Laughs at Funerals: The One with the Books

I meant to write this post a months ago, since I read most of these books over the summer, but somehow with all the baby prep, I never got around to it finishing it. I thought I would have plenty of time to read during my maternity leave, but so far, I've ~~wasted~~ spent a lot of time watching Friends reruns. If you ever need someone to go to Friends trivia night, I'm your girl. It is on TBS All.Day.Long. I'm pretty sure Brooks' first words will be, "How you doin?" The saddest part of this whole situation is that even though I'm on round three of the series, I still have no idea what Chandler does for a living.

This clever little book got my summer reading off to a fun start. Written by a librarian, it is a collection of love letters and breakup notes to a wide variety of books, everything from Karenina to Twilight. Be forewarned, Spence does drop the F-bomb a few times, but overall, it's a witty, laugh-out-loud read.

In a moment of fiscal responsibility, I checked this book out from the library, but now I wish I had a copy of my very own. The second half of the book is full of recommended reading lists that I would love to refer to in the future. Spence's humor and voice made me feel like I was having a real live conversation with a knowledgeable librarian right in my own home.

This was my favorite beach read of the summer, probably because, thanks to growing up on The Parent Trap and Sweet Valley High, I love stories of identical twins. When Tabitha and Harper switch places, the standard confusion ensues, with romance, secrets, and parenting troubles sprinkled along the way. Since the story takes place on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, you have the best of both worlds. What more could you want in a beach read?

I also read Hilderbrand's The Perfect Couple, which was good but not her typical beach romance. Unrequited love is at the forefront of the mystery, though. This one kept me turning the pages for the majority of the book, but the last chapter fell a little flat.

Of course, after reading Need to Know at the beginning of the summer, any mystery was going to fall a little flat. This was the most suspenseful book I've read in a long time, and just when I thought I had things figured out, Cleveland flipped the script on me. When I finished reading, I had to text my

friend Graham, who recommended the book, and ask her if I was understanding the ending correctly. Then, when our friend Emily read it, she texted me the exact same question. We were all like, "Wait, does this mean what we think it means?" I'm ready for a sequel because I definitely need to know what happens next to these characters.

This was another story that kept me on the edge of my seat. The book starts out when a couple's baby is abducted--probably not the best book choice for an expectant mother, but once I started, I had to keep going. The whole time I was reading, I kept thinking, "Oh, what a tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive," because every character has secrets. Some of the twists and turns are a bit strange and seem a little forced at times, but it was still an entertaining read. The ending was definitely a shock!

I put off reading this for awhile because I kept thinking there was no way it could live up to the hype surrounding it. I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked the way the book is organized. Each chapter starts with a lie we tell ourselves

and ends with practical tips on how to overcome the lie. The middle of the chapter is Hollis' life story, with nuggets of wisdom embedded throughout. My biggest problem with the book was that I think I read it too fast; I need to go back and read a chapter a week to really process Hollis' advice. If you need a push to step out of your comfort zone and try something new, this provides the perfect motivation.

This was, by far, my favorite book of the summer. It has a little bit of everything: suspense, love, danger, and redemption. It's the story of a young girl named Leni and her parents, who are both fragile and frustratingly dysfunctional. The family moves to Alaska to live off the grid, bringing both heartbreak and healing to Leni's life. The story drew me in from the very first page, and I stayed up until two in the morning just to finish it.

I want this to be made into a movie, both for the story and the cinematography of the Alaskan wilderness. I could see Colin Farrell playing the dad, a man who has all of these big dreams but can't seem to get out of his own way to make them come true, much like the character he played in Saving Mr. Banks.

Wow! This book may be classified as a young adult novel, but I assure you, adults will surely benefit from reading it as well. For one thing, it has the most authentic voice of any book I have read in a long, long time. Starr, the story's protagonist, is a 16-year-old girl straddling two different worlds, trying to figure out her own unique voice and the power that comes with it. You will feel like you're right there with her. Angie Thomas said that books can "show us a side of the world that we may not have known about," which is another reason I think everyone should read this. It's a chance to walk in someone else's shoes. Plus, it is full of powerful wisdom, including my favorite quote, "Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right."

Okay, I can admit, I probably have an unnatural obsession with Melanie Shankle. I just think, if given the chance, we could be really good friends. And that's what reading this devotional is like, a chat with a good friend. This collection of 100 devotions is the perfect way to start the day. Each devotion begins with a scripture and then a story from Melanie's life that illustrates the verse in everyday life. The incredible part of reading this was how often the day's lesson was exactly what I needed to hear that day. I love giving this as a gift and know I will read it again and again.