After taking all of 2020 off from reading books, I jumped back in as the calendar flipped to 2021. I finished 3 books in January and started quite a few others. Finding time to read with a house full of kids is hard. Throw in a set of twin toddlers and it gets a little more complicated. That said, I am determined to read at least one book monthly in 2021.
If You Tell
My first read was If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood by Gregg Olsen. As the title suggests, it’s a true crime story surrounding Shelly Knotek. I don’t read a lot of true crime, but this was in my Kindle library from 2019. I read it in about 48 hours. It was a good book, but became a little redundant as the pages turned.
Ask Again, Yes
Ask Again, Yes: A Novel by Mary Beth Keane came highly recommended from several folks in the MomAdvice book club. My favorite read of the month, this book is beautiful. I could not put it down. It was not at all predictable. Filled with emotion, empathy, compassion, and forgiveness, it’s a must read.
Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope, rookie NYPD cops, are neighbors in the suburbs. What happens behind closed doors in both houses—the loneliness of Francis’s wife, Lena, and the instability of Brian’s wife, Anne, sets the stage for the explosive events to come.
In Mary Beth Keane’s extraordinary novel, a lifelong friendship and love blossoms between Kate Gleeson and Peter Stanhope, born six months apart. One shocking night their loyalties are divided, and their bond will be tested again and again over the next thirty years. Heartbreaking and redemptive, Ask Again, Yes is a gorgeous and generous portrait of the daily intimacies of marriage and the power of forgiveness.
Sweet Water
Sweet Water by Cara Reinard was an Amazon First Reads pick for December. If you are a Prime member, you should take advantage of this feature. You can choose 1 (sometimes more) free book each month from their First Reads selection. Sweet Water reminded me a bit of Defending Jacob in the sense that you spend the entire book figuring out if the son is guilty. It is definitely a book of light suspense which I like. Sweet Water reminds us to be careful what we wish for. Reviews on Amazon are mixed, but I enjoyed it.
For February, I hope to finish Vegetables Love Flowers which is a book about companion gardening- something I’m hoping to tackle this spring. I am also listening to Trevor Noah’s “Born a Crime” on audiobook. Audiobooks are new for me and I haven’t quite learned how to work them into my days. Also in my hope to read this month pile is “The Hate U Give” and “The Vanishing Half” which are both highly recommended.
Add Comment