Book club book reviews

This month I am going to write short reviews of the two book club books I read this month.

William Morrow Books

Up first is The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James. James presents the story as a diary of Jane Austen's has been found and it tells the story of a long lost love and how this love is reflected in Jane's books. The author does make it believable by mimicking Austen's style and does remind you of the romances in Jane's work, but more tragic. I liked the story and would probably read more by this author. It is not quite as good as Austen, but few things are, so it may not be for more picky Jane fans. The book club liked it, but they don't tend to like Austen so they were fine with it not being as descriptive and conventional. I give it 4 cups of cocoa for the fact that she made her story convincing. 

Viking

Our second book club book was set part in Kentucky and part in South Carolina and was a family story. Teddi Overman loves antiques and restoring them or creating something new from them. Growing up, Teddi lived on a farm in Kentucky, where her mother was unhappy and wanted Teddi to find a good job as a secretary. Teddi instead runs away and creates a successful antique business in Charleston, South Carolina. Teddi's younger brother loves nature and is sensitive to the ways of animals. Teddi hates leaving him, but loves her job. When Josh runs away into the Red Gorge, the family is devastated. Teddi never truly gives up hope on Josh being alive and as poachers are attacked and one even killed, Teddi begins to suspect her brother and that he is living life as a nature vigilante. Teddi must make peace with her family in order to live her own life. I really liked this one and all the different family dynamics. Teddi learns more about her parents only after their deaths and Teddi is caregiver for her grandmother. Teddi slowly learns Josh's story and deals with the guilt of having to make decisions about the farm by herself. She finally opens herself up to love and trust a man, after seeing the strain her parent's marriage placed on her mother. All the book club ladies (this group is all women) loved this book as did I. It was a five cups of cocoa story for me.

I am still working on the last book club book of the month, but I think it is going to be a DNF for me, so I am going to post this without that review.

Beat the Backlist Challenge signup

This is hosted by Austine and Tia at novelknight and you can signup at this link.
My goal is to read 20 books off of my TBR list, particularly at least 10 books I own.
I would like to finish:
Cress and Fairest by Marissa Meyer
Books 2-4 of the Alanna series by Tamora Pierce
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
and many others that I will add at a later date.

I think I am going to signup for the Hogwarts House Challenge as well, because it looks like fun.

Thanks to the novelknight bloggers for hosting!

A Winter's Respite Readathon Check in

So far I have managed to finish two books! Heartless, which was awesome, and Looking for Me, which was also a good read. I think it was around 600 pages I have read so far! I have also started Midnight Frost. I am really excited about my progress so far. If I didn't have to work tomorrow, I would join the 24in48 challenge, but since I work and then we also go to our brother and sister in laws tomorrow, I know I could not get in 24 hours. Hope everyone is doing well with the challenge!

Goals for week 2: Start Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier (another book club book) and keep reading Midnight Frost. I may also read on The Copper Gauntlet if I get time. I definitely need to read quite a bit of Thirteen Moons and would love to finish Midnight Frost (100 pages in as of now). 

2017 Bookish Resolutions Challenge signup

 


The 2017 Bookish Resolutions Challenge is hosted by Laura @ Trips Down Imagination Road and Michelle @ Because Reading and you can sign up at this link. For this challenge you must have 2 of 3 main goals, Blogging, Reading, and/or Personal and then subcategories for these goals.

My goals:

Reading Goals

1. Read at least 6 Classics. I barely missed this goal last year and definitely want to reach it this year.
2. Read at least 70 books this year. I gave up on keeping track of books last year and I want to challenge myself to keep up with it this year.
3. Finish at least 4 series. I did not reach it last year, but I want to try again this year.

Blogging Goals

4. Blog at least 10 times a month. I almost met this goal last year and am trying again this year.
5. Complete at least half of the challenges I sign up for this year. I came very close to completing this goal, but not quite. I am slowing signing up this year.
6. Be more active commenting on blogs and on Twitter. By more active, I mean getting on Twitter and/or commenting on blogs at least once a week.
7. Review at least half of the books I read. I basically just stopped writing reviews by the end of the year and I would like to do better with this in 2017.

Personal Goals

8. Lose at least 20 pounds. I gained back most of what I lost last year and then some, so I would love to lose that weight again and maintain the weight loss.
9. Eat and drink healthier. I would like to eat at least a vegetable or fruit a week. I eat horribly and am not in good shape. I would also like to cut down on sodas, because that is all I have been drinking lately.
10. Exercise more. I would love to exercise at least a few times a month and possibly up this to a few times a week as I get in a bit better shape. I don't want to push things too fast, so for the first month or so, I would like to exercise at least 3 times a month.

Thanks to Michelle and Laura for hosting! This is a fun challenge and one that you can make work for you!

2017 Challenges Signup Part 2

This is hosted by Karen at Books and Chocolate and you can signup at this link. Although I haven't reach my goal of six the past two years, I still want to aim for six books. I do manage to read classics when I participate in this, so I keep signing up in hopes of reading six.




This is hosted by Jo at Once Upon a Bookcase and you can signup at this link. I love retellings and twists, so I had to sign up for this. I am picking Medium, because I know I have 4 retellings I want to read this year and I suspect I will read at least 5, so 5 to 8 is a good range.

2017 Challenges Signup Part 1

This is hosted by Julie and you can signup at this link. I am aiming for the L'Engle level again and hope to read some of the new Newbery's announced next week.





This is hosted by Bev and you can signup at this link. I love rereading, so I knew I wanted to sign up for this one again. I am going for Feeling Nostalgic which is 8 books and I should be up to rereading this many.

 
 This is hosted by Sandy at Somewhere Only We Know and Holly at Words Fueled by Love and you can sign up at this link. I am trying for Level 1 again and am aiming for 4 series again. I didn't quite reach 4 last year, but I know of at least two series that I want to finish this year and I am sure there will be more.