Quick Lit: December 2015

I've got quite a collection for you today! It's actually Quick Lit from November and December, because the internet kept eating my November post. (I should've saved more often.) But I'm finally getting it together.

So let's dive in!

Big Stone Gap is the first of the four books in the Big Stone Gap series, and probably my favorite of them. Just a quick, fun read. And bonus: apparently there's a movie now? I haven't seen it, but it's got Ashley Judd in it. $11.99 for Kindle

Big Cherry Holler is the second in the series, and I didn't care for it. I was frustrated by the main conflict (marital issues), but I powered through so I could keep going in the series. $11.99 for Kindle

Milk Glass Moon is the third book, and might have been my favorite. Things have calmed down a bit for the family, and I enjoyed this one the most. $11.99 for Kindle

Home to Big Stone Gap is the final installment of the Big Stone Gap series. It was a good way to end it, and I don't feel the need to read any more, should any more be released. Let's end on a good note, shall we? $11.99 for Kindle

Rococo was probably my least favorite Trigiani book of all. It wasn't bad, but I didn't particularly enjoy it either. Unless you are a big Trigiani fan, I'd skip it. $11.99 for Kindle

Beneath the Bonfire is a collection of short stories, which is something I don't read too often. It was a nice change of pace, and I really enjoyed it. A couple of the stories have really stuck with me since I finished it, which is always the mark of a good read for me. $10.99 for Kindle

We are Called to Rise was a really good read for several reasons. I enjoyed how well the author weaved the stories together, and I loved how CASA was depicted in the story. It was pretty heartbreaking, covering some touchy subjects like immigration, the foster system, homelessness, PTSD in veterans, and police shootings. Worth a read. $7.99 for Kindle

I hated Those Girls. It was graphic, gruesome, and I only finished it because I wanted to see what happened. I read the first half, and skimmed the rest. Don't waste your time, unless you're ok with horrible descriptions of rape and violence. $12.99 for Kindle

It's only been a few weeks since I read Beautiful Ruins, but the contents are already blurry. Clearly it didn't stick with me! I did enjoy it while reading it though, it seems like a good airplane or beach read. Plus it's on sale! $3.99 for Kindle

I love Kate Morton and all her books, but the Lake House might be my all-time favorite of hers. It seemed a little more mystery than the others (or maybe it's been too long since I read a Kate Morton book), but it kept me wondering and intrigued the whole time. It's a new one, so the wait might be long at the library. If you can't wait, don't! Just buy it. $12.99 for Kindle

And I finally finished the last Tana French book, The Secret Place. Not my favorite French novel, but it was intriguing and kept me guessing for awhile. $12.99 for Kindle

Of course, I'm also listening to the Harry Potter audiobooks again because they are finally available on Audible! In fact, they are the only reason I re-activated my Audible subscription. They really are that good. 

So...what have you been reading? 

Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...

Quick Lit: September 2015

It's time for another round of Quick Lit! I'm still not making it through as many books as I'd like, but I'm working on it. 

So let's get started!

The Luckiest Girl Alive is being compared to Gone Girl. (Because anything involving women, mysteries, and murder is these days.) I didn't know anything about it going in, and I struggled to stay interested initially. I found the narrator to be a little irritating, but by the time I finished the novel it made sense. Worth the read, but don't expect it to be just like Gone Girl! ($11.99 for Kindle)

I'd only read one of Adriana Trigiani's books before (The Shoemaker's Wife) but I picked up a couple of hers on my last library trip. I started with Lucia, Lucia and really enjoyed it! Well, I really enjoyed the story that unfolded in the 1950s. The modern story was a little lacking, but it's worth slogging through that for the 50s story. The modern story is only at the beginning and end, so don't worry. ($11.99 for Kindle)

I finished The Supreme Macaroni Company just yesterday. And oh my goodness, the tears. It was a very quick read, and I loved every minute of it. What I didn't realize before reading this book is that it was actually the third in the Valentine series. Oops! So now I'm going to go back and read the first two. But even without the history of the first two, I found this book super enjoyable. ($9.99 for Kindle)

I'm working through a few other books. Of course I'm reading What to Expect When You're Expecting, as well as the Thinking Woman's Guide to Birth. But what might interest you is the Hypnotist Love Story. It's the only Liane Moriarty book I haven't finished yet. I'm really struggling with it. A blogger I love swears it is her favorite, but I'm not feeling it. I should finish it by next Quick Lit, so keep an eye out for that if you're interested.

Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...

Quick Lit: August 2015

Hello there! It's been a couple months since my last Quick Lit entry. Unfortunately I haven't had much time to read lately, so my list is still pretty short. But it's something, right? I'm working on a few more books right now - the fourth in the Murder Squad series has been languishing on my Kindle for weeks! But I'm working on it :) 

Faithful Place is the next book by Tana French in the Murder Squad series. I really enjoyed this one. It is told through the eyes of Frank Mackey, who appeared in the previous French book. Frank believed the love of his life stood him up the night they agreed to runaway together, but when her suitcase shows up in his old neighborhood he finds himself investigating what really happened that night. One of my favorites in the Murder Squad series! ($8.99 for Kindle)

I picked Life Drawing up at the library on a whim. It was in the New Arrival pile, and it looked intriguing. I'm so glad I did, because I really enjoyed it! It starts out with the narrator telling you that her husband is dead, but by the end of the book I'd completely forgotten that part and was shocked by the ending. I'd recommend this one for sure! ($9.18 for Kindle)

Dead Wake was another book I pulled from the New Arrival pile. It is non-fiction, which I don't do too often. But I've always been intrigued by the sinking of the Lusitania, and how it affected America's entry into WWI. The chapters alternate between the actual events occurring on the Lusitania and what was simultaneously happening in Britain, America, and on the German submarine that would ultimately sink the Lusitania. If you have any interest in WWI or the Lusitania, this one is for you. ($3.99 for Kindle)

I Was Here is by Gayle Forman who wrote If I Stay, which I have not read but I saw the movie previews everywhere last year. This book was definitely YA. It was a quick read and just had that YA feel, but it was good. It tells the story of a teenage girl who is dealing with the suicide of her best friend. A little dark (it is about suicide, after all) but a good read. ($9.99 for Kindle)

I listened to Wicked Girls on Audible. It was recommended in the same breath as Girl on the Train and Gone Girl, but I wasn't really into it. There were moments when I would turn it off because it was infuriating. I think it may be a book that would be much better read than heard. It flashes between events that happened in the 1980's and present day, telling the story of two women who were convicted of murdering a child back then and what they are doing now. It took me months to make it through this book. If you want to give it a chance, definitely read it instead of trying Audible. ($12.09 for Kindle)
 

And that's it for this month! I'll have a couple for September, and I hope to be back on a monthly basis now. I know some people really look forward to these, which makes me super happy! 

Have a great Saturday, my friends. I'll see you next week. 

​Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...