Things I love – Book Reviews
As an avid reader, I get most of my favorite book suggestions from reading reviews by other bloggers. A few of my favorite sources are MomAdvice and Modern Mrs. Darcy – I visit their sites regularly, jot down books that sound interesting and add them to my hold list at the library. With summer vacations coming up, if you are anything like me, you need some new books to add to your stack. Today I’m sharing a few reviews of the books I’ve enjoyed reading so far this year:
When 30-year old Ruth’s father’s alzheimer disease starts taking a turn for the worse, Ruth goes home to help care for him. With her life in shambles, she finds comfort, humor and love help her cope with the struggles she is facing. Even with such a heavy topic, the book was a terrific mix of funny, engaging and tender. My rating 5 out of 5.
Whew, what an interesting book. Ernst came back from the Vietnam War changed. Told from his daughter’s point of view, the family has been struggling with their new dynamics. Ernst inherits a small piece of land in Alaska and decides to move them there for a fresh start. Both a gripping novel of a damaged man and what that means to his family, and the struggle of life in the wilderness, the book was very engrossing. My rating 5 out of 5.
What a fun book to read! This was one of my free Kindle downloads (with Prime Membership – make sure you take advantage of this if you have Amazon Prime) and it was perfect for reading while walking on the treadmill. I found myself walking longer and anxious to get on the treadmill just to keep reading. Paige’s husband (her true love and childhood best friend) died two years ago in a car crash. Since then, she’s been sleepwalking through life, doing the minimum necessary at work and trying to keep things together for their teenage son. When her boss at work suddenly dies, his son takes over the company and turns things upside down. Through a lot of hilarious encounters with memorable characters, Paige starts to come back to life – by digging up her back yard. My rating 4.5 out of 5.
An amazing story based upon a real life family and how they survived WWII as Polish Jews. The author shares the stories of her family – three generations of them and their experiences from before the war and after. Their stories are often raw and real. The courage and resourcefulness of each member of the family is remarkable. Although not graphic, this book doesn’t gloss over the horrors of the war. My rating 5 out of 5.
A gripping thriller that I devoured in 2 days. As a currently non-practicing child psychologist and current agrophobiac, Anna spends her days watching film noir, drinking bottles of wine and popping pills. Needless to say, when she sees something shocking through her window, she’s not the most reliable of witnesses. Especially when no crime has been reported. I had several ideas of how the plot would twist, but there were still enough surprises to keep me riveted. Don’t read ahead – you’ll ruin the story. My rating 4.5 out of 5.
Are you anything like me and pack anywere from 4 to 5 books for a vacation? Crazy I know, but I’d rather lug them around than not have something to read! Where do you find your favorite books – any more good sites to share?
*this post contains affiliate links*
