14 Audiobooks to listen to on a Road Trip

Happy Friday, and happy long weekend to my fellow Canadians!!! HAPPY CANADA DAY!!! This is my favourite holiday of the year (probably tied with Christmas though) and I can’t wait to celebrate our beautiful country by camping in a national park in the rain this weekend. LOL. (Cross your fingers for us that it will not rain!)

Today I’m happy to share the second post in a blog collaboration with Gina, Anne, Rachelle, and Kristen!! Here you’ll find 14 audiobook suggestions for a road trip (or for whenever really – I love listening to audiobooks all the time). Guys – you know I am hooked on audiobooks. I loved them as a kid, and I wish I had thought to use them more in university (especially for my Shakespeare course). I rely on them heavily these days to get through my TBR. The first audiobook I got on a free audible trial and listened to and got SUPER HOOKED in the past 5 years was The Martian – I still highly recommend that one but most people I know have read it.

A bunch of these are on Hoopla and if you haven’t tried out that app yet via your library, I can’t recommend it enough (mostly for audiobooks – I don’t love their interface for e-books). You get the book instantly and get it for 3 weeks! I get 5 books a month via my library and usually use up all of those “credits”.

Circe by Madeline Miller

I absolutely loved this book. I am familiar with The Odyssey and studied it briefly but have not read it so I wouldn’t say you need to know any of that to enjoy this. This was so fascinating, so captivating, and so much more likable than I ever could have expected. It could definitely be family friendly with older teenagers too, based on what I remember.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

This book was absolutely gripping and so heart-wrenching. The stories that Paul shares are inspiring. His views on life and death are so interesting and this book really made me think. The epilogue led to tears streaming down my face while driving. It was an incredible read and I would highly, highly recommend it. Just maybe not when driving through the city when you need to be able to see through your tears. 😉

Castle of Water by Dane Huckelbridge

This audiobook is on hoopla and the narrator is FANTASTIC. I loved it. The two main characters are American and French, and the French parts were so well done (it all was, but that in particular). It’s also pretty short. I hesitate to say much about this book because the ending was spoiled for me and I’d hate for that to happen to others…although there are some trigger warnings, in my opinion.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

I enjoyed the full-cast performance of this audiobook immensely. The story itself was also very good and I liked it a lot. Katsa and Po were great characters, and the whole Graceling realm is very interesting. I would absolutely consider this to be an “approachable” fantasy book if that’s something you’re interested in. It is also on Hoopla and would be family friendly for older kids, I think – it’s YA but there is some romance too.

A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie

I keep meaning to continue this series past the second one because it’s really good on audio and also (again) on Hoopla. This was a mystery that I couldn’t quite figure out. LOVED the characters though and the British setting (always a plus for me in my reading life – give me a book set in Britain and I’ll usually be a bit drawn to it for some reason).

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

I adored every little bit of this book, especially on audio. I do have a slight thought though that maybe this is a good book to listen to in the summer. I sent it to both of my grandmothers after reading it, thinking they would also love it, and one of them did adore it – the other found it too depressing for the winter months when she is living alone. There are some sad aspects to this book, but it is ultimately hopeful, funny, and thought-provoking, in MY opinion. And again, it’s on Hoopla, so what are you waiting for?!

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas

This super fun Sherlock retelling with Sherlock as a woman was so fun to listen to, and it’s the first in a series!! It reminds me a little bit of the Veronica Speedwell books, which I adore. It’s on Hoopla too 🙂

Still Life by Louise Penny

It’s pretty much impossible for me not to mention this Canadian gem of a series – one of my most beloved series of all time!! The narrator for the first 11 books of the Chief Inspector Gamache series is quite wonderful. This first book seems to be on hoopla. I really believe this series needs to be read in order but the books get infinitely better around book 4. Most Louise Penny fans would agree with this statement. I have listened to bits and pieces of all of the books via the library but mostly read them in print. Still, I can vouch for the audio and I know a lot of fans who prefer the books this way! Her writing is quite lyrical so it lends itself well to audiobook format. The first in the series (this one) is on Hoopla 🙂

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

This audiobook, narrated by the author, is so well told and beyond interesting. Trevor Noah makes his childhood humorous, and I would highly recommend this book if you are looking to just get a different point of view on what it might have been like to grow up in a country very different from any in the western world.

A few books for the whole family (all ages):

The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog by John R. Erickson

We listened to a bunch of these books on summer road trips when I was a kid and years later, the narration is still JUST as enjoyable. So funny and fun to listen to, even as an adult.

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

I listened to this as a kid and listened again on a recent road trip with my kids and we all loved it.

Matilda by Roald Dahl

So here’s a little story. I read this as a kid, loved the movie, and then went to read it to my daughter a couple of years ago and found the language REALLY HARD TO READ. It is wacky!!! The audiobook is the way to go with this one. I’ve previewed the Kate Winslet version and that one is on our list for this summer. I expect it to be wonderful and then we will watch the movie as a family 🙂

For the whole family maybe ages 8+

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

This is one of my favourite books of all time and Rachel McAdams’ narration is absolutely fantastic. I absolutely adored this on audio. It is appropriate for any age but the ending (no spoilers) might be a bit hard for anyone younger than about 6-7-8 and the language is that of a classic, so maybe best suited for not the earliest listeners.

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

The concept of this book is wonderful – it is basically about a game that involves geocaching using books. It sounds super fun. The setting and characters in this book are great and although the mystery part of it might be a bit scary for younger readers (I was definitely a little surprised at how intense things got towards the end), it all works out. I intend to continue the series!!

Any audiobooks to add?!? Do you like reading with your ears, or are they just not for you? I just finished listening to Becoming, which is narrated by Michelle Obama, and it was incredible if you’re looking for a HUGE bestseller to try on audio 🙂

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14 Page-Turner books to read this summer!

I’m delighted today to be participating in this mini blog collaboration with Gina, Rachelle, Anne, and Kristen!! Today we’re all sharing some pageturners to read this summer due to the fact that many of us voracious readers get asked for book recommendations around this time of the year. We’ll all have another post up next Friday, so watch for that one too!! Definitely check out their posts linked below for more summer reading recommendations. I’m going to share 14 books for 14 Things Friday 🙂

For me, a pageturner doesn’t have to be a thriller, even though that’s the first genre that comes to mind when I think of that word. I’ve tried to include a mix of genres in my list today and some older books too that might be easy to pick up on sale on Amazon or without waiting too long in the holds line at the library.

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This was my first Taylor Jenkins Reid book and stillllll might maybe be my favourite?! I’m not sure. I listened to this book and I could NOT listen fast enough. The basic premise here is that a woman’s husband is presumed missing, so after a few years, she eventually moves on, but then when she is engaged, her husband re-surfaces. I could not IMAGINE what it would be like to be in this situation. This is a perfect, perfect summer beach read that you should definitely pick up if you haven’t already. Taylor Jenkins Reid can really do no wrong, in my mind, and I’ve found all of her books highly readable.

Lies by T.M. Logan

I’d never read anything by this author but this book was quite an intense “ahhh what the heck is going on here?” type of book that I know many of us like to turn to in the summer. I truly felt for the main character here who was quite naïve but that seemed to suit him well. This was fast-paced and though it wouldn’t be SUPER hard to figure out the ending, I didn’t. Bonus: He has a new book coming out this fall!!

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

For a turn in the complete opposite direction, this is a fairytale retelling of Beauty and the Beast and I devoured this in 3 days despite my real life being insanely busy and this book being 470 pages long. This was highly readable and so interesting – AND it’s the first in a series (but the second one isn’t out yet, so don’t get TOO excited).

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

I loved this book and I still think about it all the time even though I read it 4 years ago!!! I need to re-read it sometime. This is a slow-burn story with some cringe-worthy moments but it has such a unique storyline and it was impossible to put down, in my experience.

Normal People by Sally Rooney

This is one of the only books I’ve ever read that I put down after finishing it and thought, Hmm. Did I love that or hate it?! I couldn’t put my thoughts on it together. Now that it’s been a month or two since I’ve read it, I have thought about it off and on and although I didn’t LOVE the characters here, I did like this book a lot. It was a fast read and I couldn’t put it down, even though I also can’t say that the plot is really fast-paced. It’s hard to describe, but just know that it might hook you in quickly and you might just want to follow the two main characters over the course of several years of ups and downs. You might even be unsure whether you like it or hate it, like me.

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez

This is an overly emotional contemporary romance that just came out recently and I had been eagerly anticipating it for months. It did not fall too short of my expectations, I have to say. I couldn’t flip these pages fast enough. This is THE book to read this summer if this is a genre you enjoy. It is not as light-hearted as it might seem, however!!

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks

This was quite the thrilling ride!! I felt for the main character throughout this book and I really felt like the plot moved quickly and there were some twists. I still haven’t picked up their first book, but I will someday!

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

After starting this, I was entirely 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 thriller. I think I maybe preferred her second book, which just came out this year, but might be harder to get at the library 🙂 They are standalone books though!

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

This book came recommended on a podcast that I love, and then the cover won me over. It was SO good!! There were some VERY funny moments. It was definitely slightly predictable at times but not too much, in my opinion. I couldn’t stop reading it – Amy’s adventures in the city were so fun. I loved all of the side characters like her friends and her children, too. This is my desired type of summer read, not TOO fluffy, but not hard to read either.

The Other Girl by Erica Spindler

This book definitely held my interest and is mostly what I want out of the suspense genre. It was fast-paced and I did not figure it out. 2 years later though, it’s pretty forgettable, unfortuantely… so it might not be my # 1 recommendation although it is on hoopla!

Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center

Anyone who knows me knows that I love this book. At one point I owned 5 copies of it and I gave four of them away to people who I felt needed to read it. I re-read this book just last month and it was every bit as good as I remembered. It takes place in the summertime, so it feels like a perfect summer read. It has undertones of finding yourself, living your best life, rebuilding yourself after your life doesn’t go the way you’d hoped, and there is a lot of friendship, family talk, and a smidge of swoon-worthy romance (though it is not a steamy book). I love it SO much and cannot ever recommend it enough.

The Huntress by Kate Quinn

I listened to this and found it quite captivating and a bit creepy. It was well-done historical fiction and I think I liked it better than The Alice Network, though I did really enjoy that too.

Fatal Affair by Marie Force

Wow, this was a fun start to a very long series. This romantic suspense book reminds me a bit of Julie James’ FBI/US Attorney series or Sandra Brown’s books or maybe even a bit of James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series. If you like any of those (or if you haven’t read them, I recommend them too!), this would be a good one to pick up! It was definitely suspenseful but not scary and the romance was gooood. This entire series is on hoopla, so very easily accessible.

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

I read this book as an ARC with no expectations and I still recommend it at least once a month to someone, somewhere. I have never read a book that gave me the reading experience that this one did. It was incredible and if you haven’t read it yet, PLEASE do!!! It is unlike anything else I’ve read, even by this author. The sequel was also incredible, in my opinion. This is not a light-hearted read either, however, and a friend of mine in real life actually had to put it down because it was too intense. It might not be a beach read, but maybe it’s a beer on a rainy day read? Or something? To each his own, but I wish everyone I know would read this.

Honourable mentions: If you (for some reason) have not yet picked up Big Little Lies or What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty do yourself a favour and read those IMMEDIATELY. I also found The Husband’s Secret particularly unputdownable.

Do you have any good books to add to this list??? I could use a couple of good pageturners to read this summer – couldn’t we all??

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June Book Reviews

It’s time for another link up with Steph and Jana for Show us Your Books! When I went to write this post and remind myself of what I’ve read lately on Goodreads, it seems like a lot of time has passed since the last link up…and there is always a book or two that I’ve forgotten that I read. Happy summer reading, friends!! I love it!! Can’t wait to browse all the posts and add to my summer/fall TBR list.

Here are the books I really loved and recommend this month:

A Better Man by Louise Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Obviously, I loved this, because I adore this series. I can’t recommend this one without telling you to start at the beginning and unfortunately, expect the books to get INFINITELY better around book 4. I squealed with delight when I got an ARC of this much-anticipated book because there were no arcs for her last book!! This book felt more like “coming home” to Three Pines than others, and I was so pleased with that. I won’t say much more about it, since it’s hard to recommend book #14 in a series, but trust me, these books are amazing. I will say that Louise Penny’s writing in this novel felt like I was sitting down among friends. The main character, Gamache, is at his best in so many ways here and such a character to look up to in times of uncertainty. I don’t know how she does it, but I’m so grateful that she does. Fans of the series will love this new addition.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Edelweiss and St Martins Press/Minotaur for the ARC of this book (comes out August 27).

Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I described this to a friend as a less-sad read-alike to Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I. The characters in this book are wonderful, and there were many lines that I re-read because it was beautifully written. The love story is war-based and lovely and it was all just so highly readable. It’s the first in a series, so I can’t wait to get to the rest sometime.

Castle of Water by Dane Huckelbridge
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

This book seemed to be extremely widely recommended by some of my online friends about 2 years ago and my library did not acquire it so I purchased it and then it sat on my shelf for 2 years. I did have the ending spoiled for me, so that made me a bit more reluctant to pick it up, I think. However, after finally deciding to check out the very short and extremely beautiful narrated version on Hoopla, I can see the hype around this book. It is so wonderful and these characters will stay with me for a long time. I loved so much about this. I don’t want to say much more about it but trust me when I say it is worth the time. Also, if you happen to speak a little French, you will enjoy that part of this book – one of the main characters is Parisian and the other is American, so it is funny reading them (or listening to them, in my case!) chat. Don’t let that hold you back though if you know NO French. Just an aside 🙂

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book came recommended on a podcast that I love, and then the cover won me over, and Netgalley was kind enough to provide me with a free review copy so I was excited to read it. It was SO good!! There were some VERY funny moments. It was definitely slightly predictable at times but not too much, in my opinion. I definitely did not know how it would all end up.

The basic premise of the story is that Amy Byler, SAHM turned private school librarian, who was left unexpectedly by her husband for three years, runs into said husband at the supermarket and he wants to be back in his teenage children’s lives. As a do-it-all amazing mom forced reluctantly into single motherhood overnight, Amy is hesitant and angry at her (still) husband and wants to refuse him. Then, she searches for library conferences to attend and finds one nearby in NYC and decides to go on her own for the week.

Her children are fabulously wonderful and so fun to read about and she is exactly the kind of mom (in many ways!) that I would love to be, so I saw myself in Amy in many ways. Her daughter writes her letters in a journal throughout their time apart and those lines were some of my favourites in the book. Can’t recommend this book enough for a lighthearted and enjoyable summer read with a splash of romance, some great friendships, and some fun family moments. Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union publishing for the complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. And thank you Kaytee, for recommending this on Currently Reading!!!!

The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I saw this book on a summer reading list, instantly put it on hold at the library and then promptly forgot completely what it was about until I picked it up a week or two later. Since I’d forgotten why I requested it, I sat down to read the first page and basically read the rest of the book in one or two sittings after that. It was SO much fun to read. Note: this book was basically tailor-made for me to love because the main character is intensely obsessed with Harry Potter and Jane Austen and can basically become my best friend anytime now.

The premise here is a bit cheesy, and this book is a bit shorter than I may have liked, but it was just so fun and cute and humorous and did I mention fun??? One twin is a beauty queen and she develops a severe and acute allergy so since her twin sister is staying with her, she asks her to step in and compete in her place – just for the preliminaries. This leads to hilarity and some awkwardness and some self-realization along the way.

“Passed the Time Just Fine”

The Rosie Result by Graeme Simsion
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not quite as good as the first, still, but better than the second. I would say I feel similarly about this series as I do with the Me Before You trilogy (though they are absolutely nothing alike). I loved the first book and it was mind-bogglingly unique/interesting to me – I didn’t mind but wasn’t as in love with the second books, and the third books brought things around and tied it up nicely. ANYWAY, more about this book – I loved watching Don and Rosie as parents. I laughed out loud at some of Don’s thoughts and things he said, as before. He really is such a fun character to read. His and Rosie’s son, Hudson, was great too as were the parents they interact with and Don’s friends from the previous books. This one was set back in Australia, so that was fun too. Most of the plot focuses on parenting Hudson and is he like Don and how can Don work on the Hudson Project? It has a heartwarming ending and a lot of great moments. It took me awhile to get into and continue, but I did still really enjoy it.

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

View all my reviews Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had high hopes for this book, and while a lot of it was definitely interesting, some of it was a bit too much common-knowledge for me. Then again, I have two degrees in psychology, so it might not be common knowledge for everyone? I’d recommend listening to this podcast episode if you are interested in this instead of investing in the whole book. I did really enjoy the format and the anecdotes and it was very interesting, but it just didn’t change my life quite the same way others said it did for them. Maybe I’m not burned out enough:)

Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had heard amazing things about this book and it was definitely fascinating – more so than I expected it to be. I listened to it and it is read by the author – it was quite quick and thought-provoking but not earth-shatteringly good, in my opinion.

Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It took me a little while to get into this book, partially because of the characters, and partly because of the pacing. However, once I got mid-way into it, I had no issues with it sustaining my interest. I actually found it easier to enjoy this once I removed the P&P comparisons from my mind because it is far from a direct retelling. There are certain minor similarities, but not throughout, and I got myself a bit confused trying to figure out who each character was supposed to be from P&P.

Overall, this story was interesting and absolutely opened my eyes to one perspective of the Muslim community in Toronto (fictionally, of course). I liked the ending, enjoyed some of the minor characters, and hated the ones you’re not supposed to like..it just wasn’t my favourite. Thank you to Edelweiss and Berkley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book took me a while to get into, and I didn’t love parts of it, but it won me over by the end. I’m no stranger to bookshops as settings in books these days; it is a very popular theme lately. While this one wasn’t my favourite of these types of books, I did begin to really feel for the characters and root for their success by the end of the book. I just didn’t emotionally connect with the characters as I maybe thought I could have.

Thank you kindly to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley and Edelweiss for the ARC of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Romance Reads:

Just One of the Groomsmen by Cindi Madsen

This is an adorable best-friends-fall-in-love contemporary romance that I highly recommend!! It was funny and fun to read, and the first in a series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled for the ARC of this cute romantic comedy in exchange for an honest review.

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I first read the concept behind this book, I laughed and thought it was awesome. A men’s book club that reads romance to understand women better – I mean, it is very funny! A bit unrealistic, maybe, but that’s what fiction is all about 🙂 I was right with my initial feelings; there are some very funny moments in this book.

Parts of this were highly relatable, and it was so refreshing to read a book about a married couple working on some real issues. It didn’t feel overly angsty, the issues felt real, and it was interesting to have some insight into how someone’s “backstory” and the road to marriage can impact the relationship down the road.

Thank you to First to Read and Edelweiss for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I also read Meet Cute and Unexpected, neither of which I am able to truly recommend though if you were to choose one, I would recommend Unexpected over Meet Cute. Helena Hunting’s writing just might not be for me.

14 Elements in a book that will always pique my interest

Since defining myself as an avid or voracious reader over the past 5 years or so (but really, lifelong with less reading in my 20s), I’ve put a lot of thought into what makes a book “good” for me. I read primarily for enjoyment, meaning I’m not necessarily a person who reads to “learn more”. I do LEARN a lot from fiction, but I’m not a non-fiction junkie. Anyway, today I decided to chat a bit about some things that will usually make me pick up a book in any given genre (based on reviews too, of course). These might be a bit obvious…but maybe not.

By the way, happy FRIDAY!!! Us Haligonians are looking towards 5 days of NOT rain, so I can’t wait!! This past week was a total blurry mess so I am so looking forward to the weekend and our anniversary on Sunday! 🙂

Things I love in books:

1) Strong female friendships I love it when the main character in a book has at least one awesome friend. These aren’t exclusive to women, but I do like those. I especially like books if one woman is the main character and then her friend is the main character in the next book…etc. SO fun.

2) A touch of good romance Aside from romance being one of my favourite genres, I even like it if it’s just a subplot in a totally different genre like a thriller or fantasy etc.

3) Writing that makes me laugh or smile even if the book itself isn’t funny even if it’s just a line or two

4) At least one character I can root for I am a character-driven reader. I can also devour a book if the plot is fast paced enough, but I really, really want to connect with characters on the page.

5) An amazing setting such as Three Pines in Louise Penny’s series, or New York (I know, it’s so cliche, but I LOVE it), or a totally unknown setting to me like Jane Harper’s version of Australia

6) “Life lessons” that aren’t preachy I love it when a book can make me think about things in a different way

7) Canadianisms I looove books set in Canada or if a book includes a nice Canadian or mentions Canada ❤

8) Austen retellings I’d even go so far as to include a lot of fairy tale retellings etc in this category

9) A character who is a diehard Harry Potter fan two books that did this well that come to mind are The Accidental Beauty Queen and My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry. The extreme HP love in these two books probably bumped them up at least a star for me.

10) An incredible narrator (for the audiobook) I found a new favourite narrator this week that I’ll chat about next week for SUYB

11) An epilogue I love finishing a book, flipping the page, and finding out there’s a bit more 🙂

12) A bookish character Are there any bookworms out there that DON’T love books about people who love books?!

13) Short chapters These work so well in thrillers, for me. James Patterson is kind of a master at this but I think Dan Brown’s books do it well too. LOTS of action.

14) A plot that is so intense that I can’t turn the pages fast enough I love that feeling. Don’t we all?!

14 “Older” books for your summer reading

I’ve been busy with mom life and getting stuff sorted out for our summer and doing my own thing, so the blog has taken a spot on the back burner again but it’s pretty much summer reading time!! I love seeing a million “books to read this summer” lists pop up at this time of the year, and I have my own list of ARCs and new releases to pick up which I will share in the future. Today, however, I wanted to dive into books that have already been published and might be somewhere lower down on your TBR that you’ve forgotten about them. I love rediscovering books that I REALLY wanted to read at one point and then just digging in!!

So, here are 14 backlist titles perfect for the summer!! Of course, these are all based on my own opinion, but I loved all of these books and a few of them might be a bit more on the “obscure” or lesser-known side. They might be easier to pick up at the library without waiting forever on a holds list too!! Let me know if you share my love for these selections!!!

Take Me with You by Catherine Ryan Hyde

This book takes place in the summer, and it would be a great one to read during these months. I loved this a million times more than I expected to based on the synopsis. Contemporary fiction

Lessons in Gravity by Megan Westfield

This was such a fun read. I loved the wilderness setting & the backdrop of filming some dangerous rock climbing. The setting seemed beautiful and it made me want to visit Yosemite someday. I loved the couple and the emotions behind their relationship. This is a great debut novel and I enjoyed her second book, Leaving Everest, quite a bit too. New Adult fiction with some romance.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Wow, this book was so powerful and thought-provoking. The tension and plot-building in this story reminded me of Beartown although that book is completely different. This book has been a bestseller for awhile now, but if you haven’t read it yet, do yourself a favour and pick it up!! Historical fiction that really reads like contemporary fiction.

Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center

If you’ve heard me talk about books at all, you know that I absolutely love this book SO much. I also really enjoyed The Lost Husband (which is becoming a movie with Josh Duhamel!!), How to Walk Away, and her upcoming August release, Things you Save in a Fire. Happiness for Beginners will probably always be my favourite of hers though. This is another book that is such a good summer read – there is so much in this even though it’s a bit chick-lit-ish too. It’s not really a romance, but there is some romance in it. It’s about finding yourself and learning more about who you are regardless of other people. It is SO readable. I love a post that Hannah did about this book too which made me want to go and highlight my entire copy. Contemporary fiction.

Forget Me Not by Kierney Scott

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). Police procedural / thriller with some twists – first in a series and I need to pick up the other 2!

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

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. It definitely kept me guessing. YA mystery/thriller

Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson

I actually just finished this book in the past couple of weeks. It was so readable. I feel like this was a less sad version of Last Christmas in Paris, which I also loved. I know lots of people don’t really like to read “heavier” books in the summer, understandably, but this one was surprisingly light for the content. WWI fiction/romance.

Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Every once in awhile, I feel like I’m getting to the point of being able to see Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s name without crying (don’t follow that link with her NYT letter if you don’t want to tear up), but then I realize that nope, I’m not there yet. Her death is still so sad to me. I love her children’s books, and I love this memoir written about all the little things that make the world what it is. This is such an easy book to read with profound tidbits of ordinary wisdom. If you did follow that link to her article, I also highly recommend her husband’s response. Their whole story is so moving and heartwrenching and beautiful. Highly readable memoir

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

I’ve said once or twice that books about bookstores/bookshop owners are all the rage right now, and I really can’t quite get enough of them. This one might just always be my favourite of them all though. I adore this book and can’t wait to re-read it sometime later this year on audio! Contemporary fiction.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

My favourite by Liane Moriarty and a book I think of often. This one is so fun to read. Contemporary fiction. If I might help to convince you, here’s a lovely quote from it:

“Each memory, good and bad, was another invisible thread that bound them together…It was as simple and complicated as that. Love after children, after you’ve hurt each other and forgiven each other, bored each other and surprised each other after you’ve seen the worst and the best…-well, that sort of love is ineffable. It deserves its own word.”

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

I’ve never read a series like this one and I doubt there will ever be anything that emulates it. This is the fantastic start to a series of wonderful fairy-tale-retellings in such an imaginative setting. YA fantasy

The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin

This book is a good one to read in the summer in order to increase motivation in the fall. I’ve read a bunch of these self-help-make-your-life-better type books that contain tons of “common sense” type pieces of advice, but I love the way this one is laid out so that you could really do your own happiness project using some of her structure and advice. I need to do my own. non-fiction, self help

The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas

I love Veronica Mars so much and I can’t wait to watch the new series that comes out this summer. The newest season (YEARS after it was cancelled) loosely follows this book and the one after it as well as the movie. You could read this book easily without knowing the characters though and it is a pretty solid mystery. #marshmallowforlife Adult mystery

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

This series is so intense and even though it’s been years since I’ve read them, I know they are still pretty popular. Pretty gruesome though! Adult mystery/thriller

Have you read any of these? Are you interested in any of them?!

Honourable mentions: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell, The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (the third in this series comes out next week and it is GOOD!), One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Women’s Murder Club series by James Patterson

In the summer, I always get the urge to read thrillers and romance books (let’s be honest, I love romance anyway though). But thrillers feel like summer to me. Any good ones to recommend? I have quite a few on my TBR but not sure where to start. I’m thinking Lisa Jewell, for one.

Happy long weekend, American friends!! And happy almost-end-of-May to everyone else!!!

Show us Your Books – short reviews for May!

Hard to believe another month has passed since the last SUYB link up! I read some phenomenal books this month and I can’t wait to share them here!!! Linking up with Steph and Jana today – check out their blogs for others’ posts about books too!!

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this entire book, pretty much, with a smile plastered on my face. Nina is such a fun character – she lives for books, she is excellent at trivia, she is a good friend, but she is also rigid, organized, and likes her alone time. It’s easy to relate to her and respect her. It was fun to watch her grow and accept changes in her well-planned-out life throughout this book.
The writing in this novel is so quirky, so fun to read, and there were so many lines that I just read over again because the turn of phrase that Waxman used was just SO good. If you live a bookish life at all, you might be predisposed to like this one more than others but I think this book will resonate with a lot of readers who can relate to balancing time alone and time with friends, friends as family, and being yourself in spite of others’ expectations. Thank you to Edelweiss, Berkley, and the author for the ARC of this wonderful book. It comes out July 9. This is a perfect one to add to your summer reading list!

Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I bought this book the day it came out and waited a few months to read it. I don’t know why!!! I loved Nevermoor and this one picked up right where that left off. I ended up listening to half of this and reading half of it. The audio version was fantastic. This world is so much fun to read about and I cannot wait to share it with my children in a few years. I can tell that Jessica Townsend is building up to quite the series here and this one was no exception – sometimes I don’t love a sequel as much as the first in a series but that was not the case here. This sequel dove into more about what it is like to be in the Wundrous Society and we learn more about Morrigan’s unit and candidates. Some new characters are introduced in the form of educators and conductors of the unit. We also meet Hawthorne’s family in this book.

There are still many themes of good vs evil, friendship, family, loyalty, and of course, magical abilities and power throughout this book and I absolutely adored it. Cannot wait to continue the series ASAP!!

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
My rating: 4.5/5 stars

I saw someone post about this book in probably January 2019 and say that it was one of the best books they’d read this year so I went to check it out and could not WAIT to read it. I was delighted to be approved for an ARC from Netgalley and Forever earlier this week and couldn’t resist diving into the book right away despite being in the middle of a few other books. This book certainly did not disappoint. It packed WAY more of an emotional punch than I was expecting based on the synopsis and the cover, especially in the latter chapters. I loved the dual perspectives, and fully appreciated Josh’s perspective in particular. Not every female author nails the male POV the way that Abby does in this book. Of course, it helps that the main characters are all extremely lovable (including Stuntman Mike, Kristen’s adorable dog!). By the time I finished this, I felt like I had been put through the emotional wringer but it was still ultimately a satisfying ending. These two characters and their path to one another isn’t easy and there are some very, very real issues that go on in this book. It was such a great read and I highly recommend if this is your genre of choice (and if you read it, PLEASE talk to me about it, PLEASE!!!)

Thank you to Forever Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC of this book which comes out June 11!

The Huntress by Kate Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a riveting novel and I was captivated throughout. I quite enjoyed it as an audiobook. Sometimes the whole “the reader knows everything but the characters don’t” thing doesn’t work for me, but it was well done here.

The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding by Jennifer Robson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this especially the dual perspectives and the extremely wonderful characters. I would highly recommend this if you want to read a historical fiction book that is NOT about a world war. This was fascinating but not devastatingly sad like some other books. There was a “mystery” (who is this person?!) element to it that was really fun.

Daisies and Devotion by Josi S. Kilpack
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh, I loved this book so much. What a sweet little love story. Can’t wait to continue this fun series of proper romances – this one reminded me a lot of one of my favourites of all time, Edenbrooke!!
Thank you to Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC of this book. It is a standalone novel but I enjoyed the first in the series too!

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book took me a little while to get into but the characters were lovely, the concept was refreshing, and I love reading books set in London (or Britain in general). There was definitely more to this than meets the eye, and it held my interest and kept me turning pages quickly. A lot of cute references to other literary works. Tiffy’s job sounds like a blast and the supporting characters were all really fun. Definitely recommend this if you’re looking for some well-written summer chick lit with some more serious topics woven through. Thank you so much to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC of this book!! This comes out May 28.

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

This was adorable and might be one of my new favourites from this hilarious duo. Whenever I get a new Christina Lauren book I cannot wait to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea (or wine) and just jump in and laugh and grin and feel light emotions for a few hours. Their books are a great pass-the-time-happily experience for me and I often get exactly what I expect, but funnier. Their writing is so fun and their characters and the situations they find themselves in are unique and interesting. This one about two “sworn enemies” – siblings of a bride and groom – who are the only two people at a wedding that don’t end up with horrifying food poisoning – is pure gold. The two “enemies” go on the honeymoon for the couple and encounter some people from their past and future while they are pretending to be the newlyweds. The whole setting and trip sounded like a blast and of course, there are some bumps along the way. Highly recommend this one for another perfect beach read this summer. Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC of this book which is on shelves today!!

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really, really liked this and found it to be very fast paced and easy to read. The characters were all well developed and I loved Khai and his family, particularly his brother, Quan. I loved the glimpses we see of Michael and Stella from The Kiss Quotient. Helen Hoang’s writing is spot-on and she portrays these characters wonderfully. Of course, the ending was swoon-worthy too, and I expected no less. Thank you to Edelweiss and Berkley for the ARC of this book. PS: This book is on Hoopla (audio) if you’re having a hard time getting it at the library!!!

The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh, I love this series. It is set in such a different world than most contemporary romance novels and it is SO fun to be continually learning more about the London theater scene. Of course, the Austen themes in this one were especially appealing to me. I will absolutely write whatever Lucy Parker writes in the future because her books are so well done!! I think there are plans for a 5th in this series (can’t wait).
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this 4th book in the London Celebrities series which is out now!!

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’d file this book under “books I would have loved with all my heart at the age of 11-12 but I still like quite a bit at the age of 33”. Is that a category? 🙂 This book introduced me to such a unique concept and the plot involved children on a fun (but dangerous! jeepers!) literary adventure through San Francisco. Emily’s family and her new friend were wonderful supporting characters and can I just say PLEASE can book scavenger be a thing in the real world now?!?! I want to play it so badly!! (Basically, geocaching with books). Can’t wait to read the rest of the series as it comes out.

Enjoyable but don’t rush out right away:

Normal People by Sally Rooney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Usually, after I finish a book, I obviously know whether I liked it or not. With this one, I just could NOT get my thoughts together. If someone else read this and said to me, “wow, I loved that!” I would completely understand why. Likewise, if someone said they hated it, I could relate to that too. LOL. However, this book was not what I expected and I read it in two very busy days, so I absolutely enjoyed the experience. I also can’t believe the author is only 28 years old. These words are so well done. I didn’t completely love either of the main characters, but the plot and the way it followed the characters over time with some ups and downs in both of their lives was just so good. I hesitate to recommend this wholeheartedly without any reservations, but I know it will be sought out widely this summer and I can understand why.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sadly, I did not love this as much as many other readers, nor did I love it as much as The Hate U Give, but it was still wonderfully narrated by Bahni Turpin and provided me with a perspective that I am not usually exposed to. Overall, Brie just didn’t tug at my heartstrings the way other characters do and I think that was my disconnect from the story in general. The plot definitely held my attention though and I quite enjoyed the ending.

Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was cute and felt very much like watching one of those mid-2000s romantic comedy movies with quirky side characters and a happy ending. Some parts of it were quite funny but it was overall pretty fluffy and there were some issues here and there. I do look forward to the sequel with some interesting characters introduced in this book. If you’re looking for one good summer read, however, I’d recommend one of the others mentioned in this post. Thank you to Edelweiss and Berkley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If I Loved You Less by Noelle Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After absolutely adoring the first book in this series, which was loosely based on Pride and Prejudice, I was quite antsy to dive into this one, which is loosely based on Emma. It was cute and fun – I enjoyed revisiting all of the characters from the first novella in the series and I really enjoyed Ward and Em as characters. I liked the way this was updated and modernized as an adaptation. Ultimately, it didn’t quite live up to my love of the first, but I do prefer P&P to Emma quite a bit too so that’s partly on me. If you are a fan of Austen retellings, these are some of the better ones I’ve read – I cannot WAIT for the Persuasion retelling which is next and comes out in June.

Only Ever Her by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was my first book by this author and it felt quite hard to get through despite being not very long. I think it just wasn’t quite what I was expecting. The mystery aspect definitely kept me entertained but I couldn’t find myself caring as much about the characters as I usually do when reading these types of books. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book which came out May 7.

I also re-read and adored Anne of Avonlea 🙂

TL;DR – please add The Bookish Life of Nina Hill to your summer TBR if you like contemporary fiction about a girl who loves books 😉 If you’re into romance I cannot recommend Lucy Parker’s books enough and I also recommend The Flatshare, The Unhoneymooners, and The Friend Zone 100%. If you are into Middle grade fiction in any capacity, The Nevermoor series and Book Scavenger were both excellent. Or The Gown if you are looking for a historical fiction book that is not about the war in any way!

Currently reading: too many to list here, LOL, but I post pretty regularly over on Goodreads! 🙂

What are you reading lately? Is anyone else super excited for summer reading season!? So many good books on the horizon!!!

Book Reviews – Show us Your Books link up April

Linking up today, as always, with Steph and Jana for Show us Your Books!! Head over to their posts to see what everyone else has been reading lately. This has been such a rewarding reading year so far but I’ve mostly been reading new releases and advanced copies. I might need to prioritize at least one “older book” a month from now on. Oh well – I’m loving what I’ve been reading, so no complaints!! Fair warning, this post is really long but I’ll add some shorter notes at the end!!

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I haven’t read a book by TJR yet that I didn’t really love, so I’m not surprised that this was so good. The format made it so easy to read and I really loved hearing everyone’s point of view. This is not a subject I would normally be interested in but the characters were incredible and the story was so raw and fascinating. Highly recommend this one – the hype is real! I’ve heard the full-cast audio version is wonderful too but I haven’t listened to it myself.

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SO glad I gave this another chance – the audiobook really worked well for me. Charlotte was such a fun character and I really enjoyed this Sherlock Holmes retelling with female Sherlock + Watson. SO fun and looking forward to continuing the series 🙂 Thank you to Netgalley for the copy of this book a couple of years ago in exchange for an honest review.

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Katherine Center’s books have become some of my favourites over the past few years, and I had been anticipating reading this for quite some time. I held off on reading the ARC for a few months because I wanted to be able to share my review closer to its publication date (August 2019), but eventually, I could not resist it on my kindle queue and dove in and finished it in one sitting. I loved this book, as I expected to. It was so interesting to read about the firehouse setting. Cassie was such a great character and I enjoyed the nod to her role in How to Walk Away. I’ve found myself thinking of it almost every day since finishing, and I re-read parts of it that I really loved. To me, this is the sign of a 5-star book for me. This will be a perfect late summer read to enjoy, laugh with, and relate to the lovely characters. I can’t wait to see the success that I’m certain this book will experience.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this wonderful book by a favourite author.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This story was unique and interesting – great for middle-grade. The ending kind of wrapped up faster than I expected after a bit of a long slog in the middle of the book.

The Editor by Steven Rowley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was so interesting! I’ll admit that I didn’t know very much about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis before reading this, and this is a work of fiction, but it was so interesting to read about her as a potential character. I really enjoyed this story and the way it was told. Thank you to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It released last week!!

Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Decided to start this after Kristen raved about them and they are all on Hoopla. Got completely sucked in and realized I was already done this first volume in less than half an hour. LOVED the pictures. I love the concept. I love the narration (Hazel’s side comments). Will definitely be continuing this asap. This is only my third graphic novel experience and it was good!!! (The other two were Anne of Green Gables and Book Love). FYI – This is definitely intended for an adult audience.

A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have adored the books in this trilogy and I am sad to see them come to an end – although I still have to read the novellas. They take place in such fun and interesting settings and the characters are so wonderful. This book was no exception and I really liked Nya as a person and her strength in facing some very difficult blows during the recent months leading up to the timeline in this book. I was disappointed that this book didn’t include a bit more detail about the wedding but it didn’t matter – it was still good. Now I need to go and read all of Alyssa Cole’s other books 🙂 Thank you to Edelweiss and Avon Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I didn’t mind this, but I certainly didn’t feel the profound love for it that I felt like I was hearing about all the time when it first came out. I likely would not have finished it if I wasn’t listening to the audiobook. I guess I just felt like not too much happened and the paranormal aspect didn’t really work for me (even though it works for me in other novels, so I’m not sure about that).

A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It took me a little while to get into this, but it was such an interesting storyline that I felt compelled to keep reading to find out how it all ended up. Maurice Swift is one of the most unlikable characters I’ve ever read about, so I am basing the 4 stars solely on the interesting and compelling plot. John Boyne has quite a way with words. The format and how this book jumped around also took a bit to get used to, but it was a bit similar to The Heart’s Invisible Furies in that way (though the similarities mostly end there). I definitely recommend this – I typically don’t enjoy unlikable characters but this one was worth the read. In many ways, it is easier to read than The Heart’s Invisible Furies, so if you didn’t love that or couldn’t get through it, this one might be more up your alley. Thank you to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC of this book.

The Time of Our Lives by Portia MacIntosh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There were a few aspects of this book that I found a bit over the top to read, and it is definitely pretty fluffy chick lit but I laughed so hard at times that I actually had tears in my eyes, so that was pretty enjoyable. I really liked the characters and the concept of them all living together at university and reuniting at a wedding. The back-and-forth aspect worked well for me too. It was very easy to read and relate to. If you’re looking for a good palate cleanser or summer read that will make you laugh out loud, this might be for you 🙂 Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for the ARC of this book.

In Want of a Wife by Noelle Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I adored this story which was a super quick read. I am no stranger to Pride and Prejudice adaptations and this one was one of my favourites yet. I loved the idea of Pemberley House. The characters were fun and multi-faceted. I cannot wait to read the next books in this series asap. Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the ARC of this book.

Things My Son Needs to Know about the World by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fredrik Backman can do no wrong in my eyes, and this book was so fun to read. I highlighted large parts of it and laughed out loud many times. His approach to talking about early parenthood is nothing short of hilarious and heartwarming. So grateful to have read this and looking forward to sharing it with many parents in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had never heard of this author (though I will absolutely pursue more of her books asap), but this book sounded really interesting. I’m sooo glad I picked it up because I absolutely loved this! Annika was such a great character and it was impossible not to root for her and even relate to her in some ways. Jonathan was such a great guy too and their reunion was far from easy but so wonderful. I find it both endlessly fascinating and so important to read accurate accounts of characters on the spectrum and Annika was so well done, in my opinion (not being an expert). I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of my favourite books of all time and Rachel McAdams’ narration is absolutely fantastic. I loved this SO much. Perfect way to start spring. Now I want to devour the rest of the series, or at least until Anne and Gilbert move forward even more ❤

I also read Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas (loved that, and love that whole series so much), Pretty Face and Making Up by Lucy Parker (these books are SOOOO good), My Ex-Best Friend’s Wedding by Wendy Wax via First to Read (3 stars – not bad but not a new fave by any means), First Earl I See Tonight by Anna Bennett which was quick and cute but didn’t stick long-term (thank you Netgalley!) and G’Morning, GNight by Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame – this was a 30 minute read and very uplifting. I will be referring back to it when I need a little hug from a book. I am also partway through and loving Chanel Cleeton’s Wild Aces series (thanks again Kristen :D) which are typical contemporary romance but with an interesting set of characters who are fighter pilots – i.e. top gun in fiction, kind of 🙂 love them!

TL;DR – I wholeheartedly recommend: the Anne of Green Gables audiobook narrated by Rachel McAdams, The Girl He Used to Know, Things you Save in a Fire (comes out in August), Daisy Jones, The Editor, and A Ladder to the Sky depending on your tastes. For romance fans, Lucy Parker’s series is fantastic and I have enjoyed it immensely. Lisa Kleypas’s Ravenels series is great. AND – whether you are a parent or know a parent or soon-to-be-parent or even if not, Fredrik Backman’s book is funny and touching and would be a great gift particularly for any new dads out there. If you have 30 minutes and Hoopla, Saga is unlike anything I’ve ever read.

Currently reading:

On the Come Up (audio), The Bride Test (ARC), Tuesdays in the Castle (read-aloud with Molly), and Chanel Cleeton’s Wild Aces trilogy. Coming up is The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren – cannot wait!! I’m also savoring The Read-Aloud Family which is AMAZING.

Phew – sorry for the length of this post, I just had so much to say!!!!! Next time I will try to spread these thoughts out over the month. Lol.

What have you been reading lately?!?!

14 Audiobooks on my To-Be-Read list

Phew!! I am happy that it’s the weekend today. This week has felt busy (it hasn’t been, really). I think I’ve just felt a bit lazy and scatterbrained after last weekend. I need to get my act together and do some cleaning and meal planning/prep this weekend. Can’t wait. 🙂 I plan to have a girl’s night tonight by myself (haha) and I’m taking Molly to a movie tomorrow that I won advanced tickets to see! It will be fun. Sunday we are planning to purge things in the basement which is kind of fun in its own way 😉

I intended to post this last week but here it is now. Here are 14 books I can’t wait to listen to (hopefully this year!)

1) Britt Marie was Here by Fredrik Backman – this is the last of his books left for me to read until the new Beartown book comes out (no info on that yet). I already know about Britt Marie from the grandmother book, but I need to prioritize this asap!

2) The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker – I have this ARC from Netgalley (they “granted my wish” a month or two after the book came out) but I think audio will be my way to consume this one.

3) The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller – After I loved Circe on audio, I can’t wait to listen to this one too. My library doesn’t have it and isn’t getting it though, so I need to find another way to get it 🙂

4) 11/22/63 by Stephen King – I have read exactly 0 Stephen King books. His books are NOT my preferred genre but I’ve heard this one isn’t too scary so I have it in my Audible library to get to at some point. It’s super long though!!

5) Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy – I have this on my kindle and I just can’t quite seem to push through so I’m waiting for it from the library to listen to. We’ll see. It is definitely really good, I just don’t pick it up for some reason.

6) Becoming by Michelle Obama – I’ve heard this audiobook is fantastic and the best way to “read” this book – narrated by the author!

7) On the Come Up by Angie Thomas – I love Bahni Turpin as a narrator and I loved the audiobook for The Hate U Give. I have this from the library right now so I will start it asap.

8) Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin – Intending to listen to this asap too – I have read all of her books and enjoy them immensely.

9) I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes – this has been on my TBR for far too long. I hear the audiobook is fantastic.

10) Wundersmith by Jessica Townsend – After loving Nevermoor, I can’t wait to listen to this one when it’s my turn from the library. I have it on my kindle too.

11) Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery – after absolutely devouring Anne of Green Gables narrated by Rachel McAdams, I am dying to re-read the whole series. LOVE these books sooo much.

12) Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor – I also plan to listen to the first in her first series, Daughter of Smoke and Bone.

13) Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy – this has been on my TBR for a million years and the Maggie Gyllenhaal version is apparently fantastic. I just need to start it.

14) Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke – another book that has been on my radar for ages because it is marketed as an adult Harry Potter (LOVE). I’m next in line for this one at the library so hopefully it’ll be soon!! 🙂

So, are any of these on your list?! What do you think??

Tips for Listening to Audiobooks (Top Ten Tuesday on a Wednesday)

I have not felt like blogging AT ALL lately. My mind is feeling busy juggling a lot of small family things, reading (which makes me happy), decluttering/spring cleaning, and daydreaming about the summer. I am also in the middle of a big EXCITING project that I will talk about more sometime soon. Anyway, the blog has fallen by the wayside and I’m okay with that.

That being said – I couldn’t resist this week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt from That Artsy Reader Girl. Audio freebie! In the past year or two, I have REALLY gotten into audiobooks. I would say I am probably listening to one at all times – at least every day whenever I can. Here are 10 tips I have for trying out audiobooks if you think it’s something you want to incorporate in your life, but you haven’t had success with yet.

1) Use Bluetooth headphones. I have these ones, but there are hundreds out there now. I know a lot of people who use iPhones like Airpods, but I have never tried them. I can walk around the house cleaning and still be listening to my book at all times. I can listen to my book when I’m shoveling snow or mowing the lawn or out for a run or walk. These are an awesome investment.

2) Speed up the book. I am a fast reader so listening to audiobooks at 1x speed feels like molasses to me. I usually start a book off at 1.75 speed to get a feel for the narrator and then speed it up to 2x or 2.25. My family thinks this sounds like gibberish, but you get used to it pretty fast and it makes a 10-hour audiobook go by in 5 hours.

3) Be picky about the narrator. You can listen to a sample of most audiobooks, and some narrators just don’t work for me so I know I’ll be turning to those books in print instead.

4) Use Libby and Hoopla!! I rarely pay for audiobooks. I have had audible in the past but I always felt like I had to pick an ABSOLUTELY AMAZING book to use a credit on and they just kept piling up. Most books I wanted to listen to on Audible were available at my library with a waitlist, so I never felt like I should spend a credit on them. When my library finally got Hoopla about a year ago, my audiobook consumption went up even more because you can get a book instantly (up to 5 a month, in my case). I always have a few books on hold in overdrive/libby via my library and usually have one or two selected from Hoopla too.

5) Listen to audiobooks when you are busy doing a mindless task. I always joke that audiobooks have made my chores so much more enjoyable. Washing dishes several times a day? Not my favourite thing to do. Listening to books? One of my favourite things to do….so if I listen to my book while I’m washing dishes and cleaning up after supper, I barely even notice that I’m cleaning. The same thing goes for driving. I am fortunate to not have to spend TONS of time commuting in the car but I’d say I do have about an hour or two a week in the car to listen to a book and it makes the time pass much faster.

6) Listen to audiobooks in genres that you want to listen to but have a hard time holding your attention. When I first started listening to audiobooks, I listened almost exclusively to non-fiction and the classics. I still find that I prefer the classics in audio format and I wish so much that I had listened to audio versions of some of these books when I was in university instead of falling asleep while trying to read Shakespeare. Overall, I find most non-fiction more interesting as an audiobook and I love that many of the classics are now available performed by famous (and talented) actors! I am currently listening to Anne of Green Gables narrated by Rachel McAdams and it is absolutely wonderful.

7) Don’t hesitate to check out other free audiobook sources. I know I just mentioned sticking to Hoopla and Libby, but I have also listened to a couple of books via YouTube (these are books in the public domain, mostly). I just make sure to do that at home and not while I’m on the go since they can’t be downloaded but have to be streamed over the internet. This has worked great for kid’s books too. Librivox is another great resource for audiobooks in the public domain.

8) Sign up for a one-month trial to get a free audiobook you really want to listen to. I’ve done this before with Audible, but some other options for audiobook listening are Scribd, Playster, Audiobooks.com, Rakuten Kobo, Audiobooks Now, and Libro.fm is 0.99 for the first month but it also allows you to give back to your community, which is great.

9) Watch for Audible’s sales and daily deals. Also, if you own a kindle version of a book (or if you have Kindle unlimited and you’ve borrowed that book), the audio version is often significantly discounted so keep an eye out for that. I love reading a book and listening simultaneously – I get through books pretty quickly that way. Nadine also shared a great site called Chirp that I was really excited about following (audiobook deals) but it only allows you access if you’re American – which I was SO disappointed about.

10) Share audiobooks! You can always send someone their first audible book (from your library) for free. Here’s a tutorial for how to do it. I’ve done this with a few friends who really wanted to listen to a particular book.

Bonus: I’ve mentioned a lot of these before, but here are some audiobooks I’ve loved in the past few years:

The Martian
The Shadow of the Wind
Harry Potter series
A Man Called Ove
Children of Blood and Bone
The Hate U Give
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Talking as Fast as I Can
Year of Yes
Daring Greatly
As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride
Born a Crime
Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series (note: the original narrator died after book 10 so there is a new one who I also really like)
When Breath Becomes Air

Audiobooks I’ve heard are excellent but I read and have not yet listened to:

Daisy Jones & The Six (full cast)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (also full cast)
Big Little Lies

I’ll share 14 audiobooks on my TBR on Friday!!!

Short Book Reviews (March Show us Your Books link up!)

It’s Show us Your Books Day again aka one of my favourite days of the month. I love seeing what other book friends have been reading and adding to my TBR. I also love sharing some thoughts on what I’ve been reading lately!! I read some good books this month so I’m curious if anyone agrees with my opinions on them! 🙂 Check out Steph & Jana’s blogs today to see what everyone else has read lately.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

This book took me forever to read and it wasn’t always constantly absorbing but I absolutely loved it. The prose is beautiful, the characters are more interesting than I expected, and it reads a little bit like a long book of short stories in some ways. I found myself telling my husband and kids about some of the plot points in the hotel that I really enjoyed. I studied quite a bit of Russian history around this time period in high school so it was interesting to read about some aspects of it here from a very unique perspective. I highly recommend this but it’s definitely a commitment and if you fall on the side of needing fast-paced plots as opposed to a lengthy character study, it might not be for you. In some ways, it reminded me a bit of The Heart’s Invisible Furies (following one man through a lifetime in an ever-changing country) but not in plot and this was not as emotionally fraught as that book.

The Lost Man by Jane Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read and enjoyed Jane Harper’s previous two books but this one might be my favourite of hers. It was very riveting and I thought I had a few things figured out which I was quite wrong about. It came together so interestingly at the end. The characters were hard to figure out and it was easy to feel for them for their own reasons. I was baffled that a book with so few characters could actually leave me totally uncertain as to who did what – but that was absolutely the case here.

This book also definitely served as a reminder that I am a city girl – haha – the remoteness of the setting was giving me a bit of anxiety and unlike other books I’ve read, I don’t have a strong desire to visit that area of Australia…lol 🙂

Lies, Love, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Julie Wright
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars This was such a fun book to read and I gobbled it up mostly in one sitting. I loved reading more about what a career might be like as a film editor. LOVED the characters and the Hollywood-ness of it all. It was SO FUN!!! Shadow Mountain’s books have yet to let me down – I really enjoy their books and they fall much more on the sweet side than some romances.

I was provided with an advanced review copy of this novel from Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Lethal White by Robert Galbraith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think this is my favourite so far in this series – loved the audiobook version immensely. These books are a bit longer and more fleshed out than your typical crime type novel, but they are still very interesting and the character development is spot on. I will absolutely continue with the series when the next one comes out, especially after enjoying this one more than the previous few. Strike is just such a fun character to read about and his dynamic with Robin works well for the storylines.

Watch Me by Jody Gehrman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book CREEPED ME OUT!!! I couldn’t put it down though — it was fast-paced and definitely very readable. I wish some of the characters had been a bit more fleshed out but wow, this author definitely writes the stalker character well!!

I enjoyed the setting and career choices – it was fun to read about that literary world. I enjoyed Zoe. I felt rage at some of Kate’s choices at times but also understood her motivation. So many elements of this book just fit together nicely and it was definitely quite thrilling to get to the ending. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It came out in 2018.

No Other Duke But You by Valerie Bowman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was cute and if you’re a fan of this genre you might like it too. Loved Thomas and Delilah. Definitely stood on its own despite many references to past couples in the series (did not realize there were so many books in this series before this one!)

I love women characters set in this time period who stand up for themselves and I’m glad that Delilah was that type of character particularly near the end of the book. Her family life was tragic and I’m so glad for her wonderful friends, which really made the book for me. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It came out in 2018.

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think I liked this better than One of Us Is Lying. It was a great YA mystery with fun characters (I LOVE twins) and an interesting setting. Did not figure out the ending, so that always makes a book a bit more interesting too 🙂 Very YA but probably not super recommendable under the age of 14ish.

Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So far, maybe my favourite in the series although I loved Marrying Winterborne and Hello Stranger too. The heroine in this book makes board games! SO fun.

As you can see above, I plowed through a bunch of The Ravenels series by Lisa Kleypas this month (I just started the 5th this morning – I LOVE these books so much), I read a less-than stellar Pride & Prejudice retelling via Netgalley, and read a bunch more Lauren Layne books. I am loving Lauren Layne’s Oxford Series and the last book in her 21 Wall Street trilogy was wonderful too. I share everything I read over on Goodreads!!

Currently reading:

Daisy Jones & the Six (almost done – obviously I am loving it)
A Study in Scarlet Women (audio) – I had this from Netgalley ages ago so now I’m trying it in a different format after a few friends highly recommended it.
The Devil’s Daughter – just started this one & of course I love it already.