P.S. I Like You

I've decided since my brain is kind of mushy by the end of the day that I'd get myself on a YA reading kick because those always seem to be fast and easy reads. I also have given myself a goal of actually reading every book on my shelf and I have a bunch from book boxes that I just haven't gotten to yet, so I found this one, and so I read it. And really liked it.

P.S. I Like You - Kasie West

Signed, sealed, delivered…

While spacing out in chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters—sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only, who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out…

Can I just be honest with you? When I was in high school I was very much like Lily. A little strange, no boys seemingly had any interest, and I had friends who really tried to get me to talk to a guy. Any guy. And just not make fun of him, be nice, and give him a chance. Except I couldn't because I was really terrified he wouldn't like me or it'd end badly and all of a sudden totally untrue rumors would go around school and I'd be even more of a social outcast than I already was. So I just didn't, but this would have been a dream scenario had this happened to me.

Anyways. So we have introverted, awkward, sarcastic Lily who has a chaotic home life with all of her siblings, so she feels a little ignored at best. One day she begins an anonymous letter exchange with someone in an earlier period of Chemistry than her and after a few letters she realizes it's actually a guy she's writing to. And falling for. One day, against her better judgement, she goes to the classroom on an errand to see who her pen pal is but when she sees who he is, she's equal parts intrigued and horrified. And torn because of the connection to her best friend. Enter mean girls, awkwardness, family issues, and preconceived judgments, and you have a really great book. I flew through this book in two nights before bed and if you're in the mood for something light but also fun, and remind you of what first love was like, this is your next book.

Wallflower Blooming

I'm going to have a bunch of books coming at you this month because I've kind of been on a roll, so stay tuned!

Wallflower Blooming - Amy Rivers

Val Shakely is a list-maker. Daily routine. Check. Calm, quiet (but successful) business. Check. No drama. No excitement. Some might call it boring, but it’s precisely the way Val likes it. She loves her hometown of Cambria, nestled in the mountains of Colorado, and runs a fruitful PR firm. And that’s more than enough for Val. So what if she doesn’t have a social life? Then, her cousin Gwen decides to take on the local political bully, the Mayor, in head-to-head combat for the Mayoral seat and Val takes her company reluctantly, and against her better judgment, into the fray. The minute Val takes on Gwen’s campaign, the safe world that she has carefully constructed begins to unravel. She feels the pressure of the campaign and the personal attacks by Gwen’s opponent. And as if that wasn’t complicated enough, Val finds herself falling in love. Val’s desire to stay on the sidelines is put to the test and she’s forced to reexamine the life she’s built as she trudges toward a new and more exciting future. 

If you are kind of overwhelmed with the holidays and don't really want to commit to a lengthy book, this is definitely a good option for you. Coming in at just under 200 pages, this book is a cute little PG romance set around local politics. I know, after the election this fall you are probably burnt out on politics, but this is features a hot mayoral race in small town Cambria, Colorado between Val Shakely's cousin Gwen and incumbent Roger Barton. Val reluctantly agrees to take charge of Gwen's media and marketing for her campaign and it throws Val into the uncomfortable waters of being in the public eye. Once thrust into the crowds of the local elite, Val meets elusive bachelor John Hatfield who almost immediately shows an interest in Val. The personal attacks and nitty gritty of a political campaign threaten to get the best of Val, but John does his best to hold her together even when attacks verge towards physical.

Overall? I'm rating this 3/5 stars. For me, it reads like an indie novel and I found some grammatical errors, more towards the end of the book. The romance is very PG, which makes it a great option for readers who don't want to hear about pulsing private parts. The political race gets contentious and we have a build up of the incumbent mayor having a real issue  but when we find out what made him so vile and vicious? Total let down for me, I was hoping it was going to be a real revelation instead of what it was. I also found the relationship between Val and John kind of boring? But you need to keep in mind I like a fairly dirty romance so that's a preference of mine. Val is kind of an annoying character, she seemed kind of immature and overly anxious over minute details.But the book itself is a fast read with a predictable, happy ending.

There's A Bumbie Under My Bed!

It's so nice to get a chance to review some children's books, especially because I have little ones who still like me to read to them, unlike Olivia and Jackson who want to go off on their own.

There's A Bumbie Under My Bed - Bethany Ramos

Are you afraid of the monsters who come out at bedtime? Do you ever wonder what lives under the bed with the dust-bunnies? Bunny-stein that's who! There's a Bumbie Under My Bed is the story of a child's relationship with various monster-bunnies that come out when he is trying to sleep. Count Hopula bounces across his bed while the Were-bunny tickles his toes. The zombie rabbit hops and plays all night, making so much noise. . . Ms. Ramos has created a great story and method for children to befriend the imaginative 'monsters' teasing them at night. By encouraging critical thinking, There's a Bumbie Under my Bed shows children how to turn fear into a fun activity before bedtime.

Do you have a little one who is afraid of the dark? Perhaps they tell you of fantastic creatures that come out once the lights are off? I remember for years Olivia would refuse to sleep because of the flying dogs outside her second story window. She honest to goodness believed that these dogs were trying to get in her window because it was too cold outside. Needless to say, we had a lot of sleepless nights in our home. (Turns out, that child strongly dislikes sleep and functions on little to none even to this day and she's eleven. Yay us!)

With creative illustrations that almost look like spray painted graffiti bordering on the slightly scary side, this tells the tale of a little one who is visited every night by a slew of fantastic creatures. Turns out it's just the child's imagination along with a flashlight to make creative shadows on the wall! It's a cute story that invites you and your child to come up with some creatures of your own.

I'm sorry I didn't get this for review before Halloween because it could have been a cute Halloween read, but if you're looking for a cute little book that you won't easily find in a library or on the shelf of Target, this would be a fun one.

The Six Train to Wisconsin

I'm doing so well on book reviews so hopefully you'll find a few new ones to read and a few to purchase as well! You'll notice at the bottom of every review now I'll have an Amazon link so you can shop easily, you're welcome, lambs.

The Six Train to Wisconsin - Kourtney Heintz

Sometimes saving the person you love can cost you everything.

There is one person that ties Oliver Richter to this world: his wife Kai. For Kai, Oliver is the keeper of her secrets.

When her telepathy spirals out of control and inundates her mind with the thoughts and emotions of everyone within a half-mile radius, the life they built together in Manhattan is threatened. 

To save her, Oliver brings her to the hometown he abandoned—Butternut, Wisconsin—where the secrets of his past remain buried. But the past has a way of refusing to stay dead. Can Kai save Oliver before his secrets claim their future?

An emotionally powerful debut, The Six Train to Wisconsin pushes the bounds of love as it explores devotion, forgiveness and acceptance.

I've had this book, and the sequel, on my review shelf for a few months and I'm just now getting to it. I actually flew through this book rather quickly despite it being a little over 400 pages. The point of view switches between Oliver and Kai. Oliver would do anything for his wife Kai, he literally would go to the ends of the world for her. Kai would do the same for Oliver but she is so wholly dependent on him because she's a telepath who makes terrible choices. She feels extreme guilt and wants to save everyone all of the time even at the cost of her life or sanity. Oliver does everything he can to keep her from falling apart. One day, after the death of a child at the hands of her father, Kai is in rough shape. Oliver has been working on a plan to help Kai and he has to put it in motion a little sooner than planned.

Cue their road trip to Butternut, Wisconsin (Oliver's home town) where Kai has effectively been kidnapped by her own husband. Her irrational anger and lashing out at Oliver made her a very unlikable character for me, and I really felt like smacking her upside the head so she'd see that Oliver doesn't want to be there either but he's sacrificing for her well being.

Oh, but it's not all easy because Mickey is also in Butternut, and Mickey is Oliver's first love. Kai is angry that Mickey is a shameless flirt and makes it clear she wants Oliver even still. Now, on one hand I totally get it- I'd be angry if some chick was throwing herself at my husband. But on the other, I'd like to think I'd have some faith in my husband to stay faithful. If you don't have trust then you have nothing. (Except let's remember Kai is a telepath so she knows what Oliver thinks so yeah.. you already know how this is going to go wrong.) My problem with Kai is she acts fairly childish, much like a child stomping her foot when someone tells her no. She drove me nuts this entire book.

I'm not giving Oliver a free pass either, he did lots of things wrong. Anytime you assume you know best for someone so you do things or you fail to be honest with them, it's going to blow up in your face EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. And it does in this book, big time.

Mickey's son Lukas, who has taken a liking to Kai (mostly because he has his own powers like Kai, a bit different though so Kai naturally feels like she has to guide him) is kidnapped and in the search process, Oliver makes a HUGE mistake, which Kai witnesses. Cue her leaving instead of talking to him, Oliver making bad decisions, Mickey being an idiot, and we've got a seemingly lost little boy. We meet Nathan, Mickey's ex-husband, who is kind of nuts, and everything fall apart rather quickly.

I really liked the book but I can't give it five stars only because the first 3/4 of the book are SLOW. I kept wondering where the hell the drama was. It took so long to set it up that I almost gave up but then crap hit the fan and I was all in. Would I call this a fantasy book? No, not really. It's a romantic suspense if anything else. Sure, we have Kai and Nathan (and Lukas) with their weird powers but it wasn't enough of a thing for me to push it into a fantasy or paranormal category. It's a solid 4 star read though and I'm excited to read the second book!

Dear Pope Francis

Oh lambs, my heart. I knew as soon as this book came through my email as a potential review I had to do it. I didn't realize how much I was going to need it soon after it came.

Dear Pope Francis - Pope Francis

In this unprecedented book, questions from children from across the world are presented to Pope Francis — and the Pope himself answers each letter. All too often, the big spiritual questions from children are ignored or written off as quaint, but Pope Francis helps every child feel God’s love and know that their voices are valued and heard. With each question charmingly illustrated by the child, Dear Pope Francis lets the Pope respond directly to each child with inspiring, meaningful answers. Pope Francis's joyful warmth and wisdom shine through for parents, grandparents, teachers and, of course, children.

I absolutely should preface this by telling you I'm not really religious. I'm certainly not considered Catholic (though I'm baptized as Catholic), but I have a special spot in my heart for Pope Francis. I feel like he really, more so than the last two Pope's in my lifetime, appreciates the differences in people worldwide and he really tries to be a good soul towards everyone. Some of the statements he's made about public issues throughout the years have really blown me away and made me look at the institution of the Catholic church a little differently.

And this book... the first thing you'll take away is the absolute candor and his genuine love of children and people. The letters from children come from all around the world and showcase their original artwork, a photo of the child and a little information about where they come for, and translated into English where needed. All of the letters are adorable, some are funny and lighthearted, some are serious, and some break your heart because you can only imagine the weight the child must have been feeling in their heart to write to the Pope for guidance. Questions like, "why do some parents argue with each other?", "do bad people have a guardian angel, too?", "my mum is in heaven, will she grow angel wings?"- so many of these questions are so hard for any parent to answer but the answers the Pope gives are just enough to make you break down and sob. The Pope shows off his personality, not something you'd think you'd really see, and does such a great job at conveying a special message with each response.

If you are book shopping for a child in your life, I absolutely recommend this one, no question. This will be one of those books I'll pull out when I need a little pick me up because though some questions make you hurt for these children, the responses give you a good reminder in your own life.

Avelynn: The Edge of Faith

If you're a long time reader of this blog, you'll know I'm not the biggest fan of historical fiction in general. From time to time I'll pick one up and it grabs me, and that's how the first Avelynn book was for me. At the time I demanded a sequel and the author pulled through for us all.

Avelynn: The Edge of Faith - Marissa Campbell

It's the year 871. Charges of treason, murder, and witchcraft follow Avelynn into exile as she flees England with Alrik. Arriving in Wales, they find refuge among Alrik's friends in the Welsh nobility. Cast out by his half-brothers, Alrik seeks to regain his honor and earn favor with the gods. When war threatens, Alrik embraces gold and the opportunity for his crew to become mercenaries, aiding the Southern Welsh kings in their fight against Rhodri the Great.

Desperate to return home, Avelynn seeks to find a way to prove her innocence, but she is pitted against Alrik as their desires for the future clash. With battle looming, Avelynn's faith in their relationship is further tested through a bitter struggle with Marared, a jealous lover from Alrik's past. Marared's threats turn deadly, and Avelynn runs afoul of magic and sorcery, causing her to question her beliefs and role as priestess.

When Avelynn and Alrik are betrayed, Avelynn is captured and Alrik is charged with regicide. The two become separated, a chasm of greed, deceit, and ambition driving them apart. In an act of harrowing faith, Avelynn will stop at nothing to find her way back to Alrik and break them both free from Wales's bloodthirsty grasp.

I'm just going to get into it- the romance between Alrik and Avelynn is pretty damn steamy, and thank god. I have to say that being a historical romance you kind of assume their love affair would be tame given the time period but nope- and us readers fully benefit from that! We know Avelynn is basically on the run and leaves a mess behind in England. It doesn't take long for trouble to find her as they arrive in Wales, a place familiar to Alrik. Avelynn soon meets Marared, Alrik's former lover, and she doesn't accept Avelynn at all as Alrik's true love.

I have to say I really like how despite being in a Christian world, Avelynn's convictions and her love of the Goddess never wavers and it actually gives her the strength to do what she needs to do in order to clear her name. Things go bad fairly quickly for Avelynn and Alrik and Alrik's fate isn't certain as he's charged with crimes, Avelynn is captured, and people are dying left and right. The only complaint I have is that so many characters are in this book that sometimes I had a hard time keeping track of who was who and what their part in the greater story is. Big points for the story never getting dull, it's fast paced and action packed. There is more action in this book than the last three thrillers I've read combined. You won't get bored and you won't be able to put it down. I also loved how the book ended, it made it feel like if we never hear from Avelynnn again, it would be OK.

I have to give this book five stars because again, it blows away every other historical romance or even historical fiction that I've read. It's not a genre I read a lot of but I'm so glad I've discovered this author through Avelynn.

Say You'll Stay

I have to just put this out there because it's really frustrating me- I am so tired of every book becoming a series. I used to really love it, and it was always a treat if you got a sequel but it focused on other characters in the original story, but it's becoming a trend and I'm formally asking for authors to stop it. It's driving me crazy.

Sigh.

Say You'll Stay - Corinne Michaels

One word. 

Stay. 

It was all he had to do. Instead, he got on that bus and took my heart with him. 

That was seventeen years ago. 

I moved on. Marriage. Kids. White picket fence. Everything I ever wanted, but my husband betrayed me and I was left once again. 

Alone, penniless, and with two boys, I had no choice but to return to Tennessee. He wasn’t supposed to be there. I should’ve been safe. However, fate has a way of stepping in.

This time around, the tables are turned. It’s my decision. Second chances do exist, but I don’t know if we can repair what’s already been broken . . .

I mentioned that I was just wandering about Barnes & Noble one day and this book was just sad and on the floor, all alone. I took it as a sign that clearly it was meant to be on my bookshelf. Then I went home and started it right away because I had a bit of a break in between obligated reviews, so here it is.

Raise your hand if you've read a romance novel full of miscommunication because the characters were young and dumb, not willing to shut up and listen to each other, and just make assumptions- yeah, we're all standing here with our hands in the air. That's what this book is, pretty much all of the way until the end. I really liked Zach, I think he did the best he could and genuinely was trying to make the best decisions for him and Presley. Except Presley is basically every female character I can't stand, who assumes everything, keeps secrets thinking she knows best, and never listens- it never works out yet here she is, being all annoying.

Presley is fresh from her husband's death, the heap of debt he left, and she is heading home- the last place she wants to be. Baseball didn't work out for Zach, so he's been back and working on the farm, and bam- these two high school young lovebirds are trying to fight obvious fate. This time around they both have more baggage than ever before and even more secrets. Are they able to get over the past and to make a future? Who knows, but we spend the entire book trying to figure it out. It's a sweet story, you feel for Presley because what she's left with is enough to drive anyone to the brink, and you just once want her to make the right decision. I'm going to give this book 4 stars. It's not one that I would throw at a person and force them to read, but if you want a good romance with a story line trying to be serious and not cheesy, this is right in that category.

The Dude Diet

If you are a long time reader of this blog, you may remember the infamous post in which I detailed a lot of the foods I won't eat. I really struggle with meal planning and most of the time I end up cooking for my family and then I forage like a squirrel because I am fully aware that I have the diet of a toddler. It's not often that a cookbook comes across my email for review so when I saw this one I immediately jumped on it because it sounded like it would up my alley. And it was.

The Dude Diet - Serena Wolf

From chef and creator of the popular food blog Domesticate-Me.com, 125 outrageously delicious yet deceptively healthy recipes for dudes (and the people who love them), accompanied by beautiful full-color photography.

Dudes. So well intentioned when it comes to healthy eating, even as they fail epically in execution—inhaling a "salad" topped with fried chicken fingers or ordering their Italian hero on a whole wheat wrap (that makes it healthy, right?).

There are several issues with men going on diets. First, they seem to be misinformed about basic nutrition. They are also, generally, not excited about eating "health food." You can lead a dude to the salad bar, but you can’t make him choose lettuce.

Enter Serena Wolf—chef, food blogger, and caretaker of a dude with some less than ideal eating habits. As a labor of love, Serena began creating healthier versions of her boyfriend’s favorite foods and posting them on her blog, where she received an overwhelming response from men and women alike. Now, in The Dude Diet, Serena shares more than 125 droolworthy recipes that prove that meals made with nutrient-dense whole foods can elicit the same excitement and satisfaction associated with pizza or Chinese take-out.

The Dude Diet also demystifies the basics of nutrition, empowering men to make better decisions whether they’re eating out or cooking at home. Better still, each recipe is 100% idiot-proof and requires only easily accessible ingredients and tools. With categories like Game Day Eats, On the Grill, Serious Salads, and Take Out Favorites, The Dude Diet will arm dudes and those who love them with the knowledge they need to lead healthier, happier lives—with flattened beer bellies and fewer meat sweats.

I should be up front with you that I signed up for this book review based on the cover because you know I am a total cover judger. I should also tell you that Penelope grew in-utero solely on my stead diet of nachos and chocolate ice cream with fudge brownies in it. Sure, she was a nine pound monster baby, but she was healthy!

I spent a solid day going through each recipe, diligently tabbing off the ones I knew my family would be willing to try, made myself a grocery list full of things I'm not sure how to pronounce (quinoa?!) or where to even find it in the store, and I started my journey to healthier eating.

We've made about six of the recipes but I have to tell you about two of the favorites that I have made several times- "Taco Bell" Beef Tacos (page 214). Now, I can't remember what a Taco Bell taco tastes like because it's not local to me but we love tacos. Every time I make tacos it's a sick competition between my husband and my oldest daughter who can eat the most (dad lets her win). So if there is anyone qualified to judge these, it would be them. Olivia absolutely loved them and Matt said it tastes exactly like the taco seasoning I normally use. They were really good and we've made them so many times. It's basically going to be my go to taco recipe from here on out.

The other recipe that has been made countless times is the Chipotle Chicken Taquitos. I was a taquito virgin but I had a lot of the ingredients already on hand so it was one of the first ones I tried. We had it as a supper (it's mentioned as an appetizer) so I had to literally triple the recipe and thank goodness because we ate them all. They also re-heat amazingly well for a lunch the next day too, if you happen to have leftovers. I was surprised my son liked these so much since he's not one for spicy foods but he ate them happily. (We may or may not have dipped them in cheese as well because CHEESE IS AMAZING.)

As far as cookbooks go, this is pretty fool proof. In the back there are basic directions on how to cook chicken, so if you're a person who has little to no cooking experience, this is a great cookbook to start with. And it's full of healthy food that doesn't feel healthy. Except the quinoa. I don't like quinoa. It's such a weird thing in my mouth and I stay clear of weird things in my mouth as a life rule. This is going to make a great holiday gift for the foodies in your life this year!

You'll be able to find this book on the HarperCollins website as well as Amazon.

37 Seconds

I knew the minute I had my AFE in August one of my first steps to recovery and healing was to read as much as I could about amniotic fluid embolisms. Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot out there but this books stood out to me and I read it in one day.

37 Seconds - Stephanie Arnold

Pregnant with her second child, Stephanie Arnold began receiving mysterious but strong premonitions that she would die during the delivery. Distressed, Stephanie did everything she could to inform the medical team and her family about what she knew was coming. No one believed her, but Stephanie knew they were wrong. When she gave birth to her son, Stephanie flatlined and died on the operating table for 37 seconds, during which time she had a spiritual experience she would never forget.

After reading what Stephanie discovered in her search to make sense of what happened to her, you will never look at life, death, and the afterlife the same way again. 

If you're a long time reader of this blog, you'll remember my reservations about my pregnancy with Lucy. At the time, I chalked it up to it being my fourth pregnancy, unexpected and unplanned, and so soon after having Penelope. Now that I've had a little time to reflect on my recent experiences I don't think that's what it was at all. I think it was my body trying to tell me something, perhaps warn me of what was to come. I think I didn't get the message and maybe Lucy picked up the slack and that's why she turned at the last minute, causing me to have an emergency c-section. Because without that c-section, I would have immediately died in my delivery room.

Stephanie Arnold felt throughout her entire pregnancy something was very wrong, that she would die giving birth to her second child. Despite warning everyone around her, nobody really took her seriously. One doctor thankfully flagged her file and that played a part in her survival. The book isn't very long, just under 200 pages, but it's a really horrific and sobering read. I think someone who hasn't survived an AFE, or had a loved one die from an AFE, would have a different feeling about this book. Perhaps you would read it as a bystander next to a car crash- you should look away but you're compelled to stare in awe. As someone who has survived an AFE, I cried. I cried because like Stephanie, I lost so many days of my life. It's hard to explain to others what it's like to come back from that and feel the way I do. One outlet of therapy Stephanie tries is regression therapy where she's hypnotized and brought back to that moment of dying and seeing loved ones in the days immediately following.

I so badly want this. 

I keep saying I wish people  had more video of me, had taken more pictures of me, no matter how painful and scary they would have been. I feel like I'm missing such a huge part of my life and I feel desperate to get it back. I wonder if people who have been in a coma for an extended time feel this way? Is there a way to get closure without hypnosis? I don't know.

This book is one of the best I've read. And I might be biased because it is SO similar to my story, but I highly recommend this. I had such a deflating feeling after reading it that the story has already been told- what would be the point writing MY story? But then after another sleepless night, I decided I have to write my story, it's different in many ways, perhaps important ways. We'll see.

Resurrection

You see? Reading roll. I've got even more reviews lined up for next week, lambies. Hang on to your britches.

Resurrection - Laury Falter

The second and final installment in the two-book series, Apocalypse Chronicles...a dystopian romance about five high school seniors who set out to cure an apocalyptic world of a contagious infection.

Bestselling author Laury Falter finishes off this two-part series--a dystopian romance filled with an electrifying plot, a powerful romance, and unexpected twists.

I have to preface this review by telling you that this is book two in the Apocalypse Chronicles and I'm a fan of Laury Falter. I didn't love this book. I know, I just didn't and I actually feel genuinely bad about it. I will also admit I'm not a huge fan of zombie books anyways but because I had read the first one and I'm a fan of Laury, and I wanted to know what happened to Kennedy and Harrison.. I found this one on Amazon and thought now is as good a time as any to read it.

And then I was kind of disappointed. Honestly, I think the main problem with the book for me is that I just don't like zombies and I have a hard time getting into books centered around them, so that's obviously my own fault. If you are a fan of zombies, specifically in a YA novel, you are going to love book one and two of this. You will, so just ignore me because I'm clearly not the judge for this.

But this is book two, so the virus has already gotten out and most of the country is now The Infected, sans this small little group of Harrison, Kennedy, Mei, Doc, and Beverly. There's more non-Infected out there, but this is the group of teenagers we're following. We know from book one that Harrison also is infected but he's basically a bizarre science experiment and isn't like the droves of Infected they are encountering. Kennedy is human but she's in love with Harrison and he loves her, and they are like a way mature teenage couple essentially leading the other three towards finding a scientist who can help them with finding the cure with the knowledge they have.

My other problems with this book is Harrison and Kennedy's relationship. I mean, I get that they are teenagers who are basically out to save the world so you already have some built in dramatics, but come on. Some of their relationship is definitely eye roll worthy. Secondly, this felt so much like that movie Warm Bodies. Truly. Especially once the zombies kind of change and we find there is a cure... blah blah blah.. I can't ruin it for you but it reminded me of the movie the entire time. I can only give this book 2 stars because it was just OK. I was kind of let down, but I still love you, Laury. Keep writing.

Everything I Left Unsaid

I've been on a reading kick again so I feel like I'm flying through books rather quickly. My goal is to really tackle things that are on my bookshelf that I haven't gotten to yet. Mostly so I can justify buying more books as I see them go on sale.

Can we also acknowledge the greatness of used books? It's not just for college, kids. You can find almost all of your books in a used version on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and it's really worth it. I've scored a bunch of books for dirt cheap and even with shipping, it's significantly less than what a new book would have cost me. I'm not snobby about my books because my favorite day of the year is the library book sale and I've found some real gems there, so I love used books. Yippee.

Anyways. Let's talk this book.

Everything I Left Unsaid - M. O'Keefe

I didn’t think answering someone else’s cellphone would change my life. But the stranger with the low, deep voice on the other end of the line tempted me, awakened my body, set me on fire. He was looking for someone else. Instead he found me.

 

And I found a hot, secret world where I felt alive for the first time.

 

His name was Dylan, and, strangely, he made me feel safe. Desired. Compelled. Every dark thing he asked me to do, I did. Without question. I longed to meet him, but we were both keeping secrets. And mine were dangerous. If I took the first step, if I got closer to Dylan—emotionally, physically—then I wouldn’t be hiding anymore. I would be exposed, with nothing left to surrender but the truth. And my truth could hurt us both.

I first heard of this book on one of my favorite book blogs, Herding Cats & Burning Soup, and because Anna (the blogger) loved it, I added it to my future shopping list. Then it sadly sat on my shelf for months until I was looking for a book to read that wasn't part of an organized review and man alive- I feel ashamed that I waited so long to read this!

Granted- I'll be honest and told you I was a little worried when I started the book because it is a little weird until you get into it. Which sounds strange, but it's hard to explain. We have Annie McKay, who is on the run from an abusive husband and she's basically lived an incredibly naive and sheltered life. Everything she experiences since leaving her husband and the farm is a new experience for her and she's trying to figure out who she is at her core. So she finds herself in a really run down, sad little trailer court/campground and is renting an RV turned trailer home that is basically a pile of crap. But it's her temporary pile of crap and she's bound to make the best of it while she makes a plan. Then the phone rings, a phone that's shoved into a hiding spot in the RV, so the natural thing is to answer the damn phone. Someone leaves a cell phone, you answer it like any good citizen would.

Enter Dylan. Dylan sounds like a hot piece of hunk on the phone and he immediately perks Annie up. She gives him a fake name, because she doesn't know who this guy is after all, and at the end of the call he gives her the kind of bizarre task of watching on her neighbor, Ben, but gives no reason why.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out who Ben is but honestly, nobody cares, because this book quickly takes a turn into the phone sex book of all time. What Fifty Shades of Grey did for dirty emails, Everything I Left Unsaid is doing for phone sex. Quickly their "relationship" turns into tasks for Annie to help her discover herself all the while torturing Dylan on the other end. Dylan isn't without demons himself and while we don't figure them all out in this book, you're given enough that you are automatically signed up and ordering book two on Amazon Prime and hoping it actually pulls through with it's free two day delivery this time. Then I realize there is a third book and, so far, it's only available as an e-book and that's ABSOLUTE SHIT because I've gone on an e-book hiatus since my Nook is acting wonky and I absolutely refuse to get another e-reader because I hate them. I have decided I hate them. So there.

Anyways.

So I hope book three comes out on paperback and that book two doesn't end on a cliffhanger like this one does so I can emotionally handle the wait. Because UPS guy is supposed to come tomorrow and you bet your ass I'll be waiting for him. You hear that, UPS? Get here early, none of this 8:00 at night crap.

*sigh*

Overall? Loved the book. It starts off weird and I got nervous, and there ended up being no reason. I don't really normally like characters like Annie because they can be overly whiny but I really felt endeared to her and rooting for her. And Dylan.... oh Dylan. He's like the Beast in The Beauty and the Beast, he's a burn victim locked up in his fortress, away from everyone, and you just want to fix him because underneath the burns he's a good seed, despite his past. I really liked his character, I'm hopeful that book two goes more into his backstory, so again, UPS- hurry the hell up.

I highly recommend it if mama needs a little book lovin. It will serve you well, mamas. Batteries not included. ;)

Frazzled

I'm kind of on a roll with books for kids as of late, and if you have a child in the ages of 8-12, this is something you might want to add to your holiday shopping list for them.

Frazzled: Everyday Disasters & Impending Doom - Booki Vivat

Meet Abbie Wu! She’s about to start middle school and she’s totally in crisis.

Abbie Wu is in crisis—and not just because she’s stuck in a family that doesn’t quite get her or because the lunch ladies at school are totally corrupt or because everyone seems to have a “Thing” except her. Abbie Wu is in crisis always.

Heavily illustrated and embarrassingly honest, Frazzled dives right into the mind of this hilariously neurotic middle school girl as she tries to figure out who she is, where she belongs, and how to survive the everyday disasters of growing up. With Abbie’s flair for the dramatic and natural tendency to freak out, middle school has never seemed so nerve-racking!

Packed with hilarious black-and-white illustrations and doodles throughout, Frazzled takes readers through Abbie Wu’s hysterical middle school adventures. 

I can't remember if I signed up to review this or if this is one that just comes to me with the hopes I'll have time to review it, but I'm sure glad it landed in my mailbox, that's for sure. I have two kids who fit into the recommend 8-12 age group so they are working on reading the book now that I'm done with it. I have one child (Olivia, age 11) who is an avid reader, she flies through books quickly and likes to try different genres. I have another child (Jackson, age 8) who likes to read, but will often get discouraged if it's too challenging for him or if it's "too long". The great part about this book, which seems like it's kind of a trend in books for this age group, is that it's illustrated throughout and almost like a comic, but not really that same format. It basically makes the almost 250 pages go quickly and for kids like my son, who gets easily frustrated if he feels like he isn't reading fast enough, this is a good confidence booster book. They'll finish it pretty quickly and it's a great story.

But let's talk about the story because even my old self laughed at this book because I don't care how old you are, you remember middle school. You remember the fear of your first day and every day of doom until the end and this book really captured it. The book is about Abbie who is starting middle school and she's pretty concerned. She doesn't have any real interests or talents and she already feels lost when she can't figure out what elective to choose, so she ends up in dreaded study hall. Her mom is thrilled to send her off to school and her siblings are all special and great in their own right, but Abbie is just Abbie. She dreads being compared to her older, great-at-everything older brother. She has the worst homeroom teacher, she's split up from her friends, and it's a really tough transition from elementary school.

I absolutely loved Abbie. I could really relate to her and all of her dramatic, my-life-is-over theatrics and worries are ones I know I had when I started middle school. It's such a tough time for kids and it really can feel like the end of the world. The story is written well, accompanied with fun illustrations, and I think kids are going to relate to Abbie and her worries. I highly recommend this book and like I said before, you might want to read it quickly yourself to revisit the dramatics.. just for fun.

To The Brink

Honestly, I feel like I'm at the brink in real life, but today it's a book review I'm talking about!

To The Brink (The First Force Series #4) - Cindy McDonald

Tess thought her life would settle after the death of her husband, Ballard Crafton. After all she’d escaped Russia with the formula to his secret serum that transforms ordinary soldiers into unstoppable machines. She was certain the Russians thought Ballard’s notes were lost in the explosion that destroyed his lab, but one man believes that Tess possesses the precious information, and he wants it for his own wicked agenda. 

Hired assailants dog her night and day. She needs help and she needed it weeks ago. Now she turns to First Force for protection only to find the team is away with only one operative at First Force headquarters holding down the fort—Dan Garrison. 

How can Dan keep her safe when he isn’t sure that he believes her story? How can Tess gain his trust, and how can either of them deny the underlying passion that is exploding between the fine line of deception and danger?

I am such a fan of this series and I get excited every time one of them comes out, so when I was contacted by the author to review this one, I was all over it. Um, yes- I'll take another of the First Force hunks, thankyouverymuch. 

The great thing about this series is that technically these are stand alone books and you'll be just fine no matter where you hop in. BUT. If you read from the books in order, it adds a whole other layer of greatness because the story builds over time. I also have to say, because I don't think I mentioned it in reviews for the other books, but the author does a great job at bringing the previous books' characters into each book while focusing on the "main couple". It's like revisiting old friends, it's really nice to catch up with them again. 

Anyways. 

So this book centers around Tess, who is on the run now that her bad guy husband is dead. His brother (and his goons) are after a serum that essentially could turn a regular guy into a super fighting machine, basically. A Hulk of sorts; which obviously, would be a bad thing in the hands of the wrong people. Tess is on the run and she knows that if she can get to the First Force team they could ultimately help her but she has to decide, is she able to trust them to hand the serum over? Or should she get rid of it herself? Enter Dan Garrison, the lone First Force member on duty once Tess arrives. He's a hunk, swoon worthy and the complete opposite of her husband. Dan knows that his directive is to get that serum because First Force could use it (they are the good guys) but they could also decide to destroy it too, but either way- he needs to gain Tess's trust, at all costs, to get his hands on it. 

We also have the criminal aspect of this, headed by August Crafton, the brother of Tess's dead husband. Turns out, he's as disgustingly creepy as the criminals in the other books so the author did a bang up job there. Once you figure out how he has been tracking Tess, ick. So icky and creepy and you know she's going to hate herself for not figuring it out since Tess is a bit of a techie. 

Overall? The romance element? So great. The thriller element? Also great, and it's in solid company with the other three books. You won't be let down by this story and if you've been with this series already you'll be so happy with the turn of the story. And can we all get a hell yes about book 5 being Casey's story? CAN WE? Yes, we can. *I'm excited* to say the least. Swoon. 

When Breath Becomes Air

I have had this on my to-read list for a LONG time. Well before it was published and released out into the world. I had read all of the teasers and articles I could find on the internet about Paul Kalanithi and his story just tugged at me. So I bought the book the day it came out and then it sat on my shelf for months, until just last week when I felt like now was the time. It was time to get into it. And wow.

When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi

At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. One day he was a doctor making a living treating the dying, and the next he was a patient struggling to live. Just like that, the future he and his wife had imagined evaporated. When Breath Becomes Air, which features a Foreword by Dr. Abraham Verghese and an Epilogue by Kalanithi’s wife, Lucy, chronicles Kalanithi’s transformation from a naïve medical student “possessed,” as he wrote, “by the question of what, given that all organisms die, makes a virtuous and meaningful life” into a young neurosurgeon at Stanford, guiding patients toward a deeper understanding of death and illness, and finally into a patient and a new father to a baby girl, confronting his own mortality.

 

What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when the future, no longer a ladder toward your goals in life, flattens out into a perpetual present? What does it mean to have a child, to nurture a new life as another fades away? These are some of the questions Kalanithi wrestles with in this profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir.

 

Paul Kalanithi died in March 2015, while working on this book, yet his words live on as a guide and a gift to us all. “I began to realize that coming face to face with my own mortality, in a sense, had changed nothing and everything,” he wrote. “Seven words from Samuel Beckett began to repeat in my head: ‘I can’t go on. I’ll go on.’” When Breath Becomes Air is an unforgettable, life-affirming reflection on the challenge of facing mortality and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a gifted writer who became both.

I'll be honest, I don't think my review is going to do this book justice, but I'll tell you what, if there was ever a book that kick you in the balls, it would be this one. The book is really three parts for me: Part 1- In Perfect Health I Begin, Part 2- Cease Not till Death and the Epilogue. The Foreward by Abraham Verghese is kind of blah for me and I was a little worried from reading that that I was going to be bored. Also, the Prologue was meh for me as well and written by Paul. 

But Part 1 is all about his time debating what to do with his life career wise, why he chose being a doctor and more specifically, a neurosurgeon. What is really fascinating is the frank way he talks about the profession behind the scenes, surgical procedures and becoming automated at it, and then the stories about patients. There was a line on page 102 that reads, "How little do doctors understand the hells through which we put patients." and it really touched me because I know so many people in the middle of chemo and radiation, tests and procedures that doctors don't know how successful they'll be, and then my situation where nobody knows what to really do with me and it's like, how true is this? But what was also touching in this section is how he talks about his mission in life and work was to figure out the meaning of life, how to die with integrity, and how it all comes together to be able to say it was a meaningful existence, which is something I think we can all relate to, I know I certainly can right now. 

Part 2 is all about his diagnosis of lung cancer, the journey through treatment and ultimately, death. Once you know death is your last option, everything else has been exhausted, how do you do that the right way? Paul and his wife Lucy debate on having a child- she worries if they don't, will he be disappointed to not have left anything behind? He worries that if they do, she'll be raising their child alone. But together they decide to have a child and their daughter Cady is born in the aftermath of chemo treatments not going as planned. 

Paul never got to "finish" his book but I think it's ultimately fitting that the ending paragraph is this: 

"When you come to one of the many moments in life where you must give an account of yourself, provide a ledger of what you have been, and done, and meant to the world, do not, I pray, discount that you filled a dying man's days with a sated joy, a joy unknown to me in all my prior years, a joy that does not hunger for more and more but rests, satisfied. In this time, right now, that is an enormous thing." 

And that right there punched me in the gut. Because you think about the people you have lost that you wish you could have done more for. It's so easy to forget that the time you did spend with them was meaningful and maybe it was enough. Paul only got eight short months with his daughter but in that time she was able to fill the rest of his life with happiness. I can't think of a better way to go, to be honest. 

The last part is the Epilogue, written by Paul's wife, Lucy. She really did such an amazing job closing the book out with the final chapter of Paul's life. She gave a great, personal point of view of what that was like for her, and for him, and touched on other things in their marriage that Paul wrote about. And you just want to hug her, because you feel like you just went through it all with her by the time you get to the epilogue. 

I guess after having died twice during the birth of my daughter, I feel a need to figure out why I'm still here. I clearly haven't finished what I was meant to do, but what is it? It's so hard to know, but I'd like to think that if I were dying of cancer I'd have enough in me to write this beautifully. Amazing book. 

Fractured

Can I just get all fan girl with you for a minute? Because I have read and reviewed every book by Catherine McKenzie and I have loved them all. I would have flipped a table to get an early copy of this book but, thank goodness, I was able to get one. Then I forgot about it during the whole thing with Lucy and her birth, but then I found it on my shelf and SQUEALED when I remembered.

Then I promptly devoured it over the course of a weekend.

Fractured - Catherine McKenzie

Julie Prentice and her family move across the country to the idyllic Mount Adams district of Cincinnati, hoping to evade the stalker who’s been terrorizing them ever since the publication of her bestselling novel, The Murder Game. Since Julie doesn’t know anyone in her new town, when she meets her neighbor John Dunbar, their instant connection brings measured hope for a new beginning. But she never imagines that a simple, benign conversation with him could set her life spinning so far off course.

After a series of misunderstandings, Julie and her family become the target of increasingly unsettling harassment. Has Julie’s stalker found her, or are her neighbors out to get her, too? As tension in the neighborhood rises, new friends turn into enemies, and the results are deadly. 

I'm really having a hard time writing reviews for books I really enjoyed that don't contain spoilers, but leave you absolutely needing to read this book. The very cool thing about this book is that if you've read others by Catherine, this one feels totally different. Her other books are light and fun, and they have a little real life seriousness to it, but overall they are light reads, but this one is heavier. I mean, she has a stalker and is harassed throughout the book so right away we're in for a treat and it's nice to see an author go down another alley in their writing and not fall victim to basically being stuck in a rut with the same kind of story and characters. This isn't to say this is so different that if you're a fan of Catherine's you might be hesitant- don't be! The book has a great cast of characters, the story has some humorous parts mixed in and honestly? You can see this playing out as a Lifetime movie in your head, just please don't cast Tori Spelling as Julie because ugh. 

The other thing I'm becoming a fan of even though I swore I wouldn't, the changing point of view. I'm always going to prefer one point of view for my stories but when done right it really works, and that's what we have here. It does switch from past to present, but we also have Julie and the neighbor across the street. And the book basically centers around The Event (which I can't tell you what it is because it ruins the story and just know that I am basically squirming in my seat to freaking spill all of the beans and then talk incredibly fast about how I didn't know WHAT was happening the entire time and oh-my-god what do you think about it?!)  and you don't know if Julie is the cause of it or a victim. The town has run wild with gossip and honestly, there are so many twists to the story that you don't know what the heck is going on until the end. 

And what an ending. 

I also have to give props because I finished The Girl on the Train a week or so ago and that was such an epic let down of a story and this book totally turned psychological thriller around for me. It's not just that but it has the author's chick lit charm in it that made me love her writing to begin with so I feel like I can't plunk this book into a specific genre. It's a mix. It's a really great mix and honestly, if you have a friend who likes to read- consider Fractured for a Christmas gift. Seriously. 

And in the meantime, you can follow or stalk (haha- see what I did there?!) Catherine on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! 

News of the World

I've been on a reading roll now that I'm hardly sleeping at night again. Terrible for me, but yay for you, right?

News of the World - Paulette Jiles

In the aftermath of the Civil War, an aging itinerant news reader agrees to transport a young captive of the Kiowa back to her people in this exquisitely rendered, morally complex, multilayered novel of historical fiction from the author of Enemy Women that explores the boundaries of family, responsibility, honor, and trust.

In the wake of the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd travels through northern Texas, giving live readings from newspapers to paying audiences hungry for news of the world. An elderly widower who has lived through three wars and fought in two of them, the captain enjoys his rootless, solitary existence.

In Wichita Falls, he is offered a $50 gold piece to deliver a young orphan to her relatives in San Antonio. Four years earlier, a band of Kiowa raiders killed Johanna’s parents and sister; sparing the little girl, they raised her as one of their own. Recently rescued by the U.S. army, the ten-year-old has once again been torn away from the only home she knows.

Their 400-mile journey south through unsettled territory and unforgiving terrain proves difficult and at times dangerous. Johanna has forgotten the English language, tries to escape at every opportunity, throws away her shoes, and refuses to act “civilized.” Yet as the miles pass, the two lonely survivors tentatively begin to trust each other, forming a bond that marks the difference between life and death in this treacherous land.

Arriving in San Antonio, the reunion is neither happy nor welcome. The captain must hand Johanna over to an aunt and uncle she does not remember—strangers who regard her as an unwanted burden. A respectable man, Captain Kidd is faced with a terrible choice: abandon the girl to her fate or become—in the eyes of the law—a kidnapper himself. 

So I have to confess that I wanted to read this book because it's not my normal go-to read and I've been watching documentaries on Netflix during Penelope's nap time so I thought I'd be super into this. Also, it is just under 250 pages so I thought it would be a quick read for me, but I have discovered since my embolism in August, nothing is quick for me anymore. Also? I don't know if it's the writing, if I'm just not smart after all, or my reading comprehension skills are busted because I really struggled through this. I found myself re-reading sections and then it dawned on me, the punctuation in this book is way off. Normally I'd write it off as not a big deal because advanced copies sometimes haven't gone through their final edit and it's par for the course to spot errors. But this seems like a specific writing style because there are no breaks to allow for such punctuation, so it really makes it difficult to read passages where there is dialogue. So for that alone, that made me lose interest when I realized I wasn't going to enjoy this as a leisure read, I'm going to have to work for it. 

With that said, the characters are pretty great. Our central character, Captain Kidd, is in his seventies and has been in three wars over the course of his life. He now goes from town to town reading the news from newspapers for a dime a head until one day he's basically given a young girl to take to a town over 400 miles away. He feels pretty confident, having raised daughters with his now deceased wife, so he agrees and off he sets. The problem, is that the girl was kidnapped by the Kiowa (Native Americans) when she was six (she's 10 now), she has forgotten the English language, and it's clear she doesn't want to be going to San Antonio (let alone with Captain Kidd) and she makes the journey pretty miserable because she won't just go easy into the night. But over their journey, the both of them forge a friendship since despite their age difference, have many similarities. Once they get to San Antonio though, Johanna doesn't really want to go with her long lost aunt and uncle (because her parents are dead so this is like a next-of-kin situation) and Captain Kidd doesn't really want to let her go because despite the headaches she's caused and her escape attempts, he's formed a bond with her. 

Overall? It's a good book. It would actually be an interesting read for high school students as a lot of discussion on the mistrust of strangers and those of another culture could be discussed, as well as the morally complex ending. Captain Kidd struggles with leaving Johanna but can he (or should he) risk becoming a fugitive himself? And as mentioned at the beginning of the book, this is at a time where the 15th amendment was just ratified, giving all men (despite race) the right to vote, and one of the characters made a comment that he couldn't take the girl because she was white and he was black- they'd encounter all kinds of trouble and frankly, it would look badly on him. Which can maybe be drawn from current news, perhaps? I don't know. But the books lends itself to discussion for sure and with it being under 300 pages it's really ideal for a quick read. 

You can purchase your own copy of News of the World on the Harper Collins website as well as on Amazon!