Book Swap!!

I was supposed to do this post on Monday but this has been a crazy week and I got busy and accidentally forgot! But, better late than never :) I participated in a Book Swap that was hosted by "Blonde...Undercover Blonde" and "The Nerdy Katie" and I was paired up with the sweet Jessica from "Domesticated Bliss" ( http://www.domesticated-bliss.com ) She has a Kindle and I have a Nook so after a few emails back and forth getting to know each other we swaped e-books!

Jessica gave me "The Next Always" by Nora Roberts. We both loved the Brial Quartet series so she thought I would like this new trilogy by Nora. And so far- I love it!! I love Nora Robert's easy to read, romance novels! Here is a quick description from Amazon-

"The historic hotel in BoonsBoro, Maryland, has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect of the family, Beckett’s social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen…"

The book I gave Jessica was "Divergent" by Veronica Roth. I have posted about this book a few times. I read it after I read the Hunger Games trilogy. I had heard it was similar to Hunger Games so I knew I would probably love it..and of course, I did. It is similar but still very different. I actually loved it as much as I loved Hunger Games, which is hard to imagine! I knew Jessica loved Hunger Games too so I just knew she would love Divergent!

I loved getting to know Jessica and had so much fun joining in on this book swap! :)

Book Club Friday- Hiding From Reality & Unfinished Business

Helloooooo, Friday, so happy you have arrived!

Since I missed the past 2 weeks, I am reviewing 2 books today for Heather's Book Club Friday!

First up, Taylor Armstrong's (from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills) book, "Hiding From Reality."

Here is the description that Amazon.com provided:

Reality hit Taylor Armstrong hard one tragic evening last August when she found the body of her estranged husband, Russell, hanging in his California home. Fans across the country were shocked at the horrific news of his death and even more shocked to discover that behind the glittering “reality” of Taylor’s life on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills lurked a painful story of emotional and physical abuse that she had been terrified to tell.


An estimated 80 percent of domestic abuse victims remain silent, suffocated by fear and relentless self-doubt. For Taylor, it was the threat of financial ruin and finding herself alone with her young daughter that kept her tethered to her volatile husband. But after a ferocious roundhouse punch from Russell fractured her face, resulting in reconstructive surgery, she finally made the brave decision to walk away from a man she loved and a legacy of physical abuse that she first encountered as a child and that haunted her throughout her adulthood.


To the outside world, the Armstrongs lived like royalty, throwing lavish parties—including a memorable tea party for their daughter’s fourth birthday—and mingling with their privileged Housewives co-stars. It was impossible to hide the cracks in their marriage from the cameras forever, though, and their darkest secrets slowly began to seep through the gilded façade.


With searing honesty, Taylor candidly examines her difficult journey from the abusive home in which she was born to the low self-esteem that kept her constantly on the run from herself, to the tumultuous marriage that ended in suicide, and ultimately to her realization that only by sharing her moving story could she help other women.

My opinion:
I flew thru this book. It was good...hard to put down because I kept wanting to know what happened next and how much she was really going to share. Well, she shares EVERYTHING. It was a very sad, heartbreaking story because it obviously ends in her husband's suicide. The stories she tells leading up to that day are very disturbing...she goes into a lot of detail about the abuse and how she was treated during their relationship. I watch her show and knew it was bad but I had no idea it was THIS bad. I definitely recommend this book. It is not an award winner by any means but a very informative read that sheds a lot of light on domestic violence.

Next up- "Unfinished Business" by Nora Roberts

Descrition from Amazon.com-
What was she doing here? Hyattown had changed very little in the years Vanessa Sexton had been away. In some ways her high school sweetheart, Brady Tucker, hadn't changed much either—he was still lean, athletic, rugged…But the once reckless boy had become a solid, dependable man. He'd stood her up on the most important night of her life; could she ever trust him again?

So Vanessa had finally come home, Brady thought. She could still turn him inside out with one of her sultry looks. He couldn't believe she hadn't forgiven him for that night twelve years ago—but he'd had his reasons for not showing up. He'd let her leave town then—but he wasn't going to let her get away this time…

My opinion-
Cute, easy read. I read almost the entire thing on my 2 hour flight to Kentucky and then finished it on my flight home. It is less than 200 pages and really easy to read and follow. I loved the story line and the main character's and loved the ending. If you are looking for a quick, easy, love story, I recommend this book!

What are you reading this week?

Book Club Friday- Unbroken

It's Book Club Friday! Head over to Heather's blog ( www.blondeundercoverblonde.com ) and share what you are reading this week!




I started reading Laura Hillenbrand's "Unbroken" last week after hearing so much about it. I am not quite done but this is one of the best books I have ever read. It is very different from the normal type of book I would read (chick-lit, Nicholas Sparks, James Patterson, Hunger Games, etc... ) so, I was not sure if I would be able to get into it. But, I did and I HIGHLY recommend you reading it :) Here is a a description I found on Amazon:

"On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he’d been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

In her long-awaited new book, Laura Hillenbrand writes with the same rich and vivid narrative voice she displayed in Seabiscuit. Telling an unforgettable story of a man’s journey into extremity, Unbroken is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit."

Happy reading! xo

A Book Review & What I'm Reading Next

After reading several other bloggers reviews of this book I decided to read it and I LOVED it! If you are looking for a new book to read and you enjoy "chick-lit" I highly recommend this book. Here is a brief summary I found on Chic Gallerie:

Annie Adams finally had her life on track: her career allowed her to travel the globe, and she had a comfortable life in Los Angeles with her live-in boyfriend, Nick, a reliable group of friends, and a great dog. So when Nick decides he needs a break from the relationship, Annie’s world is shattered. Pulling it together, she drags herself to a local restaurant where she meets the chef, Griffin, the sort of man she never thought she’d fall for. Three months later Annie finds herself married and living in Griffin’s hometown in Massachusetts, where she isn't so sure she made the right choice. With THE FIRST HUSBAND, Laura Dave delivers an engaging and heartwarming story about a woman torn between her husband and the man she thought she’d marry.

Next up on my Nook:


The new Nicholas Sparks book, The Best of Me. I love all his books so I am sure this will be great too.



Divergent by Veronica Roth will be next. Everyone says if you like the Hunger Games trilogy you will like this too so I can't wait to read this one!


I have a lot of traveling coming up so I am sure I will fly through these and need more to read...
Anyone have any other good book recommendations?

Happy Reading!!