Book Report

I haven't updated my latest reads in a while and I looooove to get good book ideas from other people, so hopefully if someone is looking for book ideas, these might be helpful.  I am trying to read more and more. It isn't always easy.  I was talking about one of these books at soccer practice last week and one mom said, "I am just impressed you actually read....!" hahaha

Having the trip to Mexico this month helped me read a little more.  Plus I tackled some audio books (which are quickly becoming an obsession....).

Here's what I have been reading:

After You by JojoMoyes.  This is the sequel to the book Me Before You, which I loved! I didn't read them back to back.  Me Before You was heavy, and I needed a little break before jumping back into these lives again.  But I did and ohhhh, I so loved this book.  I listened to this one and didn't want to ever stop.  I loved the narrator's English accent. I have already downloaded another one of her books to read (The Girl You Left Behind), and I am excited to start it.

The Widow by Fiona Barton. I read this one while in Mexico and it was a good read-- kind of like Girl on a Train, but not as suspenseful.  My friend on the trip was reading it too and we both were pretty into it.  I liked this book- as disturbing as it was! haha

Obviously, I like Elin Hilderbrand books--I have read a bunch of them.  I don't know what is is about this author.  I like the way she writes, I guess.  Of her books I have read:
The Matchmaker
The Rumor
The Beach Club
 Summer People
 Barefoot

And I just finished reading Summerland and I really, really loved it!

I started this one on the airplane home from Mexico and found myself thinking about it and wondering what was going to come of the characters.  There is a car accident in the beginning, but no one knows what happened or why.  As the story unfolds, you find out more and more.  Good stuff. 

I also listened to I'm Glad About You, by Theresa Rebeck.  I get the skimm emails every day and one day a few weeks ago, they suggested this book.  I downloaded the audio version and listened... and it just wasn't my favorite.  Ugh.  I liked parts of the book.  But then there were these super long parts that I kept thinking "why is this even in the book?!" and hoped they would be brought back together later on, but they weren't.  I didn't dislike this book- I just didn't LOVE it.  And I wanted it to get to the end.  Which isn't a great thing to say about a book, I know.

Reading the above, after paying over $20 to download it to my phone for the audio version, made me realize I had to figure out a cheaper way to listen to books- since that seems to be the best way for me to read much of anything.  So I went to our library website and did some research.  There is an app (several, actually), that you can put on your phone which "talks" to your library.  When you download the app, you enter your library and then you enter your library card number and your pin.  Once you do that, you can search for audio books and then click download.  They will show up on your phone!

Once I discovered this, I didn't have a whole lot of time before leaving for our road trip, so I just did a quick search for Elin Hinderbrand books because I knew I liked them and I knew she had a ton of book in audio version available.  I downloaded the first one I saw: Beautiful Day.

I really like the way this one is written-- told from multiple points of view all about the wedding of the youngest sister in a family.  The mom passed away and she left behind "the notebook" which is meant to help her plan her daughter's beautiful day.  I haven't finished it yet.  But I like so far!

The only issue I have so far with this app is I have to be done with the book in 6 days, when it is taken off my phone.  It would be perfect for long road trips, but for me who listens here and there, it isn't enough time.  I am pretty sure I can renew it for longer, but that is sort of a pain to me to have to do-- however, it is MUCH better than paying money for an audio book!

The library also does E-reader check outs, so I can check out books to my kindle.  That's getting sort of fancy for me, I think.  But I am all about the kindle and saving that money. 


Okay, that's all I've got for the Book Report today.  What are you reading? Send me some suggestions! Clearly I need to get away from Elin's books.  But I do love them.  I went crazy like this over Liane Moriety books.  She has got to be due to release a new one, right?? Oh! In adding that link over there, I see she has a new one coming out in July.  I will add it to my list right now. 

Hoping to have read Nightingale and The Girl You Left Behind in the next few weeks. 

I'd love some suggestions! Have y'all read any of the above books? Thoughts?