Lauren Henderson

This was the first Karen Kingsbury book I read... needless to say it made me a junkie. Karen Kingsbury's writing is very inspiring, especially this story.

Well that was a super fun, super quick anti-reading-slump book. I feel nicely refreshed. Now onto the next Outlander series doozy.

Here we have proof of why I stay away from super-hyped books...

Original Review: This is the story of a bunch of batshit crazy, selfish, whiny, weak women with interchangeable voices that you just really don't like at all by the end. I will admit that I read this very quickly because I wanted to find out who the killer was, but I was able to guess that pretty early on. So then it just turned into me wanting to know if I was right. I WAS!!!!

I can't say I hated this book, but I can say that there's really not much I liked about it. The timeline is insanely confusing, the characters are all blah - I mean I don't have a problem with liking characters whose actions/motives I don't agree with, but everyone in this book is just extremely annoying.

A couple days later after further contemplation: Last night, I explained this book in detail to my husband, and saying everything out loud made me realize how bad this book really is and how much I truly hated this book... so I take it back. I do hate this book. I honestly don't give one star ratings often. I have to really passionately dislike a book.. it's like that.

This book is so convoluted, and in general none of the characters are likeable or well developed, not even the men. Also, there are some plot holes.. or maybe just holes in Rachel's crazy thinking. Like how she always saw a sinister smile on everyone's face, and the story never followed through with why that was. Because obviously all of the suspects aren't the killer, so what was it that she saw in them?

Another book with the Waverleys!!!! Is it January yet!??

I loved Heidi as a child. I just discovered this gorgeous version that is part of the Penguin in Bloom collection!! And... I had to buy it. Can't wait to get it and re-read this for the first time in at least 15 years.

I absolutely loved Sarah Jio's last book, Goodnight June. But unfortunately, The Look of Love just didn't work for me. I thought the idea of actually seeing true love sounded really interesting as a magical realism aspect, and at first it was. But the side plot of this gift possibly being caused by a scientific anomaly instead of by magic really distracted from the rest of the story.

The other parts of the story: all of Jane's friends, their love lives, and Jane using her gift to help them navigate through their relationships were all well done, and if the story had been left there, I would have really enjoyed it.

However, the whole identifying the 6 types of love kind of got lost in the story. It is set up at the beginning of the book as being the whole point of the story - Jane has to identify and record all the types of love before her 30th birthday or lose the ability to ever find true love for herself. And technically, as you are reading, you can tell that she has found all the types of love, but it is never wrapped up at the end. I mean Jane's love story is wrapped up, but she never actually talks about finding the 6 types of love and what they all meant to her.

I just found this story way too surface level and did not enjoy it nearly as much as I thought I would.

Still so good the second time. I had forgotten a lot of details.. well because there are a ton. And so worth discovering them all again.

(This was the first book I've re-read as an adult!! Can you believe? I almost feel like a phony book lover... but maybe that's not that abnormal?)

That's right... I was a Samantha girl. Feeling nostalgic today.

Both of these characters were broody and stuck in high school. I did not like them at all. The dialogue was cringey. There were lots of snippets from the past or side plots about other people in each of their current lives that felt pointless. Just didn't like anything.

The MCs are in their mid thirties, so this could have been a good story about growth and finding the right person after so many years.. but all they were doing was going backwards and holding on to past feelings. So yuck. I gagged almost out loud so many times.

This entire story felt like the author going down memory lane for her own sake of telling some secret she needed to get out. I've read other Rowell books, and I think she's mostly a decent author, but this one was just really not good.

This is my absolute favorite book that I was forced to read in high school. Well, it didn't actually feel like being forced. The characters and story are so rich, detailed but not boringly so. I'm sure I wrote a nice literary analysis of it, but I can't recall that now. I just know that I was enthralled with this book and could not put it down.

There has been a very severe and sad decline in the amount of time I have had to read lately because of my new job, but I did have time to read this one after being accepted to join TLC Book Tours. I otherwise would not have even known about this new release, and I'm so glad that I did find out about it. So thanks to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

GI Brides is the true and personal story of four very different brides of WWII veterans – Sylvia who was excited to serve the “Yanks” as a Red Cross volunteer, Margaret whose family was extremely suspicious of the yanks, Rae who was a tomboy and herself served in the English army, and Lyn who was a shy and naïve younger woman as the war began. All of these women fell in love with men who were stationed in England during the war and eventually followed them to America when the US government transported upwards of 60,000 GI Brides. The chapters switch back and forth between their stories of how their marriages and lives changed after moving to America. Ultimately, this nonfiction story ends up reading like fiction because of the details and dialogue included in each woman's story.

I'm not normally a person who picks up non-fiction unless it is labeled as a memoir, and the only reason I chose to be on the tour for GI Brides is because I am a military spouse and thought I would be able to identify with it. I did not expect this book to be so narrative based and to draw me in the way that it did. By the end, I was so invested in these women's lives and cried with them in the happy moments and the sad. This definitely is my kind of non-fiction!

I love how the authors took the time to seek out some of the GI Brides who had different experiences, who led very different paths after they left England, and chose to tell their stories in a way that a lot of women can identify with and can enjoy reading about. I've read several historical romance fiction novels written in the WWII era, and I think this book rates right there with some of the best of those. It's insightful and afterwards heartwarming and inspiring because you know that you have read about real people's lives. I actually learned a thing or two that I didn't already know about WWII, how the Americans reacted to the influx of GI Brides, and the difficultly that some of the women had with transitioning cultures.

I would recommend this book to any of you who like to read about love stories, especially those set in wartime, and to anyone would also like to be surprised by a non-fiction story.

Check out the GI Brides website for more info on the brides in this story and some new brides featured in upcoming short stories, author bios on Nuala Calvi and Duncan Barrett, and pictures and blog posts from the GI Brides.

Well that was heavy... review to come.

OH MY GOSH!!! The last chapter just blew my mind. My brother warned me that I shouldn't read this book until the 3rd one came out, but I didn't listen. Now... I'm warning all of you. Do yourself a favor and wait so that you can go straight the next book. NOVEMBER IS SOOO FAR AWAY!!

I love this series. I'm very sad that it's over. But the ending was perfect! Not the way you thought it would be but still a good end to wrap up the revolution and leave hope for the future.

This was a really really great story. It was quite gut wrenching at times.. mostly because it felt so real. The emotions are so genuine.. everything is so well-connected. It's easy to imagine this happening to myself or a friend. Even though it's something I wouldn't want to go through, it still hooked me. This felt like real life.

Can't get enough of my boo, B. Sand.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One Plus One is an entirely different type of geeky love story – Ed is a wealthy half-owner of a software company who has a lawsuit looming over his head because accidently gives away insider trading details for his company. Jess is really a large mess – she has two children that she busts her butt for but just can't make ends meet. Her daughter, Tanzie, has been accepted to attend an elite math school, and the Math Olympiad with a $5000 prize is their only hope of paying he tuition. Not to mention, the problems with her son, Nicky, getting beaten up at school over and over. Thus, ensues a brilliant adventure where Ed's and Jess's lives are tangled together and they go from silently tolerating one another to sparking romance in just a few days during one road trip with enough mishaps to last a lifetime.

This is the definition of a romantic comedy – and one that was well written. There is substantial character development. Jess's life has had so many things go wrong that you can't help but hope with your whole gut that something goes right for her. Ed also has so much riding on his shoulders – when the story begins, he is merely trying to do something to help someone else in order to forget his own troubles. And Tanzie and Nicky's voices add perfectly to the story to bring an outside view into Jess and Ed's world.

The only drawback to this book, is the intensity with Jess and Ed's romance. It was 0 to 60 in about a day. I guess this is slightly excusable because they were stuck in a car together 24/7.. but it still bothers me. However, not enough to not enjoy the rest of the story. It's just a great feel-good summer read... all the way down to retaliation against the boys who continue to beat Nicky. It makes you laugh out loud at Tanzie's quirkiness and cry right along with Jess during her heartbreak at her life's circumstances. I was 100% invested in all the characters. Oh and I read it in less than a day... I definitely wouldn't mind a sequel!

This review is also posted on Great Minds Read Alike.

I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Goodnight June is June's story. June inherits from her great aunt Ruby a small, cozy children's bookstore - Bluebird Books, where June spent her happiest moments as a child and learned to love reading. As a 35 year old, June is vice president of a large bank and in charge of foreclosing many small businesses. She has few important people in her life, anxiety problems, and a severe lack of satisfaction with herself. When she inherits Bluebird Books, June goes home to Seattle for the first time in 5 years and begins to reevaluate her life. She discovers a scavenger hunt that her aunt Ruby left for her in the bookstore of letters between Ruby and Margaret Wise Brown that explain the origin of Goodnight Moon and renew June's passion for the bookstore. June discovers what it is like to be on the opposite side of the foreclosing business while she is trying to raise funds to save the bookstore, all with the help of the charming Gavin who owns the Italian restaurant next door.

I absolutely 100 percent love when an author shows his/her fangirl/fanboy side... And in this case, Sarah Jio's fangirl flag is waving hard. The story behind the popular children's classic Goodnight Moon is unknown because Margaret Wise Brown died shortly after writing it. I can tell that Sarah Jio truly loved Goodnight Moon because she uses so much imagination and heart to develop a very plausible origin of Goodnight Moon and uses the letters to tell the story with passion and creativity.

Also, June's story is one that we can all identify with and could ultimately stand alone as its own story. She has to make the choice between living a life with passion or complacency. She has to forgive, and she learns to love. And she also discovers a few things she didn't know about herself. Yes, it's somewhat “chick flicky”, but its inspiring and sweet. I'm an avid hater of cookie cutter chick lit, so trust me when I say that this story is not that. Jane's story is inspiring and leaves you contemplating your own dreams.

Right now is a time of major change in my life with moving and finding new job, etc., so I feel it was the perfect time to read this book. I probably a little biased since in the past year, I've somehow developed a dream of owning an independent bookstore and hosting authors/holding events to inspire budding readers. Reading is and always has been a huge part of my life, so I love to see that there are others who are still so inspired by reading and would rather pick up a book than a game or show on their iPad. I think Goodnight June is Sarah Jio's confession to also being one of these people and her charge to go do something about it.

I literally blazed through Goodnight June in less than a day. It's an easy read and would be perfect for sitting outside on a lazy summer day. And the great news is that its release date is May 27 - TOMORROW!!! So you only have to wait 2 short hours.. or 1 if you're on the east coast. Ready. Set. Go.

I don't think I've done it justice, but if you just go read it you'll see what I mean. Thank you Sarah Jio for such a beautiful and inspiring story. It's been a while since I've read a something this great.

I've had a couple of other books by Sarah Jio on my radar for a while, but this is the first one I've read. I'll definitely be moving her other books up on my list.

This review is also posted on Great Minds Read Alike.

This book right here... well it's probably the weirdest book I've ever read. I spent the entire book trying to figure out if it was bad weird or good weird. I'm still torn... But it was intriguing, which is why I couldn't not finish it. Real review to come.

REAL REVIEW:
How to Tell Toledo from the Night Sky is the story of Irene and George, two astronomists with completely different outlooks on life. George is a dreamer – far more than you would ever think a scientist would be – and a lover, and I mean sleazy, womanizer sleeps-with-his-students type lover because he's searching for the girl that he “used to dream about but can't quite remember”. Irene is an anti-lover and doesn't believe that love even truly exists. She ran away from her drunk mother to pursue her dream of discovering the make-up of a black hole and therefore creating a black hole to revolutionize science. The only outlet she has in life is lucid dreaming where she can visit with the sober version of her mother.

Sound weird? My first thought about 5 pages in was “WHOA”. Here's what I expected based on the book summary: a Rosie Project type story with some smart people romance and a different twist because their parents organized the entire thing. What is not mentioned in the book summary is that there is also some pretty deep philosophical details involving gods (somewhat Greek but more modern), destiny, soul twins, and other astrology related things. The story switches between Irene's mom - Bernice, George's mom – Sally, Irene, and George's points-of-view to explain the set-up and key events from George and Irene's childhoods. There are also lengthy philosophical breakdowns about the stars and destiny. I kept reading through the end of the book still trying to figure out if it is good weird or bad weird... and I finally decided – GOOD weird.

The plot, even with all the philosophical speak, is still pretty fast moving. It starts with Irene and George meeting as adults and then goes back from there to learn the details of their set up. There is a lot of adventure with George – he's a very spontaneous and carefree man, and a lot of brooding from Irene. The love story is a bit cheesy, but this is still a good quirky read. This book is honestly the weirdest book that I have ever read.. it is unlike any other. Was it lacking in some areas? Yes. Good or bad? At the end of the day, I end up choosing good because the philosophical aspects make you think. I hear that's good for you!!

So much sadness... but so much goodness. This book was amazing and has a very important message. I was sucked in from about page 5.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I would never have known about this book if it weren't for NetGalley. And I'm so glad I found it. I noticed it because of the cover and title. Then I did a little research and discovered that Martha Woodroof is affiliated with NPR. I love love love NPR, so that's all I needed. I requested and read it right away.

Small Blessings could definitely go into the literary fiction category, which isn't usually my bag. But in this case, I really liked it because it wasn't overly dramatic and drawn out.

This is the story of a cast of characters at a women's college - Tom Putnam is a loyal, gentle-hearted man who has been taking care of Marjory, his mentally frayed wife, for 20 years; Agnes, Tom's mother-in-law is a quirky, stubborn lady who is searching for her new beginning; Russ Jacobs is a callous, egotistical alcoholic who hides behind his sarcasm and anger; Iris is a spunky red-head who likes to stir the pot but has no real friends. In walks Rose Callahan, an independent, wanderer who is so sure of herself that she makes others sure of themselves, but she is too guarded to let anyone really know her. Within the first few days after Rose's arrival, Marjory dies, and Tom's 6-year-old “son” that he never knew about turns up in town. (Don't worry... not a spoiler... these happen at the very beginning.) What follows is a discovery of self for everyone involved and small blessings that some never thought they deserved.

This book was so beautifully written. Each and every character is so well developed, and the story line is also extremely well-developed but succinct. There are a couple of small surprises, but mostly you can tell where the story is going and where it will end up. In this case, though, the point was not the ending, the point was the journey. And it was a truly inspiring one. The title is perfect... this is a story about people saving each other, facing your demons, and finding the small blessings.

And to add to that, what I love most about books are the small nuances that just make them different from all the rest, where the author puts some of their personality in. In this case, there are a lot of moments obviously dedicated to NPR. Here's a little peek:

The Rolling Stones obligingly began should in her head about not always getting what you want but, provided you try, sometimes getting what you need.

As Van Morrison had put it: It ain't why, why, why, why, why; it just is.

There's just a lot of good old-fashioned wisdom sprinkled throughout this story too, with some slight humor to it:

“When the going gets tough, the tough suck it up,” Agnes said. “The rest get run over.”You'll always have a chance to give up, so why do it now?

I think what really makes this book so great is that it's real life. It really could be someone's true story. It's not cheesy, it's not far-fetched. It just is.. simple and true.

I definitely recommend this book!! And you don't have to wait too long - it comes out on August 12th!! And for anyone in the Richmond, VA area, I found out that Martha Woodroof will be at Fountain Books on September 23 for a signing! Get excited!!

I received an ARC of this book for free from Random House Publishing Group-Bantam Dell via NetGalley.

The All You Can Dream Buffet is a story about 4 friends, “The Foodie Four” who all run blogs related in some way to food. They are all different ages and at different places in their life but have an unmistakable friendship that enriches the soul. Ginny, an almost 50-year-old, runs a cake blog and is struggling with an adventureless life and an unhappy marriage. Ruby is a 26-year-old whose boyfriend suddenly left her and ripped her heart out just before she found out she was pregnant. Valerie is a widowed mother whose teenage daughter can't deal with losing her father and siblings. And Lavender is the 85-year-old headstrong, vibrant woman who has a little something to teach all of them. This is a story of growth and passion to live a life worth living.

I liked this book at first. It is sweet and fluffy. And I identified with all of the women in some way. I really love Ruby - she is so full of joy even though she has so many reasons to be sad. She is a flowerchild (loves to sit outside and enjoy the breeze and finds wonder in just looking out over the fields and mountains). I would say she's a 5-year-old at heart and really brightens up the story. The writer does a great job of making the story hopeful instead of brooding, and there's definitely a lot of room for that. There's also a hint of magical realism via a fairy god mother type ghost that I really liked. I wish she had been included more.

There's also of course the romance aspect. Some of it was sweet but ended up being really cheesy. Also, there are small, quick scenes that are reminiscent of a raunchy romance novel and just seem out of place. They just didn't go with the tone that was set in the rest of the book. (Problem #1) Also, everything about the love story side of the book is super predictable. I literally guessed everything that was going to happen. (Problem #2) And to me, cheating is a little bit glorified. (Problem #3)

Overall, this is just a fluffy read that ended up trying too hard in the romance department. I don't really mind predictability and would have still liked the book if not for the out of place and cheesy romance scenes. This is just an ok book.

Release in March 2014 if you want to give it a shot yourself.

Read more reviews at Great Minds Read Alike.

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Weight of Blood is the story of Lucy, a girl from Henbane, Missouri (sounds like the most creepy town ever.. right?). Lucy is feels guilty for not trying harder to figure out what happened to her friend Cheri whose remains were found a year after she went missing. She starts working for her uncle and stumbles upon some evidence of Cheri's disappearance. Thus, ensues a search for the truth that Lucy discovers is connected to her own mother's disappearance and also very strongly incriminates her uncle.

I requested this book from NetGalley because the description sounded really thrilling and the setting of Henbane seemed like it would lead to a great edge-of-your-seat scare-the-crap-out-of-you read. Sadly, I was able to guess the ending in detail from the third chapter, and I only kept reading to see if I was right. And there was not really any suspense or thrill – this was not for lack of trying, but the author was just unable to create the mood she was going for. Super let down.

There were a few things I didn't like that I think really led to the lack of development:

1.The chapters switched between two main characters, Lucy and her mother (Lila), and they were both written in first person with the same voice. Therefore, difficult to distinguish and make into their own character. Also, because you are hearing the story from Lila's point of view the entire time, there's no suspense created besides the ultimate question of why she disappeared.
2.The love interest between Lucy and the guy who is helping her investigate is extremely young-adultish and detracts from the rest of the story.
3.The dialogue goes tries to sound hick... but it ends up being annoying. Mostly because of the phrase “fixing to”. No one says “cheer up darlin' ” and ”fixing to”. It's “fixin' to”. And it was all over the place.
4.There was no resolution of what really happened to Lila's mother. Just a vague answer to knowing whether she ran away or not. Extremely annoying!

Bottom line: This story looked intriguing and the idea behind it I still think could have been great. However, it just didn't work. There isn't much depth to the characters or plot. I honestly would not recommend this book.

The Weight of Blood will be released on March 11th, for anyone who dares to try it.

Thoughts Immediately After Finishing:
I heart J.K. This one was even better than the first.

Real Review:
Every time I read a J.K. Rowling book I fall more and more in love with her... she's such a great, concise, and imaginative story teller... She makes you think you know what's going to happen and then completely surprises you over and over. She gives you details that are always completely relevant to the entire story and not just filler. I'm obsessed. (Confession: I'm not saying this as a Harry Potter lover... because... well, I never actually finished the series. I read the first 2 books in 6th grade and never picked up J.K. again until The Cuckoo's Calling. Yes.. I'm ashamed. I will redeem myself in the near future. Promise.)

In The Silkworm, Cormoran Strike and his assistant, Robin, are once again investigating a murder that the police think they have wrapped up in a nice neat little package. Owen Quine, an author with a twisted imagination and a habit of insulting people through making them characters in his books goes missing. Strike finds Quine's body mutilated in the exact fashion that the main character is murdered in his newest, not yet released book. The police are able to pin the murder on Quine's wife, but Strike believes she is innocent. Thus begins a search for the killer out of the vast amount of people in the publishing industry who had access to the pre-print version of the book. Since Quine has managed to make many enemies throughout his writing career, there are plenty of people with the motive to kill him.

The plot is extremely fast moving. I read this 500 something page book in a day, if that says anything. It's never dull. Most of the story focuses on the murder investigation. But some chapters show Strike's and Robin's personal lives and provide more character development for the them individually. Strike is trying to get over his ex-fiance, and Robin is trying to help her fiance to understand her love of her job.

This story honestly reminded me of And Then There Were None because it has a classic mystery feel and keeps you wondering until the very last chapter who the killer is.

I'm pretty sure that a lot of J.K. Rowling's underlying feelings about the publishing industry are expressed through this story, but then again... I can't really say what her motives are. Just a thought I had while reading, since the plot thickens heavily around corruption with Quine's agent and publishing company. Sneaky, J.K., very sneaky. But then again, I think she made it pretty passively apparent.

Either way, I truly enjoy the Cormoran Strike books. This one was even better than the first, and I'm interested to see where Strike and Robin's relationship will end up. Because we all know, J.K. never does what you think she's going to.

I received a copy of this book for free through GoodReads FirstReads in exchange for my honest review. Here goes.

I'm not going to finish this book. I just can't get over one thing - the dialogue. It's all written like this:

-And what, Imogen wonders, is that?Ashley taps his cigarette on the ashtray.-I couldn't say. It's different for every man.-There isn't a name for it, Ashley says...

The dashes would be fine, if it weren't for all the “Ashley says” or “Imogen wonders” type things thrown in without quotations making you have to re-read every single line after you realize it's not actually part of the dialogue. Not ok.

Otherwise, I think the idea for this story is great, but the writing is just too distracting.