Recent April Reads

Since I participate in Camp NaNoWriMo in the efforts to write a novel (or in my case this month, just hit 30,000 words), I wasn't sure how much I'd actually accomplish reading-wise. But it turns out this month I've been a better reader than a writer, and though the following books are shorter (the month isn't over yet), I'm pretty proud of what I've completed.

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

Matt Haig followed me on Twitter--which was awesome, except for the fact I didn't really know who he was. But I saw he was a writer and followed back. All of a sudden, I started to see his name in several places, especially in reference to a book called Reasons to Stay Alive. It's a personal recount of Haig's battle with depression and anxiety. The reviews were very positive (most the ones I read anyway) and I felt drawn to the topic. I, myself, have my own battles and I was curious to read about someone else's.

I remember a couple reviews talking about how depressing the book was, but I found it to be the opposite. Realistically it wasn't very happy all the time, but what is? Certainly not humanity. He was honest with what he felt, and laying it out for me I found that not only did I have similarities with his battle, there are also plenty of differences, which proves what I've always thought; not everyone experiences mental illness the same way.

He talked about not being able to take pills, so he had to find other ways of coping with his severe depression. I found myself drawn to the idea of finding alternate methods (though he says throughout that medication does work for people, so it's all about finding what works for you). I  took a highlighter to several places. One of my favorite lines was on page 129: "There is this idea that you either read to escape or you read to find yourself. I don't really see the difference. We find ourselves through the process of escaping." I have always said reading (and writing, when I'm in the groove) is the perfect escape for me, and these words were perfect.

This is a must-read for anyone who either suffers from any form of depression and/or anxiety, or for anyone who loves someone who is mentally sick. It's an eye opener, it's a guide, and most of all it's someone who's been at the lowest of lows but managed to get through it. I was very inspired.

Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell

I was worried I'd never get my hands on a copy of this novella since it's out of print. However someone made a copy available to me, and I snatched it right up. The moment it arrived in the mail, I sat down and did not move until I had finished it.

Rowell is so talented, this currently blocked up writer is green with envy. Again. Having read her full length novels, I was very curious about a novella of 62 pages. Not only did I laugh at several scenes, and was probably grinning like an idiot the whole time, I cared about the characters. This was brilliant.

Elena loves Star Wars. Enough so that she's willing to spend four nights sleeping on the sidewalk outside the local movie theater waiting for the newest episode. She's imagining a large line of fellow Star Wars fanatics, but the line is actually two guys, one of them around her age and more likely to ignore her than help pass the time. Short and funny, this novella about a passionate girl was enough to make me wish I loved anything as much as she loves Star Wars. But alas, I'm a woman of comfort and I wouldn't be found sleeping on a sidewalk four nights in a row for anything.

Words with Wings by Nikki Grimes

This was one of those finds on Goodreads (love that app). I believe my friend, Jayna, added it to her To-Read shelf, so I clicked on it to see what it was about. I'm very glad to have purchased a copy and read it.

Words with Wings is written in a poem format, but the language is both simple and beautiful. It's about a girl named Gabby, who has always been a daydreamer but slips out of reality more and more after her parents started fighting and divorce. Each poem shows us her mind, what it's like to live in it, and how the people on the outside react to her. It was heartwarming and sweet, also a quick read but one I'll pick up again several times in the future. 

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

I read about Me Before You a while ago and marked it To-Read on Goodreads, but never thought much more about it until I saw the movie trailer. With so many novels on my To-Read shelf, I didn't think I'd get to that one yet, but the trailer inspired me to get a copy ASAP.

It was beautiful.

It was also very, very sad, and it made you think what you would be willing to do for the one you love. 

The novel starts with Will Traynor, giving just a glimpse of what his life was like, and the chapter ends with a tragic accident. Then you meet Louisa Clark, who has just lost her job when her boss sells the cafe she's almost always been employed at. Desperate to find work to help and support her parents and sister, she goes through many possibilities until there's a job offer for a caretaker for a young man, a quadriplegic.

Will used to live a life of adventure, and now he's confined to a wheelchair, completely reliant on those around him, including the odd and overly chatty Louisa Clark. She believes he hates her; in fact, he might just hate everyone.

But over time, his walls start to drop, and Louisa begins to care for him in more than just the ways her job demands. And she's on a mission that Will doesn't know about.

One of the things about this novel that I adored so much was how easily I slipped into Louisa's shoes. I related to her. She's twenty-seven years old and not sure what she wants out of life. She's lived in the same place, done the same thing over and over for years, and she hasn't ever asked herself what could make her happy. She doesn't know what she wants to do with herself. 

I also loved Will. I have a thing for bitter and sarcastic characters going soft, but with him I understood his emotions. He suffers pain and humiliation most of his day, and he feels trapped. Life truly wasn't fair to him, and he's angry about it. I loved that.

And while I teared up near the end, while I sometimes felt my heart breaking, the book was amazing and lovely. I know the movie is going to tear me to pieces, and I'll enjoy every second.