Bookworm Reviews

The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews

June 21, 2016

The Weekeners by Mary Kay Andrews

Synopsis from Goodreads: Some people stay all summer long on the idyllic island of Belle Isle, North Carolina. Others come only for the weekends-and the mix between the regulars and “the weekenders” can sometimes make the sparks fly. Riley Griggs has a season of good times with friends and family ahead of her on Belle Isle when things take an unexpected turn. While waiting for her husband to arrive on the ferry one Friday afternoon, Riley is confronted by a process server who thrusts papers into her hand. And her husband is nowhere to be found.

So she turns to her island friends for help and support, but it turns out that each of them has their own secrets, and the clock is ticking as the mystery deepens…in a murderous way. Cocktail parties aside, Riley must find a way to investigate the secrets of Belle Island, the husband she might not really know, and the summer that could change everything.

Told with Mary Kay Andrews’ trademark blend of humor and warmth, and with characters and a setting that you can’t help but fall for, The Weekenders is the perfect summer escape.

Book Review: The Lake House by Kate Morton

September 28, 2015

The Lake House by Kate Morton

Atria Books October 22, 2015

Pages: 400

Synopsis from Goodreads.com: The beguiling new novel from Kate Morton; the number one bestselling author of The House at Riverton and The Secret Keeper.

An abandoned house…

After a particularly troubling case, Sadie Sparrow is sent on an enforced break from her job with the Metropolitan Police and retreats to her beloved grandfather’s cottage in Cornwall. There she finds herself at a loose end, until one day she stumbles upon an abandoned house surrounded by overgrown gardens and dense woods, and learns the story of a baby boy who disappeared without a trace.

A missing child…

June 1933, and the Edevane family’s country house, Loeanneth, is polished and gleaming, ready for the much-anticipated Midsummer Eve party. For Eleanor, the annual party has always been one of her treasured traditions, but her middle daughter, Alice, sixteen years old and with literary ambitions, is especially excited. Not only has Alice worked out the perfect twist for her novel, she’s also fallen helplessly in love with someone she shouldn’t. But by the time midnight strikes and fireworks light up the night sky, the Edevane family will have suffered a loss so great they leave Loeanneth and never return.

An unsolved mystery…

Seventy years later, in the attic writing room of her elegant Hampstead home, the formidable Alice Edevane leads a life as neatly plotted as the bestselling detective novels she writes. Until a young police detective starts asking questions about her family’s past and seeking to resurrect the complex tangle of secrets Alice has spent her life trying to escape…

My Thoughts: As expected, this novel was nothing short of amazing. I have anticipated it all year and was so honored to have the opportunity to review it before it’s release next month. If you read one book this fall, make it this one. In true Kate Morton fashion, this story gripped me from the beginning. I couldn’t set the book down. I just had to know what happened. Every time I thought I had figured out the mystery, the book took a turn and threw me for another loop.

My favorite part about reading novels by Kate Morton is that she goes back and forth between the present and the past. We get a glimpse at what was happening while the case is being solved. This novel affected me more than her others because it involved a little boy around my son’s age. This book had suspense and shock. I really did not see the end coming. It took a turn that made me cry happy tears. It was such an incredible story that I didn’t know how Morton could have dreamed up such a twisting, surprising, unreal story. This author’s imagination is nothing short of fascinating and that is why she continues to be one of my favorites. I have always harped on The Forgotten Garden, but I must say, this one gave it a run for it’s money. I think her books get better with each page published.

In my opinion, fall is the perfect time of year for a good mystery. If you want to read a book this season that you can completely indulge in and hardly put down – one that will grip you and leave you thinking about it days later, you need to read this one. Out of all the books I’ve read – and there have been many – this was definitely one of my favorites.

The Lake House comes out October 22nd and I highly recommend it to all women. If you were a Nancy Drew girl, this one’s for you. I gave this book 5 stars.

Book Review: Save the Date by Mary Kay Andrews

September 22, 2015

Save the Date by Mary Kay Andrews
June 2014 St. Martin’s Press

Pages: 448

Synopsis from Goodreads: A wedding florist finds love and trouble in this delightful new novel by the New York Times bestselling author of Ladies’ Night

A Savannah florist is about to score the wedding of a lifetime—one that will solidify her career as the go-to-girl for society nuptials. Ironically, Cara Kryzik doesn’t believe in love, even though she creates beautiful flower arrangements to celebrate them. But when the bride goes missing and the wedding is in jeopardy, Cara must find the bride and figure out what she believes in. Maybe love really does exist outside of fairy tales after all.

Told with Mary Kay Andrew’s trademark wit and keen eye for detail, mark your calendars for Save the Date!

My Thoughts: This was a really enjoyable read, although I will say it was very predictable. Not in a bad way. I just knew where the story was headed pretty much the entire time. There were no real surprises. The only part I wasn’t thrilled with was the fact that the ending happened so quickly. I wish it would have been a little more drawn out. I didn’t want it to end.

Over all, the book was fun and relaxing. I read it very quickly and it didn’t drag at all which I loved. Although this was only my second Mary Kay Andrews book, I am becoming a big fan! This novel made me relive my own wedding planning and made me look at it from a florist’s perspective which was really neat. I really like to get in opposing people’s heads. I liked that the book was set in Savannah. I have been there a few times and it is absolutely beautiful, so I could picture everything. Over all, this was a great book and I gave it 4 stars.

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Book Review: The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

September 15, 2015

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
Grand Central Publishing April 2015

Pages: 454

Synopsis from Goodreads: American Rebecca Porter was never one for fairy tales. Her twin sister, Lacey, has always been the romantic who fantasized about glamour and royalty, fame and fortune. Yet it’s Bex who seeks adventure at Oxford and finds herself living down the hall from Prince Nicholas, Great Britain’s future king. And when Bex can’t resist falling for Nick, the person behind the prince, it propels her into a world she did not expect to inhabit, under a spotlight she is not prepared to face.

Dating Nick immerses Bex in ritzy society, dazzling ski trips, and dinners at Kensington Palace with him and his charming, troublesome brother, Freddie. But the relationship also comes with unimaginable baggage: hysterical tabloids, Nick’s sparkling and far more suitable ex-girlfriends, and a royal family whose private life is much thornier and more tragic than anyone on the outside knows. The pressures are almost too much to bear, as Bex struggles to reconcile the man she loves with the monarch he’s fated to become.

Which is how she gets into trouble.

Now, on the eve of the wedding of the century, Bex is faced with whether everything she’s sacrificed for love-her career, her home, her family, maybe even herself-will have been for nothing.

My Thoughts: I don’t even know where to start with this one. I was captivated from the beginning. I wanted to know everything from the first page. I love reading about the royals (the real ones) so much. Their life is fascinating to me. This book opened my eyes to their side of things. The paparazzi is the devil in the book. I got a glimpse at what it must be like to be famous and all I can say is no thanks. I feel that it is my motherly duty to wan parents that because of drug use and sexual sections of this book, it may not be the best for your teens, but it is of course up to you. Just one mom’s opinion.

This book was so so good. It made me laugh hysterically – like, husband giving me a super awkward stare in bed while he is trying to sleep and his wife is still up reading that book and won’t stop cry laughing, hysterical. It also made me cry. I loved this book so much that I am crossing my fingers and hoping for a sequel! Please, Heather and Jessica, give us a sequel! I don’t know what else to say other than, read it! I gave this book 5 stars…obviously.

Today I am giving away a copy of Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell! Enter in the Rafflecopter below!

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Book Review: The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert

September 1, 2015

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert
Gallery Books July 2015

Pages: 318

Synopsis from Goodreads: YOU’VE GOT MAIL meets HOW TO EAT A CUPCAKE in this delightful novel about a talented chef and the food critic who brings down her restaurant—whose chance meeting turns into a delectable romance of mistaken identities.

In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lou works tirelessly to build her beloved yet struggling French restaurant, Luella’s, into a success. She cheerfully balances her demanding business and even more demanding fiancé…until the morning she discovers him in the buff—with an intern.

Witty yet gruff British transplant Al is keeping himself employed and entertained by writing scathing reviews of local restaurants in the Milwaukee newspaper under a pseudonym. When an anonymous tip sends him to Luella’s, little does he know he’s arrived on the worst day of the chef’s life. The review practically writes itself: underdone fish, scorched sauce, distracted service—he unleashes his worst.

The day that Al’s mean-spirited review of Luella’s runs, the two cross paths in a pub: Lou drowning her sorrows, and Al celebrating his latest publication. As they chat, Al playfully challenges Lou to show him the best of Milwaukee and she’s game—but only if they never discuss work, which Al readily agrees to. As they explore the city’s local delicacies and their mutual attraction, Lou’s restaurant faces closure, while Al’s column gains popularity. It’s only a matter of time before the two fall in love…but when the truth comes out, can Lou overlook the past to chase her future?

Set in the lovely, quirky heart of Wisconsin, THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE is a charming love story of misunderstandings, mistaken identity, and the power of food to bring two people together.

My Thoughts: I was so excited to read this book off of my Summer Reading List! It did not disappoint. The cover art is really what caught my attention initially, and the title is just as delicious. Books with some sort of sweet in the title or set in Paris are my weaknesses if you haven’t already noticed. I read this book while on our cruise a couple of weeks ago and it was the perfect vacation read.

I read it very quickly and couldn’t put it down because I wanted to know what happened to Al and Lou! This book kept my attention, and while I did predict the end before I got there, it was still so satisfying and dreamy. I gave this one 4 stars!

Book Review: Ladies Night by Mary Kay Andrews

July 14, 2015

Ladies Night by Mary Kay Andrews
Published June 4th 2013 by St. Martin’s Press

Pages: 464

Synopsis from Goodreads: Grace Stanton’s life as a rising media star and beloved lifestyle blogger takes a surprising turn when she catches her husband cheating and torpedoes his pricey sports car straight into the family swimming pool. Grace suddenly finds herself locked out of her palatial home, checking account, and even the blog she has worked so hard to develop in her signature style. Moving in with her widowed mother, who owns and lives above a rundown beach bar called The Sandbox, is less than ideal. So is attending court-mandated weekly “divorce recovery” therapy sessions with three other women and one man for whom betrayal seems to be the only commonality. When their “divorce coach” starts to act suspiciously, they decide to start having their own Wednesday “Ladies’ Night” sessions at The Sandbox, and the unanticipated bonds that develop lead the members of the group to try and find closure in ways they never imagined. Can Grace figure out a new way home and discover how strong she needs to be to get there?

Heartache, humor, and a little bit of mystery come together in a story about life’s unpredictable twists and turns. Mary Kay Andrews’ Ladies’ Night will have you raising a glass and cheering these characters on.

My Thoughts: This was my first MKA book. I know, I know, I am SO behind on an amazing author. I have a couple of her other books on my shelf waiting to be read, so don’t worry, I’ll catch up. I’ll describe this book in a couple of words: Amazing and Intense. Never have I read a book that I was so hooked from the first page than this one. It made me so angry at times and laugh until I cried at other times. It will definitely tug on your feminist strings a little. Grace was very relatable because she is a blogger! I loved reading about that aspect of her and her life, but her husband is maddening. The whole book is following Grace as she is getting a divorce from her husband and all through their journey. He literally takes everything from her, but it is so interesting how it all plays out in the end. It is a book I would recommend to every woman who wants a good novel to get into this summer. I gave this book 5 stars!

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.

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.

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?