Books – Page 4

Literary Junkies Book Club – June 2015

June 30, 2015

Here are this month’s questions:

1. What are you reading right now? Tell us about it.

– I’m reading Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave and loving it so far. I was seriously hooked from the first page. It is so addicting and I can’t wait to see what happens! Read the synopsis from Goodreads here!

2. What are your top 3 reads for summer?

– Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave
– The Royal We by Heather Cocks
– The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy Reichert

3. Do you have a favorite book that you like to re-read?

– The only books I’ve ever re-read are Harry Potter and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

4. Do you have a favorite reading spot?

I love to read in bed before going to sleep. I also love to read in my chaise lounge. It is so comfortable. Unfortunately, it is at my parents house at the moment.

5. Do you enjoy sipping on a beverage while you read? If so, tell us your favorite drink pairing!!

– I do love a good cup of coffee while I read! Coffee + a good book = perfection.

Check out my 12 Books You Should Read This Summer!

What are you currently reading?

12 Books to Read This Summer

June 2, 2015

I probably won’t have as much time for my summer reading this year, but I have picked out a few of the books I am determined to read on the beach this summer!

Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

Summer Secrets by Jane Green

Love from Paris by Alexandra Potter (Out July 30th)

Afternoon Tea at the Sunflower Cafe by Milly Johnson

Royal Wedding by Meg Cabbott

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy Reichert

French Coast by Anita Hughes

Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave

If I Could Turn Back Time by Beth Harbison

Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner

The Best Of Enemies by Jen Lancaster

What is on your Summer Reading List?

You might want to check out my Summer Reading List 2014 and 15 Books to Read in 2015!

Book Review: The Rosie Project

March 4, 2015

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

June, 2014 Simon and Schuster

Pages: 320

Synopsis from Goodreads: An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love.Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical–most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent–and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don’s Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie–and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.

“The Rosie Project” is a moving and hilarious novel for anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of overwhelming challenges.

My Thoughts: Although I am a psych nerd, this book just didn’t click with me. Sure, parts of it were interesting, but I just don’t think I have the right sense of humor for this book. I found it to be a bit slow and boring most of the time. It was better towards the end, but even so, it became predictable and held little surprise. I can’t really decide if I want to read the sequel – The Rosie Effect – now. I gave this book 3 stars.

Have you read it? What did you think?

Check out my list of 15 must read books this year!

Book Review: First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

February 24, 2015

First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

Pages: 291

Synopsis from Goodreads: From the New York Times bestselling author of Garden Spells comes a story of the Waverley family, in a novel as sparkling as the first dusting of frost on new-fallen leaves…

It’s October in Bascom, North Carolina, and autumn will not go quietly. As temperatures drop and leaves begin to turn, the Waverley women are made restless by the whims of their mischievous apple tree… and all the magic that swirls around it. But this year, first frost has much more in store.

Claire Waverley has started a successful new venture, Waverley’s Candies. Though her handcrafted confections—rose to recall lost love, lavender to promote happiness and lemon verbena to soothe throats and minds—are singularly effective, the business of selling them is costing her the everyday joys of her family, and her belief in her own precious gifts.

Sydney Waverley, too, is losing her balance. With each passing day she longs more for a baby— a namesake for her wonderful Henry. Yet the longer she tries, the more her desire becomes an unquenchable thirst, stealing the pleasure out of the life she already has.

Sydney’s daughter, Bay, has lost her heart to the boy she knows it belongs to…if only he could see it, too. But how can he, when he is so far outside her grasp that he appears to her as little more than a puff of smoke?

When a mysterious stranger shows up and challenges the very heart of their family, each of them must make choices they have never confronted before. And through it all, the Waverley sisters must search for a way to hold their family together through their troublesome season of change, waiting for that extraordinary event that is First Frost.

Lose yourself in Sarah Addison Allen’s enchanting world and fall for her charmed characters in this captivating story that proves that a happily-ever-after is never the real ending to a story. It’s where the real story begins.

My Thoughts: It’s no secret to you that I love Sarah Addison Allen novels and that Garden Spells was my favorite. Well, the Waverley’s are back along with their magic and mystery. I loved reading about grown up Bay and the sisters as they are getting older and switching roles a bit. I really hope SAA writes more novels in this series. I loved First Frost and gave it 5 stars.

15 Books You Should Read In 2015

February 17, 2015

First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Prodigal Son by Danielle Steel

The Marrying Type by Laura Chapman

Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell

Girl Before a Mirror by Liza Palmer

In The Unlikely Event by Judy Blume

Summer Secrets by Jane Green

Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

The Woman Who Stole My Life by Marian Keyes

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay

Emma by Jane Austen

Most of these come out this year, however, I threw in one of my favorite classics, because I firmly believe everyone should read at least one classic ever year. I also included a couple that came out last year that I still haven’t read.

What are you currently reading? What is on your list this year?

Book Review: The Night Garden

February 4, 2015

The Night Garden by Lisa Van Allen
Ballantine Books October, 2014

Pages: 352

Synopsis from Goodreads: Nestled in the bucolic town of Green Valley in upstate New York, the Pennywort farm appears ordinary, yet at its center lies something remarkable: a wild maze of colorful gardens that reaches beyond the imagination. Local legend says that a visitor can gain answers to life’s most difficult problems simply by walking through its lush corridors.

Yet the labyrinth has never helped Olivia Pennywort, the garden’s beautiful and enigmatic caretaker. She has spent her entire life on her family’s land, harboring a secret that forces her to keep everyone at arm’s length. But when her childhood best friend, Sam Van Winkle, returns to the valley, Olivia begins to question her safe, isolated world and wonders if she at last has the courage to let someone in. As she and Sam reconnect, Olivia faces a difficult question: Is the garden maze that she has nurtured all of her life a safe haven or a prison?

My Thoughts: I was super excited to read this book. It caught my attention on the bookshelf at BAM and it was one of those books I had not heard anything about, but was intrigued by the title, so I bought it. Big mistake. I found the story to be extremely predictable, cheesy, and kind of boring. I am really surprised I finished it to be honest. To me, the story felt really silly. I gave it 2 stars.

5 on Friday

January 23, 2015

I haven’t written a good round up post in a while, so I figured I’d join in for 5 on Friday today! TGIF, y’all!

ONE

I can’t believe I will be 26 weeks pregnant tomorrow! This one is going by so quickly. We are getting so excited to meet our sweet girl, but we still have a lot to do to prepare for her arrival. I don’t really have any updates on my pregnancy this week other than I’ve gained another pound. Yay, me! I am so happy to be excelling at something. Ha! 😉

TWO
Today is my sister’s 20th birthday! Happy Birthday, Allymac! I am pretty pumped to celebrate with her tonight!

THREE

I am so looking forward to Valentine’s Day this year. Why? Because we don’t get to go out on a date very often, so when we are able to, it is pretty special. Here are some of my favorite Valentine’s Date ideas!

FOUR
I just bought First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen and I can NOT wait to start reading it! What are you reading right now?

FIVE

Hampton will be 15 months tomorrow. Where has the time gone? He is growing up so fast. I can’t wait to share all of the new things he is doing and SAYING because he is starting to say more and more words. I can’t get over it.

I hope you have a lovely weekend!

Book Review: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

January 21, 2015

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Pages: 460

Synopsis from Goodreads: Sometimes it’s the little lies that turn out to be the most lethal. . . .

A murder… . . . a tragic accident… . . . or just parents behaving badly?

What’s indisputable is that someone is dead. But who did what?

Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads: Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?).

Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay. New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.

Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

My Thoughts: I loved every page of this book. Liane Moriarty is one of my favorite authors because she never disappoints. You never see it coming. The whole time you are thinking, this is so easy, I know who gets murdered and I know who did it, but you don’t. Not even close. This novel kept me on my toes and (much to Ryan and Hampton’s dismay) I literally couldn’t put it down. It was exciting and fast paced. I loved that it kept going back and forth between the past and present so that you felt like you were trying to put the puzzle pieces together along with the detective. The characters are really likable, but I really loved Celeste. She was so spunky and definitely a go-getter type of woman that you would definitely want on your side. I gave this book 5 stars and highly recommend it!

What are you reading?

January Favorites

January 15, 2015

Don’t you love discovering new things that are kind of incredible? I have been loving me some lipstick lately, but let’s be honest, it always rubs off in like an hour. If we’re lucky. Well, I’m about to change your life.

Cover Girl Lip Stain
stays on for 24 hours. No joke. I put it on in the morning, went to lunch with my grandma, chased Hampton around all day, worked, read, went to bed, woke up the next morning and it was still there. I’m not joking. I was shocked. My sister (who told me about this amazing product) was not lying when she told me this would happen. So, I of course had to share it with you. I ran back to Wal Mart and bought another shade because it is so awesome and I haven’t stopped wearing it yet.

Here are a few other things I’m loving this month:

This Book by Liane Moriarty. Her books just get better and better (Review coming soon).

This Dress has been my go-to the last 2 weeks now. It is so comfortable and cute. You can style it so many different ways which I love. You will probably be seeing it again.

Downton Abbey is back on! Have you been watching it this season? I am so into it! It’s the best show on Television right now. Hands down.

FRESH Sugar Rose Lip Treatment is almost (not quite) as good as Romance, but it is a great light shade that is perfect for every day wear. I’ve been wearing it a lot lately. It also smells reallllly good. Bonus points!

This workout from Tone it up! It works all the right places.

What are you loving this month?

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

January 13, 2015

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

December, 2012 Pamela Dorman Books

Pages: 369

Synopsis from Goodreads: Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn’t know is she’s about to lose her job or that knowing what’s coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he’s going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn’t know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they’re going to change the other for all time.

My Thoughts: I had heard really great things about this book, so I had to read it over the holidays. I flew through it and it was great, however, it did not have the ending I wanted it to. I know. How dare Jojo. Without giving it away, it was just way too sad for me. Especially considering I was reading it during Christmas. Not cool. I loved the novel, however and the main character – Lou. I gave it 4 stars, because of the ending.

What are you reading?