July Reads

Suddenly we find ourselves at the end of July! 

I.

Am.

Exhausted.

I just got back from girls (church) camp today. Four days and three nights in the mountains with other people's children is quite an adventure! In all honesty, it went really well, and I can't complain. The girls were really well-behaved and they all seemed to have a good time. Nevertheless, this morning, I told them, "I love you all very much, but I'm excited to send you home to yo muthas!" 

I took a book to girls camp knowing full well that I wouldn't be reading it (and I was right), but there was just something comforting about knowing it was there! Instead of reading myself, I talked to every reader at camp about their books, and boy did I get an earful of Percy Jackson! I also got the rundown of a few graphic novels and several teen series (The Lunar Chronicles and Gallagher Girls to name a couple). Then in turn, I gave each of them a presentation on The Book Thief and Les Miserables which they didn't really listen to, and I thought, "This is what it must feel like to be an English teacher."

Now I’m sitting in my backyard watching the baby chickens fight over a bug whilst I type on my phone and eat mint chocolate chip ice cream straight from the carton.

Here are the books I’ve read in July:

The Things We Keep by Sally Hepworth

(contemporary, chick lit)

Source: e-book

Summary: After the suicide of her husband following his involvement in a Ponzi scheme, Eve takes a job as a cook at a care center where she meets Anna and Luke, two young Alzheimer's patients who are in love but are kept apart for safety reasons. 

Content: language and mild sexual content

Review: ****

Final statement: I didn't love the Anna and Luke story, but there were things in this book that really appealed to me - particularly Eve and her daughter reconciling their husband and father's choices. I was leaning more toward a three-star rating until I read the author's note at the end. Sometimes those author's notes are what win me over.  

The Lost Girls by John Glatt

(non-fiction, true crime)

Source: audiobook

Summary: This is an account of the abductions and rescue of Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina Dejesus in Cleveland, Ohio.

Content: This story contains the worst of human nature - abduction and abuse of all kinds. 

Review: ****

Final statement: Do you remember when these girls were found? Do you? Because I do, and I was glued to the news. I COULD. NOT. BELIEVE IT! This story is absolutely horrific. If this book were fiction, I would criticize the author for inflicting every possible type of pain and suffering on the characters - to the point of making the book "too far-fetched," and yet, this really happened. Some of the content made me sick, but I am very intrigued by human behavior, and if I ever pursue further education or a career, it will likely be along the lines of social work or therapy, so as repulsive as it is, I am drawn to stories like this. I want to know how the victims survived and how they are healing. 

The Witness Wore Red by Rebecca Musser

(non-fiction, true crime, polygamy, cults)

Source: e-book

Summary: A memoir from one of the wives of Rulon Jeffs of the FLDS Church featured in Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey. 

Content: various forms of abuse, cult indoctrination and behavior

Review: ****

Final statement: I've always been fascinated with the FLDS, and as I stated from the book above, I want to know how the victims survived and how they are healing. I can't imagine what it's like for these men, women, and children to leave their community and face the outside world after being so heavily isolated and indoctrinated. 

We Hear Voices by Evie Green

(light sci-fi, paranormal)

Source: audiobook

Summary: during a pandemic, child victims of the illness begin to report imaginary friends.

Content: language

Review: *****

Final statement: This book doesn't have great ratings on Goodreads, which is usually very telling - 3.6 stars - but I really liked it, so I'm not sure what that says about me. 

The School for German Brides by Aimie K. Runyan

(historical fiction, WWII)

Source: e-book

Summary: an alternating storyline between two women, Tilde and Hanna, who are both young, German woman during WWII.

Content: one swear word that I remember, but I would let my grandma read this. 

Review: ***

Final statement: My rating on this one is a bit low, but I read a lot of books that take place in WWII. So due to oversaturation, this was just "another WWII book" to me, but to someone who hasn't read a lot, it may be more enjoyable. Also, I was expecting it to include more "bride school" being that it's titled The School for German Brides, but in reality, the bride school wasn't even part of the book until the last 30% and was a very small part of the story. If you're looking for a relatively clean historical novel, consider this one. 

Breaking Free by Rachel Jeffs

(non-fiction, true crime, polygamy, cults)

Source: audiobook

Summary: a memoir from one of Warren Jeffs' daughters who escaped the FLDS. 

Content: descriptions of child molestation and sexual abuse, cult indoctrination and behavior

Review: **** (it's hard to give a rating to someone's personal story, but there tended to be some plot holes - or things not well explained - in this book. Just a note).

Final statement: This story was heart-breaking and further proof that Warren Jeffs is a very evil man. 

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Here are the books I read this month, but didn't care for enough to review here: