Review: Gone Too Long by Lori Roy

Gone Too Long by Lori Roy

Published: June 25, 2019

Publisher: Dutton Books

Format: via audiobook

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

On the day a black truck rattles past her house and a Klan flyer lands in her front yard, ten-year-old Beth disappears from her Simmonsville, Georgia, home. Armed with skills honed while caring for an alcoholic mother, she must battle to survive the days and months ahead.

Seven years later, Imogene Coulter is burying her father--a Klan leader she has spent her life distancing herself from--and trying to escape the memories his funeral evokes. But Imogene is forced to confront secrets long held by Simmonsville and her own family when, while clearing out her father's apparent hideout on the day of his funeral, she finds a child. Young and alive, in an abandoned basement, and behind a door that only locks from the outside.

As Imogene begins to uncover the truth of what happened to young Beth all those years ago, her father's heir apparent to the Klan's leadership threatens her and her family. Driven by a love that extends beyond the ties of blood, Imogene struggles to save a girl she never knew but will now be bound to forever and to save herself and those dearest to her. Tightly coiled and chilling, Gone Too Long ensnares, twists, and exposes the high price we are willing to pay for the ones we love. 

My Thoughts

Gone too Long is the story of how the Ku Klux Klan still has a very strong hold in the South.  It focuses on Imogene and her family after the death of her father. There is a mystery about a ten-year girl who went missing after the death of a teenager years ago, but Imogene has no idea how much her family is involved in this event.

Imogene is trying to get over a very hard tragedy in her life, the death of her husband and child. After the funeral of her father, she realizes there is someone in the basement of an old shack on the family property and when she discovers its a young boy her mind races as to who he is and more importantly who had him down there. She first thinks her father had something to do with it, but as she slowly unravels the truth she finds out there is way more to the story than she ever thought possible. Once the truth is revealed she must decide to do the right thing, which might hurt her family or make sure justice is served no matter the price it might mean to her life. Gone too Long is a story that shows us that the mean and sick dealings of the Ku Klux Klan are still very much alive and how these teachings are still going on. Imogene was raised with these teachings but knows that they are wrong and these are very bad individuals. She knows what is right and what is wrong and she knows she must do everything she can to make sure the past doesn't repeat itself.

This story is about survival and for standing up for what's right. Imogene is a survivor in all forms, she overcomes the death of her husband and child and learns that the person she thought was her father really wasn't, meaning she could escape her past and help her family live a new life. This is a page-turner one that has you wondering what will happen next. I love how most of this novel is told through Imogene and we can see how she sees her family and their connection to the Klan from the inside. This is an interesting story with a few storylines that all tie in at the end, with an ending that was surprising. This is one read that had me from page one and kept my attention until the very end.

Review: Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

Published: September 12, 2017

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Three years ago, Tanner Scott’s family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah.

But when his best friend Autumn dares him to take Provo High’s prestigious Seminar—where honor roll students diligently toil to draft a book in a semester—Tanner can’t resist going against his better judgment and having a go, if only to prove to Autumn how silly the whole thing is. Writing a book in four months sounds simple. Four months is an eternity.

It turns out, Tanner is only partly right: four months is a long time. After all, it takes only one second for him to notice Sebastian Brother, the Mormon prodigy who sold his own Seminar novel the year before and who now mentors the class. And it takes less than a month for Tanner to fall completely in love with him.

My Thoughts

Autoboyography gives us the story of Tanner who is a bi teen living in conservative Utah. He has a best friend Autumn whom he thinks likes him but he doesn't see her that way. He is just waiting to go off to college and live his life the way he wants when he meets Sebastian. Sebastian is everything Tanner wants to be, he has just published his first novel and Tanner falls in love with him. Living in religious Utah he doesn't know if Sebastian is gay or not so he doesn't want to be too forward but soon he gets signals that make him think Sebastian feels the same way about him.

We slowly see Tanner and Sebastian trend the line when it comes to romance. Tanner is head over heels while Sebastian can't admit that he is bi or gay he just knows that he has feelings for Tanner but will never admit it to anyone. This story pulled at my heartstrings at times seeing how both of these guys are just trying to find their way in the world all the while trying to navigate the feelings of love. It's hard enough growing up but to come out in such a conservative city it took a toll on them both and their relationship.

This novel was all about love and coming to terms with who you are and being proud of it. The romance was cute and you rooted for them because you wanted them to be happy and have a chance to see what could be. I also enjoyed Tanner’s friendships and family, they offered him such love and support sadly something you don't see sometimes. This is a wonderfully written novel that will leave you with so many emotions in the very end.

Review: The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

Published: May 14, 2019

Publisher: Gallery Books

Format: via Overdrive

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in…well, everything. Her identical twin sister Ami, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy (gag) and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of Internet contests (double gag). Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man.

Olive braces herself to get through 24 hours of wedding hell before she can return to her comfortable, unlucky life. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning from eating bad shellfish, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs.

Putting their mutual hatred aside for the sake of a free vacation, Olive and Ethan head for paradise, determined to avoid each other at all costs. But when Olive runs into her future boss, the little white lie she tells him is suddenly at risk to become a whole lot bigger. She and Ethan now have to pretend to be loving newlyweds, and her luck seems worse than ever. But the weird thing is that she doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, she feels kind of... lucky.

My Thoughts

After hearing so much about this one I finally decided to give this one a try and I’m so glad that I did! In The Unhoneymooners we have Olive and her twin sister Ami, who is about to get married. At the wedding, Ami and the whole wedding party and guests expect Olive and the best man Ethan come down with food poisoning, so instead of canceling the honeymoon Olive and Ethan go on the trip instead of letting it go to waste.

What comes next is just good all the way around. Olive and Ethan go from enemies to lovers, which is one of my favorite tropes and it's just a blast seeing it all blossom. I loved the banter between these two and I liked how they seemed to balance each other out. Olive is all about her goals while Ethan likes to have fun and the fact that he brings that out in Olive is so great to see. I also liked the little misadventures they had on the honeymoon they were so funny. However what I also enjoyed were the serious parts, like how they realize they have both liked each other for a while but just never acted on it and how they both misunderstood each other from the very beginning. While the story focuses mainly on Olive and Ethan I also liked the side story of Ami and her husband and how she finds out things she never knew. In the end, I was happy with how things played out. If you want something light and funny, something with some romance look no further than this gem from Christina Lauren.

Review: All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover

All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover

Published: July 17, 2018

Publisher: Atria Books

Format: via Overdrive

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

Quinn and Graham’s perfect love is threatened by their imperfect marriage. The memories, mistakes, and secrets that they have built up over the years are now tearing them apart. The one thing that could save them might also be the very thing that pushes their marriage beyond the point of repair.

All Your Perfects is a profound novel about a damaged couple whose potential future hinges on promises made in the past. This is a heartbreaking page-turner that asks: Can a resounding love with a perfect beginning survive a lifetime between two imperfect people?

My Thoughts

This was my first Colleen Hoover experience and boy I so want to see what else she does!

In All Your Perfects we met Quinn and Graham we see a couple on the verge but we don't know why or how exactly they got there. In alternating chapters of now and then we see how they are now and slowly we discover what is happening. In the then we see how they met and how their love story came to be.

I won't go into details because I feel this story is so touching and gut-wrenching that to give any details would be spoiling it for anyone who hasn't read it. However, as much as I love this story Quinn made me mad so many times. I didn't like how she treated Graham at times and I wished she shared her hurt and pain more with him. With that, I loved that their journey ran the emotional scale like nobody’s business. I enjoyed how we were given their story, I liked the back and forth aspect of it. Most importantly I liked how Colleen Hoover showed us flawed characters and she didn't put the blame on any one character. My heart broke for both of them at different points of the story and wasn't sure where they were headed by the end. I didn't know if their love for one another was enough. Sometimes love just isn't enough but I was rooting for them and at the end, I was in tears.

All Your Perfects shows us the good, bad and the ugly that can happen in a marriage. Even if we love one another so much sometimes even that isn't enough, but at the same time, we might have to hit rock bottom to see what’s really at stake. This novel will yank at your heartstrings but in the end, it is definitely worth it.

Review: Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

Published: November 20, 2018

Publisher: Simon and Schuster BYR

Format: via Overdrive

Rating: 3.5/5    

Synopsis

Can you love someone you can never touch?

Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.

The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.

Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.

What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?

My Thoughts

I will admit I was a little iffy about this book but I was surprised how much I liked it. In Five Feet Apart we meet Stella and Will who both have CF but react to their disease in vastly different ways. Stella does everything she is supposed to do. She’s the go by the book type of patient while Will isn’t. All Will wants is to be 18 so he can live the life he wants, he wants adventures and to live his life to the fullest before his CF takes his life.

So when Stella and Will meet there is, of course, a clash, she hates that he doesn't take his treatments seriously and he hates that she doesn't truly live her life. So like all tales of hate/love they soon fall for each other. However this affection they have for each other will literally kill them, they can't come within five feet from each other because while they both have CF they have different forms of it and if they come close to each other they can ruin Stella’s chance of lung transplant something that she has been hoping and striving for forever.

I really enjoyed this tale I loved the chemistry between Stella and Will and I also loved the supporting characters as well. This story could've easily been cheesy and over the top but it straddled the line perfectly. I fell in love with these two and their story and it truly gave me the feels. I made me laugh and smile but it also touched and broke my heart. This is one story that's a fast-paced tale of love, friendship and shows us how to truly live.

Review: If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

Published: 1974

Publisher: Vintage

Format: via Overdrive

Rating: 5/5    

Synopsis

In this honest and stunning novel, James Baldwin has given America a moving story of love in the face of injustice. Told through the eyes of Tish, a nineteen-year-old girl, in love with Fonny, a young sculptor who is the father of her child, Baldwin's story mixes the sweet and the sad. Tish and Fonny have pledged to get married, but Fonny is falsely accused of a terrible crime and imprisoned. Their families set out to clear his name, and as they face an uncertain future, the young lovers experience a kaleidoscope of emotions-affection, despair, and hope. In a love story that evokes the blues, where passion and sadness are inevitably intertwined, Baldwin has created two characters so alive and profoundly realized that they are unforgettably ingrained in the American psyche.

My Thoughts

In this beautifully written novel, we get the story of Fonny and Tish, two young people in love who have to fight to be reunited. Tish has grown up in a loving family who will support her no matter what. Fonny is a guy who only has his art and Tish, his family especially his mom don't’ want anything to do with him they think he is trouble and worthless and has found a new family in Tish and her family. We see he is in jail but we don't know why until almost the end of the novel. We see what all happened that led up to his incarceration, the accusations and the fight that Tish and her family will do to bring Fonny home to Tish and their baby, she found out she was pregnant when he was first sent to jail. They try to get help from Fonny’s family but they basically disowned him so Tish’s family makes it their mission to seek out justice for him.

This novel is very short but so powerful and heartbreaking, we see the hurt and tragedy in Tish and Fonny’s story. Despite the world, they are living in Tish and Fonny believe in themselves and their love no matter how high the odds are against them. While this novel was written decades ago it is still so irrelevant to today. How racial injustice is still happening and the way James Baldwin gives us this gritty look at life is poignant yet thought-provoking. This is one novel that has stood the test of time and sadly still speaks to today.

Holiday Review: A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles Schulz

Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz

Published: 1965

Publisher: Running Press

Format: via Overdrive

Ratings: 5/5

Synopsis

Start this holiday season off with a bang by celebrating with the PEANUTS gang in the timeless classic A Charlie Brown Christmas. Read along with Charlie Brown in his heartwarming quest to uncover the true meaning of Christmas with Snoopy, Linus, and friends!

My Thoughts

I’ve never been one for cartoons even when I was a kid but there was always something about Charlie Brown that I connected with. So even now I still wait anxiously every year for A Charlie Brown Christmas to come on the tv and I sit there smiling at the Peanuts gang as they dance and tell us what Christmas really means. If you haven’t read this what are you waiting for? It’s the best Christmas book with a message that all of us should take to heart.

Review: Becoming by Michelle Obama

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Published: November 13, 2018

Publisher: Crown

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 5/5

Synopsis

In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African-American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.

In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms.

My Thoughts

This book is utterly amazing! In Becoming we get the life and thoughts of Michelle Obama and she doesn’t hold back. We get the story of her upbringing and her relationship with her parents. We see her grow up and her school life and the friendships that still impact her today. I loved when she talked about her parents and how she didn’t ask for more than she needed because she knew that her parents sacrificed for her and her brother yet they always encourage her and made all things possible when it came to her future. There were times in this memoir that brought tears to my eyes when she discussed her parents and her love and the devotion that they had for one another touched my heart.

When Barack enters the picture she shares her initial thoughts on him and how he simply fitted into her life, they balanced each other out and they always supported one another in all aspects of their lives. I liked that she shared parts of her life, such as her trouble to conceive and her heartbreak of miscarrying a child to her feelings on both election nights and how she felt when Hilary Clinton lost.

All in all, this is a compelling read one that shows us sides of the former First Lady that many might not know. We get her feelings on things that happened during their run in the White House and how she tried to balance marriage and family life in the world spotlight. Its inspirational and you can truly feel her love for her family and for this nation. This is a must read for sure.

Review: The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman

The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman

Published: October 31, 2017

Publisher: Atria Books

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 4/5

Synopsis

A father and a son are seeing each other for the first time in years. The father has a story to share before it’s too late. He tells his son about a courageous little girl lying in a hospital bed a few miles away. She’s a smart kid—smart enough to know that she won’t beat cancer by drawing with crayons all day, but it seems to make the adults happy, so she keeps doing it.

As he talks about this plucky little girl, the father also reveals more about himself: his triumphs in business, his failures as a parent, his past regrets, his hopes for the future.

Now, on a cold winter’s night, the father has been given an unexpected chance to do something remarkable that could change the destiny of a little girl he hardly knows. But before he can make the deal of a lifetime, he must find out what his own life has actually been worth, and only his son can reveal that answer.

My Thoughts

The Deal of a Lifetime is such a touching story of a father who hasn’t been there for his son finds out he has cancer. He was always busy with work and put that before his family and that caused his family to fall apart, he thought success and wealth were more important than anything else. I like how this novel was teaching and showing us how family should be the most important thing and that material things don’t matter much in the end. This is a very emotional and touching read about sharing your feelings with those around you because you never know what lies ahead.

Holiday Review: The Christmas Promise by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Promise by Donna VanLiere

Published: October 1, 2007

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 4/5

Synopsis

Each Christmas we are given a promise from heaven. And each year on earth we make promises to each other.

This is a story about how a promise from one person to another shows us the true meaning of faith, remembrance, and love. Seven years ago Gloria endured a family tragedy that almost shook her faith entirely. Each Christmas she places a card in an envelope on her tree, restating a promise she made to her husband before he died. Now, having moved from her small town and all the painful memories it held, she is building a life by caring for people in need. Whether it's a young mother who can't pay her electric bill or a family who needs some extra food, Gloria always finds a way. Miriam is a thorn in Gloria's side. Miriam is a constantly critical, disapproving neighbor who looks with suspicion at all the good things Gloria does. When a twist of fate makes them roommates instead of neighbors, it's the ultimate test of patience and faith.

Chaz has a good job as head of security at Wilson's Department Store, but each night he returns home to an empty apartment. He longs for a wife and family of his own but realizes that the life choices he's made have alienated him. He befriends a young boy whose mother has fallen on hard times, giving him a chance to have a life he thought impossible. In The Christmas Promise, the lives of these characters collide and we learn that even as we move ahead, the past is never far behind. And when we are forgiven much, we love much.

My Thoughts

This is the type of book that in my opinion embodies what Christmas is. In The Christmas Promise, we have Gloria and Miriam who are neighbors and who couldn’t be more different. Gloria is very friendly always offering a helping hand to everyone she meets and Miriam well she is more about herself but when Miriam house floods Gloria offers to let her stay in her house until her house is fixed. While there Miriam sees all that Gloria does for everyone and can't believe it, she thinks no one could be that selfless. Gloria loves doing the things she does but she made a promise years ago on Christmas and vows to keep it. Little does anyone know that Gloria has a pain in her heart but prays that one day it will be filled. A mysterious man named Chaz longs for a family but he has had hard times in his life and when he meets a young boy and his mother he soon discovers that faith and love aren’t beyond his reach. This is a touching story that focuses on faith, family, and love and shows us to never give up because second chances can be around the corner. If you want a heartwarming story than definitely check out this one.

Holiday Review: The Christmas Blessing by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Blessing by Donna VanLiere

Published: October 28, 2003

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Ratings: 3/5

Synopsis

In The Christmas Shoes, young Nathan Andrews was a child who lost his mother to cancer. Now his deepest wish is to become a doctor. When a stranger named Robert gave him the money to buy his mother a pair of shoes for her last Christmas, both Robert and Nathan learned the deepest lessons of love and giving. Now a medical student in his third year, Nathan realizes there are still things to be learned about faith, blessings, and sacrifice. Lessons he will learn from Meghan Sullivan-a young woman born with a hole in her heart that has not kept her from becoming a champion runner. And lessons learned from a young boy named Charlie, who teaches how to live a life of true courage. Together, they will help guide Nathan through the darkest period in his life. The Christmas Blessing is inspiring about hope existing in the darkest places, and love is always the greatest gift of all.

My Thoughts

This is an inspirational story of love and faith focusing on a young doctor named Nathan who becomes friends with Meghan and Charlie who will show him the true meaning in life. Nathan has had dark periods in his life but now he is in medical school and through others, he has learned that while he has had struggles in life others have had it worse yet have continued to live and love life. Nathan will soon find the miracles in life and with that comes love…the love of his life and all the happiness that comes with it. I enjoyed this short read as always Donna VanLiere novels are inspiring and have that comforting feel. You want a hopeful and romantic read this is a good one.

Review: This Will Only Hurt A Little by Busy Philipps

This Will Only Hurt a Little by Busy Philipps

Published: October 23, 2018

Publisher: Touchstone

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

A collection of humorous autobiographical essays by the beloved comedic actress known for her roles on Freaks and Geeks, Dawson’s Creek, and Cougartown who has become “the breakout star on Instagram stories...imagine I Love Lucy mixed with a modern lifestyle guru” (The New Yorker).

Busy Philipps’s autobiographical book offers the same unfiltered and candid storytelling that her Instagram followers have come to know and love, from growing up in Scottsdale, Arizona and her painful and painfully funny teen years, to her life as a working actress, mother, and famous best friend.

Busy is the rare entertainer whose impressive arsenal of talents as an actress is equally matched by her storytelling ability, sense of humor, and sharp observations about life, love, and motherhood. Her conversational writing reminds us what we love about her on screens large and small. From film to television to Instagram, Busy delightfully showcases her wry humor and her willingness to bare it all.

My Thoughts

In This Will Only Hurt a Little Busy Philipps gives us stories of her life growing up and her struggles in her acting career. While most stories are funny and she gives us the things we like her for, it's her serious stuff that really connects with me. Her revelations of being assaulted at an early age and later her admission of having an abortion are just some of the things that shows us a serious side of her that we rarely see.

I enjoyed her tales of working on her TV series that she is known for and especially her stories of her family. Her candid take on her marriage and how she was ready to give up but decided to give it another chance and her take on motherhood rang so true. I loved how she didn’t shy away from sharing the truth with us she give it to us no holds bar and that was so brave of her to do. While I’ll admit I didn’t know that much about her this book gave me a new perspective on her. I definitely admire her hard work and dedication to everything in her life. This book will make you laugh of course but it’s her personal anecdotes that make this book really shine. This book is no doubt worth a read.

Holiday Review: Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber

Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber

Published: October 3, 2017

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Merry Knight is pretty busy these days. She’s taking care of her family, baking cookies, decorating for the holidays, and hoping to stay out of the crosshairs of her stressed and by-the-book boss at the consulting firm where she temps. Her own social life is the last thing she has in mind, much less a man. Without her knowledge, Merry’s well-meaning mom and brother create an online dating profile for her—minus her photo—and the matches start rolling in. Initially, Merry is incredulous, but she reluctantly decides to give it a whirl.

Soon Merry finds herself chatting with a charming stranger, a man with similar interests and an unmistakably kind soul. Their online exchanges become the brightest part of her day. But meeting face-to-face is altogether different, and her special friend is the last person Merry expects—or desires. Still, sometimes hearts can see what our eyes cannot. In this satisfying seasonal tale, unanticipated love is only a click away.

My Thoughts

Merry is all about taking care of her family so much so that she basically has no life. She works but doesn’t date and her family thinks its time for that to change. So her brother makes an online profile for her and decides Merry needs a man in her life and makes it his mission to find her someone. Her brother has the best intentions and soon Merry meets someone who grabs her attention. They have great conversations and they share things with each other that neither one has shared with no one else. However, despite the flirting and great convos neither one has a profile picture so they don’t know who they are actually talking to.

Merry is a hard worker but her boss is not a very kind man. He doesn’t really appreciate his workers and honestly doesn’t really pay attention to things around him. He’s a smart and rich guy but decides he wants to try online dating and find someone real and soon he finds the perfect person and she is much closer than he realizes. As you can imagine that person is no other than Merry. Now, this isn't a spoiler since you find this out real quick but this book definitely has a You’ve Got Mail kind of vibe going on. He figures out who she is before she does and the things he does for Merry are so cute.

I really enjoyed this story all be it, it was so predictable it was really cute and heartwarming. I love Debbie Macomber’s Christmas reads because they have that element of Christmas magic to them and this one isn’t any different. So if you want something fun and romantic than look no further than this holiday rom-com.

Review: His Favorites by Kate Walbert

His Favorites by Kate Walbert

Published: August 14, 2018

Publisher: Scriber

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

They were on a lark, three teenaged girls speeding across the greens on a “borrowed” golf cart, at night, drunk. The cart crashes and one of the girls lands violently in the rough killed instantly. The driver, Jo, flees the hometown that has turned against her and enrolls at a prestigious boarding school. Her past weighs on her. She is responsible for the death of her best friend. She has tipped her parents’ rocky marriage into demise. She is ready to begin again, far away from the accident.

Taut, propulsive and devastating, His Favorites reveals the interior life of a young woman determined to navigate the treachery in a new world. Told from her perspective many years later, the story coolly describes a series of shattering events and the system that failed to protect her. Walbert, who brilliantly explored a century of women’s struggles for rights and recognition in her award-winning A Short History of Women, limns the all-too-common violations of vulnerability and aspiration in the lives of young women in this suspenseful short novel.

My Thoughts

His Favorites is a story that is very relative to what’s going on at this moment. After a night of drinking Jo crashes a golf cart and kills her best friend and soon she decides to leave her school and hometown and goes to a private school. Thinking that this school will protect her she soon learns this is far from the truth, the ones that are there to protect her are the ones that hurt her the most.

This short novel gives us complex characters that are raw and flawed but no matter how messed up someone is that doesn’t give others the right to violate them. You feel for these girls who are taken advantage of but they won't let this define them. This is one jam-packed read that is very important, while it is sad and messed up it also shows you that you can be strong and stand up for yourself no matter what. His Favorites is a huge read despite its small size.

Review: What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

Published: July 11, 2017

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Two struggling teenagers find an unexpected connection just when they need it most.

Sometimes a new perspective is all that is needed to make sense of the world.

KIT: I don’t know why I decide not to sit with Annie and Violet at lunch. It feels like no one here gets what I’m going through. How could they? I don’t even understand.

DAVID: In the 622 days I’ve attended Mapleview High, Kit Lowell is the first person to sit at my lunch table. I mean, I’ve never once sat with someone until now. “So your dad is dead,” I say to Kit, because this is a fact I’ve recently learned about her.

When an unlikely friendship is sparked between relatively popular Kit Lowell and socially isolated David Drucker, everyone is surprised, most of all Kit and David. Kit appreciates David’s blunt honesty—in fact, she finds it bizarrely refreshing. David welcomes Kit’s attention and her inquisitive nature. When she asks for his help figuring out the how and why of her dad’s tragic car accident, David is all in. But neither of them can predict what they’ll find. Can their friendship survive the truth?

My Thoughts

Kit is one of the popular girls in school but ever since her father past away she sees everything around her differently. She notices that her “friends” aren’t good people and frankly they are just shallow and are wearing on her nerves. So one day she decides to sit next to David and that one simple move changes her life.

David who has autism mainly stays to himself so when Kit sits next to him at lunch he doesn’t understand what's going on. He is someone who says what's on his mind and doesn’t see anything wrong with that. He has a notebook that he makes daily notes on it has all his secrets feelings and what he thinks about everyone and everything. David is sweet and naïve and that is what makes him so endearing. And I think that is why Kit likes him. She doesn’t have to pretend to be anyone but herself. He doesn’t care what she wears or judges her he simply likes her company. David listens to her and is a great friend to her.

I liked how they are different but deep down each has their own issues they are dealing with. There are so many things that shouldn’t make them work but those differences are the things that make them work at the same time. You can't help but root for them. This is funny but definitely heartbreaking also. This is one read that while was a tad sad it was enjoyable at the same time.

Review: Sadie by Courtney Summers

Sadie by Courtney Summers

Published: September 4, 2018

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Format: via audiobook

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.

My Thoughts

In Sadie, we have West, a podcaster who hears a story about a local girl and is now on the hunt for Sadie and to find out what exactly happened to her and where is she now. Sadie has a very mysterious feel to her, people tend to think she went on the hunt for her sister’s killer but where and who she thinks this person is a mystery. Sadie sees herself responsible for Maddie’s death since she was the one looking after her after their mother left them. We see Sadie’s dark side but as we slowly see what kind of life she has lead her pain and anger is understandable.

I loved everything about this read. I listened to the audio which I recommend because it's amazing! I loved the podcast idea and the interviews format which totally gave me Dateline vibes. I enjoyed how all these different styles gave it a definitely unique feel and made it so interesting not to mention it really added to that dark creepy kind of feel...in a good way!!

This was without a doubt one of my favorite reads of the year, I felt for Sadie and the things she had to endure in her life. I liked how she was strong despite her hardships in life, even if that meant doing things that weren’t right. All in all, Sadie is a winner, this has a lot of elements I look for in a great read. I like the different points of views we got which just made the read so much more enjoyable. If you get the chance to read this please do you won't be disappointed.

Review: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

[To All the Boys I Loved Before #2]

Published: May 25, 2015

Publisher: Simon and Schuster BYR

Format: via audiobook

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

My Thoughts

P.S. I Still Love You picks up right where the first book left off, we see Lara Jean trying to figure out where exactly she and Peter K are in their relationship. We finally get introduced to John and that leads to more friction between her and Peter. While I did like the chemistry between Lara Jean and John let’s be real he is no Peter K! However, the friendship and scenes between these two were SO adorable. I also liked the scenes with the elders at the retirement home, those seniors are so feisty...LOVE IT!

What I continue to love is the relationships with Lara Jean and her family. I love the closeness they have and that they stick together no matter what. I really feel for Lara Jean when she talks about missing her mom and how that really is hard for her especially now that she needs her the most.

This series continues to keep me interested in the lives and loves of the Covey sisters and their bond is like no other. I will continue to root for Lara and Peter no matter what and can't wait to see how this story ends. Jenny Han gives us another great book and gives us those feels like only she can.

Review: Nantucket Nights by Elin Hilderbrand

Nantucket Nights by Elin Hilderbrand     

Published: May 3, 2016

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Format: via audiobook

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

The ties between women can run as deep as the ocean-but so can the secrets.

For 20 years, Kayla, Antoinette and Val have performed their own special summer ritual. Once a year, the old friends put aside their daily, separate lives to drink champagne, swap stories and swim naked under the Nantucket stars. But on one of those bonding nights, one of their trio swims out from the shore and doesn't return. After the surviving friends emerge from their grief, they realize that the repercussions of their loss go far beyond their little circle, and they begin to uncover layers of secrets-and their connections to each other that were never revealed on the beach. What has made their friendship strong now has the power to destroy their marriages, families, even themselves.

My Thoughts

Elin Hilderbrand is one of my favorite authors and I’m slowly reading all her books, so when I read the synopsis for one of her earliest reads I was intrigued. Nantucket Nights is the story of three lifelong friends who go out for a yearly ritual and soon one goes for a swim and doesn’t come back. With this read, we get drama, a little mystery and an explosion of secrets that go way beyond anything anyone could’ve imagined.

This is one of my favorite books by Elin Hilderbrand I loved how she weaved layers and layers of secrets into a web that just when you think you have something figured out she takes it to another level. The relationships in this read rather it be the friendships or romantic ones are so good that you are left stunned at times. I felt for some characters and others I hated but the ending is what kind of had me shook. Did I love it? No, but I totally understood it. I highly recommend this read if you are looking for something with substance, drama and a little mystery. Trust me you will fully love this rich story with memorable characters.