March Book Review
One of my 2019 goals is to read 19 books. When I was a child, I was obsessed with the library. The librarians actually had to give me grocery bags to put all my books in, because I couldn’t carry them out on my own. Unfortunately, with the chaos of nurse practitioner school, reading was something I placed on a back burner for the past two years. I have made it a goal this year to get back into reading. Right now my 2019 total book count is up to 6. Four of which, I read this past month. Here are my reviews on the books I read this past March.
ONE // Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I did not enjoy this book. Out of the four that I read, this one took me the longest to get through. I think that Rachel Hollis is witty, and there were moments that I was actually laughing out loud while reading this. However, I didn’t find that her advice highly motivating. I read this book at the beginning of my 3 week vacation, hoping it would be the kick in the pants I needed, but it just fell flat for me.
3/5 Stars
TWO // The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
If you read any book on this list, read this one. The Hate U Give is a young adult novel, and man, I forgot how much I love this genre. This book is remarkable. The story has an important social and political message, but that is not the only reason why it’s worth reading. This book is incredibly well written, emotionally charged, and simply unforgettable. The story focuses on a young girl who has experienced a great amount of trauma. Angie Thomas touches on so many issues including interracial relationships, bullying, police brutality, drugs, and more. I feel like it should be required to read if you are in high school. You won’t be able to put this one down. BONUS: It is a movie, as well!
5/5 Stars – I would give it more than that!
THREE // You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero
After my less than stellar experience with Girl, Wash Your Face, I decided that I would listen to self-help books on Audible from now on. Jen Sincero narrates her own text, which I find to be the best experience when listening to audio books. I found that I could relate to Jen Sincero a bit more than Rachel Hollis. She does talk about a lot of new-age stuff like vibrations, frequencies, and energies within the universe, but I was willing to look past that because of the tough love she gives throughout the text. There were several moments where I saved clips from her audio because they really provoked thought. She really does force you to realize that you are the only you that will ever be, so you better embrace this life!
4/5 Stars
FOUR // No One Ever Asked by Katie Ganshert
Another great read if you like storylines that focus on social and political issues. No One Ever Asked is about an impoverished school that loses it’s accreditation, and the affluent Crystal Ridge neighborhood has no choice but to open their doors to the displaced students. The story follows three women, each with different socioeconomic backgrounds, and their lives during the school year. Katie Ganshert is not shy in her writing and captures several issues that no one wants to talk about. It is not for the faint of heart, and once you get about a third of the way through, you will get sucked into this text. This book made me uncomfortable at times, but only because it challenged me to reflect on my own character and how I can do better -be better- for myself, and for others.
4/5 Stars
If you want to follow along with my reading in real time, you can follow me on the Good Reads app! I always am updating my reading status and ratings there! You can also see what books are on my ‘Want to Read’ list for this year. Let me know if you like these ‘lifestyle’ posts! I am enjoying sharing other pieces of my life with you all! Happy reading, and here’s to a great week ahead!
xo, Kristen
