Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Reading is my super power..... {Show Us Your Books}

Image result for knit by god's hand books


OK... I always thought fall & winter was my reading time because you're all snuggled up in the house.  I was wrong.
I think fresh air & sunshine is my reading energy because I have been sitting outside devouring books lately.  It's like Superman where the sun recharges his powers.
SUPERREADER... I want a cape....

So here's the look at my latest reads....

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Ratings are based on the Goodread Scale
1 Star - Didnt Like it
2 Stars - It was OK
3 Stars - Liked It
4 Stars - Really Liked It
5 Stars - It was AMAZING!


30653720
The End of Oz / Danielle Paige
*** 3 Stars

Fast Summary: Last book in series - Will the wickedness of Dorothy finally be put to an end?

Finally, the end. 
They tricked us telling us it was going to be a trilogy & then you get to the end of the 3rd book & the story didnt end.
I have to say, this was the 'simplest' of the books - which I actually didn't mind. Usually there's a lot of wars & battles & big stories happening. This just focused on one story - killing Dorothy at her wedding to the Nome King. Pretty basic. This was the least gory too, which I appreciated. Some of the other books totally took a really strange turn to me.
I'm glad the series is complete - but its totally left open for more Oz books, which is kind of intriguing, but glad that this chapter is over.



"Never underestimate a girl from Kansas"







30312860Always & Forever, Lara Jean / Jenny Han
*** 3 Stars

FAST SUMMARY: Lara Jean is finishing up high school & doesnt get in the college she thought she'd end up with her boyfriend.

A cute little goodbye to Lara Jean.
First, I started reading the first book not aware there was going to be another one & then read the 2nd one not knowing it was a triology. Geez. Unexpected. But I was glad to get more of Lara Jean.
This is truly a YA story & I think its why I enjoyed it. It made me feel all the feels of being back in high school.
I loved Lara Jean though because she was just a normal girl with good values. It was a good clean story, not over the top - totally something I'd recommend to young girls. Something I wouldnt be embarrassed of my nieces reading.
This book gets us through Lara Jean's high school graduation & what she's going to do afterwards, especially when it comes to the love of her life, Peter. Colleges have different paths for both of them & the idea of separate lives is overwhelming for them. 
This wasn't a gripper or a gasper, but a nice easy read. I even sighed at some scenes (the shout out to the Sixteen Candles birthday cake scene totally made me big sigh)  This in all was a nice little send off to Lara Jean. 



"It snuck up on me.... growing up, I mean"



29844228Thirteen Reasons Why / Jay Asher
****/4 Stars

Fast Summary: A girl commits suicide & leaves tapes behind for those she blames is the reason of her death.

SO I see I read this in 2011. 6 years. No wonder I didnt remember all the details watching the show.
But it was so interesting reading it again after watching the show & comparing. All the differences & all the things that are similar. All of it heartbreaking.
I do have to say, I like the order they did the tapes in the show compared to the book... I rarely say this, but I think I actually like the show better than the book


I think with this topic, seeing it play out was so much more intense. I think when I read it, I was keeping the horrible out of my mind ... & seeing it in front of you on the screen really made an impact.

"I'm listening to someone give up.  Someone I knew - someone I liked. I'm listening... but still, I'm too late"





6931356

The DUFF : Designated Ugly Fat Friend
**** / 4 Stars

Fast Summary: A teenage girl questions her status in the world, particularly in her high school world, & discovers what that really means in the bigger picture of life.

I hardly ever read a book in less than 24 hours... this one, I totally did.

Not sure why it held my attention as much... no, I kind do. I totally related. I have always been the DUFF in my life, so I could so relate with Bianca, in certain areas.

Not ALL the areas... goodness no. This book gets a little MUCH in areas, but I still could relate to the character & the actions she was taking.

In the end, the book had a great connecting reason for everyone to realize how they are seen by others & how they feel & the whole comparison thing we tend to do in our lives.

I really did just enjoy this book...

I was anxious to read it because I watched the movie trailer to get an idea of what the book was about... only to see the book is apparently NOTHING like the movie. I was kinda happy with that surprise. Made the book better to me.

"Wesley Rush doesn't chase girls.  
But I'm chasing you"


6997249The Beach Street Knitting Society & Yarn Club
0 Stars

Fast Summary:  A woman's husband dies (minutes after he tells her he wants a divorce) & she packs up her sons to move to London to take over to Gran's knitting shop where she hopes for a new beginning.

OK... This seems like it would have my name written all over it - a lady that runs a yarn store & a knitting group?  COME ON... totally up my alley.

But I've tried - TWICE - to read this book. I just cant do it. I gave it to the good try this time too by reading the first 100 pages & STILL felt like I was poking my eyeballs out while trying to read it.
Not sure why it didnt appeal to me.

I never got to the part in the book where she even got to the knitting/yarn store.  I think that's what got me. Things were so drawwwwwwwwwwn out.  The chapters were long. There was almost TOO MUCH detail in there.  Like you talk about one thing & it goes off to 20 other direciton - when none of it really matters.

This was written by an English writer & there's a lot of language difference & I guess some references that I didnt get... I didnt think that would be THAT much of a difference in writing, but I totally noticed it.

I finally give up. Its in the donate pile. 

... NO QUOTE BECAUSE IT SUCKED....

Image result for thumbs down gif


What's the book you're into right now?

You finish up any book series?

Do you ever re-read a book?

Life According to Steph




25 comments:

  1. We're half way through 11 Reasons Why and I have to say, it is sooooo booooorrriinnggg!! I had the book on my to-read shelf on Goodreads for years, but I eventually took it off and now I wish I had read the book instead of the show. I realize I'm 44 and the show caters to the younger generation, but I want to finish watching it so that I can determine if my 12 yo should watch it. We'll see.

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  2. I just finished Karen Kingsbury's book on adoption stories. Very good and easy to read. Someday hubby and I need to write our afoption story. You can definitely see God's hand throughout it.

    Currently I'm reading a light romance book called Instant Daddy. I'm just really enjoying reading my new Kindle.

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  3. That's such a bummer about the knitting book-- I hate when you start reading something that you think you'll really like and then it just fails on every level.

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  4. My favorite books are usually by English writers because I just enjoy the way they use language and refer to things I'm not seeing/doing every day.
    That being said, my re-reads are always Sophie Kinsella books :)
    I liked the show 13 Reasons better than the book (I also read it like 7 years ago).

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  5. Love that Gina gif...lol. She is such an awesome character. I'm hoping to read DUFF someday!! Didn't realize they were making a movie of it!

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  6. I'm currently about halfway through a re-read, "We Were the Mulvaneys" by Joyce Carol Oates. It was one of Oprah's first book club selections and Lifetime made a movie that I remember watching at least a couple of times back in the day. It's not a happy story. Not at all. The writing, however, is so hauntingly beautiful that you just want it to last forever.

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  7. LOL that Gina gif!! that's how I felt about some of the books I read recently...ones that I tried so hard to like but were total duds :(

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  8. I know what you mean about those books that you just can't get through; there are quite a few of those. And then you find gems, and I love finding gems to read. Some of my favorite books that I've read outside of the Bible, which is the very best and perfect, are 'Unbroken' (have you read?), 'The Finest Hour,' and I have been slowly making my way through a book called '12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You.'

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  9. Oh that Oz series sounds really interesting! Love that world.

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  10. I would have assumed the knitting story would have been your favorite. Isn't life funny? I want to read the Oz books but haven't gotten around to them yet. Maybe this summer? Or more like Fall. Let's not kid ourselves! I've been really curious about 13 Reasons Why. I believe it's on my TBR but I'm not sure if I could handle it, you know. Some day, yes. But today, probably not.

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  11. I need to read the OZ stories because the Wizard of OZ is my all time fav movie! But, if there are some strange turns I'm not so sure I would like that.
    Beautifully Candid

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  12. I have Duff on my TBR, I really need to get around to it. I really liked the show 13 Reasons but I dont really care to read the book now that I have seen the show. I heard that there are some difference between the two.

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  13. The DUFF was such an adorable little book and I love that she was like 15 when she wrote it.

    13 Reasons Why was amazing. And they did a fantastic job adapting it. And these 2 YA books so just how much diversity there is in that genre.

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  14. I am excited to add "Always and Forever Lara Jean" to my TBR list! I love YA books!


    Visiting from the Show Us Your Books linkup.
    ashley-ziegler.com

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  15. I have been seeing those Jenny Han books EVERYWHERE, so now I feel like I have to read them just so I won't feel left out anymore, lol. It's like I only get true FOMO with books...

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  16. I am definitely interested in the Duff. And I wish I read 13 Reasons Why before I watched the series.

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  17. I need to read those Jenny Han books. I love nice, clean YA books! Such a bummer that knitting book was so bad!

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  18. Oh gosh! I've read Gone With The Wind five times. I've read The Once and Future King four times. Yes, I've been known to re-read books I love. Right now I am on book three in a series about Jane Whitfield by Thomas Perry. Jane helps people disappear. I've really been enjoying them. The third one is called Shadow Woman. I also enjoyed A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman, and The Color of Water in July, by Nora Carroll.

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  19. I was so excited that a new Kate Shugak book finally came out! It was a four year wait, and I wasn't disappointed - excellent book! And there was a new Nora Roberts - one of her stand alone novels. It was really good too. AND I read another book in the Liturgical Mystery series - it's about a police chief in a small NC mountain town, who is also the organist/choir director at the local Episcopal church. This series is a HOOT.

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  20. I said almost the same exact thing about the last Lara Jean book. They are just so cute. And now I want to read The DUFF because I thought the movie was just alright and now I want to see the differences!

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  21. I didn't follow the Oz books through to the end. No regrets lol

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  22. I'm surprised you hated that last book. It totally sounds up your alley! Umm... I don't know if there's more to the DUFF description that what the title implies, but you are TOTALLY not like that!! I'm glad you enjoyed the book, though :) Relatable characters are always the best!

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  23. Yep - I used to force myself to finish any book I started but life is way too short and there are WAY too many books for that nonsense. I'm back in my reading slump but some of these sound good and I'll add them to that ever-growing TBR pile ... :)

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  24. Oh no! A zero star read! :( Bummer!!! Glad you enjoyed the other ones. I know we already talked about this on goodreads, but Thirteen Reasons did not blow me away. I can't wait to read Lara Jean... if it *ever* comes from the library... haha #notpatient Those are just the cutest books ever, and I love them. I haven't given the Dorothy series a try yet, but I am intrigued. I do like the line about a girl from Kansas... ;) XO - Alexandra

    Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things

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  25. I still haven't read Thirteen Reasons Why, yet. I want to see the show but have to be in the mood to cry, I think, since everyone says it is so sad.

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