Books – Page 91

Categories: Books

January Reads

I had a solid reading month in January. I set a goal to read 75 books this year, which is averaging around 6-7 books per month. I kicked 2014 off with six books read, my favorite being The Rosie Project and my least favorite being The Aviator’s Wife.

1. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (4 stars)

This novel was utterly charming. I loved the characters, especially Dr. Don Tillman, who reminded me of Dr. Sheldon Cooper (from The Big Bang Theory!) so much that I pictured him throughout the entire novel. It was an easy read, but also had a lot of social complexities to it, which also made it an interesting read. I heard it will be made into a movie and if anyone but Jim Parsons plays Don Tillman, my whole world is a lie.

2. In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner (4 stars)

I actually really enjoyed this book! I remember seeing the movie when it came out, but never read the book. (Though I can barely remember the movie at all.) The novel was a bit long, at over 500 pages, but I found myself settling in and really investing in the story. Jennifer Weiner’s novels are really hit or miss for them. Some novels, I adore, and some novels I feel like I wasted precious time reading. This one fell safely in the “hit” category, and it was a really enjoyable read.

3. Secret Agent Secretary by Melissa Cutler (4 stars)

Sometimes, you just want to read a really kick-ass romantic mystery with characters whose sexual tension sizzles off the pages and a storyline that moves fast. This is that book. It’s the second one from this author and I loved it just as much as the first one. Very well-written, though it does get a little heavy on the cheese toward the end. It left me feeling happy and satisfied.

4. The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin (2.5 stars)

I struggled to get through this book. The writing was good, but the story was just really slow and kind of tragic. It’s a fictional adaptation of Anne Lindbergh’s, wife to Charles Lindbergh, life. And she just lived a very hard one. Maybe I’m too much of a dreamer and idealist to appreciate this novel, but I just felt like she had a very lonely, sad life. She got to do some amazing things, for sure, but when you compare it to a loveless, unfaithful marriage? It just made me rather sad. Good writing, sad story.

5. Cowboy Justice by Melissa Cutler (3 stars)

One of my ways of helping me get through a book I’m struggling with (see above book) is by reading a cute romance novel along with it. So I bought this one from my new favorite romantic suspense author and I enjoyed it. I really loved the main character and the chemistry between her and her “cowboy” just oozed off the page. There was a lot of suspense and mystery and drama, along with dry wit and humor. I flew through this one in a matter of days.

6. The Girl With a Clock for a Heart by Peter Swanson (3.5 stars)

I reviewed this book yesterday, and you can find that review here.

Do you ever read two books at one time?

Categories: Books

Book Review: The Girl With a Clock for a Heart by Peter Swanson

Goodreads summary: George Foss never thought he’d see her again, but on a late-August night in Boston, there she is, in his local bar, Jack’s Tavern.

When George first met her, she was an eighteen-year-old college freshman from Sweetgum, Florida. She and George became inseparable in their first fall semester, so George was devastated when he got the news that she had committed suicide over Christmas break. But, as he stood in the living room of the girl’s grieving parents, he realized the girl in the photo on their mantelpiece – the one who had committed suicide – was not his girlfriend. Later, he discovered the true identity of the girl he had loved – and of the things she may have done to escape her past.

Now, twenty years later, she’s back, and she’s telling George that he’s the only one who can help her…

My thoughts: I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. It flip-flopped between the present day and when George and the girl (Liana) first met. I found Liana to be such an intriguing character, though she drove me crazy at times and you never really knew what she was really thinking or who she really was.

I also really, really loved George. He had so many faults, but there was something so solid about him. He has spent his whole life just going through the motions of work and pseudo-relationships and not really experiencing much. And Liana shakes him out of his trance and gets him to start experiencing life, albeit in sometimes violent and crazy ways.

I found the author’s voice to be so distinct and present. Each and every character had their own unique set of mannerisms and dialogue and I could hear the way they talked and picture the way they moved from the way the author wrote about them.

It’s a mystery novel filled with so many twists and turns. It felt like whiplash at times because the moment I felt safe and that I knew how to story would turn out, the author would throw in a new twist. It constantly kept me on the edge of my seat and curious to see what would happen next.

The flip-flopping between present day and when George and Liana met was seamless and easy to follow. I found myself invested in both stories since present day focused on the mystery happening now, but the past story focused on unraveling Liana and the mystery of who she really was back then.

All that said, I didn’t find this book to be a page-turner for me. I was curious about the ending and invested in the characters, but it was a book that was easy for me to put down. Still, if you love a good mystery with complex characters and crazy plot twists, I would suggest picking this novel up.

My rating: 3.5 stars

I received this book for free from TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. All words and opinions, unless otherwise stated, are my own.

Categories: Books

Book Review: The Supreme Macaroni Company by Adriana Trigiani

Goodreads Summary: For over a hundred years, the Angelini Shoe Company in Greenwich Village has relied on the leather produced by Vechiarelli & Son in Tuscany. This historic business partnership provides the twist of fate for Valentine Roncalli, the school teacher turned shoemaker, to fall in love with Gianluca Vechiarelli, a tanner with a complex past . . . and a secret.

A piece of surprising news is revealed at The Feast of the Seven Fishes when Valentine and Gianluca join her extended family on a fateful Christmas Eve. Now faced with life altering choices, Valentine remembers the wise words that inspired her in the early days of her beloved Angelini Shoe Company: “A person who can build a pair of shoes can do just about anything.” The proud, passionate Valentine is going to fight for everything she wants and savor all she deserves-the bitter and the sweetness of life itself.

Romantic and poignant, told with humor and warmth, and bursting with a cast of endearing characters, The Supreme Macaroni Company is a sumptuous feast of delights: a portrait of a woman and the man she loves, her passion for craftsmanship, and the sacrifices it takes to build and sustain a family business while keeping love and laughter at the center of everything.

My thoughts: I have a major writer-crush on Adriana Trigiani. I love the way she writes and weaves sentences together. I feel as if I am right there, in that scene, in that shoe store, with this family. She writes scenes and conversations and characters that are completely believable and I just find her writing so incredible.

I’ve been following Valentine’s journey from the first book, and this was the culmination of her series, where she finally gets her happily ever after. Valentine is a very frustrating character because I just want her to be happy but she seems to thwart that from every angle. But I’ve been with her and fighting for her and cheering her on, because I know she deserves happiness and WILL YOU JUST LET IT HAPPEN, VALENTINE, PLEASE?

Sigh.

I have to say, this was my least favorite in the series and Valentine drove me crazy in this book. She was petty and childish and didn’t seem to understand compromise. She’s very focused on her business, and I really couldn’t relate to that because, though I value a good career and enjoying my work, I don’t value it above relationships, love, and family. She seemed to be missing the key elements of what makes life wonderful, and I’m not sure she ever got it.

All in all, I’m glad I read the series, but I can’t say Valentine is a literary character I liked.

My rating: 3 stars

I received this book for free from TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. All words and opinions, unless otherwise stated, are my own.

Categories: Books

December Reads

It’s time for my last book review post for what I read in 2013! I ended the year reading 102 books. My highest reading month was August, when I read 13 books (also, coincidentally, the month I took a break from blogging and social media), while my lowest reading month was April when I read just five books. I’m not shooting to read as many books this year (I set a goal for 75 on Goodreads), because I want to focus on quality over quantity, and also not disregard some of my other hobbies for reading.

Anyway, here we go! December book reviews. My favorite book this month was Tempted Into Danger and my least favorite was Save As Draft.

95. My Wicked Little Lies by Victoria Alexander (4 stars)

This was a fun, quick read. I haven’t read too many historical romance novels this year, but this was a “free” paperback I picked up from my library (free meaning I didn’t check it out and can return it anytime I want) that I dived into one lazy weekend and couldn’t put down. It had a really interesting premise, great characters, and a fast-moving plot. I loved it!

96. Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed (4 stars)

This book is all kinds of wonderful. I love the way Strayed writes, and she was just as honest and blunt and real in her advice column. I found myself tearing through this book, so interested in each new column and feeling so deeply the pain and tragedy the people who wrote to her went through. In some ways, it was a trigger for my anxiety (since my anxiety as a whole, mainly comes when I get freaked out about tragedy happening), but mostly, it was just a blessing to read. Life is pain and heartache and trials… but it is also joy and excitement and happiness. I ended this book wishing I could write my own letter to Sugar because her advice is always so spot-on and based in truth. A must read!

97. Tempted Into Danger by Melissa Cutler (5 stars)

I devoured this novel. It was a simple Harlequin romantic thriller, but it was so good. It was so well-written, so filled with action and character drama and excitement and I could not put it down. I’m not typically one to want to read the next book in the series when it’s Harlequin, but I actually pre-ordered the next book because this one was so amazing. She definitely ranks up there with the better romantic suspense authors!

98. On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah (4 stars)

This was the first novel of Kristin Hannah’s that I’ve read, and I really, really enjoyed it! It involved a lot of hard things – cheating, mental illness, and death – but Hannah weaved together a wonderful story of hope, life, and the power of love. There were times when the main character annoyed me and I just wanted her to grow a backbone, but I suppose it was necessary for the character development throughout the story. I can’t wait to read more from her!

99. Fools Rush In by Kristan Higgins (3 stars)

This was a cute chick-lit novel, though a bit cheesy and there were times when the main character felt a bit far-fetched. I liked the natural pace of the love story, though, and there were some great characters in the novel. All in all, not one of the best chick-lit novels I’ve read, but an easy read.

100. Save as Draft by Cavanaugh Leigh (2 stars)

This book was okay, but I didn’t love it. I saw it had good reviews, so that interested me enough to pick it up. It’s told through emails, as the main character is searching for love. She tries Match.com, then ends up falling for her best friend, right after going on a great first date with a wonderful guy she met through the dating site. It felt a bit dated to me (because who really conducts all their conversations through emails?!) and I just didn’t like the main character all that much. None of the characters felt consistent throughout the story, and I was very confused by the ending. Never a good thing! Not a book I would recommend.

101. The Supreme Macaroni Company by Adriana Trigiani (3 stars)

You’ll see my review for this book on Wednesday!

102. Into the Fire by Suzanne Brockmann (5 stars)

My last book of 2013! Another stellar book from Suzanne Brockmann, as always. It was filled with action, character drama, and a wayward love story. It brought back some much-loved characters from Brockmann’s other novels and I flew through this book in a matter of days. As long as she keeps putting out books, I’ll keep reading them!

Books read in December: 8
Books read in 2013: 102

How many books did you read in 2013?

Categories: Best Of, Books

2013 in Review | Top 10 Books Read

Happy New Year’s Eve! I am working today, but crossing my fingers my work will let us out early. I don’t have any crazy party plans (I know – shocker!), but plan on ringing in the New Year with my family at home. We’ll watch the ball drop on TV, play some games, and just enjoy one another’s company. I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful New Year’s Eve!

For today’s post, I have another top ten list for you – the best books I read this year! I read 102 books this year, which is pure insanity, but there’s nothing I love more than getting completely wrapped up in a book. It was hard to narrow my favorite books down to a top ten list, but I did it! I put these in order, from books I really, really loved to books that changed my life. Here we go!

10. Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple – 4 stars

This book is so quirky and so fun and I completely enjoyed my experience reading it. I laughed out loud a few times while reading (something I never do!) and I couldn’t help falling completely, hopelessly in love with these characters.

9. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay – 5 stars

This was one of the best YA novels I’ve read in a long time. It was part mystery, where you know something bad has happened to the main character but aren’t sure exactly what it is. It’s part love story, as this broken girl finds healing and hope in the love and strength of a boy. It’s part coming of age, as the character begins to come to terms with what has happened to her and grow from it. It’s a phenomenal read, the writing is exquisite, and it’s one that will make you feel good when you finish it.

8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – 5 stars

I’m always behind when it comes to reading what is popular. (I mean, I just read the Harry Potter series in 2010!) So it’s no surprise it took me a while to get into The Hunger Games series, but I’m so glad I finally did. I think the first book was easily the best, with the second and third books falling a little flat for me. (They were still good – just didn’t grip me the way the first one did.) I think it’s worth reading these books and deciding for yourself what the hoopla is about. It’s action-packed, well-written, and you just can’t help but love Katniss.

7. The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner – 4 stars

I’m not a huge fan of Jennifer Weiner and her writing, but I really, really enjoyed this novel, which surprised me. It was also the first book I ever “read” via audiobook and the reader was wonderful which made the experience so much sweeter. This story was just very sweet and heartfelt, and I found myself really intrigued by the main character. She was smart and funny and sensible, and I could really connect with her and her self-esteem issues. I’ve yet to find a Weiner novel I love as much as I loved this one!

6. The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton – 4.5 stars

This book reminded me why I loved reading so much. I was engaged from the get-go and fell completely into this story and the lives of these five women. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking, as you follow these women through love and loss and triumph and sadness. The writing was fantastic, the characters were easy to root for, and I liked the natural pace of the story. It made me happy, made me teary, and reminded me of the power of friendship.

5. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert – 4 stars

I stayed away from this memoir, mainly because I heard a lot of negativity surrounding the book. So I went into reading it with trepidation, thinking I wouldn’t enjoy it, but I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found Gilbert to be refreshingly honest and real and I really connected with her. This book taught me a lot about love, about life, about taking chances and surrendering. I really, really enjoyed her writing style, and I finished the book a bit confused why it gets so much bad press. To each their own, I suppose!

4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – 5 stars

I remember enjoying this novel when it was required reading in high school, so it was a neat experience to read it again, simply because I wanted to. (Well, it was a book club book, but I wasn’t complaining!) When I read it in high school, I read it academically. This time around, I read it for the pure enjoyment of reading. It’s such a good book, easily in my top five of all time, and it gripped me from beginning to end. I could barely put it down! (Also, confession, but when I was in ninth grade, I had a total crush on Atticus and I can report that I still have a “literary crush” on him today.)

3. Wild by Cheryl Strayed – 5 stars

I didn’t expect to like this book, but I actually ended up loving it. I love the way this author writes. I love the bluntness and honesty and straightforward way she connects to readers. I couldn’t put this book down and all I wanted to do was read it, but at the same time, I didn’t want it to end. At times, it was a hard book to read, but this is a story of personal triumph and knowing that, no matter what you are going through, no matter how shitty and awful life seems right now, you will find your way out of it and it will be beautiful.

2. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini – 5 stars

It’s hard to express how deeply this book touched my life. Not only was it a well-written story with powerful characters and an engaging plot, but it made me take a good, long, hard look at my life and all the freedom I have, as a single woman living in America. I’m not immune to complaining and feeling woeful about my life, but I have so much freedom to do whatever I want, be whomever I want, marry the man I want to marry, travel where I want, etc etc. This book changed the way I viewed freedom. I felt dumbfounded while reading this book and seeing how women are still so oppressed today. This book broke my heart and pieced it back together again. It was heartwrenching to read at times, but still hopeful. This is such an important book for everyone to read.

1. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes – 5 stars

I struggled a lot between A Thousand Splendid Suns or Me Before You as my favorite book this year and I finally settled on Me Before You. I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did, because I knew it dealt with some heavy topics that I thought would leave me feeling depressed and sad. Instead, this book left me feeling happy and hopeful and with a changed view. First of all, the characters were wonderful. Lou and Will were two characters that I absolutely adored and it just makes me sad that these people are not real. I was expecting a dark and depressing book, but I got one that was funny and engaging and light-hearted, all the while dealing with heavy subject matter. I had a hard time putting this one down, and it’s one I recommend to just about anyone.

What’s the best book you read this year?