Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

On the last night of 1937, twenty-five-year-old Katey Kontent is in a second-rate Greenwich Village jazz bar with her boardinghouse roommate stretching three dollars as far as it will go when Tinker Grey, a handsome banker with royal blue eyes and a tempered smile, happens to sit at the neighboring table. This chance encounter and its startling consequences propel Katey on a yearlong journey from a Wall Street secretarial pool toward the upper echelons of New York society and the executive suites of Condé Nast--rarefied environs where she will have little to rely upon other than a bracing wit and her own brand of cool nerve. Wooed in turn by a shy, principled multi-millionaire and an irrepressible Upper East Side ne'er-do-well, befriended by a single-minded widow who is a ahead of her time,and challenged by an imperious mentor, Katey experiences firsthand the poise secured by wealth and station and the failed aspirations that reside just below the surface. Even as she waits for circumstances to bring Tinker back into her life, she begins to realize how our most promising choices inevitably lay the groundwork for our regrets.

Initial Thoughts: 

This book was all over the place in book clubs and on different blogs I was reading. It came highly recommended by a friend as well. I also love historical fiction so I decided to read it.

The Pros:

I almost felt like I was in the 1930's with Katey and Eve. The author really puts you in the setting with detailed descriptions of the time and place. You really get what it was like to be a working girl in those times and the limited job opportunities that were available to women at that time. 

I loved how the beginning of the book shows the two pictures of Tinker. It shows how much change the characters undergo throughout the book. The book starts with Tinker at the top and Katey at the bottom and by the end, their roles have very much reversed.

It was very Great Gatsby-esque, and as that is one of my most favorite books.

Eve reminded me of a movie star in that age. Beautiful and confident, she had every man under finger. Until the accident changes everything. 

The author chose the name of the book from a title by a young George Washington, The Rules of Civility, which documented proper behavior.

The Cons:

At some points in the book, the description of the world in which they lived overshadowed the actual characters.

When Katey visits Tinker at his vacation home, things got a bit awkward for me.

I'm at war with myself over the Epilogue. I can't decide if that's how I would have liked it to end.

The Wrap Up: 4/5

This was a great historical fiction novel painted in the tones of the 1930's. It shows us how every interaction we make can make a difference. How every action has an equal reaction. If you like historical fiction with a dash of romance, this is the story for you.

Favorite Quote:

"Old times, as my father used to say: If you're not careful, they'll gut you like a fish."

Do you want to learn the Rules of Civility? Click here.

A Grown Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson

A Grown Up Kind of Pretty is a powerful saga of three generations of women, plagued by hardships and torn by a devastating secret, yet inextricably joined by the bonds of family. Fifteen-year-old Mosey Slocumb-spirited, sassy, and on the cusp of womanhood-is shaken when a small grave is unearthed in the backyard, and determined to figure out why it's there. Liza, her stroke-ravaged mother, is haunted by choices she made as a teenager. But it is Ginny, Mosey's strong and big-hearted grandmother, whose maternal love braids together the strands of the women's shared past--and who will stop at nothing to defend their future.

Initial Thoughts:

I really didn't have many expectations of this book, other than it's consistent 5 star ratings on every review site imaginable. I figured it had to be at least decent.

The Pros:

This was an incredibly powerful story. I definitely cried. Not going to lie.

Ginny. Oh Ginny. She is probably the strongest literary character I have ever come across. She is the glue that holds the Slocumb family together when it seems like the world is trying it's hardest to rip them apart.

This book is part chick lit and part mystery with plenty of drama thrown in. It kept me guessing. I thought I had it all figured out (I usually do figure out mysteries way before they are revealed) but I had it completely wrong in this book. Way, way off. Which was an awesome change for me.

I was rooting for all three generations of women to get their happy ending. I was so invested in all three's lives, not one more than another.

The use of southern dialect was enriching, not detracting from the story line.

The Cons:

I didn't really like how the author called Liza's stroke a "brain event". 

The fact that they didn't take proper care of Liza until the very end of the book was kind of unsettling.

The Wrap Up: 4.5/5

I really loved this book. I have recommended it to so many people who have loved it just as much as I did. It's the kind of book that you can't put down and can't stop talking about it after you're done.

Favorite Quote:

"Before my mom had her brain event, I never even saw him have a conversation with her face. He talked lower, like her thought her boobs had microphones in them and if he aimed right he could order up a chili-dog combo."

Click here to get your copy of A Grown Up Kind of Pretty NOW. Trust me. You will love it.

Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman

Spanning three generations and half of the world, Wildflower Hill is a sweeping, romantic, and compelling story of two women who share a legacy of secrets, heartbreak, courage, and love. Emma, a prima ballerina in London, is at a crossroads after an injured knee ruins her career. Forced to rest and take stock of her life, she finds that she’s mistaken fame and achievement for love and fulfillment. Returning home to Australia, she learns of her grandmother Beattie’s death and a strange inheritance: a sheep station in isolated rural Australia. Certain she has been saddled with an irritating burden, Emma prepares to leave for Wildflower Hill to sell the estate. Beattie also found herself at a crossroads as a young woman, but she was pregnant and unwed. She eventually found success—but only after following an unconventional path that was often dangerous and heartbreaking. Beattie knew the lessons she learned in life would be important to Emma one day, and she wanted to make sure Emma’s heart remained open to love, no matter what life brought. She knew the magic of the Australian wilderness would show Emma the way. Wildflower Hill is a compelling, atmospheric, and romantic novel about taking risks, starting again, and believing in yourself. It’s about finding out what you really want and discovering that the answer might be not at all what you’d expect.

Initial Thoughts:
As a lover of historical fiction AND chick lit, I knew this would be the book for me. Throw in some serious romance and you've got a hit.

The Pros:
Emma is introduced to us as a selfish ballerina without a care in the world but herself. How she evolves throughout the book is amazing. Her volunteer work within the community in rural Australia is inspiring.

Beattie leaves her hometown with no family to call her own after being disowned by her family when they find out she is pregnant, and unwed. The pain and suffering she endures throughout the book would be enough to knock anyone down for the count, but she gets up each timer, stronger than the time before.

I loved reading about the house on Wildflower Hill. Maybe it's just because I am an old house junkie, but the history contained within the walls of the house is amazing.

The way that Beattie kept a reminder of her true love all those years with the painting of the gum tree was incredibly heartwarming.

The Cons:
I was more into Beattie's story than Emma's. Emma's lacked something, although I'm not sure what it was.

I wish there was more time spent talking about restoring the house.

The Wrap Up: 3.5/5
This was a really good historical fiction novel. Would I call it wonderful? Probably not. But, it was a quick and entertaining read that actually taught me things about Australia and their native people.

Favorite Quote:
"There are two types of women in the world, Beattie, those who do things and those who have things done to them."

Click here for your copy of Wildflower Hill.

These Girls by Sarah Pekkenan

In her third novel, internationally bestselling author Sarah Pekkanen examines the lives of three women working and living together in New York City and shows that family secrets may shape us all, but it’s the rich, complicated layers of friendship that can save us. Cate, Renee, and Abby have come to New York for very different reasons, and in a bustling city of millions, they are linked together through circumstance and chance. Cate has just been named the features editor of Gloss, a high-end lifestyle magazine. It’s a professional coup, but her new job comes with more complications than Cate ever anticipated. Cate’s roommate Renee will do anything to nab the plum job of beauty editor at Gloss. But snide comments about Renee’s weight send her into an emotional tailspin. Soon she is taking black market diet pills—despite the racing heartbeat and trembling hands that signal she's heading for real danger. Then there’s Abby, whom they take in as a third roommate. Once a joyful graduate student working as a nanny part time, she abruptly fled a seemingly happy life in the D.C. suburbs. No one knows what shattered Abby—or why she left everything she once loved behind. Pekkanen’s most compelling, true-to-life novel yet tells the story of three very different women as they navigate the complications of careers and love—and find the lifeline they need in each other.

Initial Thoughts:
I'm a sucker for chick lit novels. Anything remotely along the lines of Sex and the City and I'm intrigued. So when you tell me about three roommates in New York? I'm sold.

The Pros:
All three girls were immensely relatable. Who hasn't felt stressed out by their job, wished they could lose a few pounds, and had their heart broken into a million pieces? I'm pretty sure every girl has.

Abby's story was the most compelling to me. It had the most depth, and kept me guessing. The love she showed little Annabelle was heartwarming.

Renee personifies my fear for girls today. No one is ever thin enough or pretty enough, and some girls will stop at nothing to be the thinnest and prettiest. It's an important lesson to instill in young women.

Cate's decision to put her friends above herself was noble, and shows where her alliances lay. Remember the saying.. chicks before... well... you know the rest.

The Cons:
I wished it was a bit longer. I wanted to know more. With around 300 pages split between three girls, that's just about 100 pages a girl. Not nearly enough to get my fill.

I wanted to know more about Trey. It seems like he was just glossed over.

The Wrap Up: 3/5
This is your standard chick lit quick read. It was interesting enough to keep me amused, but nothing I would rave about. Cute and relevant, it's a good beach read.

Favorite Quote:
"I can't take back what I did. But it might... help you to know how much I love your daughter. I thought the letters were for Annabelle, but they're not. They're for you."

Want to read about These Girls? Click here.

Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard

Gabriel Emerson is a well respected Dante specialist by day, but by night he devotes himself to an uninhibited life of pleasure. He uses his notorious good looks and sophisticated charm to gratify his every whim, but is secretly tortured by his dark past and consumed by the profound belief that he is beyond all hope of redemption. When the sweet and innocent Julia Mitchell enrolls as his graduate student, his attraction and mysterious connection to her not only jeopardizes his career, but sends him on a journey in which his past and his present collide. An intriguing and sinful exploration of seduction, forbidden love and redemption, "Gabriel's Inferno" is a captivating and wildly passionate tale of one man's escape from his own personal hell as he tries to earn the impossible...forgiveness and love.

Initial Thoughts:
I was so hesitant to read this book, even though it appeared at the top of my recommended lists on Amazon and Goodreads for months now. I don't know why I was so hesitant about this book. Maybe the memories of the most horrible Dante's Inferno group project ever my sophomore year of high school? Possibly.

The Pros:
Now, I'm a big Fifty Shades fan. And there are a few similarities in the two series, but holy cow if this book wasn't way better than Fifty. This book is intelligent, beautifully written, and emotional.

Gabriel has nothing but the utmost respect for Julia. His attitude towards her is one of reverence, and I found that incredibly attractive. Nothing is sexier than a man who treats a woman right.

Believe it or not, this book was written by a MAN. I think it definitely adds something different to this book.

The many literary references in the book had me recalling my literature classes in high school and college, and I was shocked to find that not only did I remember most of them, I had a intrigue to read them again.

The way that the past has so greatly influenced the present is a great example of how every choice you make has consequences you must face.

Not only is Gabriel smart (he's a Dante professor for pete's sakes!), but Julia is smart as well. Highly intelligent characters in a romance novel are hard to come by.

The book was long. I love long books.

The Cons:
I'm not sure how I felt about the constantly changing points of view. One paragraph it was Gabriel's POV, then the next was Julia's, and then out of nowhere it was Paul's, and then back to Gabriel, etc.

Gabriel came across so angry and hostile in the beginning of the book that I was immediately turned off by him.

I didn't like Paul. I felt like he was an unnecessary character.

The Wrap Up: 5/5
I freaking LOVED this book. I stayed up way too late on a work night just so I could finish. If you loved Fifty Shades, but craved a more intelligent spin, this is the book for you. I'm pretty sure this book has eclipsed Fifty for me.

Favorite Quote:
"Bad things happen to everyone. Not that this was an excuse or a justification for wronging another human being. Still, all humans had this shared experience - that of suffering. No human being left this world without shedding a tear, or feeling pain, or wading into the sea of sorrow."

Believe me, you're going to want to click here to get your copy.

Effortless by S.C. Stephens

A lot can happen in a year. You grow, you change, you learn from your mistakes. And Kiera had made a lot of mistakes to learn from. But she had learned, and she was determined to never cause a man pain again, especially the amazing man who currently held her heart. But life offers new challenges for every relationship, and when Kiera’s love is put to the ultimate test, will it come out the other side unscathed?

Initial Thoughts:
I loved Thoughtless (see my review here), so I figured I would love the follow up too.

The Pros:
I liked that Kellan didn't automatically take her back. She did some pretty messed up things, things that take awhile to sort out.

The portrayal of post-breakup Keira is dead on for how I have felt going through a breakup. You don't want to go anywhere, put on real clothes, or listen to anyone's advice.

Hearing about Kellan's tattoo mid-breakup pity party nearly killed my heart. Too dang sweet.

I think this book accurately portrays life on the road as an upcoming band. The questioning of fidelity, the availability of groupies, the distance. I think the author really showed the emotion of it.

Speaking of emotions, I felt so much of it reading this book. My heart hurt for Keira being so far away from Kellan when she needed him.

The Cons:
Why in the world would she not tell Kellan about Denny being back? Holding back secrets means you think you're doing something wrong, so don't do it!

The ending. As a girl, I would not be okay with that. But that may just be being selfish :)

Kellan's "secret" should have been shared with Keira from the beginning. It could have saved her so much heartbreak!

The Wrap Up: 4.5/5
I liked this one better than Thoughtless. Which I didn't think would be possible. There will be a book #3 in this series, and I honestly cannot wait for it to come out.

Favorite Quote:
"Ethics and I had crossed paths recently, and I'm not sure that I feel on the right side of the morality line."

Want to have your socks knocked off by Kellan Kyle? Click here.

How to Kill a Rockstar by Tiffanie DeBartolo

Written in her wonderfully honest, edgy, passionate and often hilarious voice, Tiffanie DeBartolo tells the story of Eliza Caelum, a young music journalist, and Paul Hudson, a talented songwriter and lead singer of the band Bananafish. Eliza's reverence for rock is equaled only by Paul's, and the two fall wildly in love. When Bananafish is signed by a big corporate label, and Paul is on his way to becoming a major rock star, Eliza must make a heartbreaking decision that leads to Paul's sudden disappearance and a surprise knock-your-socks-off ending.

Initial Thoughts:
Continuing on with my rockstar obsession lately, I thought this would be a bit of a change of pace with some familiarity. And I was right.

The Pros:
This was not your run of the mill romance novel with a rockstar. Not even close. It had so much depth beyond the "hottie rocker seduces innocent girl" trend.

Eliza is a smart, but damaged girl. Her heart is bigger than her head, which leads her to make some confusing decisions.

Paul is crazy. But in a good way. He is devoted to what is in his heart, much like Eliza. His music speaks for his heart, and it is beautiful. He's also quirky, not a "rock god" like a lot of these rockstar books have. I think I prefer the quirky.

The Michaels. I thought it was hilarious that every guy but Paul in the band was named Michael.

Loring. I loved him. I feel like I was on the wrong side, but I think I was team Loring.

I like that the author showed that you CAN still be friends with mutual friends of an ex. It doesn't have to be the end of the world.

The portrayal of 9/11 was heartbreaking and so dead on.

The Cons:
I know that the ending was supposed to be the best part, but I didn't like it.

I wanted to kick Eliza a bunch of times throughout the book. She was making stupid and confusing decisions constantly.

Paul handled the break up rather scarily. That's why I was not shocked by the faux ending. He seemed imbalanced throughout the book.

The Wrap Up: 3.5/5
This book was beautifully written, but the dysfunction of the characters threw me a little. I wish that the characters had been developed a little better, I felt like the only person I truly knew was Loring, and he wasn't one of the top two characters. Overall, it was a good story, but the characters ended up annoying me too much.

Favorite Quote:
"Isn't it funny to think that this magnificent piece of matter is in a state of decay? Really, can you think of any other living thing that looks this glorious as it's dying?"