Books I’m Still Thinking About
Saving Five: A Memoir of Hope by Amanda Nguyen
4/5 Stars Ratings ★★★★☆
Saving Five stayed with me longer than I expected. It’s not just a story of survival. It’s about what comes after, and the strength it takes to turn personal pain into something powerful. Amanda Nguyen writes with a kind of honesty that doesn’t try to sugarcoat anything, but never loses hope either. There’s something so moving about the way she revisits her younger selves. It made me pause and think about all the different versions of ourselves we carry through life.
What hit me the hardest was how she didn’t let her trauma define her story — she reclaims it and then uses it to fight for others. The way she helped push through the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Rights Act is just incredible. This isn’t just a memoir. It’s a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there’s still room for purpose and light. It’s not always an easy read, but it’s honest and full of hope — and sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.
Count My Lies by Sophie Stava
3.5/5 Stars Ratings ★★★☆☆
I picked up Count My Lies on a whim, not really knowing what kind of story I was getting into — and that made the experience even better. It’s a slow burn, but once you’re in, it’s impossible to look away. The book follows Sloane, who lies not out of malice but almost as a habit, like it makes life easier or more interesting. And then she meets Jay and Violet Lockhart — a seemingly perfect couple who slowly unravel the moment you get too close.
The way the story moves between perspectives kept me second-guessing everything. You’re never really sure who’s telling the truth — or what the truth even is. It’s layered and moody in the best way, and even when it got a little dramatic, I didn’t mind. The emotions felt messy and real, which worked for me.
It’s a story about secrets, self-protection, and the facades we build to get by. If you like books that don’t rush, that twist slowly until you’re completely tangled in them — give this one a try.
Firstborn by Lauren Christensen
4/5 Star Ratings ★★★★☆
Firstborn is quiet, but it hit me hard. I didn’t expect how intimate it would feel. Lauren Christensen writes about losing her daughter with such softness — not dramatic, not overly stylized — just honest. There’s something about the way she moves through her grief that feels so familiar, even if you haven’t lived that exact experience.
She highlighted her relationship with her mother alongside her own experience of pregnancy and loss. It made me think about how we all carry these layers of memory and emotion passed down from the people who raised us — and how they show up in the hardest moments.
Reading Firstborn felt like sitting beside someone who isn’t trying to teach you anything, just sharing what they’ve been through — the hard parts, the quiet parts, the love that still lingers. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t leave you right away. It just… stays.
-Ritika Soni, certified content writer specializing in feminism, life, and mental health, with a broad interest in diverse subjects.
