Books, Books, Books, and a Cat

These were powerful and interesting poems.  They read quickly and I wanted to know more.  The poems start when she is a child and then move through her life.  I felt such emotion and experiences as I read each one.  It was almost like reading a fast moving book but with very powerful imagery. I have not read a lot of poetry in my life but these will stick with me.  I look forward to reading more. 

This is one of those novels that finds its way into your thoughts after you finish reading.  I enjoyed the story and I also feel like it left me a little haunted by its events. Told from two different times periods we get the story of two sets of sisters.  Both have a rare condition that makes them unable to be around water yet both sets of sisters crave the water.   The first set of sisters are convicted of a crime and forced to leave Ireland for Australia in the 1800s.  The second story is about Lucy, who almost strangles someone while sleeping, and flees to her sister's house to try and find answers.  Once there she discovers her sister is missing but finds her old diary.  Searching for answers, Lucy discovers that there are so many more secrets than she could ever imagine.  I loved the magical elements to this story as well as the message it delivered.  The dual timeline format kept the stories fresh and made me want to keep reading. This...

 I really enjoyed Jennifer Weiner's latest novel.  It was told from multiple view points and jumped back and forth in time to tell the story of two sisters who were part of a hit band. Cassie, is the bigger sister with all of the talent.  She is painfully shy and only wants to make music. Zoe is the older, pretty sister who wants to be a star.  The problem is that they both have fallen for the same guy.  Flash forward to 2024 and Zoe's daughter, Cherry, wants to be a star.  She leaves home to be on a reality show but ends up searching for answers about what really happened with her mom, aunt, and father.   One of the things that I loved about this book was that Cassie was a plus size woman.  Jennifer Weiner gets it and often has a character who is bigger in her novels.  I love reading about these women because I can connect so well with what she is writing about.  I am not a huge music person.  I would much rather stay home and...

  Witches, magic, the sea, kidnapping, murder, and romance, what more could you ask for in a novel! I thoroughly enjoyed this dual timeline novel that takes place on the Amalfi Coast in the early 1800s and present day. Mari is a streghe or sea witch in Positano. Mari and other women from her village use the power of the sea to protect their village and help them be prosperous. The only problem is Mari hates the sea and wants to leave her village. The sea took her mother and sister and she no longer wants any part of it. She has a plan to escape and find happiness when things go horribly wrong. In the present day, Haven is an underwater archaeologist. She has been exploring sunken ships since she was a little kid with her father. Before her father's death he thought he found a big find that might include treasure. Haven is determined to continue his legacy and find that treasure. What she does not expect is that bad weather will derail her plans and she will be thrown on course to s...

This was a fun rom-com book.  I loved the winter Vermont vibes.  Alix is an entertainment journalist who is looking to escape her younger sister for some peace and quiet while she ghostwrites a memoir for a former boy band member. Sebastian.  Sebastian sends her to a lodge in Vermont to help her write but what Alix doesn't expect is the hunky neighbor who is also a ski instructor.  Sparks fly but there is more to her ski instructor than first meets the eye.   I loved the way the novel was written.  In between the story there are texts and past news articles.  This was a fun way to get caught up on all of the back story and kept my interest while reading.  There was also a twist which I did figure out pretty quickly but it definitely helped to make this a great read.  The romance was great and really made me want to cozy up with my loved one at a lodge in Vermont.  Overall, a wonderful winter romance read with a great twist. 

  An immersive mystery/thriller set in a very small town in California.  James returns home to find out what happened to her twin brother after finding out that he was shot while he was in the woods.  She has a feeling that all is not what it seems.  Once in the town she starts to see his ghost as she begins reconnecting with people she has not talked to in 20 years.  As James begins to dig deeper she finds that there is much more to the story than what she first thought and what has happened may somehow be connected to their past.  What I loved about this book is the imagery.  I really felt immersed into Johnny and James' cabin in the woods.  There was a dark vibe as well that really set the mood for this story.  I also liked that there was much more to this story than I originally thought.  Overall, a very solid thriller that mystery lovers will enjoy.