Here are the books I read this month:
All Fall Down by
Jennifer Weiner - A fictional book about a middle class blogger mom who is an addict.
The positive of this book is that it kept my attention, I am pretty sure the
only reason is because I was waiting for it to get better. I did not like Allison,
the main character, and it was fitting because she doesn’t seem to like anyone
either – not her daughter, not her husband, not her mom. It just seemed overly poor
me, my life is so sad, it is not my fault I am an addict. Books about addiction
probably are probably something I just should leave on the shelf.
Scandal and Vanished by
Kate Brian – Books #11 and #12 in the Private series. These books are not
realistic have lots of teenage drama and are overall just pretty ridiculous.
BUT, they are a guilty pleasure so I don’t even care, and Kate Brian does a
good job of creating suspense that makes me want to keep reading! Having said
all of that Vanished took a turn for the worst the story was just not good it
didn’t go with the previous 11 books and the ending did not have me wanting to
pick up the next book immediately so I decided I needed a little bit of a break
from the Billings girls.
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingslove – This was a story about
a girl who wants to run away from her small town Kentucky life without falling
into the traps of getting pregnant and living a life of poverty. Instead she
ends up with a stranger’s child living a life of poverty in Arizona. There were
some inconsistencies with the description of Oklahoma (which bothered me more
than it should have) and some random “facts” thrown in that I don’t think were accurate,
but if you remember to keep in mind that it is a fictional story it is a good
read. I will pick up the sequel to see
what happens with Taylor and Turtle Next.
The Good Girl by
Mary Kubica – Mia decides to go home with a random guy from a bar when her
boyfriend cancels on her…again, which turns out to be a huge mistake. I’ve seen
this book compared to Gone Girl quite a few times I guess because they both
have several alternating points of view and a “surprising” twist? I liked The
Good Girl the beginning is the best part, the twist takes too long to develop,
having said that I would recommend It if you’ve already read Gone Girl and
Still Missing and you’re looking for something in that same family. On second
thought maybe read this one first and then follow up with the better two! I will
read Mary Kubica’s next book for sure.
The Next Thing on My
List by Jill Smolinski – This was the book I randomly picked off the shelf
for the reading challenge, it was a pretty typical chick lit book. June is
driving Marissa (a girls she only knows from a Weight Watchers meeting) home
when an accident leaves Marissa dead and June feeling guilty. June discovers a
list that Marissa made of 20 things to do before she turns 25 and on a whim
decides to finish the list for Marissa. I think we all make these lists or have
at least seen them all over the blog world so I think that makes it is to
relate to. The book is a good fast beach read.
These Things Hidden by
Heather Gudenkuaf – I really enjoyed this book and the twists that went along
with it. It seems like it has mixed reviews on Goodreads, a lot of people didn’t
like the character development or found the characters to be un- relatable but
honestly most of the time when I read I’m looking for a good story, and this
book delivered. It kept me turning the page. I am hesitant to give too much away
but this book is told by four different women; Allison who was just released
from prison, Brynn the sister who wants nothing to do with Allison, Charm who
struggles with giving up a baby she couldn’t care for, and Claire the adoptive
mom who went through hell before finally getting her forever son.
The Beginning of
Everything by Robyn Schneider This story started out with the title Severed
Heads, Broken Hearts – I imagine I wouldn’t have read that book, because ew (!)
but it’s a pretty good description all the same. I really like Ezra and his
fall from popular jock to debate team member was more of a transformation of
who Ezra was instead of an author with a vendetta against the popular kids from
high school. If you like John Green and Rainbow Rowell I’d read this one for
sure.
Don’t Even Think
about It by Sarah Mlynowski I decided after I read this one I needed a
break from high school books all together, and it probably wasn’t this books
fault I just needed to get out of teenage minds for a bit. In this one a class
of high school kids has a reaction to the flu shot that gives them the ability
to read minds, obviously it’s a pretty big struggle there are so many secrets
to hide in high school, plus who wants to know what their parents are really
thinking?? I will read the sequel when it comes out but I can’t imagine I would
admit that I read this book to anyone in the real world unless they brought it
up first. If you’re looking for a fast fun read that takes absolutely zero
brain power you might want to try this one.
Will Grayson, Will
Grayson by John Green - I guess I didn’t even make it one book on my ban on
high school books, oh well I really like reading John Green books. Two Will
Graysons happen to meet in a random porn shop in Chicago. After they meet their lives become intertwined
thanks to Tiny Cooper (who in my opinion is the real star of the book, what can
I say I have a soft spot for football players). The real core of this book is
about friendship, and I don’t know if it’s Green’s writing style or that this
friendship book is all about guys instead of the usual girl friendship but I
really liked it. There was no exciting plot twist and no big exciting plot but it
was still good read and I laughed more than I ever expected to.
In The Blood by Lisa
Unger – Even though I read a lot of high school drama books, my real true
book love is psychological thrillers. There was so much crazy in this book!
Lane Granger is trying to hide from her past; her mother was murdered by her
father. She is finishing up her last year of college when she gets a job
helping out with a young troubled boy, Luke. Luke is terrible and smart and
manipulative and Lane can’t decide if she is empathetic to him or if he is just
plain awful. As if dealing with Luke
wasn’t enough Lane’s friend/roommate/wanna be lover Rebecca has gone missing. There were a few twists that I figured out
pretty early on but then there were so many more that I just didn’t see coming!
(I always tell Garrett what I think is going to happen so that I can get credit
for it, and it’s not just me saying I knew that was going to happen…of course
he never has any idea what I’m really talking about!)
Before I Fall by
Lauren Oliver – This book is Mean Girls meets Groundhog Day (there is a chance
that’s not an original thought and I read it on Goodreads but it is the perfect
description). Samantha Kingston a popular high school senior dies on her way
home from a party, dying is nothing like she thought it was going to be. When
her life flashed before her eyes it wasn’t anything she thought it would be,
they weren’t happy memories they were insignificant things that shouldn’t have
mattered in her last seconds. The morning after her death she wakes up and has
to live the day all over again, she goes through the whole day seven times and
learns that the smallest changes make more difference than she ever thought
they would. There was something about this book that I loved, deep in my soul
loved. Maybe it was the timing or the girl who read it (because I listened to
this one) or maybe it was because I have a little sister that reminds me of
Izzy, or maybe it was because of sweet Kent who is so willing to put himself
out there to get hurt, or because I have to constantly remind myself to be nice
to everyone because we don’t know what battles they are facing. This is one of
those books if you don’t like it I don’t want to know why; I just want to go on
blissfully thinking it was amazing. "Maybe
you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there's a tomorrow. Maybe for you there's
one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten, so much time you can bathe
in it, roll around in it, let it slide like coins through your fingers. So much time you can waste it. But for some of us there's
only today. And the truth is, you never really know."
Nantucket Sisters by
Nancy Thayer - Maggie and Emily (GR says Piper...) meet as children on
Nantucket Maggie is from a poor single mom family and Emily’s family is rich.
Emily falls in love with Maggie’s brother but they (he) can’t get on the same
page with the money so it ends, even though they both still love each other.
Both M and E get pregnant by the same guy but E doesn’t know it. The whole
story is pretty boring and none of the characters are very likeable. I really
just wanted it to end.
Here are my reading challenge stats:
The Bean Trees - Freebie! Read any book that fits the general rules 5 Points
The Next Thing on My List - Read a book you have never heard of before. 10 Points
These Things Hidden - Read a book that has been on your TBR list for at least two years. (I added TTH to my TBR list on 11/1/12) 10 Points
The Good Girl - Read a book by an author who is completely new to you. 15 Points
Nantucket Sisters - Read a book with the name of a city, state or country in the title. 20 Points
June Points: 60 Points
Challenge Total : 145/200
*I don't think I'm going to do reviews next month...they are just so boring and I am not very good at them.
