Book Review - "Same Beach, Next Year" by Dorothea Benton Frank (#18 - 2019)

Same Beach, Next Year by Dorothea Benton Frank

Worth noting that I finished this book about a week before Dorothea Benton Frank passed away on 9/2/2019, such a bummer, I really enjoy her books and I hate that we won't get another.

This is the story of two couples, Adam and Eliza and Eve and Carl, who meet during Summer vacation and follows them through two decades.  Adam and Eve were high school sweethearts.  There's a little jealousy at first with Carl and Eve but all of that is soon forgotten over the years.  Or is it?  This book was okay, not her best, it took me a long time to get through it because I didn't really like any of the characters (well, I did enjoy the part where Eliza was in her mother's native Greece, in fact that would have been a better book).  Anyway, pick one of her other books before this one.

Book Review - "Mera: Tidebreaker" illustrated by Stephen Byrne (#16 - 2019)

Mera: Tidebreaker illustrated by Stephen Byrne

Really liked this graphic novel about Princess Mera who is a teenager and heir to the throne.  Mera overhears of a plan to overthrow the King so she makes it her mission to kill the long-lost Prince and heir to the kingdom of Atlantis.  He's been hidden away on land for all of his life.  It's a good story and really well illustrated.  Would recommend.

Book Review - "A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman (#15 - 2019)

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Ove is a curmudgeon, but beneath his cranky exterior is a man who is sad and has a very interesting story.  One day he meets a young couple that have just moved in next door, they have two young girls.  What follows is a story of unexpected friendship that is truly heartwarming.  I highly recommend this book, it's a little slow start but there are lots of feels inside.  

Book Review - "The Royal We" by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan (#13 - 2019)

The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan

This follows Bex Porter, an American who is studying abroad at Oxford.   Her twin sister Lacey was always the romantic one who dreamt of being a Princess, etc.  Bex is more of a tomboy who loves adventure.  Bex finds herself living across the hall from Nick who just happens to be the heir to the throne.  The story is told as sort of a series of flashbacks on the eve of her wedding to Nick.  Okay, I really had high hopes about this "inspired by William and Kate" story but it was so darn boring and dumb I abandoned it halfway through.  It just was not interesting at all.  Just skip this one.

Book Review - "Silent Night" by Danielle Steel (#12 - 2019)

Silent Night by Danielle Steel

Paige Watts’s daughter 9 year old daughter Emma is on a hit show and Paige is the ultimate stagemom. Paige has Emma’s whole career planned out and has her in every activity that will help her reach that goal. However a tragic accident changes all of that.  Emma now has to live with her psychologist Aunt Whitney. Whitney has never married or had children and her world is turned upside down. 

Would recommend, it’s a quick read, great for Summer. 

Book Review - "Ladies' Night" by Mary Kay Andrews (#11 - 2019)

Ladies' Night by Mary Kay Andrews

Grace Stanton is a very successful lifestyle blogger, she creates the content and her husband runs the business side.  They live in a beautiful house and have a wonderful life.  Until Grace catches her husband cheating.  She is then locked out of her home, blog and life and ordered by the court to go to "divorce therapy" every week.  In therapy she meets a cast of characters and they decide to meet after therapy sessions at Grace's mother's bar and they swap stories, help each other out and try to find closure in their own way.  This was a fun read, easy, nothing too deep and would be a great vacation book!

Book Review - "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak (#8 - 2019)

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I didn't know quite what to expect when I read this book.  I didn't read it 10+ years ago when it came out and I have not seen the movie.  The book is told through the eyes of Death.  Okay that sounds very morbid and depressing but it's not, I swear.  But it took me a few pages to figure it out.  The story focuses on a foster girl named Liesel who lives with her foster parents outside of Munich, Germany right as WWII is underway.  Liesel is the "book thief", her foster father teaches her to read and she becomes obsessed with books.  It's a very good book, however it can get a little hard to follow sometimes. I would recommend it.

Book Review - "Of Blood and Bone: Chronicles of The One, Book 2" by Nora Roberts (#7 - 2019)

Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts

The second book in The One series. This follows Fallon Swift through her teen years and her training in the magical arts so she can face the dark forces still terrorizing the world. This one was okay, I’m still not all in on this witches/elves/fairy stuff (I’m kind of tired of it).  

See the review of Book 1 here

Book Review - "Year One: Chronicles of The One, Book 1" by Nora Roberts (#6 - 2019)

Year One: Chronicles of The One, Book 1 by Nora Roberts

It all starts on New Year's Eve.  A sickness spreads like wildfire and chaos ensues.  Within weeks over half the world's population is wiped out, governments collapse, infrastructure is gone.  Unimaginable evil has been unleashed.  This book follows several groups trying to make their way to a safe place.  They don't know who they can trust and some have sprouted new "abilities".  The typical dark vs. light/good vs. evil storyline.  It's interesting, not riveting, not fantastic, but a solid story that I read in 2 days.  I'm a little over the witches/elves/fairies stuff though, it's getting tired overall.  But I'm still going to finish this series, Book 2 is up next for me.

Book Reveiw - "Fall from Grace" by Danielle Steel (#3 - 2019)

Fall from Grace - by Danielle Steel

Sydney Wells was a successful fashion designer, but she gave all that up when she married a successful, wealthy businessman.  They lived a happy, lavish life until he suddenly dies.  She’s now a widow at 49.  Unfortunately, he didn’t add Sydney to his will or make any financial arrangements for her.  His adult daughters hate her so they kick her out of the house they now own, leaving her with next to nothing.  By chance she meets someone that gives her a job back in the fashion industry.  However he’s shady and sets her up in a bad import deal and she now faces jail time.  How will she rebuild her life and reputation?  I liked this book a lot.  Easy, quick read!

Book Review - "Bauchamp Hall" by Danielle Steel (#2 - 2019)

Beauchamp Hall by Danielle Steel

Winnie Farmington lives in a small town north of Detroit.  When she was younger she had big dreams about moving to NYC and working in publishing.  Unfortunately her mother got sick and she had to put her college studies on hold and move home to care for her.  That was over 15 years ago.  She’s stuck in a dead-end job and in a dead-end relationship.  She is gifted a DVD copy of a popular British, period TV series set on a grand Norfolk estate.  Binge watching it during her vacation, she’s entranced by the time period, the acting, the costumes, everything.  Then she’s faced with a terrible betrayal and she makes an impulsive decision to go and visit the town/estate where the show is filmed.  This proves to be life changing in every way!  I loved this book so much and read it in a day!  Would totally recommend!

Book Review - "The Sins of the Mother" by Danielle Steel (#17 - 2018)

The Sins of the Mother - by Danielle Steel

Olivia Grayson runs a very successful worldwide home store chain.  She built the business with the help of her accountant husband for decades.  This meant that her mom and husband mostly raised their children while she spent hours in the office.  Her husband passed away over a decade ago and she’s looking to make up time with her grown children.  She has been doing this by scheduling a lavish holiday every year.    This year the vacation is on a luxury yacht in the Riviera.  All of her kids (but one) and their spouses and their children are together.  But family dynamics, old resentments and new bonds are formed.  It’s a summer of lessons learned, lives reassessed and breakthroughs.  It’s an interesting read.  I will say this book really illustrates Danielle Steel’s bad habit of rehashing phrases and repeating of descriptions.  It’s like they didn’t edit it and kept in some of the outline of the story.  If that makes sense.  But just so you know it’s really bad in the book.  

Book Review - "The Cast" by Danielle Steel (#15 - 2018)

The Cast by Danielle Steel

Kait Whittier has a successful magazine column.  She loves spending time with her grown children, she has been married twice and just doesn’t want to bother with relationships anymore.  After a chance meeting with a TV producer at a dinner party, she has an idea for a show.  She writes down her idea and sends it to the producer.  He wants to turn it into his next big project!  Suddenly she’s plunged into the entertainment industry and all of the complex dealings there.  Love, loss and challenges follow.  I enjoyed this book a lot.  It’s very predictable, but sometimes you need that in your reading choices.  Would recommend.

Book Review - "Fairytale" by Danielle Steel (#12 - 2018)

Fairytale by Danielle Steel

Pretty typical Danielle Steel fare.  Camille has had an idyllic childhood in the Napa Valley, growing up on her parent's vineyard.  Her parent's are totally in love and run the vineyard together.  When Camille graduates from college, she comes home to help them out and learn the ropes about running the vineyard.  The fairytale is shattered when her mother dies suddenly of cancer.  Her father becomes easy prey to a seductive French lady who has very sinister plans.  Her two sons enter the scene and things get worse.  But she has a fairy Godmother in the form of the woman's elderly mother.  Sound familiar?  Yes.  Predictable? Sure.  But it was a fun read.

Book Review - The Lowcountry Summer Trilogy by Mary Alice Monroe (#4, #10 and #11 - 2018)

The Summer Girls, The Summer Wind and The Summer's End by Mary Alice Monroe

I actually read these out of order (duh), I read book #2 The Summer Wind first.  But that was okay, I had some spoilers for the first book, but I enjoyed the saga so much I didn't care.  These books are set in Sullivan's Island, SC, and follows three half sisters and their grandmother.  The girls, who are scattered all over the country and live very different lives come to stay with their grandmother for three months in the Summer.  Can their grandmother help them find their common family bond and see how much they need each other.  It's a winding road that gets bumpy at times.  I love her books so much, these are a great read.

Book Review - "Past Perfect" by Danielle Steel (#8 - 2018)

Past Perfect by Danielle Steel

The story follows the Gregory family and their move from NYC to San Francisco for Blake Gregory’s new job with a social networking start up. Sybil his wife is a well known design expert and they have two teenagers as well as a 6 year old.  On a whim Blake buys the empty bank-owned Butterfield mansion in town for peanuts.  Sybil is shocked but instantly sees potential in the house and can’t wait to move in and make it theirs. But after their first night there and an earthquake they soon discover they might not be the only family living there.  This is a fun read and I really enjoyed it. I cruised through it in a day. Great beach read! 

Book Review - "The Heir" and "The Crown" by Kiera Cass (#5 and #6 - 2018)

The Heir by Kiera Cass (book 4)

The Crown by Kiera Cass (book 5)

These are follow up books to the original "The Selection" series (that I LOVED - see reviews here, here, here and here).  America and Maxon are King and Queen now and have children of their own and their first born daughter Eadlyn is now going to embark on a "Selection" process of her own.  The country is in a bit of turmoil and they think staging a selection will help things out.  Okay, I'm just going to say it Eadlyn is so freaking annoying.  Which makes the books somewhat annoying.  Nothing new or interesting here.  I love this series and Kiera Cass but, my advice?  Read the first three books and stop there.  

Book Review - "Against All Odds" by Danielle Steel (#6 - 2017)

Against All Odds by Danielle Steel

Kate Madison runs a successful upscale, resale shop in SoHo. She's been the sole supporter of her four kids since her husband's death.  Now her kids are grown and ready to forge their own paths in life.  Kate is a little upset at some of the choices they make, she wants them to play it safe but they choose to play against the odds.  The book follows each of the kids as their relationships play out (good and bad) and Kate's struggle to accept that she can't protect her kids from their own decisions.  This is an easy, enjoyable read, would be great for a vacation.  I recommend it!

Book Review - "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See (#1 - 2017)

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

This takes place in nineteenth century China in a remote county.  The main character is a woman named Lily.  It's the story of her life.  When she is seven she is paired with another girl (Snow Flower) in another village, this will be a emotional match to last a lifetime.  It covers their friendship and their lives through Lily's eyes.  It's a great story, but let's be honest, it's depressing.  Life for women during that time in China was not good.  Food binding is described (awful), arranged marriages are negotiated (cringe) and the reiteration that girls/women aren't worth much is non-stop.  Hey, that was how it was.  But it was still depressing for me (especially Snow Flower's life).  Anyway, I love how Lisa See tells a story and this one is worth your time.

My other reviews of Lisa See books:

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See - First of all I want to let you know that this book has a sequel.  I say this so that if you read it, you won't get to the end and be all like "Hey, wait.  Lisa don't leave me hanging like this!"  Because the end certainly sets things up nicely for a sequel.  That being said this is a sweeping novel about two sisters and their lives beginning in 1937 Shanghai and following them through some harrowing, gut wrenching, challenging times as they eventually make their way and establish themselves in Los Angeles finishing in 1957.  Not easy, breezy reading that's for sure, there's some deep stuff in here.  That being said I finished the book in less than a week.  I really enjoyed the historical perspective and I'm getting ready to dig into the sequel.

Dreams of Joy by Lisa See - The sequel to Shanghai Girls.  A sobering Mad Men.  When you read this, compare the it to the show Mad Men and you actually will shake your head at how completely insane that feels that they take place in the same period of time in history.

Book Review - "Winter Soldier: The Complete Collection" by Ed Brubaker and others (#24 - 2016)

Winter Soldier: The Complete Collection by Ed Brubaker and others

I know, I know, it's 2017 Jenny, why are we still talking about 2016 books?  Because I'm tragically behind on my reviews of the final few books I read last year.  So expect a few more 2016 book reviews.  Okay, here's the sometimes hard to find Winter Solider collection by Ed Brubaker.  I liked this one, but not as much as the Captain America series he did (this is the next book that ties into that series).  I have a soft spot for Bucky Barnes so I enjoyed it, but it's not a "must read", you don't miss too much.  It follows Bucky after he was Captain America for a while, and he's back in the Winter Soldier garb.  It was a super fast read and if you like the Winter Solider/Bucky then pick it up because Brubaker does tell a good story.

Here are my reviews of the Captain America series if interested:
Captain America, Vol 1: Winter Soldier Ultimate Collection by Ed Brubaker and others
Captain America Vol. 2: Red Menace Ultimate Collection by Ed Brubaker and others
The Death of Captain America by Ed Brubaker and others