What are you reading these days? I’d LOVE it if you would share with me! I’m kind of in a book rut… I read a couple this month that I wasn’t thrilled about, but I didn’t have a long queue of books ready for me, so I just picked something that was available.

I read 7 books; 3 of those were wonderful, and 4 were “meh.”

Let’s get started!

1. One True Loves

This was the final Taylor Jenkins Reid novel that I hadn’t read, and now I’m finished with them all. Bummer! I’m so glad I picked up one of her books, because I’ve honestly enjoyed them all!

Her books are definitely chick-lit-y, but they’re all just a bit deeper and heavier than what I typically consider chick lit. For instance: this one is about a woman whose husband dies just after their first anniversary. After grieving for years, she meets someone new, falls in love, and gets engaged….and then gets a phone call from her (dead) husband who is actually alive. (See what I mean? Kinda chick-lit-y because it’s pretty unrealistic.)

So the book is about her decision: does she go back to the man who originally held her heart many years ago? Or does she stay with the man who knows her in its current form?

All of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books are quick and easy to read, but they’re not necessarily super happy. I actually cried while I was reading this book!

(Order here!)

2. The Good House

This is one that I first heard about on Modern Mrs. Darcy’s website (which is where I get a lot of my book recs.) It’s about a middle-aged realtor who lives along and is in denial about everything….including the fact that she’s probably an alcoholic.

I was bored for the first 50% of this book… That’s the truth!

The end redeemed it for me, but I’m still not going to call it one of my favorite books of the year.

(Check it out on Amazon here.)

3. The Identicals

I’ve read at least ten of Elin Hilderbrand’s Nantucket novels, and (oddly) this newest one is the first time I haven’t really enjoyed it! I think this is either because:

A) Her books are all so similar (same location, characters, plot lines)

or

B) My literary preferences are maybe (finally) expanding a bit? I will forever and always love my beach reads, but maybe my mind was craving a little more depth this month.

Either way, I will still probably keep reading Elian’s books when I want something light to read by the pool in the summer.

(See it on Amazon here!)

4. Finish: Give Yourself The Gift Of Done

My sister recommended this one to me, and I loved it! The purpose of this book is to help the reader discover what’s in the way of finishing projects and goals. Is it because the goal is too big? (Haven’t we all decided to quit something because we messed up a little bit? Like if we mess up during week 2 of a month-long diet, we just decide to completely give up. We tell ourselves that if we’re not going to get a perfect 100, we’ll go for a 0. A 40 is just not in the cards. Weird, right?) Or maybe we’re afraid of what might happen when it’s done? Or maybe we have “busy work” we do instead to convince ourselves we’re working, but it’s not moving us closer to the goal.

Lots of the stuff in here was review for me, and there were a couple new tidbits I picked up! It’s a quick, funny, helpful read if you love goal-oriented books.

(Order it here!)

5. Austin Breakfast Tacos

I’ve seen this book in all the gift shops on South Congress, but I hadn’t read it until this month. If you live in Austin and frequent the old-school breakfast taco places (Curra’s, Cisco’s, Juan in a Million, Joe’s, TacoDeli) and want to know their stories, this is a fun book.

It’s also a cute on to keep in a guest room or on the coffee table!

(Find this cute little book here.)

6. The Wife Between Us

Ok….this thriller is really popular right now. It’s on all the bestseller lists and I’m sure you’ve seen it in the airport bookstores. I finally got around to reading it this month, and here are my thoughts:

I read a bunch of mystery/thrillers in 2016 and 2017, but I hadn’t read any in 2018. No reason for this except that I was busy reading other stuff. But when I picked it up and started reading through it, I noticed that:

A) 90% of the thrillers I read have the same general story (abusive man, someone cheats, someone is a bit crazy.)

B) Even though I knew where the book was going, I couldn’t put it down and I sat on my couch all of Saturday afternoon and read the entire thing.

Was it good? Yeah! I mean, I didn’t stop reading until I had finished it! But it’s good in the same way that toll house chocolate chip cookies are good. They’re not unique or fresh, but if you know you love ’em, you know you love ’em.

If you love thrillers, you’ll probably enjoy this book.

7. The Love Season

Another Elin Hilderbrand novel that bored me! WHAT IS HAPPENING? If you’ve read this one, tell me if you think it’s just especially boring, or if maybe my literary preferences are changing.

I kind of want to keep loving these beach reads; they’ve been so fun! But if I’m outgrowing them, it means I’m becoming a better reader, which is good.

*Sigh*

It feels a little like saying goodbye to an old friend. Someone I just don’t have much in common with any more.

Maybe this book was just a dud and I’m being dramatic?

(Let me know your thoughts, and check it out on Amazon right here.)

Alrighty friends, that’s it for me! Let me know if you’re reading anything awesome so I can add it to my June list! I’m heading on three trips next month, which means lots of time for books and audiobooks!