How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told (Harrison Scott Key)

Why I have this book: A friend recommended it, so I borrowed the audio version from the ebook library.

I actually enjoyed this book quite a bit. The author is the narrator, and he did a great job.

I didn't love the part where his wife tells her side of it. She's not as natural at narrating, but I also didn't find her very likable. I have to give the author credit for sticking things out with her. I'm glad it seems to have worked out for them.

Pretty sure there was profanity. The story was about the wife's affair and how it affected their marriage, so obviously adultery is a topic that is covered.

Kindred (Octavia E. Butler)

Why I have this book: I saw lots of talk about it online, so I borrowed it from the ebook library.

I gave this one three stars on Goodreads. It was interesting, but I felt like the story could have been told without it being a time-travel thing. I had a hard time relating to that part of it. 

I did find it even more interesting that the book was written in the late 1970's and seems to be making a comeback in popularity.

It was fine. I don't hate that I read it, but I thought it would be more amazing just from what I've seen online.

The story involves slavery, so there's violence depicted, including rape and murder. I'm not sure if there was profanity... I am writing this nearly a month after reading it. Oops.

Forever (Judy Blume)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library because once in a while, I like to revisit books from my youth.

I'm pretty sure I read this before, but I don't remember how old I was. All I know is that it certainly hits differently when you're a parent of teenagers.

The book got better toward the end. It felt pretty shallow at the beginning. Surprisingly, it needed an editor. The punctuation definitely didn't follow the rules.

What I didn't like... it is too sexually descriptive for a book that was written for teenagers/young adults. The character development is lacking. The parental attitudes about sex felt a bit too casual, but I know it's not always easy to discuss sex with teenagers. Overall, it felt too permissive about teenage sex without showing the repercussions in a meaningful way.

What I did like: I liked that the characters learned that teenage "love" doesn't always work out the way they think it will. That was one really realistic part that I wish all teenagers could learn (and not the hard way of having to suffer because of their choices).

I think what leaves me so unsettled about this book is that the casual way the topic is presented can really shape how a teenager will think of sex before they are mature enough to make those decisions. The story just doesn't go deep enough into the emotional aspects or possible biological repercussions of sex (pregnancy and STD's).

I did give it two stars because it kept my interest, it did get better as it went on, and because it showed that teenagers shouldn't think that "first love" is "forever love." I couldn't give more stars because I feel like she didn't take the opportunity to teach more important lessons about the consequences of our choices.

It's crazy to me that Judy Blume is considered such a great writer. She's really not. I think she gained her popularity because she wrote about topics that were considered more taboo for the younger crowd in her day.

There is some profanity. The sexual scenes are moderately to highly descriptive (for the target audience), and it's definitely a book that a parent should read in order to discuss it with their child if the child is going to read it. 

Mishka (Mike Maroney)

Why I have this book: I must have gotten it free on Book Bub. This is why Book Bub is so dangerous. I always end up with books I wouldn't buy otherwise, and some of them aren't great.

I gave this book one star on Goodreads. It might not be fair because maybe if I were an eight-year-old, this novel would have seemed great to me. As it was, I was bored to tears, and I was skimming the last bit just so I could be done with it.

I'm sure I was taken in by the 4.5 star average on Amazon, but on closer inspection, there weren't that many readers. Maybe they were all his friends and neighbors. It also lists several awards, but honestly, I don't get it. It just wasn't for me, I guess.

Clean.

Death Row (Freida McFadden)

Why I have this book: It was either .99 or free... and I like Freida McFadden.

I gave this one four stars. It is actually a short story, so I read it in less than an hour. I want my two teenagers to read it because it's just such a strange and crazy story. I'd love to hear their perspective on it.

Clean, as far as I remember. It is a murder story, but nothing descriptive happens. There was probably swearing, but again... I don't remember. Oops. I guess I don't absorb the swearing anymore unless it's extreme.

Sipsworth (Simon Van Booy)

Why I have this book: Someone online loved it, so I borrowed it from the ebook library.

Another three star book for me. It was a cute story with a good message about friendship and caring for one another.

Clean. I don't recall any swearing or anything. Ummmm... maybe there was some "British" swearing? I don't remember.

Shunned: How I Lost My Religion and Found Myself (Linda A Curtis)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library.

I gave this one three stars on Goodreads. I appreciate books that are about the process of leaving one's religion because the feelings and treatment and language involved is very similar amongst high-demand religions.

I've read quite a few books now about people who leave the religion they've belonged to their whole lives. All of them were taught that their religion was the only true one. They are often disfellowshipped, they are taught that the world is dangerous outside the religion, that those who leave are "lost" (or worse), etc. It's really quite fascinating how convinced each one was that their own religion was the only truth.

I couldn't relate to most of this author's story in how she handled life after leaving, but it was still interesting to read. She used A LOT of uncommon words. I don't know if she's super educated or just very familiar with the thesaurus. It was so often that it became distracting, to be honest.

Clean. She does talk about having sex with men outside of marriage (nothing descriptive) and maybe there was swearing, but I don't remember.