Molly Gray has always loved the holidays. When Molly was a child, her gran went to great lengths to make the season merry and bright, full of cherished traditions. The first few Christmases without Gran were hard on Molly, but this year, her beloved boyfriend and fellow festive spirit, Juan Manuel, is intent on making the season Molly’s mofinst joyful yet. But when a Secret Santa gift exchange at the Regency Grand Hotel raises questions about who Molly can and cannot trust, she dives headfirst into solving her most consequential—and personal—mystery yet. Molly has a bad feeling about things, and she starts to wonder: has she yet again mistaken a frog for a prince?"

This was a pretty quick read and enjoyable again to be with Molly since she's such a likable character and these are such light, clean, fun books. This book was a little silly to me since it really had no mystery since the reader knew what was going on the entire time and just Molly was clueless. I wish there was a little more depth to the book, but it's ok because I'm reading book 3 now and it's got a lot more going on. This was just a novella so I shouldn't expect too much. I'm rating it as "it was okay," but I'm still glad I read it.

Rating: * (1/3 = It was okay)

Middlemarch

I read Middlemarch by George Eliot for book club. The book description says, "George Eliot's most ambitious novel is a masterly evocation of diverse lives and changing fortunes in a provincial community. Peopling its landscape are Dorothea Brooke, a young idealist whose search for intellectual fulfillment leads her into a disastrous marriage to the pedantic scholar Casaubon; the charming but tactless Dr Lydgate, whose marriage to the spendthrift beauty Rosamund and pioneering medical methods threaten to undermine his career; and the religious hypocrite Bulstrode, hiding scandalous crimes from his past. As their stories interweave, George Eliot creates a richly nuanced and moving drama."

This book was probably the longest book I've ever read (30+ hours on audiobook) and one I would never have finished (or even started) if it weren't for book club. But I'm proud of myself for reading it, and I actually liked it better than I expected. Like it wasn't painful to push myself through the whole thing like I expected--rather, I was interested in how things would turn out for certain characters all the way to the end. Overall, the book had some memorable lines, some deep characters (my favorite was Dorothea), some engaging stories, and parts that made me laugh. I think it'll be fun to discuss at book club. This is a book that is probably in between "it was okay" and "liked it," so I'll round up to a "liked it."

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Warmth of Other Suns

I read The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson for book club. The book description says, "In this beautifully written masterwork, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Isabel Wilkerson presents a definitive and dramatic account of one of the great untold stories of American history: the Great Migration of six million Black citizens who fled the South for the North and West in search of a better life, from World War I to 1970. Wilkerson tells this interwoven story through the lives of three unforgettable protagonists: Ida Mae Gladney, a sharecropper’s wife, who in 1937 fled Mississippi for Chicago; sharp and quick-tempered George Starling, who in 1945 fled Florida for Harlem, and Robert Foster, a surgeon who left Louisiana in 1953 in hopes of making it in California. Wilkerson brilliantly captures their first treacherous cross-country journeys by car and train and their new lives in colonies in the New World."

This was a great read. It was a LONG book (Amazon says 640 pages, but without references and such, it was more like 500-something), and the library didn't own the audiobook. So it was hard for me to finish it in time -- luckily I had two fairly open days the last two days before book club and read several hours each day to get it done. But it definitely was a book I'm really glad I read. It took me a bit to get into it and to get in the groove of each of the three stories, but I thought the author did a great job reminding us where we left off last time we were following each person in order to prevent confusion. The book is very eye-opening and just really helps the reader understand what it was like to live as a black person during those time periods. There was lots to discuss at book club, and I really think it was an important read even though it was long and not always 100% engaging like a fiction read (though sometimes it was!). There was a quote at the beginning of one of the chapters from James Baldwin that said, "I can conceive of no Negro native to this country who has not, by the age of puberty, been irreparably scarred by the conditions of his life....The wonder is not that so many are ruined but that so many survive." I left this book inspired by the resiliency of the three people highlighted in the book and also just the race as a whole. Really glad I read this book.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Mystery Guest

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose is the sequel to The Maid, a book I read for book club last month. The book description says, "Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J. D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead—very dead—on the hotel’s tearoom floor. When Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to know: Who killed J. D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems? As the high-profile death threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer’s identity. But that key is buried deep in her past, as long ago, she knew J. D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery posthaste. Because if there’s one thing she knows for sure, it’s that secrets don’t stay buried forever."

This was another fun, light read. I feel like it's kind of rare to find clean adult books, so I just feel like these books are kind of refreshing and fun. I think Molly is a great character, and this book brought back some characters I liked from last time but also some fun new characters. The book did some back and forth (like half the book was her remembering a sequence of events from her childhood), which wasn't always my favorite format, but it totally made the book work to do it like that. I feel like this author is interesting because I always expect the book to end way sooner and then there's just a ton more book left to tie up loose ends and wrap things up. It's just a different style. There was a part toward the end where Molly was asked if she knew what was going on in the hotel, and she just said, "How would I know? I'm just the maid." (When she heavily involved in what was going on.) And I thought that would have been a perfect ending to the book. But then there was like an hour left in the audiobook haha. But I did enjoy getting all the extra stuff that the book cleared up in the rest of the story.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Power of Moments

The Power of Moments by Chip Heath and Dan Heath was recommended at one of my book clubs recently, so I got it on audiobook. The book description says, "While human lives are endlessly variable, our most memorable positive moments are dominated by four elements: elevation, insight, pride, and connection. If we embrace these elements, we can conjure more moments that matter. What if a teacher could design a lesson that he knew his students would remember twenty years later? What if a manager knew how to create an experience that would delight customers? What if you had a better sense of how to create memories that matter for your children? This book delves into some fascinating mysteries of experience: Why we tend to remember the best or worst moment of an experience, as well as the last moment, and forget the rest. Why 'we feel most comfortable when things are certain, but we feel most alive when they’re not.' And why our most cherished memories are clustered into a brief period during our youth. Readers discover how brief experiences can change lives, such as the experiment in which two strangers meet in a room, and forty-five minutes later, they leave as best friends. (What happens in that time?) Or the tale of the world’s youngest female billionaire, who credits her resilience to something her father asked the family at the dinner table. (What was that simple question?) Many of the defining moments in our lives are the result of accident or luck—but why would we leave our most meaningful, memorable moments to chance when we can create them? The Power of Moments shows us how to be the author of richer experiences."

This was an interesting read. To me, the audience seemed to be more people who are business owners or work in leadership positions or things like that. I think I would have enjoyed it more if more seemed directly applicable to my life (like a "Power of Moments" primary focused on parenting). But there were definitely things that stuck with me. One example is a line the authors used several times: "Beware the life-sucking force of reasonableness." (Like sometimes you have an idea on how to create a powerful moment, but it seems unreasonable, so you drop it. One example was a business that does handwritten thank you notes, but with all the logistics, reason says, Why don't we just do it via email? But that takes away the power these thank you notes can have.) There was another line that said, "Courage is contagious." Again, it went with specific stories, but the message is that when one person has courage, it encourages others to do the same. Anyway, I thought this was an interesting book to listen to with some great points, and I'm hoping I subconsciously took away some things that will affect my day-to-day life.

* * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Power of Fear

I had heard The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us From Violence by Gavin De Becker recommended and so got it on audiobook from the library. I realized after starting that the version I got was an abridged version, though, so I didn't get the full book. But the book description says, "A date won't take "no" for an answer. The new nanny gives a mother an uneasy feeling. A stranger in a deserted parking lot offers unsolicited help. The threat of violence surrounds us every day. But we can protect ourselves, by learning to trust—and act on—our gut instincts. In this empowering book, Gavin de Becker, the man Oprah Winfrey calls the nation's leading expert on violent behavior, shows you how to spot even subtle signs of danger—before it's too late. Shattering the myth that most violent acts are unpredictable, de Becker, whose clients include top Hollywood stars and government agencies, offers specific ways to protect yourself and those you love, including...how to act when approached by a stranger...when you should fear someone close to you...what to do if you are being stalked...how to uncover the source of anonymous threats or phone calls...the biggest mistake you can make with a threatening person...and more. Learn to spot the danger signals others miss. It might just save your life."

This was an interesting read. I kinda wish Libby had the full version because there were some gaps that I think would have been resolved if I read the full version. But I did like the messages about trusting your gut and realizing that your brain is noticing more than you think it is. I also liked how he distinguished in the end between the gift of fear and unnecessary worrying. I think it was an important distinction (especially for me as a worrier), but again, I feel like the full version probably dug into it quite a bit more. Maybe I'll have to go back and read the whole thing sometime.

* * (2/3 = Liked it)

Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I've Loved

Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I've Loved by Kate Bowler has been on my to-read list, and then it became the book for one of my book clubs! So I got it on audiobook from Libby. The book description says, "Kate Bowler is a professor at Duke Divinity School with a modest Christian upbringing, but she specializes in the study of the prosperity gospel, a creed that sees fortune as a blessing from God and misfortune as a mark of God’s disapproval. At thirty-five, everything in her life seems to point toward “blessing.” She is thriving in her job, married to her high school sweetheart, and loves life with her newborn son. Then she is diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. The prospect of her own mortality forces Kate to realize that she has been tacitly subscribing to the prosperity gospel, living with the conviction that she can control the shape of her life with 'a surge of determination.' Even as this type of Christianity celebrates the American can-do spirit, it implies that if you 'can’t do' and succumb to illness or misfortune, you are a failure. Kate is very sick, and no amount of positive thinking will shrink her tumors. What does it mean to die, she wonders, in a society that insists everything happens for a reason? Kate is stripped of this certainty only to discover that without it, life is hard but beautiful in a way it never has been before."

This was a little bit of a different read than I expected. I think I was expecting more life lessons and how she came about a new understanding of things when it was more of a memoir about her experiences. I think I would have preferred the former. I think the audiobook version wasn't the best choice for me either because the reader (who I think was the author) came across really negative and complaining. I'm all about being bitter during trying times, so I didn't mind that mindset, but I guess the tone just got kind of grating.  I am not a believer in the "prosperity gospel," so a lot of the things she had to come to terms with, I already believe, but I do think this will lead to some interesting discussion during book club.

Rating: * (1/3 = It was okay)

The Maid

I read The Maid: A Novel by Nita Prose for book club and listened to it on audiobook. The book description says, "Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by. Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection. But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?"

This was SUCH a fun read! I was engaged from the beginning and just loved Molly's character. It was such a fun premise, and it was just a happy, clean read. I enjoyed the book the whole way through until 2 little things at the end that I didn't love plot-wise, but I can't let those take away from the fact that I loved the rest of the book. There were lots of great characters and a happily ever after ending. I saw that the author has 2 more books in the series, and I'd definitely read them.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Small and the Mighty

I heard about The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement by Sharon McMahon after friends in my book club were going to her book signing a few months ago. I hadn't heard of her or the book but looked into it and started following her on Instagram and then finally got the book from hold on the library. The book description says, "In The Small and the Mighty, Sharon McMahon proves that the most remarkable Americans are often ordinary people who didn’t make it into the textbooks. Not the presidents, but the telephone operators. Not the aristocrats, but the schoolteachers. Through meticulous research, she discovers history’s unsung characters and brings their rich, riveting stories to light for the first time. You’ll meet a woman astride a white horse riding down Pennsylvania Ave, a young boy detained at a Japanese incarceration camp, a formerly enslaved woman on a mission to reunite with her daughter, a poet on a train, and a teacher who learns to work with her enemies. More than one thing is bombed, and multiple people surprisingly become rich. Some rich with money, and some wealthy with things that matter more. This is a book about what really made America – and Americans – great. McMahon’s cast of improbable champions will become familiar friends, lighting the path we journey in our quest to make the world more just, peaceful, good, and free."

This was a great read. I really loved learning about the inspiring people she introduced. Most were pretty new to me, while some (Claudette Colvin) I had already read about before and knew a lot about. The stories were engaging, though sometimes I had trouble following how she connected separate people's stories. I thought the book had a valuable message about how the strength of America is in individual people who make a difference in the ways they can.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Enchanted Hacienda

I read The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes for my newer book club with younger friends at church.  The book description says, "When Harlow Estrada is abruptly fired from her dream job and her boyfriend proves to be a jerk, her world turns upside down. She flees New York City to the one place she can always call home—the enchanted Hacienda Estrada. The Estrada family farm in Mexico houses an abundance of charmed flowers cultivated by Harlow’s mother, sisters, aunt, and cousins. By harnessing the magic in these flowers, they can heal hearts, erase memories, interpret dreams—but not Harlow. So when her mother and aunt give her a special task involving the family’s magic, she panics. How can she rise to the occasion when she is magicless? But maybe it’s not magic she’s missing, but belief in herself. When she finally embraces her unique gifts and opens her heart to a handsome stranger, she discovers she’s far more powerful than she imagined."

This was an ok read for me. I don't read a lot of romance type books and felt like a lot of it was kinda cheesy, and there was also quite a bit of language and some sketchier content I had to skip over. I liked the magical realism genre, and the premise was kinda fun (except for the fact that it almost seemed like an Encanto copycat at the beginning in some ways). I did like the message of the book in that our difficulties in life lead us to where we need to be and give us experiences we need to grow. 

* (1/3 = It was okay)

North Woods

I read North Woods by Daniel Mason for book club. The book description says, "When two young lovers abscond from a Puritan colony, little do they know that their humble cabin in the woods will become the home of an extraordinary succession of human and nonhuman characters alike. An English soldier, destined for glory, abandons the battlefields of the New World to devote himself to growing apples. A pair of spinster twins navigate war and famine, envy and desire. A crime reporter unearths an ancient mass grave—only to discover that the earth refuse to give up their secrets. A lovelorn painter, a sinister con man, a stalking panther, a lusty beetle: As the inhabitants confront the wonder and mystery around them, they begin to realize that the dark, raucous, beautiful past is very much alive."

This was a unique read. I listened to a lot of it on audiobook and then switched over to the paper book for the last quarter or so when I finally had time to sit down and read. I thought it was a creative premise -- following one house and all the different people who live there over the years. There were a few disturbing stories/characters (especially Mary), and there was a kind of an interesting ending to the book. I found the book hard to follow at times since sometimes there were connections between residents and sometimes not, and I felt like I was losing track of things sometimes. I think this will be an interesting book to discuss at book club (especially the stories with Alice/Mary and Robert), though it wasn't really one I thoroughly enjoyed.

Rating: * (1/3 = It was okay)

The Daughter of Auschwitz

I got The Daughter of Auschwitz by Tova Friedman on audiobook after hearing it recommended somewhere. The book description reads, "Tova Friedman was one of the youngest people to emerge from Auschwitz. After surviving the liquidation of the Jewish ghetto in Central Poland where she lived as a toddler, Tova was four when she and her parents were sent to a Nazi labour camp, and almost six when she and her mother were forced into a packed cattle truck and sent to Auschwitz II, also known as the Birkenau extermination camp, while her father was transported to Dachau. During six months of incarceration in Birkenau, Tova witnessed atrocities that she could never forget, and experienced numerous escapes from death. She is one of a handful of Jews to have entered a gas chamber and lived to tell the tale. As Nazi killing squads roamed Birkenau before abandoning the camp in January 1945, Tova and her mother hid among corpses. After being liberated by the Russians they made their way back to their hometown in Poland. Eventually Tova's father tracked them down and the family was reunited. In The Daughter of Auschwitz, Tova immortalizes what she saw, to keep the story of the Holocaust alive, at a time when it's in danger of fading from memory."

I'm super glad I read this book. I think Holocaust stories--especially memoirs--are so important to read to just help us never forget all that happened. The phrase that kept coming to mind as I read this book was impossible choices. Honestly, Tova's parents were put in situations where they had to make choices that were so difficult. Who knows what you're supposed to do at times like that? It's unbelievable all Tova went through as a young child (facing horrific death in front of her eyes starting at age 4) and so inspiring that she was able to survive and raise a family and have grandchildren and continue to tell her story. Tova really went through the unthinkable as a young child, and I'm glad she was able to tell her story so it is available to future generations. It's a heavy story but a meaningful message.

* * (2/3 = Liked it)

Fahrenheit 451

I read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury for book club. I think I read this back in high school, but it's been awhile. The book description says, "Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But when he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known."

This is not the type of book I really enjoy reading, even though I know it's a classic and an important read. I pushed myself through it but usually wasn't super engaged. Some parts I liked (since most of it wasn't really my thing): I did like Clarisse, but she had a very short part in the book. I also liked the group Montag ended up with in the end, and I liked the message about the power of books. I liked a quote toward the end where Granger talked about his grandfather who died. He said, "When he died, I suddenly realized I wasn't crying for him at all, but for all the things he did. I cried because he would never do them again, he would never carve another piece of wood or help us raise doves and pigeons in the back yard or play the violin the way he did, or tell us jokes the way he did. He was part of us and when he died, all the actions stopped dead and there was no one to do them just the way he did. He was individual. He was an important man. I've never gotten over his death. Often I think, what wonderful carvings never came to birth because he died. How many jokes are missing from the world, and how many homing pigeons untouched by his hands. He shaped the world. He did things to the world. The world was bankrupted of ten million fine actions the night he passed on." That quote really spoke to me because I reacted to it with the loss of my mother-in-law a few years ago. So overall, not my kind of book, but good for my brain to read it and some parts I liked that I can discuss at book club.

Rating: * (1/3 = It was okay)

The Women

I read The Women by Kristin Hannah for my newest book club with the young friends at church. The book description says, "Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets―and becomes one of―the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost. But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam."

Wow! What a book! This book was so engaging, and by the end, I was exclaiming so many things (No! Oh my gosh! Oh no!) that Connor basically needed a play-by-play of the last third of the book haha. The book was so well written with well developed characters (those I loved and hated and some that were flawed and yet came around) and a solid story. I don't read enough historical fiction, and I don't think I've ever read anything from the Vietnam period so this was super eye-opening and enlightening. I learned a lot and would definitely be interested in reading more on the time period, especially about women during the Vietnam War. There were times toward the end chunk of this book that I couldn't see how the story could end well, but I was so satisfied with the ending and just found this a really great read. I was so inspired by Frankie and her journey. There is some bad language and some other adult stuff, so I'd definitely classify this as an adult book. I have heard of this author before but haven't read any of her other books but definitely will now. I think the one I've heard about the most is The Nightingale. 

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Just Mercy

In my book club group chat this month, someone recommended everyone share some of their top reads from the year. One person recommended Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, and then several other people commented how much they loved the book and called it things like transformative, important, wrenching, amazing, etc. I was like, wow, I've got to read this, so I got it on audiobook. The book description says, "Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to die for a notorious murder he insisted he didn’t commit. The case drew Bryan into a tangle of conspiracy, political machination, and legal brinksmanship—and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever. Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice."

This book was SO GOOD. I was completely engaged throughout and always anxious to read more. The stories were just heavy and haunting, and I was so inspired by Bryan's dedication to help people in desperate need. The book really impacted my perspective on lots of things (like children being tried as adults and the death penalty), and I came away from this book being so grateful for all it opened my eyes to. This was an excellent read.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)