Book Reviews: Beach House Secrets, Contraband Secrets + Family Secrets
We Were Liars: It seems like decades ago that I read this book, but I still remember very clearly how the ending made me feel. You think this will be an easy, light-hearted read (which it is), but the ending will throw you for a loop like your favorite thriller. You know something’s off while reading, but you just can’t seem to piece it together. I had all these theories, and none of them were fully correct. This is a great book you can read in a few days, and will make you think about the ending for days after.
Grade: A-
All The Light We Cannot See: I read so many reviews on this book and heard so many amazing things, and they were all true. This is a truly beautiful story. Set in WWII, we follow the paths of a young Nazi boy and a young, blind French girl and the fascinating intricacies of how their lives are connected. Though it’s a lengthy book, it kept me interested by switching from his story to hers chapter by chapter. Even if you aren’t typically a historical fiction reader (like me), this is a wonderful read.
Grade: A+
The Best Yes – Making Wise Decisions In The Midst of Endless Demands: Truth be told, I’m actually still reading this book. It’s a great book to keep by your bedside and read a bit here and there between novels. I think everyone can relate to the premise of this book – how to say “the best yes” to what God really wants for your life instead of all the yes-es we say day in and day out that just make us tired and unfulfilled. I’ve been highlighting and taking pictures of my favorite passages in this book, and reminding my people pleasing self that I don’t have to say yes to everything. This would make a great study with a group, or enlightening for people like me.
Grade: A
And The Mountains Echoed: This was actually a spontaneous read, and I’m so glad I read it. Someone recommended it to me on Instagram, then another someone who saw that comment found it in their personal library and loaned it to me. This was another book about paths converging, like All the Light We Cannot See. We follow the lives of several families from Afghanistan to Paris to San Francisco spanning generations. The author is a tremendous storyteller, and I often felt like I was reading short stories within the story. While I enjoyed that, it also proved a little difficult to follow at times. I definitely recommend this book though, especially if you enjoyed the author’s previous works The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns.
Grade: A-
You can read all my book reviews here. What’s your current read?
xo xo
Book Reviews: Love, Lust + Lies
Eleanor & Park: This book was recommended to me on Facebook, and I’m so glad I looked for it on a whim at the library. It’s a simple story with simple characters, but the author makes you fall in love with the simplicity. I think it’s because we can all relate – a young love story that isn’t bound to last, but you put everything into it like it will. The air between the lovebirds was palpable, sitting next to each other on the school bus sharing music and comics and sweaty hands, and made me wish I was there myself.
Grade: A
The Reader: I remember when this movie came out and just from seeing a few salacious lines about the plot, thought who in the world would want to see this?! But let me tell you, I read the book and then watched the movie in two days. The author turns something you don’t think would be interesting into the most fascinating love story I’ve heard in a long time. The writing was just superb and swept me away. One of my top 5 books of 2014.
Grade: A+
Yes Please: I have to say I was a little disappointed in this book. I LOVE Amy Poehler, and this definitely doesn’t change that fact, but I was expecting a laugh-out-loud-till-you-cry book and unfortunately that’s not what I found. I was probably comparing it too much to other similar books that I that I adore – Bossypants by Tina Fey and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling. It certainly had it’s funny moments, but probably what I loved the most was hearing the behind the scenes of SNL and Parks and Rec.
Grade: A-
Girl on the Train: This book was just as good as everyone said it was. I loved the way the story was told, through 3 different perspectives and in morning/evening narratives. It kept your mind reeling throughout, following different leads of what could have possibly happened to girl who disappears. I can’t say it was quite as good as Gone Girl (of which it has been compared), but it was a terrific way to spend my snowy Saturday morning.
Grade: A
xo xo
[Read all of my book reviews here]
Book Reviews: Happiness, Lies + Bergdorf Goodman
The Magicians – If Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia had a gritty teenage son, this would be it. The similarities gave the touch of familiarity, but sometimes seemed to rely too heavily on these classics. That being said, I love both HP and Narnia so thus, I should enjoy this book and I did. That being said – The Magicians is the first in a trilogy and after finishing it I had no intention in reading the next. Take from that what you will.
Grade: B
The Happiness Project – This book made me happy. As the author goes on a quest to find personal happiness, she shares her ideas and inspirations per month to attain her goal. I wasn’t enthralled in the book like I was with the similar Carry On, Warrior possibly due to writing style or just not feeling as connected to the content. But I was intrigued by it. There were several things I will take from the book to do personally to increase my happiness, namely continue my blog and sing in the mornings.
Grade: B+
Big Little Lies – The parents in Gossip Girl would read this. The parents of elementary students wishing they were in Gossip Girl would read this. Basically if you like gossip and drama you would read this. It felt like a YA novel a few times with it’s ease of reading; however, there were several plot twists that made me audibly shocked, not typical of a YA novel. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and flew through it in a few days. Next on my list is another from the same author, The Husband’s Secret.
Grade: A
I’ll Drink to That – This autobiography is phenomenal. I’ve only read a few autobiographies in my life (one being Benjamin Franklin’s that I surprisingly really enjoyed), but this one outshines them all. Her life is so fascinating and unique from mine that I often felt like I was reading fiction. I was so thirsty for more Betty Halbreich after finishing the book I immediately googled her, to find interviews, photos and then happily stumbled upon the fact that Lena Dunham is creating an HBO series about her. My grade for this book is an A+, I’ll drink to that.
Grade: A+
xo xo
Book Reviews: Malcolm Gladwell, Mothers and Daughters + Mysterious Bookstores
Like I said in my last book review, I’m on a reading binge, and I’m loving it! It slowed down for a while during a busy season at work and moving, but I’m back at it and already have my next 3 books lined up. This batch was a great batch of books, all very different, but all very good.
The Tipping Point – I feel like I totally missed the boat on this one because everyone else read it years ago, but I am now officially the biggest Malcolm Gladwell fan. His writing is simply superb, weaving in hard facts with anecdotes so perfectly that you believe everything he says without batting an eye. And the topic is F-A-S-C-I-N-A-T-I-N-G. It’s one of those books that seems like a boring book you’d read for a class, but then you secretly fall in love with it.
Grade: A+
Glitter and Glue – I’d read reviews of this one in magazines, then mom borrowed it from the library so I picked it up and could hardly put it down. It’s just a great, true-blue story of the relationships of mothers and daughters and how they change over time. It would be a great vacation read – easy, light-hearted and makes you shed a tear or two.
Grade: A
Uncommon Marriage – We read this autobiographical book with our community group about facing obstacles in marriage and how to deal with them. Of course being the non-sports fan I am I had no clue who the Dungys were and thus didn’t know how the story would turn out. As I read, I was so encouraged by their life story, their public display of faith and their continued spousal support. Also, I learned a little bit more about football.
Grade: A-
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore – This book recommendation came from an avid reader who had nothing but good things to say about it, so I knew it would be good. I picked it up in the airport on my way home from San Francisco and read half of it on the flight. (Come to find out it’s set in SF, which made it feel even more perfect) This book starts out so unassuming and normal about a boy in a bookstore, then slowly turns into a story with just enough magical whimsy to make you feel like a kid again believing in secret codes, immortality and clandestine underground meetings in NYC.
Grade: A-
xo xo
Book Reviews: Short Stories, Love Stories + Horror Stories
I have officially woken from my no-reading slumber. As I’ve said previously I get into habits where I either binge-watch or binge-read. I’m currently in the binge-reading. There have been a few factors contributing to this, one being that husband and I have made a “no more TV after 9pm” rule. (This rule was put in place due to some serious Homeland-bingeing.) Another factor was mom gave me a perfect book to start off my reading list …
Wonder – This book is it’s title, a wonder. I laughed. I cried. I laughed some more. I cried a lot more. I don’t want to spoil it for you, but just go read it. The ending is really perfect and will re-invigorate your faith in humanity.
Grade: A
Grade: A+
Grade: A
Final Grade: B-
m.davis xoxo 