Barefoot Beach

By: Toby Devens
Published Year: 2016
Publisher: NAL
Pages: 400

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influences my opinion. 

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): For Nora Farrell, Tuckahoe, Maryland, isn’t just a summer refuge, it’s home—where she married the love of her life, decided to have a child, and has remained connected with her two closest friends. Even now, long after her husband’s passing, Nora reunites with Margo and Emine every June….
 
But this year, challenges invade the friends’ retreat. Even as Nora delights in teaching at her dance studio, she is shaken by the possible loss of her beach house…and by a tentative new romance. While Margo directs a musical at the Driftwood Playhouse, she finds her marriage on rocky ground. And Em, who relishes running her family’s café, struggles to handle her rebellious daughter.
 
With their personal dramas reaching a fever pitch, the women will discover that it isn’t only the beach that brightens their lives. Their bond with one another provides the ultimate magic.

                                                             First Impressions

This cover is so calming! It looks like the exact kind of book that I want to read at the pool or the beach during the summer. The summary didn’t pull me in right away, and to be honest, I probably would’ve put it down if I saw it at a book store, but I decided to give it a chance. I love books about friendship and this seemed like it would be a great story about friendship.

                                                              What I thought

This book was a very slow burn for me. I wasn’t automatically drawn into the story or immediately attached to the characters, but over time I found myself really pulled into the Barefoot Beach World.

Nora Farrell spends every summer at her beach house in Tuckahoe, Maryland with her family and two of her best friends (and their families). This summer, Nora has to handle her son contacting his biological donor dad (she and her late husband used a donor to conceive Jack), Margo is worried that her husband is cheating on her again, and Emine is dealing with her troubled teenage daughter.

The whole story is told from Nora’s perspective, so you only find out about Margo and Emine through Nora. I was a little taken aback by how many traumatic things had occurred in these people’s lives. I think based on the cover and title I expected this book to be a bight lighter, but it is not. Nora’s husband passed away 8 years ago and she is still mourning him. She is also dealing with the fact that her son Jack, at 19, has decided to contact his sperm donor. There is also a character, Scott, who is a war veteran who lost his leg during his last round of duty.

Because the book was so much heavier than I expected, it took me a while to get into the story. The story lines were pretty serious and I didn’t know the characters, so it was hard to feel invested in such heave stories without being connected to them. Once I kept going though, I found myself feeling more invested in the lives and stories of these characters.

I do wish that the book had been told in multiple perspectives. I found myself wanting to know more of what was going on with Margo and Emine than what I found out through Nora’s storyline. To be honest, I think Emine’s story would have been the one I was most interested in if we had gotten a bit more of it. I also think that if I was older I would have appreciated the story more if I was older. I’m in my late 20s and the characters were all in their late 40s, so I haven’t experienced any of what they have.

I also was a bit thrown off by the friendship. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but, again, this may be because I am at a very different point in my life and friendships than the characters. I felt like the characters were there for each other when they were having a crisis, but not so much in the everyday lives. I also was very annoyed with Jack, Nora’s son. I found him irritating and could have easily done without him.

This book was an enjoyable read and I hope that there are more to come as by the end, I did feel connected to the characters. I would gladly catch up with them during the following summer, especially since it didn’t feel like nicely wrapped up at the end. I would probably recommend this book to a more mature audience, as it did feel like I had a bit of a difficult time connecting to these characters. I wouldn’t read it again, and I wouldn’t purchase it for my shelves, but it is an interesting story and was a comforting read. 
 

Mini Sephora Haul

In a week I am taking a vacation with one of my friends to England and Ireland. To prepare I stopped into Sephora to pick up a few things. I went into Sephora specifically to pick up some oil blotting sheets. While we aren’t going to hot countries, we will be walking around a lot and probably getting shiny. Definitely not good for pictures. While there I, of course, got sucked into a few things.
 

First, I purchased the Sephora Collection Mattifying Blotting Films ($10).

There are only 50 papers per packet which is less than I thought they would have. These papers are meant to blot the oil from your skin without removing any makeup. They’re also meant to soothe the skin. 

Second, I purchased the Sephora Collection Calming Natural Tea Tree Blotting Papers ($8).

There were a bunch of blotting papers that had extra ingredients and I had a hard time choosing. The nice thing is that these ones have 100 sheets and are $2 less than the mattifying ones. I picked the tea tree papers because tea tree oil is meant to help calm the skin and help with blemishes. I’ve used these a few times and so far I really like them.

As anyone knows who has walked into Sephora, they have a bunch of adorable travel size items leading up to the checkout. Before my honeymoon, I found Ole Henriksen The Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths at TJ Maxx for $3 for a 10 cloth pack. I had never used them prior, so I only purchased 2 packs, even though I should’ve purchased more. I ended up really liking them and felt a pull to purchase more for my upcoming trip. The orange scent is super refreshing which is great when you’re feeling jetlagged. This time, I found the 10 cloth pack at Sephora for $8, which is more than I pay for a full pack of Simple makeup wipes. But you know what? Every once in a while you have to…
 

via GIPHY

Finally, with 100 of my Sephora points I got another sample size of the Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream. I received a sample of it in one of my Play by Sephora beauty boxes and I like it a lot. I figured this would be a great way to have an easy travel eye cream, especially in case my first one runs out!
 

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic

By: Allison Bechdel
Published Year: 2007
Publisher: Mariner Books
Pages: 232

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): In this graphic memoir, Alison Bechdel charts her fraught relationship with her late father.

Distant and exacting, Bruce Bechdel was an English teacher and director of the town funeral home, which Alison and her family referred to as the Fun Home. It was not until college that Alison, who had recently come out as a lesbian, discovered that her father was also gay. A few weeks after this revelation, he was dead, leaving a legacy of mystery for his daughter to resolve.


                                                           First Impressions

I am a big Broadway fan, so I first heard of Fun Home from the Tony’s. I did not initially know that it was a graphic novel, and when I found that out it didn’t appeal to me at the time. However, after reading and enjoying Persepolis I decided I wanted to read something similar. Fun Home was the first thing that popped into my head so I picked it up.

                                                           What I thought

Maybe I’d enjoy the musical version better?

For as much as I enjoyed Persepolis, I disliked Fun Home. It was nothing like I expected and I was definitely disappointed.

Fun Home is another autobiographical graphic novel based on parts of Bechdel’s life. However, it’s as much about Bechdel’s dad (if not more) than it is about her. Bechdel’s dad was gay but never came out of the closet. He presented his life as a straight man with a wife and family, even though he occasionally had affairs with men that his wife often knew about. Bechdel is also gay, and came out in her early 20s. it was at that time that her mom shared with her that her father was also gay. Shortly after she came out to her family, he dad passed away.

First off, this story is insanely depressing. A bit more depressing than I expected, even though it does call itself a tragicomic. I was a bit taken aback by how much this story was going to be about her dad and the difficulties of his life. I thought it was going to be a bit more about parallels and how they bonded after she realized that she was gay. I also didn’t realize when I picked the book up that one, her dad had never come out as gay and two, that he was dead.

While it was a depressing story, that wasn’t the main reason that I disliked this book. It’s that it is the most pretentious piece of literature I have ever read. The entire book feels like Bechdel bragging about all of the authors that she read and basically talking down to the reader. She constantly compares herself and her dad to Proust and Wilde, and so many more over the top authors. It feels like she is name dropping intellectuals and it is extremely off-putting. I very much got the feeling that if I were to meet Bechdel she would be looking down her nose at me while we talked and I couldn’t stand that.
 

Nothing appealed to me about this book. The story irritated me, the tone of voice irritated me, and the drawings did not captivate me. I would not recommend this book unless you want to read a depressing, pretentious comic. The other annoying part is that you would think if she’s writing this story she would’ve had more to say about her dad as an actual person. Instead, she only describes her father as parts of characters in other stories and I never felt like I learned who he was. 
 

The List

By: Siobhan Vivian
Published Year: 2012
Publisher: Push
Pages: 336

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): An intense look at the rules of high school attraction - and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.

                                                           First Impressions

This book has been on my Goodreads list for a long time, so I can’t remember what my first impressions were. I think the cover caught my eye, and then the summary even more so. Looking at it now, I feel like the cover is a bit young and definitely screams YA. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I don’t think it would catch my eye as much now as it did a couple years ago.

                                                            What I thought

Every year at Mount Washington High School, a week before homecoming, a List comes out. The List designates the prettiest girl and the ugliest girl in each grade. No one knows who creates the List each year, but it has been a staple at the high school as long as anyone can remember. The book follows all of the girls on the list through the week, with each having their own chapters in their own perspectives.

I think that Vivian did a great job at switching back and forth between all the girls and giving them their own stories. However, I do feel like with eight perspectives it gets a bit tricky. There are definitely four girls who I felt like were focused on a developed a little more than the other four. Personally, the four stories that felt the strongest to me were the two freshman girls and the two senior girls. The four girls in the middle, while they had story lines, didn’t seem to have as many or as much development as the other four.

This book addresses so many important high school issues. There are characters dealing with hate, sex, discrimination, eating disorders and more. I think that Vivian tackles these issues well and writes about them so realistically. These are problems that so many high school girls deal with that, a lot of the time, adults don’t take seriously or don’t understand. This book would have done a great job at making me feel I wasn’t alone when I was in high school. Granted, I’m not saying that I had a lot of these issues while I was in high school, but you often feel like everyone else’s life is perfect and that yours is the one that isn’t. The List shows that every girl, from the ugliest to the prettiest, has their issues and troubles and no one is perfect.

The frustrating thing about this book is that it doesn’t end. Everything in this book is left unresolved and it is infuriating. I don’t know if it was written this way in hopes of bringing out a second book, or if there is some sort of message saying that life’s problems don’t resolve so the book doesn’t either. However, that’s not why I read books! I need my books (and movies) to have endings that wrap up at the end. I don’t need a happy ending, but I need something. There are no consequences for the List; there is no explanation about what happens to these girls after the dance, there is nothing. The ending to this book, unfortunately, ruined the whole book for me.

The story and concept of this book are wonderful and so interesting. Vivian’s writing is great and she takes a difficult concept, writing from the perspective of 8 characters, and makes it look easy. As I mentioned, the ending angered me so much that it took away from the rest of the book and how much I enjoyed it while I was reading it. I’m excited to read more by Vivian and I think this was a good introduction into her writing. I would recommend it to all YA readers, but with the disclaimer that it does not have a wrapped up ending! 
 

Tell Me Three Things

By: Julie Buxbaum
Published Year: 2016
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 336

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?

It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son.

In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?

                                                           First Impressions

How cute is this cover?? I love how minimalistic it looks but in a very intriguing way. Why are there waffles? Why are they in pieces? I knew I wanted to read this as soon as I saw the cover. If I did need any more convincing, all I needed to do was read the summary. This book jumped straight to the top of my To-Be-Read list. Bonus—it counts towards the Debut Author Challenge!

                                                             What I thought

This book brought me back to my high school days (which was almost 10 years ago—eek!). Not only did something about Jessie’s life and experience make me feel like my high school life, but the writing seemed reminiscent of books that I would’ve read in high school.

Jessie lost her mother a little over two years prior to the story. Her father has met another woman who he marries, forcing Jessie to move from Chicago to LA in her junior year of high school. She moves into her rich stepmother’s house with her new stepbrother, who is the same age. She is also thrown into a private school with students who are all very rich and privileged. After her first day, she receives an anonymous email from a guy who refers to himself as Somebody/Nobody, offering to help her navigate to tricky world of Wood Valley High. While skeptical at first, she ends up foraging a relationship with SN over email and IM, without knowing who he is.

What I loved about this book is that I could relate to it so much, even though I am well beyond my high school years. Even though texting and social media was not as prominent when I was in high school, we definitely lived in the world of Instant Messaging. I felt connected to Jessie when she shared how she felt more confident and comfortable talking over IM, as opposed to in person. I have experienced that exact same feeling, and still feel that sometimes over email. In a world so heavily run by technology, it think this is a message that people of all ages can relate to.

Buxbaum’s writing is so true and so pure. A lot of new YA books, while interesting and wonderful to read, have become so complicated when compared to what I read when I was in high school. Fantasy is a lot more prominent in the YA line currently, as opposed to the everyday experience of high school. Buxbaum does a wonderful job bringing her story back to a realistic everyday girl’s life. It was a breath of fresh air to not have to worry about fantasy or other overly used (as of late) tropes.

While I have not experienced the loss of a parent, it felt to me that Jessie’s experience was authentic. She was grieving and hurting in a genuine way that never seemed over the top or exaggerated. In addition, Jessie has a wonderful group of friends that doesn’t turn on her at the slightest moment. In my personal experience, friends are supportive and don’t turn on you at the slightest bump. I think this could book could be a light for many high schoolers who are struggling to get through a dark time.
 

This book was so wonderful. It was refreshing in its simplicity and realism. I immediately felt transported back to high school in a way I haven’t felt with other YA novels. Buxbaum’s writing was easy to read and relate to and I look forward to reading her adult novels. I loved the portrayal of friendships in the novel as well. I think it’s wonderful to have a story where female high school friends act like true friends. If you enjoy contemporary YA or are bored with the typical YA tropes, I highly recommend checking this one out. I would definitely re-read it, and maybe purchase it if I saw it at the library book sale or half price books. 
 

June 2016 Favorites

Books

Britt-Maries Was Here by Fredrik Backman

My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan by Set Rudetsky (Book Club)

Love & Gelato By Jenna Evans Welch

Sunshine Beach by Wendy Wax (Review)

The Memory of Lemon by Judith Fertig (Review)

The List by Siobhan Vivian

Since She Went Away by David J Bell (Review)

Persepolis by Marjan Satrapi (Review)

Without You by Anthony Rapp

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Barefoot Beach by Toby Devens

Semi-Sweet: A Novel of Love and Cupcakes by Roisin Meany

Favorite Book I read this Month: Persepolis, closely followed by The Unexpected Everything. I was truly shocked how much I loved Persepolis. It is definitely one of those books that I didn’t realize quite how much I loved it until days later when I was still thinking back to it. The Unexpected Everything is a close second because it was the book that really got me into the mood for my summer reading.

Beauty

Bold Lip

I know this isn’t a specific beauty favorite, but now that it’s summer, I am loving wearing a bold lip again! I’ve been leaning towards the hot pinks and the reds, but pretty much whatever is bright is a love for me. I feel like in the summer it is the extra touch that just gives my whole outfit a boost.

Sunday Riley Good Genes Serum

I received a sample of this in my first Play! By Sephora beauty box. I used it for a while when I first got it, and then through it into a makeup bag and forgot that it was there. I recently spotted it and started using it again and really realized just how much my skin loves this product. Unfortunately, it’s super expensive ($105), so I most likely will never purchase the full size. However, the sample is lasting me quite a while, so that’s always a plus!
 

Buys

Soma Black Maxi

Back in March, I received a black maxi for my birthday. It has been my go-to dress this past month and I love it. I love that I can through it on by itself and it looks put together, or I can through something on top of it to change the look completely. I know that this is going to continue to get more use when I go on my big trip at the end of July. 

Miscellaneous

Soccer

This past month the Copa America Centenario and the European Cup started. The Copa was hosted by the US, and a few games were even in Chicago! I have been loving being able to watch soccer all day every day and absolutely loved going to two live soccer games. Being a soccer fan in the US can be tricky since there aren’t a lot of big time games, so I absolutely loved the chance to see such amazing teams.This has been the summer of soccer and on days when there are no games I feel an emptiness in my life! I am also so excited to see Iceland doing so well in the tournament. 
 

Our Shared Shelf June 2016

In January 2016, Emma Watson decided that she wanted to start a feminist book club. I really respect Emma Watson and was really excited when I saw that such a smart woman like her would be starting a book club that I could be a part of. In addition to that, I knew that her selections would be books that I would not pick up on my own so this would be a great way to challenge myself and read books outside of my comfort zone.

For the month of June, Emma picked Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. While the picture I provided is of the complete Persepolis story, it was originally split into two books which is how I read it. 

Publisher: Pantheon
Published Year: 2000-2003
Pages: 341

Amazon Barnes and Noble

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming--both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up.


                                                              What I thought

Persepolis is a graphic novel autobiography by Marjane Satrapi about growing up in Iran. Her childhood was during the time of the Iran/Iraq war in the 1980s. The first 2 parts (what I read as book one) follow Satrapi through her childhood in Iran until she left to study in Austria at the age of 14. The final two parts (what I read as book two) pick up during Satrapi’s life in Austria through her mid-twenties.

I was born in the late 1980s, so I have no knowledge of the Iran/Iraq war. I know the name Saddam Hussein, but I don’t know what life was like during that time or what life was like in Iran prior to that war. I had no idea that prior to that war/revolution women in Iran didn’t wear veils and had so much more freedom. I have grown up in a time where the oppression of women’s rights in Iran is normal and, sadly, accepted. I was surprised to see how this is only something that has become the norm in the last 20-30 years.

This book was so educational and enlightening. Having not lived through the same times that Satrapi and, of course, the same experiences that she had, I felt like this let me look into a world I didn’t know existed. Satrapi is such a strong woman and reading about her actions and how she lived was inspiring.

I did prefer the first two parts of the story to the second two parts. Once Satrapi left for Austria, I felt frustrated because she lost herself and she started to do some very dumb things. I know that no one is perfect, so that’s not the issue I had. I just felt so angry that someone so strong and who acted as though she knew who she was could be so influenced in her teenage years to lose her way in trying to conform to society. This fact, more so than Satrapi’s actual story, it what angered me.

Everything about this story was fascinating to read. The drawings fit the story so well and I enjoyed the way the Satrapi told her story. I finished both of these books in a day because I needed to know what happened. Every time I got to the end of a “chapter” I couldn’t put it down. I wish that I had been encouraged/forced to read these stories when I was younger. While I don’t think I would’ve appreciated them quite as much as I do now (especially her older years), I think it would’ve opened my eyes to the world a little more.; especially since these books came out bordering the times of 9/11.

One of my favorite personality traits of Satrapi was her passion for reading and knowledge. Every time she found herself faced with something she didn’t know or understand, she would read book after book about the subject to understand it better. This is something that I feel everyone should do when they don’t understand something, but unfortunately it seems as though people prefer ignorance.
 

Once again, Emma Watson picked a wonderfully enlightening book. Similar to My Life on the Road, I feel like this book needs to be required reading, and not just for women. If we could get this book into the schools I think it would be so beneficial. I don’t know if I can see myself re-reading this book in the future, but I definitely want to own it so that I can force people to read it. Even if you’re not into graphic novels, you won’t even realize that’s what you’re reading. This story flies by and I enjoyed every moment of it.
 

Since She Went Away

By: David Bell
Published Year: 2016
Publisher: NAL
Pages: 423

Amazon Barnes and Noble

This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion. 

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Three months earlier, Jenna Barton was supposed to meet her lifelong best friend Celia. But when Jenna arrived late, she found that Celia had disappeared—and hasn’t been seen again. Jenna has blamed herself for her friend’s disappearance every single day since then.

The only piece of evidence is a lone diamond earring found where Celia and Jenna were planning to meet, leading the national media to dub Celia “The Diamond Mom.” And even though Jenna has obsessively surfed message boards devoted to missing persons cases, she is no closer to finding any answers—or easing her guilt.

But when her son’s new girlfriend—who suddenly arrived in town without a past—disappears, a stricken Jenna begins to unwind the tangled truth behind Celia’s tragedy. And as long-buried secrets finally come to light, she discovers how completely lives can be shattered by a few simple lies.

                                                           First Impressions

The yellow didn’t draw me in right away, but the girl with the red umbrella did! I have a bit of a thing for pictures of people with red umbrellas so it drew my eye. The summary immediately intrigued me. I enjoy mysteries/thrillers and this one sounded interesting and different from a lot of the thrillers that I’ve been reading lately.

                                                            What I thought

Jenna was meant to meet her best friend Celia at the park at midnight. When she finally arrived (late as always) Celia wasn’t there. She called her friend, and then called her friend’s husband, and finally the police. The story picks up three months later, with everyone still searching for Celia and hoping for new leads. About three weeks prior to where the story picks up, a new girl arrives at school and Jared, Jenna’ 15 year old son, starts dating her. He feels like she isn’t being fully truthful with him and might be in danger. When she doesn’t come to school one day or the next, or the next, he truly starts to become concerned. Are the two disappearances connected?

This thriller was so refreshing. It’s an easy read and a complete page turner. It isn’t overly violent and doesn’t rely on a giant twist halfway through the story. The two stories intertwine and you can tell they’re connected from the beginning.

Jenna is a single mom and she feels a bit guilty and unsure of how to raise her 15 year old son. She is definitely obsessed with the case and finding Celia and gets herself into a bit of trouble because of that. She listens too closely to the press and constantly checks out the message boards for any new hints that Celia might have been spotted.

Jared is the nicest fifteen year old ever. He listens to his mom and even though he does some very teenager-y things (like sneaking his girlfriend into his bedroom when his mom isn’t home) he never does anything truly bad. He is a nice guy and cares for his mom and doesn’t act out in any way.

It’s always hard for me to review thrillers because I don’t ever want to give anything away! Bell does a great job of keeping the story moving and he stays away from a lot of typical twists or plot points that a lot of thriller writers use. The cops are competent and don’t just get close to the main character because they think she is actually the one that did it. I did not predict the ending halfway through the book which is always such a relief. 
 

I really enjoyed the story of this book. The characters were interesting and the story moved at a wonderful pace. I never felt like I had to drag through boring parts to get to the exciting bits and I always wanted to keep reading to find out what happened! While I wouldn’t read it again (since I don’t find thrillers as enjoyable the second time around), I would recommend it to people who enjoy thrillers and are looking for something that’s a bit different from all of the thrillers that have been getting attention. I would also gladly pick up another one of Bell’s books to check out.