A Life of Bright Ideas - Sandra Kring (2012) - Book Review

            In order to get through the books on my bookshelf, I chose to start the ‘Physical TBR Challenge’ on social media. A Life of Bright Ideas was part of this challenge and I can say now that I am so thankful that it was. I was greatly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.

            Evelyn, or Evy, is our main character throughout this book. She is incredibly analytical, organized, and an absolute rule-follower. At a young age, her mother passes away which requires her to grow up sooner than expected. In the book, she is 18 years old and is beginning to experience what I like to call the growing pains of life. What I mean by that is her peers are getting married, having kids, finding careers, and figuring out who they are; so, in turn, Evy is figuring out who she is and what she wants. Her best friend, Winnalee, comes back to Dauber (our setting) after 9 years with some different life experience and perspective. The two are able to grow up together and bring Evy’s family back together in the process.

            I believe one of the main themes of this book to be: growing up sucks, but growing up without a mom sucks even more. The small town of Dauber, Wisconsin has all sorts of characters in it. Some that mind their own business and some that don’t. Evy, Winnalee, and Evy’s family have to deal with the town gossip, boys that have zero intentions of being good, and people with lots of assumptions about who these girls should be and how they should act. Eventually, all things come together and the girls are able to stand up to their antagonists. This is a typical bittersweet, coming-of-age story, that I think every girl should read at least once in their life.

            My favorite part of the book takes place at a baby shower. The baby shower is held for a woman that was engaged to a sleazy man that had an affair with Winnalee. Winnalee, of course, felt horrible about the situation after it happened but I think deep down, she just wanted to feel loved even if it was just for a second. At this baby shower, Winnalee decides to reenact something she thought was funny and, forgetting she had a dress on, gains some unwanted attention from the male party at the shower. After noticing their comments and jokes about her, she punches the guy she had an affair with and essentially tells him off. I loved this scene because she finally gained enough courage and confidence to stand up for herself and the love she deserved.

            In conclusion, I was happily surprised by this book. I found it to be relatable in many ways: growing up as a woman, finally gaining the confidence to be who you are and to stand up for yourself, and dealing with the growing pains of becoming not only an adult but a woman. I highly recommend this book to those that maybe need a reminder of how great life, love, family, and true friendship can be with the right people.