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    My January 2019 Book Reviews

    Last year I didn’t meet my Goodreads goal of reading 50 books.  So this year I set the same goal again and I’m not off to a good start.  I better get down to business and do some catching up over February Vacation! A Bone to Pick by Charlaine Harris  This is the second book in the Aurora Teagarden book series.  I found this series because I am a big fan of the movies with Candace Cameron Bure on the Hallmark Channel.  Although one thing that I did find to be interesting is that they released the first two movies in the reverse order of the books. This novel is about…

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    9 Best Books That I Read in 2018

    Night Road by Kristin Hannah This book did not disappoint! This is the story of two families and how a bad decision can affect so many people. Jude is a bit of a helicopter mom with teenaged twins.  Lexi is a teenager whose mother was not around for her.  She was taken out of foster care by a great aunt who wanted to take her in.  Lexi was looking to fit in at a new school when she met her new best friend Mia and her twin brother Zach.  Those relationships will change all of their lives forever. This was an incredible book.  Honestly, it may be one of my…

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    My November 2018 Book Reviews

    This month was a slow reading month for me.  To be completely honest, this school year is kicking my butt.  We, as a team, are dealing with some of the most extreme, and widespread behavior issues that we have ever seen.  It is my fifth year teaching, so I’m still somewhat new and for me, this is the most challenging year yet. Alright, vent over, I just felt like I should explain why I’m not reading as much. I am a huge fan of Diane Chamberlain, but I am not a huge fan of this novel.  The novel is the story of a little girl with severe health problems who…

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    My October 2018 Book Reviews

    Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan I loved this book!  It was my book club’s choice for October and I really had not had any interest in reading it.  I thought that it was just going to be like watching that crazy sweet 16 show that used to be on MTV.  But this really had an endearing story about a young couple where the girlfriend was not prepared for what she was getting herself into when she went overseas to meet her boyfriend’s family.  There was some shock and suspense, some mystery.  There were times that I wanted to scream at people through the book, and there was a heartwarming…

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    September 2018 Book Reviews

    Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman This novel starts with an attention-grabbing scene.  The main character starts the book in the prologue, burying a body that you quickly find out is her husband’s.  After that we flashback to find out why.  The story is about a young couple who stumble upon a mysterious package while diving on their honeymoon.  What they then do with the package is where the action comes in.  This novel is supposed to be a thriller but I felt as though it felt short.  It was odd, the storylines were unbelievable at times, and not in a good way. I would have to give this book 2…

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    August 2018 Book Reviews

    Real Murders by Charlaine Harris Alright, I am not going to lie to you, I read this book because I love the Hallmark series with Candace Cameron Bure.  The story is about a woman who lives in a small town and is a part of a club where they research and discuss murder cases from history.  In this novel, the members of her club begin to be targetted, and all of the crimes match historical murders.  The main character, Aurora Teagarden, is a charming and quirky single woman who maintains a strong relationship with her mother who lives in the same town.  If you are a fan of the movies, Aurora…

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    My July 2018 Book Reviews

    Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman I had to take a day to digest this book before I wrote a review.  This book was unique. The story is about a thirty-ish girl names Eleanor.  Eleanor works as an office assistant for a digital company, and she is fond of routines, order, and vodka.  It is difficult to tell if Eleanor is someone who has Autism Spectrum Disorder, or if there is something else going on. This book was a lovely book about learning to let yourself love others and learning to allow people to enter your life.  It was a great read. I give this book 4.5 out…

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    June 2018 Book Reviews

    Now that school is out, I’m hoping to make some big progress on my 2018 reading goal of 50 books because I am falling seriously behind! Night Road by Kristin Hannah If you have read the last few of these, you would know that I’m on a bit of a Kristin Hannah kick.  This book did not disappoint! This is the story of two families and how a bad decision can affect so many people. Jude is a bit of a helicopter mom with teenaged twins.  Lexi is a teenager whose mother was not around for her.  She was taken out of foster care by a great aunt who wanted…

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    May 2018 Book Reviews

    Let me tell you, I can’t wait until summertime when I can just read all the time.  It is actually taxing at times to find time to finish three books.  And that is so sad!  But this month I read some good ones. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah If you have read a book by Kristin Hannah, then you are probably a fan.  The first book that I read from her was The Nightingale and that is probably one of the best books that I have ever read.  And this novel did not disappoint. Winter Garden is a novel about two daughters and their mother.  After their father passes they try to…

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    My April 2018 Book Reviews

    I had big plans of reading all the books over April Vacation from school.  But, that didn’t happen, I only read my normal three books this month.  I am really going to have to get moving if I am going to hit 50 books this year! My book club book this month was The Stars Are Fire by Anita Shreve.  This novel is the story of a young mother who is dealing with a strained relationship with her husband.  She lives on the coast of Maine in the mid-1900s.  When a fire destroys her hometown, she is required to start over and learn how to crawl from the ashes and…