Love and Luck (Jenna Evans Welch)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library because I loved the author's book Love and Gelato so much.

As opposed to the 5 stars I gave Love and Gelato, I gave this one a 3 on Goodreads. I liked it, especially the further I got into the book, but it didn't have the "wow!" factor I remember feeling with L&G. I didn't love the "crisis" (no spoiler here) because I feel like that's too big of an issue to not address in a deeper way. I also felt like at least one question wasn't answered, and that kind of left me hanging.

Mostly clean, although there were a handful of "mild" swear words (totally unnecessary), and the "crisis" is definitely something a parent should discuss with any child/teenager/young adult who reads this book.

The Apothecary's Daughter (Julie Klassen)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library because 1) it's a book club book this year, and 2) I like this author.

I definitely wasn't surprised to discover this is the author's second book. Her writing has improved a lot since then! It was an enjoyable book, nevertheless. I gave it a 3 on Goodreads.

Clean.

The Firebird (Susanna Kearsley)

Why I have this book: I bought it years ago, and finally read it because it was a book club choice.

I almost gave this book 2 stars on Goodreads. (2 stars = it was okay.) I gave it 3 stars ("liked it"), though, just because I like the author and maybe I just wasn't in the mood to appreciate this one. I had just read two of her other books (both of which tied into this one), so maybe it was just too much of a good thing.

Maybe it was because it was set in Russia, and that location doesn't do much for me. (Nothing against Russia, I promise!) Maybe I was just tired of the back and forth between eras and trying to keep up with two stories.

In any case, I'm not completely sure I gave it a fair shot, but it didn't keep my attention like her other books have. (Maybe I've just been too tired at night, which is when I typically can read.)

So with all those "maybe's," I don't really have much more to add.

Clean'ish. There is one "bodice-ripper" scene, which is not really descriptive (and maybe it's my age, but it mostly just made me roll my eyes), and there might be a few mild swear words.

The Shadowy Horses (Susanna Kearsley)

Why I have this book: I bought it years ago because I love the author. I was motivated to read it now because it ties in to this month's book club book (The Firebird), so I wanted to make sure I read them in order.

I enjoyed this book a lot. Susanna Kearsley books just suck me in, even though they always seem to have an element of the supernatural. The books are more about history, though... so don't be turned off by the word "supernatural." I'm not into that kind of stuff, but she does a great job of connecting people from history to people of today, and it's not as weird as you might think at first glance.

I also love the settings of her books. I definitely want to take a trip to Great Britain someday!

Clean. Although an unmarried couple sleeps together, it is not descriptive.

Marc's Mission: Way of the Warrior Kid (Jocko Willink)

Why I have this book: It's the sequel to the other Warrior Kid book, and I read this one in hardback because the kids had it and weren't reading it at the time.

This is another good one for kids, dealing this time with controlling your emotions and working through problems with friends. Lots of good stuff here.

Clean.

Way of the Warrior Kid: From Wimpy to Warrior the Navy SEAL Way (Jocko Willink)

Why I have this book: My oldest son bought it and the sequel for my youngest kids. They have the print books, but since this one was cheap on Kindle and I didn't want to wait for my daughter to finish it (plus she kept leaving it at school), I went ahead and bought the ebook.

I really liked this book. It's great for kids and adults alike. (My ten-year-old son was up early the morning after he started it to exercise, get dressed, teeth brushed, hair combed, etc., all done an hour and a half before he normally wakes up. However, he easily slipped back to his normal self a day later.) The book has such good motivation, though, for taking control of your life, being self-disciplined, and bring proactive in accomplishing your goals.

Clean.

Plain Peace (Beth Wiseman)

Why I have this book: It was the last of the series.

I enjoyed this book just like the others. I think they are definitely too good to be true, but maybe that's why we read books sometimes... just to escape life and see the happy endings.

This one had the bonus of a really cute grandma who has a funny and very human personality.

Clean.