Heart the Lover by Lily King... a Review

Lily King, you ripped my heart out. You may not have meant to... no, I'm sure you meant to... and here I am trying to put into words what I just went thru...

I can tell you what the story is about... first love, young love, family, friendship, choices ( oh, definitely about choices and how they affect you til eternity). It's a friends to lovers story. There's a love triangle. There's mention of lots of classic literature and some made up literature (which you wish you could actually read). There's sex, but it's not blatant and more talk than action. Shall I go on??

Our protagonist tells the story starting out how she met Sam and Yash in college, which changed the course of her life. The guys give her the nickname Daisy (as in Buchanan) and eventually that evolves into Jordan (as in Baker), both literary references that seem humorous at the time (and cute), but makes me wonder if they are creating the girl they want in her as apposed to the girl she is (and I wonder this after finishing the book and know what happens in the end).

Their college days are spent in literature and debates, love and friendship, and expanding their understanding of the world around them. And as in any good love story, there is pain and hurt and misunderstandings, which we learn have repercussions many years later. As they get thru college, the course of their lives change in unexpected ways until ultimately there is understanding and forgiveness.

I want to talk to someone who has read this already so badly! 

BTW, for all the bookish people out there, you will love all the references to authors such as Hemingway, Henry Miller and F. Scott Fitzgerald (and that's only a few of the 50+ references).

Heart the Lover is moving. Lily King's writing innocently draws you in and won't let you go. It makes you think, remember... I read the book in 24 hours, not being able to do much until I got to the last page. I actually borrowed this as an ebook from the library. It came in just as I was debating about my "first book of the year". I figured I would be able to read it in 14 days even though I was going to start it on January 1st (It is"only"256 pages). Not only was I able to read it in the time I had, but now I need to actually buy a copy because I'd really like to be able to dive back in to all the literary references, read it again and have a copy on the shelf.

Heart the Lover was published by Grove Press this past September.

 This Chick with Books gives it 5 Hearts ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

First Book of the Year 2026!

 

Heart the Lover by Lily King

Drum Roll please...... yes, my First Book of The Year is Heart the Lover by Lily King! 

From the Publisher...

You knew I’d write a book about you someday. 

Our narrator understands good love stories—their secrets and subtext, their highs and their free falls. But her greatest love story, the one she lived, never followed the simple rules.                                

In the fall of her senior year of college, she meets two star students from her 17th-Century Lit class: Sam and Yash. Best friends living off-campus in the elegant house of a professor on sabbatical, the boys invite her into their intoxicating world of academic fervor, rapid-fire banter and raucous card games. They nickname her Jordan, and she quickly discovers the pleasures of friendship, love and her own intellectual ambition. Youthful passion is unpredictable though, and she soon finds herself at the center of a charged and intricate triangle. As graduation comes and goes, choices made will alter these three lives forever.

Decades later, Jordan is living the life she dreamed of, and the vulnerable days of her youth seem comfortably behind her. But when a surprise visit and unexpected news bring the past crashing into the present, Jordan returns to a world she left behind and is forced to confront the decisions and deceptions of her younger self.

Doesn't that sound intriguing?? I've been wanting to read this since it was the Indie Next pick for October. I'm excited to start reading this today! Stop back soon to read my thoughts and a full review!

Coming to a Reading Blog near you... First Book of the Year... 2026!

 Wow, can you believe it's going to be 2026! And with the new year, comes new books! AND First Book of The Year! Every year I choose a "first book". A book for a special theme for the year, a book I've  been meaning to read or something new I'm excited to sink my teeth into. For the 13th year, Sheila over at Book Journey has asked all the readers that know her and is organized this virtual get together, where we all share in a photo, what is our first book of the year. Thank you Sheila, this is so much fun to do every year!

SO, on January 1st... we reveal all the books at the Book Journey Blog AND, I'll post on Chick with Books what my choice is!! Come back Thursday!!

*** UPDATE... Here's the link to everyone's pick for First Book of the Year 2026 over at Book Journey!

First Book of the Year 2024!

Happy New Year! New Year, New Books! And of course, if you have a TBR pile like I do, "old" books waiting to be read in the new year. 

This year I couldn't not pick These Precious Days by Ann Patchett as my first book of the year. The title drew me in... These Precious Days. Call me sentimental, but lately I've been wistfully thinking of days gone by. This past October, I turned 62. 62 is a pivotal age. I retired early and have been enjoying having the days to myself, but now I am actually collecting Social Security! OMG! What's also pretty funny is I'm collecting social security right along side my Mother! Think about that. When you're young, do you ever think that you will become a senior citizen, right along with your parent? But turning that number... 62... makes me think... reflect... wonder about the what if's... think how to enjoy these precious day...

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett is a book of essays. Here's what the publisher has to say...

Any story that starts will also end.” As a writer, Ann Patchett knows what the outcome of her fiction will be. Life, however, often takes turns we do not see coming. Patchett ponders this truth in these wise essays that afford a fresh and intimate look into her mind and heart. 

At the center of These Precious Days is the title essay, a surprising and moving meditation on an unexpected friendship that explores “what it means to be seen, to find someone with whom you can be your best and most complete self.” When Patchett chose an early galley of actor and producer Tom Hanks’ short story collection to read one night before bed, she had no idea that this single choice would be life changing. It would introduce her to a remarkable woman—Tom’s brilliant assistant Sooki—with whom she would form a profound bond that held monumental consequences for them both. 

A literary alchemist, Patchett plumbs the depths of her experiences to create gold: engaging and moving pieces that are both self-portrait and landscape, each vibrant with emotion and rich in insight. Turning her writer’s eye on her own experiences, she transforms the private into the universal, providing us all a way to look at our own worlds anew, and reminds how fleeting and enigmatic life can be. 

So I'm starting my reading year with little snippets of Ann's life, but also hoping that I will relate to them as well. And who better to take the journey with then the phenomenal writer, Ann Patchett. 

First Book of the Year: These Precious Days by Ann Patchett

11th Annual... First Book of the Year!

  It's that time of year again! Time to figure out what book you'll start your reading with for 2024! 

Every year, Sheila at Book Journey Reading Blog hosts the First Book of the Year event where book lovers and bloggers from all over submit a photo of themselves with the book they've chosen for their First Book of the Year. It's so much fun to see what everyone picks.

Want to join in on the fun? You can read all about it at Book Journey. And on January 1st I'll announce what my First Book of the Year for 2024 will be right here!

First Book of the Year 2023!

 My First Book of the Year for 2023 is Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt! 

From the authors website... Remarkably Bright Creatures is a luminous debut novel about a widow’s unlikely friendship with a giant Pacific octopus reluctantly residing at the local aquarium—and the truths she finally uncovers about her son’s disappearance 30 years ago.

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in the Puget Sound over 30 years ago.

As she works, Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine, but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight tentacles for his human captors—until he forms an unlikely friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. As his affection for Tova grows, Marcellus must use every trick his old, invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.

Charming, compulsively readable, and full of wit, Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel is a beautiful exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope–a reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.

Ever since I read The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery, I have been fascinated by Octupuses (and yes, I had to look up the proper spelling of the plural of Octopus). Sy Montgomery's book is not fiction though, it is her story of  some of the relationships she has formed with Octopuses in her lifetime. And from my reading that, I  have discovered how intelligent and interesting these creatures are.

When I read about Shelby Van Pelt's book, Remarkably Bright Creatures, revolving around a very smart and "talkative" Octopus, I just had to give it a try. It has gotten rave reviews AND it's even a Jenna Bush Hager book club selection. 

So, I'm cracking the spine on Remarkably Bright Creatures today and you can read my thoughts about as soon as I finish reading it. Check back here in the next week or so...

Published by Harper Collins this past May, it is available from your favorite bookstore.

Happy Reading... Suzanne

The Sunday Salon and... Merry Christmas and the First Book of the Year 2023

Merry Christmas! From my home to yours, hope your Christmas is a wonderful time spent with family and friends! In our home we celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas and lit our menorah tonight for the 8th night. And as we wrap up the Holidays, I always reflect on the year, but it's also a time where I think about the year ahead. One of those things I think about is.... The First Book of the Year!

 It's that time of year again! 

Time to figure out what book you'll start your reading journey with for 2023! 

Every year, Sheila at Book Journey Reading Blog hosts the First Book of the Year event where book lovers and bloggers from all over submit a photo of themselves with the book they've chosen for their First Book of the Year. It's so much fun to see what everyone picks.

Want to join in on the fun? You can read all about at Book Journey. And on January 1st I'll announce what my First Book of the Year for 2023 will be right here! In the meantime, here's what my First Books have been the past 8 years... (the Artists Way by Julia Cameron was 2022)

What would/will your First Book of 2023 be?

First Book of the Year... 2022

 

It's hard to believe that 2021 actually came to an end. And as much as we all have moved along in our lives, life as we have always known it has changed. It's changed me. I don't feel the absolute freedom of going where I want to go and doing what I want. There is this second guessing about just walking into a grocery store. Has all this stifled our creativity? Do we need a reboot? At the start of the new year, I never make resolutions any more. But I have intensions. The Artists Way was a phenomenon way back in the beginning of the 90's, but I think it's message can be relevant today. For people who yearn to be creative, but maybe feel stuck where they are, this could be the answer... and it is my First Book of the Year 2022! There is also a companion workbook available. Way back during some black friday specials, Amazon was offering a great deal on the combo and I took advantage of it. I had intended to start reading this and doing the required journaling when it actually arrived, but that did not happen and gives me the perfect opportunity to start the year off with a path to unleashing some unknown creativity in me. Good luck if you decide to join me!

The Artists Way A Spiritual Path To Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron... Since its first publication, The Artist's Way phenomena has inspired... millions of readers to embark on a creative journey and find a deeper connection to process and purpose. Julia Cameron's novel approach guides readers in uncovering problems areas and pressure points that may be restricting their creative flow and offers techniques to free up any areas where they might be stuck, opening up opportunities for self-growth and self-discovery. 

 The program begins with Cameron’s most vital tools for creative recovery – The Morning Pages, a daily writing ritual of three pages of stream-of-conscious, and The Artist Date, a dedicated block of time to nurture your inner artist. From there, she shares hundreds of exercises, activities, and prompts to help readers thoroughly explore each chapter. She also offers guidance on starting a “Creative Cluster” of fellow artists who will support you in your creative endeavors.

A revolutionary program for personal renewal, The Artist's Way will help get you back on track, rediscover your passions, and take the steps you need to change your life.

The Sunday Salon and... Last Trip to the Bookstore 2020

                  

Welcome to The Sunday Salon! Yes, it's that day of the week we talk books, and boy it sure has been a long time since we have talked. It's been a crazy year, hasn't it?! And it's not really over yet. Here in South Carolina where I live, there are no mandates. One town over, and in many of the other towns close to me, there are mask mandates. We haven't traveled anywhere this year, my Mother didn't get to fly from Connecticut to come visit us this year, and traveling for anything other than essentials nowadays is tinged with a bit of apprehension. Hand sanitizer, toilet paper and paper towels are almost commodities. But books, yes books, have remained steadfast... and it has been a means for escape for many. I hope y'all are doing well in these strange times. Welcome back!

 Every year for the past 8 years, I have participated in First Book of the Year, hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Bloggers and readers from all over the world have participated. We all share
the first book we are planning to read for the year... we take a selfie with that book and Sheila puts them all together in a photo collage or two and posts them on her blog. It is a lot of fun to participate every year and see what everyone else is going to read. My first book of the year "technically" is Good Dogs Don't Make It to the South Pole: A Novel by Hans-Olav Thyvold. I originally had decided on World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, but I decided I wanted to leisurely read it, a story at a time, and I felt that my first book should also be the book I finish first which was not going to happen with World of Wonders. You see World of Wonders is a book of essays on nature. These essays are small subtle observations of some of the things around us, little stories that are just a page or two for each one. Aimee is a poet and these essays reflect her beautiful writing, which makes me want to enjoy them over time... So, I will start the year with Good Dogs and at bedtime I will relax with the first story in World of Wonders.

What are you reading for your First Book of the Year 2021?

But I was having a hard time finding my original choice for First Book (you can read the story on my post for First Book of the Year 2020) and because of that managed to find myself in a Barnes and Noble. Well, I couldn't just pick up World of Wonders and go home, could I? No, I had to wander around a bit. And because of that I picked up 3 other books to take home with me too...

First I picked up Good Dogs Don't Make It to the South Pole: A Novel by Hans-Olav Thyvold...  I had read a little something about it already. I decided to open the book up and read the inside jacket...

 "Told through the eyes of a very grumpy yet lovable mutt, a funny and touching tale of aging, death, friendship, and life that proves sometimes a dog's story is the most human of all."

He had me at "through the eyes of a very grumpy yet lovable mutt..." Yes, I love "dog" stories, but love stories told thru the eyes of a dog as the protagonist, like The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, which, BTW, is a great read! I expect "Good Dogs..." to be a fun light read that will start my reading year off happy!

Then I wandered further and picked up a book of poetry by Barbara Kingsolver called How to Fly (In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons).  I had no idea she even wrote poetry, but I can't resist poetry books so I opened it up and I loved what I read. This is her SECOND book of poetry, and now will have to check out her first collection. If you enjoy poetry, look for How to Fly! I'll review it later this month.

And Finally...

I picked up a fourth book... A Wild Winter Swan. All I had to see was the cover for it to pique my interest. First I loved the cover instantly. It looked like a woodcut and it was colorful. But it also had another cool element... a cutout! And the cutout/window revealed part of the amazing cover underneath! My photo cannot really show how cool this cover is, but trust me it is. And then I read a bit of the inside jacket, "an Italian-American girl's poignant coming-of-age story, set amid the magic of Christmas in 1960s New York." And after all of that, I noticed the author... Gregory Maguire! Yes, the master storyteller himself. This is his take on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Wild Swans". I vaguely remember reading that story as a child, but look forward to reading something written by Gregory Maguire.

So that was my last bookstore adventure for 2020! And if that weren't enough to keep me reading, I have plenty of TBR's in my book cases. 

Weekly Catchup...

Friday... First Book of the Year! Follow this link to read all about what book I chose!

Saturday... I've been making a first book choice for 8 years now. Saturday I rounded them all up and posted them HERE so you could see what they were!

What great books have you found lately? I would love to hear about them! You can share them here! And in the meantime...

Happy Reading... Suzanne

First BOOKS of the Year... 2014 - 2021!

First Books of the Year... 2014 thru 2021!

2014... The Unwelcomed Child by VC Andrews

2015... Wonder by R. J. Palacio

2016... Japanese Lover by  Isabel Allende

2017... I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

2018... Still Me by Jojo Moyes

2019... The Princess and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

2020... Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

2021... Good Dogs Don't Make it to the South Pole by Hans-Olav Thyvold

First Book of The Year 2021

Happy New Year! And Happy New Books Year! Every year for the past 8 years, Sheila over at  Book Journey has hosted the First Book of the Year. I'm going to look back, but I think I have picked out a first book every year for all those years.

This year I had originally picked out World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil. But I was having a hard time finding a copy anywhere! Even the big box store online was out of stock. Barnes and Noble had chosen it as its Book of the Year 2020 and IT was out of stock online, BUT it said that one of the Barnes and Nobles in "the big city" about a 45 minute drive from here DID have a copy... so off I went.

Of course I couldn't just walk in and pick that book up and leave! No, I had to wander around. A bookstore is like a candy store to us readers, so I was in happy land. After a few hours I was back in the car driving home with a small bag of books... (I'll share those books here Sunday for my Sunday Salon post) One of which was my original choice for First Book of the Year, and another book that will be the first book I am also going to read for my first book. Let me explain...

World of Wonders is this beautiful little book of natures essays, 28 to be exact, that quietly bring you back to what matters. Aimee is an award winning poet, but here she uses her skills with the pen and her subtle observations to write about such subjects as the Catalpa Tree, the Narwhal, and even the flamingo. But these aren't long drawn out essays, these are like little poems, love notes of a page or two that let us relax in a world we may have temporarily forgotten. And it's because of that that I want to linger among the pages and have decided to read World of Wonder over time. Enjoying an essay or two every night until I turn the last page. So it will be "technically" my First Book of the Year, but I won't finish it first...

So what book will I finish first? That would be... Good Dogs Don't Make It to the South Pole by Hans-Olav Thyvold. I had briefly read something about this book. Basically it's a story told thru the eyes of a dog. I like dog books. I've read quite a few books where the dog is telling the story... The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, Finding Mr. Right by Emily Carmichael being two I loved... so I was interested. Then I read the inside jacket flap, about "A funny and touching tale...told thru the eyes of a grumpy yet lovable mutt" which made me want to read it more. And finally the author is Norwegian, which made it a slam dunk because I have enjoyed other Norwegian writers, such as Jo Nesbo and Karin Fossum. Of course the later two authors write crime fiction, but there is a certain style to their writing I like. 

My First "Books" of the Year 2021 will be one to relax by and regain focus for what is important, something that I think we all need to do after all the craziness of 2020, and one to make me smile, which is something we all need once in a while too. 

What will your First Book of the Year be?

Will it be funny, sad, advice? Will it be a book to set the mood for 2021? Will it be funny, sad, advice? Let me know in the comments below what you're pick will be! and in the meantime, come back on Sunday to see what other books I brought home with me!

Happy Reading.... Suzanne

First Book of The Year 2020!

Happy New Year! A new reading year has begun! What is our First Book of the Year 2020...

It's Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid! 

"Alix Chamberlain is a woman who gets what she wants and has made a living, with her confidence-driven brand, showing other women how to do the same. So she is shocked when her babysitter, Emira Tucker, is confronted while watching the Chamberlains' toddler one night, walking the aisles of their local high-end supermarket. The store's security guard, seeing a young black woman out late with a white child, accuses Emira of kidnapping two-year-old Briar. A small crowd gathers, a bystander films everything, and Emira is furious and humiliated. Alix resolves to make things right.

But Emira herself is aimless, broke, and wary of Alix's desire to help. At twenty-five, she is about to lose her health insurance and has no idea what to do with her life. When the video of Emira unearths someone from Alix's past, both women find themselves on a crash course that will upend everything they think they know about themselves, and each other."

Published by G.P. Putnam's & Sons and just released December 31st, I am so excited about reading this! This book sounds like it is filled with emotion and characters that will pull us into the story. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced digital copy of Such a Fun Age from the publisher too, but have been saving it for my choice for the first book I open the year with! In fact, it's the first book I'm opening the decade with! 

I'm also participating in The First Book of the Year 2020 with Sheila over at Book Journey, who is hosting this event for the 7th year! Want to see what other people are reading for their book? Hop on over to Book Journey and check it out!

So today you will find me with my nose stuck into a good book! And very soon I'll let y'all know what I thought about it (aka as a review!)... Happy New Year! and Happy New Reading Year to you too!

First Book of the Year... 2019! Happy New Year!

First Book of the Year... 2019!

I've been so eager to share my choice for First Book of the Year 2019! And here it is... 

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Great artwork, a really good story, well written and one that will hold your attention! It's a bit out of the box, it's about a cross-dressing prince who hires a young and upcoming dressmaker to make... well dresses for him... in secret. Written for teenagers, ultimately it's a book about acceptance of oneself and of others...

What are you reading in 2019?!

The Sunday Salon (or Should I say The Snow Day Salon) and Surprise Boxes...

Welcome to The Sunday Salon! Or should I call it the Snow Day Salon, because here in South Carolina we got snow! Yes, moving from Connecticut did not help me avoid all that white stuff, but now that I'm retired, that white stuff looks awful pretty!

What doesn't look awful is South Carolina! We are still settling in in our new home. The people I've met are so friendly and I'm loving where we live!  I don't think we'll ever get through all these moving boxes though, but we've got dining room chairs now, so we can sit down and eat, and we've got most of our furniture in place so that we can relax. Of course I did manage to get some bookcases up and filled, and have more books I need to find places for. In the meantime, as the weather has cooled off and I feel more like lounging around the house than gardening in the cold and snow, I turn to reading and surprises (like snow in the South)...

Over the past few months, I decided that it might be fun to give BOTM a try. Yes, Book of The Month Club is still thriving and after a zillion questions to their customer service representative, I signed up to see how it went. Some of the questions I had were... Are your books "the same" as the books I would buy in the bookstore? Meaning are these edited in any way or abridged. The answer I received was no. I had always thought that they were indeed BOTM "versions", but was happy to find out differently. (Maybe I was thinking of the Readers Digest condensed versions) I was also told that the dust jackets were BOTM covers, thus a pretty little graphic indicating this was a Book of the Month selection. Okay, that bothered me a little because it kind of defaces the cover in my opinion. (stickers on books with "autographed by..." also are one of my pet peeves as well as "movie edition" jackets). So for 14.99, I signed up for BOTM, which entitled me to select from their 5 "books of the month" and/or some other customer favorites from past months. I also got credit for an additional selection for free.

In my first order of BOTM club selections, I received...

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty (which was nominated for this years best fiction category for the Goodreads Choice Awards) and Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks. Both books I wanted to read. And a short time later, my books arrived in the mail. It was a treat to open up the BOTM and fish out the books. But these weren't "surprises", I had picked them out, although it felt like it was a "surprise" box. It was fun getting these books in the mail. It was more fun than ordering from Amazon, but I really don't know why. And I decided that I would check out the next months selections. If I don't care for any of the choices, I can simply pass on that month and wait to see what next month will bring. Some of these choices will be before they are in the stores, which I thought would be fun too. I did make a selection for next month, which is One Day in December by Josie Silvers, which seemed a cute romance. But as much as I love getting surprises in the mail, and how fun it seemed to get this BOTM club selection box, I should have checked the Big "A" for it
first. This book was published in October in paperback and the current price is $10.60. A substantial savings from my hardcover BOTM club edition, which I would cancel had it not been shipped a few days ago. Oh well, live and learn. I would feel better if I had paid that at an Indie bookstore.

So NOW let's talk about REAL surprise boxes... There is a trend these days for "boxes". Boxes that people fill up for you and send you. Surprise boxes also known as "Subscription Boxes".And don't we all love a surprise!? Sometimes that is... There are subscription boxes for almost anything you can think of... beauty, food, socks, dog toys, cookware, clothes, crafts, sewing. You name it, there is more than likely some kind of subscription box.

I have tried The Quarterly Book Box, now defunct, by Book Riot, which was filled with a few books and swag. At the time I opened that first box, Here's my review from 2014, I liked the two books I received and the mug, and on a whole I liked all the little things that came in the box, but I didn't feel like it was worth $50, which was the cost. And that's the problem with some of these subscription boxes... would you have better spent the money picking out books yourself? BOTM club seems to be the most reasonable of the subscription boxes I found recently. You basically get a book delivered to your house for about what it would cost at the bookstore on sale. And you can add another book from their choices for $9.99. And finally, if you don't see anything from their selections of the month, you can pass.

If you're curious as to what "Book Subscription Boxes" are out there, here are two great resources...

My Subscription Addiction, founded by Liz Cadman, who was searching for subscription boxes and reviews herself. When she came up short, she decided she'd create a place for just that, and My Subscription Addiction was born. Here is a list of Best Book Subscriptions of 2018 from that site.

Cratejoy, is another great "Box Subscription Warehouse", where search for the type of subscription box you are looking for and actually subscribe through the website. When I checked out the Book Subscriptions, there were over 150 of them! Here's the link to those listings! And included in some of those listings were boxes with used books, bringing the price of those subscription boxes quite a bit lower. I have no idea where they get their used books or what kind of condition they would be in, but it's an interesting choice. Used Books Monthly is one of those used book boxes and for $9.99 a month you get two books in a genre that you choose. The reviews have been good and I don't see any complaints about the condition of the books.

Would you try a Book Subscription Box? 

And if you have already, what did you like/dislike?

Weekly Recap...

I added to my 7 Days of Favorite Books this week with Wild by Cheryl Strayed and Eternal on The Water by Joseph Monninger.   Days 1, 2 & 3 included Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen, Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, Dracula in Love by Karen Essex. Next week we'll wrap it up with the last two "Favorite" books. But remember these are NOT my ONLY favorite books! (Ain't that the truth!)

Friday began with First Lines Friday! Follow the link to see what great first lines we shared and what book it was! All I can say it was purrfect!

And one final thought for today... First Book of the Year! 

Every year I start off by reading a book. Of course the first book we read for the year would be the first book of the year, BUT I try and choose a really great book to start the reading year right. My 2018 choice was Still Me by Jojo Moyes, and what a great read that was (here's my review)! It actually won the Goodreads Readers Choice Award for best fiction book of the year.

You have 23 days to figure out your book if you'd like to join in on the fun! I'll remind you when we get to that last week in December, but I've chosen my book and you'll have to stop by Dec. 31st to find out what it is!

Do You Pick a Special Book for Your First Book of the Year?

Until next week... Happy reading, Suzanne

First Book of The Year 2018... Still Me by Jojo Moyes!

How are you starting your reading year?! For the last 5 years, Sheila from Book Journey has hosted First Book Of The Year. Anyone can participate (with a blog or not), you just need to pick a book! A special book you've been waiting to read, a book maybe you received as a gift, any book you'd like to read... 

My choice this year is... Still Me by Jojo Moyes. Are you familiar with Jojo Moyes? She wrote Me Before You and had the whole reading world turning those pages faster than the speed of light (not only that, but the book was made into a great movie that honestly did the book justice) When I read Me Before You by Jojo Moyes I never cried so much! But it was all good. The book was wonderful and we all came to know Louisa Clark as a quirky, intelligent and determined young lady full of heart. I'm ready to catch up with Louisa Clark as she starts life over in New York in Still Me! I'm also ready to start a new chapter in MY life... it's called retirement! So, the title of Jojo Moyes book fits right into that plan as well... even though I'm not working a 9 - 5 anymore, it's Still Me! Here's the publishers blurb...

In STILL ME, Lou arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure, and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. Taking a job as the personal assistant to a New York socialite, Lou mixes with high society where she meets a man who brings with him a whisper of her past. As Lou tries to keep the two sides of her world together, she finds herself carrying secrets—not all her own—that cause a catastrophic change in her circumstances. When matters come to a head, she has to ask herself, Who is Louisa Clark? And how do you reconcile a heart that lives in two places? STILL ME is Jojo Moyes’ quirky, touching, and empathetic writing voice at its best, reminding readers why they fell in love with Me Before You. 

I want to thank the publisher, Penguin Random House, for sending along an advanced copy of Still Me just in time for my first book of the year! On January 30th, you can find a copy of Still Me at your favorite bookstore! 

*Psst... later this month look for a special Q&A with Jojo Moyes AND possibly a giveaway!!

First Book of The Year... 2017!

For the past few years I've carefully chosen a book to start the new year with. Sheila over at Book Journey has hosted the First Book of The Year event for the past three years and is doing it again this year! Yay! It's a fun get together with other readers to share what book you're starting your reading year with! Some people submit a photo to show what they're reading, but this year I was a little late in deciding, so no photo this year, but I'm still reading and still sharing my First Book of The Year 2017 here...

I Remember You: A Ghost Story by Yrsa Sigurdardottir ... I Remember You won the Icelandic Crime Fiction Award and also was nominated for The Glass Key Award.

In this terrifying tale, three friends set to work renovating a rundown house in a remote, totally isolated location. But they soon realize they are not as alone as they thought. Something wants them to leave. Meanwhile, in a nearby town, a young doctor investigating the suicide of an elderly woman discovers that she was obsessed with his vanished son. When the two stories collide, the shocking truth becomes horribly clear.

In the vein of Stephen King and John Ajvide Lindqvist partly based on a true story, is the scariest novel yet from Yrsa Sigurdardóttir, who has captivated the attention of readers around the world with her mystery series featuring attorney Thora Gudmundsdottir. Now, Yrsa will stun readers once again with this out-of-this-world ghost story that will leave you shivering.

This book just struck a chord with me... Winter, isolation, a ghost story... I guess that's how Connecticut feels to me these days with winter settling in. I downloaded the Nook Book and started reading it and am glad the lights were on in the room... because it is scary! It's the setting that gives you the creeps. Yrsa Sigurdardottir creates a very eery atmosphere and totally believable. I am enjoying it!

What is the first book you're reading in 2017?

First Book of the Year… 2016!

Happy New Year! It's another year filled with anticipation and excitement of what lies ahead! For a reader it's the start of new places to explore, people to meet and new things to discover all courtesy of someone we probably will never meet… the author.

The last two years, I joined Sheila from the Book Journey's First Book of the Year Event and have loved it so much! I joined again this year! It is so much fun decided on what book you want to start your year with! And it's fun to see what everyone else chose too!

The book I'm choosing this year is The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende. It's a story of star-crossed lovers who through WWII and many generations still keep their love a secret and alive. The Japanese Lover has gotten great reviews and I've been meaning to read it for a long time. My Secret Elf this year sent me a copy of this wonderful book (Thank you again Secret Elfster!) and I am so happy to be starting my reading year with it!

What will be YOUR first book this year?! Want to know what everyone else is reading?! Go to Book Journey and SEE for yourself! Thanks Sheila for hosting this great event another year!

First Book of the Year… 2015!

Happy New Year! The new year promises many things to many people, and to readers it means a brand new year filled with new places to explore, new people to meet and adventures to have all experienced through the imagination of someone we may never meet, but come to love or hate named... the author.

Last New Years Day, I joined Sheila from Book Journey's First Book Of The Year 2015 challenge. And this year I decided it was a great idea and signed up again to participate! Not so much a "challenge" as a reading tradition of choosing a book to start the year. This year the book I'm choosing is Wonder by R.J. Palacio! I have read rave reviews of this book for some time and most recently someone told me that it was the best book they read in 2014. Wonder is about a little boy named August Pullman who was born with his faced deformed. In and out of surgeries for years, he was home schooled, but when he's about to enter the 5th grade it's decided he can go to "normal" school. This book is about acceptance and courage and change… what better way to start the new year for "real"! Want to see who else is reading a First Book of The Year 2015? Sheila put together a photo montage of the participants! You can find 62 girls with their books by CLICKING HERE.

What is the first book you're going to read this year? 

Stay tuned to see my review of Wonder coming up next week...