The Embalmer by Caillé Anne-Reneé and Mullins Rhonda

The Embalmer is a short book around 80 pages or so. It's not as macabre as I was hoping but it is rather interesting. The book centers around a daughter who has interviewed her father on his job as an embalmer. It details an array of cases he has come across in this lifetime told in short yet powerful passages.

The writing style is more of poetic form which isn't something I care for much but after a few pages in no longer became distracting as the story lines unfolded. It's a quick read for those who find this subject interesting.

* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive Jan 22, 2019 by Stephanie Land and Barbara Ehrenreich

Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive 

by Stephanie Land and Barbara Ehrenreich

Release Date: Jan 22.2019

I wanted to love this book. It had so much promise. I think the expectations I went in with were too high and I ultimately disappointed my reading experience before I dug my heels into it. I don't feel that Stephanie Lands experience was unique or any more difficult than anyone else's in similar situations. Poverty is a struggle and real. The book felt rushed and the story felt as though it was being told by someone else and not the individual who experienced the hardships. 

 Land shows through her writings and experiences how society judges those who are poverty stricken, how many in society take advantage of the poor (example: The wages she is paid as maid through the company she works for) and how something such as in illness or car accident can make a situation dire for someone who is poor rather than inconvenient for those who experience such circumstances. Land's book chronicle's how poverty cycles through generations and how difficult it is to break. 

Stephanie Land is a young single mother who finds herself in a failing domestic relationships that results in abuse and the only way to save herself and her daughter is to be homeless and rely on the government for help. She no real skills or experience resulting  in low wage jobs that make it impossible to beat the odds and get ahead in life (she luckily finds a way out of this). Her experiences working as a maid caused me to cringe on several occasions by the actions of those she worked for and her own. 

 I encourage those of you who read this to take the time to place yourself or someone you love in Stephanie's situation before you make judgments and think twice before you condemn someone for being less fortunate than you. 

I don't want to spoil the ending for you but I will say Stephanie Land has beat the odds! 

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella

I Owe You One By Sophie Kinsella

Release Date: February 5. 2019

Fixie Farr is meek and lets her family, long time crush walk all over her and others walk all over her. She's Fixie Farr and know for fixing things it's what she does. However a chance encounter with a rich (of course!) handsome man name Sebastian puts her on a path that makes her grow as person and strengthen her character and finally get that much needed backbone!

Fixie works in her family shop with her mother but when her mother goes on a much needed vacation her siblings have to take a more active role and want to make drastic changes and have their own agenda's. Fixie knows these ideas are bad but she can't seem to find a way to make her voice heard.

Her childhood crush reenters the picture and he like many others want's Fixie to fix his life. He takes advantage of her kindness and is quite a shoddy fellow but the ever hopeful Fixie can't seem to stand up to the man she always wanted.

A chance encounter with Sebastian throws a bit of newness into her life rut. He writes an IOU on a coffee sleeve attached to his business card and while she never expects to claim it she finds herself in his office asking to redeem it.

Chaos and drama ensues. Fixie finds her self torn between her family and her own self. Will see find and get what she finally desires? You'll have to read to find out.

Kinsella writes another lovely novel with characters who have a mix or redeeming qualities and not so great ones. This is a easy, fun read. One that I really needed during this busy season of my life.
The will be a perfect addition or gift for an Kinsella fan. It's very reminiscent of her prior works and has inspired to pull out my copies of Confessions of a Shopaholic.


* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.