Allison's Book Report

My little library at the top of the stairs is busting at the seams with books I haven't read yet. I'm always hoping to chip away at my to-be-read list, but that's the thing about being an avid reader – the new books just keep coming and the list never gets any shorter, no matter how much we read. I always joke that reading books and acquiring books is two different hobbies, and I happen to excel at both.  The one thing that never loses is luster for me is books about book people.  I never get tired of reading about readers, authors, libraries, publishing houses, and anything else that falls into the book-ish realm!  The tagline on the back of this week's book, The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms, is, “Life is like a book: to get to the good stuff, you have to turn the page" – and I promise that it will have you doing just that. 

Amy Byler is an overworked and underappreciated single mom, and she needs a break. When the husband who abandoned her shows up again, guilt-ridden and offering to take care of their children all summer, Amy accepts his offer.  She decides that a change of scenery might help her get out of this funk, and v she leaves her home in rural Pennsylvania for the exciting city Life of New York City. Amy is usually grounded and mild mannered, but she let’s her hair down in the city that never sleeps. She discovers a life in the city filled with culture and sophistication.  With a little bit of encouragement from her friends, Amy even ventures out on a few blind dates.  When her interest is peaked by one man in particular, she risks completely losing herself in her attraction to him and the glow of her new life.  As summer comes to an end and Amy is faced with an impossible decision: to stay in this exciting new chapter of her life, or return to the life she left behind. Before she can choose, a crisis forces the two worlds together, and Amy must stare down a future where she could lose both sides of herself, and every dream she’s ever nurtured, in the beat of a heart.

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler is a laugh-out-loud funny love letter to moms everywhere – especially single moms. I acquired my copy of The Overdue Life of Amy Byler a while back at a used bookstore, and the person who had it before me had actually made annotations throughout the book.  The note on the inside cover that reads, “Humor of absurdity, like Seinfeld – also kinda Irma Bombeck-ish” and I honestly couldn't have said it better myself.

That's all I have for this week, readers - don't forget to pop over to my Instagram @allison.the.reader and let's talk about books together!