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 Landby 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.
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Happy Friday! We enjoyed a nice five days off from work and school. Unfortunately, my daughter had a field hockey game Saturday and practice Tuesday and Wednesday, which prevented us from going away on any kind of trip. We were supposed to go upstate for a one night stay to visit Herkimer and some state parks. But the weather forecast was predicting rain and everything we wanted to do was outdoors. So we canceled our hotel reservation at the last minute. We still managed to have some great days off though! Here are five from this week:
1. Bike Ride – Saturday we rented bikes from Leisure Ride rental in Poughkeepsie. We enjoyed a family bike ride on the Dutchess Rail Trail. The last time I was on a bike I was probably a teenager myself. But surprisingly, just like they say, it comes back to you! It was a fun experience and something we had never done before as a family.
2. Reading – I finished two books this week! It took forever, but I finally finished We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry. I also took One Last Stop back from my daughter and finished it over the weekend. Of the two, I recommend One Last Stop. It’s a lighter, romance read.
4. Watching – Friday night we had a family movie night and watched Luca. Overall we thought it was just an okay movie but I did like the ending. Honestly, I just enjoyed having all four of us watching a movie together with no one on their phones! It’s really the little things!
5. Eating – we enjoyed macarons from Amanda’s Macaron Shoppe up in Poughkeepsie. They have such interesting macaron flavors. We tried Lavender Honey, Cherry Limeade, Peach, Rainbow Cookie, Salted Caramel and Spicy Pickle. Yes, that green macaron is spicy pickle flavored and it was actually very good!
We also shared this Glazed & Confused milkshake from Spoons Ice Cream.
We got Vietnamese takeout from Saigon Pho in Wappingers Falls. My son had a banh mi and my daughter, husband and I shared vegetarian pho, fried rice and this vermicelli. It was too much food, but it was so good!
6. Listening – I binge listened to the new episodes of The Dropout. This podcast covers the Elizabeth Holmes Theranos story. I find it so fascinating that she was able to convince people that she had a viable product. I had listened to the first six episodes when they first came out almost a year and a half ago. The newer episodes are now covering the trial.
7. Hike – my husband and I went on a Labor Day hike. We wanted to visit Constitution Marsh but the parking lot was closed so there was no way for us to access it. We ended up visiting Hudson Highlands State Park and hiked Little Stony Point. We got some spectacular Hudson River views for very minimal effort!
Do you know how much food your family throws out every week? The produce that went bad, the leftovers that never got eaten, the expired yogurt? According to Foodprint.org, households are responsible for the largest portion of food waste. Janet Irizarry of Hudson Valley EATS is working to help combat household food waste with the first ever Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge.
A Little Bit More About Janet
Janet has always worked in the restaurant and food industry. This past year she launched “Cooking For a Cause”, where local Hudson Valley chefs gave virtual cooking demonstrations of some of their signature dishes. This was a fundraiser with profits from ticket sales going to nonprofits helping feed families in need. She started her blog Hudson Valley EATS in 2016 to highlight local restaurant chefs and food entrepreneurs. Recently, she has shifted the focus of the website to become more of an interactive food community, where readers can contribute articles, recipes and more.
Why Have A Food Waste Challenge?
Janet is hoping to bring more awareness to the amount of food that Hudson Valley households waste. She is also looking to educate families in significantly reducing their “foodprint” by giving them strategies to reduce their food waste. Although food waste challenges are not new, this is the first food waste challenge focused specifically on the Hudson Valley.
How long Is The Challenge?
The challenge is 6 weeks, running from September 20 – October 31st.
How Do I Join the Challenge?
You can join the challenge by signing up via the website. There is a $25 registration fee per family that provides access to an online community, all of the resources for the challenge including articles, videos and worksheets, a t-shirt and a chance to win some prizes.
The only supplies you need for the challenge are small garbage bags, a small kitchen scale and the desire to reduce your food waste.
How Does The Challenge Work?
Each week there is a different topic related to food waste as well as challenges, questions and activities. Participants will be asked to complete a survey and track their food waste.
There is a social aspect to the challenge as well with an interactive community, social media hashtags and more.
At the end of the challenge prizes will be awarded to participants.
Why Should You Participate in the Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge?
A recent study showed that the average American household wasted almost 32% of its food. The annual cost of this wasted food is almost $2,000. I think we can all do better at reducing the amount of food we waste. The Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge is giving families the tools they need to learn how to reduce their “foodprint.” Even a small number of people can make a big impact.
I’ve been an advocate of food waste and have posted about the Too Good To Go App as well as the television show Scraps with Joel Gamoran. While I try my best to avoid food waste, I know there is always something new to learn.
I am looking forward to hopefully joining many of you in participating in the Hudson Valley’s first food waste challenge. You can sign up here. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the organizer, Janet Irizzary, at janet@hudsonvalleyEATS.com. You can read more about the challenge in the press release and on the Hudson Valley EATS website.
Happy Friday! The kids had their first day of school (yesterday for my daughter, today for my son) so summer is officially over for us. Thank you Hurricane Ida for bringing us torrential downpours earlier this week! Fortunately, we were lucky and didn’t experience basement flooding or lose electricity, like many other families and businesses in Westchester County. My daughter has her first field hockey games of the season today and tomorrow (yes, they play or practice on Saturdays!). We have a long weekend with Labor Day and the Jewish holidays, so we have a quick one night getaway planned. I would have liked to go away for a longer trip but……field hockey. Even though school is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, my daughter still has practice. Gotta love varsity sports! Here are five from this week:
1. Waterfalls – Sunday we drove up to Albany to visit John Boyd Thacher State Park. We hiked the Indian Falls Trail and got to see some waterfalls! The last time we visited this state park was back in 2017 and this trail was closed, so I’m glad we got to hike it this visit. You don’t often get this close to a waterfall!
2. Reading – I am still slowly getting through We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry. It’s not a bad book, it’s just a slow read, if that makes any sense. I hope to finish it this weekend and am looking forward to some fun, lighter reads that I just picked up from the library!
4. Watching – my husband and I are watching Top Chef Portland (season 18) on Hulu. We haven’t had cable for years so haven’t been able to watch it. Now, that we got Hulu (thank you Olympics), we’ve been trying to watch an episode every night. We have many seasons to catch up on!
5. Eating – we stopped at Subculture in Albany, a vegan deli. We had such tasty eats including this Buffmac Crunchwrap. It was buffalo chick’n, mac & cheese, tostada shell, lettuce, tomato, onion and ranch dressing in a pressed tortilla. And it was all vegan! Check out my Instagram post to see the rest of our tasty eats!
While we were at Woodbury Commons on Saturday we had lunch at Shake Shack. I do love their ‘Shroom Burger! We tried the hot honey fries too but I wasn’t a huge fan.
6. Drinking – I know it’s not officially fall yet, but I did try a Starbucks Apple Crisp Macchiato. It was actually pretty good and did give me fall vibes!
Get out your calendars now because there is a LOT going on this month and you will want to plan ahead! Check out these September events taking place in Westchester County:
Live Music:
Bethel Woods (Bethel) Although Bethel Woods is a bit of a drive, there are some great concerts and entertainment taking place this month: Pitbull with Iggy Azalea (September 3), Lynyrd Skynyrd (September 19), Chris Stapleton (September 23), The Black Crowes (September 25), ZZ Top (September 26)
Tunes & Brews (Yorktown Heights) – September 3, 10, 17, 24. PB Pizza & Beer and the Jefferson Valley Mall bring live music, craft beer and food trucks every Friday night from 7-10 PM.
The Capitol Theatre (Port Chester) – Music is back at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester. Upcoming concerts in September include a free re-opening party with the Stella Blue’s Band (9/10), The Struts: Strange Days Are Over Tour (9/11), Sheryl Crow (9/14, 9/15), Billy Idol (9/22), Jessie’s Girl (9/25).
2021 JazzFest White Plains (White Plains) September 9-12: celebrating its 10th year, JazzFest White Plains will have both in-person and virtual events. Check the site for the schedule of events. There are a mix of free and ticketed shows.
Toonerville Music Festival (Pelham) September 18: 12 PM check-in. Enjoy two stages of live music all day from bands including The Verve Pipe, Fast Ball, Spring Heeled Jack and more. Check the site for the entire lineup. Bring a chair or blanket. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Taking place in Municipal Lot 7 behind Rockwell’s. Tickets: $50/adult, $30/youth (12-18), $30/senior (65+), Free/under 12
Comedy:
Levity Live (Palisade Center – West Nyack) There is plenty of comedy to be seen at Levity Live in September. Upcoming shows include Cocoa Brown (9/2-9/5), DeRay Davis (9/10-9/11), Colin Kane (9/12), Paul Virzi (9/16-9/18), The Christi Show (9/21), Funny Women of a Certain Age: Funny Never Gets Old (9/23). Ticket prices vary by comedian.
Imagine VR Studios Karaoke Night(Yorktown Heights) September 4: free entry, 8-11 PM, enjoy a night of karaoke at Imagine VR Studios inside the Jefferson Valley mall
Imagine VR Studios After Dark Dance Party(Yorktown Heights) September 11 and September 25: 9 PM – close, dance to hip hop, EDM, Latin, Reggae and more. Tickets: $25 includes 1 hour of VR, $10 without VR
Sips & Succulents Party (Yorktown Heights) September 23: Enjoy a DIY succulent planting party while enjoying wine/sparking cider, sweet treats and a cocktail infusion demo. Hosted by Auntie Liana’s Kitchen and Vintage & Vine at the Jefferson Valley Mall. 6:30 – 8:00 PM $30/person Under 21+ welcome, but will not be served alcohol
Paint-N-Sip Night (Yorktown Heights) September 25: 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM, Imagine VR Studios at the Jefferson Valley Mall is hosting a paint-n-sip night. Your ticket price includes painting supplies, one alcoholic drink, appetizers and finger foods, music entertainment, free ticket to after dark dance party.
Eat & Drink:
Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest (Rhinebeck) September 11 & 12: Enjoy sampling wine, beer and cider. Purchase food from one of many food trucks. 11 AM – 6 PM, Sunday 11 AM – 5 PM. Tickets: $45/person, $80/weekend, $15/designated driver ticket, $27/weekend designated driver ticket
Brew at the Zoo(Bronx) September 17: Enjoy a retro arcade, live band, DJ, animal trivia and more. 6 PM beer and wine pouring begins. Select animal exhibits open 5 PM -6:30 PM. Ages 21+ Tickets: VIP/$109.99, General admission/$69.99, designated driver/$39.99,
Hudson River Craft Beer Festival (Beacon) September 18: Sample over 180 craft beers from 90 different craft breweries. Enjoy live music, local vendors and food. 12:30 PM – 5:30 PM (VIP) or 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM (general admission) Riverfront Park in Beacon. Tickets: VIP/$85, General Admission/$55, Designated Driver/$10. Ages 21+
Westchester Wine Walk (Rye) September 18: 1 PM – 5 PM, Rye Town Park, enjoy wine tastings, small bites, live music, giveaways and a buffet. $65/person
Yonkers Wine and Food Fest(Yonkers) September 18: 12 PM – 6 PM, sample wine, spirits, ciders and more, enjoy food and shop at 35 vendors, DJ and live music. $50/ticket
Flavors of Haverstraw Food Crawl (Haverstraw) September 19: 1-5 PM, rain or shine, celebrate the diverse culinary options of downtown Haverstraw with this food sampling walking tour. The Cross-Hudson Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry will be running during the food crawl
Westchester Magazine’s Wine & Food Festival (throughout Westchester County) September 21-25: enjoy 5 days of eating and drinking. Westchester Magazine is hosting 5 different food events this year in various locations throughout Westchester. Ticket prices vary per event. Check the website for all of the details. Ages 21+
Hoppfest XL (Bedford) September 25: Visit the Bedford Historical Society’s Hoppfest XL. 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM at the Bedford Village Green. Enjoy a variety of brews, wines, food trucks, live music and more. Tickets: $100/members, $125/non-members, other more expensive ticket options available – please check site for more details
Pour the Core: Hard Cider Festival (Cortlandt Manor) September 25: at the Cortlandt Waterfront Park in Verplanck. 1:30 – 5:00 PM, sample over 30 different ciders, participate in or watch the apple pie eating contest, enjoy eats from local food trucks and more. 21+ only, tickets: $45 + tax and fees, in advance, $55 + tax and fees at event, $12 + tax and fees designated driver ticket
Craft Draft Craft Beer & Cider Fest (Newburgh) September 26: Enjoy a day at the Newburgh waterfront (Front Street). Sample beer and cider, watch brewing demos, enjoy live music and activities. Tickets: $30 until Sept. 10, $40 after Sept. 10, $50 at event
Fairs & Festivals:
New York Renaissance Faire (Tuxedo) Weekends September: Travel back in time and join Queen Elizabeth I in a 16th century village. Enjoy shows, food, entertainment, games and more. Tickets: $29.95/adult, $13/child (ages 5-12), $25.95/seniors & military, discount tickets available online, general parking free
Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival (Union Vale) September 3-5: rain or shine, 75 balloon launches will take place throughout the weekend. Check the site for the schedule. Fireworks each night. Enjoy vendors, food trucks, live music, family activities, tethered balloon rides and more. Tickets sold in advance only, $14/person evening admission, $7/person morning admission, $23.95/person all weekend pass
Wakanda4Ever Celebration (Mount Vernon) September 4: 10 AM – 8 PM at the Luangisa African Gallery. Celebrate African American culture with music, art, children’s crafts, a fashion show and more, Free
Yorktown Grange Fair (Yorktown Heights) September 10-12: Enjoy rides, food, music and other family fun. $10/carload or $5/single admission Friday: 4 PM – 11 PM, Saturday: 10 AM – 11 PM, Sunday: 10 AM – 7 PM
Yorktown Feast of San Gennaro (Yorktown Heights) September 15-19: a 5 day festival celebrating Italian heritage and culture with food, rides and more. Statue procession Wednesday, Sept. 15th at 6 PM.
Fall Crafts at Lyndhurst(Tarrytown) September 17-19: Shop from over 200 crafts people and makers. Enjoy food trucks, tastings from local distilleries, family activities and more. Tickets: $12/adults, $11/seniors, $4/kids (6-16), Free/under 6
Yonkers 28th Annual Riverfest (Yonkers) September 18: 12 PM – 7 PM, enjoy food, art, music and more in downtown Yonkers at the waterfront (1 Larkin Plaza)
Armonk Outdoor Art Show (Armonk) September 25-26: 10 AM – 5 PM, rain or shine. View artwork from over 160 juried artists across all mediums including prints, photography, sculpture and more that can be purchased. Enjoy family activities and a selection of food and beverages. Tickets $13/advance, $15/at event
Run Wild (Scarsdale) September 25 & 26: Kids can participate in a forest run and obstacle course at the Greenburgh Nature Center. Recommended ages 5-15, 9 AM – 2 PM, runs begin every 30 minutes. Tickets: $25 each
Shopping:
What’s Poppin’ Westchester Sip & Shop Event (Mount Vernon) September 19: Enjoy a brunch-themed shopping pop-up. Over 20 vendors, complimentary sangria or mimosas 2 PM – 6 PM
Other Fun:
Lighted Boat Parade (New Rochelle) September 4: Beginning at 8:30 PM, watch the lighted boat parade in New Rochelle Harbor. Beginning at 8:30 PM the boats will travel from Hudson Park to Neptune Park.
The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze (Croton-on-Hudson) September 17-November 21: The Historic Hudson Valley’s famous fall event is back. 18th century Van Cortlandt Manor is decorated with 7,000 hand carved jack o’lanterns. Entry is by pre-purchased timed tickets only. No tickets are sold at the event. Tickets: $40/adult, seniors (65+) and students (18-25 w/ID), $32/children (ages 3-17)
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Happy Friday! We had an eventful weekend. Thursday night we drove to my parents’ house in Rhode Island. My nieces were there so the cousins got to all spend some time together! I have no idea why I didn’t realize a hurricane was coming though! Although we had planned to stay until Sunday, we ended up driving home Saturday afternoon. Rhode Island got hit by Henri pretty hard, and my parents lost power early Sunday morning. Fortunately, they stayed in their condo in New York for several days. Here are five from this week:
1. Beach time – fortunately, we did get to the beach Friday morning. It wasn’t too crowded and the kids had a great time.
2. Reading – I love reading at the beach! I started reading One Last Stop until my daughter preferred it over the book she was reading, We Ride Upon Sticks by Quran Barry. So, I am now reading her book and she is reading this one!
4. Watching – I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I binge watched the entire season of Cooking with Paris. It was bad but I had to keep watching!
Up in Rhode Island we watched Vivo with my nieces. It was a good movie that even my teens liked.
5. Eating – We tried this chorizo seitan that we found at Shoprite in the breakfast burritos I made for dinner one night. It added some great flavor. They also had a seitan bacon and a traditional seitan which we want to try.
We also made oven s’mores at home since we didn’t get a chance to make them in Rhode Island. They didn’t get the toasty brown color (we were too impatient to broil them for a little bit), but they were still VERY good!
6. Buying – I had Michael’s reward money that was expiring this week. I ended up buying these fall/winter planner stickers to decorate my planner. I currently have this planner. While I don’t decorate it much, I thought these would be fun for the busy days coming up!
7. Getting Ready for Back-to-School – The kids start school next week. Yesterday, I went through my son’s drawers with him. He has grown so much over the past year and is almost taller than me! So barely any of his clothes fit him. He could care less, but I need to get him some new clothes for the start of school. I’ve just given my daughter money and she’s made several mall trips with her friends to get her back-to-school clothes. And I still haven’t bought any school supplies. So these are top of my to-do list this upcoming week!
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Happy Friday! Summer is slowly coming to an end and we are trying to enjoy every last minute of it! Here are five from this week:
1. Kaaterskill Falls– Sunday we went on a family hike to Kaaterskill Falls in the Catskills. The falls were a bit disappointing so we said we need to go back in the spring when there will be more of a waterfall! It was also very crowded! But it was time with the family well spent with no complaints from the kids!
2. Reading – This past week I finished two books, both which I recommend! The Henna Artist is a historical fiction novel about a henna artist trying to make a living. I also read For Your Own Good which was a suspense book that was a quick and enjoyable read.
4. Fillos – (gifted) Fillos sent me a variety pack of their shelf-stable, ready-to-eat pony protein packs. So far, my husband and I enjoyed the Panamanian Garbanzos over rice for a lunch and we were both impressed! We can’t wait to try the other varieties to see which is our fave. They make lunch or dinner super easy!
5. Watching – This week I watched two out of three episodes of Nine Perfect Strangers on Hulu. It is based on the book by Liane Moriarty that I read and didn’t enjoy a whole lot. But I’m always curious how book-to-television or movie adaptations turn out.
6. Eating – I’ve enjoyed lots of ice cream this week! Friday after work, my daughter and I checked out rolled ice cream Milk Squared in Mahopac. We shared the S’mores As galore Sundae, since I love all things s’mores.
Sunday after our hike we headed into Saugerties for lunch. We went back to Slices of Saugerties for this caprese Grandma slice that is so good!
Then we went to Alleyway Ice cream. I was so happy they had Thai Tea Cookies and Cream. The last time we visited they didn’t have it and I’ve been hoping to try it ever since! It was my fave and tasted just like a Thai iced tea! We also had the Ube Heath Bar Crunch and Buttermilk Strawberry.
Trivia nights are a popular weeknight event at many bars and restaurants throughout Westchester County. They make a great date night or a fun get together with friends and help bring customers to local venues that may otherwise not get much business during the week. We have rounded up as many of the trivia nights in Westchester County that we have found. As always, please call ahead to confirm dates and times!
Sundays:
Cantina Lobos (Pelham) 217 Wolf’s Lane Pelham, NY 10803 (914) 380-8644 5 PM – 8 PMTrivia
Mondays:
TaqueRio (Yonkers) 1 Van Der Donck Street Yonkers, NY 10701 (914) 207-0631 7:30 PM Trivia
Tuesdays:
Ron Black’s Beer Hall (White Plains) 181 Mamaroneck Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 (914) 358-5811 8:00 PM Trivia
The Tapp (Tarrytown) 17 North Broadway Tarrytown, NY 10591 (914) 229-3239 7:00 PMTrivia
105 Twenty Bar & Grill (Croton-on-Hudson) 120 Grand Street Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520 (914) 862-4494 7:00 PM Trivia
Argonne Rose Brewing Company (Mohegan Lake) 1715 East Main Street Mohegan Lake, NY 10547 (914) 743-1622 7:00 PM Trivia **Trivia nights are not scheduled every week. Please check website and/or call ahead to confirm.
Captain Lawrence Barrel House(Mount Kisco) 369 Lexington Avenue Mount Kisco, NY (914) 741-BEER (2337) 7:00 PM Trivia
Happy Friday! We had a busy, fun week this week. The kids are enjoying the last couple of weeks of summer before school starts. Here are five from this week:
1. Comedy Club – my husband and I went to Levity Live at the Palisades Center Mall Saturday night and saw comedian Dusty Slay. I can’t believe this was our first time visiting Levity Live and it certainly won’t be our last. It’s not too far away and my husband loves comedy.
2. Reading – Sadly, I haven’t finished any books this week! I’m in the middle of reading two, and will hopefully finish one of them this week. However, my daughter had to read a memoir for her required school summer reading and chose Brain on Fire. She read it in a couple of days and gave it to me to read…..I’m not the biggest fan of memoirs, but I think it will be good to read the same book that she did. And they made a Netflix movie based on it, but I’m not sure that it is still available to watch.
3. CookingDemo – Monday night D and I went to a cooking demo and tasting at Meraki Taverna in Armonk. These classes are held through WCC. It was our first time taking a class. The menu was vegetarian themed which is what interested us. It was a fun and tasty experience and we plan on taking more classes!
4. NY Boulders Game – Tuesday night we went to another NY Boulders game. It was fun until the rain came around the 7th inning and the kids didn’t complain all evening which was a highlight! I made this Instagram reel from our visit.
5. Cooking – We weren’t home for dinner several days this week, but I did manage to cook (I think on the two hottest days!). Some of our dinners included this Coconut Curry.
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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 Wifeby 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!
