September Book Review

I have officially read my 30 books that I wanted to read for the year!  Anything now is bonus.  

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

This might be one of my top books for the year so far.  It wasn't the one that I read the quickest, it maybe wasn't the most "enjoyable" (I did enjoy it, but I mean in comparison to a light and fluffy chick lit book).  But as a real literary book that has a bunch of depth but is still readable, this book is it.

Leni and her parents move to Alaska to homestead in the 70's.  It's a turbulent time, and her dad has changed since being released as a POW from the Vietnam war.  Leni finds herself in Alaska and this novel is an exploration of that, her family, the friends she makes.  

For me, I love watching Alaska shows, so that's what drew me to this book in the first place.  (Alaska: The Last Frontier anyone?)  But I felt like this book had some great character development, it was thought provoking and educational.  

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware

This book is about Hal, a young woman who is living day by day and has loan sharks after her.  When she gets a letter telling her that her grandmother has died and she will get an inheritance, it seems too good to be true.  Especially since she knows that this woman couldn't possibly be her grandmother.  She is desperate so plans to deceive this family in order to come into the money anyways.  Unfortunately things begin to unravel once she gets to the estate that belonged to Mrs. Westaway.  

I did enjoy this book, but not as much as some of Ruth Ware's books.  I loved In a Dark, Dark Wood and the Lying Game.  This one was more along the lines of the Woman in Cabin 10.  Left me wanting a bit more from it.

I've Got My Eyes on You by Mary Higgins Clark

What can I say about this besides the fact that it's classic Mary Higgins Clark.  A young girl is murdered, the book takes on the perspective of her family, a couple suspects and the detective.  I found it slightly predictable and a few parts surprised me as being unrealistic, but this was a shorter book and an easy read.

August Book Review

This month started off so strong, and then I just stopped reading. I read three books in the first week as I was on holidays, and then I only read one other book the entire rest of the month!  But four books isn't too bad either.

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

This was my book club book for this month.  So it's outside the norm of what I would usually read.  It's set in the 1600's and is about a young girl who marries a rich merchant.  She moves into his house with his controlling sister.  He gives her a miniature house that is a replica of the house they live in and then secrets begin to be revealed.  I don't like giving too much away! 

I found this book interesting and it gave a good perspective of life back then, although some parts seemed a bit unrealistic.  The general consensus at book club was that this was a good book!  

My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan

I picked up this book because it had been described as being similar to "The Royal We" which I absolutely loved!  This book isn't about royalty, but it is about an American girl who goes to school at Oxford and falls for her young professor.  Again, I don't like to give away main story lines when they are something that aren't straight up described in the book description.  But if you like chick lit and Nicholas Sparks I think you would like this book.



All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin

This book is oh so relevant these days.  Nina is married into Nashville elite.  Her son goes to a private school and their life is basically a combination of Wisteria Lane and Stepford wives.  But then one drunken night her son makes a huge mistake on social media and everything begins to unravel.  Told from the perspective of Nina, the girl involved in the snapchat picture, and the girl's father.  I thought this book was great.  Written in classic Emily Giffin style, but the topic was different and enthralling.

When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger

I kept picking up books and not wanting to read them, and realized I just needed some good chick lit.  Enter Lauren Weisberger.  You may know her as the author of The Devil Wears Prada.  This book is actually about Emily, the bitchy senior assistant from the Devil Wears Prada.  She has her own business that is falling apart, until an old friend connects her with a Senator's wife who has been charged with a DUI and whose life is unravelling.  (Emily's business is basically to clean up publicity messes for celebrities.) Loved this book.  Emily is still a bitch but totally endearing in this book.  I loved Miriam who was a partner at a law firm but quit to move to Connecticut and raise her children, but is feeling out of place among the Stepford wives.  And Karolina, the Senator's wife who was a model is totally lovable.  

I'm not even sure what my favourite book was this month.  I think it was probably All We Ever Wanted, but they were all truly good reads!  I'm at 27 out of 30 books for my goal for the year so I think it's time I set myself a new goal!