Reading can be an up and down kind of thing. Sometimes nothing sounds good and you have to army crawl your way out of a slump and back into a reading rhythm. But sometimes you have the opposite problem, in which every book sounds great and your TBR pile threatens to topple over and crush you (in the best kind of way).
I am currently experiencing the second scenario. My motto right now is ‘so many books, so little time’! I’ve been enjoying a ton of great books and have a bunch more lined up that I’m excited about, and I’m going to share as many as I can with you today!
P.S. Last month I expressed my intention to read more nonfiction in 2021. This is me acknowledging that based on my list this month it looks like I have some work to do since there is only one nonfiction book out of the eleven listed.
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Just Finished:
This is a middle-grade novel in verse by popular author Jacqueline Woodson. It is told from the point of view of a young boy watching his pro-football player father deal with mental and physical health issues that years of concussions have produced. I have mixed feelings about novels in verse, because a lot of people really rave about it as a beautiful form of expression, but I kind of don’t get the hype. I’ve never been drawn in by poetry or anything like that, so while I did enjoy the book (and I also liked Brown Girl Dreaming), it wasn’t life changing. I’d be interested to hear if anyone has a similar opinion about this style of writing or if I’m just broken (not ruling it out).
The Accidental Bride
It wouldn’t be a books in progress post without me giving you a few Denise Hunter books for your list. This is sort of a marriage of convenience story, although it comes about in an unusual way. It’s full of chemistry between the two main characters, but also dives a little deeper into the why behind the issues they have that keep Shay pushing Travis away. It’s also pretty funny, which is one of the things I like about this author.
This is the the third book in a suspense trilogy that I absolutely flew through in the last few weeks. The series follows Casey Cox as she flees for her life after being set up for murder by a corrupt cop. In each place she temporarily settles in her identity is inevitably exposed because she just can’t keep from helping people, which is part of the reason Dylan Roberts suspects she might be innocent. Hired by the parents of the man she supposedly murdered to track her down, he is struck by the inconsistencies in her case and actions, and begins to dig deeper. This is such an action-packed set of books, you guys! I listened to them on audio and couldn’t put them down.
In Progress:
The follow up to The Accidental Bride (see above), this book tells the story of Annie and Dylan. Despite the attraction she feels for him, Annie is convinced that all cowboys are nothing but trouble and she will do whatever it takes to keep her distance from him. Dylan sees how special Annie is and turns on the charm to win her over, even though she insults and rebuffs him at every turn. Will they be able to overcome their differences and be together? (Spoiler alert: I’m betting yes.)
The premise of this book is that Nina is an only child with an absent mother, a situation she’s content with as a serious introvert. Her world gets turned upside down when she finds out the father she never knew recently passed away and named her in his will. Now she is thrust into world full of family members she never knew existed, and not all of them are pleasant. I like the idea behind it and the writing style that includes pages from Nina’s daily journal, and I definitely get Nina’s introvert/stay home and read style, but I have to admit I am a little put off by what feels like unecessary crudeness in a few places.
Giving It All Away…And Getting It All Back Again
This book is by Davide Green, founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby, and details how the company got it start as well as their corporate and family stance on giving. I feel like it’s a very honest, straightforward guide to how to give more time and money in ways that support your values. It is leaving me feeling inspired to be more generous!
I love a good regency mystery, don’t you? This book is filled with murder, mysterious strangers, and a hint of potential romance, which makes a good combination in my book. Rebecca is sure Mr. Browning killed her brother Jacob, but when she and her aunt are brought to live on his estate, she begins to suspect that other forces might have been at play in his death. She and Mr. Browning form a tentative truce as she tries to discover the truth.
Honestly? I don’t really like this book all that much. This is the current read aloud that I’m sharing with my girls, and while it does have some humorous bits, I’m finding it to be much darker than I anticipated. It’s literally about darkness, dungeons, torture, and abuse, which is not what expected from a book with a tiny mouse on the cover. It surprises me that they want to continue reading it, but since they haven’t expressed any interest in setting it aside I guess I’ll keep going and hope it gets better. I have my eye on Anne of Green Gables for our next read aloud — I’m confident that one will be more to my taste.
Up Next:
The Lost Jewels came to me via a belated Christmas gift exchange with my sisters, and I’m excited to start reading it! It has a lovely cover (which was apparently the main contributor to it being purchased) and promises a dual-timeline story, which I love.
The token Denise Hunter book for this category, Saving Grace is the next book in the New Heights series I started a few months ago. My mother-in-law and I have been slowly acquiring and swapping Denise Hunter books in order for both of us to read her entire collection, and I have to say it’s going well! This book is about a newly single mother trying to move on after a painful divorce by working at a crisis pregnancy center and the way her life changes as she tries to help one particular young woman, with dangerous consequences.
I know, I listed this as an upcoming read last month, but I never actually got to go to the library and get it! So here it is again this month with me crossing my fingers and toes that a much needed library trip will take place this week so I can jump into this intriguing (but ugly, as I also mentioned last month) science-based thriller.
Don’t forget to hop on over to Modern Mrs. Darcy’s quick lit linkup if you want even more bookish discussion!
I really enjoy novels-in-verse and I think it’s because it’s such a different format and way to write. I definitely prefer to read them via audio, but also the ability of a writer to include so much in so little is definitely what draws me to them.
I too always want more nonfiction balance in my life, but I’m such a mood reader it never really happens – I have found that doing a chapter in the morning (just a chapter so it isn’t a major commitment) and/or my nonfiction on audio makes it much more likely that I read at least one nonfiction per month.
Here’s what I have been reading this month including a surprisingly comforting arctic expedition story (The Arctic Fury) and our family’s read-alouds (have you read THE MR PENGUIN books by Alex T Smith?)
https://www.everyoneslibrarian.com/blog/quick-lit-february-2021
I’ve never heard of the Mr. Penguin books before now, but they sound like great read aloud! Thanks for the recommendation!
All of these are new to me! I have been reading more as well. I tend to go for the legal thrillers or psychological books. Thanks for the suggestions!
I like thrillers too, but for some reason I don’t often reach for them. I’m always glad when I do, so I need to try to fit more of them in.
Lots of new books to add to my reading list! I want to start with the Accidental Bride. I also love books with some humor and I havent read a Denise Hunter book yet.
Oh she’s very funny so I think you’ll like her.
I really enjoyed The Bookish Life of Nina Hill. I will have to add these other titles to my must-read list.
I think Nina Hill was a hit for a lot of people 🙂
Oh wow so many books! I’ve been reading one book for like 3 months and I’m not sure I’ll ever finish.
Sometimes you can get stuck on a book and it slows down your momentum. Maybe you can put it away for now and try something else? You can always come back to it later 🙂
You’ve made great progress! I have some of these on my list!
Awesome, which ones do we have in common?
I have also read quite a few Denise Hunter books, I don’t know that I’ve read all the books you’ve listed but I’m pretty sure I’ve read everything she’s written in the last ~7 years thought! Fun fact: a few years ago we were at the same wedding (her husband works with my nephew’s wife) although I didn’t talk to her. I need to check to see if she has anything new coming out soon! (probably, she is very prolific!).
Wow, that’s a cool story! And yes, she has a long back list and comes out with at least one new one a year, so you have to be on your toes to stay caught with her.