If you are happy and you know it read a book. It’s National Show Us Your Books Day!! What. Oh that is not a real thing? Well let’s make it a real thing, because books. Let’s get to it so us book lovers can go add a bajillion books to our TBR pile.
My rating system:
Five Stars: Blew me away, made me want to stay up till 3am to finish, would read again and again or I didn’t find anything I would want to change.
Four Stars: Really good book, fast paced or thought provoking, but may have dragged a bit or left something unresolved
Three Stars: Okay, didn’t thrill me but didn’t disappoint me either.
Two Stars: I almost didn’t finish, it may have irritated or offended me in some way.
** – Item was received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I pull no punches though, so you get all my opinions good or bad.
NOTE: I may not care for a book or I may love a book and my reactions are based on my experiences and tastes. Please don’t let my opinions deter you if a book really intrigues you, and know all opinions are my own.
**Rescue Road: One Man, Thirty Thousand Dogs, and a Million Miles on the Last Hope Highway – This book broke me but also gave me hope. This is the story of a man to makes the trek from the South to New England with upward of 80 dogs at any given trip to save as many dogs as he can, with the help of all the angels involved in dog rescue.
He doesn’t just transport them, he gives them as much love and attention as he can so that their new journey to their forever home is a good one. The dark side of this story is the amount of dogs that are euthanized due to overcrowding in the South. The culture that doesn’t really care to spay or neuter their dogs, and treats dogs as nothing more than property. It was heartbreaking and I cried no less than 5 times reading this book, but the care and passion that some of these organizations showed just really encouraged me to help in any way that I can. If you want to see a happily ever after, check out Greg’s Facebook page to see all the pups.
**Damage Done – This book was not at all what I expected. Julia was just a normal girl before her twin brother was convicted of murder after a school shooting. Julia was in the room but doesn’t remember what happened. She tries to move on in a new city with a new name. This book took a lot of turns and left me saying WTF more than a few times. The end was a little predictable but not overly so that it detracted from the overall story.
**The Coincidence of Coconut Cake – This book was compared to You’ve Got Mail and I had an image of Meg Ryan punching the air ready to take on Tom Hanks. Louella has a restaurant that is finally making money, but after finding her fiance in a compromising position she has a bad night when a reviewer comes in to her restaurant. The restaurant tries to hold on but it is just a matter of time. Lou meets the reviewer as a regular guy and she shows him the wonders of her town. Can she forgive him? Recipe is included in the book.
**Christmas in Vermont: A Very White Christmas – This book gave me all the warm and fuzzies. I loved the town and how everyone came together to help each other, it makes me want to live there. While the beginning was a little violent it really set the stage for Jack and Holly to reconnect later in the book. I loved the side story of helping Veteran’s returning from war and the reality of how tough it can be for them. I have a soft spot for veterans. There were a few eye roll moments that were a little over done and everything wrapped up a little too neatly but I overlooked them since I adored the rest of the story. Total Hallmark movie material.
**Hanover House – Hanover House is going to be a study prison of some of the most heinous killers, it will be used to study and try to make changes in the system. This has been the dream of Dr. Evelyn Talbot after her friends were brutally murdered and her throat was slit by her boyfriend.
The Hanover House is not well received by the residences of the town it is being built, even by the State Trooper who is sworn to protect the town. I am looking forward to this series as it has already drawn me in. Now to wait…impatiently.
**Win Me Over – Callie seems like the kind of girl you love to hate because she has it all and makes it looks easy, but you can’t because she is just adorably sweet. She is running her own bakery, a former tiara queen, and the new dance team coach. Bennett Clark is the football coach and he struggles with an injury that ended his NFL career. A celebrity dance off throws them together and their chemistry grows. Bennett really pushes himself to a high standard and he lost everything and is still damaged. His team faces injuries that spirals Bennett’s own insecurities, but Callie tries to push through. The emotions were powerful in this book and felt real and honest.
** The Closer You Come – Brook Lynn was a regular girl who tries so hard to save her sister that she loses herself. Jase is recently starting over and Brook Lynn. I liked that Brook Lynn was normal, strong character. The secondary characters were fun and I look forward to reading ore to see where they go. I think the chemistry was good, though at times it was a little over the top the things that pulled them apart.
The Best Short Stories of Fyodor Dostoyevsky – I used to feel smart when I read Dostoyevsky and being a Sociology major it was pretty regular reading for me after college. I think I forgot how pretentious it was at times. I have to remember that he was born in 1821 so the times were different. Most of the stories were repetitive and could have used a lot of editing. He writes as more of a stream of consciousness in many of the stories, but White Nights, The Christmas Tree and A Wedding, and a Gentle Creature were decent. I much prefer his full length novels.
Why Not Me? – The familiar let’s be friends celebrity book. You leave wanting to be BFF’s with Mindy. She was awkward in college, not finding where she fit, pushing her way through a male dominated field, as just makes you laugh while staying down to earth. Well played Mindy, well played. *Received free copy from Blogging For Books, all opinions my own.
**Hard To Break – Quinn was a strong, independant, bull headed woman. Her weakness was her father who became an alcoholic after his wife’s passing. Quinn is left trying to keep him together and their garage. She can’t hang on for long and she loses the family garage to Tazen Watts, a custom car builder. He is arrogant, condescending, and rich. He automatically believes Quinn can’t be a mechanic because she is a girl, and calls her Angel at every turn. At moments he was really sweet and shares pieces of his childhood that wasn’t as glamorous. Overall the chemistry was intense but sometimes a little over the top. It was a quick read and had a happily ever after.
**The Heartbreakers – A little far fetched in that you will casually bump into a rock star and just happen to have chemistry. Also in your early 20’s you will be catching all the breaks and living the dream. I did like that there was some bumps along the way and that even with everything they had there was a sense of not following their dream completely. Cara was spunky and outspoken while Oliver was misunderstood.
**Loving Lucas – This book was just horrible for woman everywhere. A woman who was mentally and physically abused for a year and a half does not decide to live with a man within one day regardless if he is a cop and she does a background check. Not only that, she doesn’t sleep with them two days after meeting them. This was just way too far fetched and a disservice to woman who have been abused.
What books have you read this month?
Will you add any of these books to your list?
Linking up with Steph and Jana for this months reads.
I’m going with the recipe books on this one and adding The Coincidence of Coconut Cake and Win Me Over to my reading list!! Thanks for sharing all of these! xo, Biana –BlovedBoston
Hope you like them. Coconut Cake is totally a You’ve got Mail type book, very cute.
I want to read Rescue Road because it sounds like such amazing work he is doing, but I’m gonna wait until I’m not pregnant…I don’t know if my hormones could handle it right now haha
Haha! Yes I would wait because it will leaving you crying on a good day.
Oh gosh – I know I couldn’t make it through that book about the dogs without coming out a hot mess of blubbering tears.
Yikes – that over of the last book just kinda screams that its not going to be a woman empowering book 🙂
I swear towards the end I was crying every 10 pages but it was so good. It was so bad and it really gives abused women a bad image.
Wow you read so many books last month!! I am currently reading Why Not Me, but I’ll have to check out some of the others once I finish!
Thanks! I have to read everyday. I hope you do, there was a few goods ones this month.
Christmas in Vermont and The Coincidence of Coconut Cake sound good. I will file this blog for future reference. The dog guy- God love him. I wish I could sterilize these dogs by just thinking it, some people, too! Not nice, but geeze, seeing anyone human or furry suffer is horrible.
Great reviews. Ugh on that did not finish book!
Happy Tuesday!
Love, Steph’s Momma
They were both very sweet and cute books. It was so sad to see how many dogs weren’t saved but the amount that were and to know what they go through to save so many was really touching. Hard to read though. I wish I could save them all.
Even the premise and review of Rescue Road had me tearing up. I just don’t know if I could make it through the book. Christmas in Vermont sounds sooo good! I’m thinking that will be a good Thanksgiving or Christmas break read! Hanover House sounds interesting. I didn’t like Loving Lucas, either. She should have quit while she was ahead but she has a MC series I signed up for just to see if she’s improved.
It is a tearjerker for sure! I totally recommend that one especially if you love the cheesy Hallmark movies. Very cute! It was so bad, I feel like it could have been decent if she dragged out the friendship and they didn’t get involved for months but to jump into something that quickly it was a disservice. Hopefully she learns and grows and the other books are better.
Damage Done and The Hanover House both sound really interesting to me. I’m definitely adding those to my TBR list. I keep putting off Why Not Me because while I liked Mindy Kaling’s first book, I’ve read a lot of reviews that it’s more of the same stories. I’m sure I’ll eventually read it though!
Awesome! I haven’t read the first one so I am not sure if it is more of the same but it was just ok. I would wait to a time when you don’t have something else to read.
Not sure I’d be able to read Rescue Road. I saw a news special once on puppy mills and couldn’t watch. So sad. I’ve added The Coincidence of Coconut Cake to my tbr list. Love books about food!
That was kind of like it was, so heartbreaking to hear the statistics and what the South is like in how they treat dogs. That was a cute book and it included the recipe for the cake.
LOL the cover of Loving Lucas is very wtf…. Why Not Me is already on my list and I’m adding Damage Done. Sounds like my kind of story!
It was so bad, I just couldn’t hang. I hope you like it, it was very twisted, still on the YA side but not ridiculously young.
i agree about the heartbreakers – definitely a little bit farfetched at times!
i think i would blubber like a fool reading the dog book. i just love people when they help animals. i am already crying.
added basically all of your 4 star books to my list. ALL THE BOOKS!
It was cute but yes that would never happen in real life. It was sad but also happy at the same time. Yeah!! Woohoo for book day!
While I’d love to read Rescue Road, my emotions can’t take it.
I keep seeing lukewarm reviews of Mindy’s book. I’m glad I’m waiting on it.
It was a roller coaster ride of emotions for sure especially for dog lovers. I am not overly fond of memoirs because they tend to be just a collection of stories but it was decent. I would read it but I wouldn’t rush by any means.
Christmas in Vermont sounds like a good holiday read, I want to try to read a couple of holiday themed books in December.
It was really cute aside from a few overly done moments but cute feel good book.
Hanover House sounds interesting! Psychos are my favorite. LOL
LOL!! It is short and a cliffhanger but it was good and I really want to read the series now.
Love love loved Rescue Road!!! I am waiting on the Mindy book. I listened to her first one and I loved it but I saw the second one was less than 5 hours. The last audiobook I did was 17 hours. I have a hard time wanting to jump on something that is less than 5 lol. But I do still want to be her BFF 🙂
I liked the first book in the heartbreaker series, I just wish they would use honey and angel a lot less. That was my first romance novel I read though…. so it will always have a special place in my heart lol. I am going to have to check out the Christmas book!
Mindy’s books was just ok for me, she seems like a cool chick though. Yes over use of pet names gets annoying. The Christmas book was adorable sweet, Hallmark worthy.
You read so much this past month! Lots of 4 and 3 stars. Sorry there weren’t more 5 stars!
I try to reserve 5 stars for books that I really love or move me, the 4’s were good but there might have been a scene or two that was too dramatic or overdone.
The cover of Loving Lucas cracks me up for some reason.
I want to read Why Not Me? I love Mindy.
It is a little cheesy. Mindy just seems like someone fun to hang out with but she does really show you the reality of her life.
The fact that there are people in this world like the man in the first book makes my heart smile. I added Damage Done to the list. Way to go this month, you reading machine!
I love Mindy and really enjoyed ‘Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?’ And I’m adding The Coincidence of Coconut Cake to my to read list!
I hope you like it, it was a very cute book.
sounds like you had some good ones in the 4 star dept. i want to read that xmas book! when i saw it on your insta, i was drawn to it!
It was so cute, light and fluffy but perfect for this time of year.
You’ve Got Mail is seriously one of my favorite movies ever, so that got my attention. That Coconut Cake book sounds really interesting and is going on the list!
I think you would really like that one then, it is very much the secret friend turned love interest.
Oh my goodness you read so much! I am impressed haha. I made it through one book in October!
http://www.amemoryofus.com
Haha! Thanks. I read every morning and every night. I also get up really early on the weekends, not by choice, so I usually read until I finally wake up. One is better than none!
I feel like reading Hanover House, now. I could go for a really good thriller! I’m also considering Coconut Cake; I really love You’ve Got Mail.
Hanover House is a teaser for the series to come so it is really quick read. I think you would really like Coconut Cake then, it is so similar.
I’m adding Christmas in Vermont to my list. I’m so scared to read Rescue Road. I’m not sure I can emotionally handle it. But I love the concept and just went to his Facebook page! xo, Champagne&Suburbs
It is such a cute Christmas story. His facebook page is great because you get to see him on the journey and the first time the dogs meet their forever family. So heartwarming.
Damn girl you read so much! I’m such a slacker. I gotta get better. I totally want to read Christmas in Vermont!
Haha! It totally becomes a habit the more you read. I totally recommend it, so light and touching.
Thought I replied to this… I was curious about Mindy’s book. I like her but not sure I’d want to read her book… if that makes sense. Some of these book covers HUBBA HUBBA lol
I like her and it did provide some insight into her life but wasn’t amazing. Haha! They set the scene. 😉