Book Review: The Block Party

If you love a summer drama then you will love The Block Party by Jamie Day. This story is packed full with drama and ends with a murder. Well, technically, it starts with a murder, but you don’t find out anything about the murder until the end. The whole book has you enthralled with all of the drama, but also leaves you guessing the whole time about who could have been murdered and why?

Alton Road is an exclusive cul-de-sac where the residents really only interact with each other. Every year they have an annual summer block party, but this years block party ends with someone murdered. In order to figure out who and why, the story needs to go back to last years block party and start from there. From there you will see just how many secret each resident on Alton Road is hiding.

I loved that right away you knew someone was murdered, but did not find out who until the very end of the book. It kept me engaged throughout the whole novel. I kept having ideas about who it could have been or who maybe did it, but in the end I was still a little shocked at who it was and how it played out. Every character was dealing with their own problems and it was interesting to watch how it all played out.

I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. I thought it was a good read, but it just wasn’t the best book I ever read. I did really enjoy it though and found it to be a good September read. It was a good book to end the summer with. If you like mysteries and thrillers and just a good summer read, I would definitely recommend this book!

September Reading Wrap-Up

Now that it is officially October, this post is dedicated to my September reads! I read a lot of great books in September. It was honestly my best month of the whole year. I read multiple five star books. Here are the 8 books I read in September:

We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
The Five Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh
The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler
The Block Party by Jamie Day
The Starfish Sisters by Barbara O’Neal
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

Of these eight books it is really hard to choose a favorite. To me, The Turn of the Key, Adelaide, The Starfish Sisters, and The Lost Apothecary were all five star books. I loved everything about them. From the plot through to the characters. I would recommend any of those books in a second. If you like thrillers, I would recommend either The Turn of the Key or The Lost Apothecary. If you like contemporary fiction, I would recommend Adelaide or The Starfish Sisters. You really cannot go wrong with any of those books though.

My least favorite read of the month was We’ll Always Have Summer. I am glad I read it, especially since I read the first two books in the series, but it just wasn’t my favorite book I ever read. If you are reading the series I do think it is worth reading. If you like YA novels than I do think you would enjoy the series.

Overall, this was a fantastic month for reading! I read some of the best books I ever read. I was in a bit of a reading slump, but these books pulled me out of it and made me want to keep reading more and more. I am looking forward to seeing how many books I get through in October!

Book Review: The Turn of the Key

I was in a bit of a reading slump, but then I read The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware, and it absolutely changed everything! I could not put the book down. As soon as I started it I was sucked right in. It quickly became one of my favorite reads of the year. It was the thriller I had been waiting for to suck me out of the reading slump I was stuck in.

Rowan Caine comes across an ad she cannot ignore. It is for a live in nanny that has a huge salary. It is not even remotely what Rowan was looking for, but how could she pass this opportunity up? When Rowan arrives at the Heatherbrae House, she is immediately enthralled, and maybe a little freaked out. Rowan has no idea what awaits her though. Her future now holds a dead child and her in prison for the murder. Rowan is writing a letter to a lawyer explaining the story of what happened. She is desperately hoping he will help her because no one believes her, but she swears she did not kill this child.

This book was just one turn after another. Right when I thought I had things figured out something else would come along and change the course again. I opened this book and I could hardly put it down! All of the characters were so interesting and I just wanted to figure them out. It felt like every single character was holding a huge secret. Between the writing, the plot, and the characters, this was one of my best reads this year!

I gave this book 5/5 stars. I absolutely loved it. From beginning to end I was hooked in. I never got bored throughout the novel and I never was able to figure anything out until it was revealed. It has definitely made its way into my top five favorite reads of the year!

Book Review: The Love of My Life

It only took me about a day to read The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh. I was hooked from the beginning. There were a lot of twists and turns and right when I would think I had it figured out, something else would happen and it would bring the novel in a whole other direction. I could not bring myself to put it down and I just wanted to finish it, so I could finally figure everything out.

Leo is an obituary writer. Emma is a marine biologist who is well known. When Emma suffers from a serious illness, Leo copes by researching and writing about Emma’s life. The more he digs into Emma’s life, the more he realizes everything Emma has ever told him is a lie. She has even lied about her name. As the darkest moments of Emma’s past are coming to light, she must prove to Leo she really is who Leo thinks she is, but she also must tell him about the other love of her life.

This book took me on a wild ride. Every time I thought I figured things out, something else would happen. It was just so unpredictable and I love when a thriller mystery can do that. It was not until the end of the novel that I knew what was going on. It was all just so different from any other thriller I have ever read. I also really liked the characters. They were all likeable and real. I found myself rooting for them all and wanting the best for all of them.

I gave this book 4.5/5 stars. I would highly highly recommend this book. Especially if you like thrillers and mystery. I am not kidding when I say I almost finished it in one night. I desperately needed to go to sleep, which is the only reason I did not finish it in one sitting. I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately and this book completely helped me slip out of it. It was a fast paced read and it just flowed so well. If you are looking for a good thriller to read I highly recommend The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh.

Book Review: The Five Star Weekend

The Five star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand was such a good read. I believe it is my favorite book by her so far. Usually, I find her books can get a little boring in the middle, but I did not feel that way with this book. I felt that there was more mystery added to this novel than her others. It was one of those books where I was trying to figure out how it was going to end, because it was getting really close to the end of the book, and there were so many things not yet resolved.

Hollis Shaw decides to gather four friends from different phases in her life to spend a weekend with her on Nantucket. Hollis seems to have the perfect life and is the envy of many others. She runs a popular blog, has a daughter in college, and is married to a heart surgeon. One day Hollis and her husband, Matthew, get into a heated argument. It is a snowy morning and Matthew leaves for the airport with things unresolved. On his way to the airport Matthew gets in an accident and dies instantly. After her husbands death, Hollis is really struggling. She decides to gather four friends and host something called a “Five Star Weekend”. This novel is a story of friendship, hardship, life, and love. Hollis hopes this weekend will be able to pull her back to life and give her the strength she desperately needs to enjoy life once again.

I loved this book from the moment I started it. I instantly like Hollis. I found her to be extremely relatable and likeable. I also found all of the other characters to be well written. They seemed so real and this group reminded me of a real group of friends. All the different personalities coming together reminded me so much of actual friend groups I have been involved in. Also, the twist in this book was so well written.

I gave this book 4/5 stars. It was by far my favorite Elin Hilderbrand book I have read, so far. This book made me excited to read even more books by her. I would highly recommend this book. Especially if you have previously read books by this author and enjoyed them. I honestly was sad to get to the end of Hollis’s story. I wanted to keep following her along on her journey.

Book Review: We’ll Always Have Summer

We’ll Always Have Summer is the third and final book in The Summer I turned Pretty series. I found this book to be a great finisher. It wrapped everything up and it also kept you guessing throughout the entire novel. It is not until the very end that everything falls together and becomes finalized.

Two years ago, Conrad told Belly to be with Jeremiah. He essentially told Belly to just forget about him. Ever since then Jeremiah and Belly have been inseparable. Even going to the same college. Jeremiah ends up making a horrible mistake and promises Belly he will never do it again. Now, Belly has to decide if she really has a future with Jeremiah. Or, is Conrad really the one she is meant to be with.

This book was very different from the first two in the series. There were more characters added in, that I do believe, ultimately added to the plot. You could see the growth between Belly and Jeremiah and even the growth between Belly and Conrad. I spent a majority of the book mad at Belly, but I also understood she was only 19. I would say this one was probably my least favorite of the three books. I do think it was necessary though, to really help wrap everything up.

I gave this book 3/5 stars. I found myself getting a little bored throughout. I felt like the problems did not really evolve. It was basically the same problem throughout the novel and it became a bit repetitive. I was happy with how it all ended though. I would recommend to read this book if you have read the first two. It helped finalize everything and brought closure to the story of Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad.

Book Review: It’s Not Summer Without You

It’s Not Summer Without You is the second book following The Summer I Turned Pretty. For me personally, I find second books usually to be kind of boring. I usually am missing the feeling that the first book in a series provides. I did really like this book though. I thought it did a good job of representing the growth of Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad.

This is the first year in Belly’s life that she will not be going to Cousins Beach. Belly used to always think summer was not really summer until she arrived to the house in Cousins Beach. This year everything changes though. After Susannah got sick again, they are not going to Cousins Beach this year. To Belly, this is the worst summer ever, and she wishes that she could just skip over it altogether. That is, until Jeremiah calls telling Belly Conrad has gone missing. Jeremiah and Belly head to the house at Cousins beach to try to make everything right again. Conrad, Jeremiah, spend what will probably be their last summer ever at the house on Cousins Beach. They just hope they can make it the best summer ever.

This book really dove into Belly’s relationships with Jeremiah and Conrad. She has a very different relationship with both of them, but she still loves them both. Belly is determined to save Conrad throughout this whole book. I kept having to remind myself she is only a teenager and love is new to her. I found myself frustrated with her at times because of her desperate need to save Conrad. I get it though. I think we have all loved someone in our life that you want to save, but simply cannot.

I gave this book 3/5 stars. I enjoyed it, but not as much as the first one. There were also times I was frustrated with Belly throughout the novel. Just a reminder this is a young adult novel. I am not saying that is a bad thing, it is just teenagers are going to love a lot differently than adults do. It was easy to be frustrated with the characters, but then also remember we were all 16/17 at one point. Overall, I would recommend to read it, if you have read the first one. It answered a lot of questions that I was left with after finishing the first one. On Friday, I will cover the third and final book of this series! I look forward to you all reading it!

Book Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty

I recently read one of the most talked about books turned tv series, The Summer I Turned Pretty, I read the whole series actually. I actually remember reading this book many years ago. I did not even remember it until it became a television series. I decided to go back and reread it to see if I would like it as much as I did when I first read it. Obviously, I am not the same person I was in high school. Especially, early high school. I still enjoyed it though. It is a sweet read and entertaining. This week I am going to be reviewing all three books, starting today with, The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Every summer, Belly, spends June-August, at a beach house in Cousins. Belly, her mom, her brother Steven, her mom’s best friend, Susannah, and her two sons, Jeremiah, and Conrad stay at their summer house there. Summer has always been Belly’s favorite time. This summer everything changes though. It seems Belly’s school girl crushes on Jeremiah and Conrad, may actually be reciprocated and this summer is the beginning may be the beginning of a whole new life.

This book contains lots of young love, family drama, and just regular drama of being a teenager. I found it to be a fun story and an easy read. I enjoyed all of the characters and felt the plot moved at a perfect pace. It was kind of a typical young adult novel. I really did enjoy it though. I found Belly to be likeable and believable.

I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. It was well written, the characters had depth to them, and I thought the plot was intriguing and well thought out. I feel it is a really good book for kids in middle school and high school. When I read it in high school I remember really enjoying it. It is really a sweet read and I think most girls will be able to relate to Belly. I also cried at times throughout the novel. There were some really heavy moments sprinkled throughout. Overall, I did enjoy it. I would not hesitate to recommend it to someone who enjoys young adult novels.

Book Review: The True Love Experiment

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren was such a good love story. I was hooked from the beginning to end. I am not always a fan of romance novels. That is actually an understatement. I usually loathe romance novels. I find myself rolling my eyes and fighting my way through them. Over time I have began to like them a lot more and I absolutely loved this one. I felt like there was actually depth to it and it was not overly mushy or cheesy.

Felicity or, Fizzy, Chen, is a famous romance novelist. She has been in quite a rut for a while now with her writing and her love life. Connor Prince is a documentary film maker. He is very passionate about his work. Connor chose to relocate and work for a production company to be near his daughter. The production company has now decided they want to switch over to producing reality tv instead of wildlife documentaries. Connor enlists the help of Fizzy to set up a Hollywood love story that everyone will be rooting for. Connor sets up a cast of the “perfect” matches for Fizzy and lets the world vote on the man she should be with. The only problem is, Fizzy and Connor end up falling in love.

I absolutely loved Connor and Fizzy. these two characters were so well written and had such depth to them. Fizzy was not some damsel in distress looking for someone to save her. And Connor was not a guy who is looking to save a woman or who is constantly relying on a woman to make him happy. That right there automatically makes it a great read for me. I also loved the whole reality tv feel. It made it feel so much more realistic for some reason.

I gave this book 4.5/5 stars. I found it to be such a good book. It was a great summer read and I had a hard time putting it down. I fell in love with all of the characters and the whole story was so different from any other romance novel I have ever read. If you love romance novels I would highly recommend this one.

Book Review: The Hotel Nantucket

Summertime is the best time to read any book by Elin Hilderbrand. Her books are fantastic beach reads and with summer coming to an end I went on a bit of a binge with her books. The Hotel Nantucket did not disappoint as another great summer read from her. There were ghost stories and love stories beautifully entwined, and, of course, the novel takes place in the summer on Nantucket.

In 1922 a fire in a hotel ended up killing the 19 year old chambermaid, Grace Hadley. After the fire, The Hotel Nantucket never really recovered. For a long time it was an abandoned building that no one wanted to touch. That is, until a London billionaire, Xavier Darling, decides to purchase the hotel. Xavier brings on Lizbet Keaton, Nantucket’s “sweetheart”, to be the general manager of the hotel. Lizbet hires a great staff, although very inexperienced. Grace Hadley continues to haunt the hotel in order to get the true story revealed.

I found this whole story to be really interesting. I loved all of the characters and the way each story interwove together. There were many layers to the story and all of the characters throughout the novel. I also loved the small little twist at the end. I honestly did not really see it coming. With most of Elin Hilderbrand’s books, I do find that I get a bit bored in the middle. I tend to lean towards thrillers though, so it is not anything against her writing.

I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. I really enjoyed the book as a whole. I just found it to be a bit slow in the middle. Sometimes, I felt as if there was some information that did not really need to be added. I did find the character development and the overall plot to be very well done. I genuinely liked every character and I liked the underlying ghost story that took place throughout. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a good beach read, or contemporary fiction. There are love stories, drama, and ghost stories. I look forward to reading more books by Elin Hilderbrand.

Book Review: Summer Island

It has been a long time since a book has made me sob as hard as Summer Island by Kristin Hannah did. I am talking full on sobbing. I was crying so hard I could barely see the pages at the end of the book. The novel was heart breakingly beautiful (Cliche I know, but it truly was). The characters were well written, the plot was well thought out, and the overall feel of how hard life can be was portrayed extremely well.

Nora Bridge walked out on her marriage years ago, leaving behind her daughters. She is now a famous talk show host and has not spoken to her daughter, Ruby, in over a decade. Ruby is a comedienne who is struggling financially, and she uses her mom as the material for most of her jokes. A scandal from Nora’s past becomes exposed, and Ruby is offered to write a tell-all article about her mother, for a large amount of money. Ruby returns to the family’s home on Summer Island, to spend time with her mother, in order to get the article just right. Instead, Ruby becomes faced with many memories of the past, and the realization that her mother is human too, and maybe not the terrible person she believed she was, all these years.

From the beginning of the book, I was not really sure where it was headed. There were more characters than I anticipated and more intricate side stories throughout the novel than I anticipated. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. Every character had a place, and all the side stories helped the plot move along beautifully. I ended up falling in love with each of the characters and was able to feel all of their pain throughout the novel.

I ended up giving this novel 3.5/5 stars. I would have given it 5 stars, but due to some editing mistakes I simply couldn’t. I thought the novel was wonderfully written, but there were a couple of editing mistakes I just could not move past. There was one major one towards the beginning of the book that I could not ignore, because it ended up ruining a moment later on in the book. I loved the plot though and would absolutely not hesitate to recommend the book to anyone. If you like literary fiction or contemporary fiction, I highly recommend this novel.

Book Review: When We Were Innocent

I have recently been loving World War II historical fiction books. I used to always try to stray away from them because they could never keep my attention, but lately I have a new appreciation for them. When We Were Innocent by Kate Hewitt was so interesting because it was historical fiction mixed with contemporary fiction. I loved that the book went back and forth between present and past. It flowed well and I simply could not put the book down.

Libby Trent has spent her life working hard and building a life she is proud of. She lives in Virginia with her husband, her two kids, and her father has moved in with them as well. But one day her world turns upside down when a government official shows up at her doorstep and tells her that her father is not who he says he is. He tells her that her father is actually a Nazi War Criminal who escaped Germany at the end of the war and he has stolen someone else’s identity. Now Libby has a choice to help them bring a case against her father, or, to try and protect him at all costs.

Right from the beginning the story had me hooked. I just wanted to know everything and I could not stop reading. All of the characters were interesting and complex. It felt unlike anything else I have ever read. The book also portrayed that sometimes things aren’t always just black and white or either right or wrong. Sometimes there is a middle ground and it is okay if there is.

I rated this book 3.5/5 stars. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. I believe a wide variety of readers would enjoy the book. Personally contemporary fiction is one of my favorite genres so I loved that it was a huge component of the book mixed in with some historical fiction.

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Hotline

I practice saying: I forgive you- in the mirror over and over again; I do not really want to forgive him for everything he did to me- nor do I really have to forgive him; but sometimes forgiveness helps with survival; sometimes it is the only thing that will keep your heart beating; I imagine what it would be like to not be a victim; I question if I am even a victim at all; I talk to the moon in the darkness of the night; lay all of my secrets bare for her; the world is falling apart around me; I feel it falling apart within me as well; I dial the number to the rape hotline- hang up after the first ring; how can I describe to someone else what I am feeling- when I am not even sure what I am feeling myself; I dial again- hang up on the second ring- because I know they will ask me the question I dread the most; the question every single therapist and counselor I have ever spoken to has asked me; the question that always brings the conversation to a halt; the question that almost always makes me want to hang up; the question- what can I do for you in this moment- is there anything I can do right now to help; the simple answer is- I do not know; I do not know what I need- or what I want- or how to live one more second in a mind that seems so determined to hurt me; I do not know how to get to safety- or where it lives- or how long it will take to get there; I look down at the number once more; hover my finger above it for another few seconds; turn off the phone; look up at the moon- beg her to please watch over me tonight; I whisper- I forgive you- over and over again; as I will sleep to come save me; I am not sure if I am begging for forgiveness for myself; or if I am still trying to forgive him.

Book Review: Into the Water

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Into the Water by Paula Hawkins was not the best thriller I ever read, but I still really enjoyed it. It kept me guessing the entire time, I found the plot to be interesting, and the characters were well written. I also loved the older stories that were mixed in with what was currently happening.

One day a single mother turns up dead at the bottom of the river that runs through town. Earlier in the summer, a teenage girl had met the same fate. Unfortunately, these are not the first women who have been lost to this water. These deaths disturb the river and bring up history and secrets that have been submerged for a long time.

I love a good thriller and this one did not disappoint. Throughout the entire novel I kept second guessing things and trying to figure it out myself, but I was unable to. Right when I felt I had it figured out something else would happen. I also loved that the story was told from multiple points of view. I enjoy hearing things from everyone’s perspective because it always adds another layer to the story.

I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. I would highly recommend it if you have not read it yet. It had a lot of strong characters, the plot was well thought out, and the overall writing was very good and was able to keep my attention. I found it to be a good summer read.

Book Review: The Scarlet Dress

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The Scarlet Dress by Louise Douglas honestly surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. For some reason I was just not really anticipating much going into it, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked it. It even made me go on and read more books by Louise Douglas.

Twenty five years ago, Alice Lang was wearing her favorite scarlet dress when she disappeared. It was the summer of 1995, Alice Lang was 22, and she rented a caravan on a holiday park on the outskirts of the holiday resort, Severn Sands. Alice befriended Marnie, who was a shy little girl, whose father is the parks caretaker, and her mother died a few months earlier. Will, whose mother runs the bar in Severn Sands, ends up falling in love with Alice, and becomes jealous of anyone else she is with. Tensions begin to rise and one evening Alice disappears from her caravan. She is never seen again. Only her scarlet dress is found when it washes up on the shore. Now, it is many years later and Alice’s body has been found.They must now string together secrets of the past to find out what happened to Alice.

This book was so interesting to me for some reason. There was just something about it that hooked me in right from the beginning. I enjoyed all of the characters, I felt like the writing was really strong, and I loved the way the story developed. I was invested from the beginning and that does not always happen in a book. It was not only about what happened to Alice, but also about the lives of all the other people living in the holiday park, which I really enjoyed.

I gave this book 4/5 stars. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has not read it. It is also included on Kindle Unlimited, which is a plus. I am so glad I decided to read it. The cover instantly drew me in and made me want to see what the book was about. I look forward to reading even more of Louise Douglas’ novels.

Book Review: Too Late

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I don’t even really know where to begin with Too Late by Colleen Hoover. After reading a lot of books by her I have discovered that her novels are always a hit or miss for me, and this one was a complete miss. I considered not even finishing it multiple times, but there was a part of me that was just curious enough to keep to going so I could find out what was going to happen.

Sloan is the type of person who will do anything for the people she loves. Every day she goes through hell with her boyfriend, Asa Jackson. He is dangerous and morally corrupt. Sloan continues to do whatever she can to make it through, until she is able to find a way out. But then one day Carter shows up, and he changes everything for Sloan. To Asa, Sloan is the best thing to ever happen to him, and he will not let anyone or anything, take her away from him. Asa does everything he can to stay one step ahead in business and one step ahead of Sloan and he will not let anything get in his way, including Carter.

The first thing I want to add, is a warning for domestic violence, and sexual assault. That is a huge proponent of this novel, and I wish I would have seen a warning before I started reading this book. This was quite possibly the worst book I have ever read. I have read quite a few of Colleen Hoover’s novels, so I know she is a good author and that I have enjoyed her books in the past, so this is not anything against her. This book was just not good. First off, there were super graphic sex scenes, which I would actually call rape scenes, and I felt like that didn’t need to be there. I am not a prude, or morally objected to sex in books, but this just took it too far, in my opinion. Secondly, the writing just seemed all over the place to me and the characters didn’t seem fully thought out. One of my biggest problems with this novel though, is I don’t believe this is the type of book, that people who have been though domestic violence or sexual assault, want out there to portray what those relationships are like. It almost seemed like it was mocking domestic violence, abuse, and sexual assault in a way. It just didn’t sit right with me.

I gave this book 1/5 stars. I would give it less if possible. Obviously, I had a lot of issues with it and I wish the novel would have been thought out a little bit better. I wouldn’t recommend this book. I don’t think it is worth it and Colleen Hoover has much better books out there and I don’t think anyone needs to waste their time with this one.

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May Reading Wrap-Up

It is officially June, so this post is dedicated to all of the books I read in May. Unfortunately, I did not read that many books. For whatever reason I was just having a hard time getting into reading last month. I have high hopes for June though! In May I read 7 books. I really enjoyed all 7. I don’t think I disliked any of them. The 7 books I read in May were:

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
The Scarlet Dress by Louise Douglas
Circle of Doubt by Tracy Buchanan

Of these 7 books my favorite was Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. That is shortly followed by Anne of Green Gables though because that is a classic. I have the box set of the Anne of Green Gables series and I haven’t read them since I was younger, so I decided to work my way through it and am currently reading the third one now. I would also highly recommend The Book of Cold Cases this was my second book of Simone St. James and I cannot wait to read more stuff by her.

I wouldn’t categorize any of the books I read this month as not worth it, or say any of them were not for me. I enjoyed all of them. My least favorite would have to be Circle of Doubt by Tracy Buchanan, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend all of the books on this list. I really look forward to seeing what I will read in June. So far this year I have read 46 books!

Book Review: Everything We Didn’t Say

Everything We Didn’t say by Nicole Baart was a fantastic thriller mixed with family drama. This novel sucked me in and kept me guessing throughout. I couldn’t wait to get to the end to see what was going to happen. I love a good thriller, but find that often times they don’t live up to my expectations, but this one did.

Juniper Baker had just graduated high school and was involved in a summer romance when Cal and Beth Murphy, a couple living on the neighboring farm, were brutally murdered. When Juniper’s younger brother became the prime suspect, her whole world collapsed. The fun of that summer disappeared in an instant. Juniper left and promised herself she would never return to Jericho, Iowa. Now though, she is back in town to help an ill friend manage the local library. Juniper really returned though because she wants to repair her relationship with her teenage daughter, who has been raised by Juniper’s mother and stepfather since her birth. Juniper also wants to solve the infamous Murphy murder and clear her brothers name once and for all.

This book was so good. I could not put it down. I felt the characters were well written, the plot kept me interested throughout the whole book, and it was able to keep me guessing up until the end. This was another one of those books where I just randomly picked it for my Book of the Month box and I am so glad that I did.

I gave this book 4/5 stars. I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy thrillers. I wish I could read this book again for the first time. I really want to read more books exactly like this. Because I read so much, sometimes I find it hard to keep interested in certain novels and plots, but this one was different and was a refreshing read for me. If you have not read this novel yet, definitely add it to your TBR!

Book Review: No Time to Say Goodbye

At this point I have read a few books by Kate Hewitt and No Time to Say Goodbye was not my favorite, but I still enjoyed it. I think Kate Hewitt does a good job of writing about real life experiences. With her books I tend to get drawn in and almost forget that I am even reading.

Nathan West loved and adored his wife Laura. But now Laura is gone. She was killed in what seems to be a random act of violence. Laura is what held the family together and now Nathan feels life without her is meaningless. Nathan is trying to hold the family together without Laura. He is trying to help his three young daughters as best he can while they all move through the grief in different ways. Nathan ends up turning to Maria, a friend of Laura’s. Maria is helping Nathan see how Laura really felt about him and things at home. Nathan doesn’t really know if he can trust Maria and Maria is holding something back from Nathan. This secret Maria is holding has the power to completely destroy the friendship the two of them have built.

Like I said earlier, this book was not my favorite, but I still was able to enjoy it. It had a very real life feel to it which I really liked and that always makes me appreciate a novel more. I think the characters were well written and sympathetic. I also enjoyed the growth of the characters throughout the novel.

I gave this book 3/5 stars. Not my favorite, but still enjoyable. I would recommend it if you enjoy contemporary fiction. I would also recommend Kate Hewitt overall if you enjoy contemporary fiction. Her historical fiction romance novels are also good, from the ones I have read so far. I look forward to reading more of her novels in the future.

Book Review: The Woman in Cabin 10

I have heard a lot about The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware so I had to read it to see what everyone was talking about. While I liked it, it was not my favorite. It was a pretty decent thriller, but not the best one I ever read. I would still probably recommend it though, but I would just say don’t have too high of expectations.

Lo Blacklock is a journalist who writes for a travel magazine. She has just been given the assignment of a lifetime. She will be on a luxury cruise for a week that has only a handful of cabins. At first, Lo’s trip is perfect, but as the week goes on things begin to change. One night Lo witnesses something terrible: a woman being thrown overboard. Yet, all the passengers are accounted for, so the ship continues to sail as if nothing has happened. Lo keeps trying to tell anyone who will listen that something has gone terribly wrong and they need to stop the ship.

This is one of those books where as soon as I read what it was about I was excited to read it. Books like this usually hook me in right away. This one did hook me in, but at some points I got a little bit annoyed with the main character, which could make it difficult to read at times. I just felt like at times it was too much and the same things were being repeated over and over again.

I gave this book 3/5 stars. Not my favorite, but also not my least favorite. It was just lacking something for me and I can’t quite figure out what that is though. I thought Lo was a pretty well written character, I just got annoyed by her at times, but I’m not exactly sure why. I think this book is good and I didn’t find it to be a waste of time there was just something missing for me.

Book Review: The Family Upstairs

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell was interesting. I was very confused when I first read what the book was about, so I am going to do my best to describe what it was about, but be warned, you may be just as confused as I was. It wasn’t until I started reading it that everything came together and began to make sense. Overall, I would say it was a pretty strong novel. Not my favorite, but still a good book.

On her 25th birthday, Libby Jones, receives a letter that she has been patiently waiting for her whole life. Through this letter she learns the identity of her birth parents and she also learns that she has now inherited their abandoned mansion that is worth millions. Twenty five years ago the police were called to this mansion with reports of a baby crying. When the police arrived they found three adults dead downstairs in the kitchen, but the baby was alive and well upstairs in her crib. Four other children were reported to live there, but they have never been found. Now Libby is learning about her past and trying to find where the four other children have gone.

This book was kind of confusing, but once I started reading it it began to make a lot more sense. I have read quite a few books by Lisa Jewell and I have to say she’s not my favorite author, but I do enjoy her novels. I was trying so hard to figure everything out that this ended up being a super quick read. If you are looking for something easy to read or a nice thriller I would definitely recommend this book.

I gave this book 3/5 stars. It was definitely interesting, just not my favorite book I have ever read. I would still recommend it though. If you like thrillers I would also recommend checking out Lisa Jewell’s other novels.

Book Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain

I absolutely loved The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. It took me about a day to read because I just could not put it down. I can’t believe it took me this long to read. If you have not read it yet I highly recommend it.

Enzo knows he is different from other dogs. He believes he is smarter and has nearly a human soul. He educates himself by watching TV and listening to Denny Swift, his master. On the eve of his death, Enzo recalls his life. He tells the story of family, love, loyalty, and hope.

I love that this book was told from a dogs perspective. As an adult, we don’t really get a lot of books told from an animals point of view. Obviously, this book made me sob. You know from the description that Enzo is going to die, but it still got me at the end. I actually had to stop reading for a bit because I was crying so hard I could not see the page clearly enough to read. Overall though, this book was one of a kind and was written really well. It did a great job at depicting life, but from a dogs perspective.

I gave this book 4.5/5 stars. I would highly recommend this book. I think every single person can get something out of it and also enjoy it. Just be prepared and have your tissues ready because you are going to need them!

Book Review: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine

I pretty much cried my way through Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. I think I started crying on page one and didn’t stop until the very last page. Even then I think I cried for like an hour after I finished it. I think this may be the best book I have read so far this year and I would not hesitate to read it again.

No one has ever told Eleanor Oliphant that life should be better than fine. Eleanor Oliphant struggles with appropriate social skills and most of the time will just say exactly what she is thinking. Everything in her life is scheduled and each day, each week, is practically the same. Everything changes for Eleanor though when she meets Raymond. Raymond is the IT guy from her office and together they save an elderly man who had fallen. The three of them seem to rescue each other from their lonely isolated lives. Raymond’s big heart shows Eleanor that that there is more to life and he helps her to get help for all of trauma and hardships from her past. Eleanor learns from Raymond that she is capable of finding friendship and love.

This book broke me, but in a good way. Eleanor was a wonderfully written character. Throughout the novel I found that I related to Eleanor in so many ways. Which in some ways, made the book harder to read, but I also believe it made it easier to read. This book did a great job of balancing humor and trauma. I found myself actually laughing out loud at some parts of it, while simultaneously crying, because I really don’t think I stopped crying from page one of this book. I think so many people could gain something from reading this novel.

I gave this book 5/5 stars. I can’t say enough good things about it. It was just beautifully written. It was charming, heartbreaking, humorous, and overall a very important story. I think everyone could learn something from Eleanor Oliphant. I would honestly read this book over and over again. If you have not read this yet, I highly recommend that you do. I cannot say enough good things about this novel.

Book Review: The Liar’s Daughter

The Liar’s Daughter by Megan Cooley Peterson was so good. I could not put this book down. As soon as I read the description I was hooked. I love a book that centers around a cult because I find them to be absolutely fascinating.

Seventeen year old Piper was raised in a cult. Piper doesn’t know this though. All she knows is that Father is a prophet. He is the chosen one. She also knows she would do anything for him. She knows that he knows best. Until one day, when the government raids the compound and takes her away from Father and Mother and her siblings. She is now living with a woman who they claim is her real mother. They claim Father stole her from her. Piper doesn’t believe it though, and she is planning her escape.

This book was super interesting. For anyone who has never been controlled by other people I think this concept can be hard to wrap your mind around, but Piper was in this everyday so of course she was going to believe everything Father said. She was brainwashed for so long all of her earlier memories were wiped out. I loved how the characters were written. Especially Piper. It was really interesting watching her character growth throughout the novel.

I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. I would highly recommend this book. Especially if you have an interest in cults. Also if you enjoy mystery and young adult novels I think you would enjoy this book. I randomly found this book on Amazon and decided to order it and I am so glad that I did. It was not the best book I ever read, but I really enjoyed it.

Book Review: The Woman in the Window

I could not put down The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn. It wasn’t the best book that I ever read, but there was just something about it that kept me hooked in from the beginning and I could not stop reading it. It was the exact type of thriller I needed to read.

Anna Fox lives in New York City and is a recluse. Living alone she spends her days, drinking wine, watching old movies, thinking about her past and happier times, and also spying on her neighbors. When the Russels move into the house across the street, a father, mother, and teenage son, they appear to be the perfect family. But one night when Anna is looking out her window, she sees something she shouldn’t and her whole world begins to crumble and secrets begin to come to the surface.

This whole book kept me guessing. At times I even felt as if I was going crazy. I really enjoyed that you could not figure out whether or not Anna was a reliable character and witness. All of the characters were very mysterious and the whole time I was just trying to figure out who was actually reliable. I just could not put this book down for some reason.

Overall, I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. It was not the best thriller I ever read, but clearly I enjoyed it and there was something about it that just made it feel different from other thrillers. I have been really happy with the books I have read so far this year. This year might be my best reading year and I look forward to seeing what other great books I read throughout 2022.

Book Review: Burned

Burned by Ellen Hopkins is a novel that is written completely in verse. It was a very interesting read and I look forward to reading the sequel Smoke in the future. Ellen Hopkins has a way of writing that instantly pulls the reader in.

Pattyn Von Stratten is different than most teenage girls. She is being raised in an extremely religious, but abusive, family. Pattyn is beginning to question things and when she starts questioning things, her father does not approve. Pattyn begins questiong god, a woman’s role, sex, love, and she can’t stop thinking about love. She wants to know what it is, where is it, and most importantly, will she ever be able to experience it? She is not even sure she is deserving of it. These questions could be the first steps toward hell and eternal damnation. Pattyn’s father catches her in a compromising position and things begin to spin out of control and Pattyn ends up suspended from school and is sent to live with an aunt she does not know. When she moves in with her aunt for the first time in her life she finds love and acceptance.

From the beginning of this book I couldn’t stop reading. There was something about it that just instantly pulled me in and made me want to keep reading. I think Pattyn was a really well written character. I think this book can also help people understand everyone better. In Pattyn’s community she was made out to seem like she was rebellious, and uncaring, when in fact she was the complete opposite.

I gave this book 3.5/4 stars. I would definitely recommend this book. With it being written in verse it had an extra element to it that made it that much more interesting. The characters were strong, the plot was complicated and riveting. The whole novel just kept me hooked until the very end. If you have never read any of Ellen Hopkins books I would definitely recommend them!

Book Review: Appalachian Daughter

I read Appalachian Daughter by Mary Jane Salyers last month and I highly recommend the book. It was a short, fast, interesting read. I happened upon it randomly on Kindle Unlimited and I am so glad I decided to read it.

Maggie Campbell lives on a farm in Campbell Hollow, a narrow mountain valley in East Tennessee. Maggie Martin is the oldest of eight children and her family struggles to make ends meet. At the end of eighth grade Maggie begins to dream of a different life. She wants to escape her hometown one day and make her own way in life. While working hard throughout high school Maggie continues to help her family out. Her mother, Corie May, is extremely strict and Maggie strives to fit in at high school, with all of Corie May’s rules. She turns to find support in her father, Ray, who is much more easy going than Corie May. This novel follows Maggie through high school as she tries to find herself while also trying to be the person her mother wants her to be.

This novel was really interesting to me and a very good story. I liked that it was a coming of age novel, but it started with Maggie in eighth grade and the book ended when she graduated high school. When you are in high school it feels so important at the time and I liked that this novel was able to depict that. When you are at the age of 14-18 there is a lot of change and a lot of big decisions and I think people don’t take it seriously because they think kids of that age are too young to make decisions or understand what they want. Maggie was trying so hard to please her mom while also trying to figure out who she was. Even though this is a historical fiction novel, I think a lot of kids in high school today could relate to Maggie and I think this book is a good read for that age range.

I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. I thought it was well written, there were a lot of strong characters, and most of all, for me, it was very realistic and relatable. I would highly recommend this novel. It was short and really didn’t take me long to read at all. I think even if you don’t really enjoy historical fiction you would enjoy this novel!

Book Review: April Reading Wrap-Up

Now that it is officially a new month it is time for my April Reading wrap-up! This is one of my favorite posts each month because I love looking back at everything I have read the last month and it makes me more excited to see what I will read next. In April I read 12 books, which I am really happy about. I felt like I was lagging a little in February and March and I wanted to try to read more in April. The 12 books I red in April were:

The Lake House by Kate Morton
Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley C. Ford
The Kinfolk by Eliza Maxwell
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate
All the Forgivenesses by Elizabeth Hardinger
After She Left by Claire Amarti
Appalachian Daughter by Mary Jane Salyers
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
The Liar’s Daughter by Megan Cooley Peterson

I really enjoyed every book that I read in April. There was not one book on this list that I wished I didn’t read. I would say this was probably my best reading month this year. I would recommend every single book on this list. My favorite book I read this month is probably Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley C. Ford. I wrote a review on that book already so be sure to check that out!

My least favorite read this month was After She Left by Claire Amarti. I liked the concept of it, but I just wasn’t really feeling it. My review on that book is already up, so you can see more of my thoughts on that in the blog post. Overall though, I would highly recommend each book on this list. My goal is to read 15 books in May and I am looking forward to seeing what my favorites will be!

Book Review: After She Left

After She Left by Claire Amarti had a lot of potential, but overall I felt the writing was a bit too simple. It was a nice, easy, quick read, but there was just something lacking for me. There were choices that the characters made that just confused me at times and I don’t know exactly what it was, but there was just something missing for me.

Gillian’s sister, Abigail, is gone. On December 26th, Abigail walks out of her house, located in the suburbs of Westchester, New York. Only leaving behind a strange note on the kitchen table. She is also leaving behind her ten year old son, Sam. Abigail has always been a little bit unreliable, but she has not done anything like this since Sam was born ten years ago. Now Gillian has to take care of Sam, while also trying to figure out where her sister went and when she will be back. At this time though, Gillian is also dealing with issues at home with her husband. His behavior has been odd and he has been out late into the night. Gillian has to now face all of these issues head on and when she discovers why her sister left, the truth will upend her whole world.

I had a lot of hope with this novel. I really was into in the beginning and I was eager to find out the ending, but when the truth came out about where Abigail was, it honestly fell really flat for me. I felt like there was a lot of build up for nothing really. In some regards I understand it, but overall I was pretty disappointed with this book. I think it was an easy read that for the most part kept me entertained though. I just wish there had been more to the story.

Overall I gave this book 2.5/5 stars. It definitely was not my favorite, but by no means did I hate the book. Like I mentioned earlier, it just kind of fell flat for me and left me longing for something else, and not in the satisfying way. I would definitely read another book by Claire Amarti because I did enjoy the real life feel to it, it just was not my favorite book or something I would ever long to read again.

Book Review: All The Forgivenesses

I absolutely loved the novel All The Forgivenesses by Elizabeth Hardinger. It told the story of hardships, and trauma, and family, and addiction, and sacrifice, in such a beautiful way. All of the experiences of the main character were real and raw and the reader could feel the pain she was feeling.

On a farm in rural Kentcuky, 15 year old Albertina, also known as Bertie, Winslow has learned a lot from her mom, Polly. She knows how to take care of the house, cook, and most of the chores, but what she does not really know, is how to take care of children, how a mother should. When Polly is overtaken by an illness and dies, Bertie takes on the care of her four younger siblings. No matter how hard she tries though it is all just too much. Her father is also an alcoholic who is unreliable. Bertie makes the difficult decision to break up the family, in order for them all to survive and thrive. She sends the younger boys to live with one of her older brothers and she takes the girls. Bertie marries young and is grateful she found a husband willing to take on the care of her younger sisters. But Bertie quickly realizes marriage can’t fix everything, and it seems the grief and heartache from her past will always catch up with her.

Bertie was a very well written character. She was strong, but also vulnerable. The pain she experienced throughout the novel was palpable. Throughout a majority of the novel Bertie was only 15 and at times I would forget that because she had to take on so much. Lately I have been really loving historical fiction and coming of age novels, and this one did not disappoint. It was exactly what I needed.

I gave this book 4/5 stars. I would not hesitate to recommend it, especially if you like historical fiction and coming of age novels. This book was included with my kindle unlimited and I just randomly picked it one day and I am so glad that I did. The cover is what initially drew me in and from the beginning I could not stop reading it. I highly recommend this novel if you have not read it.