My TOP Books of 2019 List is HERE!

   

     This year was an interesting year of reading. Going back through the 100+ books this year took me down memory lane. There were a lot of books I liked this year, but it was much easier to narrow down the books to be under ten because the books that I liked a lot, I REALLY liked.
     I read a lot more memoirs this year than last. Biographies and histories as well, and I liked them all. Way too many to include in the list. Otherwise I might as well have made a Top Memoirs/Biographies of 2019 list. LOL. If anyone is interested in that though, let me know and I'll whip up a list.
     But below, find my top favorite books of all genres that I read or listened to in 2019.




10) Etched in Sand: A True Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island by Regina Calcaterra
     Released: November 5, 2013
     Read from: 10/7/2019 - 10/10/2019
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 4.29 stars

     The title tells it all, really. The author is the middle child, who ends up having to help raise, and then literally save her younger siblings from danger. It outlines the faults and difficulties of the foster system, but how if you really want something you can obtain it. Regina comes out on top in the end, but her fight to get there is deplorable. 
     Find my full review on Goodreads.



9) Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz
     Released: August 7, 2012
     Read from: 9/18/2019 - 10/6/2019
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 3.94 stars

     This title tell it all too. Julia Child's life was truly remarkable. She was so much more than just a famous chef. Forward thinking, well traveled, a life than spanned incredibly different decades... She did it all. For those that enjoy learning about people in American history, this is a great book for you. Even if you know nothing about Julia Child prior.
     Find my full review on Goodreads.



8) Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
     Released: September 27, 2016
     Read from: 8/15/2019 - 8/17/19
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 3.9 stars

     If you're a Mindy Kaling fan, or just like listening to people who are funny, this is the book for you. I liked it much better than her first book, and I actually listened to this one before the first one. This isn't the type of book by a famous person where you learn all about their past, but more about their personal, and in her case, hilarious views on things in life.
     Find my full review on Goodreads.



7) This Will Only Hurt A Little by Busy Phillips
     Released: October 22, 2019
     Read from: 12/16/19-12/19/19
     Format: Audiobook (Scribd)
     My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 3.93 stars

     Now this is the type of memoir where you're going to learn all about the author's lives growing up and how they came to be who they are today. You'll learn that Busy Phillips did a lot more than you probably realized, and she's certainly been through a lot too. I really liked this book a lot. It felt unfair to give it 4.5 stars instead of 5, even though it didn't quite reach the point of my usual 5 star rating, because the author was just so honest about everything in her life, that many people can relate to and may feel alone or ashamed about.
     Find my full review on the original blog post!



6) The Bitter Side of Sweet by Tara Sullivan
     Released: February 23, 2016
     Read from: 8/20/2019 - 8/24/19
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 4.23 stars

     This book blew me away to be honest. I didn't expect to learn so much about what it was like to be a cacao farmer/slave in Africa. This book tells you hoe dangerous it is via the story of two brothers who are fiercely loyal to each other, and a kidnapped "wildcat" girl who doesn't belong. It's amazing. You need to read it. 
     Find my full review on Goodreads.



5) The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
     Released: May 29, 2018
     Read from: 10/28/2019 - 11/3/2019
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 3.81 stars

     My favorite book by this author yet. I wrote a rather long Goodreads review, so definitely check that out. This book wasn't so much a thriller, but a couple mysteries all into one. It all begins when the main characters decides to trick an entire family and accept the fortune left behind by their dead family member, full on knowing she was contacted by the lawyers by mistake. This isn't her family, but she really needs the money. From there, of course, things go haywire. The family finds out, inevitably, but it turns out she's not just some random person mistakenly identified because she happens to have the same name of the deceased's family member.



4) All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin
     Released: June 26, 2018
     Read from: 7/1/2019 - 7/4/2019
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 3.87 stars

     This book was SO close to getting 5 stars! I really really loved it. It was my first book by this author, so now I'm excited for more! This story looks at family relationships, and the battle to do what's right for your family, while at the same time what is morally right. One girl gets caught up in drama when an embarrassing, slightly revealing photo of her is spread around the school. The culprit has a lot to lose in life if they are caught. The father will stop at nothing to make sure his child's opportunities are not taken away. They are seniors in high school and have so much more life left to live. The father of the girl will stop at nothing to make sure justice is served. The one remaining family in this scenario is caught in between. How can the problem be solved, with everyone else coming out okay in the end? 
     Find my full review on Goodreads.



3) Weetamoo: Heart of the Pocassets, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, 1653 by Patricia Clark Smith
     Released: August 27, 2001
     Read from: 6/1/2019 - 6/2/2019
     Format: Print (Library)
     My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 3.64 stars

     I loved this book because it gave me basically my first ever insight into King Phillips War. Weetamoo was an important Native American leader at the time of this war; one of the bloodiest battles in American history. This book gives an insight into what it may have been like for her as a child, before all that started. And has an excellent historical section at the end that tells you about this very important time in history. It's meant for a younger audience so it's not heavy at all. Just extremely interesting.
     Find my full review on Goodreads.



2) Becoming by Michelle Obama
     Released: November 13, 2018
     Read from: 5/26/2019 - 6/5/2019
     Format: Audiobook (Scribd)
     My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 4.58 stars

     This book may be one of the highest rated books on Goodreads and for good reason. I loved basically every second of listening to this audiobook, narrated by Michelle Obama. We learn about her early life, becoming a lawyer, meeting Barack Obama, and life with her family in the white house and I loved not only learning about them as people, but learning about the things they did in the white house that I didn't even realize were brought about because of them. Definitely highly recommend.
     Find my full review on Goodreads.



1) Out East:Memoir of a Montauk Summer by John Glynn
     Released: May 14, 2019
     Read from: 3/14/2019 - 3/23/2019
     Format: Print (Owned)
     My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 3.83 stars 

     I loved this book because it was fun, but also serious. I read it in March when I was craving the summer, and I loved the images that played out in my mind because of the stories John Glynn told of his summer. He made the people and the places come alive, and I really connected. This is why this book is at the top of my list for 2019.
     Find my full review here, on this blog!

Review x2!: Memoirs by Busy Phillips and Kristin Chenoweth

     I've been focusing my audiobook listening on memoirs lately because I realized that they're basically always narrated by the author and it's so much more fun to listen to them tell you stories about their lives themselves! These memoirs in particular turned me into fans of these two women, who, I'm sort of sad to admit, I really knew next to nothing about before this. I also found it hilarious that one of them mentions the other one in their book. Read on for my full reviews

A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages by Kristin Chenoweth
     Released: April 14, 2009
     Read from: 12/13/19-12/16/19
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 3.83 stars

"Life's too short. But I'm not." -Kristen Chenoweth

     This book came to me at the perfect time; now, when I've recently become way more interested in Broadway and other performances than I ever had been before. I had this book on my TBR before I even really knew who Kristen Chenoweth was. I'd heard of her, but that's about it. However, recently I watched a Christmas movie with her in it and learned that she starred with Idina Menzel in the original cast of Wicked. I saw Wicked on tour and it was great but now I want to see it again! If only they were still in the cast.

      This book made me a Kristin Chenoweth fan. She's adorable, smart, sassy, funny... She's done a lot more than I realized she did and now I need to hunt down more of her work! If you're a Kristin Chenoweth fan definitely check out this book. She also narrates the audiobook which I loved. My favorite parts were hearing about her early life (how she was born, adopted and raised in Oklahoma and how she began acting and doing pageants, singing and performing at a very early age), and her Broadway days, especially Wicked. She talks more about her time on Broadway than her TV shows, which are what I was not familiar with so I was fine with that. But mixed in there you'll hear all sorts of stories about her personal life as well as her personal feelings about her career over the years. Definitely a good one if you like memoirs, whether you already know things about the person or not.

For more on this book, check it out on my Goodreads page!

This Will Only Hurt a Little by Busy Phillips
     Released: October 22, 2019
     Read from: 12/16/19-12/19/19
     Format: Audiobook (Scribd)
     My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 3.93 stars

A hilarious, heartfelt, and refreshingly honest memoir and New York Times bestseller by the beloved comedic actress known for her roles on Freaks and Geeks, Dawson’s Creek, and Cougar Town who has become “the breakout star of Instagram stories...Imagine I Love Lucy mixed with a modern lifestyle guru” (The New Yorker).

     This book was more than 4 stars but I didn’t quite get my 5 star feeling from it, so I almost gave it the 4.5 but really, Busy Phillips is just freaking awesome and she deserves this 5 star rating so I’m rounding up.

     I liked this book a lot more than I expected to. What's funny, is I didn't realize I even knew who Busy Phillips was when I first saw this book a few months ago. I figured it out when I saw a commercial for her new talk show and put the connection between her and her character in White Chicks which is a movie my family and I LOVED and I'm not sure why it didn't get more attention than it did. It's absolutely hilarious.

     What I liked about this book wasn't always necessarily her stories, but the fact that she'd been through it all and was now sharing it. Sharing how it made her who she is today, and how she still has work to do. I loved how determined and hard working she was throughout her whole life. No matter what it was; personal life or career, she had setbacks that may have made her cry for a week, but she still never gave up on trying to achieve her goals.

     She may have been told that no one would give a crap about a book about her life, but I did. She has been through a lot. She may not have been poor, or abused, but she lived a life many Americans live, and made a lot of choices, good and bad, that a lot of people can relate to, and even though she may not be Angelina Jolie, she's still a star, and sometimes its comforting to see that someone so successful has been through some of the same crap in life you have. But she still never stopped fighting. She's still working to improve herself. I loved that the book ended with her realizing that she wanted to work on a new goal: her late night talk show. When the reason that I ended up coming to this book was because of a commercial for that very show. Look, she got it.

     I just found I was rooting for her the entire time, in everything she did in life. I found her hilarious, open and honest and listening to the audiobook narrated by her was truly entertaining. Sort of wish it wasn't over now LOL. I've now added two TV shows to go find and watch because I want to go back in time and see her in them, and I'll be keeping an eye out for more of her stuff in the future! 

For more about this book, check it out on my Goodreads page!

Review: The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell (2019 Release)

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
     Released: November 5, 2019
     Read from: 12/10/19-12/15/19
     Format: Print (Library- BOTM Choice: November 2019)
     My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 4.03 stars

"Be careful who you let in.

Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she's been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am." -Atria Books

     This book intrigued me pretty quickly. I knew it was going to be a twisted book, however, from reviews I'd read, I expected it to be worse than I personally thought it was, and expected maybe a little more mystery. The story was told from different perspectives, and went back and forth between the past and present day. At first, it was a little confusing to keep track of who was who and how they were connected. But it had an interesting way of unfolding and giving me answers on certain subjects that I didn't really realize I was getting. Right when I was starting to think about something, the story would then bring the tid bit I had just learned into the story to tie things together and confirm what I was thinking. This happened repetitively which I thought was really interesting way of telling the story and drawing the reader in.

     The story opens with Libby finding out that she's inherited a massive house from her birth family in a rich area of London, and immediately sets out to learn more about her family. As she's uncovering things, we're following one of her family members in present day France, and learning from another family member what was happening in the past. These are the three points of view the story is told from.

     Without giving away too much, the house Libby inherits used to house a commune in a sense. One family lived there, and when the mother graciously invites a friend in while she's down on her luck, their lives change in a way that will set the tone for the rest of the story. Before they know it, a family of four has also moved in, and the father of this new family slowly takes over. The kids all become malnourished, can not leave the house, and eventually no longer own shoes, and are permitted to only wear black robes and leggings. Kids are locked in their room in isolation for punishment for days at a time. Their money is stolen, and all their things are taken away and they are told they these things are bring given to the poor. The original family of the house loses all control and becomes brainwashed by these new comers who literally took over. This messed up story culminates with the event of three adults in these black outfits being found dead on the kitchen floor due to a supposed suicide pact. It's creepy because 1) It's messed up and disgusting how these kids are treated and the adults who owned the house are brainwashed and left to waste away and 2) the type of thing you hear about happening to cults; people being brainwashed to think unhealthy habits and actions are for everyone's greater good.

     The real mystery that we are originally given is that the kids that lived in the house are all missing when the dead adults are found. All except one ten month old baby, who was obviously well cared for, who is found in a crib. Who is she? Where is she now? What became of the other kids? Why are the adults dead? And how twisted are the events that led up to this after all?

     Lots of people said they didn't see the ending coming. I am not sure what they were referring to. I thought it all tied together nicely in the end and wasn't that much of a shock. Unless they're referring to the entire resolution of the messed up things happening in the house. In that case, the ending isn't any more shocking than the entire story in my opinion.

     This is apparently Lisa Jewell's typical story style. Confusing, sick and twisted, unexpected, unrealistic and crazy, but not entirely unrealistic at the same time. People love her. This is my second book by her, and apparently it's the most twisted. I'm curious about the others, but in a way want MORE twisted than this. I was expecting more from this than what I got and I wonder if the less twisted ones will be a disappointment.

You can find more full review on my Goodreads page.

November Reads; PLUS a New Blog Feature.

     Finally catching up! This is my last month of fall reading, and soon I will be compiling my list of the TOP 2019 reads! I already have an idea of which ones will be on there. My top 2018 reads was my most viewed blog post of the entire year! I'm excited to go back and relive some of my favorite books from this year.

    The new feature I'm adding is a small one, but I feel like it's beneficial to those using this blog for help on picking future reads :) In addition to my rating of the book, I will be including the Goodreads overall rating. The only thing with Goodreads ratings is that they change over time as people rate and review the books. So if you're reading a post month after it's been published, the Goodreads rating I'm reporting may no longer be accurate. So definitely take advantage of my Goodreads links! Also, I personally like to take into consideration how many people have reviewed the book on Goodreads, and how long the book has been published for, when looking at the rating Goodreads is reporting.

    One more small thing before we learn about November... I have already typed this entire thing and more than half of it DID NOT SAVE!!!! About 3-4hrs of work all done for nothing. SO this month, to save from spending any more of my time, I'm going to mainly keep each book purely about the stats. (Aside from the first book, since that one was already typed) More information can be found on my Goodreads review. There will be a link provided for each one. As the holidays creep closer, we get busier and busier, and I want to focus on getting my December Overview post written as I go so that I can get my best books of the year post up before the New Year! You can check out my Top Books of 2018 list by clicking here.

     As far as 2019, it was pretty decent. Not as many stand outs as October. I spent a lot of time reading fiction and non-fiction Thanksgiving related books and learning facts to share about one of this country's favorite holidays. But it wasn't all Thanksgiving related. I actually read my November 2019 book right when I got it and finished it before the month ended, and I started a new series about a quirky and funny main character who gets herself into some pretty ridiculous predicaments. I also read a few books that I didn't like at all LOL and wouldn't exactly run around telling people to read them, however I am curious what other people, with different reading tastes may think of them. May be worth checking out a few Goodreads reviews if you're skeptical of spending your time with a book that you may not like. Butttt, read on for the books I read/listened to this year :)

The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom      
     Released: September 4, 2012
     Read from: 11/4/19-11/7/19
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     MY Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 3.86 stars

     This is an interesting story, that I think I would've enjoyed more if I was reading it. It's about three
people obsessed with time. One wants more, one wants less, and one discovers it. It's a story about how Father Time comes to be, and how he helps two people in the modern era appreciate the time they have. You can find my full review on Goodreads.

Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick
     Released: May 9, 2006
     Read from: 11/4/19-12/5/19
     Format: Audiobook (Scribd)
     MY Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
     Goodreads Rating: 3.87 stars
     Blurb: The story of the voyage of the Mayflower, the first Thanksgiving and what happened to cause one of the bloodiest wars on American soil: King Phillips war. If you like history, or even if you don't, Nathaniel Philbrick is a must try. You will feel like you're reading a story, but it's nothing but facts. 
     For full review on Goodreads click here.

A Dangerous Ride by Joanna Campbell

     Released: August 1, 1999

     Read from: 11/5/19-11/13/19

     Format: Print (Owned)

     MY Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

     Goodreads Rating: 3.99 stars

     Blurb: Mona convinces Ashleigh to practice jumping with her and try competing in some shows.

     For full review on Goodreads click here.

Sofie Metropolis by Tori Carrington

     Released: June 1, 2005

     Read from: 11/7/19-11/13/19

     Format: Print (Owned)

     MY Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

     Goodreads Rating: 3.44 stars

     Blurb: Sofie Metropolis is a Junior detective at her uncle's firm, dealing with her broken engagement, and getting tangled up with the FBI while potentially pursuing a hot Australian and trying to find a missing but vicious Jack Russel Terrier for her mother's friend.

     For full review on Goodreads click here.

A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple, Mayflower, 1620 by Kathryn Lasky

     Released: September 1, 1996

     Read from: 11/9/19-11/16/19

     Format: Print (Library)

     MY Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

     Goodreads Rating: 3.63 stars

     Blurb: The diary of a girl traveling with her family to Plymouth on the Mayflower. Her family is what was known as Saints; those pilgrims who specifically left Europe to look for religious freedom and to reclaim their English identities.

     For full review on Goodreads click here.

Dirty Laundry by Tori Carrington

     Released: May 1, 2007

     Read from: 11/13/19-11/21/19

     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)

     MY Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

     Goodreads Rating: 3.65 stars

     Blurb: Sofie Metropolis is back, but this time she interferes with the mob. She's also investigating if her own father is cheating on her mother. Still looking for lost pets though! 

     For full review on Goodreads click here.

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

     Released: October 8, 2019

     Read from: 11/16/19-11/2/19

     Format: Print (Owned- BOTM)

     MY Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

     Goodreads Rating: 4.34 stars

     My November Book of the Month pick. Sign up and get a free book if you click here. Try out out, even if just for a month! Great way to get books before they're released, or right away when they are released without long waits at the library and much cheaper than bookstore or on any other website. 

     Blurb: Historical fiction with characters you will connect with. Taking place in Kentucky during the Great Depression in a town that begins a packhorse library organization. 

     For full review on Goodreads click here.

The Journal of Jasper Jonathan Pierce, A Pilgrim Boy, Plymouth, 1620 by Ann Rinaldi

     Released: July 1, 2000

     Read from: 11/23/19-11/25/19

     Format: Print (Library)

     MY Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

     Goodreads Rating: 3.5 stars

     Blurb: A different point of view of the Mayflower voyage and the original settlement at Plymouth. This time from a young boy. An orphan sent over as an indentured servant.

     This was my second time reading this book this year. Check it out in my January 2019 Overview.

Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews

     Released: May 19, 2015

     Read from: 11/21/19-11/28/19

     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)

     MY Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

     Goodreads Rating: 3.62 stars

     Blurb: Greer is a location manager for a big name director who wants to film a movie in Cypress Key, FL. Greer ends up forming a bunch of different relationships with the locals, including her own estranged father.

     For full review on Goodreads click here.

The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson

     Released: May 19, 2015

     Read from: 11/21/19-11/28/19

     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)

     MY Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

     Goodreads Rating: 3.62 stars

     Blurb: An elderly woman is marrying for the second time in her life and finally succeeds in getting her four children to meet up with her on the farm for Christmas by telling them that her wedding is taking place that day, but that they won't find out who the groom is until the wedding.
     For full review on Goodreads click here.