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. 

 I cannot express how excited I was to read the latest novel by Katherine Center.  Her books have the ability to touch my soul and make me feel better about life and myself.  This book was no exception.  The best way I can think to describe this "The Love Haters' is healing fiction!   "The Love Haters" is a romance story about a woman named Katie trying to save her job by going to Key West to interview her co-worker's brother, a coast guard rescue swimmer.  The only problem is Katie can't swim and hates the idea of being in a bathing suit.  Determined to save her job she decides she will learn to swim.  Once there she meets Rue, the owner of the motel and aunt to Hutch.  Hutch is the rescue swimmer she is there to interview.  What she doesn't count on is the immediate attraction and his dog, George Bailey.  Katie finds herself falling in love but many different obstacles are determined to get in her way including a cheating ex-...

"I Would Die for You," takes fan obsession to a whole new level.  In 1986, Cassie becomes obsessed with a band called "Secret Oktober."  She falls head over heels for one of the singers.  Her sister Nicole is an aspiring singer and also forms a tie to the same band.  Both of them are also dealing with the fact that their mother is dying.  Fast forward to 2010, Nicole has completely changed her identity, moved to another country, and is lying about her past to her husband and daughter.  Something tragic happened in 1986 and as the book alternates between the two time periods, the reader learns just how far sisters will go to right wrongs.  This was definitely a thriller that kept me guessing until the very end of the book.  It was dark, twisty, and one of the characters can only be described as evil.  The writing was good and each chapter left me on a cliff hanger.  I'm rating it down a half star simply because I wanted more out of Nicole...

  I really wanted to like this one.  It had some fantastic fantasy elements.  I loved the world building and the dragons were a great touch. It was centered on a kingdom that was about female power.  The kingdom however, had been ruled by a long line of male rulers. A new religious group called the  Covenant, had come to the kingdom and were trying to stop all magic and women having power.  They thought men should have everything and women are there just to be subservient and have babies. Aemyra has been waiting to become the next queen. She has been in hiding with her family and plans to take over the kingdom as soon as the old king dies.  She just has to bond with his dragon.  Things go horribly wrong and now Aemyra has to fight not just to become queen but to save those she loves.   I loved the idea about reading about a kingdom where women actually had power, alas that was not the case in this novel. The more I read, the more frustra...

Wow, this had a huge emotional impact on me.  I have read lots of historical fiction fiction set during World War II but I don't think I have ever read one that had several huge twists like this one.  There is so much to unpack and I will be thinking about this book for days.   This novel is a dual timeline book with one story about Kate in 2010 and the other about Audrey in the late 1930s. Kate needs to leave London as she tries to escape her failed marriage and tries to deal with her past.  She has lost both her parents and she is trying to retrace their steps.  This brings her to Oakwood Inn where she meets Audrey.  After a rough start, Audrey begins to confide in Kate about her past. Audrey was in Berlin, living with a Jewish family right before WWII began.  Her story is heartbreaking but also incredible with what she went through to protect those that she loved and to try and make a difference for those in need.   This is an amazing...