Project Read || August + September

Hey, everyone!  It's been awhile since I've done a Project Read post!  I'm a tad bit behind, but I think I'll catch up by the end of the year. Here's what I read in August and September:

You by Caroline Kepnes – Okay…this book was creepy.  And graphic.  And creepy some more.  But I could not put it down!  And I feel guilty admitting that I liked it.  This is the story of Joe, who meets Beck when she comes in to his bookstore.  He is immediately attracted to her…and then he begins stalking her.  Joe is a full-on stalker.  He watches Beck through windows, he reads all her emails and he figures out how to deal with people who get in the way of their “relationship.”  It’s fascinating to read the story from his point-of-view and the book is written in second person, which is definitely an interesting literary device.  None of the characters are likeable, but somehow Kepnes makes it work.  This story reminds me a lot of Dexter in the sense that the main character is a BAD guy and even though you are repulsed by what he’s doing, you can’t stop reading and in a weird, weird way you almost (almost!) want him to succeed.  There is a sequel to this book scheduled to come out in February of 2016 and you can pretty much guarantee that I’ll be reading it!

Ten Girls to Watch by Charity Shumway – I love, love, LOVED this book.  It is a chit lit book for sure, but it manages to be different.  This book tells the story of Dawn, a young woman still desperately struggling to find a real writing job after she’s been a college graduate for over a year and a half.  In a lucky turn of events she gets a temporary job working for Charm magazine where she is responsible for re-connecting with all the past winners of the magazine’s annual “Ten Girls to Watch” column.  The women are inspirational and Dawn learns a lot from each conversation she has.  There is a love story in here, too, and lots of other miscellaneous personal drama.  However, it’s not a typical love story and not a typical chick lit story, and without giving anything away, I LOVE how the love story part of the book ended.  It was refreshing!  I’ve tried to find other books by Shumway, but I believe this is her only book so far.  I’ve followed her on GoodReads, though, to ensure that I don’t miss her next book whenever it comes out.

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter – I saw this book highly recommended on one of the blogs I follow.  The reviewer talked about how amazing the book was and how it was one of her favorites of the year.  I don’t feel the same.  It wasn’t bad, but it didn’t blow me away.  I thought it was an average book and there were times when I felt like the story was dragging on and I just wanted it to be over.  This story follows the lives of a whole cast of characters, including a famous movie star whose name we’ll all recognize.  The story takes place across multiple generations (from WWII to present day) and in all different places (from Italy to Hollywood) on the globe and it is fun to see how all the characters’ lives overlap.  This is not a fun-loving chick lit book; it is certainly emotional in places.  If you can get into the story better than I did (and by looking at the reviews, plenty of people did), this should be a fairly quick read.  I know I didn’t give a great synopsis of the book, but it’s a bit hard to explain…the link should tell you more (I didn’t want to plagiarize Amazon!)

Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson – If you are looking for just a fun book, this is it!  This is the first book in a whole series and introduces us to Katie Chandler, a completely non-magical person.  In the world, most everyone has a little bit of magic in them, which in turn makes most people susceptible to magic.  They often don’t notice the fairies and ogres walking around amongst them or recognize when someone is using magic to their advantage.  But since Katie is completely non-magical, she sees everything and can’t be touched by magic.  This makes her very valuable to Magic, Spells and Illusions, Inc., a magic company who produces and sales spells to magical beings.  When an evil wizard threatens MSI and the values it stands for, Katie’s skills become even more valuable.  The book also includes the typical romance, but it’s all just so cute and fun, that I have to highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a light read and a little magic.

As always, if you have any recommendations for me, please let me know!!

Project Read || June & July

Hey, everyone!  I’m here with my Project Read update for June & July.  I actually read 6 books over these two months (still right on track for my target!) but I’m only going to review 4…it will make more sense as you read.

 Arranged by Catherine McKenzie – Anne is a writer who seems to have everything going for her – except her love life.  When she accidentally stumbles across an arranged marriage service, she decides to give it a try.  The guy that she is matched up with ends up being perfect for her – but is he who he says he is?  Can an arranged marriage really work?  This was an entertaining read.  I really liked the concept of it.  While it was a fairly predictable storyline, it was one of those feel-good and entertaining books that I really enjoyed.

Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll – This book.  Oh, this book.  I still don’t know if I liked it or not.  I was initially drawn to it because reviews had said it was similar to a Gillian Flynn novel.  In my opinion, it is definitely NOT like a Gillian Flynn novel.  This book follows Ani (pronounced Ah-nee), a successful 30-something about to get married.  The book bounces back and forth between the present-day and her high school days.  In the present-day, she is preparing to be showcased in a documentary about something that happened while she was in high school.  This book covers A LOT of difficult topics.  And Ani is not very likable at all.  Some reviews I’ve read have said that Ani has absolutely no redeeming qualities.  I definitely don’t agree with that.  I can see some good in her, but most of the time she is just not a very nice person.  Like I said, I have no idea if I liked the book or not, but it definitely left me thinking for a very long time and it is a book that I highly recommend.

Grey by E.L. James – This was the Fifty Shades of Grey story told from Christian Grey’s perspective.  I know the world is split on these books.  I know they are not masterpieces, but I do find them highly entertaining, so I was excited to read this book.  Some people say these books promote abuse.  I freely admit that these two don’t have the healthiest relationship – the way they talk to each other is truly astounding, but when it comes to the other controversial stuff, it’s 100% consensual.  After I read this book, I was prompted to re-read the last 2 books in the original trilogy (which is why I’m not doing 6 book reviews).

Forgotten by Catherine McKenzie – So, when I started reading this book I didn’t realize it was by the same author who wrote Arranged.  How I missed that, I have no idea!  Anyways, this book tells the story of Emma, a successful lawyer who takes a trip to Africa after her mother dies.  While in Africa there is a horrible earthquake and she is unable to call home for about 6 months.  Everyone presumes she is dead.  Forgotten follows Emma as she tries to find her footing in her new life.  There’s romance and even a little mystery in this book.  It was entertaining – very predictable, not at all though-provoking, but a fun read.

As always, leave any recommendations if you have them.  I have a growing list of book recommendations to work my way through and I always appreciate them!

Project Read || April & May

Hey, everyone!!  I skipped my Project Read wrap-up for the month of April, so I decided to combine April and May into one post…(Project Read? you ask…click here for more info)

I have some how managed to stay on track for my 35 book goal.  It was a bit touch-and-go there for a minute when I only read two books in April.  However, in May I rallied and brought my total back up to where it needed to be...

The Thousand Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas – Did you ever watch the Veronica Mars series?  I was a huge “Marshmallow”!  When the movie came out last year, I was beyond excited.  And then when I found out there were books written by the creator of the show, Rob Thomas, I got even more excited!  This mystery picked up where the movie left off (although, you don’t have to be familiar with the movie to understand the book) and has Veronica investigating the disappearance of two girls visiting her town during Spring Break.  Definitely an entertaining and quick read!

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion – I have had this book recommended to me a few times, so I decided to try it out and I’m quite glad I did.  This book is told from the perspective of Don Tillman, a very socially awkward professor at a university.  Don is in search of the perfect woman to be his wife and develops a model to try to find her.  Rosie is looking for her biological father and Don, a genetics expert, offers to help.  Rosie is definitely not what Don is looking for in a partner, but he can’t stay away from her.  The book never comes out and says that Don has Asperger’s Syndrome, but he does display quite a few signs and his unique perspective on everything makes for quite an interesting read.

The Rosie Effect by Grame Simision – I liked the first one so much that I read the sequel.  I won’t tell you the premise of this one because then you’ll know how the first book ends.  This was another cute read, but I didn’t think it was as good as the first.  I found myself getting really frustrated with the characters in this one and found the book to be dragging in a few places.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple – I’ve had this one sitting on my bookshelf for a while.  Initially, the premise didn’t interest me – a mother leaves her family and her daughter follows a paper trail to try to find her.  In the end, I’m so glad I gave it a try.  This book was entertaining and funny.  It tells the story of Bernadette, a mother who rarely leaves her house and has a hard time getting along with the other mothers in the community.  When her family begins planning a trip to Antarctica, life throws her a few curve balls and she leaves her family without any warning.  Her daughter, Bee, knows her mother couldn’t have just left without leaving any clues and begins a search to find her.  This book kept my highly engaged and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick read and a good laugh.

Save the Date by Mary Kay Andrews – This is one of two books that I read in May that Stephanie Howell recommended on her Instagram feed.  I was looking for a light-hearted, feel good chick lit and this book definitely fit the bill.  Cara is a divorced florist who is trying to hit the big time in Charleston with the local wedding scene.  When she has a chance to design the flowers for one of the biggest weddings in town she jumps on it, even though she has very little time and has to act as the wedding planner as well.  There is also another florist who has moved to town and is intent on putting Cara out of business.  Add in the handsome, yet frustrating, man who always seems to be popping up at her weddings and you’ve got an entertaining read -  one that I mowed through in a day!

The Singles by Meredith Goldstein – This was the second book Stephanie recommended that I decided to try.  Bee decided to allow everyone she invited to her wedding to bring a date, but five of her guests RSVP’d as coming solo. This book tells the story of those five.  I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as a romance novel, although there is a definitely a romantic theme throughout.  The book is told from the five different perspectives and follows their separate wedding experiences.  It was good enough, but it didn’t really leave me wanting to find out what else Goldstein had written, you know what I mean?  I would classify it as an average book that I could really take or leave, but it is a quick read if you’re looking for a few hours to kill. (I know, I know, not a resounding endorsement there!)

As always, leave a comment letting me know if you have any good books to recommend!!

Project Read || March Wrap-Up

Hey, everyone!  I'm still going strong on my Project Read, although this month was a close one - I managed to squeeze in two books last week to eeeeek out my three for the month.  Here's what I read this month:

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn – So…I love Gillian Flynn books, but I will admit they are not for everyone.  They are dark and they are graphic.  And I’m not usually a dark girl, but I just really love her books for some reason.  Dark Places was no exception.  Dark Places is the story of Libby Day.  Libby was seven years old when her mother and two sisters were brutally murdered.  She managed to escape and later testified that it was her brother, Ben, who murdered them.  As an adult, she meets a group of people who are obsessed with the case of her family’s murder…and they don’t think Ben did it.  Soon they have Libby questioning everything about the case and she becomes desperate to find out what really happened the day her family was killed.  This story is told from the perspective of present-day Libby, 1980s Ben, and 1980s Patty Day (Libby’s mom).  If you love dark thrillers, I highly recommend this book!

The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell – How does one unknown author create a bestseller?  How did “Sesame Street” become so successful?  How did hush puppy shoes become so popular?  Gladwell answers all these questions and more in The Tipping Point.  This book talks about the factors that create a “social epidemic” – those little things that happen that make something ordinary tip into something extraordinary.  It’s a fascinating read filled with multiple case studies that will leave you thinking about ways to create your own epidemic to better the world.

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell – This book was recommended to me last month by Stephanie Ho and I am so glad that I took her recommendation to heart.  After reading the other two books this month, I was looking for something light-hearted, fun and most importantly feel-good.  This book certainly hit the mark.  Lincoln is the internet security officer for a newspaper, which basically means he reads people’s emails while working the night shift.  If someone uses a word that is suspicious, the email gets flagged, Lincoln reads it and then sends a warning.  However, when the system flags an email between Beth & Jennifer, he has no desire to send them a warning; he finds their emails to be entertaining and funny.  As the emails progress he finds himself actually falling for Beth, without even knowing what she looks like.  This is such a cute, cute story and highly recommended.  In fact, it was so cute and fun that I finished it in just two days!!

As always, I am open to suggestions - please let me know: what should I read this year??

Project Read || February Wrap-Up

I am proud to announce I am still right on track for Project Read!  Seriously...I am right on track...I doubt that I will be squeezing in too many extra books any time soon, although, I do expect my reading to pick up a bit this summer...hopefully, I will CRUSH this 35-book goal!  :)

Okay, so here's what was on the list this month:

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins – I love a good psychological thriller every now and then.  One of my favorite authors is Gillian Flynn and this book by Paula Hawkins reminds me a lot of Flynn’s novels.  It was dark, depressing and none of the characters were likable – but it was still fantastic.  This book is told from three different women’s perspectives.  However, most of the book centers around Rachel.  Rachel rides the train every day and often sees a “happy” couple – “Jess and Jason” - while on her ride.  She creates a whole life for them in her mind.  One day she sees “Jess” kissing another man and the next day “Jess” goes missing.  Rachel becomes quickly involved in the story just because of the knowledge she has gathered from her train rides and the fact that she was in “Jess’s” neighborhood the night she went missing.  Rachel is considered both an unreliable source and a possible suspect because she spends most of her life in a drunken stupor. The rest of the book is told from the perspectives of Megan (“Jess’s” real name) and Anna (Megan’s neighbor and the wife of Rachel’s ex-husband).  I couldn’t put it down and actually ended up reading it in a day.  The ending was a bit of a surprise – I figured it out a few chapters before the big reveal, but Hawkins tied it all together so nicely.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good thriller.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes – I have had this book sitting on my bookshelf since 2013.  Eric sent it to me when I was on my 7-month long work trip out of the country.  I’ve really been putting off reading it.  I have always heard such great things about it, but it’s also described as “heartbreaking.”  The book cover even describes it as “heartbreaking.”  I don’t know about you, but I really have to be in the right frame of mind for a “heartbreaking” book.  However, I finally took the plunge and read it…it was quite good…and heartbreaking.  This book tells the story of Louisa and Will.  Louisa is a 20-something year old girl who has never strayed far from home and must work in order to support her little family.  Will is a former high profile business man who finds himself wheelchair bound after an accident.  Louisa takes a job as Will’s caregiver and shortly later finds out that Will has plans to schedule an assisted suicide at Dignitas in Switzerland.  Louisa must try to change his mind before it’s too late.  Such a great, emotional book.  I recommend it…but have tissues handy!

The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Lianne Moriarty – This is the second Moriarty book that I’ve read this year.  As I mentioned last month, I really do love her books.  This book is about Ellen, a hypnotist, who is informed by her new boyfriend, Patrick, that he is being stalked by his ex-girlfriend.  His stalker, Saskia, never gives him a moment of peace.  Ellen doesn’t realize it, but Saskia is actually one of her hypnotism patients!  At the same time they are being stalked, Ellen and Patrick are going through some big life changes and Saskia is there to witness them all.  The story is told from two perspectives – Ellen’s and Saskia’s.  It’s an entertaining story for sure, but I would recommend Moriarty’s other books over this one.  This novel is a bit slow in places and I didn’t feel like all the characters motives were completely explained at the book’s end.

As always, I will gladly take suggestions for future reads!  I'm willing to try anything and have already added Bossypants to my to-read list since Laurie recommended it.

Project Read || January Wrap-Up

Hey, everyone!  I've got a non-scrappy post for you today.  In case you haven't been following along, a few weeks ago I created "Project Read".  I set a goal for myself to read 35 books this year and document my progress in Project Life to hold myself accountable to my goal.  I'm proud to say that I am on track for the month of January, having read a total of 3 books.  It may not seem like a lot, but it's probably a third of the amount of books I read last year.  I'm so glad I'm making time to read!

Here's what I read this month:

Socially Awkward by Stephanie Haddad - This book is what I refer to as a "chick lit" book - highly entertaining, not at all thought-provoking.  These books are my guilty pleasure.  I love them and I figured this kind of book was the perfect way to ease my way back into the world of reading regularly.  This book is about a young woman who creates a fake Facebook profile for one of her classes and her life quickly spirals out of control as a result.  It's definitely entertaining, but a bit unrealistic.  

Yes Please by Amy Poehler - I've had this book sitting on my Kindle for a few months now, but wasn't totally interested to read it.  I bought it on a whim and then wondered why.  I'm not usually into autobiographies.  However, I saw a slew of good reviews for the book all at once and decided to try it.  I'm glad I did.  There were parts that had me laughing out loud and it was interesting to learn a lot more about the star of one of my favorite TV shows - Parks and Recreation.  I am happy to say that I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good laugh.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty - I LOVE Liane Moriarty's books.  I said I probably read 9 books last year - 2 of them were hers.  Her books are similar to "chick lit," but they usually still get me thinking.  I've already read The Husband's Secret and Big Little Lies, so I decided to read this earlier book of hers.  This book is about Alice, a 39 year old woman who wakes up on the gym floor after an accident and thinks she's still 29.  She forgets a whole 10 years of her life - including her kids and pending divorce.  Like Moriarty's other books, I loved this one, too.  It explores relationships and some heavier topics.  This book doesn't contain the "big twist" that Moriarty fans are used to, but it's still very good.  Once again, I recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, interesting read.

So, tell me...what books have you read recently?  Any that you would recommend to me?

Project Life & Project Read (& a request for you to tell me you favorite books, pleeeeease?!?!)

Three posts in three days?!?!  I can't even remember the last time I did that (if ever).  I'm way behind on sharing and I've created a ton of stuff recently that I still have to wait a while to share.  Seriously! I've already made 11 layouts this month.  That's some kind of record for me!

I did want to pop in and share week 2 of my 2015 Project Life.  I've done weeks 1 and 2 already but I still haven't created my title page.  I guess i'm not inspired to yet, so I'll wait on creating it until I'm ready.  Anyway, here is week 2: 

I'd love to point out the Project Read concept with you.  This year I have set a goal for myself to read 35 books this year.  That may not seem like a lot, but I have a full time job and work 10-12 hours Monday - Friday, so finding time to read can actually be somewhat difficult.  But it is something that I have decided that I need to make time for again.  I love to read and I used to read all the time, but in the past few years, I haven't done as well.  So, I came up with this challenge in week 2 to hold myself accountable.  And now that I'm telling all of you about it, I will hopefully hold myself accountable even more.  Sometimes I will read silly "chick lit" books (which is what I read in week 2, if we're totally honest here), which I love and are my guilty pleasure, but are not very thought provoking and sometimes I will read more serious books.  At the end of every month, I will give a run-down of what I read that month and hopefully people will share some of their favorite books with me.

I picked 35 books because that will make it so I need to read slightly more than 1 book every 2 weeks...which I think I can do.  Wish me luck...and pretty please, recommend some good books to me!  :)

Page Protectors: Becky Higgins (Designs A & F); Cards: Amy Tangerine for Becky Higgins; Alphas: American Crafts, Studio Calico, Teresa Collins; Wood Veneers, Chipboard, "Oh Dear" Card: Studio Calico; Labels: Hello Forever, Heidi Swapp; Mini Paper Bag: Paper Source; Sequins: Clique Kits, Doodlebug Design; Staples: Tim Holtz