Book Club

I've found myself in a bit of a reading rut lately. Sometimes the pressures and stress of life makes it difficult to fully immerse oneself in another world. But, while it wasn't always a quick or easy process, I have managed to claw my way through a few books since the last time we spoke. 

Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me by Adrienne Brodeur 

-A memoir about a young girl's complicated relationship with her eccentric mother and the blurred line between parenting and friendship. Adrienne's beautiful mother wakes her one night to confide in her that she has just kissed the husband of their longtime family friend. Adrienne is then forced into an accomplice role as a decades long affair commences. 

I found this story to be absolutely captivating and highly recommend this one. 

The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand

-It's almost a scene out of The Parent Trap, two teenage daughters are forced to separate as their parents divorce, one moving with their father to Martha's Vineyard, the other their mother on Nantucket. While the islands are only a few miles apart, they might as well be opposite ends of the earth. A rift forms between the identical twins that spans nearly twenty years, until the death of their father forces them to address resentments long since buried. 

As a huge Hilderbrand fan, I had high hopes for this one but ultimately found myself rather underwhelmed. The premise was interesting, especially with my lifelong obsession with twins, but this felt excessively long and lacked a lot of substance. 

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand 

In a premise similar to Same Time Next Year, 28 Summers follows the lives of two young adults from when they are introduced on Labor Day 1992 through present day, as they meet to share one perfect weekend a year together. 

As underwhelmed as I was by The Identicals, I felt the complete anthesis about this work. Hilderbrand brilliantly begins each chapter by noting what topics we were discussing at the time, instantly transporting you back and immersing you in the story. A love story that rivals The Notebook, this is one you shouldn't miss. 

Regrets Only by Erin Duffy 

A young mother, recently relocated to Darian Connecticut discovers her seemly perfect husband has been having an affair with his high school girlfriend. Forbidden from moving home to Chicago with her infant son, Claire is forced to forge a new path in a town where she knows virtually no one (aside from her husband's mistress). 

Duffy is the author of one of my all time favorite books, Bond Girl, so I make a point to check in every so often to see if she has released anything new. Regrets Only is her most recent work and I have to say I really enjoyed it. Perhaps it's because I'm in a bit of a personal transition period, though thankfully not a messy divorce, that it resonated so strongly with me but I thought it was fantastic. A true testament to the loyalty of friendships and what perseverance can manifest, I recommend adding this one to your "to read" list. 

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett 

A selection from my book club with my college best friends, The Vanishing Half tackles many social issues we are struggling with today, like racial inequality and injustice, and transgender rights. The story is about two identical biracial twin sisters and what happens when one sister secretly lives her life as a white woman. 

If you're in a book club, this is one to read. It facilitates such great discussions about characters that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. I highly recommend this one. 

And, in the meantime, keep your fingers crossed that my newest Jodi Picoult purchase can break me out of my funk a bit!