For the Love of Reading....What's On Your Bookshelf...#WOYBS

Welcome to my What's On Your BookShelf post. The #WOYB link party is hosted by Deb, Jo and Sue....all gals I follow on a few other link parties. I love their blogs. Go check them out. #whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge

My rating system:

⭐ DNF (which there's a reason), story lacking any depth, grammatical or spelling errors (too many), just did not enjoy it and enough to it that I wouldn't recommend. Don't bother reading

⭐⭐ Story line is a bit all over the place, struggle to read it but maybe it had some redeeming parts. Characters  or story line weren't believable or too unrealistic. I wouldn't want to read it again. Too many storylines going on at the same time. Read it or don't read it.

⭐⭐⭐ Solid story line and characters. I liked it but didn't necessarily LOVE it, but I didn't HATE it either. I may have felt that it dragged on, or had parts that weren't necessary to the story. Maybe was a little hard to follow. Probably wouldn't recommend but it wasn't a total disaster.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ A really great read that I enjoyed picking up each time. I enjoyed it from front to back. The characters and storyline were really good.  As someone said "a truly good book, but missing the cherry on top".  Go ahead and read it

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This book knocked it out of the park and I couldn't put it down. OR it was a book that really opened my eyes to something or taught me something about someones life. One I have bookmarked and even taken notes. It left me wanting to read more by the author or more in the series. Definitely go read. 

Yikes. I just checked my Goodreads challenge and I'm 2 books behind, having only read 48 of the 64. I won't be a Debbie Downer and think negatively but I better get going and get some reading time in. I've noticed this year, especially the last few months have been harder for me to make the time to read. 

I also actually also added a few books to my physical book shelves that I picked up at a Little Free Library, and a local coffee shop! I also bought one at a used book store. AND, I may have found a few free kindle books I downloaded. 

September Finishes:

Untangle Your Emotions by Jennie Allen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was part of an online group I joined with an old HS friends church group. I ended up not really being able to take part in it but did enjoy the book, and the podcast episodes that went with it. The subtitle is Naming what you feel and knowing what to do with it. For someone raised to stuff emotions, this was a good read for me. Yes, it is Christian based, but it is also scientifically based as well. She says "many of us need to unlearn damaging messages about our emotions". So true. One of my favorite quotes was "Your feelings aren't trying to control you-they're trying to tell you something".  There were so many good takeaways from this. I need to go back and re-read some of them. 

Animal Farm by George Orwell.....Ooops I realized I put this on my August read list. So cancel that!! haha! I did NOT read it again...

A Collection of Lies (Kate Hamilton #5) by Connie Berry ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I gave this one 4 because like my description says, it was just missing the cherry on top and it was a bit slow. I did end up enjoying it and loved trying to figure out the whodunnit. There were a few storylines woven through but I think they blended well. Kate, who is an antiques dealer and her husband Tom is an investigator. They are summoned to a local history museum to authenticate a blood stained dress that is going to be used in a new exhibit. However while there, a murder occurs and they are now drawn into solving the murder and it's link to the dress. There were a few quirky characters. There were many moments I thought I knew who did it, and in the end I was surprised by who it was. It was the 5th in the series, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything having not read the others. Would I read more in the series? Maybe, but I won't rush to get them.  

Exes Don't by Leah Dobrinksa ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I received this one as an ARC and phew, I actually liked it. I've only received a few ARC books and so far have liked them all...oh to get one I didn't enjoy and then have to be honest about it..haha. This is a clean Rom-com. I haven't really read a "rom-com" in awhile, but I did enjoy this one. There was the romance theme, but also a bit of action, in that the protagonist, Rose is hired by the queen of a country (I can't remember the name), to protect her son (Anton) from a threat that is being made against him..however, she has done this before and broke his heart...he also doesn't know that she's been hired. She's posing as a journalist writing an article about him. They fall back in love, she discovers who it was out threatening him (it came as a surprise to me). I loved it...the characters were great..his teammates (oh, he's a professional football player in the United States) are hilarious and I found myself hoping the series goes on with more of them in it. This is the third in the series. The first two books cover Roses sisters...but again, it didn't take too much away, having not read the others. 

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was an audio book for me and it was read by the author. WOW! What a powerful true story of resilience. Following the story of the Walls family and their journey through childhood and early adulthood at the mercy of their parents unstable lives and emotions. How even though they lived through such dysfunction, abuse and lack of care, I believe each of the siblings grew up to be successful and thriving. They were smart and learned to not follow in their parents footsteps. I would like to watch the movie to see how it compares. It was eye opening to me in regards to how so many have and are being raised and living in severe dysfunction..it made my own dysfunctional family look like saints.  

Currently Reading: 

Someone Else's Bucket List  by Amy T Matthews

Jodie Boyds sister was an outgoing and highly successful influencer who faces an untimely death. Jodie is the opposite, introverted, shy and anxious. But her sisters dying wish is that Jodie finish her bucket list. Last month I mentioned I had just started it and was struggling a bit. I'm now 25% through and it's coming together. I wasn't sure what "person" it was written in, and was a bit confused..not so much anymore. The goal of Jodies sister wanting her to finish her bucket list (and have her social media followers along for it), is to pay off all of the debt that was incurred through her illness. Sponsors have offered to pay off debt as she completes the list and gains followers, etc...but I think there could be a hidden reason as well. Maybe to get Jodie out of her shell and living a fuller life. 

Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono

When my hubby and I were on a trip earlier this year we listened to a podcast in which the host was interviewing Bono from U2 (I think it was Brene Brown). It was so fascinating and they mentioned he had a memoir so I decided I needed to get it. Well, it arrived (I didn't pay attention to how many pages it was (536 pages). I decided maybe I'd listen to it. I have it on audiobook from the library. It is read by the author and his voice is quiet and a bit deep so I really have to focus on it, but it is good. I love gaining insight into what made people who they are today. 

Over My Dead Blog (Book Blogger Mysteries #1) by Sarah E. Burr

I had shelved this one because I was trying to focus on some others, but I've decided to "revive it"...This is a cozy mystery that I just had to read because well, I have a blog. Plus I've joined a few mystery facebook pages with various authors and this gal is one of them. I just started it so I'm not too far in..Winnie is our protagonist and book review blogger. She has a movie star brother who visits her in her small town in Massachusetts, and when a local reporter is found murdered, he becomes the prime suspect. Of course she has to take on investigating to clear her brothers name.

Continuing Reads: Books that are taking forever to read

Still plugging away at these, though I did shelf one...My Fathers List...It was just taking me too long, and while it was decent, it just felt like it was dragging on and there was a lot of unnecessary fluff...plus there are other books I'd like to read instead. The first two below, I'm pushing through to finish. I've not made any further headway on any of them. 

Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

It is rumored to possibly be true, but it's not confirmed as it happened a long time ago. It takes place in 1900, in Melbourne Australia at an all girls school. After setting off on a picnic, 3 girls and a schoolmistress go missing after walking into the heavy bushes. It has been a bit of a slow start for me but I'm hoping it picks up. My aunt really liked it. 

Take My Hands: Mary Vashere by Dorothy Clarke Wilson

I don't know that I ever shared about this one...This is taking me FOREVER, but it's one of the 12/12 books for the year so I'm pushing through it. I had the hardest time even finding it because it was published in 1967. I finally got it used online. It. follows the life of a young Indian woman who overcame a devastating handicap to become a well known surgeon. She was born in 1925 and lived until 1986. 

The Book of Joy by Dallai Lama XIV

This one is really good, but also really long so it's taking time, and there are so many good thoughts, that I find myself reading it slower than normal and thinking about what is being said. I mean, here are two prominent men who have been tested in their lives and yet speak a beautiful message of joy and care for others. It's serious and it's funny all at the same time. 

 

With Joy Unquenchable,

Kirstin