A Really, Really Late Book Review

I kind of quit doing book reviews a while ago, but every now and then I come across a book I feel like I need to talk about.

Or I don't have anything else to talk about.

I'm in a book club and we meet monthly.  We rotate the picks and then discuss.  Nothing fancy, just mainly our opinions.

Also, because you didn't ask but I'm telling you anyway...Some of the people in our book club buy the books each month, but not me- I don't like buying most books from bookstores or Amazon.  Unless I get a really good deal on it.  I read books really quickly, like most of them in a day, so it's not like I get to enjoy the books for a long time.  I also get really pissed off when I've spent money on a book and it turns out I hate the book.  I've got two stacks of books to get rid of because I bought them and then they sucked.  But I hate taking them to Goodwill because I spent a lot of money on them and I'd like to try to get a little bit of money back on them.  {PS- I've tried selling them on Amazon and it doesn't work.  Probably because the books suck.}

So, my point is- I'd rather get the book from the library and then go buy it if I really love it.

But, I am going to talk about a book I just recently read- Every Last One by Anna Quindlen.  If you don't like spoilers, I'll try not to give too much away.  Or you could just stop reading now.

I first started this book for book club and was so bored that I skipped to the ending.  I do that if I'm really bored with a book.  If the ending looks promising, I'll go back and read it.  If not, well, oh well.  This ending was okay, but I was a little confused, so I had to go back and read the rest of the book.

I am glad I finished it, even though I didn't love the book.  The book itself is sad, from the beginning to end.  I think there are parts when you're supposed to feel happy for the main character, but I just felt sorry for her.

But there was one part where I just started crying and crying and couldn't stop.  Here's a little spoiler- she loses her husband and two of her kids in a really horrible way.  So then, a few months later, she and her other son are in NYC at a museum and she thinks that this is something the rest of her family would have enjoyed and they should have gone as a family.

That was the point where I was like, whoa.  That will be me one day.  I will be thinking like that about my parents, or my siblings, or my friends, or even my own husband and kids whenever that day is.  I mean, I hope to God that it's not because of a horrible tragedy, but I will be wishing I could do something with someone I love and not be able to because they have passed on.

Then I started thinking about how I needed to be more intentional with my time with the people I love.  I need to hang out and not have my phone out the whole time.  I do not need to blow off my family to go sit at my house and watch tv.

I don't need to always say no to plans, or bail when I do say yes because I want to sit on my couch in my sweats.

I don't know, y'all, there are some books that stay with me forever (Harry Potter, Redeeming Love, several children's lit books, The Fault In Our Stars, I could go on and on).  I didn't think this would be one at all, but just what the book brought up in me might make this a book that sticks with me, too.  Certainly not because of amazing writing or a beautiful story, but because of what the book brought out in me and how it affected me.

I don't think I would still recommend this book, but it's not a terrible read.  And who knows, maybe it'll affect you like it did me and you'll be crying every last tear out in bed at midnight like me.