Books I read in March 2017

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown ***

We read this book for book club.  It wasn't super compelling and I'm shallow and want to entertained mostly.  It wasn't really about imperfection.  I can do imperfection.  Imperfection is sort of my jam. I did like this book though. There was something in the book that really resonated with me.  She talked about the distinction between fitting in and belonging.  She said it's easy to fit in.  And it is.  We can dress appropriately and act socially acceptable and we fit in.  Very different to belong.  To have People.  I've never felt that more keenly than when I've moved.

Connected to that is this thought by her:  If we share our shame story with the wrong person, they can easily become one more piece of flying debris in an already dangerous storm.  I'm grateful for the right sort of people I have to share my stories with.  Even when they're stories that don't paint me in the best light.  What would we do without the people that love us anyway?

The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows ****

I loved this book!  It's by the woman who co-wrote The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society which I also loved.   This book was set in a small town in West Virginia during the Depression.  A high society girl, cut off by her parents, joins the Federal Writer's Project and heads to the town to write its history.  I loved the family she boarded with and all the characters.  I cried.  (Which is really not much of a recommendation because I cry easily, but still.)

Soulless by Gail Carriger **

I got this book from the library because it was highly recommended.  Then I looked at the cover, "a novel of vampires, werewolves, and parasols."  What?  Not my normal genre but it was highly recommended so I gave it a try.  The writing was witty and enjoyable.  The subject matter was sometimes interesting (Victorian English society) and sometimes just weird.  Also, sometimes I had to skim because it was dodgy.  I don't really recommend it but I did finish it, so that's something.

The Things We Do For Love by Kristin Hannah ***

Anything by Kristin Hannah is a sure bet for me.  This was a good book.  It's about all the things.  Sister relationships, marital relationships, a suffering motherless girl, forgiveness and acceptance and goodness.  I also love about her books that you think you know how it's going to turn out.  You think you know how it should turn out.  Then it is different than you expected and you're glad.