On the bookshelf in July
The first book I read in the month of July was Normal People by Sally Rooney. It’s a pretty short book about a quirky girl named Marianne & her relationships with various people. If you’ve read any of my previous book review posts, then you know that I love a good story about a lost / broken person trying to find themselves. That’s kind of what I was expecting when I started reading this book, however, it ended up being quite different. Though it was a short book, I struggled to get through it because it just wasn’t the type of book I was expecting / typically enjoy. There were a few raunchy sections as well as some descriptions of domestic violence (trigger warning there). My mom & I both gave this book one star.
The second book I read was Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult. Y’all, if you take any of my recommendations, take this one — this book is a MUST read. I wouldn’t say that it wrecked me in the ways that some of my other reads have, but this one without a doubt changed my outlook on life. This book focuses largely on racism & social injustices that people of color face. While this can be an uncomfortable topic, it is one that we ALL desperately need to read up on.
As a caucasian woman who just received my masters in school counseling & has taken some classes specifically on social & cultural issues of the world, I like to think that I’m fairly educated on these topics & conduct myself & my interactions in a way that would reflect this knowledge, however, this book threw all of that out the window & gave me a GIANT scoop of humble pie. It’s easy to turn a blind eye & pretend like we’re not playing an active role in the injustices of the world, but friends, there is always room to grow, room to learn, & room to do better. If you’ve read this book already or if you plan to in the future (which you all should!), I would LOVE to discuss it with you! I gave this book five stars. I would’ve given it ten if my goodreads app would’ve allowed that.
The third book I read was The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley. I typically don’t read mysteries or psychological thrillers because I tend to internalize them a little too much & can really freak myself out, but I decided to read one while I was on vacation with my family because that felt safe lol. Overall, I surprisingly enjoyed this one & all of its twists & turns. The chapters switch back & forth from before the body was found, to after, & I was always intrigued & trying to figure out exactly what happened. I was pretty shocked by the ending of the book, but it had great closure which I always appreciate. There were a few raunchy scenes, but because of the surprises, I gave this book three stars.
The fourth book I read was What’s Next?: The Journey to Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose, and Make a Difference by Chris Hodges. If you’ve been around here for awhile & read some of my past book reviews, then you know that I’m super hesitant when it comes to self-help books. (I’m considering this one a Christian self-help book because Hodges is trying to show the readers how to be a better christian / person). I tend to either really love them or really dislike them & there’s usually no in-between. Unfortunately, this was one that I really did not enjoy. I’m a pretty stubborn & independent person, & I oftentimes I get offended & defensive when I feel like someone is pointing a finger at me or knows better / more than me or feels like they’re better than me. I got some vibes of that from this book & really couldn’t convince myself to get out of that defensive mindset. It’s funny though because my mom loved this book so much she gave it five starts. I, on the other hand, gave it one — that’s how much I didn’t like it. Have any of you read this one? If so, what were your thoughts?
The fifth book I read was Destroy Your Student Loan Debt: The Step-by-Step Plan to Pay Off Your Student Loans Faster by Anthony Oneal. It’s time to start getting serious about my loans. It’s so easy to push them off while you’re in school, but I can’t hide from them any longer. I’m the type of person to get really motived about finances & I knew I needed something that would light a little spark under me. This book was perfect! It’s super short & relates directly to Dave Ramsey & how he advises people to become financially stable. I gave this book five stars because it was short & to the point, but also informative & motivating. I highly recommend if you’re needing something to give ya a boost on your student loan (or really any debt at all) journey as well.
The sixth book I read was The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton. This story follows a sweet young adult girl named Lily. She has some pretty drastic life changes that take place in the beginning of the book, & you get to hitch a ride along with her as she navigates her “new life” & exactly what she’d like for it to look like. The majority of the book takes place on the shores of Alabama & without a doubt, I’d like to join the community where Lily ends up. This is a sweet story that offers hope & a whole lot of predictability. It’s a super easy read & I gave it three stars.
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