Sunday Skim

Week of 8/22/2021:

Finished:

Currently Reading:

Looking Forward To:

I was totally looking forward to The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot but I didn't connect with it the way I thought I would. I know many people love this book and I can see why.  Looking forward to the September reads, which is long but really looking forward to The Heart Principle before then. 

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Julie's Review: The Paris Connection

Author: Lorraine Brown
Series: None
Publication Date:  August 24, 2021
Publisher: G.P. Putnam & Son's
Pages: 336
Obtained: publisher via Netgalley
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: Fun romance through the streets of Paris
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: When Hannah and her boyfriend, Simon, set out to Amsterdam, they’re confident that they’ll make it to his sister’s wedding in time. However, unbeknownst to them, their train is scheduled to divide in the middle of the night. And when it does, half of it continues the route to Amsterdam. And the other half—the one with Hannah in it—heads three hundred miles away, to Paris. Left without her belongings or hope of reuniting with Simon, Hannah has no choice but to spend the day in Paris before the next train out. Worse than being stranded in a foreign city alone? Being stuck with Léo, the handsome but infuriating Frenchman who blames Hannah for his own unwanted delay. The series of mishaps that sends them traipsing through the City of Light is only further proof that Hannah’s day has gone from bad to worse. But as she takes in the glorious sights of the city—and spends more time with Léo—Hannah discovers that the unexpected detour might actually be leading her to the life she was always meant to live . . . ~amazon.com

Review:  I don’t read romance novels because I want mystery to the ending; I read them to get lost in the story of 2 people figuring out that they are better together than apart.  Hannah is a worry-wart and a little bit forgetful so he boyfriend pretty much handles everything for them. So when she falls asleep on a train to Amsterdam for his sisters wedding and wakes up in Paris with limited belongings she has to rely on a stranger, Leo to help her out. Leo pulls Hannah out of her comfort zone the entire day they are together. Hannah’s defensives are up but then she softens up as the day goes on. I highly enjoyed this novel and having never been to Paris I enjoyed the tour that Leo took Hannah on. I’ve put a few things on my sightseeing list.

The dialogue is on point and witty but yet there's something about the two of them that gravitate to each other. Throughout the day as things are revealed by both their energy is hard to deny; especially when others see it.

I was happy that Hannah actually saw her worth in a relationship instead of being coddled and reprimanded by Simon.  Leo finally find someone who might be worth his time and attention. 

If you are looking for a day trip to Paris, then I highly recommended The Paris Connection. 

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Julie's Review: Malibu Rising

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Series: None
Publication Date:  June 1, 2021
Publisher: Ballatine Books
Pages: 365
Obtained: publisher via Netgalley
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5
Bottom Line: Family above everything
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: Malibu: August 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over—especially as the offspring of the legendary singer Mick Riva. The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud—because it is long past time for him to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth. Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there. And Kit has a couple secrets of her own—including a guest she invited without consulting anyone. By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come rising to the surface. Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them . . . and what they will leave behind. ~amazon.com 

Review: I loved the 80s vibes from this novel include the font of the title pages and the colors which definitely had a Miami Vice feel to them. Anyone else? From the opening lines you know that things just aren't going to be all that great for the Riva family; starting with Mick and June. June, so young when she falls for sweet-talking Mick never really recovers from that heartbreak. June does immensely love all of her kids from Nina, Jay, Hud and Kat they all own a piece of her heart. Nina is the one that recalls her father's presence in their life when they were young and has the affects of it in her adult life. 

The Riva's have given this party over the years but this year feels different for all of them. They are all going through things in their lives that need to be sorted out; among each other, among others and in their own individual lives. Ms. Jenkins Reid tells the story through flashbacks to the courtship/relationship of Mick & June, the Riva kids' childhood and then their current struggles. It's all told in a timeline leading up to the end of the party. 

 I will admit that Malibu Rising started out a bit slowly but once I could spend some time with this wonderful family the book flew by.  I loved each of the Riva siblings but as the oldest, I found myself drawn to Nina. I loved how each of them grew up a bit and came into their own and in their own ways. 

I highly recommend Malibu Rising for long time fans of Ms. Jenkins Reid's novel and to readers who might just be discovering her. 

Sunday Skim

Week of 8/15/2021:

Finished:

Currently Reading:

Looking Forward To:

It took me longer than I thought to finish Malibu Rising but that's mainly because my kids started back to school and work has been a litle crazy.  Long Bright River was a good audiobook but not the best I've listened to this year.  I struggled with the monotone narration BUT I didn't understand that it lent itself well to the feel of the book.  I'm ready for some kind of routine now that school is back in session. 

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Sunday Skim

Week of 8/8/2021:

Finished:

Currently Reading:

Looking Forward To:

Very different books this week for me. A fun romance, a twisty psychological thriller and historical fiction on audio. I'm excited that school starts back up for my kids and that they are back in the building even if they have to wear masks for a portion of the first part of school. 

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Julie's Review: Did I Say You Could Go

Author: Melanie Gideon
Series: None
Publication Date:  August 3, 2021
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 363
Obtained: publisher via NetGalley
Genre:  Psychological Thriller
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: Clingy friend who just doesn't know how to let go
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: When Ruth, a wealthy divorcé​e, offers to host the Hillside Academy kindergarten meet-and-greet, she hopes this will be a fresh start for her and her introverted daughter, Marley. Finally, they’ll be accepted into a tribe. Marley will make friends and Ruth will be welcomed by the mothers. Instead, the parents are turned off by Ruth’s ostentatious wealth and before kindergarten even begins, Ruth and Marley are outcasts. The last guest to arrive at the meet-and-greet is Gemma, a widow and a single mother to her daughter, Bee. Ruth sets her sights on the mother-daughter duo, and soon the two families are inseparable. Ruth takes Gemma and Bee on Aspen vacations, offers VIP passes to Cirque du Soleil, and pays for dinners at Michelin-starred restaurants. For Gemma, who lives paycheck to paycheck, Ruth’s largesse is seductive, but as the years go by, she can’t shake the feeling that she’s accruing an increasingly unpayable debt. When Ruth’s affair with a married Hillside dad is exposed, and she’s publicly shunned, Gemma uses it to sever ties with Ruth. Six years later, when Gemma finds herself embroiled in a scandal of her own—Ruth comes to her defense. Their renewed friendship rehabilitates their reputations, but once again, Gemma starts to feel trapped as Ruth grows more and more obsessed with their relationship. A relentless page-turner, Did I Say You Could Go is the story of friendships steeped in lies and duplicity. It’s about two families who, when pushed to extremes, cross the line with devastating results. ~amazon.com

Review:  I truly enjoy thrillers that mess with your mind; almost gaslighting but not quite there and that's exactly what Did I Say You Could Go is. Ruth seems like the friend you'd want to have: always supportive, helpful and caring. Gemma and Ruth are inseparable from the day they are introduced until Ruth is involved in a scandal but then Gemma is in her own scandal which Ruth rides in to her rescue. Something is off with Ruth though and even though Gemma is seriously grateful for what Ruth has helped her through, she starts to question their friendship. Not to mention that their daughters were close but are now on opposite sides of the social spectrum which makes things that complex.

Ruth will do anything to keep Gemma close to her. She just can't let go. Gemma doesn't know how to break free so it's this vicious cycle until it breaks. Not only do you have Ruth and Gemma's rollercoaster of a friendship but you have their daughters, Marley and Bee who are caught in the crossfire as well. They are having their own issues transitioning into high school and navigating where they fit in. It affects them individually and their friendship. Ruth/Gemma and Marley/Bee are the definition of toxic friendships. 

I really enjoyed this novel until the end. I almost feel like it was a bait and switch. I feel like I missed something while reading the book. Even still thinking about it now, I feel like I missed some clues but then again I'm still not sure it all makes sense. 

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Sunday Skim

Week of 8/1/2021:

Finished:

Currently Reading:

Looking Forward To:

I have got to get better about reading books from my TBR and previous months requests.(I do realize this has been said before) I need to slow down on my Netgalley requests but it's hard when books are months out and your are excited for them.  So I think I'm going to start sparsing them in here and there so that I can feel I'm living up to my end of the deal. 

Monthly Rewind - July 2021

I wanted to try a little something new here and see how it goes. I thought it might be fun to see how the books I read the previous month fell out. I'll include both books I've read and listened to for the month. 

* Denotes Audiobook

HomeRun (You should run and get this):

Triple(You really don't want to miss it):

 

*

Double(You could get on the waiting list at the library and be ok):

Single(Wait it out):

*

StrikeOuts(Don't bother):  N/A

When you put all the books in a single post it is amazing how much I've really read in the month. Sometimes it seems like you aren't making progress but you really are. Keep that in mind when you feel like you are in a slump. 

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Julie's Review: Under the Southern Sky

Author: Kristy Woodson Harvey
Series: None
Publication Date: April 20, 2021
Publisher: Gallery
Pages: 328
Obtained: publisher via NetGalley
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5
Bottom Line: How selfless would you be for your childhood friend? 
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: Recently separated Amelia Saxton, a dedicated journalist, never expected that uncovering the biggest story of her career would become deeply personal. But when she discovers that a cluster of embryos belonging to her childhood friend Parker and his late wife Greer have been deemed “abandoned,” she’s put in the unenviable position of telling Parker—and dredging up old wounds in the process. Parker has been unable to move forward since the loss of his beloved wife three years ago. He has all but forgotten about the frozen embryos, but once Amelia reveals her discovery, he knows that if he ever wants to get a part of Greer back, he’ll need to accept his fate as a single father and find a surrogate. Each dealing with their own private griefs, Parker and Amelia slowly begin to find solace in one another as they navigate an uncertain future against the backdrop of the pristine waters of their childhood home, Cape Carolina. The journey of self-discovery leads them to an unforgettable and life-changing lesson: Family—the one you’re born into and the one you choose—is always closer than you think. ~amazon.com 

Review: It's not that you don't know that Amelia and Parker are destined to be together but as always it's the path they take to get there that isn't straight. Ameila pretty much married the wrong man and is going to need sometime to process this news. To top it off she also loses the job that she's love for the past 16 years. So she runs home to Cape Carolina but not without finding some information that will change the trajectory of her and Parker. 

Parker is still reeling from the death of his beloved wife, Greer, three years ago. Everyone tells him he's got to move on but he just finds it so unbearable. Greer was everything to him, not to mention he still works for her father and lives in the house they moved in together. Basically his whole life is surrounded by his dead wife; pretty hard to move on with all of that. 

Except there's always been this tether of attraction between Parker and Ameila, except Amelia has always been hung up on the fact that he's 3 years younger than her. Plus she dated his brother in high school with pretty high hopes of that leading to a marriage. Of course, fate had other ideas for that coupling. 

Much of what gets in the way of love is ourselves and this is demonstrated in both Amelia and Parker. Both of them can't let go of the past but in very different ways. Each of them need to learn to let go and to live. 

I've been a fan of Kristy Woodson Harvey for a while and Under the Southern Sky is a fantastic edition to her bookshelf. 

Sunday Skim

Week of 7/25/2021:

Finished:

Currently Reading:

Looking Forward To:

False Witness was a great novel because it captures the Pandemic within the thriller but it isn't done in a way that you feel it was edited to be included. For those of you that like a chilling ghost story, I highly recommend The Sun Down Motel, it'll keep you guessing. Under the Southern Sky is another winner from Kristy Woodson Harvey. 

It looks like August will be occupited by a some thrillers for me early in the month. I've been waiting for a new Chevy Stevens' book for ages! 

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