Monday, June 27, 2016

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban


Book #57 Read in 2016
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling

I'm re-reading this series and this is the third book.  In this book, Sirius Black has escaped from the Azkaban prison and is after Harry....but is there more to this story?  This is my favorite series.

Jonathan Unleashed


Book #56 Read in 2016
Jonathan Unleashed by Meg Rosoff

Jonathan has moved to New York City and landed an advertising job.  His brother asks him to watch his two dogs, Dante and Sissy, while he is out of the country.  Jonathan begins to realize that his life is lacking direction and begins to make plans...not necessarily good plans....but plans.  This book has a lot of humor in it, as well as romance.  It was a good read.  I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for a honest review.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Flying


Book #55 Read in 2016
Flying by Carrie Jones

Mana is a high school cheerleader who is popular, an average student and a nice girl. Little does she know that her mother is an alien hunter and that some of that skill has passed down to Mana.  Then her mother is kidnapped, Mana is attacked in the school locker room by an evil alien and she finds out what the aliens are after.....will Mana's life ever be the same?  This book was a good, quick read full of humor and action, as well as some romance.  It seems to be a series starter.  I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for a honest review.

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (re-read)


Book #54 Read in 2016
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

I am re-reading the series before the new one comes out at the end of July.  These are my favorite books.  In this one, book #2, there is a monster attacking Muggles at Hogwart's.  Harry, Ron and Hermoine are trying to figure out what the monster is and how to stop it.  I enjoy these characters and Rowling's writing.

Saturday, June 18, 2016

A Court of Mist and Fury


Book #53 Read in 2016
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

This is the second in a young adult (though this one was pretty racy!) fantasy series.  Feyre is trying to heal, both physically and emotionally, from the torture the Queen of the Underworld did to her.  On top of that, her wedding date to Tamlin is fast approaching.  On the wedding day, Rhysand winnows her back to his court before the vows can be exchanged.  Despite herself, Feyre is drawn to Rhys and the two draw closer.  This book had lots of action, romance, some naughty sex scenes and leaves readers frantically wanting book 3 now.  A great series!

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Miller's Valley


Book #52 Read in 2016
Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen

This book is a family saga book....Millers have owned property for generations and the state wants to buy it but the Millers want to keep farming.  Mimi is the youngest child of three.  Her brother Eddie was an academic success and moved away from his home town quickly.  Tommy served in Vietnam and came home and fell into bad behavior and ways.  Mimi wants more out of life....but will she be able to get it or will the family drama tie her down.  This book was well written and the characters were interesting and complex.  This was a good read.  I borrowed this book from the public library.

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Another Brooklyn


Book #51 Read in 2016
Another Brookyn by Jacqueline Woodson

I love Woodson's young adult books.  This is an adult book and it does not disappoint.  Told in poignant style, this book details a brother and sister growing up in Brooklyn, with their father, in a mostly black neighborhood and the trials of puberty, poverty and longing for their mother.  This was a good, quick read.  Woodson's writing is magically powerful.  I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for a honest review.

Saturday, June 11, 2016


Book #50 Read in 2016
Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand

How could I not read a book with this title?  But what looks on the outside as being a light fluffy read is way more than that.  Diane is mourning the deaths of her husband and daughter who died together in a car accident.  She is not doing well at all.  She decides she needs a change of scenery and leaves Paris for a small town in Ireland.  There she meets her landlord's moody nephew, who is her neighbor.  Slowly, Diane begins to pull herself together...but will she ever let herself be happy again?  This is a great, one-sitting read and there is a sequel coming out in 2017.  I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for a honest review.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

My Lady Jane



Book #49 Read in 2016
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows

Lady Jane Grey was the Queen of England for nine days before she was imprisoned and eventually beheaded.  This book tells an alternate history....what if Edward, King of England, did not really die?  What if Lady Jane escape from the Tower of London?  What if the pair decided to take back the throne from Mary?

This book was interesting with the historical bent, romance and humor.  It was a good, quick read which I recommend.  I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for a honest review.

Sunday, June 5, 2016


Book #48 Read in 2016
Tombquest:  The Stone Warriors by Michael Northrop

This is the fourth book in a middle school/young adult series that has elements of mythology, history, adventure and mystery.  Alex is still trying to find his mom before the bad guys do, while the bad guys are also trying to find him.  This book spans Egypt to Vienna and back again.  It is a quick action-packed read that middle school boy and girl readers will love. 

Saturday, June 4, 2016

A Mother's Reckoning


Book #47 Read in 2016
A Mother's Reckoning by Sue Klebold

Sue Klebold is the mother of Dylan Klebold, one of the shooters in the horrific Columbine school shooting.  She is trying to make sense of what her son did as well as to figure out how to live without him.  While she does make it out that the other shooter, Eric Harris, was more of the leader in the plot, she does not shy away from admitting that her son did horrible, horrible things and that she and her husband (now ex-husband) most likely missed signs that her son was suffering from mental illness.  A raw and emotional read that should be read.  I borrowed this book from the town library.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

May Reads

May Reads:

1.  Little Free Library Book (4/5)  library book
2.  Dirk Daring Secret Agent (YA)  3/5  1st in series  library book
3.  And I Darken (YA)  4/5
4.  The Memory Book (YA)  5/5
5.  Julia Vanishes (YA)  4/5  1st in series
6.  The Map in the Attic (4/5)  4th in series  library book
7.  Isle of the Lost (YA)  4/5  1st in series
8.  The Loose Ends List (YA)  5/5
9.  City of the Lost  5/5  1st in series
10.  A School for Unusual Girls (YA)  4/5  1st in series
11.  Highly Illogical Behavior (YA)  4.5/5
12.  Cinder (YA)  4.5/5  1st in series  Kindle book
13.  With Malice (YA)  5/5

46 books read in 2016