June was a good month. I didn’t do as much reading as I would have liked but I still cranked out 4.5 books! It’s so crazy to me that three years ago I started reading 3 books a month and it often felt like a stretch and now I’m like 14 books ahead of schedule LMAO. I love it. My life is so much better when I’m reading! There are just so many incredible books!!!!! I wish I could personally pick a book for each of you and then sit next to you as you read it!!!!! Ok I’ll take a deep breath and stop. For now.

SuperBetter

Jane McGonigal, a game designer, sustained a serious concussion and found herself deeply struggling with her recovery. In the midst of excruciating headaches she latched onto an idea: What if I applied game theory to recovery? She applied principles of games to increasing health, happiness, effectiveness, and more, creating a game she calls SuperBetter. In this book she presents the research behind gameful thinking and teaches you how to play SuperBetter in your own life to meet your own goals and become, well, SuperBetter. 

I started reading this on ebook like a year ago and then life got crazy. The title expired and, though I was really enjoying it, I just never got it back. Then a few months ago I was talking with a friend about using games for learning and remembered it. I requested it and jumped right back in. I have since recommended it to several people tackling their own recovery or self-improvement goals and hope to begin playing myself soon!

Good

• She does her homework. McGonigal shares so many awesome studies and statistics that help you understand gaming, learning, our brains, and more. Fascinating AND applicable to real life.
• Her writing style is very friendly and straightforward, so it’s very easy to read smoothly.
• She uses a variety of examples, which spoke to me. Yes, she talks a lot about people fighting cancer but she also talks about someone using SuperBetter to be a better dog owner or for weight loss.
• I loved that throughout the book she gives power-ups and quests to illustrate principles and give you lots of tools to use when you begin playing.
• There’s an app!!! I mean technically I guess this shouldn’t be related to a book review, but I love that you can use a free app to play SuperBetter, track your progress, connect with other players, and get ideas.

Less Good

• I would have liked more examples of quests and bad guys. She covered a ton of power-ups, which is helpful since you need at least 3/day. But quests are bigger and you still need one every day! Same with bad guys. More examples and a variety of examples would have been helpful.
• A master list of power-ups, quests, bad guys, epic wins, and other features of the game would be helpful to those wanting to build their resources before playing (SOME OF US LIKE TO PLAN).
• This sounds counter to my above points but I think it was longer than it needed to be. The science portion was awesome but it ran a little long, which is probably why I got stuck the first time I tried to read it.
• Reading it on ebook was difficult because I wanted to flip back and forth between sections, which is a pain when you don’t have a physical book. If you are really interested in reading and playing SuperBetter I recommend buying your own copy so you can reference and re-read as needed.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer

Michelle McNamara, a true crime blogger, died tragically before completing this – her passion project. It’s an exhaustive chronicle of the Golden State Killer and the various agencies that worked to piece together the puzzle. Not only does she include careful notes from police interviews and documents, but she also shares how it impacted her personal life as she threw her whole soul into capturing the monster.

I’m a big lover of true crime, but truthfully I haven’t ~read a ton of true crime. I usually stick to documentaries and podcasts. This got so many rave reviews and the timeliness of it was impossible to ignore. She didn’t finish the book, but her assistants completed and published it posthumously (February 2018) – but before the (suspected) Golden State Killer was arrested in April.

Good

• A human voice behind the darkness was really interesting and cool. I was able to relate to her so much – the need to understand, the need for justice.
• I knew basically nothing about the Golden State Killer but she does a great job carefully describing every detail so you don’t need background information.
• She powerfully recreates the bone-chilling scenes of home invasion, rape, burglary. I rarely get freaked out with all the true crime stuff I consume but I was reading this while Ryan was on a business trip and I’ll admit. I got freaked.

Less Good

• The case is complex, but unfortunately she doesn’t make it simple for you. The way she tells the story bounces around and is difficult to trace.
• It’s a lot of the same. She takes you inside the maddening pace of this crime, from the rapid fire of the crime years to the slow drought of investigation. After pages and pages of the home invasions and then pages and pages of investigation proceedings I felt a little worn and bored.

The Universe Has Your Back: Transform Fear to Faith

Gabrielle Bernstein was an addict with a mess of a life when she discovered meditation and a connection to the universe. It brought healing and happiness that changed her life. She shares methods, prayers, meditations, and practices that help you let go of the fear your brain clings to and replace it with surrender that brings joy.

Gabrielle has become a modern faith guru, appearing on Oprah and other popular platforms. This book is all about how she connects with the universe, which means God, a higher power, karma, whatever you want to call it.

Good

• There were so many parts that resonated deeply with me. She has a way of cutting through to your fears and frustrations. The struggle to control everything.
• I loved the prayers. Essentially they’re affirmations but can also be a great guide for praying. Sometimes it’s hard to know how to say things but I like examples of different phrases and ways of praying.
• The idea of surrender and that obstacles are detours in the right direction was important for my lil control freak heart. The principle of letting God guide, realizing that the tension and control I try to exert is getting in His way was clear and important.
• I applied the whole thing to God – He is the Universe to me. Once I did that I really loved the way it fit perfectly with the Gospel because it was a unique way of applying the principles I know by heart.
• There has been something I’ve been unsettled about  – plans for my future – and I seriously think I needed this book at this time to help me reach a place of peace.
• PEACE. This book helps you better identify how you feel when at peace and how to come back to it.
• I bet the audiobook would be awesome because there are lots of mantras and meditations that would be helpful to hear and repeat aloud.

Less Good

• This book IS as hippy as it sounds. It’s not for everyone.
• She is entitled and pretentious, in my opinion.
• Even suggesting that changing your connection with the universe will fix your infertility is not ok.
• More real world, real person application would help. Her life doesn’t seem super representative of a normal person. The anecdotes were a little tone-deaf.

The Husband’s Secret

Cecilia Fitzpatrick stumbles on a secret letter from her husband, clearly labeled that it should only be opened in the event of his death. The contents of the letter turn her life upside down and affect a wide circle – from her daughter’s P.E. teacher, the school secretary, an old classmate fleeing marriage trouble, and of course the husband with the dramatic secret. In typical Moriarty style these people’s lives intertwine to produce laughter, suspense, fear, and love as you desperately wonder how everything can possibly conclude nicely. 

This freaking author. I love LOVE love how she writes women. They’re so real and colorful and sitting right next to you. You wonder how in the world these characters will possibly interact. Then you wonder how in the world this hot mess of a situation will resolve. Then you wonder how in the world she just resolved that so near-perfectly.

Good

• This is your ultimate summer/vacation read. It draws you in, entertaining you from the very first page. It’s easy to read, once you figure out who everyone is and how they relate. And it’s just so fun.
• I said this above but she just writes women so well. Not idealizing, not villainizing. Just real and so so good. The way we can love and hate at the same time. Emotions and logic. A billion thoughts at once.
• I love it whenever a book makes me exclaim or when my jaw drops.
• The romance(s) are flawed and warm and great. And PG-13 but clean.
• How does Moriarty weave so many complex issues into these stories? Weight/appearance, mental illness, marital fidelity, honesty, moral nuance, passion vs. true love, forgiveness, family betrayal. Just. So. Good.
• I read on ebook which was awesome because I wanted to read this nonstop so it was really helpful to basically always have it with me so I could squeeze in a few minutes whenever possible. My friends have said this is also a fantastic audiobook.

Less Good

• You find out what the husband’s secret is fairly early in the book and then I stalled for a little bit. It’s kind of shocking and bums you out and you’re like “ok so why should I keep reading?” but then I pushed through and got sucked right back in.
• It took me a minute to figure out who everyone is. The three main women (Cecilia, Tess, and Rachel) all have a circle of like 4-6 people so you end up with quite a large cast that rotates each chapter.
• The ending resolves in a way that surprises and kind of makes sense but still doesn’t quite satisfy you because WHATTTTTT. Seriously????

I’m currently knee deep in a couple of really good books and about to start a classic – Crime & Punishment. Hoping July brings some excellent reading time and extra brain power to understand Dostoyevsky.