The 'Five By Five' Book Haul

I'm currently in California so you know what that means, yup, that's right, another library sales book haul! Yay. I picked these up in a bag sale, which incase you didn't know, is a used book sale where you receive a bag for $5 (or sometimes $4 if you bring your own) and you get to fill it up to your hearts content with books. No extra charge. Magical, amiright? We have a theme on this trip with books that have either found their way to the big screen or books based on the entertainment industry (online or the biz). Enjoy! If you've read any of these, let me know your thoughts. And if you haven't, which would you be interested in picking up?

Where'd You Go, Bernadette?
by Maria Semple

Bernadette Fox is an agoraphobic architect and mother who goes missing prior to a family trip to Antarctica. It is narrated by her 15-year-old daughter Bee Branch. It is told in a series of documents (emails, memos, transcripts, etc.) with the occasional interlude by Bee.

This is actually getting turned into a movie later this year, it's set to star Troian Bellisario *fangirls*, Cate Blanchett, and Kristen Wiig. So, interesting! A great female cast. But I'm not really up to date and savvy when it comes to movies (Now horrors or TV shows, and I'm your girl), so go check out Billiam's weekly podcast Future Flicks. 

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Famous Baby

by Karen Rizzo

Before there were Real Housewives and Tiger Moms, the was Ruth Sternberg, the hugely popular First Mother of Mommy Blogging—or, as Ruth’s daughter, Abbie prefers to call her, the First Lady of Cyber Exploitation. Eighteen year-old Abbie has finally found her way out of the limelight, by moving a solid five hundred miles away from Ruth and her “maternal instincts.” But when she hears that her ailing, beloved grandmother is moving in with Ruth, she suspects that her mother has found a new blog subject to exploit. Abbie kidnaps Grandma to save her from the same fate, and thus begins an uproarious battle of wills. 

This mainly jumped out to me due to the blogging aspect. Other than the books that have come out by various bloggers and Youtubers over the past few years, there has never been a huge selection of fictional books covering such topics (maturely, might I add.), so this seems really interesting to me. Especially given that it discusses the important topic of whether bloggers overshare their families (more notably, their children's) lives on social media and how it might affect them as they grow up.

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My Heart And Other Black Holes

by Jasmine Warga

Sixteen-year-old physics nerd Aysel is obsessed with plotting her own death. With a mother who can barely look at her without wincing, classmates who whisper behind her back, and a father whose violent crime rocked her small town, Aysel is ready to turn her potential energy into nothingness. There’s only one problem: she’s not sure she has the courage to do it alone. But once she discovers a website with a section called Suicide Partners, Aysel’s convinced she’s found her solution—Roman, a teenage boy who’s haunted by a family tragedy, is looking for a partner.

Once again, I am frustrated at how novice and blegh the blurb of this book is. If you'd like to read the entirety of my thoughts on it, please check out my blogpost "The 13 Reasons Why That You Should Read As A Teen".

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Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and other concerns)

by Mindy Kaling

Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck–impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, finally, a comedy writer and actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers with the sentence “Can I just say one last thing about this, and then I swear I'll shut up about it?” 

I'll admit to never having seen Mindy in anything. Ever. I've never watched an episode of The Office (British nor American) and quite frankly, I knew absolutely nothing about her prior to picking up this book. Plot twist: I really, really enjoyed it. It's quite a rarity that you pick up an autobiography of sorts without knowing anything about the author beforehand. I actually find it better that way, as you come to know them for the them that you want to portray - social media or fictional characters not influencing your judgement. This was a funny book with the dry wit that I most appreciate in female comedians. Do you have any book recommendations for me in this field? I'd love to know!

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A Man Called Ove

by Fredrik Backman

Meet Ove. He’s a curmudgeon—the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. But behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents’ association to their very foundations.

I've been wanting to read this since I saw the trailer from the movie. I find the plot eerily similar to St. Vincent (which you should 100% watch, just FYI), but I don't think you can ever have too much of this classic yet feelgood story. Think UP! but less Disney and likely more tongue-in-cheek.

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The Glass Castle

by Jeannette Walls

F four siblings must learn to take care of themselves as their responsibility-averse, free-spirit parents both inspire and inhibit them. When sober, the children's brilliant and charismatic father captured their imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Meanwhile, their mother abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn't want to take on the work of raising a family.

Another book made into a movie. I think we have a them on our hands! I don't know anything about this other than the summery and that people always seem to love it. So, did I really need more info?

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And there we have it. Remember to leave a comment and let me know what you have or haven't read from these, I really do appreciate you taking the time. Blogging is more fun when we communicate with each other. 

Wishing you a wonderful book-filled day.

PS: If you got the Buffy reference in my title, you're awesome and I now declare you my best friend. Also, I know it doesn't necessarily make sense but I enjoy punny titles and I am really chuffed (you can take the British girl out of the UK, but you can't take the odd expressions away) with my finds, so yeah, I suppose I am five by five.