Mini Book Reviews; August 2023

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I received an ARC of Happiness Falls from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I received a copy of Don't Forget to Write from Amazon First Reads.

If anything, I read books with really good covers this month! I definitely picked Old Flame based on the cover and, yes it was worth the read. Actually, everything I read except for Happiness Falls was great. The pre-release hype for Happiness Falls was big and I fell for it. Interestingly, this book got great reviews and I just don't get it. If you've read it, comment below and let me know what you thought about it. 

Mini Book Reviews: July 2023

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of The Many Lives of Mama Love from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my review. This post has affiliate links.

What a great month of reading! Last month, I complained that I couldn't find much good to read. Well, that all turned around in July. For one thing, all my library holds came in at once. What to do? When this happens, I usually prioritize which book I'll get through the quickest, to get one off my list. Sometimes I have to return one to the library and get back on the list. Fortunately this month, I had a week off work plus I was traveling, which gave me a lot of downtime to read. 

Although I do admit to watching Cocaine Bear on one flight. I couldn't help myself and it was entertaining. 

Anyways, I read 7 good books this month, and August is starting off on the right foot as well. Two of them, The Seed Keeper and The Many Lives of Mama Love, were 5 star reads for me. The rest garnered a 4 star rating. Let me know if you find anything interesting here!

Mini Book Reviews: June 2023

 Disclaimer: I received an ARC of La Vie, According to Rose from Amazon First Reads. This post contains affiliate links.

After my first book this month, I fell into a slump. Is it just me or are a lot of the new releases lately kind of a slog? After reading several books this month that were highly reviewed and wondering what I was missing, I decided to dig into my TBR and found an absolutely delightful romance story. I ended the month with another backlist book that was recommended by Erica and it was a winner. 

I did have 2 DNFs this month. After making it to the 50% point with both, I called it quits. I just can't waste time reading a book that doesn't draw me in. There are too many books out there for that!

Mini Book Reviews: May 2023

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I won a copy of Up To Speed from Oh! Run Club and Pens and Paces.

What, only 4 books? It's been a very busy month and reading took a backseat to all the other May activities. Plus, 3 of the 4 books I read were long, immersive reads that required concentration. The 4 books I read could not have been more different, yet I enjoyed them all. I'm looking forward to some lighter reads for June!

Mini Book Reviews: April 2023

Disclaimers: I received an ARC of If We're Being Honest from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

April was a really good month for books for me! I read a prerelease novel, 4 new releases, and while waiting for library holds to come in, I dug deep into my TBR for an old selection from Reese's Book Club. All good reads, but my favorite book of the month was the last one I read--Adelaide was recommended highly by another book blogger. I almost didn't read it, but I am so glad I did. It was one of those books that got me in the feels. If I'm being honest, there's not a bad book here!

Mini Book Reviews: March 2023

Disclaimer: I received a PRC of Choosing to Run from the publisher and NetGalley. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

I started March's reads with a winner! Des Linden's memoir was compelling reading. While I waited for some library holds to come in, I hit the backlist for Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First, which had great reviews. I didn't love it and eagerly opened my first library hold, Stone Cold Fox. I could not put it down and it kept my heart pounding! Big Swiss was hilarious. Just hilarious. But it might not be for everyone. Speaking of everyone, Pineapple Street is the must-read of the moment. I found it to be just ok. Another popular read right now is Maame, which I enjoyed. 

I read a 7th book this month as well, but I am going to do a full review on the blog. Kara Goucher's memoir, The Longest Race, gave me all the feels. I could not put it down. I have a lot of thoughts on this one and will share my post next Tuesday. Stay tuned for that!

Mini Book Reviews: February 2023

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of  Commitment from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my review. This post contains affiliate links. 

In books as in life, you win some, you lose some. I read 2 disappointing books this month. Both of them were quick reads, so I stuck it out, finishing them both. There was a big, fun surprise on my TBR from 2020 that had me asking myself why it took me so long to pick it up. Last but not least was Jenna's pick for January, a book that started out meh but made me smile as I read the last lines. I love when a book redeems itself! 

Mini Book Reviews: January 2023

Disclaimer: I received ARCs of Central Places and On the Savage Side from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

What a great start to another year of reading! Instead of being overwhelmed with library holds all coming in at once, I was able to pick and choose what I wanted to read without rushing through them all. I was lucky to read a hot newish release by Barbara Kingsolver, an author whose epic novels never disappoint. NetGalley has been very generous this month, offering limited time reads that I didn't have to apply for. One of them was by Tiffany Daniel, another author who I am familiar with and who also never disappoints. Interestingly, both the Kingsolver and Daniel books were very different variations on the same theme, poverty and opiate abuse in rural Appalachia. Do yourself a favor and read both. Not only will they make you count your blessings, but they both will give you a lot to think about. 

The other three books were also excellent. I hope this is the pattern for the rest of 2023!

Mini Book Reviews: December 2022

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

I wrapped up 2022 with a total of 77 books read. I don't set reading goals--that's just too much pressure! Reading books is one of my guilty pleasures and I don't want to feel bad if I can't get through one to meet a goal. It's hard enough when all my library holds come in at once and I only have a few weeks to read them all!

Everyone has been posting their favorite reads and after reading so many books, I can remember only a handful of them. Tops on my list are Lessons in Chemistry, followed by Unlikely Animals. These 2 books checked all the boxes--they grabbed me within the first couple of chapters, I didn't lose my interest, I didn't want to put them down, and they've stuck with me for a long time after finishing them. The characters were interesting and quirky. The stories weren't clichèd. And they were different.  A couple of other books are worth mentioning as well: What Could Be Saved, Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance, Remarkably Bright Creatures, Carrie Soto is Back, Hurricane Girl, Now is Not the Time to Panic, and Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.

I also read a few non-fiction books, most of which were really good. Non-fiction November gave me an excuse to explore some books that were on my TBR but just couldn't find the time to read! I continue to refer back to Next Level, which validated and educated me about how to train after menopause. It's also on sale for kindle for $2.99 right now! Other favorites include Good for a Girl, Corrections in Ink, Solito, and Running While Black. 

This is just an observation of mine, but it seems to me that many of the books I read this year were unnecessarily long. I don't mind a long book if the story cannot be condensed--in fact, I'm reading an amazing one right now--but there's nothing worse than reading a book that just meanders on and on. Just get to the point! It reminds me of a hair stylist I used to go to who took an hour to cut my hair but mostly spent her time fluffing it. Chop chop! Good editing is a must to make a book crisp and interesting.

Over the holidays, my sister and I were comparing favorites and it was a good reminder that not everyone likes to read the same thing. Multiple times this year, I read highly recommended books only to be disappointed. People always ask me how I find the books I read and mostly, I pick books that are recommended by a couple of the book bloggers I follow. I hope that you will find a couple here that you might like!

Mini Book Reviews: Non-Fiction November 2022

Disclaimers: I received copies of books from Brooks Running, Amazon First Reads, and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

After my reading slump last month, I made the decision to declare this month Non-Fiction November! I later found out that NFN is really a thing in the reading world. And here I thought I starting something. No matter, this was an enjoyable diversion and a good reminder that I need to read more non-fiction. I picked a variety of books and enjoyed them all. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Solito. Hopefully, you'll find something here that you'll want to read!

Mini Book Reviews: October 2022

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

I've been in a bit of a reading slump this month. I've found myself struggling to get through several books that were actually very good, and even DNFing one that just didn't grab me. You know how much I love to read and this has troubled me. Interestingly, an article in this month's Bookish newsletter addresses the reading slump and gives suggestions to help break out of one. One of the tactics, changing genres, is exactly what I plan to do for November! I've got a few nonfiction books on my TBR and have declared it 'Non-Fiction November'. Hint hint, that's what I'll be doing next month. Does anyone want to join me?

Mini Book Reviews: September 2022

 Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

This month, I read 5 really good books. They were all books that I couldn't breeze through, full of great writing and were completely immersive stories. They were also longer than the books I've been reading lately. It made me wonder if these authors used the downtime of the pandemic to pen some really excellent reads! Whatever the reason, I can't pick a favorite this month, so you'll just have to read my reviews and decide for yourself. I also have to comment even though I'm not a fan of Good Morning America, they are picking some really good books for their book club! I've already got this month's selection queued up on my Kindle!

Mini Book Reviews: August 2022

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

This was the month of slow, satisfying books. All the books I read were beautifully written, which meant I needed to take my time and savor the prose. So how did I read so many this month? Being stuck on the couch with Covid for a week, that's how. There aren't any quick reads here, but a lot of these books were so immersive that I couldn't put them down. My favorite? Hands down, it was The Displacements, an adrenaline-pumping disaster book, which kept me up late at night because I didn't want to stop.

Mini Book Reviews: July 2022

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I received a PRC of Now is Not the Time To Panic from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review. 

July sure flew by didn't it? Reading-wise, this month was a mixed bag of books for me while I waited for my library holds to come in. As usual, all 6 of them came in at once towards the end of the month. So stay tuned for my August reviews, as I furiously make my way through the pile. Meanwhile, I read a prerelease by a favorite author of mine, a quirky little read by another familiar author, a trashy thriller--who doesn't like those?, a novel about time travel from my Kindle TBR, and 2 books from my library holds. This was a very satisfying month of books!

Mini Book Reviews: June 2022

Disclaimer: I received a PRC of Carrie Soto is Back from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my review. This post contains affiliate links.

I don't normally have a 'theme' for my monthly reads, but reflecting on the books I read in June, I'd say that each book I read is woman-centric. In fact, each of the books has a strong woman (or 2 or 3) as the main character. I'm happy to see such strong representation, in light of what has happened in the US over the past couple of weeks!

Mini Book Reviews: May 2022

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I received a PRC of Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for my review.

I'm wrapping up another good month of reading! At one point, I had 5 library holds come in at once--why does that happen? I had to let one of them go--I just couldn't read them all in the time I had. Fellow bookworms, do you get me? It's hard to pick a favorite this month. I went into a couple of the books not knowing much about them and not expecting much (Remarkably Bright Creatures, I'm looking at you) but after I finished, I had to stop once again to savor what I had just read. 

I hope you find something here that you might want to pick up!

Mini Book Reviews: April 2022

Disclaimer: I received a PRC of An Island from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my review. As a member of Brooks Run Happy Team, I received a copy of Running with Purpose from Brooks Running. This post contains affiliate links.

I was fortunate this month to have a variety of different books! My hands-down favorite--which will probably be my favorite book of the year--was Lessons in Chemistry. Quirky, clever, and creative, I loved that the main character was a strong woman trying to make it in the very male-dominated science world. It was hard to start the next book--I just wanted to savor it and stay in her world. Has that ever happened to you with a book?

Mini Book Reviews March 2022

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

So little time, but so many books this month! I'm not sure how it happened, but I have 8 reviews to share. Maybe it's because they were all page-turners that I couldn't put down. My reads this month span the genres--I've got fantasy, an epic novel, literary fiction, a couple of thrillers, a biography, and a women's fiction novel. 

If I had to pick a favorite, I don't know that I could! 

Mini Book Reviews: February 2022

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I received an ARC of Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my review. 

I read some really good books this month, but there was one book that disappointed me. The School for Good Mothers (review below) was a Read With Jenna book club selection with a lot of buzz. Jenna's books are usually a sure thing, and I waited a while for my turn to borrow it from the library, but this it just left me cold. I had one DNF as well, The Paris Bookseller, even though it was really well written, was not my kind of book. If you like classical literature and historical fiction, then you might enjoy it. 

Mini Book Reviews: January 2022

 Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of The Bright Side Running Club in exchange for my honest review.

Didn't January feel like the longest month ever? Reading-wise, I finished 6 books: a couple newish releases, some backlist reads, and a NetGalley ARC. Once again, Reese's book club selection was disappointing. So was Liane Moriarity's new one. No DNFs though, and that's a good thing.