Girl On A Wire was a memoir about the author's time in a church known for its extreme hate, primarily through their picketing. I grew up in Topeka where they are based, and I can remember seeing them a variety of places. It's really, really difficult to understand and comprehend such hateful messaging as a kid, as well as an adult. The memoir included the author talking about the development of the church, the evolution of her relationship with the church, and her life after being expelled from it. It's a tough read given all the hate this group puts into the world under the guise of faith. It does provide that window into the church if that's something you are curious about exploring, but it also means you have to visit much of the pain they've caused in communities.
Read this book if - You want a firsthand account of this complex topic.
The Other Woman by Sandie Jones is a thriller to be released soon. Thanks to NetGalley for the hook-up on this one. Emily follows in love with Adam. Everything is great, except for one major issue - His mother. No matter what she does, his mother is hostile and seems set on sabotaging the relationship. This one was intense y'all. Eventually, Emily and Adam get engaged, and his mother pulls out all the stops in the wedding planning process like WHOA. I will say that this one had a twist at the end that I did not see coming at all. It was legit one of those "WAIT WHAT?!?" moments that is precisely why I love a good thriller. Oh, and I would not recommend reading this if you are in any sort of wedding planning process. Even if your future mother-in-law is amazing, there were an endless array of stressful situations presented that you just don't need to consider.
Read this book if - You love a thriller that keeps you on edge to the very end. You love a thriller that is riddled with stress and suspense about what the heck might happen next.
My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman was amazing. It's a book unlike any other. I can't remember a book that made me laugh out loud and feel so many feels in its pages. I was immediately captivated by this one on the first page, and that continued throughout. The unique dimension of this book is that the narrator is a seven year old. There's humor in the way she sees the world. There is also sadness in that the book is about her navigating life after her grandmother's death. As the title indicates, part of this is that she's working to atone on behalf of her grandmother while also feeling the feels of life after someone she loved. This book was just straight up beautiful. It was unlike anything I'd read before, and I absolutely loved it.
Read this book if - You love a book that is unique and well-written. You want a book that will make you feel all the feels. You want a book that will suck you in from the first page and not let go until the very last moment.
Mac B. Kid Spy: Mac Undercover by Mac Barnett was a book I didn't expect to love as much as I did. It's the (allegedly) true story of how the author was a spy as a kid that I received as an advanced copy. Mac receives notice from the Queen of England that she needs his help. Something has been stolen, and it's on Mac to help her find it. I think part of the reason I loved this one is that it takes place in the late 80s. It's talking about my childhood times for kid's today. The other really cool dimension (at least for a nerd like me) is that there are lots of subtle nudges for kids to explore the facts/history in the book. Because the book is so fun and laidback, you don't even realize all the stuff you're learning. Again, I didn't expect to love this one as much as I did. However, the solid illustrations and the humor throughout made this one a gem of a read even for someone outside the target demographic.
Read this book if - You want a book that will just make you smile. You want something that looks at history and geography and humor in a really enjoyable way. You just love references to the eighties.
Until my next round!
