The God of the Woods (Liz Moore)

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

I was surprised to see that the author wrote another book I loved (Long Bright River). In fact, after reading this one and realizing I was going to give it five stars on Goodreads, I think I probably should have given Long Bright River five stars, as well. I read it back when I was reserving my five stars for the books that were the most inspiring. Now I'm more about how good they are for their genre. Long Bright River did get a glowing review from me here on this blog, so maybe it deserved five stars, too. I think it probably did.

Anyway, I gave this one five stars. Wow. So good. So much going on, so much detail. (And also so many commas. That was the only thing that made me question the five stars, but I'm just ignoring it because the story and the writing were very good.) 

I need to check and see if the author has written any other books, because if she has, I'm reading them.

The story deals with a couple of missing children. There are some non-descriptive suggestive scenes of various kinds. There is some profanity (I'm no longer going to specify which words. The reality is that unless you are only reading books that are published by religious/churchy organizations, there's going to be profanity. And if there's profanity, it's going to probably include the F-word.)

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice (Elle Cosimano)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library. It's the fourth in a series that I've enjoyed.

This one earned four stars on Goodreads from me! The ending was *insert shocked face*, and I can't wait to read the next one. I think the next one (#5) is the last of the series. It doesn't come out until March, but I'm on the "Notify Me" list at the ebook library, so hopefully I won't have to wait too long once it's released to get my hands on it.

Like some of her other books, there was a bit of editing that needed to be cleaned up.

These books involve murder, but they are also comedic and fun, so it takes the edge off what could be a more scary or creepy vibe.

There's some profanity, including the F-word if I'm remembering correctly. There are some sexual moments (unmarried) that are very mildly descriptive. The stories involve murder and dead bodies and such, and sometimes the descriptions are a bit yucky... but that's coming from someone who doesn't do well with that kind of thing. It's probably pretty mild compared to other books. 

One Foggy Christmas (Kortney Keisel)

Why I have this book. It's the very last book I've borrowed from KU before it cancels. I only borrowed it because my friend recommended it, and since it was "Christmas" themed, it seemed like a good idea.

I only gave it two stars on Goodreads. I think I'm just jaded about love stories these days. This one had a good premise, but it felt pretty implausible medically and a little too "Hallmark" in how it all worked out. If one is suspending disbelief and in the mood for a super cutesy Hallmark-styled story, then this one would fit the bill.

Pretty clean. I don't remember if it had swearing or not. There is a somewhat lustful moment on a ferris wheel, but it's not descriptive.

The Boyfriend (Freida McFadden)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from Kindle Unlimited. (And it really has been canceled, I promise. It's just good through the 23rd!)

I gave this one a solid four stars. It was a jaw-dropper! Creepy, too. The creepiness isn't why it got four stars... I generally don't even like creepy. But this one just had so much "waaaaaaatttt?" to it. 

Anyway, I liked it a lot. I will keep my eyes out for more of her books even though I won't be able to get to them as easily without KU.

It's a psychological thriller, so it's got all the things that go along with that. The language includes the F-word. There is sex outside of marriage, but it's not descriptive. 

Hidden Pictures (Jason Rekulak)

Why I have this book: I kept seeing it recommended online, and since it was available on KU, I borrowed it. I kind of went back and forth because it seemed maybe too creepy, but I finally just went for it.

Okay, this is going to sound crazy, but I gave it five stars on Goodreads. I admit that it's not my usual five-star book. I usually reserve those for the books that are amazing in the sense of humanity and are life- or perspective-changing for me.

This book falls under the "horror" genre (according to Goodreads where it won the 2022 Choice Awards Winner in that category), and I'm not sure I've even read a "horror" book for decades. I read a few of them back when I was a kid (not sure how that was allowed) because my grandma had a few of those types of books on her bookshelf.

Anyway, I would probably categorize this as less "horror" and more "thriller," but regardless, it was a pretty awesome read. Yes, there were creepy moments. I had no idea where the story was going to go, and even though it dealt with the paranormal, it still felt like a satisfying and realistic conclusion for me.

I loved the way the author implemented the pictures into the book itself. Also, the author is male, but the story is told from the female protagonist's perspective. He did such a good job of writing her thoughts and words that I completely forgot that the author was a man. In my opinion, he's an excellent writer. He has another book out, and I'm going to see if it's available to borrow.

There were a handful of swear words, including the F-word. The story is scary and creepy in parts and deals with murder. Nothing sexual is described.

The Surrogate Mother (Freida McFadden)

Why I have this book: It's another KU book I borrowed before my membership expires.

I've enjoyed other books by this author, but this was probably my least favorite. I gave it three stars on Goodreads. It did have a nice twist toward the end, but overall, it seemed a little too implausible. 

Still... I don't hate that I read it. I'll still read more of her books.

There is profanity, murderous stuff... um, nothing sexual that I can remember. (I've read another book since I finished this one, so things can get blurry in my memory.)

Silenced in the Name of God (Stephanie Taylor)

Why I have this book: Amazon recommended it to me, I think, and it was available to borrow on KU.

Okay, as far as writing, this book would only earn about two stars from me. It needed serious editing. The funny thing was that the author named somebody in the acknowledgements who edited the book more than once. I'm not sure what she edited because there were writing mistakes throughout the entire book.

Having said that, I still gave the book four stars on Goodreads. The story itself was courageously told. It's the memoir of a woman who was abused throughout childhood and kept convincing herself that she could "fix" her family (if only in the eternities) by being faithful and forgiving.

It's so hard for me to know that people really live like this family did. It's especially difficult to know that children experience abuse and neglect of this nature without anyone noticing or doing anything about it. It's also interesting how children sometimes don't realize how abnormal their lives are until they grow up and experience life elsewhere.

The book reminded me a bit of Educated by Tara Westover. Tara's book was way more polished, but their stories were similar in some ways, especially in how religious beliefs can make a family justify their own harmful lifestyles and choices.

There are some descriptions of the sexual abuse and other neglect/abuse the author experienced. I don't recall any swearing or anything else some might find objectionable.

My tears were for nothing...

Apparently my new job does not prevent me from reading as much as I want to. I've read ten books since I started working at the end of October. Two of those were short stories, but still. 

Like I mentioned in a recent post, maybe it's because I'm using books as an escape when I get home. 

Maybe it's because I put a screensaver on my home screen on my phone that reminds me that "Reading > Scrolling."

Maybe it's because I know KU is leaving soon, so I'm trying to read a bunch of "free" books before it ends.

Regardless, I am no longer whining about not having time to read just because I'm working. I do still whine about not having time to do a lot of other things I'd like to do. I have definitely not figured out the work/life balance. 

Carry on.

Such a Good Family (Caitlin Weaver)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from KU. (My membership expires later this month... for real this time. Unless I ask for a year's membership for Christmas.)

I gave this book four stars, as well. I feel like I'm giving a lot of books four stars lately. Maybe that's because they are all providing the escape I've been looking for. Maybe my standards aren't really high right now because I'm not looking for intellectual stimulation. I don't know... but I'm glad I'm enjoying the books I've been reading.

I have some mixed feelings about this one. I feel like the author could have left out some descriptive details regarding a sexual encounter and a clip from a porn site. So not needed. I'm not sure that part of the storyline was necessary at all, and in some ways it didn't feel like it fit in with the rest of the flow.

However, I was pretty invested in the story and totally uncertain about how it would play out. I think the subject matter is important, especially while parenting teenagers or if the reader were a teenager him/herself. There's just a lot to consider when you choose to begin a sexual relationship (regardless of age) in a casual way.

Some parts definitely gave off a yucky vibe, but I do think it told a valuable story.

Profanity, some descriptions of a sexual nature, SA and accusations of SA, adultery. The book has a fairly heavy storyline.

Hello, Stranger (Katherine Center)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from KU because I've been reading other books by this author.

This book had an interesting premise. The protagonist had an injury-induced "face-blindness." I mean, the storyline was pretty predictable, but I enjoyed it. It was good light reading.

I feel like I need to mention that not all my "four star" books are equally "four stars." Sometimes I rate them according to the genre... comparing one rom-com to others, for example. There are some four stars that are much better than others. It's just difficult to always quantify why I gave a certain number of stars to a book compared to other books.

Anyway, I did give this four stars because as far as rom-coms go, I thought it was a four-star read.

There was definitely swearing, including the F-word. I don't think there was any sex... nothing described, for sure. There were some lustful thoughts about a shirtless guy, and a misunderstood conversation that was taken to mean sexual things (but was not the case). 

'Tis the Damn Season (Fiona Gibson)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from KU.

The book didn't turn out to be what I expected. I thought it was going to be about women who feel overwhelmed and under-appreciated (according to the summary), so they go away and have a great "girls' weekend" together.

It was kinda about that, but not exactly. 

I gave it three stars on Goodreads. It was enjoyable, but not super relatable. I did enjoy her writing style.

There was an extramarital affair that was a bit weird and gross... so much so that I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone. I don't remember on the swearing. 

Two more books by Katherine Center

The Bodyguard

Happiness for Beginners

Why I have these books: My friend said she read all of this author's books, so I borrowed what I could on Kindle Unlimited (which I really should cancel again), and I'm making my way through them.

I gave both of these books 4 stars on Goodreads. I'm pretty impressed by the author's ability to write so many rom-com type books that aren't all fluffy and all have a different vibe to them.

I don't feel like there's a lot of editing issues, although in Happiness for Beginners, she used "lay, laid, lying" quite a bit... enough for me to take note because I think she didn't always use them correctly. (I've sent examples to my friend who is an expert on the subject to hear her thoughts. Haha.) That's my problem, though. Most people don't notice or think about it, and I only do because my expert friend taught me how to use them, and now (just like she predicted) it's always on my radar.

I also highlighted a bunch of quotes in Happiness for Beginners, but because I did it on my phone instead of my Kindle, apparently it didn't create a document to save them. There were several quotes about looking for the good and training your brain to see those things instead of the hard things. I guess I'll only see them again if I borrow or buy the book. Oh, well! That's the gist of it... train your brain to see the good in your life and in the world!

Anyway, these are cute stories. I'll be glad when I finish them, though, because I do want to read things besides rom-coms.

Both books have a "mostly clean" feel to them. There are some lusty moments, but nothing descriptive. There's swearing, including the F-word, but none of it is over-the-top in frequency.

Things You Save in a Fire (Katherine Center)

Why I have this book: My friend told me she's read all of this author's books (after I told her I was reading The Lost Husband, also by the author), and this was one of her favorites. I borrowed it from Kindle Unlimited. I really need to cancel that service for good because I already have so many books to read and I keep borrowing more.

I gave this one four stars on Goodreads. Like the other one I read, it started out deep, then had a weird lighter tone toward the middle-end, then went back to the deeper lesson learned. I'm actually reading another book by the author right now, so I'll see if this seems to be a pattern for all her books.

There's some swearing and unmarried sex (not descriptive), and part of the storyline deals with sexual assault, which might be triggering for some readers.

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank (Elle Cosimano)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library. It's Book 3.5 in the series.

I liked this short story that gives the background of the sidekick in the Finlay Donovan series. Like the previous book in the series, it could have used me an editor to help clean up just a couple of things. It was a short story, so it was a quick and fun read. I gave it three stars on Goodreads.

There was probably some swearing, and there was a bit of lusting, but nothing else.

The Lost Husband (Katherine Center)

Why I have this book: I got it for $1.99 (thank you, Book Bub, for saving me money and also causing me to buy more books.)

I gave this book three stars, but again, I'd have gone with 3.5 if that were an option. It's so weird because it started out feeling pretty "deep," then got a little silly and rom-com'ish, then tied it up with a nicely profound "lesson learned."

I did enjoy the book for the most part, but there's one scene where the "boyfriend" is defending the protagonist's daughter that was a big turn-off. Totally unrealistic and probably would have landed him in jail in real life. 

There's some sex, but not described in detail. There was probably some swearing, but I don't remember. My content reviews aren't as helpful as they used to be, I'm afraid, since I can't remember everything. Or maybe my standards have slipped or I just don't care enough anymore. Haha...

The Answer is No (Fredrik Backman)

Why I have this book: It was a Prime First Reads, and thus I got it for free.

I gave this short story four stars on Goodreads. Super cute read about neighbors and friends and community.

I honestly don't remember if there was any swearing. It's very possible, but I can't say for sure. There was nothing else objectionable.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Elle Cosimano)

Why I have this book: It was a Kindle Unlimited book, I think. Or maybe I borrowed it from the ebook library. I can't remember. It's the third in a series I've been reading, though.

I gave this one four stars on Goodreads, although I would have preferred to give it a 3.5. There were some editing issues, but I did enjoy it overall. I'll be reading the whole series.

There's swearing, including the f-word, if I'm remembering correctly. I'm to the point that I barely notice them anymore. It's just too common nowadays. There is some "unmarried" sex, but not graphically described. I think that's about it.

And furthermore...

I also want to say that because of my husband's job loss, I canceled all our streaming services. That includes Kindle Unlimited (well, technically they gave me a free month when I tried to cancel, so I still have it for now), so I returned a bunch of books I had borrowed but hadn't yet read.

My library app keeps a history of books I've borrowed, and I've been able to delete books from that history if it turns out I didn't read them after all. There's no way to do that on Kindle Unlimited, so I have this whole borrowing list on Amazon that doesn't reflect what I've actually read. It's kind of annoying to my brain because my brain wants everything to match.

Why am I even stating this here? I guess I just wanted to make it official that I KNOW AMAZON SAYS I BORROWED THESE BOOKS, BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN I READ THEM.

That's all.

Will I ever be able to read all I want again??? (Waaahhhh)

Here's my whiny crybaby post.

The last couple of books I've read took me so long to get through. I feel like I might not be being fair to give them fewer stars when it very well could be that my mind and heart are just not into it.

My husband got laid off a few weeks ago, and just the stress of that and the fact that I quickly applied (and got hired) for a part-time job to help get us through really has been exhausting.

I tend to just space out on scrolling on my phone in my downtime instead of reading. I need to change that and work harder to pick up my Kindle instead of the easy scrolling on the phone.

Anyway, I don't mean to complain. The job is fun enough, and hopefully I'll get used to the physical demands it includes. I have a friend who works WAY longer hours than I do in the same kind of industry, so I will keep my 4.5 hour shift in perspective. I just need to figure out how to balance my time better so that I use my "free" hours doing the things that really matter to me.

One Mountain Away (Emilie Richards)

Why I have this book: A friend recommended it, and it was available on KU, so I borrowed it. I actually borrowed the whole series, but only read this first one.

I gave it only two stars on Goodreads. The book was okay, but it took me forever to read it. I don't know if that was because it just wasn't that interesting or if it was because we had a lot of other things going on in our lives at that time. (Another review I'm writing a couple of weeks later and dating back to when I finished it.)

Some of the other books in the series look interesting, so maybe I'll come back to it. 

I think it was clean. I can't be 100% sure there was no swearing, but overall I'd say it was a pretty clean story. There were a couple of pregnancies that happened before marriage, but it's not glorified.

When We Were Friends (Jane Green)

Why I have this book: It was a Prime First Reads free book.

*Again, I'm writing this later and will date it to the day I added it to Goodreads. Another oops.

This one earned three stars from me on Goodreads. It was a short story, and while it kept my interest, it wasn't profound or amazing. I did relate a little to how a friendship that starts out so promising can turn weird.

I don't remember the content details at this point, but I'm guessing there was some swearing. I recall some smoking of MJ? I don't think there was anything sexual.

Rowdy Rising: From Rejected to Unrivaled (Dainon Moody)

Why I have this book: I had it on my Wishlist on Amazon for quite a while... not even sure why. I think it was available on Kindle Unlimited, so I borrowed it recently.

*I'm writing this review over a month after reading the book... oops... and I'll date it as if I wrote it on time. I didn't even realize I was so far behind.

Anyway, I gave this one two stars on Goodreads. It wasn't as interesting as I apparently thought it would be. I mean, Rowdy's story is definitely inspiring, but the writing wasn't amazing, and I thought it was weird how so little time was spent on his marriage/wife compared to his friendship with Joan Jett.

Overall, I didn't love it.

Clean. I don't recall any swearing or anything, but like I said, it's been over a month since I read it.

An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder (Dianne Freeman)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library. It's the latest release in the series. (The other books were reviewed earlier in the blog.)

I gave this one three stars on Goodreads. I enjoyed it, but it didn't entirely capture my attention. I felt like there probably would be more emotion involved considering who the murder victim was.

Clean other than the fact that it deals with murder and has some mentions of adultery and out-of-wedlock relations. (Nothing described.)

The first two books in the Finlay Donovan series (Elle Cosimano)

Finlay Donovan is Killing It

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead

Why I have these books: I borrowed the first three (haven't read the third yet) from Kindle Unlimited. I saw a lot of recommendations for them, plus the covers are really cute. Sadly, the rest of the books aren't on KU and are months out on the ebook library, so I don't know when I'll get to them.

I liked both these books to the tune of 4 stars each on Goodreads. They are fun, light reads without being shallow. They probably aren't super realistic. I mean, no "probably" about it... they really aren't realistic, but they kept my interest and kept me guessing as to what was going to happen next.

I told a couple of people that I could totally see the books in movie form. Lo and behold, the author mentions in the "acknowledgments" section of the book that she's looking forward to seeing Finlay on the screen. Sounds like I'm not the only one who could see these characters and stories as a movie! 

If I were the editor or early reader, I'd have helped her clean up a few things.  ;)

Mostly clean. I think there was some swearing, but I'm not sure if any of it was in the F-word category. (Am I becoming desensitized?) It has a tiny bit of spice, but nothing descriptive. There is a little violence since they are murder mysteries... um, mostly yucky because they deal with dead bodies, and that's never fun to imagine.

The Widow's Husband's Secret Lie (Freida McFadden)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from Kindle Unlimited because I've read other books by the author, and I saw it recommended online.

Okay, so I think it's good to go into this book knowing it's satire. It's a silly short story (123 pages) that takes all the typical storylines you might see in a mystery and puts them in one over-the-top plot.

If you can let yourself relax and just have fun with it, you'll enjoy this little break from reality. I gave it four stars on Goodreads.

I don't remember. Once again, I waited too long to add it to my blog, so I'm dating this entry back to when I finished it and added it to Goodreads. I don't think there was any sex. There may have been swearing. I honestly just don't remember.

Obsessed: A Memoir of My Life with OCD (Allison Britz)

Why I have this book: It was recommended somewhere... can't remember where. I bought the Kindle edition.

I gave this book five stars on Goodreads. It's not like it's a literary standout, but it felt really raw and honest. The author went through an overwhelming onset of OCD as a teenager that pulled her life apart. I don't know that I've read of another case that was so destructive so quickly, although I'm sure there are many such cases.

I found her descriptions of her therapist and the ERP work they did to be very inspirational and hopeful.

Mostly clean. There were a few swear words, and I think maybe the F-word is included in that. Some might find the nature of her OCD symptoms to be frightening.

None of This Is True (Lisa Jewell)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library because I've seen it recommended often in the genre of thrillers. (I've been giving that genre a try lately.)

I gave this one four stars on Goodreads. It was very clever (especially the end), and I was kept sucked in from the start. I'll probably read other books by the author.

I could have done a little editing for her to just clean a few things up, but she doesn't know about my amazing ability to catch those messy little slips.

Swearing, including the F-word. The story involves murder and domestic violence, as well as implied pedophilia and adultery.

Natural Selection: A Short Story (Elin Hilderbrand)

Why I have this book: It was a Prime First Read selection this month.

I gave it three stars on Goodreads. The story really could have been fleshed out and made into a full-length book, but I thought the author did a good job getting some depth in there in such a limited space. There were some thoughtful points made within the story.

I think it was clean. I don't remember anything too objectionable, though there may have been some swearing. (I'm not writing this review right after I finished it. Oops.)

Before the Ever After (Jacqueline Woodson)

Why I have this book: My friend recommended it to me, so I borrowed the audio version from the online library.

I'm sad to say I initially gave this book only two stars on Goodreads. I think the subject matter (brain injury that sometimes occurs after repeated concussions in football players) is super important. The narrator did a great job. I don't know... I just had a hard time staying engrossed in the story. The audio version was only about two hours long, too, so it shouldn't have been too hard to stay focused. Maybe it's just lingering "covid brain fog" that made it difficult for me to get into it.

So since it may have just been the brain fog, and seeing that the book has won awards, I'm going to bump my stars up to three. 

I don't recall any swearing or anything. It was geared toward upper elementary kids, so it's clean. It could be triggering for any child who has dealt with life-changing health issues in a parent.

The Silent Patient (Alex Michaelides)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from Kindle Unlimited because I saw it recommended often.

Meh. I gave it three stars. To be fair, I had covid while I was trying to read it, but it just didn't grab my attention as much as I expected. There definitely was a twist that made my jaw drop, but once that twist was revealed, the rest was just okay. 

There was some swearing, pretty sure including the F-word. Mildly descriptive sexual encounter occurred. The plot deals with murder. There's some other violence, as well... fighting, physical attacks, etc.

A Billion Years: My Escape From a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology (Mike Rinder)

Why I have this book: I bought it on Kindle because I like to read about people leaving high-demand religions.

Okay, super disappointed... but this book was soooooooooooo boring. I made it to page 70 (20% through), and I just couldn't do it anymore. Maybe it got more interesting after that, but I was already skimming.

From what I read, if what the author wrote is true, the "religion" (probably more of an organization than a religion) is not only wacky, but is also dangerous.

Regardless, it was too much of an effort to keep going, so... *shrug*

It was clean up to where I read, although the author did mention sexual free-for-alls during "Christmas" holidays. Nothing descriptive.

Only the Beautiful (Susan Meissner)

Why I have this book: My friend recommended it, and I've enjoyed other books by the author, so I actually bought this one. I didn't feel like waiting months to borrow it.

I really liked this book a lot. I learned some things about both American and European history that I didn't realize before. The book is set during WWII, but the story is more focused on how people with disabilities or psychological issues were treated in that time period. Really horrific, to be honest... but here's the thing. Some areas of the world still do those types of things to the "less desirable" humans in their countries. And by "less desirable," I mean that those in power are making that judgment. It's disturbing and horrifying, but I think most of the civilized world doesn't even know it's happening.

The book itself covers a lot of issues, and maybe there could have been a bit more depth to it, but I gave it four stars on Goodreads. There was one situation that needed to be at least somewhat explained that wasn't, so again... I should have been an editor so I could help tie up loose ends for authors. 

There might have been some swearing, but I don't remember.  A rape occurs, forced sterilization is discussed, and the way innocent "not perfect" children were treated in Nazi-controlled Europe is also part of the storyline. Some tough subjects, although it stays fairly non-descriptive.

I Don't Need Therapy: and other lies I've told myself (Toni Lodge)

Why I have this book: My daughter recommended the audio version after she listened to it.

I've seen Toni in brief clips from her podcast on my IG feed. Let's face it, the Australian accent makes everything better, and she is pretty funny. When my daughter mentioned the book, I put it on hold because of what I'd seen of Toni online.

Okay, so do we all agree that the British and Aussies use the F-word way more than most Americans? Or maybe it's just where I live and the culture I've lived in for decades. Either way, when it comes with the accent, it doesn't seem as bad. I don't know why. Maybe I'm kidding myself that it's not as bad in those countries. I don't live there, so I don't know.

In any case, the book was a memoir of Toni's life, and I did enjoy it even though I really don't know much about her. I thought it was pretty touching when she talked about her mom (who died of cancer when Toni was in her late teens, if I'm remembering correctly). It's obvious that she loved her mom a lot, and that the pain of losing her is still there. 

I did laugh aloud a few times, and I felt emotional at other times. I can't really recommend it to anyone who would be offended by the F-word, but I'm glad I listened it to it.

Lots of swearing. She talks about losing her mom (which is rough).

The False Flat (Melissa Collings)

Why I have this book: Someone online recommended it, so I borrowed it from Kindle Unlimited.

Ugh. 

Okay, the book itself was well-written, but it was SO SAD. Too sad for me, and also... I just wasn't expecting it to be that way. Maybe I didn't read the synopsis.

I liked it a lot, but I only gave it three stars because it was just too sad for me. Maybe that's not fair on my part to give it fewer stars because it was sad. I don't know.

The story deals with cancer and death. Again, not sure on the swear words. There's sex, but I don't remember it being descriptive. (Back-dating again.)

Three books from The Housemaid Series (Freida McFadden)

The Housemaid

The Housemaid's Secret

The Housemaid is Watching 

Why I have these books: I borrowed them from Kindle Unlimited just because I had seen them around online and thought I'd give them a try.

I'm not usually into thrillers or suspense books. I get creeped out too easily. I've tried a handful in the last few years, and luckily none of them have been horrifyingly creepy. These were the same. Nothing too scary, although the first one did have a pretty yucky person whose psychological issues were just icky.

Still, they all three kept my interest, and it was nice to just lose myself into the stories, so I gave them all four stars on Goodreads.

The books deal with abuse, creepiness, murder. I'm sure there were swear words (seriously, I think I see so much swearing in the regular world now that it's hard to remember if it's in a book or not), and there were some out-of-wedlock and adulterous relationships. I don't remember anything descriptive, but true to form (lately), I'm writing this late and back-dating it.

The Children's Blizzard (Melanie Benjamin)

Why I have this book: I think Amazon might have recommended it? I don't remember. I spent about $7 on it, so it wasn't a bargain.

Honestly, for me... not worth the price. I gave it two stars on Goodreads. Some of it was compelling, and I debated if I'd recommend it to my friend, but there were also parts that were boring. The character development wasn't very deep. I walked away for days at a time at one point. I did like learning about an event in history, but I couldn't give it three stars when it came right down to it.

I assumed this was a children's book when I bought it, maybe written for upper elementary grades. Nope. It's not. There are some sleazy (but not descriptive) things in the story. There is some swearing, but I don't remember any of the "worst" words being used. I don't remember exactly what, but I definitely had moments while reading that I thought, "This is not a book for kids."

When Your Family Says No (Laya Martin)

Why I have this book: I bought it on Kindle because I'm always interested in memoirs about leaving one's faith or other strong family cultures. I can't remember how it came to my attention... even though it was just a few days ago that I bought it. Oops.

I gave this book four stars on Goodreads, although I probably would have gone with 3.5 or 3.7 if I had the option. 

The memoir itself was very interesting, and it's always fascinating to hear how similar the pressures and tactics can be among high-demand religions. The guilt, the belief that only they have the truth, the devastation of family when someone walks away, etc.

I do wish the author had been more clear on the timeline of events (give us the year things are happening throughout the book!), and at times it felt like she was going out of order (especially toward the end), but it wasn't too difficult to figure out. It just messed up the flow of the story a bit.

Annnnnnd... imagine my surprise when in her Acknowledgments, she thanked her husband "Gary" when her husband was actually named John throughout the book. I thought, "Whoa. They must have gotten divorced." I had to do research online to discover that John actually died of brain cancer 27 years into their marriage. I'm super surprised she didn't include this in the memoir. It's pretty significant! (The book was just published a couple of years ago, so he would have died years before.) She does thank John in her Acknowledgments, but doesn't say why there's a new husband. That's why I thought they were divorced.

In any case, it was a good book, and the author herself is quite impressive in all that she's accomplished in life.

Clean.

Darling Girls (Sally Hepworth)

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

I gave this one four stars on Goodreads. Definitely kept my interest and kept me guessing right up until the end.

There was probably some swearing. There were some sexual things... some implied, one somewhat described. Addiction. Abuse and murder were part of the storyline. Psychological issues. (Not as dark as it sounds!)

The next three books in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series (Dianne Freeman)

A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder

A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder

A Newlywed's Guide to Fortune and Murder

Why I have these books: I borrowed them from Kindle Unlimited to finish out the series. There's actually one more book that will be published soon, so I'll borrow that one when it comes out.

I gave these four, four, and three stars respectively. They were all enjoyable.

Clean. I don't recall any swearing, but if there was, it was mild and rare. (I am once again backdating this review since it's been two - three weeks since I read these.)

The next two books in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series (Dianne Freeman)

A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder 

A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder

Why I have these books: I borrowed the audio version from the ebook library, and I borrowed the ebooks from Kindle Unlimited. I do prefer reading rather than listening to these ones just because there are a lot of characters, and it's hard to keep track when I'm just listening.

I enjoyed both of the books, although I did give the "Mischief" one four stars instead of the three stars I gave the "Gossip" one. Of the three books I've read so far, it is the most well-written and (in my opinion) is the most clever.

And the coffee mystery is solved! I don't remember which of these books mention it, but the reason Lady Harleigh drinks coffee is that she is American. Duh. I forgot that detail. That kind of nicely clears that up. I don't remember that connection being made in the earlier books, but maybe I missed it. Or maybe a reader brought it up to the author, and she decided to clarify or had to "fix" having coffee be a part of the story when that's not really common in GB. I'll never know, and that's okay. I'm just glad my mind has it neatly filed away now. Haha...

Clean. There is one situation where there is a pregnancy before marriage. I don't recall any swearing other than the word "arse." Is that even a swear word? 

A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder (Dianne Freeman)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from Kindle Unlimited after my daughter recommended the series to me.

Nice, light reading, which is perfect for the first days of summer break. I'd call it a cozy mystery, set in the early 1900's (I think it starts in 1899).

One surprising thing to me was that the main character (an aristocrat) had a morning coffee instead of tea. Since the setting is London, that was confusing to me. I didn't know coffee was a thing in GB. Seems like now, most Brits prefer tea. But maybe I'm just stereotyping. I did do a brief search of the history of coffee in the UK, and I guess it was pretty big at one time, but it seems like tea won out in the 1800's. Anyway, that was an interesting diversion for me. ;)

Overall, this book rated three stars for me. I might have done a 3.5 if that were allowed on Goodreads, but alas, it's not.

Cute story and premise. I'll probably continue to read the rest of the series.

Clean. I don't think there were any swear words or anything else one could find offensive. The story does deal with murder and affairs.

Prairie Tale (Melissa Gilbert)

Why I have this book: I read the memoir of Alison Arngrim (who played Nellie on Little House on the Prairie), and since she mentioned that she and Melissa Gilbert were the best of friends during the filming of the show, I wanted to read Melissa's book, as well.

Backstory: My mom never liked Melissa Gilbert for some reason. I just remember her commenting negatively about Melissa more than once when we were watching the show. This was back when Melissa was just a child. Of course, that got planted in my head, but I realized as I was reading Alison's book that my opinion was only based on what my mom said, and I decided that should give her a chance.

Soooo... I wanted to read Melissa's book, but it was so expensive and not available at the library. I put it on my wish list on Amazon, and finally the price dropped to $1.99.

What to say...?

The book definitely kept my interest. Celebrity lifestyles are interesting, but nothing to admire for the most part. There is so much dysfunction. The way she paints Hollywood in the 1980's is pretty gross, although I guess it was normal to the participants. Lots of casual sex, drugs, and drinking. It surprised me that she was involved in all that because you just kind of categorize actors based on the characters they play. She played Laura Ingalls for years, so I just didn't think of her as a wild celebrity. 

I was surprised that she dated quite a few of the heartthrobs of that time (Tom Cruise, for example), was engaged to Rob Lowe (which I did vaguely remember), and she hung with the "Brat Pack" of the 80's. 

She experienced some rough things in her life, for sure.

Anyway, the book takes us through the early 2000's, and ends with her in her second marriage (with a dedication to her "true companion"). Apparently they divorced within a year or so of the publication, and she's now married to her third husband.

She has another book out, but the reviews are mixed. I'm not sure if I'll read it. 

I gave the book three stars on Goodreads. I enjoyed reading it, but she does seem to do a lot of name-dropping, and for someone who claims to be insecure, she doesn't come across that way. Maybe she just doesn't understand what her life looks like from the view of regular people. Incidentally, she didn't really talk about her friendship with Alison as much as Alison talked about it in her own book. 

She probably lived the way she was conditioned to live in that environment, but it's really a lifestyle that is messed up. I never got the impression that she's risen above it.

There's no descriptive sex, but she does talk about "flings" and affairs she and her partners (and others) had. There's swearing, including the F-word. It's kind of the typical sleazy Hollywood lifestyle shown to you (the reader), but without you having to actually see it.

Tutored in Love (Barbara J. Adamson)

Why I have this book: Fun fact... I know the author. I don't know her super well, and thus I was surprised to find out from a mutual friend that she (the author) loves romance novels. I never would have guessed that.

I gave this one three stars on Goodreads. I liked it fine. Maybe I'm just not into the "young adult romance" stage anymore. As romances go, it probably had more depth than most Christian/clean romances do, so that's good. The writing was pretty good, as well. It flowed nicely.

Even though "church" played a small part in this story, it wasn't religious, per se. The characters just belonged to a young adult church group, and it never specified which church it is even though it appears to have been published by an LDS publishing company.

Clean.

A Different Kind of Gone (Catherine Ryan Hyde)

Why I have this book: I think Amazon recommended it to me for an inexpensive price, so I bought it. The story sounded interesting.

It didn't turn out to be as intriguing as it sounded. It just didn't get deep enough to really "feel" all the stuff that was going on. I gave it two stars on Goodreads. Honestly, it could have been so much better with just some more depth to it.

I'm writing this a bit after I read it (and backdating it), so I don't remember if there was any swearing. The story involves domestic abuse and murder.

Elvis and Me (Priscilla Beaulieu Presley)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library in both ebook and audio forms.

My grandma was absolutely obsessed with Elvis Presley, so I feel like I had quite a bit of exposure to him as a child. I remember when he died even though I was only about nine-years-old. I always saw him as this amazing singer and obviously super famous and universally loved artist.

I'm not sure why I decided to read this book. Mostly curiosity, I guess. I ended up listening to the audio more than reading the ebook. Priscilla did a nice job narrating her book, and I thought her occasional giggles were cute.

But wow. What a messed up world. Elvis seemed to have some issues. Priscilla's parents had some issues, too, since they allowed her way too much freedom while being a young girl. Priscilla had issues, too, although I don't know if she already had them or if they were created due to her life (from age 14 and up) with Elvis.

I've read a handful or two of memoirs from celebrities. That lifestyle is generally not a healthy one from what I can tell. Not all celebrities end up messed up, but the odds don't seem to be good that one will make it through without getting damaged. No exception here.

I thought that even in describing the dysfunction of her marriage and the other relationships in her circle, she stayed kind and loving to Elvis's memory. I was probably more bothered by what her life was about than she was.

I gave the book four stars, but probably would have given it 3.5 if that were an option. I thought it was pretty interesting, but could have used a little more editing to make things more clear for those of us who aren't familiar with their lives.

Clean'ish. She talks about some of their dysfunctional experiences (drugs, sex) in a not-really-descriptive way.

El Deafo (Cece Bell)

Why I have this book: My friend recommended it early this afternoon, and since it was available to borrow from the ebook library, I read it today.

It's a graphic novel, so it was a pretty quick read (although longer than I expected). It's basically a memoir of how Cece (the author) adjusted to losing her hearing at age 4 and how she dealt with figuring out where she fit in with her peers over the next handful of years.

It seems like it would be a great book for all kids (and adults) to read in order to see how those with disabilities might feel. Obviously, this is just one person's story, but I think it would teach readers to be more aware and willing to communicate about what works for those who are hard of hearing or are blind or have other unique challenges. 

I gave it three stars on Goodreads. 

Clean with a little upper-elementary level humor.

I Must Betray You (Ruta Sepetys)

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

I gave this one four stars on Goodreads. Super intriguing, super eye-opening about a part of history (pretty recent history since it's set in 1989... which is recent in my mind) that most of us don't know much about.

I feel like this was geared toward a younger reader (teenage/young adult), but it definitely was interesting to this full-fledged adult reader. It always blows my mind how very awful life can be for humans who live in places or times that are/were so horrific. This is why reading is so important! This is why it's so important for authors to tell these stories and for people to read them. We need to know what happens in the world. It expands our hearts and understanding and gives us the chance to show compassion or give help if we can. Honestly, just saying that sounds so trite. There's so little we can do, and you have to wonder why life can be so completely unfair depending on where you were born. It feels like life is just a game of chance.

There may have been some swearing, but it's not standing out in my memory. This is set in a revolution, so there's war-type violence that's fairly descriptive. 

My Sister's Keeper (Jodi Picoult)

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

I heard about Jodi's books back when they were still new and popular. I think I chose not to read them because my standards were higher than they are now (haha), and I heard they had the F-word in them.

I probably didn't read this particular one because (besides the content issues), it deals with cancer. I just don't love stories with cancer and death of loved ones. I kind of forgot about that when I put this one on hold.

I gave it four stars on Goodreads. The main "love story" of the book felt a little "Humphrey Bogart" in tone. Kind of that dry bantering you think of with Humphrey's acting. I don't know. I haven't really seen him in very many movies (probably just clips from movies), but that's what it made me think about. I didn't really feel a lot of depth in that particular part of the storyline, and I didn't feel a real connection to them as a couple, although as individuals, they seemed more developed. I feel like I was able to get to know the other characters much better, which is great because the story was more about everything else going on.

It was a very interesting and thought-provoking book. It reminded me that life can be very complex and difficult, and that at any given moment, there are families dealing with some really rough and unfair situations. It's sad.

Plenty of swearing, including the F-word. A small amount of sexual content, mildly descriptive. The story deals with cancer and death.

The Moonlight Child (Karen McQuestion)

Why I have this book: My mom recommended it, so I joined Kindle Unlimited for .99 so I could read it. The plan is to cancel KU before the trial period ends (since I have so many books to read already), but I'll try to make the most of it before then to see if it's a worthwhile subscription. I actually borrowed the audio version, as well, since it was available, and I used both to finish this book in about 24 hours time.

I gave the book four stars on Goodreads. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and it was intriguing enough to make me want to get back to it whenever I had to take a break from it. I even stayed up last night until nearly 1:00 am to finish it.

I thought the author did a good job on character development for the main characters. One character seemed a little too cliché, but it was fine. I felt like a few things were left a bit open-ended, but overall, it was a satisfying ending. I didn't really like how one character talked to another toward the end, but I can't really say more than that without giving it away.

I remember one swear word, although maybe a missed a few? Idk. There is no sexual content. The storyline deals with abuse, drug use, death, but none of that is the focus. I don't know how to explain... those things all tie into the story, but the story itself is more about the main characters, and as a reader, I didn't get bogged down by those heavy subjects. They were kind of more in the background... you know they are happening, but you're not watching them happen (if that makes sense).

The Things We Keep (Sally Hepworth)

Why I have this book: I tend to really love Sally's books, so I bought this one not too long ago when it was on sale for about $2.00.

I liked this one to the tune of three stars on Goodreads. It had such an interesting premise, and the story kept me involved. It gave me things to think about, especially how aging and diminished mental capacity affects people, and how important it is to focus on the people and not just what they are capable of as their minds begin to fail. That's a part of the story that really touched me. I also appreciated the contrast of kindness vs cruelty that we humans tend to show one another. It should go without saying that kindness is so much better.

I just finished this last night, and I'm trying to remember why I decided on three stars instead of four... 

I didn't love the parts that came from the perspective of the 7-year-old character. I didn't feel like it added much to the story.

I felt like Eve's story and character were the most developed, although I can see how it would have been difficult to develop Anna's perspective very well considering her loss of words and thought. Still, it was done well enough for me to feel a lot of compassion for her experience.

There could have been a bit more editing to clean up the writing, and once again, the book was obviously written from a UK/Australian setting or writer (I believe Sally is Australian), then placed in a US setting. Even though one of the main characters was British, there were still too many "British'isms" (or Australia'isms) to believe it was set in America. If it was originally published in Australia or GB, then just leave the setting there, please. It's totally fine. We Americans can adapt.

There was some swearing, including the F-word. There was also some sex outside of marriage, but nothing descriptive. The storyline does deal with suicide.

On Mystic Lake (Kristin Hannah)

Why I have this book: I keep thinking I've enjoyed other books by the author, so when it popped up as a suggestion not too long ago, I bought it.

Honestly, I didn't love it.  Kristin Hannah writes books that get a lot of press, but in looking back at the ones I've read, I've never given any of them more than three stars. I'll have to think harder before I buy any more of her books. (Although I just remembered that I have her newest book on my Kindle, and it's getting super great reviews from everyone, so we'll see.) This one was just okay for me... I gave it three stars. I actually looked up the publishing date because the writing didn't seem very polished. It was published in 1999, so she's written a lot of books since then.

It kept my interest for the most part, but it just wasn't outstanding.

Pretty sure there was some swearing. There was some sex, but not overly descriptive. I read it a couple weeks ago (as reflected in the date of this post), so I can't remember all the details.

A Desperate Fortune (Susanna Kearsley)

Why I have this book: I'm not sure when I bought it (and can't be bothered to look, apparently), but it was on my Kindle. I really like Susanna Kearsley as an author, so whenever I did buy it, I know that's why!

To be honest, I'm writing this a couple of weeks after I finished the book (although the post itself will be dated as if I wrote it the same day), so I'm trying to remember details. I know I gave it four stars on Goodreads, and I know the book definitely kept my interest. One thing I can say is that the author does so much historical research and gives thorough notes as to which characters really existed and which she created and inserted into the story. As I'm about to begin a History major, it made me stop and wonder if I'll ever be able to grasp the complexities of European history. 

I don't recall any swearing, but there may have been a couple of words. It's just been too long for me to say for sure. I don't remember anything else that I would mention here in the "advisory."

Five Survive (Holly Jackson)

Why I have this book: I read the author's series The Good Girl's Guide to Murder and liked it well enough to read another of her books.

Oh, my goodness. I was completely engrossed in this book. I was kind of dumb and started it just before bed, and it got pretty spooky and creepy. Not too smart to read a scary book when it's dark and quiet in the house. Yikes.

I gave it four stars on Goodreads. Like her other books, I'm not sure how plausible the storyline is, but it kept me totally sucked in and invested in the outcome. Some people might hate the ending, but I think leaving some questions at the end probably made the book even better.

Lots of swearing, including the F-word. It's a murder mystery, so there's murder and death involved. It's got a creepy vibe, for sure.

Stray Magic (Jackie Bouchard)

Why I have this book: I've enjoyed other books from the author, and because her books are pretty inexpensive on Kindle, I bought it. (My ebook library doesn't carry her books for some reason.)

I probably would give this about 3.5 stars on Goodreads if that were an option, but since it's not, I rounded up to a 4. It's not necessarily as profound or deep as some of my other 4-stars-books, but I really enjoy the cozy feeling her books have. Maybe it's because all her protagonists have dogs that bring a lot of comfort to them. 

This one has a kind of weird addition of a "fairy grandfather," but it doesn't distract from the book and storyline too much. I think the story would have been just as strong (or stronger) without that little twist, but it was fine.

One thing that was interesting... in the book I read just previously (The Bright Side of Going Dark), the author used the word "empirically" several times. It's a word I didn't recall hearing before, so I looked it up for the meaning while reading that book. I was surprised she used it three times when it's not really a common word. Is it? Maybe I just don't hang with the right crowds (although the characters in the book don't seem like they are in any kind of elite crowd, either). 

Anyway, imagine my surprise to see that same word used in this book. I had to look it up again because I didn't remember what it meant. Haha. I should try to memorize the meaning and make it part of my regular vocabulary to see how many people look at me with a puzzled expression because they have no idea what I'm saying.

Clean... maybe a little swearing, but I don't recall any of the stronger swear words. Can't be 100% on that, though.

The 19th Wife (David Ebershoff)

Why I have this book: I bought it quite a while ago after reading Wife No. 19 by Ann Eliza Young. Ann's book was her own memoir, and this one was supposed to somehow tie her story into a modern day murder mystery involving polygamists.

What a complete disappointment. First of all, the author fictionalized Ann's story. He didn't just fictionalize it, he made it sleazy (in "telling" her mother's story). The part that I knew was going to be fiction (the modern murder mystery) just seemed... bleh, so I wasn't motivated to continue on with that part of the book, either.

I think I only read about 10% because once I realized that the author was (by his own admission in an article I read online) putting his own spin on the lives of real people, I stopped reading. Super lame.

Not super clean in the bit I read. Swearing (including the F word), suggestions of incest, prostitution, abuse, etc. Not sure where it would have gone from there since I didn't finish it.

The Bright Side of Going Dark (Kelly Harms)

Why I have this book: I've read other books by the author, so I bought this one for $1.99 on Kindle.

I liked this book a lot. It had a good message to consider about how much time and energy we invest into the digital world, especially in regards to social media.

The storyline kept me completely engaged from start to finish.

One weird thing is that the author is American and the setting is in America, but there were a few times when she used words or phrases that sounded more typical of the British way of speaking. It appears she is married to an Irishman, so maybe those things have snuck into her vocabulary? I don't know.

In any case, I liked it and gave it four stars on Goodreads.

Clean. There is some playful banter/flirting that is slightly suggestive. Suicide ideation is a main topic of the story, and death of both human and animal loved ones are also part of the storyline.

The Giver of Stars (Jojo Moyes)

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

One of the reasons I wanted to read this book was because I heard all the controversy about how Jojo was accused of copying ideas from The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michelle Richardson. In all honesty, when I first heard those rumors years ago, I didn't even want to read this one out of spite (believing the rumors), but I decided I should read it and see for myself.

While there are some similarities (there are lists online that detail those things out), the storyline was completely different. If I hadn't heard the accustaions, I don't know if I would have even picked up on the similarities. (I saw one person online say that as she was reading it, she kept thinking she had read the book before, but then realized it was The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek that she had read. I'm sorry, but I don't believe that. The stories were 95% different, in my opinion.)

In any case, I gave this one four stars on Goodreads. Troublesome was more literary in the writing style. It had more depth and tackled a heavier subject. This one was a little lighter of a read, but still so good. 

I will say I wish AGAIN that I could do a final proofread on books before they get published. This one needed a little polishing.

This is another one I'm backdating, so I might be forgetting some things I would have said had I written this right when I finished it. Oops.

Pretty clean. If there was any swearing, it would have been the more mild swear words. There is some talk about "married love," but there's no descriptive sex scenes or anything. There are implications of bad behavior/violence, but nothing that goes into detail.

House Trained (Jackie Bouchard)

Why I have this book: I liked others by the author, and her books are pretty inexpensive on Amazon, so I bought the Kindle version of this one.

I gave it four stars on Goodreads. To be honest, it's been about a week since I finished it (I'm backdating my post), so I can't give any details one way or the other, but I do know I liked it. I feel like her books have kind of a cozy feel to them. I like that dogs are always part of the story.

There was some swearing, probably an F-word or two (but I don't remember for sure), but nothing else objectionable that I can recall.

Kill Joy (Holly Jackson)

Why I have this book: I saw that it existed and that it is a prequel of sorts to the Good Girl's Guide to Murder series I read a year or two ago... so I borrowed it from the ebook library.

I liked it. It's short (a novella), so it was a quick read. I liked how it led into the rest of the series.

The thing is... this is definitely set in England. Or at least the murder-mystery game is set in England, so it had that feel. Maybe she wrote it so it could be published in both locations without much adjustment? I don't know.

(If you didn't know, the series itself was originally published in GB, but then the US publishers changed the setting to be in America when they published it here. They didn't do a fantastic job losing the British feel, though. Seriously wish they'd just leave British books as they are and allow us Americans to just enjoy their books without trying to change them up for us. We aren't dumb! We get British lingo and references... and if there's something we don't understand, we can look it up. It's not that difficult.)

*steps off soap box*

There was some swearing, and the story (as you might assume) has a spooky energy to it.

Someone Else's Shoes (Jojo Moyes)

Why I have this book: I saw it recommended several times online (and by a friend), so I borrowed it from the ebook library on audio. I was finding it difficult to get a chance to listen, so I ended up buying the ebook edition.

I gave this one four stars on Goodreads. I liked it. It was fun and interesting and had some plot twists that kept me guessing. Probably not a plausible storyline, but it was great for an escape book that had enough depth in the characters to keep me invested. It had a happy feel to it even though the characters were all going through tough stuff. I could totally see it as a movie. I understand they are in talks about that happening.

There's some swearing, some sex (not really descriptive)... kind of your typical British book vibe.

The Last Love Note (Emma Grey)

Why I have this book: I saw it recommended online, so I bought the Kindle edition when it was on sale for under two dollars.

And... then I bought the audio version when I found that I needed to get things done and couldn't read the ebook AND do stuff that needed doing.

Okay, here's the thing. Totally got myself sucked into the story. I really liked it. I thought the author did a great job handling the depth required for such a heartbreaking (and hopeful) story. It turns out her husband died in real life, so that personal experience was obviously part of her ability to put into words all the emotions of such a difficult loss.

I did feel like there were a few things that could have been better tied up (again, why am I not an editor?), but the biggest thing that has thrown into question every reading experience I have had is this:

Because I have both the audio and Kindle versions, I sometimes went to my Kindle during listening to check on a word or something I missed in the Audible. You know... just didn't hear it clearly, but didn't want to rewind 30 seconds back to try to catch it.

So once when I did this, I discovered that the Kindle version didn't have several "paragraphs" worth of words that the Audible version had! WHAT? Like quite a bit of dialog or description that must have been added to the story in between the two editions? It was the same in the Acknowledgements. The author obviously added to her words there, but the Kindle edition hasn't been updated. (I checked to see if there was an update, but there wasn't.)

Now I'm left to wonder how many other parts of the ebook may have been different than the Audible version. I also wonder if this is something that is common with all audio books vs their written or ebook counterparts.

I found the author on Instagram and sent her a message to see if she can shed some light on this for me. I shall update if I hear back from her.

UPDATE: I had a nice conversation with the author through Instagram. What a friendly lady. So the reason the audiobook and the ebook were different was because the audiobook was taken from the original Australian publication, and the US editors changed a couple of things for the US publication (which is what my Kindle version is). Honestly, I wish US publishers would stop messing with original work from other English-speaking countries when they publish them in America. I honestly think they cause more problems than if they just left the setting and terms alone. We're not too stupid to figure it out here in America... at least, those of us who are readers aren't too stupid. I can't speak for anyone else. *insert winky face*

There were a few swear words, including the F-word, but none of it was very frequent. And YAY that there weren't any descriptive sex scenes. They are so not needed, and this book proves it. The subject matter deals with death of a significant other.

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents (Lindsay C. Gibson)

Why I have this book: It was recommended several times on post-Mormon groups, so I finally bought both the audio and Kindle versions so I could go back and forth. Turns out I only listened and never read the ebook edition.

I have a few points to make:

• In her descriptions of how emotionally immature parents behave, I decided I only know one person who is that extreme, and he's not my parent. 
• I think probably 99.99% of humans have some "emotionally immature" traits. We all have areas of emotional maturity and areas where we struggle.
• I definitely saw myself in the "internalizer" label. She said there are two ways that children of emotionally immature parents go — internalizer and externalizer. I pretty much was a perfect match for the former. However, how much of that is the personality that we come with vs our parents vs other life events vs friends, etc? It's probably a culmination of all of those things.
• I'm certain that we all have formative experiences related to our parents, but with the exceptions of true abuse or neglect or other obviously abnormal behavioral and environmental situations, I think too many people get stuck in a parental-blame cycle. Again, I'm not dismissing those who truly suffered emotionally or physically at the hands of their parents. I'm talking about normal human growth/weaknesses/learning/trying that keep parents from getting everything right... or the way the adult child thinks would have been right. 
• Having said that, there's nothing wrong with trying to understand ourselves and see how some of our "issues" might stem from how we relate to our parents. That comes from a place of curiosity and self-reflection instead of a place of victimhood and blame. 
• I kind of see how the people recommending this on the post-Mormon sites tied it to religion, but I guess that was a little bit of a stretch for me.

I thought the first part of the book was kind of slow-going. That might have been because I couldn't relate to the stories she was telling about parents who really are manipulative and narcissistic. I enjoyed the second half better when she talked about the traits of an "internalizer" because I recognized myself and how I've lived in relation to others. I also recognized that there are other people who are a part of our lives (besides our parents) who can influence our personalities and coping mechanisms. And again, who knows how many of those things come from our inborn traits? We all know kids from the same family who turn out very differently from each other, even if they grow up within the same time period in the same home with the same parents.

Anyway, I gave this three stars on Goodreads. I'm glad I read it, but I do wish she would have spent more time on how those who have emotionally immature traits (pretty much everyone) can work on overcoming them. I also wish she would have helped the readers differentiate between truly dysfunctional family life/parenting and the normal imperfections of human life.

I did like that she encourages the adult children to move forward without spending their time stuck in the cycle of blame with their parents. 

Clean. I don't recall any swearing or anything else offensive, but it did take a while for me to get through it, so I may have forgotten.

Beyond That, the Sea (Laura Spence-Ash)

Why I have this book: I saw a friend give it a high-rating on Goodreads, then saw it recommended a few more times on social media. I borrowed the Kindle version from the ebook library.

I really liked this one and gave it four stars on Goodreads. The writing had a wonderful feel to it, the story was intriguing, and I learned something new about WWII. I knew London children were sent to the English countryside during WWII for their protection, but I had no idea (or completely forgot) that they were also sent to America (and apparently a couple of other countries). I also didn't know a ship carrying those children was torpedoed by a German submarine, killing nearly all of the children being transported. 

This book, though, focuses on one child who did go to America for the war years. The girl arrives at age eleven and stays until she is sixteen (if I'm remembering correctly) with a family she only met upon her arrival. The story then carries us through the next four or so decades as we see how this experience affects her, her family in London, and the family she lived with in America.

As an added piece of amazing information... the author was in her 60's when this book (her debut novel!) was released last year. She has an interesting story about how she became a published novelist at that age. I found it quite inspiring to see a woman accomplish such a feat later in life. And really, the book is excellent. I'm so happy for her.

I can't remember if there's any swearing. Maybe a little? Either there's not enough to stand out, or I'm just getting too used to it to notice. There were some sex scenes, but nothing descriptive. 

31 Days to a Younger You: No Surgery, No Diets, No Kidding (Arlene Pellicane)

Why I have this book: I bought the Kindle version around 8 years ago. I don't even know why, other than I had apparently bought another book by this author, too. I wonder if I read that one...

Anyway, I wasn't really interested in reading it at this point, but as I'm still working on getting through my old Kindle books, I pulled this one to the front of the line. Honestly, it was a chore to get through it. I think you're technically supposed to read one chapter a day (31 Days...), but I read about five in each sitting just to get through it faster.

I gave it two stars on Goodreads because there were a few pieces of good advice. Overall, it wasn't anything earth-shattering, and it felt a bit outdated in how women (and their interests and purpose) are characterized.

And as I write about it now, I feel like two stars might have been too generous, but I'll leave it.

Clean.

Deliberate Motherhood: 12 Key Powers of Peace, Purpose, Order, and Joy (The Power of Moms)

Why I have this book: It's another of the "older" books on my Kindle. I can't be bothered to look up when I bought it.

Well, the first clue for me that I wasn't going to love this book was that the intro was by Linda Eyre. Okay, I read a lot of her books (written with her husband) about child-rearing back in the day. I realized later that while they did have some good ideas, it really added to my stress of trying to get motherhood just right.

This one has one or two of the Eyre's daughters as contributing authors. I read about 40-something percent of it, and decided I'd rather move on to a book I'd enjoy more. I don't have little kids anymore (and the book seemed more directed toward that time of life), and it just brought back those memories of trying to do everything I could to be a good mom. I mean, obviously we want to be good moms, but I don't know. It just brought back the yucky feeling of trying so hard... and now I realize it probably didn't matter as much as I thought it did.

I have some baggage on this subject, so I'm going to just move on. I marked it as "Did Not Finish" on Goodreads with no star rating.

Clean. This book does have a religious slant, though not overwhelmingly so (up to where I stopped reading, anyway).

The Shoemaker's Wife (Adriana Trigiani)

Why I have this book: It's a book I've had on my Kindle for a long time. I'm trying to read some of those older books in my quest to knock my To Be Read book count down. (I really need to stop borrowing/buying books to help me in this goal.)

I gave this one three stars on Goodreads, but I feel like that might have been too generous. Actually, I think I'll go change it to two stars. Hang on. 

Okay, I'm back. I changed it to two stars. It was just okay. I tried to like it, and there were moments that I did, but honestly, it was just okay. I feel like a lot happened, but it wasn't easy to connect very deeply to any of the characters.

There was probably some swearing, but I don't remember anything too harsh. No descriptive sex, although there were some sexual relationships outside of marriage. 

Educated (Tara Westover)

Why I have this book: I bought the Kindle edition in the last year or so. I've actually read it before (borrowed), but I wanted to read it again. 

Last time I read it, I gave it four stars. This time I gave it five stars. (If you read it more than once, the rating you pick on the most recent read for Goodreads is what goes for the book every time you read it. For instance, the fact that I rated it five stars makes it five stars on both times I reported reading it even though I had rated it four stars before. It's too bad they don't let you rate it each time because sometimes your opinion changes, and it would be nice to note that.)

ANYWAY... I still really loved this book. This time I actually looked up Tara's family online since they own an essential oils company, and there they were. It was interesting to see pics of them and see their company after reading the book. They even have a bio of Tara linked to their company page, so that's interesting. I'm not sure what to think about that.

Such an interesting book. It's hard to know what the entire truth is since some in her family deny her perspective. Other family members seem to support her side. Families are complicated!

I can't remember, but I think there was some swearing. There were descriptions of domestic violence and graphic descriptions of injuries. My previous review of this book might be more accurate since I'm writing this review a couple weeks after I finished it.

Across the Winding River (Aimie K. Runyan)

Why I have this book: Someone online recommended it, so I bought it when it went on sale for under $2. I think I also got the audio version for a good price, but I didn't end up actually listening at all.

I gave this four stars on Goodreads. I honestly don't know how the story falls in line with historical accuracy, but I enjoyed it. I don't feel the need to research it. 

Some was a little confusing with the switching back and forth of dates and characters, but it wasn't too bad once I got into it. I would have liked to get to know a couple of the characters better, and I think there could have been a little more depth with some of the characters and storyline, but overall, it was a good read.

Mostly clean. Maybe some swearing. One sexual encounter outside of marriage, but not really descriptive.

What the Dog Ate (Jackie Bourchard)

Why I have this book: I enjoyed another book by the author earlier this month, and since this was an inexpensive one, I bought it on Kindle.

I gave this one four stars on Goodreads. I liked it a bit more than the first one I read. There were a few editing issues that could have been cleaned up, but overall, it was a smooth read that kept my interest.

If I remember correctly, there was profanity, inlcuding the F-word. There is sex outside of marriage (including mention of adultery), but not descriptive. This is going off of memory when I've read another book since, so... 

The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay (Kelly Harms)

Why I have this book: A friend recommended it, so I bought the Kindle version when I had some Amazon credit. I also borrowed the audio version when I was ready to read it. It was nice to go back and forth depending on what I was doing.

I liked this book and gave it three stars on Goodreads. I would have liked it more (and maybe given four stars) except there was a gross scene near the end involving the old boyfriend. I also felt like the ending didn't tie things up super well. (Did she ever get what she was owed? What happened with all that?) And I didn't like how things ended in general. I might have even dropped it to two stars except I liked the rest of the book.

The gross scene toward the end with the old boyfriend was surprising compared to the content of the rest of the book. There is unmarried sex (nothing descriptive besides the precious mentioned scene, which wasn't really that descriptive, but still gross). There was swearing, but not as much as in other books. Still, the F-word was there, I think. It's hard to remember the details when profanity has become so "acceptable" in most books these days. In all honesty, I'm kind of getting tired of being the profanity police. I might change up how I add these content sections. I'll have to think on that.

The Year of Less (Cait Flanders)

Subtitle: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store

Why I have this book: I bought the Kindle a while ago, and then borrowed the audio version to help me get through it. 

I gave this book two stars on Goodreads. The parts about what she actually did to change her life (get rid of things, stop buying, etc) were interesting. I wasn't as interested in the other things going on in her life, but maybe that's because I don't follow her blog or anything. I thought it was just going to be a book on living a minimalistic lifestyle, not a memoir. You know?

Anyway, that's it.

Clean. I don't remember any swearing, but there may have been. She talks about her experiences with drinking to excess.

The Drowning Woman (Robyn Harding)

Why I have this book: I saw it recommended online, and since I don't usually read thrillers, I thought I'd give it a chance. I bought the Kindle version.

I gave this one three stars on Goodreads. If I had the option, I'd maybe go with 3.5 or 3.7, but I couldn't quite get it to a four-star rating. While the book completely kept my attention, there were some implausibilities and a few random "wait, what?" editing moments that were a distraction. (For example, the police took a character's phone, then shortly after, her phone rings and she uses it, then shortly after, the police return her phone. Wait, what?)

Otherwise, I did enjoy the book as long as I suspend my disbelief.

There were a handful of F-bombs, as well as some other swear words. Sex happens, although not graphically described, and as the book is a thriller, you know there is murder and other death (including suicide) as part of the story.

The Last Bookshop in London (Madeline Martin)

Why I have this book: I've had it for a while on my Kindle, but borrowed the audio version so I could switch between listening and reading. (I mostly listened, and the narrator did a good job.)

I ended up giving this three stars on Goodreads. I liked the story, but felt like it got a little corny at times, especially at the end. I did appreciate the description of how WWII affected Londoners with all the bombing raids they endured. It's hard to imagine that level of destruction.

The writing was smooth, and it was easy to get sucked into the story. I just thought things were maybe a bit unrealistic toward the end. Am I too cynical about human nature? Maybe things were different back then with how people treated each other. There was a bit more praise/hero worship than I think was realistic for the situation, but I could be wrong. It was a sweet ending, though. 

Clean.