The Paris Wife

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I really give this book 3 1/2 stars.  It would have been 4 stars, but the use of nicknames throughout the book was confusing.  There were some editing errors on this Kindle edition as well.



Hadley Richardson's life with Ernest Hemingway was a roller coaster ride in a House of Mazes as she lived through his bipolar highs and lows. I wished we were able to experience her discovering herself, instead of constantly being overshadowed by Hemingway.  I think him falling out of love with her was the best thing that ever happened to her, despite how hard it was to face at the time.



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Beautiful Disaster

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


What a roller coaster of a story!  I wanted to put the book down, seriously, I did!  I didn't want to enable the cycle of violence between the main characters, but I couldn't stop reading. The relationship reminds me a lot of Bella and Edward's, without the vampirism and werewolves.

Chasing Amanda

Chasing Amanda by Melissa Foster

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


What drew me in to this book, was the familiarity of the setting.  I know Boyds, the Adventure Park, and Sugerloaf Mountain.  The story was just okay for me.  I never felt gripped to the seat.  I didn't feel like I had to keep reading, because Tracey's life depended on it.  Earnestly,  I never felt like I bonded with any of the characters, and finished the book feeling void.

Bossypants

Bossypants by Tina Fey

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I think this is more of a 3 1/2 star rating for me.  There are stories in this book that had me laughing out loud, thinking, "SHUT UP!  She did not just say that!?!"  I don't ever recall bursting into a gut busting laugh while reading before this.  By the time I reached Tina's experiences with SNL, 30 Rock, and Sarah Palin, her stories became much more somber, which was a sharp contrast to the earlier chapters.  Overall, I admit that I was entertained by this collection of short stories.

Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal

Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal by Lani Woodland

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


What a charming collection of short stories!  In one cover, you can experience  all sorts of otherworldliness:  sirens,  shape shifters, ghosts, vampires, and out-of-body experiences just to name a few.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Wow!  What an intriguing story of perceptions and tolerance!  I enjoyed watching Kit transition from a tropical life in Barbados to a Puritan life in 1687 Connecticut.  This story has a meaningful lesson to both the young and old!

The Girl Who Chased the Moon

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really enjoyed watching the characters overcome their personal challenges in this tale!  The feel of the Southern small town that Sarah Addison Allen depicts makes me want to pack my bags and head to North Carolina! 



There are two things in this book that really draw you in as a reader:



1) She can make us relate by our sense of taste - Oh, the cakes she describes in this book!



2)  The hint of mysticism.  - How does wallpaper change its pattern by itself based on the room occupant's mood?  What are the white lights that come out at night in the town?



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Books!!

I've enjoyed books  since I could hold them in my hands.  When I was small, I was drawn in by all the colorful illustrations.  Once I started reading, my nose was always in a book.  I'm using this blog to share with others books that I've reviewed, and reading challenges I'm participating in.  If you have any book recommendations or reading challenges for me, please let me know!