I like to talk about books for monthly link ups, but in the past few months I’ve made my way quite steadily through some Netgalley books and I want to devote adequate time to reviewing those books, too!!! Here are a few books that I’ve read recently from Netgalley. (Sorry for any repetition!!) I also noticed this week that Louise Penny’s newest book is on Netgalley if that appeals to any of my fellow fans of hers!! Just requested it today and hoping it works out!

Beartown by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I mentioned on my last link up post that I loved this book. I’ve since had a couple of weeks to digest it and talk about it with a few fellow readers who also loved it. I still haven’t gotten to A Man Called Ove, but I intend to get there soon because I love Backman’s writing SO much. This book was emotional, intense, and full of character development which is a driving force for me when it comes to reading. There were a few characters that I was destined to love and relate to more than others, and it’s meant to be that way. This book is very much about how your past, your upbringing, and your relationships affect who you are and who you are going to become.

I feel like I was also drawn to this book a bit because of the hockey, which is something that is SO Canadian of me to say, but I’m saying it anyway. However, hockey is more like a means to an end in this book and while you could read it all and say, yes, that was all about a hockey team in a remote town, that’s not really something I got out of it at all. Hockey is definitely a theme, but I think it could have easily been replaced by another sport or pastime and had the same message.

If you’re on the fence about trying this book, I cannot emphasize my love for it enough. It was emotional, it was intense, it was gripping, and it was so beautifully written. I am not at all surprised at all the buzz surrounding this book right now. This was by far the best Netgalley book I’ve ever had the privilege of reading.

FOX by Kelly Oliver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book reminded me a bit of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series even though the characters come from a slightly different background. I definitely saw a lot of it coming, but it was still fast-paced enough to hold my interest. I didn’t realize before reading it that it is the third in a series, and I am guessing that there will be more in the series moving forward. Overall, this book passed the time nicely and added a bit of a different element to the genre. Parts of it were downright scary, too. I will likely pick up the next in the series just to find out what happens to all of the characters because I felt like this one ended a bit abruptly.

The Intuitive Eating Workbook: Ten Principles for Nourishing a Healthy Relationship with Food by Evelyn Tribole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was such an applicable workbook to go with their book Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works, which I had picked up used a few months ago. Overall, I enjoy the way they portray dieting, eating well, and weight loss in this book and I agree with the principles. I am hoping that I can break some emotional eating and yo-yoing by continuing to refer to this workbook, and I think I will pick it up in print to make that a little bit easier to follow along with.

Strong Is the New Pretty: A Celebration of Girls Being Themselves by Kate T. Parker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a powerful book that I cannot wait to share with all of the women in my life, and with my two daughters when they are a bit older. The message portrayed in this book is something that is SO important for me to share with my children. I want them to know that they can do anything they put their minds to, and I think that books like this really drive that message home in a beautiful and visual way.

The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme Simsion
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have to say that this book doesn’t even come close to The Rosie Project in my opinion, and it was not exactly what I expected, but I still had to keep reading so there is something to be said for that. I enjoyed the musical references and the setting. The characters didn’t really do it for me, and as I mentioned above, that can really make or break a story for me.

What have you been reading lately?! I still have a few more good reviews coming from Netgalley in the next couple of months, and right now I’ve got two audiobooks (Scrappy Little Nobody and Born a Crime) and A Gathering of Shadows on the go!