Anna’s Comments (group member since Jun 26, 2025)

Anna’s comments from the The Bookish Bunch group.

Hi everyone! Our first book club read of 2026 is, The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jenson!

All discussions, posts and questions are welcome!

If you are interested to do a different book please feel free to post another discussion for January!

We look forward to your comments! Happy New Year!!

101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think is one of those books where certain ideas just stay with you. Even if you don’t remember every essay, a few lines really make you pause and look at things differently.

One idea that stuck with me was about how much of our lives we live on autopilot — reacting out of habit instead of intention. It made me wonder how many of my daily choices are actually choices, and how many are just routines I never questioned.

Another line that really made an impact was the idea that your life improves when you get better at choosing what you give meaning to. That one hit me hard. It made me rethink how easily I attach meaning to things that don’t deserve that level of energy, and how freeing it is to let some things be just things instead of stories.

What I like about this book is how it quietly shifts the way you think about your reactions, habits, and the way you move through the world. It’s the kind of book that makes you more aware of yourself without feeling preachy.

Curious to hear everyone else’s thoughts — which essays or quotes stood out to you? Did any of them actually change the way you think?

I read The Mountain Is You a while back, but a couple of things from it have really stuck with me, and I still think about them whenever I’m dealing with confidence or self-growth stuff.

One line I always come back to is:
“You are not a problem to be solved. You are a person to be met.”
I remember reading that and thinking, okay wow, that’s exactly what I needed to hear. It kind of changed the way I talk to myself — less fixing, more understanding.

Another quote that stayed with me was:
“Self-sabotage is the shadow of your healing.”
At the time I didn’t fully get it, but now it makes so much sense. Those moments when you feel stuck or slide back into an old habit… it doesn’t always mean you’re failing. Sometimes it’s just the old version of you trying to hang on.

Even though it’s been a bit since I read it, the book still pops into my mind when I’m trying to make changes or figure myself out again. It definitely had a lasting impact.

Curious if anyone else read it a while ago — what quotes or ideas stuck with you? Did anything hit differently later on?

Mel Robbins’ The Let Them Theory is one of the most impactful self-help books I have read, mainly because it reframes how we respond to other people’s behavior. Robbins explains in a clear, compassionate way that we cannot control the actions, choices, or emotional maturity of the people around us — but we can control the way we respond. The book teaches how to stop internalizing others’ behavior, how to let go of expectations, and how to protect your own peace without becoming detached or cold. Her writing style makes the concepts feel personal, relatable, and immediately applicable. This book helped me understand how much energy I’ve spent trying to manage other people’s emotions or hoping they’ll change, and it showed me healthier ways to stay grounded, even when others don’t reciprocate the same emotional intelligence.

I would recommend this book to anyone who feels deeply, who is emotionally aware, or who struggles with being surrounded by people who don’t communicate or process things the same way. Robbins offers language for validating our own feelings without letting others walk over us or disrupt our well-being. She also helps readers recognize patterns: why certain behaviors trigger us, why letting go can feel uncomfortable, and why boundaries are an act of self-respect. The Let Them Theory is ultimately a guide to emotional resilience — how to stay connected, compassionate, and confident while allowing others to simply be who they are. It’s a powerful read for anyone who wants to improve their emotional health and relationships without losing themselves in the process.

I’m finally wrapping up Blue Sisters too and felt the same about the sisters’ struggles. They were written in such a real way. As a former addict, I resonated with some of the themes around coping and pain, even if they weren’t always at the center of the story. That said, I did feel like the book was missing a little something to pull me in more, it started off a bit slow and at times I wished it went deeper, especially with Nicky’s storyline. Overall though, I’m glad I read it and found parts of it moving. Did anyone else feel like it took a while to get into?