The Giver of Stars By Jojo Moyes

 The Giver Of Stars by JoJo Moyes

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

First, I love this story. It's A LOT of story at almost 14 hours. It never lulled or lagged though. There are a lot of moving parts and characters that blend very well together. At some junctures I just couldn't put it down. Alice and Marge are two characters that I think many women can find themselves relating to in spirit and self awareness, I know I did.

My number one expectation from a historical fiction book is that I learn something new of that time frame. An event, the treatment or process of something, cultural/social differences from that time to today's. While this book has had less of that than others that I've read, it still gave me new things to think about and research on my own.

NOW --

The flack this book has caught for being too similar to Book Woman is unfounded. The WPL was made up of women. The WPL was historically unwelcome in rural areas. For the purpose of a fictional story, a small town asshole would be the perfect antagonist. The same comparisons could be drawn in MANY of the books I've read that pertain to American slavery. It's repugnant to think that a whole group of people couldn't go through similar situations, albeit affected differently by them. I have read both books and I love both stories. Book Woman is a little more radical and Giver of Stars is a little more standard. Nothing wrong with either and both have a fantastic story to tell. 

Favorite Quotes:

“A certain kind of man looked at God’s own land, she thought, as she drew closer, and instead of beauty and wonder, all he saw was dollar signs.”

Genre

Historical Fiction, Romance, Women's, Adult

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

it was amazing

The characters and the writing were all things perfect for my taste in this genre. Not overly cheesy, lots of flirtatious banter, the supreme ups and downs, hallmarks of a great feel good romcom. I don't think I've ever smiled so much through a book! As the reader, we're all pretty sure we know where these characters end up but getting there with them is just SO - MUCH - FUN.

I'm so star struck by this book. I didn't know how much I needed this truly blissful escape from the real world. I am absolutely picking up another Christina Lauren book. This bright, beautiful cover drew me in and the words inside left me thirsty for more.

Also, Ethan Thomas is my new #1 fictional boyfriend. Seriously. He is THAT dreamy.

Favorite Quote:

"the only coherent thought that comes to mind is how insulting it is that eyelashes like his were wasted on Satan's Errand Boy"

Genre:

Romance, Romcom, Contemporary, Women's Fiction

The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan

The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Feel free to judge this book by it's cover! The story inside is as lovely as the cover. Very thoughtful writing and great attention to both it's characters and details, this book is a pleasing read all the way through. I think Lian Dolan could have stamped "Written With Care" across the front. 

The girls cover a lot of emotional ground, their father dead and a new sister surfacing, forces them to re-examine how they processed their childhood and who their father and mother both were. The narrator being an outside source allows the reader to make their own judgements along side each of the sisters. 

I can see myself rereading the last few chapters of this book on a bad day as a mother, sister, daughter, or spouse and find myself in need of catching a good vibe. The end of this book is 100% good vibes only and really resonates with the reader. 

Favorite Quotes:

"That's the luxury that men have. They can be awful and beloved. Women don't get that kind of leeway."

"And maybe in your world, people are perfect, but not in mine. I think forgiveness and happiness go hand in hand."

"Apparently hostility is a sign of grief. ---- Exhaustion, sleeplessness, headaches, anxiety, anger and hostility. It's a winner list."

"He wished the girls had gotten to know their mother better, the Maeve before the cancer and the long slow march of treatment and pain."

Genre:

Women's, Literary, Contemporary, Fiction

*This book was won on Goodreads and was provided as an ARC. This is my honest review of this beautiful book.

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book has ALL the feels. It's a story about loss and tragedy, doubled with an abuse of trust and a lot of deception. What's left of a family must come to terms with all the truths in all the lies and find a way to cope and move on without being torn apart. Morgan and Clara are an epic mother daughter duo and have a large target audience with their combined story telling.

The writing is smooth and fast paced, though the book is 365 pages, you just fly through it. It's a fun read because of the emotional rollercoaster and though it reads a bit more like YA it is well worth having in your arsenal of books and give you confidence by tackling such a big book with ease.

Favorite Quotes:

"So when you decide to commit to someone, you aren't saying 'I promise I'll never be attracted to anyone else.' You're saying, 'I promise to commit to you, despite my potential future attraction to other people.'"

"Grown-ups might not have their shit figured out any more than we do. They just wear more convincing masks."

"'I've taken them every damn day since your grandma skipped town. I'm not an invalid.' 'Yes.' Miller quips, "And grandma didn't skip town - she had a heart attack.' 'Either way, she left me.'"

"It means people who make mistakes usually learn from them. That doesn't make them hypocrites. It makes them experienced."

Genre:

YA, Contemporary Fiction

Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jenny Lawson narrates this audiobook herself and it's truly an authentic experiences. You feel like you're at home with your sister, late night, deep in a heart to heart conversation about life, laughing and being weird together, bonding. Jenny Lawson feels like home in this book. She's relatable and funny. I learned some things and kept some stories deep inside for those harder days.

She captures depression, anxiety and chronic pain with a lot of honesty and realness, and humor. Something we desperately need more of in our world. She has some really bizarre and fantastic stories that make up both examples of these issues and coping mechanisms to endure them. Lawson's theory? Know you're not alone, know that you are doing the best that you can, know that there will be brighter days beyond this bad day and when those moments of glory do shine through - be furiously happy in them. Let's not forget to laugh at ourselves, our situations, at life. 

A quick look at her table of contents will tell you whether or not this book is for you. Must. Love. Humor. Must. Love. Fowl Language. There are SO many great quotes throughout this book, I don't know how I could ever list them all here. I am lovingly sharing The Spoon Theory with everyone I know, it's the perfect explanation for how we get through our days. I also love The Book of Nelda and would love someone to needle point that whole conversation about dust and dirt for me. Or even put it on a poster. It's beautiful and commanding of our attention.

Thanks Jenny Lawson, for making me smile, making me feel less alone in my crazy thoughts, and for the parts that I can really reflect on and carry in my arsenal for those really bad days. And for all the laughs and unintended education (I did NOT know that koala bears carried chlamydia).

Favorite Quotes (Just a few of many from this book):

"Don't sabotage yourself. There are plenty of other people willing to do that for free."

"Depression is like when you don't want cheese anymore. Even though its' cheese."

"To all who walk the dark path, and to those who walk in the sunshine but hold out a hand in the darkness to travel beside us: Brighter days are coming. Clearer sights will arrive. And you will arrive too. No, it might not be forever. The bright moments might be fore a few days at a time, but hold on for those days. Those days are worth the dark."

"I have never been normal and I think we both know that."

Genre:

Humor, Nonfiction, Mental Health

Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin

Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I flew through an audio copy of this book with Roshni Shukla narrating. She seemed like she might be stiff at first but was a truly fantastic fit. I was engaged, curious, and learning from beginning to end of this story. This book is often referred to as a Pride and Prejudice retelling and I think it was beautifully executed as such. 

Ayesha and Khalid find themselves both intrigued and enraged by each other and what they believe the other's faith and lifestyle is like. Good intentions with bad reception on both sides. Ayesha, a more contemporary Muslim and Khalid is more old school. In the true dramatic essence of P&P they go through A LOT of outrageous and sometimes funny situations, only to end up with a happy and adorable ending. It's hard to imagine the two of them falling in love after some of the words and moments they shared, but this is a truly romantic love story. Often enough, the love we feel for someone is what's under our environmental traits from family, religion and socioeconomic backgrounds and it's glorious and beautiful.

I can't wait to read more from Jalaluddin.

Favorite Quote:

"Even though he knew there were other, easier ways to be, Khalid had chosen the one that felt most authentic to him, and he had no plans to waver."

Genre:

Fiction, Romance