Still Me

Still Me by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After the 2nd book, I was afraid for this one. I really didnt like the 2nd book much at all... but couldnt pass a chance to catch up with Louisa. This one didn't falter at all. I loved it just as much as the first one. I wouldnt even mind another one to continue following Louisa & all the people in her life. I loved all the new characters in this book & just loved imaging Louisa in the Big Apple with her bee tights. & I love we still get snippets of Will in this book. #WilLTraynorForever!!!! I really was sad to see this one end

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Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. She steps into the world of the superrich, working for Leonard Gopnik and his much younger second wife, Agnes. Lou is determined to get the most out of the experience and throws herself into her new job and New York life.

As she begins to mix in New York high society, Lou meets Joshua Ryan, a man who brings with him a whisper of her past. Before long, Lou finds herself torn between Fifth Avenue where she works and the treasure-filled vintage clothing store where she actually feels at home. And when matters come to a head, she has to ask herself: Who is Louisa Clark? And how do you reconcile a heart that lives in two places?

Funny, romantic, and poignant, Still Me follows Lou as she navigates how to stay true to herself, while pushing to live boldly in her brave new world. 

The Crown

The Crown by Kiera Cass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So I did like this better than book #4 but still wasn't a huge fan of Eadlyn throughout the book.
I was happy how it all wrapped up & glad I made it through the series, but still leaving the series knowing books 1-3 are SO much better. I'm glad I read these though... just didnt give me all the feels of the original 3. Kinda ironic, giving that's a lot of the story, how Eadlyn doesn't live up to her parents. oops. haha.

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When Eadlyn became the first princess of Illéa to hold her own Selection, she didn’t think she would fall in love with any of her thirty-five suitors. She spent the first few weeks of the competition counting down the days until she could send them all home. But as events at the palace force Eadlyn even further into the spotlight, she realizes that she might not be content remaining alone.

Eadlyn still isn’t sure she’ll find the fairytale ending her parents did twenty years ago. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and soon Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more impossible—and more important—than she ever imagined. 

The One by Kiera Cass

The One by Kiera Cass
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Still just trekking through this series.
& this may be one of my favorites out of the three.
We are down to the final 4 in this book & who Maxon is going to choose. All the while watching America struggle with sharing him with the other Selection Girls & watching him grow closer to one other one. I loved this book had a little bit more back story of the rebellion & what some of the purpose of it was. I also appreciated this book had a little bit of shock, some deep emotion other than just the relationship with Maxon & America, but also with family members.... the heartache, the anger, the frustration. I wish the epilogue was a little longer & I think the end got a little rushed at the final decision... I dont know - I think I just wanted more after 3 books of build up, but I still enjoyed it.

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When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants. 

The Elite

The Elite by Kiera Cass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So yep, still totally into this series. I'm so glad I waited for the entire series to be out before I started reading this because I would be FURIOUS if I had to wait for each book to come out. My library has a wait list on the final 3 so I've just ordered the entire series so no more waiting. & I'll be diving straight into book 3 ASAP.
This wasn't AS great as the first one to me, just because I was getting a little frustrated at America & her decision making skills.... but the deeper story of the relationships developing & the inner workings of the royal family - especially the story with Marlee that kept me gasping & a tad freaking out - had me still wrapped up in this story ... & cant wait to see what the next step in The Selection is since we're down to five. I'm here for every dramatic moment of it.

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The Selection began with thirty-five girls.
Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever—and America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?

America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away

Always & Forever, Lara Jean

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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. A nice little send off to Lara Jean.

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Lara Jean’s letter-writing days aren’t over in this surprise follow-up to the New York Times bestselling To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You.

Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad’s finally getting remarried to their next door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot’s coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding.

But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father’s wedding, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make. Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind.

When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

The End of Oz

The End of Oz by Danielle Paige
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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 in complete - but its totally left open for more Oz books, which is kind of intriguing, but glad that this chapter is over.

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Ding dong—Dorothy is dead.

I watched as the Emerald Palace crumbled to the ground, burying Dorothy, the Girl Who Rode the Cyclone, under the rubble. And now that the rightful ruler, Ozma, has been restored to the throne…

Oz is finally free.

My name is Amy Gumm. You might remember me as the other girl from Kansas. When a tornado whisked me away to the magical land of Oz, I was given a mission: Dorothy must die.

But it turns out girls from Kansas are harder to kill than we look.

Now the Road of Yellow Brick is leading me away from Oz to the dark world of Ev, where I have a new, powerful enemy to deal with: the Nome King. And—surprise—he has a gingham-clad bride.

With my magical shoes and a shrinking group of allies, I have one final chance to fulfill my mission, and save not only what’s left of Oz, but Kansas, too. As the line between Good and Wicked blurs even further, I have to find a way to get rid of Dorothy once and for all—without turning into a monster myself.

Dorothy once said there’s no place like home. Can I stop her from destroying mine?

PS I Still Love You

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

OK - again, this is SUCH a YA book...
but I was a sucker for it - AGAIN.

I just love Lara Jean & Peter & loved the character from one of her other letters came back into play.
I'm glad this booked picked up exactly where the last one left off & continued on with a whole new story.

Yes, this is very much a story of a girl in high school in love with a boy & all the drama that that sentence alone has wrapped up in it. But it honestly just takes me back to those butterfly in the stomach days of being a teenager in love.

These books are just so easy & light & quick to read. & I was THRILLLLLLLED to see that this isn't the end here either. Another book in the series is going to come out. I'd love to see Lara Jean & Peter a little older - maybe graduating high school & heading to college.

& SPOILER(?) I really really REALLY liked the character John. & would love to see him come back in the next book.
& while I love the Sing Sisters & the whole family, I hope the next book isn't a lot about the dad. This book did just enough of talking about him maybe dating, but I hope the book doesnt put too much focus on him. Me Before You & After You did me in with the 'family' taking over the books so now I'm leery of that.

But I'm sad in a way these are such quick reads because now, I have to actually wait until the next book is published. THIS is why I try to wait until whole series are out before I start reading.... UGH! The waiting!!!!

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Yellow Brick War

Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was disappointed with the 2nd book & nervous about this one... but it totally redeemed itself & pulled me back into the story.
I thought this was supposed to be the last book in the series, but I'm thinking now, its not. That was no ending to sum up the series, that's for sure. Too many characters still in bad situations right now.
I did like that this book had Amy & the Wicked Quadrant actually in Kansas for most of the book. It was good to see Amy back in her own environment & enjoyed seeing & knowing more the people in her world in her home town.
I am not a big fan of war & battles & a lot of description of fighting so that part, I was glad it wasn't over taking the book. Just enough to keep the excitement going but not a whole book on the gore & yucky - I felt like book 2 was more like that.
After reading this one, I am excited there is another one. Hope it stays up to this par.
Now, I'm just anxious to see, who is really dead & who is alive & kicking waiting to cause trouble for Oz, the Wicked & Amy.

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After You

After You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure what to think when I heard there was a follow up of Me Before You.
After all, I didn't want a world without Will Traynor.

So we see where Louisa is after Will is gone - where life has taken her - if her life has turned into the adventure Will wanted for her.
& we see it definitely hasn't.

Louisa is still stuck in life & working in a bar in an airport. She starts a counseling group & then meets a young teen who changes everything in her life, as well as a motorcycle ambulance worker, Sam.

It was nice to be back with Louisa - who always feels like her life is a little out of control. & while I didn't mind the story, it was a little stretched for me in parts.
& personally, Louisa's family got on my nerves the first book so to have them be such a big part of this 2nd book, it is what made me give it 3 stars.
I did love seeing the progress Louisa was making in moving on in life & the ending is not what I expected - all in all, I didn't mind the book at all. & totally see us coming back to Louisa again in the future for another book. (Can we just keep her griping sister & odd parts out of it please?)

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Library of Souls

Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The final book of the series.

I was so excited about it especially after loving book #2 so much.

... & in usual fashion, I like book #1, LOVE book #2... & book #3? ... meh...

This closed up the series on the Peculiar Children, who at the end of the book #2 were kidnapped, as well as Miss Peregrine herself & the other ymbrynes (I know - talk you wont get unless you read the book) ... & so Jacob & Emma are pretty much on their own, as well as a talking dog, Addison, & who they meet along the way, to get their friends back, rescue all the ymbrynes & get to a loop where everyone will be safe.

It was definitely action packed - a LOT happening.. & that may have been what didn't strike me so much. It just seemed like a lot of action was happening for things that didn't really need to happen. Felt like a lot of space filler. I also didn't like we didn't have the whole gang for more then half of the book. I like them working together, using all of their Peculiar powers together...

I think I may have even skipped a chapter or two to hurry it up - BUTTTTTT - towards the end, I did really enjoy the way they wrapped it up - even though it did feel a little rushed after 300 pages of leading up to it (again, filler?) ...

& really, I liked the way the book came to conclusion, so thats why I ended up giving it 3 stars... & in all honestly, I can see another book or series coming from this later or maybe even Jacob's children? grandchildren? ... that'd be fun to pick it up again in another story line.

Until then... it was nice to meet all the Peculiar children & Miss Peregrine.

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Heart of Tin

Heart of Tin by Danielle Paige
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Oh wow.. my ratings are just going down & down in this series. & I was a big promoter of this Dorothy Must Die series. But something has been going downhill after the first book & the first 3 novellas....

This was another one of the novellas - a quick read to catch up on the story of the Tin Man & all about his heart & how much he loved Dorothy & was so ready to woo her when she returns to Oz.

It just sort of got irritating to me. The helpless puppy act was just getting old.

& then when it talks about the change that occurs with him & slightly with the Scarecrow (his novella is out next) - it honestly just is getting a little too dark for me. Parts of me made me literally nauseated. It seems to have gone from a young adult novel to some sort of twisted story.

This makes me very nervous for the next book... I'll give it one more shot. Hoping for the best, not sure what to expect.

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Hollow City / Book #2 of The Peculiar Children

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So I just saw this book on my Timehop that I bought a year ago... & just got around to reading.

I'm glad I did wait though because its such a cliff-hanger ending in itself & the 3rd book is getting ready to come out soon so I'm glad it sat on my shelf for awhile.

I bought this after I just finished the first in the series, "Miss Peregrines Peculiar Children" - which I loved. It's almost like a little set of x-men. Children caught up in 'loops' that have special powers. But at the end of the first book, where Miss Peregrine's loop is destroyed, the kids have a new adventure on their hand.

& by the use of the word adventure, it means, trying to save their kind, being chased, being in the middle of World War II & trying to find other loops that can help them return Miss Peregrine to her original form.

Jacob, the boy from the first book who discovers his grandfather is not crazy, but Peculiar himself, discovers that the gene has been passed on to him - so he leaves his life behind to help his new friends.

This book is all about seeing what their future holds as they travel between different loops, trying to find any ymbrynes that they hear have all been captured, & meeting new peculiars on their way to London.

Once again, I am so in awe of the photos that are used in this book & how they are woven into the story - that is the best part of this whole series to me. & once again, it makes me want to start looking at old pictures in antique stores myself. I'll never look at them the same again.

I loved this book just as much as the first... & cant wait for the next on in this odd little series.

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The Wicked Will Rise

The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We're back in Oz...

the messed up, dark world of Oz!

& Amy Gunn is still after Dorothy, Glinda & her 3 friends, the Scarecrow, Tin man & Lion.
We also see Amy & the darkness that is taking her over as she knows she needs to kill the 3 friends & then go after Dorothy.

Mercy - this book just got really serious & DARK. I knew the first one was a little dark - this is just plain YIKES at points.

I still liked the story - the difference insights of Oz & how Ozma came to be & how she has turned into a little bit of a 'slug brain' ... but I was a little disturbed at scenes in the book. The childlike images you have the WOZ characters - it wont be the same after this book.

Going into the Fog of Doubt, or into a kingdom of monkeys, or into an Island of the Lost or a village literally "over the rainbow" - it still has great imagination. & it was good to see old characters back, like Nox, Pete & even the witch Mombi again.

I wish I had read the first book all over again before reading this one. & I'm sure I'll have to do it when the next installment comes out. I will say, this has all left me waiting anxiously for the next book in the series - that's for sure.

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The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society

The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society by Beth Pattillo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So you know I'm going to love a story that revolves around a group of women who get together every month & talk about a book they've read & do a knitting project along with each book. How can I NOT like this?

I found it was written by the same lady who wrote "Heavens to Betsy" & the follow up to that - books I so enjoyed reading, I even reached out to the author & emailed her how much I loved them.

So yeah, this book was just as good as I expected it to be.

The story of 5 ladies who are in the Sweetgum Knit-Lit Society. All different stories, all different life dramas that are coming at them. Secrets they keep from everyone. And enter a troubled teen who has to 'pay' back for damaging a library book & she's ordered to join the club for awhile. The way this young lady, Hannah, touches the lives of the women & how her life is changed herself, it all comes full circle.

I have the follow up book & can't wait to dig into it & see how my new knitting friends are.

& this book just makes me want to start up a knitting group so badly, I can't hardly stand it. My own knit-lit group... maybe it'll happen.

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The Witch Must Burn

The Witch Must Burn by Danielle Paige
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A little teaser to hold me over.... the next book in the "Dorothy Must Die" series comes out in the end of March. I am so in love with these books! & I love that the author puts out these little novellas to at least keep you involved in the mixed up world that Oz has become.
Good has become bad... bad has become good... everyone has changed...
COME ON MARCH!!!!

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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was pulled into this book just because flipping through it, there are pictures. Hello! I'm a picture nut. & not just regular pictures, but pictures from long ago... those 'weird' looking pictures that just seem so odd. This author took these pictures & turned them into a story... of peculiar children.

The book follows Jacob who listens to his grandfather tell of his friends from the pictures & the stories of the amazing things these friends could do. Jacob believed them, until he grew up & then just felt his grandfather was good at telling tales.... & then when his grandfather dies in front of him in a very unusual way, Jacob starts to wonder about the things his grandfather told him about his past.

We find Jacob heading to the island where his grandfather grew up in a children's home & coming across the past of his grandfather.

it's a story that has a sci-fi sort of twist, with a little bit of Harry Potter kind of magic.

I really loved the story - loved the excitement of it - loved meeting the peculiar children & learning of their talent. Strength, bees coming out of mouths, invisible, needing lead shoes or a little girl could fly away. I loved that Miss Peregrine "The Bird" was still in charge of these children in their 'loop' & protecting these kids as wights & hollows are after them.

This book has totally set up the series for the adventures of the children & Jacob as he learned he's not so 'normal' after all & got a lot of genes from his grandfather....

I am already heading out to get the next book "The Hollow City" this week... I want to make sure these peculiar children are ok :)

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