2015 Reads

I’m a wife, mom of 3 and work full-time. Reading is a luxury that I am afforded 30 minutes here and there. Blogging, well I think you can look around my page and see how neglected that is. I did manage to set a reading goal for myself on Goodreads in 2015. I kept it low because of obvious reasons and actually read a few more than I expected. In my mind each book that I completed I would write a review but let’s face it; I’m not disciplined enough. Blogger goals right here! Enough rambling, here’s my list (I realize that I am late to the party on 90% of these books):

1. Captivated By You (Crossfire, #4)
2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (read twice)
3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
9. The Girl on the Train
10. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
11. The Good Girl
12. Outlander, #1
13. I Regret Nothing
14. A Court of Thorns and Roses
15. Paper Towns
16. Divergent
17. Insurgent
18. Allegiant

Most of these books aren’t small books so I’m not mad at my results! My favorite of the year? Do you really have to ask? Harry of course!

In 2016 I hope to start back with the Outlander series and everything Sarah J. Maas and then there’s the Lunar Chronicles and Dorothy Must Die and The Martian and Rainbow Rowell and Pretty Baby…the ever-growing TBR!

What were your favorites of 2015 and what are you looking forward to in 2016?

A Court of Thorns and Roses

This blog, I mean can I even call it a blog yet? I started this as a way to track the books I was reading and maybe even to meet some other book lovers. What I’ve actually managed to do is well, not post. It’s 2016, a new year, new resolutions to err…keep. With that being said…

Oh Sarah J. Maas, you do special things with your words. A year ago when I started this whole BookTube watching I noticed everyone talked about Sarah J. Maas. After her name repeatedly come up I thought she was someone I had better check out.

I chose A Court of Thorns and Roses. Ok let’s pause…a retelling of Beauty and the Beast? Yes, please. Faeries? Keep it coming. Love story? Why not? The characters and the world building are incredible. And at times I would get so caught up in the story that I would completely forget that it was actually a retelling because the story was absolutely it’s own.

Feyre (Fay-ruh) is our female protagonist. She basically takes care of her “disabled” father and 2 bitchy, older sisters. While hunting one afternoon Feyre kills a strange looking wolf but one that will provide much meat and hide. After celebrating her kill, a vicious “beast” arrives at their hut and threatens to kill the family or take Feyre captive. Ever the  selfless one, Feyre goes with the Beast. Beasty Boy  (Tamlin) turns out to be a Lord of one of the 6 magical courts. The residents of Spring Court, which is where Feyre now lives, all wear a type of masquerade-animal mask which I found intriguing. We find out later that this is basically a curse that has been put on this court. As you would expect Feyre and Tamlin eventually fall for one another. Although at times I suspect that Feyre could have 2 other love interests. One being Tamlin’s long-time friend Lucien and the other being the Lord of the Night Court, Rhysland (resident bad guy). Side note: At the end of ACOTR I was leaning towards Team Rhysland- I know, I know. Some shit goes down and for the most part Feyre is right in the middle of it.  Feyre conjures up some crazy in the woods (narrowly escapes), she witnesses Fire Night (holy faerie magic batman!) and lets not leave off Amarantha (she’s as ruthless as Voldemort). As for the ending, I can’t even remember anything except for the goodbye between Rhysland and Feyre. “His eyes locked on mine, wide and wild, and his nostrils flared. Shock — pure shock flashed across his features at whatever he saw on my face, and he stumbled back a step. Actually stumbled. ‘What is–I began.’ He disappeared — simply disappeared…” WHAT?!! What did he see? Thank goodness I only have a few more months until the next book!

I’m pretty sure I talked non-stop about this book for a good 3 months. I referenced it so much that some might have thought I needed an ACOTAR support group. It’s that good y’all!

 

Books Please

April showers bring May flowers book purchases. The month of May has been super busy and curling up with a good book has been about as common as tea with a Tyrannosaurus Rex. With that being said, I still made several (15) book purchases this month thanks to some great recommendations from you guys! Since I’m still reading Outlander and The Good Girl and not ready for a review I figured I would share with you the books that I purchased this month.

 

Jen is awesome and a genius and hilarious. Sarcastic, yes that too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Apple Store

 

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I can’t remember who recommended this one but it’s summer and that means romance reads!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Apple Store

 

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Sugar was one of the May Kindle First selections. It was free so why not?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon

 

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Because I’m the only one that hasn’t read these…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon

 

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A book I wouldn’t normally choose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Apple Store

 

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This book is everywhere right now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Apple Store

 

 

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Another fantasy book purchase this month.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Apple Store

 

 

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Do you see this? This cover alone is worth purchasing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Apple Store

 

 

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A twisted Wizard of Oz? Yes please! I’ve read about the controversy surrounding this series and Full Fathom Five. I get it but the storyline was too intriguing to resist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Apple Store

 

 

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If you’ve read these let me know below what you thought of them and if you have any recommendations leave those as well!

APRIL FAVORITES

Can you believe that this month has come and gone? April has been a busy month between baseball, weekend trips and life in general. I have several favorites this month so let’s get started!

The Wet Brush – I have really long, tangle-prone hair and this brush is amazing for after I get out of the shower. I previously used the Tangle Teezer but it was awkward to hold. The Wet Brush has a handle and the bristles are so forgiving that breakage is reduced significantly. I purchased mine from TJ Maxx but you can get one here.

 

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OH MY GAHHHHH!! Do you love this? This might be my all time favorite purchase. Thank you eBay! I believe it came from China and took close to a month to get here but it was so worth the wait!

 

 

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I’m not sure how I found out about the Entitle website but so glad I did. It’s like a digital DoubleDay Book Club. There are a few different subscriptions you can choose from but basically for $9.99 a month you can choose 2 standard books. There are certain books that are starred, sort of a premium book, and with those you can only choose 1 premium selection and 1 standard for the month. I signed up for this in February to try out and found it’s a great way to complete my series like Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars. And they are yours to keep even after you cancel (you can cancel at any time). If you are interested you can click this and once you pay for a month both you and I will get a free month! Win-Win!! (I’m not being paid by Entitle, just spreading the word about a service I am enjoying).

 

 

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I recently found out that one of my favorite restaurants, 4 Rivers Smokehouse, opened near (read 2 hours away)…so I had to go. I loaded up the family and we headed south. If you are ever in Florida then you should need to eat here. I cannot tell you how good this is. Like stand-in-a-line-that-wraps-around-the-building-at-12-noon-in-the-baking-sun good. Also they have this brownie called Kryptonite, enough said.

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Favorite Book this month: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing – Judy Blume

Favorite Song this month: Believe-Mumford & Sons

Favorite Movie/Television show this month: Furious 7

Favorite Look this month: Kimonos

What have you been loving this month?

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good!

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I am that person, you know the one. One of the last few who had never read or watched Harry Potter. Hi.

Unless you’ve been living on an island with Gilligan then you have heard of Harry Potter. Harry Potter was introduced when I was 17 and obviously too busy to read a child’s book (insert nose into air). It was huge. J.K. Rowling wrote book after book, movies were made. Yet I still didn’t succumb to all that is Harry. About 8 years ago a friend suggested the series to me. I bought a used copy of the first book and it remained on my shelf until January of this year. My family was planning a trip to Universal Studios and I figured that now was the time to know all about the famous Wizarding World. At 34, I fell in love with Harry Potter.

Although I believe you all know the storyline, here’s my breakdown. Harry has a terrible first 10 years. On his 11th birthday he learns that he is a wizard and his life is forever changed. We essentially grow up with Harry, Ron and Hermione and fight Lord Voldemort with them along the way. There are so many wonderful details in each book that I could never begin to summarize. Seriously, J.K. Rolling is the master of storytelling. #jkrowlingistheshit (go ahead, look it up…the hashtags are there).

As with many popular books, the HP series is often criticized. Writing books and reading books is all about imagination. So why attack an author’s creativity? Lack of a creative mind is what is wrong with kids today. They are faced with the realties of adult problems instead of getting lost in fictional fantasy. Of course that is strictly my opinion but I’m right 99% of the time, just ask my husband. With that being said, if you have just crawled from underneath a rock and have not read these books, then do so. And if you have a child, read them with your kids. I promise you won’t regret it!

After all this time? Always. – Severus  Snape

Book Babble

★★★★★

There is nothing so painful, so corrosive, as suspicion. – Paula Hawkins, The Girl on the Train

Currently #1 on Amazon’s Bestseller list, The Girl on the Train is a psychological thriller that will have you turning the pages faster than you can say, well, The Girl on the Train. The story centers in London and is told by alternating female narrators. You hear from the “alcoholic”, the “sex-addict” and the “new wife”.

Divorced, barren and jobless, Rachel turns to alcohol to numb the pain. After a drunken night out she must figure out if she witnessed a murder, committed a murder or if her blackouts were just causing fake memories. Anna is young and beautiful. She has a loving husband and a new baby; if she could only get rid of the ex-wife.  Megan is vivacious and addicted to excitement. She loves her husband, the other men are harmless and just for fun. This is a story of 3 women who learn that things and people are not always as they seem and that sometimes doing the right thing can be fatal.

Paula Hawkins does well in developing her characters. Typically I am not a fan of books whose chapters alternate narrators and time but, Hawkins does this well and with purpose. She weaves the plot twist masterfully including an ending that doesn’t disappoint. So why are you still here? Go read this now!