February Reading

I completed 9 books (all of which I posted reviews) in February: 5 audiobooks and 4 e-books or physical books and DNF'd 3 books, all of which were audiobooks: When We Were Worthy, From Sand and Ash, and Twisted Up.

I read:
1 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟book; Springtime at Hope Cottage by Annie Rains
3 🌟🌟🌟🌟books
3 🌟🌟🌟 books
No 2 🌟🌟 books
1 🌟 book

Springtime at Hope Cottage was by far my favorite.  I just love this author's books.and this is her best series so far.

The other day, I started The Complete Cross-Referenced Guide to the Baby Buster Generation's Collective Unconscious, which I have had for ages, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it's been over 15 years.  I am guessing that I may have bought this back when Borders was still in existence and then some years back.  I actually may still have even been single so that would have been 2003 or before.  So, its about time I get to this since it's like a encyclopedia of the 80s, I'm taking it slow and will read a few pages a day or so.

Either tonight or tomorrow, I'll start on the ARC of Daughter of Molokai.  I loved the first book, Molokai that came out back in 2003, although I read it a few years ago.

Review of His One and Only by Terri Osburne

4 stars. I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. Initially, when I started it, I did not care fir Lorelei, She seemed to appear to think, she was better than everyone else and he was just waiting to get out of her hometown of Ardent Springs. But as the story went on, she grew on me and really was a good person and just got a bad rap by many of the town citizens for what was done by others or what the citizens deemed as wrongs done to them, but were really snubs to themselves. I ended up really liking the storylines and the characters, except for a few, who you really weren't suppose to like, anyway. I'd like to continue with this series.

Review of Springtime at Hope Cottage by Annie Rains

Love, love, love! Love the characters, love the storylines, love the small town (I'd love to visit or even live there!) and love the cover (Just gorgeous and oh so charming!) There's just so much to love when it comes to Annie Rains. Her books just keep getting better and better! I've been following this author since her first series and will continue reading her until she stops writing.


This book follows the first book in her newest series, Christmas on Mistletoe Lane, which takes place in the fictional North Carolina town of Sweetwater Springs. Josie comes to visit her best friend, who inherited a B and B from her grandparents, Kaitlyn's story is told in the previous book. There she injured herself and meets her sexy physical therapist, Tucker and things go from there. The story includes, Tucker's therapy dog, Shadow and also Tucker's 11 yr. old patient, Maddie. A great combination in my book. I can't wait for the next book, Snowfall on Cedar Trail for Alex and Halona's story

Down in New Orleans by Billy Sothern

1 star! I definitely did not like this one at all. I listened to it while I was doing things, and if I had been reading it instead, I am sure I would have just DNF'd it. Not sure exactly why I did not like it. Just found it boring and nowhere near as interesting as I hoped it would be. I wonder if Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital would be any better. The rating is a tad lower (3.89) than this one (3.91) but 5 Days has 20,000 ratings, while this one has only 98.

Paper Wife by Laila Ibrahim

I've been a fan of Laila Ibrahim for several years when I read "Yellow Crocus" and just recently read/listened to "The Mustard Seed". The aforementioned books are a duology taking place before, during and after the American Civil War. Paper Wife is a totally different book. It involves around the Chinese immigrant experience in the 1920s. I so enjoyed this book, but there's something that made it not quite 5 stars. I feel it is 4.25 or 4.5 stars and being brought down to 4 stars on Goodreads

I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. I found myself agreeing with the author to a lot of her comments. A lot of her reflections took me back to my youth. How wonderful it would be to live next to a library. There were a few chapters that greatly bored me, for example the acknowledgements and organizing one's bookshelves. The chapter on acknowledgements seemed to go on and on with example after example. We, readers know what acknowledgements are don't need endless pages of examples. Also much of this book, can be found probably on blogs, probably on the author's blog or in her podcasts. I've never frequented her blog or podcast, so am not sure what is or isn't there, but other than the very personal accounts of her life, I have seen some of it listed elsewhere. Even with these criticisms, I still enjoyed most of the book and feel it is 4 stars; okay, maybe 3.5 or 3.75 rounded up to 4 stars on Goodreads. Amazon has the book for over $8, but I read it on Kindle Unlimited during a period when they had an offer of 3 months for 99 cents. Although I do recommend the book, I don't recommend spending $8 on it. Borrow it from the library or wait for a price drop or even get it on Amazon Marketplace or a similar sit for much less. If you are a fan of her blog or podcast, you might not mind spending the money, though.

Witch Summer Nights Cream by H.Y. Hanna

2.5 or 2.75 rounded up to 3 stars. Think I need to take a break from these books. The first two books, I gave 4 stars to they were light and fun reads, but in this 3rd one, the main character got on my nerves as she has no confidence in herself. She's suppose to be in her early 20s, but seems much younger. I was trying to read the rest of the series, since I got as special offer of Kindle Unlimited for another 7 weeks, but I feel I need a break maybe, I will read book 4 in about 5 weeks or so and enjoy it more at that time.

Coming Clean by Kimberly Rae Miller

2.75 stars rounded up to 3 stars. a good memoir from a brave woman to telling her story of having parents who were hoarders. But I felt it was missing parts of the story. (view spoiler). I did listen to this on audio, so it is possible I missed it, but I don't think so.

Lost and Found Sisters by Jll Shalvis

I read the first 200 0r so pages as a physical book and the remainder I listened to on audio. I enjoyed the book both ways. Maybe a little more reading it, but I decided to listen to it since it was available on my Library's Overdrive and also since I'm waiting for my new glasses and my eyes were hurting. I should be getting them any day now and can't wait. Thank goodness for my Kindle having type that you can increase the size of the font and the boldness. This book is somewhat different than most of Jill Shalvis' books. It's more woman's fiction than purely a romance. There is a romance in here, but it's not the sole focus of the book. I'll be continuing with the series.

It Is In His Heart by Shelly Alexander

I thought maybe if I gave this to the next day before writing my review, I'd come up with a fresh perspective. But no matter what, I feel just as strongly that this was in my opinion, a one-star book. I wish when I first felt this way, I would have just DNF'd it. I know if I had read this rather than listened to it, I would have done so, but for some reason, I continued to listen to it. Maybe, because I was able to do other things as I was listening, while if I read it, I wouldn't have been able to do anything else. The characters are unlikeable. The story is undeveloped and all that I can specifically remember is that they were always having sex and Ella kept letting us know how wonderful she was that she stayed with her late husband while he was dying of cancer. I will definitely not be continuing with this series and it is doubtful that I will even try another book by Shelly Alexander

January Reading

I completed 12 books in January and DNF'd (Did Not Finish) 4.

The 4 that I DNF'd were:
The National Parks: America's Best Idea
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll
The Strawberry Hearts Diner by Carolyn Brown

I read:
One 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 book Elle & Coach: Diabetes, the Fight for My Daughter's Life, and the Dog Who Changed Everything
Five 🌟🌟🌟🌟 books
Four 🌟🌟🌟 books
Two 🌟🌟 books
No 🌟 books.  I don't have 1 star books too often since I usually DNF them before I finish, but sometimes I'm hoping they improve or by the time I decide I want to DNF it, I've invested so much time on it that I just want to complete it and have it count in my yearly book count.  This happens more often with audiobooks than physical or Kindle books.

My favorite was Elle & Coach: Diabetes, the Fight for My Daughter's Life, and the Dog Who Changed Everything.