Until You’re Mine – Samantha Hayes

Given to me by a coworker, 2 stars. This book had such promise. I do not think the character voices were strong enough to distinguish themselves so the changes in narrator got muddled to the point of confusion. It is almost like the Author was not fully convinced of the storyline she wanted to follow and it could have branched so many ways from page to page. There was a lot of unnecessary character development in the nanny that really had no added value to the story, seemed like the author was just desperately trying to make you see something in the nanny that wasn’t going to be there at the end. Also, you need to pay close attention to details revealed through the different characters perspectives in order to understand their significance and see what a small world the characters reside in. Otherwise these details just seem completely pointless.

I think a rewrite strengthening the character’s individual voices will make this book a million times better as well as rewriting the plot on the back. Maybe just a quick outline of Claudia seems to have a perfect life, Zoe is the much needed nanny to the rescue but is the picture perfect? How far would someone go to have their own child? Right now the summary, I feel, has nothing to do with the actual plotline and goes back to the Author pushing way too hard for what she thinks is the twist.

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

Passed along by my Mother-In-Law, 5 stars. I saw the movie first, and the book and movie were both great! The movie did its best to stay true to the story and the variances are easily forgiven and even hard to spot. The voice that tells the story easily carries the reader along on the wicked journey deep into the minds of a psychopath. Obviously the book has more ability to dive deeper into other latent characters and into back story more so you get a bigger and better picture but the movie is a huge compliment. Even if you already know the ending, the book is enthralling. Would definitely recommend it to anyone.

Against the Wall - Julie Prestsater (Against the Wall #1)

Top 100 Free Amazon, 2 stars. This was a super quick easy read. Not a bad book just not fantastic. Typical mousy girl has hot boyfriend and is shocked and devastated when hot boyfriend leaves her for the school tramp (they are all teachers) even though their relationship has been on again off again for the past 10 years…Really women of the world? Why can you not read the signs?!?! But, don’t worry reader, she of course has a hot best friend (also a teacher at the same school) that has been pining after her for years. So naturally she plays the “Oh! I just don’t know!” game deciding between the two which leads to a gigantic miscommunication that leads to heartbreak and then an epic proposal.

Submerged by Cheryl Kaye

Top 100 Free on Amazon, 3 stars. This book was a super quick read and worth the time. It kept you on

the edge of your seat. Though it had some supernatural parts that weren’t fully necessary or fully

explained and a couple blah chapters at the end overall it was a good read!

Adrenaline by John

Top 100 Free on Amazon, 3 stars. Another Amazon free book that is worth a look. It is about a group of

anesthesiologist that are being sabotaged right as merger is taking place and they need to be doing their

best. There are a few side plot lines that do not impact the story that aren’t fully interesting since they

also fail to develop the characters in a meaningful way but overall it was a quick read that wasn’t a

waste of time. Makes you really want to research the important people in your surgery room.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

This book was given to me by a coworker and it was great! 4 stars! I was born in Russia and adopted out

at a very young age. Though I remember some of the struggles of living in a poor area I thankfully have

not been a war zone or even a natural disaster. This book really makes you see the other side to 9/11.

Yes, our great country was attacked and many lives were list in that attack…and in the following wars.

The flipside though is all the unrest and devastation that hundreds of thousands of innocent people

faced in the Middle East as a result of the choices of a very small group of radical individuals. This book

really helps perspective and being thankful for the things you do have, especially as a woman.

The Buddha Pill: Can Meditation Change You? by Miguel Farias

GoodReads First Read, 3 stars. This book was all about the statistics. It was really interesting to read as

an outsider with no specific vested interest in the outcome of the results. I can only imagine what

people would think if they were for, or against, meditation. The main studies based around prison

therapies but the gist being that what works for some might not work for all and due to everyone being

unique all results are unique. I like to believe that I am very aware of myself, my faults, vices as well as

all the good things. I study my actions and reactions and like to know why I behave the way I do. When I

was younger I avoided looking into myself because I did not like what I saw. Meditation, yoga, religion…

it works for some but not all. I find my “religion” in taking “me time”. Whether that is reading or

painting my nails or just driving home with the windows down being in tune with the moment.

The Accidental Hero by Joshua Graham

Top 100 Free Amazon, 4 stars. This was a short story, 25 pages, and I wished it went on for 400 more. It

had an interesting premise and was very well written. You kind of knew what was going to happen but

you still felt so much for the character in just those few pages that it was worth the few minutes to read.

A.I. Apocalypse (Singularity #2) by William Hertling

Top 100 Free Amazon, 4 stars. Computers are everything. AI is built but the world is not aware of the

power behind it since they aren’t even aware there is a possibility of AI. Seems like I am falling into the

habit of reading series books at random… I think I will add this one to my to-read shelves along with the

400+ already there. Ahhh, if only I could be like Blake Lively in The Age of Adeline (if you haven’t seen

this movie you should! And how I sorely wish it was based off a book but alas… not to be). Anyways,

back to AI Apocalypse, it’s a good read! Lots going on that I have no clue about since I am not super tech

savvy but even with that it kept my interest!

The Four Seasons of Marriage by Gary

Top 100 Free Amazon, 2 stars. Nothing you do not already know through common sense, though some people need to read/see/hear it for it to truly to sink in. I have read a few marriage/relationship books and it was just all the same, different author. Not that it is bad advice, it is good advice, it just did not stand out from the crowd for me.

314 (Widowsfield Trilogy,#1) by A.R. Wise

Top 100 Amazon Free, 3 Stars. I really liked this book for the most part. It was creepy and kept you on the edge of the seat while the action was happening but it got a little too confusing with the jumping around. Reading the Author's description it makes sense what he was trying to do but in practice I got lost, especially since so much was going on at any one point of time.

I told my coworkers about it though since it did have that creep factor that just hooked you right in!