Review: The Silver Mask

The Silver Mask by Holly Black
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great addition to the series! Only one left . . . I look forward to finishing it!

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Review: Christmas with Anne and Other Holiday Stories

Christmas with Anne and Other Holiday Stories by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a collection of very predictable stories, but they were sweet. I got basically what I expected and wanted out of these short stories, which was to read something that was light and happy that could put me in the Christmas spirit. I always like L.M. Montgomery's writing, even if her stories were not really that unique or surprising.

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Review: The Bronze Key

The Bronze Key by Holly Black
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75 stars - Although this wasn't my favorite installment in the series, I am really enjoying these books overall. This was an engaging edition to the series with a lot of action!

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Review: Percy Jackson's Greek Gods

Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The audiobook automatically returned before I was finished with it, so I had to wait a loooong time before it could be checked out to me again because there were a lot of holds. However, I just finished it. It is a great book to teach middle school kids about the Greek gods! So many of the stories are difficult to navigate with middle school students because of all of the incest, rape, and other content that many of the gods and goddesses seem to have participated in . . . However, Rick Riordan handled it very well and in an age-appropriate way. The stories were very funny since he used Percy Jackson's voice to tell them. I definitely plan to take a look at his version of Greek heroes as well. It was really enjoyable!

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Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just re-listened to the book for about the 100th time. Still doesn't get old! I love the later books in the series even more, but this is pretty great! And Jim Dale is a genius as far as reading aloud goes. There just isn't a better reader out there!

12/9/18 - Another fun re-read! I can't wait until I get to the later books again!

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Review: Mansfield Park

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. This was a Jane Austen I'd just never gotten to! I always enjoy her writing, but there were a few things that annoyed me about it. First, Fanny was almost too perfect and too sweet. I felt badly for her, but I wish she had a tiny bit more pep or something. She was just always getting so tired and was so incredibly meek and mild and I just wanted her to state her opinion on something sometime! But she didn't. I guess I just prefer Elizabeth Bennets to Fanny Prices.

It also annoyed me that it wasn't until the last couple of paragraphs before (view spoiler)[ Fanny ends up with Edmund. (hide spoiler)] Edmund always cared about her and trusted her, but I was frustrated by how obsessed he was with Mary. I know we were supposed to be frustrated by that, but I just wish it hadn't lasted the entire book. I would have enjoyed seeing the (view spoiler)[ process of him falling in love with Fanny a little more. (hide spoiler)]

Still, I was wanting to know the whole time what was going to happen so I was very motivated to listen to it. I also enjoyed watching the movie afterwards and they definitely gave Fanny more spunk than she had in the book. It made me really want to reread Pride and Prejudice (my favorite, although Persuasion is a close second) actually. I think I might. :) Now I only have Lady Susan and will have read them all!

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Review: Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really, really liked this book! Definitely the best middle grade book I've read in a long time (and I've read a few good ones recently!). There were creative, whimsical characters (including a giant talking cat - who doesn't love that??), a unique world, a compelling plot, and more! I think this series has a lot of potential. The comparisons to Harry Potter are fair, at least as far as the feelings evoked while reading it and the potential it has for future books. I loved the actual trials and the scenes that took place surrounding holidays. I think there is room for more world-building and development of the antagonist, but I am looking forward to that in future books. I almost never give 5 stars, but I think this one may be worthy of the rating!

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Review: What Happened

What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really wish this book had been written before the election. I doubt it would have made much of a difference, but you get to see Hillary's more relatable side. She explains herself really well, in ways I sometimes think she wasn't able to get across as clearly during the election.

I really appreciated how much she talks about her faith. I had no idea that she took her faith so seriously. Her discussions about her e-mails and Russian interference were fascinating and enlightening as well. I also enjoyed seeing glimpses into her personal life and feelings -- her walks will her husband, how numb she felt when she found out she lost, her gathering her courage to go to the inauguration, playing with her granddaughter, etc.

Some of it felt propaganda-like, but it also seemed like she really deeply believed what she was saying throughout the book as well. I am glad I listened to this, because I think hearing her voice while she read it helped me hear it the way she intended me to. Overall, it made me like and appreciate her more and think about what could have been (although, as she points out, if she had become president, there may not be as much political energy as there is now - protests, more people running, etc.). Overall it was a really cathartic and thought-provoking book!

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Review: Outliers: The Story of Success

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. I thought it was very interesting, but I knew more what to expect than last time I read a book by Gladwell so I was less surprised. It was good though!

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Review: The Final Empire

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars. What a great fantasy! I'll write more when I have more time (which I've been saying a lot lately), but for now I'll just say that this one had wonderful world building, character development, and a very unique magic system. I can't wait to read the rest of the series! I think it's going some really interesting places. :)

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Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars (rounded up since there aren't half stars). I think objectively this is not a 5-star book, but it is exactly the kind of book I love. I love books written in epistolary style (and they are hard to find!). The characters felt very real to me. I fell in love with Guernsey, Juliet, Kit, Dawsey, and everyone else in the literary society. I also really enjoyed the all of the literary allusions. It was clearly a book about loving books, which is my very favorite kind of book.

I am looking forward to the movie, although I'm a little worried because the preview didn't have anything about Kit in it. I hope it is well done, but I'm having trouble imagining how it will translate to film. I hope to watch it this weekend.

I am so sad that the author is no longer alive because I would have loved to read more by her. This was actually a reread for me (which I almost never do). It was just so good. It may not be for everyone but it was perfectly suited to my tastes.

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Review: The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog

The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a fun, interesting book! This is the best middle grade novel I've read in a while. I've had a lot of trouble getting into middle grade novels the last several times I've attempted to read them, but this one broke that trend. It was full of fascinating characters - the holy dog, the nun, and, of course, the children. I loved how it was told by the different characters in tales (like The Canterbury Tales) and the meaning behind the inquisitor's tale. It was a great adventure story and I look forward to reading it to my little boys when they are older!

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Review: Betsy-Tacy

Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. This was a very sweet little book that I probably would have absolutely loved if I had discovered it when I was growing up. I listened to it while I was cleaning for a couple of hours this afternoon. I still enjoyed it and I'd like to see what else happens to Betsy and her friends.

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Review: Betsy-Tacy

Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. This was a very sweet little book that I probably would have absolutely loved if I had discovered them when I was growing up. I listened to it while I was cleaning for a couple of hours this afternoon. I still enjoyed it and I'd like to see what else happens to Betsy and her friends.

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Review: Between Shades of Gray

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a really well-written book about little-known events in history during World War II. It follows Lina, a young Lithuanian girl who was taken to a Siberian work camp and struggled to survive. It was heartbreaking and hard to read at times, but also an important part of history that has been widely forgotten. The author is Lithuanian herself and drew on the experiences from her own family and others she interviewed who went through this experience. I certainly plan to recommend this book to my students. The content was hard to read, but powerful and important.

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Review: Rose in Bloom

Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75 stars. Very enjoyable, although a bit preachy (as Alcott tends to be). Like in the last book, Rose was too perfect for me, but some parts truly were surprising and it was overall what I was hoping to get out of it - a light, sweet, mostly happy little book.

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Review: The Cruel Prince

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one took me a while to get into and I almost put it down a couple of times. I'm glad I stuck with it though because when I got about 2/3 of the way through, I was hooked. It did take me quite a while though, so I think maaaaybe it is a 3.75 stars for me.

I'm still pretty uncertain about what I think about the characters, particularly Cardan, "the cruel prince." A lot is left unresolved (which makes sense, since this is just the first installment) and I'm very curious about Cardan, Taryn, Locke, Madoc, Oriana, and more key characters. I guess I still feel like I can't really figure any of them out. Usually I have a better grasp on who is good and who is bad by the end of the first book, but I think that is part of the appeal of this series. Even the main character, Jude, is pretty morally grey.

I read this both because I wanted to and because it is on the list for The Battle of the Books 2019, which I will be taking a large group of students to in the spring. I think those who really like Sarah J. Maas (especially her A Court of Thorns and Roses series) will love this one as well. It is not as steamy, but has more political intrigue and takes place in a similar faerie realm. I did really like the setting. I hope it is further developed in future books.

I now can't wait to read The Wicked King and I wish I didn't have to wait until January!!

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Review: Between the World and Me

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was really good. I think I need to think about it for a day or two before I write a longer review, but for now, let me just say that yes, you should read it. It is short but powerful.

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Review: Everything I Never Told You

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 or maybe 3.75 stars. It was very well written. I can't say I really enjoyed it. I don't think you are supposed to really enjoy the story of a dysfunctional family and death of a young girl. It did make me think and kept me reading (listening) though. I enjoyed the writing style and it definitely made me want to read Little Fires Everywhere.

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Review: Frozen Tides

Frozen Tides by Morgan Rhodes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.25 stars. Really great! This was another excellent addition to a highly enjoyable series. Like the others in the series, there were a lot of unexpected turns, surprising deaths, interesting perspectives from a variety of characters, etc. I'm looking forward to finishing the last two books! :)

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Review: The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother's Memoir

The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother's Memoir by Katrina Kenison
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked it better than I thought I would. I really only read it because I've had it on my shelf forever since I received it as a gift when I was pregnant with my first son (4 and 1/2 years ago). I needed to either read it or get rid of it, so I decided to at least try it. I found enough in it that I identified with to keep reading. Like the author, I have two sons, although mine are much younger than hers were at the time her book took place. I appreciated many of her reminders and insights, especially about slowing down and appreciating each moment for what it is. However, the book did get repetitive. I thought it was good to have the little mystery of where her son Henry would end up going to college woven throughout the story, because I think by the end I was mostly just reading/listening because I was curious where he ended up. Still, I honestly didn't anticipate even finishing this book, so I enjoyed it far more than I expected to.

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Review: The Unexpected Everything

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75 stars. This was the perfect summer read! It wasn't too serious, but it was very sweet. I liked the main character and her group of friends. I liked that Clark was an author and that Andie was a dog walker. The romance was really enjoyable to read about. It was pretty much everything I would want out of a summer book, especially since it also took place in the summer. It was my first Morgan Matson book, and I will definitely read more (especially in the summer)!

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Review: Paper Towns

Paper Towns by John Green
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked it, but it didn't hold my attention as much as I would have liked. I always enjoy John Green's writing style, but perhaps it wasn't the right time for me to read this because I think I just wasn't in the mood for a contemporary. I'm also struggling with YA realistic fiction lately so that didn't help . . . I'm interested in seeing the movie though and I look forward to read other John Green books!

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Review: Inferno

Inferno by Dan Brown
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. A fun read with a lot of twists that I saw coming and one that I did not. If you've read Dan Brown's other books, this one is not much different, but I do enjoy reading them. The one thing that did really surprise me was (view spoiler)[ the fact that Langdon basically failed this time. He didn't get "plague" in time and it contaminated the whole world - whoa! I was definitely surprised by that! (hide spoiler)] I am really hoping that the next book talks a little bit about the ramifications for the ending . . . I did kind of feel like it just ended with more questions than answers. I don't expect it to though. I also wish that every book didn't have a different female protagonist. This one was interesting and I'd love to see what happens to Sienna also. I know these books are unrealistic and somewhat ridiculous, but overall they are still a lot of fun.

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Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. This was pretty good. Not spectacular or anything, but I liked it enough and passed the book on to my mom because I think she'd enjoy it as well. The one thing I will say is that I listened to this as an audiobook, but I don't think that is the best format for this one. After I finished I looked at the print version and realized there were all kinds of charts and little illustrations throughout the book that I didn't get to see. I didn't realize it of course, but I did feel like I missed out on an important part of the story because of it.

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Review: The Ice Dragon

The Ice Dragon by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an enjoyable short story that I read in about a half hour (which was perfect because that's all the time I had!). I guess I don't really have that much to say about it. . . But I've been meaning to read it for a while and now I have!

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Review: The Princess Saves Herself in this One

The Princess Saves Herself in this One by Amanda Lovelace
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. I read this quickly this afternoon. I enjoyed it. I liked the princess/damsel/queen metaphor and I also really appreciated her poems about the deaths of her sister and mother. I would also like to see some more of her political poetry. There was only one that I would consider really political in the book, but I think it was my favorite and something I think she would do really well if she does more of it. I don't know if it will really stick with me (maybe if I read it again a time or two?), but I certainly plan to read her next collection.

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Review: Catwings Return

Catwings Return by Ursula K. Le Guin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My son and I are really enjoying this series. So sweet! Plus, who doesn't love Ursula Le Guin? This was just as good as the first one!

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Review: Catwings

Catwings by Ursula K. Le Guin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another wonderful book that I read with my son! It was sweet and another very enjoyable animal story. I borrowed the rest of the series from the library so you will be seeing reviews for them soon as well!

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Review: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars. This book was hard to put down. I kept finding excuses to listen to my audiobook. I didn't really like the main character, but you weren't really supposed to. You were supposed to appreciate her and all of her complexities. I agree with other reviews that say that the narrator and biographer, Monique, wasn't very important to the story. Her character worked for the purpose of telling the story, but she was not nearly as vibrant or as interesting as Evelyn. Taylor Jenkins Reid created an incredibly vibrant and believable character in Evelyn, and it was very satisfying to read about her. I will not be forgetting this story any time soon.

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Review: The Ember Stone

The Ember Stone by Katrina Charman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I just read this aloud with my sons (well, really just the one - the other is 2 and didn't really pay attention to most of it), and we both really enjoyed it. It was like The Capture and The Guardians of Ga'hoole series but for a younger audience. There were pictures on every page, which made it more enjoyable for my son. He was very proud of reading a chapter book. It was a fun story too! I liked it a lot more than most of the books we've read together. I bought the second and third books in the series so we can keep reading now that we are done!

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Review: After You

After You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was very unsure about reading this one after reading the first one and then seeing somewhat mixed reviews. However, I am really glad I read it. I had some major issues with the first book, but this one redeemed it somewhat. I've always liked Louisa's character, I just hated the ending of Me Before You and the messages I felt it sent. The first thing I really appreciated about this book (as opposed to the last one) was that right from the beginning, Louisa is going to therapy to deal with her grief. Really, this entire book explores the grief and guilt that came from the aftermath of Will's death. It wasn't a perfect book, but I liked Louisa'a voice and her relationship with a new pivotal character. I was left feeling happy for her and curious about her future. I definitely plan to read Still Me, this summer if possible!

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Review: Blood Water Paint

Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a powerful verse novel about the strength of a young girl who was a prolific painter in the early 1600s. I don't want to get into spoilers, but suffice it to say that she suffers and struggles greatly while also demonstrating her fortitude. It was a pretty quick read, but poignant. It was a Battle of the Books 2019 pick, and I'm very glad I read it.

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Review: The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A sweet story, but not really the kind of story I most enjoy right now. I think I will enjoy it a lot more when I read it to my boys in a few years. :)

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Review: Chronicles of Avonlea

Chronicles of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75 stars. This was a sweet short story collection with all the feel-good romance and sweetness of typical L.M. Montgomery stories. There were several reconciled lovers after years of silence or quarreling, rescued orphans, etc. Some of it is a bit silly, but it made me happy to read. There were several references and short appearance of Anne as well! I can't ask for much more than that. :)

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Review: Chronicles of Avonlea

Chronicles of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. This was a sweet short story collection with all the feel-good romance and sweetness of typical L.M. Montgomery stories. There were several reconciled lovers after years of silence or quarreling, rescued orphans, etc. Some of it is a bit silly, but it made me happy to read. There were several references and short appearance of Anne as well! I can't ask for much more than that. :)

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Review: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondō
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I listened to this audiobook while cleaning, and it definitely helped motivate me to clean and get rid of more. It was a good book to listen to under the circumstances, but I feel like I could summarize the whole book in a few sentences here and you wouldn't miss much of it. Basically, the idea is that when cleaning, you hold each item you own in your hands and ask if it brings you joy. If if makes you happy, you keep it. If not, you get rid of it. She also recommends organizing by category rather than by room and moving from non-sentimental things to things that are harder to give away (i.e. from clothes to books to photographs). There. That is basically the whole book.

Of course she gets into a bit more detail about things like how to fold clothes to save room, the uselessness of many organizational items, and that sort of thing. However, the book could have been a lot shorter. Still, it was motivating to listen to and although it made me a little bit stressed, it probably did help me get rid of more while cleaning yesterday.

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Review: Gathering Darkness

Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.25 stars. I am so enjoying this fantasy series! Some of the plot was a bit predictable, but I really love the characters and the world-building. I also wish the characters were more diverse, but this novel finally introduced a bit more diversity. I hope that continues in the future novels! I don't want to say too much about the plot since this is the third in the series, but it is fast-paced and engaging. I had no trouble getting into the story and I couldn't put the book down! I really can't wait to read the rest of the series!

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Review: The Moon by Night

The Moon by Night by Madeleine L'Engle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I always enjoy L'Engle's writing, but this was not one of my favorites by her. It was very character-driven rather than plot-driven. I usually like that, but Vicky Austen (the main character) is not one of my favorite characters. I do think it is probably a very realistic portrayal of a young teenage girl and I am curious about what will happen to her in future books. However, it was a struggle to get through even though it was short. Again, I love L'Engle's writing style in this book and in every book I've read by her, but this was just ok for me.

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Review: Cleopatra's Daughter

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I think I must just not be in the mood for historical fiction. I'm counting it as finished even though I probably only read 60% of it and then read a summary of the ending online. I couldn't really get into and then we went on vacation and I didn't have time to listen anymore and I just gave up. I don't think it was bad, but I wasn't in the mood for it. I've been giving up on more books lately, but if I'm not really into it, I haven't been wanting to waste more time on them. I have waaaay too many books to read to spend a lot of time on something I can't get in to. Oh well!

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Review: Long Way Down

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a quick read with an important message about the cycle of violence. I enjoyed the verse format and was surprised by how such a powerful story could be told in such a short amount of time. I thought it was really good!

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Review: A Court of Frost and Starlight

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Nothing really happened, but it was somewhat enjoyable. I thought the most interesting part was the preview of the next book, so I'm definitely looking forward to that. Although I don't like Nesta's character at all, I am intrigued. This one was mostly just a fluff piece - a filler to hold people over until the next book. Also, there was a surprising amount of sexually explicit material in this. I knew to expect some because I've read all the other books, but for only being 200 pages, Sarah really managed to pack in a whole lot of it. Still, if you can overlook that and some of the cringeworthy lines, it was entertaining. I'm glad I read it, but more because I'm looking forward to the next book than because I really enjoyed this one.

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Review: Sharp Objects

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2.5 stars. Definitely disturbing on many levels, but it was interesting. I will say that I was surprised by the ending, (view spoiler)[ but mostly because I predicted it from the beginning and then decided it was far too obvious. I mean, Amma really was terrible right from the first time you see her and it only gets worse. (hide spoiler)]

It was very dark and needs all kinds of trigger warnings on it, so proceed with caution. I almost gave it two stars because I was somewhat upset by the portrayal of some of the content. (view spoiler)[ I was concerned by the sexualization of a thirteen year old girl and I hated it when the main character (who was supposed to be a semi-responsible adult) did drugs with her. I get that they were from a very messed-up family, but still. I did not think she should have taken custody of Amma in the end before the final ending is revealed . . . It was probably a somewhat realistic picture of dysfunctional family dynamics (minus the murdery bits), but I didn't like any of that. I found her descriptions of cutting fairly disturbing also. I also found several of the circumstances in the novel to be too convenient. However, I rounded it up to three stars because I was drawn in to the story and invested the whole time in what was happening. I definitely wanted to find out who the murderer was and what was going to happen. I do plan to read Gillian Flynn's Dark Places, which is her only novel that I haven't read of hers. I could sort of tell that this was a debut novel, so I think her writing has probably improved over time. Still, it was an interesting murder mystery, even if I did have some problems with it. (hide spoiler)]

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Review: Mark of the Thief

Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Another 2.5 stars. I've been striking out on the audiobooks lately. It wasn't that bad, but it wasn't that good either. I haven't enjoyed a middle grade book in a while. I think I'd feel differently about this book if I was still in middle school, but I just didn't care that much about any of the characters. I may read the next one, however, because I think it has the potential to improve and I did really like Jennifer Nielsen's last series. We'll see.

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Review: The Royal We

The Royal We by Heather Cocks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was really fun and basically amounts to William and Kate fan fiction. I didn't think it was particularly amazing or anything (hence the three stars), but it was exactly what I wanted while getting ready to watch the new royal wedding with Harry and Meghan. It was cute, light, and fluffy. Don't set your expectations too high, but this can certainly be an enjoyable read.

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Review: Glass Sword

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars. The last third was better than the first two thirds, but I had a hard time getting into this one. I'm unsure about whether or not to continue this series. More of a review coming when I have more time to write. :)

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Review: Big Little Lies

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75 stars. I really enjoyed it, although maybe not quite as much as the last two I read by her (hence the 3.75 stars instead of a 4). Like her past books, I couldn't put it down! I was constantly looking for excuses to listen and read it. I was very intrigued and I appreciated how she handled topics such as abuse, assault, and even beauty and struggles with weight. I loved the friendship between the women and each of the three main characters and their story arcs. Moriarty really has a way of getting to the heart of an issue and describing things in a way that I feel like most women can relate to.

I did doc it a little because there was a little too much cattiness and gossip between the women. While maybe it was fairly realistic, I just don't like it. It had a very satisfying ending as well. I am really looking forward to watching the miniseries and reading more of her books!

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Review: Falling Kingdoms

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars. I like Game of Thrones and I loved how this reminded me of the TV show (the book somewhat as well, but this is definitely written in a simpler style than the books as it is intended for a YA audience). It was its own story, but it definitely had the elements that I enjoy from Game of Thrones (political intrigue, betrayals, deaths from unexpected people, etc.). Although it is sad when characters I like die, I appreciate books where anything can happen and nobody is safe. Isn't that how life really is? I loved the characters and the world. It was just complex enough for me to have to pay attention but not become too confused.

One criticism I had heard about the book was that it was sort of your typical YA fantasy and to similar to what is already out there, but I didn't find that to be the case. I thought the story was unique and clearly and exciting beginning for a long new series that I can't wait to read more from. I already got the second book out and I'm listening to it now! I hadn't planned to read this whole series right away, but I am now thinking I might binge-read it. :) It's a good one!!

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Review: And Only to Deceive

And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars. A bit of a ridiculous book that was ok if you can suspend your disbelief. The main character was somewhat annoying, but the story was entertaining. I have no idea why it was on my to-be-read shelf on my phone for audiobooks, but my randomized system chose this book, so I read it. It was alright, but rather silly. :)

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Review: The Husband's Secret

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another surprise! I've been reading a lot of books that surprise me lately, which has been nice (especially since they've all been pleasant surprises). I found the characters to be very relatable. There were a lot of lines that stood out to me and made me think, "Wow. That's exactly how I would feel if I were in her situation." I was mostly satisfied with the ending, although I did still have a few questions. I just really didn't expect to enjoy Liane Moriarty's books, but I couldn't believe how much I did. I think it has convinced me to read her most popular book, Big Little Lies. Additionally, I heard that this one is going to be made into a movie with Blake Lively, so I hope that they do a good job with it. Anyway, yes, a good book! Definitely recommended for those who enjoy women's stories, mild mysteries, and compelling writing. :)

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