Show us your books- What I've read in Quarantine

Hi friends!  Well, quarantine does funny things to you.  When I was a little girl, all I would do is read and I would stay up late with a flashlight in my bed to finish books.  I have turned back into that girl!  Somehow I read nine books in April.  That is a record for me, or at least I haven't done that since grade school! I enjoyed everything I read last month and can't wait to read some sequels and follow ups.  Linking up with Steph and Jana for Show us Your Books for once!

I started the month with my girl Elin Hildebrand.  She is my usual go to author, although Colleen Hoover is catching up with her.  I read the Castaways this time.  As usual she develops characters that you can't help but love, even though they are doing bad things.  This was a little bit scandal, a little bit murder mystery.  I don't want to give anything away so I will state the obvious, it takes place on Nantucket, lol!

Via Amazon

Next up was the high tide club my Mary Kay Andrews.  I got this out of the little free library they created at work in the old payphone booths.  It was laying around my house for a while so I grabbed it.  This is a really neat story of long lasting friendships and days gone by.  Also has a murder mystery and legal stuff which is right up my alley.  It was a little long, but I enjoyed it.

Ignore my chewed nails.

Next up, we have the lovely Colleen Hoover, who I read twice this month.  First is Regretting You.  I liked this one.  It has mother daughter conflict, drama and scandal.  But the best part about it was the feelings of first love.  I am totally in love with my man, but it brought back memories of my first love and how crazy and awesome that felt back then.  Some have said this is too young adult, but I didn't find it that way.  

via Amazon

Next up is the Overdue Life of Amy Byler.  This was really cute and if you are a mom you will really like it.  Amy is a single mom who's husband left her high and dry.  Her college roommate takes her on a momspringa and hijinks and all the feelings follow. Amy has to decide whether to go back to her old life or try a new one on for size.  I read this one really fast and enjoyed it.  I don't have kids, but I want a momspringa!

And now we have Colleen Hoover back with Hopeless.  This gave me all the feels.  There are some hard topics in here I will warn you.  Colleen creates such magic with her characters and stories.  This was no different, I loved Sky and Holder.  I can't wait to read the follow up, Losing Hope.  Which is basically the same story but from Holder's perspective.

Next up is Untamed by Glennon Doyle.  I read Love Warrior and it was so good. This reminds me I lent it to Gentleman Caller before we broke up and I wish I had it back.  Oh well, I guess I'll add that to my Harry Potter Boxed Set as the few things I lost in that break up.  I digress.  If you don't like Glennon, don't bother.  But if you like her, grab the tissues.  I read this on the plane to Texas and cried my eyes out.  She has such a way with words and they go straight to your heart.  This is just a bunch of short stories that jump around, I will warn you. It inspired me, challenged me and made me think hard on my life choices.

Next, I read a whole series, Peachtree Bluff!  I started with Slightly South of Simple.  This is pure Southern chic lit at it's best. It is set in a small town in Georgia and follows the life of Ainsley and her three daughters.  I related to it as a sister in a trio.  I fell in love with the town and the characters. This first book goes back and forth between Ainsley and her eldest daughter, Caroline, narrating. Caroline has a bad thing happen to her and has to move home.  Suddenly all the sisters come home and they are all under one roof again. I hated the cliffhanger ending and then realized it was a series.  So I immediately bough the next one!

The second book, The Secret to Southern Charm is narrated by Ainsley and her second daughter, Sloane.  Sloane is an army wife and it goes into how she and her husband met and their struggles with his deployments (Looking at you Missy).  There are also some secrets that are explored between them all.  I really enjoyed getting to know the characters more and learning about their pasts.  I voraciously read this one and immediately bought the third on my kindle in order to keep reading. 

                                                        

And finally we have the Southern Side of Paradise.  I am not sure how she came up with these titles as they have nothing to do with the books.  I, again, digress.  This is narrated by Ainsley and her third daughter Emerson.  Emerson is an actress and she lives in LA but a role brought her home at the same time as her sisters.  She faces a decision on whether to give up her acting career.  This book also ties up all the other issues in the other books in a nice tiny bow.  I really liked these characters, following their stories and the bit of mystery surrounding the whole group.  This is a great summer series!

                                                        


Well there you have it.  Next up is Open Book by Jessica Simpson, which I am having a hard time reading, and cleaning out all those books in my kindle I have been neglecting.  What have you been reading?

Happy Cooking!

Missy