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: Secrets, Sadness + Self-Help
The Husband’s Secret: I’ve been on the wait list at the library for this book for months. I was SO excited when I finally got it and then I read it … and it was a letdown. I was a big fan of her book Big Little Lies, which I’ve reviewed previously. This one was similar in that it had some twists and was easy to read; however, the plot just didn’t immediately interest me like the other book. I guess I like gossipy PTA Mom dramas better than deep-seeded family secrets dramas.
Grade: B+
Belzhar: And speaking of letdowns … again, this is another book I’ve been waiting for and have read from this author previously. Her book The Interestings made my 2013 list of favorite books last year. (Seriously, go read it.) This one was fairly interesting, but too YA for me and I hated the ending. The plot is good enough, but then once you get into it, it looses its luster. I also didn’t feel a strong enough attachment to the characters to really care what happened.
Grade: B-
Allegiant: And speaking of endings I disliked … I’ve been putting off reading this book for a while now. I read the first two books in the Divergent series and LOVED them, but had heard this one was not a good ending to the series. I honestly wish I just hadn’t read it. The author tried too hard to complicate things when it could have ended simpler and happier. It brought me out of the fantasy world from the first two books and into reality for this one – in a series you should either be all in or all out. I literally had tears streaming down my face at the end of the book and not in a good way.
Grade: C
Boundaries: We’re reading this book with our community group and it has been terrific. Even if “self-help” and “Christian” books usually turn you off, this has some great principles and discussion topics. I really think this book is best read with a group, but would be great as a personal read as well. There’s so much great information about boundaries at work, boundaries in marriage, boundaries with self and more. Our group could easily focus on one chapter a month vs. our two chapters a week. It gave me a new perspective and has forced action out of the book, exactly what the author would want.
Grade: A
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: Vacation Reads + A New Series
Mercury in Retrograde: This is one of those random library books you just pick up and check out even though you don’t know much about it. I took it on vacation as an easy read and read it in 2 days. But that’s pretty much all it is – an easy, lighthearted read. It’s about three girls lives turning upside down (due to mercury in retrograde, obviously) and as their paths cross they learn from each other and turn it all around.
GRADE: B+
Wild: This was next on the vacation book list and it was quite the opposite from my first read. If you enjoy nature, you need to read it. If you enjoy adventure and soul searching, you need to read it. If you enjoy good books, you need to read it!! A woman hiking a 1,100 miles in a journey of self-discovery – sounds a little boring, huh? Not even close. I felt so connected to the main character by the end that I could feel her tears in my eyes. This is officially on my list of top 10 favorite books of all time.
GRADE: A+
The Vacationers: Oh, The Vacationers. I’ve had you on my reading list for months now. I put you on hold at the library and was SO excited to see it was finally my turn to read you. And sadly, you really disappointed me. You had a myriad of characters that could have had so much depth, but didn’t. Your plot barely seemed to inch along. I considered dropping you several times, but decided to finish. Did you pay off those magazine reviews that sang your praises?
GRADE: B-/C+
Divergent: Okay, I know I’m like a year behind on this trend, but I’m so glad I finally caught on. I’m not saying this is a tremendously well-written, deep novel (like Wild), but for a young adult series it’s so engaging. I was literally obsessing over the next time I could read because all I wanted to do was finish the book. I also read Insurgent, the second book in the series, and really enjoyed it. However, I fear the third will be similar to Hunger Games, a disappointing end to a fantastic series.
GRADE: A
Next books on the list: The Happiness Project, Allegiant, Dear Daughter
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-
Book Reviews: From Gossip Girl to South Africa
Reconstructing Amelia – Remember when I wrote about wanting to read this book last time? Gossip Girl meets Gone Girl – and it did not disappoint. Though it didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat quite as much as Gone Girl and it wasn’t nearly as chic & conniving as Gossip Girl, it was somewhere happily in the middle and kept me thoroughly entertained.
Grade: A-
Don’t Worry, It Gets Worse – One TwentySomething’s (Mostly Failed) Attempts at Adulthood – Fact about me: If I’m not completely engaged in a book, I won’t finish it. I just feel like it’s such a waste of my time if I’m not really enjoying what I’m reading. All that to say, I did not finish this book. Maybe I had too high of hopes, thinking it was going to be the next Mindy Kaling or Tina Fey book (both of which I adored). It does have some similarities and I definitely could relate to some of it, but it was too long-winded with not quite enough wit to keep me reading. If you’re interested, stick with her blog: The Frenemy, but save your time with the book. {Though I did blog about her Advice for TwentySomethings, Post-College, which you should read}
Grade: N/A*
Soul Detox – I’m reading this book with a group of women at work and so far it has been amazing. The book examines the toxins that assault us daily including: toxic influences, toxic emotions, and toxic behaviors. It really forces you to dig deep and examine the toxins you personally deal with, how to deal with them and how to remain clean, pure and focused on God. Our group has had great conversation so far around the book and I’m looking forward to continuing it.
Grade: N/A*
The Power of One – This is next on my list and I hope to start it soon. Husband actually got this book as a gift for his birthday, but I’m stealing it while he’s reading Game of Thrones. In 1939, as Hitler casts his enormous, cruel shadow across the world, the seeds of apartheid take root in South Africa. There, a boy called Peekay is born. His childhood is marked by humiliation and abandonment, yet he vows to survive and conceives heroic dreams–which are nothing compared to what life actually has in store for him. He embarks on an epic journey through a land of tribal superstition and modern prejudice where he will learn the power of words, the power to transform lives, and the power of one. I love inspirational stories and I have a heart for South Africa, so I’m pretty excited. Review to come next time.
*didn’t finish book
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I’m headed off to Dallas for a few days for work {and a little play}. See you in a few! xo
You might also enjoy: “I hope she’ll be a fool – that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”, Mindy, Facebook + The Dinner
Advice for TwentySomethings, Post-College
I just finished reading Don’t Worry, It Gets Worse – One TwentySomething’s (Mostly Failed) Attempts at Adulthood by Alida Nugent. I’ll save my full critique for my next book review, but I wanted to share a snippet of Nugent’s “commencement speech” to fellow grads. I graduated a little over two years ago, but I think this is even more applicable to me now. It’s a little lengthy, but I promise it’s worth the read.
Constantly try to do better. Push yourself to do better than you did the day before. I’m telling you this because there are certainly going to be times when your’e not going to want to do better; you might not want to do anything but sulk. You think it was bad when you were pulling all-nighters in college? Don’t worry, it gets worse.
Don’t become stagnant – even if you’re working at a fry station, the worst thing you can do with your life now is to become stagnant in it. Nobody is telling you what to do anymore – you are your own teacher, your own boss, your own captain. You have to constantly push yourself to get better, or else you will get stuck. You are too smart and too bright and spent too much money at this school to get stuck. Do better. Become a mental athlete. Push yourself so much its sickening. Stagnant water is full of mosquitoes, remember that.
The next couple of years are going to be the best, most alive of your life. Now, I know they said this when you were graduating high school, and then they said it about the college years, but I think that is because life is always getting better. Really, the postcollege years will be some of the most fun you’ll ever have.
You’ll find people, friends, and family who you stick with not because you are in the same classes, but because you want these people to be your buddies in combat. They will meet you for lunch when you’re worried about having HPV or getting fired. They will be your lifeboat, your 2am phone call, your “I like you because understand me and not because we are in Lit 101 together.”
You will lose touch with people you thought you wouldn’t, watch from a distance while these people get married, gain weight, lose weight, move across the country, and get new sets of friends you will never meet. But you will look at your pictures of them and remember the nights you drank too much rum with them and you will enjoy those moments immensely. You will know what it is like to experience true nostalgia. It will not be a bittersweet kind of thing, because you know that it’s not as much growing apart as it is growing up.
There will be successes, and failures, and a lot of good and bad things. You will watch yourself and the people you choose to be with fall in love and get married, get jobs, get fired, get a terrible tattoo, have babies, get sick, get better, get worse, lose parents, grow older, grow smarter. Things will flash forward, pass before your eyes like the lights at a terrible nightclub.
You will feel more alive now than ever before, this I promise you. Grab this time before it goes away.
xo xo
“I hope she’ll be a fool — that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”
I seem to go through hobby phases. Sometimes it’s binge-watching a TV show. Sometimes it’s blogging. Sometimes it’s baking. But sometimes it’s reading, and that’s where I’m currently landing. I’ve always enjoyed reading, but it seems its one of those practices that if you don’t keep up consistently you can’t seem to find time for it. Well, when we went on our media blackout for two weeks a lot of free time opened up for reading, and I caught the bug again. I previously shared about the books I was reading in my post Mindy, Facebook + The Dinner.
Now, I’ll share my most current reads. (Though I’m dangerously tipping into the binge-watching phase as I’ve discovered my new Summer show: Greek – all 4 seasons of which are on Netflix.)
The Interestings – When I tried to describe this book to Husband he said it sounded like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Which it kind of is, a grown-up version at least, but with more depth and wit. It follows a group of friends from summer camp into middle-age, sharing relatable accounts of their relationships, careers and everything in between. I identified with the musings of how relationships change over the years and enjoyed the unique perspective from the various characters.
Grade: A
The Best of Us – Need an easy book to read on vacation? This is it. Similar to Emily Giffin or Jennifer Weiner books, this follows a group of old friends on a seemingly picture-perfect vacation, but when a hurricane hits it brings out all the secrets. Quick and effortless, by the end this read will have you wishing for a drink in your hand and sand between your toes.
Grade: B+
The Great Gatsby – Somehow I got throughout high school without having to read this classic. While I originally regretted not having read it sooner, I think I appreciate it now more than I would have then. The artistic writing, the extravagant parties, the brilliant characters – I’m only halfway through, but so far I’m in love and I can’t wait to see the movie. (P.S. The soundtrack to the movie is incredible.)
Grade: B+
Reconstructing Amelia – After I finish The Great Gatsby, this is next on my list. As I was doing my Saturday morning read of Entertainment Weekly this book caught my eye on their 10 Perfect Summer Reads list. Why? Opening review line – “Gossip Girl meets Gone Girl.” (One of my favorite shows and one of my favorite books.) Could this get any more perfect for me??
What are your summer reads? xo xo
You might also enjoy: The Book List
Book Reviews: Mindy, Facebook + The Dinner
Today and the next two days in NWA are cold, rainy and grey. Bleh. (Where are the WARM + SUNNY April showers??) All I want to do is curl up in sweats with a big cup of coffee, Bon Iver floating through the apartment and a book that could enrapture me for days. Unfortunately that’s not going to happen. However, if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in such a situation, below are a few recommendations.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) – I’ve already talked once on my blog about how much I love Mindy Kaling. Seriously, she’s the best. If I was still unsure about her as I started reading her book, I was hooked by page 5. In her intro she’s answering questions about the book and her last question/answer is “What else should you know about me? (1) There is no sunrise so beautiful that it is worth waking me up to see it. (2) I would like to be friends with Beyonce Knowles.” AMEN and AMEN! (Also, the dress code for her funeral is to be: chic devastated. Can we just be best friends now?)
Grade: A+
Lean In – Quite opposite from Mindy’s book, I decided to read this book after a co-worker told me about.If you’ve been following the media, you know there is SO much controversy surrounding this book, and I honestly don’t understand why. It was practical, honest and smart. In every single chapter I could relate to something she was saying. No matter what you believe about Sheryl Sandberg (COO of Facebook) or criticisms you’ve heard about this book, if it inspires more women to LEAN IN and take control of their careers as it did for me, that’s all that really matters.
Grade: A
The Dinner – I’m only about halfway through this book, but so far it’s brilliant. There is one setting – the dinner table at a restaurant. There is one family – the Lohmanns. There are a lot of topics of conversation, but only one secret underlying it all and underneath every bite of humor, you’re trying to figure out what it is.
Grade: B+
Furious Love – This is next on my list when I finish The Dinner. I’ve always been drawn to Old Hollywood – Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, James Dean and the stars of this novel – Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Their love is known as one of the most passionate of all time. They were married and divorced twice and though he was remarried at the time of his death, Liz said she believed they would have been married for a third and final time. Passion, glamour, betrayal, wealth – what more could one need in a novel??
xo xo
fall weather + good reads
Day 2 of the 30-day challenge: Today I’m thankful for B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L weather. J’adore!
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I’m also thankful for good reads. The first of which my mother told me repeatedly to read, but I kept putting it off because in all honesty I thought it sounded kind of hokey. When I finally started it, I flew through it in 4 days – The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.
Oh my goodness this is a must-read. The tale is a beautiful portrait of an orphan’s life and how flowers and the language behind them drove her well-being and ultimate happiness.Who even knew flowers had meanings?? I laughed, I cried, I wanted to read it again.
My current read is Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple. Though I’m only 50 pages in, it’s already a fun, easy read about a quirky mother and her family.
Now I’m off to end my Monday with the two things I’m thankful for today – sitting on our porch, book in hand.
m.davis xoxo 