Hello, friends! It’s been a little bit since my last post, as per usual!!! I’ve been reading like crazy lately, so I wanted to do some mini book reviews of what I’ve been reading as of late. I’ve stopped using my phone in bed, and instead, I’ve been grabbing a book to read, whether it be a physical copy or something on my Kindle. (If you haven’t ever used Libby before — I recommend looking into it. Free library books in the comfort of your own home! You can even use the app on your phone! Amazing!!!)
Ask Again, Yes This is my second time reading this book and I think I enjoyed it even more than I did the first time. The first time I read it, I was not yet a mother, and I think now that I am, my experience with this book felt a lot more intense. It follows two neighboring families through decades as you get to know two generations. I don’t give many books a perfect score, but this book is a perfect five stars. If you’re anything like me — you will need tissues!!!
The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Liane Moriarty I absolutely LOVE Liane Moriarty books. In a world full of books that are seemingly only fantastical or strictly romantic (explicitly so…) I love her books because they follow the lives of regular, everyday people. The concepts she comes up with are simple and feel realistic. Her characters are so fully fleshed out and her writing is clever! This book follows a trained hypnotist as she begins to date a widowed single father. Over dinner he reveals to her something important — he has a stalker. The book then follows the complexities this revelation creates in their relationship. I don’t think this is my favorite Liane Moriarty book, but this one was still solid. I would say 3.5 stars.
From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough When I was a freshman in college, I bought Priscilla Presley’s memoir and read it multiple times. Growing up in a family that listened to Elvis, I was intrigued about what his personal life was like. I knew very little about Lisa Marie Presley other than her being Elvis’ daughter and that she had married Michael Jackson, and all that I knew about Riley Keough was that she was Elvis’ granddaughter. So, I decided to give this joint memoir a try. It was an incredibly intimate and truthful telling of a complicated and challenging childhood for Lisa Marie and a magical, artistic childhood for Riley, courtesy of her mother. It felt very melancholic reading it, knowing that Lisa Marie died before its publication. I would feel strange rating this, but I will say that I think it’s a compelling read.
Killing Room Floor: The First Reacher Novel by Lee Child This book follows Jack Reacher, a drifter. He comes to a new town only to be accused of murder. As he tries to convince the town of his innocence, he learns about the seedy underbelly of the seemingly perfect town of Margrave. Okay, this book is waaaay out of my wheelhouse. My husband and I just watched the show and had enjoyed it, so I thought I would give the first book a try. It was okay. I enjoyed the show much better. For me, the book didn’t quite keep my attention as much as the first season of the show did. Also, this book went into weird detail about the main female character that I found off-putting. Overall, I would give the book a 2.5/5.
Revolution From Within: A Book of Self Esteem by Gloria Steinem I don’t normally go for self-help books, but my friend wanted me to read this with her and I am SO glad that I did! I got so much from reading this book. Steinem goes into the various factors that contribute towards or take away from our self-esteem. There were so many sections where she shares a perspective that had never once occurred to me. Admittedly, there were some sections that I felt were not as helpful, or went on too long, but overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone, as we are all impacted by society’s expectations of us, which directly impact our self-esteem! 4/5 stars!
Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner This is another repeat read because it is also SO good!!! It follows two sisters over several decades of their respective lives. I’ve written about it before, so I won’t go into too much detail in this post, but this book was just as good as I remembered it to be! 5/5 stars!
And that’s that, my friends! I’ve been on such a roll lately and it feels so good! I was a voracious reader as a child and that slowly faded away in my teenage years, but I’m back! Please comment any book recommendations that you may have! I fear that I am not interested very much in fantasy or dark romance…. but I would still love to hear what everyone is reading! ❤
XOXO,
Mattie Mae
Midwest Mattie 