Be back soon!

Been far too long since I've updated. Will remedy shortly.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

3/5

This took me a good third to get into since the way of life presented was so foreign to me, but after that I had a hard time putting it down.

What Jeannette goes through from her childhood until her early independence is simply amazing. I would have given it more stars, but the writing just wasn't there...it was more of a "this is how it was stream-of-consciousness memory compilation."

Ape House By Sara Gruen

3/5

This is no Water For Elephants, but it was a pleasant enough read. Unfortunately I didn't connect with (or really care for) any of the characters. I think I may have actually connected to the apes more haha. It did hold my interest as a page-turner...so there's that.

The Shadow Of The Wind By Carlos Ruiz Zafón

5/5

This is now one of my favorite books of all time. It's got everything, mystery, romance, history, murder...even some spooky elements...a story within a story and on top of all that, it's woven with some of the most beautiful prose I've had the joy of reading. I can't recommend it enough. Keep in mind it's not a quick read...and yet I didn't want it to end.

The Particular Sadness Of Lemon Cake By Aimee Bender

2/5

The prose of this book is refreshingly beautiful and intricate...I will give it that. And I do love the magical realism premise of the book, but the actual execution of the plot along with flat characters made reading it a less than enjoyable journey.

I never could get a grasp of the characters and had a hard time caring what happened. There were questions I wanted answered and I think they were answered in a way, but a way that was far from satisfactory. I kept waiting for something to make me like this...it just never happened. I’m ultimately left unaffected and empty.

Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet By Jamie Ford

3/5

This is a very straightforward tale of first love and how life can get in the way. I think I just expected more...I wanted to FEEL more.

The Last Song By Nicholas Sparks

3/5

I initially picked this up because I saw it took place in the Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach, NC area...an area I'm pretty familiar with. It was fun to hear about places I have frequented.

Aside from that the story was a pleasant enough tale of family, reconciliation, first love and all that goes with it, but it felt like it was all over the place and I found myself losing interest at certain points. I did enjoy many moments though...enough that I did get rather teary a time or two.

I would like to read more by Sparks...maybe ;) Right now I just want to read his latest because it takes place where I really did grow up...Southport, NC.

Note: This is the first Nicholas Sparks book I have "read" and is also my very first audiobook.

This Is Where I Leave You By Jonathan Tropper

4/5

This novel pulled me in from page one and wouldn’t let go. Imagine NBC’s Parenthood if it was on HBO or Showtime. Sure there’s a lot of profanity as well as some sex, but at its core the story is just...real...and so much about it rings terribly (and sometimes tragically) true. I cannot wait to dive into Jonathan Tropper’s back catalog.

Middlesex By Jeffrey Eugenides

5/5

I have put off a proper review of this book because I just loved it so so much that nothing will do it justice. I loved the story (don't be close-minded) and the richness of how it's told. The history...the span of everything and the style is just simply amazing. If you haven't read it, it should be the very next thing you read.

Think Of A Number By John Verndon

4/5

Pleasantly surprised! I can’t say I’ve ever really been compelled to read a crime/mystery novel, but if there are more like this out there, I’ll be reading more. Hard to believe this is the author’s first novel. The writing is great and while it did take a while to get going, once it did, I had a hard time putting it down.