Wrapping up Reading in 2019

I read a total of 17 books last year.. a few less than last year which is a bit disappointing. Here are the last few books I read since my last post


3rd Degree by James Patterson    

Synopsis The Women's Murder Club returns in a shockingly suspenseful thriller. Plunging into a burning town house, Detective Lindsay Boxer discovers three dead bodies...and a mysterious message at the scene. When more corpses turn up, Lindsay asks her friends Claire Washburn of the medical examiner's office, Assistant D.A. Jill Bernhardt, and San Francisco Chronicle reporter Cindy Thomas to help her find a murderer who vows to kill every three days. Even more terrifying, he has targeted one of the four friends. Which one will it be?

Thoughts As the name suggests this is the third book in the Women's Murder Club series and I am enjoying them a lot. I like all the characters; all strong women. The books are all quick reads, page turners and thankfully not too predictable. I already have the next book in the series on my shelf waiting to be read. 


One Minute Later by Susan Lewis

Synopsis Vivi Shager is living her dream. Raised with drive and ambition by a resolutely single mother, Vivi has a thriving law career, a gorgeous apartment in London, and a full calendar that keeps her busy at work and at play. Then on the day of her twenty-seventh birthday, an undiagnosed heart condition sends Vivi’s prospects for the future into a tailspin. she’s forced to return to her childhood home to be cared for by her devoted and enigmatic mother. Vivi has always known the woman is hiding something and now she’s determined to find out what it is.
Josh Raynor, a local veterinarian who brings a forbidden love to Vivi’s world. Josh and Vivi are soon inseparable, unaware of the past their families share. All Vivi knows is that Josh is wrestling with a demon of his own…

Thoughts I am a bit on the fence about this one.. it had a Hallmark movie vibe.. But it did shine the light on the importance of being an organ donor and the harsh realities of those who are on the wait list for receiving an organ. 



The Last Widow by Karin Slaughter 

Synopsis  A scientist from the Centers for Disease Control is grabbed by unknown assailants in a shopping center parking lot. Vanished into thin air. One month later one of Atlanta’s busiest and most important neighborhood’s has been bombed—the location of Emory University, two major hospitals, the FBI headquarters, and the CDC.
Medical examiner Sara Linton and her partner Will Trent, an investigator with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, rush to the scene—and into the heart of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to destroy thousands of innocent lives. When the assailants abduct Sara, Will goes undercover to save her and prevent a massacre—putting his own life on the line for the woman and the country he loves. 

Thoughts This is my 7th Karin Slaughter book, I have read no other author this many times. I love her Will Trent series, he is such a unique and interesting character. The synopsis pretty much tells it all.. 


Eleanot Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Synopsis Meet Eleanor Oliphant: she struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding unnecessary human contact, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy.
But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen, the three rescue one another from the lives of isolation that they had been living. Ultimately, it is Raymond’s big heart that will help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one. If she does, she'll learn that she, too, is capable of finding friendship—and even love—after all.

Thoughts - It was a great light read... the characters were all likable and it goes to show how kind the world can be if you just open yourself up a little to those around you. 



Lulu's Cafe by T.I.Lowe

Synopsis On the run from a violent past, Leah Allen arrived in tiny Rivertown, South Carolina, battered and broken, but ready to reinvent herself. By a stroke of fate, Leah is drawn to the Southern hospitality of a small cafe, looking for a warm meal but finding so much more. Lulu, the owner, offers her a job, a place to stay and a new lease on life. Through Lulu's tenacious warmth and generosity, Leah quickly finds herself embraced by the quaint community as she tries to put herself back together. Given she's accustomed to cruelty, the kindness is overwhelming.
Soon Leah meets Crowley Mason, the most eligible bachelor in town. A lawyer and friend of Lulu's, Crowley is wary of Leah's sudden, mysterious arrival. Despite his reserve, something sparks between them that can't be denied. But after all she's been through, can Leah allow herself to truly love and be loved, especially when her first urge is to run?

Thoughts While the book had some Hallmark qualities I still enjoyed it. It featured some very intense domestic abuse in the beginning for those not comfortable with that. The characters were all quite endearing and it made for a quick read.

Both boys to my relief and joy are readers.. H is working on his sight words and loves pointing out all the words he can recognize. And a few nights a week I am sharing with them The American History - Conversations with Master Historians.


we are only a few pages in.. the book is in a question and answer format so we try to do a few questions a week.. the book starts with Jack D Warren Jr on George Washington.  


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Comments

  1. Wow, you have selected some great books for reading. I would love to check these books for sure.
    Happy Monday. Kisses <3
    http://www.rakhshanda-chamberofbeauty.com/

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  2. Good to hear your sons are both readers. You set them an excellent example to follow!

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  3. I've really been wanting to read Eleanor Oliphant!

    Jennifer
    Effortlessly Sophisticated

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  4. I will have to check some of these out. I've only read Elinor O.

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  5. Eleanor Oliphant has been on my radar for quite some time.

    That last one sounds like a very interesting format for a book. I'll have to look at it more closely!

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  6. I love seeing your list and getting some new ideas. I'm not sure I could manage 17 books if I was managing a family with two school-age boys! I salute you!

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  7. I haven't read any of these, so your reviews are a useful guideline. I might give Eleanor Oliphant a try. xxx

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  8. the fact that you are reading is wonderful, no matter the number of books!!!

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  9. Thank you so much.
    I really loved Elinor Oliphant and thoroughly enjoy Karin Slaughter's books. I look forward to exploring some of your other suggestions too.
    Hooray for the gift of reading. Your boys will benefit from this for many, many years.

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  10. I loved Eleanor Oliphant! There's nothing wrong with Hallmark vibes either, One Minute Later sounds like quite a good read, I'll be keeping that in mind!
    Soph - https://sophhearts.com x

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  11. I have to admit to you I have not read a one of those - but gee you are an avid reader! Happy New Year to you too! sandie

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  12. You read some good books.

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  13. I would love to read that Eleanor Oliphant book, it is on my list! These other ones are new to me.

    Carrie
    curlycraftymom.com

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  14. I really need to get reading more...I haven't even heard of any of these books. Thanks for the recommendations Hena,
    XOOX
    Jodie

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  15. You have a nice variety here. I enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant quite a bit.

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  16. Some of these look really good! Thanks for sharing! I love hearing other people's opinion on books before selecting them. It helps weed out some bad ones!

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  17. Lots of great ones to add to my list! xo, Biana

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  18. impressive list H!

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  19. shweta1/13/2020

    Seems good book

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  20. I've just finished reading a book that had been on my shelf like forever! I am sure you would have read it years ago - Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code!

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  21. What were your thoughts on Eleanor Oliphant? I liked this book because it is set in my neighbourhood.
    I have never read James Patterson, maybe something to think about.... on the whole, I prefer British crime fiction, it seems more subtle. Having said that I just finished The Lost Man by Jane Harper, which is set in the Australian outback. I loved it. Here's to another year of reading!

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  22. That's so great to see all the books you've read. I really need to read James Patterson books!
    PS Loved The Boys! I binge-watched that show and even included it on a blog post:)

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  23. Eleanot Oliphant is Completely Fine was one of the books I read last year as well. It's great that both your boys are into reading already.

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  24. I'm so curious about Eleanor Oliphant! I've heard good things from all my pals who's read it!

    -Ashley
    Le Stylo Rouge

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  25. Great selection of books.

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  26. Yay for the Women's Murder Club. I stopped at 8 and keep forgetting I need to continue.

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  27. You definitely read a good about of books! Eleanor Oliphant is on my list of books to read!

    www.rdsobsessions.com

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  28. You have read a lot of books last year. I didn't count how many I read. I read mostly business books.

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  29. I'm a huge fan of Karen Slaughter and need to add The Last Widow to my reading list! Eleanor Oliphant sounds like another great read! Thanks for sharing your reviews!

    Jill - Doused in Pink

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  30. Really great books. Thanks for sharing!

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  31. I think I read 37 (but I'm only babysitting one day a week and my kids are GROWN). I don't think I'll hit that this year since I'm reading Grant's biography and that's 965 pages long!

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  32. Eleanor Oliphant is a book I'm hoping to read this year. I've heard so many good things about it. I'm glad to hear both of your sons like to read. My son used to but now video games compete for his attention and sadly, they usually win.

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  33. Wow 17 books that is impressive. They are sound like great reads, but the last one really caught my attention. I am reading a book I found at my Mom's about hypnotic regression and past lives. It is stupid. There is no such thing as hypnotic regression but I had nothing else to read lol. I want to read the The Buy Side which is about insider trading on Wall Street.

    Allie of
    www.allienyc.com

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  34. I'm impressed that you have that much time to read with three boys (yeah, I know...two and a husband). I love hearing that the boys love reading, too. I remember my parents trying to foster my desire to read when I really loved comic books. My Dad found Classic Comics (classic novels in comic form). From there I started reading everything I could get my hands on. I don't have as much time to read now (I do when I go to the gym....yes, a real page-turning book) and I listen to books when I'm driving all of the time. Thanks so much for sharing your reviews of these books - I think some of them I'd love to read, too!

    Ruth
    https://voguefauxreal.com/2020/01/16

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  35. I love that your boys love to read! I think it is so important, especially in an age with so much emphasis on tech. I am also really loving the synopsis to Elenor Oliphant is fine. I am adding that one to my wishlist.

    Sxx
    daringcoco.com

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  36. Interesting selection, I would like to read them all!
    Kisses, Paola.

    Expressyourself

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  37. I have read a lot of Karin Slaughter books but I haven't ever read any from this series. I will definitely have to check them out.

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  38. I will get around to Eleanor Oliphant one day soon because it sounds like such a lovely book, although I think Eleanor herself might share too many of my traits for comfort!

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