Month in Review

This is where I post a wrap-up of books read and reviews posted each month. I also include a few goals for the coming month.

This was the first month in awhile where I've really gotten back into reviewing books, so I thought it was time for another one of these. I also set up a new look for the blog that I thought was more fitting since I'm not reading as much YA, and I'm reading more of a variety.

Books Read:

*Links go to Goodreads*

Contents May Have Shifted by Pam Houston

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Captive by Grace Burrowes

The Traitor by Grace Burrowes

Lock In by John Scalzi

The Laird by Grace Burrowes

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

Reviews Posted:

 *Links go to my review*

Contents May Have Shifted by Pam Houston

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Lock In by John Scalzi

Captive Hearts Series by Grace Burrowes

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes 

Reviews to Write/Post:

 None

Reviews by Rating:

 5 stars - 4

4 stars - 3

3 stars - 1

2 stars - 1

DNF/1 star - 1

Books on My Reading List for October:

*Links go to Goodreads*

Moonlight Raider by Amanda Scott

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

The Beautiful Ashes by Jeaniene Frost

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Tainted by Julie Kenner

He's Gone by Deb Caletti

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Shining by Stephen King

The Devil in Denim by Melanie Scott

Other Goals:

 I read 10 books this month, which I'm pretty happy about. I hope to read another 10 books in October. I'm also going to look for some new blogs to follow, since most of the ones I used to follow are no longer posting. I know people get burnt out, I did, but maybe they'll come back like me. I also want to be more active about posting on other blogs. I need to update a few Goodreads reviews and update my 2014 reading challenges page. I want to go through my blog labels and hit some posts I missed as well as remove some extras I no longer use or changed.

Top Ten Tuesday

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 

This week's theme is Top Ten Books That Were Hard For Me To Read.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - This book was hard for 2 reasons. First, I had a hard time following in parts. Second, the subject matter is difficult. You get attached to characters when you already know nothing good can come of it.

Infected by Scott Sigler - It was the first book by Sigler I had read, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It was such a weird freaking book. For some reason, I still kinda liked it.

Ancestor by Scott Sigler - Talk about weird freaking books. If Infected was weird, then this one was like off the charts crazy. Again, I still liked it, in a weird way. Weird is just the only word for Sigler's books.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy - This book was hard to read because of the situation and how bleak the world felt.

The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon - This is a book about the author when he was a boy and decided to commit suicide by setting himself on fire. Then once he was on fire, he changed his mind, but the damage had already been done. The book follows the time he spent in the hospital recovering physically and emotionally. It hurt to read it, but it's so good.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank - For obvious reasons, this book was hard to read, especially given my age at the time. I read this in 6th grade, and it was the first book related to the Holocaust that I read on my own. We had just finished Number the Stars, and I wanted to know more about the Holocaust, so the teacher recommended it. It is easily the book that cinched by interest in WWII, Nazi Germany, and the Holocaust. In college, I obtained a BA in History, and my focus was in Nazi Germany and the Holocaust.

Book Review - One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books

Publication Date: 1 July 2014

Genre: Literary Fiction / Women's Fiction

My Copy: Library - hardback

Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell—until an unexpected knight-in-shining-armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages . . . maybe ever.

Review:
 Wow. I think I love Jojo Moyes even more than I did after I read Me Before You. Her books are just what I'm looking for right now, a little bit romance and a little bit real life. This is a lovely story about a woman who is trying so hard to provide for her children and teach them kindness and honesty. It's also about a man who doesn't really appreciate the good life he has. It takes a very long road trip in a small car with 4 people and a dog to really allow Jess and her kids to relax and make Ed see how good he really has it. But Jess did something desperate that may change everything.

Jess is a single mom who does everything she can to keep her head above water. She's positive and quick to bounce back from problems (both Ed and Nicky refer to her as Tigger). She works two low income jobs to keep the roof over their heads and food on the table, but she still has a hard time paying the bills. Her daughter Tanzie is a math genius, and her stepson Nicky is socially awkward and bullied. The police ignore the escalating problems her children face with the neighbor hood bullies even after Nicky gets his face busted up. Tanzie is very innocent and naive, and Nicky tries to shield her from the world. Ed is rich by most standards but doesn't see how lucky he really is. He makes a mistake in an effort to remove a clingy woman from his life, and it comes back to threaten his whole life.

Jess does her best to put a brave face on and encourage her children, but it's not easy when it seems like everything is falling apart. Tanzie gets a chance to go to a fancy school, but Jess doesn't have the money. One night Ed ends up at the bar where she works, and she gets him home in a cab. Once she gets him home and leaves, she's faced with a moral dilemma which haunts her throughout the book. It's really a great plot line with humor and sorrow. I definitely laughed several times and cried at others. You want so desperately to help Jess and her kids out that it hurts. I'll be looking for another Jojo Moyes book to read soon, and I absolutely recommend this one!

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey.

What I Finished This Week:

What I'm Currently Reading:

   

What's Next TBR:

   

Pinterest Saturday

This is a little feature here to showcase some pins I found on Pinterest through the week. Some are bookish, others might be health, food, movie, quote, or just generally life related. This is just for fun, so enjoy! *Images link to my pin on Pinterest*

WRITING:

 A post on bullet journaling. I had never heard of it before, but now I totally want to try writing a journal this way.

OUTFITS:

 So pretty, and absolutely my color. 

Really cute idea. Black leg warmers over black leggings and black shoes.

HALLOWEEN:

 I love this idea for Halloween!

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Weekly Wrapup

I had a pretty good book week. I didn't get through quite as many books as I would have liked, but I did get through a few. You can read more about which books I finished and what I'm reading next on Mondays for my It's Monday, What Are You Reading? post. 

Reviews:

Contents May Have Shifted by Pam Houston

Lock In by John Scalzi
Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Series Spotlight:

Captive Hearts Series by Grace Burrowes

Other Posts:

Pinterest Saturday

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Top Ten Tuesday

Books Read:

The Laird by Grace Burrowes

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Weekend Reads:

The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh O'Brien
One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

Come by later for my TV Wrapup post, and tomorrow for Pinterest Saturday!

Book Review - Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Publisher: Amy Einhorn

Publication Date: 17 April 2012

Genre: Memoir / Humor

My Copy: Library - hardback

When Jenny Lawson was little, all she ever wanted was to fit in. That dream was cut short by her fantastically unbalanced father and a morbidly eccentric childhood. It did, however, open up an opportunity for Lawson to find the humor in the strange shame-spiral that is her life, and we are all the better for it.

In the irreverent Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson’s long-suffering husband and sweet daughter help her uncover the surprising discovery that the most terribly human moments—the ones we want to pretend never happened—are the very same moments that make us the people we are today. For every intellectual misfit who thought they were the only ones to think the things that Lawson dares to say out loud, this is a poignant and hysterical look at the dark, disturbing, yet wonderful moments of our lives.

Review:
This is seriously one of the most hilarious books I've read in a long time. Multiple times I was laughing until I was crying. Then, of course, I was forced to stop reading because I couldn't see the page through my tears! I borrowed this from the library, but I'm going to have to buy a copy. And then obviously shove it into everyone's hands and make them read it. I had never heard of The Bloggess prior to finding this book on a reading list. I'm now a follower; I only wish I'd known about Jenny Lawson earlier! If nothing else will convince you, go to a library or a bookstore, pick up the book, and read the chapter Stanley, the Magical Talking Squirrel. I couldn't BREATHE.

The book is witty and snarky and all around amazing. It starts with stories about Lawson's childhood growing up with a taxidermist father and his horrible ideas for practical jokes. (Seriously, read Stanly, the Magical Talking Squirrel--you'll pee your pants.) Then it moves through her meeting her husband, having their daughter, and their lives since. I would recommend reading it in small bits. The chapters are fairly small, so read a couple each day and savor this magnificent memoir! Unless your easily offended, and then maybe this isn't for you, or you just need to get over it so you can love this book.

Series Spotlight - Captive Hearts Series by Grace Burrowes

The Captive by Grace Burrowes
Series: Captive Hearts #1

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Publication Date: 1 July 2014

Genre: Historical Romance

My Copy: Library - mass market

Captured and tortured by the French, Christian Severn, Duke of Mercia, survives by vowing to take revenge on his tormentors. Before the duke can pursue his version of justice, Gillian, Countess of Greendale, reminds him that his small daughter has suffered much in his absence, and needs her papa desperately.

Gilly endured her difficult marriage by avoiding confrontation and keeping peace at any cost. Christian's devotion to his daughter and his kindness toward Gilly give her hope that she could enjoy a future with him, for surely he of all men shares her loathing for violence in any form. Little does Gilly know, the battle for Christian's heart is only beginning.

Review:
I love Grace Burrowes. Seriously. This was such a heart-wrenching novel for me. Mercia is wonderful as a vengeful war veteran. He's just the right amount of hurt, guarded, and angry. Gillian is the perfect soft, betrayed woman for him. She had a horrible marriage and just wants a place to live quietly. Taking care of Mercia's daughter Lucy seems like the perfect way to obtain this goal. However, two wounded people in need of healing become perfect companions and slowly begin to fall in love. Nothing is ever simple in a Burrowes romance, and the story is full of wonderful layers. There's even a cameo from Devlin St. Just (The Soldier). The ending wrapped up nicely, and the story line set up the foundation for the rest of the series perfectly.

The Traitor by Grace Burrowes
Series: Captive Hearts #2
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Publication Date: 5 August 2014
Genre: Historical Romance
My Copy: Library - mass market

As a young boy, British-born Sebastian St. Clair was abandoned in France and forced to join the French army in order to survive. Now that the war is over, he has returned home to his beloved England, and is determined to live a quiet life as a country gentleman. He believes that his wish is about to come true when he begins to fall for his elderly aunt’s lovely companion, Miss Millicent Danforth.

But the French are not quite ready to let him go, and they’ve devised a devious plot that could destroy everything that Sebastian holds dear. He will have to use all of his wits if he plans on escaping this scheme with his life…and his love.

Review:
 This book was a fascinating addition to the series. I was amazed at how Burrowes was able to take a seemingly sadistic St. Clair and turn him into a character I loved. He was actually probably my favorite male character out of the series. Such a tortured, complicated, and misunderstood soul. Millie didn't really impress me as much. Out of desperation, she takes a position in the Traitor Baron's home and begins to learn more about him. She's sweet, but felt a little flat to me. The ending was everything I wanted for St. Clair.

  The Laird by Grace Burrowes
Series: Captive Hearts #3
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Publication Date: 2 September 2014
Genre: Historical Romance
My Copy: Library - mass market

The morning after Michael Brodie marries the lovely Brenna, he marches off to join Wellington’s army, leaving his new wife alone with his unseemly Uncle Angus and an estate to manage.

Ten years later, when Michael finally returns home, he discovers a nest of vicious lies, tales of disloyalty, and most surprising of all, a blossoming love for the woman he left behind.

But his beloved is keeping a dark secret from him. A secret that begins to unfold when Michael’s young sister joins their household, and Uncle Angus’ true nature is revealed.

Review:
  What a heart-wrenching conclusion to the Captive Heart series! The Author's Note in the beginning of the book states that this is darker than any of the books she's done thus far, and it certainly is. That being said, this might be my favorite book by Burrowes, and that's saying something. Michael is a patient and insightful man which is just what Brenna needs from her husband when he returns home from war. Brenna has been through an unimaginable 9 years, and really her story starts before those years. My heart broke for her over and over in this story. I loved the way Michael and Brenna come together. There's just something wonderful about the steadfast relationship they have despite everything they've been through. They just don't give up, and that's admirable. They are both very complex characters set against the unfortunate harsh realities of life. My only (very small) complaint is the handling of Maeve. I feel like Brenna wouldn't let Maeve be alone as much or be someone else's responsibility. That's all I'm going to say on that, so I don't give anything away, but it bothered me. I loved this book despite it's darkness, or maybe because of it.

This was absolutely another fantastic historical romance series. It really shows Grace Burrowes's talent for writing layers within stories that capture your heart. You should definitely add these to your list!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 

This week's theme is Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR List.

1) The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater - yep, all 3 available by the end of the year!

2) Symbiont by Mira Grant - Despite giving the first book a mediocre score, it's stuck with me since I read it, and I really want to read the next one.

3) Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

4) The Beautiful Ashes by Jeaniene Frost

5) Contagious by Scott Sigler

6) Shelter Mountain by Robyn Carr

7) One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

8) The Shining by Stephen King

9) Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

10) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Also, you should check out my full End of the Year Book Bucket List post!

Book Review - Lock In by John Scalzi

Lock In by John Scalzi

Publisher: Tor Books

Publication Date: 26 August 2014

Genre: Science Fiction / Mystery

My Copy: Library - hardback

Fifteen years from now, a new virus sweeps the globe. 95% of those afflicted experience nothing worse than fever and headaches. Four percent suffer acute meningitis, creating the largest medical crisis in history. And one percent find themselves “locked in”—fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus.

One per cent doesn't seem like a lot. But in the United States, that's 1.7 million people “locked in”...including the President's wife and daughter.

Spurred by grief and the sheer magnitude of the suffering, America undertakes a massive scientific initiative. Nothing can restore the ability to control their own bodies to the locked in. But then two new technologies emerge. One is a virtual-reality environment, “The Agora,” in which the locked-in can interact with other humans, both locked-in and not. The other is the discovery that a few rare individuals have brains that are receptive to being controlled by others, meaning that from time to time, those who are locked in can “ride” these people and use their bodies as if they were their own.

This skill is quickly regulated, licensed, bonded, and controlled. Nothing can go wrong. Certainly nobody would be tempted to misuse it, for murder, for political power, or worse...

Review:
This was a really weird book for me. I've been trying to expand my reading horizons because every once in awhile, I need something different to read. Chris Shane is a Haden, the name for people who are locked in.  He's a famous Haden due to his father's vast collection of accolades as well as being the public face of Hadens as normal people. He wants to be able to live on his own and gets a job as an FBI agent. Hadens live with their bodies in cradles at home while a computer installed in their brains allows them to virtually live inside what are essentially fancy robots. This makes them valuable in the law enforcement field because they can record and scan their surroundings for viewing later. On his first official day on the job, he meets his partner Agent Vann who has her own set of problems. Immediately, they have a murder to solve. At first it seems like a garden variety murder, but then several things start to come to light and nothing seems to add up. Both characters annoyed me at times. Agent Shane acted like a spoiled rich kid a few times, which is actually probably realistic, but annoying none the less. Agent Vann was moody and rude, but again you kind of understand why later in the book.

The story was kind of hard for me to get into at first. I didn't really understand what Agent Shane was walking around as which made it really difficult to visualize the story (I was thinking something like R2D2, and it was more like I, Robot). There is apparently a prequel novella that explains some of this, so you might want to read that first. Once I understood a little better (about a quarter of the way through the book), I really got into the book. There is so much going on in it. Scalzi did a great job of connecting all the dots and there are a lot. I was a little worried it would seem rushed at the end since I was really close to the end and there were still way too many loose ends, but it was all wrapped up and surprisingly didn't feel rushed to me. I thought the mystery aspect of this was very well put together.

I am not aware of a sequel planned for this, nor does the ending leave it to where there has to be one, but I would kind of like to see one. There are many more story lines available here and much about the Agora and the new circumstances for the Hadens that could still be evolved further. I did take away a star for it being hard to get into and understand at first. I almost gave up on it, but I'm glad I didn't. I highly recommend this book, but you should probably read the novella first!

Rating Breakdown:

Plot: 5 stars

Pacing: 5 stars

Characters: 4 stars

Ending: 5 stars

Recommend: Yes!

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey.

What I Finished This Week:

 

What I'm Currently Reading:

What's Next TBR: