I’m very excited to share my book list volume 6 with you guys. I really enjoyed everything on this list. There was a similar theme among all the books this time around that was not intentional. However, all 5 books had very strong, solid female characters, and both family and female friendships factored into every story, but in different ways. Keep reading for all the details.
I’m very excited to share my book list volume 5 with you guys. I really enjoyed everything on this list. There was a similar theme among all the books this time around that was not intentional. However, all 5 books had very strong, solid female characters, and both family and female friendships factored into every story, but in different ways. Keep reading for all the details.
Mrs. Everything – Jennifer Weiner
Mrs. Everything is the first book I have read by Jennifer Weiner. I’m not really sure why I haven’t read anything else, but for whatever reason this one really caught my attention. It’s a story about two sisters Jo and Bethie Kaufman, who grow up in a St. Louis suburb in the 1950s. The follows their lives through childhood all the way into adulthood. When Jo has to use the money she saved for a backpacking trip through Europe to help Bethie out of a dire situation The sister’s relationship with each other changes drastically as well as their own lives. Both women end up leading lives they never pictured themselves in. This books covers so many great topics including family, love, loss, marriage, racism and sisterhood. I highly recommend it.
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires – Grady Hendrix
Yes this is a book about Vampires, and no it isn’t filled with teenage angst and drama. Patricia Campbell is a stay at home mother in Charleston, NC. She is always doing everything for everyone in her life including her elderly senile mother-in-law. Her one guilty pleasure is her book club and the women in who are obsessed with true crime stories.
After Patricia is attacked one night after her book club meeting James Harris a new neighbor, moves in down the street. James slowly works his way into PAtricia’s life and the lives of her friends. When people, mostly children who live in the poor, black part of town start disappearing, Patricia realizes James is a vampire. It’s up tp her to convince her friends that something needs to be done. This was a great story about female friendships and how those friendships can make you stronger than you ever thought you could be. I will say the book is a little longer than it probably needs to be, but I really enjoyed the story.
The Idea Of You – Robinne Lee
Ok so I enjoyed this book WAY more than I thought I would. However, I didn’t love the story the first time I read the plot. It’s about a 39 year old single mother named Solene who lives in LA and gets stuck taking her daughter to a boy band concert in Las Vegas after her ex-husband canceles at the last minute. They get the opportunity to meet the band before the show and one member Hayes Campbell takes a liking to Solene. When he calls Solene a few days after the concert and asks her to lunch she isn’t quite sure what to make of it. After all he is only 20 years old. She reluctantly says yes and the two begin a romantic relationship neither of them ever saw coming. Once the tabloids and her 12 year old daughter find out all hell breaks loose and Solene needs to decide what to do. He daughter hates her, her ex-husband is furious, and people are appalled that she is dating a 20 year old boy.
I know the plot sounds cheesy and very “reality tv’, but the story is very well written, and you end up rooting for the characters. I really like how the book talks about women and aging. If the roles were reversed no one would think twice if a older man was dating a younger woman. This book really flips the script. Should the age difference really matter if two people are in love? I read it in a day and half if that’s any indication as to how much I enjoyed it.
The Flatshare – Beth O’Leary
This was such a sweet, fun love story with a great plot! It’s about two people who share a flat and fall in love. The twist is that they have never met. Tiffy Moore just got out of a bad relationship and needs a place to live fast. Leon who is an overnight hospice nurse needs extra cash to pay his brothers lawyer to help get him out of jail. The two of them start writing notes to each other and eventually fall in love. It’s such a cute story. It’s one of those books that just makes you feel really good when you are done with it. This is another one I finished in about 2 days. If you are looking for something lighthearted, and honestly aren’t we all looking for that right now, you need to read this book!
Younger – Pamela Redman
This book is based on the tv show by the same name. I have watched the series which I really enjoyed. It’s about a 40 year old woman names Liza who is a recently divorced stay at home mom living in NJ. Now that she is single and her college age daughter is away in the Peace Corp. she decides it’s time to go back to work. With a minimum amount of experience in Publishing Alice realizes that jumping back into the workforce after almost 20 is nearly impossible. No one will hire because she it too old. When her best friend Maggie convinces her she can pass for someone much “younger” Alice realizes this is the only way she is going to find a job is to pretend she is in her 20’s. Once Alice reinvents herself she lands her dream job at a Publishing company and finds herself being pursued by a Josh who is 27. Another great book about women and aging and should age really matter. This is a quick and entertaining read. Pamela Redman just came out with a sequel called Older. I haven’t read it yet but it looks good.
So that’s it, my book list volume 6. If you’re looking for a new book I hope you find this list helpful. Honestly you really can’t go wrong with any of these choices. If you don’t find anything you like here you can check out my other book lists here, here and here. If you end up reading any of them let me know if the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for reading! Hope You’re having a good week.