Book Review: The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy-3 Stars

“The Perfect Mother” chronicles the lives of The May Mothers- a group of mothers who all had babies born in May that meet up and talk about their babies and motherhood. The book mostly focuses on July 4th, when some of the moms go out to a bar for a night out without their babies, and Winnie’s baby, Midas, is taken. Was it Alma, the immigrant babysitter Nell insisted keep Midas? Midas’s seemingly nonexistent father? Did Winnie herself do something to her baby?

My main issue with this was the fact there were SO many characters and it seemed like each of them got their own chapters which made it difficult at times to follow along. I liked the premise of this because I’m always up for a good thriller and I knew I could relate to the baby/mom group aspect! It was also a little slow moving but I kept reading because I just had to know what happened to Midas.

The characters were all interesting. Each one was very different and even though they hadn’t known each other long, they seemed like forever friends. While I was hoping for a nail biting thriller, what I actually enjoyed and appreciated most was the rawness of feeling like a new mom. Trying to breastfeed, wondering why your baby is crying what seems like all the time, leaking milk through your shirt, (!)wishing your baby would sleep longer than an hour… it was a great, honest depiction of motherhood that strongly resonated with me.

I only gave 3 stars but I did like how this book ended. I was surprised and I thought the author did a great job with character development after I finished the book, but while I was reading I found myself getting lost and forgetting whose chapter I was reading. I would have preferred maybe only one or two narrators but once I finished reading and pondered back on it, I feel like it worked.

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{Children’s} Book Review:Candy Apple Blessings by Maddie Frost-4 Stars

This fall themed children’s book, Candy Apple Blessings, is adorable! The illustrations are fun, vibrant, and beautiful! Fall is my favorite season so I wanted to be able to share that excitement in book form with my one year old as we read together and I start to teach him the seasons. This book tells some of the best parts of fall, from hay rides, to jumping in piles of leaves, with the reminder to thank God for our blessings! With cute rhymes and whimsical artwork on every page, Candy Apple Blessings is a great book for toddlers to enjoy looking through and for parents to enjoy reading together!

I received a copy of this book from Tommy Nelson and Harper Collins Book Look Bloggers. All opinions are my own!

{Children’s} Book Review: Big Trucks Getting the Job Done Together-5 Stars

 

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Big Trucks: Getting the Job Done Together is a great, entertaining children’s book for younger ages. My almost one year old loves this book because it has the touch and feel aspect combined with vibrant illustrations! From rough and bumpy sand to smooth, rubbery tires, my son loves turning the pages and feeling all the different and exciting textures! It’s a fun short little story about working together to get a job done that is short enough to hold little one’s attention spans while the textures of the touch and feel keep them engaged and interested!
This is a great book for parents to read to their young children but it is also one that is easy enough for a young, new reader to practice reading!

I received this book via the Book Look Bloggers program in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Tommy Nelson/Thomas Nelson publishing. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: The Dry by Jane Harper- 4 Stars

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The Dry captured my attention from the first few pages and kept me hooked for hours! I seriously could not stop reading because I had to get to the bottom of things. It’s dramatic and surprising with plenty of suspense to satiate mystery lovers!

Aaron Falk has returned to the small town where he lived most of his childhood until he and his father were ran out of town after a young girl died. Falk would have preferred to keep away but comes back for a funeral. Now in his late thirties, Falk and Luke were close twenty years ago and have only briefly kept in touch over the years, but Luke’s father insists Falk attend his son’s funeral.

Luke’s parents question everything regarding the deaths and Falk gets roped in to investigating financial records and the life and death of Luke and his family. Old secrets come back to the surface and Falk begins to realize not everything will stay hidden in a small town.

This novel was very well written and fast paced enough that you don’t get bored but it’s also not too fast to confuse readers. The only reason for the 4 star review is I wish the ending would have been a little more fleshed out with some more detail or an epilogue. Overall I really enjoyed reading it and I am looking forward to the next book starring Aaron Falk!

 

Book Review: You Can Stay Home with Your Kids! by Erin Odom- 4 Stars

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I’m already a stay at home mom but was curious to read this and see if I could implement anything new I wasn’t aware of. While I did not learn anything new, it was still a well thought out book chock full of tips and resources. The only issue I have with it is the author makes her living blogging and uses that as one way a stay at home parent can make an income but I don’t find that to be realistic for the majority of parents. It could be possible, but it would be a stretch to have that become the sole source of income in a family.

What I liked most was the fact that even though this is a short book but packed with information, that while I did not find groundbreaking, for someone just starting out deciding to quit their job to stay home it would prove very helpful. The DIY household products and recipe chapters were great! The author approaches each tip in a friendly, caring way and I enjoyed reading it.

I received a copy of this book via Harper Collins BookLook Bloggers program in exchange for my honest review!

Book Review: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins- 5 Stars

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I don’t know why it took me so long to read this but I’m glad I finally did! I was completely shocked at the ending!

Rachel takes the 8:04 train into London every day. It passes by a row of houses, one of which she used to live in, where her now ex husband lives with the woman he left Rachel for. Another house is occupied by whom Rachel refers to as Jason and Jess. She is obsessed with their seemingly happy, head over heels in love life, and has created their perfect life in her head.

Rachel though, isn’t happy. She’s an alcoholic, divorced, and unemployed. She drinks so much she blacks out at times and can’t remember things. I love a good suspense with an unreliable narrator. They keep me guessing and keep the book interesting!

When something happens, Rachel inserts herself directly into a police investigation. But can she be trusted when she can’t even trust her own memories? This was a very fast paced story and I did not want to put it down until I had some answers! If you haven’t read this yet and enjoy psychological suspense, definitely give it a go!

Book Review: Come and Eat: A Celebration of Love and Grace Around the Everyday Table by Bri McKoy-4 Stars

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Come and Eat is about Christian hospitality, to invite others to dine at your table literally, coming together over delicious meals, as well enriching and encouraging each other with spiritual food. Inviting others to your table can strengthen your friendships, and your relationship with God.

What I loved most about this was how heartfelt it seemed. It was like the author was speaking to readers as a friend meeting for coffee. I also really enjoyed all the recipes throughout!

I received a copy of this book from Harper Collins BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: My Lady’s Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris- 5 Stars

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I’m writing this review after doing only one “choosing.” I plan to go back through and select different choices to see the other outcomes!

I loved reading the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books as a kid so I was excited for this adult version! It’s hilarious and saucy. The first adventure I embarked on I chose the rugged Scot, Mac. It’s set in the Regency time period but with a funny, almost satirical twist. The romance at times was steamy but comical and left me crying with laughter! I can’t wait to choose different paths and see where I end up.

Book Review: Without Merit by Colleen Hoover-4 Stars

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CoHo is one of my favorite authors when it comes to raw, gritty, dramatic romance. I always say her novels are like Lifetime movies in book form! In typical CoHo fashion this book deals with heavy subject matter, (i.e. suicide, abuse, mental illness, etc) so proceed with caution.

Without Merit tells the story of the Voss family. They are screwed up, messed up, harboring hurt, pain, and secrets.

Merit lives in an old church building that her father turned into a house. Her sick mother lives in the basement, and upstairs, her father lives with his new wife, their son, Merit’s twin Honor, and their brother Utah. Something horrible has happened to Merit and she feels disconnected from the family. She hates keeping their secrets, dealing with their drama, and feeling alone. When a hot stranger passionately kisses her one day, she can’t stop thinking about him, even after realizing he thought she was Merit, and he moves in with them.

Throughout the book Merit struggles with the secrets and resentment she’s been holding on to. While there is romance in this book it’s not as heavily focused on like other books by this author. Mostly, it’s about Merit coming to terms with her life and situations involving her dysfunctional family. Merit is about to literally and figuratively collapse from the weight of secrets she is responsible for.

It was tough to read at times but there’s also that dry wit and humor I love in a CoHo book as well!