booksIveread

Read more about the article The Great Alone – Kristin Hannah

The Great Alone – Kristin Hannah

"In Alaska, you can make one mistake. One. The second one will kill you." "Living in Alaska was a test of endurance, of resilience, of whether you could love something that didn’t love you back." "Sometimes being brave means doing the thing that scares you the most." The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah, completely swept me away. I couldn't put it down. It's one of those rare books that stays with you long after the final page. Set against the raw, breathtaking beauty of Alaska, the story is both haunting and hopeful. I fell in love with Leni—her strength, her heart, her resilience. Watching her come of age in such an unforgiving environment, with so much chaos in her home life, was deeply emotional. Her relationships with Large Marge, Matthew, and the bond with her mother. Gut-wrenching, fierce, and full of…

Continue ReadingThe Great Alone – Kristin Hannah
Read more about the article Wishful Drinking

Wishful Drinking

"You know how they say that religion is the opiate of the masses? Well, I took masses of opiates religiously!"   "I feel I'm very sane about how crazy I am."   "Sometimes you can only find Heaven by slowly backing away from Hell."   Reading Wishful Drinking is like being invited to a dinner party hosted by Carrie Fisher. I felt like she’d welcomed me into her inner world—where she’s transparent, wildly honest, hysterically funny, and sneakily profound. Spoiler alert: I laughed out loud. A lot.    This isn’t your typical Hollywood memoir, because Carrie somehow manages to laugh at herself while thoughtfully reflecting on where she’s been. She takes addiction, fame, mental illness, and the surreal experience of being Princess Leia, and wraps it all into a one-woman stand-up routine with just the right amount of emotional gut punch.   …

Continue ReadingWishful Drinking
Read more about the article Fourth Wing – Rebecca Yarros

Fourth Wing – Rebecca Yarros

The Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros, delivers nonstop fantasy adventure from the very first page. Set at a brutal military academy where only the strongest survive and dragon riders earn their place through fire and blood, the story follows Violet as she enters a world that expects her to fail — and dares her to prove otherwise. The plot hooks immediately and never lets go. High-stakes training, ruthless competition, and constant danger make this nearly impossible to put down. Each challenge raises the tension, while the dragons, rivalries, and shifting alliances pull the reader deeper into the story. What truly sets Fourth Wing apart is its pacing. The story moves fast, yet the emotional moments still land. The blend of danger, determination, and fantasy spectacle keeps the pages turning late into the night. This is the kind of book that demands…

Continue ReadingFourth Wing – Rebecca Yarros
Read more about the article The Selection

The Selection

The Selection, by Kiera Cass, is a story set in a caste-based society where young women compete in a televised contest to marry the prince. However, the story leans heavily into fairy-tale romance with only light dystopian elements. The book moves quickly and stays engaging, making it hard to put down in the moment. Short chapters and constant interpersonal drama keep the momentum going. The competition framework creates built-in tension, even when the world-building remains surface-level. Where the story falters is in depth. The characters and relationships often feel underdeveloped, and the emotional beats don’t always land with the weight they promise. The romance drives the plot, but it lacks the complexity needed to make it truly compelling. While entertaining, the story rarely surprises. Overall, I feel that The Selection works more as a fun, low-commitment read rather than a standout…

Continue ReadingThe Selection
Read more about the article Stories I Only Tell My Friends

Stories I Only Tell My Friends

Growing up in the 80s, the Brat Pack actors have always been icons to me. With the release of Andrew McCarthy Brats on Hulu, I became interested in where are they now, what have they been up to and this book, Stories I Only Tell my Friends by Rob Lowe, became a desired read. I didn't previously know much about Rob Lowe outside of his big scandals, and haven't watched any of his movies or shows since the 80s, so for me this was akin to catching up with a friend and hearing what he had been up to all these years. He is an incredibly gifted writer, but he is an even better storyteller. The book is warm and funny, and really does read like a collection of stories expertly woven together. Rob navigates his highs and lows, and I…

Continue ReadingStories I Only Tell My Friends
Read more about the article The Nightingale

The Nightingale

Oh this book, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, go read it right now. It is that good. It will likely forever stay with you and change you. You will cry, you will laugh. The book is simultaneously hard to read and painful and heartbreaking, yet a story of love and courage and the will to live against all odds and you wont be able to put it down. It brought WW2 into my heart in a new and different way. This story, of these two women, was such a tale of the things women do, often with no fanfare, no medals, no recognition. And more so how they do it even when in the middle of war and unspeakable evil. Ah, it was so good. I just loved it.   5 stars.   "We are all fragile Isabelle. It's the thing…

Continue ReadingThe Nightingale
Read more about the article After I Do

After I Do

After I Do, by Taylor Jenkins Reid, focuses on the couple Lauren and Ryan and their marriage. The couple has reached the point that their marriage has become unrepairable. They agree to take a year off. (What they really needed was counseling, but that would make for a much more boring book. ;) ) Without giving away too much of the book, each of them explore what life looks like as they are single. And while some of the book skips a bit into the unrealistic, I absolutely loved this book! It really is about finding your happy ever after, fighting for a marriage in a unique way, and not sacrificing one's own happiness or sense of self. TJR is great at developing strong characters, who you identify with and are drawn into their emotional complexities. Also, if you are an…

Continue ReadingAfter I Do
Read more about the article The Summer I Turned Pretty: My 52 Book Club’s Start to 2024

The Summer I Turned Pretty: My 52 Book Club’s Start to 2024

The Summer I Turned Pretty is my first book for the new year. I was in search of a fast, easy read to start my new year, and to kick off The 52 Book Club's 2024 Reading Challenge. Generally, I enjoy coming-of-age stories, but this book did not deliver for me. I had picked it up, hoping to read the book before binge watching the TV show, and now I am not sure if I will even catch the series. The book focuses on the main character Belly, and her relationship with 2 boys she has grown up with, Conrad and Jeremiah. Maybe I would have loved this more if I was of a younger age, more in line with YA books, but I found Belly to be annoying, the story to be extremely boring and slow-paced, and I didn't enjoy…

Continue ReadingThe Summer I Turned Pretty: My 52 Book Club’s Start to 2024