One Day in December, 409 Pages

Recommended to me by my best friend, who always has a knack for knowing just what I need to read in that instant, One Day in December was everything she promised it would be and more.  And I'm not just saying that because it was the first thing I've read for fun since spending a semester studying European History. 

On a bus ride home, one day in December, Laurie locks eyes with a man waiting on the street.  There's an instant connection, but before either of them can take action, the bus pulls away.  Laurie and her best friend, Sarah spend the next year searching for Laurie's bus boy with no luck. Until the day she meets him, as Sarah's new boyfriend...  I'll stop there, so you can enjoy the how the rest of the story unfolds for yourself.

This book had just the right amount of romance for me without being overly sweet or raunchy.  It was also the December pick for the Reese Witherspoon, Hello Sunshine Book Club.  It's a classic romcom, best enjoyed on a winter weekend with a mug of something warm. 

The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines with Mark Dagostino, 208 pages

I am a HUGE fan of the HGTV show, Fixer Upper, so when I saw this book come through I knew I had to read it.  And you know what?  It's just about as adorable and sweet and fluffy as you'd imagine that Chip & Joanna were in person.  They built their business from the ground up and appeared to have a few struggles along the way before finding the success and fame that starring in a reality TV show granted them.  There really wasn't a lot of meat to this book.  No decorating tips.  No business tips.  And most conflict was glossed over.  I skimmed the last 40 pages or so.  In my opinion, there weren't enough pictures of their projects.  Fans of Fixer Upper will likely still want to check this out though.

The Case of the Phantom Cat: The Mysteries of Maisie Hutchins, Book 3 by Holly Webb, 176 pages

Maisie Hutchins is something of an amateur sleuth.  And like most amateur detectives the mysteries just seem to find her.  This time she accompanies her friend Alice on a trip to the country to get away from the London fog that is making Alice ill.  When they arrive at the country home they are informed that the house is haunted and was built on a plague pit.  Of course, all kinds of spooky things happen shortly after their arrival, but Maisie is not buying it.  She's determined to find out the real reason everyone is seeing a phantom white cat and why the library smells so horrid!

Maisie is plucky and courageous.  This was a fun bedtime read with my 7 year old.  The chapters were a nice length so that reading one a night was enough for us.  We did have to power through and read the last 40 pages or so one night just to find out the end.  This is the first Maisie Hutchins book we have read, even though it's book 3.  My daughter is anxious to read the first two though.  I think I'll be introducing her to Nancy Drew in a few years.

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin, 262 pages

Eilis Lacey is an Irish immigrant to Brooklyn after WWII.  She takes a job as a bookkeeper and moves into a boarding house. While in America she sort of reinvents herself and finds romance and a career both of which seemed unattainable at home.  But when a family tragedy takes her back to Ireland, she discovers what her life might have been like if she had stayed.  And then she has to make a choice, go back to America where she has commitments and a life waiting for her.  Or stay.  I won't tell you the choice she makes and I'm not even sure it was the right choice.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction from this era.  It has some romance, but I wouldn't catalog it as such.

Year of Yes: How to Dance it Out, Stand in the Sun, and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes, 352 pages

I started this book twice before actually finishing it.  It finally took the recommendation of a respected friend and listening to the audiobook before I made it all the way through.  And I'm glad I did.  I admit that I was a little turned off at the thought of a self-help book.  Honestly though, I wouldn't say this is self-help, or biography, or memoir or just any one thing.  It was exactly what I needed to listen to in the moment.  I listened in the car and found myself mmm-hmming and nodding along to Shonda's (I feel like we're on a first name basis now) guidance . I especially loved her chapters on being a working mother.  And I'm trying to say yes to my kids more often these days when I get invited to play or cuddle or read with them.

She also had some important thoughts on saying yes to saying no. Setting limits for yourself.  You can't do it all.  And it's true.  I'm still working on this though.

Oh and the "power pose!"  Where you put your hands on your hips and pose like Wonder Woman for a minute or so.  It really helps.  I tried it.

So as you can tell, I really enjoyed this book.  I've been a fan of Shonda's TV shows since the early days of Grey's Anatomy.  And even though I haven't watched most of her newer stuff, if I happen to catch a few minutes, I'm probably hooked for the rest of the hour.  She's an incredible storyteller.  And this book was a true testament to that.

Ollie's Odyssey by William Joyce, 294 Pages

Ollie's Odyssey is the story of 6 year old Billy & his favorite toy Ollie and their huge "a-venture."  Ollie is Billy's constant companion.  They've been together since the day Billy was born and his mom made Ollie for him.  They do everything together, go everywhere together, they are totally inseparable.  Until the day, the Creeps take Ollie to Zozo's lair and Billy sets out to find him! 

This was an incredible first chapter book to read aloud with my 6 year old daughter.  She too has a favorite toy and we made many comparisons between Ollie & Henry.  We both loved the story very much and some nights it was hard to stop at just 1 or 2 chapters.

Prior to this, I had never read any other William Joyce books, but he has quickly become a favorite in our house and we'll be reading more as soon as we get our hands on them! 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han, 355 pages

When Lara Jean is over a crush, she writes the boy a love letter and stores it in her hatbox.  She never intends to send the letters.  One day without her knowing, the letters are sent and suddenly her former crushes are back in her life and she doesn't know what to do!

I book talked this to a group of middle schoolers last week and I hadn't really finished the book yet.  It was checked out immediately.  I hope whoever checked it out enjoyed it as much as I have.  It was a a very sweet read and I think many young girls would easily relate to it. 

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell, 323 pages

It is 1999 and Y2K is on it's way.  Lincoln takes a job at a newspaper working systems security.  He's tasked with checking flagged emails and sending out warnings if your email is inappropriate.  Not exactly the job he thought he'd be doing.

Meanwhile, Beth and Jennifer email all day long.  They know their email is being checked, but that doesn't censor them.

Lincoln starts looking forward to reading these exchanges between Jennifer and Beth.They are hilarious and the bright spot in his otherwise dull shift.  Eventually he realizes that he has feelings for Beth, but he doesn't know what to do about them.  How can he ask a girl out after reading all these messages?  Knowing all these private details of her life?  Not to mention the fact that she already has a boyfriend.

This is my second Rainbow Rowell novel and she is quickly becoming one of my new favorite authors. 

Famous Last Words by Katie Alender, 312 pages (2016-2017 Truman Readers Award Nominee)

In Famous Last Words, Willa is an angst filled teenage girl who has just moved to Hollywood with her recently remarried mom and her new famous movie producer stepfather.  As if starting a new school and making new friends weren't hard enough, Willa harbors a dark secret.  She killed her father.  Willa wants nothing more than to get in touch with her father and tell him how sorry she is for the fight they had and how she didn't mean to hurt him.  Though her spiritual attempts to contact her father never seem to work, Willa gets these crazy headaches and starts having visions of terribly frightening things.  There's a dead body in her swimming pool, messages on walls, and other things only she can see or hear.  Meanwhile, there's a serial killer loose in Hollywood who is targeting young actresses and reenacting famous death scenes and Willa starts to realize her hallucinations might be tied to the murders and that someone or something might be trying to send her a message. 

Of course, it's not all ghosts and murders in this story.  Willa makes a few new friends.  Marnie, a Hollywood kid like Willa, Reed, her stepfather's handsome young assistant, and Wyatt, a serious guy who is obsessed with the Hollywood Killer.  When Willa realizes the magnitude of the trouble she's in she needs someone to help her, but who?

I can't say much more without spoiling it.  I will say I never would have picked this up had it not been an award nominee.  Mysteries are fine, but ghost stories are not my cup of tea.  Fortunately for me this was creepy, but not too scary.  The story itself moved quickly and I stayed up too late finishing it last night and then stayed up even later watching something silly to counteract the creepiness.

Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek (a Memoir) by Maya Van Wagenen, 264 pages (2016-2017 Truman Readers Award Nominee)

Self-proclaimed geek,  Maya Van Wagenen,  discovers an old copy of a 1950's popularity guide,  written by former teen model Betty Cornell and decides to spend her 8th grade year following the advice in hopes of attaining popularity. 

The first thing I have to admit is that I definitely do judge a book by it's cover and I couldn't resist this kitschy cute one.  Then I read the inside flap and the awkward 8th grader inside of me cheered!  If only I'd had this book in 1993!  My BFF and I would have followed it to the letter!

The next thing I have to admit was that I was concerned when in the first chapter Maya devotes an entire month to solving her "figure problems."  Not exactly the body positive image I'm trying to instill in my own daughter.  Fortunately, it's pretty humorous and not at all preachy.

Each month was devoted to a different topic from the original book by Betty Cornell.  Maya included tidbits from Betty as well as live and learn tips from her own experiences.  By the end of the year, she had succeeded.  People knew her and liked her, she had become popular.  Her final popularity tip was the best one, in my opinion.  "Popularity is more than looks.  It's not clothes, hair, or even possessions.  When we let go of these labels, we see how flimsy and relative they actually are.  Real popularity is kindness and acceptance.  It is about who you are, and how you treat others."  Well said, Maya.  Well said.

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, 464 pages

The Royal We was the perfect book to end the summer for me.  Fluffy, but definitely had some meat to the story.

This is the story of the romance between Rebecca Porter an American exchange student studying at Oxford and Prince Nicholas, Great Britain's future king.  You might say there are parallels between the romance of Prince William and Princess Kate, but trust me, this story is definitely more exciting!

Read this is you're looking for something light & fun or if you're intrigued by royalty and modern day fairy tales.  It won't disappoint!

Stella Bain by Anita Shreve, 265 pages

Bear with me for this review.  It took me 3 1/2 months to read this book.  Not because I didn't enjoy it!  I did.  There was just a new small person in my house that kept me from reading as often as I would have liked.  :)  That said, I didn't want to miss the opportunity to review it for the blog.

Stella Bain is an American woman who served as a British nurse's aid in World War I.  She is suffering from amnesia.  She goes to London  because she knows she needs to get to the Admiralty.   After being found at a park in London and rather ill, she is taken in by Dr. Bridge and his wife, Lily. While she recovers from her illness, Dr. Bridge tries to help her overcome her amnesia through talk therapy.  

After several visits to the Admiralty, Stella finally has a breakthrough.  Someone recognizes her and says her real name, Etna Bliss.  The first thing Etna remembers is that she has children.  

The story unfolds from there as Etna returns to America to face her abusive husband and try to regain custody of her children.  It also flashes back to the time Etna spent serving in the war.  A custody hearing and more therapy after being diagnosed with "shell shock" ensue before Etna finally has her children back.

And Then I Found You by Patti Callahan Henry, 261 pages

And Then I Found You is the story of a secret.  Kate & Jack were childhood sweethearts whose relationship didn’t work out.  Before it was all over, they became parents to a baby girl named Luna.  Only Kate’s family & closest friends ever knew about the daughter they gave up. 

Thirteen years later this all changes.  Kate’s in a picture perfect relationship with Rowan, that isn’t so perfect after all.  He knows nothing of Jack or Luna and how these two people shaped who Kate has become.  Then comes the day Luna (now Emily) decides to try and find her biological family on Facebook.  She first discovers Kate’s sister and from her page finds Kate.  As they all realize who Emily really is, their whole world is turned upside down.  Emily’s reappearance in her life is the spark that rekindles Jack & Kate’s difficult relationship and ultimately ends her relationship with Rowan. 

One of the most interesting things I discovered about this book is that it was based on actual events in the author’s life.  Her sister had given up a baby girl many years ago and this girl also found them on Facebook.   These events inspired the author to write this book.  This was a very touching story and I could easily see it as a Lifetime movie one day.  I swear, this is a compliment!