March Reading Wrap-Up

 Jay's Reads (16):

What I Rated Them:

The Stars and the Blackness Between Them ☕☕☕☕.25

The Husband Maker ☕☕☕.5

Never Have I Ever ☕☕☕☕☕

A Court of Thorns and Roses ☕☕☕☕☕

A Court of Mist and Fury ☕☕☕☕

Olive ☕☕☕.5

The Longest Ride ☕☕☕.75

Always You ☕☕☕.75

One to Watch ☕☕☕.5

A Court of Wings and Ruin ☕☕☕☕☕

A Court of Frost and Starlight ☕☕☕.75

1984 ☕☕☕

Big Summer ☕☕☕☕.25

How to Be an Anti-Racist ☕☕☕.75

Troubles in Paradise ☕☕☕☕.25

Leave the World Behind ☕☕☕☕.25

Favorite Read: 

Never Have I Ever and the Court of Thorns and Roses series.

Least Favorite Read:
1984.

DNF?:
None this month! 

Rolling over to next month: 

All Girls

Forget Me Not

Bad Luck Club

The Vanishing Half

Anxious People
Hamnet

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Meg's Reads (5):

What I Rated Them: 
Courage to Soar ☕☕☕
Barely Functional Adult ☕☕☕
Meet You in the Middle ☕☕☕☕☕
Lawyer for the Dog ☕☕☕☕

The Kindest Lie ☕☕☕☕

Favorite Read: Meet You in the Middle

Least Favorite Read: Barely Functional Adult

DNF: Nada. 

Carrying Over to Next Month:
Atheists Who Kneel and Pray 

Well Played

Greenlights

Liberal Privilege

Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

Huge thank you to the author and to @netgalley for reaching out with a free audio-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Travel to the bright Caribbean one last time in the satisfying conclusion to the nationally bestselling Winter in Paradise trilogy by Elin Hilderbrand.

After uprooting her life in the States, Irene Steele has just settled in at the villa on St. John where her husband Russ had been living a double life. But a visit from the FBI shakes her foundations, and Irene once again learns just how little she knew about the man she loved.

With help from their friends, Irene and her sons set up their lives while evidence mounts that the helicopter crash that killed Russ may not have been an accident. Meanwhile, the island watches this drama unfold -- including the driver of a Jeep with tinted windows who seems to be shadowing the Steele family.

As a storm gathers strength in the Atlantic, surprises are in store for the Steeles: help from a mysterious source, and a new beginning in the paradise that has become their home. At last all will be revealed about the secrets and lies that brought Irene and her sons to St. John -- and the truth that transformed them all.

Genre? Contemporary Fiction

Backlist? Yes. I was super late to getting to this one. Published October 6, 2020

New to me Author? No. 

What did I think? 

Troubles in Paradise is the third (and final) book in the Paradise series by author Elin Hilderbrand. I've really enjoyed reading and learning about Irene, Huck, Maia, Rosie, Russ, Cash, Baker, and the gang. I remember finishing What Happens in Paradise and immediately wanted to dig into this one next. That's why I was a little disappointed when I finally got to read this book. Elin Hilderbrand writes so beautifully, but this ending seemed very rushed and forced to me. I think Hilderbrand could have easily made this into a 4, or even 5, part series instead of just a trilogy. There was so much more that I expected out of each of the characters and I felt like all of the previous character development just kind of went out the window at the end here. I still very much enjoyed this novel, but compared to the previous novels of the series, this was my least favorite of the three.

Olive by Emma Gannon

Happy #PubDay to Olive by @emmagannonuk! 🎉

Huge thank you to the author and to @netgalley for reaching out with a free audio-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

The debut novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author, Emma Gannon.

Independent.
Adrift.
Anxious.
Loyal.
Kind.
Knows her own mind.

OLIVE is many things, and it’s ok that she’s still figuring it all out, navigating her world without a compass. But life comes with expectations, there are choices to be made, boxes to tick and – sometimes – stereotypes to fulfil. And when her best friends’ lives start to branch away towards marriage and motherhood, leaving the path they’ve always followed together, Olive starts to question her choices – because life according to Olive looks a little bit different.

Moving, memorable and a mirror for every woman at a crossroads, OLIVE has a little bit of all of us. Told with great warmth and nostalgia, this is a modern tale about the obstacle course of adulthood, milestone decisions and the ‘taboo’ about choosing not to have children. 

Genre? Contemporary Fiction

Backlist? No. Today is publication day! March 9, 2021

New to me Author? No. 

What did I think? 

If you've been keeping up with me for a while, you may remember I read Gannon's non-fiction "Sabotage" back in November and felt kind of meh about it. Not good. But not really bad either. So I'll fully admit that I was a little hesitant to try Olive, but as a debut fiction read, I thought I should try it out. And I'm glad I did.

The story revolves around Olive, who is of prime baby-raising age but who does not want kids. To some, thats a controversial choice and for a lot of people with children it can seem strange. Olive has been strong in her conviction, even letting her last relationship end due to the topic. However, her friends are the same age so of course babies everywhere!

This book had at least a little bit of everything, when it comes to babies/motherhood: Child Free, pregnancy/newborn, older children, married parents, single parents, surrogacy, IVF, etc. While it was fully relatable because of the different viewpoints, I would possibly warn those who may be struggling with infertility.

Overall, I'm glad I gave this author another chance. Olive was light, easy to read, and about an important topic of adulthood.

3.5/5

February Reading Wrap-Up

 Jay's Reads (13):

What I Rated Them:

Juliet Takes a Breath ☕☕☕☕.75

The Bad Muslim Discount ☕☕☕☕.5

Only You ☕☕☕☕.75

The Wife Upstairs ☕☕☕☕.25

It All Falls Down ☕☕☕☕.75

The Future is Yours ☕☕☕☕

The Happily Ever After Playlist ☕☕☕☕.75

Frankly in Love ☕☕☕☕.75

The Girl in the Mirror ☕☕☕☕☕

Until You ☕☕☕☕.5

All Your Perfects ☕☕☕☕.75

Evvie Drake Starts Over ☕☕☕.5

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill ☕☕☕

Favorite Read: 

The Girl in the Mirror

Least Favorite Read:
They were all good this month! But if you're going to make me pick, The Future is Yours.

DNF?:
None this month! 

Rolling over to next month: 

A Court of Thorns and Roses (I'll finish March 1st)

All Girls

The Stars and the Blackness Between Them

Never Have I Ever

The Husband Maker

Forget Me Not

Meg's Reads (4):

What I Rated Them: 
It All Falls Down ☕☕☕☕☕

Strong Enough ☕☕☕☕

I'll Be Gone in the Dark ☕☕☕☕

One to Watch ☕☕☕☕☕

Favorite Read: It All Falls Down

Least Favorite Read: None. 

DNF: Nada. 

Carrying Over to Next Month:
Atheists Who Kneel and Pray 

Well Played

January Reading Wrap - Up

So, the down and dirty of this is that I went to post our February wrap up and found out we never posted January. So, here it is in all of it's lovely, unfinished glory.

Sorry this is a little late this month. We've been trying out so many new features and focusing on our reading. Here's a look at the books we loved, didn't love, read, rated, or DNF'd in January!

Jay's Reads (10):

What I Rated Them:
The Wrong Family ☕☕☕☕☕

A is for Alibi ☕☕☕.25

Getting Lucky ☕☕☕☕.5

The Story of Beautiful Girl ☕☕☕.75

One Paris Summer ☕☕☕☕.75

Color Me In ☕☕☕☕☕

The Girl Who Lived Twice ☕☕

The Survivors ☕☕.75

Well Played ☕☕☕☕.5

The Secrets of My Life ☕☕☕☕.25

Favorite Read: 

The Wrong Family

Least Favorite Read:
The Girl Who Lived Twice

DNF?:
None this month! 

Rolling over to next month: 

The Bad Muslim Discount

Juliet Takes a Breath

Meg's Reads (9):

What I Rated Them: 
Four Letter Word ☕☕☕.25

Frontier Follies ☕☕☕☕
Ryan White: My Own Story ☕☕☕☕☕

The Quiet Hero: A Life of Ryan White ☕☕☕

Layla ☕☕☕☕

Weeding Out the Tears ☕☕☕ .75
Fire ☕☕☕☕☕

How to Walk Away ☕☕☕☕☕

Well Met ☕☕☕☕.75

Favorite Read: How to Walk Away and Fire

Least Favorite Read: A Quiet Hero 

DNF: Nada. 

Carrying Over to Next Month:
Nothing, I actually finished all of my current reads!