A Murder for the Books by Victoria Gilbert
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This was a cute cozy mystery, easy enough to read and the characters were enjoyable. The history of the town was interesting and there was a cute romance. At no point did I feel OMG I have no idea what is going on nor did I feel supremely concerned for the characters because I felt like it would all work out, but hey, that was kind of nice for a change. The romantic aspect was cute too. I will likely read other books in this series! (Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this fun book).

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved this beautiful book. It’s a children’s book, but it deals with an interesting topic. The book itself is extremely aesthetically pleasing, but the subject matter and way the story is told really pulled at the heart strings. It’s not quite Ivan, but I happen to really love trees as well as personification so this was up my alley, haha.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was amazing on audio and I couldn’t stop listening to it. It opened my eyes to a very realistic situation and the impact that it could have on so many people. The characters were wonderful in this book and the story was so well told. Everyone needs to read this book.

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was such a fun book to read! Loved the characters, was quite invested in the story, and enjoyed the way it unfolded. Looking forward to continuing the series. Veronica Speedwell is SUCH a fun character to read about and I loved Stoker too. I don’t really quite know how to classify this series – it’s kind of like a cozy historical mystery?! Pretty fun though.

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Since I often enjoy books that Kristen likes, I had a feeling I would like this one but it still blew me away. IT WAS SO GOOD (if this genre is your thing). It was well written, and swoon-worthy, and I could not put it down and read it in one sitting. I loved it and I want to re-read it soon so I’m happy to have it purchased on my kindle 🙂 If you like contemporary romance, this should absolutely make it on your list.

Wait for It by Mariana Zapata
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Loved Dianna’s story!!! This one wasn’t quite as good as Wall of Winnipeg and Me, but I liked how their story was included a bit in this one too 🙂 Loved Dianna’s relationship with her nephews and her independence, although her parental role made me feel a bit tired, haha. Zapata writes so well and I know I will enjoy all of her books and characters.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I fully expected this book to be incredible, and sciencey, and intense, and it was all of those things and more. It was also a lot more heartfelt and hopeful than I expected. Some of it definitely went over my head, but I didn’t mind and felt like I “understood” it all enough to enjoy it immensely. The hype is real for this book. I already passed it on to my dad, who I think will enjoy it a lot too.

Jane Austen in Scarsdale: Or Love, Death, and the SATs by Paula Marantz Cohen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Parts of this book were absolutely hilarious to me. The guidance counselor/student/parent relationships were quite humorous and I liked that setting for the book. The Persuasion elements in it were nice, but of course it was nowhere near as swoonworthy as the original or as enjoyable as A Thousand Letters. I still really liked all of the characters and the book was a fun one overall! 3.5/5 stars 🙂

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So many good and thought-provoking ideas about changing your perspective and giving yourself grace. I can absolutely see why Brene Brown’s work is so popular. I especially enjoyed this on audio but I might pick up a paper copy too so I can refer back to some of her ideas a bit easier. Loved the HP references 😉

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a great middle-grade novel reminiscent a bit of Number the Stars. I loved Ada’s determination and how she grew throughout the book. I’ve heard the sequel is quite good too, and I will be picking that one up soon.

Wasted Words by Staci Hart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This couple was adorable and I loved that it was an Emma re-telling because they are a bit less common. Wasted Words seems like such a fun place – a bar/comic shop/bookstore all in one…so FUN! Staci Hart’s writing is fun and easy to read. I read this in one sitting and enjoyed it very much.

Winter Solstice by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a joy to be back with the Quinn family after thinking their story was finished with book 3! I loved that this book had more Bart in it and all of the other characters too. I really liked Jennifer’s storyline and struggles in this book as well as everything Ava and Margaret were feeling. I knew the end was going to be heartbreaking, and it was, but it was also quite hopeful.
Thankful to have received an advanced copy of this wonderful conclusion to the series from Netgalley.

We’ll Always Have Christmas by Jenny Hale
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was one of those adorable Christmas stories that you know isn’t necessarily high literature but gives you some cozy Christmas cheer. It was nice, it was a bit predictable, but I didn’t mind. I can see why her work is made into Hallmark Christmas movies, because that is exactly how it reads, but I didn’t mind at all. The little boy in this book was adorable if not a touch unrealistic. 😉 (Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this Christmas book).

The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5/5 stars. I read this in less than an hour and was sad when it was over. It was excellent and thought-provoking though and I can’t get enough of Backman’s writing. Also, isn’t the cover just SO CHRISTMASSY?!?!!? I love it.

 MEH books:

Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star by Heather Lynn Rigaud
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book more. The premise was fun, and when I started it, it reminded me a bit of Eligible in the sense that it was ultra modern but had a bunch of P&P characters in their rightful places. The premise of the two bands touring together was fun and an easy way for everyone to get to know each other. I did really like parts of this book but it was just wayyyy too long and drawn out, parts of it were totally unrealistic for a modern setting, and there was way too much predictable coupling going on. I skimmed entire pages just so I could see where the plot was heading. Unfortunately I think it was the writing that really bothered me on top of the way too detailed love scenes which I will admit I skipped over for the most part.

Kissing Tolstoy by Penny Reid
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Not a big fan of this – it was my first by this author and I bought it on Kindle for a fundraiser but I’m sensing it is not her best. Fortunately, it was a short read.

TL;DR: I loved Wasted Words, Wall of Winnipeg and Me, Wait for It, Deal of a Lifetime, Dark Matter, The Hate U Give, and Daring Greatly as well as A Curious Beginning. Oh, and Wishtree and The War that Saved My Life. So basically, read all of those books depending on what you like. The Winter series by Elin Hildebrand is also very well written if you like something Christmassy and with some family drama, but start with the first one. 🙂 

Yay!! Another month of reading gone by and some more great books to chat about. Linking up as always with the wonderful Steph and Jana 🙂 Unfortunately I had a few sort of “meh” books this month, but also a few amazing books to redeem those ones. I made my way through a bunch of Netgalley books but then I accidentally (oops) requested a few more, so I’m no further ahead really. Haha. This post is going to be a long one, but my main recommendations are in this first part! 🙂 I think it had been awhile since the last link up.

The best books I read this month:

Beach Music by Pat Conroy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was sweeping, intense, beautiful, sad, emotional, interesting, and unlike anything I have ever read. I had no idea what to expect out of it but it really covers a range of genres and is quite well written. I did not read it quickly, and I often didn’t seek it out at the end of a long day, but when I got closer to the end, I absolutely could not put it down. This is a book that is meant to be savoured and thought about, in my opinion, There was a lot going on with a lot of different characters but I didn’t have any problem keeping it all straight. It was wonderful if you are in the mood for a book of its length and depth.

Reading People: How Seeing the World through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything by Anne Bogel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I knew I would like this book, but I didn’t realize how much MORE I would want to read about personality after finishing it. I find this kind of thing endlessly fascinating, although I know it’s not for everyone. I think it is the psychology major in me, maybe? I also kind of secretly want to get certified in MBTI administration, which is pretty close to my career field anyway…so I might jump on that chance someday 🙂

I both read and listened to this. Listening to it was wonderful because I am used to Anne Bogel’s voice from her podcast and I like it. It was also great to have it in print to refer to the types she was talking about and make notes. There’s so much more that I am dying to learn about my family and my children and my husband after reading this book, and I can’t wait to dive in. I really think that learning about personality is beneficial to all relationships including those at work as well – so that was a good reminder.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was incredible. Eleanor’s character is so fun to read, and her observations on the world around her are fascinating. What happened to her was endlessly tragic and when it was all revealed, I found myself quite emotional and also quit impressed with her coping strategies. Such a good book.

Artemis by Andy Weir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book’s publication date is today so you’ll be hearing a lot about it in the coming weeks if you’re into book buzz at all! It took me awhile to get into this book, but once the action picked up, I was quite interested in what would happen to Jazz and the city of Artemis. There were a few twists that I definitely didn’t see coming and I finished the last half of the book in one night. Mark Watney in The Martian is still one of my favourite characters of all time, but Jazz was pretty good too and it was fun to read a book like this one with a female protagonist who loves science. This was a fun and unique book and I think fans of the Martian will also enjoy this one. I bet the audiobook will be great too – Weir’s writing really does lend itself well to audio.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the advanced copy of this book. Thank you also to Goodreads and Crown Publishing for the paperback copy of this which I won through Goodreads!! 🙂

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first novel by Agatha Christie and it will absolutely not be my last. Humorous, interesting, and surprising. The cast of characters was fun to read about, it was the perfect length, and the mystery was not what I expected at all. The basic storyline is about a group of people on a train including the world renowned detective Hercule Poirot. A man is murdered while the train gets stuck in the snow so the murderer is undoubtedly still on board. Hercule Poirot is fascinating to read about and reminds me a bit of Sherlock Holmes, naturally.  Brian and I also had the chance to see the movie on Sunday night and I really liked it too – I had previously not considered myself much of a Kenneth Branagh fan but he sold me on Poirot’s character. The mystery aspect of this book pertains to quite a sad event and if you’ve read it you know what I mean…the movie made that even a bit harder to digest. So well done though. This book is a quick read so if you haven’t gotten to it yet, I’d recommend it – and then message me so we can talk about it because I can’t say much about the plot without spoiling it!

Origin by Dan Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve been a fan of Dan Brown’s books for their fast-paced, action-packed, historically interesting plotlines, and this one was quite good. I don’t think it was quite up to the par of the Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons or even Inferno, but I still liked it. I didn’t read it as quickly as usual for some reason, so it wasn’t quite as intense but it was fascinating overall. If you’ve liked other books in the Robert Langdon series, this one is a good addition that raises some interesting questions.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had no idea what to expect out of this book but it was getting positive reviews from everyone I’d heard of so I jumped right in. I get the buzz around it now. This book pulled me out of a bit of a reading slump and I loved it for that. I think I read the second half of the book in one sitting. It was quite the page-turner and aspects of it reminded me of The Mothers although the writing is quite different. It was a very captivating book that raised some interesting questions, and I have found myself thinking about it often since finishing it. Now I am dying to read her first book, which I had been putting off for quite awhile. The characters and pace of this book really made it unputdownable for me, and I’m sure most of you already have this on your TBR because it has been everywhere lately.

A Thousand Letters by Staci Hart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this in one sitting and loved it. I enjoyed the Persuasion aspects of it, and I will absolutely be seeking out more books in her Austen adaptations series. I think this was the first adaptation of Persuasion that I’ve read and I wish there were more!! The story really lends itself well to retellings, in my opinion. Parts of this were absolutely heartbreaking and made me teary. Beautiful writing. Thanks Kristen for the recommendation!!!

A Quiet Life in the Country by T E Kinsey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I listened to this book while I was running and working on Halloween costumes, and it passed my time quite happily. The audiobook was very well done and Lady Hardcastle was an enchanting character. I don’t think the mystery aspect was quite up to par with other mysteries I’ve listened to, but like I said, it was still a pleasurable listening experience and I might seek out the other books in the series when I am in the mood for a cozy mystery.

Other decent books: 

Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe by Melissa de la Cruz
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I couldn’t wait to read this book since it combines two of my favourite things, Christmas and Pride and Prejudice, and the book itself delivered on those two premises even though I didn’t find it OVERLY Christmassy. It was a bit confusing that Darcy was a girl and “Lizzie” was a man, but it worked on some levels. There were a few very funny parts and a few cute parts in this book. Overall, not a bad festive retelling of one of my favourite pieces of literature but I still prefer Eligible over most other adaptations:)

The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the first Katherine Reay novel I’ve read and I truly didn’t mind it. It’s maybe a 3.5 stars for me. I think really the writing was just kind of weird. I don’t know how to describe it but it wasn’t altogether favourable because of that. Parts of it were really fun. Parts of it felt completely disjointed though and I don’t think I really got invested until about halfway through the book. That being said, it was fun, and I enjoyed the ending too even if parts of it felt a bit rushed to the resolution. Although like I said, not altogether weird, just kind of up and down.

If you like reading about Austen characters (this is a tiny bit like Austenland in its storyline), this one is worth the read but it’s not at the top of the list for Austen fans either.

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for the advanced copy of this book.

It Started With Goodbye by Christina June
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It had been a bit since I’d read a YA book and I had completely forgotten that this was a slight Cinderella retelling, so that was kind of fun to figure out as I was reading. Parts of this felt a bit contrived to me (would the stepmother actually get away with that, really?), but I liked the SK parts and the friendships and the stepsister development. This book was fun and cute and reminded me of Tell me Three Things, which I adored.

Thank you to Netgalley and Blink for the review copy of this fun YA book.

The Royal Wedding by Melanie Summers
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another fun addition to this series about modern royals. Highly readable and cute and just what I wanted for a little escape.
Thank you Netgalley and Buoni Amici Press for the advanced copy of this book.

One Step Away by Sydney Bristow
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

This book had a few cute moments (I enjoyed the librarian career part!), but it was overly predictable and a bit too much for me. I think Damon and Kelsey’s story might be a bit more interesting, and that’s the next in the series but I’m not in any rush to pick it up. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

Dark Horse by B.J. Daniels
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was a bit disappointed to learn partway through this book that it was actually a trilogy! I was quite interested in the mystery of the kidnapped twins. I found the romance to be totally unbelievable but cute nonetheless…just extremely unrealistic. The writing was fast-paced and kept me interested. I even went so far as to pick up the next in the series at the library, read about 40 pages of it and said, nope…I just don’t care anymore. haha.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Intrigue for the advanced review copy of this e-book.

TL;DR: I recommend Little Fires Everywhere, Beach Music, Origin (if it’s your thing), A Thousand Letters, Artemis, and Murder on the Orient Express (the book AND the movie, but the book first! :)) If you like anything to do with personality typing, I highly recommend Reading People too.

What have you been reading lately? I’m hoping to read a few holiday books this month and get through a few more Netgalley books too. I’m currently reading The Hate U Give and Wishtree by Katherine Applegate (almost done that one). Hoping to start on A Curious Beginning sometime this week.

I can’t believe it’s been a month since I posted in this blog. Great intentions and all that. Today is my older daughter’s 6th birthday!! I fed her carrot cake for breakfast and she was all excited going off to school. I can’t believe how fast the time flies.

I had a much slower reading month in August because of vacation and being busy. A lot of people might think, hmm, wouldn’t you read more on vacation? And I would say, yes, I would read more on vacation if I was alone or with my husband, but not when driving for 20 hours with 2 children 🙂 We also visited a lot of friends and family on vacation so we didn’t have much “down time” in the evenings because we wanted to visit with people we don’t see often enough!! It was great, and books wait for you, so it’s all good. 🙂 On a side bookish note, I got to meet one of my favourite authors (second only to J.K. Rowling, I think!!) in her hometown of Knowlton Quebec. It was an amazing experience that I hope to write about more soon.

Aside from all that, here are a few books I’ve read in the last month or so and haven’t mentioned yet here. Linking up with the lovely Steph and Jana today so that we can all explode our TBRs and cuddle up with some great book recommendations this fall 🙂

The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A. Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was SO much fun to read. It stayed with me too; I’ve thought about it off and on since I finished it.Travelling back in time with the goal of befriending Jane Austen? How awesome would that be?! It was definitely a super enjoyable read. It didn’t read like an Austen novel; it is much more “approachable” in regard to the language, but it was just so fun. I think if you are an Outlander fan, there is a bit of that element to it with the time travel although different subject matter. I can’t recomment this enough if you are an Austen fan, a fan of that time period, or even if you aren’t but you’re looking for a book that follows a slightly unique format.

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Steph for this recommendation. This book was so good and definitely one of my better YA reads this year. There were so many emotions in this book and I really felt all of them along with the characters. In particular, I loved the extreme bookishness of the plot, I loved all of the bookstore chat, and the characters were just so well done.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I listened to this while running, and it paints such a vivid picture of animals in captivity. I know my daughters will absolutely love this in a year or two. Heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time. I can’t wait to listen to her other books now.

(finished this one for Erin’s challenge)

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I went back and forth between kindle and audible on this book, and eventually I just lost track of what was going on in the audiobook so I read it all in a day or two. I can’t say I love this as much as Jane Austen, but it has a much more serious feel to it than many of her books. It did start me down a wormhole of craving books set in that time period again, so that was nice. 🙂 There were a lot of sad moments in this book, but some hopeful ones too. I can’t imagine going through everything that Margaret did in a year, especially back in those days. It took me awhile to get on board with Mr. Thornton, but of course, like Mr. Darcy in some ways, he won me over 😉

If you like these types of books, this is a good one if you’ve finished all of Jane Austen and want something *somewhat* similar in writing and tone. If you don’t enjoy that era, this one probably isn’t for you, but I would still highly recommend the mini-series on Netflix if you’re curious!!! I really enjoyed that after I read this.

(finished this one for Erin’s challenge)

A Fine Gentleman by Sarah M. Eden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

I didn’t realize this was the fourth in a series, but it was a complete stand-alone book. This book introduced some fun characters and a troubling situation for one of them, but there was a lot of wit, banter, and charm that made it quite fun to read. It was my first book by Sarah M. Eden but I’m certain that it will not be my last. She writes historical romance quite well, and this family is a fun one to follow along with. It was somewhat reminiscent of my beloved Julia Quinn and her Bridgertons series.

I spent a very pleasant few days re-reading Edenbrooke this month and I might pick up Blackmoore shortly after. I also re-read parts of Glass Houses after meeting Louise Penny.

I’m “currently reading” quite a few books, and I don’t know why I do this to myself but I think my reading mood is just all over the place right now during this busy season of the year. I started Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine but I had to return it to the library before I finished. Loved what I read though.

I’m over halfway through Emma in the Night (so far, so good, but haven’t had time to finish!), Beach Music, Young Jane Young, and listening to Mansfield Park and Flowers for Algernon <—my attention for that last one is truly waning but I selected it for Erin’s challenge and I am feeling determined! It’s not even that long!!

What have you read lately? What are you reading now? 🙂

Today’s one of my favourite days to browse blogs: Show us Your Books day! Check out the link up at Steph and Jana’s blogs today. I read quite a few great books over the past month and I’m happy to share them today!

Highly Recommended Books (Depending on Your Taste, of Course)

What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I can’t decide if I liked this more than Tell Me Three Things, which I absolutely loved, but either way, it’s close. The author herself calls this one her favourite. The characters are adorable. They are dealing both with regular everyday teen-type stuff, and much heavier stuff. Books like this one are my favourite type of YA read for a reason. Definitely seek out Tell Me Three Things or this book if you like YA fiction that deals with difficult subject matter but feels overall optimistic and has wonderful characters and interactions.

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was such a fun read!! Reminded me a bit of The Goose Girl for some reason. The whole departure from actual history was VERY fun. If you like YA historical fantasy, definitely add this to your list – it’s for sure one of the funniest books I’ve read this year.

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an intense read!!! It took me a little while to get into, but it was really full-speed-ahead from about the halfway point to the end. Despite it being quite a sad story, I did enjoy the writing immensely. The bookishness of this book was appealing, but the actual storyline and connections made came right out of left field for me and I was quite blown away when it was all revealed.

The Sisters Chase by Sarah Healy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was slow going for awhile and since I’d heard a few people rave about how amazing it was, I was a bit disappointed. I finished two other books while reading this one. However, about partway through it, this book became quite irresistible to me and I wanted to learn more about how the characters’ lives panned out. This is not an uplifting or happy book by any means, but it was a well-written character book about family sacrifice and the lengths one will go to protect their family and their past. The pacing was spot-on too – each chapter really moved the next one along and I flew through the second half in about a day. I don’t quite know how to classify this because it’s not really suspense, but it feels a bit suspenseful as you piece everything together. It felt a bit reminiscent of Summer Sisters to me although I’m not quite sure why.

Middle of the Road Books for Me

The Other Girl by Erica Spindler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book definitely held my interest and is mostly what I want out of this genre. I didn’t know who I could trust, and that element kept it moving along at a steady pace. I hadn’t read a suspense type book with police officers as main characters in awhile so I enjoyed that part too. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of this book. 

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a quick read, and it was a fun look at a family with some adorable quirks (the 4 year old? adorable!). I didn’t necessarily love that it portrayed Audrey coming to terms with her anxiety relatively quickly (although it is fiction, and I am biased working in the field of psychology). It was definitely a cute YA book. This was my first read by Kinsella and it was more or less what I expected but not my favourite YA by any means. Not sure that I will seek out any of her adult books right away.

Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Bandeira
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Super cute fluffy little YA read. Felt like it should have been a bit shorter but the ending was super adorable. 15 year old Heather would have been allllllll about this book but as an adult, the quality of my YA reads needs to be a tiny touch higher. It’s not the book, it’s me. Thanks for the advanced copy of this book Netgalley.

The Good Widow by Liz Fenton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Parts of this book were really quite suspenseful, but other parts were just a bit unbelievable and I generally did not feel extremely sympathetic to the characters despite them being in very sad scenarios. It felt a bit disjointed at times, but I finished it quite quickly once I got into it and wanted to find out how it ended so there were some great elements that kept the story moving forward. Thanks for the advanced copy of this book Netgalley.

Before We Visit the Goddess by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a relatively short book and the alternating viewpoints kept my interest but also made it a bit confusing at times. Overall, I really appreciated the story but it might not be for everyone.

Currently still reading:
North and South
Flowers for Algernon (I am not finding it easy to read)
The One and Only Ivan
The Jane Austen Project

Looking forward to seeing everyone else’s summer reads!!!