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Recent Reads #24

Monday, April 17, 2023


Books Mentioned In This Post: 



Spare by Prince Harry

This is Prince Harry's Memoir. Overall, I really enjoyed hearing from him. If you watched the Netflix special - you've read the last half of the book. My main takeaway is how sad I feel for him and his family. He should have been in therapy as soon as his mother died - if not before. I believe what he has to say, but I also think he's just trying to make money at this point. My Rating: 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐


Carnegie's Maid by Marie Benedict

A 19th century historical fiction about the woman who could have inspired Andrew Carnegie's philanthropy. Clara Kelly gets confused for another Clara Kelly - a woman who is supposed to become a lady's maid in the Carnegie household. She decides to assume her identity and start her life over in America. This is a really enjoyable book, although it's really straight forward and nothing out of the ordinary happens. So, pretty predictable. My Rating: 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐


The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

Millie gets a job as a live in housekeeper for Nina. Nina is pretty unhinged. She trashes the house, lies all the time, and seems unstable. But of course, nothing is as it seems and Millie definitely lied to get the job. This is not ground breaking literature by any means. And it's maybe a little predictable - but I ate it up! I could not put it down and found it very exciting. Read this book if you are in a reading rut. My Rating: 4.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Match by Sarah Adams

Evie works for a service dog program, and is all set to introduce a service dog to a cute little girl - but then of course a hot single dad gets in the way. This is a really cute romance, that doesn't have any explicit scenes in it. (which is so nice because it seems like books are getting wild with the content these days.) The romance happens really fast which always bugs me a bit - but it's still sweet and the perfect book to take the pool. My Rating: 4.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks Dalton

This was like Station Eleven meets Where the Crawdads Sing. Basically, Wanda was born in Florida in a not too distant future where climate change is changing everything. You follow her from childhood to adulthood as the world changes. Everything is bleak, but she has a special power that probably came from the night she was born. I don't know how I feel about this book even after reading it weeks ago. On the one hand, it's written so well that it really does sweep you up. However, it's SO repetitive. Like, we get it. Florida is under water...Florida is flooded...Florida is nothing like it used to be....etc etc. But, mostly it's just a downer. So, read it if you want to be melancholy. I never rated it on Goodreads. Maybe 3 stars- Maybe? I don't know, haha. 

Mean Baby by Selma Blair

This is Selma Blair's memoir of growing up. FYI she goes by the names Selma and Blair. Who knew!? I love a good celebrity memoir. Especially in audio form, narrated by the author. I didn't really know much about her pre reading this, so I felt like I went in blind. It's incredibly interesting, because she's incredibly interesting! An odd duck, but really charming too. 

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson wrote one of my favorite books last year: The Body A Guide for Occupants. So when a friend recommended this, I thought I'd give it a shot. This is Bill's recounting of his time on the Appalachian Trail in the 90s. It's entertaining for sure, and he sprinkles in science and facts too. Hiking this trail is on my bucket list, and if it's on yours I think you'd enjoy this as well. 

The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer Smith

Greta James is a musician who had a breakdown live on stage after her mom passed away. She's taking some time off, and somehow she gets guilted into taking a cruise with her dad. This cruise was supposed to be an anniversary cruise with her mom, so no one is too excited about it. Gosh, I enjoyed this a lot. All I want to do is take an Alaskan cruise now, but it really does make you feel like you are on this journey together. There are so many layers to this, and I felt like the father/daughter relationship was so relatable. My Rating: 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Sold On A Monday by Kristina McMorris

You may have seen a very famous photograph from the Great Depression of a few children on a front porch with a for sale sign next to them. This fictional book is based on that real photo. Ellis Reed is a struggling reporter who takes that photo, and gets a big break writing an article about it. This book went in a totally different direction than I thought it would! Who knew a story that started out about some poor children would end up being a book about gangsters. Anyway, really liked this one! It's easy to recommend! My Rating: 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

Nora is a writer who makes a living writing movies for the Romance Channel. Her latest is based on her own life, and they are filming it right in her back yard. The male lead Leo doesn't want to leave when filming is over. So, this book was really hyped up everywhere I looked. So, I have to admit my expectations were probably too high. It is a cute story, and things do play out a little differently than I expected. But, I wasn't blown away like I thought I would be based on the hype. 
My Rating: 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor

This was my Book of the Month pick for January! It's a hefty book, so it took me awhile to get around to reading it. This book takes place in India and has three points of view spanning years. It's about wealth and gangsters and crime. I got wrapped up in this really fast, because the first point of view of Ajay is so so good. But just as I'm getting into it, part 2 changes perspectives and it was just not as enjoyable. And then, part 3 changes again and it just went completely off the rails. 
My Rating: 2 Stars ⭐⭐

Want to try Book of the Month? Here's a link that get's you your first hardcover book for $5! 

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-Kristen

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Hi friends! I'm Kristen, and this is the Life and Style of an early 30's Floridian living the Best Life Ever, with her husband and three pugs. Runner | Avid Reader | Small Shop Owner

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