books

Welcome 2022! I finished 2021 reading 80 books, five more than my goodreads goal of 75. This year, I set a goal of 52 books. It’s much less than my usual 75 or 100 books. However, it’s an attainable goal since I know that I can read one book a week. This year, I plan to work on some other projects and don’t want the pressure of feeling like I have to read to meet some unattainable number that I’ve set for myself. December was good reading month with a mix of okay and great reads. Check out my December reads that I’m sharing with Steph and Jana’s monthly link up.

3 stars

Eight Perfect Hours by Lia Louis – (Holiday/Romance, September 2021) A girl and guy meets during a blizzard, spending “eight perfect hours” together. But they keep running into each other and discover that perhaps fate has brought them together. This was a sweet, feel-good read.

Love From Scratch by Kaitlyn Hill – (YA/Romance, c/o Netgalley, April 2022) Reese and Benny are two high school students interning at an online culinary network. They end up doing a video together that goes viral, leading to a regular segment that they star in. But they are both competing for a job with the company in the fall, so despite the chemistry heating up between them, Reese wants to keep it platonic. As a food lover, I enjoyed the cooking and behind the scenes aspects of a culinary network. Overall, this was a cute read.

The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary – (Romance, June 2021) Two exes share a car ride with some friends on their way to a mutual friend’s wedding. I really liked O’Leary’s The Flatshare but this book just didn’t do it for me. If Goodreads allowed half stars I’d probably give this 2.5 stars. It was a slow read for me and I just wasn’t interested in the characters.

Such a Good Wife by Seraphina Nova Glass – (thriller, August 2021) Wife and mom of two ends up having an affair with a local author. But when he ends up dead, she has to cover her tracks and attempts to figure out who killed him. I thought this had a pretty unbelievable plot and I found Melanie, the main character so unlikeable.

4 stars

Cuba In My Pocket by Adrianna Cuevas – (Middle Grade/Historical Fiction, September 2021) A 12 year-old boy has to leave his family in Cuba behind and move to Florida to avoid being recruited into the Young Rebels. There he is confronted with the challenges of adapting to a new culture while worrying about his family back in Cuba. I didn’t know much about this time period and it was interesting to see it from a child’s perspective.

One More For Christmas by Sarah Morgan – (holiday/fiction, October 2020) An estranged mother and her daughters reconnect after she has an accident. They all end up spending Christmas together in Scotland. This was the fourth book by Morgan that I’ve read, and the third holiday themed book, and I have enjoyed every one of them.

The Secret of Snow by Viola Shipman – (Holiday/Romance, October 2021) A middle-aged meteorologist is replaced by an AI robot at the news station she works at in California. She ends up returning to her home in Michigan, in the midst of winter, to figure out what’s next. She gets a job at the local news station and reconnects with her home town and the winter season, which she has tried to avoid for a very long time. Viola Shipman is the pen name of Wade Rouse. I have read several of her books and have enjoyed all of them. This is her first holiday themed read and is based on real people and events in the author’s life.

You may enjoy reading:

November 2021 Reads

October 2021 Reads

The year is almost over and I’m so close to my Goodreads goal of 75 books. My November reads included a lot of holiday reads, a classic and some suspense books. There were even 2 Netgalley ARC reads. I read a total of seven books this month which I’m sharing with Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books linkup.

3 stars:

The Lifeguards by Amanda Eyre Ward (Fiction, April 2022) (c/o Netgalley) Three teenage boys are best friends and so are their moms. They are spending a summer as lifeguards. But when they end up finding a dead body, it’s every family for themselves. I found the ending of this book to be very unsatisfying. It felt disjointed and I felt like things went unanswered.

The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer (Holiday, 2021) A Jewish girl secretly is a famous Christmas romance novelist. When tasked with writing a Hanukkah romance, she decides she must attend The Matzah Ball. This is the sold out, biggest Hanukkah celebration in the city and she will do anything she needs to, to attend. Even though it’s run by her summer camp archenemy. I think this may be the first Hanukkah holiday fiction book that I’ve read. I felt the author made every Jewish food and culture reference possible, which was over the top. But I did like how the book shed light on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, something I was not very familiar with.

Passing by Nella Larsen (Classic/Historical Fiction, April 2003) The edition of the book I read was published in April 2003, however, the book was originally published in 1929. Passing tells the story of an African American woman “passing” for a white woman. But when a friendship with a childhood friend is reignited, the woman realizes that she wants to be part of her old community. I read this book because it was the first pick of the Netflix Book Club. I can’t say that I loved it but I thought the storyline was progressive for the time.

4 stars:

Always in December by Emily Stone (Holiday, October 2021) Girl meets boy in a literal collision. Neither are looking forward to Christmas and they end up spending the holiday together. But then he leaves for New York and she doesn’t see him again…..until she does several times over the next year. It seems they are destined to be together……While this book looks like a light, romance read, it is not! It’s a well-written, enjoyable but. But beware that it’s a heavier read that had me in tears at the end.

In a New York Minute by Kate Spencer (Romance, 2022) (c/o Netgalley) On the day she’s laid off a young woman is saved from potential embarrassment, due to a subway mishap, by a handsome young man. The two end up becoming a meet-cute internet sensation. Although they never exchange contact info, the two keep running into each other and become friends that may lead to more. I listen to Kate Spencer’s podcast, Forever35, and enjoyed this book a lot.

The Mothers by Genevieve Gannon (Fiction, May 2021) Two women are trying to conceive. One woman ends up getting implanted with the other woman’s embryo, which has tragic consequences. This was a heartbreaking story as I imagined how difficult the situation was for both women involved.

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney (Mystery/Thriller, September 2021) A husband and wife are spending a weekend in Scotland, hoping this time away will help their marriage. I didn’t know anything about this book before reading which I recommend. It’s filled with so many twists and I found it to be a great read. The husband has prosopagnosia (facial blindness), which before reading this, I had never even heard of. I also really enjoyed Sometimes I Lie by this author.

Another month, another book review post. I read a surprisingly higher number of books than usual in October, with a total of seven books read. Unfortunately, they weren’t all great reads. Here are my October reads, which I’m sharing with Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books linkup.

3 stars

Brunch and Other Obligations by Suzanne Nugent (Contemporary Fiction, May 2020) When Molly dies, she leaves a request that her three friends (who are not friends with each other) meet up for brunch, once a month for a year. She also leaves them each an inexplicable gift. Although the friends seem to have nothing in common with each other, they follow through on their friend’s request. Through the process they learn that Molly may have known what was best for them after all. This was an okay book about female friendship that was fairly predictable.

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller (Contemporary Fiction, July 2021) After having sex with her best friend since childhood, Elle must decide if she is going to stay with her husband and three children or leave to be with him. The main storyline takes place over 24 hours with flashbacks to show how Elle’s life has evolved to the present. I read this book because it was a Reese’s Book Club Pick and she usually chooses books that I enjoy. Unfortunately, this wasn’t one of the books that I loved. I found it to be slow and the ending confusing.

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth (c/o Netgalley) (mystery/thriller, April 2022) The story opens with a wedding, where a tragic event takes place. Rachel and Tully’s mother is in a nursing home with dementia. Their father is dating and soon engaged to a much younger woman. Each of the women have their own struggles that they are secretly hiding. Each of their stories brings light on the surprising conclusion. I have been a huge Hepworth fan. This was an engrossing, fast-paced read. However, I just didn’t love this one though as much as her others.

4 stars

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (memoir, April 2021) At the age of 25, Michelle learns her mother has terminal cancer. Although they didn’t always have the best relationship, they always connected through their shared love of food. Faced with losing this part of her Korean American identity, Zauner learns to cook some of the traditional dishes she grew up eating with her mother. I heard about this book after hearing Zauner on a couple of different food podcasts talking about her memoir and Korean food. I haven’t read a memoir in a long time and this was a good one.

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (mystery/thriller, May 2021) Hannah’s husband disappears, leaving her a note to protect his sixteen-year-old daughter. When the FBI start investigating her husband’s disappearance, she realizes that she didn’t really know him. This was an enjoyable, fast-paced read that more mystery than thriller.

Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking by Maangchi and Lauren Chattman (Cookbook, May 2015) I’m counting reading Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking as a book towards my goodreads reading goal because I did read this cover to cover. I am looking to learn how to cook Korean food and this is where I started. I know Maangchi has a big YouTube following and I’ll likely check out her videos. I just find cooking with a printed recipe easier. I wish she had cooking times listed with the recipes. Plus, most of the recipes in this cookbook were meat-based. So far, I’ve only tried one banchan vegetable side dish and it didn’t turn out great. But there are a couple of more recipes I hope to try out before it’s due back to the library.

The Seven Day Switch by Kelly Harms (Fiction, July 2021) Two neighbors, one a working mom, the other a stay-at-home mom end up waking up in each other’s bodies and get to see how the other mom lives. This was a good look at “the mommy wars” and how we all are just doing the best that we can. I’ve enjoyed all of the books by Harms that I’ve read, including this one.

With the kids back at school last month and their sports and activities in full swing, I’ve had very little reading time. I somehow still managed to read five books but I know that my reading will continue to slow in this busy season. Here are my September reads that I’m sharing with Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books link-up. What was your favorite September read?

3 stars:

Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena (Thriller, July 2021) Three three siblings attend Easter dinner at their parents’ house. Their very wealthy parents, who are found murdered the next day. Each sibling has secrets and their own motive to kill them. I wasn’t a fan of this book and didn’t like the ending. I have to stop reading Lapena’s books because I’ve read a lot of them and have been disappointed in most of them.

We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry – (fantasy/historical fiction, March 2020) Set in Danvers, MA (which in 1692 was Salem Village) this story is about a field hockey team that believes they are channeling the powers of witchcraft to help rid themselves of their losing streak and take them to the state championship. I originally got this book for my daughter to read since she plays field hockey. She tried it but gave up after a few chapters. So I decided to give it a try. Overall it was an okay story, but was a slow read.

4 stars:

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon (Contemporary Romance, January 2021) Two employees at a radio station end up fake dating for a radio show they are hosting but end up actually falling for each other. This was fun, light read.

The Guncle by Steven Rowley – (Contemporary Fiction, May 2021) Gay Uncle Patrick ends up taking care of his niece and nephew after their mother passes away and their dad goes to rehab. Having no experience with kids, he learns that parenting is no joke, but that he is capable. While the cover of the book makes it look like a light read, there was actually some depth to this story. There were even some LOL moments for me. While I read this book, I pictured Robert Brotherton, from the Netflix series My Unorthodox Life, as GUP!

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston – (Romance/Science Fiction) August Landry moves to NYC knowing no one. She finds some eccentric roommates and gets a job at a 24-hour pancake diner while also going to school. But then one day on the Q train she meets Jane. She falls for Jane fast but discovers that Jane is displaced from the 1970’s and stuck on the Q train. Through the course of the book August finds herself and her tribe in NYC. With the help of her new friends, August will try everything to help Jane. I didn’t really know anything about this book before reading it and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

It’s sad that summer is unofficially over. While I had high hopes of getting a lot of reading done this summer, it just didn’t happen. Last month I only read 4 books! Here are my August reads that I’m sharing with Steph and Jana’s monthly book linkup:

3 stars:

The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Francis (Contemporary Fiction, July 2015) Three sisters make their annual summer trip to the family house on Cape Cod. This year brings many challenges as they each have a lot going on in their lives. I picked this book off the “Take a Book, Leave a Book” shelf at work and decided to read it since it had “summer” right in the title. Overall, it was an okay summer read.

4 stars:

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (YA/Poetry, May 2020) Told in verse, this YA novel tells the story of two sisters that don’t know about each other until their father dies. I think this may be one of the first books that I’ve read that is set (partially) in the Dominican Republic. This is my first book by the author, but won’t be my last.

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing (Mystery/Thriller, July 2021) A teacher at a prestigious private school wins the Teacher of the Year Award. When a parent ends up dead, it looks like murder. But who did it? The book, told from multiple POVs had me guessing and engrossed to find out what was going on. This is my first book by Downing, though a couple are on my to read list. I just learned that this book is becoming an HBO Max series.

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi (Historical Fiction, March 2020) At 17 years old, a young woman runs away from her abusive marriage and eventually makes her way to Jaipur where she becomes a well known and respected henna artist. She doesn’t know that she has a 13 year-old sister, until said sister arrives on her doorstep. She then struggles to raise her sister and keep her business prosperous. I enjoyed learning more about the significance of henna in the Indian culture. The sequel to this book was recently published, which I will have to read.

I can’t believe that it’s August already. Summer is halfway through and I don’t feel like I did everything I wanted to! Sadly, my reading hasn’t been great this summer.  I feel like I’ve read a lot more in past summers than I have this one.  Here are my July reads:

3 stars:

The Kindred Spirits Club by Amy E. Reichert (contemporary romance/paranormal, April 2021). Sabrina is jobless and has to move back home, working for her childhood enemy. She and the women in her family can see and talk to spirits, which has always made her feel like a freak. Then she meets Ray, owner of a local restaurant. The two realize that they can help each other out….but will it turn out to be more? This was my first Reichert book. I wasn’t sure about the paranormal aspect of the book, but it somehow came together.  I’m not sure if all of her books have a fantasy aspect, but I may give some of her others a try.

The Other Wife by Claire McGowan – (Thriller, October 2019) Suzi is pregnant, living with her husband in a cottage in the middle of nowhere. She’s very excited when new neighbor, Nora, moves in next door. Then there’s Elle, who pretends to have a perfect life but feels like a prisoner in her home. But they all have their secrets and their stories end up intertwining. The book is told from the perspective of these three women and I found it a bit confusing to keep track of their stories. The storyline was a bit unbelievable to me and overall I was just underwhelmed with this book.

You Knew Me When by Emily Liebert – (Fiction, September 2013) Two childhood best friends are reunited when their beloved former neighbor passes away, leaving them both an inheritance with stipulations.  The book alternates between the past and present, showing how the friends became estranged. This was an okay book about female friendship.

4 stars:

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry – (contemporary romance, May 2021 ) Poppy and Alex met in college. Although complete opposites, the two formed a a fast friendship. Even though the two live busy, separate lives, for over a decade, they have taken an annual week long vacation together. But then two years ago something happened that ruined their friendship. Now Poppy is adamant about trying to fix their friendship. This was a fun, light summer read!

Too Good To Be True by Carola Lovering – (Suspense, March 2021) I went into this book, not knowing anything about it, as is recommended by many reviewers. So, I won’t get into too much detail here. However, this thriller kept me interested in reading! The story is told from three different POVs and you don’t know who to believe. Throw in some plot twists and you have decent thriller.

5 stars:

When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed – (graphic novel/middle grade non-fiction/, April 2020) This graphic novel is about two brothers growing up in a refugee camp in Kenya.  It’s an informative, inspiring and fairly depressing read, as I had no idea that refugee camps are like this.  The story is based on co-author Omar’s actual experiences. The book gives readers an insight into the struggles going on in the world. I learned about this book from a previous linkup and am glad I gave this a read!

Sharing with Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books!

I can’t believe that we are halfway through July! Summer is in full effect and I’ve been all about light, fun reads. In June I only read 5 books, but the majority were great, 4 star reads! I’m sharing this post with Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books linkup. Here are my June reads:

3 Stars:

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid – (Historical Fiction, June 2021) Nina Riva holds an annual epic end-of-summer party at her house in Malibu. However, her August 1983 is one for the books for Nina and her three siblings. The story takes place over this one August 1983 day with flashbacks to her and her siblings past, showing the events that lead up to this one particular, unforgettable evening. I found this book to be enjoyable enough but not my favorite of hers.

4 Stars:

The Life Intended by Kristin Harmel – (Contemporary Fiction, April 2014) Kate has been a widow for 10 years and is newly engaged. But then she starts seeing her late husband in her dreams and their possible future if he hadn’t died. These dreams lead her to make decisions that shape her current reality. This includes taking a sign language class and getting involved in the foster care system, both which have huge impacts on her life. I had never heard of this book until I found it on my work’s “Free Book Shelf” and thought I’d give it a try. I’m glad that I did because this was a great read. After reading it, I saw on Goodreads that I have a couple of the author’s other books already on my to read list, which I plan on reading sooner than later.

Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez – (Contemporary Romance, April 2021) Famous travel YouTuber gets unexpected custody of her half-sister’s infant daughter. Her neighbor, who happens to be a wealthy, good-looking lawyer, ends up helping her out in this new role and the two become friends…..and maybe more. I liked the book’s message about living for today. I also liked Adrian and Vanessa’s characters and chemistry! This is the third book in The Friend Zone series and I’ve enjoyed each of them. This can totally be read as a stand-alone though without having read the first two.

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren – (Contemporary Romance, May 2021) Single mom, Jess, is genetically matched with a 98% compatibility to Dr. River Pena. He just happens to also be the founder of the matchmaking company. Are the two destined to be together? I had taken a Christina Lauren break because I found the books becoming too formulaic. However, I really enjoyed The Soulmate Equation. I found it to be a lot different than their other books and I really liked Jess and River’s characters. This was a light, fun, easy read, which I read in a day (haven’t done that in forever!).

That Summer by Jennifer Weiner – (Contemporary Fiction, May 2021) Two women with the same name but very different lives, have their paths crossed when one keeps receiving the misdirected emails of the other. The two women end up meeting in person and form a fast friendship. However, we soon learn that one of the Diana’s has a motive for meeting the other. The story moves between the past and the present, detailing the events that led to the present. This wasn’t a “light” read, despite the cover making it appear so. I did enjoy the book but wasn’t a fan of the ending and would have liked more aftermath story.

May was a good reading month. Although I only read six books, four of them were 4 star reads. Here are my May reads that I’m sharing with Steph and Jana’s monthly SUYB link up. Have you read any of these?

3 stars:

Admission by Juli Buxbaum – (Young Adult, December 2020) Girl gets into the college of her dreams only to discover that her mother is involved in a bribery scandal and is arrested by the FBI. This was a fictional book that was similar to the 2019 college admission scandal involving the likes of Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman. I read/listened to the news when this was happening and watched the documentary. Reading this book was just too much. I can’t stand the greed and entitlement that the wealthy think they can have but I’m glad these issues are addressed in the book.

Well Met by Jen DeLuca – (Cotemporary Romance, September 2019) Emily moves in with her sister to help out while she recovers from an accident. Her teenage niece is participating in the local Renaissance Faire and needs an adult to volunteer with her. Emily is roped into volunteering and ends up flirting with the faire organizer. Could there be something real between them? This was a cute romance read. I’ve attended our local Renaissance Faire and it was fun to see some of the behind the scenes that goes into making these faires a success. While I enjoyed this read well enough, I’m not continuing the series.

4 stars:

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes (Historical Fiction, October 2019) – An English girl marries an American and lives in his family home in Kentucky. She signs up to work for the local traveling library, delivering books to those in rural areas. As part of the team she forms friendships with the other women and learns to stand up for herself. This is a book that has been on my to read list for awhile. I’m a big fan of Moyes and although this book was different than the others that I’ve read by her, I enjoyed it.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi – (Historical Fiction, June 2016) A multigenerational novel about two half-sisters in eighteenth-century Ghana. I’m glad that I finally read this book, as it’s been on my to read list for ages. I found the book to be slow in some parts. While I found it interesting to see the different paths of Effia and Esi’s descendants, I wished the chapters were longer, as I wanted to learn more about each of the characters.

Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson (Suspense/Thriller, April 2021) While her husband is out of town, Bree’s infant son is kidnapped. To get him back she must do one task, which ends up having drastic consequences. Can Bree get her son back and if so, at what cost? This was a fast-paced, suspenseful read.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn (Historical Fiction, March 2021) in 1940’s England, three women are called to work at Bletchley Park, working in various roles as code breakers. After the war is over, the three women are reunited when one of them requires the assistance of the others. This was my first Kate Quinn book, but I plan to read others, as I really enjoyed this book. I had no idea that these code breakers existed and what it involved, which is one of the reasons why I enjoy reading historical fiction.

You may also enjoy:

April 2021 Reads

May 2020 Reads

Have you read anything good recently? April wasn’t a great month in terms of reading quality or quantity. And May is going even worse! Today I’m sharing my April reads:

3 Stars:

Happy & You Know It by Laura Hankin – (Women’s Fiction, May 2020) A girl gets kicked out of her band and ends up being the musician for a NYC infant playgroup. She ends up befriending the wealthy NYC mothers and discovers that there’s a lot more going on with each of them then they let on. This was just an “eh” read.

Layla by Colleen Hoover – (Romance/Fantasy, December 2020) Boy meets girl. Girl ends up suffering an injury in an attack. Boy takes girl away to a Bed & Breakfast to help their relationship. Boy ends up meeting another girl at the B&B and now needs to decide who he wants to have a relationship with. Colleen Hoover has been one of my favorite authors. However, I wasn’t a big fan of this book. I can’t say much without giving away spoilers but it’s not like her older stuff that I’ve loved.

Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane (suspense/thriller, December 2020) – In an upstate NY college town, a girl goes missing. Then after a woman discovers a secret about her husband, he disappears. She was the last person to see him dead but his body and car are not where she left them. I found this story to be a bit outrageous and unbelievable. I did like that it took place in Ithaca, where I went to college so some of the places talked about where familiar.

What Could Be Saved by Liese O’Halloran Schwarz – (historical fiction/literary fiction, January 2021). A woman is contacted by a stranger who claims to be her brother who disappeared forty years ago in Bangkok. She then travels to Thailand to see if it’s really him. This book was such a slow read for me. I of course had to finish it to find out what happened to the brother. However, I then felt the ending was really rushed.

4 Stars:

Shipped by Angie Hockman – (Chick Lit/Romance, January 2021) Boy and girl both work on the corporate side of a cruise line. The two end up on a cruise together battling it out for a big promotion but end up falling for each other. Will she let romance distract her from her dream job? This was a light, fun read and just what I needed after reading The Four Winds. It has made me want to visit the Galapagos sooner than later as well!

5 Stars:

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah – (historical fiction, February 2021) This book takes place in Texas in the 1930’s during the Dust Bowl. It tells the story of a woman who fights to try to save her in-law’s farm and then moves out West to try to provide a better life for her two children. I’m not sure that there’s a Kristin Hannah that I haven’t loved. This book was sad and depressing. However, it was so well written and educated me a lot about a period in history that I did not know much about.

Sharing my post with Steph and Jana’s Show Us Your Books linkup!