Book #9 of 2015: The Book of You by Claire Kendal

 

Another day, another book review.

I was fortunate enough to win this book from Sweeps4Bloggers…if you haven’t visited that website, you need to run.  She has so many giveaways & such on her blog.  I have won quite a few times.  Remember, the more you enter, the greater your chance of winning.

 

Let’s move on to the real reason for the post.  The Book of You by Claire Kendal is the story of a woman who is being stalked.  Kendal’s talent emerges as does the stalkers sociopath tendencies do.  She makes you feel as if you are Clarissa, the victim.  I held my breath quite a few times, as well as experienced a stomach flip or two.   

 

What I look for in a book, is a story I can immerse myself in.  A story where I picture every little detail.  Kendal does not disappoint.  If I can tune out my family while reading, it’s a good tale!   This is a story of many emotions that makes you say to yourself “Just one more page!”

 

I would definitely recommend.

 

What have you been reading lately?

 

Book #8: Monster's Chef by Jervay Tervalon

What can I say?   It held my interest, it was suspenseful but it also made me scrunch up my nose and become a little nauseated. 

 The story of sordid happenings at a “washed upped” rock star’s home and the chef he employees.  Definitely not what I thought it would be.  It took me forever to figure out who the author’s role model for Monster was.  I actually had to read a review of it and then I was like “Oh yea!”.  I never said I was quick people.

 I read the book in two days.  Easy read for sure.  Definitely an adult novel!

Have you read it?

What’s the last book you read?

 

 

Book #8: Life Happens: Bounce Back! by Lisa Bien

Book #8 of the year is Life Happens: Bounce Back! By Lisa Bien.

A  self help book that comes across as anything but self help.

Lisa personalizes everything she writes about and makes you feel as if you are the only person she is speaking to.  Relatable and humorous, she shows how to learn to self love.

By giving you her childhood history right up to her marriages, you learn Lisa didn’t have it easy.

She did, however, realize she could change herself.  It took some hard work, 90 days of hard work.

Ms. Bien challenges you to do the same.  After reading her challenges, I am game.  Anything to help me make myself feel better is my motto.

I would definitely check the book out.

Let me know if you do!

Book #7: City of the Sun by Juliana Maio

Love, espionage, and power amid the shifting sands of 1941 Cairo is how the book’s back jacket description starts off.

Yes, the book is about all of the above.  Sadly, not enough to make it worth my recommend. 

I persevered, read from start to finish.  The love story caught my attention, as I am a romantic at heart, unfortunately my interested weaned from there.

Juliana Maio, Egyptian born, describes the city of Cairo in such vivid, bold descriptive wording that you feel as if you are there.  You see the colors, smell the odors and sweat with the heat. I wish I could say the storyline gave me the same imaginary and feelings. 

What have you read lately?

Book #6: The Host by Stephanie Meyer

I am actually on my 8th book of 2014 but am just slow at doing the reviews.
Well if you read my blog, you know I am just slow in posting...and slow in general.

Anyway book #6 is The Host by Stephanie Meyer.  You know her, of Twilight fame.  This book is very much a departure from the Twilight series.

A race of aliens inhabit Earth and use human bodies as their host.  Most times the humans disappear but this particular human will not allow the alien to take over.  She hangs out in the brain of the alien refusing to just go away.

This book has intrigue, action, drama and most of all a love story.  Which I am a sucker for a good love story.

While The Host is marketed as YA fiction, it most certainly will keep any adult interested and entertained.

What have you read lately?

Book #5: Worthy Brown's Daughter by Phillip Margolin

The question is, is Worthy Brown's Daughter worthy of a review?

I'd say yes.

I was lucky enough to win this book from Sweeps4Bloggers.  If you haven't visited her website...go, go, go!  Trust me, daily contests to win & this is the second book I've won from her giveaways.

Anywho back to Worthy.  Set in Oregon in the slave days right before Lincoln took office, it's a story of a free slave who was promised his daughter would be free as well.  Things do not go a planned thus the tale.

While the book kept my interest, I really feel it focused on a side story rather than Worthy.  He was included but at a bare minimal.  The story flows well, has excitement, intrigue and a love story. 

I don't want to give away the ending so I will say that I just wished they focuses more on Worthy and his daughter.

Is it worth a read?
Sure thing!

Tell me, what are you currently reading?
Or leave me a comment with a book you recommend I read.

Book#4: Spelling it Like it Is...A Must Read!!!

Book 4 of 2014 (I’m about to start book 6! ) is Spelling It Like It Is by Tori Spelling.

What a great book!

 

Most of you are probably thinking Tori Spelling? Really?

Yep.

Really.

I think she is just so likable and girlfriend truly keeps it real.

From talking about how her family calls each other to look at their poop (don’t judge…if you have a man in your house, just try to deny he hasn’t called you to look at it! ) to her stint in the hospital with her fourth child, she does not disappoint on the realism of family life with kids.  I read this book approximately the time that her marriage was in the public eye recently.  It didn’t change my opinion on how good of a dad her husband appears to be or how he treated her during the events of the book.    
 

The book definitely kept me turning the page to see what antics her family is up to next.  I’ve read all her books and this was my favorite by far.    It’s an easy, light read.  Definitely vacation reading if one is in your near future and if not, it’s must read regardless.

Tell me, what have you read lately?

Book #3: Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner

Psst: Before anything I want you to know I use Grammarly's plagiarism checker because in the immortal words of Liam Neeson's character from taken: "If you plagiarize me I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you"  J/K.

Book #3 of the year: Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner

Let me start by saying I am a huge fan of Jennier Weiner’s writing. I’ve read most of her books and have enjoyed them all. This one included.

A story about two best friends, torn apart by a high school incident, but brought back together by an adult mystery.

Definitely a page turner, but not suspenseful as much as cute. You want to see what mess they get themselves into next and how they get out of the biggest mess of all.

Well written, funny, adorable in parts, definitely chick lit!

So if you are in the mood for some dorky girl bonding, a interested sheriff (not just in the case interested either) and a sweet tale of friendship, then this is the story for you.

Tell me what are you reading lately?

Book #2: The House I Loved by Tatiana de Rosnay

 

 

I have finished book #2 of 2014.  Well, honestly, I've finished book #3 but am only up to writing about #2.

 

The House I Loved by Tatiana de Rosnay.

The same author who wrote Sarah's Key...which I loved.

 

The story is an ongoing letter to the main character's long deceased husband.  The story takes  place during the "modernization" of Paris. 

 

Keeping my interest from page one, the story has it's ups and downs, funny parts and sad parts.  The author definitely creates a neighborhood among pages.  Rose, the main character, gets you to fall in love with her and the misfit cast of neighbors that she encounters over her years in the house.  Feeling pain for the people who are losing their homes is just one emotion in this rollercoaster ride.

 

 

While I found the book to keep my interest and the build up exciting, the ending was just as momentous but yet lacked something.  It was like a curtain was pulled on the screen and that was that.

 

I want you to make your own opinion tho.

Would I recommend the book?

You bet your sweet bippy I would.

 

Check it out & let me know if you like it.

 

Even better tell me what you are reading now.

I am always looking for good books.