November/December Book Review

I'm pretty behind on book reviews, since it's the end of January.  I didn't read much in November and December, because um, Christmas.  But I had this post ready to go, so figure might as well post this and then work on a post for all the books I read on vacation!



The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy

I read this book in 2 days.  It was good and I really needed one of these mystery books that I haven't read in awhile.  This book is about a group of women who met through an online mommy message board basically.  They are called the "May Mothers" as they all had their babies in May.  One day, one of the babies is kidnapped.  This book goes through the 13 days that follow from different perspectives of the different mothers trying to find baby Midas.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

I gave this book 5 stars.  It wasn't my favourite book every, but I did enjoy it.  But I gave it 5 stars because it had so much depth.  It made me think, it made me smile, it made me cry.  

This was my book club book for this month, and I'm glad I actually read it, even if I can't get to the book club meeting. 

Ove is an old man whose wife recently passed.  This is what bothered me the most, that he was described as a grumpy old man, but was 59.  That's not old enough to be considered a grumpy old man and have friends who have Alzheimer in my opinion, but I digress.  This story is about him, but it's also a love story about a man who doesn't know how to function once the only person who understood him is gone.  And it's a story about a man who comes across as miserable but actually has more compassion than most people.  To watch Ove develop, and relationships develop was enjoyable.  

A main takeaway from this book is the common line "be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle" and also that by being kind to someone, you never know what kind of impact that might make on their life.  You might be giving them something to live for. 

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena

When you are in a reading rut, get yourself a good murder mystery.  I had started reading Beyond Belief by Jenna Miscavige Hill about her life in Scientology.  I found it interesting, but biographies are sometimes difficult because things aren't constantly happening an they are slow.  So it was taking me forever, and I had already renewed it once.  So I returned it and grabbed this one.  I read it in less than a day. 

Like other Shari Lapena books, I found the whole premise a bit odd and unbelievable.  But that doesn't stop you from wondering who dun it. 

A group of people are at a cute boutique hotel in the middle of nowhere.  A big storm hits, they lose power and are stuck. Suddenly someone is murdered.  Is there a murderer in their midst or is there someone else there that they don't know about.  

This book was kind of like reading a murder mystery dinner.  A group of people, one is a killer, who is it?

April Book Review

I brought 5 books with me to Costa Rica.  A bit ambitious?  Definitely!  But you always want to be prepared!  We were super busy the first few days, and crashed as soon as we got back to our treehouse.  No time for reading!  And then when you are with a big group of people not much reading happens.  I didn't spend time on the beach like I usually do and so I only got through a book and a half.

Waiting on You by Kristan Higgins

This is another book in the Blue Heron series.  I enjoy the series because it brings back characters that I have met before, but it's getting a little bit boring.  I don't love the girls.  They are a bit too edgy for me.  And by edgy, I mean rude.  Not sure how to describe it but that they just speak to people in a way that I don't think they would in real life, a bit too harshly.  The books are getting too predictable.  That being said I will likely finish the series...haha.  I only rated this one 3 out of 5 stars as it was definitely my least favourite of the series so far.

Odd Child Out by Gilly MacMillan

As I was reading this book it kept talking about a previous case and I wondered, is this the second in a series?  It is, and I have the first one sitting on my shelf...so hopefully I haven't ruined that one for myself!

I didn't love this book.  It was kind of a mystery, but also very political.  It's about two friends, a boy with cancer and a Somalian refugee in England.  There is an accident one night and their families and the police are trying to figure out what actually happened.  

I just didn't find it overly thrilling, and I found the basis of the story more political in nature an being about the lives of Somalian immigrants.  Which can be an interesting perspective, but it's just not what I thought I was getting into.

Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty

So what I've learnt from Liane Moriarty books is that it's more about the characters than the story and the ending.  I don't remember that being the base with the first few I read, but it's been the case with the most recent ones.  That being said, I enjoyed this book more than Truly Madly Guilty.  I think I liked the characters and just liked to see where they were going and wasn't overly worried about a big exciting ending.

This book is about triplet sisters.  Lyn is all about living the perfect life and checking everything off her list.  Cat has found trouble in her marriage.  Gemma is the single one who lives day to day and can't seem to find a lasting relationship.  I found the characters compelling and really just wanted to see where the book took them.  

March Book Review

I've definitely slowed down my reading a bit as I've been busy with other things, but I still got through 3 books this month.  Here's what I read!

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

This is a young adult book.  I really enjoyed Lauren Oliver's Delirium series and I didn't read Before I Fall, but I thought the movie was good.  So I figured I would throw this one into the mix.

I thought that this book was decent.  I read it in about 4 days. It's about two sister's Dara and Nick.  They were in a car accident about a year before and haven't been speaking since.  Then a little girl from their town goes missing, and then Dara goes missing.  I enjoyed this book well enough, but unless you are a big young adult fan, it might not be fore you.  (Delirium on the other hand, if you like dystopian teen novels, was awesome!)

Every Breath You Take by Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke

I really enjoyed this book.  To be honest, I've felt like Mary Higgins Clark books have been lacking a bit recently.  This might be because the woman is 90... Anyways, I got into this book quickly and read it in a couple of days.  

This book is part of the Under Suspicion series, which is about a woman, Laurie, who produces a reality TV show that looks into cold cases.  I like when authors have series like this because you really get to know the characters.  Definitely a worthwhile read for Mary Higgins Clark fans!

The Choices we Make by Karma Brown

This book is about Hannah and Kate, best friends since Grade 5.  Kate has been blessed with two beautiful children, but Hannah has been unable to get pregnant for 6 years.  This book deals with friendship, infertility and surrogacy.  It makes these issues feel real (and I mean they are real, to so many people).  It deals with the legal aspects and emotional aspects.

This book made me think hard about what I would do.  What if my best friend or my sister was unable to carry a child, would I donate my own eggs and do it for them?  Could I separate myself from that child, knowing that it was going to belong to someone else?  I don't have the answers, I don't think I would have them until I was in that situation.  I know that this is the greatest gift you could give someone and I applaud the people who do it.

This was an emotional read, but I really loved this book for bringing truth to what so many people are experiencing.  (Maybe not the actual surrogacy aspect as I think that's a bit more rare, but the infertility is so common.)

February Book Review

I didn't read a ton this month as I was busy with other things.  But I still got a few books in and they were a bit different from what I often read.  

The Magnolia Story by Chip & Joanna Gaines

I have never watched even one single episode of Fixer Upper.  I know who Chip and Joanna Gaines are, but really knew nothing about them.  And I loved this book.  So if you watch their show, you will probably really love this book!

This book is just their story, how they met, their marriage and how the show came to be.  They seem so down to earth and like they just have a very solid marriage and family life.  My only complaint is that it took me awhile to like Chip's portions of the book.  Joanna wrote the majority of it and then every so often Chip would throw something in.  It became more substantial as time went on, but in the beginning I didn't like the style of it.  I did come around eventually though.

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

This book has been on my list for awhile, but I kept putting it off because I wanted fluffier reads.  But this was actually a really easy read and I found myself into the story from the very beginning. 

This book is about a 9 year old girl who is orphaned and rides the orphan train to Minnesota in 1929, where they are "adopted" out.  Some kids find good families who want a child, some find homes where they just want someone to work.  The other side of the story is in 2011 and involves Molly, a foster child, who is doing community service with a 91 year old woman named Vivian and is going through all her memories stored in her attic.  

Although I can in now way relate to the children on the orphan train, this book made the situation real and what it must have been like for these poor children back in 1929.  

My One and Only by Kristan Higgins

I guess you can say I'm a Kristan Higgins fan.  Her books aren't classic novels, but they are light and easy to read romances.  I always enjoy them.  Plus she has a ton of books, so there is usually something available from the library when I'm looking for something to read.

Harper thinks she has life all figured out.  She has her boyfriend Dennis and she's thought it through and thinks it's time they get married.  Dennis isn't so sure.  Then they go to her sister's spur of the moment wedding but her sister is marrying her ex-husband's brother.  She hasn't seen her ex in 12 years.  

These books are always a bit predictable, but there are a few twists and turns along the way.  They are definitely a nice option to have when you either just need something to read, or want something light.  

So it was a light month for reading, but I still got a few books read!  I went to the library yesterday and got 3 books out, so that always keeps me busy as I know I have to get them read before they are due!  I've read 7 of my goal of 30 books for the year, so I'm on track!