That Summer by Jennifer Weiner

CLICK TO PURCHASE $7.00 like new

If you read any book this summer, make sure it's That Summer by Jennifer Weiner, a story that is both uplifting and unforgiving; heart-breaking but also heart-warming; compelling yet - unfortunately - a timeless story. But Weiner's is a tale that needs to be told.

Daisy is a seemingly contented housewife, but only because she tells herself that it must be so. She has a nice house, a kitchen with all of the frills, a husband who could be worse, and a daughter who can be difficult but is also brimming with confidence and intellect. Then Daisy starts receiving misdirected emails that are meant for Diana, which are mostly invites to fancy parties and events, tugging at Daisy's heart, wondering if settling so soon meant that she had missed out on her dreams. But Daisy didn't receive those emails on accident, Diana is not who she says she is, and what unfolds is a story that is poignant and relevant, a mystery reminiscent of Rosie Walsh's Ghosted, and a true testament to how the Universe works in mysterious ways.

Written with Weiner's trademark wit, That Summer unpacks all of the real dirty laundry that unfolds with every traumatic, life-changing event.  This book goes beyond what we think we know and understand about assault, cutting deep into what the real, long-lasting price of trauma is, for both the victim and the predator, and in being in the horrifying position of bystander. That Summer is about everything that happens afterwards, and comes at the question "What Would You Do If It Were You?" from every possible angle, a harsh though true exercise in empathy for even the most unfortunate of characters. But each of them is heartfully developed, and there are so many moving parts to this story that encompass what it truly means to be a human being, and what it means to have past selves, future selves, and how we reconcile those two in order to live in some form of peace.

I will admit, based on the cover and the synopsis - those on which we shall not judge - I was expecting That Summer to be frothy and fun, but what I got was so much more. It is mysterious and intelligent, thoughtful and relatable, and funny and unrelenting; just like every summer. I've read seven of Weiner's novels, and That Summer is another one of her wins for me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 on my goodreads.

Mercy House by Alena Dillon

A very lovely lady, who said she enjoyed my reviews 😁, messaged me to recommend Mercy House by Alena Dillon, a recently published read that I might have overlooked had it not been for this fellow book-minded individual, even though Amy Schumer praised it as, "...the book we've been waiting for." The story is intriguing and captivating, if not angering, though I wouldn't agree that this is the book we've been waiting for, so much as the book that has existed for thousands of years that we've done a stellar job of ignoring.

In an unassuming row house in Brooklyn, with a most unassuming angel doorknocker, is Mercy House. Run by Catholic nuns, the house offers a safe haven and rehabilitation to women escaping otherwise violent home-lives. In a twist of all-to-real irony, Mercy House, and those like it, are being investigated by the Catholic Church in order to make sure that their activities are in-line with Catholic doctrine, and the Bishop investigating Mercy House just happens to be a man with whom Evelyn - the head nun - shares a dark history. Both in a battle with her own anger and self-inflicted guilt, Evelyn and her ragtag team of nuns and House residents will work to save not only Mercy House, but themselves in this fast-paced, empowering novel that is sure to spark raw emotions and deep discussions.

Mercy House is a difficult story, both in the tales of violence as well as in the learning of it, and Dillon handles the complex issue of abuse with grace and aplomb. Her writing conveys the horrors within the Catholic walls without being overly traumatic in the telling, and she is able to stir just the right amount of emotion, which is ignited even further by her research. Though a fictional tale with fictional characters, Dillon draws upon several real stories, which is, ultimately, the heart-breaker.

I can't say I "enjoyed" this book because it tackles some very unfortunate subject matters, but Dillon tells a remarkable, important story. The only thing, really, that kept me from giving it five stars on Goodreads is that I feel there could have been a broader spectrum of ways in which a person - women - can be abused and victimized by others - men. There is a lot of what we're used to hearing about regarding the underbelly of the Catholic Church, but not really anything different, and, unfortunately, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

Though I am not Catholic - or religious by any measure of the word besides believing in God - Mercy House is surprisingly relatable. It is also very entertaining and empowering and not just to women, but to anyone who has been made to feel like their love and service to others is a sin.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 on goodreads. CLICK HERE TO BUY. $5.00 NEW CONDITION

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

Queenie Jenkins is a 25-year old woman living in London and she is not having a good year. Her boyfriend, Tom, has asked her to move out of their flat in the ever-ambiguous Ross and Rachel-type "break," she can't seem to keep focused on her job as she wades through the toxic waste that is OkCupid, and she struggles to find approval from her brash Jamaican family as she not-so-gracefully navigates subtle racism and blatant sexism. While some of her issues are simply the world spinning as it should, Queenie is a mess of her own making, which, as someone who is either 25-years old or used to be 25-years old, is something we can all relate to.

But I'm not 25-years old anymore so I felt far-removed from Queenie and struggled to empathize with her. She is a difficult character to like, and I imagined it would be a challenge to be among her circle of friends. Queenie is not very self-aware, though she is incredibly self-involved, and is often the victim of her own restraints. She is also, however, enlightening and funny and has a hidden confidence that she simply hasn't mastered quite yet, much like every 25-year old everywhere. I would be very interested in revisiting Queenie in ten years time, when she is 35.

Written well, with several laugh-out-loud, and SMH "been there!" moments, Carty-Williams opens up a small part of London that we easily forget and easily ignore. We reserve racism in all its forms to the back-country American red-necks, not realizing that a small comment on skin tone isn't as complimentary as we might think; no other race - White, Asian, Hispanic - ever gets compliments on skin tone and complexion unless you're at the Barbazon kiosk or suffering from that pregnant glow. At the same time, Carty-Williams, whether unwittingly or on purpose, underscores the way in which we place ourselves in a box then get defensive when that box is recognized, the scene at the swimming pool a prime example.

The one, basic theme that we can all relate to - male, female, young and old - is the blatant pressure and judgment we receive from our family that is an otherwise normal desire to please our teachers and role models, but how that has an effect on the way we perceive the rest of the population - strangers, friends, and partners. If the people who love us the most are able to pass such harsh judgment and criticism, then surely it is much easier for someone who doesn't know a thing about us to do the same? Queenie's inherent anxiety is a direct result of the stress she feels in either trying to please her family, or explain and defend herself. It's no wonder we - including Queenie - feel we have to do the same with everyone else we encounter in the world. What Queenie not-so-eloquently exemplifies is that the way we choose to navigate those judgments and anxiety is ok and all a part of life.

Although I wouldn't place Queenie amongst the voting pool of Goodreads Best Books of 2019, it is a good, well-structured read that almost anyone can appreciate and, like Queenie herself, find beauty in. "To all the Queenie's out there. You are enough." ⭐⭐⭐/5 on goodreads.

The Bucket List by Georgia Clark

I've noticed that I have an interesting habit when it comes to the books that I end up finding absolutely amazing and how I select them at the library. The last few phenomenal books, I've picked them up off the shelf, read the synopsis, briefly considered adding it to my stack, before ultimately putting it back for next time. After two or three rounds of this, I finally bite the bullet and take the book home, and usually wind up utterly blown away. The Bucket List by Georgia Clark is...brilliant. It is witty and fun, heart-warming and heart-breaking, sexy and hilarious. I laughed-out-loud with, literally, every turn of the page, and found several moments where tears sprang to my eyes. I'm not usually on the yay-women! bandwagon, but this is a book every woman can appreciate, for so many, many reasons.

Lacey Whitman is a brash up-and-comer on the New York fashion scene, 25-years old and not afraid of a little hard work. Assuming it's nothing, and just another box Lacey wants to get ticked off, she requests the testing for the BCRA1 gene mutation only to find out that she's positive. With an almost-certainty that she will get cancer at some point in her life, Lacey is faced with deciding on years of close surveillance or mastectomy. While trying to choose, Lacey and her friends realize just how connected our boobs are to our sexuality, and even relationships, so they create a Boob Bucket List; everything she's ever wanted to do with her boobs before they get lopped off or turn into ticking time bombs.

To start, this book is phenomenally written. It is deep and profound, yet sharp and funny. Clark has her pulse on the cultural polarities, while also creating something deeply soulful and real. And each element to the story, each character, adds a component to the book that everyone can appreciate or relate to. I have none of the medical issues that Lacey is faced with, but this book resonated with me in ways I didn't expect.

At times, you love and empathize with Lacey, and at times you think she's a selfish bitch, because she is all of us; she is all of us women wrapped up in a colorfully likable character who is faced with a most undesirable decision with equally life-altering consequences. She is trying to navigate the tumultuous roads of friendships, relationships, family, and career, while stumbling into the stereotypical woman-pitfall of needing to be everything to everyone and a burden on no one. What on the surface is campy, fluffy chick-lit, actually touches on so many topics, especially those important to women, including our sexuality. 

Clark expertly makes the distinction between being in control of our sexuality and it being controlled for us, as Lacey discovers that, as she sits in the driver's seat of sex-ed, it ignites other, more fierce powers within her, giving her confidence in the areas of her life not ruled by libido. Clark also brilliantly showcases the fine line between caring for ourselves and when that self-care turns selfish and starts to harm others. And this is a fantastic read for a time in our culture when we're trying to find the socially acceptable balance between sex and power, and grasp how the two relate, compliment, and confuse one another. What Clark offers up in The Bucket List is charming and charismatic and covers the wide spectrum of emotions as Lacey goes through it all - fear, indecision, lust, romance, rejection, loss, anger, heartbreak, and happiness, all with a wry, infectious humor that really makes you believe laughter is the best medicine.

The Bucket List also gave me a new appreciation for boobs and a deeper understanding of just how involved they are in our lives and those we choose to bring close to us. They are our sexual antennas, our pregnancy beacons, and worshiped by many. I encourage anyone with an interest in good books, relatable characters, and laughing through the tears of the curve-balls of life to read this book. I encourage people who have the gene mutation, breast cancer, or know people from either to read this book. 

I laughed, I cried, and I am so glad that - after three tries - I finally checked it out. Let's hear it for the ladies! (And get those checked out, too.)

He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly

Erin Kelly quickly became one of my favorite authors as soon as I turned the final page of The Burning Air. And although critically-acclaimed, I did not enjoy The Poison Tree but chose to let that one slide, and she remains one author of whom I will return to their shelf time and time again.

But Kelly also ruined me.

After The Burning Air literally made me exclaim, "Holy fuck!" out loud and on every social media platform I use, I find very little in the literary world that shocks and surprises me. And if we're being honest without being big-headed, my brain has been thus trained to pick up and store every detail, and to recognize patters not only within the story but the structure of the plot. For instance, have you ever noticed that character outliers end up playing bigger roles than they appear? But although I don't find a lot of plot twists too shocking, or I can see them coming a mile away, Kelly and her twisted tails never cease to entertain and amaze me.

Kit, an Eclipse Chaser since conception, and his love, Laura, stumble upon a deeply disturbing act in the ending moments of an eclipse in 1999. Though simple bystanders who, both luckily and unluckily, happen upon this moment, Kit and Laura's lives are forever set upon a crash course of guilt, lies, deception, and devotion. Kelly weaves an intricate and clever slow burn that is riddled with mystery and in a constant state of intrigue and suspense. Extremely well-written and thoughtfully organized, Kelly creates great connection to characters, empathy for their emotions, and clear justification for their actions, and is a master at pulling your attention in one direction while deftly working in the other. She expertly deconstructs the pitfalls of our human instinct to protect ourselves and our homes, and our misguided attempts at convincing ourselves that even just one lie, no matter how small, will prevent the world from tipping on its side. The story Kelly has (re)told is timeless, but hers is clever, witty, gritty, and remarkably relevant.

It can't go unnoticed the extreme parallels of this book, published in 2017, presumably at the height of the #MeToo Movement, and current events. Though stories of this nature - both true and for the purpose of entertainment - are as old as the written word, the details - as Kelly expertly conveys - also haven't changed. Kelly vividly re-creates the heartbreaking world we live in, where judgements are misplaced, we throw money at problems to make them go away, and the slanting deceptions we create for ourselves. He Said/She Said is a haunting examination of our own trustworthiness and of those closest to us, and an unfortunate reminder that no one is to be trusted; maybe - especially - not even ourselves.

Though devoid of an actual bombshell moment for me personally, He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly is a compelling, thoughtful, mysterious read that you will no doubt feel the pull to see how it finally ends. Me, I can't wait to see what Ms. Kelly throws at me next...