enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

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So I did a book report at the beginning of the month…but then I read five books. And I'm not sure what it was but this was a REALLY good reading month. I couldn't put these down. More than twice I skipped post Ellerie bedtime TV watching to just sit on the couch and read.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart / okay, this was the slight fail of the bunch. I wrote down the books as I finished this month so I wouldn't forget and without that list I would have for sure forgot this one. It was Young Adult which I never really connect with but somehow still find myself reading (I should do a better job vetting books that I add to my library queue). It wasn't BAD at all, just (for me!) not something I would recommend over and over.

The Likeness by Tana French / I really enjoyed this. It's a murder mystery with a twist… woman turns up dead and happens to look just like a local detective who used to work under cover. There are no leads in the murder and so they pretend the victim didn't die and the detective pretends to be her to gain insight into the life of the victim before she was killed. Far fetched? Absolutely. Interesting? For sure. Couldn't put it down.

I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes / again, another win. This is a thriller in the truest sense. It starts out a little crazy but settles into a great groove. My only issue is I spent the first half of the book confused on what was "real time" and what was flashback. Even now, I am not sure how long after 9/11 the book was supposed to take place (relevant because the events of 9/11 play a role). But it was interesting and horrifying (I spent a lot of time telling Paul how we are going to be attacked next) and a crazy page-turner (like the kind where you're scanning the right page while you're reading the left page).

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty / this was my third book by this author and it proved just as interesting as her others. I love the links she creates between her characters. I think if I was picking favorites, I would stick this below Big Little Lies, but still, it's a fun (not sure if that's the right word, but it's what comes to mind) and quick read about a heavy topic. Just what I needed after the intensity of I am Pilgram.

Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan / this is a memoir about the important mother/daughter relationship and of course it hit all the right notes for me as both a daughter and a mother to a little girl. All the feelings with this one. Unlike most memoirs that tend to read more like short stories, this one tells one full story of her experience nannying for a family that had recently lost their mother to cancer. Quick read, good read. Recommend for mothers OR daughters (so basically, everyone who reads this blog.)

I am almost done with Reconstructing Amelia and then I have a long books on my list to take to Hawaii. What are you reading? Have you read any of the five I mentioned? Thoughts?

see all book reports (and the comments sections filled with great recommendations!) here.

Other posts you might enjoy: 

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58 responses to “april book report (part 2).”

  1. Sara B Avatar
    Sara B

    Eileen I had the same question about The Likeness as it seems to reference a character that was in some other books of hers. I didn’t know if I needed to start at the beginning….did you happen to find out?

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  2. Michal Lynn Avatar

    I am a 27 (almost 28) year old who still enjoys reading YA. That’s not to say it hasn’t let me down on occasion, but a good book is a good book. I liked We Were Liars as a beach read…there’s that sun-scorched, sandy vibe with a hint of mystery that feels like the perfect quick (if not slightly forgettable) read. A lot of my friends loved it. But everyone is different!
    I just read a book called “Hidden” by Catherine McKenzie that I enjoyed. It explores a marriage from 3 perspectives, but it’s a little more complex than that. I recommend it to anyone who likes Emily Giffin’s books.
    Books I’ve heard great things about and look forward to reading:
    The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood
    The Death of Bees by Lisa O’Donnell
    A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler
    The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
    And so much more! I’m also curious about Tana French’s books…I feel like I’ve seen that they are a series, and I’d like to start from the beginning if so.

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  3. Jacee Avatar
    Jacee

    I recently read To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han. It’s YA, but I loved it. It was really cute and the characters were well developed. I especially loved the youngest sister. It’s about this girl who writes letters to the 5 boys she’s loved and they somehow get mailed to them.

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  4. Oh Hey! Blog // Megan Avatar

    I’ve only read “The Husbands Secret” by that author… good to know you enjoyed others in the series. I might have to give them a go! Found it a little bit slow at times but easy enough to read. There are some other great suggestions here!!!
    Megan || http://www.ohheyblog.com

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  5. Michelle Avatar
    Michelle

    My favorite LONG reads —
    Under the Dome — Stephen King. Have read it twice, both times non stop. Over 1000 pages. The psychological impact of the the dome cracks all the pressure points in this little town.
    Forever Amber — historical fiction written in the 1940s about a beautiful arrogant girl named Amber in the 1600s. Amber is one of the most annoying characters ever written, yet I cannot stop watching the train wreck of her life. She starts out spoiled and stupid.. and becomes a sociopath.
    Gone With the Wind — we all know the story but the book is much better
    The Stand (Uncut) by Stephen King — You really have to be a Stephen King fan to read THIS much in one book, but I am so I love it. Sweeping, grand, mystic, horrifying, scary, sad.
    Coming Home by Rosamund Pillcher — One of my favorite books of all time. Takes place in England before and during WW2. Watching a young girl, Judith, grow up with the Carey-Lewis family after her mother and sister leave for Ceylon. Sweeping in scope. Amusingly, when Judith is stationed in the South Pacific, she winds up in the infirmary next to a girl reading Forever Amber.

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  6. Laura Hager Avatar

    I can’t wait to check these out at the library! Thank you for all your recommendations. Also, the amount of books you read is super inspiring!
    Laura
    http://laurahager.blogspot.com

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  7. Kelly Jean Avatar

    I haven’t been reading at all lately and I do miss it so much! I do like listening to audio books as I have a long drive to work. I’ll have to check to see if any of these are available in audio.

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  8. Erica A. Avatar

    New follower 🙂 Love your page!
    I have been looking forward to reading The Husband’s Secret and Big Little Lies!!

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