The Sunday Post/It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Check out the The Caffeinated Book Review for the Sunday Post

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Last week was a rough one for our family. My aunt, who is very special to me, recently completed a year of surgeries and chemo for pancreatic cancer. She came through strong and well. And then, last week, we had a setback. They found that an infection that may have started in her chemo port spread to her aortic valve. And then found that it was also in her spine. The heart valve was shooting off infection and plaque to all parts of her body for weeks, causing symptoms no one could find the cause of until finally, it affected her heart and also her brain. It has been a scary 6 weeks, and while this news was terrifying, and my poor aunt has been though so very much, at least now we know the cause and can treat it. Which they have started to, addressing the infection in the spine first and now, tomorrow, Monday morning, she will get a valve replacement. She is such a tough woman. 

I did do some reading. The perfect distraction right?

  

I loved both of these!!! The Cruel Prince though, I couldn't stop reading and was so mad when it was over because I wanted more of this story and world. I can't believe I have to wait so long for the next installment! Lol.

Reading This Week:

 

I am definitely starting this book this week. I want to read some children's classics this summer, and I am starting with this one - which I never read! I will probably also pick up a Jenny Colgan or Karen White at the library, and I have some review books I am reading from here and there as well. 

So I guess my reading week looks a bit scattered!

Watching:

The Ranch, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and we just started Safe. We are all over Netflix right now I guess. Lol. 

What about you all? What is happening in your world?

Book Review: The Cottages on Silver Beach by RaeAnne Thayne

Title/Author: The Cottages on Silver Beach by RaeAnne Thayne
Source: Little Bird Publicity, in return for an honest review
Publication date: June 19th, 2018

Goodreads Summary:

Megan Hamilton never really liked Elliot Bailey. He turned his back on her family when they needed him the most and it almost tore them all apart. So she’s shocked when Elliot arrives at her family’s inn, needing a place to stay and asking questions that dredge up the past. Megan will rent him a cottage, but that’s where it ends—no matter how gorgeous Elliot has become. 

Coming back home to Haven Point was the last thing bestselling writer Elliot Bailey thought he’d ever do. But the book he’s writing now is his most personal one yet and it’s drawn him back to the woman he can’t get out of his mind. Seeing Megan again is harder than he expected and it brings up feelings he’d thought were long buried. Could this be his chance to win over his first love?


My thoughts:

For me a RaeAnne Thayne book is like the perfect little pick-me-up, and this one was no different. As a Michigander, I am partial to a little cabin on the lake setting. I can hear the birds, feel the breezes, imagine dipping my feet into the water. It is one of my favorite things ever, a cabin on the lake. So I was really excited to read a book by a favorite author, in one of my favorite settings. 

I really loved this book. Megan is such a cool character, running the family business but still finding time for her art, burning the candle at both ends as both a businesswoman and photographer. She is also a woman who is fiercely loyal and devoted to her brother and his children, an admirable quality. Protective, unwilling to let her faith in her brother slip for a second, believing in him always, even when his best childhood friend turns his back on him. She self-sacrifices for the love of her family, but is happy, and engulfed by the goodness of the people in her community. 

Then Elliot arrives, staying right next door to her, renting one of her cottages. Her heart wants to give him the boot, but her professionalism allows him to stay. But despite her best efforts to ignore him, it doesn't seem to be possible. There is a lot of history and a lot of misgivings between them however, as well as the situation with her brother, one that is not going to just go away. 

This book was one of those books you don't want to put down. And it ended on a cliffhanger!!! I absolutely can not wait for the next in this series!

A great summer read, one that I plan on reading again this summer when we go on vacation at the lake!



Thanks to Little Bird Publicity for the chance to read and review this book!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

It has been a great week, full of family and fun and friends. Last Friday we went out for my friend's bachelorette dinner, and had a blast! It was really the first time I had done something like that since Wyatt was born, and I was actually kind of anxious! Lol. We had a great time though. We ended the night at The Whitney, which is a grand old mansion from the late 1800s in Detroit. We had fancy dessert in the dessert parlor and drinks, including tableside Spanish Coffee. And now that I have one of these nights down again, I will have to make sure there are others in the future!

Read Last Week:

  

I was hoping that my hold of Legendary would have come in, but it didn't. None of my holds did! So I picked up a book I hadn't read yet by one of my faves, Jenny Colgan. And I loved it. Of course. 

When I finished, I started this Karen White book. A long, long time ago I read the first in this series. Now, I am reading the fifth, without having read the ones in between. Lol. It hasn't really slowed me down though. Although, this main character is hard to warm up to!

Reading This Week:

 

I did get word that this came in and is waiting for me! Yay! So this week for sure. I loved Caraval so I am very excited.

Watching:

Godless! It is so good. We are almost done with it, as it is only 7 episodes or so. It is really so well done!

How about you all? What is going on with you?

Book Review: High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews

Title/Author: The High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews
Source: St. Martin's Press, in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary:

When ninety-nine-year-old heiress Josephine Bettendorf Warrick summons Brooke Trappnell to Talisa Island, her 20,000 acre remote barrier island home, Brooke is puzzled. Everybody in the South has heard about the eccentric millionaire mistress of Talisa, but Brooke has never met her. Josephine’s cryptic note says she wants to discuss an important legal matter with Brooke, who is an attorney, but Brooke knows that Mrs. Warrick has long been a client of a prestigious Atlanta law firm.

Over a few meetings, the ailing Josephine spins a tale of old friendships, secrets, betrayal and a long-unsolved murder. She tells Brooke she is hiring her for two reasons: to protect her island and legacy from those who would despoil her land, and secondly, to help her make amends with the heirs of the long dead women who were her closest friends, the girls of The High Tide Club—so named because of their youthful skinny dipping escapades—Millie, Ruth and Varina. When Josephine dies with her secrets intact, Brooke is charged with contacting Josephine’s friends’ descendants and bringing them together on Talisa for a reunion of women who’ve actually never met.

The High Tide Club is Mary Kay Andrews at her Queen of the Beach Reads best, a compelling and witty tale of romance thwarted, friendships renewed, justice delivered, and true love found. 


My thoughts:

For some, summer kicks off with the first barbecue, the first 90 degree day, breaking out the flip-flops and shorts and sunblock. For me, the unofficial start of summer is reading a Mary Kay Andrews book. It is how I change seasons, by my reading choices. I switch from heavier, intense books or cozy mysteries or scary thrillers to books that are set by the sea, sand, and have some romance in there too. This one was a bit different. Despite the beachy cover, it is not a beach book, with sand and flip-flops and fruity drinks.  However, Mary Kay Andrews always writes an entertaining tale, and this one was just plain riveting.

Is there anything more carefree and joyous than skinny dipping by the light of a full moon? And nowadays, not even scandalous, unlike when friends Josephine, Ruth, Millie, and Varinia first traded in their swimsuits for their birthday suits in the 40s. Who knew then where there lives would take them - what young person does? 

By the time attorney Brooke Trapnell meets Josephine Warrick, Josephine is 99 years old, eccentric, and loaded. And living on her family island, in a home that is crumbling around her. To add to it, she is battling cancer while trying to hang on to the family land. That is where Brooke comes in. Josephine wants Brooke to help her keep her island and also to create a legacy for her old friends, The High Tide Club, or at least their descendants. 

This seemingly simple task soon unravels a lifetime of secrets and mysteries, that seem to slowly spill out of Shellhaven, Jospehine's tumbledown mansion. One secret leads to another and another, until finally, all secrets are brought to light. There is mystery and intrigue and glamour - unfortunately, there is also classicism and racism, which I guess would be historically accurate for some people for that time and location, although ugly (the deep south in the 1940s). This book kept me on my toes, and kept me guessing, and I did not want to stop reading until I found out all the answers! 

Another great book by Andrews! 

The Sunday Post/It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Check out the The Caffeinated Book Review for the Sunday Post

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day out! We spent a majority of it outside, then realized we had to do some adult grown up things like work and clean and had to stop playing. Lol. It was a great day!

Wyatt also has his end of the year preschool concert today (Monday). I am so excited to see him with the rest of his class! I am pretty sure I am going to see him playing some sort of loud instrument, he loves music so much.

Read Last Week:

  

The High Tide Club - I love MKA! It took me a minute or two to get into this book; then I couldn't stop reading it!! Review this week. 

Red Queen - I picked this up from the library and devoured it. I really enjoyed this one as well!

Reading This Week:

  

Legendary by Stephanie Garber (if it comes in! I am first in line though on the library holds list so I am assuming I will get it)

Beautiful Exiles - I started this and I am really enjoying taking my time with it. There is a lot to take in, the Spanish War, writing, Hemingway himself. I always wish I was in the Keys or drinking while reading it though. LOL.

Watching:

Godless - so good so far! Jeff Daniels is almost unrecognizable from his previous roles. I love him, and he is a fellow Michigander!

Schitt's Creek for comic relief ( I love the Levys), and iZombie, which was really good this season. I am so bummed it was such a short season! I think we are going to start Jessica Jones season 2 this week, and I am going to watch The Chalet (my husband is not interested so its all me!)

I've also been enjoying listening to Podcasts on Stitcher. Anyone listen to any good podcasts? I am always looking for new ones.