The last three books I read and my honest opinion on them
- haileyklug
- Oct 27, 2021
- 6 min read
Heyyy there! I am back after taking a brief hiatus and figuring out some life stuff! I think this post is so timely because I am going to talk about my actual favorite activity that gets me through rough spots: Reading!
For the people don't already know, I am a book nerd. I never am not reading a book, and I always have one on deck for when I am done. My home office is filled with books. I also have a weird thing where I have multiple copies of one book, because why not?! (Please see my shelf for three copies of Looking For Alaska by John Green, or two copies of The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown-just in case, you know).
As I said before, I took a brief hiatus from my blog because of some personal things, one of which was leaving one job and getting another. Writing took a seat on the backburner of my priority list. What didn't take a seat on the backburner you may ask? READING. It has been my escape for years, and that has not changed. We moved this year, and last month I finally got around to getting a library card at our new local library. Though I am sort of a "book hoarder" this post might as well be a plug for your local library because they are so important and I try to be a frequent flyer. Seriously, even if you don't read much go get a card. The amount of resources you get access to (for free) is astounding, and our libraries need your support!
I have had quite a bit of time for reading lately. I have found my new favorite reading spot with the best view (see photo below). I see many novels being read here, with a steaming cup of coffee or tea. Or wine.
So, onto the last three books I have read on this porch, the first of which being The Husband's Secret, by Liane Moriarty. I am going to do this avoiding any sort of spoilers, so don't be afraid to read ahead!
To be honest, I got this book because it was so hyped up. If you read at all, you have likely heard of this one. I used to purposely not read "hyped up books" because I thought I was too cool and loved reading works that were lesser known. For the record, I did read Harry Potter and love Harry Potter before it was the cool thing to do and all the movies came out, though. Just saying. I have realized, however, not reading something because it is hyped up is dumb. Read what you want to read.
This book can be classified as a thriller, but I would tie in some mystery too. I promise you won't be scared to read it at night. Imagine someone you loved who you thought you knew so well having a deep, dark, horrifying secret. Would it change your mind about them? This novel explores that question.
Overall, I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I sometimes have trouble reading books like this because I think they become predictable toward the end. I don't like predictability when I read. I say 4 out of 5 stars because I think this book fell victim to the "hype." When you see a novel being so widely loved, you come into it with some unconscious bias. It left me wanting more out of the book. There wasn't a negative quality about this book to report, I just simply wanted to know more! This book could easily have a sequel or two. My favorite thing about Liane Moriarty is that she really gets in depth with her characters- the real nitty gritty. This is the third novel of hers that I have read, and she does a phenomenal job of this in all of them. There aren't "good people" and "bad people." There are simply people. The gray area is emphasized. Their flaws are shown, as well as their good qualities. She brings in reality to fiction novels, and nothing seems too far fetched, even though it isn't necessarily real. Even the "villains" in this book will have you feeling bad for them. This book was a quick read for me. It kept me wanting to read it, so if you are someone who gets bored easily but has good intentions of starting and finishing a book, this one's for you!
Next up-- The Warsaw Orphan by Kelly Rimmer.
Warning: This book is heavy. I have always been interested in historical fiction, especially books based upon WWII. This one is powerful, and conveys a message to the modern day reader: If you think we have it bad right now you are very, horribly wrong.
This book follows a family through the realities of the Warsaw Ghetto under Nazi rule through the communist regime that follows. This was another book that I was able to read quickly. It was different than other historical fiction novels I have read on this topic. It is hard make a judgement on a novel that depicts something so horrible that literally destroyed millions of lives. However, I think Kelly Rimmer does an excellent job capturing the human side here. You not only are introduced to the characters, and watch them go through tragedy, you get to see qualities such as hope, resilience, familial love, fighting spirits, and even romance. I think when we read novels like this, many times the focus is so much on the horrors (rightfully so. God willing, we never forget). However, Rimmer brings attention to other traits of the human condition, which often are forgotten in times like this. Those qualities are often what brings us to the other side of tragedy, and also help us learn from our mistakes. This book is 5 out of 5 stars worthy of your time. Check your local library for a copy (if they don't have it, they will find it for you!!) or, if you talk really nice to me I might let you borrow my copy, but only if you give it back.
The latest book I read- Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult. One fun fact about me, Jodi Picoult is my girl. I am such a fan of her and her writing style/genre. She is easily in my top 3 authors. I pride myself having read (almost) all of her books. Most of her books discuss tough topics (a baby out of wedlock in an Amish town, Aspergers, suicide, young people issues, divorce). This novel is no different, as the topic is the sexual assault story of a child. It is hard work navigating this tough topic, but my girl Jodi does it so well.
Like the two authors I spoke about before, Jodi Picoult does a fantastic job showing all sides of a character. In this book, you will get attached to many of the characters. (My personal favorite is Patrick). She also does a good job incorporating humor in her novels. I think doing so is a great way to get people to read about things out of their comfort zones. You can tell she does a ton of research on the topics of her books- Perfect Match is no different. I feel like upon reading a book like this, you learn as well. I learned things about our justice system in this book and how terrible people are prosecuted. It makes the reader ask the big questions surrounding this issue. What should be the punishment for this type of offender? What role should the parents play? What kind of resources are children given? How do parents look out for their children?
This book also has a mystery element to it-most of her books do. As you turn the pages, the reader is in a classic "whodunit" type novel. Hands down, my favorite part about Jodi Picoult is that she is what I call, "The Queen of Plot Twists." You will read this novel and her other novels thinking that you have the entire plot figured out. You will think you know exactly who did what and why. But, in very typical Jodi Picoult fashion, she will show you that you are wrong.
Though I love this author, and enjoyed the book, I can't say that this was my favorite novel of hers -Plain Truth takes that cake. I would give this one 4 out 5 stars. I loved the writing style and the whodunit aspect, but I thought it was duller than some her other works. You're still my best girl though, Jodi. No hard feelings.
If you think you can solve mystery and crime cases easily, try this one out and let me know if you got it right!
And there you have it! The last three books I have read. If you have stuck around this long, thank you for the support. I visited the library last week, and got two more books that are now on deck. The one I am currently reading is actually a repeat for me, House Rules by none other than Jodi Picoult. I read this one in high school, but wanted to reread it (another interesting quirk about myself, I guess). The other is my first ever Kristin Hannah book, The Great Alone.
What is the last thing you read and what did you think about it? Post in the comments and let me know!
Happy Reading!
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