"Before Anne After"

Before Anne After by James R. Paddock

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


LOVED this book!! I read it free on my Kindle Fire through Amazon Prime's Lending Library and it ROCKED! This is a science fiction book about time travel. It is soooo much more, though. I loved the character of Anne Waring. She could seriously be my hero. What a strong woman! The book grabs ahold of you and is impossible to put down. Seriously- it is worth more than most full-price books out there. The fact that I read it for free is just a bonus. AND- as if that's not enough, I found out today that the author who wrote this in 2003 (don't quote me there... I am pretty sure that's the year...) JUST wrote a sequel in 2011!! It is one that I am super excited to read. So glad I happened upon this great book!



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Promise Me

Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Loved this RPE book!! I usually love his books, so this may not come as a surprise. I thought it was a venture away from what he usually writes. He was very careful in this writing. He pulled off a supernatural genre while staying true to who he is. Lovely job!



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Henrietta Lacks

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Great true story of a woman who changed modern medicine for just about everybody who is living today. I thoroughly enjoyed the way this book was written. Easy to read and a page-turner. What a winner in my book!



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The Book of Tomorrow

The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Really cute story by an author who is moving up my list. She has done books that have turned into movies, and is simply very girly and wonderful! This particular book held my interest as I wanted to know how the protagonist would end up (and who she would end up with!!) Great read for a light-hearted girly book.



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Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Loved this book. This was one of my favorite books I've read in awhile. The characters were so real to me that I didn't want to finish the book because I didn't want my "relationship" with the characters to end. I forced myself to finish the book today because my book club meets tonight and I am in charge of leading the discussion on this book. Will Tweedy came alive to me and Rucker struck a chord with me as well. I love the way the author develops the characters.



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Left Neglected

Left Neglected by Lisa Genova

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Pretty good. It did leave me wondering what would happen to the family throughout the story. Also, I was surprised at the meaning behind the title of the book. I didn't read the jacket before I picked it up because it was recommended through a friend. I would venture to say that if you liked "Still Alice" then you would like this book equally as well.



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The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I LOVE this author. I just couldn't really get into this book. I ended up skimming the last 75 pages or so. Honestly, I didn't really care what happened to this people. Blah... Try again Anita Diamant!!



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The Secret Life Of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Loved this book! The author did a fantastic job of keeping your interest. Hghly recommend to friends and family!!!



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Sweet Love by Sarah Strohmeyer

Sweet Love by Sarah Strohmeyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I seriously LOVE this author!!I have read all her books except the "Fortunate WIves" and the "Bubbles" series. She reminds me of Emily Giffin "Something Borrowed" author. Her way of writing is so clear and fun to read. She is definitely chic lit, but with a little more substance in my opinion. Anyone wanting a good fast chic lit read, I highly recommend this book!



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I'm Back...

Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women by Geraldine Brooks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Great intellectual read. I was unaware of the majority of Muslim practices regarding women. This was very eye-opening.



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Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Great ending to a great series. Would recommend to anyone!!



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These Is My Words by Nancy E. Turner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Great read. Not typically my kind of book, however, I am glad I read it. I recommend it to people who really like pioneer stories, love stories, historical fiction, or Christian lit. The love story was great.

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Book Blog Questionnaire!!

1) Do you snack while you read? If so, what is your favorite reading snack?
- I would have to say lightly salted cashew halves. They are great protein and super yummy!!
2) What is your favorite drink while reading?
- Water bottle with Lemonade flavored Crystal Light...
3) Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
- I usually post my books for trade on a website called "PaperbackSwap.com" and so I generally do not write in them.
4) How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?
- I bought a $10 bookmark at Barnes & Noble that is a ribbon with a fleur-de-lis on one side and my initial on the other side. I ALWAYS use this bookmark!!
5) Fiction, Non-fiction, or Both?
- I tend to read way more fiction, hence the title of my blog....but I enjoy parenting books, biographies, and self-help as well.
6) Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?
- I have three kids under 8!! I can stop anywhere!!!
7) Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?
-Um...NO! Do people really do that? Get a grip!
8) What are you currently reading?
- "The Postmistress" by Sarah Blake
9) What is the last book you bought?
- Actually, I "bought" seven books today from the library sale. The cool part is that I had "library bucks" to cover the cost. It's a summer reading program they have here. One of those books was, "Something Blue" by Emily Giffen.
10) Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one?
- I can't read more than one book at a time...unless one of them is non-fiction.
11) Do you have a favorite place/time to read?
- I LOVE to read at night in my bed.
12) Do you prefer series books or stand alone?
- I actually like both. If I have a lot of books to read, then I don't enjoy reading series books. However, if there is not a lot out there to catch my interest, a series of books is a great way to pass the time!!
13) Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?
- When people ask about my favorite book of all time, it would be "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. If people are in a girly fun mood, I suggest anything by Sarah Strohmeyer. I just love her writing style and her humor!!
14) How do you organize your books? (Genre, title, author's last name, etc.)
- I have one bookcase with four shelves. I organize them by author's last name.

Among the Hidden

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Great series of books that are YA. I would let my 8 yr. old read these. In fact, I might force her to read these so we can have a book to discuss. This is the first in a series called "The Shadow Children." The author did a great job with this book and for some reason it reminds me of "The Hunger Games" series... only for younger readers. I want to get the next in the series and see what develops. The story line is amazing!!!

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Little Bee

Little Bee by Chris Cleave


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
WOW!! That is all I can say about this book. It definitely makes you think, "What would I do in that situation?" This is my type of book- all the way. Great character development and wonderful "relationship" book. The only thing I didn't care for was a few f-bombs.

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The Last Song

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a good book. Before I got to around pg 100, I couldn't stand Ronnie, the main character. After a little way in- the character changes and you find out why she has the attitude problem. It makes it a bit more tolerable, however, I still think she is a brat. The ending was appropriate and a bit predictable. I really like the spiritual aspect of this book. I read it a week before Easter and really enjoyed reading it around Easter time. Defintiely read this book before seeing the movie. I haven't seen it yet, but I can imagine it being good. I always find the books better than the movies though. Heads up- this is a tearjerker. I recommend a box of Kleenex towards the end. You'll need it!

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The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Loved this book! Totally unique from anything else I've read. It did remind me of Total Drama Island a bit, but only in really funny ways. Other than that- totally unique. What a great writing style. Easy to read. Easy to pick up where you left off. Hard to put down!!! I highly recommend this book to everyone. If you live in a bubble and haven't read it yet- please do. You'll be glad you did!

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To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is definitely not a quick read. It took me a long time to get through it. However, I am not sure whether it is because I didn't want it to end or if it was poorly written. A classic- definitely. A favorite? Not necessarily. Although I found it interesting, it was just too slow for me to really call it a favorite. Definitely a must read though. How can you not read a classic?

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50 Rules

50 Rules Kids Won't Learn in School: Real World Antidotes to Feel-Good Education by Charles J. Sykes


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. I randomly picked it up from the library one day when I was in the mood for a self-help book. I found this one very entertaining and all so true. I plan on reading this book with my children once they are a bit older. I think all children would benefit from this book and it's "rules."

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The Cinderella Pact

The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Cute book. I actually liked her other book, "The Penny-Pincher's Club" better, but this one was fun too. It has to do with weight-loss in a comical sense as well as deceit, love, romance, etc. Definitely recommend this book for anyone wanting a light read and a hearty laugh.

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