Show Us Your Books link-up

It’s time once again to link up with Steph and Jana for their monthly Show Us Your Books link up.  This is a chance for me to share my monthly reads as well as add to my ever growing to read list!  Here’s a look at my November 2016 reads:

2 Stars

Princess In Pink by Meg Cabot – This is number five in the Princess Diaries series, a YA series.  This book focuses on Princess Mia wanting to go to the prom.  Her mom is also super pregnant and ready to give birth to her new sibling.  It’s been awhile since I had read a book in this series and I’m not sure if I’m going to continue.  This book was just “eh” for me.

3 Stars

Power Your Happy by Lisa Sugar – Lisa Sugar is the founder of POPSUGAR.  In this business/self-help book she talks about building her company and gives tips to the reader on different areas to help us create our “happy” like she did.  Overall an okay read.

Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber –  I read this book for my 25 Books of Christmas feature on my blog.  You can read the review here.

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty – You know something tragic happens in this book but it takes forever to find out what.  I didn’t find any of the characters very likable and thought the book was too long.  Definitely not my fave of hers.

4 Stars

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena – Anne and Marco Conti go to their next door’s neighbor’s house for  a party, leaving their six month old baby home alone sleeping.  Although they were taking turns every hour checking on the baby, when they get home for the evening, she’s missing.  Now they must try to get their daughter back.  I found this book to be very suspenseful, with everyone looking guilty at some point in the story.

The Mistletoe Secret by Richard Paul Evans – Another book for my 25 Books of Christmas.  You can read my review here.

Never Ever by Sara Saedi – This book is a modern YA take on the classic Peter Pan.  Wylie Dalton and her brothers meet Phinn at a party.  They follow him to a remote island where no one ages past 17.  It seems like paradise until Wylie discovers that Phinn has kept secrets from her.  There is a second book in this series coming soon which I am looking forward to reading.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware –  Journalist, Lo Blacklock is going on a luxury cruise to the North Sea to see the Northern Lights.  While on the ship she sees a woman in Cabin 10, the one next to hers, but then never sees the woman again.  No one else on the small ship has seen her and Lo begins to think she’s going crazy.  I found this book to be a suspenseful read that kept me guessing.  I’ve heard Ware’s first book, In a Dark, Dark Wood is even better so I will be checking that one out soon.

Today I’m joining Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books linkup to share my October 2016 reads.  October wasn’t a great reading month for me.  I only read seven books, which is on the low end for me.  Recently, I’ve been struggling with finding time to read.  I have books that I want to read, but I’ve only been reading in snippets  – a few minutes in the car while waiting to pick up the kids from after school activities, a few chapters before bed, etc.  There’s just so many other distractions.  Darn you Netflix!  Add in podcast listening, magazine reading, cooking, cleaning and the whole parenting thing and reading has been relegated to the bottom of my list of things to do.  November is not off to a great start either, but I’m hoping my reading time will pick up soon!  Here’s my October 2016 reads, ordered by rating.

2 Stars

Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra – A young woman pretends to be Bec Winter, a girl who disappeared back in 2003.  Bearing enough resemblance to Bec, the girl thinks that this will give her a fresh start.  But soon she discovers that it’s difficult impersonating someone she doesn’t know, especially when her family is acting very strange.  The woman realizes that whoever took Bec may still be out there. This book is a psychological thriller and is a quick read.  I read that the movie rights have been sold for this book.  This might be a rare occasion where I like the movie better than the book.  I didn’t connect to or find any of the characters likable.  Plus, I found the whole premise that this woman could impersonate someone and no one questions it so unbelievable.

3 Stars

Anne & Henry by Dawn Ius – This YA book is a modern retelling of the story of King Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn.  The story takes place at Medina Academy in Washington, where Henry is President of the student council and dating Catherine.  But then Anne shows up and he becomes infatuated with her.  Romance ensues but things don’t end well.  Ever since reading Philippa Gregory’s historical fiction books, I’ve enjoyed reading about the Tudor period. I didn’t find this retelling enjoyable and the ending of the book was infuriating.  However, it may be a fun read for a high schooler, who is learning about the Tudor era.

It’s Not Me, It’s You by Stephanie Kate Strohm – This is a recent contemporary YA release.  You can read my full review of the book on the Kiss The Book blog.

London Bridges by James Patterson – This is the 10th book in Patterson’s Alex Cross series.  Somehow I missed reading this one when reading this series.  It’s a quick, suspenseful read but nothing special.

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard – I was on a YA kick this month!  I finally read this first book in the Pretty Little Liars series.  If I was in high school I think I’d really like this series.  As an adult I think it was an okay read.  It has high school drama as well as some mystery and suspense.  Though not in a huge rush, I’m probably going to continue with the series.  I watched the first episode of the show on Netflix and it followed the book pretty well.

Private Paris by James Patterson & Mark T. Sullivan – This is the 10th book in the Private series, featuring Jack Morgan and his private, worldwide investigative firm.  I recently realized that I skipped some of the books in the series and have been trying to go back and read the ones that I’ve missed.  I find this series to be hit or miss and this book was just okay.  It fit my need for a quick, suspenseful book though.

4 Stars

The Girl Before by Kena Olsen -The only life Clara Lawson has known has been the one she’s lived with Mama and Papa G and her husband Glen.  Her husband took over his father’s business and Clara’s job was to groom and teach the new girls in preparation for their later life with clients.  But then their home is invaded and Clara is taken away and separated from Glen.  Institutionalized, she is questioned about her husband’s activities.  As information is revealed to her, Clara eventually starts to question the life she has lived and who she really is.  Told in alternating chapters between the past and present, this book was a bit on the disturbing side but engrossing.

It’s time once again to link up with Steph and Jana for their monthly Show Us Your Books link up.  This is the day that my Goodreads to read list grows tremendously!  August was a good reading month for me.  I read a lot of books and most of them were pretty good!  Here are my August 2016 books read:

3 stars

The Last Time She Saw Him by Jane Haseldine – When she was a child Julia Gooden’s brother was abducted and never found.  Thirty years later her two-year-old son ends up being taken on the anniversary of her brother’s abduction.  This is a suspense/thriller book that I found to be just an okay read.  Of course once you start reading, you want to finish to see how it ends.  However, I was disappointed with how it concluded.

The Leaving by Tara Altebrando – 6 Kindergartners went missing.  Fast forward eleven years and five of them return.  They are now 16 and remember little to nothing about their eleven years in captivity.  The story is told from three different perspectives – two of the abducted, Lucas and Scarlett and Avery, the sister of Max, the one child who didn’t return.  This is a YA thriller/mystery book that left me unsatisfied with the ending.

Modern Lovers by Emma Straub – I read The Vacationers and thought it was just okay, so luckily I wasn’t expecting to be wowed by this book.  Which was a good thing because I wasn’t.  This was another okay read for me.  College friends, once in a band, who are now adults with their own kids dealing with grown up things.

Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares – This is the fifth book in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series.  It takes place ten years after the last book, where the four friends are adults now.  I’m not sure what took me so long to read this final book.  I finally read it and was a bit disappointed with the overall story.  However, it felt good to finally finish the series.

4 stars

15th Affair by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro – This is the 15th book in the Women’s Murder Club series.  This series and the Alex Cross series are my favorites.  As usual, this was a quick, suspenseful read with a cliffhanger of an ending!

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo – My daughter entered 5th grade this year and this was her required summer reading book.  Since she was reading it, I decided to read it as well.  I had never read this classic before and I like to be a resource for her if she has any questions with school assignments.  This was an  enjoyable book for both of us.

The BFG by Roald Dahl – I love being able to enjoy books with my children.  Of Roald Dahl’s books, the BFG is one that I had never read before.  My son and I read this aloud together before we see the movie when it comes out on DVD.  This book had us laughing aloud at parts and enjoying the BFG’s nonsensical language.

The Crown by Kiera Cass – This is the fifth and last book in the Selection series.  It was not my favorite, but I was curious to see how the series ended.

Swear On This Life by Renee Carlino – Emiline’s roommate Cara tells her about the bestselling debut novel from author J. Colby and has her read it.  When Emiline finally starts reading the book, she realizes that the story she’s reading about Emerson and Jackson mirrors her own childhood with her best friend and first love, Jase.  Reading the book changes Emiline’s life and makes her confront her past.  This was an enjoyable read.   Although this was the first book that I read by this author, it won’t be my last.

You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott – In this book Devon is a gymnast who has the potential to make it to the Olympic team.  Her parents have sacrificed everything to support their daughter’s dream.  However, after a tragic death of someone close in the gymnastics community, their world is rocked.  This book shows the lengths a family will go to to protect one of their own.  Gymnastics has always interested me and been one of my favorite sports to watch.  This was my first Megan Abott book, but I’d like to read more of her work.

5 Stars

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling – This is the fifth book in the Harry Potter series and a reread for me.   We listened to this book on CD in the car while my son followed along in the book.  This book focuses on the Triwizard Tournament.

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover – I am a huge Colleen Hoover fan.  This book was a heartbreaking, emotional story of Lily in two different times.  There’s the story of her and Atlas in childhood and then the story of Lily and Ryle in adulthood.  But her two worlds unexpectedly collide taking the reader for an emotional ride.

The Choices We Make by Karma Brown –  This book tells the story of Hannah and Kate, best friends since 5th grade.  Hannah has been trying unsuccessfully for years to get pregnant and have a baby.  Kate has two daughters of her own and wants Hannah to be able to experience motherhood.  So, when the opportunity arises, Kate volunteers to use her eggs and be a surrogate for Hannah.   But of course things don’t go as smoothly as they hope and their friendship is put to the test.  This was such an emotional book for me. Warning, have a box of tissues handy!

It is time once again for Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books link up.  I love seeing what everyone is reading and always end up adding way too many books to my goodreads to read list.  It was a good reading month in terms of number of books read – 13 in all!  It was also a pretty good month for quality in reading as well.  So here are my July book reviews.

2 Stars

Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan – While I enjoy Gaffigan as a comedian, I’m just not a fan of his writing.  The humor just doesn’t seem to carry over as well when I’m reading versus listening to his comedy.  This book focuses on parenting and I could relate to some of the book, but the 5 kids in a 2 bedroom apartment thing got a little old.  I enjoyed his other book Food:  A Love Story a little more than this one.

3 Stars

The Flip Side by Shawn Johnson – This is the first fiction book written by the Olympic gold medal gymnast.   In this book Charlie Ryland is living a double life.  She’s “Charlie” famous gymnast at the gym and the rest of the time “Charlotte” normal high school student.  Of course her double identity is eventually discovered.  I found the secret identity aspect of the story unrealistic.  I had to remind myself while reading this book that it is YA.  It seems a little young even for YA and although she didn’t read it, I think that it’s appropriate enough for my 10 year old to read.

Meternity by Meghann Foye – Liz Buckley works at  baby/parenting magazine Paddy Cakes.  Fed up with work and missing out on a Paris trip because she has to cover for all of the moms out on maternity leave, she decides to be pregnant and take “meternity” leave.  During this time, she will get paid time off to figure out her life.  I saw controversy on Facebook regarding this book with the argument that maternity leave is a time for a woman’s body to heal from giving birth and bond with their baby.  A woman is not having “me time” during this time.  Regardless, this book was just okay for me, as I found Liz not very likable and thought the ending was disappointing.

The Museum of Heartbreak by Meg Leder – Penelope Marx tells the story of her heartbreak through 23 pieces in her Museum of Heartbreak.  This YA book includes friendship drama, boy drama and family drama.  Overall, just an okay YA read.

Turn Up the Heat by Kimberly Kincaid – Bellamy Blake takes a vacation to Pine Mountain for a weekend getaway with two girl friends.  When her car transmission dies on the way to the resort, she ends up meeting mechanic Shane Griffin.  Of  course there is instant attraction and they end up falling in love.  This book was a bit cheesy for me, with the romance being too convenient and set up for my liking.  I haven’t read a romance genre book in awhile and only read this one for a goodreads book reading challenge.  This was probably closer to a 2.5 rating on goodreads for me, but I gave it a 3 since they don’t let you give 1/2 stars.

When the Morning Glory Blooms by Cynthia Ruchti – This book tells the story of three women in three different time periods:  Anna (1890), Ivy (1950’s) and Becky/Lauren (present) who experience pregnancy out of wedlock.  I didn’t realize that this book was Christian fiction before putting it on hold and reading it, I found it a little to religious.

4 Stars

32 Yolks by Eric Ripert – This is the memoir of Chef Eric Ripert, of Le Bernardin.  After reading about his childhood in France and his culinary training, I have so much more respect for this man……and I need to eat at his restaurant!

Drive Me Crazy by Terra Elan McVoy – This is a middle grade fiction book that my daughter read.  It looked fun so I gave it a read.  It’s a cute story of two step-cousins on a road trip with their grandparents.

First Comes Love by Emily Giffin – I am a fan of Giffin’s and hadn’t read one of her books in awhile.  This book deals with how a death in the family has various affects on the other members.  There is also sister drama, friendship, dating and motherhood.  I found Meredith to be a pretty unlikable character and Josie and Gabe’s friendship a little intense, but overall enjoyed the book.

The Games:  A Private Novel by James Patterson & Mark Sullivan – This is book #11 in the Private series by James Patterson.  This book is set in Rio during the Olympic games.   This was as usual, a suspenseful, quick read.  I read this book at the end of July and found it weird to be reading a book that takes place in the immediate future (Rio Olympic Games).

Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen – I have read several of Tess Gerritsen’s mystery/suspense books.  My husband and I used to enjoy watching the TNT series Rizzoli & Isles, which is based on this book series.  This is book #8 in the Rizzoli & Isles series.  The story focuses mainly on Dr. Maura Isles, which is nice since she tends to take a more minor role in the other books.  This was a suspenseful page-turner which I enjoyed.  Plus, it was a book that I finally read from my own bookshelf!

Summer House by Nancy Thayer – This is the story of a wealthy family and their drama spending the summer at the family house in Nantucket.   Thayer’s books tend to be summer reads for me, as they often take place in the summer on various island and beach locations.  This book kept my interest, however I didn’t like how some things were unresolved.

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins – I have read most of Hopkins books and am a fan of her YA books written in poetry form.  While I enjoy her writing style, I have to admit that this book’s topic was almost too much for me.  The books focuses on five teenagers with dysfunctional lives who end up turning “tricks” to survive.  It’s disturbing and heartbreaking to read but even scarier to realize that this kind of stuff is happening in real life.

It is time once again to link up with Jana and Steph and share my June 2016 reads  This month my reading game was stepped up due to a Goodreads challenge that I’m participating in.  It’s a team challenge and the more books I read, the better.  According to Gretchen Rubin’s four tendencies, I’m an Obliger, so I’ve been reading non-stop, not wanting to let my teammates down!  So, expect lots more books from now until October, when this challenge ends!  Here are my June reads, listed from least to most enjoyed.

2 Stars

If Fried Chickens Could Fly  by Paige Shelton – This is the first book in the Gram’s Country Cooking School mystery series.  I like a good cozy mystery every now and then, but this book was just “eh.”  While I normally like cooking and food related mysteries, the paranormal aspect of this book just seemed weird.

3 Stars

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan – This book was literally about “crazy rich” Asians, with some characters being a bit “crazy” as well.  The story revolves around three super wealthy Chinese families living in Singapore and the effects that their wealth has on various relationships.  I found there to be way too many people to keep track of, even though a family tree is provided in the beginning of the book.   I also didn’t like all of the translations and footnotes at the bottoms of the pages.

The Dinner Party by Brenda Janowitz – The majority of this book takes place in one evening at the Gold family Passover Seder.  It turns out that each of Sylvia’s three children have their own secrets and grievances which end up coming out at the Seder.  This was an okay read about family and sibling relationships.

Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica – Out of the three books that I have read by Kubica, this is my least favorite.  While it was a suspenseful read, I found the ending to be a bit disappointing.

The Fallout by Tamar Cohen – I heard about this book from the For Crying out Loud podcast with Lynette Carolla and Stefanie Wilder-Taylor.  Guest, author Caroline Kepnes recommended this book, so I thought I should give it a try, since I’ve liked Kepnes’ books.  The book is about two couples who are best friends.  But when one of the husband’s decides to leave his wife, his choice affects all three of them.  Unfortunately, this book didn’t do it for me.  I found all of the characters really unlikable and annoying.

The Heir by Kiera Cass – This is the 4th book in the Selection series.  I enjoyed seeing how Princess Eadlyn deals with the Selection.  However, this book seemed to drag and not really get anywhere.  I need to read book 5 to see how the Selection ends.

4 Stars

Cross Justice by James Patterson – I know Patterson has gotten a little out of hand with the number of books he publishes and I admit they’re not always winners.  However, I really enjoy the Alex Cross series and the Women’s Murder Club series.   It’s hard to believe that Cross Justice is book number 23 in the Alex Cross series.  This was a page turner for me as we learn more about Alex Cross’ parents and childhood.

Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover – This is the companion story to Hopeless, but is told from Holder’s point of view.  I am a fan of Colleen Hoover and recommend reading Hopeless first.  Both books deal with the issues of love, loss and forgiveness.

5 Stars

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys – This is a YA book that takes place in 1941.  It tells the story of Lina and her family who are taken from their home in Lithuania by Soviet police and sent to a work camp in Siberia.  I read this book right after reading Lilac Girls (below) which led for some very depressive reading.  Again though, this was a part of history that I didn’t know about.

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly – Much of this book takes place in Ravensbruck, the only all female Nazi concentration camp and three girls whose lives will intersect.  As much as I read books about this time period, I am always learning something new.  I had no idea there was an all female camp or the experiments that they did on the girls.  I also found it interesting that characters in this book are based on real people.

It’s time once again to link up with Jana and Steph for their monthly Show Us Your Reads link up.  May was a good reading month for me. I got a decent number of books read and I was able to read several newer releases that had come in from my holds at the library.  June is looking to be a busy reading month.  I am participating in a Goodreads group team challenge which will run from June until October.  So, I may not end up reading books that are on my to read list, but rather those that will fit the different challenges.  Note to self, I should probably not put a bunch of books on hold at the library, since they all seem to come in at the same time!

3 Stars:

The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee – This book tells the story of three American women living abroad in Hong Kong.  Their lives end up intertwining after a tragic incident occurs.  I found it interesting to learn more about the expat community but overall found the story to be just okay.

Opening Belle by Maureen Sherry – Isabelle, “Belle,” is a managing director at a financial firm on Wall Street.  She is trying to juggle being a mom, a wife and a high pressure job and at  times appears to be failing at all.  I enjoyed getting an inside view of working at a financial firm on Wall Street, although I didn’t understand much of the market talk.  I found her husband, Bruce, to be really annoying and unlikable.  And unfortunately, I’m sure that the sexual harassment stuff that occurred in the book happens more often than we hear about, in such a male dominated field.  Overall, this was an okay, chic-lit type read.

4 Stars:

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld  – This is a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice……but I’m pretty sure that I’ve never read the original!  Regardless, I found this book to be humorous and engaging.  It seems this is the fourth book in the Austen Project and although, they all appear to be stand-alones, I’m now curious to try reading the other three.

Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben – Along with James Patterson, Coben is one of my go to authors for quick, suspenseful reads.  This book didn’t disappoint, as I found it to be fast-paced and had me guessing until the end.

The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney – Three of four siblings are counting on the family trust fund, dubbed “the Nest” and have lived well beyond their means, in expectation of their inheritance.  When they discover the money has been used to cover their fourth sibling’s poor decisions and actions, they end up examining their own lives and making changes to adapt.   I was surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I do.  Literary fiction is not one of my go-to genres.  However, I found that the author captured family dysfunction in a realistic way and spun a story that kept me interested.

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson – Let me first note, that my kids loved the cover of this book and asked me, “Is this book about a dog walker?!”  Second, although this book is over 500 pages, it flies by.  After reading this, I first thought about giving it three stars.  I’m a big fan of YA books, but this book just felt  SO YA, if that makes sense.  However, if I fell into the YA age bracket (which I don’t by many years!) I think this book has everything a good YA book should.  Family drama, friendship drama, boyfriend drama.   It’s all in here.  Plus, it takes place over the summer, making it fitting for a light, summer read.

Untangled:  Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour – I have a 10 year old daughter and I will willingly admit that I am terrified of her becoming a teenager.  Not only for what she will be going through, but for what I will also be dealing with.  So, I’m trying to prepare myself for this upcoming transition, since times have changed since I was a teenager.  I thought Damour did a great job of describing the seven developmental transitions and providing example scenarios and advice on how to help both daughter and parent get through them.  This is a book that I will probably revisit in a couple of years.   I realized that this is the only non-fiction book that I read this month.

5 Stars:

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets  by J.K. Rowling – My son and I got through book two in the Harry Potter series and watched the movie.  It’s fun doing this reread with him.   Since I read these books so long ago, I don’t remember a lot of what happened, so this is a nice refresher!

What have you been reading?

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!