The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson

 

After Rebecca's mother dies she is going through things in the apartment and finds letters from a cousin she knows nothing about and seems to be in need of some immediate help. Rebecca has nothing else going on so she goes to check this out.

This story takes place between current times and WWII. Olivia, Rebecca's cousin, is an old crochety woman with a very colorful past. She had many struggles during the war and that created many secrets.

Rebecca had her own battles that she was struggling with and through the process of meeting Olivia, working on the old house, and meeting new people that reawakened in her her self confidence a wonderful story unfolds.

I love historic fiction and learning about things that people went through during rough times in the past. There is so much we don't know and so many times we don't realize how good we have it. This was a wonderful story to get lost in, fall in love with characters, and to remember how strong and resilient we all are.

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

 

Josey has lived in this little North Carolina town her whole life. She has felt like she is always making up for the past and always under her mothers shadow. She has developed ways to manage over the years-hidden romance novels and sweets-but has an abrupt turn in her life that sends her in directions she never would have imagined.

This was a fun read, easy and not a ton of substance, but good take-a-ways at the same time. We cannot let the past dictate who we are today and we have to try to go out for what we want. Living in the shadow of the past and letting others live your life is no way to live. It is not easy to break the mold, but sometimes it just needs to be broken. 

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

 

Imagine a place in between life and death and it is a library. It is a library full of all of the possible outcomes that could have been your life. And now you have to choose.

Nora has not been happy with her life and she has ended up at the library. At first she is quite confused and not sure what to do with all of the information. She picks endings that she thinks she would like and is surprised at how it didn't end up the way she thought it would. The ending that she does pick is a good one and a good reminder to all of us.

Such an interesting concept. I remember reading books as a kid that you could pick different endings and I would try them all. It was fun and nice to know that there was no end all really. We are all the masters of our own story and the choices we make lead us down paths with unknown endings. It needs to be embraced and we need to be thankful for what we have and where we have been. 

Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

 

What a fun read! I was excited when I saw this because I really enjoyed Kwan's series that started with Crazy Rich Asians. This book is along the same vane of Asians and Americans and what is a good mix and not. There is a lot more new money, name dropping, and internal struggle.

Lucie, the main character, is caught between what is appropriate and what she wants. The struggle with her roots and her inner self do lead her astray, but she does find her way and the ride is a good one. 

Kwan has a great writing style and this was just as good as his first books. If you haven't had a chance to read those I highly recommend them too. If you want a nice easy read that will make you laugh and shake your head this summer this is a good choice.

Unf*ck Yourself by Gary John Bishop

Subtitle: Get out of your head and into your life

The title may be a bit harsh but everything Bishop talks about is pretty right on. I have worked very hard over the years to take responsibility for myself. I try to not let the past dictate who I am or where I am going. I am not discounting anything that I was taught or learned as I was growing up, but I am not going to let the negative things hinder me.

Truly, we do need to get out of our own way sometimes. Our mind is very powerful and can stop us from achieving so much in life if we let it. I am always so proud of myself when I accomplish something that I did not think that I could do. I am also proud of myself when I just do what needs to be done. It is so easy to just push things off, think it will take too long, or just think that it is too hard. I get off of my butt and just do it. It is an amazing feeling.

We all have off days, especially during this past year, but we can't let them rule our lives. If you are willing to do the work for something you really want then do it. Make it work. Enjoy life for what you have done and accomplished, it will take you far.
 

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

 

Why do people leave their country? Why do they risk their life and families lives to try to get to the border of the United States? Why can't they just make things work in their own country?

These are tough questions and questions that we truthfully cannot answer. We are not experiencing what they experience. We do not live where they have lived and seen the horrors that they have seen. In a way I admire what they put themselves through to get here.

This book follows a few different families and what has led them to try and make a new home in the United States. They have lost their entire family to cartels or been raped and injured to the point that they have to leave. They leave everything they know behind in hopes of finding something better.

Some of the situations they go through seem almost too much to bear, much worse that what they were going through, but it isn't. To live a life in constant fear of gangs and cartels, to never know if every time your loved one leaves the house whether you may see them again.

This is a very difficult subject and one that is really in our faces right now. These immigrants feel it is worth the danger to leave. Why aren't the countries they come from doing anything? Why are these countries not protecting their citizens? So many questions and not enough answers. How many lives need to be lost before there is an acceptable answer?

I feel that Cummins presented this story in a way that we can start to see the struggle. We can see the hardships on both ends. I felt for the characters and I was tense and angry and worried and relieved. So many emotions that I just read off of a page that these people endure everyday. If you want a glimpse into what immigrants coming to this country through Mexico is like take the time to read this and really think about the whole situation.

Buddha's Book of Sleep by Joseph Emet

 

Subtitle: Sleep Better in Seven Weeks with Mindfulness Meditation

I love it when I get a good nights sleep. A sleep in which I don't remember waking up for several hours. I am not talking all night long, but at least five to six hours. It is wonderful and it does not happen often enough.

This book talks about what happens when we go to bed, how our minds prevent us from falling asleep, how our world prevents us from sleeping well. There is so much that contributes to a being able to sleep, and maybe we need to reframe in our minds what a good nights sleep is.

I have not done the mediations yet but there are a few that look really interesting and am looking forward to trying them out. I have already worked on some things that seem to help me when it comes to falling asleep. I am off any electronic device an hour before bed, I journal right when I get into bed, and then I read. Most times a book, but sometimes a magazine. The last thing I do, when I finish reading, is breath. I concentrate on my breath so that is the only thing that is happening. There are many times that I do not even remember falling asleep. It is amazing. I have also found when I wake in the middle of the night and can't seem to fall back to sleep I go back to breathing and can sleep again.

Sleep is so vital to how we function, not only with other people and our jobs, but how our body functions. Our bodies need time to recover and recoup and heal overnight. Good sleep is just as important as exercise and eating a balanced diet. I think we sometimes forget that and then we stress about it and it all turns into a viscous circle. 

Sleep. Don't fight it. Don't stress over it. Just let it happen and you will feel so much better.