I am on a reading roll! I don't know if I am hit with the "bug", you know, the bug where you just keep finding amazing books and all you want to do is read? Yea, that kind of bug. It might be a case of the winter blues, but, really, all I want to do is hibernate and read these days. I love that I can just escape to another world and enjoy peace while reading. I have been wanting to join a book club for so long! I have been reading with my friend, Bon, online for awhile, but I finally convinced her to finally meet in real life...and I am so glad that we finally did! It was such a fun night of chatting, laughing and connecting over books. The Bachelor may have been thrown in there as well ;)
Come join in on Bon's Book Club! If you live in the area, we meet the last Tuesday of every month. I will be co-hosting next month, so let me know if you want to come. The online book club posting will be the last Thursday of every month. Here is the schedule for the year. I have already read a couple of these books, but I will definitely be re-reading some of them.
February: A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman
March: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
April: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
May: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
June: Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
July: Room by Emma Donoghue
August: The Martian by Andy Weir
September: So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson
October: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
November: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Our January book was These Is My Words by Nancy E. Turner.
For me, what I loved about Sarah, the main character of this story, was her innate strength and humility. This novel was, essentially, a diary of a girl's life from 1881-1901. She struggles through so much agony and her strength is truly immeasurable. I loved that Sarah was humble in her strength. In my eyes, I feel like she, in a way, was the woman that we all strive to be. She could shoot a gun, raise a family, attack people who invaded her land, and protect her family. She valued education, which to me, I loved (hello, teacher!). She didn't even understand her strength, and that, to me, is what was so endearing about her.
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| What heaven feels like. |
Sarah spends much of her time wanting to be like Savannah. Savannah is her sister-in-law and is awesome. But, Savannah, has a different kind of strength than Sarah. Savannah is a little more "Christ-like and sweet." At least, that's how I pictured her. Sarah had a little bit more sass and pizzaz. Because of this character difference, Sarah always compared herself to Savannah. She wanted to be softer, in a way. I understand that feeling. For me, I love it when I can connect to the main character. And I think that's what made Sarah so likable. I saw a lot of myself in her: she was feisty and emotional and stubborn. I feel like I need to be "softer" sometimes, as well. But, they were both so strong, in such different ways. I felt like I wanted to keep saying to Sarah, "No! You are both wonderful, in different ways!" That's the beauty of women: we each have our own strength, but they are all in different ways. That, to me, is what makes it wonderful!
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| I loved this!!! It is a perfect preface to set up the book. |
Often times I think people assume that feminist are man-haters, but as I have continued to study feminism and what it means to ME, I am learning that it is about strengthening and empowering women. It does not mean that I am better or more superior than a man, but to, rather, love my woman-ness, if you will. I think Sarah epitomizes this idea. She was strong. She was a fighter. She was a real woman raising children, getting an education, falling in love, and working her butt of. That's bad ass.
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| What heaven feels like round 2. |
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| We forgot to take a picture, so this is missing some people. Also, I really enjoy taking pictures after yoga and I'm all sweaty. Thats fun. |
Overall, I give this book 5/5 stars. See more of my review on Goodreads.
My favorite quotes from the book:
"We are a noisy and blessed family."
"Sometimes I feel like a tree on a hill, at the place where all the wind blows and the hail hits the tree the hardest. All the people I love are down the side aways, sheltered under a great rock, and I am out of the fold, standing alone in the sun and the snow. I feel like I am not part of the rest somehow, although they welcome me and are kind. I see my family as they sit together and it is like theyh ave a certain way between them that is beyond me. I wonder if other folks ever feel included yet alone.”
“Taking up marriage is a good excuse for taking up cursing, I think.” (Ha! Ain't this the truth!)
"It seems there is always a road with bends and forks to choose, and taking one path means you can never take another one. There's no starting over nor undoing the steps I've taken. It isn't like I'd want to not have my little ones and Jack and that ranch, it is part of life to have to support yourself. It's just that I want everything, my insides are not just hungry, but greedy. I want to find out all the things in the world and still have a family and a ranch. Maybe part of passing that test was a marker for where I've been, but it feels more like a pointer for something I'll never reach."
"But my life is not like that, it is a tree, and I can stay in one place and spread out in all directions, and I can do more learning shading this brood of mine than if I was all alone.”
Other Book Reviews: Intuitive Eating //Happier at Home // Happiness Project // Wild // Elizabeth Smart: My Story //
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