Monthly Wrap Up | August 2019

WHAT HAPPENED IN AUGUST

• The entire month was day after day of sweltering heat. Not a fan. Zero stars - do not recommend.
• Had to get a new computer at the beginning of the month. I'm still fine-tuning things, like loading my favorite anti-virus software and setting up folders, etc. And I still haven't set up Carbonite on the new PC. Need to do that soon (or maybe The Husband will look into that for me... hint, hint, Robert :).
• Had my annual physical and all is well but I'm also at the age where one appointment seems to result in two or three others. LOL
• One of my favorite shows from the late 90's/early 2000's got a reboot. I watched the first episode of BH90210... and decided some things are better left alone. 

WHAT I READ IN AUGUST

*Note: Yes, I know the graphic is crooked but I just can't be bothered to re-do it. 

August was a pretty mediocre reading month - with the exception of one 5-star read. I read six books which is low even for me. (This might even be lower in September since I've been reading the same book for a week and a half.) 

The Last Post by Renee Carlino | 3.5/5 stars

Breathe by Abbi Glines | 3/5 stars

Because of Low by Abbi Glines | 3.25/5 stars

While It Lasts by Abbi Glines | 3.25/5 stars

Just For Now by Abbi Glines | 3.25/5 stars

The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greewood | 5/5 stars

The Last Post and The Reckless Oath We Made link to full reviews on the blog. I didn't have enough to say about the Abbi Glines titles to review them here so they are linked to short (and a little snarky) reviews on GoodReads.

FORMATS

Total Read: 6

4 physical books

2 e-books

2 ARCs

TOP OF THE HEAP

The Reckless Oath We Made

Bryn Greenwood did it again and created two main characters that felt so human and so flawed and so real that I was 100% invested in their story. The Reckless Oath We Made was totally unique and I loved every minute of it.

THE ONE THAT WAS SURPRISINGLY EMOTIONAL

Just For Now

Despite my issues with this one (the male main character ran so hot and cold that I wanted to do him bodily harm), it took a turn I didn't expect and actually managed to eke out some real emotion.

THE ONE THAT LEFT ME WANTING MORE

The Last Post

Renee Carlino has written some that I've loved and some that I've been on the fence about. With The Last Post I just wanted... more. It was good but I wished for more connection with the main characters. It just felt a little lacking overall.

THE ONE THAT INDUCED MUCH EYE-ROLLING

Breathe

Have there ever been two more annoying main characters? If so, I don't want to know. Sadie was saccharine sweet, naive beyond belief and basically a clueless Mary Sue. Jax was possessive, insanely jealous and irrational. They deserve each other and should go far, far away. Fingers crossed they don't show up often in the rest of the series. 

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE BLOG

I had 16 blog posts in August which included 4 reviews: Hope and Other Punch Lines, Birthday, The Last Post, and The Reckless Oath We Made. I also shared my least favorite cover redesigns, characters I want as my BFF, and my favorite romance tropes.

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING

The Flatshare - Beth O'Leary

I'm on Day 11 (maybe 12?) of reading this one and I honestly don't know if it's me or the book. It's not even a long one (325 pages) and yet I'm still only on page 235. I enjoy it well enough when I'm reading it, but it's not like I think about it and am itching to pick it up again. I don't know if I'm in a bit of a book hangover after The Reckless Oath We Made, if I've just been busy, or if the book just isn't thrilling me. Either way, I'm going to make a concerted effort to just finish it in the next few days.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE READ IN AUGUST?

Review: The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood

THE RECKLESS OATH WE MADE
Bryn Greenwood
Publication date: August 20, 2019
Series: No
Genres: Contemporary, Literary Fiction
Format: eARC
Source: G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley



GOODREADS  *  AMAZON

S Y N O P S I S

Zee is nobody's fairy tale princess. Almost six-foot, with a redhead's temper and a shattered hip, she has a long list of worries: never-ending bills, her beautiful, gullible sister, her five-year-old nephew, her housebound mother, and her drug-dealing boss.

Zee may not be a princess, but Gentry is an actual knight, complete with sword, armor, and code of honor. Two years ago the voices he hears called him to be Zee's champion. He's barely spoken to her since, but he has kept watch, ready to come to her aid.

When an abduction tears Zee's family apart, she turns to the last person she ever imagined--Gentry--and sets in motion a chain of events that will not only change both of their lives, but bind them to one another forever.

M Y   T H O U G H T S

Okay. *deep breath* Let’s do this. The Reckless Oath We Made is one of those books that, when I turn the last page, I sit for a moment and let it all sink it. I marvel at what the author was able to convey. And then I wonder how in the world I am going to write a review that does it justice. (Confession: it’s been 2+ years since I read Greenwood’s All the Ugly and Wonderful Things and I still haven’t managed to articulate my feelings about it. In the simplest terms, it was phenomenal.) But I’m going to try.

Zee (real Name: Zhorzha) is brash and rough-around-the-edges and it seems as if it weren’t for bad luck she’d have no luck at all. A motorcycle accident left her with a shattered hip, chronic pain, and a mountain of medical bills. She also helps support her hoarder mother, her older sister and her five-year-old nephew so her waitress income is supplemented by occasional drug trafficking. She meets Gentry while at physical therapy and his odd demeanor is impossible to ignore. While their interaction is short-lived, he remains a fixture in her life over the next two years, constantly keeping watch over her.

Gentry is a knight. On the autism spectrum, he hears voices (Gawen, Hildegard, and the Witch), speaks in Middle English, spars with swords and is building his own castle. Gentry is single-minded in his duty as Zee’s champion, and the oath he has taken to protect her. When Zee’s sister is taken hostage by prison escapees, Gentry is by his Lady Zhorzha’s side, ready to aid in battle when she decides to recover her sister on her own.

Zee and Gentry were an improbable pairing that still made perfect sense. Zee accepted Gentry in every way and allowed him to express himself in the way that was uniquely him. She did not patronize him or mock him or expect him to change. Her immediate sense of belonging (or at least a wish to belong) with Gentry’s adoptive family was understandable since her own family fell apart (and did not recover) after her father died while serving a prison sentence for armed robbery. Zee wasn’t always a sympathetic character. She was single-minded in her efforts and used whatever means necessary to get what she needed. I found myself railing at her capriciousness while still recognizing the weight on her shoulders. In fact, my only quibble throughout the book had to do with Zee. (Highlight the following text for possible spoiler content: I truly wanted more atonement from Zee at the end of the book. She did recognize that others paid dearly for her decisions/actions – sometimes with life-changing consequences. Yes, she did take steps to apologize (like to Rosalinda and Charlene) but it felt so insignificant in comparison to what was lost. I wanted more from Zee, but maybe that was as much as she was capable of doing.)

In Gentry, Bryn Greenwood has created one of my favorite fictional characters ever. His chapters, written in his Middle English manner of speech, were among my favorites. With a moral compass that guided his every decision, a desire to prove himself worthy, and an innate kindness and compassion that melted my heart, Gentry is truly unforgettable. His surprising sense of humor always made me smile and his unwavering sense of right and wrong, in a world where doing the easy thing is so often chosen over doing the right thing, was inspiring.

The Reckless Oath We Made is a breathtaking mix of literary fiction, social commentary, modern-day fairy tale, and love story. Greenwood’s gift at creating utterly unique, fully-realized characters is astounding. And I lost track of the number of times I came across a sentence or phrase that captured a feeling so perfectly that I would just sit and stare at it. Like with All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, Greenwood employs multiple narratives to weave her tale. Told mainly from Zee and Gentry’s points of view, there are also chapters from Zee’s nephew, Gentry’s mother, and more, which serve to create a story that comes to life and is truly mesmerizing. Greenwood is able to infuse this story with themes of family loyalty (which is stretched to its limits), mental illness, chivalry, and love in all its many forms. I could go on (and on) about all this story has to offer, but suffice it to say: The Reckless Oath We Made is among the best of 2019.

5/5 STARS

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review. I received no compensation and my review is voluntary.

____________________________________________________________________________________

About the Author

BRYN GREENWOOD is a fourth-generation Kansan and the daughter of a mostly reformed drug dealer. She is the NYT bestselling author of The Reckless Oath We Made, All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, Lie Lay Lain, and Last Will. She lives in Lawrence, Kansas.

Website: www.bryngreenwood.com 

Twitter: bryngreenwood 

WWW Wednesday #59 | August 21, 2019

WWW Wednesdays is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

Just answer three questions and share what you're reading.

My morning started at the dentist office. 
It has to get better from there, right?

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

   

The Reckless Oath We Made - Bryn Greenwood

I haven't had much time reading this week (or I haven't made much time for reading) so I'm only 25% into The Reckless Oath We Made but I am seriously Loving It. It may seem premature, but I'm already predicting a 5-star rating. Greenwood's gift at creating utterly unique, fully-realized characters is breathtaking. And several times I have come across a sentence or phrase that captures a feeling so perfectly... I just sit there and stare at it. Zee and Gentry are giving me life.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

Just For Now (Sea Breeze #4) - Abbi Glines

I had a love-hate relationship with the fourth book in the Sea Breeze series. Preston was a typical Abbi Glines guy: meaning he slept with anything on two legs and acted like a caveman with the one special snowflake who made his heart go pitter-patter. But he ran so hot and cold with Amanda that I wanted to do him bodily harm. But (there's always a but when I read Abbi Glines), this one was also surprisingly emotional. It took a darker turn near the end that I wasn't expecting and that triggered some events that actually got to me. So, yes Preston was another reformed man-whore (yawn), but Abbi still managed to reel me in with the emotion, So, go Abbi.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL READ NEXT?

  

     

Sometimes It Lasts (Sea Breeze #5) - Abbi Glines
When You Were Mine - Lisa Swift 

I might jump back into the Sea Breeze series or I might move on to When You Were Mine. We'll see how I feel after I finish The Reckless Oath We Made. 

What are you currently reading?
I wanna know! :)

My Most Anticipated Releases | Summer 2019

I'm a little bit late with this, since we're already two weeks into June, but let's just go with it, shall we? Better late than never and all that. There are actually two that have already released this month that I've read, so I won't list them below but you can check out my reviews for Jennifer L. Armentrout's Storm and Fury and Jennifer Weiner's Mrs. Everything.

Now on to the summer releases that I'm most excited for...

June 18

Letters to Molly - Devney Perry

Molly Alcott didn’t expect to open her mailbox one summer morning and find an old letter stuffed between bills and a supermarket flyer. Penned in familiar handwriting, dated over fifteen years ago, the letter was written to Molly after her first date with the man she’ll never forget.

Week after week, new letters appear. Each marks an event in the history of their epic love affair. Each heals a wound. Each holds the confession of the man who still owns Molly’s heart.

The letters are full of promise, hope and love, but truth be told, Molly wishes she could unread them all.

Because the man who wrote these letters is not the one sending them.

I've been wanting to read something by Devney Perry for quite a while. The synopsis of this upcoming release definitely grabs me so this might be the one I start with.

June 25

Superfan - Sarina Bowen

Three years ago I met the most amazing girl in the world. We were both down on our luck. Then I got that call—the one that tells you to get your buns on a plane to go meet your destiny.

But the girl was left behind. I didn’t have her phone number, and she didn’t know my real name.

While I became a professional hockey player, she became a superstar, with platinum records and legions of fans. And a slick, music producer boyfriend who treated her badly.

But fate wasn’t done with us yet. When Delilah turns up at a hockey game, I can’t resist making contact. The internet swoons when I ask her out on a date.

She might not remember me. But her jerkface ex does. He’ll do anything to keep us apart.

Good thing athletes never give up. This time I’m playing for keeps.

I mean, it's Sarina Bowen. Need I say more?

June 25

Call It What You Want - Brigid Kemmerer

When his dad is caught embezzling funds from half the town, Rob goes from popular lacrosse player to social pariah. Even worse, his father’s failed suicide attempt leaves Rob and his mother responsible for his care.

Everyone thinks of Maegan as a typical overachiever, but she has a secret of her own after the pressure got to her last year. And when her sister comes home from college pregnant, keeping it from her parents might be more than she can handle.

When Rob and Maegan are paired together for a calculus project, they’re both reluctant to let anyone through the walls they’ve built. But when Maegan learns of Rob’s plan to fix the damage caused by his father, it could ruin more than their fragile new friendship...

This captivating, heartfelt novel asks the question: Is it okay to do something wrong for the right reasons?

My reading of YA has waned to almost nil but I make an exception for Brigid Kemmerer. I love her contemporary YA novels and I've read some excellent early reviews for this one.

July 9

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill - Abbi Waxman

Meet Nina Hill: A young woman supremely confident in her own...shell.
The only child of a single mother, Nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book.

When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They're all--or mostly all--excited to meet her! She'll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It's a disaster! And as if that wasn't enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn't he realize what a terrible idea that is?

Nina considers her options.
1. Completely change her name and appearance. (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.)
2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee).
3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.)

It's time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn't convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It's going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page.

I've yet to read anything from Abbi Waxman, but I'm intrigued by this one and think it might be an excellent read.

August 6

Say You Still Love Me - K.A. Tucker

Life is a mixed bag for Piper Calloway.

On the one hand, she’s a twenty-nine-year-old VP at her dad’s multibillion-dollar real estate development firm, and living the high single life with her two best friends in a swanky downtown penthouse. On the other hand, she’s considered a pair of sexy legs in a male-dominated world and constantly has to prove her worth. Plus, she’s stuck seeing her narcissistic ex-fiancé—a fellow VP—on the other side of her glass office wall every day.

Things get exponentially more complicated for Piper when she runs into Kyle Miller—the handsome new security guard at Calloway Group Industries, and coincidentally the first love of her life.

The guy she hasn’t seen or heard from since they were summer camp counsellors together. The guy from the wrong side of the tracks. The guy who apparently doesn’t even remember her name.

Piper may be a high-powered businesswoman now, but she soon realizes that her schoolgirl crush is not only alive but stronger than ever, and crippling her concentration. What’s more, despite Kyle’s distant attitude, she’s convinced their reunion isn’t at all coincidental, and that his feelings for her still run deep. And she’s determined to make him admit to them, no matter the consequences.

K.A. Tucker is basically an auto-buy author for me. I've loved almost everything she's written and this one sounds right up my alley.

August 8

The Family Upstairs - Lisa Jewell

You thought they were just staying for the weekend. They looked harmless enough – with only two suitcases and a cat in a wicker box.

But soon things turn very, very dark. It happens slowly, yet so extraordinarily quickly.

Now you and your sister must find a way to survive.

Not much of a synopsis is it? But Lisa Jewell writes the kind of mystery/thrillers that I love so I don't need to be sold on it. I already have grabby hands.

August 20

The Last Post - Renee Carlino

See you on the other side.

Laya Marston’s husband, Cameron, a daredevil enthusiast, always said this before heading off on his next adventure. He was the complete opposite of her, ready and willing to dive off a cliff-face, or parachute across a canyon—and Laya loved him for it. But she was different: pragmatic, regimented, devoted to her career and to supporting Cameron from the sidelines of his death-defying feats.

Opposites attract, right?

But when Cameron dies suddenly and tragically, all the stages of grief go out the window. Laya becomes lost in denial, living in the delusion that Cameron will come back to her. She begins posting on his Facebook page, reminiscing about their life together, and imagining new adventures for the two of them.

Micah Evans, a young and handsome architect at Laya’s father’s firm, is also stuck––paralyzed by the banal details of his career, his friendships, and his love life. He doesn’t know what he’s looking for, only that there is someone out there who can bring energy and spirit to the humdrum of his life.

When Micah discovers Laya’s tragic and bizarre Facebook posts, he’s determined to show Laya her life is still worth living. Leaving her anonymous gifts and notes, trying to recreate the sense of adventure she once shared with her late husband, Micah finds a new passion watching Laya come out of the darkness. And Laya finds a new joy in the experiences Micah has created for her.

But for Laya, letting another man in still feels like a betrayal to her late husband. Even though Micah may be everything she could wish for, she wonders if she deserves to find happiness again.

I love Renee Carlino and a few of her novels have become real favorites. The advance reviews for The Last Post are a bit... underwhelming (an average GoodReads rating of 3.23 as of this writing - yikes) but I still have high hopes.

August 20

The Reckless Oath We Made - Bryn Greenwood

A provocative love story between a tough Kansas woman on a crooked path to redemption and the unlikeliest of champions, from the New York Times bestselling author of All the Ugly and Wonderful Things.

Zee is nobody's fairy tale princess. Almost six-foot, with a redhead's temper and a shattered hip, she has a long list of worries: never-ending bills, her beautiful, gullible sister, her five-year-old nephew, her housebound mother, and her drug-dealing boss.

Zee may not be a princess, but Gentry is an actual knight, complete with sword, armor, and a code of honor. Two years ago the voices he hears called him to be Zee's champion. Both shy and autistic, he's barely spoken to her since, but he has kept watch, ready to come to her aid.

When an abduction tears Zee's family apart, she turns to the last person she ever imagined--Gentry--and sets in motion a chain of events that will not only change both of their lives, but bind them to one another forever.

Greenwood's All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, caused quite a stir and was certainly divisive, but I thought it was brilliant and moving and it instantly became an all-time favorite. I am so excited for her first release since 2016.

Are you looking forward to any of these upcoming releases? What summer release are you most excited for?

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Favorite Books from the Last 10 Years

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic: 

Favorite Books From The Last 10 Years
(one book per year)

To be honest I haven't been thrilled with several recent TTT themes but I was excited when I saw the topic for this week. I love the idea of looking back at my reading over the past decade and choosing a favorite from each year. I guess I should note that I am basing this on the books I read in each given year and not choosing only from the books that were published that year.

2 0 0 9

Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer

2 0 1 0

Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah 

2 0 1 1

Winter Garden - Kristin Hannah 

2 0 1 2

The Truth About Melody Browne - Lisa Jewell 

2 0 1 3

The Bronze Horseman - Paullina Simons 

2 0 1 4

Maybe Someday - Colleen Hoover

2 0 1 5

The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah

2 0 1 6

Some Kind of Perfect - Krista & Becca Ritchie

2 0 1 7

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things - Bryn Greenwood

2 0 1 8

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid

Do we share any of the same favorites?

TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2017

I love all the Top 10/Best-Of lists that come with the end of each year. Whether it’s done in categories or just best overall, reading posts with everyone’s favorites makes me positively giddy. But when it comes to choosing my own favorites… gah! I actually love going through everything I read in the past year (thank you, GoodReads, for making that so easy to do!), but narrowing it down to the Top 10, the cream of the crop… it’s tough. There are so many in the “you almost made it” category. And for that reason I’ll be starting with a few (okay, nine) Honorable Mentions. And it’s not cheating because it’s my list and I can make the rules. :)

A List of Cages – Robin Roe

Tell Me Three Things – Julie Buxbaum

Goodnight, Nic – Marley Jacobs

The Sea of Tranquility – Katja Millay

Letters to the Lost – Brigid Kemmerer

Making Faces – Amy Harmon

Bossman – Vi Keeland

We Now Return to Regular Life – Martin Wilson

Unraveling Oliver – Liz Nugent

And now to my Top 10 of 2017. To be honest, 2017 was not the most stellar reading year for me. I started off strong – January alone had two books that made it into my Top 10 – but a most unwelcome reading slump hit in October and decided to make itself at home and stay a while. (To give you an idea, I read only four books in October, just three in November, and have managed only one this month.) Here’s hoping for a much better 2018!

Note: These aren’t necessarily 2017 releases (only six were released in 2017), just my top picks from what I read in 2017.

#10 SUGAR & GOLD – EMMA SCOTT

This beautiful romance with a slight paranormal twist captured my heart. I fell in love with Nikolai and Fiona from the very beginning and wished and hoped for their happy ending. Emma Scott delivered some twists I never saw coming, managed to elicit both smiles and tears, and had me not wanting to put the book down. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

#9 WRITTEN IN RED – ANNE BISHOP

I downloaded the audio version of Written in Red on a whim and was instantly transported into another world, where The Others – shapeshifters, vampires and more – rule. I was hooked from the very start and proceeded to enjoy all five books in the series. Bishop created characters that managed to feel real, despite this being urban fantasy, and I am completely invested in their story. A perfect example that taking a chance of something outside your reading comfort zone can deliver a new favorite.

#8 TRUST – KYLIE SCOTT

Having never read any of Kylie Scott’s adult/new adult novels, I had no idea what to expect when I picked up an ARC of her young adult release. I was totally onboard with Trust from the explosive beginning. With Edie as a main character that was 100% realistic and John as an anti-hero turned hero, a gripping storyline, and truly positive portrayal of a mother-daughter relationship, Trust seemed to contain everything I love in a YA contemporary and delivered it with a cherry on top.

#7 WHO DO YOU LOVE – JENNIFER WEINER

Jennifer Weiner delivered a story that spanned 30 years and still managed to have me wanting more. This was so much more than a second chance romance, but more a tale of two people who overcome their own pasts and oh-so-relatable flaws. Who Do You Love showed in heartbreaking detail what happens when love isn’t always enough. Rachel and Andy’s story was absolutely precious and pulled at every heartstring.

#6 THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED – BECKY ALBERTALLI
After the sheer epic-ness of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, I admit I was nervous about what Becky Albertalli would serve up next. I shouldn't have worried because in Molly Peskin-Suso Alberrtalli created a protagonist so relatable that I felt like I was seventeen all over again. Add in a precious little cupcake of a love interest ( I ♥ Reid) and it was obvious that Albertalli had struck gold again.

#5 UNTIL IT FADES – K.A. TUCKER
K.A. Tucker took a foray into straight-up romance this year and all I can say is: I want more. Filled with a strong but vulnerable heroine, a swoony and sweet hockey star, an adorable five year old little girl (who wasn't overly precocious and actually sounded like a five year old), and a rich cast of secondary characters, I let myself drown in the feel-good romance and loved every minute.

#4 A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN – SARAH J MAAS
For someone who isn't a fantasy reader, I fell hard and fast for the ACOTAR series and have anxiously waited for each new release. And A Court of Wings and Ruin did not disappoint. Maybe it didn't quite reach the perfection of ACOMAF, but it still delivered the characters I love, the villains I love to hate, the action and adventure, the surprises, the laughs, the emotion. It was an incredible ride and I loved it.

#3 FAR FROM THE TREE – ROBIN BENWAY
I should have kept track of how many times I was moved to tears while reading Far from the Tree (hint: it was a lot) because Robin Benway probably owes me a box of Kleenex. This story of three teenagers who discover they are biological siblings and the relationships that follow grabbed me by the heart and didn't let go. Grace and Maya and Joaquin came alive for me and I finished their story feeling so happy I'd met them.

#2 ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS – BRYN GREENWOOD
Equal parts fascinating, disturbing, thought-provoking and heartbreaking, this novel delved into the hearts and minds of characters unlike any I'd read about before. Following Wavy Quinn, the daughter of a meth dealer father and an unstable addict mother, All the Ugly and Wonderful things tells the story of a lonely girl and a lonely man. It tells a story of creating family where there is none. And it tells a story of love, of human agency, and of ultimate acceptance. Truly unforgettable.

#1 FROM SAND AND ASH – AMY HARMON
My first read of 2017 is my favorite read of 2017. I was already a fan of Amy Harmon when I picked this one up but she outdid herself with this novel set in WW II-era Italy. Her writing was so immersive that I felt as if I was living the story. Eva (an Italian Jew) and Angelo (an American Catholic) were lifelong friends whose differences, which seemed not to matter as children, suddenly meant everything now that war was on their doorstep. From Sand and Ash was often difficult to read, showcasing a cruelty that was beyond belief, but it was also a beautiful depiction of love, faith, endurance and hope. This book is the perfect example of why I read.

Have you read any of these?

What's your favorite book of 2017?