12/17/2019 1 Comment December 2019 Book Releases
1 Comment
12/15/2019 0 Comments One More Gift Post
Less than ten days until Christmas and you can still snag some of these great buys before it's too late. (Just click the pic to buy the best gift EVER!)
12/12/2019 0 Comments The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
My rating: 2 of 5 stars Dear Ron Charles with the Washington Post, you are quoted saying, "...a long novel that never feels long," in regards to this tome of adjectives that equals 771 pages. You are WRONG. This book feels like EVERY single one of those 700 plus pages, and it didn't need to be this way. This book could have been awesome, and by all accounts of its awards and acclaim, apparently it is, but maybe I'm too stupid to realize its greatness. However, I don't believe I am stupid, or ignorant, or uneducated, but what I do believe is that there is an unnecessary elite that comes with writing a long, drawn out, fatalistic piece that has other authors and critics falling all over themselves to adore. Why? Yes, the story, the bare bones beginning, middle, climax, resolution, it was good, something I would have enjoyed reading, but it was the nonstop depressing rain of descriptions upon descriptions, drawn out conversations that had me screaming in my head, "Just shut up already!" Again, I wonder, as I do with so many other books that I read and come away dissatisfied, yet feeling so strongly, is this the point the author is trying to make, the impact they so desire? Is it the point to elicit such intense feelings, whether it be love or hatred? I don't hate the book, there were parts I enjoyed, characters I loved, in its entirety, it inspired to want to write more on my own, but is it really as great as some would lead you to believe? I don't think so, but again, what do I know, I'm a stay-at-home mom writing reviews in my spare time. View all my reviews 12/12/2019 0 Comments My Favorite Children's Books
A little bit about me, I have five, that's right, FIVE kiddos, so I read A LOT, a lot of board books, Dr. Seuss, Sandra Boynton, Roald Dahl, Beverly Cleary, we have BOXES of books for kids. I got tired of cleaning them all off the floor so I had to start rotating them seasonally. Below I've compiled a list of authors and books that I love reading over and over.
12/10/2019 1 Comment Giveaways!12/9/2019 0 Comments Santa, Baby...12/8/2019 1 Comment Dark Hollows by Steve Frech
Dark Hollows by Steve Frech
My rating: 4 of 5 stars I found Dark Hollows while scrolling through Twitter. The name was the first thing to jump out of me, I’m a huge fan of books that have “dark” and “hollows”, it’s the recipe for a great read. Since it was a NetGalley retweet that had featured this title, I jumped over to see if I could snag it for myself, and I rejoiced when I was approved to read the title. From the beginning, I was in love. Set in a Vermont small town in October with detailed descriptions of an east coast autumn, small town main street, and a bustling coffee shop, it wasn’t long before I was craving a cup of joe and the cozy firepit mentioned early on in the story. Mysteries abound in this tale of a past that has caught up with the future, taunting and threatening to expose horrible truths. A classic battle of conscience, where the truth will set you free, sort of. Murders and kidnappings, sabotage and car crashes, this page-turning thriller has everything to keep you entertained to the very last word. This story flows effortlessly, the transitions between the past and present are innovative and add life to the page. Steve’s writing is like a familiar friend, it’s comfortable in its skin, it’s your favorite sweatshirt, perfectly broken in. He masterfully crafts suspense in a way that is not easy in written form. I couldn’t read it fast enough but was upset when it ended so quickly. What I found especially fun was being able to interact with Steve via Twitter while reading. I enjoy following the authors I read, and am thrilled when they follow back, even more so when they interact with my posts as I always want to discuss the book I am currently reading. I am thankful to have found a community on Twitter where I can share what I’m thinking and sometimes receive feedback and commentary. Reading and reviewing becomes so much more fun when you can build a relationship with readers and writers. View all my reviews
Many thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
What kind of blogger would I be if I didn't make a Christmas list full of links I want you to push and stuff I want you to buy so that I'll receive a tiny commission? Girl's gotta eat! But seriously, while I am using affiliate links, I have personally searched for things that I would love to find under the tree, and I'm sure your book lover would feel the same. (Just click the picture to purchase.)
12/4/2019 0 Comments I Choose You by Gayle Curtis
I Choose You by Gayle Curtis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars The story was good, the mystery was strong, I wanted to keep reading and discover the resolution. However, it was like watching a scary movie on TV with commercials, broken up, losing the necessary tension and flow to maintain the delicious suspense. Just when I was getting into something, it would rip me out and put me somewhere else, leaving me discombobulated and frustrated. Perhaps this was the effect the author was trying to achieve, in which case, she was successful. Gayle has a talent with description, one could easily see the dreary English landscape through the familiar gray-blue filter. The stress throughout the novel was palpable, the grief was tangible. It left you clawing for the surface, desperate for the air of your own reality. You know someone is a great writer when they affect your mood, either good or bad. Each character was laden with secrets that wove together an extremely rich and complex novel. I could relate to the mothers and their despondency over failure, vacillating between whether you were helping or harming your child by being present, if they were better off without you. There was the tiniest feeling of hope, enough to make you think that things may turn out okay. My overall takeaway was that this story starts out good, ends well, but can become disjointed in the middle, but I look forward to reading more of Gayle’s work in the future. View all my reviews
Many thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
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