Blood and Honey

I wanted to like this one so much more than I did. I thoroughly enjoyed the first one but reading the follow up was not enjoyable. It was a painful slog and I stopped caring what happened to any of the characters. Lou is losing her mind, Reid is an insufferable "gentleman," and out of her merry little group of friends you know exactly who is going to die in the end (it is painfully obvious). I read the first one in a day and this one took me a week. I just couldn't get into it. I'll eventually read the third one because I really did love the first one a ton - but I'm in no rush. In fact, I think I need a break from this series for a while. 

The Fault in Our Stars

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I totally would. Holy hell it was fabulous. So amazing in fact that I almost became enraged at my grandmother for interupting my reading so I could get her some much needed groceries. I did not want to put it down, I read it in 1 day. Spoiler alert, this book will make you have emotions. You will care for these characters more than any others you've read in a long long time. And you will cry, if you don't it's possible you have no soul. I sobbed/bawled my way through the last 50 pages. My eyes were on fire (thanks mascara), my hair was soggy, and I'm pretty sure I was the epitome of beauty (not!). This book made me FEEL and I haven't had a book do that in a while. I literally cannot stop thinking about this book, it's just too good. I will attempt to decribe this book without giving too much away or making it sound depressing. The story follows Hazel, a sixteen year old girl with terminal cancer. Her best friends are her parents and she hasrelaxed into a routine that involves not doing much of anything. Her parents desperate to get her out of the house make her go to a cancer support group for kids and it is there that she meets Augustus. Augustus is in remission but his battle made him lose a leg. He doesn't dwell on it though, he uses his charm (and good looks) to befriend Hazel. In no time at all they're inseperable, they read the same books, help their friend Isaac get through the loss of his eyesight, and try to make the best out of being sick. I think I enjoyed this book so much because it isn't about the poor sick little cancer kid that needs to be pitied, this is the other side if the story, this is what it is really like for these kids living with cancer. They don't need to be pitied, they need to be understood. Again, this is a must read. It is without a doubt added to my list of all time favorites and I cannot wait to read his other works.

Yoga Pant Nation

Another hilarious installment in the Class Mom series. I hope I am this cool if I ever have kids. My only complaint is that this one felt really short - maybe I was just thirsting for more - who knows. Yoga Pant Nation picks up for Max's 5th grade year and his last one at his beloved elementary school. Besides being class mom (again), Jen Dixon has also been tasked with leading the fundraising committee and needs to raise $10k by the end of the year. As if that isn't enough she is babysitting her granddaughter 3 days a week, teaching spin classes, and worrying over her parents who have seemed to aged very quickly. Lots of fun and quick humor. I love this series and can't wait for the fourth installment!

Seed to Dust

Part memoir, part philosophy, part gardening guide; Seed to Dust is one mans look at a garden over the course of one year. From the relative ease of the winter to the pandemonium of the spring - Marc Hamer ponders flowers, bugs, animal, weather, and many other things that are not just relegated to the garden. Marc works for a wealthy old widow and revels in working all the acres of her property. Gardens like hers are going by the wayside so Marc relishes every minute pruning, weeding, planting, and mowing for Miss Cashmere. He has the freedom to plant what he likes and create organized chaos in the dahlias or shrubbery. Marc is a Welsh gardener who knows how to wax poetic about nearly any aspect of the garden - even the tedious backbreaking things. Reading this book is like seeing a garden through your eyes for the first time. It's a wonderful experience. A must read for any gardener or nature lover! 

The Heart Principle

Adorable and heartfelt - this book may be my favorite Helen Hoang book yet! Anna Sun is a violinist who can't stop playing in circles. After her quick rise to fame - she's realized that she needs to be perfect all the time and it's led to crippling anxiety and an inability to get through one of her pieces. She takes a leave of absence from the symphony and holes herself up in her apartment. The only two things that make her get out of her apartment and out of her head are her therapist and her boyfriend. When her boyfriend decides that he wants to be in an open relationship so he can be sure that Anna is the one he really wants to settle down with, Anna gets justifiably angry. She gets on a dating app which is how she meets Quan. They are both just looking for a one night stand - Anna to see what it's like and to get back at her boyfriend and Quan to prove that he can still have sex after a horrible bout with cancer. What neither of them expect is to actually fall for each other. They each have baggage but sometimes the best thing in life is to have a travel partner to help you carry the load. An eye opening look at Autism, family expectations, and new chances. 

Read it and Weep

The Briar Creek  Community Theater is getting ready to put on a production of A Midsummer's Night Dream directed by former Broadway actress Violet La Rue and Hollywood legend, Robbie Vine, is going to be starring as Puck. The small town is abuzz with excitement but things start going south pretty quickly. Library Director, Lindsey Norris, is on hand to help with costuming and it looks like soon she's going to be helping to do some research. Someone doesn't want the play to go on and someone in the cast is poisoned - how can the play go on? Predictable, over written, and the love triangle is beyond stupid. Okay fluff, but I'm not sure that I would read anymore in this series. 

Eat Joy

Every story and accompanying recipe was a breath of fresh air and touched not only my heart, but my stomach. Every writer had a way with words and wrote a biographical story that centered on food that had an impact on some aspect of their lives. At the end of the story the recipe is included. The recipes range from complicated to simple - something for every occasion. Broken into four parts: growing pains, loss, healing, and homecoming - famous, well respected, and award winning authors share stories that will stick with readers. A great gift for any foodie in your life. I plan on storing this with my cookbooks and trying out some of the recipes - a fantastic collection!