It’s been a little while since my last book post, because I went through some kind of reading slump in the Fall. I don’t know if I just felt busier or more tired, but I couldn’t concentrate on any book I started and just ended up just playing games on my phone before I would fall asleep. (That never makes me feel good. . . )
I’m back on track now, and I credit that to putting away the books that I felt like I should read, not listening so much to other people’s suggestions and just picking something out that sounded good to me based solely on the description. They may not be the latest and greatest, but these are some of the good things I’ve read lately.
Defending Jacob by William Landay From my Instagram story about this book, it seems like a lot of you have read and loved it. After a teenage boy in a small community is found murdered, the story unfolds from the perspective of the assistant district attorney who is the father of 14-year-old boy himself. So, what happens when your own child becomes the main suspect? It becomes a dilemma of devotion and doing your job. I read through this one quickly.
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan I missed the craze when this book originally came out but decided to read it before I saw the movie. It was cute, light and easy but honestly, I enjoyed the movie more. It’s hard to beat the costumes and scenery on the screen for this one.
Church of the Small Things by Melanie Shankle You know I’m a fan of the Big Boo (pod)Cast and Melanie is one of the hosts. I would’ve loved this book anyway, but being able to hear her voice in my head as I was reading made it even better. I can so relate to her 1980s, big-hair-wearing, youth-group-attending childhood. It’s like listening to a good friend tell you funny stories, with a deep appreciation of the small things that really matter.
Fire Sermon by Jamie Quatro I heard someone raving about this one on a podcast so I tried it and honestly, I felt meh about it. I even had to look back on Amazon to remember what it was about. Here’s the thing: I don’t mind books about marriages but frankly, I can’t really relate to characters who have all the time in the world to obsess over their feelings and what might be like if their life went in a different direction with someone else. I mean, when do they have the time or inclination to think so much? Why aren’t they driving their kids to practices, making dinner, folding laundry, going to work? I don’t know. . .
The Forgotten Hours by Katrin Schumann This is the story of two childhood friends and the fallout after one accuses the other’s father of sexual assault. The daughter of the accused tells the story, looking back several years after the trial, prepping for her father to be released from prison soon and trying to figure out where her loyalties lie. I thought it was an interesting perspective from someone who is caught in the middle, without knowing the whole truth. I grabbed this one off of the Amazon Prime reading list and would recommend.
The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir This might be my favorite on the list. I wanted to read it ever since I heard the premise was about a 17-year-old girl who is the daughter of a well-known evangelical family with their own reality TV show. The first paragraph reveals she’s pregnant and the family is in full-on crisis management mode. As I was reading, I kept thinking this might have been loosely based on the Duggars. . . If you liked The Mothers (and I did!), I think you’ll love this one.
What are you reading now? And how do you get through a slump?
See more of my book recommendations here.
