Book Review: Poetry Will Save Your Life

Poetry Will Save Your Life by Jill Bialosky

I am one of those people who love poetry. I love to listen to others read poetry, recite poetry, sing poetry – it doesn’t matter. I love to read poetry on my own. When I taught high school, I tried with all my might to get my students to experience poetry in a way that would shape them. This is because I believe words have power, and poetry is essentially a way to put this power to use in a moving way.

I have memorized my favorite lines from poems. I cannot identify a single favorite poet or poem because there are just too many. By love for poetry and my belief in its power is what drew me towards Poetry Will Save Your Life: A Memoir by Jill Bialosky. I believe in the title, so why wouldn’t I give this book a chance?

I’m glad I did. This memoir is unusual. It is organized around themes rather than a memoir structured chronologically. In this novel, Bialosky identifies poems relating to life experiences (also thematic) such as death. She describes in vivid detail when she remembers hearing the poem or responding to it for the first time. For instance, in the chapter “Danger,” she discusses two poems in relation to her childhood friend who ends up on a dangerous life path.

In addition to relating a life experience with a poem, she also analyzes the poem in detail. This means she explains how the poem works and the techniques the poet uses in relation to her it impacted her life. This stood out to me as a former English major and former English teacher because this is what I do. I tried to show my students how these poetic devices were used to make poetry more meaningful – and yet, it allows readers to make their own meaning. She also includes information about the poet, which I also appreciated.

I also really like how this book does not have to be read cover to cover. You can certainly read it this way, but you can also choose to just read Bialosky’s reflections on certain poems in relation to her life. It is a book that you can read through slowly working your way through one chapter at a time.

This is a book poetry fans will love to have on their shelves. English teachers will also be able to easily include sections of this memoir into their curriculum.

* I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

* You may purchase this book from Amazon here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Book Review: Watch Me Disappear

Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown

Go ahead and preorder Watch Me Disappear because people are going to be talking about this one. I read this one in one day putting aside all my house chores and freelance writing stuff because I could not put it down. You will too.

I am not one who loves thrillers or mysteries, but every now and then, a plot will catch my attention and I will give it a try. I am usually disappointed. This was not the case with Janelle Brown’s Watch Me Disappear.

The novel begins with a husband (widow?) and his daughter in present day reflecting on how their lives have changed in a year. It’s been a year since the wife/mother, Billie, disappeared on a hiking trip. Her body was never found. Jonathan is now writing a memoir of the events and Olive is struggling with the loss of her mother and teenage self-identity issues.

But, then Olive begins to have visions of her mother asking her to find her. She introduces the idea that her mother may still be alive to her dad. At first, he does not believe, but then on his own searches, he stumbles upon one lie after another that his wife has hidden. Is it possible she disappeared on purpose?

It is at this point when Jonathan’s love memoir begins to unravel as he realizes he might not have really known his wife. The author does a fantastic job of showing how memories get reconstructed after someone dies – and how we all create our own truths.

The novel left me guessing until the last page – did she disappear? Was she kidnapped? Was she killed? If so, who did it? What was she lying about and why?

In the end, I was firmly on Team Jonathan and Olive, and I was happy with the conclusion for their sakes. But, I do have one nagging question that I am dying to ask someone who has read it. Once you do, let me know and we can discuss it!

* I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

* This book will be released next Tuesday (July 11^th), but you may preorder this book from Amazon here. This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Book Review: Hello Sunshine

Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave

Last year, I stumbled upon the novel Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave, and it quickly fell into my stack of favorites for the year. I recommended it to all my friends – and even bought copies as gifts. So, it should come as no surprise that I was thrilled when I heard Laura Dave had a new novel coming out this summer or that I read it as soon as I had the opportunity.

Usually, when you love a book so much, the next one does not live up to your hopes for it. This was not the case for Hello, Sunshine. This book is such an enjoyable read. It is both perfect for these summer days and thought-provoking. I like my summer reads to be fun and meaningful. Not too much fluff, but not too heavy. Hello, Sunshine fits this description entirely.

The novel focuses on Sunshine – a celebrity cook on her way to a new Food Network show who lets you know in the first few pages that she is a crappy person who has made a series of terrible self-serving choices. Her honesty in the first chapter is almost painful when readers learn that the reason she is a not-so-great person is because her entire cooking empire is built on a lie. A hacker manages to ruin her career, reputation, friendships, and marriage in a single day by exposing her lies.

Yet, somehow even knowing she herself said she is not a good person and knowing the things she did, I still rooted for her. There was something genuine about this “liar.” More so, she really suffers as a result of the hack. It is so easy to get caught up in celebrity brouhaha and wish to see someone “get what they deserve,” but it is something else entirely to read about it. For instance, as a reader, I did begin to empathize with Sunshine. I did not agree with her choices, but I understood why she felt she had made them. Laura Dave’s does a fantastic job of developing realistic characters.

Additionally, while the plot is entertaining and frothy, the book also brings up a lot to consider about our true lives and the lives we curate for social media. Does social media make it normal to lie or curate a life that is not really your own? Kudos to Laura Dave for crafting an entertaining summer beach read that is also fit for book club discussions.

This book will be released next Tuesday, July 11th, but you can preorder it from Amazon here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting my blog!

* I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Favorite Reads of 2017 So Far

It’s July. That means we have officially reached the 2017 halfway point. I cannot believe it. But, while the year has flown by, so have all the books. At this point, I have read 40 books this year. I decided to highlight the 6 books that have stayed with me the most – these are the books I have been dying to discuss with others. They cover a wide range – from nonfiction to literary to women’s fiction. If you have not read any of these books, I encourage you to add them to your stack.

Hillbilly Elegy

If you have not read this one yet, you may be the only one. It is a bestseller for a reason. You can read my full review here.

Anything is Possible

I cannot express my love for Elizabeth Strout in words. You have to trust me – she is one of the best. Her latest novel was remarkable. You can read my full review here.

A Gentleman in Moscow

This was such a delightful read. It is stuffed to the brim with literary references, excellent characters, and an ingenious plot involving a man imprisoned in a fancy Russian hotel. You can read my full review here.

Just Mercy

Bryan Stevenson writes a moving novel about his experiences defending those on death row. It opened my eyes and I talked about it for days – you will too. You can read my full review here.

The Party

This is the one “less than literary’ novel on the list, but by golly, it is a fun read! I devoured on our beach trip and I am itching to talk about it with my mom reading book friends. You can read my full review here.

Our Souls at Night

This is the only book on the list I have not written a full review on yet, and this is because my book club has not discussed it yet. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone in the group, but I will tell you I fell in love with the writing. Full review to come later in July! 

* You may order all these books from Amazon by clicking the links or simply clicking the picture. These are affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Book Review: The Heirs

The Heirs by Susan Rieger

I am torn about my feelings about The Heirs by Susan Rieger. The writing is exceptional. There were multiple times I reread lines because they were so full of meaning. Rieger expresses common ideas in a new way – a way that makes you nod your head in agreement.

Yet, while I loved the writing style, I am conflicted about the overall plot and characters. Generally, my favorite reads are family dramas – modern versions of Anna Karenina. And, this is what this novel sets out to do. What may have persuaded me to read this book was the comparison on the book jacket made to Edith Wharton – another all time favorite writer of mine. However, maybe this comparison was too much and set me up to be a little disappointed.

Rather than reading like a family drama, it reads more like an in-depth character analysis as each chapter focuses on one of the family members (or someone closely related). The chapters move seamlessly back and forth through time, and readers get a glimpse into the true behavior and feelings of the Five Famous, Fierce, Forceful, Faithful, Fabled, Fortunate, Fearless Falkeses.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way Rieger focused on developing the characters rather than just writing a drama-soaked plot. And, their family is intriguing. I wanted to learn more about them.

My main concern is that the characters are terribly flawed – so much so that I had a hard time liking any of them. At the end, I was disappointed in most of the main characters. I wanted so badly to root for someone, but I was ultimately saddened by how these characters seem to only love themselves and their family. Everyone who is not a Falkes is easily discarded.

What was a beautifully written and moving novel left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. I want to believe people are better than the Falkes. But, at the same time, their weaknesses and fallacies are common – as symbolic patterns surface throughout. Stubbornness, pride, and entitlement are things that we ignore or look past, but when a writer as talented as Rieger forces them into our viewpoint, we can no longer pretend these things are benign.

For more information, please see:

·         More Info

·         Author Bio

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: Confessions of a Domestic Failure

Mom Monday Book Review: Confessions of a Domestic Failure by Bunmi Laditan

Moms of little ones – you need to read Bumni Laditan’s Confessions of a Domestic Failure right away! Many of you are already fans of her truthful and hilarious blog, The Honest Toddler. Like the blog, this book will make you laugh at the realities of mom life.

When I first heard about this book, I assumed it was her memoir. It isn’t. It is actually a fictional book about characters in the mom world. Specifically, one mom who wants to be a great mom but thinks she is failing compared to all the good moms she sees around her, on social media, and on television. (Sound familiar?)

The mommy guru she follows is hosting a mom competition with the winning mommy being award lots of money – and a prestigious mommy award. The main character, Ashley Keller, is thrilled when she is selected to be one of the contestants.

However, in the midst of the competition, she is dealing with the frustrations of not enough sleep, a dirty house, a pestering mother-in-law, marriage troubles, financial troubles, etc. She is also finding stay at home motherhood to be desperately lonely. 

While the motherhood competition sounds silly, the author uses her trademark poke fun at the ridiculousness to make it entertaining. For example, one event is focused on crafting which results in some hilariously realistic examples of moms who do versus moms who don’t.

I laughed throughout the book because I did recognize many of the mothers in this book. Even if they are caricatures, it is still easy to see who is who and what mommy tribe they belong in. There were several times I wanted to smack Ashley because she did things that were foolish (such as pretending to breastfeed to make friends in the Le Leche League). But, in the end, you will end up rooting for her.

I actually listened to the audiobook version of this novel and I found it very enjoyable. It was an entertaining and funny book to listen to and the narrator did a wonderful job. My husband even listened along with me in the car one day and thought it was funny. *Side note – we had to frantically turn it off when there is an unfortunate phone sex debacle that we didn’t want to explain to the children in the back seats. Haha!

The book is encouraging to moms and points out what we often try to hide – no one knows what they are doing and no one has it all together. 

I highly recommend it to all my friends doing their best to survive the early stages of motherhood, as well as fans of Bridget Jones and the Shopaholic series. It is a book that should be gifted at baby showers letting soon-to-be-moms know everyone is just full of it. 

* You may order this book from Amazon here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Book Review: The Map That Leads to You

The Map That Leads to You by J.P. Monninger 

This has been a busy week, but I had a slow and easy book to read when days got too chaotic and long. The Map That Leads to You by J.P. Monninger was released this week, and it is a great escape read. It is heavy on the romance and big on the tears. So, basically, if you like Nicholas Sparks, this is a book that you will love.

The novel follows a group of three girlfriends who go on a European adventure upon graduating from college. But, the novel primarily focuses on Heather. Heather is an organized, controlled, structured, ambitious woman on this big adventure before she enters her grown-up real-world finance job. She is taking the trip with her best friends, and I enjoyed reading about their relationship.

But, this book isn’t about their friendship. This book is about falling hard and fast for a man named Jack she meets on the train to Amsterdam. This book is a dialogue book. In other words, most of the novel is told through conversations between characters – primarily through the dialogue between Heather and Jack. It is sweet and romantic, but it is also steamy and frustrating. Jack is the opposite of Heather. He is spontaneous and struggles with the concept of being stuck in one place at one job. So, there are multiple bumps in their European love journey.

I will give on *hint* - Heather loves Hemingway. It comes up often. I love Hemingway. But, I admit I love Hemingway because he is depressing, so…

If you like books about travel, love, adventure, and some sap, then this is the book for you. It was just what I needed this week, and I bet you will agree. 

* I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

* You may order this book from amazon here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Book Review: The Little French Bistro

The Little French Bistro by Nina George

I feel like I need to begin this review by letting you know that I think Nina George is a phenomenal writer. Her book, The Little Paris Bookshop, was far and away one of my favorite books of last year. So, when I saw that she had a new book coming out, I was super excited. Unfortunately, I think some of my excitement may have led to some disappointment.

For me, The Little French Bistro was a slow read, and one that I struggled to get into. I generally have a rule that if you don't "get into" a book, you put it aside because there are far too many books to spend time on one you are struggling on. However, this author is a beautiful writer. So, even though it moved significantly slower than her previous book, I was still so in love with her flowery sentences and evocative language that I stuck it out.

Nina George does know how to write an impressive, moving, lyrical sentence. It is what made me keep going even when I struggled with connecting to these characters or the plot. Another issue may have been that there are many instances of foreign language in this novel. This may make me sound dumb or unsophisticated, but I do not speak any other language, so I feel like I missed a lot of what was happening in the novel. Of course, I understand I could have researched these terms, but I really was wanting to read this book for pleasure and escape. *Please don't judge me too harshly for saying so.*

With that being said, if you are a fan of books featuring an older demographic and women come into their own late in life, you will most likely enjoy this book. George is an excellent writer and I probably would have liked this book more if I had not read her previous work and had such high hopes. It might also just be because I am in summer mindset and needing some beach reads, and this one did not fit in this category.

* I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

* You may order this book from amazon here. This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Book Review: Love the Wine You're With

Love the Wine You’re With by Kim Gruenenfelder

I finished up my beach trip with another great beach book – Love the Wine You’re With by Kim Gruenenfelder. The title, cover, and book jacket let you know this is the perfect book to enjoy while lounging at the beach or by the pool with your own glass of wine.

It is a fun bit of chick lit – made for women by a woman about women. This novel focuses on three friends in their early thirties struggling to discover what (and who) they want in their lives. Each woman deals with her own issues in relationships and work. One woman is having an affair with her married boss, another is now deemed “too old” for the acting roles she is auditioning for, and the third woman is stuck in a great job with a great man but finds both unfulfilling.

People often hear about the quarter-life crisis individuals face in their mid-twenties, but you do not often hear about the chaos of life in one’s early thirties. Since I am there, it was refreshing to hear how these characters faced their own age battles. While I am far removed from their seasons of singledom, I found their relationship seeking adventures entertaining. Who doesn’t love a good story about friends and their romantic pursuits and failures? Haven’t there been entire television series about this same idea?

It is also nice to read something that ends in a romantic comedy fashion. I enjoy romantic comedies; so, it makes perfect sense, that I enjoy a book that ends with the women ending up with the right men all tied up nicely. After reading so many heavy books lately, this was a relaxing way to end my trip to beach – with a glass of my favorite Moscato in hand. I also loved all the wine puns throughout the book. So. Many. Fun. Puns! 

My only issue is that three women friends seemed so similar that I often had a hard time distinguishing between characters. About halfway through the novel, I was finally able to identify which character was which.

This is the first book I have read by the author, but it will not be my last.

* I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

* You may order this book from amazon here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Book Review: Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan

Another beach day, another great read. I really enjoyed Matthew Sullivan’s Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore. This novel caught my eye because it has a brilliant cover and an intriguing plot involving a bookstore and a mystery. It kept my attention, but it ended up being a much heavier book than I anticipated.

I should have known it would be heavy as the description tells readers it begins with a suicide committed in a bookstore by a frequent patron. However, I did not realize the novel would become an intricate mystery about a decades-old horrific murder. With that being said, I liked it! I liked the main character, Lydia, and I wanted to know more about her. I appreciated how the character we only meet through suicide still is able to tell his stories through books. 

The horror of the events in the past shocked me, but also intrigued me. I wanted to continue reading until all the questions were answered. I did, however, figure out who the Hammerman was earlier than the big reveal. That did not take away from wanting to read the rest of the novel. I still was shocked and satisfied by the ending. 

I loved the bookstore setting as any bibliophile will. I recognized the frequent visitors and the booksellers, which made the book even more enjoyable. 

My only complaint is that I wish the years between the horrific unsolved mystery and the present were explained in more detail. All I got was that Lydia and her father had a strained relationship. I wish this would have been developed. Lydia is very angry with her father and has not seen him in years, but it is not really explained. I imagine this is because Sullivan wanted readers to be unsure about him; however, I think some more background on the in-between years would have been helpful in understanding her character and their relationship.

Overall, this is a book I definitely recommend – especially to people who love books and mysteries.

* I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

* You may order this book from amazon here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting my blog! 

Book Review: The Party

The Party by Robyn Harding

Holy Beach Book! If you are looking for an exciting, intoxicating, fun summer read, you need to add The Party by Robyn Harding to your beach bag right away. I started this book on the car ride to our beach destination, and I could not put it down. I finished reading it in the hotel room in the dark beside my sleeping husband and children at our halfway point. In other words, it was so good, I finished the book before we even made it to the beach – in one day.

The Party goes back and forth between the events on the day of a special Sweet Sixteen slumber party and the days after because this party becomes a quintessential before/after event. At this party, hosted by perfect parents (or a mom trying desperately to be seen as perfect), one of the teenagers suffers a life altering injury. How? Because these teens snuck in booze, drugs, and boys – all against the rules.

Therefore, the novel spins off into a story about who is to blame for this tragedy. The hosting parents who vehemently deny any fault or blame? Or the girls themselves? Specifically, the injured party who has a reputation for trouble?

As a mom, I hated all the moms in this book. I hated the perfect acting mother because she was so bent on protecting her own name and reputation rather than on the repercussions for the teenager girl. I hate the injured girl’s mom for focusing so much more energy on her anger than on helping her daughter. I hated the mean girl teenagers who show how finicky popularity in high school is. But, I loved hating them.

While reading, Harding continued to surprise me. I was sickened by the actions of characters – and surprised by them time and time again. In the end, it was the teenager girls who made me the most proud. They stood up against bullying and for what is right. Not the parents.

The novel also was relatable. It is so easy to think you can do everything right parenting wise and still end up dealing with things so beyond what you planned for. It made me question what I would do in a similar situation – because the situation is realistic and not far-fetched. Everything in this novel could happen…you just really really hope it doesn’t.

If you are looking for a fun book to escape into this summer, you must pick up The Party. You won’t regret it.

* I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

* You may order this book from amazon here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Book Review: New Boy

Book Review: New Boy (Hogarth Shakespeare) by Tracy Chevalier

I love Shakespeare. I took several Shakespeare courses in college. I taught Shakespeare. I own the entire collection, more than one shirt, and the Lego brick Shakespeare editions. But, I am one of those weird souls who prefers his tragedies over his comedies (with King Lear being my favorite followed closely by Othello).

So when I heard about Hogarth Shakespeare's New Boy (a retelling of Othello), I did not hesitate to read it. “The Hogarth Shakespeare project sees Shakespeare’s works retold by acclaimed and bestselling novelists of today.” New Day is written by the incredible Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl with a Pearl Earring.

In this retelling, the story takes place on a playground with students in grades 4-6. It is easy to identify which students model which Shakespearean characters, and the plot follows very closely. So closely that as I got closer to the end, I became more and more upset as I remember how the original play ended.

The novel is beautifully written. However, I did struggle with the ages of the characters. I found it hard to imagine kids this age acting and thinking in the ways they were portrayed. Since this is a tragedy, it made reading about children more difficult.

But isn’t that the point of Shakespeare’s tragedies? They make you think and blanch at the horrors of life. As Othello deals with themes of race, lust, betrayal, it is intended to leave you feeling unsettled. Chevalier’s New Boy will leave you feeling the same way.

You can find out more here:

• More Info

• Author Bio

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: Motherhood Martyrdom and Costco Runs

Motherhood Martyrdom & Costco Runs by Whitney Dineen

After yesterday’s post about the things my daughter has done in the past month to drive me crazy, I read the very relatable Motherhood Martyrdom & Costco Runs by Whitney Dineen. It was just what I needed to laugh and focus my thoughts on the crazy that is motherhood and the joy it brings.

This book is a collection of short essays about Dineen’s personal experiences and thoughts on mothering, along with several stories about her love of all things Costco (who can blame her?). She is honest and funny. However, she does a nice job of reminding readers that while motherhood involves plenty of hysterics, children are a joy. After her personal struggles with miscarriage, she is especially sensitive to the fact that children are a gift – even when they drive you nuts.

I liked that the book is a series of short essays. They are short enough to read in between chores, in the car pickup line, or even during a restroom escape break from the kids. It is a nice little reprieve in the endless tasks of mothering to read someone who understands and commiserates with you. Here is one of my favorite quotes from the book:

“For me, motherhood is about as relaxing as sticking your finger into a live socket. I never feel prepared, put together, or on top of any situation. I’m like a blownup raft that’s been tossed into a Class Six rapid. Essentially, I’m trying not to roll over, get thrown out of the boat, or take an oar to the head. My only agenda is to get us all through the ride alive. Barring that, it’s a total free for all.”

If you are looking for a fun, quick read this summer (or anytime you need to be reminded that mothering is hard, but beautiful), give this book a try.

* I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

* You may order this book from amazon here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Book Review: Just Mercy

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

I recently had the privilege of reading the phenomenal nonfiction memoir Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. It truly was a privilege. This book is eye-opening, heartbreaking, and powerful.

Just Mercy tells the story of Bryan Stevenson’s first years as a lawyer defending those on death row. In particular, it focuses on the plight of a wrongfully convicted man from Monroeville, Alabama. For those who think this town sounds familiar, it is the same town Harper Lee, acclaimed author of To Kill a Mockingbird lived and based her classic novel.

Like To Kill a Mockingbird, the man wrongfully convicted is black and his accusers are white. Racial dynamics are central because of his relationship with a white woman. However, in addition to racial discrimination, there is also government corruption and prison abuse.

Stevenson eloquently discusses the problems with our criminal justice system and the failings of our prisons. By providing an in-depth analysis, he presents information that the public often misses such as the number of children sentenced to life in prison and the statistics comparing the various races on death row. He also identifies the failings and lack of prison rehabilitation. He reminds readers of the number of those incarcerated that suffer from mental illness and drug/alcohol addiction.

When reading this book, I cried several times and wanted to discuss it at length my husband and friends because it is incredibly moving. I wanted to include one quote in this review that illustrates one of Stevenson’s main ideas, but the task was difficult because there is so much “good stuff” in the pages. Here is the one example I decided on:

“We’ve become so fearful and vengeful that we’ve thrown away children, discarded the disabled, and sanctioned the imprisonment of the sick and the weak – not because they are a threat to public safety or beyond rehabilitation but because we think it makes us seem tough, less broken. I thought of the victims of violent crimes and the survivors of murdered loved ones, and how we’ve pressured them to recycle their pain and anguish and give it back to the offenders we prosecute. I thought of the many ways we’ve legalized vengeful and cruel punishments, how we’ve allowed our victimization to justify the victimization of others. We’ve submitted to the harsh instinct to crush those among us whose brokenness is most visible.” (Stevenson 290)

As soon as I started reading the introduction of Just Mercy, I told friends that it will probably be one of the best books I read this year. I was right. This book was illuminating and has forever changed my views. Good books teach us something, but the best books help us empathize with others. Just Mercy does both. 

For additional information, please visit:

More Info

Author Bio

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: A Gentleman in Moscow

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

I loved Towles’ first book The Rules of Civility and read it in its entirety one afternoon sitting on a cruise ship sun deck. So I had every intention of reading his second book, A Gentleman in Moscow, but I kept hesitating because of the size and what sounded like an iffy plot. But, I was offered a freelancing opportunity involving this book, so I had the perfect reason to read it. And, I was so wrong about the size and plot.

This book, y’all, is one our kids will read in school. I do not say that often because there are plenty of great classics already on the reading lists, and many excellent books are slowly making their ways to that lofty list. However, out of the thousands of books that are published every year, very very few of them will be on that required school reading list. I am willing to bet this one makes it there.

Why? Because the story is unique, the characters are well developed, it is filled with symbolism and allusions, and the language is beautiful. Set almost entirely within the Metropol hotel in Moscow, Russia, the author has crafted a novel that is clearly reminiscent of the Russian greats; however, the added humor and playfulness of the novel makes it just as enjoyable (maybe even more so) to today’s audiences.

The basic plot involves the Count being forced to live under permanent house arrest at the Metropol Hotel. The novel then tells his story of living and learning amongst the hotel staff and guests at this hotel. In the novel, two young girls cause the Count to view the hotel and the world in a new way. (I would love to say more, but I would spoil it big time.) While it sounds like this may be a bore, I assure you it is not.

How fun was it to visit a hotel as a child? Now, imagine if you had a secret passkey to go anywhere you wanted to spy on others? Now, add in that you can dine daily at high-end restaurants with exquisite wine. Readers get to experience this unique life and meet a variety of nuanced characters. There are laughter, tears, and rejoicing. Not a traditional love story, but a book filled with love.

And, the language. Oh my word. The language! The novel reads like poetry. Serious poetry and playful poetry. There is one literary reference after another – I finally stopped keeping track. Towles even includes entertaining arguments about the use of verbs, commas, and haikus. This litlovingmom was in heaven!

Here are two beautiful quotes from the novel:

“After all, what can a first impression tell us about someone we’ve just met for a minute in the lobby of a hotel? For that matter, what can a first impression tell us about anyone? Why, no more than a chord can tell us about Beethoven, or a brushstroke about Botticelli. By their very nature, human beings are so capricious, so complex, so delightfully contradictory, that they deserve not only our consideration, but our reconsideration—and our unwavering determination to withhold our opinion until we have engaged with them in every possible setting at every possible hour.”

“He had said that our lives are steered by uncertainties, many of which are disruptive or even daunting; but that if we persevere and remain generous of heart, we may be granted a moment of lucidity—a moment in which all that has happened to us suddenly comes into focus as a necessary course of events, even as we find ourselves on the threshold of the life we had been meant to lead all along.” 

I cannot recommend this book enough! Read it. 

* You may order this book from amazon here. This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Giving Up Perfect

I have struggled with perfectionism for years. It has only been in the last couple of years that I realized how much it was weighing on me. Mostly because I am far (far) from perfect. And all the effort I put into trying to be was too heavy and cost me too much.

I recently read Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist. I love her. But, even more than I love her as a writer, I love the idea of the book. Shauna talks about how she lost herself trying to do everything and be everything for everyone but herself. I’ve been there. Some days I am still there.

As a fan of the book and a fan of Jesus, I decided to press forward and host a study on the book at my home. We have only met one time so far, but I am excited to have women enter my home with wide smiles, strong opinions, and vulnerability. Because you need all of those characteristics to fess up to being imperfect and recognize you are nowhere near it.

While going through the book and now the study, I have come to realize that I have lost a lot of myself trying to please everyone else. At one point in the past month, I caught myself confused about my own feelings. Was I really upset about something or was I just upset because I felt like someone else was upset? If that person was not present, would I still be upset?

When I recognized that I struggled to even identify my own feelings, I knew I had to redefine some things for myself. I am working more now than before, so I am suddenly much more aware of how precious my time is with my family and loved ones. I simply do not have the time to do all the things and be all the things. I am not capable or efficient enough to be perfect.

So, I have made a new rule for myself. If someone or something requires perfection, I am drawing a line. If you expect me or my family (especially my kids) to be perfect, I am going to make a boundary and place myself and my loved ones on the other side. I am not always well behaved, neither are my kids, and neither are you.

If you expect my house to be in perfect condition, I’m drawing a line. I once had someone point out that I missed a spot when cleaning the bathroom. And it killed me. Not anymore. Yeah – I missed a spot. If you noticed it, either ignore it or else you are going to the other side of the line.

Don’t make me feel less than for my imperfections and I won’t make you feel less than for yours. If you are okay with that rule, then we can be friends. If not, then I’m going to have to protect my precious time and energy by embracing those who will instead.

KidzBop Concert in the Rain

PS. In the spirit of imperfection, this Mom Monday post comes on Tuesday. 

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