December 2016 Wrap Up

1. Beyond Belief, Jenna Miscavige 4/5

“Of course, the tricky thing about these little questions was that, once I started asking them, it was hard to stop.”

Jenna Miscavige was raised to obey. As niece of the Church of Scientology's leader David Miscavige, she grew up at the center of this controversial organization. At 21, she made a break, risking everything she'd ever known and loved to leave Scientology once and for all. Now she speaks out about her life, the Church, her escape, going deep inside a religion that, for decades, has been the subject of fierce debate and speculation worldwide.
Piercing the veil of secrecy that has shrouded the world of Scientology, this insider reveals unprecedented firsthand knowledge of the religion, its rituals and its mysterious leader—David Miscavige. From her prolonged separation from her parents as a small child to being indoctrinated to serve the Church, from her lack of personal freedoms to the organization's emphasis on celebrity recruitment, Jenna goes behind the scenes of Scientology's oppressive and alienating culture, detailing an environment rooted in control in which the most devoted followers often face the harshest punishments when out of line. Detailing some of the Church's notorious practices, she also describes a childhood of isolation and neglect—a childhood that, painful as it was, prepared her for a tough life in the Church's most devoted order, the Sea Org.
Despite this hardship, it's only when her family approaches dissolution and her world begins to unravel that she's finally able to see the patterns of stifling conformity and psychological control that have ruled her life. Faced with a heartbreaking choice, she mounts a courageous escape, but not before being put thru the ultimate test of family, faith and love. Captivating and disturbing, Beyond Belief is an exploration of the limits of religion and the lengths to which some went to break free.

This book was absolutely insane.

I first heard about the church of Scientology about two or three years ago. I was in New York City and I saw the church. I thought it was a joke or a fake church. So I jokingly made the suggestion that my mom and I ‘check it out’. She looked at me like I was crazy. I now understand why she looked at me that way. I had no idea that there was so much controversy around it. I saw that Leah Remini was making a TV show to ‘expose’ the church of Scientology. I was immediately intrigued and look for a book about the church. I’m so glad that I picked this one up. Jenna definitely doesn’t hold back at all during this book. I cannot imagine what it would be like to grow up the way that she did. Waking up ridiculously early and carrying rocks all day at six. This book showed how manipulative this church is. I feel like I would be so emotionally and mentally damaged. The scientologist were basically robots. They didn’t cry or show emotion and they call people out who do ‘wrong’. This book held me until the very end. The ending is insane and unexpected. The last few pages also punched me in the gut. I didn’t want this book to end.

If you’re at all interested in Scientology I highly recommend this book.

2. Carry on Warrior, Glennon Doyle Melton 5/5 *favorite*

“When her pain is fresh and new, let her have it. Don't try to take it away. Forgive yourself for not having that power. Grief and pain are like joy and peace; they are not things we should try to snatch from each other. They're sacred. they are part of each person's journey. All we can do is offer relief from this fear: I am all alone. That's the one fear you can alleviate.”

“If our goal is to be tolerant of people who are different than we are, Chase, then we really are aiming quite low. Traffic jams are to be tolerated. People are to be celebrated.” In Carry On, Warrior, Glennon Doyle Melton shares new stories and the best-loved material from Momastery.com She recounts her mistakes and triumphs with candor and humor, and gives language to our universal (yet often secret) experiences. She believes that by shedding our armor, we can stop hiding, competing, striving for the mirage of perfection, and making motherhood, marriage, and friendship harder by pretending they’re not hard. In this one woman trying to love herself and others, readers find a wise and witty friend who will inspire them to forgive their own imperfections, make the most of their gifts, and commit to small acts of love that will change the world. I love, love, love Glennon Doyle Melton. This book was refreshing and brutally honest. I was so surprised by how honest Glennon was throughout this book. There were points in the story where I was shocked by how honest she was. She breaks down a certain barrier that many struggle to overcome. Glennon is the type of person who would answer honestly when someone asks how she’s doing. That’s rare and special. You should pick up this book if you feel like you’re doing life wrong.

3. Of Fire And Stars, Audrey Coulthurst 5/5

“For the first time in my life, I finally felt free - because some things are more important than a crown. Saving a kingdom. Knowing your heart. Or riding into the sunset with a girl on a red horse.” Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile lands. But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden. Now, Denna must learn the ways of her new home while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses—and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine—called Mare—the sister of her betrothed. I am a sucker for angsty/ forbidden love stories. I have no idea why. This book was so much fun to read. You don’t normally find LGBT fantasy books. Or maybe that’s just me. Someone had recommended this book to me and I luckily found it in the library. I loved the world surrounding this book, the characters, the conflict etc. Everything blended together so beautifully. I have no idea whether or not this will be a series or a duology. It ended in a way that felt like there could at least be another book. We’ll see though.

4. Forward, Abby Wambach 4.2/5

“Strength is a full gamut. You’ve got to be strong from top to bottom, but you also have to raise your hand and say, “I’m feeling weak right now. I need some help.” There is true strength in being able to ask for help.”

Abby Wambach has always pushed the limits of what is possible. At age seven she was put on the boys’ soccer team. At age thirty-five she would become the highest goal scorer—male or female—in the history of soccer, capturing the nation’s heart with her team’s 2015 World Cup Championship. Called an inspiration and “badass” by President Obama, Abby has become a fierce advocate for women’s rights and equal opportunity, pushing to translate the success of her team to the real world. As she reveals in this searching memoir, Abby’s professional success often masked her inner struggle to reconcile the various parts of herself: ferocious competitor, daughter, leader, wife. With stunning candor, Abby shares her inspiring and often brutal journey from girl in Rochester, New York, to world-class athlete. Far more than a sports memoir, Forward is gripping tale of resilience and redemption—and a reminder that heroism is, above all, about embracing life’s challenges with fearlessness and heart. I am by no means an athlete. Sports run away from me and vice versa. I would have to be living under a rock to not know who Abby Wambach is. That being said the only reason I paid attention to Abby is because she’s dating Glennon. The sports aspect of this book didn’t thrill me. I was more interested in her backstory/trials, her fights for equal rights etc. This book opened my eyes. It is proof that we don’t know what happens behind closed doors. Just because someone is famous doesn’t mean that they live or have lived a perfect life. It was nice to read a story about beauty coming from the ashes. Abby was brutally honest with her alcohol/abuse of prescription drugs.

 

5. Orphan Train, Christina Baker Cline 4/5

“I like the assumption that everyone is trying his best, and we should all just be kind to each other.”

The closer Molly grows to Vivian, the more she discovers parallels to her own life. A Penobscot Indian, she, too, is an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past. As her emotional barriers begin to crumble, Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life - answers that will ultimately free them both.


Rich in detail and epic in scope, Orphan Train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are.

This was one of those books that I would see and think that I would read it eventually. Then my grandfather was telling me about it. Then somehow he gave the book for me to read. At the time I wasn't really in the mood to read anything. At the same time I felt an obligation to read it because my grandfather gave it to me. I was really surprised by how much I liked this book though. It was fast and both of the protagonists were vastly interesting. I assumed that I would like one character more than the other. I didn't though and that made me so happy. If you think this book is full of history then this book might not be for you. While history was clearly a part of this book it wasn't the main focus. The main focus was the characters. That's my favorite kind of story. I love stories that are character driven. Overall this book was great and would recommend to everyone.

DFTBA

-AB