books

Happy book day!  Today I’m joining Jana and Steph for their monthly Show Us Your Books linkup.  I didn’t get a lot read in April, but most of what I did read was good.  I’ve ordered my reads from least to most enjoyed.  I’m looking forward to checking out everyone’s posts and adding to my ever growing goodreads to read list!

3 Stars:

The Passenger  by Lisa Lutz – “Tanya Dubois” is on the run….again.  She has a secret past that the reader isn’t privy to until the very end of the book.  This secret keeps her on the run, changing names and her appearance.  While classified as a thriller, I didn’t find this book all that suspenseful.  It was also annoying that of course I wanted to find out the secret, but was literally dragged along until the very end.

The Ramblers by Aidan Donnelly Rowley – This book is told through the perspectives of three different, but connected characters.  They are all in their 30’s navigating adulthood amidst living in New York City.  While slow in some parts, I was surprised that I enjoyed this one as much as I did.

Turning the Tables:  From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again by Teresa Giudice – Okay, don’t judge me on this one! I’m a Bravo Housewives fan.  While I’m not a big fan of Teresa’s, I was interested in reading about her experience in prison.  I enjoyed the prison part, which reminded me of Orange Is the New Black, since she was housed in Danbury Federal Prison, the same prison that Piper Kerman was.  This book reaffirmed that I’m still not a fan of Teresa though.

4 Stars:

The Charm Bracelet by Viola Shipman – This book tells the story of three generations of women and the stories behind the charms on the bracelets that they all wear.  I really enjoyed this book and loved the charms and what they represented.  I was surprised that this book was penned by a man, using a pseudonym, as he really captured the sentiments of the mother/daughter relationship.

Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes – This is the sequel to her thriller You.  Like You, this book was a bit dark and disturbing.  I actually even like Joe a little in this book!

5 Stars:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling – I have started reading the Harry Potter series with my seven year old son.  We either read the book together or we listen to the audiobook in the car and he follows along in the book.  Last month we finished the first book in the series and then watched the movie.  We plan on doing this with the rest of the books in the series.  I’m hoping that we make it through the entire series, since I still have yet to read the last two books!  I also promised the kids that once we finished all the books we’d be able to go visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios.  We are about half-way through the second book and it’s been a lot of fun for us to do this together.

Today I am joining Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books linkup.   I get to showcase the books that I’ve read this month as well as visit tons of other blogs and get recommendations to add to my to goodreads To Be Read list.  Fun times everyone!  While February is a short month, I managed to get a bunch of books read, several of which were non-fiction.  They are listed below in order from least to most favorite.

*All cover pictures and titles are linked to Goodreads.

3 Stars:

He Will Be My Ruin by K. A. Tucker – Maggie Sparks is in NYC packing up the belongings of her best friend Celine.  The police ruled Celine’s death as a suicide but Maggie knows it wasn’t and hires a private investigator to help her find out what really happened to her friend.  This was an okay suspenseful read.

Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher – (Young Adult) This is a very short, first in the series story of Charlie and Silas.  The two are boyfriend and girlfriend but remember nothing about each other or what’s going on in their lives.  This book follows them as they try to piece together and remember what’s going on.  While I am huge Colleen Hoover fan, this book collaboration wasn’t a favorite.

The Restaurant Critic’s Wife by Elizabeth LaBan – Lila Soto’s husband Sam is a restaurant critic for a Philadelphia newspaper.  To keep his identity hidden he has put ridiculous restrictions on her social life.  She’s home with their two children and is contemplating going back to work.  The story follows her as she navigates her marriage, her social life and her role as a mother.  This book made me so mad at the husband, but also gave me more insight to what life married to a restaurant critic would be like.

The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan – I know that many bloggers read and loved this book, as seen from previous Show Us Your Books linkups.  This book is Kate and William fan fiction telling the story of American, Rebecca Porter, who ends up falling in love with Prince Nicholas while studying abroad in England.  I found the book to be an okay, light, fluffy read.  However, I found it to be a bit long.

Simple Matters by Erin Boyle – (non-fiction) Boyle is a blogger at Reading My Tea Leaves.  In this book, she offers tips and personal anecdotes on how to declutter, downsize and live a more simplified life.

4 Stars:

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica – In this book, Mia Dennett is abducted and spends months with her captor, Colin.  This book is told through the alternating perspectives of Colin, Eve (Mia’s mother) and Gave (the detective on the case) both prior to the abduction and after.  I’m glad that finally got around to reading this book!  I had read Kubica’s Pretty Baby and liked it, but heard this book was better.  I found this to be an enjoyable, suspenseful read.

The Good Goodbye by Carla Buckley – This was my first book that I read by Buckley but won’t be the last.  Cousins Arden and Rory have their share of secrets.  They are both lying unconscious after a fire in their college dorm room.  We learn more about their history and family issues through the alternating chapters told from the girls’ and Natalie’s  (Arden’s mom) perspectives and also discover what really happened the night of the fire.  I found this to be a suspenseful page turner and look forward to reading more of Buckley’s books.

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai – (middle grade fiction) My daughter read this for a school project and to be able to help her I read it myself.  The book is told in verse form and tells the story of Ha and her family.  They leave South Vietnam in 1975 during the Vietnam War and eventually make their way to the United States to start a new life.  This book is based on the author’s own experiences.   We used this book to help our daughter learn what a refugee is.  The book does a great job of capturing the difficulty that immigrants have adapting to American culture.

Yoga Girl by Rachel Brathen – (non-fiction) This is a non-fiction book in which world renown yoga instructor Brathen offers inspiration, tips, yoga poses and recipes.  You get to learn more about Brathen and also see beautiful pictures of Aruba.

5 Stars

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin – (non-fiction) This was a reread for me but I love this book.  You can read my full review here.

It’s that time again to link up with Steph and Jana for their Show Us Your Books Link-Up.  Not only do I get to share the books that I’ve read recently, but I also get to add a ton of books to my goodreads to be read list.  January started out with a bang.  I was reading like crazy but towards the middle of the month I started The Royal We and it just took me forever to finish!  That is the first book on my February reads list, when I’ll share my rating and opinions.  Too many books, not enough time!  Here’s a look at what I read in January.  The books are listed in order from least to favorite.

*Books and pictures are linked to Goodreads.

3 Stars:

#Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso – This non-fiction book is part memoir and part career and life advice.  Amoruso is the founder of Nasty Gal, a $100 million plus online fashion retailer.  Honestly, I had never heard of Nasty gal before reading this book.  I am a fan of hard working women who can change their lives around and become successful.  However, this book didn’t really offer anything new and felt a little “braggy.”

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert – I may be one of the rare few who didn’t love this book.  I was not a fan of Eat Pray Love either and think I just don’t enjoy her writing style.  This book was very anecdotal and I felt uninspired.  Gilbert and I don’t seem to have the same ideas on creativity and it was hard for me to believe the “magic.”

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn –  This is a short story by Gillian Flynn which questions who is the manipulator?  An unnamed young woman reads the aura of a Susan Burke.  She eventually visits Susan’s house and meets her teenage stepson which results in lots of Flynn’s twists and turns.  It’s a super quick read but was just an okay read for me.

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin – This is a middle grade fiction book.  Suzy Swanson’s former best friend dies unexpectedly while swimming in the ocean.  To cope with her grief she has stopped talking and has hypothesized that her friend died from a rare jellyfish sting.  Eventually she comes to terms with her grief.   This was a 2015 National Book Award Finalist but I didn’t really enjoy it and didn’t recommend it to my daughter.

4 Stars:

After You by Jojo Moyes – This is the sequel to Me Before You.  It tells the story of how Louisa is dealing in the aftermath of Will’s death.  There is a lot going on in this book and while enjoyable, I preferred the first book over this one.

Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom – Parker is blind as a result of a car accident when she was seven.  Her mother died in the accident and now her father has passed away.  Her aunt, uncle and cousins have moved into her house to help keep things as comfortable and the same as possible.  Mix in an ex-boyfriend who betrayed her when she was younger and a motley group of friends and you have this touching YA coming of age story.

See Me by Nicholas Sparks – Maria and Colin come from very different backgrounds.  A chance encounter brings the two of them together.   Threats from Maria’s past test their relationship in this romantic suspense book.  I liked that this book was more suspenseful than Sparks’ usual romance books.

5 Stars:

November 9 by Colleen Hoover – Fallon and Ben meet on November 9.  They are young and both have aspirations.  They vow to meet every November 9 for the next five years so they can live their lives and try to achieve their goals, without being distracted by the other.  I am a huge Colleen Hoover fan.  This was a great “new adult” love story that might have made me cry!

I am happy to be joining Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books link-up to share my December reads.  With the craziness of the holidays, I got very little reading done in December.  So, here in order from least to favorite are my December reads.

All book cover photos and titles are linked to goodreads.com.

2 Stars:

Armada by Ernest Cline – I was excited to receive Armada from Blogging for Books.  I had such high hopes after reading Ready Player One, which I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.  Oh how you have disappointed me Mr. Cline with this book!    Armada was just too video-gamey/space-oriented for my tastes.  In short, main character Zack, has to help fight an alien invasion of Earth…..yeah, not my type of book.  My husband also had read this and we both thought it was pretty blah.

3 Stars:

Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff – This book tells the story of the relationship of Lotto and Mathilde over the course of 24 years, with the first half told by Lotto and the second half told by Mathilde.  The two meet in 1991 at the age of 22 and manage to stay married despite the doubt of some of their friends.  Lots of secrets are discovered as the story unfolds.  This book was a finalist for several book awards, including a nominee for the 2015 Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction.  This book was sooo slow for me.  I was almost ready to give up when Jana noted that the eventually book picks up.  So I kept reading and agree that the second half is definitely better than the first.  However, there are so many better books out there that I wouldn’t recommend this read.

4 Stars:

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter – I think prior to this book, I had only read one other of Slaughter’s books.  Prior to reading this book, I knew it was disturbing.  That it was, with graphic violence and disturbing scenes.  This book was suspenseful and kept me wanting to read more.  The story revolves around sisters Claire and Lydia. The two sisters have been estranged since the disappearance of their sister Julia more than 20 years ago but end up reuniting with the unexpected death of Claire’s husband.  There are lots of twists and surprises and those who like a good psychological thriller will enjoy this book.

5 Stars:

Fallout by Ellen Hopkins – This is the third book in the Crank series.  I have owned this book for awhile now and read the first two ages ago.  In trying to organize and decrease the clutter in my house, I’m trying to read more books off my own shelves.  I am a big fan of Hopkins who writes YA books in poetry form.  This book takes place many years after the second book.  It is told through the points of view of Kristina’s three oldest children.  Through their stories, we are able to see the devastating effects that their mother’s meth use has had on their lives.  If you are interested in this book, start with Crank, the first book in the series.

I am linking up today with Steph and Jana for a special edition of Show Us Your Books….the best of 2015 edition!  I debated whether to list the best books read each month.  In the end, I decided to just post the best of the best.   According to goodreads, I’ve read 82 books this year (didn’t meet my goal of 100 books).   I read LOTS of 4 star books that were really good.  However, the following eleven books are the ones that I rated 5 stars this year.  The books are listed in the order in which they were read this year.  I only commented on the lesser known books.  Most of these books are or have been on best seller lists and you probably have read or are planning on reading them and know what they are about.  I am looking forward to checking out everyone’s posts and adding books to my to read list on goodreads!

All books are linked to goodreads. 

The Girl You Left Behind by Jo Jo Moyes

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

The Girl On the Train by Paula Hawkins

Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichel – This was actually a re-read for me.  The first I listened to it on audio book.  This past year I read the book.  It’s Reichel’s memoir as a food critic for the New York Times.  If you like food and wonder what it’s like to be a food critic, I recommend!

Confess by Colleen Hoover – If you have never read a Colleen Hoover book, I highly recommend.   I fell in love with her books after reading Slammed.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay –  This is a YA book that I had heard good things about and I don’t know why I waited so long to read.  Soooo, soooo good!

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult – This book is a few year old. Picoult is one of my favorite authors and I just got to reading this book a couple of months ago.  This book deals with issues of the Holocaust in both the past and the present.  It’s told in Picoult’s usual storytelling style, through the different characters’ points of view.

One For the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt – This is actually a middle grade chapter book.  However, it’s a good, tug at your heartstrings type of read that I think anyone can appreciate.  Carley Connors has been sent to a foster family after an accident leaves her mom hospitalized.  She meets the Murphys, a family with three boys. After a rough start, Carly feels like she’s finally found the perfect family.

Fallout by Ellen Hopkins – This is the third and final book in the Crank series.  The story, written in poetry form as all Hopkins’ books are, is told through the points of view of three of Kristina’s five children.  They each have different last names, live with different guardians and depict the effects that drugs can have on a “family.”

I am linking up again with Steph and Jana for their monthly “Show Us Your Reads” book link-up. I am looking forward to reading everyone’s book posts and adding to my TBR list!  Here are the books that I read in November in order from least to most favorite:

3 Stars:

George by Alex Gino – I first heard about this book from Lisa @ expandng when her online book club was reading this.  While I didn’t get it read in time to join her book discussion, our family finally finished reading it together this month.  I plan on doing a future post on this book, so I’m going to refrain from commenting too much on it here.  However, I can say that I was a little disappointed and expected a better book.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo – This is a non-fiction book that I had heard a lot of great things about.  Kondo is a Japanese cleaning consultant who walks readers through organizing and simplifying using The KonMari method.   It was just not inspiring to me and I could not join in talking to my things and thanking them before disposing of them.

Please Don’t Come Back from the Moon by Dean Bakopoulos – This author came highly recommended from Jana, so I decided to give him a try.  From what I could tell, this is the author’s first book so I chose to read this one.  One summer, several fathers left their families and went “to the moon” where they are never heard from again.  Wives and children are left to deal with the aftermath of these men abandoning them.  The book follows Michael Smolij and his friends through the years as they rebuild their lives and try not to follow in their fathers’ footsteps.  Overall, I found the story very hard to get into, a little strange and thought it was just so-so.

4 Stars:

Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler – This book tells the story of an unlikely friendship between an 89 year old white woman, named Isabelle, and a middle-aged African American single mom, named Dorrie, who is her hairdresser.  The two embark on a road trip where Dorrie learns about Isabelle’s past, which included a relationship with a black man during the 1930’s, when mixed race relationships weren’t tolerated.  This book had been on my TBR list for awhile and I’m glad that I finally picked it up from the library and read it.

The Expats by Chris Pavone – This is another book that has been on my TBR list for what seems like forever (I’m trying to read through the oldies on my goodreads list!).  Kate and Dexter Moore move to Luxembourg with their two young sons, when Dexter gets a new job.  They end up meeting another American couple abroad who they become friendly with, though Kate becomes suspicious of them.  Soon, Kate is discovering secrets about her husband, their “friends”  and a possible crime.   I listened to this book on audio and the storyline really kept my interest.  It was a bit difficult to keep track of the timeline of the story though, since it seemed to jump back and forth in time.

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers – This is a young adult book that I listened to on audio.  To finish the title, it could read Some Girls Are Really Mean!  Regina Afton used to be part of the popular crowd.  But when she ends up being the target of a rumor, her “friends” abandon her and she becomes a social outcast.  Her ex-best friend seeks revenge on her for something that she didn’t do.  Through the severe bullying that she entails, Regina comes to terms with her past behavior.  I found the ending pretty anticlimactic and was hoping that Anna would learn some kind of lesson and get what she deserved.  The audio version was really good and I think hearing someone read this helped make me more empathetic to Regina’s angst.  It’s very sad that bullying like this really occurs.

5 Stars:

One For the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt – This is a middle grade chapter book.  It tells the story of 12 year old Carley who is sent to a foster home after an accident leaves her mother hospitalized.  She meets the Murphys, a family with three boys.   After a rough start, Carley feels like she finally found the perfect family  This book gets 5 stars for making me cry.  This book is heartbreaking and makes me appreciate what I have and makes me want to be the best mom I can.