Reading Review

Once, when I was struggling to find something to write about, Gene suggested that I do book reviews, which honestly, I kind of hate doing. Personally, I feel like how much I like a book or dislike it can have a lot to do with my current life, where I am mentally, how I'm feeling—am I in a good mood, bad mood, etc.

I love to read—granted, I don't read as much as I'd like. I usually only read at bedtime, or if I'm sick and lying around. Occasionally, I'll listen to audiobooks—but not too often, as I usually can't stay focused to fully listen. So I end up missing the important parts. When I do decide to listen to an audiobook, it's usually on a long drive.

On my last trip to NJ for a dentist appointment, I decided it would be good to listen to an audiobook. I love that I can get free audiobooks from my library partnered with Libby. I can listen on the go since it's right on my phone. Download at home and it doesn't use up my data.

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I know you're dying to know what book I listened to: The House of My Mother - A Daughter's Quest for Freedom. This falls into the memoir/biography category. When I do opt to listen to an audiobook, I gravitate towards ones that I would generally lose interest in if I were reading them myself. This book, however, pulled me in from the start. I listened in the car, while I was in the kitchen making a mess canning, in the car again. I couldn't stop listening!

While I can't say exactly what drew me in, after it was done I felt that I connected on so many levels with the author and what was going on. How she felt from her mom's treatment, her dad's removed/non-existent presence in things going on. How her mother's actions and decisions affected her life as a child, young adult, and then as an older adult. We all have things that happened during our lives that shape us, make us who we are—whether in a bad or good way. I want to dig deeper into why this hit me so hard—but at a time when my life isn't in a complete shit-show status.

The other thing I could relate to is parents' decisions to put or not put their children on the internet. Whether it's Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, a personal website, or one of the other million social media/entertainment options. As I was listening to this book, I had to think several times - yikes. I'm here writing these blogs, writing about details of my life and throwing them out on the internet for all to see. Not only is it me and my cats, it's my husband, some of my friends, work, etc.

I have yet to make money on the blog (no real surprise there). I have the same core group reading this—and only when I make the time to send those emails or make a post that there's a new blog post out. Please, if you do read, don't stop, and still consider sharing the blog with someone who likes this kind of stuff! What I will say is that it does make me pause before writing now. Who will be affected by what I write? Will it come back to haunt us later, as things have a way of doing?

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The audiobook was phenomenal, short, fast-paced. I'm not going to say it's a must-read, but it's something to consider. Especially if you have kids who use social media - check it out. I hope it will give you the pause it gave me. The reminder that the internet is not erasable. Deleting profiles, taking down your content only does so much. It's still out there... somewhere.

So, as a childless, happy 20-cat mom, I'm still going to blog away and share pieces of my life, but maybe with a bit more thought to what I share.

What book(s) do you recommend? Drop in the comments something you think we should all read!

Til our Tails cross again,

Mel

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