On The Bookshelf | 2017

How is July almost over? Time has literally slipped away from me. I was reorganizing my bookshelf (as one does when they live in a tiny apartment) when I realized I have not shared what I have been reading lately! In years past my reading goals have been substantially high. 50 books in 2015 and 40 books in 2016. Goals I either met or came pretty darn close to. This year I lowed my goal for a variety of reasons, but really what it comes down to is this: Quality over Quantity. My life has been busier than ever and when I do have the chance to sit down and read something I want it to wow me. So let's get started.

Beautiful Ruins | Jess Walter
I did not enjoy this book... at all. I know it's probably an unpopular opinion. I felt no connection to the characters or the setting, despite the fact that it mostly takes place in a beautiful Italian costal village. If you were to read this, it would be great for the beach. But honestly I can't recommend this book to anyone.

South and West | Joan Didion
I was a little put off that I disliked my first book of 2017 so much. It took me about a month after finishing Beautiful Ruins to pick up anything worth reading. I have always be an admirer of Emma Roberts and when she, along with Karah Preiss, started an online book club, I eagerly followed along.  South and West was their first pick, and I developed an obsession with Joan Didion by the third page. South and West is a collection of Joan's notes as she travelled through the southern United States. Having grown up in the South, I immediately felt connected to her observations and notes on the people and places she encountered.

The White Album | Joan Didion
My first Joan Didion book left me wanting more. I dove right in to the White Album and finished it within the day. Joan has a way of taking every day moments and events and bringing them to life. Her observations of people are accurate and sometimes frightening. The White Album was an excellent collection of thoughts on the American life in the 1960s and 1970s from someone who was there.

Big Little Lies | Liane Moriarty
After reading two Joan Didion works, I was ready for something lighter but still entertaining. Everyone had been talking about Big Little Lies and I'm a sucker for reading something before the movie or show comes out. This book did not disappoint. Set in Australian suburbia, the lies and deceit of this book are so mundane that anyone can relate. Moriarty has a way of taking ordinary people and creating an amazing story.

The Rules Do Not Apply | Ariel Levy
Again, another Emma Robert's recommendation that did not disappoint. I had no idea what to expect when I picked up this piece. Ariel Levy presents the tragedies that have plagued her life and twist them into a message of hope.

Into the Water | Paula Hawkins
I admit, I was not planning on reading this next Paula Hawkins novel. I had just finished The Rules Do Not Apply and needed something else to ready while at the airport. I picked up Into the Water and finished it within 24 hours. Set in a small village in England, the deaths surrounding one particular swimming hole are more than they seem. Paula Hawkins has a way of keeping me entertained through and through.

Marlena | Julie Buntin
Julie Buntin creates a story of two teenage girls, and how an innocent friendship ends with one of them dead. A wonderful read about the struggles girls face growing up. My only problem with this book is the character Marlena, who fits the manic pixie dream girl stereotype far too much.

Touch | Courtney Maum
With technology advancing at an alarming rate, the plot for Touch is almost a little too relatable. Sloane, a trend forecaster, fights for her voice in a world consumed by technology. She predicts a world where human contact will be wanted more than technology. An interesting and light read.

And Then There Were None | Agatha Christie
For my birthday one of my best friends sent me a couple of books that she had assigned her students throughout the school year. A quick read, And Then There Were None is one of the greatest mystery novels I have ever read. This book left me questioning "who did it" until the very last page.

On The Bookshelf | 2016 Part IV

Like last year, my one and only New Years Resolution for 2016 was book related. In 2015 I challenged myself to 50 books, to which I met with somewhat ease. I lowered the count to 40 this year, knowing full well that 50 would be way too many for my growing schedule. My life slowly got busier and busier, and reading no longer became a realistic priority. By the time I got home from work I was so exhausted I could barely keep my eyes open for a page or two. I found this years reading challenge to be exceptional difficult, which is why I could only finish 34 out of my original 40 books goal. 

Other than time, my biggest problem this year was finding books that I actually wanted to read. I found myself in bookstores for hours this year, often walking out without purchasing anything at all. All the classics I wanted to read I read last year, and this year just didn't seem like a great year for books to begin with. I'm a little disappointed, however 34 books is still a pretty awesome accomplishment! So lets wrap up the last 2016 reading update with the final four books on my list!

Cities I've Never Lived In: Stories | Sara Majka

3/5
A series of stories of being alone, and getting to know others. This book left me confused and dazed. It was hard to figure out how each chapter related to the story as a whole. I felt I was jumping into a new plot with new characters every couple of pages. But throughout these misguided stories you develop a bond with the narrator that leaves you feeling like a friend.

The Bookshop on the Corner | Jenny Colgan

3/5
Nina is a young librarian who finds herself without a job. Determined to make something great out of her life, she sets out on a mission to create her own traveling bookstore. Humor, romance, and a love for books, this book was a cute read from start to finish. 

The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House | Kate Anderson Bower

5/5
The most famous residence in the world can not run on its own. It takes a team of highly skilled and highly secretive people to keep the White House running smoothly. Not only are the staff there to serve, they are there to protect, to honor, and to care for the first family. I could not put this book down! I was devouring these first hand accounts of White House staffers. What they know and what they've seen not only makes me respect the few who get to work in the house, but also provides me with a more humanized version of the first families past and present. 

Scrappy Little Nobody | Anna Kendrick
4/5
I rarely read autobiographies. The last one I truly enjoyed was Amy Poehler's Yes, Please and that was years ago. I was dying to read Anna Kendrick's book for a few reasons, but the most important was because she has always been a celebrity I felt I could relate to. Scrappy Little Nobody is witty, weird, insightful, and even a little dirty. She's the kind of girl who likes to rebel, but is too scared to break any rules. She makes her career from stage to screen seem completely normal. I can respect any girl who locks herself in a hotel room after getting paranoid at a Twilight wrap party.

What were some of your favorite books of 2016??
xoxo

On the Bookshelf | 2016 Part III

I've read some pretty amazing books as of late. I found it extremely difficult to rate this bunch as I enjoyed them all immensely. However, some I enjoyed as entertainment while others I found to be flat out beautiful. All in all, you can't go wrong with a single one of these books. 

SWEETBITTER | Stephanie Danler 

4/5
Living in New York City is completely different than experiencing it. Tess moves from a small town to the city to find whatever it is New York has to offer. Working as a backwaitress, she learns a side of New York she had never imagined. Fine food, fascinating people, and exceptional wine. Yes, lots of wine. This book is beautiful, but real. I enjoyed every page and recommend this more than any other book on the list. 

THE GIRLS | Emma Cline 

4/5
Evie falls headfirst into one of California's most infamous cults. Too young to know any better, she is drawn in by the freedom and love the family has to offer. Attaching herself to one of the older girls, Evie is blind to the violent path the cult is about to take. This book captures the essence of cult culture fascination. Focusing on the female voices of the cult, this novel creates a narrative for those who blindly follow cults and their leaders. 

NERVE | Jeanne Ryan

3/5

Kids doing stupid dares for fame and fortune? Sounds about right. When Vee decides to join the online world of Nerve, where dares are broadcasted live on the internet, things turn ugly. I enjoyed this book for it's entertainment value. A quick read (I finished it in a single evening), Nerve provides a not so far fetched plot of what could happen when the internet starts to control us. 

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD | JK Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany

5/5

Ah, Harry. It's been awhile, hasn't it? Harry Potter may have grown up, but the magic and mayhem that surrounds him, Hermonie, and Ron are still there. I found it extremely difficult to immerse myself in the play format, but after a few pages I finally seemed to get the hang of it. Meant for the stage, the published play is by no means a 'sequel' to the Harry Potter book series. However, once you come to understand it for what it is (a PLAY), then you can truly enjoy it. 

BLOOD SISTERS: THE WOMEN BEHIND THE WARS OF THE ROSES | Sarah Gristwood

3/5
If you follow along with my reading updates, you may know that I tend to read quite a lot of medieval history books. I was thrilled to find a history book that focused on my favorite women players of the Wars of the Roses. However, this book lacked originality. Having read almost every book on the era, I found this book to be repetitive to other popular works out right now. 

THE MUSE | Jessie Burton

4/5
Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist was one of my favorite reads of 2015. I had high expectations for The Muse. A painting is rediscovered, but it is not the painting that puzzles Odelle, it is the painting's mysterious history. Where did it come from? Why had it been hidden away for so long? Although Odelle sets out to find these answers, the answers more or less find her. 

DEADWAKE | Erik Larson

4/5
Not many people can read historical non-fiction. However, Erik Larson has perfected the art of readable history. The sinking of the Lusitania is a common topic in history classes, however the details of its journey are often overlooked. Larson presents a beautifully written piece that follows the journey of the Lusitania from departure to its eventual sinking.

BOSWORTH 1485 | Michael Jones

4/5
I had been eager to get my hands on this book for awhile now. The Battle of Bosworth was a specific event I wrote about in my Masters dissertation and there aren't many works that discuss the battle alone. While Jones' depiction focuses on the themes leading up to the battle, he provides a clear picture of both sides. 

MODERN ROMANCE | Aziz Ansari 

3/5
How does one even begin to date in the modern age. Aziz Ansari sets out to find the answers. A surprisingly hilarious, yet educational, study on modern romance. 

THE GATES OF EVANGELINE | Hester Young 

3/5
This book had me by the cover. I know, terrible. But anything set in Louisiana is bound to grab my attention. Charlotte is hired to write a book on one of the most infamous unsolved cases of the 20th century, the disappearance of Gabriel Deveau. As she investigates the family and their secretive past, Charlotte begins to discover there is more going on in the swamps of Louisiana than she originally thought. This is a good read to fill that gapping hole after reading The Girl on the Train or Gone Girl. 

BLOGGER RECOMMENDS: Sweetbitter & The Girls

On the Bookshelf | 2016 Reading Challenge Part II

I hope everyone is having a great start to the week! Before we jump into what I've been reading lately, a quick service announcement. I've added ratings to my book reviews! I personally have always found book reviews with blogger's ratings more helpful for choosing the next book I want to read. As my book reviews come in sets of ten, my hope is that these ratings will help you easily chose what book to pick up next! All my ratings are the same ratings I provided these books on Goodreads, so if you aren't following me there make sure to add me and say hello! Okay, shall we dive in?

THE SILVER WITCH | Paula Brackston 
4/5
Adult fantasy is a hard art to master. I rarely pick up books like this solely for that reason. Having said that, I found The Silver Witch to be an exceptional fantasy novel geared towards an older crowd. The Silver Witch follows a newly widowed woman, Tilda Fordwells, into Wales where she discovers her mystical ancestry. There is mystery, suspense, action, and even a little romance. I personally love books that reference ancient magic and found this book very entertaining!

DREAM A LITTLE DREAM | Giovanna Fletcher
3/5
Recently I've been traveling for work, and I usually prefer a good audiobook to the radio. I chose this book for a little lighthearted fun. Unfortunately, I found myself depressed and slightly bored. Sarah, a woman who can remember every detail of almost every dream, finds the world she created in her sleep to be more exciting than reality. When the two words crash, it becomes a comically sad mess.

THE WARS OF THE ROSES | Alison Weir
4/5 
As the Wars of the Roses are becoming a highly sought after topic, the amount of historical works have increase drastically over the last 20 years. Weir's work, published in 1995, is one of the best comprehensive works out there for this particular time period.

THE COLOR PURPLE | Alice Walker
4/5
My friend and I challenged ourselves to begin reading more banned books by American authors. The Color Purple is arguably one of the most well known book that had been banned at some point in time. Walker's novel is immediately heart wrenching, and within pages I was crying. Celie, although uneducated and unappreciated, understands how to survive. As time goes on, she gains courage and strength to create a world of her own.

THE SECRET HISTORY | Donna Tartt
4/5
Where do I even begin with this book? A group of classic students at a small elite college become obsessed with the circumstances surrounding an accidental death. A well written physiological thriller that I would recommend to anyone willing to take on the daunting task of reading such a long book.

THE SCARLET LETTER | Nathaniel Hawthorne
3/5
Everyone knows the general theme of The Scarlet Letter. However, as I read this book (in one night I might add) the image in my head was completely broken down. The idea of adultery was of course the same, but there were many other themes I found to be even more interesting. Self vs public image, the ideas of childhood, living outside of society's rules. I throughly enjoyed this book, however, it is not something I will pick up again any time soon.

THE BEAUTIFUL AND DAMNED | F. Scott Fitzgerald
4/5
Fitzgerald has clever way of creating characters that I absolutely despise, yet feel invested in. The book follows the spoiled Anthony and Gloria in 1920s New York. The two characters are toxic for each other. Their love slowly leads to each of their downfalls. An entertaining and somewhat biographical read, The Beautiful and Damned has to be one of my favorite Fitzgerald reads.

THE BURIED GIANT | Kazuo Ishiguro
2/5 
Hmmm, okay. So I really wanted to like this book. An elderly couple sets out to find their son, only they can't really remember him, let alone anything from their distant past. My biggest problem was the writing style. I LOVED it, but it had been a while since I had read something Tolkien-esk. The amount of detail that went into each conversation was borderline excessive which made it extremely hard to get through.

AFTER YOU | Jojo Moyes
2/5
Lousia Clark is a character I just don't understand. After reading Me Before You and balling my eyes out, I was interested to see how Louisa's life carried on without Will. (Spoiler alert: it isn't that grand). Would I recommend this to anyone who has read Me Before You? Probably not.

THE CASUAL VACANCY | JK Rowling 
3/5
I'm surprised it has taken me this long to finally read The Causal Vacancy. A spot for a Parish Councilor becomes unexpectedly vacant leaving the tiny town of Pagford in total chaos. Rowling creates a town of betrayal and secrecy, one that can be compared to almost any small town across the world. The overall theme of this book was fantastic, however the sheer amount of characters I was forced to keep up with was daunting and at times slightly confusing.