Reading
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Review: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Jojo Moyes is one of my favorite authors and I love reading her books. I think my personal favorite is The Girl You Left Behind, though Me Before You was also excellent. Anytime I get picked one of her books, I simply can’t pass. She is a tried and true author who always writes exceptional books. But this book was about more than just a big name author. The summary of this book would have appealed to me even if it was by a debut author! Horses and books? What could be better!
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Review: Christmas Angels by Nancy Naigle
By now you have probably noticed that it’s basically Christmas in October on my blog right now. I think this is like the third or fourth holiday romance that I have had up for review or feature on my blog lately. I’m a sucker for holiday romances and I simply can’t pass one up! I love the cliche predictability that comes with a charming romance novel set against the holiday season. Nothing says cozy to me like a holiday romance. Which is exactly why I wanted to read this one. I read one of Nancy Naigle’s other holiday romance last year and loved it! She has written a couple of…
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Special Feature: That Was Awkward: The Art and Etiquette of the Awkward Hug by Emily Flake
Is there anyone out there who is truly a hugger or is it just something you have acquired a taste for over the course of your life? For me, it’s something I’ve had to cultivate. I am not a big hugger and there is nothing more awkward than when someone asks if they can hug me because they know I am not a hugger. I mean, yes it’s fine if you hug me but now you made it awkward by asking and pointing out that it’s obvious that I don’t like it. Basically, hugging is such an awkward situation and that’s why I had to laugh when this book popped…
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Review: Christmas in Vermont by Anita Hughes
Every year this happens. I block out the entire month of October for strictly Halloween reading (mysteries, horror, thrillers etc), but then all the holiday romances start coming out and next thing I know it’s like Christmas in October on my blog! I am one of those closet holiday movie fans. There is something so fulfilling about a feel good romance set around the holidays, and I can’t say no to a holiday romance novel to save my life! I have read all of Anita Hughes’s holiday romances and I adore them! She’s written a number of other novels that aren’t Christmas-y and are set in various exotic locations (which…
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Review: Horror Stories by Liz Phair
I don’t read a ton of non fiction, especially memoirs. It’s just not a genre that really appeals to me, but on occasion reading biographies or memoirs about Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, or other famous modern women cross my mind frequently. But as I said, it’s usually a genre that I pass on—though I rarely get pitched a memoir, I almost always skip it. However, I have a mega girl crush on Liz Phair and when I was pitched this book, I may or may not have fan girled hard. Her music was the soundtrack of my youth/high school years and when I saw this book was coming out, I…
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Review: Love Poems for People with Children by John Kenney
John Kenney is absolutely hysterical. I read one of his other ‘Love Poems’ books earlier this year and couldn’t get enough of how real and honest it was! Love Poems for Married People was a delight to read for both my husband and I and we often found ourselves laughing until we cried over one poem or another. I had no idea that he was working on another book of poems until it arrived on my desk for review. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to read it. So I blocked out an hour of time and read it in one sitting.
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Review: Coming Home for Christmas (Haven Point #10) by RaeAnne Thayne
Yes you saw that right, it’s one of my first Christmas reviews! I can’t believe I am already seeing a ton of holiday books hitting shelves everywhere. While I would normally reserve October for mystery or horror novels, I have a soft spot for RaeAnne Thayne. I love her Haven Point books—especially the Christmas ones! This is my fourth book by Thayne and I couldn’t miss another chance to dip back into her cheery holiday filled world! I have recently been reaching out for more of her books, the non Christmas ones, and look forward to picking them up more often. She is a prolific writer and her books are…
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Review: The Light Over London by Julia Kelly
I have had this one on my radar since last year! I was so excited to be part of the paperback release and couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book when it finally arrived! WWII adds so much drama and interest for me when it comes to novels—especially those set in London. From a historical standpoint, I prefer WWI but when it comes to war time romances, WWII is where it’s at for me. Julia Kelly has written a number of historical romance novels and this appears to be a little different than her usual books but knowing that where was a romantic element in this story made…
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Review: The First Lady and the Rebel by Susan Higginbotham
The first thing that caught my eye about this book was its absolutely stunning cover, and it’s even more beautiful in person! I couldn’t take my eyes off of it and easily found room on my schedule to read it. I also thought the time period and setting would be appealing as I am a Civil War historian, I couldn’t wait to crack it open and discover the story of two sisters on opposite sides of the Mason Dixon line! The two sisters were none other than Mary Todd Lincoln, future first lady, and Emily Todd Helm. Right away I was curious to see how this one unfolded. There are…
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Review: The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter by Hazel Gaynor (Audible Edition)
I’ve been a huge fan of Hazel Gaynor for quite some time and when I saw this book was being released last year, I couldn’t wait and had it no my pre order for months! It arrived and all the reviews were outstanding and I couldn’t wait to crack it open…..and then I just didn’t. I don’t know why but it just never seemed like the right time to read it. As many of you know, I got hooked on Audible earlier this year and have been using it as a tool to supplement my reading. I only listen when I am running errands and if I get really into…