Happy Friday! AND . . . Happy February Book Review Day!

This month, I read four books . . . one suspenseful novel, one historical fiction, the last book in my favorite series, and a chick lit from a new-to-me author. I will say that this month had a 75% success rate for the books. Buckle up, y’all. Here we go . . .

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Have you ever read a book and thought that it would be an amazing movie. This is IT! An amazingly CREEPY movie that is SOOOOOOO good!

Verity is a twisted, psychological thriller that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. When bestseller novelist, Verity Crawford, is in a horrible accident, her husband and publisher decide to hire someone to help Verity finish her beloved series. Lowen is chosen, and becomes ingrained into the family as she tries to learn more about Verity and the characters in her books.

Y’all. I am talking SUPER creepy! But GREAT! This book should have given me anxiety or nightmares, but it didn’t. I told Reid about it throughout my reading it, and he was into it as well. Let me say that this is VERY different from Colleen Hoover’s other books. Do not be expecting her normal style of writing. She branched out with this one, and I enjoyed it. Also . . . this is very rated R book. LOTS of action in this bad boy. Some may even say a little too much? But, after reading the entire thing, I kind of get why it was included so much in the story line.

Have any of you read this? SOOOOO fun!

Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

If you have been a reader of this blog for very long, you know that I have a deep love for Kristin Hannah. I have read most of her books, seen her speak at a local museum, and just truly love her writing style. In recent years, her romance style books have taken a back seat to historical fiction novels that you can feel in your bones. I usually have tears streaming down my face at the end of each of her books, and have to take a bit of a reading break due to being emotionally spent from feeling all of the things. I just love her books.

So, to say I was excited about her newly released book, Four Winds, was a giant understatement. I pre-ordered the first day it was available, I screamed out loud when it arrived at my house earlier this month, and I cracked it open the very next day.

Let me just say that this review makes me very, very sad to write.

I could not stand this book. It felt like a job to read. A job that I disliked very much.

Four Winds follows a family that lives in the Texas Panhandle during the 1920s, and then their move for a better life in the 1930s. What the farmers had to deal with during the Great Depression and subsequent years is appalling and shocking. It hurts to read this book when you know that while the characters are fictional, the historical background is truth. Hard times, to say the least. And, horrible to think that this was going on in America less than one hundred years ago.

I guess that during these hard times nothing went right for anyone. And, that is how this book went. On page 175 out of 444, I texted my best friend with a GIF of Debbie Downer when she asked about this book. It got a bit better, it did. Kind of. But it was DEPRESSING! I found an ounce of hope once I hit page 400, but that was about it. Now . . . the characters are definitely strong, and that gave me something to cheer for!

I don’t mind heartbreaking books that give you all the feels, but I do mind hopeless, depressing, and boring. Oh, Kristin Hannah. I still love you so much, but not this book.

If any of you have read this, please let me know. I would LOVE your thoughts on the story. This book just made me depressed and really made me need a break from reading. UGH!

And . . . now onto a chick-lit book, where I can smile and blush my way through it . . .

Forever Wild by K.A. Tucker

Oh, Forever Wild. How I love you. Remember last year when I read The Simple Wild and Wild at Heart? You can click here to read about them in my Best of the Best 2020 Book Review. I LOVED those two books, and so many of you did as well.

My girl, K.A. Tucker, just released the third book in the series, Forever Wild!!! Sweet Jonah and Calla are back. Along with all of the other characters that you have grown to love along the way. This book takes place over Christmas and New Years, and just ties all of the pieces together and gives us all of the closure that we could ever want. This entire series makes me so very happy. LOVE, love, love it!!!!!! If you haven’t read this series, start from the beginning. Immediately! You’re welcome!

I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

This is yet another of my “walk into a book store before carpool, and grab something random off of the shelf” selection. I had no idea what to expect with this book, and I have never read this author before. But let me say this . . . if you love a PG, precious, hilarious, sweet chick lit love story, this is your book. It was GREAT! I finished it yesterday in carpool, and actually hugged the book while I was smiling an embarrassingly large smile for my being alone in the car.

I’ve Got Your Number follows Poppy Wyatt as she navigates her short engagement and wedding plans. At a luncheon with friends, she loses her engagement ring and her phone is stolen. Throughout the panic, she finds a phone thrown away in a nearby trash can and grabs it. Totally justified since she needs a way for the hotel staff to call her when her ring is found!

The phone ends up being the property of a local consulting company that is dealing with some pretty high-level issues. And, Sam, the phone’s owner, has some issues with not being able to access his private information. Poppy and Sam end up getting WAY TOO deep into each other’s personal lives while sharing a phone, and it makes for such a fun read. Super fun. Super easy. Perfect for Spring Break! Check it out!

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Love this monthly post! As always, send me your recommendations and let me know what you think about the books I reviewed today! Have a great weekend! XO