BB Book Club: Leah’s August Picks
Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed Jacobson and Bray’s books from July. And if you haven’t read them yet, no pressure. I once made it my New Year’s resolution to read one book per month because I fell so hard off the reading wagon. I dominated half the year, got to July, a third of the way through 11/22/63 by Stephen King, and never finished that beast. Still haven’t even watched the Hulu show because I refuse to watch it until I complete the book. The most annoying part is I really enjoy the story??? But here I am, still wondering what Jake Epping is up to. Sometimes, it’s hard to power through books when life gets in the way. But you’ll push life out of the way in order to DEVOUR the first rec of August.
Neapolitan Quartet by Elena Ferrante
Hi, forgot to mention I’m a proud member of a book club with two of my best gals. My Brilliant Friend is the first book we read together, and it has brought us closer as friends. You know when your friend is obviously doing something foolish and self-destructive, and you just want to shake them and say, “Why?? Why are you doing this to yourself?? STOP!”? I want to do that to just about every character in this quartet. I’ve never been so frustrated with a book, to the point where I don’t even want to read it, but simultaneously need to know what happens. And nobody writes characters like Ferrante. I feel like all of the characters are people that I’ve met, because the way they act and speak to one another is so unapologetically human. These books are filled with TEA, and since it’s told as the girls are growing up, the tea fits the age group and what matters during that time. There is an HBO series that I have not checked out myself, but have heard good things about.
P.S. I highly recommend starting a book club with a small group of friends. It’s a great way to schedule hangout time in an otherwise busy schedule. Even if you only discuss the book for 30 minutes of your 3-hour hang out – it’ll be the highlight of your week.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
I can’t remember why I chose this book, but I’m glad I did. I love YA stories, but sometimes it bothers me when the main characters are like “uGh, I’m in high school and no one ~gets~ me because I’m so *different*.” Although one could argue this book is like that, I think the main character’s *difference* from the other high schoolers is well justified. Spoiler: depression is a huge theme in this book and (in my personal experience) I’ve never read about it so well put from the perspective of young people who struggle to understand it. There is a Netflix movie, it’s not as good as the book (shocker), but I do recommend watching it after reading because Justice Smith is a cutie (as always!).
CHECKLIST:
Start a book club!
Read the book BEFORE the movie!!
Go back and read that book looming over you that you always said you would finish!!!
