weekend reads | 05.12.17
Well, tomorrow I fly from Texas back to Pittsburgh. I'm still having a hard time calling it "home." Is that so wrong? I feel like my home is in two places right now and that's so hard to reconcile.
However, traveling means that there's plenty of time to catch up on reading. It's important for me to spend the majority of my travels immersing myself in books, and tomorrow, I've got at least 6 hours.
all the ugly and wonderful things by bryn greenwood
Have you watched 13 Reasons Why on Netflix yet? Though it started as a novel, the hit TV show is definitely trending right now. Why? Because it talks about the ugly. It really got under my skin. When I told the Man Friend about how much it was stuck in my head, his response was, "But isn't that the mark of what makes something great?" And he's totally right.
This book is along the same vein. I chose to listen to it as an audiobook instead of reading it. This is equal parts amazing and uncomfortable. The main character, Wavy, is about as desperate a heroine as possible. The child of two felons, Wavy is bounced around between her unloving parents, their meth making friends, a begrudged extended family, and beefy, motorcyclist ex-con named Kellen. As an unusual bond blooms between Wavy and Kellen, the reader is able to premise some of what happens. It's difficult to listen to and it's incredibly hard to figure out which side of the road to stand on.
I have about two hours left in this book and it's unarguably one of the most difficult reads I've ever experienced.
jane eyre by charlotte brontë
Though I'm a little behind for May, my next audiobook is for the Wine, Books, & Wanderlust classic book reading challenge. I'm a huge fan of female protagonists and this early Victorian-era novel is no different. It follows Jane from her upbringing as a orphan to the governess to the enigmatic Mr. Rochester. Though I'm not a big fan of classical novels (ugh, I'd have made a horrible pre-feminism woman), I'm hoping this one will prove me wrong.
the subtle art of not giving a f*ck by mark manson
I've been reading this book on and off for a few months. I love its smart ass, foul-mouthed "deal with things" mentality. Not necessarily a self-help book, it definitely helps to give you non-sugary perspective...which is especially refreshing in an age of putting others first and yourself last. It's not about being uncaring to other. It's simply about figuring out the things you can change, identifying the things you can't, and realizing what you just shouldn't give a rat's ass about.
What are you reading these days? Fill me in with a comment below or an email at amanda@winebooksandwanderlust.com.
