Show Us Your Books {May}

Back at it with my books this month. Linking up with Steph for 'SHOW US YOUR BOOKS". Again I wasn't able to get ALL the books I read this month for the recap, but bright about half. I've been on a BIIIIIG Kristin Hannah kick [just finished another one] and the three books at the bottom were a RANDOM grab because of their covers. #oooops

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As mentioned before, I've been on a Hannah kick so I've snapped up a bunch of her books from the library. This one I hemmed and hawed over, because it is about a couple drifting apart and I wasn't sure I was up for that genre. But, I gave it a whirl and was pleasantly surprised. The story wasn't anything surprising and I was very happy the wife wasn't the pushover she started out to be in the beginning. Lots of little 'relationship' lessons sprinkled in here and there, all on a beautiful Portland backdrop. Five star summer read status.

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One of the reasons I enjoy reading books by Kristin Hannah is her propensity to really challenge the reader with tough situations. This book right here made me put it down a few times because I could NOT believe the situation she dreamed up. A tough situation between sisters, one testing the limits of love. In all honesty, it took me longer than I expected to figure out the twist but once I did I already knew how the book would finish. Not the lightest of reads, but still something you could read through quickly to pass the time.

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I had high hopes for this book after reading the summary. A little kid getting lost. Bad people roaming around. A sister fight and a cute detective. All adding up to a great plot I thought. But, it dragged on and on and on. I couldn't stand the mother of the child and the way Michaels wrote certain parts were extremely confusing. I was not a fan of one of the side stories at all. Maybe I'm just a lazy reader, who knows. If you need to just pass the time with something this will work, but it won't leave you with that 'i just read a great book' accomplishment at the end.

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Reality television in a book is hit or miss for me. Of course the author can take some liberties, but at the crux of the story you KNOW it's bursting the bubble of television shows. Both characters in the book are likable and quite funny, too. I loved all the southern flairs and foods, even though some of the scenery descriptions were long. Not a hard to decipher the plot here, yet still a great way to pass the time.

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World War Two told through a woman in Italy. So many twists. So many dark turns. So many times I had to take a step back. I did not enjoy the way the heroine had to suffer in the beginning. It seems trite and honestly just something to make her life harder. There were a few times I was worried about characters and one moment I cried when I realized the tough decisions she had to face. I had to read something light afterwards because this book had me heated about Germans and Italians [back in the day of course]. If you like the Nightingale you'll enjoy this book.

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Not as good as Tuscan Rose, but still a wonderful book. My biggest issue is there were a few times I felt the writer was lazy and didn't bring certain endings full circle. She just left them with people leaving the country or dying. It made me quite annoyed. World War Two experienced in Asia,  China and Australia which was a very different story. Lots of scenery changes and lots of good plot twists. Give it a whirl if you have a long car ride or some time at the beach. 

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The last Belinda book and my least favorite. It had a bit of super natural which seemed strange. I understood why she had it happen but it made some things feel inauthentic. I very much enjoyed the main characters growth and again reading history I did not know much about. This book takes place in Spain during Franco's reign. Lots of drama I forgot about. Lots of times I wished people were smarter and left when they should have left. I did not appreciate how one of the stories ended up, it felt fake in a shocking the reader way, which is why I didn't give it four stars. I recommend it, I'm just mad at the author so I'm keeping a half star out. 

There you have it. Some of the books over the last month. What are you reading?