Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center
A year after getting divorced, Helen Carpenter, thirty-two, lets her annoying, ten years younger brother talk her into signing up for a wilderness survival course. It's supposed to be a chance for her to pull herself together again, but when she discovers that her brother's even-more-annoying best friend is also coming on the trip, she can't imagine how it will be anything other than a disaster. Thus begins the strangest adventure of Helen's well-behaved life: three weeks in the remotest wilderness of a mountain range in Wyoming where she will survive mosquito infestations, a surprise summer blizzard, and a group of sorority girls.Yet, despite everything, the vast wilderness has a way of making Helen's own little life seem bigger, too. And, somehow the people who annoy her the most start teaching her the very things she needs to learn. Like how to stand up for herself. And how being scared can make you brave. And how sometimes you just have to get really, really lost before you can even have a hope of being found.
A girl who deserves better out of life decides to go on a trip where she hopes to leave with the gumption to demand better. Also there's a cute guy involved. Okay remember how I was slightly (read: entirely) obsessed with How To Walk Away by Katherine Center? I had so many people talking to me about this other book by her that I needed to read (I'm looking at you Kate and Joee)! But for some reason I just never read it. Maybe because it reminded me of Wild which I couldn't get through? But I finally read an ebook copy when it came in for me at the library. Truth be told this was at least the third time I secured the ebook from the library, but I finally read it this time! And woah... two words - freaking amazing. (I already ordered myself a copy and started annotating it).
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
🔥 out of 5 steam level
REQUIRED READING FOR FICTION LOVERS
Omg, what didn't I like would be an easier question!!! I'm slightly obsessed with Jake. I was hooked on this book at the end of the first chapter. Like couldn't put it down, couldn't stop thinking about it, knew I would buy it - kind of hooked. At 60% of the way through I messaged my best friend and said "You really don't have a choice with this question- but do you want to read this book?" (She is going to read it of course... because she has amazing taste. In books and in friends. hah!)It's so hard for me to review this without spoilers- but I will say that the message of the book is really on brand with The Gratitude Diaries (are you tired of me talking about that book yet? Too bad! I'll never stop!!!)There were approximately 7000 quotes in this book that I highlighted on my kindle. I'm obsessed with Katherine Center's writing! I've touted it in multiple reviews of her books but honestly- this is her calling. She is such an amazing writer!!!I heard that Katherine Center's next book is all about Duncan and I cannot freaking wait!!!! I'm so here for all of her writing but this book spoke to me. It was a fictional practice of changing your mindset towards positivity. Read it!!!! Drop everything and read it!!!!Lastly, I think it should be mentioned that I have two toddlers and a two week old newborn. I should have been sleeping when I was reading this book. Instead I was up two nights in a row reading this. I have zero regrets. That's how good it was!
Read: The Gratitude Diaries by Janice KaplanDo: break out some old dance moves to The Cha Cha SlideEat: A fish dinnerDo: unfriend exes on social media!Do: I mean while you're at it, you might as well go for a walk!