Recently Read - February 2020

I love reading. It is pretty much something at the core of my being. You'll rarely catch me without a book (or two) in my bag. I used to write full book reviews on here, but I think that's a bit much for me at the moment. Also, I simply read too much to keep up to date.

In an effort to simplify my life a little more, I've decided to write mini reviews about the books I've read recently. I may include a few from the past that I received for free, but overall, this will be a little catchup of what I've been reading.

Nobody Cares by Anne T Donahue

I read this book over a year ago and I am still thinking about it today. Donahue's voice is so unique; it is witty yet serious. I often found myself thinking I could be friends with her. Donahue remains personal with the audience which makes this a startling look at reality through the lens of her life. Everyone has been through similar life events and Donahue is clever at taking the mundane parts of life and turning them into life lessons. Nobody Cares is a celebration and exploration of innate human-ness. I rate this book a 4/5 for its personality and relatability. 

The Cut Out Girl – Bart Van Es

               This book is an interesting mix of memory, journal, and pictures. However, this is not the kind of war book I was expecting. This is less about telling the story of the girl in the picture and more about the speaker trying to understand his own life and family story. There are certainly good re-tellings and memories that make things personal for the reader but it could not balance the rest of the story. I found it hard to focus on the writing because it was choppy and simplistic. There was too much history and not a lot of tracking the storyline that would keep me interested. I give this book 1/5 for being hard to follow and not building the story.

Scrappy Little Nobody – Anna Kendrick

               Not the best celebrity autobiography I've ever read. While Anna Kendrick maintain her unique and funny voice throughout, this felt like it was constantly going over "I'm not that famous, I'm just like you" when, in reality, Kendrick has been lucky to have the chances in life that led to her success. I do fully appreciate the spotlight on the lesser known sides of Hollywood's "glamour." I also liked that Kendrick did acknowledge the difficulties of getting to the top. I would suggest this book for any Anna Kendrick fan. I'm not sure anyone else would gain anything from it. I give this book a 2/5 for the lack of interest beyond just being an fan. 

The Testaments – Margaret Atwood

               What a fantastic follow up to Handmaid's Tale. It is a story of female power, the danger of the government in the wrong hands, and the way revolutions can spread. Atwood's writing style and ability to create characters that have distinct voices is second to none. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I give this book a 4/5 for the incredible storyline and for Atwood herself. 

Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship – Kayleen Schaefer

               After finishing this, I immediately ordered copies for my best friends. It is also the one that inspired last week's post which has been my highest viewed page in a while! This exploration of female friendship is reminder of who got me to where I am now. Schaefer uses anecdotes from her own life, the lives of people around her and media to paint a portrayal of what female friends can do for each other. She covers young friendship, mean girls, loss of friends, and friendship versus romantic relationships. There is a message in there for everyone about the role of friendships in their life. If this doesn't make you want to write your best friends a soppy love letter about how much they mean to you (which I did), then I don't know what will!

Let me know what you've been reading!

-Daniella