It’s time for my April Buy, Borrow, or Bypass Book Review and this month there are no bypasses!!
Borrow: The Lies That Bind, Emily Giffin
“We may not get do-overs in life, but we can always have fresh starts and new beginnings.”
Emily GIffin is much like Elin Hilderbrand to me: it’s almost a guaranteed love. I liked this book, but not so much the characters. The story takes place in New York City at the time of 9/11. It follows a young woman who has a brief relationship with a man, only to believe she loses him in the terrorist attack. In her search to find him, she uncovers not only the truth about his life, but also some truths about herself.
Borrow: The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett
“She hadn’t realized how long it takes to become somebody else, or how lonely it can be living in a world not meant for you.”
This must be the month of liking books but not actually any of the characters! The Vanishing Half is the story of twin girls, Stella and Desiree, who run away from their small Louisiana town as teens. After getting settled in New Orleans, Stella abandons her sister. Desiree creates a life of her own, but continues to search for her sister. It takes an unexpected return to the small town of Mallard for Desiree to have what and who she needs to track down Stella. But does Stella want to found? This book shares an interesting look not only into family dynamics and the bond of twins, but also a side of intra-race racism not often discussed.
Buy: Good Apple: Tales of a Southern Evangelical in New York, Elizabeth Passarella
“Identity is complicated. We can be proud of where we came from and desperate to escape it at the same time.”
Whether you’re Southern or not, an evangelical or not, this book has something for you. Elizabeth Passarella shares stories from her life that will make you laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time. From screaming fights on the very crowded streets of NYC to how her family made a quick exodus from their very tiny apartment due to a very large rat, Passarella’s transparency and vulnerability pull you in and make you feel like she’s your best friend. It’s been said this book is her love letter to New York City, and that’s easy to see. However, the stories she shares show how the life you live is built on and can be traced back to even the smallest moments of your life.