Second Chapter Reads

I know I'm a few years behind on reading this one, so many of you have probably already read A Man Called Ove.  If you have put this book on your "to read" shelf and forgotten about it, I demand that you take it down, dust it off, and read it at once.  **Side note: Ove is pronounced "oo-vuh" I had to look it up. I will say, it took me a few chapters to fully attach myself to the book, but there was a moment where I was sitting in the hallway of a public dance school while my son was in class. I was reading this book and had to put it down, because I was about to full on start weeping in front of all of these random people I don't know!  This book got to me. I have a soft spot for grumpy old men. I married a grumpy man. They are fiercely loyal and utterly loveable. The writing in this book is unbelievably good. There is a chapter when he talks about the friendship between Ove and another old man, Rune, and why the friendship ended. BUT, he does it...

Oh. My. Gosssshhhhhh. You guys. I finished this book a week ago and I am still reeling. You know I love me a good suspense thriller novel, but even more specifically, give me all the psychological  thrillers. Is that weird? I just think it is brilliant when a book can totally mess with my mind. If you agree... stop everything you are doing and go find a copy of Behind Her Eyes  by Sarah Pinborough. Shook. Mindblown. What just happened?! I pride myself on usually being able to guess a twist before it happens and I thought I had this book all figured out. The twists are neverending and amazing. But. That LAST CHAPTER!!! I think my jaw dropped to the floor! I don't like giving anything away, so no spoilers, but I need everyone to go and read it. After you do, come back and message me because you will be freaking out. Promise.

Today I bring you the 5 apps that every reader needs! Are you super attached to your paperbacks? Do you love books, but feel like you're spending too much money on your favorite reads? Did you know that you can check out ebooks and audiobooks for FREE from your library and have them available on your eReader AND phone?! Do you wish someone knew your taste in books well enough to give you AWESOME recommendations? What you need to begin: a smart phone, an eReader/ tablet (my favorite is the Kindle), and a library card! Seriously, if you don't have a library card, you need to stop reading right now and GO GET ONE!!! The Kindle App Whether or not you have a Kindle, you should be able to download the Kindle app. It stores all of your ebooks. It allows you to change the reading settings, size of font, color of font, etc. My favorite part, though, is that I can read an eBook on my Kindle, and then later if I pick up my phone and open my Kindle App, it goes to the exact pag...

I decided to choose my next read from The New York Times Bestseller List. "The Dutch House" by Ann Patchett has been sitting in the top five of the list for a few weeks now. I then found it on the "Most Wanted" shelf at my library and decided to see what the fuss was about. The summary on the cover of the book was vague and didn't make much sense, so I won't give you a summary. This is one of those books about humanity, about people, about relationships, about family. The book is described as a fairytale, but I'm not really sure I would describe it that way. The book is narrated by the brother or the son, Danny. I have to note that it is always interesting to have a male narrator written by a female. It makes me wonder if this is really how he would have seen his own story and why Ann Patchett didn't tell the story from Maeve's point of view instead. However, in doing the narration this way, because Danny is telling Maeve's story, too, it...

#1 on my thriller countdown... my VERY favorite Thriller... Before I Go to Sleep  by SJ Watson. This one will knock your socks off, y'all! Before I Go to Sleep  is about a woman called Christine who wakes up every morning with no memory of who she is. Through labeled pictures and the help of her husband, every day she pieces together her life and learns of the accident that made her this way. You will like this book if: ✔ losing all memory of your life is scary ✔ you like an unconventional mystery ✔ you want to be left guessing until the very last sentence ✔ you like a good page turner ✔ you want a book sure to keep you up at night I found this book on complete accident when I was actually looking for Before I Fall  by Lauren Oliver (also very good). I still have not seen the movie based on this book, because, let's be real, the book is always better. This is an awesome thrill ride that will have you rooting for Christine as she fights to figure out what is real...

I have been reading a TON of thrillers the past few weeks to see if there was one out there that should be on my Thriller Countdown list. My criteria for choosing a book to read is usually that it was a New York Times Bestseller, it has close to a four star review, and I read the reviews by other authors and book critics (the short blurbs on the back cover). This book was mentioned more than once as "unputdownable" and was recommended again and again on all of my book apps, SO... #2 on my Thriller Countdown to Halloween is: The Couple Next Door  by Shari Lapena. This is a novel about a couple whose baby daughter goes missing while they are at a dinner party next door. As the case unravels, page after page of secrets are revealed and leaves you questioning - How well do you really know the couple next door? Your husband? Your parents? You will like this book if- ✔ you enjoy mystery/crime novels ✔ you like twists and turns at every corner of detective work ✔ you want...

Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to meet Elin Hilderbrand. I haven't been to meet an author since I heard Junot Diaz speak at UNLV, which I think was almost ten years ago! I get nervous and weird when I meet authors. Kind of like a normal person meeting a big shot celebrity or athlete, that's how it is for a bibliophile meeting an author. Anyway, so I waited in line with 350 other women to meet the vivacious, gorgeous, tanned, fashionista, cancer survivor, foodie, overall amazing, Elin Hilderbrand. I was thankfully able to get my book signed by her (swoon) before she got up to speak. She was so funny and told many amazing stories. I've decided I'm not going to retell her stories on here for two reasons. One, they are her stories, not mine. And, two, I probably wouldn't do them justice. However, I will try and recap her point of "why beach books matter" by telling it in my own way. Elin grew up going to the beach on the East coast, I grew up going...