Spare (Prince Harry)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library so I could judge for myself if what the tabloids were saying was true.

To be fair, it's reported that Harry had a ghostwriter named JR Moehringer, although his name isn't listed as author. I could only find his name in the "Acknowledgements" at the back of the book. I honestly don't know what role the ghostwriter played in the creation of this memoir. How much of the style of writing belonged to him and how much belonged to Harry? Either way, it was written in a lovely, flowing style that I enjoyed reading.

It was interesting to get a solid peek into the family. homes, and traditions of the British royal family. I loved reading about Harry's childhood and the things that stood out to him as core memories. He was insightfully honest about the perspective he had on his upbringing, his relationships within his family, and the loss of his mother at age 12. He shared the good, the bad, and the ugly of his choices and the paths he took throughout his life. 

The book was dedicated to his wife, his children, and his mother Diana.

He listed a lot of people in the Acknowledgements, including those who helped him with the book, his wife and children, his mother-in-law, his mother's siblings, and some of his mates. There was absolutely no acknowledgement of any member of the royal family. I skimmed through it twice to make sure I didn't miss it, but I didn't see them listed at all. I thought maybe - if nobody else - he'd list his grandmother Queen Elizabeth, with whom he seemed to have a special relationship.

Overall, I believe his story. I've seen the family as dysfunctional for years, so no surprise there. Having read the book myself, I see that the British press reporters have twisted and made a much bigger meaning of his words than I think he intended. That shows me that his feelings toward the press are justified.

I'm disgusted by the way members of his family have treated him. Why the British people continue to support royalty is beyond my understanding. There isn't much to admire there now that the Queen is gone. And frankly, I don't know enough about her to know if she was admirable, either. Other than staying on the throne for so long, I don't know much of her character. Her family isn't a testament to a good family environment, though, so something was amiss. (I know, that sounds harsh, but there's plenty of evidence outside of this book to support that opinion.)

I hope that Meghan is worthy of the complete devotion he has for her, and I hope she truly loves him. He needs someone he can count on in his corner.

I say, "Good for him." The royal family is a mess. They have been for years. Maybe he can break the cycle for his children.

Mostly clean. He does talk about some of his personal experiences with drugs, sex (not descriptive), war, etc. He uses some profanity, including the F-word. It's not at all as frequent as in other memoirs I've recently read, but there are a few instances.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (Yuval Noah Harari)

Why I have this book: My sister-in-law was listening to it and recommended it to me and my husband, so we got the audio version.

I gave this book four stars on Goodreads. It was very fascinating to hear about the progression of humankind from the evolution viewpoint up through modern times (2014 when the edition of the book we listened to was published).

I'm not sure how the book made me feel. Are Homo sapiens just as random a species as any other? Is there no purpose to life and our existence? Is there really no better plan than just evolution and "progress" and maybe an eventual self-destruction of humankind? 

From a religious standpoint, of course, there is way more purpose than the book proposes. However, the things the author talked about regarding religion make total sense, as well.

I'd say I learned a lot about more modern history, but it was also interesting to hear about the theories of earlier life and the evolution of life on Earth. It gave me a lot to think about.

Clean. I don't recall any swearing. There was talk of mating and biological urges, wars and other killings, etc. All very scientific.

Wake Her Up (Marcella Hill)

Why I have this book: I think Amazon recommended it to me... but after I bought it, the author actually posted about it on a FB group of which we both are members. That was kind of a surprise to me, and it made me more excited to read it.

I gave this book three stars on Goodreads. I really liked some parts and highlighted quite a few of her thoughts. The writing could have used a bit of editing, and overall I didn't relate much to her lifestyle or interests, but some of her ideas were noteworthy.

I think it was clean. There may have been a swear word or two, but I'm writing this at least a couple of weeks after I finished it (and am backdating it), so I don't remember.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (Taylor Jenkins Reid)

*** Might have too many spoilers. *** 

Why I have this book: I kept seeing it online as being super amazing, and a friend rated it five stars on Goodreads, so I borrowed it from the ebook library.

Argh. Okay. So many conflicting feelings about this book.

The storyline kept me interested because the author planted the seed of something big coming up... and it was a great plot twist, no doubt. Other reviewers felt like it was predictable, but I didn't really see it coming... at least, not like that. (The great reveal was also one of the least believable parts of the story. I just don't see anyone getting away with that. Seems a simple investigation would have shined a lot of doubt on what appeared to have happened. Plus too many people (doctors, police, coroner, etc.) would have had to be involved in the coverup.)

One complaint many reviewers had was that there was no indication that this was really an LGBTQ+ love story. Why would we assume so with the title the book has? I wasn't bothered by the love story itself, but I didn't find it believable or compelling. As I've thought about it, I think that has more to do with the poor character development than the fact that they were in a lesbian relationship.

I really didn't get invested in any of the characters except maybe one: Harry. He was the most likable character in the book, and he was the one I was rooting for the most. Even though he was a side character, he was the most believable and the one who invoked the most compassion in me. When I finished the book, I honestly wasn't that moved in general... and I figured out that it's because there wasn't that much depth to the other characters or their relationships.

And the main character (Evelyn) comes across as so cold and selfish in general. Maybe that's why the love story isn't believable. She switches from being pretty unemotional to having this great passion for her "one true love" even though she's never attracted to any other woman. Calling her "bisexual" just doesn't feel realistic. I also didn't see the reason for their amazing attraction. Again, there's not much depth to the characters or their love story.

It did make me wonder how much of what was portrayed in the book does go on in Hollywood. All the game-playing, the using of people, etc. I mean, we all know it happens, but is it that blatant within the inner circles?

The writing is pretty good. I did enjoy it enough to stick through it, but at the end, it left me feeling indifferent and kind of annoyed.

There is some profanity, including the F-word. Obviously deals with all kinds of sexual relationships, and it does have some descriptive love scenes, although not as graphic as it could be. It was more than I wanted to read, though. It also deals with death and suicide.

May B. (Caroline Starr Rose)

Why I have this book: My friend recommended it, so I borrowed it from the ebook library. It was available to borrow right away and was a quick read, so that was nice.

I gave this book four stars on Goodreads. I probably would have gone for about 3.75 if that were an option, but I rounded up. 

The story tells a whole lot with relatively few words. It kept my interest even though I'd guess it's written for mid to upper elementary students.

Clean. There is a death that occurs, but it's mentioned briefly and isn't the focus of the story. 

Catherine, Called Birdy (Karen Cushman)

Why I have this book: I decided to read it after seeing there was a show based on the book. I don't remember if it's a movie or a series, and I actually haven't watched it yet. In any case, I borrowed the book from the ebook library.

Such a fun book. I gave this a solid 4 stars on Goodreads. Very clever, humorous, and enlightening about the medieval times. I'm going to look for other books by this author.

Mostly clean, although sexual relations are mentioned very casually and matter-of-factly. Violence is part of the story in passing (hangings, fights, death), and there may have been some mild swearing... but I can't say for sure. Maybe not.

Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots (Deborah Feldman)

Why I have this book: I believe I saw it recommended on Instagram, so I borrowed the ebook version from the library.

I gave this book four stars on Goodreads. It's hard to believe that women still live such controlled and extreme religious lifestyles in this day and age. It's also crazy that this is happening in America.

While most of the religious customs and regulations are far beyond anything I've ever been required to do, I could certainly relate to some of the feelings the author described in relation to how she fit in with her cultural and religious community.

I'm impressed with the author for finding a way to leave and for managing to bring her son with her. I think it's admirable how she is keeping some parts of her Jewish heritage intact so her son can stay connected to his heritage and to his father. 

There's a lot of discussion about sexuality and how the religious influence contributed to the problems the author had early in her marriage. There's also some parts that refer to sexual assault (including against children) and murder. I don't recall any swearing.