So, between July and August, I read 22 books. That’s really insane. I mean, some people have a goal of reading that many books in a YEAR. There are many factors at play: it’s a free activity (and as I am trying to save money/pay off debts/generally be a better money manager, this is key), it’s my number one hobby and a lifelong passion, and I’m just a really fast reader. Plus, I tend to read very light and easy books that I can finish within a day or two. Let’s dive into these reviews, shall we? I tried to keep them relatively short since there are a bunch.

July Reads: 9

51. Adulting by Kelly Williams Brown (5 stars)

I’ve never read the Adulting blog (though it’s now in my feed!) but I know of its popularity so when I saw the blogger had a book out, I decided to see what it was all about. I devoured this book. It’s nonfiction and I generally never, ever devour nonfiction but I basically spent a Saturday sprawled on the couch reading this book. While there was some advice I skimmed (and some of it got wayyy too involved), the majority of the book is full of so much great information on “how to be an adult.” Highly recommend!

52. Unwrapping Mr. Wright by Michele Dunaway (3.5 stars)

There was something really sweet and innocent about this book. It was well-written and not too cheesy, aside from the end. But I guess the endings of most romance novels are pretty cheesy. There wasn’t much plot, other than the two characters falling in love so it felt a bit mundane at times but was still a very light, very easy read.

53. Paper Towns by John Green (3 stars)

This book was just okay for me. I was really excited to read another John Green book, after reading The Fault In Our Stars and completely falling in love with the characters and the writing. I liked all the characters but Margo in this book and some of the language and things that happened seemed a little too far-fetched for me, especially considering these kids were still in high school. A good read, but I wish there had been more to the story than Q trying to find Margo.

54. Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich (5 stars)

Loved this novel so much. It was one of those books where I finished it and just wanted to immediately reread it to bring the characters back into my life. My full review is here.

55. The Paris Wife by Paula McClain (3 stars)

I listened to this book via audiobook and I think I may have preferred to read it myself because I missed out on the language and writing (plus the reader was distracting). I really did not like either Hadley or Ernest. Hadley was whiny and Ernest was such a jerk. They made the book hard to get through because there really wasn’t anyone to root for! It was a good read, just not my favorite.

56. Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott (4 stars)

I loved this book. I love Anne Lamott. I will admit I am not that familiar with her work, but I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It’s all about setting up a writing life, about her writing journey, and just filled to the brim with advice on writing. It’s humorous and you really get a sense of her personality throughout the book. And it really, really made me feel less alone as a writer.

57. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (5 stars)

This was my in-person book club pick for the month of July and I was excited to reread this novel! I read it in 9th grade as required reading and all I really remembered from the book was the trial. I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this novel and rereading it simply as a reader, not academically. It was a fast read and I just fell in love with Atticus, Boo, and Jem all over again. They are such lovable characters.

58. Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani (4.5 stars)

This book was so good. So good. The imagery, the character development, the writing… I felt like I knew this family and I was inside of Valentine Roncalli’s world. It’s one of those books that completely wraps you up into a new world. It made me happy, made me sad, made me angry. It was a book that just made me feel really good when I finished it. Highly recommend!

59. Chasing Perfect by Susan Mallery (4 stars)

A really cute contemporary romance novel by one of my favorite authors. The story was predictable, slightly cheesy, but still a really solid story. I enjoyed the two main characters a lot and loved seeing their romance blossom. This is the first story in a many-book series by this author, so I can’t wait to read more!

August Reads: 13
(yep.)

60. The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen (4 stars)

This was such a fun summer beach read! I thought Emaline was a really well-written character and she was much more enjoyable to read about than most of Dessen’s characters (less angsty!). It was a quick read and I loved the storyline of her two fathers: her biological father and her adoptive father, as well as her growing relationship with her ten-year-old half-brother. The romance in it fell a little short for me (I really didn’t like Theo!), but I really loved how it all wrapped up.

61. Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple (4 stars)

I am so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so glad I finally read this book. It was such a fun book! So quirky. So lovable. So funny. I actually laughed out loud at some parts, which I rarely do. Using emails and letters and official documents, Bee pieces together what happened in the weeks leading up to her mother’s disappearance. I went back and forth between loving Bernadette and her annoying me, and the same with Bee’s father. Bee, I just loved to bits and pieces. She was an amazing character. I just loved this book.

62. 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker (4 stars)

This book was the first pick for my Virtual Bible Study with a bunch of blog girlfriends. I really, really enjoyed this book. It is convicting, powerful, funny, and poignant. It made me laugh and made me cry. It made me realize there are bigger problems and bigger issues and bigger sadness in the world today, and I want my heart to break for this. I want to feel more for people.

63. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (5 stars)

I read this book in under a day – a day where I spent 9 hours at work. It was one of those really adorable, fun, quick reads where I sat down to read a chapter or two and wound up still reading an hour later. It’s YA lit and it’s about a girl who is flying to London to be a bridesmaid in her dad’s wedding – to a woman who basically broke up her parents’ marriage. She’s not happy about it, misses her flight by four minutes, and winds up sitting next to Oliver, an impossibly charming and handsome Brit on his way home for a funeral. Their love story is sweet and I couldn’t help rooting for them to make it somehow. It made my insides feel all gooey at the end – a sign of a great love story.

64. Texas Hero by Merline Lovelace (2 stars)

Harlequin romance that was far too heavy on the history than on the romance. I felt like the romance was an afterthought, and with the author focusing more on the historical aspect of the novel, it all felt very confusing to me. I’m not sure I even understood the point of this novel.

65. Moloka’i by Alan Brennart (4 stars)

This was a “settle in” book, if I can steal my new favorite phrase from Jessica. It’s not a quick read. It’s not an easy read. But it’s a book that sucks you in nonetheless. It’s a book you know you’re going to have to settle down into and really feel the characters and what they are going through. It’s historical fiction, taking place in Hawaii from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. It follows the story of Rachel, a girl who was taken from her home at the age of seven because she has leprosy. From there, you are taken through a journey of her life. It’s sad and happy and heartbreaking and uplifting. While it was a hard read at times, I’m so glad I read this book. It’s a must-read, in my opinion.

66. Land of My Heart by Tracie Peterson (2.5 stars)

I really wasn’t a fan of this novel. I bought it months ago because it was free for Kindle and I usually like Tracie Peterson’s fiction, but I felt like this book was lacking a lot. The characters felt underdeveloped, the plot was boring, and it was about 100 pages too long. This is the first in a trilogy, but I can’t see myself picking up any other books.

67. Carry On, Warrior: Thoughts On Life Unarmed by Glennon Melton (4 stars)

I enjoyed this book. It wasn’t life-changing and I didn’t particularly enjoy the format (like multiple exclamation points, bolded and italicized text, etc.) but those are just personal quirks. I think Glennon has such an interesting story and she’s been through so much and she’s really such an inspiration. I’ve never read her blog, so I went into this with very little background on the author. I love the way she wrote, though. I feel like I would like her to give me pep talks from time to time, when I’m feeling low. She just makes you feel good.

My favorite quote from the book, which is an excerpt from a letter she wrote to her oldest child, Chase: “Baby, if you see a child being left out, or hurt, or teased, part of your heart will hurt a little. Your daddy and I want you to trust that heartache. Your whole life, we want you to notice and trust your heartache. The heartache is called compassion, and it is God’s signal to you to do something. It is God saying, “Chase! Wake up! One of my babies is hurting! Do something to help!” Whenever you feel compassion, be thrilled! It means God is speaking to you, and that is magic. It means he trusts you and needs you.” – pg 122

Chills, every time I read this, chills.

68. Crazy For Love by Victoria Dahl (3 stars)

This was an alright novel. There wasn’t anything spectacular about it and I’m not sure I totally believed in the romance. The dialogue felt a bit stilted, and I felt like the ending sort of dragged out. All in all, an okay read but I’ve heard her other novels are much better.

69. Violets of March by Sarah Jio (4 stars)

I read this book in less than 24 hours and it was just a story I totally fell into without any nudging. I can feel a sort of recipe to Sarah Jio’s books, now that I’ve read two of her novels, but I really love the mystery and intrigue and it keeps me turning the pages to find out what happens next. I will say that I totally did not believe the romance and I felt like the story would have been okay without it. I felt that some of the characters were underdeveloped and I wanted more from them. I do love the language Jio writes with. There’s a fluidity to her words and it just makes you feel completely, 100% in the book.

70. Good Girls Do by Victoria Dahl (4 stars)

Happy Friday! It is especially a happy Friday for me since I scheduled today off to give myself a four-day weekend. I plan on sleeping in, relaxing, doing some work around the apartment, and then I’m going to a baseball game tonight. I’m not a huge baseball fan, but who passes up tickets to see a game in a suite? Not me! (Also: free food. And booze, if that’s what you go for.)

June was a solid reading month for me with 9 books read. (It should be noted this includes two Harlequin novels, which I can finish in a matter of hours…) I’m slightly behind my goal to get 100 books read this year, but I’ve been a reading machine lately so I know I can make it to 100!

41. Alias Mommy by Linda O. Johnston (2 stars)

A really cheesy, not very well-written Harlequin romance. These are my favorite books to get lost in on a lazy Saturday, which is exactly what I did. It was a sweet story where you basically knew what was going to happen the entire novel, but there were some twists and turns I wasn’t expecting.

42. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (3.5 stars)

My least favorite book of The Hunger Games series. The beginning was very, very slow and there were a lot of things that happened that I didn’t like. Katniss annoyed me a lot in this book and I didn’t feel as engaged with the story as I have been with the previous two novels. I can understand the slow beginning, though, because Collins had to get us fully in the know about what was happening and how it affects everyone. I thought the ending was okay, although some of the things that wound up happening made me very angry. In the end, a wonderful series and I’m glad I can finally say I’ve read it.

43. Perfect Partners by Carly Phillips (2.5 stars)

Carly Phillips is one of my favorite contemporary romance writers so I was excited when this series was on sale for $.99 on Amazon. This book was okay, but I later learned this series is one of the first she’d written (way back in 1999!) so I can tell how much her writing has improved over the years. There were a lot of inconsistencies I noticed – such as the two-year-old acted more like a one-year-old and I didn’t believe the female lead as being a woman who was domestically abused. It was really cheesy and I’m not even sure if I want to read the next two books in the series.

44. The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner (4 stars)

This was the first audiobook I’ve ever listened to and I must say: I am a fan! First of all, the reader was such a perfect fit. She might have ruined me for all other audiobook readers with how perfect she was. She didn’t make up silly deep voices for the male characters and I started reading my books in her voice, which is odd, but whatever. She read like I would have read it. So, yes, I just want all of my audiobooks to be read by her. That’s not too much to ask, is it?

Onto the book itself! I have a hard time with Jennifer Weiner’s novels because they involve so much back story that my attention span wanes before I can get to the good part. (I abandoned Best Friends Forever for this reason.) I really, really enjoyed this novel and could identify with Ruth, the main character. I loved learning about the inner workings of a TV show, how it gets off the ground, and what putting together a pilot episode entails. It was all very interesting! And the love story was just so sweet that I may have “aww-ed” out loud in the car at some parts. I love love stories that give me warm fuzzies. Great, great novel.

45. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (2 stars)

This was our June pick for #twookclub and I have to be completely honest and say I did not enjoy this novel at all. It was a struggle for me and I have never been more happy to have finished a book! I did enjoy some of the characters, but the writing felt so pretentious and uppity. I really don’t understand why this book is so well-loved. I was bored for the majority of it and the ending just made me very, very angry.

46. Dr. Bodyguard by Jessica Andersen (3 stars)

This was a fairly good read, for a trashy romance novel. The writing was decent and not too cheesy, and I really loved the interplay between the two characters. I really don’t have too much to say about this novel!

47. When Summer Comes by Brenda Novak (3 stars)

I have a slew of books on my Kindle that I bought either for free or for $.99 that I need to read, and this was one of them. I liked the idea behind the story: a twentysomething girl finds out her liver is failing and she probably won’t make it past summer unless she gets a new liver. She’s living alone in her grandparents’ house in the middle of nowhere and a man bangs on her door late one night, needing help. He’s been attacked by a pack of dogs and needs immediate medical attention. This is a love story, so I’m sure you know what happens from there: she takes care of him and they fall in love. I won’t give away too much of the plot, but it was a sweet novel and I ended up really rooting for the two of them to somehow make it.

48. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen (5 stars)

One of my favorite novels from this author! I read the second half of this book in one sitting last Friday night because I couldn’t put it down for anything. This book was about Annabel, a girl who just lost her best friend when she was found in a compromising position with her friend’s boyfriend. Her sister is undergoing treatment for an eating disorder and with her parents focused on her sister, she feels a bit alone. Then she meets Owen, a music-obsessed loner who has no issue with telling the truth exactly as it is (something she never learned to do with her family). I loved Annabel and Owen. Annabel wasn’t as angsty as most of the teenage characters Dessen writes and I loved how Owen got her to open up and be honest about how she felt about things. It was just a really, really great novel!

49. I Got You, Babe by Jane Graves (3 stars)

I felt like this book was longer than it needed to be and I simultaneously loved and hated the main character. Renee has been framed for a convenience store robbery and is on the run. After successfully getting away from the bounty hunter determined to bring her in, she rushes into a diner and straight for John DeMarco. At first, all she wants is a ride, and is willing to do anything for that. She propositions him, he accepts, and they leave together. Then Renee finds out John is a cop and he finds out she’s a wanted woman. The next 250 or so pages are filled with the two of them trying to get to the truth and learn to trust one another. The writing was pretty good, though the action scenes were pretty weak and it got pretty cheesy toward the end.

Books read in June: 9
Books read in 2013: 49

Have you ever listened to an audiobook?

I have a double dose of book reviews for you today. Since I couldn’t get around to posting about what I read in April last month, I decided to combine the two months into one blog post. There’s a lot, so props to anyone who gets through all of these reviews! 🙂

April Reads (Total count: 5 books)

25. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin (4 stars)

This book has been on my “must-read soon” list for a while and I finally got around to reading it in April. It was a really good read and I took a lot away from it. I’m not sure I would ever complete my own happiness project (it started to feel exhausting!) but it was a really interesting read on the theory of happiness and how to achieve it in small ways in our life. Finding happiness doesn’t mean making huge, drastic changes to our environment – sometimes it can be as simple as being kinder, starting a blog, or reading more.

26. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen (3.5 stars)

I really enjoyed this book, but there was something about the main character that rubbed me the wrong way which is why I knocked my rating down to 3.5 stars. I loved the story itself and the theme of letting love in, even though it has the potential to hurt you… but I didn’t care for Remy that much. I read somewhere that Sarah doesn’t create characters to be role models, she creates real people with real problems and issues and I can respect that. I like that, really. But this book doesn’t hold a candle to “The Truth About Forever.”

27. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (4 stars)

I had been wanting to reread this book, in honor of the movie releasing in May. And when it came up as an option for my book club, I pushed hard for us to read it. I remember reading it in high school and it being one of the few books I actually enjoyed. Ten years later, I still enjoyed the book but not one I would gush over or declare the best book I’d ever read. I’m not one to dislike a book just because themes of cheating are present but there was very little redeeming about the characters and the ending felt rushed and really sad.

28. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan (3 stars)

This was a fairly good read, although there were many sections I found myself skimming over because they bored me. But there were some interesting tidbits and it was fascinating to read about how different cultures approach food and eating. I can’t say I learned anything life-changing or he opened my eyes to my food habits, but it was a good read.

29. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (4 stars)

I am thoroughly enjoying reading through The Hunger Games series (taking my sweet ole time, too!) and these are books I can see myself reading over and over again. I’ve heard the second two books in this series aren’t as good as the first but I really, really enjoyed this novel. I felt like the story had a good flow and I enjoyed the give-and-take between Gale and Peeta. And I just adore Katniss and her badassness to the extreme. And the ending! THE ENDING! So intense. I am not someone who is really *into* the dystopian genre, but this series may turn me into a believer just yet!

May Reads (Total count: 11 books)

30. Hot Target by Suzanne Brockmann (5 stars)

This was actually the first novel of Brockmann’s I’ve ever read – and I read it during a time when I was feeling down and very upset so it lifted my spirits and sucked me into the vortex that is the Troubleshooters series. (Still my very favorite series ever!) This is another thrilling novel, filled with humor, romance, mystery, and thrills. And for those who read this series, it is the novel where Jules & Robin meet. (JULES & ROBIN! JULES & ROBIN!) The main female character, Jane, was so sassy and awesome and I just loved her. Seriously. This series. A must-read.

31. Love Irresistibly by Julie James (4 stars)

A sweet contemporary romance novel. Julie James is quickly becoming one of my favorite go-to authors when I need a sexy romance with great characters, sizzling love scenes, and a fun plot to follow. I really enjoyed this novel and getting lost in the characters and their issues. The perfect beach read!

32. Breaking Point by Suzanne Brockmann (4 stars)

This book felt a bit long and drawn out. I kept waiting for the climax to hit and it took forever. It’s still a crazy good book with lots of twists and turns and “how-are-they-ever-going-to-get-out-of-this”-ness. And as long as it was, it was still a book I couldn’t put down when I was reading it and thought about constantly when I wasn’t. I love this series… have I mentioned that at all? No?

33. Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio (5 stars)

I was swept into the worlds of Vera and Claire from the very first page. It was a mystery of sorts, an unraveling of a family’s secrets. It was about forgiveness and trust and the sacredness of time. It was two stories, woven as one. Vera’s takes place in 1933 while Claire’s was the present day. I was captivated by these two women. I was drawn to them. I loved them, felt sadness at the decisions made, and ultimately wanted everyone to just be okay. This novel touched me.

34. Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen (3 stars)

Chucking away at Sarah Dessen’s books. I only have three left until I’ve read all her books (which includes her most recent book that comes out in June). Go me! This book started off really slow for me and it was all very predictable. But I really enjoyed reading Colie’s story and I could definitely understand her battles with bullying and fat-shaming. The ending was sweet and left a lot of issues unresolved, but it worked for the story.

35. The Cottage At Glass Beach by Heather Barbieri (3 stars)

Full review of the book can be found here. A slow story where I wasn’t fully engaged in the plot, but the writing was so magnificent that I had to give it 3 stars.

36. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (5 stars)

Oh, this book. When I heard it was about assisted suicide, I wasn’t all that excited to delve into it. I don’t like depressing subjects, no matter how good the plot or the writing is. I was immediately swept away by this book. By the characters, by the story-telling, by the dialogue, by the utter rawness of the subject matter. I never felt depressed or sad or upset or angry. Instead, the author made me feel hopeful and happy. The subject matter itself is heartbreaking but the characters are so real and so personable that you can’t help but love everyone.

This book is right up there with A Thousand Splendid Suns as one of the best books I’ve ever read. Go out and get this book. It is a must-read.

37. Into the Storm by Suzanne Brockmann (4 stars)

This is the 10th book in the Troubleshooters series and I enjoyed it. It had lots of romance and intrigue and just enough crazy-serial-killer-drama to make my heart pound. I really, really loved Lindsey and think she is totally kick-ass, especially taking on a serial killer one-on-one. It wasn’t my favorite book of this series, but still a good story overall.

38. Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (2 stars)

I had really high expectations of this book from reviews I’d heard. I knew it would be funny and inappropriately so at times. I was prepared for all the mentions of genitals and the cursing. All that stuff didn’t really faze me, as much as the writing felt very chaotic. Was it funny? Sure, I chuckled at certain parts of the book but I didn’t find it laugh-out-loud funny.

I’ve never read her blog and just recently started following her on Twitter so I went into this book not knowing much about her, other than she’s a mega-successful blogger. So maybe that was working against me, I’m not sure.

It just got to be too much for me, too ridiculous at parts, and too all over the place for me to fully enjoy it. It fell short for me.

39. Dreamland by Sarah Dessen (5 stars)

Sarah Dessen totally hits it out of the park with this book. I wasn’t all that keen on reading it, since I knew it involved physical abuse but this book is one of her best.

I had lots of issues with Caitlin but I think that’s what made this story so amazing. She was SO flawed and SO unlikeable for most of the novel but I was still gripped by her. I wanted to shake her, I wanted to hug her, I just wanted her to see she deserved so much better! Could I relate to her? No, not really. But I don’t think relating to the main character is necessary in all books. And I don’t think we were meant to relate to Caitlin (unless you’ve been in a situation similar to hers) – or even like her, for that matter. Dessen did such a great job portraying what it’s like to be in an abusive relationship – the panic and the fights and the make-ups and the hiding.

I had a lump in my throat for the last 2-3 chapters and I felt SO much emotion reading this book. I highly, highly recommend this one. Right up there with The Truth About Forever for me.

40. The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte (4 stars)

This book was available for download through my library’s digital page, so I borrowed it. I’m not sure if I would have read it otherwise, but I am so glad I did! This book was so engaging, so full of encouragement and powerful anecdotes and wisdom. I was not a Danielle LaPorte fangirl before reading this book, but I’m totally on the bandwagon now. This book sparked so many ideas and revelations in me. If you’re looking for a book that will light a fire in you for change, this is it.

Total books read in 2013: 40