I finished two books last month, one a kind of meaty, thoughtful book that absorbed me whole and made feel all the feels. The other, much lighter in comparison – good for lots of giggles but a lot of insight and “me, too!” for good measure. So whether you are looking for a light read or something with a little more gravitas, I’ve got you covered.

The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

This book was kind of amazing. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into with this book thanks to mostly carefully avoiding reviews. When a friend reiterated the general premise – “a book about a young, gifted girl in a school where the teachers are all afraid of her”, my brain went in one particular direction and was surprised when that wasn’t the appropriate direction at all. Of course then a quick, cursory glance at the Goodreads.com profile for the book made it all too obvious what I was actually reading. I was momentarily uneasy and if the book hadn’t been a book club selection, I might have put it away – I’m so glad I didn’t.

I loved how the story seemed to kind of unfold itself as I read it. The author did a great job of giving you just as much information as she wanted you to have as the story progressed so that you felt what they wanted you to feel as they wanted you to feel it. This book was a journey that you can’t half walk – I think it’s best encountered mostly unaware but regardless of how much you know about the book, I encourage you to read it.

The characters were wonderfully fleshed out and the story lingered in my mind constantly throughout the day and probably will continue to do so for quite some time.

Also: I loved the woman that did the audio book, Finty Williams. She has a great voice for audio books and the accent was delightful. I used the Amazon whispersync so that I could read on the kindle or listen to the audio, depending on where I was and how tired I was and it was awesome because it syncs your place on both devices so you don’t have to figure out where you left off.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

This book was all the things. Funny and insightful and also funny. A definitely 180 from the book I had just finished, I was in dire need of something a bit lighter after finishing the book above. This completely fit the bill.

Aside from being an awesome writer, comedian and actress, Amy Poeheler is also an amazing person with a lot of great stories to tell. Being an avid fan, I loved all the SNL stories and the Tina Fey stories and the Parks and Rec stories. I also loved reading about her childhood and her early days of improv and her life as a mother. When she’s not story telling, she gives some great advice, too. The best, in my opinion, being: Good For You, Not For Me. The mantra that could end all Mommy Wars (and perhaps war in general?) for good.

I bought the hardcover copy of this book and it is heavy and chock full of awesome pictures and old notes from Amy’s childhood and career. But what I loved most is that the book is expertly written, it reads exactly like Poehler’s voice and is crafted to perfection.

My Rating: 5 Stars

What have you been reading lately?

I’m linking up with Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop. All the cool kids are doing it.