It’s  book day! Yay! I feel like I am slowly getting back in to some kind of reading groove. I read some decent ones this month, and a few that were sort of meh. A balanced month I suppose!! Linking up with Steph and Jana.

After I Do by Tara Jenkins Reid

Love love love this book!!! I think that anyone who has ever been in a relationship can relate to some of the issues that this couple had. I felt like I could really relate to the characters, as TJR builds them so well. This book reminds you to not take your relationship, partner or family for granted. I found myself reaching for this as often I could and flew through it. Which is quite the task with a newborn, let me assure you.

Bottom Line: Read it! Such a great read.

Rating: 5/5

Pretty in Plaid by Jennifer Lancaster

I really liked Bitter is the New Black and Pretty Fat, but this one fell a little short for me. I sort of got bored several times throughout the book. I guess right now my expectations from a book are really high since I dont have near the time to read as I used to and something has to be really good to keep my attention for long.

Bottom Line: If you are a really big fan of Lancaster’s, you may enjoy this book. I got bored with it.

Rating: 2.5/5

Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman

I really enjoyed this book. It is about an American woman who is married to an English man and they live together in Paris. She mainly observes French parenting in this book and I found it all very interesting. To be honest, I have some similar views and instincts of parenting that is common for the French. Which, in reality, is the way that the older generations and our parents raised us.

The way I got Zoe to “do her nights” is very similar to the way all the French do it, which is pausing when they start to cry to see if they really need you or if they will self sooth. It isn’t quite the same as cry it out, which is more aggressive. It had Zoe sleeping 5-6 hour stretches by week 7 without me changing anything. The food section is really what drew me in. I don’t want to have a picky eater and it seems that the French follow more of the “baby lead weaning” which is what I plan to try. We shall see how that goes!

Bottom Line: If you are a parent or soon to be parent, I would recommend this book. Otherwise, you probably wouldn’t care.

Rating: 4/5

Trying It All by Chrisi Barth

This is the forth book in the Naked Men series. Honestly, after reading the last three books I have realized there is very much a formula that they all follow and so I got a little bored. It is still a good series, but I wish the author would  have changed it up some and not been so predictable. This book follows Riley, who is a control freak and Summer who is a live in the moment kind of girl. It is fun to watch the banter with all the guys of the blog/podcast and see all the girls interact from the previous books. I will still read the next one about Josh.

Bottom Line: If you are invested in this series, this book has its good moments. Just a little predictable at this point.

Rating: 3/5

**I received a copy of Trying It All from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Yellow Owl Workshop’s Make It Yours by Christine Schmidt

Flipping through this book, I started to realize that a lot of these projects are very basic and easy. Honestly, that is all the time I have for a crafting project these days anyways. I was a little underwhelmed by them, but they are fun ideas. I think this book would be great to work on with my daughter when she gets a little older. Or as a gift for someone who is just starting out in DIY and has no clue where to start or what to do. This may help boost their confidence. I appreciate that the books spells everything out and makes it easy to understand what to do.

Bottom Line: Would be great for the beginner crafter who is looking for basic ideas. Probably not for the Martha Stewart type person who has a higher level of crafting skills.

Rating: 3.5/5

**I received a copy of Make It Yours from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Did Not Finish

Evelyn, After by Victoria Helen Stone

I am not sure what it is about this book, but I just couldn’t get in to it or care about it. I think maybe I just disliked all the characters? Honestly, because I couldn’t get in to this book, I went about a month without reading anything and when I decided I wanted to read again I didn’t grab this one. this was a did not finish for me, so I suppose you can take my review with a grain of salt. The premise of it sounded great, maybe I just wasn’t in the mood? I refuse to force a book on myself.

**I received a copy of Evelyn, After from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Currently Reading

The Girl Before by JP Delaney

It’s all about the books today!!! Linking up with Steph and Jana. While I am no where near on my reading game that I was so good at last year,  I am starting to build up a little steam. I always love reading everyone’s post and adding things to my list. Each and every month there are several more books that I realize I cant live without reading at some point!

Forever, Interupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I really loved One True Loves and immediately added all of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books to my TBR. This book jumped in time, starting with a tragedy, then going back in forth on the past and current situation which kept me interested. I love how TJR writes her characters. You really get to know them and start pulling for them, and this book was no different. Did I love it as much as One True Loves, no. But I am not discrediting the book, it was still a great read! I just felt like maybe I wanted a little more in the end.

Bottom Line: Give it a try!

Rating: 3.5/5

Giving it All (book 3 in The Naked Men series) by Christi Barth

I really enjoyed the first two books in The Naked Men series, and this one was just as enjoyable. I will say, I feel like the author has a formula for these books and they seem similar in situations. However, I do like how all the books sort of continue where the other left off and all the characters are in them all. Sometimes it is great to read a series that could be stand alone, but sometimes it is nice to keep going with the story line too.  You will remember that The Naked Men is a blog and podcast that group of guys does. This time we learn about Logan, and see as he meets his half sister and also reconnects with a girl from his past.

Bottom Line: This is a great series if you are into the chick lit bordering on romance type novels. You are promised a good love story at least!

Rating: 3/5

**I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner

I don’t normally grab faith based books, but I saw this one for Zoe and thought it would be a great addition to her ever growing collection! What really grabbed my attention was that this book is supposed to show kids how their talents and personalities grow and develop and help them understand that they have a place in our world. I want Zoe to grow up knowing that she can be who she wants to be and will be loved regardless. I want her to grow up knowing that she can do whatever she sets her mind to. This book goes along with those goals.

I think that the illustrations and colors in the book were also wonderful. Zoe is only three months old now and may not get the meaning of the book yet…but the page sure did grab her attention!

Rating: 4/5

**I received a copy of When God Made You from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Currently Reading:

After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Because what is as good as a TV binge? An author binge!!!

What are you reading?

My goal was to read 50 books in 2016 and I actually read 65. Yay!!! And that was 65 books from January to November, because I literally read nothing in December. Oops. One of my favorite book days of the year is seeing what everyone’s favorite reads were over the entire year!!! These are the books you know you want to have added to your TBR! Now, these books weren’t necessarily ones that came out this year but rather ones that I read this year. They are listed in no particular order.

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Swear on this Life by Renee Carlino

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Java Jive Series by Caroline Fardig- Death Before Decaf, Mug Shot, A Whole Latte Murder

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Love in a Nutshell by Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Silver Bay by Jojo Moyes

What were your favorite books of 2016?

Linking up (two days late) with Steph and Jana.

This month is extra special because we have two book link up days with Jana and Steph!!! Today I am sharing the books I read over the last month, and at the end of the month I will be sharing my top picks for 2016! Let’s jump right in, shall we?

Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler

I know everyone read this book last year, I get behind. Sorry! I really enjoyed this book. I will say, I am very glad I did this on audiobook because the story is being told from several characters points of view and it was nice to hear different voices for each chapter. I just loved getting to know these characters, their little town in Wisconsin and a little of the drama and growth between them. Nothing major or life changing about this book; just a really good, solid read.

Bottom Line: If you are looking for characters to get lost in and want to feel part of a small town…read it!

Rating: 4/5

Trophy Wife by Noelle Adams

This was a cute and quick read. This was about a Trophy Wife who gets divorced and moves to a small town and tries to make it on her own and figure out who she is and what she wants. She meets a local man and is conflicted on whether to date him or not because she doesn’t want to become a dependent trophy wife again. I appreciated her struggles to figure out who she was, and while the story was a little predictable at times, it was still a cute read.

Bottom Line: If you are looking for a cute love story, give it a try.

Rating:3/5

**I received a copy of Trophy Wife from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

This book was really hyped up but to be honest…..it fell a flat for me. There were times I was literally bored and wondering should I just quit. Then other times I was wondering what was happening with the characters and wanted to keep going. And there are so many characters. Not only do you have the Plum siblings, but you also get these side characters you have to keep up with too. Some of them were completely pointless.

Sadly, I didn’t get to finish the before my time was up with it at the library. I was 80% done!!! Anyone want to tell me what happened at the end? Pretty please!?

Bottom Line: I could really take or leave this book, because I’m not waiting on the list for three more months to finish it.

Rating:3/5

Currently Reading:

Evelyn, After by Victoria Helen Stone

Read anything good lately?