The Beauty and the Mess

As If!: The Oral History of Clueless as told by Amy Heckerling and the Cast and Crew by Jen Chaney (4 stars)
This is exactly what the title says, and if you love Clueless like I do, it's a delight. I read the whole thing in a day.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (4.5 stars)
Rainbow Rowell's previous novel Fangirl (my favorite of her books) included a lot of fanfiction about a Harry Potter-esque character named Simon Snow. Later, she kept thinking about Simon's world and how she would write it as herself, not as her character Cath (does your head hurt yet?). Carry On is a funny, fresh, self-aware, totally Rainbow take on all the hero's journeys we love, centering on magician Simon Snow ("the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen"), his whip-smart best friend Penelope (in the Hermione role), and his snotty possible-vampire roommate Baz. I loved it.

The Martian by Andy Weir (5 stars)
As most people already know from having read this and/or seen the movie, the titular Martian is Mark Watney, an astronaut left behind on Mars when he's presumed dead during a mission abort. The story bounces around among him, his departed crew, and the people back on Earth trying to save him. It is fantastic. I won't lie, I was kind of crushing on Mark Watney, though some of that may be the Matt Damon influence.

December books: 3
2015 Final Total: 65. I think this is my lowest total of this decade so far. :\ It happens!


I probably won't post tomorrow, so Happy New Year, everyone! ♥

Better late than never?

SEPTEMBER

Mosquitoland by David Arnold (4.5 stars)
An excellently written, sort of trippy novel about Mim, a teenager who flees her new Southern home after discovering her estranged mom is sick back in Cleveland. Her wild Greyhound journey leads her to new people and situations she couldn't have imagined, as well as truths she hasn't been ready to hear. There's a moment at the end of it where I thought it had taken a really crazy twist (if you've read it, you may know what I'm talking about), but as cool as the shock value would have been, I'm glad I just misunderstood. This story is raw and stunning enough just the way it is.

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling (5 stars)
Mindy Kaling is simultaneously inspiring and totally relatable. While her hilarious first book is already one of my favorites, in this one she gets even more personal and real. I loved the more detailed stories from her past, as well as how she's dealing with fame and success, and her chapters about friends' weddings and her relationship with BJ Novak almost brought me to tears. PREACH IT.

Disappointment with God: Three Questions No One Asks Aloud by Philip Yancey (4.5 stars)
It took me FOREVER to finish this book due to the intensity of the topic. Philip Yancey is great at creating a safe place to wrestle with hard questions about God's goodness and fairness, while also providing different and helpful perspectives. I'll probably revisit this one.


OCTOBER
Harry, a History: The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon by Melissa Anelli (4.5 stars)
I've been a Potterhead since 2003, but I'd never gotten around to reading this memoir/fandom history by the webmistress of The Leaky Cauldron. I idly picked up my BIL's copy while visiting him and my sister. Within minutes, I had excused myself from the family card game to read, and ended up taking the book home. While the chapters about shipping wars, wizard rock, etc. are fascinating (really), at its heart this is about Anelli's journey from unsure, frustrated writer in a dead-end job to successful author, interviewer and friend of J.K. Rowling, and contributor to a phenomenon that's given joy to millions of people. Melissa, you have inspired me and given me hope.

Modern Romance: An Investigation by Aziz Ansari with Eric Klinenberg (5 stars)
As I mentioned in October's What I'm Into, Aziz Ansari teamed up with a sociologist to research and write this analysis of dating in our modern digital age and whether we really have it better or worse than those who coupled up before us. I HIGHLY recommend it whether you're single or not, and would love to discuss it with someone. I found it about 70% encouraging/validating and 30% depressing.

Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song by Sara Bareilles (4.5 stars)
As a huge Sara Bareilles fan, I was thrilled to get approved for her memoir on Netgalley. Each of the eight chapters uses one of her songs as an epigraph and framework for a chapter of her life. I loved learning more about her childhood, progression through the music industry, creative process, and her latest project, Waitress (premiering on Broadway this month). ♥

Orange Jumpsuit: Letters to the God of Freedom by Tara Leigh Cobble (3 stars)
Tara Leigh Cobble is an author, minister, and singer/songwriter who's fairly well-known in Southern Reformed circles. This memoir revolves around her moving from her beloved New York City to South Carolina, building a life and ministry there, and falling in love with a man who can't seem to make up his mind about her. It's well-written and contains some good insights... but personally, I almost couldn't finish it because it's so steeped in specific faith culture aspects that now give me serious heebie-jeebies. However, I'm glad I pressed on, because she ends up in a spiritual place that's not too far from where I am at the moment.

Pointe by Brandy Colbert (3.5 stars)
Despite the title, this gritty, intense novel is only tangentially about ballet. Theo is an up-and-coming ballerina, but the real story here is the unsolved disappearance of her best friend, Donovan, when they were thirteen. When Donovan is found and comes home four years later, Theo discovers that her secret older boyfriend from that time was his kidnapper, and has to decide how much she's willing to risk revealing. Meanwhile, she's having another secret relationship with a pianist who has a girlfriend. This isn't exactly an enjoyable read, but it's realistic, and I hurt for Theo while also relating to her struggle to believe in her own worth.

10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works by Dan Harris (4 stars)
In 2004, ABC journalist Dan Harris had a live on-air panic attack while reading the news on Good Morning America. Years as an adrenaline junkie both on- and off-camera were finally taking their toll, and he knew he had to make changes. When he discovered meditation, it made such a deeply positive impact that he felt compelled to write this book about his experiences and progress. Coincidentally, I attended a "mindfulness" seminar for work a few weeks before I read this. We meditated as a group for about ten minutes, and I walked out refreshed and with a lot of thoughts about meditation and how it could relate to my (current lack of) prayer life. So I appreciated learning more about it and its benefits.

Never Broken: Songs Are Only Half the Story by Jewel Kilcher (5 stars)
I'll admit I've never been a passionate fan of Jewel's music, but after reading her honest, reflective memoir, I greatly admire her as a human being. Many music journalists have covered the bones of her early life: raised in Alaska, then lived in a van until she was discovered in LA. In this book, she fleshes out those stories and so many more, while sharing a lot of hard-earned wisdom, bravery, and encouragement. I highlighted a lot!

Shirt of Flame: A Year with St. Therese of Lisieux by Heather King (4.5 stars)
Another book I didn't expect to love so much, Shirt of Flame is (as the title implies) an extended reflection on the life of St. Therese of Lisieux. Heather King attempts to apply Therese's passion, courage, and commitment to the difficulties of her own life. Each of the twelve chapters ends with a prayer, which I liked so much, I might make my own calendar quoting them!

Love and Other Foreign Words by Erin McCahan (3 stars)
Josie is a kid genius, skilled at blending in with various social groups, but only truly at home with her family and her two best friends. When her beloved sister Kate gets engaged to a pompous know-it-all, then refuses to listen to her objections, Josie attempts to crack the code of what love is all about. While the love story here is sweet, this is really a book about family and all the ways love changes people for better AND worse, pushing them apart and bringing them back together.

Perfectly Matched by Heather Webber (3 stars)
This fast-paced installment of the Lucy Valentine series revolves around an arsonist terrorizing Boston, and a mysterious man who can communicate with a cat. After so many heavy books on my trip, I needed to read something really light and enjoyable, and this hit the spot. I love how the relationships between all the characters grow stronger and more complex with each book. Yay for good ensemble casts!


September Total: 3
October Total: 10
2015 year to date: 58

(PS: I really need to go back to reviewing as I read. Writing 13 book reviews in a row is exhausting.)

APRIL

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour (4.5 stars)
At the L.A. estate sale of a big-name actor, set designer Emi finds a letter to his estranged daughter, with instructions about her inheritance. The letter leads Emi and her best friend to his granddaughter, Ava. I'm having a hard time summing up the rest of the plot, but I will say there's something magical about it. It's about family and destiny and following your dreams, with equal shades of Cinderella and Kathleen Kelly, and characters you'll enjoy spending time with. FYI, the main romance in this story involves two girls, but the thoughtful observations about love are universal.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (4 stars)
A unique novel that jumps around among perspectives and in time, before and after a pandemic that killed 99% of the population. Our protagonists are, in the words of the Goodreads review, "a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors," and their common thread is a rare comic book series called Station Eleven. The story is slow in parts, but the complex writing kept me hooked. Like one of my all-time faves, The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, this is sci-fi where the sci-fi is just a backdrop to the real story of the heart.

Mr. Kiss and Tell by Rob Thomas (4 stars)
In the second Veronica Mars novel, Veronica investigates an assault at the ritzy Neptune Grand (and teams up again with Leo), Keith and Cliff continue to fight Sheriff Lamb's corruption, and LOGAN IS LOGAN. Love (and LoVe)!!! I'll keep snapping these books up as long as they're cranking them out. (BTW, I haven't listened to it yet, but I've just been made aware of a new Veronica Mars re-watch podcast.)

Resurrection Year: Turning Broken Dreams Into New Beginnings by Sheridan Voysey (3 stars)
Voysey is apparently well-known in Australia as the host of a Christian radio talk show. After he and his wife struggled for ten years to have a child, they decided to leave everything behind and move to England for a new adventure. I empathized with their grief and frustration, and was encouraged by the hope they've found in the midst of disappointment.


MAY

Those Girls by Lauren Saft (2 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Divergent Thinking: YA Authors on Veronica Roth's Divergent Trilogy by Leah Wilson (3.5 stars)
For Netgalley; review pending.


JUNE

Spinster: Making a Life of One's Own by Kate Bolick (3 stars)
This is equal parts the memoir of a never-married 40something woman, and a reflection on/biography of the five historical "awakeners" she's adopted over the course of her life - Neith Boyce, Maeve Brennan, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Edith Wharton. At times I was fascinated, and I highlighted a lot. There aren't enough books that treat singleness as a valid, empowered life choice. Her thoughts about singleness in the context of a creative temperament are also interesting. But at the same time, I got a little weary of the navel-gazing and "Woe is me, men love me and I just want to be aloooone."

Lessons in Belonging from a Church-Going Commitment Phobe by Erin S. Lane (4 stars)
I won a copy of this at Cara Meredith's blog! Erin Lane examines her own history with the Church and community, and how the true meaning of belonging is changing on a large scale (especially with millennials). Very insightful.

The Chapel Wars by Lindsey Leavitt (4 stars)
Holly is only 16, but her recently-late grandfather left her in charge of their family's legacy and livelihood, the Rose of Sharon wedding chapel in Vegas. He also left her a sealed letter to take to Dax, the grandson of his rival chapel owner next door. After discovering her chapel is in danger of foreclosure, Holly throws herself into saving it, and also finds herself falling in love with the enemy. It's a fun, warmhearted story that touches on some serious issues. However, I have to admit I didn't love Dax like I was clearly supposed to. Something about him just rubbed me the wrong way.

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord (4.5 stars)
Reagan is hitting the road on tour with her megastar best friend, Taylor Swift Lilah Montgomery, known to her as Dee. She and Dee are both excited to leave recent heartbreaks behind and embark together on a summer of fun and distraction. When a PR crisis results in clean-cut singer Matt Finch crashing their party, sparks fly between him and bad-girl Reagan, but she struggles to keep him at a distance. As the summer goes on, both girls learn to let love in again. Despite the celebrity setting of this book, it felt really authentic, and I loved that the girls' solid friendship is the real center of the story.

Carry On, Warrior: Thoughts on Life Unarmed by Glennon Doyle Melton (5 stars)
Glennon Melton is becoming one of my present-day heroes. She's funny, passionate, humble, grace-filled, and REAL. I shed many tears over this book.

We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach (4.5 stars)
The lives of four disparate high-school seniors in Seattle are thrown into chaos as an asteroid approaches with a 66.6% chance of annihilating the Earth. It's The Breakfast Club meets Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. As you might expect, some bleak and rough stuff happens, but there's also humor and hope and great insights. So good. (Note: I have a serious thing for stories about people who only have a short time to live (or think they do), so they start doing everything they've always wanted to do, stop being polite, and start getting real. The psychological implications of this are not lost on me.)

Total for April, May, and June: 12
2015 year to date (halfway point!): 31

And now I'm almost up to date on posting book stuff! GOLD STAR FOR ME!!!

Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter (4.5 stars)
Things are finally sort of normal for Kat, Hale, and their band of teenage thieves after they've pulled off two of the greatest heists of the century. Then Hale's grandmother dies suddenly and leaves the family's vast business empire not to his father, but to him. When the family butler smells a rat and hires Kat to investigate, she's torn between finding the truth for Hale's own good, and protecting her still-new relationship with him. These books are definitely exciting, but I love them most for their picture of what real family is, wherever you might find it.

Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close (4 stars)
This novel about a group of friends from college is more like a collection of interwoven short stories. Each woman has her turn in the spotlight: Isabella, the romantic who starts over in a new career; Abby, the child of hippie parents, who falls in love with a classic prep; Lauren, whose "temporary" waitressing job drags on for years; Mary, who finds a great man with a seriously overbearing mother. These stories are funny, touching, and relatable, and Jennifer Close's prose is just a joy to read.

Next to Love by Ellen Feldman (4 stars)
In a small Massachusetts town in 1943, three best friends marry three men who are about to go off to war. By the end of the war, all of their lives are in pieces. This novel is about how they rebuild (or not) over the next two decades. I felt like Feldman tried to cover too much at times, which came off a little forced and rushed (especially at the end), but overall, the story is well-done.

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern (3.5 stars)
Another entry in the "Next Fault In Our Stars" sweepstakes, this YA novel follows Amy, a bright, funny girl with cerebral palsy, and Matthew, a shy guy with OCD, through their senior year of high school and beginning of college. To help her learn about making friends, Amy requests peer aides for her senior year instead of the adults who have always helped her through her daily tasks. She specifically requests Matthew, by whom she's been intrigued since he challenged her overly-sunny attitude the previous year. Soon their relationship starts taking turns that surprise them both. While some of the plot twists were pretty crazy (I actually saw the main one coming and thought, "Oh, please don't go there"), I liked Amy, Matthew, and their friends, and appreciated a glimpse into the lives of people dealing with these difficulties.


Books for February: 4
2015 year to date: 13

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh (3.5 stars)
A graphic memoir mostly taken from Brosh's Hyperbole and Half blog, including hilarious classics like "Dogs Don't Understand Basic Concepts Like Moving" and her very honest two-part post about depression. (My personal favorite, "Sneaky Hate Spiral," didn't make it into the book.)

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham (4 stars)
Franny is a struggling young actress in NYC in the 1990s. With only six months left until her self-imposed deadline to make it big, she's under a lot of pressure, but all her hopeful career turns are dead ends. Among her assets: a rogue sense of humor, a dayplanner given to her by her loving dad, and two roommates, best friend Jane and sci-fi writer Dan. I really enjoyed this - and love that Franny has curly hair. Styling this mess in the 90s was NOT EASY.

The Land Between: Finding God in Difficult Transitions by Jeff Manion (4.5 stars)
Jeff Manion is a pastor who's been through a lot in both his career and his personal life. Using the Israelites' wandering in the desert as a framework, he writes frankly and encouragingly about long desert periods in our lives, and the difference between "grumbling" against God and honestly bringing our grief and frustration to Him, while maintaining that he hasn't mastered any of this himself. I didn't expect to get so much out of this book, but it helped me tremendously. Highly recommended for anyone losing hope or feeling overwhelmed.

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson (4.5 stars)
For several years, quiet Emily has been happy to cruise in the shadow of her free-spirited best friend, Sloane. Then Sloane suddenly disappears, leaving her with nothing but a list of daring tasks to complete over the summer. As Emily works her way down the list, a fun new life starts to unfold... but where did her best friend go?

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (4.5 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Thrashing About with God: Finding Faith on the Other Side of Everything by Mandy Steward (5 stars)
This book has been sitting in the to-read pile next to my bed for at least a year, and I'm glad, because it was meant for me right now. In these reflective essays (many taken from her blog, which I haven't yet read), Mandy discusses her faith burnout after a lifetime in the Church. In a sense, she tore down the scaffolding of her relationship with God and started over from scratch - terrified, but trusting that God's love was big enough to hold her as she found a new way. While I'm not in exactly the same place she was, we're on the same page about a lot of things (especially the grace to "let" everyone have a different path), and her words validated things I've learned. I seriously stopped highlighting in the third chapter because I was highlighting everything. If you have a "Wholehearted library" of sorts like I do, this is a worthy addition.

Books for December: 6
2014 FINAL TOTAL: 75!!! I didn't really set a goal, but 75 is a respectable number. Yay!

I forgot to cross-post this from the blog!

Notes From a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World by Tsh Oxenreider (4 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Dancing Through It: My Journey in the Ballet by Jenifer Ringer (3 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant by Veronica Roth (4.5 stars overall)
I'm one of the last bookworms I know to read this trilogy - I waited until it was finished. As I said yesterday, I was hooked and tore through all three books in under a week. If you somehow haven't heard about Divergent, it's set in a dystopian future where everyone is divided into factions according to their dominant personality trait: Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). When people turn sixteen, they must make an irrevocable decision either to commit to the faction in which they were raised, or transfer to another one. Abnegation-born Tris loves her family, but feels too restless for her faction's serene, sacrificial ways. When she takes an aptitude test before her Choosing Day, she finds out that she's Divergent - well suited for more than one faction - and that she can never reveal this truth to anyone. This is all I knew going into the books and I think it was better that way, so I'll stop summarizing here.

The Divergent trilogy is fantastic. It inspired, challenged, and moved me. I loved the worldbuilding, and I think Tris is neck-and-neck with Katniss and Hermione for the best YA heroine of the century so far. The only thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars was... many of the events of Allegiant. Aside from the thing that everyone was angry about, I felt cheated and thrown for a loop by a couple of other things. But somehow it didn't ruin the whole story for me.

Although I'm excited for the movie, I'm a little bummed now that they're making movies, because I think this would have worked much better as a TV series. Oh well.

Books for February: 5
2014 year to date: 11

I just unfriended a bunch of people I never knew well and/or who haven't posted or interacted here in a LONG, long time. If you someday return to LJ and want to be added back, leave a comment!

You can also find me at my public blog, Don't Stop Believing.

Thanks! :)

Sorry this is late!

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain (5 stars)
An amazing exploration of what it means to be introverted in an extrovert-oriented culture. An introvert herself, Susan Cain researches how the outgoing, "hail-fellow-well-met" salesman personality became the American ideal, and how deeply it permeates our society. She interviews successful introverts from all walks of life, including many who have learned to act like extroverts for their professional and social survival. Throughout the book, she affirms the value of introverts and encourages parents, bosses, and friends to stop trying to force the introverts in their lives into an extroverted mold. This book blew my mind. I never fully realized how much I've been discriminated against as an introvert, or how often people have tried to "fix" me - and I'm pretty close to the middle of the I/E spectrum. I can understand why some extroverts have been offended by this book, but I don't see it as an attack on extroversion at all. It's just an attempt to balance the scales and remind everyone that there's more than one way to be.

The Vogue Factor by Kirstie Clements (3 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Why Is My Mother Getting A Tattoo? And Other Questions I Wish I Never Had To Ask by Jancee Dunn (5 stars)
While But Enough About Me focused mostly on Jancee Dunn's career as a rock journalist and VJ, this memoir is about her lovable, tight-knit, crazy family (and friends). Stories include a trip with her Southern mother to Savannah, her siblings' plot to revisit their childhood home (long since inhabited by another family), how Dunn announced her surprise pregnancy to her husband (with her whole family as an audience), and the titular story of her mother getting a tattoo. She also transcribes several ordinary but hilarious conversations with her best friend, Julie, who calls her at the same time every morning. It reminded me of the daily calls I used to have with my sister as we both drove home from work. Anyway, this book is total comedy comfort reading.

This Girl by Colleen Hoover (3 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Off Balance: A Memoir by Dominique Moceanu (4 stars)
Most Americans remember Dominique Moceanu as the youngest member of the Magnificent Seven women's gymnastics team that won gold in Atlanta in 1996. Her talent and determination caught everyone's attention. But behind that facade, she was enduring constant abuse at the hands of her father and coaches, under a level of stress no child should have to experience. Now an adult, happily married to another gymnast and a mother of two, Dominique is clearly coming from a healthier, more confident place. She tells her story honestly, without sugarcoating past events OR demonizing those who harmed her. That's a hard line to walk. Especially when she finds out, shortly before the birth of her first child, that she has another sister whom she never knew existed. Some reviewers are skeptical whether a lot of these events really happened, but sadly, it all seems pretty believable to me.

Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park (and companion novella, Flat-Out Matt) (4 stars)
When Julie arrives in Boston for her freshman year of college, her apartment rental turns out to be a scam. So her mother's former roommate takes her in, and she's suddenly part of their unusual family: kind, geeky, and exasperating MIT student Matt, precocious and quirky preteen Celeste... and a life-sized cutout of their adored older brother, Finn, who is away on a long international trip. As Julie grows closer to Matt and Celeste, she has a growing certainty that something's very wrong in their household. I don't want to say much more about the plot, but suffice to say I read the entire book in one night. LOVED IT!!! Aside: Even though it's clear in the book that Julie is from Ohio, I kept imagining her as British. I finally realized that her "voice" reminded me a LOT of British-American blogger Holly of Nothing But Bonfires.

The God of the Mundane by Matt B. Redmond (4 stars)
In this short and excellent book, former pastor Matt Redmond debunks the myth that our lives don't count unless we're doing Something Big for God. He observes that our celebrity-worshiping, success-oriented, everyone-is-special culture has fully assimilated into the Church. I especially liked his point that, while the Church urges us to live big, daring lives like the apostles, the Bible never actually commands such a thing. Instead, it encourages Christians to aspire to a quiet life, doing the work God has put to our hands. While this book is a little repetitive considering its length, a lot of the statements in it profoundly encouraged me. I really need to take its message to heart.

Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid (3.5 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger (2.5 stars)
Ten years after the events of The Devil Wears Prada, former enemies Andy and Emily are best friends and co-founders of a successful high-end wedding magazine, The Plunge. Andy has just married the handsome, charming heir to a media empire. Other than her mother-in-law's disapproval of the marriage, her life is going great, and her nightmarish year working for Miranda Priestly is far in the past. Then Andy gets several unexpected surprises, and Miranda makes an offer to buy The Plunge that the girls can't refuse. I was really excited for this novel, but it didn't live up to my expectations. Andy is a sympathetic character, but I somehow expected a more lighthearted plot. A lot of what happens in the story is disappointing and sad.

Books for June: 9 (woo hoo!)
2013 year to date: 37

Saturday Night Widows: The Adventures of Six Friends Remaking Their Lives by Becky Aikman (5 stars)
I cannot say enough about this memoir - I've wanted to give it its own post. I only wish I had read it sooner. A few years after her husband died, journalist Becky Aikman gathered five other widows together to form an optimistic, forward-thinking support group - no Five Stages of Grief allowed. This is the story of their first year together, along with interesting research about grief, recovery, and relationships. The best way to describe my feelings about this book is that I want to give it a big hug. While I was divorced and not widowed, certain aspects of my situation have caused me to relate more to widows than other divorced women. Like Aikman, I've felt like a misfit among misfits as I've rebuilt my life. Reading these brave ladies' stories and being a virtual party to their conversations made me feel 100% less alone. It reassured and encouraged me SO MUCH, and I'm so thankful for people willing to share their stories.

At Least You're In Tuscany by Jennifer Criswell (4 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Levitating Las Vegas by Jennifer Echols (3 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
If you loved Anna Godbersen's Victorian Luxe series, you will love her new series set in the eleventh hour of the Roaring 20s. Cordelia and Letty, two best friends from small-town Ohio, run away to NYC in the summer of 1929. Though they expect to find their fortunes together, they're quickly separated. Letty becomes a cigarette girl in a speakeasy on her way to stardom. Cordelia finds her long-lost father (a wealthy gangster), and a new friend in the spoiled but lovable Astrid. Nothing goes as expected for any of the three girls. The prologue declares that by the end of the series, one of them will be married, one will be a star, and one will be dead. So I'm committed to the ride. :)

Books for April: 4
2013 year to date: 22