Dawn Gerrity

Just a great fun read.

Nice light fun read. I'm sure many issues but I just couldn't help myself and loved it. It's a romance but big on independence. My kind of summer reading!!

I loved this. Funny, courageous and always entertaining. I have a newfound respect for jvn! I did not know anything about jvn's life.

Ok, I have a confession to make, I only made it about half-way through this book. I just couldn't take any more of it, and I don't take abandonment of books lightly. I know there are many people out there who love David Sedaris and love this book (at least there are on Amazon) but I am not one of them.

I give this book one star because I couldn't give it zero stars for being offensive, unenlightening, boring, and just humorless in general. If you want to read my reasons why you can at: https://collectedstoriescom.wordpress.com/2017/12/22/book-review-holidays-on-ice/

I found it very interesting the way it was written, I could see it playing in my head like one of those “Whatever happened to....” documentaries you see on VH1. I truly enjoyed the book but felt the ending was a bit ... Not sure. I guess it just felt to wrapped up and complete in such a nice package. The characters played their roles well, but sometimes they felt just like that–roles. A nice read for the beach.

It was very interesting and full of amazing facts. It wanders a bit, but I was ok with it. It took me awhile to get into the book.

She repeated several authors many times through her lists, I would have rather had her do a section on her favorite authors and their books and then move onto other books and authors for her lists. Also, a bit too religiously themed for me.

While I love JA, I'm not a big fan of many YA or Romance books. So I was pleasantly surprised in this retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Ibi Soboi took JA's satirical look at 19th century UK social issues and turned it into a lyrical social commentary on US urban life without feeling preachy.

This was just a fun little mystery. A couple of little twists but nothing heavy and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A perfect beach read!!

An interesting thriller/mystery. Most of it I figured out ahead of time and the pacing could have been better at parts, but it was an interesting read that kept me going to see if I was right and how it would all be resolved. While one of the main characters is a bit too perfect, it had great villains. Part of the resolution bothered me, and still makes me think and feel uncomfortable. But I won't add what bothered me as it is a spoiler.

Loved this. A self help book that doesn't talk down to me, or make me feel judged. Great tips on how to not overthink, and clearing our brains.

I really liked this mystery. While it moved along at a good pace, it wasn't a heart racing thrill ride to the end, and I think that is why I truly enjoyed this. It's the type of mystery to enjoy on the couch with a cup of tea on a blustery, snowy day. The type to sink into and just feel immersed in it's world, and from what I have heard the whole series is much like this.

You can read more of my review at: http://bit.ly/2EoqML3

This is my first Joshilyn Jackson book, which was recommended by Modern Mrs. Darcy's Anne Bogel. The novel THE ALMOST SISTERS has many moving parts, but they all fit together very nicely, and you can follow the story easily enough. It was the audible version read by Ms. Jackson and I absolutely fell in love with her accent by the end of the book.
There are some good twists, turns and secrets revealed. Some parts were easy to figure out and a bit predictable, but the characters—especially Leia, are well drawn and they kept me entertained and engaged until the end. There are funny moments in the book that I genuinely chuckled out loud at parts. I loved that Leia is a nerd and imperfect, I love that her perfect sister isn't as perfect as she appears, and her grandmother and Wattie could easily have stolen the book if Leia and Rachel weren't rendered so realistically.
The author portrays race and social class relationships in the south, both past and present, though I found Leia's nativity about racism still existing a bit of a character flaw, especially at the age of 38. Endings are always the big issue with me, but I liked how it ended. While neatly tied up, it was not unrealistic and more importantly it wasn't rushed. I only gave it 4 stars because while I really enjoyed it, it did not leave me totally wanting more and regretting that it was ending.
”The South I'd been born into was all sweet tea and decency and Jesus, and it was a real, true place. I had grown up inside it, because my family lived there.”

”The second South was always present, though, and in it decency was a thin, green cover over the rancid soil of our dark history. They were both always present, both truly present in every square inch.”

“Once upon a time, there was a woman who discovered she had turned into the wrong person.” Such an enticing opening that the book fully delivered upon.

What a great book (and a great life), funny, honest, & interesting. Trifecta of memoirs.

I'm not sure what I thought of this book. But I gave it 4 stars because it has made me think and I know I will continue to think.

Overall, the book is entertaining, if not very believable, and a bit predictable in spots. Interesting to think of a first year lawyer being this smart and having this much responsibility. It was fun for the most part, with a few areas where it did drag (and I did think about abandoning it). I am glad it was free with Amazon Prime membership.

This was a fun adventure. I think there was a bit of a struggle as to what it was going to be (mystery, romance, historical fiction) as it didn't blend the pieces fully, but overall it was a fun listen. I did listen to it on one of the faster speeds and I think this helped keep it from dragging at some points.

I really wanted to like this more than I did. The ending could have saved it, but alas, it didn't.

Spoiler

Lee/Leo/Nora seemed like a weirdly normal, sociable woman for a 26 year woman who couldn't move on from a relationship that lasted 6 months from ten years ago (when she was 16). Maybe she was extremely obsessed with it/him (which would have made a better twist–an unreliable narrator who had amnesia!) Also, it seems as if she has no other friends in her life other than Nina.

Conflicted feelings on this. Maybe some of the parts hit too close to home.

Quirky characters and a journey both physically and mentally for the characters. It was a fun book, though it wrapped up a bit too neatly.

This was a fine book, not great but ok. It was difficult to see how this family who had grown apart actually ended up coming together. The characters were slightly quirky, but not quirky enough, and I wasn't sure I really liked any of them. It wasn't because they were flawed (I love flawed characters when done correctly), it just wasn't deep enough into any of them to find the redeeming qualities. I guess that's the problem–a bit too shallow (but not in a fun, quirky way).

I have mixed feelings. I'm a bit confused over parts and I may change my stars to 4 stars at it all settles in.

While I think there is some useful thoughts in here I don't believe in some of the premise. Also much of it was repeated and some is stuff I've read before.

I loved the little glimpses into each of the lives of each story. Some more than others. It is the type of book I will read again and again and will probably be a 5 star eventually. Much like love of friends continues to grow with time and familiarity.

I loved this audio book. I only wish there was more to it. I did not want it to end. Magical and light and dark. Perfect.