A Strange Companion by Lisa Manterfield
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kat is a student at university but she doesn't get back home much. Her boyfriend, Gabe, died unexpectedly nearly two years ago so it's hard for her to go back and face all of the memories that come from being where the two of them shared their lives together. When her brother brings home his adopted daughter Kat finds herself back home for a few weeks. The strange thing is she feels a connection to her new niece, Mai, and thinks she could be Gabe reincarnated.

Yes, I said reincarnated but don't give up yet!

This is a story of a young girl learning to handle her grief rather than a paranormal adventure story. Readers who have lost anyone in their lives should find some comfort in Kat's story. There's more than one way to handle the death of a loved one and Lisa Manterfield shows that it's not always going to be graceful.

I enjoyed the characters in this story. Kat's family were interesting and added depth to this story. I may have teared up a time or two, but this won't be a book to sob over.

My reading of this book was really enhanced by Once Upon A Book Club. If you've never heard of them be sure to check them out here. They include gifts (but don't open them until the correct page number!) that really make the story come to life. It's such a cool, unique reading experience and I recommend you give it a whirl!

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The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme Simsion
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Graeme Simsion wrote The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect. I loved both of these book and was looking for more of the same. Unfortunately this book was a miss for me. Three stars is a bit much, but there were some parts that I liked and I do enjoy Simsion's writing, so I'm rounding up.

In this new book Adam meets Angelina while he's traveling the for work. He winds up spending a lustful six weeks with her and manages to fall madly in love. As he must continue his work abroad they separate and twenty years pass. Adam has spent a long time in a loving partnership with Claire when suddenly Angelina contacts Adam. The past comes rushing back to him and the books is about what happens.

Adam and Angelina's relationship seems to be nothing more than passion, alcohol, and hormones. I didn't really enjoy either of these two characters nor did I see the deep love they had for each other. True, they are flawed and fairly believable characters. However, I had trouble caring about their story. The second half of this book is disturbing at best. It was tough to read and enjoy.

One element of this story that stood out was the great music throughout the story. There's even a complete playlist on Spotify that readers can enjoy while they're following this story. The music choices were pretty great and has a little something for everyone.

I hope to find another installment of Rosie's story soon, but I won't be revisiting Adam and Angelina's tale again.

What's the best love story you've read recently? Comment below!

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Marlena by Julie Buntin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a story of two young girls who become fast friends during their high school years. Within a year one of them is dead. This isn't a mystery or a thriller. Instead it's a tribute to an intense relationship between two best friends.

The story is told from Cat's point of view during two different time periods - the year she knew Marlena and a day in the present. The back and forth showed how much one person or one event could shape the rest of one's life.

Each of the characters are flawed and in major ways. It would be easy to say they're each unlikable in their own way. However this book was written well, and provides readers with a very realistic, believable story.

Do you enjoy reading about flawed characters? Who are your favorites? Comment below!

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My Life with Bob: Flawed Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues by Pamela Paul
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This newest book by Pamela Paul started of strong and fizzled a bit for this reader. Paul has kept a journal of sorts during the last almost 30 years. This Book of Books (or Bob) tells of her reading life which also happens to tell the story of her actual life.

There was a podcast from Book Riot a couple of years ago called Reading Lives. Host Jeff O'Neal spent about an hour with each guest asking about the books they read when they were young, how they came by books, what books they feel are underappreciated, etc. This book starts off with a similar style as Paul shares with readers what it was like growing up as a dedicated reader. (Can anyone contact Jeff O'Neal and ask him to start this podcast back up? I LOVED it and miss it completely.)

Towards the middle of the book a lot of the memoir focuses on travels abroad and early relationships. The books she read along the way are woven in, but I had hoped for more about the books à la the Reading Lives podcast and less about her world travels.

Paul's writing is engaging and though my TBR list didn't grow the way I had anticipated before I cracked this book's spine, I will be happy to seek out her book reviews in the future.

What made you become a reader? Comment below!

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My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Chick lit is not always my first choice, but I always (nearly always) get such enjoyment out of Sophie Kinsella's books. This was a really fun book to read.

Each of her characters are goofy, big-hearted, and easy to root for. In this book Katie Brenner has left the country and moved to London. She's got a glamorous life and works in branding. Well - she wants a glamorous life anyway. What she's got is a really long commute, a tiny apartment, and a tight budget. Still, she has a positive attitude as things at work begin to go a little off course.

Kinsella's writing had me laughing out loud. Katie finds herself in more than one Lucy and Ethel type of moment. This is a great book if you're looking for something light and fun. A perfect book to take to the beach this summer!

What's your favorite Sophie Kinsella book? Comment below!

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Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great book! The story is so good it should be fiction, but it's not. Louie is really an inspiring character and his story is one that will stay with me for a long time.

Louie Zamperini was a great athlete whose Olympic potential was halted by WWII. After suffering a crash he endures a long stay on a life boat with almost no provisions. This part of his story, the bravery and ability to overcome, was incredible. However, the story doesn't end there. Louie is final rescued from the life boat, only to be held as a POW in Japan. The terrible abuse he suffered there will make readers cringe, but his positive attitude and resilience is unbelievable.

There are so many other stories included in this wonderful book, the stories of other men who served in the military with Louie. There are some happy endings along with some tragic ones. This story left nothing to the imagination and even describes the terrible suffering Louie goes through after the completion of the war.

This is a must read! I watched the movie after finishing the book, and it stayed very true to the story, though it did leave out some details. Great movie to follow a book that I had trouble putting down.

Have you seen the movie or read the book? What did you think? Leave your comments below!

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The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for providing this copy to me. The following is my honest review.

Good book for gamers, young adult fans, readers nostalgic for the 80s, or readers looking for an easy read that's hard to put down. There are quite a few laughs along the way.

I could be critical of a few things in the book, but the story sucked me in and let me forget any minor complaint that may have come up. There were a couple of twists that I wasn't expecting. The characters are memorable, and I would like to read about them in a sequel.

I wanted to pass this book on to my young teenager, since the main characters are close to his age (and I'm fairly sure he'd love it). I hesitate because of some of the language, discussions of sex, and certain actions of the characters. It's not awful for the right young reader, but parents should be aware of what's in here before giving it to an impressionable kid.

What did you think? Would you let your teen read this book? Add your comments below!

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Excavation: A Memoir by Wendy C. Ortiz
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was tough for me to read. Wendy is 13 years old when she first meets Mr. Ivers, her English teacher. He's more than twice her age. And it doesn't take long for them to begin a relationship. An unhealthy relationship.

Wendy was a wild child growing up during the late 80s. Her parents divorced, her mom drank, and it would seem she was able to take any risk that could possibly be presented to a young person. I'm certain my preteen years were sheltered compared to Wendy's which may not make me the best reader for this memoir. This entire book (view spoiler)[ (sex with a teacher, drugs, drunken driving, cheating, lies, verbally abusive relationship) (hide spoiler)] was far from informative, enjoyable, or halfway pleasant to read.

It seems Wendy Ortiz is a talented writing. Unfortunately I didn't care much for her subject matter. A relationship, particularly one that isn't very loving, is often only interesting for the two people in the relationship. I had trouble finding any interest in the relationship that was presented in these pages.

What did you think of this book? Add your comments below!

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