Tuesday, April 28, 2020

April Book Review and a Giveaway!


It was an excellent month of reading, friends! I am so excited to tell you about the books I read in April that I have decided to gift one of them to a lucky reader. Read on for details!

by: Carrie Underwood
4 out of 5 ⭐


Isn't Carrie Underwood just the sweetest?! Her book was the perfect read to kick off quarantine. It is all about diet and exercise and how to incorporate both into your life in a healthy way. Each chapter is named for one of her songs, so that was a fun addition. This is the perfect book to motivate you to get moving or make one of the healthy (easy!) recipes she includes. I especially liked the way she encourages readers to think about a healthy lifestyle as a long-term investment in staying strong for their families. I am gifting one blog reader a copy of this book because we could all use a little happy encouragement in our lives right now. To enter to win, follow me on Instagram and like the April book review post! I will choose a winner by random drawing on Friday, May 1st.

by: Melanie Shankle
5 out of 5 ⭐


Melanie Shankle cracks me up. She is a Christian author, but does not take herself very seriously or make you feel like she has everything figured out. I told Dan that I love reading her books because she is a Christian who is up for drinking a well-made margarita. I'm not sure what that means or what that says about me, but it fits! I listened to this book on audio and I am so glad I did. Melanie reads it herself and her voice telling the stories of days past and inserting sarcasm only added to my reading experience. This book could also not be more timely, as she encourages you to find the bright side of trying situations through telling personal stories. It is fun, and so worth the read!

by: Katharine McGee
4 out of 5 ⭐


I finished this book before I realized that it is a young adult novel. I really enjoyed it! I could honestly see this book being made into a tv series. The premise is that George Washington became the king of America instead of president and these are his modern day ancestors. Of course, there is a lot of drama and it mimics The Crown a bit but in a very PG way. I will definitely read the sequel when it comes out. YA or not, if you like royalty, you will enjoy this book.

by: Fiona Davis
 4 out of 5 ⭐


This book sat on my Kindle for awhile, but thanks to Corona, I finally got around to reading it. I loved that it took place in NYC and switched between the 1950's and present day. It takes place at the Barbizon Hotel where the main characters live in different decades. There is murder, mystery, romance and drama throughout. I really enjoyed this book, but it was a slow burn for me. It was not a book I couldn't put down, but I enjoyed it still. Does that make sense? I will be reading another by this author next month to see if I want to find more!

by: Glennon Doyle
5 out of 5 ⭐


Wow. Glennon Doyle writes with intense vulnerability. And while her story is her own and her issues, experiences, and beliefs may not be mine, I learn something about myself every time I read her books. I deeply respect people who vulnerably share their experience of life. Told in a collection of short essays, this book includes sentences and paragraphs that I would re-read or read aloud to Dan because of their sheer beauty. I think I enjoy this type of book because it reminds me of talking to people during a counseling session where they are honest, raw, and not afraid of judgement.

I hope I've inspired you to pick up one of these reads. Remember, you can click the title of the book to be taken to Amazon if you would like to purchase and I receive a {very small} referral bonus if you do that at no additional cost to you. Libraries are also doing a great job during the Corona Pandemic of allowing you to check out extra digital materials on your favorite devices. In fact, that is how I listened to On the Bright Side! However you get your books, I hope you enjoy my suggestions.

Happy reading and quarantining!

xo,
Deanna

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Books, Beans and Quarantines! January-March 2020

Hello everybody! It has been a bit since I have blogged but I suddenly find myself with a little extra time. I know this has been a challenging time, but I am going to try to do my part to bring a little sunshine into your days through my little corner of the internet. What better way to start that than to tell you what I have been reading so far in 2020! 
{I will link the titles and pictures of the books so that it will take you directly to Amazon if you wish to read what the book is about or purchase. Full disclosure, I make a few cents if you do that!} I have marked my star review below the author's name. I will keep my comments out the review this time due to the sheer number of books included. To save you a bit of time...

Best Book: Open Book by Jessica Simpson
Worst Book: Next Level Basic by Stassi Schroeder

But first...

I bought another coffee maker.

I still love this guy...



But I added this one to the family and he is a keeper as well!



Why are my coffee makers boys? Because everything except me and the dog are boys around here.

BOOKS

by: Colleen Hoover
4 out of 5 stars


by: Tonya Dalton
4 out of 5 stars


by: Tarryn Fisher
3 out of 5 stars


by: Kelly Timmer
4 out of 5 stars


by: Stassi Schroeder
2 out of 5 stars


by: Kiley Reid
4 out of 5 stars


by: Jessica Simpson
5 out of 5 stars


by: Kristina Kuzmic
3 out of 5 stars


by: Kelly Harms
3 out of 5 stars


by: Mary Kubica
3 out of 5 stars


by: Jennie Allen
4 out of 5 stars


by: Amanda Eyre Ward
3 out of 5 stars