Best Books of 2012

I just wanted to let you know that Goodreads has announced their Best Books of 2012 winners.  Check them out here.

Home Front

 Home Front by Kristin Hannah

My Rating - 4 out of 5 stars

I haven't read a Kirstin Hannah book in awhile and I forgot how good they are. They are full of emotion and this book is no different. Love, loss, grief, friendship, they are all packed into this book. It has a great message and rings true to a lot of peoples lives.

Jolene is not only a mom to two daughters, she is also a Black Hawk pilot in the marines. Her marriage is falling apart and then suddenly she finds out she is being deployed to Iraq. She has to leave her girls behind, she has no idea where her marriage stands, and she is extremely scared but has no one to talk to about it. She puts on a strong front for her family while she is gone but that can't last long. This story is about friendship, about losing and then finding yourself, and about grief. A very powerful story!

The Undomestic Goddess

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

My Rating - 3 out of 5 stars

The book was okay. I don't know if I feel this way because I just finished reading a couple of really, really good books but it just wasn't my favorite. It is good, just not a can't stop thinking about, I so wish it wasn't over, kind of book.

Samantha is a highly successful lawyer who is extremely busy. She has absolutely no life. She barely has any friends, no significant other, she hardly talks to her family (who are also all extremely busy business people). And Samantha loves her job, or so she thinks she does. All of the sudden Samantha makes a huge mistake, has a nervous breakdown, gets fired and ends up on a train to who knows where. Now she has been mistaken as someone applying as a housekeeper. The problem is that she has no idea how to cook, clean, or do anything pertaining to keeping a house. Despite all this Samantha starts to find herself and possibly love.

Edenbrooke

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson

My Rating - 5 out of 5 stars



Oh my goodness! I am so in love with this book! It was such a cute, sweet, innocent yet mature read! For some reason I was a little skeptical about it but as soon as I started reading I was hooked! Marianne and Philip are just adorable and so like able! Ahhhhh, I think I am going to sit down tonight and read it again!

This magnificent book is set in England in 1816 and is a beautiful romance novel. Marianne Daventry was sent to her grandmothers shortly after her mother died. Now over a year later she is still waiting for her father to come home, is hearing all about the wonderful life her twin sister leads in London, and is bored stiff! Now she is off to Edenbrooke to meet her sister. On this journey she falls in love with the Edenbrooke, encounters a few life-threatening situations, and meets a charming stranger who she just can't seem to get out of her mind.

Please, please, please give this book a try. It is just that good!

Insurgent

 Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

My Rating - 4 out of 5 stars



Oh I just love Tris and Tobias! I just think they are perfect for each other. Granted they had a lot of arguments in this book but they stick together so I am okay with it.

I just adore this series. I think i am kind of obsessed with it because I was so sad when I finished this book. Now I have to wait all the way to Fall 2013 for the next book to come out. Noooooooooooooooooo! Ugh, I hate waiting!

Insurgent starts up right where Divergent left off. Tris is grieving all the lives that were just lost, including her parents and Will (who was her friend yet she killed him). Now Tris and Four are trying to figure out whose side they are on. There are so many groups forming their own plans and opinions while this war is starting and Tris needs to take in every one's opinion and see who she thinks are the good guys. The problem with this is that Tobias and her brother Caleb seem to be joining the wrong sides.

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie

 Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick

My Rating - 5 out of 5 Stars

What a good book! I really enjoyed this. I loved how it was in Stephens point of view. I feel like too many books about seriously ill children are in the point of view of the parents or the sick child. I found it refreshing to be from the thirteen year old big brother who obviously gets annoyed by his little brother. Plus I just really liked Stephen.

Stephen is a thirteen year old boy who has a somewhat normal life for a young teenager. He is an amazing and talented drummer, he has a crush on a girl who doesn't even know he exists, and he has a annoying younger brother who gets most of his parents attention. But one day he finds out his younger brother has Leukemia. Not Stephen doesn't know how to deal with all this and his parents are being much help.

Endlessly

 Endlessly (Paranormalcy #3) by Kiersten White

My Rating - 4 out of 5 stars

What a cute series! I really liked these books and I enjoyed this last book in the series. Evie is such a cute narrator and so funny. I just love how she is quirky and not afraid to be afraid. And Lend is just so dreamy! I even found myself liking Reth in this book too.

Evie is still seeking that "normal" life she has always wanted. She is madly in love with her boyfriend Lend. She is planning the winter formal, and has made some really good friends. But of course, all this "normalcy" doesn't last long. There are some really weird creatures lurking around her, and IPCA is undergoing some not so good changes. Soon Evie learns that she holds all the paranormals future in her hands and she quickly needs to pick what side she truly is on.

The Golden Lily

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2) by Richelle Mead

My Rating - 4 out of 5 stars



Sydney's life isn't getting any less dramatic.  Sydney is still in Palm Springs helping Jill (the Moroi queen's sister) stay in hiding.  Sydney takes her job as alchemist extremely seriously but it is starting to get a little complicated. Alchemist do not like vampires!  They tolerate Moroi and work with them to keep their existence hidden from humans.  They take their work seriously and drill into all Alchemist's how unnatural any vampire is.  Sydney's values however are getting a little muddled.  She is finding herself actually liking the Moroi and Dhampirs that she is working with right now.  And what is even more troubling is that she particularly likes Adrian. What does this mean about her values, her job, and what if fellow Alchemist find out?

I really enjoy this series!  I was pleased to see that Dimitri was in this book more but still want to see what Rose is up to.  I miss the Vampire Academy series but am glad that Richelle is doing this sister series. Now I have to wait till February for the next book to come out...

Bloom

Bloom: finding beauty in the unexpected by Kelle Hampton

My Rating - 4 out of 5 stars

Kelle Hampton had a pretty good life. She has a wonderful husband, a beautiful daughter, is expecting her second girl and is an amazing photographer. Kelle was extremely ready and prepared to finally hold her little girl in her arms. But that all changed as soon as her baby girl, Nelle, was born. Nelle has Downs Syndrome. Now Kelle is mourning the life she had planned for her little girl and gearing up for the difficult life that lays ahead. This true story follows Kelle and Nelle during Nelle's first year and is such a beautiful story.

What a emotional read! I definitely could not sit down and lose myself in this book, but it was good all the same. It definitely reminded me how truly blessed I am to have two healthy kids! And I absolutely loved the pictures! All the pictures helped break up all the emotion in the book.

Sister

 Sister by Rosamund Lupton

My Rating - 4 out of 5 stars

I so thoroughly enjoyed this book! I loved how it was written and reading it felt so effortless. The diary-like style it was written in flowed so well. Also I liked the main character Beatrice, I felt for her and enjoyed getting to know her in such horrible circumstances.  My only criticism is that I wanted just a little more.  Like always I like my endings wrapped up in a neat little bow...

Beatrice's sister Tess is missing. Beatrice quickly flies to London to later find out that Tess committed suicide. Beatrice however is not convinced. She knows Tess better than anyone and even though Tess was going through a extremely hard time, there was no way she would commit suicide. The police on the other hand are positive in their finding, so that leaves Beatrice to figure out what actually happened to her little sister. Is this just a silly obsession of a mourning sister, or is Beatrice really on to something?

A Girl Like You

 A Girl Like You by Maria Geraci

My Rating - 4 out of 5 stars



*This was a first-reads book on Goodreads.*

This is my first time reading Maria Geraci and definitely think I will read more of her books. This was such a fun, quick, chick-lit book! I enjoyed the story but most of all I enjoyed the characters. They were easy to identify with and were very likable. I have to say that at first I thought this was going to be a predictable and somewhat generic story. But I definitely was wrong. Once you get into the story a little more you are hooked and invested in the characters. I was actually pleasantly surprised with the ending and loved that the last chapter was a sort of follow up chapter that lets you know what is going on with characters after the fact. I always feel disappointed when I read chick-lit books, I am left wanting more closure. Maria left me satisfied with the ending and that was definitely refreshing.

Emma is a thirty something journalist who isn't the typical, stunning beauty. In fact while in the bathroom at a local bar she overhears people refer to her as the "ugly friend". Can that be true? Is she that much less attractive then her friends? Well, unfortunately her friends are drop dead gorgeous and she is, well, not. She keeps her head up and tries to impress her boss, Ben, who she has been crushing on for the last few months. In order to do this she offers to get an exclusive interview with the NASCAR hottie Trip who she happened to go to high school with. The only problem is that she hasn't talked to him since. While she is trying to track Trip down she works on her self-esteem, finds an unexpected crush and learns a ton about herself.

Birds of Paradise

 Birds of Paradise by Diana Abu-Jaber

My Rating - 3 out of 5 stars

 

Well, I am not really sure what I think about this book. It was good. But it left me a little confused. And the language! Wow, the F word is used so much in this book. I understand that one of the characters is a teenage runaway and she is living a hard life on the streets with other runaways, but really do they have to have such language? Anyways....

We follow the Muir family. Felice is about to turn eighteen but she isn't really living a normal teenage life. She ran away when she was thirteen and has basically been living on the streets since. Her mom is obviously heartbroken and confused and she deals with her feelings through baking. Felice's dad on the other hand dealt with this by working a ton. Their marriage is somewhat distant and rocky and neither one is sure how to get back on the right path. And then there is Felice's older brother Stanley. I just felt like he was ignored and put aside after Felice ran away. Now he is in his late twenties and has started up his own business. I felt like the whole story was about how distant this family has become and if they could find their way back to each other.

11/22/63

 11/22/63 by Stephen King

My Rating - 4 out of 5 stars.

Wow! This book is so big! I have to admit that I kind of felt winded when I finally finished it, haha.

I enjoyed this book. I did find it a little long and admittedly skimmed parts of it. For the most part it was extremely interesting, intense, and fun to read. I was a little disappointed with the ending though. I am such a sucker for happy endings and although this didn't end tragically, it wasn't particularly happy either.

Jake Epping is a recently divorced English teacher who is asked to do a somewhat strange favor for a friend. Al embarks Jake on a extreme adventure and an extremely difficult task. Al has found a portal of sorts in his storeroom that takes you back to 1958. He asks Jack to go back and spend 4 years in history so that he can try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. Crazy as it sounds Jake finds himself agreeing and next thing he knows he is back in a very different time. Of course while he is back in time he changes a lot more history than he originally meant. Is this going to have a huge influence on the future that he once knew???

I've Got Your Number

 I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

My Rating - 4 out of 5 stars

Cute! This was such a fun read and I actually found myself laughing out loud at parts. Not a hysterical laugh, but a little chuckle here and there. I really enjoyed the characters and wish that it was maybe 10 pages longer. I would have enjoyed an epilogue of sorts to see what the characters were up to after all the drama went down. But I always find myself wanting more closure with characters and books that I really like.

Meet Poppy, a fun and likable woman who is a week or so away from getting married. Unfortunately, she has lost her wedding ring. She frantically searches for it and gives everyone her number in case they come across it. Then her cell is stolen. Poppy is hysterical, rightly so, and starts to have a little bit of a freak out. Then she spots a cell phone in the garbage can. Poppy takes this as a sign and grabs the phone, gives everyone this number and goes on her way. Little does she know that the owner needs this phone badly and soon their two lives are tangled together.

Happy Reading!

Vanishing Acts

Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

My Rating - 3 out of 5 stars

Interesting book. I always enjoy Jodi Picoult's books but this definitely wasn't my favorite of hers. For some reason I didn't really like Delia, the main female character. I don't really have a good reason, I just didn't care for her. I much preferred the chapters that were in Eric's perspective. However I did enjoy reading this and was curious in how it all was going to end. I felt like the book was a little too wordy and long at times, and I didn't care for the ending. I wanted a little more closure I guess...

Anyways, Jodi Picoult writes this book in five different perspectives. Delia, her fiance Eric, her best friend, her father and her mother. Delia was raised in New Hampshire by her father. Her whole life she has thought her mother died in a car accident when she was four. Now 28 years later the police show up and arrest her father for kidnapping. She is enraged thinking they got the wrong guy until he tells her that they are charging him for kidnapping her. Now her life is upended and she is struggling to remember important details from her childhood.

Happy Reading!

Eden Close

 Eden Close by Anita Shreve

My Rating - 2 out of 5 stars

I have to say this book was a little on the boring side. It was just so wordy and I really didn't get into it until it was about half over and the secrets were finally coming out. I pretty much skimmed the first half of the book. So all in all, not the best read ever but here is what it is about:

Andrew comes back to his home town for his mother's funeral. While he is home memories start flooding back about his neighbors. Eden is a couple years younger than him and one night when he was seventeen a tragedy struck. Eden was left blind and her father was murdered. There was a lot of speculation of what happened but no one knew for sure. Now Andrew is sucked back in to figure it all out and to get close to Eden once again.

Still Missing

 Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

My Rating - 3 out of 5 stars

What a disturbing book! Overall it was a good read, but definitely a little dark and depressing. We follow Annie, a thirty something realtor who experiences most women's worst nightmare. We meet Annie as she is consulting with her therapist and recounting the last years horrific experience. Annie is kidnapped at the end of her open house. She is then held captive for over a year in a cabin somewhere in the mountains. She refers to the man who kidnapped her as "the freak", which I think is very appropriate. The things that Annie experienced while in this cabin with "the freak" are horrible.

I have to say that I did have a few issues with the book. To begin with I had a hard time understanding and liking Annie at first. You don't really understand what happened to her until you get into the book a little bit but she is just so bitter and angry right off the bat. I know, who wouldn't be, but it just took me awhile to understand her. My other issue is how she got away from "the freak". I won't go into detail but it is just odd to me because he was always so careful with everything. And lastly, the ending was pretty much awful. So not realistic at all. Other than that I did enjoy this book and was so anxious to find out what happened to Annie and how she was dealing with everything.

Happy Reading!

Love the One You're With

Love the One You're With by Emily Griffin

My rating - 3 out of 5 stars

Meh.... This was just a okay book. I definitely have liked other Emily Griffin books more than this one. I was just kind of annoyed with the main character Ellen. She was just so quick to doubt her marriage just because an ex waltzed back into her life. Anyways, not the worst book but I just don't have much to say about it.

Happy Reading!

The Winters in Bloom

The Winters in Bloom by Lisa Tucker

My Rating - 4.5 out of 5 stars

What a page turner! I seriously could not put this down. It was just so mysterious. I just had to know, why are Kyra and David so protective? What are these secrets they have been holding from each other? Who did actually take Micheal? What is going to happen next? The author did such a great job keeping the reader's interest and only sharing a little bit of information at a time. It was amazing how she put this book together in a mysterious but not too confusing way.

We are introduced to Micheal, a five year old boy who is extremely sheltered. His parents are way too over-protective and are always worried something is going to happen to him. Well, today something does. Someone kidnaps Micheal from his front yard. Now his parents, Kyra and David, delve into their pasts, both so sure that someone they know took Micheal. Both Kyra and David have extremely painful pasts that they don't really like to talk about. Now they have no choice but to go back and relive those moments so that they can hopefully find their son.

Happy Reading!

If I Stay Series

If I Stay (If I Stay #1) by Gayle Forman

My Rating - 4 out of 5 stars

Wow! I just can't stop thinking about this book. Even though this is not a true story (as far as I know), I just feel so bad for Mia. I can't even imagine. This is like my worst nightmare. My whole family gone in one moment. Or worse, my kids left parent-less. Ahhhh, so horrible!

Anyways, If I Stay follows Mia on a average winter day. It is set in Oregon so when they had a snow storm (a pretty small one I must stay), the schools close and Mia, her younger brother, and her parents decide to hang out and go see Mia's grandparents. Unfortunately they never make it. They are in a horrible car accident. Mia is caught between life and death and is able to witness everything that is going on around her. Now she has to decide whether she can fight enough to stay or if she is just too tired.....

I can't wait to read the next book in this series Where She Went, and I already put it on hold at the library so hopefully I will get it soon! 

Happy Reading!

7/1 - Just finished Where She Went, the sequel to If I Stay.  It is pretty good but not as good as the first one.  This book was in Adam's voice (Mia's boyfriend) so that was interesting.  Adam is clearly extremely depressed which just made the tone of the book kind of a downer but it was still pretty good.  

City of Lost Souls

 City of Lost Souls (Mortal Instruments #5) by Cassandra Clare

My Rating - 4 out of 5 stars

Finally! The 5th book in the Mortal Instrument's series is out. I read this book in about 2 days, but that is how it is with this series. Super fast and easy reads that are definitely entertaining.

I really liked this book. It had a little bit of a different feel to it than the rest of the series which was a nice change. I liked how you got a glimpse into the other character's lives this time. Of course the main story was with Clary and Jace. Is anyone else getting sick of the fact that there is always something standing between them? When are they ever going to be able to be together? Anyways.... we also get to understand Isabelle a little more. Lovable Simon again has a main part. And we also get to see Alec and Magnus's relationship any Maia and Jordan's relationship. I feel like I understand these character's a little more and really enjoyed reading more about them. Clary and Jace's relationship is as complicated as ever. And of course, there is evil Sebastian.

Definitely a great read but a little bummed that the next and last one won't be out till 2014. But did you know that there is going to be a sequel series called the Dark Artifices Trilogy? Unfortunately the first one won't be out till 2015 so who knows if I will still be interested then. At least the third Infernal Devices book (the prequel series) will be out in March!

Divergent

Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

My Rating - 4.5 out of 5

This book was so good! I am somewhat obsessed with young adult but I was afraid that I have read too many dystopian type books to really enjoy this one. But I was wrong. I read this book in one day! (My kids luckily took a really long nap and than as soon as they went to sleep I picked it back up and couldn't put it down.)

Divergent is set in a run down, hollowed out Chicago. Throughout Chicago their a five factions, each with their own ideas of morals and what is important. Beatrice is in Abnegation who value selflessness. She turned sixteen a few months ago so along with all her fellow sixteen year old's she is about to undergo a test to see what faction best fits her. Even with the test results, everyone can make their own decision of which faction they want to live in. Most teenager's stay in the faction they grew up in but some decide to switch and try something new. Beatrice's results are a little different. They are inconclusive which means she is Divergent. She isn't given much information about this except that it is dangerous and she should not tell anyone. With no help from the test Beatrice decides to go with her gut and switch factions. She chooses Dauntless, who value bravery. The initiation into Dauntless is competitive and ruthless. Throughout the initiation she starts to understand who she really is, she begins to have a crush on one of her instructors and she starts to see that other factions, and possibly hers, might be in danger.

This is the first book in the series and lucky for me the second one, Insurgent, is already out. The third however won't be out till next year. Oh, there is a super short story in Four's perspective that is really good! It is called Free Four and it is free! You can read it here. I would suggest you read this after you have read Divergent though.

Happy Reading!

the truth about forever

the truth about forever by Sarah Dessen

My Rating - 4 out of 5 stars

Sixteen year old Macy is getting ready for a long, uneventful summer. She is starting a job at the library (which she is not looking forward to), her boyfriend is leaving for the summer, she doesn't really have any friends since pretty much her whole identity belongs with her boyfriend, and she is still grieving over her father's death a year and a half ago. Macy thinks that in order to cope and move on, she needs to be in control and perfect. But throughout the summer she discovers that being perfect is not the same thing as being happy.

Macy happens to meet the full of life employees of Wish Catering. She finds herself wanting to be like them and on a whim decides to take them up on a job offer. As she is getting to know each of the employees, including Wes, she starts to get to know herself. Does she really want to be perfect like her boyfriend? Is her relationship with her mom all that it could be? And will she finally confront her feelings about losing her dad?

Such a good book! I loved the message, and I loved Macy and Wes!

Hush Hush

 Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

My rating - 3 out of 5 stars

Okay, not the best book ever, but I have to say it feels good to be back in the young adult genre. I took a little break away and even though I read some really good books, I just really love young adult books. They are easy reads and usually pretty entertaining. With that said, this book was only moderately entertaining. I have to say I was kind of bored during the first half. The main character, Nora, kind of annoyed me but Patch was definitely a nice addition!

In Hush, Hush we follow Nora, a typical sixteen year old who a year ago lost her father. Now she is paired up with a new partner in biology. Patch is mysterious, dark, sexy and kind of scary. Does he like her or is he out to get her. While she is trying to figure Patch out, more mysterious events start to unfold around her. Who wants to harm her? Patch? But even though he is scary, he doesn't seem like he wants to harm her.

This is a typical young adult read. Not my favorite but honestly I will probably continue reading the series. I am such a sucker!

Happy Reading!

Every You, Every Me

 Every You, Every Me by David Levithan

My rating - 3 out of 5 stars

I am not sure what I thought about this book. The writing style was interesting and different. I kind of liked how he put the story together and how he made the book around photo's. It was very interesting. But I did not like how he used the strike out text. It got very confusing. I think the idea of the novel was really intriguing but I am not sure it was executed well. The whole book was a big mystery from page one. Who is the narrator (it takes almost the whole book to get a feel for him)? What happened to his friend? Is she dead? And the questions just keep coming. This book is a really fast read, but not the best ever.

Heaven is Here

 Heaven is Here by Stephanie Nielson

My rating - 4 out of 5 stars

I am rating this a four because of what a remarkable story this is. This is the true story about Stephanie and the plane crash that burned 80% of her body. She tells us about her life before the accident, a little about the accident itself, and then about the road of recovery and accepting her new life. She truly is a remarkable woman and mother! I have to say though that I had a really hard time connecting with her. I just felt like I couldn't relate to her in any way. Her life seemed so perfect before the accident. I found myself skimming most of the beginning third of the book. I was more inspired by the actual event and how she kept on going afterwards. I enjoyed how she talked about her faith and how it carried her through. I just wish I could have connected with her a little more.

Happy Reading!

The Fifty Shades Trilogy

 Fifty Shades of Grey; Fifty Shades Darker; Fifty Shades Freed

by  E.L. James

My overall rating - 4 out of 5 stars

I decided to read these books mainly because of curiosity. I just had to see what all the fuss was about. I have never ventured into this genre of books and was a little wary but I decided why not? I love to read and so I might as well give everything a try, right? Anyways, while I was reading the books I kept thinking about what I was going to rate it. I had been reading all the other reviews and it seems people either love it or hate it. As we all know, these books have created a lot of controversy. Honestly, at times I loved it and other times I wasn't so sure. Ultimately I decided on 4 stars because I have to say I did enjoy these books. I read all 3 in a little over a week and was completely enthralled with the relationship between Ana and Christian. Christian is such a mysterious guy and I wanted to see if Ana truly could change him. It was obvious that Christian was going to change Ana, but could she pull off the impossible? To be honest, the relationship reminded me of an much more adult version of Twilight (without the vampires of course). Christian definitely reminded me of Edward. Gorgeous, serious, rich, and believes himself to be a heartless monster. And the fact that Christian claims he just couldn't stay away from Ana (sound familiar?). And Ana reminded me of Bella. Innocent, pretty but not in a obvious way, clumsy and ultimately looking for someone to take care of her. Their relationship was just so interesting to me and I found myself excited to see what was going to happen next. Their relationship is filled with drama and there are definitely some intense moments. I definitely could have done with less of the all the sex, but I was obviously expecting it. I also found myself unsure of Christian. I think I like him, under all of his armor. But I don't particularly agree with how controlling his is. I think this is one of the main arguments against this book. Anyways, if you are comfortable venturing out to this genre, definitely give these a try. The relationship is so much fun to read about, and the books definitely get intense at points. If you read the first book (Fifty Shades of Grey) you will definitely have to keep reading the other two. I have to say the first one is probably the best but Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed are not far behind.

Happy Reading!

Before I Go To Sleep

 Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

This book was okay. Not the greatest, but overall good. I definitely got bored during the middle of the book though. The beginning starts out really strong and you are definitely drawn in and interested. Then it kind of fizzles in the middle. The last 50 pages or so it picks back up and is actually kind of intense.

Anyways, the book is about Christine. About 20 years ago Christine had a traumatic brain injury and lost her ability to retain memories. Now every time she falls asleep she forgets everything about her life. When she wakes up she doesn't know where she is, how old she is, and who this man is who is claiming to be her husband. Every day she tries to figure out her world and slowly she is remembering strange events. Events that don't exactly match up to what her husband is telling her. Is he keeping things from her? And if he is, how much of what he tells her is the truth?

Happy Reading!!!

Still Alice

 Still Alice by Lisa Genova

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Alice, a Harvard professor, wife and mother of 3 has just been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. Throughout the book we follow her on her journey of figuring out how to live with this awful disease. We see how she is slowly loosing herself and forgetting everything that once was so important to her.

I don't think I will ever look at Alzheimer's the same way. This was a great book! I thoroughly enjoy Lisa Genova's books (she also wrote Left Neglected) and am looking forward to reading more of her.

Beastly

 
 Beastly by Alex Finn
My rating: 2 out of 5 stars

This was okay. I liked the idea of a Beauty and the Beast spin off type thing, but I just found this book to be a little boring. Maybe it is the fact that I already have seen the movie, although it was awhile ago. Anyways....

The book follows Kyle Kingsbury, a rich, good looking, perfect, spoiled teenager. His mother is not in the picture and his father has taught him that good looking people are worth everything, and ugly people are worth nothing. Kyle and his group of friends are ruthless at school to anyone who is less then perfect. But one day all of that catches up with him. A witch cast a spell on him and turned him into a beast. He is now as ugly on the outside as he was on the inside. The only way to break the spell is to kiss a girl who has fallen in love with him.

This was a cute, easy read. Not the best, but it was okay. The movie is entertaining but predictable also.

I Will Cary You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy by Angie Smith

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Wow! What a incredibly sad book. Literally every time I picked this book I would soon be in tears. But I absolutely loved the faith, hope, love and relationships in this book. I can not imagine going through something like Angie did and I truly admire her strength, courage and faith during such a heartbreaking time.

In this true story, Angie and Todd discover when they are 18 weeks pregnant with their 4th child that the child is not compatible with life. This tragic news throws them through an emotional whirlwind but their strong faith carries them through. They continually look at God and know that He has a plan. Although this plan is not what they want, they have faith in Him. I found it very refreshing to see that even though Angie had a strong faith, she definitely had times with doubt and hatred. How could this be happening to her? I am definitely inspired by this story and even though it is extremely depressing, it is also uplifting.



Heaven is for Real

 Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

 

Wow! What a great, uplifting, remarkable story! But let's backtrack a little. I was a little hesitant to read this book. I don't read a ton of non-fiction, and I haven't had much experience in this genre. I am Christian but I have a hard time with "preachy" books, etc. So it took a couple of people recommending this book before I decided to give it a try. And I am so glad I did. I didn't love the writing and actually found myself skimming some parts but overall the message is amazing.

This story is about Colton Burpo who at three had a appendix rupture. While in surgery he visited Jesus and had a remarkable experience. The story is told by Colton's dad, who also happens to be a preacher. I didn't love how he told the story, and got somewhat bored when he would talk about his own health scares and such. I just wanted to hear about Cotlon's experience! Colton's parents gradually asked Colton about his brief stay in Heaven over 5 years, which I found a little odd. Why didn't they just keep the conversation going once Colton brought it up 4 months after the surgery? Anyways, I loved hearing about what Colton saw and how he explained it in his own words. I don't know how a 3 year old boy would know about this stuff without experiencing it for himself. I am so glad I read this! I can't wait to talk to my husband about the book!

Happy Reading!!!

Bet Me

 Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Cute! I have been in the mood for a good, quick chick lit book, so this was perfect. I enjoyed both of the main characters, and even though their relationship was a bit predictable, it was fun to watch it all happen. I have to say that the last few chapters are a bit scandalous, but honestly, I didn't mind. Actually, throughout the book I was surprised how little sex there was, but that thought changed by the end.

We follow Minn Dobbs as she rudely get dumped by her boyfriend while at a bar. We quickly find out that Minn is not the skinniest of girls and her mom definitely lets her know it. She hasn't had much luck with men and she leads a somewhat boring life, especially since her career is to assess and avoid risk. Then we meet Calvin, a handsome man who has a reputation of getting woman to fall in love with him and then high tailing it out of there. Minn and Calvin don't exactly hit it off but they keep running into each other and weirdly enough can't get each other out of their minds.

Happy Reading!!!

World Book Night

I am lucky enough to get to hand out The Book Thief today for World Book Night.  Can't wait!  I hope some of the people who get these books will fall in love with reading like I have. 

The Lying Game

The Lying Game (The Lying Game #1)  by Sara Shepard

 

 

 My Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

I don't really have much to say about this one. I didn't really care for it. Mostly because the whole book seems like just a prequel to the rest of the series. Which is fine except that you learn nothing in this book. It all just sets up for the rest the next book (I assume)which is really frustrating to me. Especially because I did not like it enough to continue on with the series. Anyways,....

The Lying Game is about long lost twin sisters Emma and Sutton. Emma's mother deserted her when she was 6 and ever since she has been bouncing around the foster care system. Sutton was adopted and was lucky enough to live a privileged life. Now Emma has suddenly discovered she has a sister. But when she goes to track Sutton down, Sutton has disappeared from her life. Seamlessly Emma falls into Sutton's life, even Sutton's family believes Emma to be Sutton. What happened to Sutton? Was Sutton and her friends as nasty as they are coming across? What is this Lying Game all about? Is there really someone out there wanting Sutton and Emma dead? These are just a few of the questions Emma is trying to figure out.

Happy Reading!!!

 The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

What a book! I absolutely adored this book. It is so mysterious, so descriptive, and so full of relationships and emotion! The whole time I was reading this book I felt like I was right there in the circus. The tents were so clear to me, I could see the people interacting together, and definitely could visualized all the "moves" made for the "game". The magic was so amazing that it made it hard for me to put the book down. I usually don't love circus books, except for Water for Elephants, and was a little hesitant to start this one. I had heard such great things from so many people though, so I had to give it a try. I am so glad I did!

Celia Bowen's mother commits suicide when she is just 6 years old. Celia is then delivered to her father (whom she has not met), who is a famous illusionist. It doesn't take long for her father to see the natural talent Celia possesses. And so the game begins. He calls an old friend to find a student of his own, and then they bind the children to the game. Celia and Marcus begin their intense training for this unusual competition where unannounced to them, the game won't end til there is only one left standing. Before the game officially starts, a mysterious circus comes about. This circus is only open at night and that is just the beginning of the strange circumstances that happens inside its many tents.

Happy Reading!!!

Uglies

Uglies (Uglies #1) by Scott Westerfeld

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Uglies is set in a world where everyone over the age of 16 turns "pretty".  You are known as an "ugly" until you have the procedure to turn you into a typical "pretty".  You are made to be an average weight, symmetrical face, eyes at the right level, a nose that is just the right size, and so on and so on.  But is that all the procedure does?  Does it just change your physical appearance, or is there more to it?<br><br>We follow Tally who is the last of her friends to turn sixteen.  which really means that she is the last ugly to turn pretty. Tally has become extremely lonely as she is waiting for her birthday.  Then one day she meets Shay.  Shay coincidentally has the same birth day as her, but she doesn't appear to be as excited about turning "pretty" as Tally is.  When Shay runs away, the authorities, called the Special Circumstances, step in.  Basically they give Tally a choice: if she wants to turn pretty, she needs to find Shay.  As Tally starts in on this adventure, she has no idea what she is about to learn or how her world is going to be turned upside down.


Happy Reading!

Pandemonium

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

I thoroughly enjoy Lauren Oliver's books!  And I absolutely love the world she has thought up in this Delirium series.  Although there is, should I say a few, other distopian type series out there, this one is definitely up there as one of my favorites.

The book picks up right where Delirium had left off.  Lena has just crossed the fence, badly injured and alone.  She keeps flashing back to her last image of Alex.  Lena is absolutely heartbroken and all she can do is keep running.  Right when her body is about to give up she is found by a group of invalids who take her in and care for her.  The novel switches back and forth between being taken care of by the invalids (then) to being back in a city and helping with the resistance (now).  Lena knows she is part of the resistance, but she doesn't exactly know what the resistance has planned for her.  For most of the book Lena is stuck with a boy named Julian, as they were kidnapped and then escape together. It doesn't take long to see a romance is budding but I have mixed feelings.  I really like Julian, but I really liked Alex.  But he is dead, right?  And poor Lena is trying to hold on to Alex so tightly, but Julian is right there in front of her.  Oh man, I just can't wait for the third and final book in this series.  Unfortunately I will have to wait until February of next year.  Bummer!!!

Happy Reading!!!

Girls in White Dresses

Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


I definitely did not care for this book. I found it whiny, annoying, and was not able to make a attachment to any characters. The book was very monotone and uninspiring.



Supposedly were we supposed to meet a few girls, in their mid twenties trying to make a plan for their life. Meanwhile, everyone around them was getting married. I thought I was in for a cute, easy and funny read. But what I found was extremely clingy girls, superficial girls. I enjoyed how their friendships lasted and they were always there for one another through the many painful breakups. But really all they did was talk about how depressing their lives were, they would go get drunk and then have hangovers in the morning.



I don't know if I am the only one that did not care for this book. Maybe I just missed something. I did pretty much just skim the majority of the book. Anyways, definitely not what I was expecting or wanting.

Happy Reading!!!



View all my reviews

Baby Proof

Baby Proof by Emily Giffin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I seem to be stuck with rating books a 3 lately. Actually this book is probably more like a 3.5. I enjoy Emily Griffin's books, such as Something Borrowed. Baby Proof is a quick, easy, chick lit type of book. We follow Claudia, who unlike many women, is set on the fact that she does not want children. It isn't that she doesn't like children. She loves her nieces and nephews and takes her role as aunt very seriously. She just doesn't have any desire to be a mother. Luckily she meets Ben, who also doesn't want kids. They are absolutely perfect together. That is until one of them decides they actually do want kids. We follow them on a journey of whether their marriage is going to work out now that they want different things. Is having a kid something you can compromise?

Happy Reading!



View all my reviews

Between

Between by Jessica Warman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Liz had the perfect life. She was part of the "cool crowd", she was stick skinny, extremely beautiful and very popular. But was that all really true? Liz is faced with trying to figure out what her life was all about when she tragically dies on her eighteenth birthday. Once Liz is dead she has a hard time remembering certain things about her life. It is all a big mystery. So she begins trying to piece everything together and by the end she has figured out two huge secrets.



This book was pretty good. I really did not care for the main character, Liz. She is extremely superficial and just plain stuck up. I could not stand her at first. Sure her life wasn't all that perfect and she was just trying to cope and everything, but still. She is very bratty! But then I found it kind of refreshing. Usually we see the "brat" character as a secondary character who is trying to get at the main character. So I guess I could say it was a nice little change.

Happy Reading!



View all my reviews

Wherever You Go

Wherever You Go by Heather Davis

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Wherever You Go follows three characters main characters. Throughout the book you switch between each character and get the chance to see the world through their eyes. The first character is Holly. A senior in high school who is dealing with a lot more than what a "normal" teenager should. Her boyfriend just died in a car crash (and she was also in the car) almost a year ago. Also, she is left to take care of her grandfather who has Alzheimer's and her nine year old sister while her mother is working two jobs to make ends meet. As Holly is dealing with all of this we see her try to greive, to move on and to just be.



Next there is Rob. Holly's dead boyfriend who is for some reason stuck and not able to move on. He finds himself following Holly, his family and his friends around and all he wants to is to be seen. He is so lonely. We try to figure out why Rob is "stuck" here and what really happened the night of the car crash.



And finally we meet Jason, Rob's best friend. Jason has always had a thing for Holly and so finally he has decided to go for it. They both are still grieving over Rob's death and both need some support, so why not lean on each other.



I found this book pretty good. Not my favorite, but a good, clean young adult read.

Happy Reading!



View all my reviews

The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I seriously can not get this book out of my head. The story is really good, but mostly it is just really well written! I became instantly absorbed and obsessed! John Green makes you fall in love with the characters and feel like you are living right there with them.



The story follows Hazel, a seventeen year old who is terminally ill with cancer. She is currently part of a new drug study that has miraculously stopped her tumor from growing. Hazel has become depressed and has started to pull away from the "normal" teenage happenings. She is part of a cancer support group and at one of them she meets Augustus, a fellow seventeen year old who lost his leg to cancer. Hazel and Augustus start spending a lot of time together and both become obsessed with the lack of ending to one of their favorite books. These two characters are utterly adorable together. Their relationship is amazing and heartbreaking at the same time.



I highly recommend this book, it is depressing yet you come away feeling thankful for the life and relationships you have. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:



"My thoughts are stars I can't fathom into constellations."



"....it would be my pleasure to have my heart broken by you"



"As Augustus read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once."




Happy Reading!



View all my reviews

Kill Me If You Can

Kill Me If You Can by James Patterson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Not my favorite James Patterson. I haven't read him in a while but I thoroughly enjoy his Alex Cross series. This one was okay. I just didn't really buy the scenario. And I thought that the main contract killer was a little confusing. Everyone said he was so good and everything but he made some really stupid mistakes. At least that is what I thought. Anyways....



Kill Me If You Can is about Matthew Bannon, a poor art student who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. That leads him to take a bag full of diamonds who actually belong to the Russian mob. So now not one but two contract killers are hired to find and kill him. One of them is the Ghost, who is the world's greatest assassin. Who is going to find Bannon first? And is Bannon smart enough to out run them?

Happy Reading!



View all my reviews

Bloodlines

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It feels so good to be back in this world! I absolutely LOVED the Vampire Academy series and although I miss those characters (Dimitri and Rose), I think I am going to enjoy this series as well. It might not fully live up to the Vampire Academy, but I am okay with that.



In this series we follow Sydney who is a alchemist, a human who follow the vampire world to protect human and keep the two species separate. We last saw her in the last few books of Vampire Academy as she was helping Rose in many of her adventures. Now Sydney is trying to make up for indiscretion (running off and aiding vampires). She finds herself shipped off to Palm Springs to keep tabs of and help protect Jill, Lisa (the Moroi Queen)'s sister. Sydney is posing as a student at a boarding school all while she is "babysitting" Jill and a couple of her friends. All of Sydney's life she has been taught that vampires and the vampire world is immoral and unnatural. Now she is caught between the human and vampire world's and she is spending more and more time with these "unnatural" people. Are they really that bad? Who really is the enemy? These kids, or her fellow alchemists?



For some reason I find this world a lot more relatable than other young adult paranormal books. Don't get me wrong, I love all of those books too but this book and the Vampire Academy series just seem more "real" to me. I just really enjoy the world that Richelle Mead has dreamed up and I am glad to be back in it. I am hoping that this series just keeps getting better and I can't wait till the summer when the next book comes out!


Happy Reading!



View all my reviews

Okay for Now

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Oh my goodness, this is such a good book! I absolutely loved Doug and all the character's that he encounters. This book brings up so many emotions and the best part that even though it is somewhat depressing a lot of the time, I came away with such a good, warm feeling! I love it when books leave me feeling content and happy!



The story is about Doug and his family and their move to a small town in New York. You quickly learn that Doug does not have the happy, carefree childhood that most kids do. His dad is a bit rough, he doesn't have much of a relationship with his brother's, and he seems to always have his gaurd up. Then he meets Lil. He follows her into the public library and becomes enchanted by some beautiful art of birds. You follow Doug throughout that first year in this new town and meet all kinds of characters. It didn't take long at all for me to start rooting for Doug and I even found myself rooting for all the characters, even his brothers and gym coach who at the surface are just mean.



What a cute read! And the writing is just fantastic! I love how the narrator is talking to the reader and asks you questions like "do you know what that feels like?" and how he tells us he isn't going to tell us something because he promised he would keep the secret. Haha, he is so cute! Definitely give this book a try!

Happy Reading!



View all my reviews

Vanish

Vanish by Sophie Jordan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is the second book in the series and it is pretty good. A quick, light, typical young adult read.



We continue following Jacinda and pick up right where the last book left off. Jacinda had just revealed her pride's biggest secret to hunters. Now her and her family are trying to run for it with the help of Cassian, the soon to be leader of the pride. Jacinda is heart broken that she has to leave Will. Is she ever going to see him again? Will he remember his promise to her? Jacinda tries to get back into her regular life back with her pride, but that is easier said than done. No one is particularly happy by the fact that her and her family ran away. Jacinda's sister is undergoing an unexpected change. And Cassian is putting the pressure on to bond with Jacinda. But what about Will? Jacinda just can't get him out of her head.



This is a pretty fun story. Jacinda can get a little annoying and whiny at times, but that seems to be the case in a lot of the main females in young adult books.

Happy Reading!



View all my reviews

Hattie Big Sky

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


What a fun little read! I quickly fell in love with the Hattie, how could you not? I loved her innocence and her outlook on life. I was definitely rooting for her throughout the book.



This is set in Montana during WWI. Hattie is a sixteen year old who has been passed around between distant family members for most of her childhood after her parents died. Unexpectedly, Hattie became the proud owner of land out in Montana after an uncle she never knew passed and left it to her. So in December she moves to Montana by herself to care for the land, cow and horse that now belong to her. She definitely was ill prepared for the harsh winter and hard work that awaited her. But man, did she work! I was exhausted just reading what she would have to do daily.



Anyways, what made this book special was the relationships that were formed. I absolutely loved how everyone helped each other and were all so generous. Although there are some teary moments and glimpses into how evil war can make some of us, this was a very cute and feel good read. I came away craving relationships like the ones Hattie unexpectedly found.

Next up on my list is Vanish by Sophie Jordan (the second book in the Firelight series).

Happy Reading!



View all my reviews

Firelight

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a good, quick read. Typical young adult fantasy book, but really good. I actually found it really refreshing that the female character is the paranormal and not the male. It seems like the main male character is always the "special" one. Whether he is a vampire, a Indian tiger prince, a shadowhunter, etc., and the girl is the helpless one who always needs saving and protection. I guess Jacinda needs to be protected too, but at least she is the "special" one in this book.



Jacinda is a draki (a descendant from dragons who can change to look human). Not only that, but she is a very rare kind of draki, a fire breather. The leader draki wants to use her to make more fire breathers. For obvious reasons her mother does not particularly like this idea. Jacinda, her mother and her twin sister flee to the desert. Jacinda hates it there, but then unexpectedly finds Will. A handsome teenager whom she is drawn to. The problem is, Will and his families business is to hunt and kill draki.



This is really a good book and is a series. I also just saw that it might be made into a movie, but not till next year.

Happy Reading!



View all my reviews

Delicacy

La délicatesse by David Foenkinos

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was a cute book. A very quick read about loss and eventually finding love again. I really enjoyed the writing style. The author included small, short chapters with recipes, soccer stats, humorous quotes, etc.. I also loved the footnotes throughout the book. I do have to say thought that some of the character's were a tad odd. Also, this is a pretty short book which was nice but I found that the character development was a bit lacking. I guess I just never felt like I really new the character's and I would have liked to know more. Natalie seems like a delightful and complicated character. I just never understood what was so special about her. All that was said was that every man that came into contact with her was enamored. They basically fell in love with her instantly. Which was nice, and she does sound like a likeable character but I don't know what made all those men instantly intrigued by her. Also since the book moved so quickly, the loss of Natalie's husband didn't really phase me. (which is really weird because I am a very emotional reader). Anyways, it is a cute book with the take home that life does go on.



P.S. - although I wish I spoke (and read) French I am not going to pretend I do. I read the translated version but I couldn't find that version on goodreads.

Happy Reading!



View all my reviews