"The Three Gifts of Christmas"

 I know that this book wasn't next on my "Coming Up Next" list, but I figured since Christmas was this week now would be a good time to put it on here. "The Three Gifts of Christmas", by Anita Stansfield, is a story about a girl named LeNay that leaves an uncomfortable situation at home and is rescued by an amazing and unbelievably kind widow. It's at the home of this kind widow where LeNay learns what it is like to be a part of a real family. They include her in the daily chores of running the ranch, and when Christmas comes around they include her in all their celebrations and family traditions. LeNay learns the true meaning of Christmas and falls in love while she's at it.

This is a heart-warming story about family bonds, love, and kindness. Plus it's not really a Christmas book, so you can read it any time of the year! I recommend this to any reader looking for a book that will put a smile (and maybe even a tear) on your face. Let me know what you think!

"The Crush"

I almost didn't put this book on here because it is not a book that I would normally read. I had a friend recommend it to me, so I thought I'd check it out...and while I will probably never read more of Sandra Brown's work, I did enjoy "The Crush". Her writing honestly just sucked me in. I read this book in all my free time over a couple of days.

It's about a female doctor who serves jury duty and the criminal that ends up being acquitted becomes obsessed with her. Then the cop that is investigating a murder of one of her co-workers falls for her too, and the two battle for her affections - the criminal in a break-into-your-house creepy way, and the cop in a big-tough-cowboy I'm going to protect you way.

This book has just the right mixture of mystery, suspense, comedy, and romance. It also is full of swear words and some fairly detailed intimate scenes. That's the stuff I try to stay away from, so like I said, I won't be reading any more of her books. However, if that doesn't bother you and you are looking for a new author to check out, then definitely check out Sandra Brown. I just wanted to put this book on here to give you a heads up in case you pick up one of her books and don't know what to expect.

"Tess of the D'Urbervilles"

This book was on the reading list for my AP English class in high school. I thought I loved it then, but each time I read it I fall in love with it even more because I find something new that I didn't notice in my previous readings. "Tess of the D'Urbervilles", by Thomas Hardy, is a Victorian Novel that depicts what a truly pure woman is. I love this book because it challenges the social expectations of the time and has a heroine that probably appalled some of the women back then. Tess is a simple country girl that wasn't warned of the evils of the world. So when she ventures out on her own for the first time she gets herself in a bit of trouble with a boy. Now she is 'ruined' and she knows it, so she goes on to live her life and tries to be her best self. When a respectable gentleman falls in love with her she in no way leads him on even though she has fallen for him too. He asks her to marry him multiple times but she always says no, denying herself any type of happiness because she doesn't think she is worthy of it. Once he convinces her that he will always love her, no matter what, she agrees to marry him. Ah, but as soon as she tells him what happened to her, he acts like she is a stranger and leaves her. Over the next year she withstands multiple trials and hardships all while staying true to her husband and remaining a respectable lady. I'm not going to tell you what happens in the end because you will want to find out for yourself.

 I love Tess because no matter what happens, how bad things get for her, she always tries to be her best self. It's a sad tale that will make you happy and break your heart at the same time. This book is kind of thick and was written in the Victorian era so it will probably take a couple of weeks to read. However, it is time well spent. This will be a book that you come back to again and again. I would recommend it for anyone high school age and up. Let me know what you think! (The BBC mini-series for this book is really good too).  

"How Will You Measure Your Life?"

I'm going to start by being honest with you, I didn't finish reading this book. There are very few books that I haven't been able to push through and get to the end of, but "How Will You Measure Your Life?", by Clayton Christensen, James Allworth, and Karen Dillon, is one of them. The idea of this book is to help the reader look at their life and make choices that will ultimately make them happier. I think my problem with this book is that I already have the life that I want, so there wasn't a lot for me to learn. However, I can see this book being very helpful for someone who is still trying to figure life out. (It does not matter if you are 19 or 49, we all go through a phase where we have some big questions to answer. So it's nothing to be embarrassed about). It does have some advice on how to find a meaningful career that will add to your personal life instead of detract from it. As well as some sound advice on how high up your list of priorities your family should be.

 I would suggest this book for someone who is still trying to find their niche in the working world and could maybe use a little advice for their personal lives as well. The author is LDS, which means that his advice and teachings are in line with how the church teaches it's members to live even though he never actually brings the gospel up in his writing (at least it wasn't in the part of the book that I actually read). This wasn't the book for me, but it may be something you will want to check out. Let me know what you think!

"Remembrandt"

I had the privilege of being able to read this book before it was released to the public. The author, Robin King, asked me to read it and write about it on here. How cool is that? I'm glad that she did because "Remembrandt" is a book that I probably would not have picked up and read on my own, but it's one that I will definitely be reading again.

It's an incredible story about a girl name Alexandra who has an eidetic memory (you'll find out what that is when you read the book) and becomes an agent for a secret organization while attending her first year of college. This is a book that I didn't know I was looking for until I found it. It's the life I always secretly wished I had. I mean, who wouldn't want to be crazy smart, good looking, a secret agent, and have an exceptionally romantic love life on the side. Plus, the way the story is written just sucks you in and makes you feel like you are right there living it. I found myself smiling, frowning, holding my breath (and then letting it out in a big gush of air), and talking out loud to myself while reading this. That's when I know I have found a book worth reading. Like I said, I will definitely be reading this again. It will only take a few days to get through and it's clean. I whole-heartedly recommend this book to readers of all ages. Let me know what you think!

"Complete Guide to Money"

My husband and I are both pretty conscientious about our money. We both had healthy savings accounts when we got married and we've been able to stay out of debt this far into our marriage. So it's not surprising that Brock was the one that got me into Dave Ramsey. I've read a few of his books so far, the most recent being "Complete Guide to Money".

I don't agree with everything that Dave Ramsey says you should do, but this book is by far the best out of all the one's I've read. This book doesn't tell you how to make more money, it simply tells you how to manage the money you are already making. He gives tips and suggestions on how to make your money go further every month. My favorite thing about this book is how realistic he is about his readers situations. This book is written for the "average Joe", people who have decent jobs and are looking for direction in how to handle their money.

Brock and I have followed some of his advice and so far it's worked for us. I would not say this is an easy recreational read, but if you are looking for a little guidance with your finances or need advice on how to get out of some debt then this book may have the answers for you. It will probably take a week or two to get through the whole thing, but it's time well spent.

"The Best of Me"

A well known fact about me: I am ALWAYS up for a good romance. What girl isn't right? Especially when it's a romance by Nicholas Sparks (the author of The Notebook, Safe Haven, A Walk to Remember, Dear John, and much more). "The Best of Me" is no exception. This is a tale of destined love as high school sweethearts reunite after 20 years and discover that their feelings for each other never died. This book is packed with heart-wrenching romance and a surprising twist at the end that only adds to the story. Which is something that Nicholas Sparks does in most of his books. It's not all romance though. Dawson comes from a family of low-life thugs and the trouble they cause him adds some extra character to the story.

As much as I loved it though, I don't think I would recommend this book. Simply because when their love story continues as adults, it's predicated on Amanda cheating on her husband. Sure she's unhappy in her marriage, but that doesn't give her a reason to be unfaithful. If she was still so deeply in love with Dawson, then she should have never gotten married in the first place. It just tainted the whole story for me. However, if that doesn't bother you, then this may become one of your new favorite love stories.  It's not a very big book, so it will only take a couple days or so to get through. Which means it won't take very long for you to decide is this book is for you or not. Oh and the book is way different from the movie, they are almost two completely different stories, so take the time to read the book even if you've seen the movie. Let me know what you think!

"Unbroken"

Okay, so I am not exactly a history buff...Whenever I think of World War 2 my mind immediately jumps to Germans. I don't know that I've ever really made the connection that we were fighting the Germans and the Japanese at the same time. I know I learned it all in my History classes, but I must have focused more on Germany than Japan I guess. Well the book "Unbroken", by Laura Hillenbrand, definitely reminded me of what our country went through during our war against Japan.

Hillenbrand tells the story of Louis Zamperini - a little hellion who eventually channels his excess energy into running as a young adult and later makes it to the Berlin Olympics before becoming an airman in the U.S. Army. Zamperini and his crew seem invincible; returning alive from missions running on fumes or with a plane riddled with bullet holes. Invincible, until the day they do go down and their crew is downsized to just three survivors floating in a raft with no food and minimal water. And yet somehow they manage to stay alive during their 47 day float before finding land. The part I cant really wrap my head around is the idea of having sharks swimming around you 24/7 just waiting for you to get in the water, rubbing their backs along the bottom of the raft just to let you know they are still there...that right there would be enough to send  my sanity out the window. And that's only the beginning of the horrible trials that these boys had to go through!

The author does a wonderful job depicting this inspirational story. The way she writes is almost cinematic, like you are watching a movie of what you are reading in your head. It's very attention grabbing and will suck you in from the very first page to the last. It is a story that kids younger than high school age may not be prepared to read, but anyone that age or older will most likely enjoy this book. It's definitely the kind of inspiring story that you will remember for the rest of your life, and will remind you to be grateful for the life you have. Because no matter how bad your life may seem, it's no where near as bad as what the boys in this book had to go through. I give this book my seal of approval and recommend that you find the time to read it. It will probably take a week or two to get through (depending on how much time you have), but it is worth it. So enjoy, and don't forget to let me know what you think!

"The Giver"

Apparently this is a book that some high school students were forced to read in their English classes. It was not on my syllabus for English, which is unfortunate because I would have liked to have found this book sooner. (There is always something special about finding a good book before it becomes popular). "The Giver", by Lois Lowry, is now very popular and is also a movie, which I have yet to watch. This as another book set in a controlled community that has become so popular these days. "The Giver" came out in 1993 though, so I guess it is one of the first of it's kind.

This book is very unique. It takes "controlled community" to a whole new level - one where you don't get to choose the clothes you wear, the job you have, what you do with your day, when you get to ride a bike, or even the words you say. Every choice is made for you. This was the life of young Jonas, until he received his job assignment to become the community's new 'Receiver' and was told that he is suddenly allowed to be different. He can ask questions, lie, and even be rude. His life is turned upside down and through his training he realizes that he's not satisfied with the way the community is run. What will he do about it though?

"The Giver" is a book that will make you ponder things that you have probably never thought of before, and it's thought provoking contents will stay with you long after you have finished reading. It's reasonably easy to get through and there is nothing questionable about the content. I recommend this book for all ages. If you enjoyed this book, be sure to check out it's companions - "Gathering Blue", "Messenger", and "Son".

"Mr. Darcy's Diary"

Let me start by saying, if you haven't read (or watched) "Pride and Prejudice", you need to turn around right now and read it. Then you can come back to this book.  "Mr. Darcy's Diary", by Amanda Grange, is the perfect addition to the beloved "Pride and Prejudice" story. It retells the love story between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, only this time it's from Darcy's point of view. The author takes Mr. Darcy and basically turns him inside out and shows his deepest feelings and secret thoughts. It's all of the things that the reader pictures Darcy thinking during "Pride and Prejudice", only his thoughts are right there on the page for you to read, reread, and savor.

It's obvious that the author pulls her story from both the book by Jane Austen as well as the movie (the version with Keira Knightley in it) because there are some lines that are almost direct quotes from the movie, but the general storyline follows that from the book. If you are familiar with these then you will know exactly what I mean when you read this one. The author also takes the story and adds on to it. Perfectly depicting what life would have been like for Elizabeth and Darcy after their marriage. This book is a very easy read, is good for all ages, and will only add to your love for this timeless story. Let me know what you think!

"Falling"

My Step-dad is a helicopter pilot, so naturally I think of him when I see anything related to helicopters. Which is half of what drew me to the book "Falling", by Clair M. Poulson. The other half is that Poulson is my FAVORITE author and I know that I will enjoy anything that he writes. "Falling" is a suspense novel that masterfully ties together a little bit of mystery, suspense, adventure and romance.

Major Corbin Daniels retires from the military after losing his fiancée and co-pilot on a mission in Afghanistan. He decides to slow life down by starting a duel business as a private investigator and transporting tourists and oil-rig workers  in Moab, UT. On one of his flights carrying workers from the rig back into town a passenger sees what looks like a body on the desert floor beneath them. Deciding to land and check it out is what starts Major Daniels down a road of murder, kidnappings, bombs, break ins, and death threats. Drawing on his military experience, he helps the attractive and independent Sheriff Lisette Statton track down the killer and put all of the "bad guys" either in jail or in the ground.

This book starts with action on the very first page and doesn't slow down until the last. Poulson has a way of grabbing your attention and keeping it until long after you've finished the book. It is a quick and clean read and I would highly recommend it for readers of all ages.

"Where She Went"

Alright, so I already wrote about the book "If I Stay" and I am finally writing about it's sequel, "Where She Went". "Where She Went", by Gayle Forman, is a continuation of the story of Mia and Adam, only this book is written from Adam's perspective instead of Mia's. The story doesn't pick up where the first book left off. It actually starts three years later; Mia went to Julliard and becomes the next big thing in the classical world, and Adam takes his band to new heights using songs about Mia. They are no longer together, but through chance, coincidence, fate...whatever you want to call it...they are brought back together again for one night. Will Adam finally get the closure he needs, or will this night rekindle the fire they once had? 

"Where She Went" is written similarly to "If I Stay", meaning there are a lot of flashbacks and the ending drops you off a cliff and leaves you there. These books are so anticlimactic. The author builds you up, but as soon as you get to the part you've been waiting for, the book ends. It doesn't end in a way that makes you want more, it ends and you go, "That's it? I wasted all that time to get to this and that's it?". This book is definitely better than it's prequel, but it's still not very good. It also has quite a bit of language and a little bit of sexuality mixed in (Adam is living the 'rock star life' after all).  It is a fairly easy read, but I would not recommend reading this book unless you have free time and don't mind reading a book that's not very memorable. Let me know what you think (even if you disagree with me). I love to hear from you!

"The Book Thief"

This book has been on my 'coming up next!' list for a while now. It hasn't taken me that long to read it, but it has taken me that long to get it on here. Which is a shame because "The Book Thief", by Markus Zusak, is one of those books that you want to tell the world about after you get done reading it. This book is set in Nazi Germany during WW2 and follows the life of a young girl named Liesel. "The Book Thief" is unique because it tells about the war from the perspective of a German citizen. Almost every other book about WW2 that I have read is written from the perspective of a Jew, which makes all the Germans look like really bad people. This book is amazing because it shows the other side of the war; the Germans that were forced to do go on rations and be hungry all the time, or were forced to give up their children to go to Nazi soldier training camps, or were publicly  humiliated and disgraced for showing any kindness to a Jew. 

The story, which is narrated by Death himself (an unexpected twist which only adds to the uniqueness of the book), focuses on Liesel and her family. Through unfortunate events Liesel is left in the care of a foster family who suffer from the side affects of the war. They suffer even more when they decide to hide a Jew in their basement and have to share what little food they have with him. Liesel goes about living her life with this huge secret locked inside. She delivers washing to customers, plays soccer in the street, learns to read, gets into mischief with her best friend, and occasionally steals books. She suffers unbearable heartbreak and yet somehow manages to rise through it all.

This book is brutally honest and will keep you turning pages even though your eyes are too blurry with tears to be able to read. "The Book Thief" may take a week or so to get through, but this is a book I would not suggest skipping over. You would definitely be missing out.

"I'll Find You"

Prepare yourself, for I am about to share with you another book secret of mine. I previously shared my favorite series, now I am about to unveil my favorite author... Pause for suspense... His name is Clair M. Poulson, and I have yet to encounter a book by him that I did not enjoy. He writes LDS suspense novels, and in my opinion, he is AMAZING. The first book of his that I want to introduce you to is "I'll Find You". This was the first book of Poulson's that I read, and it's what got me hooked.

The leading lady, Jeri, watched her best friend get kidnapped when they were kids. She shouted "I'll find you" to the back of the car that drove away with him. Years later she is prompted to take a job at a prison far away from friends and family. One particular inmate makes an unforgettable impression on Jeri. His resemblance to her childhood friend is uncanny, and she can tell he doesn't quite fit the typical inmate stereotype. It couldn't be him...could it?

This book is full of not only romance, but mystery and suspense as well. It's one of those books that will make you talk out loud to the characters, trying to help them see what is so obvious to you as the reader. I would suggest making sure you have your chores done before picking this book up, because once you start, nothing else is going to get done until you are finished reading. Luckily it's not very long, and should only take a couple of days to get through. Enjoy! There will be more from this author to come!

"Counting Stars"

Imagine falling in love with someone you know is going to die, and having them ask you to pick up the pieces of their life after they are gone. Now imagine that 'picking up the pieces' means taking care of his preemie twin babies. That's what happens to Jane in "Counting Stars", by Michele Paige Holmes.

Jane has nearly given up on love, but in a half hearted attempt to give love one last chance she decides to answer an ad in the wanted pages that simply says, "Seeking kind, loving woman to be the mother of my children".  How bad could it be, right? By responding to that ad Jane throws herself into a new life where she instantly becomes a mother of two and the only support for a man who just lost his wife and is dying of cancer himself. She couldn't have known the love, loss, heartache and immeasurable happiness that she would find.

This book will make you laugh, will definitely make you cry, and will make you picture the story in your head even when you're not actually reading it. Don't miss out on this heart-wrenching love story. It's a fairly easy read, will probably take around a week (unless, like me, you can't put it down. In which case you will get through it in a couple of days). I also would go back and reread the page or two I just read, simply because it was so good that I had to go over it again. Plus it is a clean romance, with the main character, Jane, and her family being LDS. Don't wait to pick this one up! Then let me know what you think about it!

The Hush Hush Saga

Do you have a favorite book that you don't like to tell people about? Almost like it's your little secret and you get to enjoy it and keep it all to yourself? I know you all have a book like that, so don't pretend not to. I almost didn't put this on here because that is what these books are to me; my little secret that I revel in and enjoy in private. However, the Hush Hush saga, by Becca Fitzpatrick, is too good to not be shared.

It sweeps you away into Coldwater, Maine, where fallen angels have come to reside. Patch, an especially mysterious and dangerous fallen angel, has taken a special interest in a girl named Nora. The series follows their story as Nora ignores her internal warnings to stay away from Patch, and slowly finds out more and more about him and the world he comes from. She gets mixed up in the dangers revolving around Patch and nearly loses her life on multiple occasions, but it's not enough to keep her from being sucked back into Patch's world. They even go so far as to erase her memories so she'll forget all about fallen angels and nephilim in an attempt to keep her safe. But nothing can erase the tie she feels to Patch, and emotions she can't explain pull her towards a boy she can't remember until her memory returns and she realizes it was Patch all along. The series ends with an epic battle between the nephilim and the fallen angels and, of course, some plot twists that you will never see coming. 

This four book series has excitement, action, and romance dripping from almost every page. It doesn't matter how many times I've read it, I still get sucked in and can't put the book down. I would highly recommend this book for all ages. It does have some intimacy in it, but it's nothing that I would call inappropriate. So there you have it, I've outed my little secret. I hope you enjoy it half as much as I do, and don't forget to let me know what you think!

"If I Stay"

What would you do if you had to choose between living and dealing with the loss of loved ones, or dying and not really knowing where you are going? I don't know if that's a question that anyone would really be able to answer until they were in a situation where they actually had to choose. I'd like to think that I would choose to live, but depending on whose death I had to deal with, I might choose to die with them. The book "If I Stay", by Gayle Forman, depicts a situation where one of these two choices has to be picked. Mia and her family get in a car accident, putting her in a coma, and she has to choose to go or stay. She reminisces old memories to help her decide, all while watching people come to visit her body in the ICU. 

That about sums up the whole book. This book was really 'talked up' to me before I read it, so I was expecting something different. I didn't exactly enjoy this book, and I don't understand why everyone else seems to like it so much. There I was reading about all these memories of her life, waiting for something to happen in the here and now, and then before I knew it I was at the end of the book. Lucky for me the book really isn't very long, otherwise I might have been mad I wasted more time on it. I guess this is one of those books that you will have to read for yourself. There is a sequel to it, "Where She Went", which might make the story more exciting. I will get back to you once I have read that one and let you know if it makes up for the first book. Anyhow, I wouldn't recommend reading this book unless you have time to spare and are genuinely curious about why it's so popular.

"Passage on the Titanic"

Anita Stansfield is a well known LDS author with a wide variety of books under her belt. "Passage on the Titanic" is one she recently came out with, and she says it's her first attempt at trying to tie real people into a fictional story.

She tells the story of Irene, an American who went to England for nursing school and took one of her patients, Ella, under her wing. The two become fast friends and end up traveling to America on the Titanic. I thought the whole book would be about their time on the Titanic, but there is so much more to the story. The author focuses on who they were before getting on the ship, and then goes in to great detail about their rescue and what their lives were like after surviving that great tragedy. She takes the well known story of the Titanic and makes it very personal for the reader as you try to put yourself in Ella's shoes. It's an incredible story and well worth your time. The book is fairly short and easy, so it should only take a couple of days to read. Enjoy :)

"The Host"

I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that practically everyone has heard of Twilight. But I'll bet maybe half of those people have heard of the book "The Host" (which was also written by Stephenie Meyer), and an even smaller amount of those people have actually read it. I was so excited when the movie came out because then I would finally have people to talk to about this epic love story. Really it's two love stories intertwined because the female main characters are sharing a body. One is 'the host' and the other is an alien that has taken over her body. In a world where aliens are taking over the human race typically the host fades away once their body has been invaded, but in Melanie's case her resistant mind stays there in the background even after Wanderer has been inserted. It becomes a constant struggle between the two as Wanderer tries to make Melanie disappear and Melanie tries to convince Wanderer to take them to the place where her loved ones are hiding. After a near death experience they decide to work together to make the wary humans trust them enough to keep them alive. They get mixed up in fights, lost in love triangles, and nearly lose their lives a few more times. All while doing their best to share a body.

The author takes an amazingly romantic and impossible story and adds a unique twist by making the main character a bystander in her own body. I have read this book multiple times and every time it is as exciting as the first time and I don't have the self control to put it down. This book sucks you into a vacuum where nothing else exists and will keep you thinking about it long after you've read the last page. I strongly suggest that you read this one, and you better let me know what you think when you're done!

"The Fault in Our Stars"

This is one of those books that seemingly pops out of nowhere when it becomes a movie and suddenly becomes a huge hit as people either read the book before they see the movie, or loved the movie so they read the book. Maybe I'm just out of the 'loop' but I had never heard of "The Fault in Our Stars", by John Green, until I saw the first movie trailer. It immediately intrigued me and fortunately for me my sister-in-law decided to give me the book for my birthday.

One of the reviews for this book, and it's written on the cover, says, "Filled with staccato bursts of humor and tragedy". This couldn't be more true. I'm smiling and laughing out loud on one page then crying on the next. The author takes the tragedy of battling cancer and turns it into this beautiful, humorous, and outrageously romantic story. The characters are intelligent and witty and you fall in love with them right from the start. Depending on how quick you read, this book may take just a day or two to get through. It's definitely a day or two worth spending. Just a heads up, there is some language and brief sensual content in this book, so if that is something you disprove of in your literature then you may not want to read this one. Let me know what you think!

The Jayson Wolfe Series

I would have had this post on here a while ago, but I didn't know that the series consists of five books instead of four. I got to the end of the fourth and went, "Really? That's how she ends it?", so I googled the series and that's when I became aware of the fifth and final book. The Jayson Wolfe Series, by Anita Stansfield, is definitely my new favorite series. The main character, Jayson, is a brilliant musician who overcomes all sorts of trials to get his music out to the world. This is one of the few series that I have read that spans a major part of the character's life, instead of just a year or two. It starts when Jayson is a teenager and ends when he is in his 40s, so you really get to know him. He has to overcome death, heartbreak, loneliness, drugs, infidelity, and many other trials during the course of his life, all while holding to his roots and core beliefs. In the middle of one of his worst trials he finds the gospel and the last couple of books show how he uses his testimony to help him stay grounded and positive while living the life of a temple recommend holding rock star. 

I thoroughly enjoyed these books, mainly because it was so easy for me to relate to the main characters. Being LDS myself, I was really able to connect with Jayson and his family and I learned how truly important it is to apply the gospel to everything in our lives. These books are most certainly worth the small amount of time that it will take you to read them. They are uplifting and encouraging and may bring some peace into your life while you read them. They are a good clean read for all ages and I am sure you will enjoy them just as much as I did.


   

"White Chocolate Moments"

I don't know anyone that does not enjoy a good clean romance. Some of my girl friends growing up (who were really more boyish than girl, myself included) pretended to not get swept away by romantic stories, but as soon as we got together and started talking about the latest book or movie our tomboy side disappeared and we'd all sigh and talk about how great the story was. Well that's what the book "White Chocolate Moments", by Lori Wick, did to me, only no one I know has read it so I don't have anyone to sigh with. This book has a great story to it which I will give to you in a nutshell.

The main character grows up with her uber rich grandpa after her parents die, decides to venture out on her on when she turns 18, finds a job doing manual labor and has some pretty humbling experiences, also has to overcome some emotional issues from losing her parents at a young age, and through it all she manages to get an amazing guy to fall for her even before he knows that she is the granddaughter of one of the richest guys around. I really enjoyed this book because Arcineh, the main character, chooses to leave the comforts and riches of her previous life behind to prove to herself that she can make it on her own. She's not a spoiled brat like I expected her to be, she's actually a character that I kind of look up to because she refuses to use her relation to her grandfather to help get her ahead, especially when it could have helped her a lot when she was looking for a job.

This is good clean romance at it's finest and I highly recommend that you read it. It's about 350 pages, but it's a fairly easy read, so you'll only get to enjoy it for a few days. If you do read it, let me know so we can talk about it and sigh together. :)

The Divergent Series

Divergent has become a very popular motion picture, and in my opinion it is a movie that sticks fairly close to the book. Which I appreciate. The Divergent Series, by Veronica Roth, takes you in to a post world war 4 society that has been separated into 'factions' to help control the peace. Someone who doesn't fit into these factions is considered 'divergent' and is a threat to society. The main character, well two main characters really, show the reader what it means to truly be brave and selfless. Honestly before reading these books I thought that being brave meant that you weren't afraid of anything, but I have learned that it really means that you can face what you're afraid of and not crumble in fear. This story will suck you in with it's perfect mixture of trials and triumphs, battles, and romance. I also felt like it had this underlying message telling the reader, "you can do hard things".

The characters dedication and determination is inspiring, yet almost annoying at times. I wanted to yell into the pages, "You don't have to do that! It's okay to be selfish and just walk away!".  You'll have to read the books to see what I mean. The series consists of three decent sized books, which may take a couple of weeks to get through. I read the whole series in less than a week, but that's because I was on maternity leave and had loads of free time. If you enjoyed reading "The Hunger Games" or the Matched Trilogy by Ally Condie, then I would highly suggest you read this series. Be sure to let me know what you think when you are done!


  

"Lightland"

I'm going to share a secret with you, and if you are like me and you enjoy books that depict what the world will be like after everything goes kaput, then you are going to like this secret. My secret is a book called "Lightland", by Kenny Kemp. Ever heard of it? Neither had I until my mom brought it home from Costco one day. She said there was a guy sitting at a table all by himself and she didn't know what he was doing until she got closer and realized that he was an author doing a book signing for the book "Lightland". She felt bad for him because all these people were just walking by so she stopped and purchased a copy. I am so glad she did that! This book is about how a disease overtakes the world and the only hope society has is in a 6,000 year old skeleton and the canopic jar buried with it. "Lightland" will take you on an intense adventure, with some unpredictable twists, as the main characters battle to protect and use K'tanu (the skeleton) to save what's left of the humankind.

It will definitely hold your interest from start to finish. It also has a touch of romance and there were a few parts, I must admit, that made me cry. It's a book that you could easily get through in just a few days, (I suggest planning to read it on days where you won't be very busy because you won't want to put it down!). If you have already read "Lightland" or anything else by this author please let me know! I'd love to hear what you thought about the book!

"The Star Wars Trilogy"

This is going to let my geekier side show through, and I'm not even sure if this book really counts because it was a movie before it was a book, but I just have to put it on here. Everyone should have at least a basic knowledge of the Star Wars story, this particular book is the first three movies that came out which means they are the last three if you are going in numerical order. Maybe it's just the fan in me....but I really enjoyed reading this. It takes what I loved about the movies and made it even better by adding the extra details that books always have. You know like..."Yes Lord Vader", he said trembling in fear. The kind of stuff that you just don't get out a movie. Which satisfied my book worm side and my Star Wars fan side. The book is kind of thick, because it covers content from three movies, but it's what I would consider an 'easy read' so don't be intimidated by the size. I would definitely recommend this book whether you are a Star Wars fan or not. Who knows, maybe reading the book will persuade you to become a fan. ;)

"A Child Is Born"

Looking for a book that tells you ALL about what's going on inside that pregnant belly? And when I say all I mean ALL. The book "A Child Is Born", by Lennart Nilsson, is an all inclusive book that focuses solely on the baby. It starts with the decision to have a baby, then describes how a baby is conceived, then has week by week descriptions and pictures of how a baby grows and develops inside the womb and ends with the delivery. Now, for first time moms this book is probably not for you. It is full of pictures (of real live people) that illustrate what the author is discussing.

I personally was not prepared to see some of the stuff that is in this book. Not that anything about it is inappropriate, it's just that I couldn't really appreciate the beauty of pregnancy and birth until I actually went through it myself. Looking back through this book now doesn't really affect me like it did before. However, if the pictures don't bother you and you genuinely want to know everything about that little life that's growing inside you, then I would highly recommend this book. It's not very long and is mostly pictures, I loved having so many photos of the developing baby because then I knew exactly what this little thing kicking inside of me looked like. So go ahead and pick this book up, it will definitely satisfy your curiosity.

"Your Pregnancy Week by Week"

"Your Pregnancy Week by Week" by Glade B. Curtis, is another helpful book recommended to me. I read this one basically cover to cover and also found it to be helpful. It goes into more depth on some specific issues, but I felt like it left a lot of other information out. It is shorter than "What to Expect When You're Expecting" so if you are intimidated by big books then this may be just for you. I often had this book and "What to Expect" open at the same time because they complement each other. "What to Expect When You're Expecting" has more information and "Your Pregnancy Week by Week" takes some of that information and explains it a little more. If you're not a big reader and just want one book to go by, then this one is probably not the one you want to pick. It does have valuable information though, so if you have the time and motivation, then this is another one I would recommend keeping on your nightstand.

"What to Expect When You're Expecting"

Ok, so I recently had a baby (she's 2 months old!) and I had people left and right recommending material for me to read. So, I thought I would do a little segment on here for some of the books that are out there. "What to Expect When You're Expecting", by Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg and Sandee Hathaway, is probably the most well known pregnancy book out there, and for good reason. This book really breaks down what you can look forward to during your pregnancy. It lists how the baby grows and develops each month, how you grow and develop, the symptoms you can expect, and some of the things that your care provider will look for at your appointments. It also includes tips for how to handle some of the side effects of pregnancy and has valuable information for those carrying multiples. As well as going into what you can expect of your body right after delivery.

 I found this book to be very helpful and there is even a website to go with it found here which has even more information than the book. I kept this book on my nightstand for a quick reference throughout my pregnancy. It's not the type of book you have to read cover to cover, you can just skim through to read what interests/applies to you. It's definitely something good to have around, especially if this is your first pregnancy.

"The Millionaire Fastlane"

One of today's problems is that it is so easy for us to live outside of our income. It's basically impossible to tell how much someone makes because you never know if they can really afford that new lifted truck or if they bought it with a loan that has a ridiculously high interest rate because their credit is maxed out. "The Millionaire Fastlane: crack the code to wealth and live rich for a lifetime", by MJ DeMarco, breaks it down and describes how to truly live a wealthy life. One of the authors keynotes is defining 'wealth' as having freedom. Yes you have a nice new truck, and you also have the freedom to drive it everyday because you don't have to worry about how much gas costs. He argues that to be truly free we have to be able to control every aspect of our own lives, (you will have to read it to understand what he means by that).

This book is very informative, although I thought he could have gotten his point across in probably half the amount of pages. It's not exactly an easy read because he does use some terms and analogies that can be hard to understand at first (I personally had to reread some pages because I didn't quite get it all the first time). However, if you would enjoy some fresh ideas on lifestyle changes and how to better your income then this book may be just right for you.

Plan on spending some time with this one. I chose to read a little each day (during my lunch breaks at work) instead of trying to binge read the whole thing, which helped me learn more from the book because I was able to take time to really consider the theories he was sharing. Anyways, would recommend for those who are into ideas on how to "make it big", and like I said previously, plan on spending a couple weeks with this one to really be able to soak it all in. If you do read it, let me know what you think! I love to discuss topics like this and the only person I have right now is my husband, so I would love to hear from you!

"What the Doctor Ordered"

Looking for a cute and easy read? The book "What the Doctor Ordered", by Sierra St. James is light and fun with just the right mixture of romance and comedy. The author uses the characters to show that, in the right setting, young love is a beautiful thing. (And by 'young love' I mean one character is in college and the other just graduated from med school).

The leading lady has a hilarious aunt that tries to play match maker and of course everything that could go wrong does, which makes it funny while at the same time quite romantic. In a world where getting married at 21 is considered young and getting married at 19 is outright ludicrous, it's nice to have a book that is more realistic. It makes it easier to put yourself in the position of the main character and identify with her. After all, not many of us fall in love at the ripe age of 16 like many popular books show.

This book will only take a day or two to read (depending on how much free time you have to sit down and enjoy it). I strongly recommend it for anyone who wants a clean romance to sweep them away for a few hours.

Quick intro to Books & Wings

This quote right here basically sums up the way that I feel about books. I'm sure that A LOT of other people can relate to it as well. Which is why I am so excited to be starting this blog, because I just want to talk about books! Books take us out of this world and dump us in an alternate reality where we can escape life and pretend to be living in the middle of an adventure, or comedy, or mystery, or (my favorite) a romance. I can't tell you how many times a book has taken me out of real life and given me a small sanctuary, where I can forget about everything going on and pretend to be Elizabeth Bennet, or Katniss Everdeen, or a number of my other favorite characters.


Books quite literally give us wings and fly us away to a better place. However, not all books "fly us away" or catch our interest enough for us to make it past the first chapter, which is sad and frustrating at the same time. Especially if other people have told you it's SO good. So here I am, starting this blog of book reviews to hopefully help my fellow readers find books that they know they will enjoy before they turn the first page.  I'll start with a few of my favorites and then work my way from there! If you have any suggestions for books that you like, or books that you would like to read but aren't sure if they are worth the time, I would love to hear them! Hopefully I will be able to read them and write a post for each one.


Well, that's it for tonight I guess. I'll get my first real post on here tomorrow and that's where the fun will begin!


                                                                                             - Carli