August and September included lots of great books! Come see what I’ve been reading and tell me what I need to add to my never-ending TBR.
Everything Here is Beautiful: 4 stars!
This was our September book club pick! Sisters Miranda and Lucia Bok are complete opposites. While Miranda is responsible, Lucia is unpredictable. But when it becomes apparent that Lucia is suffering from mental illness, Miranda is determined to protect and seek help for her.
I found this book incredibly thought provoking. My preconceived ideas of mental illness were drastically different than what was described in this novel and it helped me open my eyes.
The book is told in alternating points of view with Lucia, Miranda, and other supporting characters. At times I struggled with this (mainly the formatting), but I later appreciated how it helped show the reader both the internal struggles that Lucia was facing as well as the outside experience from family and friends.
Other books I’ve read with mental illness:
All the Bright Places (YA) – 4.5 stars
Every Last Word (YA) – 5 stars
Ask Again, Yes – 4 stars
A few more that I want to read:
My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward
The Bell Jar
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
The Heart Principle: 4.5 stars!
Gah! This was the third book in the Kiss Quotient series and I have loved all of them. In a nut shell, they are unique romance stories that tackle heavier topics and include a main character on the Autism spectrum.
I love that this is Hoang’s most personal story, and I can’t even imagine how challenging and emotional it was to write it.
I knew I was going to love Quan from his appearances in the previous two books, so his was my most anticipated story. I loved him and Anna from the beginning and I’m so glad that their love story was a unique one. My only wish was that there would have been more of their relationship in the final section, but I understand the need to focus on their personal growth too. If you haven’t read these books, I personally would recommend starting with book one, even though each can be read as a standalone.
Other books with characters with autism spectrum disorder:
The Rosie Project – 4 stars
Counting by 7s
The Girl He Used to Know
Life’s Too Short: 5 stars!
This is another one I had been anxiously awaiting. Abby Jimenez stole my heart (i.e. squashed it into a bazillion pieces) with The Friend Zone and therefore we instantly became BFFs.
In Life’s Too Short, Vanessa lives her life with a Carpe Diem motto, until her sister drops off her newborn baby and never returns. Adrian is Vanessa’s (uber hot) Lawyer neighbor that unexpectedly sweeps in to save her. I absolutely loved Adrian and I adored his instant ability to care for a baby (such mom porn!). Abby Jimenez is another author that writes heavier romance. This book covers things like ALS, hoarding, addiction and child abandonment, but still possesses swoon-worthy romance and the HEA that I desperately needed.
Usually, I will almost always recommend that you read a series in order so you can get to know the characters, however, this one didn’t directly intertwine with the previous two, so I think it would be safe to read this as a stand-alone if you were interested like Becca @ Life’s a Pearl did.
If you’re looking for more romance with heavy topics, I also recommend checking out these authors:
Colleen Hoover
Helen Hoang
Leylah Attar
K.A. Tucker
The Path Made Clear: 4 stars!
Over the years I’ve struggled with listening to audiobooks, my mind wanders, I lose focus, and I they just take too long. My friend Becca told me about listening to the audiobook version of The Path Made Clear and how it was only about 4 hours long. I’ve always loved Oprah and I knew that four hours was something I could commit to, so I immediately requested it from the library.
The Path Made Clear is a compilation of interviews that Oprah has with celebrities, authors, and other influential people who help inspire us on a path of self-discovery to find our unique purpose. I enjoyed the audiobook immensely, and ended up snagging the hard-copy from the library as well, so that I could make notes on my favorite passages. I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a little inspiration or guidance. I think this book ultimately led me to creating this blog – something I had been mulling over for years.
Ask yourself today, in the middle of your complicated, demanding, chaotic life: What do I want my legacy to be? And then start living from that intention.
– Oprah Winfrey
I was cleaning my house when I heard Shauna Niequist’s interview with Oprah. Her words stopped me in my path, and I immediately thought, she’s talking about ME! Her book, Present Over Perfect has popped up on so many recommendation lists over the years, but I was afraid to read it because of its Christian labeling. After hearing her story, I knew I needed to give it a try, and I’m so glad I did.
Present Over Perfect: 4 stars!
Despite the Christian bias, I felt like the content of this book was completely relatable. Shauna was vulnerable and talks all about her struggles with balancing work, life, and family, and how she was always pushing to prove her worth. These are things I also struggle deeply with.
I think there is something in here for all women to relate to, even if you don’t have children in your home. It’s about slowing down and rewiring your brain to focus more on the things that matter.
The passage that I felt most connected to was “Throwing Candy” on page 195.
“This is what I’ve learned the hard way: what people think about you means nothing in comparison to what you believe about yourself.”
– Shauna Niequist
Some of my favorite inspirational books:
Big Magic
Untamed
Soulful Simplicity
What was your favorite book for August or September? Do you have any that you would recommend I add to my list?
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