Book Review: Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Pages: 417

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date: June 5, 2018

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: Second Chance Summer,
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour and Since You've Been Gone

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.  The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.  There’s the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won’t stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.  There are the relatives who aren’t speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo.  Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner’s nephew is unexpectedly, distractingly…cute.  Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future."

Charlie Grant is the youngest of the five Grant siblings and she is the last of her siblings to live at home. She is headed off to the local university in the fall, but meanwhile, she has her older sister, Linnie's, wedding to host at her family's home.  Charlie is so excited to have all of her siblings at home under one roof and to top it off, her mother's famous comic is coming to an end, which is attracting a lot of media attention as it has made her family well known over the years.  After all, the comic is based on the Grants' family life!  But things start to go downhill as planning a wedding can often become, well, crazy.  First, the house alarm starts to malfunction, then there's annoying family members that come to stay, the wedding planner ghosts them, and much more hilarious and also disastrous events ensue.  Reading Save the Date was like watching one of my favorite rom-coms. It was the perfect summer read!

Charlie is the type of character that I instantly warmed up to in Save the Date.  She loves her family and is excited for her big sister's wedding.  She just wants to have fun with all of her siblings who have come home again, but things never go smoothly, especially when it comes to a family wedding, right?  To top it off she finds out that one of her brothers is staying with her longtime crush, which also complicates matters. Plus, Charlie is also at a crossroads in her life. She is coming up on graduation and heading off to college at the local university her father teaches at.  Then she finds out that her parents want to sell the family house, so this also is yet again another big change coming up for Charlie.

What I like about the Grants is the fact that they aren't perfect in Save the Date. I could really identify with their issues as well as the fierce love towards one another. Their family life isn't perfect and they have some secrets just like any family.  You know that weddings always bring out some of these familial issues! And, oh, the comedy of errors that ensue! Anything that could go wrong was going to go wrong with the Grants and I think that's true when it comes to planning a wedding. Things can get complicated not to mention throwing in a bunch of family members into the mix. It's always dramatic!

Reading Save the Date was like waking up in the world of my favorite romantic comedy. I loved the Grants and their family wedding; it was a world that I wanted to be lost in.  I sure hope they make this book into a movie, because I think it would translate well to the big screen and be so much fun to watch! It reminded me a bit of Father of the Bride. You know when you don't want a book to end? That was Save the Date for me.

Stacking the Shelves (73)

My Favorite Books of 2018 (so far!)

Can't Wait Wednesday: In Another Time

Book Review: The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams

This week I'll be sharing my thoughts on Morgan Matson's Save the Date, which I absolutely loved. It's definiitely one of my favorite YA novels of the year.

 

Light Over London by Julia Kelly - Thanks to Gallery

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen - Thanks to St. Martin's and The Reader Bee

Home and Away by Candice Montgomery - Thanks to Page Street

Freedom Trials by Meredith Tate - Thanks to Page Street

 

Afterimage by Naomi Hughes - Thanks to Page Street

A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan - Thanks to Blink YA

Uncharted by Erin Cashman - Thanks to Page Street

The winner of Boardwalk Summer goes to.... 

Trish R.

Congrats! I hope you enjoy the book!

Have you read any of these books? Are they on your TBR list? Let me know your thoughts. Thanks for visiting! This meme is hosted by Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

My Favorite Books of 2018 (so far)

Can you believe we are halfway through the year? I love reading everyone's favorite books from the first half of the year, so I thought I would share mine. I'm only including books with a 2018 pub. date! I'm sure this list will look drastically different in December!

YA:

Save the Date by Morgan Matson (Review to come!)

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Adult Historical Fiction:

My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner

Romance/Women's Fiction:

 This Love Story Will Self-Destruct by Leslie Cohen

The Husband Hour by Jamie Brenner

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

Best Sequel - Adult Fiction:

The Secret to Southern Charm by Kristy Woodson Harvey

Best Thriller:

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

Picture Book:

Ocean Meets Sky by Terry Fan and Eric Fan

What are some of your favorite books of 2018? Let me know in the comments.

Can't Wait Wednesday: In Another Time

Can't Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

In Another Time by Caroline Leech

Pub. Date: August 28, 2018

Goodreads says, "Love is worth the fight   It’s 1942, and Maisie McCall is in the Scottish Highlands doing her bit for the war effort as a Women’s Timber Corps lumberjill. Maisie relishes her newfound independence and her growing friendships—especially with the enigmatic John Lindsay.   As Maisie and John work side-by-side felling trees, Maisie can’t help but feel like their friendship has the spark of something more to it. And yet every time she gets close to him, John pulls away. It’s not until Maisie rescues John from a terrible logging accident that he begins to open up to her about the truth of his past, and the pain he’s been hiding.   Suddenly everything is more complicated than Maisie expected. And as she helps John untangle his shattered history, she must decide if she’s willing to risk her heart to help heal his. But in a world devastated by war, love might be the only thing left that can begin to heal what’s broken."

I think we need more compelling historical reads for young adults, don't you? This one sounds great and I love the Scottish Highlands setting. I have high hopes. What do you guys think?

Book Review: The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams

Pages: 384

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: July 10, 2018

Publisher: William Morrow

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author:  A Certain Age, A Hundred Summers
The Secret Life of Violet Grant, Tiny Little Thing, 
Along the Infinite Sea, Cocoa Beach and The Wicked City

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "In the summer of 1951, Miranda Schuyler arrives on elite, secretive Winthrop Island in Long Island Sound as a naive eighteen year old, still reeling from the loss of her father in the Second World War. Although a graduate of the exclusive Foxcroft Academy in Virginia, Miranda has always lived on the margins of high society. When her beautiful mother marries Hugh Fisher, whose summer house on Winthrop overlooks the famous lighthouse, Miranda is catapulted into a heady new world of pedigrees and cocktails, status and swimming pools. Isobel Fisher, Miranda’s new stepsister—all long legs and world-weary bravado, engaged to a wealthy Island scion—is eager to draw Miranda into the arcane customs of Winthrop society.  But beneath the Island’s patrician surface, there are really two clans--the summer families with their steadfast ways and quiet obsessions, and the working class of Portuguese fishermen and domestic workers who earn their living on the water and in the laundries of the summer houses. Uneasy among Isobel's privileged friends, Miranda finds herself drawn to Joseph Vargas, whose father keeps the lighthouse with his mysterious wife. In summer, Joseph helps his father in the lobster boats, but in the autumn he returns to Brown University, where he's determined to make something of himself. Since childhood, Joseph has enjoyed an intense, complex friendship with Isobel Fisher, and has a catastrophe that will shatter Winthrop’s hard-won tranquility and banish Miranda from the Island for nearly two decades.  Now, in the summer of 1969, Miranda returns at last, as a renowned Shakespearean actress hiding a terrible heartbreak. On its surface, the Island remains the same--determined to keep the outside world from its shores, fiercely loyal to those who belong. But the formerly powerful Fisher family is a shadow of itself, and Joseph Vargas has recently escaped the prison where he was incarcerated for the murder of Miranda’s stepfather eighteen years earlier. What’s more, Miranda herself is no longer a naive teenager, and she begins a fierce, inexorable quest for justice to the man she once loved . . . even if it means uncovering every last one of the secrets that bind together the families of Winthrop Island."

Miranda Schuyler arrives on the exclusive Winthrop Island in Long Island for her mother's wedding to Hugh Fisher, one of the wealthiest men on the island.  Miranda is only eighteen years old and isn't accustomed to this lifestyle or the people, but she slowly finds herself acclimating since her stepsister, Isobel, takes her under her wing.  While on the island, she comes to realize there are the wealthy families who summer there and then there are the locals. Through Isobel, she meets Joseph Vargas, a college student, who is home for the summer helping out his father. with his fishing boat  There's an instant attraction between Joseph and Miranda, but Miranda knows her mother would never approve of her marrying a "local" boy and a fisherman's son despite his enrollment at Brown University.  But everything is turned upside down when there is a murder on the island and Joseph pleads guilty, but Miranda knows deep down that he didn't commit the crime.  So who did? Fast forward to the summer of 1969 and Miranda returns back to the island much older and with major problems of her own, but first, will the unanswered questions surrounding the murder finally be answered?  The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams is an atmospheric beach read that kept me glued to the pages and completely entertained.

Miranda is such an interesting character in The Summer Wives. I loved her back story and then enjoyed getting to know her as the years went by; she had changed so much since she was the naive eighteen year old girl who first stepped foot onto the island.  For starters, she has become a successful actress and has married a director, but things aren't exactly perfect between them.  The one thing that Williams does so brilliantly is her character building. All of the characters in The Summer Wives are so interesting and complex. You feel like you know them well by the time you turn the last page.

Williams also is one of the best historical authors who can truly bring the time period to life and she did that beautifully in The Summer Wives. I felt like I was living it alongside of Miranda . It's almost like I was watching one of my favorite classic movies like The Philadelphia Story. The class structure, the elaborate parties, the clubhouse, the etiquette, the secrets, the cocktails, and the beautiful coastal setting were all simply phenomenal. It all felt very real.

Also, as I mentioned before in The Summer Wives, Williams incorporates a bit of a murder mystery and I was worried it would be too dark of a beach read for me, but that wasn't the case. I thoroughly enjoyed that aspect of the book and it will be sure to keep readers guessing.

So, if you love historical beach reads with a gorgeous coastal setting, a bit of a mystery, some romance and a side of plot twists, you must check out The Summer Wives. It's one of my favorite beach reads of the summer.

Can't Wait Wednesday: A Well-Behaved Woman

Can't Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

A Well-Behaved Woman by Therese Anne Fowler

Pub. Date: October 16. 2018

Goodreads says,"The riveting novel of iron-willed Alva Vanderbilt and her illustrious family in as they rule Gilded-Age New York, from the New York Times bestselling author of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald.  In 1883, the New York Times prints a lengthy rave of Alva Vanderbilt's Fifth Ave. costume ball--a coup for the former Alva Smith, who not long before was destitute, her family's good name useless on its own. Marrying into the newly rich but socially scorned Vanderbilt clan, a union contrived by Alva's bestfriend and now-Duchess of Manchester, saved the Smiths--and elevated the Vanderbilts.  From outside, Alva seems to have it all and want more. She does have a knack for getting all she tries for: the costume ball--no mere amusement--wrests acceptance from doyenne Caroline Astor. Denied a box at the Academy of Music, Alva founds The Met. No obstacle puts her off for long.  But how much of ambition arises from insecurity? From despair? From refusal to play insipid games by absurd rules? --There are, however, consequences to breaking those rules. One must tread carefully.  And what of her maddening sister-in-law, Alice? Her husband William, who's hiding a terrible betrayal? The not-entirely-unwelcome attentions of his friend Oliver Belmont, who is everything William is not? What of her own best friend, whose troubles cast a wide net? Alva will build mansions, push boundaries, test friendships, and marry her daughter to England's most eligible duke or die trying. She means to do right by all, but good behavior will only get a woman so far. What is the price of going further? What might be the rewards? There's only one way to know for certain..." 

I absolutely love books based on real women from the past and I find the Gilded Age to be such a compelling time, so this one is definitely on my TBR list. What do you guys think?

Book Review: The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls by Jessica Spotswood

Pages: 320

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date: June 5, 2018

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Other Books by Author: Born Wicked and Wild Swans

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "One summer will challenge everything the Garrett sisters thought they knew about themselves—and each other.  Kat lands the lead in the community theater’s summer play, but the drama spills offstage when her ex and his new girlfriend are cast too. Can she get revenge by staging a new romance of her own?  Bea and her boyfriend are heading off to college together in the fall, just like they planned when they started dating. But Bea isn’t sure she wants the same things as when she was thirteen…  Vi has a crush on the girl next door. It makes her happy and nervous, but Cece has a boyfriend…so it’s not like her feelings could ever be reciprocated, right?  As the oldest, Des shoulders a lot of responsibility for her family and their independent bookstore. Except it’s hard to dream big when she’s so busy taking care of everyone else."

The Garrett sisters live in Remington Hollow, Maryland, a small, quiet coastal town reminiscent of Gilmore Girls' Stars Hollow.  There are four Garrett sisters. First there's Des, the oldest, who feels a lot of pressure to help out her grandmother, who has fallen ill and is the sole caretaker of the girls, and she also feels a responsibility towards her younger siblings.  Then there's Bea, who just graduated high school and is trying to figure it all out. She is questioning things and asking herself what she really wants.  Next up is Kat, who is all about the community's theater program, but things don't go as planned when her ex-boyfriend is casted in the play as well.  Lastly, there's Vi, who is a lesbian and has strong feelings for someone, but will they like her back?  Can she put herself out there? The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls has something for every YA reader and it makes for a heartwarming beach read.

All four Garrett girls are memorable in their own right, but I found myself very interested in Des, the oldest.  Her struggle between helping her family and doing what she wants is something that many people can relate to.  I also really liked how the author switched the points of view between each girl so we could get to know them individually. I also really liked the chapters in The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls that focused on Vi and I think it's good that Spotswood included a gay character that wasn't just a caricature.   I also appreciated Vi's love of YA books as well as her references to books. Bookworms will absolutely love this! I found myself nodding my head a lot when she would talk books; I would so want to be friends with her!

The setting of The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls was so darn cute. It was very Stars Hollow and I love that! Everyone in town knows everyone else's stories and the fact that it's on the coast added to the town's charm.  Also, the Garrett family owns an independent bookstore that Des helps run and this was just a cherry on top of the sundae for me.

This was a quiet sort of summertime read and one that I think many YA female readers will appreciate this book the most, especially the bookish sort. Plus, The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls has a feminist vibe to it, which I also found to be delightful. We need more of that in YA literature and less damsel in distress type of females.  So, if you are looking for coming of age/feel good story this summer, add this one to your TBR list.

Stacking the Shelves (72)

Children's Book Roundup (8)
Can't Wait Wednesday: The Witch of Willow Hall 

My Favorite Historical Beach Reads of 2018

Book Review and Giveaway: Boardwalk Summer by Meredith Jaeger

This week I'll be sharing my thoughts on the YA beach read, The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls by Jessica Spotswood. I loved the Little Women and Gilmore Girls vibe to this novel. 

 

The Address by Fiona Davis - Thanks to Dutton

Double Blind by Iris and Roy Johansen - Thanks to St. Martin's

The winner of Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett goes to.......

Kim K.  

I hope you enjoy the book!

Have you read any of these books? Are they on your TBR list? Let me know your thoughts. Thanks for visiting! This meme is hosted by Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Children's Book Roundup (8)

I love reading year round with my kids, but there's something special about reading a book together over the summer. We love chapter books, but we have been enjoying a lot of picture books lately. Here are my thoughts on the latest:

A House in the Sky and Other Uncommon Homes by Steve Jenkins - If you have a non-fiction lover at home, they will appreciate this beautifully illustrated book all about where different animals live. It covers turtles, beavers, kangaroos, and more. My youngest appreciated the pictures of the animals and seeing their homes, whereas my oldest was able to fully comprehend more of the details on the page that feature the different animal homes and the characteristics of each one.  This book quickly became a favorite in our house. 

The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems - Will we ever tire of Mo Willems? Probably not. This book is laugh-out-loud hilarious! It's about Pigeon who wants a cookie just like little duckling. He can't understand why the duck always gets things, yet he doesn't. 

I'm New Here by Anne Sibley O'Brien - This is such a timely and important read. I loved sharing it with my oldest son. The story features three immigrants that are new to their American school. They must learn the English language, how to write/read, and make new friends, etc. This book feels like its ripped right from the headlines and because of that, I felt like it was a powerful read.  It teaches little ones empathy towards any new students in class and especially those that may come from other countries. Teachers will definitely want to snag a copy for their classroom libraries.  

Hansel and Gretel by Jane Ray - This is one of my favorite fairy tales, but this version was a little weird. For starters, the illustrations were a little strange and did not really enhance the story. Also, there were some major inconsistencies in the text. The story refers to a character as their mother one minute and then their step-mother the next.  I'd look elsewhere for a version of this classic tale.

The Loathsome Dragon by David Wiesner - This is a gorgeous retelling of a traditional English tale and I absolutely loved the illustrations.  If you love fairy tales, definitely give this picture book a try as it has everything I love about fairy tales: a brave knight, castles, enchantresses, dragons, suspense, and more. My only gripe is that the female in the story often needs rescuing, which I guess is a reflection of the traditional genre.

Trapped! A Whale's Rescue by Robert Burleigh - This picture book is based on a real-life story of a whale caught in a fishing net and the people that helped him to escape in order to avoid an untimely death.  My sons love sea animals, so we really enjoyed this story. It also became something they could reference when the same thing happened to a whale off the NJ coast this past week.  I love that this book is more than a survival story in that it talks about humpback whales at the end of the book, which is great for curious little minds. 

Sophie's Masterpiece by Eileen Spinelli - This was a strange picture book, but in a good way if you can follow me. It's about Sophie, a spider, who makes beautiful creations. One day she makes a most important creation as well as her final masterpiece for a very special occasion.   It's a quirky type of tale, but one that I felt was really heartfelt. I am not sure my sons appreciated it as much as me though.  

Life by Cynthia Rylant - I feel like the world needs more picture books like this. Although the big message may have been lost on my boys, I still appreciated this book and I felt like it spoke to me. Don't you love when picture books do that? It's about how tough life can be, but there's always something to be happy about - something to love. It's a stunning book and definitely a good one to share with little ones as it leads to much discussion and gives us all some hope. 

Woof: A Love Story by Sarah Weeks - This is a cute story about a dog who loves a cat, but the cat can't understand the dog's barking as he tries to profess his love. Essentially, it's a story about the power of love and although it's a little strange, I liked the overall message. It would be a cute one to share on Valentine's Day.


What picture books have you been reading? What are some of your favorites? Have you read any of these? Let me know in the comments below.