Milestones

 I started this blog in 2014.  Back then I was going to school to become a library technician - I graduated and worked as a library technician at one of the local schools for a few years.   I also had a goal to start reviewing books for my local newspaper - I sent them my very first blog post and they published it shortly after.  Since then I've worked for my local public library and Indigo (Canadian Bookstore). 

Recently I've hit a milestone of over 50,000 readers - I'm actually almost at 60,000 readers today.  Each month I get almost 2,000 hits on my blog and that's without even posting anything new.  

I've written over 200 book reviews.  My most read book reviews are:

Girl Wash Your Face  by Rachel Hollis

Sleeper by Eric Walters

Kay's Lucky Coin Variety by Ann Y K Choi

And Then it Happened by M & L Wade

Bookish People by Susan Coll

I'm pretty proud of my little blog.  It's been a great hobby and I enjoy writing my blog posts.  One time I got an email from the Huffington Post.  An editor there read my blog and asked if I would write an article on Bill Cosby.

So if you've been here reading my blog posts since 2014 - thank you.  I hope you've found something you've been inspired to read.

To Sicily with Love by Jennifer Probst

 

To Sicily with Love is the fourth book in the Meet me in Italy series.  Unfortunately, I didn't realize it was a series until after I finished book three, A Wedding in Lake Como.  But I promise you are fine to read them out of order.  If you love dreaming of vacations in Italy and reading about beautiful landscapes and delicious food you are going to want to read them all.

Aurora has a very structured life and everything is perfectly in order.  She's got a business working as a life coach and she's at the top of her game.  Her weight is perfect after a few years of struggling with it and her boyfriend owns a couple gyms which perfectly compliments her life.  They also swap clients back and forth which is very convenient.

Aurora's mom doesn't think her boyfriend is right for her.  She's not happy that Aurora won't eat the nice meals her mom makes.  Unfortunately, her mom suddenly passes away and their last conversation is a fight.  Now Aurora is struggling because both her parents are gone and was her mom right about things?  If only she could talk to her one more time.

A surprising twist has Aurora flying to Sicily to meet long lost relatives that she didn't know existed.  She didn't even know her mom was from Italy!  Now she's gone from no family left in the world to a large family of cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.  

To Sicily With Love is a wonderfully written novel and I intend to go back and read book one and two in the series and looking for other books by Jennifer Probst.  Also, I googled it so you don't have to - the author is no relation to Jeff Probst the Survivor host.

Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery

 

Susan Mallery is a great author with lots of light reading books.  Beach Vibes is her latest novel and I really enjoyed it.  Lots of twists and turns and definitely not predictable.

Beth has recently gone through a divorce.  She's not sad the relationship is over but she lost some friends in the divorce and she needs to find new ways to keep herself busy.  She needs to find some ways to make new friends and maybe find love again.  At least Beth is happy with her career.  She's been the owner of Surf Sandwiches since her Aunt and Uncle wanted to retire.  She bought them out and they agreed to help her brother through college to become a doctor.  He's always been the ones with the brains and she's not college material - at least that's what her brother always said.  

While volunteering at the food bank Beth meets Jana.  She's a single mom trying to work part time at the medical centre, go to school and take care of her daughter.  It's a lot of work but she lives with her single dad brother and his best friend helps out a lot too.  Beth and Jana bond over their food bank shifts and start having quick dinner together after volunteering.

Unbeknownst to the other Jana works at the same office as Beth's brother and he's been asking her out for a while now.  When Beth meets Jana's brother it feels like love at first sight.  But can Jana and Beth's friendship withstand them dating each other's brothers.  Both girls fiercely love their brothers and this could go great or very bad.

This whole love square (???) takes place in a beach town with many scenes at the beach watching the surfers.  Beth's sandwiches sound amazing and might inspire some new ideas for dinner.

The Village Christmas Party by Sue Roberts

 

The Village Christmas Party is about a woman named Lauren.  She has a very busy life between working in a small shop, helping others where she can, baking and hanging out with friends.  One of the biggest events she organizes every year is the pensioners Christmas party on Christmas Eve.  There is a lot to organize but Lauren is meticulous with her lists so nothing gets missed.  Lauren is meticulous about most things in life actually.  Often turning down plans with friends so she can check items off her lists.

When Lauren shows up Christmas Eve for the pensioners party she is shocked to find that the community centre has been double booked by this hot guy she's been spotting around town.  He's planning a birthday party for his 7 year old daughter and sees nothing wrong with mixing the seniors and children's parties.  This is certainly not on Lauren's checklists but hot guy seems quite certain nothing can go wrong.

The Village Christmas Party is a bit of a slower paced novel with not much action.  But it is a lovely story and gives me the Hallmark vibe I was looking for with a previous book.  It is a quick read with a happy ending. 

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman

 

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern tells the story of a young Augusta growing up without a mother.  Her father owns a pharmacy and her and her sister Bess help out there from a young age.  Augusta has always known she wants to be a pharmacist when she grows up.  She loves watching her dad help people.  When Augusta's great aunt comes to leave with them she soon discovers her aunt has some creative ways of helping people that her father doesn't agree with.

Every alternating chapter tells the story of 80 year old Augusta, finally retiring to a nice place in Florida.  She is soon shocked to find out the people from her childhood also live in the same area - specifically Irvin who Augusta once dreamed she would marry and spend all of her days with.

I really enjoyed The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern.  I was a little leery as it seemed to have a fantasy theme but definitely nothing to be worried about here.  Augusta is a lovable character that I cheered on in her younger years and in her 80's.  This book has a little romance, fantasy and a touch of the Godfather all mixed into one great read.

Christmas Actually by Lisa Darcy

 

Christmas Actually is the store of Kate, a middle aged mom to two kids and wife to Matthew.  Kate spends her days catering to her family.  She had a dream of being a photographer but that's been forgotten years ago.  When she gets an offer from an old college friend to work on a magazine for a few weeks before Christmas she can't help but say yes.  This might just be what she needs to start her photography career again.

But once she goes back to work the lives of everyone around her starts to unravel and she's the only one that keeps it all together for them.  There's a crazy amount of drama that unfolds during these few short weeks which make the story quite fast paced to read but also felt a bit unrealistic that this much could go on in one month.  

I really enjoyed Christmas Actually but I don't feel the title suits.  Yes, it takes place over the Christmas season but that's about all.  It certainly didn't have the Hallmark feel I expected.  I understand the Christmas cover but even it seemed like a small part of the story.   I also felt the ending was a bit rushed.

My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes

 

My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes is the seventh book in the Walsh family series.  These are not small books - this book is over 400 pages.  I think the first book by Keyes that I picked up was before heading on vacation with the plan of one or two big books and not five relatively smaller books.

The Walsh family is a large and busy Irish family.  They like to all get involved in each other's lives and drama - quite often they create drama.  Each book focuses on a different family member and this one is Anna.   Anna has gone through tragedy years ago when her husband tragically died in a car accident but years later life is looking good for Anna.  She has an amazing PR job in New York with a feathery stroker boyfriend.  But then 2020 hits, Anna starts perimenopause, and basically is homesick for Ireland and her family.  In a rash decision she leaves her job and breaks up with her boyfriend and moves back home.  Without a plan for money or her future the first few months feel glum.  When one of her sister's friends is in crisis with a business they are trying to get running Anna finally finds a purpose.  Unfortunately, it involves a guy from her past Narky Joe.  Together they navigate helping this business giving the family one less worry.  Everything will work out if Anna could just find a doctor to give her some HRT medicine.

This book isn't a quick read - at least not for me.  It took me a bit to get into it and then read the last 200 pages in a day.  It's also filled with some Irish words and phrases that I sometimes didn't understand but for me it certainly didn't take away from the story.  I think I've always had a bit of a fondness for Irish authors.  If I'd had a girl I would have liked to name her Maeve after Maeve Binchy.  In fact I would say Marian Keyes books are for fans of Binchy's novels.  I might also call Marian Keyes the Irish Sophie Kinsella.