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?
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!
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.**
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.
Is there anyone else who is completely happy that today is election day so that the political ads and bullshit goes away?!?! I am sooooo over it! Anyways. Time to link up with Steph and Jana for Show Us Your Books! I have a little bit of everything today including some Christmas reads!!! Sometimes I love nothing more than a cozy Christmas story, am I right? Maybe it will help me get in to the season a little more since it has been so hot here.
You guys, I am not going to lie. I was super skeptical about this book and hence why I kept putting it off. I am really not the self help kind of person but I wanted to give this a try. My verdict? Life changing. I cant tell you how glad I am that I read this book! I cleaned and purged some more items around my house, I have a completely new perspective on some areas of my relationships, and overall I basically just have a little happiness project of my own started because of this book. I actually dedicated a post to this book you can see here.
Bottom Line: I honestly believe that anyone could benefit from reading this book in some way. If you are seeking happy, trying to live more purposefully, wanting to tidy your house, need to listen to something positive and motivating then this is for you!
It’s time to start getting in to those warm and cozy Christmas novels! This was a very quick read for me, just a few hours and I had the warm and fuzzies. Julia starts a blog called The Twelve Days of Christmas after a few unpleasant run-ins with her neighbor Cain. She wants to kill him with kindness and see if it makes a change in his life. Just a really cute, feel good read! Plus, we can all relate to needing a good blog topic, right?
Bottom Line:If you are looking for a quick and easy Christmas feel good story, than give this a go!
Rating: 3.5/5
**I received a copy of The Twelve Days of Christmas from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are of my own.**
This is the third book in the Java Jive series, which reminds me a little of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I really enjoy these novels, the characters are fun and you feel like you are a part of the Java Jive coffee shop staff. I like that Juliet is probably a little more capable of investigating and sleuthing than Stephanie Plum (even though she just runs a coffee shop) and she is a strong female lead. There is always some kind of excitement you get about her private life too.
Bottom Line: This is a cute and funny series and I recommend it if you are looking for a lighter read with some mystery and action!
Rating:4/5
**I received a copy of A Whole Latte Murder from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are of my own.**
I love Janet Evanovich so of course I had to try this. Love in a Nutshell is a considered romantic suspense. Plus, a book set in a brewery? Ok! I got in to this book instantly, and stayed entertained and invested throughout the whole mystery. I thought it was totally cute and you get a little bit of Evanovich’s quirkiness thrown in to the mix. This is a very light read but sometimes you need a palette cleanser, no?
Bottom Line: If you are looking for a quick and light palette cleanser, this is it! Also, I think most Evanovich fans would enjoy this. It was really cute and I was sad when it was over. I would love more of Kate and Matt!
I read Attachments and loved it. Fangirl was just ok for me. This book. Oh this book!!! This is the Rainbow Rowell I love! I devoured this book so fast. I had to know what was going on with Eleanor and Park!
This is the third book in the From Manhattan with Love series, but only the second I read. I missed the first one. I would say you could read this book as a stand alone without the first two if you are just looking for a Christmas love story! I really loved both Eva and Lucas in this book. I loved that their chemistry wasn’t always perfect and that they both had their own struggles. My absolute favorite line of the book?
“Prince Charming was a weird stalker guy with a foot fetish.”
Bottom Line: If you are looking for a cozy Christmas romance, then this book is for you! I found myself staying up late thinking just one more chapter…ok one more chapter…while reading this. And if I am missing sleep for a book? Then it is good!!
Rating: 4/5
**I received a copy of Miracle on 5th Avenue from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are of my own.**
I had Chris order me this book the day I told him I was pregnant. It seems like it is the “it book” for all expecting moms out there. What I liked is that I could read the book along with my pregnancy. Month by month to see what I should expect, what is going on with baby and development, etc. Anything you ever really wanted to know about pregnancy is in here. And that is also part of the problem. Every problem to raise your blood pressure and stress about is also in here!!! I have to be honest and say there were parts I skipped over because it is like reading WebMD and I felt like everything was wrong with me because I was reading about it.
Bottom Line: If you want allllll the nitty gritty about pregnancy, this is a great resource. Just don’t get too caught up in everything that can go wrong, because this book shares a lot of that.
This is my first book by this author, I have a few of hers on my to read list and thought I would start with this one since it was available from my library. I did this via audiobook and the author herself narrates it, so you get the characters exactly as how they are supposed to be…which I love! I really enjoyed the way the book switched back and forth being told from the different woman’s points of view. Since I am about to be a new mother, which is what brought these woman together, I felt like I could really relate to the story. The more I listened the more involved I became and I just really enjoyed this book! I loved how the lives of each of these woman was a little messy and completely realistic.
Bottom Line: This was just a really good, solid read that I enjoyed. Can’t wait to read more from this author. Rating:4/5
Honestly, I got bored and didn’t end up finishing this book. Maybe I wasn’t in the mood for it? I don’t know. Makes me sad because I love Diane Keaton!
I am a huge fan of Whole 30, clean eating and nourishing foods. I completed my first Whole 30 challenge back in January of this year. After those 30 days, I felt amazing! I continued to eat *mostly* clean until I got pregnant and the sugar and carb cravings kicked in. My hope is that on January 1, 2017 (give or take a month after baby girl is due) I go back to Whole 30. That is where Nourishing Meals will come in handy!
All 365 recipes in the book are free of the most common allergens: gluten, soy, eggs, and dairy, and refined sugar. There are options for vegans, vegetarians and meat lovers alike. And what I really appreciate is that there are steps on how to start including these foods in your diet and even information from pre-conception and pregnancy through each year of a child’s life!!! You really get a ton of information in this book, so it is more about a healthy family and lifestyle than just a cookbook.
The only negative thing I have to say about it is that I want more pictures!!! My favorite cookbooks are the ones that have a picture with every recipe, this one does not. But there is so much more that you get that just recipes, so I understand why it is set up the way that it is. And there are some pictures throughout the book to keep me excited.
A few of the recipes I am excited about:
Grain Free Chicken Nuggets
Slow-Cooked Beef Stew
Greek Salad with Chick Peas
Cranberry Orange Bread
Overnight Oatmeal Cinnamon Muffins
Roasted Squash and Corn Frittata
Frozen Banana Coconut Cream Pie
If you are just starting on a journey to a healthier lifestyle, or you are stuck in a rut on your current journey…I suggest picking up Nourishing Meals! With 365 recipes, you can try something new every day!
To be honest with you, I didn’t really know how I felt about this book while I was reading the first half of it. It sort of crept up on me and then I found myself needing to know what was going on and thinking about it when I wasn’t reading. It is sort of a not so straight forward love story with a little life lesson of not taking things for granted thrown in. And how powerful a wish could be. I really enjoyed the characters and the whole story and overall I really liked it more than I thought I would. Also….this is the same author as Practical Magic. I just loved that movie!!!
Bottom Line: Read it! If you are in the mood for something different this would fit the bill. I really did enjoy it.
When you read the premise of the book, you know you are going to be in for a deep, frustrating ride based on the subject matter. Especially in the heat of all the racial issues going on in our country right now. This book flips between the views of Ruth Jefferson, Kennedy (her attorney) and Turk Bauer (white supremacist father.) I liked the flow of the book and some of the back story from past memories that the author shares.
No matter how far society has come on racial issues, we still have SO MUCH further to go and this book is a great reminder of why. While it took me longer to read this, I really enjoyed it and got to know each of the characters. You can tell that the author has done her research and I feel like she really nailed the emotions.
Bottom Line: If you are looking for a book that hits on a deep topic like race or something that makes you think, then this is certainly for you!
Rating: 4/5
**I received a copy of Small Great Things from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**
Call me cliche or cheesy, but I just love me some Nicholas Sparks. I have read every single one of his books dating back from high school and I am always in the mood for more. For me his books are just consistent. You know what you are going to get and sometimes I need that. What I really liked about this book that differs from most of his others…is there is some action and mystery!
Bottom Line: I really enjoyed this book. If you are looking for a little action, mystery and love…then give this a go! I found myself not being able to wait to get back to it to see what was happening.
You all know my love for Janet Evanovich!! This is the newest installment of the Stephanie Plum series and I basically LOL’d throughout the entire book. You get everything you expect in a Plum novel…hotness between Stephanie, Ranger and Morelli…crazy Grandma Mazur…Lula and all her hilarious remarks…and the rest of the wacky characters you expect to meet along the way. I felt like the ending of this one gave a hint that maybe Stephanie is finally deciding what to do with her life? Then again, Janet could go on writing these forever and I would never tire of them!
Bottom Line: If you are in love with this series like me, you will not be disappointed! If you haven’t read this series yet….go back to book one and see what you think!
I was excited to look through this book. The photos are just gorgeous and really got me excited to add some more veggies back in to my diet. I liked the way that this book was laid out and there are certainly some recipes that I am excited to try! There are some very basic recipes in here, and then some that are a little more involved. I liked the mix. I will say that if you have other Martha recipe books, you might see a few repeats. I was ok with that because I like that all the veggie and side recipes are in one place for me.
Bottom Line: If you are looking for great vegetable recipes for side dishes or you are vegetarian…I would say this would make a great book to have in your arsenal or gift to a friend!
Rating: 4/5
**I received a copy of Martha Stewart’s Vegetables from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are of my own.**
I will say that I was expecting some life changing information in this book based on the title and other reviews I have read and it sort of fell flat for me. I really loved the idea of only keeping things that spark joy but to be honest…I hold a screwdriver in my hand and I think ughhh this is so not joy. But it is a necessity and something I need for time to time. So that whole theory is crap. But I do see it working on things like clothing or dust collectors around the house.
Her idea of talking to your items or thanking them for their service to you is pretty ridiculous. I laughed out loud when she said something about not balling your socks because they needed rest in your drawer. Socks aren’t a person. And her idea of using shoe boxes to organize everything? I don’t want a bunch of shoe boxes sitting around my house that don’t have the shoes in the picture on my box! And taking your items out of your purse every evening just to need to put it all back in the morning when you leave is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of in my life. It was all sort of hokey for me.
One thing that I liked that really stood out was when she was talking about having a few clothing items that you don’t wear out but you save them from lounge wear instead. But then never wear them as that either. I totally do that! So I will say this book is making me go through my closet one more time to do a final purge of the things I haven’t been able to let go. And I guess that is really all I could ask for from this book.
Bottom Line: If you truly need inspiration to get your life and house in order and don’t know where to start or how to organize, I think this would be a great read. If you have a grasp on organizing even a little bit, you probably don’t need to read this book. I honestly skipped parts because my head hurt from rolling my eyes.
Let’s start with saying that The Curated Closet is a pretty book! I chose it because I am trying to be more intentional with only choosing pieces that I love and that work with other items in my closet. I want to be able to chose any random item in my closet and it be a piece that I love. I am looking for more high quality pieces that will last many wears, over trendy pieces that will only take me through one season. This book walks you through how to chose your style based on your lifestyle and tastes. There are even color palettes to help you mix and match if that isn’t your thing.
A curated closet is different than a capsule wardrobe. There is a chapter on capsule wardrobes if that is your jam. For me, I just don’t think I can do it, but I do find it fascinating! A curated closet is simply a closet full of clothes that are tailored for your style and life.
I felt like the author was speaking to me specifically in several parts of the book. I used to have the more is more approach when it came to clothes and basically ended up only wearing about 20% of the items that I had. There is an exercise in this book where you take pictures of your outfits for two weeks and break down things like what color did you wear most, what was your favorite and least favorite, is there a fit you wear most often, do you want your clothes to be noticed, etc. It really makes you think more intentionally about the pieces that you chose and what your true style is.
This book covers finding your own personal style, how to detox your closet, how to build your wardrobe based on what type of clothes you need for your lifestyle, outfit formulas, how to shop and make the most of your budget, and how to chose items with the correct fit and quality.
My favorite section covered how to create a mood board and what to do with the mood board. I always see outfits on pinterest and blogs that I love but I never really thought what specifically about these looks that I like. If you look at my board as a whole, I start to see themes with either color palettes or the fit of something. I realized that I should be writing a list down of items that I want to try on and see how they work for me.
One thing I wish this book did offer was maybe more pictures. Though, I can understand why that would have been hard to do. I think this book would be a great addition for the fashionista in your life….or the person who could use some help in the wardrobe department! It certainly has given me great advice for how to get my wardrobe perfect after baby!
