It’s the second Tuesday of the month, which means that it’s time to link up with Steph and Jana for another edition of Show Us Your Books. While May was disappointing in quality of books, June definitely made up for it! The majority of my reads were 4 stars and I even had a 5 star book this month! Here are my June 2017 reads:
3 Stars:
Always by Sarah Jio – Cade and Kailey were young, in love and planned to get married. But one day, he disappears, never to be seen from again. 10 years later, Kailey is leaving a restaurant with her fiance when she sees a homeless man and realizes that it’s Cade. She feels compelled to help him and she tries to figure out what happened since they last saw each other. The book is told in alternating chapters between the past and present. I had previously read Bungalow by Jio and loved it. So, when I saw this book at the library, I picked it up. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed by this one. I felt like some of the character decisions seemed so unlikely and unrealistic.
4 Stars:
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver – This YA book had been on my to read list for awhile. I wanted to read the book before I saw the movie, which was what finally got me to read it. Although I never watched the movie Groundhog Day, I believe this book is similar in which Samantha relives the same day seven different times. Each do-over she is able to manipulate and make changes based on her past experiences. The book has been nominated for a bunch of awards and I can see why. I enjoyed the storyline and Samantha’s character as she evolves through the book. And my own personal rant, there was one character in particular that I couldn’t stand and couldn’t understand how Sam was friends with her….rant over! BTW, as usual, the book is so much better than the movie.
The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman – After her husband dies in a car accident, Lilian Girvan is left to raise their two young daughters. As an illustrator, she’s given the job of working on a vegetable gardening book. But, she must take a gardening class which her two children and sister accompany her to. During the six week class, the students form friendships and help each other through difficult times. In between chapters, vegetable gardening tips are provided. I enjoyed Waxman’s writing style and even though the topic of being a widow is heavy, I found her writing style to be fun and engaging.
The Hope Chest by Viola Shipman – Mattie Tice was once a famous garden designer. Diagnosed with ALS, the time has come where her husband Don of almost 50 years needs some help in taking care of her. Enter Rose, Mattie’s new caretaker and her daughter Jeri. In the move to a new house, Mattie discovers her hope chest and shares the contents and the memories they bring with Rose. This is the second book in the “heirloom novel” series. I read the first book, The Charm Bracelet and enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed this book. What I find so interesting is that Viola Shipman is a pen name for the author, Wade Rouse. I am surprised at how well he writes from a a female perspective.
In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware – Leonora (Lee/Nora) is unexpectedly invited to her friend Clare’s hen party. Surprised since she hasn’t seen her in over 10 years, Nora decides to go with their friend Nina. They drive to the country to find a glass house set in the middle of the woods, where they will stay for the weekend. But during that weekend Nora wakes up in a hospital and learns that someone has died. She has no recollection of how she got in the hospital and she tries to piece together her memories of the past couple of day’s events to figure out what is going on. I was a fan of The Woman in Cabin 10 and had heard that this book was even better. This was an enjoyable, suspenseful read, even though I had it figured out before the big reveal.
This Is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel – Rosie and Penn have five boys. But their youngest, 5-year-old Claude prefers wearing dresses and wants to be a girl when he grows up. What ensues is the family having to keep secrets as they navigate raising a transgender child. This is a beautiful, well-written story that is very relevant in today’s times. This is not a “light” summer read, but in my opinion, a book definitely worth picking up.
5 Stars:
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – 16-year-old Starr lives in the poor and drug-ridden neighborhood of Garden Heights where her father runs a store. But she goes to a school an hour away where she’s one of 2 black kids in her grade. She’s with an old friend Khalil on their way home from a party when Khalil is pulled over by a white cop and shot to death. Starr is the only witness and when the shooting makes national headlines she has some tough choices to make. This YA book handles a serious, relevant topic but is so well written.
It’s the best when you have good book months! The Garden of Small Beginnings sounds like it would be really fun, even with the more serious topics.
Yes, love a good reading month! The Garden of Small Beginnings was a great read!
I have The Hate U Give right now, I’ll be reading it in the next week. Can’t wait even though it’s a hard topic.
This is How it Always Is is on my list.
Both were great books. I think that you’ll enjoy The Hate U Give.
The Garden of Small Beginnings has such a gorgeous cover!!! It sounds nice. I have The Hate U Give on my list. I haven’t read any Sarah Jio yet but she’s on my radar – I’ve heard such good things!!!
I loved This is How it Always Is. What an amazing family.
If you read Sarah Jio, I recommend The Bungalow. It was my first book by her and made me want to read more!
You read some great books!! I loved The Garden of Small Beginnings and In a Dark, Dark Wood. The Hate U Give was also great!
Yes, I was so happy that I had such a great reading month!
I love a good book month. Mine was really only average. Boo! The Hate U Give is on my TBR. I can’t remember if I put it on hold … too many books on hold to remember! LOL! I’ve seen lots of praise for This is How It Always Is and am adding it to my TBR too. I really need to read in A Dark, Dark Wood.
The Hate U Give was such a good read. I think you’ll enjoy it!
I’m open about how I feel about Ruth Ware’s books. Dark Dark Wood was better than Cabin 10, though.
The Hate U Give is probably my favorite book of the year. Simply amazing.
Yes, The Hate U Give was a great book. I enjoyed both of Ware’s books.
I have The Hate U Give on my TBR list! I can’t wait to read it!
I think you’ll enjoy it!
I have to read The Hate U Give soon! I have The Hope Chest on my list. I felt the same way about Always. I liked a lot of Sarah Jio’s earlier books, but I really didn’t like that one.
I think you’ll enjoy both The Hate U Give and The Hope Chest!
You really did pick up some great reads this month! I really enjoyed Before The Fall as well, and thought that it was interesting how each day she tried to change the little things in order to change the outcome of the day. I wasn’t the biggest fan of The Woman In Cabin 10, but I decided to pick up In A Dark, Dark Wood because I heard it was even better. I’m in the middle of it right now, and I seriously love it! I still have no idea what exactly happened!
It was so nice to have a month of great reads! Enjoy In A Dark, Dark Wood! I love a good suspense read!
The Garden of Small Beginnings sounds really good. Plus, that cover! So cute! I loved In a Dark, Dark Wood!!
I know, sometimes I choose books based on their pretty covers! The Garden of Small Beginnings was a good book too!
I’ve yet to read a Ruth Ware book because people seem to love or hate them, and I just haven’t been intrigued enough to make my own opinion.
I bought The Hate U Give recently, so I will definitely be giving that a read.
If you decide to give Ware a try, I’d recommend In a Dark, Dark Wood.
I own The Hate U Give, so I need to read it soon. I really want to read In a Dark Dark Wood too. I really liked The Woman in Cabin 10.
-Lauren
Yes, The Hate U Give is a great read! If you liked The Woman in Cabin 10, I recommend In a Dark Dark Wood. Everyone said it was better than The Woman in Cabin 10 and I agree.
i was not a fan of Always at all lol. i thought it was so bad. i haven’t read anything else of hers though. i haven’t read ruth ware’s books but they are on my list. so are the hate u give and this is how it always is. i’m like #100 on each at the library lol
I didn’t enjoy In A Dark, Dark Wood, but then again I just have trouble enjoying thrillers–for some reason I always really want to read them, but end up not liking them. Maybe it’s just not the genre for me 🙂 I LOVED This Is How It Always Is–I can’t say enough good things about that book. The characters were so well-developed, and I was sad when I finished it, because I didn’t want to stop reading! I’m reading The Hate U Give right now… also so, so good.