Books on Books on Books {Link Up}

Today I'm  linking up with Steph for her fabulous "Show us your books" link up party. I haven't gotten my act together for this the past few months, so I'm glad I was able to get it alllll  together. I always enjoy reading multiple book posts because I find such great reads to put on my list. You blog ladies rarely let me down with your recommendations.

I have to admit, this was slow month of reading. We didn't have as many trips so my reading on the plane or traveling was at a minimum. I also was busy DOING things and was so zonked by the end of the night I could only manage a few pages before setting my books down. I am glad I was able to read as much as I did though, the next few weeks look to be just as busy for me. Hopefully I'll be able to make some time on my trips :)!

/////////////////////////////////////

****

"From inside their sprawling estate of Rutherford Park, the Cavendish family had a privileged perspective of the world. On the first morning in May, 1915, with a splendid view that reached across the gardens to the Vale of York, nothing seemed lovelier or less threatening. And yet… 

At the risk of undoing the Cavendish name with scandal, William and Octavia Cavendish have been living a lie, maintaining a marriage out of duty rather than passion. But when their son Harry joins the Royal Flying Corps in France, the Cavendish family are forced to face the unavoidable truths about themselves, the society in which they thrive, and the secrets they can no longer bear. 

In the wake of a terrible war, the emotional shifts between a husband and a wife, a wife and her lover, and a mother and her children, will shake the very foundation of the Cavendish family, and change the uniquely vulnerable lives of all who reside at Rutherford Park."  [picture and summary via Good Reads]

I love Downton Abbey and like everyone else I'm super sad the journey ends this year. I picked up this book simply because someone quoted Downton in the review, haha. I was completely unaware it was part of a series, so was a bit confused in the beginning trying to piece everything together. But, once you read a chapter or two you figure out the gist of the previous book and understand the characters enough for the plot to make sense.

There is a bit of whimsy in the story and it has an interesting twist with class and a woman's place in the home. I found it fun to read for the most part. There were a few WW1 stories and they broke my heart for the families involved. I plan to pick up the first book sometimes soon and the continue to read the series to fill the DA void.

/////////////////////////////////////

****

 "Sophie Honeywell always wondered if Thomas Gordon was the one she let get away. He was the perfect boyfriend, but on the day he was to propose, she broke his heart. A year later he married his travel agent, while Sophie has been mortifyingly single ever since. Now Thomas is back in her life because Sophie has unexpectedly inherited his aunt Connie's house on Scribbly Gum Island -- home of the famously unsolved MunroBabymystery.

Sophie moves onto the island and begins a new life as part of an unconventional family where it seems everyone has a secret. Grace, a beautiful young mother, is feverishly planning a shocking escape from her perfect life. Margie, a frumpy housewife, has made a pact with a stranger, while dreamy Aunt Rose wonders if maybe it's about time she started making her own decisions.

As Sophie's life becomes increasingly complicated, she discovers that sometimes you have to stop waiting around -- and come up with your own fairy-tale ending." [picture and summary via Good Reads]

I liked this book a lot better than the last Liane Moriarty book I read [The Husband's Secret was super meh to me]. I enjoy Moriarty's books set in Australia because it's fun to learn about another country. She has a great way with words and builds interesting characters, some you pull for, some you don't, and she manages to keep your attention until the end.

I will say I felt she went wwaaaaaaaaaaaaaay overboard with Grace's character. Trust me, I understand [from friend's experiences] postpartum is not something to be taken lightly, but Moriarty just seemed to want to SHOCK the readers into understanding this concept. Sophie is a great character and I really liked the way the mystery concluded. This is a great quick read for a trip or at the pool.

/////////////////////////////////////

***1/2

 "The house is all wrong. Her clothes are all wrong. When Katharine Lawrence recovers consciousness on the kitchen floor, staggers to her feet and looks at herself in the mirror, the beautiful face staring back at her is familiar-but wrong. Despite all the evidence-her pictures are all over the apartment, the clothes in the closets are the right size, and it's her hair caught in the brush atop the dresser-everything feels wrong.

Maybe the trauma of the attempt on her life has given her some kind of amnesia. She's twenty-nine, the special assistant to the head of the National Security Agency, and she's lucky to be alive. She also knows she can trust no one.

Before she can act on her instincts and run for her life, CIA Agent Nick Huston arrives on the scene. The CIA is conducting a special investigation of Katharine's boss, and the mystified woman in her "unreal" house is the key to the operation. But the real Katharine Lawrence has been whisked away for debriefing, and this expendable lookalike, Jenna Hill, is being used until the CIA gets the information it needs. But no one counted on Jenna Hill's outrage at being used. And no one-least of all Nick-could have anticipated the heat that flares between them as the game plays on." [picture and summary via Good Reads]

This book is kind of confusing like the description. It took me while to get into it but once I did I found it flowed pretty well. I found myself thinking 'what would I do if I lost all of my memory' and had no idea how I would handle the situation. The author did a good job keeping it interesting with twists and character development, but it was oh my goodness fascinating. If you like mysteries, CIA stuff and trying to figure books out as you read I think this would be a fun book for you to read. If that's not your cup of tea, skip it. 

 /////////////////////////////////////

* * * * 1/2

 Paula McLain, author of the phenomenal bestseller The Paris Wife, now returns with her keenly anticipated new novel, transporting readers to colonial Kenya in the 1920s. Circling the Sun brings to life a fearless and captivating woman—Beryl Markham, a record-setting aviator caught up in a passionate love triangle with safari hunter Denys Finch Hatton and Karen Blixen, who as Isak Dinesen wrote the classic memoir Out of Africa.

Brought to Kenya from England as a child and then abandoned by her mother, Beryl is raised by both her father and the native Kipsigis tribe who share his estate. Her unconventional upbringing transforms Beryl into a bold young woman with a fierce love of all things wild and an inherent understanding of nature’s delicate balance. But even the wild child must grow up, and when everything Beryl knows and trusts dissolves, she is catapulted into a string of disastrous relationships.

Set against the majestic landscape of early-twentieth-century Africa, McLain’s powerful tale reveals the extraordinary adventures of a woman before her time, the exhilaration of freedom and its cost, and the tenacity of the human spirit. [picture and summary via Goodreads]

Let me start of saying I did not LOVE the Paris Wife [quote from my synopsis "Hadley and I would have had issues if we were friends]. But, I did like how it was written so when I saw this book was by the same author I thought 'why not'? The waiting list at the library was kind of long, so I kind of forgot I had this on my radar until it appeared on my Kindle. Personally, I had no idea it was a HOT book, but after reading it I kind of see why it is making the rounds. Oh and I was completely oblivious to the fact the novel was based on a real person until the end. Hashtagclueless.

The writing is fantastically descriptive and McLain makes living in Africa sound like an action packed dream of warm days, summer winds with some hoity-toity in the mix. Beryl immediately grabbed my heart being the tomboy in Africa and then she kind of lost steam when she started to lose her way. There was some predictability to her antics when she tried to take control of her life, but then there were some SHOCKING moments regarding her character as well. I found myself saying 'REALLY????' whenever Beryl changed course and honestly thought 'man this author hates this character', until I realized this was real life.

I really enjoyed reading this book and think most people will enjoy it, too. Beryl is at times a strong heroine who you can cheer for, but there are also times you just wanna shake her and say COME ON, GIRL! McLaine is an incredibly gifted writer and paints incredible pictures with her words. Put this book on your list now, ladies.

 /////////////////////////////////////

[source]

 "Sara Crewe, an exceptionally intelligent and imaginative student at Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies, is devastated when her adored, indulgent father dies. Now penniless and banished to a room in the attic, Sara is demeaned, abused, and forced to work as a servant. How this resourceful girl's fortunes change again is at the center of A Little Princess, one of the best-loved stories in all of children's literature." [summary via goodreads]

This was my first audiobook in years and I listened to it over the course of a month or so on my way home. I have always loved the story of A Little Princess and watched the Shirley Temple movie quite often growing up. Sara Crewe is such an interesting character and even though I KNEW what was going to happen I found myself holding my breath at moments during the reading. Burnett writes a beautiful story and I highly recommend reading or listening to this story whenever you get the chance.

What books are you loving right now? Any duds?

linkinguphereand hereeandhere