Review: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a book that I’ve been hearing about since the moment it was released. It’s gotten so much buzz that I was almost hesitant to read it because it might not meet up to my expectations. But, I’m so glad that I finally read this one! It’s fantastic! One of those books that everyone should read – it explores some very current topics in a very thoughtful and engaging way. Thought provoking, heart-wrenching and totally captivating is the only way I can describe this book and how it made me feel. The characters were outstanding and Angie Thomas excels at exploring the complexity of the dynamics between them. This is the best of what Young Adult can offer to readers of all ages – a story that feels true to young adults but also doesn’t talk down to the adolescent reader. The communities that the main character, Starr, has to navigate are so well portrayed – her private school full of wealthy white students and her inner-city neighborhood. Her relationships with people from all of those communities make a really strong statement about how some people in this world are forced to navigate a variety of communities which often contradict one another. It gave me a new perspective on what it must be like to be black in America today – I have had exposure to much of this due to current events but this book made it particularly clear to me in new ways. I could write for days about this book but I really think it’s a book anyone and everyone should read, especially given the race and socio-economic realities of life in America. I highly recommend this one to adolescents and adults alike. This is a book that will help you better understand the things you’re seeing in the news and in pop culture. Don’t miss out on it!

Review: Red Clocks by Leni Zumas

Red Clocks by Leni Zumas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I struggled a bit with this rating – my feelings fall somewhere between 3 and 4 stars but I rounded up because I ultimately felt that it was an interesting exploration of women’s rights and the impact to life and liberty. Given our current political climate, the various pieces and parts of this novel are particularly scary as they constitute the hopes (and plans) of many conservatives in America. This is a dystopian novel that posits a world where abortion is illegal, in vitro fertilization is banned and a Personhood Amendment grants rights of life, liberty, and property to every embryo. The story is told through the experiences of five women in one community and how these new realities impact them. I found this book to be rather unsettling – I think that was perhaps because of how close to home this book is to what’s happening politically in America but it also came from the fact that this novel focused so much on the small, day to day aspects of the narrative.

Although I’m glad that I read this novel, it was not a perfect book. The writing style never completely connected with me as a reader. It felt choppy and cloudy in some way. It made it more challenging for me to connect with the women in the novel. But, I was able to overlook some of these aspects given that the rest of the novel really did resonate with me. The one thing that made a huge impression on me is the fact that the effect of complacency had on where the story went – it reinforced the need for political commitment by all of us. The cautionary tale in this novel is scary – and it should be. We lose when we ignore the signs … when we assume that certain things won’t ever happen. They can and do happen. We need to keep our eye on these cultural and political issues that can impact all of us so much.

I definitely think this book is worth reading but do know that the language and writing style may not connect with you. It’s something I’ve heard from a number of my bookish friends about this book. However, I do think it’s a good book that will remind you how important it is that we engage politically and not just let things happen.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.

Review: Hard To Stay by S. Jones

Hard To Stay by S. Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoy a good story about a woman in a bad relationship who is working to find her way to a better one. But, they can be tricky to make work. I really enjoyed this story of Lexi and Brad – how they meet, come to care for one another and ultimately make their way together. The controlling ex who won’t leave her alone and how Brad’s protective instinct is to take care of her was really strong in this novel. It didn’t feel superficial or even fake. It felt very real and honest. Lexi’s strength and desire to make a new life for herself really engaged me. The story had just enough drama and angst but not so much as to get in the way of the actual love story. Although this is the second in a series, it truly felt like a stand-alone. I didn’t even realize it was a series until after I finished it. I really enjoyed this one and hope to read more of S. Jones’ work in the future.

NOTE: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for an honest review.

Review: Best of Luck by Jill Sanders

Best of Luck by Jill Sanders
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m generally a fan of romances that involve celebrities AND that involve stories of forbidden love – this one definitely delivers on both of those tropes. This is the third book in the Lucky series but I don’t feel like I missed anything by coming in without having read the first two. This definitely can be read as a stand-alone novel. This one was a sexy, fun, interesting romance. There is a suspense storyline that was done well but the romance aspect is what I enjoyed the most. I really liked Tom and Amber as a couple. It was interesting to see them navigate the complexities of their relationship. I love that Amber is so independent and confident. She forces uncomfortable conversations which was enjoyable to see in a romantic heroine. All in all, this was a really good read for me. I haven’t read a lot of Jill Sanders but I definitely will be picking up more soon!

NOTE: I received this book for free from the publisher for an honest review.

Review: Everything Here Is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee

Everything Here Is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This novel is beautiful inside and out. The cover on this one is absolutely stunning and the content inside blew me away. I will admit that everything about this book screamed out to me – the exploration of mental illness and its impact on families is SO up my alley. I had some trepidation going in since books on this topic have certainly disappointed me in the past for lacking authenticity. But, this book may well be the best I’ve read about mental health issues. It’s quite raw and achingly beautiful. It’s not what I’d call a happy book … rather, it’s a book that will move you and help you see things in a new way.

As someone who suffers from major depression and has many people close to me (family and friends) with mental health issues ranging from anxiety to bipolar disorder to schizophrenia and more, this book really connected with me and my experiences with the people that I care about. The novel is about a woman named Lucia who descends into psychosis and how it impacts those who care for her. It’s a novel about mental illness but also about sisterhood, motherhood, finding your place in the world, and so much more. These themes are all explored so eloquently. There is a rawness to this novel and it brings the experience of loving someone with a mental illness to life in a way that I really connected with.

I am astounded by the fact that this is a debut novel. There are no false notes here … the writing is outstanding, the prose elegant, and the characters complex. I did not find any of the debut novel pitfalls that I often see in a writer’s early work – this book was just fantastic! I didn’t want it to end. This is definitely a book that I want to buy for my home library. I highly recommend this, especially if you’re interested in mental health issues. It’s a really good exploration of mental health through a beautiful story of family and love.

NOTE: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for free for an honest review.

Review: I Love You More by Josie Riviera

I Love You More by Josie Riviera
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a novella that I quite liked. It can be difficult for me to fully embrace novellas sometimes because it can be difficult to fully capture the characters and their story in a smaller amount of pages. I think this was a heartwarming novella that I found to be charming and immensely readable. I like that the story covered a variety of issues – adoption, custody, blended families, and cancer. I think they were all dealt with in a sensitive way but I only wish there had been more time for exploring them. That’s really my only issue with the novella – I wish there had been more time to spend with the characters and more time for the story to develop. It’s a good, solid novella but I think it could have been a wonderful full-length novel. It was a light read but it could have been much more nuanced. I enjoyed it but I just wish Josie Riviera had more time to explore the story.

NOTE: I received this book for free from the publisher for an honest review.

Bittersweet by Jacquie Underdown

Bittersweet by Jacquie Underdown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a really fantastic romance. It's very sweet and sentimental feeling as it really revolves around a family. There is a great deal of emotion in this one. It's not a funny book. It's an emotional and moving story. This is one that definitely made me cry ... ok, it made me sob. But, in a good way - in that way that a beautiful and moving story will tug at your heartstrings. Jacquie Underdown has written such a wonderful book that I highly recommend. It's not a fun or raunchy romance ... it's sweet and lovely. It was such a nice change of pace for me after reading a lot of less emotional romance lately. I really enjoyed this one and definitely recommend it.

NOTE: The publisher provided me an ARC copy of this book for an honest review

Infraction by Rachel Van Dyken

Infraction by Rachel Van Dyken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this romance and look forward to going back and reading the first book. And I'm eager for the 3rd book to come out since it will wrap up quite a bit that began with this novel. I've been reading a lot of romances with the overprotective brother trope so I was concerned this one would be just another book with that trope. And yet, Rachel Van Dyken really delivered a unique and interesting novel with this one. I thought the storyline was well done and the couple at the center was really well done. It has a little bit of it all - humor, romance, etc. I really enjoyed this couple and all of the characters surrounding them. I really liked the world that was created here and I can't wait to go back to visit!

NOTE: This ARC was provided by the publisher for an honest review.

Bad for You by J. Daniels

Bad for You by J. Daniels
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really loved this romance. The hero and heroine were outstanding! This one really excelled at the relationship development - this isn't a relationship that comes quickly or easily. Which makes it all the more satisfying to see where it goes. The hero is broken and complex. The heroine has such a compelling personality and story. The two of them together is just magic. This is a story that is heartwarming and full of hope. It doesn't wrap everything up perfectly as it feels more realistic than that to me. But, it's themes of redemption and healing are so beautifully done that I didn't want to put this book down. It's extremely readable and compelling! I hadn't read the first two books in this series but I don't feel as if I missed anything. I do want to go back and read the first two since this one was so fantastic!

NOTE: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher for an honest review.

Long Shot by Kelly Jamieson

Long Shot by Kelly Jamieson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love this series and this one did not disappoint! I've been looking forward to Cade's story and Kelly Jamieson definitely delivered an amazing story! Cade and Reese are a fantastic, multi-faceted couple. They are not in any way perfect. They are complex, struggling people who begin to help heal each other. I love Reece's dog and how that storyline was weaved into the overall story. Quite well written, expertly paced, great character development. It has all the elements of a good romance! This one grabbed me and swept me up. I did not want to put it down and yet I didn't want it to end. I don't think you have to read this series in order but I think you'll get a lot of extra enjoyment if you do! I definitely recommend this one! Happy reading!

This one comes out on February 27th so be sure to make a note to pick it up then!

Note: I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.

Don't Go by Alexa Riley

Don’t Go by Alexa Riley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm struggling with this review a bit because I liked this one but I didn't connect with it nearly as much as some other reviewers. I liked the story overall and the characters but the story arc felt very rushed and there were issues with the pacing for me. I haven't read the earlier novels in this series and I felt like perhaps I was missing something by coming in at book 3. Apparently, the hero in this book is the child of the hero/heroine from an earlier book ... which may explain some of what the disconnect was for me. I'm not sure but that was how I felt as I finished. There was an abruptness to the storyline and how things wrap up. And so I didn't love this one quite as much as I'd hoped ... but, after reading reviews by others, I'm wondering if maybe that was partly about coming in without having read the earlier books. And, so, if you've read the For You series and enjoyed it, this may be the book for you! If not, perhaps give those a shot before picking this one up.


NOTE: Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book for an honest review.

Changes Coming ...

You are going to be seeing a number of changes here on the blog as I try to be a bit more present here and make sure I have a variety of content here for all of you! I tend to focus on reviews but I'd like to give you all MORE! You'll be seeing more variety as well as more frequent posts!

I don't know about you but I love quotes ... especially quotes about my favorite thing ... BOOKS! So, let's get this new phase of the blog started with one of my favorite quotes by Anne Lamott. Please comment and let me know if there are specific things you'd like to see me do here on the blog! I'm excited to see where this can go!

Review: What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton

What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I took my time with this one, reading it over several months. There are a few reasons for this ... one, it broke my heart when it reminded me of what could have been. Of where we could have been. And because I am a huge Hillary Clinton fan from way back, reading her book only made me love her more. I admire her in every way ... she is such an amazing woman. And this book only reinforced what I was already feeling about our current political moment ... devastated at where we are and sad for our nation to be led by Donald Trump.

America deserved Hillary Clinton as our leader. Just reading this book reminded me (again) how much she brought to the table ... skills and ideas that we NEED. Her loss was a devastating loss for me personally but an even more devastating loss for our nation. To go from the idea of a competent, intelligent and honorable person as our President to the reality of a Trump presidency. He's a joke. An idiot. A sexist, racist man who cares about no one more than himself. And reading about her ideas and her experiences only reminded me again of what a HUGE loss it was for all of us. Over a year later and I'm still feeling the loss.

I love how this book gave Hillary the opportunity to tell her side of the story, explaining her thoughts and feelings about the election and her life of service. I know many people don't appreciate her ... she's not liked by many. I think this book gave the reader a little view into her as a woman, a mother, a wife, a grandmother. The sides that aren't often seen in the media. I appreciated her candor - she owns her mistakes, she looked at herself in a very honest way. She explored the uncomfortable aspects of the campaign and took a hard look at what she could have done differently.

I really appreciated the time and energy she put into this book. She obviously gave a lot of thought to this book and I think it was so reassuring to see how thoughtful she is about her life and her impact in the world. I found the chapter about the Russian influence in the election to be extremely compelling. Very thoughtful and realistic analysis of what happened and what it means to us and our democracy.

That a woman who has been in public life, giving her all to the people of the United States, has continued to fight despite the ugliness constantly thrown at her is so inspiring to me. And it reminds me that this isn't over ... we can and will fight back against the misogyny and racism that seems to be so front and center in today's day to day.

All in all, I just can't say enough about how much I loved this book. She is an amazing woman and I'm still heartbroken that she's not the President of our nation. She deserved it. We deserved it. I highly recommend this book.For me, this is the very book that I needed after the heartbreaking election results.

[I'm sorry to get political and I know that some of my words may anger some people who supported/support Trump but I have to speak my own truth about this one. We may or may not agree politically but I am proud to live in a nation that allows all of us to express our own beliefs].

Review: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I struggled a bit with this review ... although I loved the book as a whole, I didn't find the journey nearly as satisfying as it could be. Eleanor, as a character, is fantastic - her journey in the novel is what really makes it special. She's unique and interesting - a puzzle in many ways. As her story unfolds, you begin to put the pieces together and better understand the unique aspects of her personality and her experience of the world. For me, the story really felt like it was really well done and yet it felt, at times, that it was moving at a glacial pace. It felt like it took forever for the story to move along. Once it did, I loved where it went. But, in the middle, it was a struggle to get there. In the end, I loved it. But, it wasn't a smooth ride for me. But, all in all, I highly recommend it. Eleanor is an unforgettable character, one that we can all learn from. This really is one of those books that gives the reader something special. It's definitely worth the read! There is a reason that this book is showing up on so many people's favorite books of the year lists.

Review: Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It is killing me to give an Ann Patchett novel 3 stars. I'm a huge fan of her work. This is really the first of her novels that I didn't love. Now, let me start with the fact that this novel is beautifully written. Ann Patchett can WRITE! As I read what this was about, I was sure it was going to be a new favorite - everything about it screamed to me. It's about blended families, for goodness sake. So in my wheelhouse. And yet, the actual reading of it just didn't connect with me. The writing was fabulous and the story was right up my alley. And yet, I never connected with this one. I typically find Patchett's work to almost dance on the page - it's so engaging and compelling. But, this particular novel never popped for me ... it felt almost stagnant in some way. In addition, I felt like it flowed in a funky way and never met the promise it had in the beginning. All in all, I'm still a huge fan of Patchett but I just didn't connect with this particular one. But, I appear to be in the minority of readers ... most of my bookish friends really loved this one. So, if you're a Patchett fan, please give this one a shot. I'm hoping you'll be one of the readers who love this one!