The Poison Garden

Do you like psychological thrillers, suspense, and plenty of twists and turns? If yes, then my next read is for you! I recently read 'The Poison Garden' by A.J. Banner and it did not disappoint. I have read and loved every book that A.J. Banner has written. She is amazing at keeping you guessing until the very last page. It's wonderful!

'The Poison Garden' is a story about a woman named Elise who is struggling to figure out if she really ever knew her husband, after discovering some secrets about his life before their marriage. She catches him in some lies and acts of betrayal and those start her down the path of discovering who he is and what he has been hiding. Elise is a sleepwalker and that plays into the plot as well. What is she doing in the middle of the night and who else knows?  Her ex husband, her neighbor, and a few other minor characters all help to unravel this puzzle...but not too soon. I was so shocked by the ending! I should know better, though, A.J.'s books always leave me at a loss at the very end. 

I not only recommend this book by A.J. Banner, but also her other books- 'The Good Neighbor', 'The Twilight Wife', and 'After Nightfall'. You will not be disappointed! If you read any of these books, please let me know what you think! I was sent this advanced reader copy in exchange for my review. This book is currently available for pre-order and will be released on October 22, 2019. 

Happy reading, friends!

Slacker Book Review Round Up

Holy moly! I have not blogged for awhile. Life. It happens. This post will be a little long as I attempt to review (probably briefly) 6 books. I don't feel like I have been that busy reading but I guess these all caught up to me. I do feel like I have found my way back to my reading mojo this past week or so. I am encouraged! That being said, here we go!

First up is, 'They Call Me the Cat Lady' by Amy Miller. I chose this book on a whim because of the fun title and description. I'm glad I did. It's a story about a quirky lady named Nancy Jones and her quiet and secluded life. She has a lot of cats, both inside her house and out, that she cares for. She doesn't let people get close to her for fear of letting down the walls she has built around her heart. Eventually, she meets people who help her see her life for what it is and what it could be. Huge changes and leaps of faith create a new reality for Nancy. No spoilers but I love how it ended. I know that I loved this book because of the ways that it reminded me of 'A Man Called Ove' and 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine'.

My next book, 'The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper' by Phaedra Patrick actually reminds me a lot of 'A Man Called Ove'. Arthur Pepper is a widow who has survived the first year after his beloved wife's death. He decides to finally take the step to clean out some of her belongings in the closet and donate them. As he is cleaning them out, he finds a charm bracelet that he has never seen before. He wonders what the charms meant to his wife and where she got them. So, he goes on an adventure to discover where they came from and why. The journey is not all fun and happiness, though. He learns a lot about his wife and the person she was before they met. As always, no spoilers. But if you are looking for a good read full of emotions and also humor, I suggest this!

'How To Walk Away' by Katherine Center was my next book. I had never read anything by this author either (new trend for me?) so I decided to give it a try. I absolutely loved this book! The main character, Margaret, was so funny! I laughed out loud in quite a few places as I read. The characters were all so relatable. The story opens with Margaret and her boyfriend heading out on a date that ends in a plane crash. She has a fear of flying, so naturally this doesn't end well. She ends up paralyzed and he walks away fine. The story revolves around her recovery and the new life she takes on. I really did not expect to like  this book as much as I did. I would have loved for it to become a series or even a two parter. But, we don't always have that luxury, do we? Anyway, I won't spoil anything for you but if you have a chance to read it, I suggest it! Also, if you read this, please tell me how much you loved Ian!

My next book was a new genre for me. I was browsing through the available books on my Libby app and this one caught my eye. It was 'All You Can Ever Know: A Memoir' by Nicole Chung. This book is about Nichole's life and the story of her adoption. When she is pregnant with her first child, she decides to finally take the initiative and find out about her birth family. An idea she has thought about doing for some time, but never wanted to actually do, for fear of hurting her adoptive parents or finding out something that may not be what she was looking for. I have no ties to adoption at all but this book intrigued me. I really enjoyed the way that Nichole told her story and how easy it was to follow the time lines of her life. I don't give away how books end, but this one ended on a happy note, which made me glad. Because this was a memoir and not fiction, I felt like there was more of a connection to the people in the story. That was a new thing for me! I recommend this if you are looking for something just a little different than your normal read.

Is there anyone else out there that completely loved 'Me Before You' by Jojo Moyes? I fell hard for that book. Louisa and Will are two of my favorite characters. I struggled with the second book in the series, 'After You'. I think it was because I was missing Will and also it seemed to go much slower for me. So, I have been dragging my feet for over a year about reading 'Still Me'. I am so, so glad I did. I felt like Louisa was more herself in this book. Which I guess is fitting since it's the story of her finding her own way, figuring out who she is, and what she really wants out of life. This book left me wanting more from this series. I want to know what she does next! In this book, Louisa moves to New York City to become a personal assistant to a very wealthy lady. She is dragged through the ringer trying to do her job. Reading about how the ultra rich live is always fun and also sad to me. Louisa's spunk and humor are the best. She is just such a fun character to read. I loved the friends she made in this book but I also loved that some of my favorites from the previous books made appearances also. Ultimately, the story ended in a really great way and I can't imagine it being done any other way. If you haven't read the series, I highly suggest it. Grab the tissues before you start reading tough. the emotions are real!

My last review for today is on 'The Upside of Falling Down' by Rebekah Crane. I wasn't sure what book to read next so I started looking around my Amazon Prime for free books that may spark my interest. This book was so funny! I'm glad I decided to take a chance on it. The story starts off with the main character, Clementine, waking up in the hospital, the sole survivor of a plane crash over Ireland. She has no memory of what happened or who she is. She assumes the name Jane and escapes the hospital with a man named Kieran. She hides away trying to avoid her dad, the press, and her fear of what her future will be like if she never regains her memory. How the story unfolds is really quite funny. I truly enjoyed this book! It's also a very quick read, just shy of 250 pages. If you are in the mood for something quick and light, try this one out!

So, lesson learned- do not wait so long to blog about books. Ha! I am super happy I got this post done today though. I have been thinking about it a lot the past week but I just never found the time to sit and type out my thoughts. School is winding down for the year which means I am almost done with work. Which also means I will have more time to read and also to review. That makes me happy!

I really appreciate each of you who reads this blog. This is such a fun outlet for me to talk about the things that I love! Thanks for hanging in there while I was away for so long- I am hoping to not have that long of an absence again!

As always, get in touch with me if you want to discuss these books (or others!) . I would love to hear your thoughts on these after you have read them. Happy reading, friends!!

Deborah Harkness Series Review

I love book series. I especially love book series that keep me wanting more! In February I started the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness and immediately fell in love. I have waited this long to review any of the books because I also read a stand alone by her, with a lot of the same characters in it. Reviewing these books all together felt like the right thing to do since the transition from book to book was so seamless.  I read somewhere that these books were like Twilight and Harry Potter mixed and that is exactly what I felt like they were! I loved them!

The first book in the series is called 'A Discovery of Witches'. It follows Diana Bishop, a historian and professor, in her quest to find a missing book that happens to be magical. She also discovers her powers as a witch and learns more about herself and her family history throughout the series. She meets Matthew Clairmont who happens to be a vampire. They set off together to find Ashmole 782, a historical text that all magical creatures are searching for, thinking that it holds the secret to life. Matthew and Diana race around the globe and encounter many creatures, both friends and enemies. By the end of the book they are inching closer to finding out the secrets of Ashmole 782 but there is a lot that stands in their way. Not surprising, they fall in love through the course of this book. I love a little romance mixed with historical aspects. Add a dash of magic and I'm happy! 

The second book in the series is 'Shadow of Night'. It starts out with Matthew and Diana time traveling back to Elizabethan London (my favorite!) in search of witches who can help her learn and harness her powers. They realize the success of finding Ashmole 782 lies in Diana's abilities. Her parents had spellbound her as a young child, before they were killed, so Diana never knew the extent of her powers. I loved all of the historical characters and places that were featured in this book. I have a deep love for historical fiction so this book really grabbed hold of me. I loved how Diana learned more about her powers and her family. I adored the love story between her and Matthew. Not only did they learn about each other's pasts and Diana's magical abilities, but they also learned how to create a life they love and can carry into present day. They have become two of my very favorite fictional characters. This book was so hard to put down- I spent an entire day reading it from cover to cover. (My family is super awesome for giving me a day to nerd out!)

In the third book, 'The Book of Life', Diana and Matthew are back in present day, armed with knowledge and power to find Ashmole 782. They go up against some of Matthew's family and Diana's past to forge through every kind of struggle you can imagine. Finding Ashmole 782 and learning its secrets are vitally important not only to Diana and Matthew, but to other creatures as well. Creatures with evil intentions. I won't spoil anything, of course, so I will stop there. Just know that the suspense is real in this book! I could hardly put it down at times as real life got in the way of reading. Deborah Harkness is a wonderful storyteller who knows how to create such an amazing magical connection to our own reality. 

Lastly, the stand alone book 'Time's Convert'. This book has a lot of the same characters that are in the trilogy but also introduces some new ones as well. This book focuses on Marcus MacNeil, one of Matthew's "sons" from the previous books. It is his story of his life before he met Matthew and how he became a vampire. Again, the story has a lot of historical fiction, as it takes place during both the American Revolution and present day, where Marcus and his love, Phoebe Taylor go through the process of making her a vampire as well. Phoebe chooses life as a vampire and goes through the process to become one. Meanwhile, Marcus must stay away for 90 days until Phoebe is no longer in her newborn phase. There are a lot of rules and traditions that take place and in the midst of them all, we learn all about Marcus and his personal history. I enjoyed this book, but not as much as the trilogy. I think it boils down to the American Revolution. It does not hold my interest as much as other time periods and historical events. I did love learning about Marcus and I loved reading more about the Clairmont family. 

I'm not even sure if this review does any of these books justice. If anything, I hope I have caught your attention to at least try it out. I hope that if you do,  you will tell me what you think. For me, this series will be one that I read again and again. I just love when you find books that become favorites!

Happy reading!

A Few of My Favorites

Favorite books. Let's discuss. I have a small-ish list of the books that I absolutely love. A lot of these are books that I will almost always recommend to someone when asked what they should read.

I have so many books I would call my favorite but one book stands out from all others. My absolute favorite book of all time is 'The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe' by C.S. Lewis. I can read that book any time and it still holds the same magic for me as it did the very first time I read it as a child. I love the story, the characters, the battle of good versus evil, and the message of hope and love. I read this book once a year usually, just to enjoy it again. If you have never read The Chronicles of Narnia, do it! You will not be disappointed!

Have you ever read a book that felt like it had a life of its own and it sucked you in, body and soul? I have read two in the past couple of years that were that way for me. The first is 'A Man Called Ove' by Fredrik Backman. I had read great reviews about this book but I was not prepared for all the emotions it brought with it. I won't go into a full fledged review on this book but it is about an older gentleman and the grief that has consumed his life. New neighbors move in and his whole world is turned upside down. I am not one for spoilers so I won't say anything else, but look into it! I think everyone who has read it has enjoyed it on some level.

The second book that totally threw me for a loop emotionally was 'The Great Alone' by Kristin Hannah. I must have replayed the story in my head about a million times in the last year. This book sticks with you in a way that not every book will. Kristin Hannah has a way of drawing out such real and vivid images and emotions, you can't help but be invested in the characters and their stories as if it was your own life. Again, not a full fledged review but the book is about a teenage girl being uprooted from her suburban life and thrown into a new life in wild Alaska in the 1970's and 1980's, Everything in the story is big and heavy but also beautiful in a somewhat harsh way. Again, Kristin Hannah is an author that writes with a ton of emotion and weight. This is not a light read but it will grab you from the first chapter and won't let go. Make sure you have time to invest in this because you will not want to put it down.

These next two books will forever be classified together in my head. I read them around the same time and their plots are similar enough to group together. 'The Hunger Games' by Suzanne Collins and 'Divergent' by Veronica Roth. Both are set in the maybe not so distant future of America. Both are books about the need for the survival of the human race but also for the upheaval of the corrupt ways that have led their societies to ruin. Strong female lead characters and plenty of action in both. I enjoy young adult reads when they are done well, as these two are. Of course, they were both made into movies but only The Hunger Games came out remotely close to the book. I always say "The book was better". 99.9% of the cases of this are true.

Any Disney fans out there? I love the princess stories and the magic. One of my favorite authors to read is Rachel Hauck. I got hooked on her books when I read 'Once Upon A Prince' years ago. All the magic of a Disney princess movie but for real life! I suppose you might be interested in this book if you are a fan of the British Royals also. This book is a story of a small town girl from Georgia who meets a real prince and all that ensues. It's a light read that is sure to make you smile. It's not quite Hallmark movie sweet but pretty darn close! Actually, it was made into a Hallmark movie. (I haven't watched it.) Rachel Hauck has written several other series and stand alone books that are very different than this and I would recommend any of her books.

My next book had a lot of hype and negative reviews that surrounded it because of the content. No, not 50 Shades. 'Me Before You' by JoJo Moyes was incredible. Oh, the emotions! If you haven't heard of this book (or movie), here goes. It's a story about a young woman who takes a job as a care giver for a man who is paralyzed from the neck down. The story of how their friendship grows and changes and how the characters themselves grow and change is amazing. No spoilers here, but the end wrecked me. Completely wrecked me. I'm a total crier when I read and this takes the cake. Truly, make sure you have plenty of tissues.

'Twilight' by Stephanie Meyer. Either you love it or you hate it. More people hate it and love to make fun of it. I love it and I have never cared what anyone else thinks! I just think it's so fun and I love it all!

And lastly, 'Dorthy Must Die' by Danielle Paige. Real fact- I love The Wizard of Oz the movie and do not like the book version. Crazy, right? I collect anything and everything that has to do with the movie and I even had a Dorothy dress made for myself when I was in high school. Obsessed? A tad. Anyway, I picked this book up a few years after I read the Wicked series by Gregory Maguire. I had to see what the other side of Oz was like and I loved it. Absolutely loved it! The series that Danielle Paige wrote is so twisted and fun. It definitely makes you think twice about how happy of a place that Oz really was. If it can make a Wizard of Oz nut really dislike Dorothy, you know it's got to be good!

The books I have mentioned today are just a small handful of books that I love and would recommend. I really do love suggesting books and read many other genres that I did not even touch on here. If you are looking for something good to read you can pop over to my Goodreads page or shoot me a comment or email! I would love to hear what some of your favorites are, so leave me a comment and tell me what you love and would recommend!

Happy reading, friends!