Undistracted: Capture Your Purpose, Rediscover Your Joy by Bob Goff- Bob is such a friendly and fun author, always an enjoyable read and I love his stories mixed in with teachings too. He talks about how to live undistracted so we can enjoy the adventures ahead and live with purpose and joy.
Twice by Mitch Albom- Alfie Logan discovered when he was young that he had a special ability to relive any moment of his life over again, just by thinking of a moment and saying "twice," he can be transported right back. The catch is that he has to live with whatever happens the second time. The book goes back and forth between present tense, where Alfie has been arrested for allegedly cheating at a casino roulette wheel, and past tense where he he sharing his story with the jailer. I found myself thinking about this book when I wasn't reading it, which is the mark of a good book I think, and the ending was a little bit sad (but not in a disappointing way) and a lot sweet.
A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy by Tia Levings- Wow, what a story! Tia was recruited into the fundamentalist Quiverfull movement as a young wife, where years of silent and secret abuse followed. Strict obedience, extreme submission, and being a silent keeper of the home became her way of life. While submission is a Biblical idea, the things she was forced to endure in the name of submission were not. Her husband's views became more and more sensational and his mental health suffered so deeply that she escaped with her children to begin a new life of healing.
That's Not My Name by Megan Lally- This book goes back and forth between two story lines. A bruised teen wakes up on the side of the road with no idea how she got there and no memory of who she is. A police officer takes her in and a man frantically comes in claiming he's her father, saying her name is Mary. Meanwhile, in another town, a teen girl Lola goes missing and everyone suspects that boyfriend Drew had something to do with it. Too much language, but an engaging thriller. I admit that I am terrible at predicting endings or what's to come, but this ending blew my mind and the way the stories intersected and came together was wild.
Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden- Debbie Mullen is an advice columnist who tries to steer her readers in the right direction, until things start falling apart. Her daughter is having bad boyfriend troubles, and both her and her husband have big secrets they are keeping from each other. Debbie has carried her secret for many years and it weighs heavily on her, until she breaks and starts seeking revenge on everyone in her life she feels deserves it. As with the thriller above, I am terrible at predicting what's to come, and the ending blew my mind with how all the secrets unraveled and intertwined.
