Meredith's Recommended Books: April » Living Life with Meredith

This month, y’all. It’s gone by so fast to me! I can’t believe May is here! I think I’ve left the house maybe 4 times in April which has got to be the littlest amount I’ve ever left the house since I got my driver’s license. On the bright side, I’ve had plenty of time to read.

I read 2 books this month. A non-fiction book & a YA (young adult) novel but because I don’t think I have a lot of YA readers reading this, I’m actually going to share a book that has stuck with me since I read it a couple of years ago. It’s a good one! Both of these books are good ones & I highly recommend them both!!

Let’s get to the recommended books from April!

April Book #1:

Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope by The Van Ryns, The Ceraks, w/ Mark Tabb

My non-fiction recommended book from April: Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope by The Van Ryns, The Ceraks, with Mark Tabb

Here’s the synopsis:

Five lives were lost in a tragic car accident, and the sole survivor was rushed to the hospital, where she remained in a coma for five weeks. Everyone believed that Laura Van Ryn was in a coma, and that Whitney Cerak had died in the crash—until Whitney woke up.

This shocking case of mistaken identity stunned the country and made national news. Would it destroy a family? Shatter their faith? Push two families into bitterness, resentment, and guilt? In Mistaken Identity, the Van Ryn family and the Cerek family describe their ordeal and explore the bond sustaining and uniting them as they deal with their bizarre reversal of life lost and life found.

Mistaken Identity weaves a complex tale of honesty, vulnerability, loss, hope, faith, and love in the face of one of the strangest twists of circumstances imaginable.

My Thoughts:

My uncle recommended this book to me but what he did not tell me was how emotional it was! I knew it was based on a true story, I knew that it was crazy, but I was not prepared to have tears in my eyes by the end of the first chapter. So I guess that’s my warning to y’all: it’s emotional & there are multiple points in the book where you’re gonna want to cry. But that’s okay because this book is so moving & will give you chills sometimes.

The way the book is written, you feel the pain that both families went through. Emotions aside, it was a really good book & I highly recommend it. I ended up reading it in 3 days. I couldn’t put it down because I just needed to hear more of the story & read what happened next & next & next. If you’ve heard about this story before, you’ve probably thought “How is this even possible?!” & this book is going to make you think that even more. But it’s also going to explain exactly what happened & the events from the moment of the accident to Whitney coming home. Highly recommend this one!

April Book #2:

The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo

Here’s the summary:

Lucy is faced with a life-altering choice. But before she can make her decision, she must start her story—their story—at the very beginning.

Lucy and Gabe meet as seniors at Columbia University on a day that changes both of their lives forever. Together, they decide they want their lives to mean something, to matter. When they meet again a year later, it seems fated—perhaps they’ll find life’s meaning in each other. But then Gabe becomes a photojournalist assigned to the Middle East and Lucy pursues a career in New York. What follows is a thirteen-year journey of dreams, desires, jealousies, betrayals, and, ultimately, of love. Was it fate that brought them together? Is it choice that has kept them away? Their journey takes Lucy and Gabe continents apart, but never out of each other’s hearts.

This devastatingly romantic debut novel about the enduring power of first love, with a shocking, unforgettable ending, is Love Story for a new generation.

My Thoughts:

If you know me, you know that I ~~can be~~ (okay, fine…) am indecisive. It’s one of my biggest flaws so obviously, I can never choose a favorite of anything. Music, TV show, restaurant (though Chick-Fil-A is obviously high up on the list), book, can not choose a favorite. I could list my top 5ish favorites but definitely not just 1. It’s important that you know that so you know how serious I am when you read this next sentence:

THIS. IS. MY. FAVORITE. BOOK.

I know. That’s a big statement. If I truly had to pick a favorite book ever, it would be this one. This book had a serious effect on me. It is one of the most moving books I’ve ever read. It will touch you, move you, and really make you think. I read this book at the end of 2017 & I still remember it vividly & could have an in-depth conversation with you about it—that’s how good it was & how much it has stuck with me over the past couple of years. I mean, do you know how many books I’ve read since I read The Light We Lost? A lot.

I read this book in about 4 days (& I think that was because it was the holidays & there was a lot going on) so trust me when I say that you won’t be able to put it down. This author is AMAZING! This is her first book & she hit it out of the park. If you haven’t read this book, you must. You can thank me later. 🙂

April Book #3:

I also read Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith at the beginning of April. It’s a cute, sweet, with a smidge of depth YA novel & recommend it if you’re looking for a book that meets those criteria!