Happy Monday, everyone! Sadly, I didn’t get President’s Day off at my office, so I am a bit sleepy. However, I did get a book done last night! Finally, am I right? It also doesn’t help that I found a new Netflix show that I’m currently binging. Some of my book girlfriends got me into it, it’s called Kurt Seyit ve Şura, and it’s amazing. If you’re fans of The Bronze Horseman series by Paulina Simmons, you should check out this show asap! Anyway, my reading is taking even more of a hit… but the show has subtitles, so I guess that counts as reading, right? Also, it’s based on a book, but unfortunately, there’s no English translation as of right now. So… boo to that, I suppose! Fingers crossed someone gets on that soon.
I know, I’m all over the place with this post and it just got started. I apologize!
Okay, so recently came across an ad for Book of the Month Club on one of my social media pages. I know there’s a million and one book box type mailers out there these days, but after checking them out, I decided to give them a go. If you’re interested in joining, check them out, here. In short, every month you get to choose one of five selected books for a monthly price. You can add multiple books to your cart every month for an additional $9.99. There’s free shipping, and if a month pops up where there aren’t any books that are striking your fancy, you can pass and wait to claim more than one book the following month with your carried over credit. They’re definitely worth checking out! I’ve been a member for going on three months now, and I always find it tough to choose a book I want because there’s always solid choices!
To kick off the maiden voyage of my BOTM experience, I chose Lillian Boxfish Takes A Walk by Kathleen Rooney. I have to admit, I was drawn in by the cover, but the little blurb on the site had me hooked right from the get-go.
It was my choice novel for January, but as usual, I got to it a bit late. Then, it was supposed to be my Sunday read last week. Clearly, time got away from me and life got in the way, but, I finally finished my time with Lillian last night and was pleasantly surprised at the adventure I went on.
Lillian Boxfish is an admirable and interesting lady. I very much enjoyed my time with her, and perhaps, that’s why I dragged my feet on finishing this story. I liked how Lillian thought. What a pistol!
Eighty-four years young, she decides to take a stroll through her beloved Manhattan during the last few hours of 1984. During her walk and random pitstops, not only did I learn about Ms. Boxfish’s life, but also a little bit about the lives of those she encountered.
Their stories all intertwine in their own way, and time travels exceedingly fast in all the back and forth between the days of her youth, to the time of now and what will come in the future. I love how much time changed, but the memories lived on.
Whether I was learning about her local grocer, a few thugs who lurk in the shadows of a city street, her photographer friend, or her son, I was continuously intrigued. Not only did I like learning about strangers, but I really loved how Lillian interacted with each individual person and what that allowed me to learn about her.
I admired and even envied her drive as a young working woman during an era where it was not only rare to find a woman in the workplace, but to have her be one of the top earning females in the country in her field. She is quite a force to reckon with.
She’s not your conventional bride and housewife. She’s a driven career girl and she seems to have a way with her words and her reputation even well into her eighties.
I got to venture into her brain and understand how she felt about her career, relationships, marriage, divorce, children, the whole nine, and I found myself identifying with her quite a bit. I wish she could walk around with me and offer me advice and tips on life, and if I screw up, she’ll know just what to say to put me in my place again. There is no arguing with the likes of Lillian Boxfish.
Go meet Lillian, and accompany her on a tour of New York. You won’t regret it!
My Final Rating: four out of five stars
