Book Reviews Vol. 7

Memoirs are really one of my favorite genres. I love really understanding how someone thinks and why they made certain choices. Andre Leon Talley became one of the most important people in fashion publishing. He talks about growing up as a black man in the South and how race played a part in his career. He has incredible fashion knowledge and his stories are truly captivating. Grade: A

Three women tell the story of the impact the same wedding dress has in their lives. The reader moves back and forth from past to present as each woman shares their story of falling in love. Although the time spans over 60 years some things, like love, don’t changes as much as one would think. Grade: B

I know I have a lot of book reviews of WWII historical fiction but this one is one of the best. Many stories have been told about WWII but ones that aren’t told as often are about the women. The Nightingale is a novel of two sisters in France during the war. Their lives during the war take off in completely different trajectories. Vianne, the older sister, is just trying to survive and take care of her daughter while her husband is at war. A German officer starts living with them and Vianne must learn to live with enemy. Meanwhile Isabelle has been kicked out of another finishing school. At 18, she is searching for a purpose and hopes to find a way to work with the French resistance to the German occupation. Grade: A

I am a sucker for anything about Jacqueline Kennedy, and while it is a novel, this book really paints an incredible picture on her life. Many called her American royalty, Jacqueline must use her charisma and intelligence thru the many trying times in her life. She easily could have just sat in the shadows as a senator and then President’s wife. Instead she uses her influence to renew the white house and to influence policy and foreign relations. When she becomes a widow and must start her life over, Jacqueline can only rely on herself to provide for herself and her children. I found myself inspired throughout the entire book. Grade: A

 

This book was so much more than I expected! I wanted to read it because I thought it would be filled with juicy gossip (which I did) and crazy stories about being a pop star. What I didn’t realize was how deep Jessica would get. I have told almost every woman in my life that they need to read this. Jessica shares her struggles with body image, dating, family and drinking in a real and raw way. I found myself feeling so close to her thru the book. It truly was one of those books that I laughed and cried thru. Open Book is a great audio book because Jessica reads it herself. Grade: A+