(photo by Tracy Carmody)
Any time I do a post about books I am reading either here on the blog or on Instagram you gals really seem to love it. So I am going to start trying (trying!) to do a monthly post updating you on what I read for the month. Reading plays a HUGE role in my life... it's how I escape and wind down. It's also how I quiet my brain to fall asleep each night and how this introvert gets quiet time when life isn't quiet.
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This year my goal is to read 50 books (again!)... I've done it in the past and surprisingly it's not that hard. Last year I was ONE short! I was so bummed, but with moving and renovations at our house things were a little crazy. This year to help with my goal I am committing to having one book I am reading on my Kindle (I don't actually own a Kindle I just use the app on my iPhone or iPad) and one physical book. I usually carry a book with me, but if I forget a book and am sitting at one of my kids' practices or in the school pick up line I have no excuse not to read a few pages. The thing is, I'm not GREAT at reading on a Kindle, I prefer a physical book. So I am making sure the Kindle book I choose is a super page turner. I will denote which books were read on Kindle and which weren't in case you operate the same way!
Without further ado, this is what I read in January:
Anne of Green Gables: technically this was a Christmas break (2016) book, but we did this as an audio book as a family during all our visiting-family-in-the-car road trips. We listened to the Rachel McAdams audio version and everyone in the family really loved it. Even my 12 year old boy. It's funny and Rachel is a great narrator and for weeks on end we haven't stopped saying "Oh Mirella" around the house. This is the story of a young orphan girl that goes to live in a quiet community with a brother and sister and really shakes things up. It's sweet and funny and a great classic for the whole family. Best part it is FREE on Amazon and Apple's iBook app!
In the Shadow of Lakecrest (Kindle): If you are a Amazon Prime member you get an email each month with a selection of brand new release that are free Kindle downloads. I randomly chose this one and it was a WINNER! It's a creepy story that takes place in the 20's about a wealthy family, their strange and bizarre home and family life and a mysterious disappearance on their property years before the story takes place. It was a real page turner and was reminiscent of Rebecca, which is one of my all time favorite books. This one is released Tuesday, February 1.
The Mysterious Benedict Society: This one was recommended to my by my 12 year old son. He is a huge reader and said "Mom you will love this!" How sweet is that? So I had to take him up on his offer. This is the first in, I believe, a four part series of 4 orphans that are taken in by an academic to solve the world's biggest problem. I can see the draw for kids on this book with funny characters, mystery, intrigue and a little tiny bit of sci-fi. I would recommend it for any kids grades 5 and up or as a great read along with your kids.
My Name is Lucy Barton: I feel like this book was on a lot of recommended lists lately and I picked it up on sale at the bookstore over Christmas break. It's a short book and a quick read about a mother who is hospitalized unexpectedly for longer than she planned. Her husband calls in her estranged mother to keep her company in the hospital and the story unfolds. It was an interesting study into mother daughter and family relations as one chases a dream or goes her own way in life. I enjoyed it.
The Course of Love: This book follows a young couple from first meeting to well into their married years. It is one part a story about a couple and one part an analysis of love and marriage. The 'story' and the 'analysis' are kept in two different fonts and it flip flops back and forth. If you are married this is well worth the read. It really shines a light on the reality of love and marriage and goes deep into issues facing every couple. A few parts were cringe worthy - like 'wow they are going there, huh?!?!' but in the end it was fascinating. Some parts were so refreshingly honest and some parts were so ironically true it made me laugh out loud. It's a short book and one I can see re-reading again and again.
The Traitor's Wife: I randomly picked up The Accidental Empress by this same author and LOVED it, so when I saw she had another historical fiction book I knew I wanted to read that too. I love historical fiction, especially when it has a plot based in true facts and great characters. This one has both of those. It's a great read about the treason of Benedict Arnold during the Revolutionary War in America. This book reminded me of Gone with the Wind (albeit, shorter and a different war) and was a fun look into a big turning point in our nation's history. If you love historical fiction or want to try it out for the first time, this author does a great job of bringing history to life.
The Assistants (Kindle): This is good solid chic lit! Underpaid assistants living and working in New York City turn on their bosses in an 'accidental' embezzlement of tons of cash in an effort to pay down their crippling student loan debts. This was a great no-brainer read that I thoroughly enjoyed start to finish. I have worked in very similar environments to the ladies in the book, so I could really relate to so many parts of the book and got quite a few good laughs. Of course, I don't fundamentally agree with the whole stealing thing, but the book was great entertainment! This is the perfect 'beach' read if you are looking for spring break reading recommendations!
Currently reading... Lilac Girls!
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I hope you enjoy my book reviews... let me know what books you are loving lately! I am always looking for new books to add to my to-be-read list!
