Happy Monday, friends, and happy short week for many of us. I love Thanksgiving week so very much and I’m so excited for what awaits me: my birthday, Thanksgiving dinner, and my cruise in 5 days! Woohoo!
I only finished one book this week and that’s because I abandoned Anne’s House of Dreams a little over 100 pages in. It’s not that there was anything wrong with it but I just found myself not very interested in what happens next in Anne Shirley’s life anymore. I think the first three books are the best and I think, going forward, I’ll stick to those three during my rereads.
Here’s my one lone book review, some chatter on what I’m reading now, and a fun cruise edition of what’s coming up next!
Book Finished
1) Big Bad Cowboy by Carly Bloom (★★★☆☆) – Like I mentioned last week, I forgot I had even put this book on hold until I came off the waitlist. It’s a story about Travis, who has moved back to Big Verde after a stint in the military. He’s now the legal guardian of his nephew, Henry, a precocious five-year-old, and trying to sell the ranch his dad left to him. Maggie is a longtime Big Verde resident who is frustrated by the number of men who see her as just another friend, definitely not girlfriend material. But when Maggie and Travis – dressed, respectively, as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf – have a sexy tryst at a costume party, Maggie starts to think there may be one guy in town who’s ready to see her as more than a friend. I thought this romance was fine – the sex scenes were hot and I really loved the connection between Maggie and Travis – but there was something lacking about the rest of the novel. It seemed like it relied on the trope of mistaken realizations too much and I could see through them from a mile away. Not sure I’ll be picking up anything more in this series, but it’s a fine for what it is: a light-hearted romance.
What I’m Reading Now
1) Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel – I’m a little less than halfway through this audiobook. I’ve been putting it aside to listen to podcasts during my drives. It’s good but hasn’t really gripped me. It’s one of those books that’s easy to set down yet draws me right in when I pick it up again. I’m committed to finishing it this week, though!
2) Still Me by Jojo Moyes – This is the third and final book in the Me Before You trilogy and I’m enjoying it. Some of the scenes are a little over-the-top and almost seem out of place in the narrative, but overall, it’s been a nice, easy read.
3) American Love Story by Adriana Herrera – Eeks, I just adore Adriana Herrera’s books! She writes characters so well. I’ve been critical of her writing at times, mainly because I feel like she has such an important story to tell but that story gets lost due to grammatical errors and other issues that could be solved with a better editor. So far, her writing seems to have vastly improved from the previous books, which is thrilling. I’m really liking this book a lot!
Up Next
Since I leave for my birthday cruise on Saturday, I thought it might be fun to discuss what books I’m bringing with me! I love bringing easy, light-hearted reads with me on cruises – stuff I can fly through. I aim to bring a book for each day of the cruise. Here’s what I’m bringing:
1) The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman – I read my first Abbi Waxman book (The Garden of Small Beginnings – so good) while on a cruise so why not read another one by her in the same locale? I bought this book a few months ago and haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. A cruise seems like the perfect excuse to finally crack it open!
2) Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey – I was stoked to find out that the e-book for this much-anticipated rom-com was available for immediate download on Libby. It has a startling low Goodreads rating (3.5!) but many trusted sources have rated it highly so I’m hoping I’ll love this one.
3) Ghosted by Rosie Walsh – I picked up this novel while it was $1.99 on Kindle and it seems like the perfect light-hearted read for my cruise!
4) Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum – My fourth and final book. (I aim to have a book to read each day of my cruise.) I’ve had this book on my TBR for years and it’s time for me to finally give it a go!
What are you reading right now?
I think you will like “Waiting for Tom Hanks” and “Tell Me Three Things” – I’ve read both and really enjoyed them. They are very lighthearted and enjoyable!! Perfect for a vacation! I’m finished “Big Little Lies” over the weekend which I felt was ‘just ok’. I like Moriarty’s books but I don’t like them as much when there is a big event at the end that you keep waiting to happen. It just feels kind of manipulative. Just tell me what the heck happened instead of alluding to it. Now I am reading “Small Fry” which is a memoir by Steve Jobs daughter. It’s been interesting so far. Steve Jobs is such an interesting guy!
Happy Birthday week, Happy Thanksgiving Week, Happy Cruise week! What a week for you!!!
I love that you have your cruise books all picked out! I am glad you are reading Waiting for Tom Hanks and can tell me what happens 🙂
I bet you are just gonna love The Bookish Life of Nina Hill. That is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. I like it the best of out her books!
I am reading The Grace Year 🙂