Finally I’m getting around to posting books I read in March and April. Time/life has just gotten away from me…it has been a busy couple of months. I’m hoping to do a “Life Lately” post to catch everyone up.
Stealing Home – Sherryl Woods (3 stars)
So this book is what the Netflix’s show “Sweet Magnolias” is based upon. I enjoyed the show, so I just thought I would check out the books and see what I thought. I enjoyed the book and will be reading more of the series, but I wouldn’t say they were the “best” I’ve read. They are a good fluff read if you are looking for something to just escape from life for a bit.
The Guest List – Lucy Foley (4 stars)
I have heard about this book for awhile now and it has been on my list to read. I forgot what prompted me to decide to go ahead and get it from the library, but I really enjoyed it. It took awhile to get into and some of it seemed a little far-fetched, but all in all…once I was in it kept my attention and I wanted to see how it ended playing out.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – V.E. Schwab (4 stars)
So this book…this is not my typical style of book to read, but I have to say I ended up really enjoying it. It just amazes me how other people’s brains work to come up with stories like this (because mine sure doesn’t work/think like this – I guess that’s why I’m a CPA. Ha!). Anyways…this book stayed with me awhile after I read it…the storyline was so unlike anything I had read before. This might be a book I revisit again in the future some time, it just intrigued me.
The Last Letter from Your Lover – Jojo Moyes (4 stars)
I actually had read this one before and hadn’t realized it until I was almost done with it. I had read the description and thought “Oh that sounds really interesting”. I was about three-fourths of the way through and was like, this seems familiar to me. I ended up searching my list on Goodreads and found that I had read it YEARS ago. I couldn’t remember how it ended so I went ahead and finished it and really enjoyed for the second time. Ha!
Forgiving What You Can’t Forget – Lysa TerKeurst (3 stars)
Ever since I had heard about this book coming out, I had wanted to read it. I have some firsthand knowledge of how holding bitter grudges can cause devastation in one’s life and other people lives as well. I got some “nuggets” of knowledge from it, but it wasn’t exactly what I was hoping to get out of it. I’m glad I read it, but it fell a little short with me.
Where the Grass is Green and the Girls Are Pretty – Lauren Weisberger (3 stars)
I had read a couple of other books from Lauren Weisberger that I enjoyed and the book’s description drew me in. It was loosely based on the college bribery scandal of a couple of years ago and followed the life of a family caught in the scandal. It brought up a lot of thoughts and feelings that I could see families involved in the “real” scandal might have. This was a book I thought about some after it was over and just how one person’s choice of actions changed the trajectory of many other people’s lives.
Kindle ebook – I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Growing Boldy: Dare to Build a Life You Love – Emily Ley (4 stars)
Yay! Look at me, another non-fiction book! I’m excited…I think I’ve been keeping up my goal of one non-fiction a month this year so far. Well, I am a huge fan of Emily Ley. I follow her on Instagram, listen to her podcast, have read her other books and this book did not disappoint. I enjoy her books because there is some level of practicality there as well as I feel like she is authentic and genuine it what she says and does. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to going back through and doing some of the journaling that she has included throughout the book.
Blackberry Beach – Irene Hannon (4 stars)
See my review on this book here.
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie – Marie Benedict (3 stars)
This author intrigues me. The way she goes about writing historical fiction is so interesting to me. She was a practicing lawyer in New York and had the thought about what if I could unearth hidden historical stories of important woman of the past? She decided to try and while her stories are not 100% accurate – she does take liberties with the storyline…I just find that her thought process of writing books about ladies who have been instrumental in the backdrop of shaping history just fascinating (I wish I would’ve thought of doing this first. Ha!).
The Forest of Vanishing Stars – Kristin Harmel (5 stars)
Wow…this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I have read a lot of WWII novels and honestly can say I had never heard of Jewish refugees living out in the woods…setting up camps like small towns out in the middle of woods trying to not be captured. I was so invested in all the characters and just how the author described the nature and living out in it was just beautiful. Loved it!
Kindle ebook – I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Light After the War – Anita Abriel (3 stars)
I enjoyed this book a lot. I enjoyed the the relationship the two main characters had with each other and how they kept each other going while being refugees, living in different places during the hardest time in history. I think the main reason I am giving it 3 stars is I didn’t really enjoy the ending and how it just felt like it wrapped up a little too easily with a pretty bow on top. I get the book has to end some time, but I felt like the ending was rushed and was just put there to wrap it up. I did enjoy the author’s style of writing and will be looking to read more by her in the future!
Kindle ebook – I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Whew…sorry this was a long list. Thanks for sticking around and reading to the end. Hopefully I’ll get back on track and just keep them on a consistent one month basis going forward.
Hope everyone is having a great May!
Until next time…keep it simple!
Lindsey
