Top FIVE Books of Summer 2019!

     Now that the summer is over and fall is well underway (AND all my summer blog posts are up,) it's time for my top list of books I read this summer! I had many books that were 4 stars and above, but only two got 5 stars this summer, and three got 4.5 stars; therefore, my top 5 winners!
     The books ranged from memoirs to a middle grade book that I think everyone should read despite the age that it was written for. Check out my list below!


Our fifth place spot goes to....




5) Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
     Released: September 27, 2016
     Month Listened: August
     Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

     This is Mindy's second book, and I liked it way more than the first one. I love Mindy Kaling, and her hilarious personality definite shines through in this book. Read more about it via the original blog post.










In fourth place we have...



4) The Bitter Side of Sweet by Tara Sullivan
     Released: February 23, 2016
     Month Listened: August
     Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

     This book caught me by surprise. It is an adventure story about three kids who are enslaved on a cacao farm in Africa. Although a fictional story, it is based on reality. Recommended for everyone, especially those who like to learn about different places. Learn more about this book via the original blog post.










In third place...



3) All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin
     Released: June 26, 2018
     Month Listened: July
     Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

     This was my first ever Emily Giffin book and it definitely made me want to check out more of her books. She expertly ties together multiple characters and their stories to create one overall that ties them together. In this book, we start out learning about an indecent photo of a high school girl at a party that is sent around to classmates and parents alike. Little do we know, this event just scratched the surface of tangles webs of two families hidden beneath the surface. Check out the original blog post to learn more and find my full comprehensive review.










And in second place we have...



2) Weetamoo: Heart of the Pocassets by Patricia Clark Smith
     Released: August 27, 2001
     Month Read: June
     Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

     This book sort of blew me away. The Royal Diaries series is written for middle grade and young high school readers, but revisiting this series as an adult is showing me how rich they are in history, and how much I can learn from these easy reading books. It's awesome to take a break from the sometimes heavy adult books to find something I can breeze through but also learn something from. Every American should read this book and learn a thing or two about life (AND a very prominent woman) in early New England just a few generations after the pilgrims first settled in Plymouth, MA. Follow this link to find my Goodreads review.










And in FIRST PLACE....









...Drumroll...









1) Becoming by Michelle Obama
     Released: November 3, 2018
     Month Listened: June

   

I am so far behind! (August 2019 books)

     I apologize to those who liked following my reading adventures for being so terrible these last few months with my blog posts! I do not want to abandon his project! The year is almost over, and blog entries from every month will help immensely in making a more comprehensive Top Books of 2019 list!

     August was an okay month of reading/listening. I think this month mainly comprised of audiobooks that I listened to. It looks like I only actually READ 4 books this month. One I absolutely HATED. The one after that I really didn't like that much either.The next was a short, younger audience historical fiction that I did enjoy but just did not prioritize. The final one was a winner! MY audiobooks ranged from autobiographies to kids books and non-fiction, and aside from about two of them, they were pretty mediocre. This entry is going to be more about which books you may NOT want to spend your time on. LOL. As opposed to books you should read. I'll try my best to keep this short, and will of course, provide links to my Goodreads reviews, which I've finally caught up on, if my short blurbs and ratings make you more curious about what the book was about and what my opinions on the stories were.

Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
     Released: May 3, 2011
     Read from: 7/30/19-8/2/19
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)

     Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

     DNF (Did Not Finish). I just couldn't with this book, I thought it was going to be something it wasn't. This is a historical fiction, taking place on Martha's Vineyard in 1665. The main character is a Wampanoag Indian boy who meets the daughter of a local missionary. The Indian boy, Caleb, grows up to be the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. This book was a New York Times Bestseller, but the title was deceiving and I thought it was going to be a little more adventurous than it was. Instead, the title has to do with Caleb's crossing over of religions. To Christianity. I am not going to include a link to my Goodreads review for this one because it wasn't much of anything since I didn't finish this book. A lot of things happen to the characters and maybe if I had 1. Read the book and 2. Had a better idea of what it was going to be about before I started it, I may not have found it to be as dry as I did. 

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
     Released: June 11, 2019
     Read from: 7/29/19-8/5/19
     Format: Print (Library)

     Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

     I don't think I've ever HATED a book as much as I hated this book. I did finish it, and the only reason I did was because I wanted to see if it would redeem itself. I put this book on hold at the library when I heard about it, and was excited to read it. I thought it was going to be cute and fun, but it made me SO. MAD. It was about a girl who could not bear children, "falling in love" with a guy who wants a big family. And I was interested to see how they'd navigate. I wrote an extensive review on why this book upset me so much, so check out my Goodreads review here.

Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson
     Released: June 21, 2016
     Read from: 8/2/19-8/7/19
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

     This is definitely a kid's book but I thought it was heartwarming and worth my time despite the average review I gave it. Three middle school aged boys go on an adventure around their town, skipping school, and risking getting in a lot of trouble in order to bring their teacher (who is in the hospital undergoing cancer treatment that she is not expected to get better from) some of the things she likes most, and attempt to sneak her out of the hospital to enjoy a special day together. Check out my Goodreads review for this cute story here.

Truly, Madly, Famously by Rebecca Serle
     Released: October 13, 2015
     Read from: 8/5/19-8/11/19 
     Format: Print (Library)
     Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

     This is the second book in the Famous in Love series, written for teenagers, which at this point, I think it really is just meant for them. Adults will just find this series a bit ridiculous, I think, like I have been. Since it's a series though, I will read the next book whenever it comes out just to see what happens to these characters. I am finding this series mediocre, so my ratings reflect that of an adult, vs. what a teenager might think of this series. This book shows how Paige, a small town girl who gets chosen for a big screen leading role, handles her newfound fame, and the fact that she is in a VERY famous relationship with her co-star, even though she has a crush on her OTHER co-star. Check out my (short) full Goodreads review for the second installment of this series here.

Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town by Warren St. John
     Released: April 23, 2009
     Read from: 8/7/19-8/15/19
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

     This book is almost like a documentary, covering the story of a couple youth soccer teams in Georgia made up entirely of refugee children, and coached by a refugee woman. We learn her story, as well as the stories of some of her players. Extremely interesting. My slightly above average rating explanation, as well as an extensive review of this book can be found here on Goodreads.

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
     Released: September 27, 2016
     Read from: 8/15/19-8/17/19
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

     This is Mindy Kaling's second book, and I accidentally read it first. I'm not sure why, and if the order would've influenced it, but the first book seemed like a disappointment after having experienced this one. I liked it a lot. There was really only a minor thing that made it not quite reach 5 stars. Mindy Kaling fans, comedy fans or anyone who wants to laugh should check out this book. Find my full Goodreads review here.

Mystery on Skull Island by Elizabeth McDavid Jones
     Released: September 29, 2001
     Read from: 8/11/19-8/19/19
     Format: Print (Library)
     Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

  

     I really enjoyed this book. The History Mystery series from American Girl is awesome. I almost appreciate them more now as an adult. I've learned really interesting things about history since I've been reading these. This one took place in historic Charleston, SC in 1724, during a time when pirate activity was common. I wrote a nice review on this one on Goodreads, so check that out here.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
     Released: November 1, 2011
     Read from: 8/17/19-8/21/19
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

     I wrote my review on this one too late, so I didn't remember that much about the book by the time I got to writing it. This one was more about her earlier life, and I remember the fact that it was about body image almost excessively took away from the book a little bit. It was still funny, still classic Mindy Kaling, so again check it out if you're a fan of her or just like to laugh.

The Bitter Side of Sweet by Tara Sullivan
     Released: February 23, 2016
     Read from: 8/20/19-8/24/19
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

     This book was SO. GOOD. I think it's definitely one of my favorite books this summer, if not the year. It was so good that I procrastinated this review because I knew I'd have a lot to say, and there was a lot to talk about, and then of course, I forgot a lot of the things I wanted to talk about by the time I wrote the review. But now, more than 2 months later, this book is still really standing out in my mind so that's saying something. I think I actually want to own this, and read it the second time around, since this time I did the audiobook. There was so much to this book, and I loved it because it was about real things that are happening in Africa. It's about two brothers who accidentally sell themselves into slavery, and then the efforts of the older brother to protect the younger brother over the years of working a very dangerous job on a cacao farm. They end up on an escape journey with a feisty girl who was sent there after kidnapping. It is for younger readers overall, but I think adults need to read it too. You'll learn about real events that are happening in our world right now and it is certainly an adventure story, as well as a heartwarming story. Check out my brief Goodreads review here to learn a little bit more, and check out the publisher's synopsis. Definitely check out this book!

Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks
     Released: October 16, 2018
     Read from: 8/26/19-8/27/19
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

     This is the newest Nicholas Sparks book, and it is a pretty typical Nicholas Sparks book LOL. So if you're a hater you might want to avoid this one. You'll LOVE it if you're a huge fan. If you can take or leave him, or are decently entertained by some of his books you may like this one, or feel average about it like I did. What's coolest about this book is it's based on a true story. We watch a love story from the past get to continue in the present because of a mailbox called Kindred Sporot on a stretch of beach where people leave letters, stories, drawings, etc to share with others. Two long lost lovers reunited again. But of course there's obstacles they'll have to overcome, and will their happy ending be with each other or apart? Full Goodreads review can be found here.