whatcha readin'? {2016::book 9 - goal 12}

i knew immediately
that this was going to be the type of book
that i did not want to end...
ever.

i love, love, loved this book.
i was drawn in from page one and
could not put it down...
and i mean to the point that
i had it on my phone
and i read it as i walked back
and forth to work.

i knew right from page one that
i was going to be sad to see it end.
i loved the characters...
Handful/Hetty, Sarah, Mauma - not Missus though -
i hated her.

i loved getting a glimpse into Sarah's mind,
into how torn she was,
and how confusing and hard it must have been
to not believe in slavery
while growing up in a family that did.

i love Sue Monk Kidd's style of writing...
she captures voices in a way that makes you feel
like you know them, like you get them.
i didn't realize until almost the very end
that this was based on actual people, Sarah and Angelina Grimke

i made a note while reading this that said
"must read everything by this author"
but i realize now that i have already read a good majority
of what she has written.
i loved the mermaid chair and the secret life of bees...
i just wish there was more of her books to read.
i'll be watching for the next one!

5 out of 5 ♥♥♥♥♥'s

NEXT UP:  YOU'RE NEVER WEIRD ON THE INTERNET (ALMOST) - FELICIA DAY

whatcha readin'? {2016::book 8 - goal 12}

there were many times throughout this book
that I thought...
why am I reading this?
why am I going to put myself through this?
I'm not sure that I want to
think
about stuff like this...
but in the end,
I was glad that I stuck with it.

it was sad and obviously,
right from page one,
I felt like I knew what was coming
(given the title of the book)
but the honesty pulled me in and kept me reading.

such a beautiful and moving tribute
to what sounds like an extraordinary woman
and a glimpse into the relationship
between a mom and her son...
a son and his dying mom...
it was interesting and heartfelt and
definitely worth picking up...
just be forewarned that
you may end up crying at some point
in the breakroom if you read it on lunch
while you are at work...{taken from true experience}

4 out of 5 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 's

NEXT UP:  THE INVENTION OF WINGS - SUE MONK KIDD

whatcha readin'? {2016::book 7 - goal 12}

if you happened to have stopped by here
during the time of the great giddings flu of 2016
when i was sick for a week and
all out of sorts on neo citran
and tylenol cold & cough for kids
you may remember that i listened to the
audio book via youtube videos
of the graveyard book by neil gaiman
but because i kept falling asleep
i didn't realize that the videos weren't in order
until much later...like...when it was too late...

so i read the book to get the full story.

and it was so good...
but how could it be anything but good...
it's neil-freakin'-gaiman!

if you haven't read it, read it...
even if you aren't a kid.
even if you are.
read it to your kids.
you will come back and thank me.
:)

NEXT UP:  THE END OF YOUR LIFE BOOK CLUB - WILL SCHWALBE
 

whatcha readin'? {2016::book 6 - goal 12}

one of my best friends
lent me this book
and said so many good things about it...
i couldn't wait to start it.

and i was not disappointed.

it is a beautifully written
sad and haunting book
that drew me in with a world of miniatures
(cause i think we have established that i LOVE tiny things)
and pulled me along breathlessly
even when i wasn't sure i wanted to go,
it is not a happy light book
but it is sweet and sad
and a little bit happy and a big bit heartbreaking...

i just realized i wrote this on a post it note when
i was done reading this book -
"all the light we couldn't see broke my heart
again & again & again...
the words were like lyrics,
the sadness was tangible."

but read it...you will not be disappointed...
you may be as mad at me as i was at my best friend
for making me feel things...
but that's a good thing.

{by the way...i'm halfway to my goal for this year!}

NEXT UP:  THE GRAVEYARD BOOK - NEIL GAIMAN

whatcha readin'? {2016::book 5 - goal 12}

i love gray's anatomy.
i love the characters, the storyline,
the music, the writing...
meredith bugs the ever-loving hell out of me
but yang always made me stick around...
and come back for more...even when she went through a wishy-washy phase
but karev & wilson?
i ridiculously
LOVE
karev & wilson...
if something goes wrong with them,
i may have to stop watching the show.

so it was a no-brainer for me to read
year of yes
by shonda rhimes...

i will admit that 2.5 pages into it,
i might have clapped my hands a little in
happy anticipation
because it was one of those books
that you just KNEW you were going to love
right from the get-go.

i will also admit that,
probably because i was knee deep and drowning
in the play
when i started this book,
i did have a small moment or two of thinking
wait....i should not be reading this...
i, of all people, should probably NOT
be reading something that will encourage me to say
YES
to more things.

but it was still a great book for me...
it is always reassuring to read about other
introverts pushing themselves out of their
comfort zone...and it wasn't all about yes...
some of her "yes's" were actually saying
yes to saying no to something...

i loved her sense of humor
and her words...oh...i love her use of words...
it was a great quick read
that made me want to take notes
and make changes in my own life.
 

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and this has nothing to do with the year of yes...except that i can never say no to taking photos of clementines basking in the sun...