September Recommended Reads

I've decided to start a new thing here on the blog. Obviously, I have been gone lately and I do apologize for that. Each month I'm going to post the books I recommend or have been recommended by friends as must-reads. So without further ado, here are the books I recommend for September:

Where the Crawdads Sing

by Delia Owens

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life--until the unthinkable happens. Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

Review of Where the Crawdads Sing

With the new movie coming out soon, this novel has garnered increased attention, but you can't deny the 4.8 of 5-star rating on Amazon. This incredibly vivid rendering of life in southern marshlands will draw you into their world and you'll never want to leave. You'll fall in love with the characters and feel deeply connected to their lives. A true piece of art that you'll have to take time to recover from when it's over (All you avid book wyrms will understand what I mean).

I'm Glad My Mom Died

by Jennette McCurdy

A small caveat: this is on my to-read list. It came highly recommended to me by my new friend/sister, my ex-husband's future second ex-wife, and my daughter's step-mom. She recommends it as a hard, but inspiring read for anyone who has suffered trauma at the hands of a loved one. With 4.8 of 5-stars with over 12,000 reviews I'm sure it's just as good as she says.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.

Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.

In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.

Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.