Book Recommendations If You're Sick of Watching TV

I joined a book club at the end of 2018 and it was one of the best things I've ever done. It's opened me up to a bunch of different books I never would have read on my own and I've made a bunch of new friends. Plus, there are snacks. And alcohol.

During this time of social distancing, we are planning our next meeting to be virtual. Covid can't stop us!

Anyway, I thought I would recommend a couple of my favorites from my book club in case you were looking for something to read.

Educated by Tara Westover. This book is one that I never would have found without the awesome people in my book club. Educated is a memoir. The author, Tara Westover, is only in her 30s but has had a crazy life. She was raised in Idaho to a family or survivalists. Their devout Mormonism paired with her dad's suspected mental illness made for a very interesting and at times dangerous upbringing. She was 17 before she stepped foot in a real school or went to a doctor. She went on to Harvard and Cambridge.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. This book has quite a twist at the end. It's a bit of a mystery/thriller/suspense vibe. Rumor has it, Brad Pitt is producing the movie version. I'll give you one sentence from the Amazon description of the book and if you're not intrigued then I just don't know what to tell you, "One evening Alicia's husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word." Will Alicia speak again? Why did she do it? What?
Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. You guys, I loved this book. I could not put it down. It is essentially a murder mystery, but it's so much more. Kya is known as 'Marsh Girl' in the small North Carolina town and she is alone. Literally. You think social distancing and self-quarantine is hard? This girl is all alone out in a swamp for so long. It pained me when she talks about how alone she is. There are romance and murder, what else do you need? I laughed, I cried all the feels. Oh, it's so good. Also, Reese Witherspoon is producing the movie version so you know it's good.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. Heather Morris interviewed the real-life tattooist of Auschwitz, Lale Sokolov, and wrote this book. I've always been interested in Holocaust stories. I just can't imagine humans being so cruel to one another, but the stories of survival and how these survivors overcome is so amazing. Lale tells the story of his life before, during, and after Auschwitz. In the midst of all the hate around him, Lale found love. His story is inspiring and heartbreaking. Highly recommend.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. This book was turned into the HBO show starring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman. However, if you've seen the show, the book does differ a bit, and let's all say it together 'The Book Is Always Better.' There is a bit of a theme with most of our book club books, this book also has... murder! Amazon sums it up, "Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the little lies that can turn lethal." Plus, Sioux Falls gets a shout out in the book!
Regretting You by Colleen Hoover. This is our current book club selection. As far as I know, there is no murder...yet. In all honesty, I'm only on chapter four, but I'm already picking sides. #TeamJonah I'm not sure if that's even going to be a thing, but I'm making it a thing. Amazon states that Regretting You is, "...a novel about family, first love, grief, and betrayal that will touch the hearts of both mothers and daughters." Even though I'm only on chapter four, I find myself relating to both the mother and daughter. I'm not a mother, but as a woman, I've had a lot of these same inner thoughts that both characters have. My mom passed away in January so I'm sure this book will stir up some feelings, but sometimes you gotta just work through those feelings. Isn't that what art is all about? Making you feel something.