Book Review: Wild

Book: Wild: From Lost To Found On The Pacific Coast Trail, by Cheryl Strayed

Wild, From Lost To Found On The Pacific Coast Trail, is the story a journey--a journey of a woman hiking from California to Washington state, and a journey of a woman finding and understanding herself during the hike.

Even though I am not what you would call a "wilderness" person, I was immediately drawn in to her experiences hiking, and could easily visualize not only the places she went but the experiences she had on the way. She weaved in her personal life, too, and what experiences had gotten her into this situation. It was also interesting to read about the logistics of planning such a trip and how these plans often got changed based on the trail. She talks about the people she met and the different relationships along the way, which provided different perspectives of the same journey and added to the story. I also appreciated how it really was just a snapshot of this moment in time for her, rather than a long-stretching memoir of her life. While we did get some of her past, it was mostly as it related to the how and why she was on this journey, and she didn't explain too much of her life afterward. I think that can be hard for those writing memoirs to do, and it was very refreshing.

Book Review: Heaven Is Here

Book: Heaven Is Here, by Stephanie Nielson

One of my favorite bloggers mentioned that she had been reading Heaven Is Here and loved it, and since I generally love everything she posts, I decided to check it out when I found it at the library. I decided to do a review for this book this week, with Thanksgiving coming up on Thursday, because it's about being thankful, not just for the life you have, but the experiences that have brought you there. Nielson is also a blogger, and blogged about her everyday life. In 2008, she was in a plane crash, and the book is the story of her life before the crash and her life since: her recovery. Her story is a powerful one, and while it ends well, she discusses her struggles, too, and how she found the faith necessary to go on. I spent several nights bawling my eyes out while reading this book, but they were mostly happy tears, happy tears for her and the life she is getting back, even though it is changed. I love how the story is also about appreciating the joys in everyday life and being grateful for those you love.

Book Review: Gone Girl

Book: Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn

It seemed like everyone was talking about Gone Girl this summer, so I was very excited when I found a copy at the library. It's easy to see why. It's for sure a page-turner. While I would definitely say that the mystery of Amy's disappearance is the heart of the story, the characters really steal the show. Flynn does a fantastic job of writing such deep characters and making us love and hate them all at the same time. Generally speaking, I prefer plot to character development, but the two were so intertwined in this book that it was hard to separate them, which did a lot for the story itself. The book didn't end nicely either--you are definitely left with an "icky" feeling that seems to be unresolved even though it is resolved. Definitely worth checking out, if you are able to find it at the library.

Book Review: Runaway Girl

During NaNo, I'll be posting a book review on Tuesdays and my NaNo update on Friday. So be sure to tune in for all reading, all writing, all the time.

Book: Runaway Girl: Escaping Life On The Streets, One Helping Hand At A Time, by Carissa Phelps with Larkin Warren

I was immediately drawn to this book because of all of the statistics I hear in my professional life: how important it is that every child has a caring adult in his or her life and how much of an impact it can actually make on that child. Runaway Girl is about Carissa and what her life on the streets as a runaway was like. But more than the shocking truth about her life on the streets, the book is about how certain people can impact others, especially children, and change the course of their lives by providing them with resources they need to succeed, particularly being a presence in their life. What's amazing is how much she accomplished because of the role certain individuals played in her life--even with setbacks on her path to scuess, she graduated from college and earned an MBA and is now reaching out to help other children. This story is very educational and inspirational and written in a way that really makes you aware of what some children are experiencing every day, and what resources are available to help them.

NaNoWriMo: Third Time's A Charm?

Today kicks of National Novel Writing Month, and this year I am a participant. Again-ish. As you might remember, I started NaNo twice and lasted maybe a few days (OK, one, ONE day, both times). I'm feeling a little better this time--I've had years to think about my book, have the framework in place, and have done a little research on actually writing a book and some of the questions I need answered. I'm not thinking it's going to be easy, but I feel a lot more secure in my planning. Turns out all you need is a little planning to feel better about life.

I'll be sure to keep you updated every Friday with my progress. Until then, happy writing.