Reading Challenge - Check In!

July 30, 2019

We hope you're all enjoying your tote bags and filling them with your favorite summer reads! We would love to hear your thoughts on books you've read so far in the comments below. We will add some of your popular book reviews to this post!

 

Here are some of ZoLi HQ's insights:

 

The Silent Patient - Juli's First Pick Summer Reading Challenge
Juli's first pick: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
I've had this book for quite a while.  It was one of my picks when I was doing Book of the Month but somehow life got in the way and I didn’t get around to it.  So when this reading challenge came up, it was time for me to pull The Silent Patient off the shelf and, boy, am I glad I did.  I love a good psychological thriller and this one definitely did not disappoint.  I started reading on one of my flights and could not put it down!  The Silent Patient is well written and the slow build to the big twist at the end was everything I had hoped for in a psychological thriller. 
The premise of this book is that there is a woman named Alicia Berenson who seemingly has a perfect life, perfect marriage.  Then one evening her husband returns home late from work and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, then never speaks another word.  She ends up at the Grove, a forensic unit in North London, and for the next six years does not utter a word.  Theo Farber, a criminal psychotherapist, seems fascinated with the story of Alicia and has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with her.  He finally gets the opportunity.  His determination to get Alicia to talk and unravel why she shot her husband leads him down his own dark path and consumes him.  I had anticipated a twist but was still surprised at the ending.  I would definitely recommend!

 

Kristin's Pick Furiously Happy
Kristin's first pick: Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson
When deciding which of my summer reads to start on first, I reached for something that was not in my usual warehouse. For the most part, I enjoy thrillers and books that will keep me up at night. This time, I went for a light-hearted choice that could put a smile on my face - Furiously Happy definitely kept me smiling throughout the entire read. (I had previously read this author's first book and it was equally, if not more, funny)
Before picking up Furiously Happy, knowing a bit about Jenny Lawson is important.  This author and blogger suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, depression, anxiety, avoidant personality disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. While this may seem like a lot to handle (and she is clear that is is), Lawson writes in a way that puts a hilarious spin on her hardships and shows you how to laugh at the terrible turns life can sometimes throw at you.
This particular book is written in a style that I'm not used to but that I love - one "chapter" may be a story about a taxidermied raccoon on a roller coaster, and the next could be a list of things her husband has suggested she do in her spare time. It's all over the place and it is wonderful! I would absolutely recommend.

 

The Hundred Year Flood - Ismaels first pick Summer Reading Challenge
Ismael's first pick: The Hundred Year Flood by  Matthew Salesses
The Hundred Year Flood is one of my favorite books that I have read. What I really enjoy about this book is how I always find parallels in my own life, and I think it does the same for a lot of people.
The Hundred Year flood is about many things- one of them being about trying to find yourself, and who you are. It's a classic story of the main character traveling to a far off land, in this case Prague, and going through the trials and tribulations of life and finding who you are. I love that this all takes place during the time of a tremendous flood that comes around once every 100 years, and the use of the weather and changing environment reflects the changes in Tee's life and the turbulence and calm that comes along with that.
I would most definitely recommend this book - its honestly an extremely easy and good read. It will suck you in just as much as binge watching the next season of OITNB on Netflix!



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