What I’m Reading: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

What I’m reading this week:  The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by [V. E. Schwab]

This book was recommended to me from a friend.  And then I started seeing people online review it – which I quickly escape from to avoid any spoilers – AND then I started seeing it show up in my great magazine pile.  I knew that I needed to pick it up and see what all of the brouhaha was about.

You can quickly read what the book is about in the simple synopsis below if you want; but what I want to mention is the writing.  This book is lovely.  It’s slow, sometimes plodding, but magical at the same time.  The actual story is what drew me in with this book.  Not the plot, since you know what that is from the very beginning, but Addie’s story.


The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.  via


A good story is hard to find in my opinion and this book delivers one in spades.  There are twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, and the ending was fantastic, if slightly predictable.  But the story is wonderful.  I’ll definitely reread this one and these days, there are few books that make me say that.

Have you read it?  I’d loved to know what you thought!

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You can find all of the other books I’ve read this year here!Ello I'm Just a Book Worm - Bookmark

What are you reading right now?  I am always looking for another great book to read.

What I’m Reading: The Awakening

What I’m reading this week:  The Awakening by Nora RobertsThe Awakening: The Dragon Heart Legacy, Book 1 (The Dragon Heart Legacy, 1) Hardcover – November 24, 2020

A brand new book and a new series, by Nora Roberts.  It was a good weekend.  Now I’m very sad because I have to wait for the other two to come out.

I always enjoy reading her books, but I am going to tell you that I particularly LOVED this one.  I loved everything about it.  I loved the storyline, the setting, her writing as usual and I especially loved the characters.

In the realm of Talamh, a teenage warrior named Keegan emerges from a lake holding a sword—representing both power and the terrifying responsibility to protect the Fey. In another realm known as Philadelphia, a young woman has just discovered she possesses a treasure of her own…via

Just a few words to explain why you should read this book if you aren’t committed to it yet:   Dragons, Ireland, Fey, Portals to other worlds, Magic, and there is a puppy.  If those words don’t intrigue you enough to want to pick this book up, I don’t know if I can help you.  But I’ll try.

Have you read it?  I’d loved to know what you thought!


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You can find all of the other books I’ve read this year here!The Skye Boat Song Mug Inspired By Jamie Fraser Outlander Season Series TV Show Book Claire Merchandise (11oz, white)

What are you reading right now?  I am always looking for another great book to read.

What I’m Reading: Where the Crawdads Sing

What I’m reading this week: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

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The story follows two timelines that slowly intertwine. The first timeline describes the life and adventures of a young girl named Kya as she grows up isolated in the marsh of North Carolina from 1952–1969. The second timeline follows a murder investigation of Chase Andrews, a local celebrity of Barkley Cove, a fictional coastal town of North Carolina. via.

WARNING:  This link will lead you to MANY spoilers!


This book has been on my wait list for quite a while.  I finally picked it up this past weekend and read it in two days.  I liked this book.  I LOVED the sections that encompass Kya as a child.  The writing and the descriptions reminded me of The Clan of the Cave Bear which is one of my favorite – of all time – books.

The consensus on goodreads seems to be split down the middle with people who loved, loved, loved this book and people who absolutely hated it.  And I understand why.  I’m trying to tread very carefully here, because I don’t want to give any spoilers away.  Agatha Christie is just about the only author who has ever led my mind on a merry chase and kept me guessing up until the last page ~ literally!  So it didn’t surprise me that I guessed the ending of the book before I got there.  This didn’t upset me, because I was enjoying the writing so much.  Apparently I’m in the minority on this one.

What I’m trying to say is, you should read this book.  You may or may not guess the ending, but guessing the ending isn’t why I read.  I read to be immersed in another world, to be transported into someone else, and to learn things that I will more than likely never experience any other way.  This book did all of those things for me.  And I repeat, her descriptive writing is astounding and beautiful.

Have you read it?  I’d loved to know what you thought!


Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

 

You can find all of the other books I’ve read this year here!

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What are you reading right now?  I am always looking for another great book to read.

What I’m Reading: Snow Falling on Cedars

What I’m reading this week:  Snow Falling on Cedars

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Set on the fictional San Piedro Island in the northern Puget Sound region of the state of Washington coast in 1954, the plot revolves around a murder case in which Kabuo Miyamoto, a Japanese American, is accused of killing Carl Heine, a respected fisherman in the close-knit community.  via

Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson

Snow Falling on Cedars Paperback – Unabridged, September 26, 1995 by David Guterson (Author)

I originally picked up this book because of its setting.  I am very drawn to the Pacific Northwest.  The weather, the landscape, the sea with the old growth forests, it all just soothes me.  Did I mention the weather?  Any time that I can read more about it I will.

I didn’t know what to think of this book.  It’s a number one bestseller, but by the reviews on goodreads, you would never know that.  A lot of people did NOT like this book.  However, I am not most people, and I generally don’t give a flying fig about what other people think.  So there is that.

I really liked this book.  I wouldn’t say that I loved it, but I REALLY liked it.  It’s slow.  Not plodding, but slow in that it makes you want to stop and think about what you’ve just read for a little while before you find out what’s going to happen next.

It’s sad.  It’s not going to make you sob into your pillow all night, but just the situation that all of the main characters are in is hideous.  Knowing that we as a nation rounded up 120,000 people and put them into concentration camps on American soil isn’t light reading and not really what this book is about.  Or is it?  And if you are going to send me a quick little note to say that NO, NO they weren’t concentration camps, they were in internment camps…..Don’t bother.  Most of them were second and even third generation Americans.  Also – if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you should definitely read this book.

If you are still with me after that little tirade, I felt that this was a beautifully written book about a terrible subject that everyone needs to read.  Although I think that my next book will be a wild and rollicking comedy.

Have you read it?  I’d loved to know what you thought!


You can find all of the other books I’ve read this year here!

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What are you reading right now?  I am always looking for another great book to read.

What I’m Reading: The Searcher

What I’m reading this week:  The Searcher by Tana French

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Last year was a difficult year for me reading-wise.  If I actually think it through, I’ve had a couple of difficult years with reading.  Nothing was holding my attention.  I feel like I’ve stated this more than once.  Until I picked up this book.  I won’t leave you in suspense.  I LOVED this book.  I had never read a book by Tana French, but I have her on my to be read list now and I plan to burn through all of her work.  

Hayden asked me why I picked this one up from the library.  Just reading the synopsis generally wouldn’t have made me want to read it.

Retired detective Cal Hooper moves to a remote village in rural Ireland. His plans are to fix up the dilapidated cottage he’s bought, to walk the mountains, to put his old police instincts to bed forever.

Then a local boy appeals to him for help. His brother is missing, and no one in the village, least of all the police, seems to care. And once again, Cal feels that restless itch.

Something is wrong in this community, and he must find out what, even if it brings trouble to his door. via

But I kept coming across this book over and over.  People kept saying that “You HAVE to read this”.  And they were right.  This book kept me in a very slight state of anxiety – IN A GOOD WAY – throughout it.  I couldn’t wait to abandon all of my responsibilities for the day, just so I could get back to it.  Again, I LOVED it.

That summary does not do this book justice.  I can’t wait to read another one of her books.

Have you read it?  I’d loved to know what you thought!


The Searcher by Tana French

The Searcher: A Novel by [Tana French]

 

You can find all of the other books I’ve read this year here!Harry Potter Books Set #1-7 in Collectible Trunk-Like Toy Chest Box, Decorative Stickers Included by Harry Potte

What are you reading right now?  I am always looking for another great book to read.

What I’m Reading: Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki

What I’m reading this week:  Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki

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I have read many, many books on decluttering over the years.  I’ve also read quite a few about minimalism.  I want to start this conversation with the statement that I don’t want to become a minimalist.  I have no intention of ever living with a bare minimum of anything.  However, there were so many things that resonated within me as I read this book.

A quick and possibly inaccurate recap of this book is that Fumio Sasaki became overwhelmed with his life and basically gave away or sold everything he owned.  Literally.  He said it freed him in ways that he never anticipated.

As I have culled my possessions over the past nine or so years I understand that freedom that he must have felt.  When I’ve gotten rid of the excess things that I truly did not care for and absolutely didn’t need and just have the things that I love and need surrounding me, it’s so calming.  There are a few places in my home that I’ve actually accomplished this and it makes me want to continue to pare down the rest to have that feeling everywhere in my house.

I highly recommend this book not only for the motivation it will give you to get rid of all the things you don’t need or want, but also for the gems that are hidden throughout the book.  And there are a LOT of them.  One of them is that you will NOT miss anything that you get rid of.  I absolutely agree.  I have been scrutinizing and discarding my belongings for almost a decade now and I have not regretted one single thing that I’ve gotten rid of.  If you are frozen and don’t know where to start, and I’ve been there, this book will help you with getting started.  Highly recommend.


Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki

Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism Hardcover – Illustrated, April 11, 2017

 

You can find all of the other books I’ve read this year here!

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What are you reading right now?  I am always looking for another great book to read.

What I’m Reading: Kiersten White-And I Darken,  Now I Rise, and Bright We Burn

What I’m reading this week:  Kiersten White-And I Darken,  Now I Rise, and Bright We BurnAbibliophobia - Funny Reading Bookworm Reader Gift T-Shirt

No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwyla likes it that way.

Ever since she and her brother were abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman sultan’s courts, Lada has known that ruthlessness is the key to survival.  via


Liv and I stopped at a couple of yard sales last weekend and while we were there we found this trilogy of books.  I asked her if I could read them first, when she gave me a pained look and finally conceded.  Her reading list is longer than mine.  ahem.

I had never heard of this author, but I can never resist a beautiful binding or a cover on a book. The covers on these books is truly spectacular.  I know the old adage, and I would never discount a book because it isn’t beautiful, but they do draw my eye when they are lovely.

The first thing I do when I know practically nothing about an era that I’ll be reading about is to find the area on a map.  I need to be able to picture where we are.  I have travelled the world through books.  It’s a wonderful way to see the world.

I thought that the first book was good.  Not spectacular, not horrible.  I just thought it was a good book, well written, with an interesting plot line.

But the second book was spectacular.  I really liked Now I Rise.  The third book was excellent too.  I know that I will reread them at some point, after I can wrench them away from Olivia.  I didn’t want the series to end, so I will definitely look for her other books to satisfy that craving.  Hopefully they will stand up as well!


And I Darken by Kiersten White

And I Darken by [Kiersten White]

Now I Rise by Kiersten White

Now I Rise (And I Darken Book 2) by [Kiersten White]

Bright We Burn by Kiersten White

Bright We Burn (And I Darken Book 3) by [Kiersten White]

 

You can find all of the other books I’ve read this year here!

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What are you reading right now?  I am always looking for another book to read.

What I’m Reading

What I’m reading this week: Having Fun Isn't Hard When You've Got a Library Card Book Premium T-Shirt

So.  I have been all over the place lately with what I’ve been reading.  How about you?  I’ll pick up a book, start it, get a couple of chapters in and drop it to pick up something else to do the same thing – over and over again.

It’s not that the books aren’t great either.  I learned a long time ago that if I get a hundred pages into a book and it’s just not working, to give in and give it up.  Maybe I’ll try it again when I’m in a different mood or mind frame.  But this isn’t the case with the books I’ve been picking up lately.  I just get so easily distracted by the things around me.

The only books that are a comfort to me right now are things that I’ve read before and loved.  You know my ongoing love of Nora Roberts books.  They always soothe my mind.  I know what I’m in for when I pick one up.

Yet again I’m changing how I tell you about the books that I’m reading.  This week I’m just going to fill you in on all of the books I’ve picked up and started – and plan to finish because they truly are fantastic – and I’ll keep you posted on how long it actually takes my fatigued brain to finish them.

First up:  Atomic Habits by James Clear

Atomic Habits Paperback – January 1, 2018 by James Clear (Author)

I’ve had this book on my nightstand for weeks and I’ll read a little bit here and there.  It is FANTASTIC.  I’m sort of immersing myself in this one.  I don’t want to actually miss something.  I’ve already gone back over the first chapter and reread it, so it may take awhile for me to finish this.

Shadows in Death by J. D. Robb

Shadows in Death: An Eve Dallas Novel by [J. D. Robb]

It was a happy day when I picked up my new list of to be read books from the library and I found this one in the pile.  I hadn’t realized that it was available, so I took them all home and lost myself in the future with Eve Dallas.  It was lovely, as always.

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life Paperback – April 23, 2013 by Jen Sincero (Author)

I added this one to my list from the recommendation of Megan from Love Meg.  I’ve watched her channel from the beginning when she lived in a doublewide in North Carolina and have truly loved watching her grow and live her best life.  She highly recommended this book which made me want to read it.

Educated by Tara Westover

Educated: A Memoir by [Tara Westover]

This book has been on so many people’s must read list for a couple of years now, I wanted to see what all of the hype was about.  The only way I could get my hands on a copy was audio book – not my favorite way to read a book – but I requested it earlier this summer.  I managed to get a third of the way through it before it returned itself, but I was very drawn in by the story she tells.  I really want to read the hardcover edition without the influence of the narrator, so I’ll wait until I can borrow this one.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give Hardcover – February 28, 2017 by Angie Thomas (Author)

This is another one that I didn’t get to finish before it had to go back.  I’m definitely going to borrow it again to finish it, but I do have to say that it was hard for me to read.  Not for the reason that you’re thinking.  I remember when Hayden was about fourteen and we were at the beach.  One thing that we’ve always bought as souvenirs is books.  Yes, we are weird and we like it that way.

He was on a John Green kick that summer; he bought his entire collection and he asked me to read one of the books after he finished it.  I ended up reading three of them I believe and I felt the same way reading this book.  There is a reason that teens and preteens LOVE John Green’s books.  He gets them.  He remembers all of the feelings, emotions, the angst – all the FEELS that you have when you are that age.   Angie Thomas pulls that out too, and it’s so uncomfortable to read for me.  I tell Denton all the time, you couldn’t pay me a million dollars to go back and live those years again.  Just the sheer emotion that flows through teenagers makes me shiver to think about it.

All of that to say she is a compelling writer and I definitely want to finish it.  I just hate being drawn into that mindset.  No, I wasn’t bullied in school, I guess you could say I was popular; at least I knew everyone in the school by name, but that wasn’t hard to do in the small school I grew up in.  There were about 300 of us total.  It’s just the total out of control feeling that I felt all of my teenage years, I suppose.  Hello – control freak speaking here.  And now that I have waaaaayyyy overexplained as usual, I’m going to stop myself now.  Sigh.


I know there are a lot more books that I haven’t told you about this year, but I felt weird telling you about them since I hadn’t finished many of them.  How about you?  Are you plowing through the books at a rapid pace or are you bouncing around like a ping pong ball like me?  Inquiring minds want to know.

You can find all of the other books I’ve read this year here!akeke Literary Book Lover Quotes Vintage Dictionary Wall Art Print Decor Gift for Book Lover 8x10 Unframed

What are you reading right now?  I am always looking for another book to read.

My Favorite Books: The Bone Clocks

My Favorite Books: The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell

The Bone Clocks: A Novel by [David Mitchell]

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I started this book in December of 2018.  Yeeeaahhh.

I got about a third of the way through and put it down one night where it sat on my nightstand for more than a year.  Which is a crying shame now that I’ve picked it up and finished it.  This is an amazing book.

Hayden is the one who recommended it to me, but as always he asked me to go into the book completely blind.  Which I have discovered that I hate.  He loves to read this way.  I however need to know at least what the story is about so that I don’t flounder around trying to figure out what’s going on.  Which is why I put this book down the first time.

I am never one to give out spoilers, so I’m going to give you fair warning now:

!!!!POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD!!!!

This entire book is about Holly.  That’s all I’m going to say.  When you get past the first few chapters you will understand why I told you that, but just go get the book and start reading.  It’s excellent.  David Mitchell has an extraordinary way with words that I love.  It makes me want to read more of his work, especially since I didn’t like the Cloud Atlas movie.  Sigh.


Have you read this book?  Do you have it in your own home library?  What was your opinion?  I LOVE it.  Let me know!

You can find all of the books I’ve read this year here.

You can find all of my FAVORITE books here.

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Have you ever seen one of these?!?  I think I just might need one of them in my life….

What are you reading right now? I am always on the lookout for another book to reaThe One with All the Recipes: An Unofficial Cookbook for Fans of Friends Hardcover – September 18, 2018

 

My Favorite Books: In Death Series

Before we dive into the books, I wanted to say that I hesitated to send out my normal posts this week.  My heart is so heavy.  I want you to know that my prayers are with you.  Our world is in chaos and everything seems to hurt right now.  But, I also know that you may need just a little bit of distraction to ease the pain, so I decided to send them out as planned.  Please stay well and be kind.  I miss Mr. Rogers more than ever these days.


 

My Favorite Books:  In Death Series by J. D. Robb

In Death J D Robb

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Vintage Reading Book Bookmarks Quitters Sunset Gift T-ShirtIn 1995, the year that Denton and I married, a new author came out with a book that I devoured in a day.  Naked in Death was an instant hit with me.  The fiftieth book (Golden in Death) came out in February of this year and I finally got my hands on a copy of it today!  So if you need me, I’ll be hiding in my bedroom for the next two days.

I’ve read this series multiple times over the years and it never gets old for me.  It’s like sitting down with an old friend, which is exactly what I’ve needed lately.  Books are matchless when you just need to get away from reality for a little while.

Just in case you’ve lived under a rock like I do sometimes and you’ve never heard of this series (it’s possible!), here is a short summary:

The …in Death series of novels and short stories are written by Nora Roberts under her pseudonym J. D. Robb. Set in a mid-21st-century New York City, they feature NYPSD (“New York City Police and Security Department”) lieutenant Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke. The stories also regularly feature other characters, including Captain Ryan Feeney, Detective Delia Peabody, Detective Ian McNab and Dr. Charlotte Mira.  (via)

Have you read this series?  Do you have it in your own home library?  What was your opinion?  I LOVE it.  Let me know!

You can find all of the books I’ve read this year here.

You can find all of my FAVORITE books here.TILISMA Book Page Holder -Handmade Natural Walnut Thumb Bookmark

Have you ever seen one of these?!?  I think I just might need one of them in my life….

What are you reading right now? I am always on the lookout for another book to read.