My haul for #independentbookstoreday today! My family and I went down to my favorite Atlanta bookstore @vahibooks where I walked around with like 7 books before narrowing it down to these two (my TBR pile likely isn’t all that happy). I recently fell down an @abbiwaxman rabbit hole and read everything she’s published so it was only right to pick up her new novel, which I’m super excited about since it’s set partially in the ocean. The second book sounds intriguing and is set in the UK, which seems to be my current fixation for murder mysteries. Plus it seems to have a time jump and I do enjoy a time jump. My husband found the @onlymurdersinthebuilding pad, which I absolutely HAD to have. Plus a couple of stickers, impulse buys at the register, you know? 😉 What did you get? #busymomreads #bibliophile #readformyself #noshelfcontrol #itsnothoardingifitsbooks #booksallday #independentbookstores #supprtlocal
📚 Fiction Book Review 📚 I have officially read every book currently released by @abbiwaxman and I am hungry for the next one! She never misses and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the series started with #thebookishlifeofninahill. “I Was Told It Would Get Easier” really resonated with me as a mother to a teen (although I have a son) and as a high school teacher. There were so many minute details about the pressures teens face that are so accurate, I thoroughly appreciated them all. This story made me cry, made me laugh out loud, and made me bittersweet for a journey I’m not yet on with my son but I know is right around the corner. It was great of Waxman to also explore Emily’s take as a teen girl grappling with so many emotions. I remember being there as a teen. It’s so hard and something parents should consider as they navigate those years with their own children. I also marked this book as a top 10 of the year contender for its emotional impact on me, its timeliness of college scandals, and the rich relationship between mother and daughter. #busymomreads #iwastolditwouldgeteasier #book11of2024 #bibliophile #booklover #fiction #readallthebooks #readingislife #bookstagram
Another book finished! Tea not pictured but decaf chai accompanied me often with this one. #manylivesofmamalove #teaandbooks #mentalhealthmama #selfcarefirst #tealover #busymomreads #momreads #slowmoments #introvert
📚 The Heiress Book Review 📚 This is the 8th book of 2024 and what a story! If you’ve followed any of the Murdaugh murder saga or know of tragic tale of the disappearance of Bobby Dunbar, you should pick up this @ladyhawkins novel ASAP! This gothic story surrounds the McTavish family, specifically Ruby McTavish, the infamous kidnapped victim who was miraculously returned to her family as a toddler and grew up to marry four men, all of whom suffered tragic deaths, earning her the moniker “Mrs. Kill-more, a play on her fourth husband’s last name of Kenmore. Money may buy a shield from public scrutiny, but not the rumors. Ten years after she dies, her adopted son Camden reluctantly returns to the family home, Ashby House, with his wife, Jules, who immediately become enamored with the house, the land, and the fortune her husband inherited. But old family wounds still fester and the resentment of Camden being named sole heir even when he’s not even a “real McTavish” runs deep within his relatives. Is Ruby the real Ruby? Is Camden as pure as he seems? How far will his family go to hold onto their fortune from who they perceive as an interloper? Or will Jules get everything she feels she’s ever deserved? Told in multiple perspectives, letters from Ruby, and news articles, this novel delves deep into generations of family trauma and resentment, what someone would be willing to sacrifice to hold on to power and prestige, and the secrets one holds onto to preserve their reputation. #busymomreads #TheHeiress #gothicnovels #suspensebooks #bibliophile #shelflife #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #mustread
—Iron Flame— 4/5⭐️ I might be the exception in thinking this was a great sequel. My favorite parts of both books so far have been the adventure and the dragons. The banter between Violet, Tairn, and Andarna is cheeky, witty, and endearing. Why this isn’t a 5 star: -lots of different plot lines -the issues between Violet + Xaden could have been cut down by about 75 pages -lots of plot holes I’m looking to be answered Pros: -dragons -action; lots of exciting challenges in year 2 -new characters 🌶️🌶️/🌶️🌶️🌶️
First book of 2024! This was an impulse buy while at my local bookstore and I’m so glad I picked it up. The cover art is beautiful and I was easily intrigued by the back cover synopsis. Witch of the Wild explores the complexities of sisters and family dynamics, how the act of thinking you’re doing the right thing and actually doing the right thing are completely different and have consequences, and second chances can be life changing. This novel is beautifully heartbreaking while still providing enough hope to push the plot along and remind readers that happiness can be found in even the most desperate of situations. #busymomreads #witchofthewild #witchyfiction #bibliophile #book1of2024 #readallthebooks #bookstagram
I’ve been MIA for much of the year but I plan to post more regularly in the new year. The good news is I kept reading! I surpassed my goal of 60 books in 2023 and read 81 books! My current read “Witch of Wild Things” by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland as a physical book and “Love at First Spite” by Anna E. Collins on audiobook. #busymomreads #booksof2023 #bookstats #justkeepreading #bookgoals #booksbooksbooks
One of the reasons I love summer is the amount of time I have to read tangible books. Audiobooks are fine and they work great when I’m working through the school year as I can focus on other things while I listen to a book. But summer allows me the time to pick up an actual book from my ever-growing #TBRpile, sit in my reading chair or poolside and get lost in the pages without worrying about grading papers or lesson planning. Here’s to July being just as full of pages! #BusyMomReads #Junereads #booksofsummer #summerreading #readallday #bibliophile #booksbooksbooks
📚 Beach Read Review 📚 It is an understatement to say I loved this book. The easy flow, the likable-from-the-first-moment characters, the unexpected plot. This book is fantastic. Nina Hill loves her simple life: a dream job in a bookshop, coming home to Phil the cat, her winning trivia group competing against another team with the cute captain. As the only child of a single, usually absent photographer mother, Nina’s life is upended with the death of the father she never knew about and -gasp!- this revelation comes with a ton of siblings and other family members. Nina now has to navigate her feelings about this now-dead father, new relatives, the decline of independent bookstores like the one she works in, and her anxiety. And what about that cute trivia team captain? This is a fun novel, one I struggled to put down. Definitely a #mustread #busymomreads #thebookishlifeofninahill #bibliophile #tbrpile #readingislife #beachreads #vacationreads
📚Fiction Novel Review📚 Could your marriage survive the biggest difference of opinion of your life? That’s what Clare Mackintosh explores in this heartbreaking novel. “After the End” follows Max and Pip as they navigate the hardest decision of their life: the future of their terminally-ill toddler, Dylan. At odds at how to proceed with his treatment, the couple known for being strong and in love are now publicly fighting in court. But what if they didn’t have to choose? What if they could see down the road of the future to live how it unfurls, no matter what the courts decide? Mackintosh, through compassionate prose, follows this couple through the deepest lows of their lives, exploring alternative parallel lives, depending on which decision the judge decides on. Ultimately, the question raised is what are you willing to risk to be right about a future you can’t predict? Theme: Be careful what you wish for because those hopes are chained to unexpected consequences you may not want. #busymomreads #aftertheend #claremackintosh #bibliophile #summerreading #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #booksthatmatter #readallthebooks
📚 Mystery Novel Review 📚 Lately there has a been a growing sub genre of mystery fiction focused on people (typically women) of a certain age finding themselves citizen detectives. Can I just tell you that I can’t get enough of these books?! These older characters bring an expected wisdom with them that is so appreciated by me as a reader. Plus they are past the age of caring how they appear to others and therefore are willing to do just about anything to solve their cases. And they’re also unassuming and quickly dismissed by younger generations. This always leads to good things for the mystery (or a blunder or two)! When Vera Wong’s consistent morning schedule is interrupted by a dead body in the unpopular tea shop she runs underneath her apartment, Vera also discovers she doesn’t think much of modern policing. This theory is solidified as the police arrive on scene and won’t take any of Vera’s investigative suggestions. Good thing she kept the flash drive in the dead man’s hands. She just need to wait out the killer(s) to come back to the scene of the crime (they always do. CSI crime shows say so). But when several different people show up and lie straight to her face (she’s a Chinese mother; she can practically smell the deception), she decides to befriend them. Too bad one of her new friends is the likely killer. Will she be able to turn them in once she figures it out? #busymomreads #verawongsunsolicitedadviceformurderers by @jesseqsutanto #mysterynovel #bibliophile #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #bookstagram #readingaddict
📚 Romantic Fiction Review 📚 This is in the top three best books of 2023 for me. I love the premise and the love story that builds despite what seems like insurmountable circumstances. Florence is a ghostwriter in New York with dreams of writing and publishing her own novels one day. When her father unexpectedly dies, she has to return home to the hometown that never accepted her and her family who owns the town funeral parlor. There, Florence finds herself with a surprise guest: a ghost only she can see in the form of her new, abet hot, editor. An impossible connection could help Florence realize all of her possibilities. This is a must read! A beautiful plot, a great twist, and characters you find yourself deeply rooting for. #busymomreads #thedeadromantics #romance #romancebooks #booksof2023 #bibliophile #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks
📚 Non-Fiction Review 📚 I’ve always believed the truth is stranger than fiction. It must be my journalist past life. This book is proof of that. With details of cases ranging from Trayvon Martin to Lee Harvey Oswald, Dr. Vincent Di Maio chronicles his destiny of following in his dad’s footsteps to become a leading forensic pathologist. Using narrative elements to engage the reader, this is a successful book of one man’s life to understand the causes of death of some of the country’s most polarizing cases. #busymomreads #morgue #nonfiction #truecrime #lifestory #memoir #thejoysofreading #educationalreading #lifelonglearner
📚Fiction Book Review📚 What would happen to a child if they were the only surviving passenger of a jetliner accident? Would he be a miracle? Would he be left alone? What would that do to him, those whose care he’s left in, and the loved ones left behind by those who didn’t make it? Edward is traveling with his family across the country to California to move for his mom’s new job. We know they never arrive. In painstaking, heartbreaking detail, @annnapolitano capturers what it would be like not only to be the lone survivor of a plane crash but how that fate would unfold if the last one left was a child. Toggling between Edward’s life after the crash and the passengers on the plane as they head to a doom all readers know is coming, the author examines what humans hold close in time of tragedy. A must read that is now a series on Apple TV. #busymomreads #DearEdward #booksthatmakeyoucry #survivorstory #readforyou #readingaddict #bibliophile #readersofinstagram
📚Romance Book Review 📚 If I were to ever write a romance, it would have to be like this one. Phoebe’s obsession with true crime and serial killers aided to this delicious undercurrent of tension that I wasn’t ever sure was real or imagined. Such an inventive, modern idea for an ageless genre. After Phoebe Walsh’s father suddenly dies, she takes leave from her PhD program to travel back home to Florida, to wrestle feelings toward a mostly absent father who is now dead, and to forge a better relationship with her brother. Enter neighbor Sam Dennings, whose cute demeanor may belie his more sinister motives. Or has Phoebe read one too many case file? #busymomreads #loveinthetimeofserialkillers #romance #killerbooks #genrebender #bibliophile #readforfun #noshelfcontrol #readingthrough2023
I solemnly swear to not kill off your favorite characters. That’s the advantage to writing sweet romance books, you get to fall in love with the characters and they stay alive. 😂 #sweetromance #sweetromancereads #sweetromanceauthor #sweetromancebooks #happilyeverafter #cleanromance #cleanromancenovels #cleanromanceauthor #cleanromancebooks #authorlife #fallinlove #onlykisses #chicklit #chicklitbooks #chicklitreads #busymomlife #busymomreads
📚Fiction Review 📚 I have never read a book that made me cry in the first chapter. Typically it’s a build up to the climax yet #taylorjenkinsreid jumps us right into the all-consuming grief of Elsie Porter, who loses her husband just nine days after their elopement. After rushing to the hospital where Ben had already been pronounced dead, Elsie must face the mother-in-law she’s never met and who doesn’t even know Elsie exists. This is a novel about grief, about what happens when love flies too close to the sun and never has the chance of burn out. It’s about relationships that strengthen and crumble in the midst of grief. It’s about building a family full of people who want to be there, not just because blood expects one to be. This novel was beautifully, achingly written and is a must-read. #busymomreads #foeverinterrupted #griefnovel #pageturner #readersofinstagram #febuaryreads #booksof2023 #onemorechapter #tbrpile
January 2023 was a good month! I surpassed my reading goal and branched out into genres I typically don’t reach for (looking at you, romance). Here’s to moving into February! #busymomreads #Januarygoal #readingforme #readingforselfcare #romancebooks #thrillerbooks #biography #genrebending #reader #bibliophile
📚Mystery Book Review📚 What an unusual premise and a great unreliable narrator! This book is written (mostly) backward, starting with the end of the story and following the protagonist’s life journey. Meet Imogen. If that’s her real name. She’s living a great life at a Mexican resort, hiding from her past. Jule and Imogen used to be inseparable. But now there’s just one of them. Like all great secrets, Imogen can’t escape her past and if she’s not careful, all her training and planning may result in her downfall. #busymomreads #genuinefraud #elockhart #mysterynovel #unreliablenarrator #januaryreadinggoal #noshelfcontrol #readingismagic #readingasselfcare #fromthetbrpile
📚Mystery Novel Review 📚 I don’t know what it is, but I’m so into this trend of septuagenarians cracking cases. If you like The Thursday Murder Club series, pick up The Marlo’s Murder Club! Welcome to Marlow, England where everyone seems to know Judith Potts and where her nosy tendencies may actually pay off. After a shot rings over the Thames and her across the river neighbor is found dead, Judith is on the case. During her unorthodox sleuthing, Judith meets a couple of other women with too much time on their hands but possessing skills different than her own. This realization prompts Judith and her new pals to attempt to hunt a potential serial killer who could turn his or her sights on the team. This book is a fun read and kept me guessing until the end. I actually would love a sequel to this, despite not being a huge fan of a series. The suspense builds easily and the characters are well-rounded and very likable. #busymomreads #mysterybooks #pageturner #read #readingforpleasure #fromthetbrpile
Some of my favorites from 2022. My reading style is all over the map! These books really stood out because they had a great story, good writing, and came to me at the right time. Not pictured are books by two of my favorite authors - David Baldacci and Lisa Gardner.
What are you reading right now? This is my current #audiobook by @erinsterlingbooks called #TheKissCurse and I’ve been looking forward to it since it was announced! Perfect book to kick off spooky 👻 season! #busymomreads #audiobookstagram #bookstagram #witchbooks #readallthebooks
📚FICTION REVIEW 📚 What a beautiful story. This one was difficult to put down but I managed to savor this book because I was busy moving to a new state. This novel follows the what-if scenario should the First Son of the US get romantically involved with a prince of England and all the politics that could possibly go along with that. Add to it some sassy siblings and friends plus some supportive and unsupportive family members and you have a timely tome of romance, love and politics. #highlyrecommended Theme: Love is always worth the sacrifice. #busymomreads #redwhiteandroyalblue #lgbtqnovel #romancebooks #bookreview #bookstagram #summerreads2022 #readallthebooks #pageturner
Historical Fiction Review 📚 Once or twice a year I come across a book that stops time for me, that forces me to slow down and savor the words on the page. In her debut novel, #PipWilliams does just that. As an English teacher and writer myself, I’ve always lived words and I’ve enjoyed showing my students the origins of the words they speak. It had not occurred to me to question whether all the words we use are an accurate representation, that some words fell through the cracks due to the patriarchy and the status of marginalized people. Summary: This work of historical fiction follows Esme as she grows up in the Scrippy, where her widower father researches words for the first Oxford English Dictionary. Esme takes readers not only through a coming of age story of a women in the late 1800s/early 1900s in England, but also the massive undertaking of the dictionary: the amount of people working on it, the must-needed volunteers who sent in words, the painstaking research required. Set in an era of major change in Europe with the suffragette movement and WWI, Esme navigates her world as a women all her own, disinterested in the goals society expects of her. This is a beautifully written story, a feminist story, a voice for the overlooked in our society who often have the most wonderfully creative (and colorful) language of us all. Theme: Sometimes acts of courage are actions that take the least effort, just diligence. #busymomreads #TheDictionaryofLostWords #bibliophile #wordsarepowerful #historicalfiction #prose #wordsforthesoul #lexicography
📚📚Fiction Review 📚📚 If a book has ever encapsulated the nuances of family, the secrets we feel as siblings and children, the hurts and wants and needs we can’t fully articulate, the relationships that flourish and suffer, it is this novel. Taking place over about 7 decades, Anne Tyler lifts up the corner of a family’s life with such care and detail, the reader cannot help but consider her own. Why aren’t we always honest about how we feel to our family members? Why do we gossip and question perceived motives? We aren’t we ever just real? My greatest takeaway was how each sibling in a family assumes a “rightful” place but also how each sees their parents and childhood differently. Theme: I think Tolstoy said it best: “All happy families are alike, but every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” #busymomreads #AnneTyler #FrenchBraidnovel #fiction #bibliophile #readforfun #librarybook #librarylove #booksofinstagram #lostcountonthebooksof2022
Finally finished this one. I started it before Taylor died and it was heartbreaking to pick it back up and read about Dave going through Kirk’s death, knowing it was a million times more difficult for him with Taylor’s sudden death. The Storyteller is a fantastic read, full of heart and warmth and all things you image about Dave Grohl. If you’re even the slightest Foo Fighters fan, or just like musician biographies, this is a great tome. #busymomreads #TheStoryteller #biography #musicianbiography #rockandroll #foofighters #davegrohl #riptaylorhawkins #bibliophile
📚YA Book Review 📚 What a beautiful story about a heartbreakingly difficult topic. Caitlin is struggling in the wake of her best friend Ingrid’s suicide. She’s not caring for herself, her relationships with friends, family and school are fraught, and she can’t help but feel like everyone is staring at her. But with the discovery of Ingrid’s journal and a promising new friendship, Caitlin begins to wonder if closure is even possible and if she’ll find a new normal. This is a tough read and I cried at sections. Having never been in either character’s shoes, I still felt it is an accurate representation of what someone could experience in such an event. I am a definite fan of @nina_lacour Theme: Tragedy can knock us off our expected trajectory but it is possible to grow from such difficulties in ways we didn’t know we were capable of. #busymomreads #HoldStill #holdstillnovel #yanovel #bookreview #bibliophile #poolsideread #readingforgrowth #mustread #Ilovereading #booksarelife #librarybook
📚Fiction Novel Review📚 Wow. I haven’t felt this way after reading a novel since Where the Crawdads Sing. I was drawn in and didn’t want it to end, despite my growing anxiety about what new piece of Elle’s life (now or in the past) I’d try to fit into the overall puzzle. This novel is beautifully done and I loved the ending. An absolute must read. Theme: The complexity of a woman has deep roots; her decisions aren’t often for herself but selflessly for those around her. #busymomreads #thepaperpalace #bestnovelof2022 #favbook #library #supportyourlocallibrary #marsh #lakelife #willsheorwontshe #readingfordays #bibliophile
📚Mystery Novel Review📚 . . What a wild ride! This plot made me think I was crazy at times as we backtracked through the characters’ stories. I second guessed every single character. I thought each person could be a suspect until the very end. Thoroughly enjoyed this one. . . Theme: People present what version of themselves they want you to see; be wary. #busymomreads #theperfectescape #LeahKonen #mystery #novelsthatmakeyouthink #worthreading #anyoneisasuspect #girlstripgonewrong #bibliophile
📚📚FICTION REVIEW📚📚 I thoroughly enjoyed this story! I loved the jump between storylines, perspectives, and timelines. I thought the plot itself was unique and I finished it quickly. It scratched my mystery itch but in a different way than crime mysteries usually do. I did not guess the ending, which for me is the mark of a good novel. Theme: History is often lost to us but sometimes waits in the shadows to be rediscovered by the curious. #busymomreads #thelostapothecary #sarahpenner #mystery #history #fiction #library #librariesrock #bibliophile #bookstagram
📚 YA Novel Review 📚 The premise of this novel is a strange one (secret sperm donor father, two moms, dates her bio brother before she figures it out) but it has a ton of heart. I was intrigued because I wanted to see how far the author would let the story go before the big reveal. The good thing is: not too far. It’s a sweet story about growing up, wondering where you come from and where you belong, and family being the ones we choose, the author deftly examines relationships beyond the nuclear family. Theme: Our families are not always the ones who birthed us but the ones we choose to spend time with and love. #busymomreads #ThePeopleWeChoose #yanovel #comingofage #librarybooks #supportyourlocallibrary #lgbtqbooks #readingislife #noshelfcontrol #getyourselfagoodbook
📚Romance Book Review📚 How much fun it was to read #theexhex by Erin Sterling! This isn’t my typical read but I heard so many good things about it that I had to pick it up. Summary: What if you actually cursed the first person to break your heart and it comes back to literally haunt you nearly a decade later? That’s the premise of the novel where witchcraft, ghosts and love intermix to save a town and right a century-long wrong. . . Theme: Sometimes the ones we think we hate the most are actually the right ones for us. . . #busymomreads #theexhex #witchcraft #novellife #romancebooks #ghosts #librarybook #supportyourlocallibrary #womensupportingwomen #womenauthors
A girl after my own heart! I was definitely that kid who brought books everywhere: restaurants, car trips, family gatherings. Does that sound like you? Where’s the strangest place you’ve brought a book and actually read it? #busymomreads #Icanreadanywhere #bookworm #girlaftermyownheart #readerforlife
📚YA Novel Review 📚 What a quick yet powerful read about who we choose as our family and what we need when our mental health doesn’t allow us to ask for help. . Theme: Sometimes we need others to save us from ourselves; we just need to be open to letting them in. . . #busymomreads #weareokay #yanovel #yafiction #yabookreview #library #librarybook #readforyou #readforempathy #mentalhealthmatters #readfemaleauthors
📚FICTION BOOK REVIEW📚 I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Imagine if not only you were a liar but much of you life turned out to be a lie? Could you even trust yourself? . In a clever premise, author Marissa Stapley examines the feelings, actions and headspace of a woman who has hit rock bottom and is navigating the world alone for the first time. A wanted scam artist who literally holds the winning lottery ticket, Lucky can’t risk cashing in for fear of answering for her crimes. Without the two men who have guided her throughout her life and perfected her scam game, Lucky 🍀 needs to outsmart and outrun the authorities and her past while trying to find her long lost mother. Will she be too late? . Theme: The people who are supposed to love us the most are often the ones who hide the most from us. . #busymomreads #lucky #luckynovel #fictionbooks #artofthescam #bibliophile #reading #bookstagram #bookreview #Ilovereading
💫📚MEMOIR REVIEW📚💫 I live for a good memoir. I am a firm believer that the truth is stranger and more interesting than fiction (probably the former journalist in me) and that every person has a story to tell. Ashley C. Ford is no exception. This book explores where she belongs and who she is while growing up with a bitter single mother and her firm but caring grandmother but without the much desired guidance of her incarcerated father. Ford describes her childhood in rapt detail, reliving difficult memories, while trying to reconcile the terrible demons that ruled her girlhood and put her father in prison. A poignant read that reminds us how close we always remain to where we come from. . . Theme: For better or worse, we’re always connected to our roots and the choices of our family. . . #busymomreads #somebodysdaughter #memoir #readingforpleasure #cantstopreading #noshelfcontrol #read #bibliophile #bookstagram
📚 FICTION NOVEL REVIEW 📚 How @backmansk managed to create such a heartwarming story out of a bank robbery turned hostage situation, I’ll never understand but I’m so glad he did. . This book has it all: an unexpected bank robber, an untimely hostage situation, an overview of the societal pressures on mothers and single parents, how an act of kindness (and regret) spreads throughout a lifetime. It’s such a beautiful tale. . . Theme: Compassion is a necessary commodity and yet it’s the one thing missing in most people’s life stories. . #busymomreads #anxiouspeople #readingtime #readallthebooks #bibliophile #mustread #readmore2022 #Februaryreads #library #proudlibrarycardholder #supportyourlocallibrary
💫QUEER FICTION BOOK REVIEW . This cover is everything. I love the vibrant colors and as someone with a flamingo tattoo, it piqued my interest. 🦩 📕 . Summary of #MostlyDeadThings: In an adult coming-of-age story, Jessa-Lynn Morton has been a perfectionist for too long while juggling her family’s struggling taxidermy business, the sudden death of her father, and the complicated feelings about the one who got away: her best friend and sister-in-law, Brynn. Her brother, Milo, hasn’t dealt with Brynn’s disappearance either and isn’t showing up for his two kids or he and Jessa-Lynn’s mom, who repeatedly sneaks into the taxidermy shop to make art featuring animals in compromising positions. It takes a series of events coupled with unexpected loss and a new person in Jessa-Lynn’s life for the whole family to realize blood is the tie that binds. . . Theme: Holding on to the ones who don’t want us holds us back from our true selves. . #busymomreads #queerstories #lgbtqbooks #bookgoals2022 #readqueerbooks #readmorebooks #readmorewomen #readingislife #bibliophile
📚MYSTERY BOOK REVIEW 📚 . This story is one to savor. It read like the scene from a movie, one you can’t look away from but still has you catching your breath waiting for the next bombshell to drop. . The plot was unexpected, the twists so juicy the roots reached back toward the beginning or middle. . And yet, it’s the tale as old as American time: Racism in rural America. Lusts of the flesh. A love you can’t run from. This one will keep you turning pages. . . Theme: Leaving the past behind is a sure fire way to stay alive and yet, the past may be exactly what keeps you living for something. . . #busymomreads #mysterybooks #readinggoals #readinggoalsof2022 #bookstagram #bibliophile #authorsofcolor #bluebirdbluebird #novellife #readmorebooks #readmorewomen
📚THRILLER BOOK REVIEW📚 This book read like a modern-day crime podcast. I felt like it was real life throughout. The first chapter is so well crafted, a slow burn that really set the dark tone of the novel. The story has it all: deceit, twists, murder, kidnapping, the darkest depths of human nature. Strap in for a wild ride. . . Summary: First, Shelby Tebow, a young mother, goes missing. Then yoga teacher Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter Delilah were next. Are the disappearances related? Is there a serial kidnapper, or even a killer, on the loose? Then Delilah reappears after 11 years, prompting more questions than answers. Her return sends the case into a tailspin and proves that some people will do anything to keep the truth in the dark. . . Theme: Doing the right thing can have terrible consequences when you trust the wrong people. . . #busymomreads #thrillerbooks #mysterybooks #mustread #bookgoalsof2022 #read #bibliophile #booksarelife #audiobook #bookstagram #bookstagrammer
💫MYSTERY NOVEL REVIEW💫 . . Wow. This story is so impressive. The weaving of plot lines and twists this story takes are both breathtaking and heartbreaking as the reader tries to put navigate the story with the protagonist. An engrossing read that shines a bright light at just how deep the roots of white supremacy reach. . . Summary: As the sole person of color on the executive floor, attorney Ellice Littlejohn feels like a showpiece for the owners to parade in front of the picketers protesting the company’s poor hiring practices. After discovering the dead body of her boss in his office, Ellice trips into a more sinister reason for her quick promotion to replace him: one she doesn’t like. As Ellice tries to uncover the truth about her boss’s death and who is involved, she stumbles upon a truth nobody can escape: your secrets never stay dead forever and those of discover them will often use them for their own purposes. . . Theme: No matter how hard you try, you cannot outrun your past; it’s better to face it than hide from it. . . #busymomreads #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #authorsofcolor #secrets #readforfun #booksof2022 #mustread #literacyweek
📚HAPPY BOOK REVIEW📚 This isn’t the type of novel I pick up. I’m more of a mystery/thriller kind of lady but I saw this at the #bookstore and couldn’t help myself. It’s such a sweet story, part how to help yourself actually live your life and part meet-cute. I’m having a difficult time categorizing the novel but just know, it’s great and definitely worth a read. 📖 . . Summary: An eccentric, lonely artist realizes the greatest moments of his life have already happened but that even people with extraordinary journeys often aren’t honest with themselves and others. The artist decides to write his truth in a small green notebook and leaves it in Monica’s Cafe. The owner finds it, adds her own entry, and leaves it in another location. As the notebook travels and more people read about the lives of others and add their own stories, fate guides them all toward Monica’s Cafe and a new chapter in all of their lives. . . Theme: taking risks can reap major rewards and set you on the path of life fulfillment. . . #busymomreads #theauthenticityproject #findhappiness #readingislife #readallthebooks #happybooks #noshelfcontrol
💫CURRENTLY READING💫 Bluebird, Bluebird by @atticalocke and it’s getting really good! In other news, my daughter went to the #bookfair at school today and got me the cutest #bookmark with an owl on it. Owls are one of my favorite animals (I even have a tattoo of one of my chest). She just so thoughtful! #busymomreads #currentlyreading #whatsonyourtbrlist #haveyoureadityet
💫Historical Fiction Review💫 Honestly, I’m not sure if this fully qualifies as historical fiction but I do like books that examine a time I never lived through. I really think it gives me a deeper understanding of older generations. . . Summary: Two years after birthing her daughter Lucy, suburban housewife Ginny Richardson realizes an awful truth: her daughter was institutionalized due to her Down syndrome in 1969. After a scathing newspaper investigation reveals the truth about the “school” her Lucy was sent to, Ginny decides to see for herself - and visit the daughter she’s only seen once. That visit sparks a rebellion: one that can end only in heartbreak or a forever reunion. . . Theme: Even the best intentions can have wide reaching roots of deceit and family secrets. . . #busymomreads #readingin2022 #historicalfiction #readingislife #readforfun #shelflife #givemeallthebooks #readmorebooks
💫MYSTERY BOOK REVIEW 💫 This was a wild ride. #NoOneWillMissHer has a great twist and reminds readers what happens when someone decides they really don’t have anything to lose so why not completely reinvent themselves? . . Summary: Lizzie can’t catch a break. She’s the black sheep of her community, so much that even the police comment on her body when she’s found dead in the lake house she rents out as a vacation home. Her husband, the one-time star QB whom everyone thinks Lizzie trapped into marrying her, is nowhere to be found. The only clue police have is who last rented the house: picture perfect social media queen Adrianne Richards, wife of a disgraced billionaire. Can police fit the pieces together or will Lizzie have to do it from beyond the grave? . . Theme: if you’re lucky in life, you can always get a second chance. . . #busymomreads #mysterybooks #betweenthepages #readingislife #cantstopreading #noshelfcontrol #book3of2022
💫I LOVE A REDEMPTION STORY . 💥warning: this book discusses suicide and suicide idealism💥 . I found this book at school and decided to give it a read. The first thing that struck me is the page that says the book is not intended for children. Considering there is a troubling suicidal idealism, I agree with the publisher on this warning. That serious topic aside, I can see how this book would lead to major discussions with students (at least juniors but most likely seniors) about doing the right thing, making smart choices, standing up for others, and taking responsibility for your actions. All of these are important lessons for teens to receive and discuss with their peers. . . Summary: Tyler has messed up and gotten himself on the narrow radar of the principal, a probation officer, and worse of all, his short-tempered father. His work release program morphed him from dork to hot bod status just in time for senior year - and in the sights of his dream girl. Too bad she’s his father’s boss’ daughter and the sister of Tyler’s biggest bully. At a party, a good decision turns into Tyler’s worst nightmare and with his reputation, he may go down for something he didn’t do. . . Theme: Even the best intentions can go bad in the wrong situation so make thoughtful choices. . #busymomreads #YAnovels #redemptionreads #flawedcharacters #readfordays #pageturner #Ilovereading #bookstagram #book2of2022
💫FIRST BOOK REVIEW OF 2022 Wow. Such a #whodunnit, such a #pageturner that I literally couldn’t stop listening to this audiobook. I listened while I set up my classroom and during my planning period, while I cooked dinner. If I could have listened in the shower, I would have. The lengths this family will go to for its reputation and status is just astounding. . Summary: After the wealthy parents of three adult children are found brutally murdered following a volatile Easter Sunday dinner, all three children are suspects and all have motive. Can police solve the case or will it take the self-perceived slighted great-aunt to cast enough doubt? Unless, of course, she’s the killer. . . Theme: Family is the tie that binds but the elasticity of that bond only stretches so far. #busymomreads #thriller #murdermysterybooks #cantstopreading #noshelfcontrol #book1of2022 #meetthatreadinggoal
💥 BEST READS OF 2021 💥 These are my top five picks for this year. I’m a bit all over the place (ya, memoir, mystery, thriller, tearjerker) but all of these books made me feel something. In no particular order: - Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson -A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins -Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner - Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand - After the Fire by Will Hill Honorable mention is Razorblade Tears by S. A. Crosby, which I haven’t reviewed yet here but was a phenomenal novel. See you next year! . . #busymomreads #45booksin2021 #readallthebooks #bookstagram #50bookgoal2022
Wow! This book was so unexpected, so captivating, I finished it in one day with time to spare. I hadn’t realized until midway through it’s part of a series (which I’m rarely a fan of) but you don’t have to have read any of the previous books to enjoy this story. -A mind blowing take of just how far family will go to protect one of its one and how far the fingers of revenge can reach. -A grandmother is brutally murdered and a young girl is kidnapped in Amish Country, leaving the detective to track the nearly untraceable to find the girl before it’s too late. . . Theme: Revenge is a bond stronger than love. . . #busymomreads #thriller #shamednovel #readingislife #45booksinayear #45bookin2021 #LindaCastillo #noshelfcontrol #booklover #readallthebooks #bookreview
What an unexpected story! I couldn’t put this book down; I just had to know what came next. @lauradaveauthor captured the teenage attitude perfectly. Her writing skills brought these characters to life, making me question everyone’s motives and truth. With a shocking twist and a poignant message about family, this novel was such a #pageturner 📚 . . Theme: The truth may set you free or collapse your entire life. . . #busymomreads #thrillerbooks #mystery #readingtime #readingislife #novellife #readdaily #booksbooksbooks
I finished this book in two days; no easy feat when it’s the holidays and you’re crazy busy. But what a beautiful story. Emotional, full of hope and the idea it’s never too late to find love or have an adventure. @adamsilvera doesn’t lie in the title, no spoiler there, but what he brings is magic on the page. A book for the ages. . . Theme: It’s never too late to begin living life to your fullest potential. . . . #busymomreads #yabookreview #yanovel #book43of2021 #bibliophile #mustreadbooks #theybothdieattheend
My book haul this 🎄 Christmas. I love that there is a mix of everything represented here. I started the Friends book already because who wouldn’t. 😊 Which books did you get? 📚 #busymomreads #christmasbooks #alliwantforchristmasisbooks #christmasbookhaul2021 #booksforchristmas #noshelfcontrol
This was a challenging read for me, mainly because it has a lot of characters and switches frequently between timeframes, which isn’t ideal when listening to an #audiobook but what a unique telling of this type of story. The reader finds themselves following the story of Girl A as an adult, years after she and her siblings escaped their parents house of horrors. Their mother died and Girl A must contact all of her estranged siblings about their mother’s estate and what to do with it. This novel touches on the elasticity of family bonds and how resilient children who live through unspeakable tragedy can be but also how they may never fully recover without some psychological damage. 📖 . . . Theme: Sometimes we must make our own happy endings when the people who are supposed to care for us the most are monsters. . . . #busymomreads #book41of2021 #bibliophile #booksarelife #noshelfcontrol #readingismagic #keepreading #bookworm #bookstagram #bookaddict #booklover #bookaholic
🎄🌟 Christmas Crafts🌟🎄I am OBSESSED with these book ornaments. I read 40 books this year and misread the directions slightly which ended in bigger mini books than the tutorial. It’s all good though; now I have two! #busymomreads #bookcrafts #christmasornaments #diychristmas #booksof2021 #40booksinayear
Any guesses as to my holiday craft? Hint: it involves a printer, scissors, and a plastic ornament. 📚 🎄 #busymomreads #bookcrafts #ornamentmaking #booksof2021 #40booksinayear #readingtime #readingmakesmehappy #readinggoals2021 #bookstagram
I’ve found myself very interested in books about other women’s stories during the past couple of years. Group by Christie Tate is one of those stories. A memoir about Tate’s extensive time in group therapy, this tome is at times dense and overwhelming and also full of heart, making me root for our author. This book is not for the faint of heart when it comes to personal journeys and romantic relationship struggles. I toggled between feeling much empathy for Tate’s story and yet also felt uneasy at the manner she displayed her emotions. I think that says more about me than her. What books have you read that made you realize a truth about yourself? 📚 #busymomreads #nonfiction #memoir #tellwomensstories #bookstagram #readallthebooks #cantstopreading #booksof2021
I had to see what all the hype was about and @writerkmc didn’t disappoint. Since I work with teenagers, immersing myself in their world can be insightful but I certainly hope none of my students are caught in a story like this. I can’t imagine going through something like this on the cusp of adulthood. How does everyone like the show based on this book? 📚 #busymomreads #yanovels #youngadultfiction #constantreader #cantstopreading #noshelfcontrol #readallthebooks #bookstagram
How super cute is the bench I stumbled upon on Black Friday outside my local Barnes & Nobles?! I love the Frog and Toad centerpiece! 🐸 🐸 Those we’re some of my favorite books as a child. 📚 What books did you enjoy reading in elementary school? #busymomreads #childrensbooks #frogandtoad #bookstagram #bookmemories #childhoodfavorites #earlychapterbooks
This novel was so good I even brought it to Thanksgiving at my in-laws to finish it! 🦃 📚 With twists and turns I never expected, @saracshepard crafts a suspenseful plot about the lengths some people will go to create the “perfect” life and be the envy of anyone who glances their way no matter from whom they have to lie, steal, and cheat. The book touches on motherhood, trans life, mental illness, and domestic abuse with stark descriptions. A well-timed read. Theme: always question anyone who makes you question yourself. #busymomreads #suspensethriller #suspensebooks #pageturner #shelflife #bookstagram #booksarelife #bookreview #readmore #readmorebooks
Happy Thanksgiving! I’m always grateful and thankful for my family and friends but often don’t think about how much I’m thankful for books, libraries, and independent bookstores. I’ve spent many a Thanksgiving as a child (and sometimes an adult) buried in a book. Enjoy your holiday! #busymomreads
The older I get, the more I seem to enjoy #yabooks- maybe it’s working with teens 🤷🏻♀️ @kimberlymccreight’s novel was deliciously fast-paced, so much so that I read it in two days (quite the feat for a busy mom & teacher). This story explores the depths of friendship and family, how far teens really will go to help those closest to them, and the twisted complications of mental illness and grief. Throw in some deceit and a #pageturner is born. Theme: Gut instinct shouldn’t be ignored; it may just save your life. #busymomreads #readingislife #noshelfcontrol #library #readmorebooks #cantstopreading
I picked up this novel after reading Whitehead’s #NickelBoys last year and once again his writing clarified that he is one of the greatest writers of his generation. Heartbreakingly graphic and well-researched, this novel explores the horrors of slavery and reimagines the hardships and fear slaves and their supporters went through. A detailed masterpiece. Theme: Historical horrors are to be studied and not erased as to avoid the mistake of reliving them. #busymomreads #bibliophile #historicalfiction #mustread #mustreadbooks #readthisbook #pageturner #readmorebooks #bookstagram
I couldn’t help but pick up @andrewtmccarthy’s memoir. He starred in so many of my favorite 80’s movies (hello Pretty in Pink’s Blaine) so I knew I needed more insight to such a private public figure. McCarthy shares the tips of the icebergs into the depth of an actor on the outskirts of the #bratpack but one never looking for that level of fame or recognition. I fully appreciate how much credit he gave to those who helped his career. Since this is non-fiction, I won’t have a theme this week but I will leave you with advice I gleaned from the book: Sometimes success falls into your lap and sometimes you have to work hard to attain it but either way, you should always appreciate it. #busymomreads #memoir #readingislife #celebritymemoir #pageturner #literarynonfiction #readingisfundamental #readingisfun
The haunts keep coming in @cjtudorauthor latest novel #TheBurningGirls which centers around a terrifying myth in a small town entrenched in family lore and religion. A slow burn (pun fully intended), this story explains what can happen when people think they can cover up their actions and erase their past. A well told, and more importantly, a must read novel. Theme: Running from one’s past won’t help you confront it. #busymomreads #pageturner #horrornovel #onemorechapter #shelfie #readstagram #bookstagram #booksaremylife #booksareessential
This is the author I aspire to be. @baparisauthor has found a way to worm into my psyche and literally make me put down a book in psychological terror and she’s done it multiple times. The Therapist tilts on end every time you’ve trusted someone to later discover you shouldn’t have or those times you’ve listened to a stranger instead of those closest to you. It confirms my suspicions that you must always have your guard up. Theme: when something is too good to be true, trust that it is and get the hell out of there. #busymomreads #pageturner #mysterybooks #suspensebooks #thrillerbooks #onemorechapter #bibliophile #shelfielife
Oh my gosh, this novel had me hooked! @andibartz crafted the most exciting tale of how friendship can become twisted. I thoroughly enjoy an unreliable narrator and I was a skeptic until the very end, never really knowing if what I was being told by the characters was truth or a manifestation in their mind. With shocking twists filling each chapter, this is a must read and a home-run pick from @reesesbookclub Theme: A friend can sometimes unveil the darkest parts of ourselves. #busymomreads #bookclubread #mysterybooks #suspense #pageturner #onemorechapter #couldntputitdown
This is one of those well-crafted stories that keep luring you in until you’re so deep you finish the book in two days. @meganlmiranda makes you question everything you think you know about these characters and this neighborhood. A fictional account of the negative and devastating consequences of jumping on the bandwagon without proof of your claim. Theme: The truth often isn’t what it seems on the surface. #busymomreads #pageturner #fallreads #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #cantputitdown
How much do you love the #bannedbooks graphic for 2021?? Such a simple design but conveying so much. Speaking of books, the library was my first solace, the first place I felt was both safe and fully understood me. I spent hours wandering the aisles, seeing what interested me, and then checking out heaps of books. It remains one of my favorite places on the planet. #busymomreads #loveyourlocallibrary #bannedbooks #bannedbooksweek #ireadbannedbooks
We’re kicking off Banned Books Week 2021 with the list from 2020. Each day this week I will post facts surrounding banning books in America. To start with, how many of the books on this list have you read? I’ve read 6/10. #busymomreads #bannedbooksweek #readingislife #readtounderstand #readtoempathize #readtoconnect
Imagine going on an annual vacation and someone in your group is murdered but as the reader, you’re learning both who was murdered and the murderer in real time, just like the characters. As I listened to this #audiobook through teacher preplanning, I found myself less invested as usual but still very intrigued to discover who was killed and who was the killer. I typically like Lucy Foley but this wasn’t her best story, in my opinion. Theme: We cannot control who people truly are and should they be dishonest, they may tell us in the worst way. #busymomreads #bibliophile #reading #noshelfcontrol #pageturner #firstfallread #fallreading
This memoir was gut wrenching in the author’s portrayal of grief in the wake of her mother’s death as well as a love story of accepting one’s culture and self. Such a beautiful gift in honor of a mother’s life. Plus it turned me on to the band Japanese Breakfast @jbrekkie which author Michelle Zauner fronts. Definitely read this one. Theme: No matter how hard you try to run, you are always tied to your parents, heritage and culture. #busymomreads #lastbookofthesummer #summerreads #pageturner #memoir #Korean