I Finished FIVE Books in THREE Days!

Guys, I finished FIVE books in THREE days! When quarantine first started I was reading Sarah J Maas' new book House of Earth and Blood which is part of her Crescent City series. I have loved everything that I've read by Sarah. Some of my favorites books have been a part of her A Court of Thorns and Roses series and I also loved the Throne of Glass series. 

This series started off slow. I mean there was action at the very beginning but then it seemed like a million pages to set the whole world up. The world of Crescent City is very complicated and there are a ton of characters and different kinds of creatures so I understand why she had to set the scene on so many pages but I moved at a snails pace through the first part. Then three days ago I was motivated to finish it and flew through the rest!

Overall I liked this book but it definitely isn't on the same level as the TOG and ACOTAR series. It was definitely a great story and took some turns that I didn't see coming but I wasn't in love with the main characters, so that made it not as fun for me to read. This is a looooooooong book. So enter  at your own risk! 

Next up, I read an entire four book series.....

These books are the Stella and Sol series by Kimberly Loth. I had heard about these from Elle Fowler on YouTube and I was excited to read them (especially since each one is only $4.99 on Kindle- not a bad price!)

Now this series is about two cities, Stella and Sol. In Stella there is never any daylight. It is nighttime all the time and magic exists. In Sol it is daytime all the time and it's a conservative city where everyone follows the rules. 

I thought the concept of the story was great. I really enjoyed the main character and her struggle between her home life in Sol and learning about Stella and the way they live life there. I loved the city of Stella and all the different types of magic they use there. I loved the relationships in the royal family of Stella.

However, there were things that I didn't love.

Things happened almost TOO quickly. Zwaantie (the main character) would think about doing something, go to do it and it would be done. There was no anticipation. She also flip flopped about decisions over and over again. Changing who she loved or who she was trying to fall in love with. 

Overall, I loved the story as a whole I just wish there had been a little more. I would recommend the series if you are looking for a quick series that you can get through quickly but don't expect a ton of substance.

What have you been reading lately? 

Recent Reads: June 2019

Happy Monday everyone! 

Today I want to share a bit about the books I read in the last month. Basically all I did was complete the Throne of Glass series! I absolutely loved this series. The main character is a strong female lead and she makes the entire series enjoyable. 

I shared about the first three books in the series here. I felt like the following four books were equally as good with the exception of Tower of Dawn being a bit boring. I don't want to give much away since you will need to read books 1-3 before reading these four but I disliked that the characters separated and you didn't get any further story about the main character in book six. 

Overall I highly recommend this entire series! If you like fantasy novels then definitely check them out.

What's on my to read list next? So far I plan on reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid and The Rest of The Story by Sarah Dessen.

What do you plan on reading this month?

Recent Reads: May 2019 Edition

It seems like it's been forever since I've done a book review here on the blog. I've been reading quite a bit lately and wanted to share my recent reads. I hope to keep this reading pace up because I truly love to read. 

The first book I want to share with you is one my mom recommended to me. Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine by Gail Honeyman is such an enjoyable read! Eleanor Oliphant is an interesting individual who has a complex history. She is used to her routine and seems to enjoy the monotony of her life. I didn't expect any of the twists in this story before they arrived and I truly enjoyed every second of it. It's a hard book to describe but an easy read if you are looking for one!

The next three books are all part of a fantasy series by Sarah J Maas called Throne of Glass. So far in the seven book series I have completed the first three; Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight and Heir of Fire. I am absolutely loving these books and have trouble putting them down! It follows Celaena Sardothian an assassin who is pulled from the prison where she works in the mines to compete for a role working for the king. I finished the first three books within two weeks and with the third book I stayed up half the night trying to finish it! Definitely give this series a chance if you have enjoyed any  fantasy series in the past.

What have you been reading lately? I have quite a few books on my To-Be-Read list but would love other suggestions as well!

Book Reviews: Love Your Life Not Theirs and One Day In December

Lately I've been trying to make it a point to read a little bit more and not just constantly re-read the same books (I'm looking at you Harry Potter!). I always end up just re-reading Harry Potter or The Hunger Games or a Sarah Dessen book...and don't get me wrong I love all of those books but sometimes I need to branch out a bit. 

So far this year I have read two new books and wanted to share them with you. The first was a money related book called Love Your Life Not Theirs by Rachel Cruze.

I thought this was a great book! Rachel Cruse is the daughter Dave Ramsey who is a financial expert. Although they are a little more religious then I normally can deal with I really liked her tips on money. The concept of this book is that you shouldn't be trying to keep up with the Joneses because they are probably broke! It was a good reminder that no one can have everything without going into debt and that you need to prioritize what works for your life. Since Tim and I are working on getting out of debt it was a great reminder that we need to focus on our goal and not get sidetracked. 

I would definitely recommend it if you are trying to get out of debt or get control of your finances!

The next book I read was a novel called One Day in December by Josie Silver. This novel came highly recommended and I thought it was so cute! It was an adorable story of a girl who while riding a bus in London falls in love at first sight with a guy at the bus stop. She ends up meeting him later on, but not in the way she expected. 

If you are looking for a quick read definitely check this one out! It was quick, easy and worth the read. 

I have a few books that I know I want to read next but since we will be heading off on our honeymoon cruise in less than a month I will need a few books to read during that. Please let me know in the comments what books you have read lately and loved!

Once And For All by Sarah Dessen (Signed Copy and Freebies!)

I absolutely love Sarah Dessen and all of her books so when I heard her newest book would be released at the beginning of June I was super excited!

I decided to not only order it on my Kindle so I could read it right away but I also decided to order a signed copy from Sarah Dessen's local book store Flyleaf Books. 

This was my first signed book and when it arrived on Wednesday I was bouncing up and down.

Once and For All is a novel about a girl Louna who is a pessimist when it comes to love. Her mother and the only adult male "father" figure she has ever known run a wedding business where they create dream days for their clients but are all pessimists about how long the marriages will last.

I found this book extremely witty and an easy summer read. I have enjoyed every one of Sarah's books and how they all focus on family relationships but also have a love story.

Sarah even wrote it out to me specifically! I am so unbelievably thrilled. When I opened my package I was surprised to find a complete Sarah Dessen set of products (completely free with my order).

If you've been reading her books you'll recognize the CBY sticker as a Colby sticker (the setting for many of her books), a button with Hey Dude (from Saint Anything) and the key necklace from Lock and Key. Also included were sunglasses, a candle, candied almonds, stickers with Once and For All on them, and a postcard with a quote from Saint Anything.

What awesome items to receive with my book purchase! I highly recommend ordering books from Flyleaf Books in North Carolina. They are a dream to work with and go above and beyond to make sure your order is amazing. 

What books have you been reading lately? I have been terrible at updating my recent reads but I will try to catch up with that again soon....

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

My most recent read was Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard and I thought it was fairly entertaining. The novel itself it a post-apocalyptic story similar to that of the Hunger Games. It reminded me of Katniss' tale in a few ways mostly because the protagonist Mare Barrow comes from one of the poorest neighborhoods in the region. The premise of the world Victoria introduces us to is a battle of silver blood and red blood. If you have silver blood you are royalty or of a prestigious family. Each person of silver blood has a special ability- magical powers and can use them to defeat others. If you have red blood you are a commoner. Mare is a thief; she has no job and steals what her family needs in order to get by. Her younger sister has a job working with silk and her three older brothers have all been sent off to war. Mare knows that she will be going off to war too, until she taken from her house and brought to the royal family to work.

On her first day working for the royalty she accidentally reveals that she has powers of her own. The king and queen are fascinated that although she bleeds red blood she also holds powers so they decide to have her marry one of the princes and study her. They desperately do not want the public to know it's possible for a red blood to have powers like a silver.

Mare quickly learns that she can't trust anyone as she realizes she anyone can betray anyone. 

Although I was entertained throughout this book and have downloaded the sequel, I wouldn't say it's my favorite book ever. I will certainly continue reading the series but it wasn't something I think everyone needs to read immediately. Have you read this? The next book is The Glass Sword and I'm finding it to be significantly slower then Red Queen.

I have a few other book reviews coming up because I have been reading a little bit more frequently lately! What books have you read lately?

Winter Stroll and Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand

Happy Monday ya'll

This past week I read two books by Elin Hilderbrand both set in a different season then the majority of her novels. Both were based in winter right around Christmas time and I do have to say that they were my least favorite of all the books I've read by Elin. The problem that I had with these books was there were so many narrators and so many storylines going on all at once. I would get excited about one storyline and then it would switch to a different character and a totally different story. I was able to keep everything straight but I easily got frustrated because I just wanted to know what was happening with one character at a time.

I really enjoyed the love triangle Ava was in and found her story entertaining from beginning to end. I also really enjoyed Margaret the mother but got frustrated with Mitzi throughout both novels. I did enjoy Winter Street more then Winter Stroll. If the story had ended with Winter Street it probably would've been enough.

What books have you been reading lately?

I don't have any books on my to-read list but I think I will continue on my Elin Hilderbrand kick. I also have preordered books from Kristin Cavallieri and Emily Maynard so I can't wait until those are released!

Recent Reads: January 2016 Edition

Oh My Goodness. You would not believe how many books I have read in the last few months. I honestly didn't think I had read too many books lately, but then I checked out my kindle. Crazy!

I'm going to do mini reviews on each one for you so you can get an idea of each book.

The Total Money Makeover- Dave Ramsey
I have heard a lot about Dave Ramsey and thought it would be a good idea to read this since I am trying to focus on saving and want to buy a house in the near future. I found his tips to be extremely valuable and realistic. Reading the stories of others who have successfully completed Dave Ramsey's plan made me hopeful that I will get to the point of being debt free. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in financial wellness.

A Summer Affair- Elin Hilderbrand
This novel was excellent! I loved reading about the affair between Claire and Lockhart. Both of their characters were ones who were so sad in their day to day life that they needed the affair with one another to be happy. I was fascinated with Claire's career as a glass-blower, I found it to be an extremely interesting detail that Elin included. I would recommend this book if you like easy, summer reads.

Beautiful Day- Elin Hilderbrand
I think this book was one of my favorites by Elin that I've read so far. The novel focused around the wedding Jenna is planning based on her late mothers wishes. I thought the idea of a notebook running your wedding to be interesting, but was even more enthralled with the drama the two families had throughout the wedding weekend. It was definitely a page turner!

The Blue Bistro- Elin Hilderbrand
Yes, another Elin Hildebrand book... Adrienne was an awesome main character to follow throughout the novel. The love story between her and Thatcher was exciting, I also enjoyed reading about her day to day experiences as she worked in a restaurant. I do have to say that the ending was pretty surprising, so enjoy the twists and turns Elin supplies in this novel if you do decided to pick it up.

Troublemaker- Leah Remini
I found this book SO interesting that I read it in only one day! Leah Remini's book is primarily a memoir about her time in Scientology and Hollywood. I thought her stories about Tom Cruise were extremely interesting and I enjoyed her memoir from beginning to end. She shared so much about her experience and if you are someone who has ever wondered about the inner workings of Scientology you should check it out!

Shopaholic To The Rescue- Sophie Kinsella
This was NOT my favorite book by Sophie Kinsella. I thought Becky's adventure in this book just continually dragged and although there were some humorous parts, I don't know that I will continue reading more books about Becky. The series seems to have flatlined and there's no bringing it back to life!

See Me- Nicholas Sparks 
I loved the newest Nicholas Sparks book! The love story was subtle compared to other elements but it was just as wonderful as all his previous novels. Pick it up if you love a good Nicholas Sparks book!

I read a bunch of other books but they were not fresh on my mind, so I am going to skip over them for reviews but I will try to do better in the future with reviewing books right away!

Have you read any good books lately?

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

A few months ago I saw that Sarah Dessen was releasing a new book in May and knew that I needed to pre-order it to my kindle! On May 5th it was delivered and I had it read by the end of the day on May 6th! 

Although Sarah Dessen's books are considered "young adult" I enjoy every second of them. Her novels are easily relatable and make you feel like a high schooler again. There is so much complexity to that age that is hard to describe and Sarah always makes you feel understood. 

This book revolves around Sydney a girl who has consistently lived in the shadow of her older brother and not in a good way. Sydney's brother Peyton has been in trouble with the law and because of that her parents have always been involved in his life and not cared as much about hers. Sydney switches schools, makes new friends, and enters in a relationship that changes her world for the better.

This book was one of my favorites that Sarah Dessen has written and I would highly recommend it to anyone who has read even a single book by her in the past!

Have you read any great books lately? I have a list that I've read recently to review so make sure you stay tuned for more book reviews! 

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

This week I decided to knock a non-fiction humor book off my list that I've been wanting to read for a long time.

I am a huge fan of The Office and thought Mindy Kaling did an amazing job playing her character Kelly throughout the show. I picked up this book hoping to read a few inside stories about the office and enjoy Mindy's humor. There weren't a ton of stories about The Office, a good portion of the book was about her childhood. Mindy had parents with serious professions and was brought up in a strict but loving household. She grew up with only a few friends (but had some great friends along the way) and spent a great deal of time learning all about humor.

The stories about her career were my favorite part of the novel. I loved hearing about Steve Carell, Rain Wilson and the other members of The Office crew. I didn't realize that Mindy was mostly a writer on The Office but she spoke quite a bit about it. Of course everything Mindy wrote was in humor and there were times I found myself laughing out loud at what she had written. I would definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a quick, easy read that will give you a couple of laughs!

I also want to mention that I've been spending my lunch breaks at work reading outside! Yes, you read that right! It is finally warm enough to be outside.

Sitting in my car during lunch with the windows open drinking my coffee is also something that is making me giddy lately!

Yesterday it was so beautiful that I took a walk during my lunch break to the river nearby...

I saw a little turtle sunbathing on a piece of trash. It was sad, but it was nice to see him enjoying the sun nevertheless!

Now tonight I have big plans!

Yes, I am cuddling with Roxy and watching a Law and Order SVU marathon. Big plans =)

Enjoy your Friday tomorrow everyone!

I Didn't Come Here To Make Friends....

This week Sean Lowe released his new book and I briefly considered downloading it to my Kindle...then I saw the price on Amazon and decided I would wait it out till the price drops a little bit.  In the section that shows what customers also bought was a book written by Bachelor's biggest villain....

I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends by Courtney Robertson was a tell-all, don't hold back book! When I watched Ben's season of the Bachelor I hated Courtney. I found her obnoxious and wanted her to get sent home every week and was very upset when she was the winner of the season. I decided to read this book to gain some behind the seasons info and learn what happens when the cameras turn off on the show. Courtney didn't disappoint!

Courtney shares in this book how even though she was responsible for the comments she made towards the other girls but she was made into a much bigger villain then she ever actually was. Courtney may have not gotten along with the other contestants and may have made some terrible decisions but it appears that the other girls were just as nasty- they just weren't caught on film. She also shares information about her relationship with Ben after the show ended- someone who should probably never be in a relationship. Ever.

I really enjoyed this book and finished it quickly. It was not very well written, but I was intrigued the whole time. I loved hearing the gossip and was excited to learn about what the Bachelor is truly like behind the scenes.

Do you watch The Bachelor?

This season I am loving the show so far. I was a little disappointed when Ashley I got sent home on Monday because she was crazy and definitely added some dramatic craziness each week! As for real contenders I am currently liking Jade, Whitney and Becca!

Who's your favorite so far?

50 Shades...

It took me almost two years to muster up the courage to read the 50 Shades of Grey series. I had heard so many things that encouraged me not to read them. I heard from people who were uncomfortable while reading them and many who told me not to read them. However, a few people continually told me to read them..so eventually curiosity took over and I decided to read the series.

I expected the series to be absolutely disgusting, filled to the brim with sexual scenes and no plot line. That's not what I discovered. I found myself addicted to the plot, wondering what in the world could have happened to Christian Grey in order to get so screwed up.  I read books one and two in two days and then waited a couple of weeks before reading book three. 

Although the writing itself was pretty poor- the concept that the book was originally based on Twilight's Edward and Bella kept me looking for similarities in their characters. I really did enjoy the story and wanted to know what had happened in Christians life. There was also a nice air of mystery as Christian's foes attempted to take him down and he dealt with life in his childlike manner. 

These are not books I would ever need to read again- but I'm glad that I did read them and understand the concept and backstory behind them. As for seeing the movie- it's something I would like to see although I'm not sure I want to see it in theaters! =)

Have you read 50 Shades of Grey? What did you think of it?

Panic by Lauren Oliver

Last week it took me all of a few hours to read Panic by Lauren Oliver from beginning to end.

Yes, it was that hypnotizing.

Panic is the story of a group of high school friends who have just finished their senior year. In their town of Carp there isn't a ton to do except play the game of Panic which has been a senior tradition for years- and it's often a dangerous game. 

Panic was created to strike the seniors worst fears. It starts with a jump off the local cliff and has a variety of challenges along the way. Heather decides at the last second to join the game of Panic and see what is in store for her. Dodge has been waiting to join Panic for reasons of his own for years.

I was sucked in to this story from beginning to end wondering what was going to happen. I love the way Lauren Oliver writes because she ends each chapter on such a cliff hanger that you can't help but move onto the next chapter. It was an easy read- but definitely a fun one! I would highly recommend this book if you're looking for a quick, engaging read! =)

Have you read any good books lately?book

The Silkworm (A Cormoran Strike Novel) Review

The Silkworm was a fantastic novel written by J.K Rowling. I have never been a huge fan of detective novels, but I really enjoy anything that J.K Rowling writes. I previously read (and reviewed) The Cuckoo's Calling so I knew once I saw there was a new book released I needed to download it to my Kindle.

The Silkworm was a book that had me extremely engaged while I was reading it, but was easy for me to put down and come back to. I didn’t feel that from chapter to chapter I needed to continue reading right away. It took me a few weeks to get through the entire novel since I only read a chapter or two at a time, but overall I thought the story itself was excellent.

The protagonist of The Silkworm is Cormoran Strike, a private detective in the city of London. His brilliant discovery of the true killer of Luna Landry has launched Strike into the public eye. He is taking work as it comes in to his firm with the help of Robin his assistant. At the start of the novel, Leonora comes into Strike’s office hoping that he can help her to find her husband who has disappeared. Famous author,  Owen Quine disappears quite often on his wife Leonora however this time is different since he has never been gone this long. Strike agrees to take on the case and starts learning all the inner details of Quines professional life.

Strike mingles with and interrogates a myriad of characters on his journey to find the truth. This book truly showed the inner workings of the writing and editing process since Quine had previously written a novel that is under extreme scrutiny in the publishing world. Each character in his book is based on someone he interacted with in real life and the theme of his book is beyond graphic and gory.  After Strike finds Quine dead in the same manner the main character in his book died, he knows that things aren’t as they seem. 

With a slew of helpful friends and a strong assistant by his side, Strike is able to solve the mystery in spite of interference from the police and makes sure the culprit is placed behind bars.  Although I enjoyed this book, I didn’t have a clue who the killer was until Strike himself stated it. I had my suspicions about every character that passed through the novel and actually was quite suspicious about the character that actually committed the murder but didn’t know for certain who it was. 

Although I would much rather read another Harry Potter book, I like pretty much anything J.K. Rowling comes up with and will continue reading whatever she puts out (even if it is under a pseudonym!).

What have you been reading lately?

All My Friends Are Engaged by Jen Glantz

Last night I was reading an article that I had found by clicking on a link from a link from a link from my Facebook newsfeed. Are you keeping up? =)

The article mentioned a book called All My Friends Are Engaged which I thought was an interesting title. I clicked on the link that brought me to the Amazon page for this book and after reading the description and seeing it was only slightly over $3 for a digital copy delivered instantly to my kindle, I thought I would give it a try.

All My Friends Are Engaged by Jen Glantz is a hilarious recount of her worst dating experiences. As someone who is currently participating in not one but two wedding parties in the same year, all the while without a date, I appreciated Jen's candor throughout her e-book. She willfully shared her most embarrassing moments; from a date with a man who picked his nose and then insisted on sharing nachos with her to a group date where all the men arrived plastered, I've never heard of so many dates gone wrong and it honestly made me feel slightly better about my own dating experiences.

Sometimes it is tough to be a 20 something in this day and age. Half the people my age are in serious, committed relationships while the other half seems to be content drinking all day long. Then there are the few who are working on getting their life together while still looking for someone to spend their life with. It's hard to not feel like you're in the minority when everyone else is getting married and having babies but Jen makes it very clear in this book that it is actually completely normal. Who would want to marry the guy who can't even remember that it was you he invited to the baseball game? Who wants to be in a serious relationship with a man who isn't willing to spend more than $5 on dinner? Not Jen, and certainly not me! =)

This was a great, quick read that had me laughing out loud. Jen Glantz has a great way of storytelling and I'm glad that I found this book, it certainly makes light of a tough dating world!


Have you read any great books lately?

Brunette Ambition by Lea Michele

A few weeks ago I  saw Lea Michele on The Dr. Oz show and heard she had written a book so I thought I would give it a try.

Brunette Ambition by Lea Michele is an interesting array of personal stories, information about some of Lea's favorite things and tales from her professional life. I have always liked Lea Michele. I thought she had a beautiful voice and felt so sad for her when her on screen/off screen boyfriend Cory Monteith passed last year. I wanted to read her personal stories and hear about her life from the only view that really matters, her own.

I enjoyed quite a few of Lea's stories. She shared quite a bit about her childhood and her rise to fame on the Broadway scene. I also liked reading about her experiences on Glee and what a typical day on the set was like for her and the other actors. I also liked hearing about her personal life in Los Angeles. Lea appears to be an extremely private person with a low-key lifestyle. I think I would get along with her really well, seeing that she prefers to have a low key night at home over a wild night at  the club. 

The only part of the book I wasn't a huge fan of were the sections where she shared recipes. Lea shared recipes for her daily meals, face masks, etc and I just wasn't looking for that in this book. I wanted to read more about her; not what she eats!

Overall, I would say if you are a huge fan of Lea Michele this is a great book to read. If you are just somewhat a fan I would still read it but I don't think it's worth the money of actually purchasing it. If you aren't a fan of Lea Michele, I wouldn't read this because it really is mostly about her.

Have you read any books you weren't 100% sold on lately?