Book Talk – Show us Your Books November!

Coming right off a long weekend to link up with Steph and Jana for Show us your books!!! I’ve still been working pretty steadily towards my 2018 Goodreads goal, and I knocked quite a few Netgalley books off this month too although I then got accepted to read three of them in one day so I’m almost back where I started there, haha. The highlight of October for me was reading Harry Potter to Molly for the first time – she is so much more into it than I could have even hoped for. 🙂 We are on the second illustrated book now.

Here are some of the books I’ve read lately:

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was SO good. I loved the audiobook even though it took me about a half hour to really catch on to who everyone was because of it – and I ended up reading a bit of it in print at a bookstore one day to see some of the spelling of the unique names (my downfall with audiobooks!). Bahni Turpin is an incredible narrator and I have enjoyed some of her other work as well. This is an amazing debut from Adeyemi about a very complex world with some very real (and relatable to our world even though this is fantasy) problems to do with ethnicity/background. This reminded me a tiny bit of something like Graceling, and that was fun. If you like YA fantasy (there is also a splash of intense romance), this series is so worth your time. I cannot wait to read the next one in 2019.

The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had no idea what this book was about when I received an invitation to read it from St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley – but I had, of course, heard of this popular author. Now I can’t wait to read more from her! This book was so fascinating and it really made me think. It requires some ability to suspend belief because there is time travel, but it’s not at all fantasy and very straightforward fiction (a la Time Traveller’s Wife/About Time). It was so well done. It took me longer than I expected to read it because I really had to dig in to figure out what could happen but I then polished the latter 70% of it off in a day. There are strong, passionate characters, historical events brought to life in a different way, and some very difficult decisions for the characters to make. Highly recommend this one. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this lovely book.

Stretched Too Thin: How Working Moms Can Lose the Guilt, Work Smarter, and Thrive by Jessica N. Turner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve followed Jessica Turner for a few years so when I first heard about this book, I was quite interested in it but wasn’t sure if I would get much out of it. I thought actually that I wasn’t feeling “stretched too thin” very often. I was definitely wrong – this book was quite full of insight into balancing things a bit better and letting go of some of the “mommy guilt” that is commonly felt if you are a mother who works away from your children in any capacity. I’d say that aspects of this would be applicable to those who aren’t mothers as well, but it is primarily focused on parenting and relationships. It was a quick listen and there are worksheets to go with it, which are so helpful. There are religious undertones to all of her works but there is very little strong focus on that, at least in my opinion. Loved this book and needing to finish The Fringe Hours (which I never did finish). Also – this cover is so gorgeous 🙂 (audio from Hoopla app)

A Duel for Christmas by Rosanne E. Lortz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, this is a genre that I absolutely love and had not previously read – historical romantic suspense! It was a lot of fun! These characters are so easy to root for and this was not highly suspenseful or difficult to read but it was fun to see how it all worked out. I can’t wait to read more in this series because I’m curious to see where things go with a few of the characters. As always, I love reading books in this time period and this was no exception though I always find it difficult to read about women’s rights (or lack thereof) at that time. Lady Wotherington was fortunate to have two very special men in her corner while she went through some of the events in this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced review copy of this book. I’m so glad there are other books to read in this series.

Wildfire by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5/5 Stars for the pure enjoyment of the world that these authors have created here. I love Nevada and Rogan, Nevada’s family, and all of the interesting magic in these books. I was sad to come to the end of this trilogy but happy to hear that there will be a spin-off of these books coming next year. This book was fast-paced, interesting, and we learn a lot about some secondary characters here. I listened to the audiobook for most of this but read parts of it too, especially the ending when I could no longer savour it and had to finish. Dying to read books similar to this one if I can find them out there! 🙂 I also read the second book in this series, White Hot, this past month and loooved it too.

Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really love the world that these authors have created. I missed Nevada as the main character in this novella, but I really liked Catalina. I cannot WAIT for more books with this family in them. Thank you Kristen for putting this series on my radar and sending me this book too! 🙂 ❤

Merrily Ever After by Jenny Holiday
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a sweet read about one of the couples in this series that we know less about – and it was a fun way to pass an hour or two. I can’t wait to read Gia’s story after Christmas – Jenny Holiday’s writing really works for me and her characters are so lovable. Thank you to Netgalley and Estelle from Hachette Book Group and Forever Yours for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book – it comes out Dec 4!

The Matrimonial Advertisement by Mimi Matthews
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’ve read a lot of historical romances this year because publishers just keep on sending them to me (no complaints, I love this genre). This one was a bit different than the others and I really liked it. Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

One Day in December by Josie Silver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was highly anticipating this book and while I did really REALLY enjoy reading the majority of it, parts of it fell a little bit flat. I think I sometimes find it hard to get behind couples who just can’t seem to get together even though they want to. That being said, the ending of this was adorable and I wouldn’t call this overly Christmassy even though many parts of it do take place during the season over the course of 10 years. I have no doubt that many readers will enjoy curling up with this during the next few months – as did I. Thank you to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC of this book.

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5/5 stars I started this book, put it down for weeks, picked up a page here and there, and then finally finished it (this is so unlike me in my reading life). It was good overall and I liked Carlos and Nik quite a bit. The beginning felt a bit stronger than the middle, and the ending had its up and downs too but overall this was another book that passes the time nicely. Thank you to Netgalley and Berkeley for the ARC of this book.

NOPE

Dear Santa by Nancy Naigle
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was quite hard-pressed to finish this book but I did so for the sake of reviewing it. The pacing felt off to me, the characters were confusing and whiny, and it didn’t work for me at all. This just simply wasn’t the book for me. (ARC provided by Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press).

What have you been reading lately?!

Currently Reading: The Mysterious Benedict Society, Virgil Wander, and need to start something else this week too! I’m also reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to Molly and she is sooo obsessed.

14 Books I Intend to Read Before the End of 2018

Life is still feeling very hectic – not actually, but I am certainly finding things to keep me busy. We are all a tiny bit under the weather and it has dipped below freezing temperatures this week so I am looking forward to curling up with a cup of tea (or wine!) tonight and taking it easy 🙂

Today I’m sharing 14 books that are on my TBR list before the end of the year. At least two of these were on my Spring TBR list so I need to put my money where my mouth is. Haha. Definitely hoping to get to all of these!!!

1) Peace like a River by Leif Enger – I’m partway through Enger’s new book (Virgil Wander), but I really want to read this one too because I know people have loved it.

2) Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny – can’t WAIT for the next instalment in the Gamache series which comes out November 27. Louise Penny is also coming to Halifax in December and I got tickets to the event (which sold out!) so I am feeling very lucky to see her twice in two years!

3) Get Lucky by Katherine Center – again, another author whose backlist I keep planning to read and this book has been on my kindle app for ages too. By the way, if you haven’t heard, her book The Lost Husband (which I really liked!) is becoming a movie starring Josh Duhamel. SO EXCITED.

4) Take me With You by Catherine Ryan Hyde – Kristen (my book twin) and maaaany others have raved about this book and it’s been sitting on my Kindle app for ages.

5) Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend – after absolutely adoring the first in this series, I can’t wait to see where this next book takes Morrigan! It comes out in November.

6) Christmas with Anne and other Holiday Stories – bought this at a used book sale last year and can’t wait to soak it up in December (it’s on Hoopla on audio too!)

7) The Girl you Left Behind by JoJo Moyes – I keep saying I’m going to read Moyes’ backlist and this is sitting on my shelf waiting for me AND it is well-reviewed!

8) Winter in Paradise by Elin Hildebrand – because her writing is usually a nice palate cleanser 🙂

9) The Christmas Train by David Baldacci – I meant to read this last year in November/December and never got around to it, so I will this year! It’s already on hold and suspended until December.

10) The rest of the Harry Potter series – I am almost done reading the first book (in illustrated format) to Molly and it has been one of the highlights of my life watching her discover this amazing world. Now I have an intense craving to dive back in to the rest of this series again (I probably say this every year but I haven’t prioritized it – too many other books to read!)

11) One Day in December by Josie Silver – I have this from Netgalley and I’ve heard good things!! I love holiday reads.

12) I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes – The girls on the Currently Reading podcast (which I am loving, by the way) bumped this one up even though I’ve mentioned before that it’s on my radar. I own it in audio and print so there are no excuses!!

13) Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty – dying to get my hands on this in November!

14) Children of Blood & Bone by Tomi Adeyemi – have heard amazing things about this and I just got the audiobook from the library!!

4 year SUYB anniversary! (recent reads)

Wow, so exciting to be celebrating 4 years of Show us Your Books this month!! Though I cannot say I have been here since the beginning, I think it’s been 3 years for me (ish!) I love this link up and this community of readers. Thank you so much for running the link up every month, Steph & Jana!! 🙂

My reading was a bit all-over-the-place this month. A few duds and a few wonderful reads and a few DNFs (which I don’t even bother mentioning really). Here are a few books I read:

Amazing books I am happy to chat about forever:

99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am not at all surprised that I loved this book – I adore The Hating Game and I had been anticipating this one for quite some time. I was overjoyed to receive an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you SO much!!!) and I read it the same day it came in on my kindle app. The characters were so well done, the story was fun and so readable, and I know I will re-read parts of it for years to come much like I’ve done with The Hating Game.
I particularly really liked Darcy and her personality and loved that she had a twin brother – it was so fun to read about even though they had their ups and downs. If this is your genre of choice, definitely add this to your TBR – comes out Jan 2019 🙂

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #1)

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had seen this book compared to Harry Potter by several friends, and I thought for many years that nothing could compare – and truly it can’t, but this is the closest I’ve seen!!! I am so excited about this series. It has some similar characteristics to HP – somewhat neglected 11 year old protagonist, magical worlds, loveable mentor, funny best friend, interesting setting, etc. but it is so different too. I absolutely loved it and cannot WAIT for the second one which comes out this fall!! 🙂 If you are a HP fan, please consider checking this out! If you aren’t, you might not love this as much but maybe someone else in your life will!! 🙂

My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I didn’t want to race through this book in one sitting, but that’s what happened. These characters were SO much fun to read about. I loved the online dating component – that’s how I met my husband though it wasn’t Tinder and it was maybe a bit more like the app in this book. I struggled a bit at times with the female character not being able to express herself, but I understand why she was like that and it was very realistic for her life events. Her group of friends and her career and all of it – just so fun. I love these authors – I haven’t read a book of theirs yet that I did not completely love. I also want to mention that this book was SOOO hilarious at times too and it’s been awhile since a book made me laugh so much. Thank you Netgalley for “granting my wish” with this one!!

I’d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the perfect book for book lovers. I intended to savour this, and I will, the next time I read it, but instead I read it in one sitting. This type of book is not typically my favourite format, but I found myself nodding my head and feeling so well understood throughout all of these essays. SO good. Whether you are a MMD fan or not, this is still very fun to read if you love books.

Mister Romance by Leisa Rayven
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I saw this recommended in a Facebook group and was honestly not expecting TOO much from it but thought it would pass my time nicely – I ended up loving it. This was a great romantic comedy. I am dying to get my hands on the second in the series and I think I will end up buying it eventually because it’s about her sister and I really enjoyed this author.

Very well done books:

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I highly doubt that I would have enjoyed this book half as much or I might have DNFed it if I didn’t listen to it on audio. The audiobook was a great companion though – I really enjoyed following this epic family story over the course of decades. It was so sad at times and so hopeful at times too. I knew nothing about this time period in Korea/Japan, so that was very interesting too.

Ghosted by Rosie Walsh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book reminds me of something else but I can’t quite place it – there is an element to it that is familiar but not quite. Anyway, enough about that – I couldn’t really put this book down. I found it fast-paced and was very curious to see how it would all work out. It’s not really a thriller, and not suspenseful or scary but there is a WTF element so I guess I would maybe classify it a bit as a psychological romance?! I really enjoy books set in Britain and I liked this reading experience quite a bit even if parts of it seemed a bit unbelievable/coincidental.

Less by Andrew Sean Greer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5/5 stars but I would have likely never finished it in print – the audio was quite well done. Not sure that I am the target audience for this book although I did find parts of it absolutely hilarious and other parts very thought-provoking. Certainly well written. The ending definitely redeemed other parts of the story. Reminded me a tiny bit of Ove but on a road trip.

Promises and Primroses by Josi S. Kilpack
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I can’t wait to continue with this series. I loved these characters and this book was so fun to read. I have enjoyed most of the books I’ve read from this publisher, so I was happy to discover a new author via Netgalley.

This book kind of has two separate generational stories going on, and they were both great but I preferred the younger generation. Looking forward to more in this Mayfield series. Thank you Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Press!

Books I did not 100% fall in love with but you might:

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 – I wish I liked this series more. I want to like them because I love J.K. Rowling…..they just take me so long to get through and my attention wanes. This one was certainly better than book 2 which I DNF and now I can read the 4th, which I might try on audio to change it up a bit. Part of what I struggle with while reading these books is the length & detail – just too long for this genre.

Mirage by Somaiya Daud
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It took me a lot longer than I expected to get through this book, but I still enjoyed it overall. I think it was just at slightly the wrong time (busy busy time of year). Interesting concept, great world building and I will likely continue with the series to see how it all goes. I did enjoy the character development too. If you enjoy YA fantasy, this is a tiny bit similar to Cinder (minus the fairy tale retelling).

Undue Influence: A Persuasion Retelling by Jenny Holiday
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love Persuasion, so the elements of this that were similar to that made my heart swell. The characters were great. This is not my typical type of romance, but I enjoyed it more than I expected to and I am anxious to read everything she has written now.

I also read TJR’s Evidence of the Affair (not my favourite – I generally hate reading about affairs), America’s Sweethearts (not bad but forgettable overall), and Savor You, which was the conclusion to a contemporary romance that I really really liked.

Currently reading: Stretched Too Thin on audio, The Dream Daughter via Netgalley and Virgil Wander (that one is going to take me awhile…haha).

14 Things I’m Thankful For

Finally back for a 14 Things Friday post!! Blogging has been a bit low on my priority list lately…unfortunately. I’m still trying to keep up with reading other blogs but haven’t had much time in my own space here.

It’s Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend here so I wanted to share 14 things I’m thankful for – some of these are pretty random or inconsequential but this is what I came up with! We have been trying to share 3 good things or 3 things we are grateful for each day at the supper table and I have to say that it really does shift your perspective! There are some days when I have a hard time coming up with things but it helps me to focus on the positive, and the same for the kids.

1) My health. My family’s health. We are so blessed to have healthy children and healthy parents.
2) Fall colours. Seriously, this is the most beautiful time of year to live in Nova Scotia and I plan to soak it all up this weekend.
3) Coffee. Because it makes me a better person 😉
4) Living close to family. Well, not all my family – but to have both of our parents here and all of our daughter’s grandparents – WE. ARE. SPOILED. and I am so grateful.
5) Books – because they bring me so much joy and endless hours of entertainment AND my children love them too. Talking about books with others too has brought me some wonderful friendships!
6) Music – it always has the ability to lift my mood.
7) Friends – we have a few fun things lined up with friends this weekend and there’s just nothing better. I have some really close friends nearby whom I value deeply but I also have a few online friendships that are just as special!
8) Canada – no country is perfect but I love mine.
9) Work – the ability to afford our lifestyle while also working only part-time and having special time with my children is something that is making my life better the last year.
10) Yoga and the joy it brings
11) Laughter – the best medicine and I LOVE my daughters’ giggles 🙂
12) Chocolate
13) Leggings – the most comfortable thing to wear 🙂
14) My bed, especially at the end of a long week like this one 🙂

Short Book Reviews September 2018!!! (Show us Your Books!)

Linking up with Steph and Jana today for Show us Your Books!! My reading was alllll over the place this month. I am not a person who does a lot of reading on vacation (when I am on a vacation with my children, at least) because I am 100% exhausted all the time and cannot keep my eyes on a page. So that was August in a nutshell, but I got back into it after we got home and here are a few of the books I liked this past month!! 🙂

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was exactly what I’ve come to expect from Christina Lauren and it was hilarious, charming, and fun to read. I love their writing and characters 🙂 Hazel was so much fun and I think all of us might wish we could be as much ourselves as she is.

The Secret, Book and Scone Society by Ellery Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a fun cozy mystery and the first in a new series although Adams has written tons of other books too. I really liked the friendships that developed in this book and the setting as well as ALL the bookishness! The mystery itself didn’t captivate me as much because I’m more used to fast-paced thriller mysteries, but I still enjoyed this one. All the talk of scones also made me just a little bit hungry…haha.

Lies by T.M. Logan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had expected this to be quite an intense and wild ride based on the synopsis and I was not wrong. This reminded me a bit of the “ahhh what the heck is going on here?” seen in novels like Gone Girl though it’s completely and totally different. I truly felt for the main character here who was quite naïve but that seemed to suit him well. Highly recommend if you are looking for a fast paced unputdownable psychological book.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley or the ARC of this book which is being published today.

A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think I liked this one a bit more even than the first in this series, partially because I listened to half of it and the audiobook narrator did fantastic accents which made this sooo loveable! I really enjoyed the development of Portia’s character although the ending felt a bit rushed (i.e. with her sister etc). I can’t wait to continue this series because it has been so much fun so far. Plus…helloooo gorgeous covers!!!

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was such a great historical romance, so I need to go back into Tessa Dare’s other works and devour them sometimes. I really liked the first in this series and this one was wonderful too (although I do feel that they sort of stand alone too). I loved the children in this book and the way that Amelia could relate to them. I loved them as a couple. I enjoyed the setting and the glimpses of the other friends from The Duchess Deal. This passed the time very pleasantly overall 🙂

Thank you to Edelweiss and Avon for the ARC of this book.

Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kristen has consistently professed her undying love for this author and this series in particular, but it had been on my back burner for awhile this year. Finally I couldn’t resist it any long and I’ve definitely drank the kool aid now. I will absolutely be making my way through the rest of this series asap. The world building is fascinating here, not too intense or difficult to understand, but SO interesting. The characters are SO well done, and I love Nevada as a strong female lead and her family standing behind her. This book really reminds me of something else that I haven’t quite been able to put my finger on yet, but I really, REALLY liked it. This cover basically does nothing to describe the book either, FYI. Alexandra, you will like this series too so get to it!! 🙂

This Is Day One: A Practical Guide to Leadership That Matters by Drew Dudley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This wasn’t my first time reading about leadership – but it was certainly the most interesting time. I took entire courses on training and leadership during my Master’s degree, but this whole system is revolutionary, approachable, and applicable to anyone – NOT just CEOs or managers.

Drew Dudley’s fun and conversational tone in this book and his ability to share personal anecdotes and other stories definitely illustrated his message in a unique and highly readable way.

I don’t always turn to non-fiction in my reading life, but I am so happy that I picked this up and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for some extra motivation to start your own day one and live life to the fullest, regardless of who you are or where you hope to go.

Drew Dudley’s Ted Talk is also excellent and a good place to start if you are wondering if this book is for you. https://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley…

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Books for the ARC of this book. This book first came onto my radar because he is a friend of a friend – I am so pleased he is getting the recognition he deserves in this field!!!

Tiffany Blues by M.J. Rose
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book sat on my kindle for quite awhile before I got to it. I’m still not really sure what genre to classify it into – I guess historical fiction overall, but not a time period I often read about. It reminded me a bit of Rules of Civility and The Great Gatsby which makes sense because it is set in that time period in New York area. Overall, I really liked this even though it fell a bit flat in some parts. I would recommend it – the whole background of the Tiffanys was very cool and the mystery part was interesting too. 3.5/5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After watching To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before on Netflix, I devoured this final book in the trilogy. To me, it wasn’t quite as good as the first two just because it had a different tone, but I understand why and I still loved it. Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky are some of my favourite characters of all time.

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was decidedly less funny than Christina Lauren’s others books I’ve read so far, but I loved it nonetheless. I did have a few minor issues with it, but I loved the closeness of their friendship and the ending completely wrecked me. This was book was intense emotionally but I liked the writing a lot.

Ignore It!: How Selectively Looking the Other Way Can Decrease Behavioral Problems and Increase Parenting Satisfaction by Catherine Pearlman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book came highly recommended from two parents I admire and it has absolutely changed the way I think about parenting. We haven’t succeeded 100% with implementing the ideas presented here yet, but we are working on it. I think it will be a great fit for our family.

This month, I also read Kiss the Girl and I hate you, I Love You which I had received on Netgalley and I didn’t enjoy them enough to write more about them.

TL;DR: I recommend Lies, Josh & Hazel, the entire Lara Jean trilogy, Burn for Me (if that genre is your thing), Ignore it! if you are looking for some parenting advice, and This is Day One if you like non-fiction with great anecdotes.

Currently reading: a few books from Netgalley (still working my through a backlog there) including Girls Night Out, Undue Influence, and The Proposal.

14 Current Random Obsessions

It’s been awhile since I’ve shared 14 Things Friday…summer vacation and the subsequent recovery from it has gotten the best of me!

It’s a long weekend here and presumably elsewhere, and I can’t wait! I am solo parenting for 2 nights but we are going to still try to keep busy 🙂 AND school starts next week! I can’t WAIT to get back into a routine. Even though September is busy, it’s one of my favourite months of the year. I just love fall. (Can’t complain about this summer either though). Anyone have any fun plans for Labour Day?

1) To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (the book and the movie on Netflix). SO good. Awesome characters and really cute and funny. Other Netflix movies I’ve enjoyed lately include Set it Up, The Kissing Booth, Like Father, and Guernsey.

2) Travel Mug French Press – I have had this for over 10 years and we have finally ditched the Keurig completely and turned to a French Press for coffee all the time… this mug is AWESOME.

3) Ignore It! – My new parenting plan. I am sick and tired of always wanting to yell at my kids and I really think that a lot of concepts in this book make sense to my psychological brain. This is the same kind of concept that @simplyonpurpose talks about too – IGNORE junk behaviour and give a lot of positive reinforcement to good behaviour. Makes sense but not super easy to do…

4) Bubly (or any sparkling water – I’m not picky) I want to try LaCroix but it is proving difficult to find in Canada 🙂

5) Dark Chocolate

6) Our heat pump AKA air conditioning in the summer

7) Ikea Reusable Bags – THE BEST and biggest bags to fit all of our Costco stuff

8) This song

9) Homemade Greek Yogurt in the Instant Pot – so good

10) Showering at night – I never used to be an evening shower person but it’s for sure growing on me – and makes me feel great getting into bed.

11) This yoga video

12) My rash guard that mostly prevented sunburn all summer!

13) Kale caesar salad

14) The Beach…because summer in Canada only lasts so long!

Birthday Book Post (Show us Your Books Link up!)

Hello from Cavendish PEI, home of Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon! We are having a great vacation so far. Today also happens to be my birthday so we are heading to Charlottetown to stay at an adorable Airbnb for a night before Molly and I go to Anne and Gilbert (the musical) tomorrow afternoon and we head home soon after. I couldn’t help but still link up with Steph and Jana to chat about the books I’ve read in the last month or so!!! Again, I don’t really chat about all the books I’ve read here anymore but you can always follow along with all my reading on Goodreads!

Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel by Mariah Marsden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was absolute perfection. I don’t really read graphic novels as a rule, but I checked this out to share with Molly before our trip and we both LOVED it. I actually went out and bought it to bring along to PEI – and I almost NEVER buy books. 🙂

Circe by Madeline Miller
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Wow, I loved this. I listened to it and highly preferred it that way – the narrator was fantastic. I am familiar with The Odyssey and studied it briefly but have not read it all. This was so fascinating, so captivating, and so much more likable for me personally than I was expecting. I can’t WAIT to read The Song of Achilles now and I will probably go the audiobook route with that one too.

The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first Tessa Dare book and I loved it! I can’t wait to read more from her. Historical romances are so fun and this one was no exception. I really enjoyed the characters and the entire plot. These types of books are sometimes a bit predictable and a little over the top but I don’t care – I enjoyed it so much.

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This was certainly what I have come to expect from Elin Hilderbrand and in my opinion, this was a perfect summer read. A bit of romance, a bit of tension, a questionable death, and an incredible setting that I’m dying to visit myself.

All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first Colleen Hoover book and it will certainly not be my last. I absolutely loved these characters and fell head over heels for her writing. This book was sad and hard to read at times, but I finished it fairly quickly and really, really enjoyed it. However, I think there needs to be a trigger warning for (highlight to see) infertility and cheating because there is no way I would be able to read this book AT ALL if that was something I was struggling with in any form. Also…is Graham definitely one of the best and most loving husbands ever or what?! Everyone makes mistakes but holy smokes the ending of this book was amazing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing me with the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

B.A. Paris’ books definitely keep me turning the pages, but this one wasn’t my favourite of hers. I did figure out what was going on a bit early but it was also just a lucky guess 🙂 Definitely still an okay beach read since it passes the time quickly and is easy to follow along with.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book.

Forget Me Not by Kierney Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read the first 50ish pages of this while waiting in a line and then kind of forgot about it for a little bit before picking it up again and finishing the rest in one night. It definitely held my interest and was SO.MESSED.UP. the way that serial killer books should be. I liked Jess Bishop and her background was pretty cool (her childhood though- whoa).
Would highly recommend if you like police procedural/quick read mystery type novels – this one was really good with a few twists in there!

Thank you Netgalley & Bookouture for the ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The hype for this book is definitely well-deserved. I was unable to put it down until I found out what happened. The characters were interesting and I really liked the way it was told in multiple POVs. Highly recommend if you are looking for a YA read that will definitely keep you guessing.

Bad Reputation by Stefanie London
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked the first book in this series a bit more even though I did like Remi and Wes as characters. I just found the library setting a bit more personally appealing than the ballet. If you like contemporary romance set in NYC, this is a good one to add to the TBR but it wasn’t my favourite overall. Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC of this book.

Not So Nice Guy by R.S. Grey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At times, I loved this book. I liked the characters and their professions, and I’ve always loved the idea of best friends to something more. However, I had a few issues with the execution of the plot and it just felt like it could have been stronger at times. Overall, I really did like this and it made me laugh like R.S. Grey’s books always do, but it’s not taking the place of my favourite by her. (Which belongs to Anything You Can Do, FYI 🙂

Thank you to the author for providing me with the ARC of this book!

Blind Kiss by Renee Carlino
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

The majority of this book drove me completely crazy. Wayyyy too much push and pull and too little too late. I did read it in less than 24 hours and it made me feel a range of emotions, but I can’t really recommend it. If you’re looking for a book by this author, I liked Swear on this Life a lot. Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for the ARC of this book.

TL;DR: I highly recommend Circe to everyone!!! I recommend Penny Reid’s Winston Brothers series if you like romantic comedy and Forget me Not if you’re into Detective novels. AND OF COURSE, the Anne of Green Gables graphic novel is SOOOO well done.

14 Books that I’d LOVE to see become movies

Like most readers, I have a bit of a tough relationship with the idea of my favourite books being made into movies. I find I always, always enjoy the movie infinitely more if I haven’t read the book in awhile. This is one reason why I didn’t re-read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society this spring as I had planned to. The movie comes out on Netflix THIS WEEKEND when I will be at a 150+ person family reunion (but I will for sure be catching it on my birthday next week when we’re in an Airbnb relaxing).

This got me thinking about which other books I think would translate well into movies. Here are 14 of them!

1) The Royal We
2) Penny Reid’s Knitting in the City series (this would be great as a TV show/mini-series
3) Beartown I doubt the movie would do this book justice, but I would love to expose my husband to this story!
4) What Alice Forgot – my favourite of Liane Moriarty’s – I think this would make a great movie!!!
5) The rest of Louise Penny’s series
6) Anything you can Do although truthfully I feel that most of R.S. Grey’s novels would be wonderful romantic comedies!
7) The Dry
8) Happiness for Beginners
9) The Lunar Chronicles – PLEEEEASE
10) When Dimple Met Rishi
11) The Duke and I or any of Julia Quinn’s series (people love period pieces!) I would also settle for Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
12) Salt to the Sea
13) The Girl Before
14) The Nightingale – I’d cry my eyes out watching this movie adaptation…

Do you see any here that you’d agree with? Or any that have already been optioned (that would be the best news ever!)

Honorable mentions: Roomies by Christina Lauren & The Hating Game by Sally Thorne – BOTH OF WHICH ARE GOING TO BECOME MOVIES!!! Can’t wait.

We’re off on vacation today and it feels like the summer has absolutely flown right by. We are spending 2 days at a resort in Cape Breton with my huge extended family, and then taking the ferry over to PEI to hang out with Anne of Green Gables, explore some beautiful beaches, and celebrate my birthday 🙂 I’ll have a post up on Tuesday for SUYB though!! Have a great weekend!!!

If I had a nickel for every time these 14 things happened, I’d be rich

Happy Friday!!!

Back with 14 Things Friday – I didn’t intend to take the last couple of Fridays off but we had been preparing to go camping and then I was battling another summer cold, so here we are. 🙂 Today’s prompt is one that makes me laugh – I love the expression “if I had a nickel every time ______, I’d be rich”, so I thought I would share a few things that have the potential to make me rich. 🙂

If I had a nickel every time my husband pushed snooze, I’d definitely be rich. He is the king of the morning snooze button.

If I had a nickel for every time a child asked me for a drink of water, I’d be SOO rich. I am working on getting them to get their own water.

If I had a nickel for every library book I’ve checked out in my lifetime, I’d be a millionaire. It’s my personal mission to ensure that my library is always busy managing my loans. Haha 🙂

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve misplaced my cell phone in my house, I’d be rich. This drives my husband *crazy* because it’s usually on silent mode or vibrate so we can’t even find it when we call it from his phone. Ooops.

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve sung Wheels on the Bus or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, I could retire tomorrow. These are 2/4 of Lucy’s bedtime songs but we also sang them thousands of times with Molly before Lucy even came along.

If I had a nickel for every flip turn I’ve done in a swimming pool, I would have been a rich teenager. I was a competitive swimmer for 6 years and that was a LOT of laps in the pool.

If I had a nickel for every minute I’ve browsed Netflix to find a good movie to watch, I could pay for my subscription and more. I’ve pretty much given up unless I hear or something good coming (Like Guernsey NEXT WEEK and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before THE WEEK AFTER!!!)

If I had a nickel for every blog post I’ve ever read, I could live off the income. I was reading blogs before they were even popular, back in the days of Google Reader! #rip

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve thought about the impact that Harry Potter has had on my life (again with my desire to apparate everywhere), I would be richer than J.K. Rowling. JK. 😉

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve used my slow cooker, I could buy 100 more of them. Serious working-mom-lifeline right there.

If I had a nickel for every cough drop I’ve consumed in the past two weeks, that would be great. #sickofcoughing

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve been soooo proud to be a Canadian citizen, I could travel the world.

If I had a nickel for every French braid I’ve done in my life, I could pay a hairdresser a lot of money. I used to practice constantly on my sister, my rag doll, and now I will happily do my children’s any time they let me 🙂

If I had a nickel for every time I count my greatest blessings in life, I would be as rich as I feel inside. Because let’s be honest – nickels can’t buy happiness, but gratitude leads to happiness.

Hope you all have a great weekend! We have a long weekend in Canada – can’t WAIT!! 🙂

14 of my Dream Jobs

Happy Friday the 13th!!! And Happy Birthday to my mom today 🙂 We are celebrating with surf & turf & cheesecake tonight 🙂 It was a pretty good week with some relaxed evenings which was JUST what I needed. I even got to chat with my husband a little bit and finish a couple of books 🙂 This weekend will be pretty low-key except that the girls have another race on Sunday out of town so we will be doing some exploring & adventuring then. 🙂 Can’t wait!!

I’ve had this draft written for awhile for Fourteen Things Friday. I think we all have jobs we would love to have (in a perfect world, of course). When I make this list, I picture myself being not stressed out but wildly successful in each of these dream jobs. I noticed that a lot of them revolve around reading…but what can I say? It’s my favourite hobby. 😉 What are some of your dream jobs?

14 Fun Jobs that I Dream Of:

1) Best-Selling Author of Highly Readable books. I’d also settle for just being a really famous author’s assistant – answering fan mail, monitoring facebook page, etc. That would be fun.

2) Editor – Honestly I love this aspect of my own job and I would love to edit and pitch novels

3) Librarian – this has been a dream job of mine for years

4) Goodreads employee – wouldn’t it be fun?!

5) Jane Austen tour guide or actress – basically, just like the actors in Austenland. SO FUN.

6) Book Reviewer – I guess this is a relatively realistic job but I’d want complete control over the books I’d choose to review

7) Audiobook narrator – I *love* reading aloud and I consider myself to be pretty good at it 🙂 I’ve narrated a few of my daughters’ books for them to listen to and that was fun. 🙂

8) Journalist – but only reporting on the fun stuff or having a weekly mom column like this one. I guess being a full-time blogger could also work here.

9) Food/restaurant reviewer – getting paid to eat out?! Sign me up!

10) Bookstore owner – I would love to recommend books to people and buy new books all the time and create welcoming spaces with fun events. This would be incredible.

11) Travel blogger – I’m sure this would be incredible in some ways and difficult in other ways. I love following along with Helene’s journey through Europe though.

12) Retired from anything – oh, to just live off a pension. SOMEDAY! 🙂

13) Trivia night question developer – guys, I LOVE trivia. This would be super fun.

14) Wizard – well, technically a witch I guess. I would LOVE to be able to apparate and I think about it way more often than a real adult should…and in case you weren’t sure what apparition is: