The last couple months have been huge reading months for me with a large variety in genres and authors. Here are just a few of them... I'll have to do a Part 2 soon.
![Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World by [McRaven, William H.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51D8tEOmerL.jpg)
Confession: I always make my bed. You'll know something is really wrong in my house when my bed isn't made and it really does bug me so this book definitely appealed to me. This was a pretty quick morning read written by a retired US Navy Seal with little nuggets that served as inspiration. In a nutshell the author says that life is tough but meeting challenges with discipline, strong will, and a great attitude will lead to success. Definitely great messaging in there. Oh and his deal with making his bed was at least one task is completed early in the am with lots of promise for more to be completed in the future.
![Nowhere but Here: A Novel by [Carlino, Renée]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/5168Jq6VcLL.jpg)
A quick, light read after some of the heavier ones that I read this month. I think I completed this one in less than 24 hours... on a beach... in Mexico. Lots of emotions, lots of twists and turns but a nice, wrapped up, happy ending. I found myself a bit frustrated with the protagonist on several occasions but all in all it was a fun read.
![Educated: A Memoir by [Westover, Tara]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41Ld1sqdhgL.jpg)
One of the 10 best books of 2018, and a Barack Obama favorite, I knew I had to give this one a go. A memoir about a little girl whose parents did not believe in classroom education and who had very strong beliefs of their own and and how Tara found herself to be a Cambridge PhD. After a slow start I found myself intrigued and captivated and spent quite a while googling her family after. A heartbreaking, heartwarming, inspiring book about striving beyond your limitations given to you and your environment into a better life though often at a great cost as well.
![Where'd You Go, Bernadette: A Novel by [Semple, Maria]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41jZQywZjHL.jpg)
Mom leaves her daughter and husband in a mysterious disappearance in this crazy novel that’s also inspired a movie. This one kept me on my toes, made me laugh out loud, but also left me a little frustrated as I simply couldn’t understand how a mom could leave her daughter and couldn't relate to the deep, dark world of private tutelage and privilege. Definitely a unique read and a strange story.
![The Last Anniversary by [Moriarty, Liane]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51fLulcBX8L.jpg)
I’m a huge fan of this author so I was pretty excited to read this book. It was just OK to me though. It is about some residents on a private island dealing with the death of one of its own. Lots of detail and character descriptions so I felt I got to know the protagonists (many of them). The ending was bizarre and I found the story itself to be a bit flat.
![The Forgotten Hours by [Schumann, Katrin]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41NbnKqFoVL.jpg)
I totally loved this book. It was a free first read from Prime but it haunted me for so long after. Katie, the protagonist, is torn between her loyalty for her father (who is in jail for statutory rape of her best friend) and many red flags that are emerging as he is about to get out of jail. I found myself rooting for one person and then the other at different parts of the novel and the writer did a great job showcasing all the nuances and complications in these types of case for all the victims and family members involved. This is a debut novel by Schumann and I really am hoping she doesn't stop here.
Have a wonderful Friday, friends! And a terrific Mother's Day weekend to all those beautiful mamas out there, especially the most beautiful of them all... my own XOXO..
I've been reading a ton lately too, but I haven't read any of these!
ReplyDeleteLove Rene Carlino! Hope you have a great mother's day! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston
ReplyDeleteI love that you've been able to get in some great books. You And your mother are both beautiful! Happy Mother's Day!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the Forgotten Hours and have Educated waiting in my book basket to read... I just hope I'm not disappointed.
ReplyDeleteBernadette is such a fun one! I'm curious to see how the movie turns out... And I loved Educated. I don't read memoir very often, but I was just SO engrossed by that story. Just recently finished Maid by Stephanie Land, which was also a memoir that I got really sucked into.
ReplyDeleteCurrently in the middle of listening to Educated on audio! I also loved Where'd you go Bernadette just because of how quirky it was!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is in an intensive tumbling program, and one of the coaches had them read Make Your Bed so of course I had to read it, too. I didn't necessarily take away anything from it but his stories were interesting. I wish I'd just watched the commencement speech, though.
ReplyDeleteEducated and Bernadette are both excellent books.
I want to read Bernadette this summer before the movie comes out!
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I have The Forgotten Hours on my kindle - thanks for reminding me! I'll try that Renee Carlino too. I have one of her books on my shelf that's been there for over a year but I don't think it's that one.
ReplyDeleteI liked Bernadette. Educated pissed me off. I felt terrible for her.
I always make my bed! If I don't I don't feel right all day.
Your mama is so cute!
ReplyDeleteI love Moriarty but the last anniversary was also just ok for me. Its was also a bit too long (but whats new with moriarty lol)
I really liked Where'd You Go and we read Educated for our Summer read last week at work it lead to some amazing conversations. I never make my bed, see zero reason to since I plan to get back into it. It always makes me laugh how strongly people feel about it.
ReplyDeleteEducated was good! The Bernadette one looks interesting and is on my re-read list.
ReplyDeleteMoriarty and I are just not compatible. I've tried a couple of her books and nope. I feel bad about it because everyone seems to adore her! Educated is on my TBR. I will get to it eventually!
ReplyDeletei just saw the make your bed guy on the tv on sunday lol. i *hate* making my bed and always have. i get the idea though, love the idea of doing little things each day. but i despise a made bed lol. i own educated, hoping to get to it sometime this year lol. i was not a big fan of the last anniversary, though i am a huge fan of her other books (and just her as a person lol).
ReplyDeleteI loved Where'd You Go Bernadette and am so looking forward to the movie, but definitely understand your frustration with it. I have The Forgotten Hours on my Kindle, I'll have to movie it up on my list! I'm a bit resistant to read Educated even though it was one of the top 10 of last year because of the heavy subject matter. Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!
ReplyDeleteI thought The Last Anniversary was good in the sense that it was outside the realm of what Moriarity is known for writing now. I liked the story a lot. (It might have been a very early book for her?)
ReplyDeleteWhere'd You Go was super good but Today Will Be Different was terrible in comparison, for me.
I just added The Forgotten Hours to my to read list. I wasn't a big fan of Where'd You go Bernadette. And I haven't enjoy my most recent Moriarty reads. I tried reading Educated, but it was so slow that I gave up. Everyone's raving about it, so I'm going to give it another try.
ReplyDeleteI think I have Forgotten Hours on my Kindle, but haven't read it yet! Thanks for the recommendations. Tanya - The Other Side of the Road
ReplyDeleteI have added the Carlino to my list, I feel like I haven't heard many things about that one. I also want to read Educated. I am one of the few who did not like Bernadette. *shrugs* Here very late from SUYB! XO - Alexandra
ReplyDeleteSimply Alexandra: My Favorite Things