Show Us Your Books link-up

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.

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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!

January was a great reading month for me! I read ten books and most were 4 and 5 star reads! This will hopefully be a preview of the rest of my reading year! I read several YA books, written by authors of color, that are doing a great job of showcasing social justice issues. I am trying to be more educated on issues of race and I know there is always more to learn. As always, I’m sharing my book reviews with Steph and Jana’s Show Us Your Books linkup! Check out my January reads:

4 stars:

Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Jennifer DeLeon – (August 2020, YA/Social Justice) A teen from the inner-city is accepted into a minority program at a wealthy school in the suburbs, where she is one of a handful of students of color. At the same time that she is struggling to adjust to her new school, her father is deported back to Guatemala. This book touches on many current issues of immigration and racism. My daughter is currently reading this book.

Family For Beginners by Sarah Morgan – (May 2020, Contemporary Romance) A lonely, single woman working at a flower shop meets a recent widow. The two hit it off, but he has two children, one a teen who does not want a replacement mom. This book does a great job of showcasing the intricacies in family relationships.

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth – (April 2021, Thriller/Mystery) I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. Twin sisters, who are complete opposites, are super close to each other. Raised by a single mother who had mental issues, the sisters have kept a secret from childhood. One sister is desperate to have a child and will do anything to do so. Told from alternating points of view, this book has several plot twists and surprises. It had me engaged and wanting to keep reading. I have read all but one of Hepworth’s books and have yet to be disappointed.

Insignificant Events In The Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling – (September 2017, Middle Grade Fiction) A young girl born with no arms, moves with to a western theme park that her parents will operate. She has to navigate her new life and ends up trying to solve a mystery. Aven is a spunky, likable character. This is a well written book about children with disabilities.

Rick by Alex Gino – (April 2020, Middle Grade Fiction) A middle school student explores his identity and deals with a toxic friendship. Our family did a read-aloud of George together by the same author many years ago and enjoyed it. While I didn’t love this book as much, I think it has some great messages for kids and introduces them to the LGBTQIAP+ community.

The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler – (May 2020, Contemporary Romance) A girl goes on her dream trip to Alaska, which turns out anything like she envisioned. While there, she is introduced to the man who runs a local food joint, “The Tourist Trap.” His one rule is to not get involved with tourists. This was a fun read and Graham and Zoey made such a cute couple. There’s a second book in the series that I’m putting off reading until November/December, since it’s a Christmas themed read.

5 stars:

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah – (February 2008, Contemporary Fiction) Two girls meet in the summer of 1974 and become fast friends. The book follows their friendship from the teenage years to adulthood. This was a reread for me. I read it when it was first published back in 2008 but wanted to read it again before the show came to Netflix. I have watched several episodes of the show now and think it’s okay, but really loved the book.

The Girls at 17 Swann Street by Yara Zgheib – (February 2019, Contemporary Fiction) A former professional dancer is admitted to a residential home for women with eating disorders. Not everyone will enjoy this book. However, I found it interesting to see the realities and struggles that individuals with eating disorders endure.

Punching The Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam – (September 2020, YA/Poetry) This is a YA novel told in verse, reminiscent of Ellen Hopkins. A teen is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and is sent to prison. He ends up finding refuge in his art. I read this book before watching When They See Us on Netflix. The show tells the story of the Central Park jogger case and the five boys who were falsely accused and imprisoned for the crime. One of those boys was Yusef Salaam, the co-author of this book.

This Is My America by Kim Johnson – (July 2020, YA/Social Justice) A teen has been writing letters to Innocence X, trying to help her father, an innocent black man on death row, with less than a year to live. When her older brother is arrested and accused of murdering a white teen, Innocence X decides to help her case. In the meantime, she tries to figure out what really happened on both those nights that her family members were falsely accused of crimes.

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December 2020 Reads

November 2020 Reads

It is almost the end of the year and I am 9 books away from reading 100 books this year! I likely won’t reach that goal, however, I surpassed my 75 book goal with flying colors. Thank you quarantine! Today I’m sharing my November reads with Steph and Jana’s Show Us Your Books linkup. If you are looking for something new to read, I highly recommend checking out this linkup. Book lover/bloggers share their monthly reads and I always get tons of new book recommendations!

3 stars

Followers by Megan Angelo – (January 2020, Contemporary/Science Fiction) This book shows the power of technology and social media and its dangerous effects. The story switches between 2015 and 2055 as it follows two characters. This was a pretty slow read for me that I thought was just “eh.”

Jingle All the Way by Debbie Macomber – (October 2020, Christmas/ Romance) A vacation booking mistake leaves a busy real estate executive on a guided tour down the Amazon River instead of a relaxing beach resort she had requested. During the vacation she ends up forming a friendship with the ship’s naturalist. Will it lead to more? This was an okay holiday romance read.

Room-maid by Sariah Wilson – (October 2020, Contemporary romance) Madison Huntington has decided to live her own life, which means being cut off from her wealthy family. Since she can’t afford her own apartment on her teacher’s salary, she ends up agreeing to be a “room-maid” for Tyler Roth. Since he travels so often, he needs someone to help keep his apartment clean while he’s away and look after his dog. The only problem is, that she has no idea how to clean. This was a light, fluffy read. Madison and Tyler’s characters were very likable. However, Madison’s lack of real life skills was a bit annoying.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss – (October 2020, Christmas/Romance) Kate Turner signs up for a dating agency’s “The Twelve Dates of Christmas.” However, each holiday themed date seems to be worse than the one before. Will she find love before Christmas?

4 stars

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman – (April 2019, Contemporary Fiction) During an apartment open house, a bank robber takes the group hostage. The bank robber and hostages all have a story and learn more about themselves through the situation. I’m a Backman fan and this book didn’t disappoint.

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman – (June 2015, Middle Grade/Mystery) Garrison Griswold, creator of Book Scavenger, an online book hunt, is planning an epic new game. However, he is attacked and hospitalized right before the debut. When a 12 year old girl discovers a book, she believes it may be the first clue to the new game. She and her new friend James have to work to try to solve the puzzles. This was a fun, middle grade read. I borrowed it from the library in hope of getting my 7th grade son to read it….which he hasn’t yet.

The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult – (September 2020, Contemporary Fiction) A woman surviving a plane crash reexamines her life and the two different paths that her life could have taken. There has been a lot of criticism and negative reviews for this book due to the textbook heavy information on Egyptology. I will agree that a lot of the info on the mummies, tombs and the actual The Book of Two Ways did not interest me. However, I give Picoult credit for writing a well researched book. Aside from the Egypt stuff, I also enjoyed the storyline. Picoult still remains one of my favorite authors, this book just wasn’t a favorite.

Slider by Pete Hautman – (September 2017, Middle Grade) David mistakenly charges $2,000 to his mother’s credit card. To pay his mom back before she finds out, he enters a pizza eating contest. While training for the contest he also has to watch his autistic brother. This was a fun read. I got this for my son to read, which he did and enjoyed.

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October Reads

September Reads

Another month has flown by. My reading has continued to slow down, but I think part of the problem is that I haven’t been reading very good books. Most of my books this month were 3 star, “okay” reads. We are almost half-way through November and I am going to continue my tradition of reading some holiday books over the next month and a half! These will hopefully be light, quick, enjoyable reads! I’m sharing my October 2020 reads with Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books linkup.

3 Stars

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel – (Mystery/Thriller – March 2020) – A twisted mother/daughter relationship resulting in a dark and disturbing read. I honestly couldn’t decide who was crazier!

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert – (Contemporary Romance – November 2019) A cute romance book about a chronically ill nerd and a red-headed apartment super/artist. I found the couple to be so awkwardly cute. A fun, light read.

Whisper Network by Chandler Baker – (Contemporary/Mystery -July 2019) A group of women working in corporate America take a stand when one of their male colleagues will likely become the next CEO. This book is a mixture of the #metoo movement and a mystery. However, I found it to be a very slow read.

You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkaner – (Mystery/Thriller – March 2020) A lonely girl witnesses a suicide. Then she meets sisters who befriend her and help her turn her life around. But is it too good to be true?

4 Stars

Feels Like Falling by Kristy Woodson Harvey – (Contemporary Romance – April 2020) – Two strangers end up helping each other out and forming a deep friendship. With likable characters, this was a fun, light read.

Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy – (Thriller/Mystery – October 2020) A newlywed couple move from the city to upstate NY. The The husband, a therapist sees his patients in the perfect office, in the basement of the house. He doesn’t know that a vent in the ceiling allows everything that is said to be heard in the house. Then one stormy night, he ends up disappearing. This thriller had lots of twists that made for an enjoyable read.

One To Watch by Kate Stayman-London – (Contemporary Romance – July 2020) A plus-sized fashion blogger becomes the next star of a Bachelorette-esque show. Are the guys there for the “right reason” and can she find love? As a fan of the Bachelor/Bachelorette series, I found this to be a fun read.

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September Reads 2020

August Reads 2020

Today I’m sharing my September reads with Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books linkup. Last month I completed my Goodreads reading challenge goal of 75 books. Unfortunately, my reading has slowed way down. In September I only read 5 books, but luckily, they were mostly great reads. Here are my September reads:

3 Stars

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena – (Suspense/Thriller, August 2018) – A series of guests arrive at an Inn just as a blizzard hits. As guests begin to wind up dead, the goal becomes to survive the weekend. I’ve read several other of Lapena’s books but this one wasn’t a winner for me.

4 Stars

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand – (Contemporary Fiction, June 2020) Girl inherits a house on Nantucket. Girl meets boy. Girl and boy then have a one weekend a year affair at said house for 28 summers. I’ve only read a couple of Hilderbrand’s books and haven’t loved most of them. This was a surprisingly enjoyable read. I got this summer read finished right before the official start of fall!

The Last Flight by Julie Clark – (Suspense/Thriller, June 2020) Two women, who both want to disappear and start their lives over, meet at an airport and end up switching plane tickets. Their decisions ultimately have huge consequences. This was an enjoyable suspense read that had me invested in the lives of both women.

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas – (YA – February 2019) – A poor, teenage girl, with a lot of family drama, struggles to become a rapper. This was a great read, but I just didn’t love it as much as The Hate U Give.

The One by John Marrs – (Thriller/Science Fiction – March 2018) A company has a DNA test that will match you with your perfect partner. However, is it too good to be true? Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable suspense read.

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August 2020 Reads

July 2020 Reads

June 2020 Reads

And just like that July is over. It was a great reading month for me with a lot of 4 and 5 star reads! As always, I’m sharing my July reads with Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books linkup. Here’s to continued great reading in August!

3 stars

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell – (Mystery/Thriller) On her 25th birthday, an adopted girl inherits her birth family’s home. We learn about the house’s past and the family that used to live there. This was my fourth Jewell read and my least favorite so far. Definitely a creepier and more bizarre read than I was expecting.

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey – (romance) Girl: isn’t taken seriously by her family and works as a clown for kid’s parties. Boy: Best friends with girl’s brother, known as a “player” and is back home nursing an athletic injury and his ego. Both want to be taken more seriously and come up with an agreement that will hopefully benefit them both. This book has some steamy sex scenes but some of the sexual references were eye roll inducing.

I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman – (Contemporary Fiction/Chick Lit) A workaholic mom and her teen daughter embark on an organized East Coast college bus tour. The two get to know each other and test their relationship amidst some drama. As a mother of a teen daughter, I could relate well to their relationship. A light, entertaining read. I didn’t enjoy this as much as The Garden of Small Beginnings.

4 stars

The Bright Side of Going Dark by Kelly Harms – (contemporary fiction/chick-lit) A social media influencer gets dumped by her fiance right before their wedding. She eventually realizes that she needs to try living life offline. However, while she thinks she has “gone dark” on social media, her account is hacked and impersonated by a very tech savvy individual. This book was more deep than I expected. Harms also wrote The Overdue Life of Amy Byler which I had enjoyed.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle – (contemporary fiction/romance) The night of her proposal, a young woman gets a short glimpse five years into her future. She then tries to change the future that she saw. This emotional read was a love story that also touched on the power of friendship. It was a little heavier than what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed it.

The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal – (fiction) A family saga that follows two estranged sisters who take different life paths but both end up in the beer-making world. This was a fun, heart-warming read that gave me a lot more insight into the craft brewery world.

The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett – (historical fiction/literary fiction) Twin African American sisters run away from home at 16 years of age. One twin passes for white and ends up keeping her past a secret. The other moves back home with her black daughter. This story follows their life paths and how the choices they’ve made affect those around them. The book is being made into a limited HBO series. It took me a little bit to get into this book but once I got invested in the characters it had me hooked. Unfortunately, I felt the ending was a bit abrupt and wanted more.

5 stars

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah Maas – (YA Fantasy) Girl hunting to keep her poor family alive mistakenly kills a Fae. As a consequence she must live her life with her captor in a magical kingdom. She is then tasked with having to break an ancient curse if she wishes to save him. This book is a loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I don’t know why I waited so long to read this book, but I’m glad I finally did. This is not my usual reading genre, but it was a very engaging story.

A Good Neighborhood by Therese Ann Fowler – (contemporary fiction) Oak Knoll is a “good neighborhood” filled with close knit neighbors. The book focuses on two neighboring families that differ in race and wealth and how their lives intertwine. This is a tragic story but very relevant.

Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain – (historical fiction) Set in a rural North Carolina town, this book tells the story of the Eugenics program and its impact on one particular family and the young social worker assigned to help them. I didn’t realize before reading this book that the Eugenics Program was a real thing. This was an enlightening read.