Marcela's Book Reviews

Hi there! I’m not gonna lie, I have not been reading a lot these past few months. You ever do something so much you start to get burned out and want to binge-watch Netflix for a month straight? Same girl, same. Anyway, I did read two books this month during vacation and have a couple other reviews from a few friends posted as well so I won’t leave yall hanging with nothing to read!

 

The Good Daughter was the first one I read this month and if it looks familiar it’s because I had a friend do a review about it here. So, I’m not going to go into too much detail about it but there is a twist at the end that you may not see coming, however, this book is over four hundred pages long which to me I start to lose interest when a story just drags on which I kind of felt like this one did. I would rate it a 6/10.

 

The Birthday Girl just came out this month so it’s basically brand new. I saw it at the library and the ladies that work there were raving about it so I figured it must be good. This novel goes back and forth from the main characters 40th birthday to her 16th birthday party. Growing up in a trailer park and always being poor, she makes it big and becomes a millionaire. However, her new and glam life isn’t what it’s all cracked up to be. This book is labeled a psychological thriller and although there is a twist, it isn’t absolutely mind-blowing which I’m usually expecting. It’s also kind of cheesy and unrealistic but it’s an easy read that will blow-by. 6.5/10.

 

My friend Krista read this one and this is her review: The best way to learn is to learn from others’ mistakes. That’s why autobiographies and personal essays are must-read books. Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham is a MUST READ for all women between the ages of 16 and 30. Lauren takes her audience and readers through her big, and sometimes hilarious, life lessons. I have to admit I chose Lauren’s book solely because of my obsession with Gilmore Girls and love of Parenthood. While Lauren speaks a little about her experiences on those shows, she shares a whole lot more about her experiences trying to be a people-pleaser and finding a man. The chapter Before My REI Card is the whole reason I asked to do a guest post for this blog. It contains an essential lesson for every person who wants something so bad but just can’t seem to grasp it: everything happens in its own time. Lauren ends the book in the most perfect way. She goes through some of her journal entries during the time of Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life. If you don’t cry during the last chapter, you’re not a true fan. After listening to it in an online library, I bought the hard copy. That’s how much I love this book. I give this book a 10/10

Hey yall. I’m cutting straight to the chase and will admit that I didn’t have any motivation to read this month at. all. I only ended up reading two books but I did get a friend to put her input on a book that she read as well, so we’re keeping this review short & sweet. However, since summer classes are finally over, and we’re going on vacation, I’ll have a lot more time to gain some motivation to read again.

 

The first book I read was Kiss by Ted Decker. So the main character wakes up in a coma with no recollection of the past 6 months or what caused her to be in an accident. She awakens with her father, step-mom, and a boyfriend who she doesn’t recognize by her side. She overhears this boyfriend in a conversation saying to continue to keep things from her and eventually she starts to seek out answers for what really happened. I have never read a Ted Dekker book and although this probably isn’t his absolute best novel ever, I’d give him another chance. 6/10

 

 

This. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is the book you need to read even if you haven’t read a book since Jr. High. This book popped up on my Libby app and I started to read it thinking it was just another self-help book. Wrong. It’s about a counselor going through real-life stuff who also seeks out counseling. Throughout the book, she talks about what counseling really is (with actual patient stories), how it works, and emphasizes how every one of us could benefit from counseling whether we think we have issues or not. I’m not sure if I liked this book just because I’m majoring in psychology/counseling or if it’s just really a good read. Maybe both. Regardless, it’s a real, authentic, funny, heart-wrenching and uplifting book that you should get right now. 10/10 hands down.

 

My friend Becka read Dear Wife and told me how good it was so I asked her if she was up for giving a review about it! This is her review. Dear Wife was the first book I’ve eve read by Kimberly Belle and I can assure you it will not be my last! I usually don’t read many thrillers but this book was the exception. The book is written from more than one person’s point of view which adds more to the mystery. Beth Murphy is on the run from her violent and abusive husband. Jeffery comes home to find out his wife Sabine is missing and has her own share of secrets, and the detective is left to figure it all out. Just when you think you’ve figured out the characters and their next move Kimberly drops another bomb that leaves you in shock. And the ending!! The ending is just WOW! I would recommend 10/10 that everyone should read this one!

 

 

If ya’ll remember I was doing a giveaway for a gift card and Sara Dessen’s new book The Rest of the Story And the winner for that is…..

Britney Taylor

     Congrats girl, message me and I’ll get your prizes to you!

 

See you all next month!

Hey, hey! I don’t think I’ve ever said this but I just want to thank ya’ll for continuing to check this blog out every month (so I’m not just doing this for nothing, ha) and giving me feedback on the books you like and didn’t like! I really appreciate all of you, and with that being said I’ll do another giveaway for this month, woohoo! Deets on the bottom.

Anyway, moving on, I finally got a library card. Who would have thought that the library has new & good books?! I don’t know why I had this thought in my head that all they would have would be super old books covered in dust to offer, but I was wrong! I saw so many titles there that I had already bought (eye roll) and several ones that we have read for book club. I also asked how often they get new books in and it’s once a month! So, if your a dedicated reader (or not) go check out the library and load up on some popular books for free. 🙂

 

The first book up for June is Castle of Water by Dane Huckelbridge and this novel was. so. sweet. I had this lined up in my libby app and opened it up when I finally got it not knowing what it was about and just started reading and at first, it was a little slow as it’s setting up the plot but do not stop! This novel is about a small helicopter that crashed into the ocean with 3-4 people on board with only two surviving as they end up on a small island alone together. As they realize that help is not coming anytime soon, they try to make it homey as possible until they are saved. For some reason, I kept thinking back to that movie Castaway because of the similar plots but this story will tear at your heartstrings. It’s themed around love, loss, and survival and you need to read it right now. Rating 9/10

Have you ever read a book before and once you were finished with it gently set it down and look at it and say aloud “what the heck did I just read?” If the answer is no, pick up this book right now and start reading. I’m Thinking of Ending Things seemed like a different genre than I normally read so I’d figure I would give it a try. This book is about a young couple who are going to meet his parents. When they arrive, everything seems extremely uncomfortable, eery, and cringe-worthy. They finally leave it and it just gets weirder from there. When this story was over, I was so confused as to what this meant that I looked on SparkNotes (a website describing what the book means, characters, plot, etc) because it just didn’t make sense. However, after it was explained everything just CLICKED. I also read a ton of Amazon reviews, and several of them said this is the type of book you have to read twice for you to really understand it. I did not read it twice but I could see that it would be a good book to read again to fully get the experience. There is a movie about this book coming out in 2020 and I have not a clue on how they will portray it. Honestly, I’m just as confused as you are trying to figure out what this book is about, lol. I’m not going to rate this one because it’s too complex to really give it a number.  Check out the Amazon reviews here and see if this would be of interest to you.

 

Stay Sexy and Don’t Get Murdered is the book we read for book club this month and  the genre is more of a self-help book than a fiction novel. These two authors Karen Kilgariif & Georgie Hardstark have a crime comedy podcast called My Favorite Murder that they do together. I’ve never heard any of their podcasts, but others have told me they’ve enjoyed them. So just a heads up, this book has a lot of cursing in it and if that isn’t for you, then move down to the next book. These two authors describe the struggles they’ve dealt with in life such as eating disorders, depression, addiction, and some of their biggest mistakes and fears. These ladies tell it like it is and give advice to the reader on how to live a better life with tactics to stand up for yourself and to be true yourself. Rating 6.5/10

 

Last but not least the one I was pumped to read, The Silent Patient, did not disappoint (also- I saw this one at the library!) The beginning may start off a little slow for some but there is a twist in the book that hardly anyone catches and it’ll blow your mind! This novel is about a psychotherapist who becomes obsessed with a popular woman who after her husband was shot becomes completely silent and refuses to speak. She becomes institutionalized and the psychotherapist goes out of this way to try to treat her and get her to talk about what caused her to go silent. Slowly, secrets become revealed and the truth comes out in a way you would not expect. Go get your hands on this thriller ASAP! Rating: 9/10

That’s a wrap for this month. I’m hoping to read some beach/pool reads for next month since it is summer and I’m needing alll the summer vibes. So like always, if you have any recommendations let me know!

 

Now for the giveaway, comment below one of your FAV books from any of my blogs and why it was your favorite and you’ll be entered to win a BARNES AND NOBLES gift card. Anyone can enter as I will ship it to you in the mail and the winner will be announced next month! Good luck! xo

 

 

For my previous blogs click here:

May Book Review 

April Book Review

March Book Review

February Book Review

January Book Review

December Book Review 

November Book Review

October Book Review

hey guys! It’s the end of the month (again)! Is it just me or is every single month going by faster and faster? I’m pretty sure we need to start Christmas shopping already *facepalm*. Anyway until then I’ll try to enjoy the 2 days of summer before it’s over 😉 .  So this month I was able to read 5 books, which were all kind of just ‘meh’. Some were better than others but nothing that blew me out of the water…

 

The first book, The Great Alone, is something I naturally wouldn’t pick up. The cover looks extremely boring (ya’ll know how I judge a book by its cover by now)  and doesn’t really give off the vibe of what the book is about. However, this book is about a young girl whose father suffers from PTSD, can’t hold down a job, and is abusive to her mother. They eventually move to Alaska where they get a free piece of land and try to start a new life.  This book gives a fantastic insight into what it would be like to live in Alaska and the super harsh environment that comes in the winter (I had no idea how bad it could really be). I will add that the first half is kind of long and slow but the second half picks up more. I would rate this a 6.5/10.

 

It’s Always the Husband was the second book I read since it was recommended by another blog post that I stumbled across and was highly praised, so I read it and thought it was okay,  but I just could not relate to the characters at all. This novel is about three girls, one being a party girl, another girl who is poor and comes from a broken home, and a goodie two shoes who is obsessed with getting good grades, all meet at college who share a dorm room and experience freshman year together. This book goes back and forth from then and now with their adult lives and who they are now. One night, one of them is found dead by a lake and the other two girls try to put together the pieces of how this could have happened. Although there was a good twist and the story was easy to read, I just didn’t like how the author portrayed the characters. I would rate this a 6/10.

 

My Lovely Wife is the book that we read for our book club this month and it. was. intense. So this book reminded me of the show on Netflix called Dexter, I dunno if anyone has seen it but I just kept thinking back to that show as the story progressed. This psych thriller is about a man (who is the main character) that marries his wife who claims she has a crazy sister that recently got out of the psych ward and is stalking her. She shows up unannounced and her husband hits her with a tennis racket and that’s how it all begins… I don’t want to give away any spoilers but take note that this book is definitely rated R. Rating 7/10

 

The Tattooist of Auschwitz is based on a true story that took place during the Holocaust where a Jew is forced into a concentration camp. This is another book I would usually not pick up, but I figured I can’t keep just giving you guys psych thriller reviews (ha) so here we are! This novel was actually very eye-opening as to what went down during those years. It really is hard wretching to hear what millions of people had to go through just based on their faith. Usually, stories with a lot of history and background information bore me but this story wasn’t anything like that. I was intrigued throughout the whole book and it’s a super fast read with only about 260 pages. 7/10.

 

The last book for the month was House on Fire by Bonnie Kistler. I think this book is one of those you either love it or hate it. So (I think) the main plot of this novel is this blended family who seems to have the perfect life until two of their kids has an accident and then is charged with manslaughter. However, this novel has so many substories that involve the neighbors, coworkers, and friends that I could not keep up with who was who and why they were even relevant to the story. The author should have stuck with one plot instead of trying to squeeze in smaller plots which on a couple of them she doesn’t provide any closure so you’re left with wondering  “well what happened to them”!? Also, some of these scenarios that the characters are caught up in are extremely unrealistic and just didn’t flow well together. It was all just too much, not to mention it’s about 500 pages long. I wouldn’t recommend this one as it was not my cup of tea but others may have a different opinion. Rating 5/10.

So that’s it for May. I really wish I had better suggestions for you but like anything else- it’s either a hit or miss. Sigh. A title for next month I’m going to read is The Silent Patient, which BTW, has a 5-star review AND is #7 on the Amazon charts, so you betcha I have HIGH hopes for that one. I don’t have any other titles that are on my list yet, so if you have any recs let me know!

 

See ya next month.

 

 

In case you missed my other book reviews you can find them here:

April Book Review

March Book Review

February Book Review

January Book Review

December Book Review

November Book Review

October Book Review

Hey guys! Wow, April has been a B U S Y month for me, between finals due this month, a presentation, ten-page papers, a holiday, and a wedding in Dallas I haven’t had much time to read. 😦 Anyone else beyond ready for things to settle down and for summer to finally make its full appearance?? Anyway, I managed to somehow squeeze three books in with everything else going on and figured it really wasn’t enough, so I came up with an idea- have a “guest” do a review on a book they have read and I’d add it to the other three! I asked my good friend Krista to write a quick something over a book she has read this month and she came up with something fantastic you guys! Okay, enough chit chat, let’s get started…

 

Something in the Water was up first. So I’ve been seeing this book everywhere and finally decided to get on the waitlist for it on my beloved app Libby. I was super excited when it came in because of the hype that this book apparently brings. But. I didn’t love it. I really really wish I had, but I just didn’t. This story is about a couple who goes on their honeymoon and finds something strange in the water. They take it back with them to their resort and try to come up with a plan on what to do with what they’ve found. Naturally, when finding something that doesn’t belong to you, people go searching for their lost treasure and sometimes trouble is involved. This story is an easy read, however,  the characters are unlikeable and the plot is unbelievable and the end doesn’t leave you satisfied. It just leaves you feeling sad. Although I would recommend reading it for yourself if you have been interested in seeing what it’s about, several people have read it and loved it. I just wasn’t feeling this one. 6/10

 

The second book for April was For Better and Worse by Margot Hunt. This novel is about getting away with the perfect murder. A couple who met in law school find out that the principal of their kids’ school (and a good friend) has been doing something absolutely awful that they believe needs to be punished with murder. The main character decides to take matters into her own hands but soon her husband has to get his hands dirty as well. It’s all just a matter of how well a lawyer can plan for a murder and how well she is able to cover her tracks. Overall, this story is somewhat predictable with a minor twist at the end that kind of has you thinking “what is SHE doing?!”. I’d rate this one a 7.5/10.

 

The last (and best) book I read for April was The Mother-in-Law. This is a brand new book that was just released about a week ago but I had heard of it before and was excited to get my hands on it. So this novel is about a woman who lost her mother at an early age and was looking forward to getting married and having a mother-in-law. However, her finance’s mother is not at all what she had envisioned a mother-in-law to be. The mother-in-law also has money, lots of it, which she refuses to give her kids believing they need to earn it for themselves. One day, a police officer shows up at the front door and informs the main character her mother-in-law has passed unexpectedly believing it has been a homicide and the question arises as to who would want her dead and for what reason. This book gave great insight into how entitled children can become when they come from a family where money isn’t an issue and also seeing perspectives of different sides of opinions, especially relating to in-laws.  I’d rate this one an 8/10.

 

And finally, my guest book reviewer, read  The Good Daughter by Karen Slaughter and this is her review! *Please do not read this book if you are sensitive to subjects like foul language, detailed violence, and rape.* The Good Daughter proves that nobody ever tells the whole story. Charlie Quinn and her sister, Sam, are held at gunpoint by a pair of brothers. After Charlie makes a break for it, she hears a shot and turns to see Sam flying through the air. She tries to keep running but is struck down by one of the brothers. A struggle ensues and she breaks free. Charlie manages to reach their neighbor’s house (two miles away) and tells her story… But that’s not what really happened. Twenty-eight years later, Charlie finds herself in another fatal scenario; a school shooting where the pieces don’t quite fit. To make matters worse, her eccentric father is attacked and put in the ICU. After hearing about her father’s condition, Sam returns to the town and people she swore she’d never see again. In the quest to find out what led to the school shooting, Charlie and Sam learn more than they care to know about their father and the events that changed their lives forever. Karen Slaughter knows how to keep her audience interested in romance, mystery, violence, and humor. I give it a 9/10.

 

 

And that’s a wrap for April! Some on my list for May include (pics below for visual reference) My Lovely Wife, which is what we’re reading for our book club, and I also bought a hard copy so if anyone is interested in borrowing it hit me up! And a couple other ones on my list are It’s Always the Husband & The Tattooist of Auschwitz which is something I normally wouldn’t read, but I can’t keep giving yall just psych thrillers! Ha. See ya next month.

                                                                        

 

 

 

For my previous book reviews click here:

March Book Review

February Book Review

January Book Review

December Book Review

November Book Review

October Book Review

Hey guys! It’s my favorite time of the month and this month I. have. delivered. Yes, finally, I read something worthy of talking about and I am so pumped to share some of these good ones with you!! There is something for everyone this month, so let’s get started!

 

I was so excited to read The Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen who also wrote The Wife Between Us (see my review for that book here November Book Review). I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, psychological thrillers are my absolute fav and this one did not disappoint. So, this story is about a woman in her late twenties who is short on money and decides to sign up for a college study that pays fairly well; however, she gets far more than she bargained for. As a psychology student, it was interesting to see how both sides of a ‘client’ and ‘psychiatrist’ relationship and the boundaries that could potentially be broken. It’s full of twists and turns that will leave you reading into late hours of the night. If you enjoy psychological thrillers you will love this one. Rating 9/10.

 

So I was really curious about this one because I have been seeing it EVERYWHERE. It’s even in a Kindle commercial? I think. Anyway, Educated is a memoir about a girl who’s family have never believed in the government or education. She had never been to school until the age of 17 when she started college and later graduated with a Ph.D. This memoir talks about the importance of gaining your own understanding of the world rather than depending on the narratives imposed on you by others. This story honestly reminded me a lot of the Mennonite culture in many ways- abuse being ignored, never accepting help, and doing exactly what the alpha of the house says, whether it be right or wrong. If you’re looking for something different and nonfiction to read, I’d recommend this one. 7.5/10.

 

The Kiss Quotient was the pick for our book club this past month and I have never read anything like it before. The story is about a woman who has has been diagnosed with Aspergers, who has tons of money and is very successful, but isn’t good with relationships. She decides to hire an escort who helps her with everything that is involved in a romantic relationship (think rated R). Throughout the story, the reader gets a good perspective on how life would be with Aspergers and how difficult particular things can be for them. Overall it’s a short and sweet book that would be perfect for an over the weekend read. 7/10

Did y’all know that Amazon has a Book Chart of all the popular most sold/most read books of the week? I didn’t until yesterday, ha (check it out here Amazon Book Charts) Anyway, so Where the Crawdads Sing has been the #1 book for a while now, not to mention it has a 5-star review with over seven thousands reviews. You guys, that’s pretty impressive. So I read it and although it was rated so extremely high, I thought it was good I just didn’t think it was that good. This story takes place in North Carolina near marshes where this 6-year-old childs’ mother has left her to fend for herself with her alcoholic father. She never went to school and sort of becomes known as this marsh girl who the town makes rumors about. One night, a man is killed and the whole town turns on the marsh girl believing she did it. The story continues to go back and forth between two time periods and how they intercede. Something I wished I knew before reading this one is that it takes place in the 1950s and it is in the South, so the language that this book uses is kind of annoying (think very hick and southern) which I didn’t like. Overall I’m glad I read it to see what the hype was all about. I’d rate this one a 7.5/10.

 

You guys. If there is anything you get out of this post today is that you need to read this book, like, right now. After I finished this, I texted two book club members and told them to read it ASAP. Swear on this Life will tear you up with a roller coaster of emotions. It’s such a raw and real story that you will not easily forget. This novel is about a young woman who stumbles upon a book that her ex-boyfriend/neighbor wrote about them from their childhood with her perspective. Naturally, she’s furious and reaches out to him needing answers. As the story continues, you learn about the life that these two characters had and how they overcame struggles and obstacles together to get them to the place they are now. This book isn’t necessarily just a romance novel as it is so much more than a simple label of one particular genre, it’s really an amazing read so go get it right now AND it’s only $2.99 on Amazon Kindle! I’m super excited to read more novels from this author. Hope you will like it as much as I did. Rating: 10/10 hands down.

 

That’s a wrap! Thanks for stopping by, see ya next month!

 

For other monthly book reviews click here:

October Book Review

November Book Review

December Book Review

January Book Review

February Book Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey, hey, hey it’s book day! Another month down, another book review to go. Hope you guys had a good week! So for this month (hate to say it), I am kind of disappointed in this month’s books. I know I say every month that hopefully next month will be better but I guess I’m just not reading the right stuff (insert facepalm emoji here). SO if you have any books that you LOVE let me know! I read 6 books this month and while some were just ‘okay’, others were a disappointment.

 

The first book I read was Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney. So this book is a thriller and the main character is in a coma and while she’s in this coma she can still hear everything that is going on and what’s being said about her. She occasionally slips back into darkness and keeps having dreams and she’s not sure if it’s real or just her imagination. She has a huge suspicion that her husband is the cause of her coma, however, the truth comes out eventually. There are quite a few major plot twists which hold the readers’ attention well, however, it is somewhat hard to follow as it keeps going back and forth between a couple of the characters. Overall, I’d give this one a 7/10.

 

The Obsession was the book chosen for our book club for the month of February. We were shooting for a romance novel and well, it was sorta a romance mixed with a little bit of suspense. The main character catches her father do the unthinkable which puts him in prison for the rest of his life. She seems as if though she can’t outrun her fathers’ sins and feels judged by everyone who finds out who her family is. She finally settles in a nice quiet town and starts a project on refurbishing her house. Throughout the story, she finds what it’s like to have friendships, a companion, and maybe even a lover. Although it was a good story, I feel like the author gave way to much detail about photography and decorating that she could have done without. 6/10

 

This book was hands down my favorite for the month of February! Then She Was Gone is about a young 15-year-old girl who disappears and is never seen or heard of again until her mother meets an unexpectedly charming man in a casual cafe. After she meets his daughter, Poppy, she is awestruck by how much she looks like her daughter who has vanished. Seeing Poppy makes her become even more obsessed with finding out what happened to her daughter and finally get the peace that she has been looking for after all these years. This book is more suspenseful than it is a thriller, but nevertheless, will keep you up at night because you just won’t be able to put it down! I’d give this one an 8/10.

 

Winter in Paradise will give you alll the vacation feels! Seriously, after I read this I was talking none stop to my husband about a summer trip. This story is about a woman who finds out her husband died in a plane crash and then proceeds to find out her husband was living a double life. She and her sons’ (whose lives are also falling apart due to personal situations) go to this island where her husband has a mansion and they all have some self-reflection on who they want to be from here on out. Overall, it’s a decent, very predictable story, but would be a good beach/pool read. 6/10.

 

So we’ve (probably) all thought of the question “if you could invite any five people—dead or alive—to dinner, who would you choose?” So who would you choose? The Dinner List is about a character who writes down 5 people to have dinner with for one night. Then, sure enough, she finds herself at a dinner party with the 5 that she chose. The story goes back and forth from her past to now and how much her life has changed since. Honestly, the hype of this book got me superly excited to read it but in my humble opinion, it was a very basic and average book. Has anyone else read this book? I would love to hear what you thought of it!! I would rate this one 5 out of 10.

 

The last book for this month was Watching You by Lisa Jewell. Which, by the way, also wrote Then She Was Gone which I didn’t realize until about halfway through this one! Anyway, this book is dumb. Can I say that? I don’t know how Jewell did such a good job on the first one and this one just didn’t measure up AT ALL. If I’m honest, I really thought the cover was intriguing which is why I picked it up in the first place. I know, I know, I really need to quit doing that. SO this book is about a woman (who is married, mind you) moves in with her brother and starts crushing hard on the neighbor down the street. She does everything to go out of her way to ‘bump’ into him. Eventually, they agree to meet at a hotel and afterward find out the neighbors wife was murdered. Sounds interesting but it’s not, trust me. There’s also another storyline in this book about a teenage girl who is also obsessed with him and I’m still wondering what that had to do with anything TBH.  Personally, I did not like this one, however, I could see how some might. I would rate it a 4/10.

 

The month of March will be my month of having fantastic reading recommendations as it seems January and February just aren’t cutting it. Ugh. Some titles on my reading list are Where the Crawdads Sing (it has a 5-star review, yall!), The Summer that Made Us, and the one that was chosen for our book club, The Kiss Quotient. Fingers crossed that this will be a good line up. See ya next month.

 

For my previous book reviews click here:

October Book Review

November Book Review

December Book Review

January Book Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Guys! It’s that time again! I feel like January is the longest month ever. It can be kind of difficult to get back into the routine of things after the holidays amiright? I managed to read 4 books this month and I was only really impressed with one of them.. sigh. Maybe next month will be better. Anyway, let’s take a look at the first one:

 

An American Marriage was one of the top books for 2018 on the “book of the month” website so, naturally, my expectations were pretty high. Unfortunately, I was disappointed in this one, as was the majority of my book club as I recommended this one for January (my bad guys). Anyway, this book revolves around an African American man who was wrongfully imprisoned for several years while his wife is moving on with her life. Throughout the years, she starts her own business and potentially falls in love with someone else. The main character and his wife also both have a lot of faults/flaws which makes you wonder if they would have made it last in the first place. Rating 6/10

 

Next on the list was Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter. Do you ever read a book just because the cover is enticing? Well, if I’m honest, that’s the only reason I read this one, ha-ha. Pretty Girls is about a family who has gone their separate ways due to the disappearance of a sister that happened when they were children. As they continue to go about finding out what happened to her, they find out some pretty gruesome things as they try to find closure and reconnect with their family.  Y’all. I’m not even gonna lie, this book is rated R if not even X. The storyline was good but there were a lot of details about violence, murder, and rape which I thought the author could have done without by about 100 percent. I read reviews after I was done wondering if anyone else thought the same and sure enough, there were several reviews saying how they couldn’t even finish it because of the brutality of it. So, if your interested in this book at all- brace yourself. 6/10

 

The third pick for this month was The Last Mrs. Parrish and it was FANTASTIC. After I read this book, I texted at least three friends telling them to read it immediately because it’s just THAT good. This book is a psychological thriller (my fav) and has so many twists and turns that when you finish it you cannot stop thinking about it! The storyline is about a young lady who wants to be one of those rich wives who have everything they could ever want without working a day in their life. She then plans to sabotage a women’s life that she has met at the gym and basically attempts to steal her husband to finally have the life she’s always wanted. However, halfway through you learn that perhaps you need to be careful what you wish for. You guys… go go go read it and then we’ll chat all about this one! 10/10

 

Last on the list was Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage. I have extremely mixed feelings about this one. This story revolves around a young deviant child who refuses to speak to anyone and acts extremely violent towards her mother. She has been kicked out of school several times, doesn’t get along with anyone, and is incredibly manipulative (even without words). Her husband doesn’t really believe that a child can act like this and doesn’t even knowledge or discipline their child when the mother informs him of what she is doing. Eventually, they both realize that this child is uncontrollable and send her to a mental hospital where she realizes she needs to escape to complete her “plans”. This book ended up a cliff hanger so I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a sequel. Overall I’d give it a 6.5/10.

So moving on.

 

The winner for my Barnes and Nobles gift card is…. drum roll, please…..

 

AMANDA FRIESEN! 🥳

Congrats girl! Message me and I’ll get you that gift card! Thanks to everyone who entered!

 

Ok! So that’s the end of it for January. Some titles that I’m looking forward to reading in February are The Dinner List, Winter In Paradise, and The Obsession! See you then!

 

 

 

To read my other book reviews click here:

  October Book Review

November Book Review

December Book Review

 

 

Hey, Y’all! Hope you had a fantastic Christmas! We went to Kansas for the week and got in a ton of R&R which was incredibly nice. It’s always hard to leave but there’s also no place quite like home. This month of books was rather disappointing and sort of ‘dark’. I’m not really sure how that theme happened but I’m shooting for more uplifting books in January. Anywho, here are the 5 for this month:

I was soo excited to read Sharp Objects by Flynn because of the reviews and rating it had but I ended up slightly disappointed. This psychological thriller revolves around a reporter who is sent to her hometown due to several children being murdered. Not to mention she just got out of a mental hospital due to cutting herself and while she is back home, she begins to remember why she left in the first place. Her family gives off an extremely weird, eerie feeling and it’s just altogether a very dark book that just wasn’t my taste. I’d give this a 5/10.

The Perfect Nanny is also a psychological thriller which is based around a nanny who does it all- from cooking to cleaning without even being asked. She is an immigrant without any family or friends who also seems to struggle with depression. Throughout the story, you start to notice that there is something uncanny about the nanny as she starts acting very strange to both the children and the parents. The first line of the book gives the whole story away though, so there are no surprises throughout the book.  I’d give it a 5/10.

How to Walk Away was hands down my favorite book this month. The main character recently got engaged and has landed the perfect job,  until an accident happens to her and her whole life is turned upside down (quite literally). She has to make decisions that impact her new life that she has never thought she’d have to before the accident. I don’t want to give too much away, but this book will make you laugh, cry, and just want to hug the main character long after you finished it. Read it. 10/10

I’m not sure what I expected out of Little Fires Everywhere but this was not it. Honestly, I’m not even sure where to start. This novel is about two families who intertwine but have very different views and values. There were several parts (chapters really) that I lost complete interest in and wondered what it even had to do with anything. There were also sub-stories (is that a thing?) talking about other families and their issues. There also isn’t any closure at the end of the story as it ends in a cliffhanger. Basically, don’t waste your time with this one. 2/10.

Before I read The Language of Flowers I looked at the reviews on Amazon to make sure this wouldn’t also be a complete disappointment and it’s rated over 4 and a half stars so I figured it would be a better book and let me tell you it. was. amazing!  This novel is about a foster care child who is labeled as “unadoptable” because of her defiant behavior and eventually ages out of the system, however; one of her foster moms taught her about flowers and their meanings which helps her get a job at a florist shop. She crosses paths with a couple of people who change her life and the thoughts she has about herself, forever. This book had a great insight on how foster care affects children throughout their lives and how one person can make all the difference. Also, if you love flowers this one is definitely for you ;). 10/10

So those are my five books for December! If y’all haven’t already seen, I’m giving away a Barnes and Nobles gift card.. all you have to do is comment your most favorite book you read in 2018 and that’s it! Anyone can enter and the winner will be announced in January! See ya then.

For my October book review click here: October Book Review 

For my November book review click here: November Book Review

Phew! Was it just me or did this month FLY by? I feel like just yesterday I was posting the October review! So do to the chaos that comes with the time of year, I only managed to read 4 books this month. Some of you have asked me how do I have time to read so much? Well, just like anything else that you value, enjoy, etc. you simply make time. I know easier said than done right? But something I’ve learned recently is that self care-whatever that means for you- is important not only for yourself but others around you so that you can be the best you. Anyway! These are the 4 books for the month!

Let’s just say I was highly disappointed in Hurrican Season. Highly disappointed. I’m not sure what exactly I expected but this wasn’t it. It’s about a couple that lives on a farm who are unable to have children. Her sister drops off both of her children at this couples’ house while she goes to ‘find herself’. Well, it turns out they basically stay there all summer until the mother comes back and picks them up. That pretty much sums up this book! I just didn’t find a point in it and halfway through I was waiting for something ANYTHING to happen but unfortunately nothing did. Rate 3/10.

 

 

Download this book right. now! I LOVED this book! It was SO entertaining and I couldn’t get enough of it. It’s hilarious, honest, and downright amazing. Good luck with that revolves around three best friends who met at a “fat camp”. One of them tragically dies and leaves a list of things ‘to do’ for the other two friends. For the other two friends, it means stepping out of their comfort zone and learning to accept themselves for the way they are. So if your looking for new something to read this is your sign. You’ll thank me later! 10/10

This one was another psychological thriller which is my favorite genre to read. However, Wife Between US was extremely confusing. The first half of the book is about a woman marrying her husband but continuously sees the ‘ex-wife’ stalking her. The second half is about that same women, however, the husband is with someone else now. I don’t want to give away any spoilers but I feel like this book would need to be read 2 or even 3 times to fully understand what is happening. It has a good storyline but overall hard to comprehend. Rating: 6/10.

 

 

The last book I read this month was A Man Called Ove. I saw it on my online library app and decided it would be something different than what I usually read. Expand the horizons, so to speak. Anyway, this book will tear you up. Ove, the main character, has lost his job and his wife and doesn’t have a will to live anymore, then a young couple move in next to him and his world is rocked. This is the type of book that everyone needs to have a physical copy of and read it again from time to time. The author is hilarious in the way he describes the way Ove sees things and makes you really like Ove even with his ‘grouchy’ attitude. Halfway through, I wondered if there was a movie about this book, and sure enough, there is. I’m excited to see it and hope they did this book justice. 8/10

Here’s the trailer: A Man Called Ove Movie Trailer

To see October’s Book Review click here: October Book Review

So those are my four books of the month! I’m hoping to read more in December with finals being over and catching a break. If you have any holiday book recommendations let me know below! See ya next month.