What I Thought I Knew

Today I finished the book, What I Thought I Knew by Alice Eve Cohen.  This is a little gem with only 194 pages.  My Arizona friend, Millhouse mailed it to me.  I really, really enjoyed this book.  Millhouse knows what I like.  She was a book seller for awhile.  I think she spent more money than she made!
The story is about Alice, a 44 year old divorced woman with an adopted daughter.  She was having health problems.  After months of tests it is revealed that she was six months pregnant.  Alice was told she would never be able to conceive.  In addition to her age she had health issues that made her pregnancy high risk.  She had no prenatal care.  Her insurance did not cover a high risk pregnancy and she is scared. 
This story is an honest look at the choices and thoughts Alice had about this pregnancy.  Not many people would be willing to admit they seriously considered abortion and adoption.  Alice was besieged with opinions by doctors and friends about what was ethical, loving, and right.  Most of the time she was alone with her fear.  Her boyfriend did not share her fears.  He had a difficult time understanding how she could consider ending the pregnancy or giving their baby up for adoption.
This is a memoir.  There is some humor.  So much raw emotion.  It is a story that made me think.  I liked the writing style.  It was so honest.  I could feel her pain, her depression.  If I had the time I would have read it straight through.  Glad I was able to enjoy it a few days.
I am giving this book a 5.  The story was unique, brutally honest, made me want to talk about what I was reading.  Made me reconsider some of my beliefs.  A great read.
The Page Turners met last night for the first time since November.  That is too long!  We had a great dinner.  There were five of us at the meeting.  We had so many things to talk about.  We were together over 2 1/2 hours.  We used most of the time to catch up on what everyone had been doing.  We talked just a little big about our February book, The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke.  This is a very light read.  The author puts recipes at the end of the chapters.  The hostess was ill and not at the meeting.  She chose the book because she thought it would be nice to have a light read.  The problem with the story is there was not anything to discuss.  The thing about the book club is we read things we might not read if not for the club.  Some we enjoy, some we do not.  Every member has the chance to share something they like with the group.  I gave the book a rating of 1. 
Our January book was, The Orphan Sister by Gwendolen Gross.  It was hard for me to remember everything about the book.  I like to read the books the week of the meeting so I do not forget the story.  I have a terrible memory and I read too many books.  I just got out my journal to see what I rated it right after I read the book.  Last night I said 3.  I really rated it 4.  It is the story of triplets.  One of the triplets feels left out.  Her two sisters are identical.  Clementine was a singleton.  She came from her own egg.  I did not even know this was possible. 
Clementine spends her life excelling at not fitting in with her family.  It seems like she does things she knows her family would not approve of.  Clementine's father disappears.  It sends her on an exploration of what brought her to the current point of her life. 
I think I was on a reading high when I gave it a 4.  It is probably a 3.  Not even a strong 3.
Our March book is, Black & Blue by Anna Quindlen.  I do not think I have read the book.  The story sounds familiar.  I might have watched the movie.  I have a few books to read before I get to that one.  I have read 16 books this year.  On target for my goal of two books a week.