Blogger Book Club: Me Before You

There are two things I am really excited about this morning; one being it is finally Friday and two being that it is time to link up for the first review of Blogger Book Club {BBC}!

I love to read if you haven't picked up on that yet so when the lovely Kay {who's real name is Kristen} was curious if there were any bloggers who were interested in starting a book club I jumped at the chance.  What I really like about BBC is it's really laid back and is truly just about the books.  All you have to do to participate is read the book that is announced at the beginning {or end of the previous} month, read it, then post whatever kind of review you would like, and link up!  How easy is that?

Now let's get onto the good stuff shall we?

Earlier this month the first BBC book was announced, Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.  After reading the description on Good Reads I was really really anxious to start reading.  Once I finally had the chance after finishing a book I had previously started I could not put it down!  I was this close to calling in to work so I could just stay in bed and read all day.  Had that been an option I'm sure I would have finished it before the day was done.  Instead I read it before work for two mornings and in bed until I couldn't keep my eyes open any more for two nights.  The second night I didn't care how tired I was {it was a Friday night} I was going to stay up until I had finished the damn thing.

Be prepared with a tissue or two box of tissues!  I have never cried from reading a book before but this one did it for me.  During the last few pages I had tears rolling down my face and even after I finished reading as I was still thinking about the story I was crying.  Huge props to Jojo Moyes for writing such a beautiful story and in such a way that it really hit home for me.

Was the ending what I wanted it to be?  Definitely not.  I knew what was coming but all along I really hoped I would be surprised and the ending would turn out differently.  That being said, I think the ending was the right one for the story.

I found the leading characters Louisa and Will to be very real to me.  Could I find people like this out in the world today?  I think so.  I liked Lou right away and was interested to find out that she has a little back story that made her into the woman she is and that the story wasn't just about Will's journey.  Will on the other hand is a little rough around the edges but Jojo smooths him out and makes you like him and feel for him and his struggle.

I highly recommend Me Before You to anyone looking for a good great book to read.  I actually have been recommending this to people on Twitter when I see them looking for new books.  I hope some of those people have looked into the book and decided to read it.  This is one book I wouldn't want anyone to pass up.

Be sure to head over to The Best of Intentions to link up your review if you participated in BBC for September.

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If your interest has been peaked and you want to join BBC for the month of October you're probably wondering what our next book is, right?  Well lucky for you our lovely leader has found us one!

Here's the description from Good Reads:

In a voice more powerful and compassionate than ever before, New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Strout binds together thirteen rich, luminous narratives into a book with the heft of a novel, through the presence of one larger-than-life, unforgettable character: Olive Kitteridge.
At the edge of the continent, Crosby, Maine, may seem like nowhere, but seen through this brilliant writer’s eyes, it’s in essence the whole world, and the lives that are lived there are filled with all of the grand human drama–desire, despair, jealousy, hope, and love. 
At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance: a former student who has lost the will to live: Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse. 
As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life–sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition–its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.

This is not a book I would typically pickup for myself.  That's what I love {is it too early to say that?} about BBC, finding new books to read that I wouldn't choose on my own.  I'm broadening my horizons and being more open to things that are outside of the norm for me.

It looks like the link up date has not been announced for October yet but it will be towards the end of the month, like this one was.  So you have a whole month to get your hands on a copy of Olive Kitteridge and read it before it's time to post your review.  Let me know if you're thinking of joining BBC for October, I would love to be able to talk to you about the book as we're reading it.

And if you have a book you think BBC should read let Ms Kay know!

Book Talk: Requiem & Beautiful Creatures

Hey there!  Long time no see huh?  I seem to be a pro at taking unnecessary and random breaks from blogging.  I'm back though and I have some book reviews for you!

First up is Requiem by Lauren Oliver.  I had been on the waiting list at the library for what seems like forever!  After getting through the first two books in the trilogy pretty quickly I was definitely anxious to see how it all would end.  I rated Requiem 5/5 stars and would definitely recommend the trilogy to anyone looking for a new read.  This is definitely a young adult, dystopia style book so if you liked The Hunger Games or Divergent I think you would like this one.  The following is a little about the book from Good Reads.

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

If you're looking for my reviews of Delirium and Pandemonium {first two books that came before Requiem} you can find them here and here respectively.

I will admit when I saw the preview for the movie version of Beautiful Creatures I scrunched up my nose and thought there was no way that I would ever want to watch it.  Then I realized that it was based on a book.  After seeing some friends on Good Reads had rated it pretty highly I decided I would give the book a shot.  Now I want to see the movie!  Beautiful Darkness is the next book in the Caster Chronicles and I know I will be itching to get my hands on it soon.  I rated Beautiful Creatures 4/5 stars and would definitely recommend it for anyone into the young adult, fantasy, paranormal/supernatural/magic stuff.  And now for a little something from  Good Reads.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

And now for a shameless plug about a new adventure I'm taking part in!

Being the bookworm that I am I jumped all over the chance to be a part of a blogger book club.  The lovely Kay from Best of Intentions put together Blogger Book Club.  It's really easy and laid back, no huge commitment other than to read the book and then share your thoughts about it.   At the beginning of the month the book will be announced and then at the end of the month you can post a review of the book and link up.  If you like to read then this is right up your alley!  I'm looking forward to finding new books that I would have never picked up on my own.

This month's book is Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.  I read it in two days and that's all I will say about it for now.  I can't wait to link up on September 27th to share my thoughts with y'all!

Enjoy your Tuesday people.  I'm off to finally get ready for work.  I think I will grow to like my new 11a-7p shift.  But more on that later!

Gone Girl [Book Talk]

I finally, finally finished reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Sunday night.  It took me almost a month to read this book simply because I could not get into the story until I forced myself to sit down and read it this weekend.  It was around the half way mark that I actually started to want to read to find out what would happen next.  After all of the amazing reviews I had seen for this book, including Jen's {read it here}, I was surprised at how not in love with this book I was.

Source

Here's a little about the book from Good Reads.
Marriage can be a real killer. 

One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn, takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong. As The Washington Post proclaimed, her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.” Gone Girl’s toxic mix of sharp-edged wit with deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds you at every turn.

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick Dunne’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick Dunne isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but hearing from Amy through flashbacks in her diary reveal the perky perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister Margo at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was left in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

Employing her trademark razor-sharp writing and assured psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around.

That description sounded so good to me and after reading reviews of people loving this book I thought I would love it too.  But I guess it's true what they say about us all being different because I liked the book but it definitely wasn't one of my favorites.

It's hard to say what I didn't like about the book without ruining it for everyone reading this review.  Maybe I am holding a grudge because it took me until I was about half way through the book before it pulled me in and had me wanting to read more?  Or maybe I just felt like there was no justice at the end of it all?

I rated the book 3/5 stars because I liked it overall.  About a quarter of the book I really loved because it was packed with some more action and had me excited to see what would happen next.  The ending had me thinking, "Womp womp, that's it?!"  But despite my feelings about it all I would recommend this book to someone looking for their next read.  Maybe they will love it like so many others have!

For those of you that have read Gone Girl, what did you think?  Am I the only one that was left feeling a little let down by the way it all ended?

A Walk to Remember [Book Talk]

Last week I shared with you my review of Redesigning Rose by Lydia Laceby.  Go check it out now if you haven't already.

This week I'm back to the land of Nicholas Sparks and sharing my thoughts on A Walk to Remember.

Here's what Good Reads had to say about the book.
There was a time when the world was sweeter...when the women in Beaufort, North Carolina, wore dresses, and the men donned hats...when something happened to a seventeen-year-old boy that would change his life forever. Every April, when the wind blows in from the sea and mingles with the scent of lilacs, Landon Carter remembers his last year at Beaufort High. It was 1958, and Landon had already dated a girl or two. He even swore that he had once been in love. Certainly the last person in town he thought he'd fall for was Jamie Sullivan, the daughter of the town's Baptist minister. A quiet girl who always carried a Bible with her schoolbooks, Jamie seemed content living in a world apart from the other teens. She took care of her widowed father, rescued hurt animals, and helped out at the local orphanage. No boy had ever asked her out. Landon would never have dreamed of it. Then a twist of fate made Jamie his partner for the homecoming dance, and Landon Carter's life would never be the same. Being with Jamie would show him the depths of the human heart and lead him to a decision so stunning it would send him irrevocably on the road to manhood. No other author today touches our emotions more deeply than Nicholas Sparks.
Illuminating both the strength and the gossamer fragility of our deepest emotions, his two New York Times bestsellers, The Notebook andMessage in a Bottle, have established him as the leading author of today's most cherished love stories. Now, in A Walk to Remember, he tells a truly unforgettable story, one that glimmers with all of his magic, holding us spellbound-and reminding us that in life each of us may find one great love, the kind that changes everything...

Try as I might to read books before I see them as movies this one didn't work out that way.  I've watched the movie many times since it came out in 2002 {When I was 12, now I feel old!} and I only just now got around to reading the book.  That being said, I definitely think falling in love with the movie has swayed my thoughts of the book.  As in, I love the movie rather than the book. {Side note: I own the movie on both VHS and DVD. That seems crazy to me.}

I still enjoyed the book but to me the movie is much easier to relate to since they adapted the story to occur at any time.  I would definitely recommend the book to anyone looking for a good read.  Despite my deep love for the movie version I did give the book 4/5 stars, I really liked it.

Hopefully I finish Gone Girl before next week otherwise I'm going to need to take a break from the book talk posts.  I've heard more than one person has struggled to get into this book but sticking it out is worth it.

Redesigning Rose [Book Talk]

Last week I brought you a review of The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks.  Even though I had already started another Sparks book, A Walk to Remember, I couldn't wait to read Redesigning Rose by Lydia Laceby.  I put A Walk to Remember on hold and read Redesigning Rose last weekend.  Remember, I mentioned it in my last Weekend Shenanigans post?

As I mentioned in last week's shenanies post, I won a copy of the book through a giveaway that the lovely Jen from That's What She Read.  If you haven't checked out Jen's blog I highly suggest you go do that now.  But be sure to come back!

The following was taken from Good Reads but is also found on the back cover of the paperback version.
Rose Parker's husband has been lying. About everything. When a conversation with her husband triggers questions, Rose Parker uncovers alarming answers that shatter her perfect life. But it is only when she shoves her belongings in her SUV and drives off that Rose realizes just how far from perfect her life actually was. She has nowhere to turn. While debating between distressing sleeping arrangements-her mother's house full of questions or a hotel room with too much solitude-Rose bumps into an acquaintance from her gardening class and allows bubbly, exuberant Becky to indulge her in a wild night full of whiskey, weeping, and whispered confidences. Suddenly, Rose has a new friend, a roof over her head, and two gorgeous men moving her out of her marital home. As Rose struggles to settle into her new life, she remains determined to comprehend her past. And with time and distance and especially wine, comes knowledge. Frank wasn't the only one lying to her. Rose was lying to herself.

While I've never been married I still felt like I could understand Rose's situation.  I wanted to be a friend of Rose and Becky throughout the whole book.  I was hooked from beginning to end.

Redesigning Rose was written in such a way that I felt like I was actually being told the story rather than reading a book.  And to add to the way it was written I found a realness to the story that made it seem even more like a friend was telling me about this time in their life.

I really loved this book.  I rated Redesigning Rose 5/5 stars and would definitely recommend this book to any ladies out there.

The Wedding [Book Talk]

This morning when I woke up I had one of those moments where I couldn't figure out what day it was.  Surely it has to be like Wednesday or Thursday, right?  Wrong.  It's only Tuesday!  This is going to be a long week I think...

But on the bright side, Tuesday brings another book review around these parts.  I mentioned in last week's Book Talk post that I would be getting back to Nicholas Sparks this week and I didn't forget.  Today I'm bringing you a review of The Wedding.

Here's a little about the book from Good Reads.
After thirty years of marriage, Wilson Lewis, son-in-law of Allie and Noah Calhoun (of The Notebook), is forced to admit that the romance has gone out of his marriage. Desperate to win back his wife, Jane's, heart, he must figure out how to make her fall in love with him... again. Despite the shining example of Allie and Noah's marriage, Wilson is himself a man unable to easily express his emotions. A successful estate attorney, he has provided well for his family, but now, with his daughter's upcoming wedding, he is forced to face the fact that he and Jane have grown apart and he wonders if she even loves him anymore. Wilson is sure of one thing--his love for his wife has only deepened and intensified over the years. Now, with the memories of his in-laws' magnificent fifty-year love affair as his guide, Wilson struggles to find his way back into the heart of the woman he adores.

To begin, I never knew there was a follow up book to The Notebook until some of my bloggy friends started mentioning that I should read The Wedding.  I'm glad I took their advice and got my hands on it from the library because it did not disappoint.

There is one twist {a difference from how the movie portrays it} from The Notebook that carries over to The Wedding which I liked.  I don't want to say what that twist is because I hope you'll pick up The Notebook, if you haven't already, to find out for yourself what the movie did differently.  I really liked how it all played out in The Wedding.  You'll just have to read them both to know what I'm talking about. :)

While The Wedding isn't about young love where the couple if falling in love for the first time {something I could relate to better} it still does pull at my heartstrings a bit.  I found it pretty powerful that a man realized that the romance is gone from his marriage and then he did whatever it takes to reignite the spark with his wife.  I hope, whenever the day comes that I'm married, that I'll be married to the kind of man that would be able to realize this himself {should it come to that} and want to do everything he can to fix it.

I gave it 5/5 stars, it was amazing.  Even though I figured out what was coming at the end in the middle of the book it was still a great story.  I would definitely recommend this to someone looking for a good book.

Next week I'll be sharing a review of Redesigning Rose by Lydia Laceby.  And there is another Nicholas Sparks book on the horizon for a Book Talk post as well, A Walk to Remember.  I even have my next book lined up once I've finished it, Gone Girl which I have heard so many good things about.  Hopefully by the time I have those two books finished I will be able to borrow Requiem, the final book in the Delirium trilogy.

Hope everyone has a terrific Tuesday!

Pandemonium [Book Talk]

Before we dig in to some book talk I want to say it one more time, thank you so much Erin for this beautiful blog design!  I absolutely love it and couldn't have asked for anything better.

Now onto the book talk!

Pandemonium is the second book in the Delirium trilogy.  If you missed my review of Delirium you can check it out here.

Delirium ended on a such a cliff hanger that I was really glad I already had Pandemonium on my Kindle waiting for me.  The following is from goodreads.com.

I’m pushing aside 
the memory of my nightmare, 
pushing aside thoughts of Alex, 
pushing aside thoughts of Hana 
and my old school, 
push, 
push, 
push, 
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

I gave Pandemonium 5/5 stars, it was amazing.  I would definitely suggest having Requiem ready to read once you finish Pandemonium because there is once again a giant cliff hanger waiting for you that makes you just want to keep on reading.  There is quite the wait list at my library for the Kindle ebook version of the book so I still haven't been able to get my hands on Requiem which is just about killing me.

Even worse yet, I just found out that my library card expired.  First of all, I didn't know they did this so I was shocked when I couldn't log in to the virtual library.  Second of all, I can't renew it online! WTF is up with that?!

Next week I'll be getting back to talking about another book by Nicholas Sparks so stick around!

Delirium [Book Talk]

It's time again for another book review on Living n Learning by Amy.  If you're new around here or just haven't picked up on it yet, I love books!  I try to read as much as I can.  And since starting Living n Learning I try to share what I've been reading as much as I can.  Be sure to check out the Good Reads page for other books I've reviewed.

I found today's book thanks to the beautiful Ricci who blogs over at Ricci Explains It All.  She's been working on a 30 While 30 list and one of those items is to read 50 books.  It's thanks to those lovely updates that I find books to add to my to-read list.

I've read one other book by Lauren Oliver and reviewed it here.  But today we're talking about Delirium.  Here's the description from goodreads.com.

They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever. 

And I've always believed them.

Until now.

Now everything has changed.

Now, I'd rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.

Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.

It took me a while to get into this one but once I did I was hooked.  And holy crow...the ending!  That baby threw me for a loop and had me dying for more.  Thankfully I already had Pandemonium waiting for me to start so I didn't have to wait to find out what happens next.

I rated Delirium 5/5 stars, it was amazing.  I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a good read!

Next up on the review list will be Pandemonium.  I can't wait!

The Notebook [Book Talk]

It's been a while since I've talked books here the ol' blog.  To be honest I've kind of slacked off on my reading lately.  But I still have a book or two I haven't reviewed yet so I figured now would be a good time to do it.

This is now my third Nicholas Sparks book in a row.  You can almost never go wrong with a Nicholas Sparks book.  Remember True Believer?  Yeah, you can skip over that one.

I have seen The Notebook multiple times and loved it.  This was my first time reading the book though.  Even though I'm sure most of us know what the book is about I'll give you the synopsis from goodreads.com.

A man with a faded, well-worn notebook open in his lap. A woman experiencing a morning ritual she doesn't understand. Until he begins to read to her. The Notebook is an achingly tender story about the enduring power of love, a story of miracles that will stay with you forever. Set amid the austere beauty of coastal North Carolina in 1946, The Notebook begins with the story of Noah Calhoun, a rural Southerner returned home from World War II. Noah, thirty-one, is restoring a plantation home to its former glory, and he is haunted by images of the beautiful girl he met fourteen years earlier, a girl he loved like no other. Unable to find her, yet unwilling to forget the summer they spent together, Noah is content to live with only memories. . until she unexpectedly returns to his town to see him once again. Allie Nelson, twenty-nine, is now engaged to another man, but realizes that the original passion she felt for Noah has not dimmed with the passage of time. Still, the obstacles that once ended their previous relationship remain, and the gulf between their worlds is too vast to ignore. With her impending marriage only weeks away, Allie is forced to confront her hopes and dreams for the future, a future that only she can shape. Like a puzzle within a puzzle, the story of Noah and Allie is just beginning. As it unfolds, their tale miraculously becomes something different, with much higher stakes. The result is a deeply moving portrait of love itself, the tender moments, and fundamental changes that affect us all. Shining with a beauty that is rarely found in current literature, The Notebook establishes Nicholas Sparks as a classic storyteller with a unique insight into the only emotion that really matters.

As always, the book is different than the movie.  I found the story focused more on the characters in the "now" and less on looking back when they we young, basically the opposite of how the movie told the story. 

I rated this book 4/5, I really liked it.  I'm glad I finally read the book.  This one definitely goes on my books to recommend list.

My next book was supposed to be A Walk to Remember, another movie I've seen many many times but I never borrowed it during the 72 hours it was on hold for me.  It's still on my to-read list but it will have to wait.  I'm currently wrapped up into the Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver.  I've finished Delirium (review coming soon!) and am currently reading Pandemonium, which I need to finish soon as my loan has expired.

True Believer [Book Talk]

It took me a bit of searching on my library’s e-book catalog to find a book that was available right away after I finished The Rescue.  I put my name in line to request a couple of other books I was interested in before finally finding True Believer by Nicholas Sparks that was ready to be downloaded to my Kindle right away.

The reviews on Good Reads were not that good.  A lot of readers did not like it.  Despite the negative reviews I figured I would read it anyways, maybe I would like it.

Here’s the description from goodreads.com.

Jeremy Marsh is the ultimate New Yorker: handsome, almost always dressed in black, and part of the media elite.  An expert on debunking the supernatural with a regular column in “Scientific American,” he’s just made his first appearance on national TV.  When he receives a letter from the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, about ghostly lights that appear in a legend-shrouded cemetery, he can’t resist driving down to investigate.  Here, in this tightly knit community, Lexie Darnell runs the town’s library, just as her mother did before the accident that left Lexie an orphan.  Disappointed by past relationships, including one that lured her away from home, she is sure of one thing: her future is in Boone Creek, close to her grandmother and all the other people she loves.  Jeremy expects to send a quick week in “the sticks” before speeding back to the city.  But from the moment he sets eyes on Lexie, he is intrigued and attracted to this beautiful woman who speaks with a soft drawl and confounding honesty.  And Lexie, while hesitating to trust this outsider, finds herself thinking of Jeremy more than she cares to admit.  Now, if they are to be together, Jeremy Marsh must make a difficult choice: return to the life he knows, or do something he’s never done before—take a giant leap of faith.  A story about taking chances and following your heart, True Believer will make you, too, believe in the miracle of love.

The reviews were right, this wasn’t very good.  Of all the Nicholas Sparks books I’ve read I would put this one at the very bottom of the list.  The story did nothing for me.

I don’t really know what else to say about this one.  I rated it 2/5 stars, it was ok.  I wouldn’t recommend this book to someone to read unless they really needed something to read and didn’t care if it’s a great book or not.

Next week’s book is definitely a better one!  I’m sticking with Nicholas Sparks for another week so check back next week to see what I read next!

The Rescue [Book Talk]

After finishing Before I Fall I was looking for a new book to read since Delirium which I had put a hold on wasn’t ready for me yet.  I went to Good Reads and checked out the beautiful Jenn’s list of books she has read.  [Check out her blog, That's What She Read!]Some books that caught my eye weren’t found when I searched for them.  {Not available in e-books from my library I assume?}  Eventually I stumbled upon The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks.  I’ve already read a handful of his books so I knew I would probably enjoy it.  Luckily it was available for me to borrow right away.

Here’s the synopsis from goodreads.com.

When confronted by raging fires or deadly accidents, volunteer fireman Taylor McAden feels compelled to take terrifying risks to save lives.  But there is one leap of faith Taylor can’t bring himself to make: he can’t fall in love.  For all his adult years, Taylor has sought out women who need to be rescued, women he leaves as soon as their crisis is over and the relationship starts to become truly intimate.  When a raging storm his his small Southern town, single mother Denise Holton’s car skids off the road.  The young mom is with her four-year-old song Kyle, a boy with severe learning disabilities and for whom she has sacrificed everything.  Taylor McAden finds her unconscious and bleeding, but does not find Kyle.  When Denise wakes, the chilling truth becomes clear to both of them: Kyle is gone.  During the search for Kyle, the connection between Taylor and Denise takes root.  Taylor doesn’t know that this rescue will be different from all the others, demanding far more than raw physical courage.  It will lead him to the possibility of his own rescue from a life lived without love and will require him to open doors to his past that were slammed shut by pain.  The rescue will dare him to live life to the fullest by daring to love.

I dove into that book and devoured it!  In two, maybe three, days I had it finished thanks to some late night reading sessions.  Who doesn’t enjoy a good love story though?

I’ve never been one to cry while reading a book but this one almost did it with a little help from some female hormones raging in my body that week.

Something I am coming to love about Spark’s books is the fact that they’re not all rosy perfect stories.  In this case, the woman already has a child, and a child that has a struggle with language on top of it.  His books relate to things that could and do happen in real life and it makes his stories that much more relatable to me rather than being more like a fantasy.

Something I definitely appreciate is the epilogue that wraps everything up nicely by jumping ahead a bit in time to give you closure to everything.  Since that was the downfall to Before I Fall for me I was happy to read The Rescue and feel satisfied with the end of the book.

I rated The Rescue as a 4/5 star book.  I definitely would recommend this book to someone.

Next up will be another Nicholas Sparks book, True Believer.  Look for the review next week!

{Book Talk} Before I Fall

After seeing the lovely Ricci {Ricci Explains It All}mention on her blog that she was borrowing e-books from her library I decided to look into doing it myself.  I was over the moon excited to see that I could borrow books for my Kindle.  No more waiting to read something new until I thought it was okay to spend the money!  And I can borrow and return books from the comfort of my own home.  Now that I don’t work within walking distance of the library I would need to plan to make a stop there and sometimes that just isn’t convenient, especially over a weekend.

Also thanks to Ricci, the first book I borrowed from the library was Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.  Here’s the synopsis from goodreads.com.

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.

The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death--and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

When I updated Good Reads as having finished the book I rated it as a 3/5 star book, or as I liked it.  I didn’t think the book was bad but it won’t be one of my favorites where I’ll read it more than once.  The idea behind the book intrigued me and while the story of each day changed enough to keep me interested throughout, I found the ending to be lacking.  I felt as though I was left hanging with this feeling of “oh that’s the end of the book…ok…”

Even though the book was told from the main character’s perspective the entire time I felt like there could have been an ending that didn’t really involve her.  I think maybe something to show how life was going without her for those other characters would have helped me feel the closure I needed to be more comfortable with the end of the book.

I did like how the book showed how our actions can affect others.  I won't say more because I don't want to spoil the surprise but it definitely makes you think.  The fact that it's a young adult book and it makes you think is even more awesome in my opinion.

Would I recommend this book to someone looking for something to read?  Yes, even though I was disappointed with the ending I still liked the book overall.  And you can definitely take something away from the book, which is awesome.

I've already read my next book, The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks, so be on the look out for that review!

Book Talk Tuesday: American Assassin

If you know me in real life you know I absolutely enjoy reading just for the fun of it.  I have a page for "Good Reads" which shows off the books I have reviewed on my blog (which aren't many so far).  I decided I'll make Tuesdays into the day I post my reviews.  It may not be every week but if I'm going to post a review that's the day of the week you can find it.  I hope those of you that enjoy to read like I do enjoy this idea.  I know I am always looking for new books to read and love finding them on blogs where the bloggers offer their opinions.

I started the Mitch Rapp series after seeing a photo on Twitter by Ms. Sara (check out her blog here).  I am already on book #7 of 13.  I'm really enjoying them!  So, here we go with the review of the first book!

American Assassin by Vince Flynn

Here's the synopsis from goodreads.com:

Before he was considered a CIA superagent, before he was thought of as a terrorist’s worst nightmare, and before he was both loathed and admired by the politicians on Capitol Hill, Mitch Rapp was a gifted college athlete without a care in the world . . . and then tragedy struck.

Two decades of cutthroat, partisan politics has left the CIA and the country in an increasingly vulnerable position. Cold War veteran and CIA Operations Director Thomas Stansfield knows he must prepare his people for the next war. The rise of Islamic terrorism is coming, and it needs to be met abroad before it reaches America’s shores. Stansfield directs his protégée, Irene Kennedy, and his old Cold War colleague, Stan Hurley, to form a new group of clandestine operatives who will work outside the normal chain of command—men who do not exist.

What type of man is willing to kill for his country without putting on a uniform? Kennedy finds him in the wake of the Pan Am Lockerbie terrorist attack. Two-hundred and seventy souls perished that cold December night, and thousands of family and friends were left searching for comfort. Mitch Rapp was one of them, but he was not interested in comfort. He wanted retribution.

Six months of intense training has prepared him to bring the war to the enemy’s doorstep, and he does so with brutal efficiency. Rapp starts in Istanbul, where he assassinates the Turkish arms dealer who sold the explosives used in the Pan Am attack. Rapp then moves onto Hamburg with his team and across Europe, leaving a trail of bodies. All roads lead to Beirut, though, and what Rapp doesn’t know is that the enemy is aware of his existence and has prepared a trap. The hunter is about to become the hunted, and Rapp will need every ounce of skill and cunning if he is to survive the war-ravaged city and its various terrorist factions.

As action-packed, fast-paced, and brutally realistic as it gets, Flynn’s latest page-turner shows readers how it all began. Behind the steely gaze of the nation’s ultimate hero is a young man primed to become an American Assassin.

As I mentioned earlier, I am really enjoying these books.  I have never read this kind of book before but it sucked me in and I did not want to put it down.  To be honest there were some scenes in the book I was thinking to myself, "Please don't last too long!" because they were a bit graphic but there aren't a lot so it was bearable.  And it helped that they didn't last long so it was easy to read through it and move on.

These books remind me of TV shows.  You read about the story from all angles and view points, the good guys and the bad guys.  And at the end it comes together and you're reading about the action from all angles.  It really keeps you interested throughout the whole book because you never get stuck with one story line too long.

I would definitely recommend this book to someone if they came to me for a recommendation if they're into this kind of stuff.  Or even to try something new because that's just what I did and now I can't stop reading these books!

Talk to me...

Do you enjoy reading like I do?

Kindle owners or those with Kindle apps would you be interested in swapping books? (It's free and the books that can be lent are returned to you within 2 weeks.)

Insurgent

Last month I posted about reading Divergent  and mentioned that I had started the second book in the trilogy, Insurgent.  Well, once I had the time to devote to reading Insurgent I once again finished it pretty quickly because I was so wrapped up in it and wanted to know what would happen next.

Here's the description of the book from Amazon.

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Sadly, the third book is not out yet.  I would recommend waiting if you can to read them once the third one is out because not being able to finish the story is just killing me.  Especially when the ending of the second book really leaves you hanging and wanting more.

Since finishing Insurgent I have read five more books and am currently a third of my way through a sixth one.  Reviews to come on soon (I think).

The End of a Chapter & Divergent

I have been busy busy this last week at work.  Found out Monday morning I would be training someone to take over my job duties (surprise!) so I spent all week training someone while trying to wrap things up before my last day Friday.  I did the best I could and had to just accept that I could not do it all with having to spend most of my day training.

Thursday my department had a food day to celebrate my upcoming graduation from college and to "drown their sorrows that I'm leaving them".  It was a Mexican themed food day so we had salsa chicken, beef taco meat, all the fixings for tacos, and some salsa & cheese dip which I used on my chicken taco.  My second plate was chicken nachos with the salsa & cheese dip since all of the soft shells were gone.  It was at lunch that I was presented with a card with some very sweet messages from my co-workers and a gift, a glass dish full of Jolly Ranchers and an Amazon gift card.

While I'm all set to start my new job tomorrow and I could not be more excited it also felt strange to realize I was walking out of the building I had worked the last 4+ years of my life.  But it is just the ending of a chapter in my life and tomorrow marks the beginning of a new one.  My clothes are picked out for tomorrow, and I have all of the documents necessary to set up direct deposit and prove that I am eligible to work in the United States.  All that's left to do is wait for 9am to roll around so I can hit the road.

Tonight, since I finished my homework already (shocking for me), I wanted to share with you a good book I read recently.  Thursday night I purchased Divergent by Veronica Roth for my Kindle with my Amazon gift card.

www.amazon.com

I decided to download this thanks to Sara who blogs over at The Foodie Diaries.  She had been tweeting about reading it on her way home from Thanksgiving in Florida with her family.  She liked it so much she even re-read it again since then already!

I had also heard about the book from Cely at Running of the Reeses.  If you want to see her thoughts on the book you can read it here (#3).

The book did not disappoint!  Here's the book description from Amazon.

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent).  On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives.  For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both.  So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made.  Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences.  as initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen.  but Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death.  And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves...or it might destroy her. 

 It reminded me of The Hunger Games a lot but yet was not The Hunger Games (if that makes sense).  I truly enjoyed the book and once I had the chance to really dive into it I could not put it down.  I finished it this morning.

Thanks to the gift card I purchased and downloaded Insurgent, the second book in the trilogy, right after finishing Divergent this morning.  I held off on getting too far into the book as I had to complete a final version of a paper I have been working on all semester to submit for peer reviews.  But now that homework is done I'm going to start reading while I watch the Packers take on the Lions in Sunday Night Football.

If you've read Divergent, what did you think?