Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Truly Madly Guilty

Truly Madly GuiltyTruly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Liane Moriarty's books have been like Tostitos for me the past couple months. Once I start, I cannot seem to stop. "Truly Madly Guilty" was my fourth Moriarty book in that short window of time, and if there were another dozen of her books, I would move on to my next right away.

That said, I wanted to love "Truly Madly Guilty", but I just didn't. Maybe it's the same when you've realized you've eaten half the bag of chips...I still loved the different perspectives and the way Moriarty wove the lives and plot lines together, but I didn't love the characters. That took away a level of the avid interest that the other books have had for me. I did love the thematic discussion of marriage and the little girls of two of the main families. Moriarty's ending was satisfying, but it took until the last quarter of the book to identify well with the main characters.

In a sentence, underwhelming, but Moriarty is a great writer and Caroline Lee is a great narrator. Audible for the win (again).

Happy reading~

ps. This is book ten for the year so far. Really hope I can keep this up for the year. Life's too short to not read a lot.

Sunday, March 19, 2017

What's Saving My Life Right Now

Recently, my friend Meg said I had to start listening to the Modern Mrs. Darcy aka the wonderful Anne Bogel. In Anne's Groundhog's Day post, she wrote about a borrowed sentiment of "what is saving my life right now". I like the drama of it over the previous trend of gratitude journals. With the highs and lows of life lately, I love this idea.

So, what is saving my life right now?

1. Liane Moriarty books: Seriously on my fourth book of hers in a few weeks. I've needed the distraction, and the Australian narrators are fantastic. If you've never read her books, start with "What Alice Forgot". It's excellent.

2. Audible subscription: Best $22 I spend each month.

3. Minimalism game: The Minimalists have a game where you get rid of the amount of items that match the date for a month. You can donate, sell, or trash the items. I have already finished all the March dates both at home and at school(let's be honest - it was mostly paper items for school). It helps that we're moving. I pick up almost everything and say, "do I want to pack this and carry this into a new home?" Works wonders. I'm hoping to do a major purge when I'm moving in too.

4. Candles: They really do make any space feel more cozy. I can't get enough.

5. Caffeinated beverages: So, so many of these.

6. Random check-ins: Friends and family randomly texting, calling, or stopping me to ask how things are going. Talking through some of the madness is helpful.

7. Green hills and warm sunshine: I love being on the edge of spring, even if rain is in the forecast for the next few days.

8. My parents: They really do go out of their way to still make sure I am being taken care of.

9. No grading: As in, I actually am 100% caught up. That won't be true tomorrow, but it's so rarely true ever that it's a miracle.

10. Videos of Jewels' kids and group texts/snaps with my sisters: They really do make every day better.

11. Seth: He's been working like a crazy person the past five plus weeks, but when I wake up next to him, I know that everything will be okay. We really are so blessed.

After pondering my list, I can't wait to ask people what they would put on theirs. Happy living and happy almost spring!

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

The Husband's Secret

The Husband's SecretThe Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Seriously though - I start Moriarty's books, and I cannot stop. I was so into this one, I almost forgot what I was doing while listening. "What Alice Forgot" is still my favorite, but this is my third of Moriarty's books in the last couple months, and I already have started my fourth.

This one was different than "What Alice Forgot" and "Big Little Lies" in that Moriarty doesn't wait until the last 10% to reveal the main twist, but still a really powerful story. Just like her others, she really makes you wonder what you would do and challenges the roles and patterns we so naturally fall into without question. This story is saucier than her others, so not for everyone, but I can't help myself.

Happy reading--

ps. I really want to hang out in Sydney after all these stories. Field trip anyone?

A Man Called Ove

A Man Called OveA Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It took me a little while to understand why everyone was so in love with Ove. He's cranky and seemingly unyielding, but when you see him through his sweet Sonja's eyes, you can't help but fall in love. This isn't my usual genre, but I am so happy to have met Ove and the crazy cast of characters that live in his neighborhood. Perfectly delightful-

Happy reading--

Big Little Lies

Big Little LiesBig Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really like Liane Moriarty. She weaves a web so deep that I can't see my way out to actually work on things that I am supposed be doing. I love that Moriarty doesn't give everything away up front. Her characters are interesting and the twists surprising. I had actually stayed away from this one because of the hype, and can't believe I did. So good. Really loved falling in to Celeste, Jane, and Madeline's world.

ps. This is probably only a 4 or 4.5, but it gets a bump because I could not stop listening. Audible and Caroline Lee's Australian accent for the win.
pps. Can't wait to see HBO's miniseries production of this.