Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon

Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks, October 2009

Genre: Fiction

Pages: eBook, 271 pages

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads.com):

One summer day, at a gas station in a small Vermont town, six-year-old Ernestine Florucci is abducted by a person wearing a rabbit suit while her mother is buying lottery tickets. Twenty-three year old Rhonda Farr is the only witness, and she does nothing as she watches the scene unfold – little Ernie goes with the rabbit so casually, confidently getting into the rabbit’s Volkswagen bug, smiling while the rabbit carefully fastens her seatbelt.

The police are skeptical of Rhonda’s story and Ernie’s mother blames her outright. The kidnapping forces Rhonda to face another disappearance, that of her best friend from childhood – Lizzy Shale, whose brother, Peter just so happens to be a prime suspect in Ernie’s abduction.

Unraveling the present mystery plunges Rhonda headlong down the rabbit hole of her past. She must struggle to makes sense of the loss of the two girls, and to ask herself if the Peter she grew up with - and has secretly loved all her life - could have a much darker side.

Review:

I went into this book, thinking that it would be all about the abduction of a little girl and the search to bring her home. Never, in the long time that it was on my TBR list, did I realize that it really wasn't about finding the little girl who had gone missing but was more about solving mysteries from the past.

When I started reading, I was gripped by both ends of the story... the current timeline (2006) and the past (1993) but as I read further, I found my mind drifting and I could tell that if I let myself, I would be skimming the paragraphs just looking for parts of dialogue that added to the overall flow and weren't just words added to fill up more pages. Now, I will say that as the story comes together at the end, it does pick up it's pace and I found that I was reading from the edge of my seat. But for the overall flow, I wasn't impressed.

Now, as far as the two stories go, I can say that they are both very predictable... I had called the ending from, basically, the beginning and I imagine that readers of mystery/suspense books will be able to do this as well. It's definitely a story that I have read before and there was nothing added to it to make me excited.

The characters were okay... I didn't find myself drawn to anyone in particular and actually found Rhonda to be annoying and so wishy-washy that it was bothersome. I mean, who sees a child being lured from one vehicle to another, by A BUNNY, and just sits in their car DOING NOTHING?!?! Glad to know there are stand-up citizens like Rhonda out there to protect the innocent children of the world. (insert eye roll here).

Overall, not a book that I would recommend and while I am always glad to get another book under my belt, this one isn't very memorable.

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books, August 2016

Genre: Fiction

Pages: eBook, 346 pages

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads.com):

As the daughter of a meth dealer, Wavy knows not to trust people, not even her own parents. Struggling to raise her little brother, eight-year-old Wavy is the only responsible "adult" around. She finds peace in the starry Midwestern night sky above the fields behind her house. One night everything changes when she witnesses one of her father's thugs, Kellen, a tattooed ex-con with a heart of gold, wreck his motorcycle. What follows is a powerful and shocking love story between two unlikely people that asks tough questions, reminding us of all the ugly and wonderful things that life has to offer.

Review:

Going into this book, all I had seen were good star ratings but I hadn't read anything about what it was about or the actual reviews. I feel very conflicted on whether I want to give this book a stunning review, or talk about just how horrified I was to learn about its controversial topic...

Let's not beat around the bush here... I've marked this as a "spoiler" review because I'm not sure how clear they make the statutory rape topic in any of the synopsis's.

I was disgusted and horrified when I read about how Kellan and Wavy's relationship progressed. When I first started reading, I knew that it seemed to be leaning that way, but assumed it was more on Wavy's end and she just had a school girl crush but no... it most definitely was not that way. When things progressed into actual, uncomfortable to read, sexual encounters, I felt all sorts of mixed emotions. I was grossed out, horrified, disgusted, sickened... all the appropriate adjectives to describe very disruptive relations between a 12/13 year old and a 25+ year old. However, the relationship that had developed, through the first half of the story, between Kellan and Wavy was so beautiful and innocent... loving and trusting... that it made an absolutely bad situation not seem as... illegal. I just have so many weird feelings about this book that I understand the ratings and can't help but give it a 5-star myself.

I don't really know what else to say... the characters were great, I enjoyed each of the points of view that the story was written from and felt that they all added greatly to the overall flow. For me, the story read very quickly and had me anxious to hear what was going to happen next.

Overall, I really did love this book, even with such a controversial topic, it was handled with beauty and grace and I can honestly recommend it to anyone who is willing to take a chance on a book that is maybe a little out of their comfort zone.

Paper & Glam Book Club | Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, September 2016

Genre: Non-Fiction, Lifestyle

Pages: Paperback, 352 pages

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary (chapters.indigo.ca):

She’s the creator and producer of some of the most groundbreaking and audacious shows on television today. Her iconic characters live boldly and speak their minds. So who would suspect that Shonda Rhimes is an introvert? That she hired a publicist so she could public appearances? That she suffered panic attacks before media interviews?

With three children at home and three hit television shows, it was easy for Shonda to say she was simply too busy. But in truth, she was also afraid. And then, over Thanksgiving dinner, her sister muttered something that was both a wake up and a call to arms Shonda knew she had to embrace the challenge: for one year, she would say YES to everything that scared her.

Review:

Let me start this review by saying that I am a die-hard 'Grey's Anatomy' fan and have seen every show at least twice so when I saw that Shonda Rhimes book was up first for my book club, I was excited to pick it up.

At first, this book was everything I was hoping it would be... funny, interesting and very easy to read. Turns out that pre- "Year of Yes" Shonda is very similar to myself and I was able to easily identify with many of the situations she found herself in, and dreading. I loved reading along as she worked her way around her fears and tackled many of them head-on and proved that, even when it seems hard and/or scary, putting yourself out there is worth it in the long run.

Where I feel the book fell short and, for me, moved from 5-star territory down to 3.5-star, was after that year was up. Whether it was that the book was too long or the chapters feeling like they belonged in another book, I can't for sure say why my feelings started to change. The voice of Shonda just seemed to go from a relatable person to someone that I found myself not really liking... she came across a little obnoxious and a little to entitled (yes, I know she's the Queen of Tv, but you know what I mean). I'm overjoyed that she found her happy but... I just had a bitter taste in my mouth as I finished reading.

Overall, it was definitely a worthwhile read but just fell a little flat at the end and I honestly feel like it could have been so much more.

Savage Drift (Monument 14 #3) by Emmy Laybourne

Savage Drift (Monument 14 #3) by Emmy Laybourne

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends, June 2015

Genre: Fiction, Young Adult

Pages: Paperback, 306 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

It's over.

Dean, Alex, and the other survivors of the Monument 14 have escaped the disaster zone and made it to the safety of a Canadian refugee camp. Some of the kids have been reunited with their families, and everyone is making tentative plans for the future. And then, Niko learns that his lost love, Josie, has survived!

Or is it?

For Josie, separated from the group and presumed dead, life has gone from bad to worse. Trapped in a terrible prison camp with other exposed O's and traumatized by her experiences, she has given up all hope of rescue. Meanwhile, scared by the government's unusual interest in her pregnancy, Astrid-along with her two protectors, Dean and Jake-joins Niko on his desperate quest to be reunited with Josie.

Review:

** spoiler alert **

As I have continued to read YA books, I have started to discover that I don't love them, they just don't relate to me anymore and I find them a little too juvenile for my liking. However, there is something about dystopian/post-apocalyptic stories that just grab me and suck me in... it probably has something to do with being a self-proclaimed disaster junkie... I just enjoy reading about the world in chaos.

For me, Savage Drift, was a great book... full of non-stop, fast-paced action that kept me reading way past my bedtime (remember, I'm old). It was a great ending to the series and I found that, for the most part, the story wrapped up very nicely and didn't really leave me with too many unanswered questions. I love it when a series does that!

I liked that this part of the story focused on more of Josie's story because she sort of felt like the lost character in the previous books and I knew she was such a bad-ass that I wanted to learn more about her. As for the other half of the story, while I enjoy reading from Dean's point of view, he is just such a wimp... even with his new 'bulked up, type-o' image of himself, he just bugs me.

Overall, very glad that I picked up the final book in the Monument 14 series because it really is a great series. Worth the read if you love dystopian novels!

Always Watching by Chevy Stevens

Always Watching by Chevy Stevens

Publisher: St. Martin's Press, June 2013

Genre: Fiction

Pages: Hardcover, 342 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from goodreads.com):

She helps people put their demons to rest.

But she has a few of her own…

In the lockdown ward of a psychiatric hospital, Dr. Nadine Lavoie is in her element. She has the tools to help people, and she has the desire—healing broken families is what she lives for. But Nadine doesn’t want to look too closely at her own past because there are whole chunks of her life that are black holes. It takes all her willpower to tamp down her recurrent claustrophobia, and her daughter, Lisa, is a runaway who has been on the streets for seven years.

When a distraught woman, Heather Simeon, is brought into the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit after a suicide attempt, Nadine gently coaxes her story out of her—and learns of some troubling parallels with her own life. Digging deeper, Nadine is forced to confront her traumatic childhood, and the damage that began when she and her brother were brought by their mother to a remote commune on Vancouver Island. What happened to Nadine? Why was their family destroyed? And why does the name Aaron Quinn, the group’s leader, bring complex feelings of terror to Nadine even today?

And then, the unthinkable happens, and Nadine realizes that danger is closer to home than she ever imagined. She has no choice but to face what terrifies her the most…and fight back.

Sometimes you can leave the past, but you can never escape.

Review:

I have now read all of Chevy Stevens books and have to say that she remains at the top of my must-read authors. Like her other books, Always Watching is set in British Columbia Canada, which I love, and delves into the crazy world of cults. Unlike most of the mystery/suspense authors I read, Chevy Stevens books deal with issues that are unique and she handles the storyline flawlessly. Each of her books, this one included, read like they are based on true stories and keep you turning the pages to find out what happened next ... I always want to google the locations and the story to read more.

While Always Watching started off a lot slower than the other Chevy Stevens books I've read, it sure picked up and WOW... Was it ever a great read.

If you enjoy books that involve "cults" and mystery... I would definitely recommend this one.

The Daughter by Jane Schmilt

Daughter by Jane Schmilt

Publisher: Penguin, March 2015

Genre: Fiction

Pages: eBooks, 352 pages

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

Jenny is a successful family doctor, the mother of three great teenagers, married to a celebrated neurosurgeon.

But when her youngest child, fifteen-year-old Naomi, doesn’t come home after her school play, Jenny’s seemingly ideal life begins to crumble. The authorities launch a nationwide search with no success. Naomi has vanished, and her family is broken.

As the months pass, the worst-case scenarios—kidnapping, murder—seem less plausible. The trail has gone cold. Yet for a desperate Jenny, the search has barely begun. More than a year after her daughter’s disappearance, she’s still digging for answers—and what she finds disturbs her. Everyone she’s trusted, everyone she thought she knew, has been keeping secrets, especially Naomi. Piecing together the traces her daughter left behind, Jenny discovers a very different Naomi from the girl she thought she’d raised.

Review:

What just happened? I love me a mystery novel but man, this one was so frustrating that I sit here, having just finished reading it, not knowing whether I enjoyed it or hated it.

Normally, I love stories written from multiple perspectives. 'Daughter' is written all from Jenny (the mom's) point of view, but over a fifteen month time gap. One part of the story is current day, or a year after the disappearance, and the other is at the time of the disappearance. I found that I totally enjoyed the part if the story taking place in the past but the current day narrative was very slow moving and almost seemed unnecessary at times. As the story progressed, that got better but overall, I found the story definitely dragged.

When it comes to the characters, for the most part, I enjoyed them all. I thought Ted was a piece of junk and wanted to punch Ed on multiple occasions, but for the flow of the story, I thought they were all very well written. I related most to Jenny but as a mom, I wouldn't really expect much different.The part of the story that just fell flat, to me anyways, was the ending. I still don't really feel like we know what happened the night Naomi disappeared and I don't feel like we know what the future holds. I want more detail and given that the book is closing in on 400 pages, I think we should have some ideas that answer these, very important, questions.

Overall, good but not great... I never like finish a book and feeling unsatisfied.

Far From True by Linwood Barclay

Far From True by Linwood Barclay

Publisher: Doubleday Canada, March 2016

Genre: Fiction

Pages: eBook, 480 pages

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

After the screen of a run-down drive-in movie theater collapses and kills four people, the daughter of one of the victims asks private investigator Cal Weaver to look into a break-in at her father's house. Cal discovers a hidden room where salacious activities have taken place—as well as evidence of missing DVDs. But it may not be the discs the thief was interested in.

Meanwhile, Detective Barry Duckworth is still trying to solve two murders he believes are connected, since each featured a similar distinctive wound. And when yet another murder happens, Cal and Barry are both driven to pursue their investigations, no matter where they lead. But where they lead may be more horrific than either man can imagine.

Review:

** spoiler alert **

This is the second book in a series (listed as a trilogy, but there is another book with the same characters so I am not sure how that fits in). I have opted to hide the review on the off chance that it ends up spoiling something... even though that is never my intention.

Okay, I am going to say that I liked this book but not nearly as much as I assumed I would based on how much I enjoy Linwood Barclay's writing style. I can't say whether it was me or the story but it just felt like there was too much going on, too many side stories that I didn't see the point of, too many characters to keep straight. With that said, it was still a good book in the sense that you wanted to read further to see what was happening and how the whole story would weave itself back together but be prepared to sift through the unnecessary stuff.

The characters all seemed to carry over (with the exception of a few more obvious ones) from the previous book and while I tend to appreciate when authors don't dwell on mundane details that have already been explained, I could have done with a little more. With so many characters to keep straight, I would have liked just a little more backstory for each person so I could link them easily with the previous book/story... again, it could have been just me. As for the characters themselves, I liked them all for the most part with my favourite being Cam... I don't know, he just seems like a good guy that I would want on my side. The 'bad guys' were deplorable and while I kinda found myself enjoying their stories (who doesn't like a bad guy?)... I was pleased with how their stories panned out!

Overall, a decent second book in the trilogy (is there ever a good one?) and I will definitely continue on with the third.

Bridget Jones's Baby: The Diaries by Helen Fielding

Bridget Jones's Baby: The Diaries by Helen Fielding

Publisher: Knopf Canada, October 2016

Genre: Fiction

Pages: Hardcover, 219 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

8:45 P.M.  Realize there have been so many times in my life when have fantasized about going to a scan with Mark or Daniel: just not both at the same time.

Before motherhood, before marriage, Bridget with biological clock ticking very, very loudly, finds herself unexpectedly pregnant at the eleventh hour: a joyful pregnancy which is dominated, however, by a crucial but terribly awkward question – who is the father? Mark Darcy: honourable, decent, notable human rights lawyer? Or Daniel Cleaver: charming, witty, notable fuckwit?

9:45 PM  It’s like they’re two halves of the perfect man, who’ll spend the rest of their lives each wanting to outdo the other one. And now it’s all enacting itself in my stomach.

Review:

Quick, fun and simple read... exactly what I would expect for a Bridget Jones story. I have loved all of the books in this series, more so that the actual movies, and was thrilled to see a new book to continue the storyline.

For me, Bridget Jones' Baby was exactly what I was looking for... it is the type of book that you want to read when you finish a 'heavy' story. I love the fun nature of the story... the dynamic between Bridget, Mark and Daniel is just as endearing as it always is.

A great book for all the Bridget Jones lovers out there.

Little Lies by Heather Gudenkauf

Little Lies by Heather Gudenkauf

Publisher: Mira, May 2014

Genre: Fiction

Pages: eBook, 45 pages

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

When the body of a woman is discovered in a local park-with her bewildered four-year-old son sitting beside her-veteran social worker Ellen Moore is called in to assist in the police investigation. Positioned beneath a statue of Leto, the goddess of motherhood, the crime is weighted with meaning and, Ellen discovers, remarkably similar to one from a decade past. Ellen's professional duty is to protect the child, but she's not equipped to contend with a killer. As she races to connect the dots, she knows her time is running out. And the stakes are high: if she fails, another mother is sure to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Review:

When I found out this was a short story/prequel, I decided to download the ebook from my library and blow through it in an afternoon. I wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did but WOW, what a roller coaster ride of pure adventure.

Heather Gudenkauf is an author that I have picked up here and there over the years but not someone that I continually pay attention to and I have to wonder why that is. This is likely the third book of hers that I have read and can honestly say that I loved all of them. It's taking everything in me NOT to order up the book 'Little Mercies' that this book is the prequel to because I have that MUST READ MORE feeling.

Now, with short stories/prequels, I have always read the actual book they are based on before it so I am not sure how exactly Ellen (and family) and Joe are connected in the main story. Whether it is based around the original crime from 13-years ago or if the crimes of 'Little Lies' have nothing to do with it but either way, I am excited about the potential of reading more of these characters. I liked both Ellen and Joe and think there is definitely 'more to the story' of their relationship.

Overall, a very worthwhile read for those who enjoy quick, fast-faced, stories.

The Best of Enemies by Jen Lancaster

The Best of Enemies by Jen Lancaster

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, August 2015

Genre: Fiction

Pages: Hardcover, 320 pages

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

Jacqueline Jordan knows conflict. A fearless journalist, she’s spent the past decade embedded in the world’s hot spots, writing about the fall of nations and the rise of despots. But if you were to inquire about who topped Jack’s enemy list, she’d not hesitate to answer: Kitty Carricoe.

Kitty reigns supreme over the world of carpools and minivans. A SAHM, she spends her days caring for her dentist husband and three towheaded children, running the PTA, and hiding vegetables in deceptively delicious packed lunches.

Kitty and Jack haven’t a single thing in common—except for Sarabeth Chandler, their mutual bestie. Sarabeth and Jack can be tomboys with the best of them, while Sarabeth can get her girly-girl on with Kitty. In fact, the three of them were college friends until the notorious incident when Jack accidentally hooked up with Kitty’s boyfriend…

Yet both women drop everything and rush to Sarabeth’s side when they get the call that her fabulously wealthy husband has perished in a suspicious plane crash. To solve the mystery surrounding his death, Jack and Kitty must bury the hatchet and hit the road for a trip that just may bring them together—if it doesn’t kill them first.

Review:

This is my second time reading this book but I didn't have it marked as 'read' in my Goodreads so... GRRRR... and I didn't remember reading it but parts of it were super familiar.

I am sad to say that I didn't love this book. The characters were unlovable and overly annoying and the whole premise of the book was a little to 'out there' for me. Yes, it's fiction, but I still like a story that has a little bit of fact behind it. While I found the relationship of Jack and Kitty to be enjoyable and funny at times, their personalities were a little too much for me and once they kind of figure each other out and stop pretending, they turn into much nicer characters and I really wish that they had been written that way from the get-go.

Overall I think that this was a good book... not the usual Jen Lancaster funny that I have come to expect but it was enjoyable enough that I will continue to read her fictional stories.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

Publisher: Bloomsbury, July 1998

Genre: Fiction, Children

Pages: Hardcover, 384 pages

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

Harry Potter's summer has included the worst birthday ever, doomy warnings from a house-elf called Dobby, and rescue from the Dursleys by his friend Ron Weasley in a magical flying car! Back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, Harry hears strange whispers echo through empty corridors - and then the attacks start. Students are found as though turned to stone . Dobby's sinister predictions seem to be coming true.

Review:

As this is my first-time reading the Harry Potter series (I've seen the movies) I think I need to get into the later books before really enjoying them as much as others seem to. For some reason, Chamber of Secrets just seemed meh to me... a little to kiddie maybe.

At this point, I can't say that I will 100% continue with the series because it's just not hitting that high note for me and because I don't re-read books and generally try to read a book before watching the movie, I find the element of 'surprise' isn't there. I know this story... I know what's coming and I am finding it a little hard to get through.

I'm a sad panda.

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

Publisher: St. Martin's Press, November 2011

Genre: Fiction

Pages: eBook, 352 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, home to wiseguys, average Joes, and Stephanie Plum, who sports a big attitude and even bigger money problems (since losing her job as a lingerie buyer for a department store). Stephanie needs cash-fast-but times are tough, and soon she's forced to turn to the last resort of the truly desperate: family...

ONE FALSE MOVE

Stephanie lands a gig at her sleazy cousin Vinnie's bail bonding company. She's got no experience. But that doesn't matter. Neither does the fact that the bail jumper in question is local vice cop Joe Morelli. From the time he first looked up her dress to the time he first got into her pants, to the time Steph hit him with her father's Buick, M-o-r-e-l-l-i has spelled t-r-o-u-b-l-e. And now the hot guy is in hot water-wanted for murder...

Review:

I've had this book on my TBR for years... like too many years to count but knowing that the series is now 23 books deep, it seemed like such a commitment to get into. When the movie came out, I bumped it up a little higher on the list because I don't like to watch movies before I read the books but even then, it took a hot minute to get it read. Thankfully, after all that time waiting, it was a really good and enjoyable book and I am really glad to now have it marked as 'read'.

Being a fan of mysteries, I found the story line of 'One for the Money' great, in that I really wasn't sure what was happening or 'who dun it?' but it was a very easy to read/chick friendly (and no, I'm not being sexist but it's not a scary novel so I instantly think Chick Lit) type of crime novel.

The characters were well developed and I found both Stephanie Plum (the main character) and Joe Morelli to be very endearing. For a tough guy, you can definitely tell that Joe is a teddy bear when it gets right down to it. Stephanie is the type of fun-loving, accident prone, only has half-a-clue character that I instantly fall in love with so I can fully understand why this series has been such a hit and is going on after all this time.

Overall, a great read and I have already added the second book to my TBR... now to find time to read it!

The Other Side by Chevy Stevens

The Other Side by Chevy Stevens

Publisher: St. Martin's Press, April 2013

Genre: Fiction, Short Story

Pages: eBook, 44 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

An original ebook short story from bestselling author Chevy Stevens featuring Psychiatrist Nadine Lavoie and Staff Sergeant Sandy McBride, from Sandy is working the biggest case of her life - the Campsite Killer, who has been hunting women for almost forty years.  She's finally close to nailing him, if she can just keep her head in the game.  But when an old friend calls with a lead about Sandy's mother's murder, Sandy is pulled into the past—a past she thought she'd closed the door on. Her life is about to get real complicated, real fast.

Review:

Even at 44 pages long, Chevy Stevens has me pulled in with her amazing writing style. I absolutely love how she weaves a story and how her characters feel like real people.

The Other Side is a short story based off the characters and plot of the book Never Knowing so I definitely recommend reading that first. There was a significant amount of overlap between the two and at least half of this story was pulled directly from Never Knowing so if you read them back-to-back, it may come off as redundant. As it was a while between the stories for me, it was a nice refresher. I did enjoy the added elements to Sandy McBride's story.

As with all of Chevy Stevens work, this was a worthwhile, and very quick, read!

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

Publisher: Orbit, October 2014

Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction/Fantasy

Pages:  Paperback, 405 pages

Rating:  3/5 stars

Summary (from chapters.indigo.ca):

SOME STORIES CANNOT BE TOLD IN JUST ONE LIFETIME.

Harry August is on his deathbed. Again.

No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, when death comes, Harry always returns to where he began, a child with all the knowledge of a life he has already lived a dozen times before. Nothing ever changes.

Until now.

As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside. "I nearly missed you, Doctor August," she says. "I need to send a message."This is the story of what Harry does next, and what he did before, and how he tries to save a past he cannot change and a future he cannot allow.

Review:

TOO MUCH DETAIL.  I can't start this review off any other way.  I picked this book up because it was highly praised by a booktuber I watch and I loved the premise of it but man, it's a 400 page book that should have been a 200 page one.  If half of the fluff was removed, this would have been a 5-star read instead of pushing myself to call it a 3-star.

Taking the 'fluff' out of it, I really enjoyed the story.  Harry August is a great character to follow and I did enjoy learning bits and pieces from each of his past lives but found it a little confusing when the author would jump from one life to the next without much warning.  I would have preferred if we met Harry in his first life and moved naturally through instead of jumping all over the place and back again.  Maybe that is my distaste for time-travel books... I didn't really think about that aspect before I jumped in so you have to take that with a grain of salt.

All in, I have such mixed feelings after reading this book... I really want people to read it because it makes you think but, I can't recommend it because IT WAS DRY!!  Ugh, not really the way I was hoping to kick off my 2017 reading.

Bookish Resolutions for 2017

WOW, it's officially 2017 and if you are anything like me, that means it's time to start some goals/resolutions for the upcoming year.  While I have health and happiness/family goals, what I am going to share with you today are my bookish goal for 2017.

1. Goodreads Reading Challenge - It's been a couple of years now that I have been doing the Goodreads Reading Challenge and I always set my goal to 25 books because I don't want to overwhelm myself... we spend a good amount of the summer on the ball field.  However, this year, I will be increasing that total to 35 books.  A nice, attainable goal!  You can follow along with my progress by becoming a follower/friend on Goodreads.
2. Paper & Glam Book Club - I have done a dedicated post on the Paper & Glam Book Club so I encourage you to read that (here) but quickly, I will be joining everyone in reading each of the monthly book picks and partaking in the group chat.
3. Fiction/Non-Fiction/Classic Ratio - I think this should have been my #1 resolution because I honestly think it will be the most challenging.  I am a die-hard fiction fan... more so adult fiction but I also enjoy reading young adult stories... basically, any and all fiction is my jam.  In 2017, I would like to incorporate more of the other genres into my reading because I feel like I am missing out on some amazing stories because my mind is narrow and limited.  While I intend to try for one non-fiction and one classic a month, I may switch that up as I go along so stay tuned... I will definitely keep this updated.  Thankfully, the Paper & Glam Book Club crossed over with this resolution a little as the book list for the year includes both of these genres... YAY!
4. Book-Buying Ban - This will be a short lived goal but I would like to read ALL of the books on my bookshelf at home.  Basically, those books that I have already spent money on adding to my personal library, that still need to be read.  I purchased them for some reason so let's knock this off!  I will still be able to borrow books from the library but nothing will be purchased (unless through gift cards, etc) until the shelf is empty!

So there you have it, my 2017 New Year Bookish Goals!  I will do an update quarterly to let you all know how the goals are going.