So Sorry!

 So sorry it has been awhile since I last posted and I plan on catching up with all the books I read since my last post. My Mom passed away August 8th and through my sadness and depression I have not felt like doing much posting on social media or here. My Mom went into the hospital on March 20th unable to breathe well and soon found out she had a heart attack. On March 21st, she had to have emergency surgery in which they put in 7 stints in her heart. They thought everything would be ok but her kidneys failed and with her already having slight dementia it just got worse. She passed away quietly in no pain at all with my Dad by her side. We buried my Mom on August 13th in the family cemetery and since then I have been fighting this depression. My Mom is my best friend and will always be. She was my everything and I love her so much. I miss her terribly. I am trying to move on a bit and I know she wouldn't want me to be sad forever so here I am back enjoying my reading and want to catch up with my blog! Take care everyone and Stay Healthy!

Good Girls Lie

Stars 5/5

Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison

This was a real mystery! I just loved it. The story follows Ash, a young girl from the UK that comes to Virginia, USA to a boarding school, The Goode School better known as Silent Ivy. The school has had a violent history of death and murder. Now that Ash arrives, bad things are starting to happen again. I don't want to go into the story more as to not spoil it but I highly recommend it.

The Craftsman (The Craftsman, #1)

Stars 5/5

The Craftsman (The Craftsman, #1) by Sharon Bolton

This was an awesomely creepy story and I just loved it. The book follows Florence, a woman that arrested the coffin maker killer, Larry Glassbrook, but something is wrong. After all these years, the killings have started up again which brings up the question... Was Larry the real killer? I don't want to go into the story more as to not spoil it but I highly recommend it.

All Eyes On Us

Stars 4/5

All Eyes On Us by Kit Frick

Holy Moly! This book was a roller coaster of a ride and I really enjoyed it! This is one of those books that you don't know the "who done it" until the very end. The story follows two girls, Amanda and Rosalie. Amanda is the long time girlfriend of Carter, the most popular boy in town. Rosalie is Carter's secret girlfriend but Rosalie is a lesbian and is only using Carter to impress her overly religious cult-like parents. Everything is fine until some one starts texting them both leaving threats. I don't want to go into the book as to not spoil it but I highly recommend it!

Fat Girl On A Plane

Stars 4/5

Fat Girl On A Plane by Kelly Devos

I really enjoyed this book but I have to say I wish the ending would of wrapped up issues a bit more. I honestly would love another book going into Cookie's life after. The book follows Cookie, the daughter of a super model mom that doesn't care about her and a father who is an international doctor who never even bothers to come home to see her. Cookie is raised by her grandmother and loves to design clothes. She believes that the only thing holding her back in life is her weight so she goes on a diet. This book is about friendship, relationships with lovers and family, finding yourself and who you want to be. I definitely recommend it and fingers crossed for a second book.

Darkest Hour (The Mediator #4)

Stars 5/5

Darkest Hour (The Mediator #4) by Meg Cabot

This is the fourth book in The Mediator series and OMG I think I loved this book best so far. Jesse is just so book boyfriend material. The story continues to follow Suze as she starts her summer job babysitting kids at the local hotel. That is where she meets Jack, an eight year old that claims he sees ghosts. Suze continues to be pulled out of sleep by ghosts and this ghost is Jesse's cousin Maria de Silva. I don't want to go into the story more as to not spoil it but I highly recommend it as well as the series.

Reunion (The Mediator #3)

Stars 5/5

Reunion (The Mediator #3) by Meg Cabot

This is the third book in The Mediator series and I am really enjoying this series. I have to say that I will be sad when it comes to an end. This book continues to follow Suze as her best friend from New York comes to visit as four ghosts called the RLS Angels are out to murder one of Suze's classmates. The RLS Angels are four very popular high school kids that recently died in an automobile accident and the sole survivor was Michael, a high school guy from Suze's school. The Angels are out for revenge. I don't want to go into the story more as to not spoil it but I highly recommend this book as well as the series.

Ninth Key (The Mediator #2)

Stars 5/5

Ninth Key (The Mediator #2) by Meg Cabot

This is the second book in The Mediator series and I am just loving it. The story continues to follow Suze and her ghost pal Jesse as they try to solve the case of the screaming woman that keeps waking Suze up every night. I really don't want to go into the story more as to not spoil it but I highly recommend it as well as the series and I can't wait to read the next book.

Cat Tale: The Wild, Weird Battle to Save The Florida Panther

Stars 5/5

Cat Tale: The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther by Craig Pittman

Oh how I really enjoyed this book even though it had me on the verge of tears many times. The book follows the Florida Panther and how not only had their numbers dwindled down to near extinction due to genetic abnormalities caused by inbreeding but how the Wildlife Organizations bumbled around so much trying to save them only to cause many to die. This is their journey. I highly recommend the book to raise awareness for the surviving 230 Florida Panthers that are holding on to existence.

Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everythings

Stars 5/5

Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways To Cure Everything

by Lydia Kang, MD & Nate Pedersen

I just want to say this book is amazing! Many times, I found my self laughing at the Quackery! The book is just what the title defines. Medical treatments and practices throughout history that when looked at today made no sense at all. This book gives a brief description of many medicinal faux pas and the doctors that were famous for them. I can't recommend this book enough. It not only was a very enlightening book of the past but was filled with humor.

Shadowland (The Mediator #1)

Stars 5/5

Shadowland (The Mediator #1) by Meg Cabot

OMG! I have no reason why I put off this series for so long and now I feel stupid because I just loved it and can't wait to read more. The story follows Suze, a young girl that just moved to California to live with her mom, new stepdad and family. Suze is very special in that she can not only see ghosts but talk and interact with them. She is a mediator. Moving to California, Suze is unaware that her new family home is a vintage and yep there is a ghost living there. I don't want to go into this book more as to not spoil it but I highly recommend it and I will be continuing on in this series.

Rated

Stars 5/5

Rated by Melissa Grey

OMG! Please tell me there is another book coming soon! I really enjoyed this story and hope it continues on. I felt like the whole book was building up for a series! The story follows a group of kids that live in a world where you are rated for everything. People can add points to your rating or take points away. The higher the points the better off you will be. The lower the points, your life will suffer in everything from what kind of house you live in to what hospital you can go to. This friend group wants to stop the ratings. I don't want to go into the story more as to not spoil it but I highly recommend and fingers crossed for another book.

No More Noisy Nights

Stars 5/5

No More Noisy Nights by Holly L. Niner

Illustrated by Guy Wolek

(note... This book made it to my 2020 Favorites List)

OMG this picture book made it to my 2020 Favorites List! The illustrations are vibrant, colorful and so dang cute that I just love it. I love everything about this little book, the little mole, the ghost, the monster and the little pixie! The story follows a little mole that just moved into his new underground home only to not get any sleep due to the noise. I read this book from the library but I seriously need a copy for my Forever Shelf. I highly recommend this book to kids of all ages. Awesome story and Amazing illustrations!

Limitless: 24 Remarkable American Women of Vision, Grit, and Guts

Stars 5/5

Limitless: 24 Remarkable American Women of Vision, Grit, and Guts

by Leah Tinari

The artwork in this book is amazing and honestly, I can see people buying two copies. One to keep as the book and the other to take the book apart and frame the art. The book tells a few brief facts about 24 Amazing women throughout history to present day. I would love to see another book like this from the author. Incredible women and men. I highly recommend this beautiful book.

The Importance Of Being Earnest

Stars 5/5

The Importance Of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

This is not the first time I have read this hilarious play but I wanted to re-visit this world for a read-a-thon reread. I can't recommend this enough for a good laugh. The story follows two young ladies, Cecily and Gwendolen, as they both fell in instalove and insta-engaged with two men named Earnest. I don't want to go into the story more as to not spoil it. Oscar Wilde is one of my all time favorite writers and I love his writing style and humor.

One Of Us Is Next (One Of Us Is Lying #2)

Stars 5/5

One Of Us Is Next (One Of Us Is Lying #2) by Karen M. McManus

This is the second book in the One of Us Is Lying series and I really enjoyed it. The book continues on after the death of Simon, the gossip app creator, with more apps popping up and more gossip to be spread. It all takes off with emails sent from an anonymous person about a game of truth or dare. If you refuse to play, a secret will be announced to everyone and if you pick dare, it could end in your death. I don't want to go into the story more as to not spoil it but I highly recommend it as well as the first book.

The Raft

Stars 5/5

The Raft by Robert Trumbull

(note... This book made it to my 2020 Favorites List)

I really loved this book and the vintage writing style was just the thing to add it to my Favorites List of 2020. The story is the true account of the harrowing event that three naval airmen who's plane went down in the Pacific Ocean after running out of fuel and their 34 days at sea in a raft during WWII. What I loved most about this story is how they braved it out together and the forever bond they would have. I highly recommend this book!

Death In Kew Gardens

Stars 5/5

Death In Kew Gardens by Jennifer Ashley

This is the third book in the Kat Holloway Mysteries series and I just loved it. The books follow Kat Holloway, the best cook in Victorian London. After helping a random Chinese man, Li, on the street, he returns her kindness by presenting her with a box of his families tea. Kat learns that he is in the country searching for the men that robbed his family of tea plants and some are turning up dead so Kat is on the case. This is a wonderful series and I highly recommend them. I love the whole atmosphere of what goes on under the stairs with the servants.

The Other People

Stars 5/5

The Other People by C.J. Tudor

This book was a very twisty mystery and I just loved it. The story follows Gabe, a man on his way home from work one night and he thinks he sees his little girl in the back seat of a junk car but it can't be her or could it be? He decides it isn't even though he saw her little face and her tooth missing in the front, so he pulls off to a convenience store only to get a call informing him something has happened to his wife and daughter. Even though his wife and daughter are found dead, he still searches the motorway searching for that junk car. I don't want to go into the story more as to not spoil it but I highly recommend it. 

Mr. Wuffles

Stars 5/5

Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner

I loved this story! Mr. Wuffles is like my kitty Luna! Same black coat, green eyes and very finicky about toys. Mr. Wuffles is a hard cat to buy toys for until one day when Mr. Wuffles finds something living in one of his toys. I highly recommend this book to kids of all ages. Bright and colorful illustrations that I just loved!