The Best of 2017


THE BEST BOOKS I READ IN 2017

After only reading 40 books in 2016, I was determined to read more in 2017.   At the beginning of the year, I set my Goodreads goal for 100 books.  Quickly I realized that was not a realistic goal especially after reading less than half of that the year before, so I changed my mind and reset it to 75.  I'm happy to say I met and surpassed my goal, finishing the year with 78 books read.  For me 2017 was a great year for reading.  Here is a breakdown of my reads:

★★★★★ - 4 Books

★★★★ - 35 Books

★★★ - 37 Books

★★ - 1 Book

For 2018, I've pledged to read 85 books.  I'm working my way up to 100.  So let's take a closer look at my favorites for the year!

FIVE STAR BOOKS

In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

Nora Shaw has been invited to her "friend" Clare Cavendish's hen weekend(a bachelorette party). But Nora and Clare haven't spoken to each other in ten years and if their mutual friend Nina wasn't attending, then Nora sure as hell wasn't going to go. Nora doesn't even know who Clare is marrying. Arriving a a house made completely of glass in the middle of the woods, with snow on the ground and no cell reception, Nora instantly regrets her decision to come. When disaster strikes, despite Flo(the maid of honor) trying to make this the best hen weekend ever, Nora tries hard to remember exactly what happened, but it's difficult. Will she be able to put the pieces together before she is charged with a serious crime?

Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens
Lindsey and Sophie are mother and daughter. They live together in Dogswood Bay. Sophie is in here senior year in high school and Lindsey owns her own cleaning company. When Lindsey finds out that her ex-husband, Andrew is about to be released from prison after 10 years, she goes on the alert. He was very abusive and manipulative towards Lindsey, but Sophie wants her dad to be a part of her life. When things start to happen that can only be explained by Andrews controlling behavior, the pair try to hide from him in any way they can. Will they be able to stay away from him, or will he try to hurt Lindsey again?

A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena
Karen and Tom Krupp have been married for two years and they are very much in love. When Tom comes home from work one night, he finds his front door unlocked and dinner half way done in the kitchen, but his wife and her car are no where to be found. After calling her best friend and neighbor Brigid and having no luck with where Karen, might be, Tom calls the police to report her missing. Shortly after, the police arrive at his door to let him know that Karen has been in a terrible accident and is in the hospital. Tom is instantly worried because none of these actions sound like his wife. But does Tom now Karen as well as he thinks? Is she keeping secrets from him?

Do Not Become Alarmed by Maile Meloy
Liv and Nora are cousins and practically sisters. They decide to take their families on a two week cruise down the coast of Central America. Both women cautious, they spend the first several days aboard the ship. When they finally decide to take an excursion, the men head for golf and the women take the kids on a zip line tour. This is when all hell breaks loose! From the bus breaking down, to six children going missing in a foreign country, this family vacation is definitely not going to plan. Told from the perspective of the children and the parents, as well other key characters that are introduced throughout, you dive deep into the story and it's hard to get drawn out!

My Four-Star Faves

The Wife Between Us by Sarah Pekkanen & Greer Hendricks 

An American Cage by Ted Galdi

All Is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker

The Boyfriend Swap by Meredith Schorr

Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig

Solo by Kwame Alexander & Mary Rand Hess

Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown

FAVORITE AUTHOR

I have enjoyed reading James Patterson books for a long time now.  I know a lot of people think his books are just cookie cutter these days.  He writes an outline and then another author does the hard work.  But I still enjoy his books and I will continue to read them.  I'm up to date on two of his series, The Women's Murder Club and NYPD Red.  It's so hard to keep up with his writing since he puts so many books a year.  With at least 17 books coming out this year alone, keeping up has proved to be challenging.  7% off the books I read this year were James Patterson books.  I hope to continue in my quest this year to read his standalone books and stay on top of the series I'm already reading.  I would also like to start the Alex Cross series again.  I've read a few of the books in the series but this was many years ago.  

Here are the 11 James Patterson books I read this year:

The Best James Patterson book of 2017:

The Black Book by James Patterson

Detective Billy Harney comes from a family of cops. His dad is a cop, the head of detectives and his twin sister is a cop. Billy likes to play by the rules, he's a good cop. When he takes down a brothel in the middle of Chicago filled with the city's most prominent people, the mayor, the arch bishop, etc., he is faced with a few difficult situations to get him through this arrest and trial. With the help from Goldie, a family friend and the head of Internal Affairs, Billy will get to the bottom of this case one way or another. But then those involved in the case end up dead, including himself, briefly, and his memory leading up to the trial is erased. Will he be able to find his memory before he is charged with the deaths? 

BINGE READING

In late October, I was determined to get caught up with the Helen Grace series.  I had a copy of Hide and Seek, which is the 6th book in the series, from First To Read.  When I was ready to read it, I found out I needed to catch up with the series, because the first paragraph had me confused.  Then I realized that I only had 16 days to read 5 books.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to Hide and Seek, but I did catch up with the remainder of the series.  Helen Grace Series

MOST VISITED POST IN 2017

I'm thankful for all the new followers I've received throughout the year and each person who takes a few minutes out of their life to read my posts.  The most visited post this year was from Hit The Ground Running by Mark Burley

WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2018

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp -- January 2018

Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughn -- January 2018

Missing Isaac by Valerie Fraser Luesse -- January 2018

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones -- February 2018

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeny -- March 2018

How To Walk Away by Katherine Center -- May 2018

Dreams of Falling by Karen White -- June 2018

Thank you to everyone for joining me on my blogging journey.  I hope to bring you more content this year and more reviews.  I plan to review more of the audiobooks I listen to, which I haven't done in the past.  What are your reading plans for 2018?  I would love to hear about them in the comments. 

HAPPY READIN'!!

Review: In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nora Shaw has been invited to her "friend" Clare Cavendish's hen weekend(a bachelorette party). But Nora and Clare haven't spoken to each other in ten years and if their mutual friend Nina wasn't attending, then Nora sure as hell wasn't going to go. Nora doesn't even know who Clare is marrying. Arriving a a house made completely of glass in the middle of the woods, with snow on the ground and no cell reception, Nora instantly regrets her decision to come. When disaster strikes, despite Flo(the maid of honor) trying to make this the best hen weekend ever, Nora tries hard to remember exactly what happened, but it's difficult. Will she be able to put the pieces together before she is charged with a serious crime?

This book was so hard to put down. Let's just say, you won't find me in the woods in a glass house anytime soon. Or meeting up with people I haven't talked to in a decade. I enjoy Ruth Ware's style of writing. I like how she starts the story from opposite ends and then it all comes together. It keeps you excited for what is about to come.

I would hate to be in Nora's shoes. I also don't think I would go to a hen weekend for someone I hadn't talked to in 10 years. Maybe if it was just a night out with a big group, I would consider it, but spending and entire weekend with people I barely know....I don't think so. You don't see the twists and turns that happen in the book coming at you and you will find it impossible to put this this book down. Nora Shaw is your typical 20-something. She has her career as a writer and a few close friends. When she gets the call to attend this hen weekend, she is at first skeptical. The only other person she will know besides the bride, is her friend Nina and they aren't necessarily the closest, although they are much closer than Nora and Clare.

Nora is also a serious runner. It helps her to clear her mind for her writing and when she arrives at the glass house, it helps her to calm her nerves before she sees Clare for the first time. The other guests all seem a little on edge as well and the host Flo, is just a mess. Determined to make the weekend "perfect" for Clare. Each character has their own effect on the outcome of this weekend, and none of their lives will be the same when it is over.

If you haven't read anything by Ruth Ware, I suggest you go out and grab one of her books immediately.

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Review: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Laura "Lo" Blacklock is a travel writer for Velocity magazine in London. While her boss is out on maternity leave, she is given the assignment to write about a boutique-style luxury cruise vessel, The Aurora. The Aurora only has ten cabins and this maiden voyage is for the press to take a look at the ship and show it to the world. A few days before Lo is to set sail on the exclusive reporter's retreat, she has a break-in at her house. She is determined to do her best on the assignment so that she may be able to get more gigs like this in the future. Once aboard the ship, she meets all the other reporter aboard, many of whom she knows already. At the end of the first night, Lo hears strange noises coming from cabin 10 and instantly she is worried about the woman who was staying there. After hearing a large splash and see what appears to be blood smeared on the partition between the cabins, she is frightened. Did she really hear something? Did she see something? Or is the combination of alcohol and jitters from the break-in at her house leave her on edge and seeing things?

Another great book for this year. Hard to put down. I read this as a part of a buddy read for September. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get my copy in time. It took me only a few days to read this book and it captured me from the beginning. I can't imagine what Lo had to go through. She sees someone being thrown from the boat and blood smears on the partition between the cabins, but no one believes her and no one is supposed to be in Cabin 10. So did she really see it or was this her imagination playing tricks on her from the drinking she had been doing? Either way she is determined to get to the bottom of the story and find out what is really going on on this ship. It's not big enough for someone else not to know what is going on an why can't she find the woman who was in the cabin before and loaned her the mascara?

So many unanswered questions and Lo can't seem to find anyone who believes her story. That is except for Ben, but is that because he is in on it. There is no way to contact the outside world because the wifi on the boat has stopped working ever since she told someone about what she heard.

It was hard to connect with this character, but I did feel for her. I thought I had figured out who the woman in cabin 10 was. But I quickly found out that I was wrong. This book is highly recommended for those looking for a great thriller. The last 20% of the book will leave you literally sitting on the edge of your seat. Your heart will pound and your heart will race.

Ruth Ware is also the author of 


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Fall Books 2016

via GIPHY

IT'S FALL!!!

Time to find some good books to curl up with while I sip Pumpkin Spiced Lattes and eat pumpkin scones or donuts, or anything pumpkin really this time of year.  Here are a couple of books that I am definitely going to be reading this fall and a few that I have added to my TBR that I hope I will get a chance to read in the very near future.  

The first book I'm looking forward to is Serpents in the City by H.N. Wake.  This is the third in the Mac Ambrose series.  I have previously read A Spy Came Home the second book in the series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm eager to find out what this former CIA Agent has in store for her this time around.


The next book I'll definitely be reading this fall is call Hunted by  this is the second book in her series with San Diego Homicide Detective Scarlett Fry.

Dominique L. Watson

Both of these ladies have graciously gifted me with these titles in exchange for my honest review.

Here is another book I am looking forward to reading this fall,  The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.  I've been waiting to read this since it's release this summer.  I was supposed to read it this month with a friend, but I'm still waiting on my copy from the library.  


Another book I can't wait to get my hands on is Gayle Forman's latest called Leave Me.  Known for her YA novels this will be her first novel for adults. 


Next on my list is Swing Time by Zadie Smith.  I have had quite a few of her books on my reading list for a while and this one looks like it's going to be my first. 


And finally, my most anticipated read of the fall for me is Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly.  Normally, I'm not a big fan of non-fiction titles, but I think this will read more like a novel.  Just the description and subject matter makes me think of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.  I heard about the release for the movie before I knew it was a book.  Already have plans to read the book and see the movie when it is released.  


A few other titles on my list that I may or may not get to this fall are:

• The Mothers by Britt Bennett
• Faithful by Alice Hoffman
• A Boy Made of Blocks by Keith Stuart
• Here I Am by Jonathan Safran Foer
• The Wonder by Emma Donoghue

I hope you will share what you are planning to read this fall in the comments below. 

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