Book Review- The Legacy of Us

I finished reading The Legacy of Us by Kristin Contino on Monday night as part of a Booksparks Blog Tour.

From Goodreads:

Taking readers from 1905 Italy to present-day Philadelphia, The Legacy of Us uncovers how the lives of three generations of women are changed by love, loss and one little necklace...

Liz Moretti thought she knew almost everything about her grandmother, Ella, from her love of "The Golden Girls" to the perfect pound cake recipe. But when Ella passes away and Liz finds a cameo locket with a marriage proposal engraved inside (from a man who was not her grandfather), she realizes that sometimes a person's secrets are discovered only after they're gone.

On top of losing Ella, Liz's career as a jewelry designer is stagnant and her love life lacks sparkle, too. When she reconnects with the one who got away, Liz thinks maybe things are finally starting to look up. But after a few drinks and a trip down a flight of stairs, Liz wakes up to realize the cameo is gone. Her ex offers to look for it, but so does Justin, the intriguing new guy in her apartment building.

While dealing with her feelings for two very different men and generally trying to reinvent her mess of a life, Liz finds answers and solace in Ella's diary. The story of the cameo, and the relationship between her grandmother and great-grandmother, an outspoken socialite from Italy, inspires Liz to grow up and accept responsibility for her missteps. Eventually she must choose between the life she thought she wanted and the promise of something better.

I enjoyed reading this story told over three generations.  Each woman had their own issues to deal with, including relationships and family.  I thought maybe the switching of the characters would get confusing, but I didn't find it to be a problem.

I easily identified with Liz, especially about how her past relationship wouldn't stay in the past.  And finding someone better for her.  And I loved reading about her great-grandmother and the love and loss she went through.  

This was a light story that had a little bit of everything in it--love, family, loss, and a tiny bit of mystery.  

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

*FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Book Review- Walk on Earth a Stranger

I finished Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson last week for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety?

Walk on Earth a Stranger, the first book in this new trilogy, introduces—as only Rae Carson can—a strong heroine, a perilous road, a fantastical twist, and a slow-burning romance. Includes a map and author’s note on historical research.

I don't really do historical books.  They tend to bore me.  So I almost passed this one up.  Luckily the owner of the blog tours I participated in told me I needed to read it, and I'm so glad she did!

Reading this book was like reading about the real life Oregon Trail game (which I loved when I was in elementary school!).  Seriously--illness, and hunger, and oxen, and covered wagons!  Life back then was so hard and reading about the trials of going across the country for the gold rush really interested me.  

I know that Leah had a secret power of being able to sense gold but I don't feel like it was a huge part of the story.  I mean, it was a huge part in the reason she was going across country in the first place, but I don't feel like her power was a major force in the book.

I really enjoyed all of the characters.  I loved how strong Leah was yet she still had a bit of girly-ness to her.  And all of the side characters on her journey kept me interested as well.

I'm glad to see that this is going to be a trilogy.  I'll definitely be picking up the next one.  Now excuse me while I go play Oregon Trail.

I gave this book a rating of 4.5/5.

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

In My Mailbox- September 14, 2015

In My Mailbox: Here's what I got in my mailbox last week:

MONDAY

The Demon Trapper’s Daughter- Jana Oliver--PaperbackSwap

In My Mailbox- September 7, 2015

In My Mailbox: Here's what I got in my mailbox last week:

MONDAY

Promises I Made (Lies I Told #2)- Michelle Zink--review for an Around the World ARC Tour











TUESDAY

The Anatomical Shape of a Heart- Jenn Bennett--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

Walk on Earth a Stranger (The Gold Seer Trilogy #1)- Rae Carson--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

WEDNESDAY

The Boy Most Likely To (My Life Next Door #2)- Huntley Fitzpatrick--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

The Sunday Salon- September 6, 2015

The Sunday Salon

I finished and reviewed the following books last week:

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

For the Record by Charlotte Huang  












I am currently reading Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson and up next, if I don't get a tour book, is The Legacy of Us by Kristin Contino.

Book Review- For the Record

I finished reading For the Record by Charlotte Huang a few nights ago for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Chelsea thought she knew what being a rock star was like . . . until she became one. After losing a TV talent show, she slid back into small-town anonymity. But one phone call changed everything

Now she’s the lead singer of the band Melbourne, performing in sold-out clubs every night and living on a bus with three gorgeous and talented guys. The bummer is that the band barely tolerates her. And when teen hearthrob Lucas Rivers take an interest in her, Chelsea is suddenly famous, bringing Melbourne to the next level—not that they’re happy about that. Her feelings for Beckett, Melbourne’s bassist, are making life even more complicated.

Chelsea only has the summer tour to make the band—and their fans—love her. If she doesn’t, she’ll be back in Michigan for senior year, dying a slow death. The paparazzi, the haters, the grueling schedule . . . Chelsea believed she could handle it. But what if she can’t?

I've always loved stories about characters that are famous but I think a rock star is a new one for me.

I really liked Chelsea.  I thought that she stayed true to herself for the most part.  Even the dating of the movie star--I mean what teenager who is suddenly in the limelight would turn down their heartthrob??

And I felt so bad for the drama she had in her past.  How horrible!  And what she went through with her best friend towards the end of the story.  I knew her pain but I could never be that forgiving.

This was a light, fun look into a rock star's world.  And I sure wouldn't hate it if there was ever going to be a sequel!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

For the Record will be released on November 10. 2015.

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- The Rest of Us Just Live Here

I finished reading The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness for an Around the World ARC Tour yesterday.

From Goodreads:

What if you aren’t the Chosen One?

The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

Even if your best friend is worshiped by mountain lions.

Award-winning writer Patrick Ness’s bold and irreverent novel powerfully reminds us that there are many different types of remarkable.

This book felt like it was trying to be both a contemporary novel and a strange sci/fi novel combined.  And it didn't work.  The author should have just stuck with contemporary and left well enough alone.

The main story was about a group of friends graduating from high school.  They all have their own little traumas and issues.  And reading about how they worked through those would have been good enough.

But then there's this sci-fi part thrown in that makes absolutely no sense.  Something about Immortals and indie kids and glowing blue lights.  We're given a paragraph at the beginning of each chapter and then some random things that happen throughout the story.  It just didn't really work.

I liked Mikey and Henna and Mel and Jared and reading about their struggles.  But every time I read a brief snippet of the weird sci-fi thing the author lost me all over again.

I gave this book a rating of 2.5/5.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here will be released on October 6, 2015.

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

In My Mailbox- August 31, 201

In My Mailbox: Here's what I got in my mailbox last week:

MONDAY

Rules for 50/50 Chances- Kate McGovern--review for an Around the World ARC Tour











WEDNESDAY

Everything, Everything- Nicola Yoon--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

For the Record- Charlotte Huang--review for an Around the World ARC Tour











THURSDAY

Corsets & Clockwork- by Trisha Telep, various--PaperbackSwap












FRIDAY

The Rest of Us Just Live Here- Patrick Ness--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

The Sunday Salon- August 30, 2015

The Sunday Salon

I finished and reviewed the following books last week:

Summer by Summer by Heather Burch 

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon












I am currently reading The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness and up next is For the Record by Charlotte Huang. 

Book Review- Everything, Everything

Last night I finished Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house,

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.
have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

I knew it, I knew it!

Okay, I'm a sucker for teens with medical diseases.  So this one seemed right up my alley.  And I was easily sucked in.

I felt so bad for Maddy.  I can't imagine having a disease where I can't be part of the normal, every day world.  And I liked Olly too.  He was different--in a good way.

And oh the twist at the end.  I so saw it coming.  And then thought I was wrong.  But I was right.  And I was glad I was---it was so twisted!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

Everything, Everything will be released on September 1, 2015.

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.