#3 - House Rules

House Rules by Rachel Sontag (02/01/11)

Rachel, a daughter controlled by her father.  A daughter stuck between wanting approval and wanting to separate herself from her family and their secrets.

I don't know why I didn't like this book.  Maybe because I didn't particularly like Rachel?  Or maybe because I didn't understand her relationship with her father.  Hm, no - I understood it, I just didn't believe it.  It's a memoir, so I believe it is (mostly) true.  And I believe it is what the author remembers as the truth.  But something about the explanation of that relationship didn't feel authentic.  Maybe because I'm a girl with her own fucked up daddy/daughter relationship (ew, how boo-hoo does that sound?  I swear my issues don't rule my life, but I'd be crazy not to think they don't affect me.  Especially when it comes to my opinion about a book with a similar theme).

Recommend?  Nah.  There are WAY BETTER memoirs out there.

#2 - Half Broke Horses

Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls (01/27/11)

Lily Smith, grandmother of Jeanette Walls.  Strong woman, independent, determined, focused.  Caring but not loving, not understanding, not accepting.  Hardened.  But likable.  Whether she was or not in real life, it's impossible to tell.  But Jeanette Walls writes her likable.

Love, love, loved this book.  But I have a soft spot for Jeanette Walls.  Her memoir, The Glass Castle, is one of my favorites of all time.  I've read it 3 times.

Lily is a real woman.  She isn't always likable.  She isn't always right.  She's harsh and strong and bold.  But she is loving, too.  Tough, so question.  But loving in her own way.

Dear Jeanette Walls,
Your family's stories are amazing.  And the way you tell those stories is amazing.  You are amazing and I will read anything you write.
Love, Rachel.

Recommend?  Yes, obvi.