A Life In Review

Happy New Year, A Life in Review, readers! Thank you for being here for yet another year of my crazy. This blog has given me a piece of myself back since becoming a mom and I appreciate all of you who read along. Last year I started the year by sharing some great shows to binge watch for the winter, while I thoroughly enjoyed binging shows, I also love a deep dive into some good books. So this year I decided to start off with some book recommendations.

Starting back in May 2021 I fell in love with reading again. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until I picked up a random book and started reading. Thanks to my husband’s cousin, I was able to read so many books from all different genres (she’s a book of the month member). I’m late to the game on some of these amazing books, but maybe you are too and that’s why you’re reading this.

Winter is the perfect time to pick up a good novel and get lost in another world. Here are 7 of my favorite books that I read in 2021 (they aren’t in any particular order).

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Book #1: Where the Crawdad’s Sing by: Delia Owens

If you haven’t read this one by now, surely you are living under the same rock that I
am. However, it’s time to get out and find this book. This book is often referred to
as a “heartbreaking, coming of age story”. This little girl is forced to grow up so
quickly when she is abandoned by her ENTIRE family and is stuck living on her own
in a marsh on the coast of North Carolina. It involves murder, suspense, drama,
romance and heartbreak. The imagery in the book is something worth noting too.
I felt like I was able to picture each scene like it was a movie. This should be at the
top of your reading list!

Book #2 Dear Edward by: Ann Napolitano

This book is about a 12 year old boy who was the ONLY survivor of a horrific
commercial plane crash. He lost his parents and his brother and was sent to live
with his Aunt and Uncle. His whole life was turned upside down and he had to work
through his trauma and how to truly live and not just survive. This book was written
in a way that kept me so interested. Every other chapter was about Edward and his
life as a survivor. The chapters in-between his were a break down of exactly what
happened on that plane leading you to the end where you finally learn why it
crashed. This should have been in the running for 2021 book of the year and
should definitely be added to your book list.

Book #3 Goodnight Beautiful by: Aimee Molloy

If you like mystery, this book is for you. I will admit that it’s a bit confusing in the
beginning. I think that you are meant to be confused because it sets up the rest
of the story. Part of the mystery is piecing together what is happening in each
chapter. If you are looking for an “easy read” this one isn’t it. It is full of suspense
and lot’s of dialogue. It tells the story of two newlyweds. One of them being a
therapist. What the therapist doesn’t know, is that there is a vent over his office
and someone is listening to his sessions. I don’t want to explain much more
because half the fun of this book is piecing together the clues. Just add put it in
your Amazon cart and thank me later.

Book #4 The Neighbor’s Secret by: L. Alison Heller

The Neighbor’s Secret is a newer book. It was only released back in October. It’s
another mystery book, full of murder, mayhem, gossip and soccer moms. That
being said, if you were a fan of the show Desperate Housewives, you will be a fan of
this book. Basically it follows the lives of the women in a small town book club. No
one is who they seem to be and I promise you that you will be utterly surprised by
the ending.

Book #5 The Four Winds by: Kristin Hannah

The Four Winds won book of the year on Book of the Month and was rated in the
top 5 for the year on Amazon. This book is historical fiction through and through.
It’s a beautifully devastating story about the Great Depression. I thought I knew
about the Great Depression and then I read this book and was devastated more
then I was before. While the characters are fictional the author makes you feel like
they are part of your family. Kristin Hannah walks you through the hardships and the
love and the work and the progress that made up that time period. This is probably
the best historical fiction I have ever read.

Book #6 What She Knew by: Gilly Macmillan

Okay this book was hard to read as a mom, but kept me on the edge of my seat so
much so that I finished it in 2.5 days. I could NOT put it down. It walks you through
the life of a family with a missing child. From the moment the child goes missing
and everything in between. The ending will shock you and I promise the abductor
isn’t who you think. If you like mysteries, this is another great one to add to your list.
If you don’t, or are a hormonal mama (me 😂😭), skip this one.

Book #7 People We Meet on Vacation by: Emily Henry

This is by far the happiest book that I have added to my list. I cannot stress how
amazing this book is. It was released in September of last year and quickly made
it as a finalist for “book of the year”. Though the book didn’t win, it’s more than
worth a read this winter. This book will take you on vacation right from your couch
(or bed). If you are feeling the cold sadness of winter, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU.
It is a romantic getaway x10 with a little heartbreak and a happy ending. I’m not
even going to give you more detail because it’s just so good you need to check it
out for yourself.

If you’ve followed my blog for any amount of time, you know that I can be long winded. I hope that you found these suggestions helpful and not overwhelming. As you can tell, I feel strongly about these recommendations. So now, it’s time to grab a blanket and a cup a cocoa and get lost for a bit. Happy Reading Friends!