Review Time Again

I think I jinxed myself when I said I would have more time to blog once school was out. Yet, here I am, catching up on reviews again.

I have been able to read a ton lately, I guess that is where all my spare time goes. Well, that, kids appointments, Stranger Things Season 3, and hanging out with friends and family. All good things!

So, here we go!

The first in today's reviews is 'Kicking and Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock and Roll' by Ann and Nancy Wilson. I absolutely loved this book! I love their music group and this was such a fun insight into how they got their start, all  the trials along the way, and also their personal lives in the time periods they wrote about. I felt like I was sitting in a room with them, listening to them tell their tale. It was a slower read for me and I cannot put my finger on why. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to any Heart fans out there!

The next book I read was 'Tommysaurus Rex' by Doug TenNapel. This was a graphic novel that my friend Alex loaned me. I had never read a graphic novel before now and I doubt I will read one again. It just wasn't for me. Although, I did enjoy the story of it. It was a cute tale about a boy who loses his best friend, his dog. Shortly afterward, he befriends a real live T-Rex. The chaos and fun that ensues made for a quick read.

My next read was another book I really enjoyed. If we have ever had a conversation about books, you know I love suspenseful books that have some twists and turns. This book did not disappoint in either of those aspects. 'The Wife' by Alafair Burke was a roller coaster of emotions and surprises. The story focuses on Angela and Jason Powell, a couple who have a seemingly perfect life in their upscale neighborhood with their son. Allegations about Jason come up that make Angela question everything she thought she knew about her husband. She also is forced to relive her own tumultuous past and come to grips with decisions she didn't think she would have to make. I'm telling you, this book ended and I was completely floored! Such a great read if you are looking for something to keep you guessing!

As you all know, I am a huge fan of Amazon First Reads and this month they gave us two free books! I eagerly snatched up one I have been looking forward to reading and a second one that sounded amazing. The first was 'A Fire Sparkling' by  Julianne MacLean. This was a part present day/part historical fiction work. It starts out in present day with Gillian Gibbons, who is smack dab in the middle of a major life change. She goes to her family home to seek comfort and advice from her father and his mother. When she is there, her and her dad start to uncover some of the grandmother's hidden past that they knew nothing about. That is where the story goes into historical fiction mode-back to England in 1939, and the threat of Nazi Invasion is looming. I have only read one other book of Julianne's but I love her writing style. She has such a smooth way of telling stories, they go so fast! I loved the plot and how the story went, even a few twists and turns! If you are a historical fiction fan, this is a must read!

My other Amazon First Reads book was 'What You Did' by Claire McGowan. This book was crazy, in a good way! It centers around six friends from university, meeting for a weekend of fun and reliving memories. A horrible crime is committed and everyone is forced to question how well they know each other. It gets ugly. Really, really ugly. I spent the entire book trying to figure out who did it and I was wrong until the very last chapter. This book really kept me guessing! It was a great read if you want something fast paced and super suspenseful.

I have really been trying to read some books outside of my usual genres and so far I have enjoyed the ones I have read. 'A Job You Mostly Won't Know How to Do' by Pete Fromm was really emotionally charged and very raw feeling. The story opens with Taz and Marnie slowly working on gutting and remodeling their seemingly very rundown house. Marnie is expecting a baby and actually does not make it through childbirth. The rest of the book is about Tax navigating through life in his new role as a father to this baby that he has no idea how to care for, all while grieving his wife. It was incredibly sad for a lot of the book but there were also a lot of really funny points. even though it was highly emotional, it was a pretty easy and low key read.

And, lastly, I read a few Debbie Macomber novellas. 'The Way To A Man's Heart', 'Wanted: Perfect Partner' and 'The Apartment' all thoroughly entertained me, as only Debbie Macomber can do. I love reading her books because they are familiar story lines and just feel comfy, if that makes sense. She is a wonderful writer and I love her books! They are my go to for a fun and quick read.

I hope you read some of these and let me know what you think, too! Happy reading, friends!