Out of the Ordinary

Ugh. This was a slog! I listened to the audiobook and it felt like SO MUCH DIALOGUE and so little movement. Hardly anything happened, there would be huge chunks of talk, talk, talk and then a little scene movement, back to talking. Maybe it was more noticeable because I was listening to the audiobook version, but man, I just wanted there to be a little more action! Miss Gertrude Cadwalader is a paid companion of a shifty lady, Miss Davenport. Miss Davenport is forever getting into shenanigans and Gertrude is always having to clean up the mess. When a sticky fingers incident puts her in an awkward place with the man of her dreams, Gertrude isn't sure how she will be able to get out of the mess. Banal, boring, and very predictable. I like Christian romance, especially historical romance but this New York drama wasn't it for me. 

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com

Humorous and irreverent, but also... really pointless? I loved Lemming's Mead Mishaps trilogy; it was so much fun! This was full of humor, quips, and insanelt weird scenarios. It was ok but nothing I will ever feel the urge to pick up and read again. A wildlife biologist is filming meercats when a lion comes out of nowhere to attack her. Rather than being eaten, she finds herself beamed up onto an alien spaceship. She finds out that she has been selected as part of a breeding program for another alien species. Oh and they have only studied humans for three days, so these aliens have made the most bizarre planet for their captured humans and humanoids. There are dinosaurs, giant animals, and no women, that is except for Dorothy. What could possibly go wrong?! Steamy, smutty, irreverent and banal. 

With a Vengeance

Definitely a fast paced book, but it wasn't the Riley Sager that I've come to know and love. First off, I was disappointed because I've gotten his first 8 books through Book of the Month Club and he declined to make it available that way so I had to go to a bookstore to buy (but I did score a signed copy!). This was a bit unique because it's a historical murder mystery, not his usual thriller flirting with paranormal elements. It's very much a love letter to Agatha Christie. If Murder on the Orient Express and Then There Were None had an American baby, this would be it. It's a closed door murder mystery that takes place on a train. You will suspect everyone and be somehow both wrong and a little right. There were almost too many twists. Not bad, but definitely not my favorite Sager book. 

The Amalfi Curse

I adored this book! It had fantasy elements, underwater archaeology, dual timelines, and a beautiful Italian backdrop. Haven Ambrose flies into the gorgeous Italian coastal town of Positano eager to lead her first big underwater archaeological project, she has an entire female team behind her and she is eager to get started. She also selfishly chose the location because it was the last place her father dived before he passed and he was convinced that he was close to finding treasure there. Nearly 150 years prior in the same area a group of Italian Streghas (sea witches) find themselves struggling to protect their coastal town from pirates, bad weather, and other threats. The two timelines will find themselves linked in ways that neither could ever imagine. Inventive and wonderful! I want more!

The Third Gilmore Girl

I adored this audiobook narrated by the actress herself. It was charming and engaging and wasn't too long. The perfect memoir. I only knew Kelly Bishop from Gilmore Girls so it was a real treat getting to learn more about her life, her career on Broadway, TV, and films. Kelly seems like such an enduring and insightful person and I love that she didn't just gloss over her life, she bared a lot. Listening this really makes me want to do another Gilmore Girls re-watch! 

The One-in-a-Million Boy

Such a heartwarming and heartbreaking book that really tugged on my heartstrings. Ona Viktus is a feisty 104 year-old and she doesn't know what to make of the 11 year old boy who is been sent to help her out every Saturday. He likes things to be organized by tens, chores to be done in a certain order, and knows practically every single Guinness World Record. He gets it into his mind that he has to help get Ona in the running for oldest woman and the two of them find themselves looking forward to every weekend. She even agrees to let him interview her for a class project. They are an odd pair, but they both find themselves becoming friends despite their nearly 100 year age gap. One Saturday, he doesn't show up, his father Quinn does. What unfolds next is tragic, heartwarming, and a wonderful journey. Loved this story so much!