Well, I’m back ….
My last post was on Halloween which seems like ages ago. The following morning we flew to visit my in-laws in Phoenix, then it was Thanksgiving, then we had a couples trip to Mexico, then came Christmas, and here we are. Whew! I’ve enjoyed spending time with my family, but I’ve missed the blog SO MUCH. I don’t think I’ll be posting quite as much as I used to, but I will keep checking in with favorite things around the Four Points area and, most importantly to some of you, my book reviews. 🙂
Considering I missed November and December book reviews, I’m going to do two reviews, calling them November in January and December in January book reviews. Then, I’ll be caught up and continue onward. These are some of my favorite posts and I can’t wait to catch you all up with everything I’ve been reading. So, let’s get to it!
In case you’re new, I read (okay, mostly listen via Audible) many books and I love to share my thoughts with you guys every month. If you’re curious and want to check out previous posts, you can start by clicking here to view the last Four Points Mom & Books post. Also, since these posts are some of my most popular ones, I decided to go ahead and create separate pages for all of my 2018 books and 2017 books. So, if you’re quickly trying to find ideas for books you can go to one page and click directly to the books on Amazon. Hopefully this helps you a bit when you’re in a bind and NEED a good book fast.
Alright, on to this past November’s book review (written in January).
All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover
I am a huge fan of Colleen Hoover, and I love her writing. This book, however, deals with infertility and I would not recommend it to anyone who has struggled with fertility issues. It is tough to read even if you haven’t. I will say that the book is very real. It’s gritty. But, it’s heartbreaking and not very uplifting. I need mostly happy thoughts these days when I’m trying to escape into my book nerd world. This book honestly portrays average marriage struggles as well as very deep, intense ones that just started to make me really sad. That being said, many of you who are tougher than me would enjoy it.
All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin
Ahhh, I really enjoyed this book. As a mom, it really spoke to me and I had many moments of “I have to remember to say this to my kids one day.” I’ve read most of Emily Giffin’s books, and this is probably one of my favorites. Actually, All We Ever Wanted reminded me a lot of Beartown. I recommend both books, but Beartown is one of my absolute favorite books so put them both on your to-read list. And, stay tuned, the sequel to Beartown will be in my upcoming book review and it may very well be in the top three books of the year. All We Ever Wanted alternates between a few students and parents at a top-notch private school. There is one character that I really loved … the strong mom who stood up for herself and her ideals. I really recommend this one!
The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor
Creepy! This book was just plain creepy. It’s been quite some time since I read a suspense novel and I wasn’t expecting this level of can’t-close-my-eyes-to-go-to-sleep. Sheesh. The Chalk Man alternated back and forth between the past and now, through the eyes of a thirteen-year-old boy and his grown self. The main character, Ed, and his group of friends discover pictures drawn in chalk that led them to strange things … like a dismembered body. Yikes. If you like suspenseful reads, you’ll enjoy this one. I did experience a bit of get on with it now …
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
Okay, I have two favorite authors from the past few years: Liane Moriarty and Kristin Hannah. When Liane Moriarty’s last book was released about a year and a half ago, I pre-ordered it and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. And it didn’t live up to my high expectations. This one, though, was really good! It probably had much to do with my more realistic expectations, but I thought it was back to the good ole Liane Moriarty days … clever writing, interesting characters with lots of juicy backstories, and surprising plot twists. Liane Moriarty is the BEST at complex character interactions. I am not sure exactly how to explain it, but I love how she takes these unique characters and makes their lives intersect.
Nine Perfect Strangers follows … wait for it … nine perfect strangers who all set off for a ten-day spa adventure. They find themselves at a spa that is not at all what they expected. Read this one. It’s great!
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
Speaking of Kristin Hannah, I continued my tour through her library of books with Winter Garden. Kristin Hannah did what she does best and writes about the complex relationships between family members again in this novel. The story mostly revolves around two daughters and their mother. Their mother never really opened up to her daughters or shared intimate moments with them, and the now-adult daughters rejoin their mother following a death in the family. Kristin Hannah always opens my eyes to how much might be going on with someone behind the curtain, if that makes sense. Although this isn’t one of my favorite Hannah books, it is still one I recommend. She hasn’t really ever disappointed me. She just has done good REALLY GOOD before and she can’t always top herself.
The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle
The Dinner List surprised me in many ways. I did not know what to expect, and I mostly enjoyed it. The premise of the book is that the main character, Sabrina, finds herself at her thirtieth birthday dinner with the five people – dead or alive – that she has dreamed about attending with her. The book has moments that are really cute (I mean how can you imagine having dinner with Audrey Hepburn without smiling) and some are nearly tragic.
Alright, thanks for your patience with me through the radio silence these past few months. I won’t leave you hanging that long again any time soon.
Don’t forget to follow me on GoodReads to see what else I’m reading! See ya later friends!
