We Were Liars (E. Lockhart)

Why I have this book: A friend recommended it, so I borrowed it from the ebook library.

I gave this only two stars on Goodreads. Honestly, I was ready to stop reading it at about 40%. Up until that point, it just wasn't that interesting, and parts of it were confusing. It got more intriguing around 43% in, so I decided to finish it, and once the story was all laid out, all the confusion from the first half made more sense.

I'm just not sure it was worth pushing through the first half to get to the conclusion. It took me a long time to get through it because I wasn't compelled to pick it up. I guess there's a prequel, but I'm not interesting in reading it.

There were swear words, including the F-bomb. There's a bit of teenage lusting, but nothing descriptive. One character keeps saying she has "sexual intercourse" with her boyfriend for some reason. Overall, not super clean, but probably about average for modern teenage/YA books.

Holly (Jude Deveraux)

Why I have this book: I bought it for cheap on Kindle because it looked Christmasy, and I had loved a book by Jude Deveraux years ago. (A Knight in Shining Armor was the title of that one.)

Okay... I can't even remember Christmas being in this book at all. The cover makes it look like a Christmas Hallmark movie. If the holiday plays a role at all, it's very brief. The main characters are named Nick and Holly, so maybe that's enough.

Anyway, I gave it one star on Goodreads. Dumb book. Dumb storyline. Dumb character development. I only finished it so I could add to my Goodreads book count for the year. Haha.

It makes me wonder if I'd even like A Knight in Shining Armor now. Maybe my taste in books has changed a lot, or maybe this was just a bomb of a book for the author. In any case, I deleted this book from my Kindle library because it was that bad.

Quite a few unrealistic sexual scenes. Not super detailed and drawn out, but there wasn't much "use your imagination" going on. And when I say "unrealistic," I mean it. There may have been some swearing, but I don't think there were any F-bombs? Honestly just glad to have this one over and done.

Anxious People (Fredrik Backman)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library because I saw that a friend had rated it highly.

Okay, I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads. I'd give it a 4.7 if I could, but I can't, so I'm rounding up.

Brilliant. The book is brilliant. What a beautiful story of humanity! It's a rare book that I actually articulate, "Wow. That was a great book!" when I finish it, and this is one of them.

Mostly clean. There is some swearing. I can't remember if there were any F-bombs. There is a married lesbian couple (which doesn't bother me, and in fact, I'm not going to differentiate between straight or gay couples from here on out unless there's a good reason to mention it). The storyline involves depression and anxiety and suicide.

A Season for Second Chances (Jenny Bayliss)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library because a friend recommended it to me. 

I gave it three stars on Goodreads. It was a cozy story set in the UK near the ocean, and I probably would have given it four stars except there were a few odd elements... like casual talk about the gift of a vibrator from her book club friends, which (who?) makes the occasional cameo throughout the book with its name "Mr. Knightly." 

I don't know. That's all I want to say about that. Like I said, it was a little odd. 

Otherwise, it was pretty good. It could have been cleaned up a little more for my taste, but I realize that the way these characters live in regards to sex is normal for most of the world.

Some swearing, including the F-word and God's name. Some hot and heavy moments (but not descriptive). One character is caught in an affair. Lots of lusting on the part of the main character, but there's no actual action, really. And we musn't forget Mr. Knightly, but luckily we don't hear too much about him beyond his initial appearance. 

Obsessed!

Subtitle: A couple's story living with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and their strategies on how to deal with this condition.

(I personally would have capitalized each word as appropriate for a subtitle, but this is how it's written on the cover.)

I gave this two stars on Goodreads. Honestly, it needed an editor badly. There is nothing in this book that had any impact for me personally. It was estimated to take under three hours to read, but it was so boring and the writing was so unprofessional that it took me several days to get through it. (Obviously because I didn't want to pick it up...)

I'm sure the authors are very nice people, but it just wasn't a great book. I'm sorry! I appreciate their desire to be helpful. I do.

I'm bummed that I wasted my money on this one. Thank goodness it was only about $4.00. Ugh.

Clean. I don't remember any swearing or anything else that would be offensive.

The Last Anniversary (Liane Moriarty)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library because I've liked other books by this author.

I gave this book three stars on Goodreads. It took me soooooo long to get through it, which isn't typical with her books. It's possible I just had other distractions, but still. It obviously didn't grab me and suck me in real quick. I might even be too generous with three stars. Two and a half is probably more accurate.

There was some swearing, including the F-word and the name of God. Some sexual talk/moments, but nothing real graphic. The storyline also deals with postpartum depression and suicidal ideation as well as murder.

Friends, Lover, and the Big Terrible Thing (Matthew Perry)

Why I have this book: I used one of my Audible credits to buy the audio version. I had seen clips of the author online, and I thought the story would be compelling because of all the health issues he's dealt with due to his drug and alcohol use.

I ended up giving this book only two stars on Goodreads. I actually enjoyed the book a lot for maybe 2/3 of it, but after that, I really just wanted it to hurry up and be done. Sometimes it seemed like the timeline was disjointed, but the problem was mostly that I couldn't take one more F-word (I don't know if I've ever read a book with so many), and I was tired of hearing his stories about women. It's obvious that he has a lot of issues stemming from his parents' divorce, but it seems like there must be more going on because he's certainly not the only kid whose parents got divorced, and I don't think his way of coping is necessarily the norm. But what do I know?

Overall, I don't hate that I read (listened to) it, but I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone. I've never watched Friends (except maybe one episode), and this didn't make me want to watch it. I think I know too much about Matthew Perry to get lost in the character of Chandler now.

And... I'd never step foot into the world of Hollywood. Their "normal" is not reality, and honestly, I applaud any actor who comes through with their sanity, health, and morals intact.

Waaaaaaay too much profanity. Some talk of all the women he slept with. Maybe some other sexual talk, but I don't remember exactly. It was just a yucky kind of book.

Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling (Richard L. Bushman)

Why I have this book: We've had the Kindle edition for years since my husband read it a while ago. I bought the audio version to go along with it (which actually came in handy when I missed hearing something or wanted to go back and reference different parts).

This book has left me feeling somewhat empty and sad. It's complicated. I will say I feel very sad for Emma Smith. I feel sad for the deceit, hate, and destruction that came about during this time. I have a lot of other emotions about it, but those won't be shared here. 

I gave the book three stars on Goodreads just because a lot of research and time went into it. I definitely learned some new things and had other things confirmed. I didn't give the book more stars because I didn't like the apologetics that tried to excuse the inexcusable. 

Mostly clean. There are a few swear words, if I remember correctly. The book discusses adultery, murder, attempted murder, and other sins/crimes.

As Good As Dead (Holly Jackson)

Why I have this book: Read the previous two posts. :)

I gave this one four stars on Goodreads. I'd say this is even more implausible than the first two, and the profanity is at an annoying level, but... I did stay up until 3:00 am to finish it.

I had planned to stop around midnight because I was definitely getting sleepy, but then something happened in the story that woke me right up. Very intense.

I enjoyed this series. Again I'll say I wish I knew there was an original British version because I would have preferred that. (There's still a British feel in this third book even though they tried to Americanize it.)

I probably wouldn't have my teenage daughter read this even thought it's set right after graduation. I think the subject and storyline are for mature audiences.

Plenty of profanity including the F-word and using the name of God as an exclamation of emotion. The subject involves a serial killer and murder, and there is a rape trial that is a continuation of events from the earlier books.

Good Girl, Bad Blood (Holly Jackson)

Why I have this book: See previous post.

I actually liked this one more than the first book in the series. Still pretty implausible, but I reminded myself that I loved the culinary mysteries by Josi Kilpack, and they were also implausible to some degree. 

I gave this one four stars on Goodreads even though there were still a lot of indications that it started out as a British publication. (Let's talk about the names in the book... they do fit a British/UK setting more than an American one, I think. Pippa. Harry. Charlie. Flora. Camilla. Elspeth. Siobhan. Do those names exist in America? Sure... but probably not all of them in one small town. I wish they had just published the original British books as they were instead of trying to "Americanize" them.

I'm looking forward to reading the third and final book in the series. 

The storyline deals with murder, and this one brings in a child murderer/serial killer. There is an ongoing trial from the previous book that involves drugging women and sexual assault. There is one intensive scene that includes a shooting. There's a drug dealer in the story, and there's plenty of swearing, including the F-word and probably the name of God as an exclamation. 

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (Holly Jackson)

Why I have this book: I bought the Kindle edition of the whole series after a neighbor asked about it on the neighborhood FB page. I think I was feeling a little rebellious, too, at the moment, so it was a "rebellious moment purchase." :)

I gave this book 3 stars on Goodreads. I enjoyed it enough... I was invested in figuring out what happened and how everything would tie up. There were a few times the writing seemed a little juvenile, and the story had some implausibilities, but I'll still read the other two books in the series. (Honestly, I might not if I hadn't purchased them.)

I'm still debating in my mind if the use of the word "wardrobe" (aka "closet") was a mistake from the British author's language, or if she really meant it as in a freestanding wardrobe. It could go either way, I suppose. It was just an unexpected word in the setting, so it threw me out of the intensity of the moment in the story. 

ETA: I looked this up on Goodreads, and apparently the book was originally published in the UK, then they changed it to be set in America when they published it here. Other readers noticed the British influence, and it was said the UK version was better. How lame! It's not like Americans can't read the British language. It didn't need to be translated or anything to be published here. *massive eyerolling commences* I feel like I've missed out now.

This book is written for upper high school and YA crowd, I think. There are a lot of F-bombs and other swearing and sexual situations (but not described... we're just told that they happened), including rape that occurs when drinks are spiked. Also, as you might have guessed from the title, the storyline revolves around murder.

The Connecting Door (Josi Kilpack)

Why I have this book: Josi sent me an email telling me she wrote this and it was only $2.99 right now! (She actually sent the email to everyone on her mailing list, and turns out it was a novella, not a full-length novel, but whatever.)

I went ahead and bought it even though it was just a novella. Figured it would be a light, happy read that would add another book to my Goodreads goal for the year. (I set a lower goal this year, and I'm still having a hard time keeping up. Podcasts have taken over my life.)

Meh. I gave it two stars on Goodreads. I'm not sure it was even worth the $2.99. That's sad for me to say because I'm a Josi Kilpack fan. I wish she'd get back to more contemporary novels instead of the Regency (or whatever these novels are called) stories she's been writing lately.

Clean.

Schooled (Ted Fox)

Why I have this book: I think it was an Amazon Prime First Reads book. I got it for free on Kindle.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was kind of just silly and light-hearted and fun. Just a feel-good story that was a breath of fresh air amongst the heavier reading and learning I've been doing lately.

I gave it four stars on Goodreads, although I'd probably have gone with 3.7 if I had that option.

Pretty clean. Some suggestive flirting between married people. A handful of swear words, although I don't recall any F-words. They do use the name of God as a swear word.

Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living (Shauna Niequist)

Why I have this book: I bought it on Audible after a friend recommended it. (I used a "credit," to be more precise.)

Meh. I gave this two stars on Goodreads. I didn't love the way the author narrated it... it was a little too soulful (which I might have expected, given the title). What she's looking for in life and what I'm looking for in life are somewhat opposite ends of the spectrum. She apparently had a really busy life and wanted to slow down. I have a somewhat unexciting existence (which isn't a bad thing), and have been looking for things to do. 

I did find a few ideas of hers that I appreciated:

We can shape our own lives. Sometimes I know I let life just kind of happen instead of shaping how I would like it to be.

Friends support each other and carry each other's secrets, fears, worries, etc.

We shouldn't give our pen to others to write our life story. That's up to us.

Take time to listen to our minds and bodies to know if we're living the life we want to be living.

Live more lightly... don't crowd it with things and busyness.

There may have been another thought or two, but those were the ones I jotted down. Good thoughts, but other than those, I really was ready for the book to be over before it was even close to done.

This Christian book is clean.

Gregor the Overlander (Suzanne Collins)

Why I have this book: I bought the series for my son for Christmas last year, and he finished it this past week. He was so upset at the ending and so emotionally invested in it that I told him I'd read it, too. This is the first book of the series.

I gave it three stars on Goodreads. I'm not really into fantasy books, and this one is definitely fantasy. I liked it well enough to keep going in the series. 

There are some deaths including animals (who speak and act with human characteristics) and "underland humans" (if that's what they are called), and those deaths are generally by war-type violence. I don't recall any swearing. The book is written for 9-12 year olds, so I think it's as clean as can be in a fantasy war story.

I'm Glad My Mom Died (Jennette McCurdy)

Why I have this book: Several people mentioned this book to me, so I was going to borrow it, but it was a very long hold time. Luckily, Audible had a great sale, and I was able to buy it for under $5, so that's what I did.

I really wanted to give this book four stars because it was so interesting and sad and fascinating (in a disturbing way) to learn about Jennette's life as a child star. I'm guessing most young actors don't have such an extreme dysfunctional family and upbringing like she did, but even the most normal families must be crazy to want their kids to be in showbiz.

I had to drop it to three stars just because she got a little too graphic for my taste with the sexual descriptions in her relationships. Didn't need that!

I mostly felt sad for her and all that she went through. I hope she's able to have a good life from here on out and is able to heal from the trauma of her experiences.

It was also interesting to read about her connection to the LDS Church in her childhood. Makes me wonder how she processes that now.

A few sexual descriptions and lots of swearing once the memoir reaches her young adult stage of life, including many F-bombs.

Sheep's Clothing (Josi Kilpack)

Why I have this book: I borrowed the ebook version from the library even though I have the print version downstairs. I wanted to read it again before having my daughter read it.

I gave the book three stars on Goodreads. I probably would have given it four stars back when I read it the first time (probably 15 or so years ago), but the book is dated to some degree now, and I'm in a different stage of life.

I still think the story has merit for today's young people as long as they understand how dated it is. I'll probably recommend my daughter read it, and I'll just talk to her about how things are different now in technology and predator's methods.

I admit it was a little difficult for me to read about the mom in the story. She's so typically LDS, and it's hard to think about how much I probably accepted her lifestyle (similar to my own) when I first read this book. And... I don't know why the author made an issue of the daughter (Jess) always feeling fat. Not only that, but one of the points made in the wrap up is how she trimmed up by running cross-country or track or whatever. I don't know if that would fly in a book published today, and I found it annoying and probably not mentally or emotionally healthy for the average teenage girl to read.

Clean, although it deals with an abduction and implied sexual assault. There is also a murder that happened before the book begins. There is an underlying disturbing vibe because of the subject matter.

Long Bright River (Liz Moore)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library after seeing a lot of good reviews online.

I don't know what I expected, but this wasn't it. I guess I was thinking it would be like an old-fashioned story set in the country with a river running through. Nope. Not at all.

I gave this book four stars on Goodreads. I could hardly put it down, and it's still swirling in my mind and soul. It had a gritty edge to it (but not gory or too creepy), and took me into a world that is so far removed from my own that it's hard to think about. It's sad that life like that is the reality for so many people. 

I thought the author did a great job of bringing a good balance of humanity to the "streets." I don't think I'll stop thinking about this for a long time.

It is about murder, prostitution, drug addiction, police corruption. It's more than that, though... there's so much humanity involved. It's not just like an episode of CSI or Law and Order. There's more of the back stories that make people who they are.

In addition to those topics mentioned above, there is quite a bit of street swearing (including the F-word). There are also unmarried sexual relationships (not descriptive), but really, compared to the prostitution (also not descriptive), you kind of forget about that.

Under the Banner of Heaven (Jon Krakauer)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library.

Well, I'm super disappointed. I was finding the book quite interesting, but when the author included a chapter on Elizabeth Smart, I knew I couldn't trust him as an accurate source.

I've read Elizabeth's own book, and the things Krakauer claims about Elizabeth's feelings toward her captor are not at all what she says. He also got it wrong when he stated she would have worn sacred robes to the temple with her parents.

Since I know he was wrong in this section, I can't put a lot of stock into what he's written about other religious communities or situations about which I'm not familiar. Since I want all my sources to be impeccably true, I stopped reading this one at 13%.

Up until the point I stopped reading, there were disturbing stories about the way women and children are treated/molested/raped/murdered in fundamental religious communities.

Everybody Fights: So Why Not Get Better at It? (Kim and Penn Holderness)

Why I have this book: I borrowed the audio version from the ebook library at the recommendation of my sister-in-law.

I didn't realize this was a marriage self-help type book. I figured it was more of a memoir. I've seen a handful of the videos this couple has made for their YouTube channel, but didn't know much more about them.

I enjoyed the book, and thought it had good tips and info about marriage for the average couple. It doesn't go too deep for those who have bigger issues in marriage. It was fun to listen to it since the authors often expanded on what they had written as they recorded the audiobook. On the other hand, sometimes I felt like they shared more than they needed to about their fights and their sex life. It wasn't graphic at all, but it's still kind of a personal subject.

Overall, it was enjoyable. I gave it three stars on Goodreads.

I'd say this is PG-13 rated since one chapter deals with sex and mentions sex toys. (Nothing is graphically described.) I think there were a couple of the more mild swear words, as well. The tone somehow manages to be Christian-based to some degree since they mention the things they learned from their pastor in marriage counseling.

The Maid (Nita Prose)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library after seeing a lot of talk about it online.

I actually liked this book quite a bit up until the ending. There were a couple of revelations at the end that left me unsettled, and I actually would have had a different story for the mysterious figure in the mirror.

If not for the ending and the handful or two of profane words, I'd have given this book four stars. The writing was great (I did find one editing error), and the protagonist was fun to get to know. I enjoyed the book overall.

This book had some profanity, talk about death (including murder), and sexual relationships outside of marriage are implied a couple of times.

The Younger Wife (Sally Hepworth)

Why I have this book: I purchased it when it was a decent price on Kindle because I've enjoyed other books by the author.

I gave this book 3 stars on Goodreads. I actually really liked it up until the very end. I just imagined a new twist as we went into the epilogue, and then it didn't happen. I personally think my imaginary twist would have given the book that extra zing that would have brought a thrilling chill to the readers... but it's not my book, so all the readers missed out. :)

I'd probably give it a 3.5 if I could, but since I can't, it's a solid 3.

I'm pretty sure there was swearing, but it's been several days since I finished it, so I can't specify how much or which words. I'm pretty confident there were F-bombs in it, though. One couple is in a physically intimate relationship outside of marriage, but there are no descriptive sex scenes. There's the suggestion that there was an extramarital affair. One character had been raped as a teenager, but it's not graphically described in the flashback.

Mary Jane (Jessica Anya Blau)

Why I have this book: It was recommended on so many places online, so I finally borrowed it from Amazon Prime.

I gave this three stars on Goodreads. I would have easily given it four stars, but I felt like I had to drop it down a star due to the waaaaaaaaay extreme focus of penises in one section of the book, especially when "we" (the protagonist and the readers) stumble on a couple having sex on the beach, and again... the penis. I don't really want to explain... it's not what it sounds like, probably. It's difficult to explain.

Anyway, I thought the overall message was positive and good, so I'm glad I read it. I can only recommend it to one friend, though, because of the sexual undertones and "earthly" environment of the setting.

Lots and lots of F-bombs, definite sexual undertones, and lots of fixation on penises (especially in one section of the book... but it's not in a sexual way. There's not sex happening, until one scene where the protagonist stumbles on someone having sex...) Anyway, it sounds really bad, and it probably would be for a lot of people. To be honest, I almost stopped reading it at that part, but I kept going and then it all cleaned up.

The last two Penderwicks books (Jeanne Birdsall)

The Penderwicks in Spring

The Penderwicks at Last

Why I have these books: I borrowed them from the ebook library to finish up the series.

I enjoyed the whole series thoroughly. I do wish there would have been some resolution with a couple of things, but that would probably require more books. (I'll be sure to read them if more come out!)

All the books were fun, clean, wholesome, and entertaining. The writing is delightful, and the characters are all well-developed. I did love these books.

Clean

Books going out the door!

I helped my daughter clean her room this morning, and she decided to get rid of some books. She has a bunch of Magic Puppy books, and she also has the Mercy Watson series. I actually would be tempted to save the Mercy Watson books with the idea that my daughter's kids might want them someday since I know my daughter loved them. But... I'm trying to be a big girl and just remember that they are better off being read now by other kids than to sit around and wait for my daughter (who is 13-years-old) to have kids old enough to read chapter books.

We're going to see if one of her nieces would like them, and if not, we'll donate them to the school library or something.

It does feel good to get books out the door. Books should be enjoyed, not just sit on a shelf their whole lives!

Always in August (Ann Head)

Why I have this book: I got it for 99 cents on Kindle back last December. I'm not sure how it came to my attention, but I guess I thought it looked good.

I was completely enthralled with this book from the very start. It was a solid four stars all the way through... until the Epilogue. Loose ends. Unanswered questions. Just... what??? SO unsatisfying to not know how everything got sorted out. I had no choice but to drop it to three stars.

Such a disappointment because I really, really liked it up to those last few pages.

Mostly clean. There is an extra-marital affair (not descriptive). There's an air of sensuality in the book, but it's just the way it's written. It's possible one couple had sex before marriage, but it's not clear. I don't recall any swearing, but if there was, it was one or two mild words. There is a mention of suicide and the plot involves a murder.

The next two books in the Penderwick series (Jeanne Birdsall)

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette 

Why I have these books: I borrowed them from the ebook library after reading the first in the series.

I gave both books four stars on Goodreads. I really, really like them. I wish I had a child who would read them, too! They are so cute and uplifting and fun (even though there are some hard situations that occur), and delightful.

The writing flows so well and drew me in easily. I looked forward to picking up my Kindle and reading whenever I had a free moment, and that's been rare lately. Overall... well done, Jeanne Birdsall! Really, she's a very good writer, and I love the "classic" feel of these modern books.

I highly recommend for the intending reading age (I think 8-12?), but I'm also recommending to my adult friend who I know appreciates this type of writing.

Clean.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy (Jeanne Birdsall)

Why I have this book: I bought it years ago, probably on a good deal for Kindle.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It has the feel of old books like The Boxcar Children or The Bobbsey Twins, but it's in a contemporary setting (the dad has a computer). It didn't seem modern, though... the children just acted more old fashioned than kids today. It was cute, though, and light-hearted and super clean. I'd say it's for middle-elementary and up.

There are five books in the series, so I'm probably going to read them as they come available to borrow. This one was a fast read, so I admit that part of my motivation is to get some quick reads under my belt since I've had a hard time keeping up with my Goodreads goal. Haha...

I gave this four stars on Goodreads.

Clean.

Firegirl (Alivia Anderson aka Taryn A. Taylor)

Why I have this book: I bought it way back in 2014. I'm sure it was cheap, if not free.

I read that the author changed her pen name to Taryn A. Taylor so as to not get confused with a writer of erotica... but when I tried looking her books up under the Taryn name, it was all erotica. 

I have no idea what to make of that, but in any case, it doesn't matter because apparently Firegirl and/or Firegirl Part 2 don't seem to exist on Amazon anymore. I was only looking because if Part 2 was available for 99 cents or less, I would have read it.

I gave this one 2 stars on Goodreads. I probably would have given it 2.5 or maybe even 2.7 if I could have, but I couldn't quite get to a 3. The story was intriguing, but there weren't really any answers in Part 1 about what happened in the past. There were just a lot of hints. There were some editing issues, as well. The writing was pretty good, though, and the character development was done well enough that I wanted to know what the heck was going on with everyone. Too bad I can't find the second one (or even the first one) on Amazon. Oh, well.

Clean. There are hints of something sinister having happened in the past. There are some "rough" kids who smoke, but it's an LDS-type book, so that's about it.

Waiting for Normal (Leslie Connor)

Why I have this book: I bought it on Kindle a long time ago (2015). I don't know why. I can see I only paid $1.99 for it, so it was probably on a sale list or something.

I liked this book a lot. In fact, I gave it four stars on Goodreads. I'd say it's for young teenagers and up. Maybe upper elementary kids would like it, but there are definitely a few themes that aren't for youngsters. 

The writing was smooth, and the story kept my interest all the way through. I'm glad I decided to read one of the "old" books on my Kindle. Sometimes I get too caught up in my newer purchases or "borrows" and forget I have all these other books waiting around for me to read them. :)

There are some harder themes in this book: death, sickness, out-of-wedlock pregnancy, divorce, poverty... but there's not a depressing feel to it. I'd say it actually is inspiring to see true connection and kindness in spite of those difficulties. I don't recall any swearing, but if there was any, it was mild. If you're offended by a gay relationship, then you might be bugged by the one in this book. I'm not offended, and I wasn't bugged. 

Passport to Heaven (Micah Wilder)

Subtitle: The True Story of a Zealous Mormon Missionary Who Discovers the Jesus He Never Knew

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library.

I gave this book three stars on Goodreads. The writing was fine. I was more enthralled in some parts of the story than in others. I did skim a few parts. There could have been a bit more editing, but it wasn't bad. I also found a few parts to be a bit dramatic and unrealistic.

I did find that I agreed with (or recognized) some of the things he pointed out about the LDS Church and the culture that's been created amongst its membership.

The story he told gave me things to think about. I'm glad I read it, but I definitely don't feel like I can embrace his story 100%.

Clean. I don't think there was even any swearing.

Mad Girl (Bryony Gordon)

Subtitle: A Happy Life with a Mixed-Up Mind

Why I have this book: Someone I follow on IG recommended it, so I bought it for Kindle.

I gave this book three stars on Goodreads. I did enjoy it, but it was hard to relate to the life this woman has lived. Apparently she's a well-known journalist in the UK, but I had never heard of her before. Lots of drugs, drinking, casual sex, etc. was the norm in her life prior to marriage. Yeah, I can't relate to that lifestyle.

While I thought the book was supposed to be more about her mental health, it felt more like a memoir and how her mental health issues played into the chaotic life she led. Yeah, the mental health issues were there, but for me, they were overshadowed a bit by the memoir part of the story.

It was interesting. I don't hate that I read it. She is actually quite funny and a good writer. I admit I probably googled more words and phrases in this book than maybe any other I've read. There were so many British sayings and words, and other commonly known things for those who are British or who live in the UK... and I just had no clue.

Lots of swearing, including the F-word. Lots of sleeping around (not described), lots of drinking and drug use, etc.

Nine Perfect Strangers (Liane Moriarty)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library. Liane Moriarty is an author whose books I enjoy very much, but it was also recommended by a friend.

My friend said she liked it, but it wasn't her favorite by Liane. I agree completely. I did enjoy it, but it wasn't my favorite, either.

I gave it a three on Goodreads.

Lots of swearing, including lots of uses of the F-word. Sex was mentioned several times, but it's not something that happened in front of the readers, and nothing was graphically described.

When a Family Member Has OCD (Jon Hershfield)

The title continues:

Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Skills to Help Families Affected by Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Why I have this book: It was recommended somewhere or by someone from the OCD online community, I think. I bought both the Kindle edition and the audio version, so I listened to the audio version over the last two days.

I thought this was helpful. I don't really have much to say about it, other than it's a good overview of OCD and how it affects family members who live with and love someone with OCD. It also talks about how to understand and support family members who have OCD.

Clean. I don't remember anything offensive.

Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church (Rachel Held Evans)

Why I have this book: My sister-in-law recommended it, so I borrowed the audio version from the ebook library.

I think I checked this book out three times before I finished it, so it obviously wasn't so engrossing that I couldn't put it down (or turn it off, as it was).

I gave it three stars, though, because I appreciated her thoughts. When she's talking about "the Church," she's talking about it from the view of being Evangelical, so she has a lot more leeway when it comes to checking out other churches/congregations. That also means she's not expecting to necessarily find the "true" church... just one that works for her.

I don't think there was anything offensive in this book. I think she's a popular Christian author/speaker, so that's the angle it's coming from. 

Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life (Amber Scorah)

Why I have this book: My sister-in-law recommended it, so I borrowed the audio version from the ebook library.

I gave this book four stars on Goodreads, and that's mostly because it was so fascinating to me to read about how similar the emotions are within the membership of the JW's and the LDS. Of course, I realize that this is just her experience and my experience... not necessarily the experience of everyone in either religion.

I wasn't real impressed with her affair, and I did have thoughts that the guy she had an affair with was just trying to lead her astray, so to speak. Maybe I'd see it all differently if I wasn't looking at religion through my current lens.

The book was maybe more memoir than just about leaving a faith, but being a member of a different "high-demand" religion does make me feel like it's all intertwined, anyway.

There was some pretty nasty profanity, including the F-word a couple of times. I don't think there were more than 5 or so swear words altogether, so it's not like it was full of them. She briefly describes a sexual encounter she had as a teenager, and she talks about sex a few times. Adultery is also part of the story, as well as the loss of a child.

River of Time: My Descent into Depression and How I Emerged with Hope (Naomi Judd)

Why I have this book: I borrowed the audiobook from the ebook library shortly after Naomi's recent death.

I wish I could give this book more stars (like so many others did), but I only gave it two stars on Goodreads.

I felt like Naomi spent a lot of time criticizing her mother and (to a lesser extent) her father, as well as many people in her extended family. I think her point was to show that she came from a family with generations of mental health issues, but I think she could have spent a lot less time on that and more time on what actually helped her get better. She didn't respect the privacy of others in her family the way I bet she would have wanted others to respect hers. I didn't finish this book with a lot of admiration for her, other than how much she accomplished professionally after coming from such a dire background.

To be clear, it's terrible that she battled through so many very difficult experiences in her life. I didn't respect her choice to repeatedly share negative details about others in her family who battled through similar experiences.

It was also very depressing because she ultimately lost her battle with mental illness. Her death was a suicide. I do feel compassion and heartache for the pain she obviously was never able to overcome even with all the success she had in life. I feel that mental illness is like a cruel joke. So many of those who suffer with it are left to struggle for life, and often feel alone in that struggle. It's blatantly unfair to try to live with your own brain working against you.

Clean. There may have been a mild swear word once or twice. It's a heavy story, though, with attempted molestation, rape, suicide, a possible murder, lots of mental illness, etc.

The Firm (John Grisham)

Why I have this book: I bought it for my husband for Christmas on Kindle.

I'm pretty sure I read this book back in the day, and I'm also pretty sure I liked it better back then, as well.

It took me a long time to get through this one because I just wasn't into it. The main character (Mitch) wasn't very likable. It also was kinda corny and unrealistic, but I know it was a big hit, so maybe I'm just not imaginative enough. 

I also was confused by how the author made comments about how the 24-year-old wife was aging well (???), and how the 51-year-old looked her age (gray hair and frail). I don't know how old John Grisham was when he wrote this, but as a 54-year-old, it gave me pause.

I was also annoyed that Mitch cheated on his wife and never told her. Jerk.

I gave it two stars on Goodreads.

There are murders (not graphic) and sexual situations (semi-descriptive about women, gross references to other men liking to see pics of couples having sex while being secretly monitored, one-night stands, etc), and I'm guessing there was some mild swearing, but I can't recall for sure.

Truth Seeking (Hans Mattsson and Christina Hanke)

The subtitle reads:

THE STORY OF HIGH-RANKING MORMON LEADER HANS MATTSSON SEEKING SINCERE ANSWERS FROM HIS CHURCH BUT INSTEAD FINDING CONTEMPT, FEAR, AND DOUBT... AND EVENTUALLY PEACE.

Yes, that's a very long subtitle, and it pretty much sums up what the book is about. Hans was actually an Area Seventy in Sweden, and is (at the time of this writing) the highest-ranked Church official to openly express doubts about the LDS Church (and eventually revoke his membership).

Why I have this book: I heard the author speak on a podcast about a topic that I am currently studying, so I bought his book.

I gave this book four stars on Goodreads. It's been translated from Swedish to English, and they probably could have had an English editor clean it up a bit. Since I knew it was translated, I was more relaxed about the errors than I am with American-published books that were originally written in English. ;) The writing is pretty matter-of-fact in tone, but that could be because of the translation. Maybe it has a different feel in the original Swedish.

I felt a lot of compassion and empathy for the journey Hans took with his faith, and I appreciate all he's done to share his story about choosing to walk away from the church his family had embraced for generations.

Clean.

Gone to the Woods (Gary Paulsen)

Why I have this book: I bought it on Kindle shortly after Gary Paulsen passed away. It might have also been on sale, because it was pretty inexpensive.

I was on track to give this book 4 stars, but I ended up giving it three stars instead. The first part was super interesting and even uplifting, but it got heavier as it went on. There were also a couple of confusing statements, and nothing that bridged his years as a soldier and when he became a famous and successful author.

I read somewhere (maybe on Amazon?) that this book was intended for 8 to 12-year-olds. I totally disagree. I wish Gary would have written it for adults (mostly for the writing style) and I wish it were a more complete memoir.

There may have been some mild swearing (can't be certain on this). There was violence/shootings (as a part of military action), and - I don't know - just some stuff that I can't remember that made it feel like a book for older teens/adults rather than for kids.

American Seoul (Helena Rho)

Why I have this book: It was an Amazon Prime First Reads book (or however it's worded), so I got it for free. Since I have an interest in Korea, it's the one I picked. (Plus there's rarely more than one of the First Reads books that sound interesting to me.)

This was a difficult one to rate. On the one hand, she's an excellent writer. It was easy to get into the flow of her words and storytelling. As a memoir (and her first published book, I think), she kept my interest. The cultural connection to Korea and its history is fascinating to me as an American product of the "melting pot" who has no super strong connection to any "motherland." Her relationships in her life are complicated (although it seems that her family in Korea are the perfect respite from her family in America).

I did agree with other reviewers on Amazon and Goodreads about how the story was sometimes hard to follow as she jumped around on the timeline of her life. I also at times felt like she was constantly in victim-mode. I was bothered that she felt like her sisters were supposed to financially support her through her divorce. Yes, that would have been kind of them if they had the money, but I'm super against entitlement and expectation. I do wonder why her sisters didn't offer. Maybe there wasn't a relationship there, and did the author contribute to that dynamic?

The biggest thing that dropped my rating down was that she stopped talking about her daughter toward the end of the book, and in the Acknowledgments, she mentioned her son but not her daughter. She seemed very pointed about this. I don't care if things are rough, that's really a slap in the face, and frankly, it felt like a continuation of the unhealthy mother/daughter relationship she was so hurt by with her own mother.

I did give it three stars on Goodreads because the writing was good and because I enjoyed reading about Korean culture. 

There are some swear words in this book. I think I remember one F-word.

French Braid (Anne Tyler)

Why I have this book: I saw the "buzz" about it here and there, so I borrowed it from the ebook library.

I gave it two stars on Goodreads. It was fine. It didn't seem to have much of a point to it.

And this is what I pretty much said about another book by Anne Tyler (A Spool of Blue Thread) that I read in May of 2015. I actually gave that one three stars, so I must have liked it better than this one... or I'm just less generous in my ratings at the moment. I don't know.

There were some sweet sentiments, but mostly it just seemed to be a sad reflection on family life.

There may have been some mild swearing. I don't remember anything worse than that. There is an implied sexual relationship with a teenager, but not described. One extra-marital affair (also not described). 

Leaving Blythe River (Catherine Ryan Hyde)

Why I have this book: My mom recommended it, and it was low-cost, so I bought it for Kindle.

I liked this book quite a bit. I did give it four stars on Goodreads even though the epilogue kind of seemed unnecessary and (to me) took the book down just a notch.

Other than the epilogue, the book kept me super engaged from start to finish.

There was a bit of swearing (I don't remember any F-bombs), and the dad is an adulterer. The rest of the story is clean, and I think it would be fine for anyone jr. high and up.

Beartown (Fredrik Backman)

Why I have this book: A friend "recommended" it a few years ago, although she didn't recommend it. She couldn't recommend it because of the language, but she also needed to talk about it because she loved it. Anyway, it was on sale for Kindle, so I bought it... because really, I felt like it was recommended to me. Haha...

Okay, I loved it, too. I had to stick with four stars on Goodreads just because the language is seriously over the top, but it really is great writing. It's the kind of writing that gets stuck in your gut. The characters get into your head, and even though the author doesn't spend a lot of in-depth writing on each character, somehow you know them and you know what created who they are.

There was a quote in the book that doesn't have a lot to do with the story, but that stood out to me at this time in my life: "Religion is something between you and other people; it's full of interpretations and theories and opinions. But faith... that's just between you and God."

Lots and lots of profanity, mainly the F-word. The storyline involves a rape, which is somewhat described (could be worse, but it's not nothing). There's some other violence, mainly fist fights. One character is gay and has an implied (not descriptive) relationship with another young man.

Apples Never Fall (Liane Moriarty)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library because I've enjoyed other books by the author.

I gave this book four stars on Goodreads. I really like the way Liane Moriarty writes. I love her style, and the way she explores and exposes the way people think in their every day thoughts. I think she does a great job of capturing human emotion, and the development of all the characters is on point.

I do wish she'd ease up on the F-bombs, but she's from Australia, so... (haha)

I'm kinda surprised she didn't clear up one little part from the beginning, and I must mention that even Ms. Moriarty needs to hire me to do her final proofreading to catch those pesky editing mistakes.

There was all the swearing, as I just mentioned. No graphic sex, but there was premarital sex implied. It's also a murder investigation, so there is some criminal element/dead bodies going on.

Unshattered: Overcoming Tragedy and Choosing a Beautiful Life (Carol J. Decker)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library. I read an article about the author years ago, and the book has been on my library wish list for quite a while.

I liked this book enough to give it four stars on Goodreads. It was inspiring, and it also touched my compassionate side as it reminded me that many people go through unimaginable difficulties. I'm in awe of those people as well as the medical staff, scientists, family members, rehab personnel, friends and community members, inventors, etc., who help the victims of accidents and disease to survive and overcome their challenges.

Carol's story is incredible, and I am grateful she is sharing it so we can all learn from her journey.

Clean. She obviously had serious damage as a result of her illness and many medical procedures/hospital stays, so if that's triggering, here's the warning.

The Girl They Left Behind (Roxanne Veletzos)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library after seeing a couple of friends had liked it.

I had high hopes for this to be a four-star book for me, but I ended up giving it three stars on Goodreads. I felt like the story itself was good (and I wish I had known it was based on the author's mother's real life when I started reading it), but it was somewhat disjointed at times. I had to piece things together because the story didn't always make things clear. Things mostly got tied up at the end, but it still didn't come together completely. I'm not even sure we figured out what ends up happening with the adoptive parents, did we? I seriously barely finished it a few hours ago, and I'm not sure...

There were also a couple of things that distracted me from the storyline. One was when something was described as "soccer sized." They play "football" in Romania, not soccer, so it's a word that interrupted the flow and setting of the story. Little things like that. Yeah, I know. My brain has issues. Someone should be paying me to use it to fix these small issues before a book goes to print.

Overall, it was pretty good. I always love learning about the history of other countries, and I did learn about what it was like in Romania during and after WWII.

I don't remember if there was any swearing. There is one couple who has an affair, but it's not described.

Scrupulous (Taylor Kerby)

Why I have this book: Someone I follow on IG mentioned it because they had interviewed the author. I bought it because I have an interest in both OCD and religion.

I gave this book three stars on Goodreads. Honestly, I'd probably go with 2.5 if it were possible, but it's not. I rounded up because there were a few parts that were four stars, but there were also parts that were two stars. 

I feel like it started out kinda slow, got better in the middle, then got wordy and a little redundant toward the end. I also thought some of the writing was a bit confusing and difficult to follow.

I do wonder how many of the things he dealt with would have been non-existent if he didn't belong to a high-demand religion like the LDS Church. On the other hand, maybe his OCD would have just manifest in a different way if religion and God weren't the easy target in his case.

Still, I think he has a good point that the way the gospel is often taught - with the focus on all the do's and don't's instead of on God's love and finding peace in the Savior - is detrimental to a lot of members of the LDS Church. One quote from the book: "... inhaling everything that comes from our well-meaning brothers and sisters in class or from the pulpit is a recipe for greater anxiety and stress."

Clean, although he does talk about hitting his genitals in order to "control" the normal sexual desires/thoughts teenage boys have.

Full (Julia Spiro)

Why I have this book: It was a freebie from Prime First Reads or whatever it's called.

I actually enjoyed this book quite a bit. I couldn't really relate to the protagonist's lifestyle, but it was interesting to think about "influencers" I see on Instagram. I also appreciated the points about self-worth, being real vs. fake, figuring out what one really wants in life, etc.

I gave it four stars on Goodreads. I probably would have gone with a 3.7 if that were an option, but since it's not, I rounded up.

There were a handful of uses of the F-word and a few other swear words. Nobody actually slept together in the book, but it's mentioned as a possibility or as something that happened in the past. The storyline also deals with eating disorders, specifically bulimia, and there's no shortage of intentional binging and purging in the book.

The other two "Mastermind" books by Gordon Korman

Masterminds: Criminal Destiny

Masterminds: Payback

Why I have these books: See previous post.

I gave both these books four stars on Goodreads. Super fun and adventurous. I hope I can get my kids to read them.

Clean. There is some "criminal" activity, but there's no swearing and the "violence" is more slapstick than anything else. There is one death, but it's not too dramatic or emotional.

Masterminds (Gordon Korman)

Why I have this book: I bought it years ago, probably at the recommendation of my friend, L.

Okay, I really enjoyed this book. I gave it four stars on Goodreads.

It's written for the upper elementary through adult crowd, but I wouldn't call it "simple" at all. I might even say it's more middle school and up.

The funny thing is my husband has been making his way through books I put on his Kindle (from my account), and he liked this one so much that I ended up buying the second and third books in the series for him to read. Now if only our two youngest kids would read them. They are too stubborn to enjoy reading.

My heart was pounding during the last part of the book. It's intense! I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series right away.

Clean. I don't remember any swearing or anything. There is a possible death... but maybe not. I have to keep reading the series to find out. 

The Return (Nicholas Sparks)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library as part of my plan to make my brain work again after C*vid... which involves reading light and easy books to start with.

I gave this book two stars on Goodreads only because it was slightly better than the one I just read (and reviewed) previously. 

Oh, my gosh. Sooooooo cheesy. So ridiculous that two grown adults fall "in love" in two weeks. Teenagers do this all the time. Adults should be smarter than that. It's called hormones. Infatuation. Whatever. It's not true love. 

And it was just shallow and predictable. Whoa! Big surprise about the... well, no spoilers, I guess. But yes, she has a secret. And no, it's not shocking. Pretty sure this story has been told before.

Anyway, I'm thinking Nicholas Sparks should have stopped writing while he was ahead. This one is nothing special.

(I must be cranky today. I'm not usually so rude, am I?)

Mostly clean. There's an "almost" sex scene, but it doesn't get too detailed. I don't recall any swearing, but there may have been a mild word or two.

Eyes of a Stranger (Rachel Ann Nunes)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library because I wanted something easy and quick to get me back into reading. I haven't read a book in over a month! I seriously think having had C*vid in late January has made my brain a bit mushy. I hope by making myself read again, it will perk it up a bit.

Well, I gave this book one star on Goodreads. It was implausible in so many ways. I don't even want to get into it, but the writing seemed shallow and amateurish, which is strange because the author has written a lot of books. (Side note: Apparently, this one has been republished with a new title (Then I Found You) and under a pen name (Rachel Branton), and is part of a series (Finding Home Series). Maybe it's been cleaned up a bit to make it better? Seems like most people liked it according to the Amazon reviews.)

Clean, although it deals with death and murder and unwed pregnancy/adoption.

Pax (Sara Pennypacker)

Why I have this book: My friend recently read it, and she recommended it to me. I borrowed it from the ebook library.

I liked this book okay. Could be my "brain fog" from my recent bout with the current popular illness. I can't seem to keep my brain focused on anything lately. 

The book is written for kids about 8-12, I believe, but I wonder how well children of that age would follow the writing. I doubt very many would be able to read between the lines and see the deeper stories that are happening.

It's also set in an "indeterminate" time and place (that's how my friend put it), so that makes it a little confusing. It appears to be in the US, but there's a war going on in the country, and it's not set back in history. That was hard to settle into for me. I like knowing where and when things are happening soon after a story opens.

I gave this book 3 stars on Goodreads. I probably would have gone with 2.5 if that was an option. There is a sequel, but I don't think I'll read it.

Clean'ish. There is some description of war-time violence and violence against animals from the animals' points of view.

Wife No. 19 (Ann Eliza Young)

Why I have this book: I don't even remember how it came to my attention, but it was only $1.99 for the Kindle edition, so I bought it.

This book was written in 1875 by an (ex) wife of Brigham Young. I haven't looked into it, but I'm guessing she's the only one who made the move to divorce him, although if she is to be believed, most of the others should have done the same.

I'm trying to voice what I think. The book itself was easy to read (although there were plenty of typos), and the things she wrote about were compelling and interesting. Some things were very disturbing, especially her description of the Mountain Meadows Massacre.

Enough of what she wrote coincides with things I read in Saints Volume One (history of the Mormon church published by the Church itself) to find her accounts believable. I tried to do at least a short Google research on things I questioned, and I either verified what she said or found nothing at all on some of her claims. I honestly can't say it feels like she's lying. Maybe there were things she "heard" and took as truth, but she did mention a few times that she hadn't been able to verify something that she was sharing, so it feels like she was being careful in what she wrote.

Some of the things happened before she was born, so she obviously was using the memories of others and was writing about things she didn't actually witness herself. That doesn't mean they aren't true, though.

Overall, the picture she paints is that the early Church was very much like what we read about the FLDS Church led by Warren Jeffs. The author alluded to NOT sharing things that "decency and womanly modesty forbid [her] even hinting at." She says those things make what she did share "tame in comparison." And what she did share was already enough to conclude there was a lot of evil happening in the early Church.

It's possible she was just a disgruntled polygamous wife and bitter woman and made it all up or at least exaggerated points just to get her 15-minutes of fame (whatever that looked like in 1875). I don't think so, though. There were probably two stories she told that made me think, "Um... that seems like a stretch..." where I also couldn't verify them nor dispute them through my own (short) research.

I guess if I had to put a number on it, I'd say I believe somewhere between 80-90% minimum of what she wrote. I'm not sure every single polygamous wife was as unhappy as she made them out to be (without exception), and I don't think all men were as awful as she suggested. The Church acts like only a small number of men and women actually practiced polygamy, but she paints a very different picture. I'm not sure which to believe, but I do think the Church has more reason to downplay polygamy than she did to lie about that.

I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads. 

There is a description of the Mountain Meadow Massacre which is very difficult to read, as well as other acts of violence and murder that are just awful. She talks about situations involving suspected adultery (or were they classified as "plural marriage?"), but nothing sexual is described at all. I don't recall if there is any swearing. If there is, it is mild and infrequent.

Actually, I'm Not Okay (Danny Baker)

Why I have this book: I bought it as part of a series on depression from The Depression Project. I honestly don't know how it came to my attention, but the books were inexpensive, so I bought them.

So from what I can tell online, this book was only 45 pages long. It's unnumbered when I look at the book on my iPhone Kindle app, so I can't verify that at the moment, but it sure seemed longer than that. It's more of a document/pdf that I sent to my Kindle, so it's not even a real book in the sense that it was published by mainstream publishing. However, someone had added it to Goodreads, so I was able to add it to my "read" shelf.

I gave it two stars on Goodreads. I felt like a lot of it was redundant. I do feel like after reading this book, I can conclude that I don't suffer from depression. Do I get down at times? Sure. Do I have situations in my life that make me sad? Yeah, I do. But I don't suffer from the kind of depression talked about or described in this book. I'm grateful for that.

Maybe if someone suffers from the kind of depression the book describes, it would be more helpful than it was for me.

Clean. I don't remember anything offensive. It's possible there was a swear word or two, but I can't be sure on that. To be honest, I skimmed a bit of it just because it was redundant.

The Good Sister (Sally Hepworth)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library because I liked another book the author wrote.

I liked this one a lot, as well. It's a real page-turner, and ended with a bit of a creepy jive. Nothing gory or graphic or over-the-top for me, and I'm pretty sensitive to that type of thing.

Her writing totally sucks me in, so I'll be watching for her next book that's coming up in a few months.

There were probably a few swear words, including maybe an F-word here and there. Premarital sex happens (not described), and it's in the realm of "no big deal, this is common in today's age."

Of Literature and Lattes (Katherine Reay)

Why I have this book: I bought it because I've read and enjoyed other books by the author. I actually bought it at the same time I bought the previously reviewed first book in the series (The Printed Letter Bookshop) with a gift card my friend gave me for my birthday. (So kind and thoughtful!)

Well, I had high hopes for this book since I enjoyed the first in the series so much, but sadly, I just couldn't get into this one. I can't decide if I didn't enjoy it as much because I didn't spend as much time in it, or if I didn't spend as much time in it because I didn't enjoy it that much. I had a hard time believing the main love story... the male half of the love match seemed like a pretty immature guy. Nice, but immature. I didn't really "feel" them fall in love. It just kinda happened. The female protagonist was also immature, but apparently was also brilliant. Her personality didn't really tie into her brilliance very well. I don't know. It just didn't all mesh for me.

Also, in this book and the previous one, the author used the word "cacophonous" several times. I just feel like when an uncommon word or phrase is overused, it becomes distracting. (Or maybe everyone else uses the word "cacophonous" and I'm the odd one out?)

So... I gave it two stars on Goodreads. 

Clean.