Book Review Day! Woohoo! This month was a crazy month filled with lots of fun, lots of sickness, and lots of travel. Somehow, I managed to read SEVEN books this month, and can’t wait to share them with you. I read THREE just on our trip to the Bahamas, and one of those actually turned out to be one of my favorites EVER!!! I also had a bit of a come to Jesus talk with myself over one of these authors, and I will explain below!

I crossed a few different genres this month, and have picked out a few that would be easy reads over the upcoming Spring Break. Make sure to click on the links below, head on over to my Amazon page, and grab a few books for yourself!! Happy reading! And, prepare yourself for the longest Book Review ever! Whew!

And . . . We are headed to Florida for Spring Break, and I need book recommendations! Comment, message me, call me! Would love to take a few amazing books on our trip!!

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Hmmm . . . how to describe this book. I really fought against reading this book. It has been EVERYWHERE over the last several months, and reviews I have read – while glowing – never really made it sound like something I would like. However, the best friend kept singing its praises, so I dove in and finally read it this month!

In the beginning of the book, I was intrigued. In the middle of the book, I was in love with the story. At the end of the book, I was all “BOO!!!”. This book is crazy similar to one of my very favorite books from 2018: The Great Alone. Both are about the tragic story of a young woman, both span decades, and both follow her on her journey of finding herself. If I had not read The Great Alone, I think I would have liked this book more. While entertaining, Where the Crawdads Sing does not hold a candle to The Great Alone.

Where the Crawdads Sing is a story of Kya, also known as “The Marsh Girl”. She is left by every member of her family by the age of ten, and lives on her own in the swamps of North Carolina. It is a heartbreaking tale of a little girl trying to become a woman when everyone in her entire life has left her. The book is written beautifully, and although the terms “swamp” and “marsh” don’t sound too appealing, the author makes the location sound so beautiful that I am up for running around the swamp for a day or two. Just not in the summer. My curly hair is frizzing up just thinking about it.

I wish that I liked this book more. The last few chapters just ruined it for me, and when I closed the book for the last time, I was bummed. I was actually sitting in my car, and said out loud “well, that stinks!” I know SO MANY of you have probably read this book. What are your thoughts? I would love to hear your point of view! If you haven’t read it, and would like to, click here to grab a copy for yourself! It was a good book. Just not The Great Alone.

My One and Only by Kristan Higgins

You guys know that I LOVE Kristan Higgins. I have read so many of her books. I always say that her books are a Hallmark movie in writing. You know the ending, but getting there is just as fun. When I heard she had a new book coming out, I pre-ordered as fast as I could, and was PUMPED to start reading the moment it was delivered.

My One and Only is about Harper James, a divorce attorney living in Martha’s Vineyard. She is thirty-four, extremely successful, has some major abandonment issues, and still a bit hung up on her first marriage that lasted less then a year. After not seeing him for eleven years, Harper runs into Nick – the ex-husband – when their siblings decide to get married after dating for less then two months. That, coupled with an unplanned, cross-country, road trip, makes for a very interesting reunion.

Let me say a couple of things about this book.

1. Harper and Nick were married right out of college, and their issues really came from being children and trying to figure out their lives. I have a handful of friends that married their college sweethearts, and I love them dearly. They are still happily, married couples that have grown up side by side, and now been together for half of their lives!!! That is such a rare gift. The majority of us, however, have moved on from said college sweethearts, and if you think back about the silly things you argued about, then you will start to see why Harper and Nick’s marriage didn’t work out. Not shocking. Two young kids that couldn’t figure out how to grow up together.

2. Harper has some MAJOR abandonment issues, and this girl needs some THERAPY. ASAP! I found myself wanting to slap her upside the head a couple of times throughout this book. It was hard to root for her at times because she could.not.get.it.together!

I really did like this book, but found myself a little more frustrated with the characters than I have been when reading her earlier books. Actually, I was frustrated with Harper. Nick was PRECIOUS! I could have used one more chapter, but was pleased with the overall ending. I felt like she spent 99% of the book with the characters in emotional turmoil, and 1% of the book wrapping up the happy ending. Needed a couple more percentage points added to that happy ending side. All in all, a good chick lit read. Not my favorite one of hers, but still a great one to take on vacation this spring or summer. Click here to grab a copy.

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena

I am a big fan of Shari Lapena’s books! I read The Couple Next Door a couple of years ago (LOVED IT!), and then read and reviewed A Stranger in the House here in the November Book Review last year. Both books were suspenseful and super fun reads. Reid also liked these two books because I was so into them that I would give him play by play each day. So, when I saw Shari Lapena’s newest book, I was PUMPED!

An Unwanted Guest is the story of several people headed up to the historic Mitchell’s Inn for a weekend getaway in the New York countryside. An “accident” occurs during the first night, and the book turns into one big murder mystery. With a ragging blizzard outside and the power out, the hotel guests and staff have to stick together to stay alive.

The description of this hotel made “The Shining” keep popping into my head for some reason! Just a old-fashioned, beautiful hotel sitting WAY out in the snow-covered countryside in the middle of nowhere. However, unlike “The Shining”, this is NOT in the horror genre. It is supposed to be suspenseful, but I kept finding myself playing the movie “Clue” over and over in my head. I love that movie. This book was VERY reminiscent of “Clue” to me, and it made it very hard to get connected to the characters.

When I closed the book for the last time, Reid started laughing because I just said “Huh.” He knows when I am obsessed with a book, and could tell that I wasn’t that invested. Listen, I love Shari Lapena, and this is actually a fun book. I think it was more fun for me because (1) I wasn’t invested in any of the characters and wasn’t traumatized if they were “removed from the story line”, and (2) I love the movie “Clue”.

If you love light, suspenseful books (with an emphasis on the “light”) that are quick reads, definitely check this one out. This would be a great selection for a Spring Break trip that you may have planned! Click here to grab a copy of yourself.

Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins

Cute. Precious. Adorable. Quick Read. That basically sums up this book! And, that is exactly what I needed after the first three books I read this month! Catch of the Day is one of Kristan Higgin’s first books. Her second, I believe. The story takes place in Gideon’s Cove, Maine, and follows Maggie Beaumont, her family, her golden retriever, Father Tim (the local priest), and Malone (a grumpy local). After Maggie falls in love with Father Tim (obviously, an unrequited love), she tries to find a partner that can actually date her, and that can give her the family she always wanted. Hallmark movie. I loved all of the characters in this book, even the surly ones! Higgins added two more books to the “Gideon’s Cove” series over the years, and I will definitely check those out at some point. I will say that, as do a lot of her books, this book lacked a bit of closure for me. I liked the ending, but I felt like we needed a chapter or two extra to answer all of the questions that I still had going on in my head. But, still a cute, cute book! Click here to grab a copy for yourself. Perfect Spring Break read!

Swear On This Life by Renee Carlino

Friends. This book. I can’t get it out of my mind, and I think that the characters will be on my heart for quite some time. This is one of my favorites EVER, and is definitely in contention for 2019 best book of the year. I know, I know . . . it is only February. But, it is wonderful.

This is going to sound insane, but this is the chick lit version of the The Great Alone (but in Ohio instead of Alaska). Emiline is an adjunct writing professor at a UC San Diego, and is working on getting her own work published in the process. When Cara, her roommate and best friend, discovers the “new best seller” and reads it in one day, she passes it on Emiline and encourages her to enjoy. Feeling down in the dumps about her current life path, Emiline curls up with All the Roads Between, gets through one chapter and basically has a nervous breakdown. All the Roads Between is about her. The author of this new bestseller, J. Colby, is very clearly Jase – her best friend and first love from childhood. After years apart, Jase has apparently decided to write a novel about the horrific nature of her upbringing and is profiting on her pain!

Every chapter in Swear On This Life flips back and forth from Emiline reading this newly discovered novel and reliving her tragic childhood to trying to find Jase and understand why he would be so cruel to disappear on her and then break her heart with this tragedy all over again.

Trust me when I say that this is powerful. This is chick lit, but in a deep and powerful way, y’all. Remember when I told all of you to read My Oxford Year last year? I told you it was chick lit with major depth? Well, Swear On This Life is chick lit with even more depth. You will laugh, you will hold your heart because you are so sad for these characters, you will be angry and want to jump through the book and punch someone, and then you will be so thrilled with certain aspects you hold the book to your chest and just smile. Reid was a bit concerned by the range of emotions I exhibited on the plane ride to Miami last week. Ha! Please read this! Click here to grab a copy for yourself. If you can only read ONE book over Spring Break, make this the book! So, SO great!

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

This is Sally Thorne’s first novel, and it is so much fun. This is pure chick lit, and is filled with major sexual tension and some PG-13, possibly rated R scenarios. And, I have to say, that I loved every second of it. This was not one of those books that toys with the reader for 25 chapters of too many details and then suddenly in chapter 26, they are in love, married and all of the impossible issues have magically disappeared. This is two people, dealing with their relationship throughout the entire book. And, it was SO refreshing!!! I love books like this. Books that I can close at the end, and be happy for the characters and happy that I spent the time.

Lucy Hutton is the assistant to the co-CEO of B&G Books, and Joshua Templeton is the assistant to the other co-CEO. They share an office, and they hate each other. Like the kind of hate that has become legend throughout their company. Of course, there is a fine line between love and hate. Especially when you spend 50+ hours a week with someone on a constant basis.

Due to another need for a company restructure, Josh and Lucy are up for the same promotion. Their battle ensues as their interviews approach, and we start to learn that there is more depth to these two than just spending all day, every day hating the other.

Y’all, I laughed out loud at this book. A few times! Just a fun read. I discovered that she has her second book out, and I will definitely be grabbing that for our next trip. Click here to grab a copy for yourself or a friend! Love this book!

Until There Was You by Kristan Higgins

Until There Was You is about Posey Osterhagen, the adopted, and much loved daughter of Stacia and Max, the local German restaurant owners. Posey has always been a bit awkward and in love with the one and only Liam Murphy. Liam, a bit of a bad boy in high school, feel in love, got married, a had a baby girl right out of college. Now, a widower, Liam is back in Bellsford, New Hampshire, and making Posey’s heart skip a beat once again.

I grabbed this book at the last second, and threw in my suitcase in case I was in need of a last minute easy read on our trip. Our flight back to Dallas was delayed, so to keep myself from freaking out about not being able to get home ASAP to a sick kiddo, I just grabbed this book and started reading. I finished this book in one day: the airport, the four hour plane ride, the HOUR long wait at baggage claim (thanks American Airlines!), and then a little more after Reid crashed out. So, I will say that it is an easy read.

Around the time I was about halfway through this book, I took a minute to have a little talk with myself. I discovered Kristan Higgins when I read The Best Man. This was the first book in her five-book Blue Heron series, and I finished all five books within a few months. I loved all five of these books, and just kept looking for more and more of her books to read. I have to say, that I continue to be disappointed in some way. Maybe I have just read too many at this point, and have figured out the method to her madness. Almost every book follows the same pattern, and while certain details change, it is rinse, lather, repeat. Very little closure is given, which always gets to me. She is a GREAT author, and all of her characters are so lovable. I think, I may have just had a Kristan Higgins overdose. I imagine that if I sat and watched several Hallmark movies in a row, I would probably be throwing popcorn at the screen, shouting insults at the characters, and booing as the credits rolled by the time my binge watching was complete. I feel like that was me around 11:30pm on Sunday night. I will be back, Kristan. Just give me some time. I still love you.

This is a cute book. Just have had too many of these in a row. If you would like to grab a copy, click here!

Whew! SEVEN books in February. That could be a record. Remember to send me recommendations!!!! Happy reading!