Books I've Read on Quarantine

Whether you are considered essential and still working, or you have been laid off, the quarantine of 2020 has inevitably left you with more time on your hands. I myself, was "furloughed", a term I have discovered I hate. Why? I am not sure, its just one of those words like "panties" or "moist", its just not right. However, I would be lying to say that I have hated the experience. I have finished 3 1/2 books since this has started. The half was because I had started the first book back in September and because of work, had not been able to finish it. Like most of you, I have also enjoyed the increased family time, upped my cooking and baking game (I think I will share some of these recipes on here as well), and caught up on unfinished projects around the house. But I digress, on to the good stuff... the amazing..and some just amazing(ish) books that I have read (or shamelessly just finished) during quarantine...

East of Eden by John Steinbeck - The novel was...a journey. Maybe it was just a journey because of the journey I was on in my personal life. Like I said, I started this back in September when I found it in a cute plant shop while shopping for things for my succulent. The description drew me in, I had to have it. It is a modern retelling of the book of Genesis. A story that flows flawlessly between the generations of two families, the Trasks and the Hamiltons. The characters are beautifully written. Some are brutally obscure and terrifying, others gentle and lost. The book was good while I was reading it, but nothing that had me dying to pick it back up. It was not a page turner for me and if it wasn't for the sheer will to finish what I started, I am not sure I would have. I am glad I read it, and finished it.. it was quite the journey.

Ghosted by Rosie Walsh - If I would have known before that this was a book about a grown adult woman who fell in love with a guy after 7 days and would go full stalker mode when he doesn't call her back.. I wouldn't have read it. Luckily, I didn't know it because this book is so much more! While it does start out like a teenage love drama, the characters and story line develop into a wonderful modern day (might I say that?) love story. It was lighthearted and cute, a great story to read while on quarantine. I would also like to note, that what drew me to the book, was that it is endorsed by one of my favorite authors, Liane Moriarty!

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens- This is everything I have ever wanted from a book. This is what us book lovers who read countless mediocre books a year are trying to find! I fell in love with Where the Crawdads Sing. It is about the girl who lives in the marsh and tells of her life as she grows up in the world she was left alone in. A girl who is so much more than everyone, even her own family, gives her credit. It is a story to remind us how a little kindness can change the whole course of someones life. Delia's writing is so descriptive, I felt as though I was right there in the marsh eating corn fritters, suntanning on the marsh beaches. It is hard to believe this was the first book Delia has written. From the perfect ending that I loved so much, to the moments so intense I was sitting up in bed, feverishly reading every word to see what happens next, this book made me laugh and cry and I anxiously await Delia Owen's next book.

Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo - I love books about traditions, families, and languages that are not like mine. This book transported me to a different part of the world, but the issues resound universally. Yejide is a woman who has a beautiful marriage with mutual respect and love during a time and place where that is not common. The only thing missing is a child. Yejide can't get pregnant despite all the efforts and a nosy, over bearing mother-in-law. This story is about how far a woman will go before she loses herself, before she can't carry on any longer. A test of love and questions if love is enough? Is love enough to overcome secrets and failures? A story of motherhood, of womanhood. A reminder that "do we ever really know what we will do in any situation until the situation presents itself?"

I hope you read these books and enjoy them, and the journey, as much as I did. Stay safe and healthy. Hold on to the promises of Jesus, if you are like me, sometimes they are all you have to get you through a moment, an hour, or even the day.

-God Bless