Summer Reading | Book Chatter

Sunday Matters

Another blogger recently posted about an event titled 20 Books of Summer, or something close to that. It intrigued me. I could never commit to that many books over the summer because for me, seasonal reading is all about mood and the flexibility it brings. Plus, this summer will be filled with moving. But, I like the idea of it. Planning for seasonal reads pulls me out of my boxed-in existence so I might do a short list. What about you? Do you have reading plans this summer?

Right Now:

It’s the Hub’s birthday today! We celebrated yesterday with a nice meal out because of church, then youth group today. He’s easy to please. He wanted a Japanese dinner, the kind where they cook at your table. It was delicious. My tofu was so delightful. The truth.

On another note, my youth group graduates very soon and then? Not sure what I will be called to do. When I became a youth leader I vowed to take them through the entire cycle, JHigh through High School but I don’t think I can cycle back around and do another seven years. Stay in youth ministry? Try children’s ministry? Or something else? Not quite sure yet. This is what I am pondering as this season ends.

This Week:

On Tuesday I get my second dose of Moderna.

On Saturday The Girl interviews for a summer camp counselor position! This would be her first job and she grew up in this summer camp! It would be a good fit.

Reading:

I finished Rules of Civility and should have the review posted for tomorrow.

My next book is one I am excited about. I am participating in a little marketing push for The Invisible Husband of Frick Island and I am here for it.

Watching:

I’ve been watching an eclectic mix of things. I’ve been very unsettled and jumpy and it’s affecting what I watch too. After a few minutes I am ready to move on to something else so either the content isn’t working for me or I am just not able to focus.

Grateful for:

In all honesty, I’ve been working myself up into a big ball of anxiety. It’s been hard to find good things to set my mind on. But, there’s always something if you really think about it.

I am so very grateful for my daughter’s future roommate and her adorable, kind family. They live about two hours away from Missouri State and they offered to accept some shipments for us like bedding sets, etc. We plan to get a lot of stuff when we go, but bedding in a small town will be slim pickings. This allowed my daughter to find something she loves and not have to worry about getting it there.
A new friend on FB is recovering from COVID and she found this great new band while bedridden and shared it on FB. I am LOVING them and I am obsessed! Dirty Honey. It is reminding me of high school and all the hair bands I was into. Looks like she is turning a corner with COVID too.

That’s all I have. Let me know what you are doing these days. It’s been hot hot hot here. It’s too early for 97 degree temps and we have already had three local fires. Entirely too early for this.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
By Gail Honeyman
Penguin Books, 9780735220690, 2018, 352pp.

The Short of It:

It took me years to finally pick this book up and now I am hitting myself over the head with my copy because I could have enjoyed it years earlier.

The Rest of It:

What you need to know right off, is that this book has been marketed as “funny” and “warm” and with that colorful cover, it radiates a lightness which is probably why I overlooked it for so long. It remains a popular Reese Witherspoon pick, but nowhere, anywhere have I seen any reference to the heaviness of the story.

This story has some teeth, that’s what I am saying.

Eleanor is quirky and odd and as the author put it, sometimes a bit daft. She possesses a good job and manages to be somewhat social with her co-workers when needed, but in a very, off-putting formal way. She’s efficient when she needs to be, but a complete and total disaster other times.

Early on, it’s clear that something has happened to Eleanor. It’s referred to as “the incident” and it’s left her curiously alone, living in social housing with regular visits from a social worker. This is fine. Eleanor is fine, or so it seems until she meets a new co-worker by the name of Raymond. Up until this point, she has convinced herself that her life is good but Raymond’s sweet, unassuming ways and the kindness he displays forces her to consider the life she’s been living thus far and she has found it to be lacking.

Sigh. This book! It kind of tore me up a little. It’s actually very sad but peppered with “Eleanorisms” which lightens the load as details from the past are slowly revealed. I loved it. I loved how simple the storytelling was and I liked many, many of the characters both large and small. I am sitting here as I write this review, still pondering Eleanor’s story and that is definitely the sign of a great read. It has some sweet moments and really is a story about survival.

I highly recommend it. It would make for an excellent club read. I heard that Witherspoon bought the rights to it early on, to produce a movie down the line. I see no updates on a movie being in the works but I think if there is one, it will be very successful.

This was a book on my Summer Reading List so I am glad to finally check this one off my list and add it to my list of faves.

Source: Purchased
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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