First Line Fridays: February 22nd

As always First Line Friday comes courtesy of Hoarding Books Blog. I discovered this magic thanks to Crystal at Must Love Reviews.

This week I am highlighting a book I’m about to start shortly, here we go…

I was born without a voice, one cold, overcast day in Brooklyn, New York. No one ever spoke of my condition. I did not know I was mute until years later, when I’d opened my mouth to ask for what I wanted and realized no one could hear me.

Wow. Know the book? I will say, this has my interest and I’m ready to start this bad boy! Here it is…

I will probably start this today considering I have a snow day, er, ice day. It’s my kids’ first snow day and my 2nd spanning across my 13 year teaching career (I had one 11 years ago). Growing up we had them all the time but here in the desert they are RARE! What better way to enjoy it than by reading?!? What are you reading on this winter day?

Book Review: The Beach House

I am not sure if you know this or not but last summer I decided to read The Kissing Booth and then watch the movie on Netflix during a family trek to Europe. I was not a huge fan of the book until I watched the movie…odd, right? Well, Netflix just announced they are creating a sequel to The Kissing Booth so when I investigated and saw that Elle and Noah still had some romance going, I had to check it out! I downloaded the Wattpad app and got to reading!

You really have to read The Kissing Booth first to fully get this novella. It is a short story that highlights the annual trip to Lee & Noah’s beach house the summer before Noah leaves. (Quick background if you haven’t read The Kissing Booth: Noah is Lee’s older brother and Elle’s boyfriend. Lee is Elle’s best friend.) Will this be where the movie takes us? A summer break? Who knows. Even though I was not a huge fan of how they changed Elle in the movie. I still have to check it out. Maybe Netflix will redeem themselves with me in this soon to be made sequel!

Also, in The Kissing Booth we see Elle say goodbye to Noah when he goes away to college. This is set before then for a week at their beach house. I’m a little fuzzy at how this is a “sequel” but, to each their own I guess.

…part of me wishes I did not read this. There really was no point. It isn’t really a sequel as it is more of some extra information with what happened during The Kissing Booth really. I am giving this novella 3 stars. Why? Their time spent at the beach house was really anti-climatic. I love the tale of Elle, Noah, and Lee, but, this just left me thinking, what did I just read?! I want to know more about what happens when Noah goes away to college and Elle is left behind. I went back in time instead of going further ahead, which is usually what a proclaimed sequel does. There is enough in this book that I am sure Netflix will use some of it for what happens in their sequel. We will find out soon won’t we?

Have you read this? Do you read books on Wattpad? Let me know of some can’t miss books on there and I’ll add them to my list and check them out! Wattpad is a whole new world for me and if you have not checked it out, you should! The app is SUPER easy to use!

Title: The Beach House

Author: Beth Reekles

Publisher: Wattpad

Release Date: December 31, 2011

Find it here on Goodreads

Top Ten Tuesday: February 19th

It’s Tuesday which means it’s time for another TTT courtesy of That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is…

Books I LOVED with Fewer than 2,000 Ratings on Goodreads

*runs to Goodreads* I went through my entire “read” pile and looked at each book I rated 5 stars. If they had less than 2,000 ratings as of Monday, February 18th, they made this list! I started each book from the most ratings under 2,000 to the book with the least! Only 5 made the cut so without further ado…

Wynn In Doubt by Emily Hemmer 1,667 ratings (4.0 star rating) : Women’s Lit, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Mystery

The Elephant In The Room by Tommy Tomlinson 379 ratings (4.43 star rating) : Memoir

The Life We Wanted by Kelsey Kingsley 316 ratings (4.56 star rating) : Romance (but not mushy, gushy-contemporary)

The Christmas Wish by Tilly Tennant 282 ratings (4.13 star rating) : Holiday Cheesy Romance

Tough Truths by Deirdre Maloney 35 ratings (4.0 star rating) : Business

Each link will take you to each books’ Goodreads page. I opted to go the visual route this week and show you each cover as opposed to overloading you with text and giving each description. Bottom line is…I LOVED ALL OF THESE BOOKS! They deserve MORE love! Honestly, I am most surprised that The Christmas Wish had as few reviews as it did, I would have assumed that book would have had a lot more. I know it was featured on Netgalley so I’m not too sure why it has such few reviews. What book that you’ve read has surprised you the most with having little ratings on Goodreads?

Goodreads Monday: February 18th

Goodreads Monday comes courtesy once again of Lauren’s Page Turners. Every Monday I will randomly pick a book on my Goodreads to read shelf and pair it with the cover image and Goodreads description. This week I picked a random page and the cover that stood out the most to me!

Quick Goodreads Stats

363: To Read Shelf

63: Read Shelf

7: Read 2019 Shelf

My Pick This Week

Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson

Expected Released: July 30, 2019

Current Goodreads Rating (as of 02/18/2019): 4.05 stars (41 ratings, 16 reviews)

Goodreads Summary

New York Times bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson–“an admired writer who deserves to be a household name” (Kirkus Reviews)–displays her masterful talent in this dark and deliciously addictive tale of domestic suspense.

In this game, even winning can be deadly…

Amy Whey is proud of her ordinary life and the simple pleasures that come with it–teaching diving lessons, baking cookies for new neighbors, helping her best friend, Charlotte, run their local book club. Her greatest joy is her family: her devoted professor husband, her spirited fifteen-year-old stepdaughter, her adorable infant son. And, of course, the steadfast and supportive Charlotte. But Amy’s sweet, uncomplicated life begins to unravel when the mysterious and alluring Angelica Roux arrives on her doorstep one book club night.

Sultry and magnetic, Roux beguiles the group with her feral charm. She keeps the wine flowing and lures them into a game of spilling secrets. Everyone thinks it’s naughty, harmless fun. Only Amy knows better. Something wicked has come her way–a she-devil in a pricey red sports car who seems to know the terrible truth about who she is and what she once did.

When they’re alone, Roux tells her that if she doesn’t give her what she asks for, what she deserves, she’s going to make Amy pay for her sins. One way or another.

To protect herself and her family and save the life she’s built, Amy must beat the devil at her own clever game, matching wits with Roux in an escalating war of hidden pasts and unearthed secrets. Amy knows the consequences if she can’t beat Roux. What terrifies her is everything she could lose if she wins.

A diabolically entertaining tale of betrayal, deception, temptation, and love filled with dark twists leavened by Joshilyn Jackson’s trademark humor, Never Have I Ever explores what happens when the transgressions of our past come back with a vengeance.

My Thoughts

Sooooo…how can I get an advance reader copy of this baby?!?

I am looking forward to reading this book! This sounds right up my alley, I love a good domestic suspense novel! I will be keeping this book in the forefront of my mind…is it July yet?!?

St. Martin’s Press #bookmail #SavingMeghan #DJPalmer

Image courtesy My Subscription Addiction

There is nothing more exciting than running out to my mail box and seeing a cardboard envelope with a book stuffed inside it! Talk about seeing someone run back into a house, that’s me on book mail days!

The book mail I got today is a psychological thriller from St. Martin’s Press called Saving Meghan by D.J. Palmer. It is scheduled for release on April 9, 2019. My first impression of this book is…YES! Here’s a short description from the back cover…

Can you love someone to death?

Some would say Becky Gerard is a devoted mother and would do anything for her only child. Others claim she’s obsessed and can’t stop the vicious circle of finding a cure at her daughter’s expense.

Fifteen-year-old Meghan has been in and out of hospitals with a plague of unexplained illnesses. But when the ailments take a sharp turn, doctors intervene and immediately suspect Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a rare behavioral disorder where the primary caretaker, typically the mother, seeks medical help for made-up symptoms of a child. Is this what’s going on? Or is there something even more sinister at hand?

WHAT?!?!? This description has me hooked! There is a lot of praise from Lisa Gardner, Karin Slaughter, Lisa Unger (NYT bestselling author of Under My Skin), Lisa Scottoline (NYT bestselling author of After Anna), William Landay (NYT bestselling author of Defending Jacob), and Alafair Burke (NYT bestselling author of The Wife) for this book!

Here’s a quick sneak peek at the first few lines of the book from Becky, the mother…

Panic gripped her as the airplane’s hatch door closed. Her heartbeat skittered against the tightness stretched across her chest. The air tasted stale, harder to take in as her breathing turned rapid and shallow. A thin sheen of sweat dampened her face and coated her body. Her skin stuck to the seat;s faux leather upholstery like adhesive. Becky Gerard thought to herself: I’ve made a terrible mistake.

And a quick sneak peek a few chapters later at the first line from Meghan, the daughter…

I could see it in my father’s eyes.

I am SO excited to read this book! I can’t wait to take you along the journey through this book with me! I will be starting it soon so stay tuned! If enough of you bug me I will move it up on my reading list and start it sooner! This looks like a promising read so far!!! I wonder if I will be on side #ProtectMeghan or side #BelieveBecky! Hmmm…..

Book Review: The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls

This is the debut novel from Anissa Gray to be released on Tuesday, February 19, 2019. Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is an emotional, raw read. We meet the Butler family, all of whom have to been to hell and back, and get a glimpse into the life of an American family. The eldest sister, Althea, and her husband, Proctor, get arrested for running a charity scheme where they were taking the money and using it on themselves. Their own daughter turns them in. Yikes.

Althea goes on a personal journey while she is in jail and I can’t help but feel heartbroken for this broken woman. While she is on the inside, her sisters Lillian and Viola are left to pick up the pieces with their twin daughters. Lillian is doing all she can but can’t reach them and desperately needs Viola. Each sister is facing ghosts from their past and through the book they work through them. Just when you thought no one was there for you, your family ends up being what you need.

I felt so much emotion while reading this book, yet, I felt something different for each character. Sometimes I was angry and sometimes I was sad. After finishing this book I had to just breathe for the day before I picked up another. I don’t feel it is a heavy read, however, it does pull at the heartstrings. I really liked how Gray ended the book.

We see the problems each character have become resolved in a manner that is absolutely appropriate for the book. Loose, flowing ends are tied up into an appropriate bow.

4 star read for me. The vernacular used on the characters in this book was also so spot on I felt like I was transformed from my living room into theirs. There is the use of some foul language so if you are easily offended this may not be the book for you, however, it is absolutely appropriate in each setting it is used in. If you enjoy stories about families and the struggles they face, this book is for you!

Have you read this? Have this on your list? I think everyone is going to be raving about this one in the upcoming next few weeks. Definitely put this on your to-read list immediately!

Title: The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls

Author: Anissa Gray

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: Expected February 19, 2019

ISBN-10: 1984802437

Amazon //\\ Goodreads

First Line Fridays: February 15th

As always First Line Friday comes courtesy of Hoarding Books Blog. I discovered this magic thanks to Crystal at Must Love Reviews.

Today my first line comes from…

OnceALiar

Once A Liar by A.F. Brady

**“He who fights with monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster.** -Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, Aphorism 146“

Yes, the book starts with a quote and as I continue to read this book, this quote is ever so appropriate! So far I am pretty sure I don’t like the main character, but, the jury is still out. Ha, have you read this one? What do you think? What are you currently reading right now?

Top Ten Tuesday: February 12th

It’s Tuesday which means it’s time for another TTT courtesy of That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is…

Favorite Couples In Books

Well I can tell you I will not have a list of 10…there are only a handful of couples that come to mind so my list will be short & sweet, but, I am hoping they are some of your favorites too!

Lara Jean & Peter Kaminsky from

I couldn’t help but cheer these two on. Gosh…I LOVED this series. These two is what made these three books all that they are. Man…this may be a trilogy I have to re-read!

Hazel & Augustus from

The only book that has made me cry super ugly, crocodile tears has been this one. Sure, I have teared up reading other books but none have ripped my soul out from my body like this one did. *sigh* This book destroyed me so much I can’t bear the thought of watching this movie!

Maisey & Tony from

I picked this book as an Amazon First Reads and fell in love. I loved this story about a woman discovering she has a twin sister as her mother passes away (Maisey). Tony is an all around good guy who is helping her as she comes back to her home town to help with her father. I was rooting so hard for these two and thankfully King delivers (in more ways than one with this book)!

So…it’s a pretty short Top Ten Tuesday from me. These are my top loves of books I have read. Do you love any of these couples as much as I do? Let me know!

Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday comes courtesy once again of Lauren’s Page Turners. Every Monday I will randomly pick a book on my Goodreads to read shelf and pair it with the cover image and Goodreads description. This week I picked another favorite number of mine, 72, and went the book that was there.

Quick Goodreads Stats

354: To Read Shelf

62: Read Shelf

6: Read 2019 Shelf

My Pick This Week

Charter Storm by Mary Searcy Bixby & Tom R. Davis

Released: September 18, 2018

Current Goodreads Rating: 2.64 stars (25 ratings, 18 reviews)

Goodreads Summary

Public education in the United States faces an unprecedented crisis. The explosive growth of charter schools over the last two decades has shaken the status quo to its core. At stake are the future of public schools and how they will continue to educate our nation’s youth.
Clashes over money and ideologies have led to a struggle between the public education establishment and those at the forefront of educational reform. The conflict is being waged in the court of public opinion, as well as in courtrooms throughout the country. While the outcome is impossible to predict, both sides are preparing for a fight of David versus Goliath proportions. Collaboration is critical to the success of both.
Educational experts Dr. Tom R. Davis and Mary Searcy Bixby have spent their entire careers improving public education—Mary in charter schools and Tom in traditional public education. In Charter Storm, they use their combined knowledge and research of over 120 individual interviews over five years to teach you about—
• essential insights those new to the charter school movement need for their schools to survive and thrive
• how aggressive educational establishment pushback threatens to sweep away the most vulnerable
• key issues authorizers must know to effectively oversee their organizations
• the overwhelming challenges the educational establishment faces today and how it can effectively navigate the changing local and national educational landscape
• why active participation and support of charter school associations are essential to each charter school and the educational reform movement’s long-term success
• what every charter school parent needs to know to create and support an exceptional educational experience for his or her children

My Thoughts

I won this on Goodreads through a giveaway. The reviews have me a little skeptical on this one.

I plan on reading this book. We just put our children in a charter school this year and I am curious to see what this book as to say. I also won this book for free so, no harm, no foul. I am a public school teacher myself so I am curious to see the charter school realm explained in this book. I will let you all know what I think about this when I get around to it!

Stacking The Shelves: February 9th

Here’s my usual blurb about today’s post…I stumbled across Stocking The Shelves on Jill’s Book Blog (check it out). This is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality. Here’s what they say about it…

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

I actually bought physical books this week!! Not for me, but, for my 7 year old son! I ended up buying him 7…yikes! But hey, if he is reading and won’t stop reading, I don’t care!! Here is what we bought him…

The Ballpark Mystery Series box set 1-4 (and then subsequently 5, 6, & 7 after he blew through 2 books in 2 days). He has been struggling with reading lately and has read all of the books we have. My husband stumbled across this series by David A. Kelly which is a mystery series for kids ages 6-9 (grades 1-4). Each book takes place at a different MLB stadium. The box set was only $13 on Amazon so we risked it and I am so glad we did!! He read the first book in a day, he couldn’t stop (ut oh, he takes after me). He HAD to know how it ended! Hahahaha. We are so happy to find out he enjoys mysteries and we plan on buying this whole series for him. I am happy to take recommendations for more mystery books you think a 7 (almost 8) year old boy would enjoy!

Now for my books…first, I’ll highlight the freebies!

One S’More Summer by Beth Merlin

Get Lucky by Lila Monroe

All Eyes On Me by Linsey Lanier

The Day I Died by E. B. Black

There Are No Men by Carol Maloney Scott (for a short time it was offered free)

I did pay for 2 books this week…2 books I am **VERY** excited to read! They are both by the talented Teresa Driscoll! As soon as I finish the 2 books I am reading right now I am diving in to these bad boys!!

The Friend

The Promise

What do you think of the books I got this week? Do you have any? Did you get The Promise this week??? Let me know!! As always, thank you for stopping by!

Books I LOVED with Fewer than 2,000 Ratings on Goodreads

Image courtesy My Subscription Addiction

Can you love someone to death?

“He who fights with monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. -Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, Aphorism 146“

Favorite Couples In Books

**“He who fights with monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster.** -Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, Aphorism 146“