Books

I've come across some interesting books over the past few weeks. Some good old fashioned novels that you read just for fun, I haven't read books like these in a really long time and have found them super entertaining.

They're quick reads that break up your daily routine and normal thoughts and let you get lost in another world. All three are written by women and the stories are about women. it was fun relating to other woman's thoughts and ideas. I've enjoyed them and thought I would post about them in case you needed a new book to read, or in case anyone has read these and wants to talk about them.

The Friday Night Knitting Club - by Kate Jacobs
This book was a suggestion from one of our couple friends that we go out to eat with every so often. While the guys talk about grilling food, Karen and I talk about our current books. She is both down to earth AND proper (I don't know how she pulls that off), she's funny and smart (has a degree in literature), so I was excited to read something she recommended. The Friday Night Knitting Club is a story about a woman who runs a knitting store in New York City to support herself and her thirteen year old daughter, whom she has raised by herself. The book focuses on each of the ladies who have formed this knitting club, after hours, at the store... but the main story is about the owner of the knitting store, who is learning to forgive, because her daughter's dad has come back after thirteen years of being absent (to finally be present) and an old friend that once treated her poorly needs her help.
One thing that stuck out to me in this book is when one of the ladies says that she is lonely and decides that she needs to go out and meet some people, but one of the other member ladies says to her that she needs to get to know herself first, suggesting that she tries new hobbies and activities, and learn how to enjoy her own company. I thought that was an excellent piece of wisdom. So often we think if we rely on outside relationships to fix all our problems, but we shouldn't have our happiness depend on anyone but ourselves.

The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing - by Melissa Bank
This book is nothing like the title suggests. I thought it was going to be more outdoorsy, which is why I picked it up. Had I known I was going to be reading about the life of a boring book editor, and the failed relationships she has throughout her life, I would have never considered reading it. With that said, I really quite enjoyed it. I actually felt a connection with Jane, and what was going on in her head, and the dry witty things she says to people. I thought the descriptions of things were beautifully written.
It's called The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing because near the end of the book she gives up and buys herself a book on "how to date" to finally help herself out and to get some insight on what "real women" must be doing (which I have totally done before) and starts following along to all the rules to "snag the guy" and to keep him "baited on the hook"... you'll have to read the book yourself to see if it actually ends up working for her, I will just tell you that I really enjoyed the final lesson learned for this young lady.
This book has earned its' spot as a new favorite in my "coming of ages" category.

What Alice Forgot - by Liane Moriarty
This was such a page turner for me, and such a thought provoking story. During the day when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. The book is about a woman named Alice who, while riding her bike at spin class, falls off, bonks her head, and loses ten years worth of memory. When she comes to she thinks that she is 29 years old, pregnant with her first child, and in newlywed bliss with her darling husband who adores her.... when in reality she is 39 years old, a busy mother of three, and going through an ugly divorce.
It's a fun idea for a story, and it had me pondering so many things... what if I lost ten years of memory? Am I the same person I was back then? Who will I be in another ten years? I really liked this book, I couldn't put it down, and it really made me think.

So this is what I've been reading lately, what have you been reading?


NOTE: what I didn't like about all three of these books is the random f-word I came across... I do not support the use of this word,