It’s Monday which innately isn’t very exciting; however, today I’m hoping to make your Monday a tiny bit better by sharing with you the latest Four Points Mom & Books post.
I have 8 books to share with you today, and I’m actually playing a bit of catch up because there are a couple books I read in February that I didn’t include in February’s Four Points Mom & Books post. And I want to remind you – I “read” most of these books via audiobooks. I always get asked “how do you read so many books?” Well, audiobooks are my addiction. I’m not proud of that fact and I’m actually trying to enjoy the quiet more often. But, I’m used to it by now and it’s hard to break the habit of always having an audiobook playing while … I’m driving, I’m cleaning up the kitchen, I’m working out, etc. I know that quiet is necessary and good for your brain. So, hopefully I have less books to tell you about next month. 🙂
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks
We read this book last month in book club, and I thought it was a lesser version of The Last Mrs. Parrish (which I raved about in last month’s post). It’s very similar in that there’s a very wealthy couple in New York City and another woman dreamily/ creepily looking at this couple from the outside. The book starts off from the wife (or former wife’s perspective) and how she’s been thrown aside for the new, younger woman. This one, though, had way too many twists and turns and “what!?!” moments. By the end I was just rolling my eyes wanting to scream “COME ON!” Lol. I’ll say that half of the women in book club liked the book, though, so you might enjoy the suspense.
Small Admissions by Amy Poeppel
One of the bloggers I follow, Mix And Match Mama, recommended this book and I’m so glad she did. This was a cute, fun read that I truly enjoyed. I have worked with probably over one hundred private schools over the years in my career and I laughed so hard as the main character in this book learns the ropes at a very high-end private school in Manhattan. If you’re looking for a beach read or something to just pass the time, pick this one. I’m going to have to look into Amy Poeppel after reading this book – she did a great job entertaining me with Small Admissions!
Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson
I loved this book! Why? I think I most liked the fact that it is NOTHING like most books I read. I loved the characters which I appreciated because they weren’t like every other book I’ve read lately. The heroine is really into the comic book scene (which I cannot relate to any way), but the author managed to intersperse just enough comic references so that I kinda got it by the end. 😉 The book is mostly set in a small southern town and I was very interested in hearing about life there today and over the past 50 years. Add this one to your list ladies!
China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan
I was a bit let down by this book. I read Crazy Rich Asians about this time last year (I can remember listening to the audiobook while we were building the kids’ playscape … isn’t it funny how a book can take you back to exactly what was going on in your life then?). I liked that book and that’s why I thought I’d like this second book of the series. I was less intrigued this time. There were so many characters and I was less in shock with the money these Crazy Rich Asians were spending all the time and more annoyed with it this time. There is a Part 3 to the series and I doubt I’ll read it. Bummer.
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
We read one of Jeannette Walls’ books in book club (Half Broke Horses) last year and many of my friends referenced her other book, The Glass Castle, during our discussions about the book. They all raved about it and encouraged me to read it. Well, despite the utter state of depression I entered while reading this book (and shortly thereafter starting The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah which is similarly depressing), I enjoyed the storytelling.
The Glass Castle is a memoir that follows the childhood of children who mostly cared for themselves while their neglectful parents dragged them around the country, neglecting them in so many ways, and leading the children to basically feed, clothe and protect each other on their own. The story was heartbreaking, but a great story nonetheless.
This book has been out for over 10 years, so I’m sure many of you have read it yourselves. Be sure to leave a comment with what you thought about it!
What She Knew by Gilly MacMillan
My friends claim I’m sadistic when I read books like this one because why else would I read a book about a mom with a child who goes missing during a stroll in the park? Call me what you want, but if you like thriller whodunnits, I recommend What She Knew. I won’t deny that I have kept a closer on my kiddos after reading this book. 🙂 I’ve read a couple books with similar plots and storylines, and this was one of my favorites. I really enjoyed the detective character, especially when I wasn’t able to relate to the mom. Overall, though, I liked What She Knew.
The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers
Although I was driven a bit mad trying to follow this book, I did enjoy it. You follow the story as told through letters from the main characters. The author did an excellent job setting up plot twists with the letters and then leaving you hanging for many pages wondering when we’re going to find out the rest of what the previous letter just hinted upon. It reminded me of how I sometimes feel when watching an episode of House of Cards (to a lesser degree of course). I liked the book and recommend it.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
And my favorite book of the month is … The Great Alone. There’s no surprise here if you’ve been following my Four Points Mom & Books post. I just LOVE me some Kristin Hannah. What I really love about Kristin Hannah is how many topics she can write about and come across as an absolute expert in those topics. She took me right back to Paris during World War II in The Nightingale (which might be one of my top 5 favorite books ever) and in this book I felt like I was the one struggling to survive in Alaska in the 1970s. The story follows a teenage girl whose father is a Vietnam vet with PTSD and whose mother is his victim of domestic abuse, enduring anything for the man she loves. The unstable father decides to move the family to Alaska, and in this remote frontier the family struggles to survive in every imaginable way (emotionally, physically, literally, etc.).
The Great Alone is one of the few books that I haven’t been able to put down recently. A little depressing? Of course! But it is a brilliant story about the truths of domestic abuse and how it can affect a child. Plus, the details of survival in the Alaska wilderness are very interesting and I was very happy to have my warm bed to sleep in every night (not to mention indoor plumbing). 🙂
Read this book! You will NOT be disappointed. I have a feeling it will make the Best Of 2018 list even though we’re only in March!
Alright, let me know what else I should add to my to-read list! And don’t forget to follow me on GoodReads to see what else I’m reading.
