Hi everyone! I haven’t done a Monday post for a couple of weeks because my reading has been spotty but last week things began looking up. While I have way too many ARCs to get through I’m still finding time for some backlist reads which allows me to keep reading my new favorite author Kristan Higgins. I’m just loving her books. On the movie front, we saw 12 Strong which was fantastic and yesterday Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri which I loved but my husband, not so much. In fact, he gave it 2 thumbs down; whereas, I give it 2 thumbs up so go figure. It happens, we’ve agreed on all the other movies we’ve seen in January so a disagreement was due:)
RECENTLY READ….
Well I tried to hold off until March 6th, pub day for Bachelor Nation, but it was just too tempting! I started it late Thursday night and finished it Friday evening so…super fast read about my absolute favorite guilty pleasure show. I’ve watched The Bachelor since Trista started as the Bachelorette and I’ve only missed one season- Sean Lowe- he just really bugged me so I opted not to watch but I learned from Bachelor Nation that he was apparently the one Bachelor who had his shirt off the entire season…huh, who knew? For all you Bachelor fans, you won’t be disappointed and suffice it to say I’ll be watching the show with a new found perspective moving forward. If You Only Knew was my other read last week which I loved and featured on my Throwback Thursday post as well. That book would make a perfect book club book and Kristan’s writing is a cut above most other women’s fiction I’ve read in the past year. I’m planning on reading more of her backlist and anxiously awaiting my netgalley approval (hopefully) for her upcoming summer book Good Luck With That.
TRIED BUT WASN’T FEELING….
The premise of this upcoming release (Feb 6) was intriguing and I’ll admit I fell for the marketing promotion comparing it to Tana French but the writing style didn’t click with me and then I checked a couple Goodreads reviews and I wasn’t comfortable with the relationship that apparently develops in the story so I put it down
CURRENTLY READING….
Can I just say I’m in awe of Kristin Hannah’s storytelling ability! I’m about 40% through this and I literally can’t put it down…I didn’t even want to stop reading to work on this post…it’s an amazing story and I’m not even halfway! I hope I can finish and have a review up for pub day this Tues Feb 6th but if not I’ll have it up soon.
UPCOMING READING POSSIBILITIES…..
Both of these are Feb 20 releases but I’m leaning more toward reading Kill The Angel first since it’s the sequel to Kill the Father which I loved and I’m anxious to get back to those characters. I have a busy week ahead so I may not be posting or blog hopping as much as usual. If that’s the case, I’ll catch up next week. I hope you all have a great reading week!
What books are YOU looking forward to this month??
Great Alone does sound like an amazing read. I really liked The Nightingale so I can’t wait to get my hands on this one. Looking forward to your review.
Enjoy your books this week. Happy reading 🙂
Thanks Diana, I think that you’ll also enjoy The Great Alone, it’s completely different from The Nightingale but the same high quality of writing. Have a great reading week!!
My reading has been so spotty lately too! I don’t know what is happening!
Winter reading blues? My days seem to be getting busier and then there’s the mediocre reads that get me down
YES! I’ve been having that issue too!!
I loved Trista! (and Ryan the fireman, right?) I just won The Unforgotten in a Goodreads Giveaway…hmm
Maybe you’ll have better luck with The Unforgotten Holly!
Haha – I couldn’t hold out on Bach Nation either! I had the flu last week and it was the only thing I really had energy to read! I’m about halfway through it now. I’m using it as my light alternate for I’ll Be Gone in the Night, which I can’t read at night.
I also really liked Sunburn!
Glad to hear your reading has been on the upswing. Wish I could say the same!
I want to talk The Great Alone with you when you finish, so message me. I may need to read Bachelor Nation, since I feel like watching the show is my dirty little secret.
Susie if you watch and enjoy The Bachelor you’ll enjoy Bachelor Nation for sure! I should finish The Great Alone tomorrow so I’ll be sure to message you
I’m glad you’re enjoying The Great Alone. It really is a fantastic read!
I’m loving it Brandie, she’s such a phenomenal writer
I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying The Great Alone. I’ll be posting my review soon. I just checked out The Unforgotten on GR. I think I understand why you put it down. The blurb looks good but the relationship thing… combined with not loving the writing style… Sounds like you made a good decision.
Thanks Ann Marie, I can’t wait for your review of TGA, I should finish it tomorrow morning and I can’t wait to see how it ends
A BACHELOR BOOK?!?!! Ahhhhh I have a problematic obsession with this show and now I have another book to read!!!!
Oh if you’re a Bachelor fan this book is definitely for you! Hope you love it
I loved The Great Alone! It’s my favorite book this year…so far. She really is an amazing storyteller! I have never read a Kristan Higgins book. They seem like a great way to break up all the mystery/thrillers. Do you have a favorite you can recommend?
I’ve only read 3 Higgins books recently but my favorite so far is On Second Thought, however, the other 2 are right behind that one so I don’t think you could go wrong with any of them. They’re perfect for a mystery/thriller break
Thanks Renee! I added it to my GR list. I’ve been wanting to do a little branching out of my usual genres and Higgins books are the perfect fit.
So glad to hear that you’re loving The Great Alone! I hemmed and hawed over whether to choose An American Marriage or this one for my BOTM and ultimately went with Hannah. I haven’t read much of her work so I’m really hoping it works for me!
I’m almost done with The Great Alone and I love it and I didn’t really care for An American Marriage so imo you picked the better book!:) I hope you enjoy it!
I’m reading Anna Quindle’s newest novel “Alternate Side.” So far so good. I just finished, haven’t reviewed yet, “Night-Gaunts and Other Tales of Suspense” by Joyce Carol Oates. Warning: do not read alone at night. So scary and so good.
I’m so glad to hear that Martie, I have Alternate Side on my spring tbr. Well you’ve really got me curious to check out the Oates book, I’ve never heard of it but so scary sounds perfect for something out of my comfort zone
She will make you squirm.
It is short stories. Hope you like them.
You sure have been busy answering blogging replies. 🙂
I really like Kristin Hannah’s writing. I hope you continue to enjoy your read!
Thanks Chrissi!
So glad you are enjoying The Great Alone! It was just phenomenal! And glad you enjoyed your Bachelor book since I know that you were really looking forward to it!! I think I did actually watch the season with Trista and Ryan now that you mention it, but it was so long ago that I forgot! I have Sunburn to read in the next week, so I hope it’s a good one, especially since it releases on my birthday 😉 Have a great week! 🙂
Thanks Stephanie and Happy early
Birthday🎉
You’re welcome! And thanks! ❤
I’m so glad to hear that The Great Alone is working well for you; those vivid descriptions of Alaskan wilderness are tough to beat, right? Wow! After hearing both you and Sarah talk about Bachelor Nation this week, I am even more excited to get started!
Oh it’s a great guilty pleasure read just like the show Tara, I think you’ll enjoy it. I just can’t believe how Kristin Hannah writes setting and characters, they all feel so real and in Ernt’s case that’s a bad thing!!
I meant to message you about Bachelor Nation! I’m starting it later this month but I can’t wait. I quit watching this season, Ari bugs me.
Oh good, you’ll like it! I wasn’t going to watch this season either because Arie is the worst…I want Peter! But I’m watching, I broke down:)
You’ll have to let me know if it gets good. I watched the first two episodes
If I read only one more galley this month, it will be Kill the Angel. Kill the Father blew me away and getting approved for Kill the Angel felt like winning the lottery. Approvals usually feel good, but every once in a while there is one you’d trade all your other galleys for, and this was it for me. I think I just fangirl’d a little bit? Wow.
I also have The Unforgotten, though I don’t know that I’ll get to it this month. Is this the one that is based on the relationship that led to the writing of Lolita?
I just started Kill The Angel and so far so good! I”m not sure if The Unforgotten is based on that but it sounds like it could be