Today is the last day of the month! It is so hard to believe tomorrow is February. We thought January would be little bit slower of a month, but that was just not the case. We did manage to get some reading in this month though and can't wait to share with you all!
WHAT WE READ...
CARRIE BETH
Alright, remember when I shared my New Year's resolutions and once again put "reading more" on my list of goals for this year. I'm going to try. I really am! I love to read, but just don't make the time for it. Even if I could just read one book a month I feel like that would be better than what I did last year.
This month I read Class Mom by Laurie Gelman. I had heard about this book from several people and Jen and passed it along to me when she finished it.
This month I read Class Mom by Laurie Gelman. I had heard about this book from several people and Jen and passed it along to me when she finished it.
Not being able to say no is a real problem I have. Being involved in just about any and everything with my kids from class mom to team mom, I could totally relate to this book. It follows the story of an older Kindergarten mom who is put into the role of class mom by her best friend, who happens to be the PTA President. It's funny, witty, and has some plot twists thrown in there also. It was a light and easy read, but I think I had built this book up more in my head. It isn't that I didn't like it, but I just didn't love it how I thought I would. There were parts that seemed pretty far-fetched to me and I guess that sort of bothered me when reading it. Again, not a bad book, but not my favorite.
JEN
Okay, I made it back onto the reading train after a kind of sluggish December. Thank goodness for a snow storm and a few good books I just couldn't put down. I loved all three of my selections this month, and that hasn't happened in a long time. All three were quite different, but oh so good!
First up was Dan Brown's latest in his Robert Langdon series.
I always love these books once I get into them. Origin follows a tech genius and a big reveal he plans to unveil that will rock the religious community. In the middle of his reveal something happens and Langdon begins a fast paced mission to release the presentation. The topic of these books are always somewhat controversial, but I love how they always keep you on your toes, and I love the history intertwined in them. Brown tends to use a lot of real facts in his stories, and I find myself Googling to see what is really true and what is not. Origin had kind of a crazy twist at the end, but I won't spoil any secrets. It was a quick and edge of your seat read, and if some religious topics don't bother you I would highly suggest it if you like mystery whodunit style books.
Next up was maybe a book that I would put in contention for a favorite for the year. I know it's early, but I walked away thinking how good it was!
A friend suggested The Last Mrs. Parrish to me, and while I am not typically a psychological thriller lover, I was intrigued. I could not put this book down. It kept me on the edge of my seat (or bed since that's where I read), and while it was kind of a crazy story it wasn't as gruesome as some in this genre where you can't sleep at night and you are nervous that everyone around you is a psychopath. I read it in like a day and a half, and each little tidbit kept sucking me in more. The end was also just so good! If you liked books like The Women in Cabin 10 then this book is totally for you! I would definitely put this one on your reading list for the year!
Last up for the month was Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
This book is also in early contention as a favorite of the year. It's just hard to picture another book touching me as much as this one. The story is so unique in the way it was written and I was so torn on how I wanted it to turn out. The story follows Hannah Martin who just moved back home. She goes to a party and meets her old boyfriend and who might just be the "one who got away". He asks her right off the bat to stay with him and she has to make a choice: to stay or go home? The story shares with you the outcome of both decisions. I thought this would be confusing, but it was written so well and I love love loved every page of it. Just when I was cheering for one way, the next chapter would have me cheering for the other way. I don't want to give anything away, but the end was so good, and totally not what I was picturing. It makes you think and you want so much more. Maybe in Another Life is such a good book, and if you like Colleen Hoover style writing I would say read this (and maybe even venture to say I like Reid's books a little bit more now that I've had a few under my belt).
WHAT'S UP NEXT...
CARRIE BETH
When I was trying to decide what to download on my Kindle next I texted a few friends and asked for some suggestions. I keep an on-going list in the "notes" section on my phone and thanks to them, I now I have a really long list of great books to read.
First up though I think I'm going to go with The Last Mrs. Parrish.
I read a review on another blog I read and was instantly intrigued so I immediately texted Jen and asked if she had read it (before we wrote this post) and she said, "YES!!!" I need books that keep me turning the pages and ones I can't put down because if it doesn't grab my attention and keep it from the beginning I have a harder time squeezing in reading time. I'm so excited to start this one!
First up though I think I'm going to go with The Last Mrs. Parrish.
I read a review on another blog I read and was instantly intrigued so I immediately texted Jen and asked if she had read it (before we wrote this post) and she said, "YES!!!" I need books that keep me turning the pages and ones I can't put down because if it doesn't grab my attention and keep it from the beginning I have a harder time squeezing in reading time. I'm so excited to start this one!
JEN
I'm grabbing a book that's been in my reading pile for awhile, but that I've put on the back burner until now. First up for me in February is The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams.
I've heard such great things about this book and I loved A Hundred Summers that I read by Williams last year. It was one of my favorite books that I read last year (it didn't make my top three, but it was close!), and I am hoping this one is just as good!
What are you currently reading? Anything we should add to our list for February? We both have trips coming up this month so share with us some great vacation reads!
BOOK CLUB 2018
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