I read this round, but am only now getting to blogging them. #usualroutine
The Invention of Wings was a book I read for book club. Truth be told, I'm not sure I'd have picked it up otherwise. Y'all, this one is fantastic. It's historical fiction, and it is inspired by and tells the story of the real-life Grimke sisters. It's a realistic story of what it was like for women in the early 1800s and how much they couldn't do. However, it also talks about what these women did do within the parameters they had, as well as how they pushed things. Once you start this one, you won't be able to stop reading.
Between Breaths was a book I'd seen Elizabeth Vargas talk about on 20/20, GMA, etc. It was still an honest and fantastic read. She really delves into her story, where her problems began, how they felt, and how she navigated/still navigates her addiction.
Girls Like Me is a book that is actually in prose. It was very YA, meaning "Teenage Andrea" would've loved it. Thirtysomething Andrea enjoyed it, too. The way the story was told, and the emotions and teenage struggles that it explored were really well done. It's a quick read and an enjoyable one.
The Boston Girl was great. This is my third Anita Diamant (I've also read The Red Tent and Day After Night), and the way she writes female characters is so beautiful. This one focused on a grandmother re-telling what it was like to grow up in Boston through the early 20th century. It was another read I enjoyed because while not pleasant, it focused on the realities of the time and how Addie (the main character) found her way through them.
We Gon' Be Alright was a recommendation from a friend. It's a quick read and a powerful one. It is a set of essays focusing on recent events and the current realities of race in the country. It was interesting and gave me a lot to consider and reflect on about the topic.
Double Play: Faith and Family First is a book written by Ben & Julianna Zobrist. I adore them. Ben played for the Royals last year, and that's when the Zobrists really came on my radar. After watching them throughout the World Series, I realized they'd written a book together. This is a really wonderful piece on their love story. It's faith-based and really beautiful.
Forever was a Judy Blume re-read. It'd been a long time since I'd revisited this one. This isn't my favorite Judy Blue (still love you, JB), but it's a good reminder of how much she covered topics in her books that just weren't talked about in the time - or even now. There are definitely other books she's written that I love way more, but it was good to go back in time. Also, I made the mistake of looking through the goodreads reviews on this - Don't do that.
