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Books

Books I Read from February through July & You Should Read Them If…

August 7, 2017August 9, 2017 Crystal // Dreams, etc. 24 comments
Books I Read from February through July & You Should Read Them If…

Happy Monday! I can’t believe how long it’s been since I posted a roundup of book reviews. I’m going to be honest with you: for most of the year I didn’t have the time, energy or attention-span to read. That sounds like an excuse and I’m shaking my head at it, but it’s true. I kept myself pretty busy this year and wasn’t in a good environment for half of it. All of those factors took its toll on my reading. My reading goals for the rest of the year are to 1) spend more time reading; and 2) start working on my ever-growing TBR. So, without further ado, here are the books I read from February through July. I focused this post on books I haven’t talked about yet, but gave links to detailed reviews for the books I’ve already reviewed, in case you missed those when they first went up.

Note – Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means that I’ll receive a small percentage of any purchase you make using them at no extra cost to you. This helps me to keep this blog running. I received some of these books for review from the publisher. I’ll state which books were sent to me in the review–and it’ll be listed in the link to my original review as well. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Dreams, etc.!

A roundup of book reviews for books that I read from February through July and a guide to help you decide if you should read them. // dreams-etc.com

My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella 

Katie has the perfect life in London, working at her dream job and living in a beautiful flat. At least, that’s how it appears on Instagram. When her glamorous and successful boss Demeter fires her, she’s eventually forced to move back home with her dad and she helps him launch his glamping business. After it opens, Demeter and her family come for a vacation and Katie has the perfect opportunity to get her revenge… but is Demeter’s life all it appears to be?

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. In my not so perfect life I was supposed to meet Sophie Kinsella when she came to Minneapolis in February for her book tour and ask a few questions… and then I got the plague. (See below, my setup with book, tissues and nurse Mina.) I emailed the day before the signing to let them know I wouldn’t be able to make it and after I hit send I talked to my dad. “I really am sick, right? I needed to cancel?” I asked, barely able to breathe, probably slightly feverish, and obviously in pretty bad shape. He just chuckled and said, “Yes, you needed to cancel.”

A roundup of book reviews for books that I read from February through July and a guide to help you decide if you should read them. // dreams-etc.com

I just love Sophie’s Kinsella’s books. I have for a long time and this one was no exception. In fact, this is probably one of my favorites. There’s a romance, but the book heavily focuses on Katie and her career and I loved that. A little romance is always fun in a story, but I love when stories focus on a woman who has plans and dreams and works to achieve them. The book also addresses social media and how easy it is to curate a feed that doesn’t accurately reflect the life you’re actually living, which is something that’s so easy to forget these days. It’s easy to think that we know what a person’s life based on what they put out on Instagram, but those little squares only show a second of someone’s day and pictures can be taken or edited to make something look so much better and appealing than it actually was. As I read, I felt like Katie and I were in similar places in our lives and I totally identified with her.

And after reading this I really want to go glamping. A friend and I recently talked about going to Wyoming and I looked up yurts to stay in. They were two hours away from the town we planned to go to and I still spent time considering if two hours was too much. I finally gave up the hope that they’d be workable when I saw they’re not pet-friendly. Better luck next time, I guess.

PS – if you know of any good glamping sites, let me know.

Read This If You:

>> Love Sophie Kinsella
>> Are interested in a critique on social media
>> Love lighter reads that still have a lot of heart & depth
>> Are still trying to figure out life & you career

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

The kingdom of Ravka is split in two by the Shadow Fold–a place of darkness that’s filled with monsters. When Alina and her regiment are sent out to cross the Shadow Fold her best friend Mal is attacked and Alina reveals a hidden power in an attempt to save him; a power that could be the key to destroying the Shadow Fold. Alina is whisked away from the life she’s known to live in the Royal Court and train with the Grisha, the magical elite led by The Darkling.

I’ve had this book on my shelf since it was first released. (Let’s not talk about how long it took me to finally pick this up.) I’ll start by saying I wasn’t always sure I understood the world or what was happening as much as I wanted to. It could have been due to distraction–there was a lot going on while I read this and I was under a great deal of stress–but it was part of my reading experience, so I wanted to share it. That being said, this was also the escape I needed and I had a really hard time putting it down. The story moved more slowly than I anticipated, but it allowed for some really beautiful moments and I absolutely loved Bardugo’s writing. And there’s The Darkling. I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve encountered a character I love as much as I love The Darkling. But I do. If you read this book for one reason and one reason only, it should be for The Darkling.

I ordered the second book before I finished the first and it’s going to be one of my next reads!

Read This If You:

>> Enjoy slower-paced fantasy
>> Enjoy love them/hate them characters.
>> Are interested in a book inspired by Tsarist Russia.

Battle Hill Bolero by Daniel José Older

I won’t say much about this, since it’s book three in the Bone Street Rumba series. The first two books in the trilogy are Half-Resurrection Blues and Midnight Taxi Tango. Check out my review of Half-Resurrection Blues. (Apparently I didn’t review Midnight Taxi Tango.)

This was my least favorite of the three. This one had more sex than I remember in the other two and I found it to be excessive and unnecessary. That being said, it was a satisfying conclusion to the series and I do recommend it. If you decide to check it out, I highly recommend the audiobook. Older narrates and he does a FANTASTIC job! It’s totally worth immersing yourself in the series just to hear his narration.

Read (Listen to) This If:

>> You’ve read the other two books in the series.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Sam wakes up on Cupid’s Day, ready to live through a day that will prove her popularity. And it does, but at the end of the day she dies. When she wakes up to relive Cupid Day all over again, she tries to see if she can change the outcome, but she ends up reliving the day seven times.

Every once in awhile a book unintentionally brings out my inner English major geekiness and this one did. I’m holding onto this book so that I can give it a closer read and work through my initial analysis of the book. (I have no idea when that will happen, but it’s going to happen. 😂) I think I hyped this one up a bit too much in my mind. I have anticipated this book for such a long time and that’s always sets me up for disappointment. So, I didn’t love it as much as I thought I thought I would, but I really enjoyed it. Sam is a character that I hated at the beginning, but I grew to love her as the book went on. I enjoyed following her as she relived this day and tried to take in as much and learn as much as she could. I loved the end of it.

I will say I thought the book was a little longer than it needed to be and there was one day in particular that I didn’t think was necessary. I went to see the movie right after I finished the book (I literally closed the book and hopped in the car to go to the theater), and that day wasn’t included in the movie, which I appreciated.

While I didn’t love this as much as I thought I would, it’s still a book I’d recommend.

Read This If You:

>> Want to read a book that addresses issues like bullying.
>> Are interested in a Ground Hog Day-style story that has life or death stakes.

A roundup of book reviews for books that I read from February through July and a guide to help you decide if you should read them. // dreams-etc.com

Done Dirt Cheap by Sarah Nicole Lemon

Tourmaline was 15 when she gave a damning testimony that put her mom in prison. Now her life is stable and she has a close relationship with her dad, the president of a local biker club, the Wardens. Virginia’s life took a turn when she was fifteen and her mom “sold” her to a lawyer, Hazard, who sees the law as just a suggestion. When Hazard decides to take down the Wardens he sends Virginia to gather information, but the two girls form a friendship.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This book is a hard one for me to review, because I went into it expecting a completely different story than what it actually is. I heard a comparison of this story to a classic, which I totally understand after reading the book, but I also took that comparison a little too literally. I expected a really action-packed book, so I kept waiting for the story and the action to start until I was about halfway through and realized that I had the wrong expectations for this book.

But I also loved it! The writing is absolutely beautiful, I loved the characters, and once I realized what the story was supposed to be like I wished I wouldn’t have read through the first half of the book waiting for something else. I loved both Tourmaline and Virginia and I enjoyed watching them navigate the lives they were living. I loved watching them wrestle with their identity, the expectations placed on them and the people around them. Both of these girls lead very different lives from anything that I know and yet I found that I could identify with them. Even when circumstances of life are different, struggles can remain the same. I may have read through half of the book wondering when the story would really start, but because of how much I loved it I think it’s still in my top five list of faves from the first half of 2017. I plan to prioritize a reread of this–probably sometime this year–so that I can read through the book again and fully appreciate it.

Read This If You:

>> Love books that highlight female friendship.
>> Enjoy following characters as they try to figure out who they are and where they fit into their family/community.

A roundup of book reviews for books that I read from February through July and a guide to help you decide if you should read them. // dreams-etc.com

Undaunted by Christine Caine

Christine Caine, the founder of the Propel Women’s Leadership series and A21–an anti-human trafficking organization–shares her own experiences to help us overcome the painful circumstances we’ve all experienced, so that instead of hindering us they can empower us to fulfill the purpose God has for our lives.

I had to take a deep breath before starting this. So, here’s the thing: things that happened in May and June have made me a very cynical person. I might lose some of that cynicism in time. My guess is I will, although right now I have a hard time believing that will happen. Because of my newfound cynical view on life, I needed space from this book. Like, I picked it up while I was cleaning one day and I hid it because I didn’t want to look at it.

However. If I had reviewed this book back in May after I read it, I would have had a very different take on it. This is what I would have said:

I read this book in a weekend and during that weekend I was on vacation. So, I liked it. I always had a pen out and was underlining sentences, starring passages… basically making a mess of this book, as you can see by the cover that won’t lie flat. Caine really opens up in this book and shares how the experiences in her life helped her in her ministry. I think that’s such an important message to share: that the very experiences you’ve endured and even the mistakes you’ve made can be used in your ministry. God can and will use both the good and the bad, but it tends to be the bad that holds you back. There were thoughts that came up in this that were in other studies I’ve gone over recently and some of the questions she has the reader ask themselves have come to mind at various points throughout the last few months.

She had experiences that I really connected with and found comfort in–not in any of the big things that happened in her life, but little things like when she was in the airport during the early stages of planning A21. Again, I’ve become pretty cynical in the last few months, so now some of those things I connected with kind of tick me off.

I actually think I should read this book again now, but again… I need some space from it, so I hid it. I don’t even remember where and I’m fine with that. But I should probably read it again.

Read This If You:

>> Have fears that are holding you back from following where God leads in your life.
>> You should just read it. It’s a good book.

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Maddy has a rare disease: she’s allergic to everything. She lives in safe, clean, and sterile environment, locked away from everything in her house. She’s only allowed to see her mother–who takes care of her–and her nurse, Carla. When a new boy moves in across the street, they begin to communicate via text message and email, and when Maddy realizes she has feelings for Ollie she starts to question what the purpose of living is, if she doesn’t really get to live her life.

I know there are some people who have issues with this book; there are also a lot of people who love it and I lean more toward that latter group. I really enjoyed this book. Maddy was a character who immediately captured my heart and I loved Ollie too. It’s a quick read: the chapters are really short and it also plays with different forms of narrative, like text messages and emails. If you’ve read my books reviews for awhile, you know that type of thing always makes me happy! Also, because of that I would totally recommend buying a physical copy over a digital copy. I liked the plot and this would have been a fun contemporary to read… but the end made me love this book even more. I wasn’t sure how it was going to wrap up, but I really appreciated how it did. It wasn’t what I expected and I actually found that part of the story so fascinated that I really wanted more from it.

Read This If You:

>> Enjoy books that use different methods of storytelling.
>> Are looking for a quick, contemporary read that isn’t light and fluffy.

Already Reviewed (starred books are my faves, all sent by publishers for review):

The Mermaid’s Daughter  |  Mississippi Blood  |  The Enemies of Versailles  |  It Happens all the Time *  |  The Day I Died  |  Red Leaves  |  It Happens in the Hamptons  |  My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward *  |  The Beach House: Coming Home  |  The Beach at Painter’s Cove *  |  Soulmates *

 

I’m always looking for new books to read! What have you read recently? Let me know in the comments!

About Crystal

About Crystal

Hi! I'm Crystal, a millennial learning how to live slowly and sustainably, while still seeking adventure and following my dreams, etc.

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24 comments

  1. Beth Kondrick says:
    August 7, 2017 at 10:14 am

    What a great round up of reads! Many of these sound really good! And I really want to try glamping, so I’ll be curious to see what you find and where you go! Fun!

    Reply
  2. Marvina Musser says:
    August 7, 2017 at 10:23 am

    Loved the movie before I fall. Have’t read the book yet but I might have to get it, because I thought the movie was really interesting.

    Reply
  3. Becky @ Disney in your Day says:
    August 7, 2017 at 1:24 pm

    So many people where I work have been talking about Everything, Everything. I keep meaning to read it but other things come up!

    Reply
  4. Shann Eva says:
    August 7, 2017 at 3:40 pm

    I LOVE Sophie Kinsella!!! I have the book, and now just need to read it in a day 😉 Before I Fall and Everything, Everything sound like books I’d like to read too. Great reviews!

    Reply
  5. shootingstarsmag says:
    August 7, 2017 at 6:02 pm

    Thanks for sharing. I’m sorry you had to cancel seeing Kinsella. That’s not fun!! I’ve never read any of her books, but I SO want to read this one. I haven’t read Everything, Everything but i liked the movie.

    -Lauren
    http://www.shootingstarsmag.net

    Reply
  6. Eli @ Coach Daddy says:
    August 7, 2017 at 6:03 pm

    I wonder if Sophie is related to W.P. Kinsella. If so, definitely would be interesting to see how their styles match. You’ve had a wide variety of reads! I also like when text messages and email contribute to narration. Gives the story a closer-to-home feel.

    Reply
  7. ashortblonde says:
    August 7, 2017 at 6:42 pm

    I’ve actually never read a Sophie Kinsella book, which is kind of amazing considering how many books she has written! I’m reading O Pioneers! by Willa Cather.

    Reply
  8. Felicia Renee says:
    August 7, 2017 at 6:59 pm

    You’ve given me so many books to put on my ‘to read’ list! Before I Fall is already on my list, & I believe I saw the movie.

    xx
    The Felicia Renee | a minimalist lifestyle & beauty blog

    Reply
  9. Kim L says:
    August 7, 2017 at 7:05 pm

    I love Sophie Kinsella….her books are fun and easy to read

    Reply
  10. Andrea says:
    August 7, 2017 at 7:55 pm

    I so want to read “My (not so) Perfect Life!”…I want to read them all, I just need to be a bit more organized with my schedule 🙈

    Reply
  11. Akaleistar says:
    August 7, 2017 at 7:57 pm

    Shadow and Bone sounds really interesting!

    Reply
  12. Alison @ Puppies & Pretties says:
    August 7, 2017 at 9:59 pm

    I really liked Shadow and Bone. Unfortunately, the next two books in the series didn’t live up to expectations for me. But book 1 was amazing!

    Reply
  13. Bethany says:
    August 8, 2017 at 10:31 am

    Wow, you read quite a lot since February! I just finished “Talking as Fast as I Can” by Lauren Graham, the lead actress in Gilmore Girls. It was SO good, and I loved that it included some awesome advice about writing as well! Definitely a must-read if you are a GG fan.

    Reply
  14. Alexandra Blackmon says:
    August 8, 2017 at 11:55 am

    These sound great- always looking for books to put in my TBR list!

    Reply
  15. Emily Moon says:
    August 8, 2017 at 1:41 pm

    Ill have to check some of these out, I love new books!

    Reply
  16. Kuleigh says:
    August 8, 2017 at 5:46 pm

    I haven’t heard of any of these books! Undaunted looks great.

    Reply
  17. hollyhockdoor says:
    August 8, 2017 at 6:12 pm

    These all look like interesting and entertaining reads. I think the Kinsella one looks like it might be the most interesting one of hers to date — I agree that I prefer a novel where the love story is only a small part. Done Dirt Cheap also sounds really interesting. I have to say that the story of your May and June sounds like the most interesting one of the lot! I hope you’re feeling better and less stressed?
    P.S. Little One is adorable – I always wanted a Cavalier!

    Reply
  18. Paige says:
    August 8, 2017 at 7:10 pm

    We share a lot of similar reads the last few months! I haven’t read My Not So Perfect Life yet but I’ve loved all of Kinsella’s other books so I really need to pick this one up. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

    Reply
  19. Taylor Smith says:
    August 8, 2017 at 9:53 pm

    I just read my first book for pleasure in YEARS this month. I love love love reading and these look amazing!

    Reply
  20. Indya S says:
    August 9, 2017 at 4:32 am

    Before I Fall and Everything, Everything are on my to read list! I swear every single book blogger has read them and said good things about them, which only makes me want to read them even more!

    http://www.thesmalladventurer.blogspot.com.au/

    Reply
  21. Erica @ Coming up Roses says:
    August 9, 2017 at 6:47 am

    How have I literally read NONE of these?!?!?! I am ashamed. Gotta do a bookstore run now before vacation…!!

    Coming Up Roses

    Reply
  22. Colleen Wool says:
    August 9, 2017 at 1:08 pm

    These books look so amazing. I cant wait to read a few!

    Reply
  23. Shani Ogden says:
    August 14, 2017 at 1:20 pm

    Looks like a good collection of books you got through! I’ve read Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo and loved both of them. I also recently finished The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon and enjoyed it, but probably wouldn’t read it again.

    Reply
  24. Tara Acton says:
    August 31, 2017 at 4:06 pm

    I absolutely LOVED My Not-So-Perfect Life. It’s one of my favorite Sophie Kinsella books in years. SUCH a bummer you weren’t able to meet her!!!! Darn!

    Reply

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hi!

I'm Crystal, the storyteller behind Dreams, etc. I'm all about learning how to live slowly & sustainably, while also seeking adventure as we follow our dreams, etc.

If only we always remembered to be in touch with o If only we always remembered to be in touch with our loved ones regularly; to tell them that we love them.

This thought has been on my mind the last few weeks as I’ve been in touch with one of my best friends almost daily. They’ve been navigating a scary situation.

But that’s what everyone says, isn’t it? Reach out to those you love. Tell them you love them. Don’t let a lot of time pass.

We all know that. We think about it sometimes. We hear about it when others are in crisis. We’re thankful that we aren’t the ones in crisis and we can remember this lesson through someone else.

But eventually we get caught up in life. Our daily “I love you’s” are reserved for those we live with and sometimes we forget to text someone back… or it takes a few days to do so.

This week as I wondered why we don’t remember this more often I realized it’s probably a good thing. It’s a good thing that we can live life without worrying that tragedy is right around the corner. That would be an exhausting way to live.

It’s also good that we can get little reminders, sometimes not from our own life. So from someone who spent one week numb, another week weepy, and this week sad, remember to send your friends a text. Tell them you love them.
I took these in early January when the snow still I took these in early January when the snow still felt a bit magical, but right now I’m just ready to walk barefoot in grass.

When I was younger I used to imagine what it would be like if we got so much snow that it would be piled high above our doors. I wondered if we’d be able to create tunnels in the snow to move around in.

And this year might just be the year we find out. I’m kidding, of course, but at this point I feel like we’ve been buried in snow. We’re even on track to beat some snow records I think (the amount of snow and the number of consecutive days with snow on the ground.

So. What’s the weather like where you are?
February was here and gone in the blink of an eye February was here and gone in the blink of an eye but contained moments I’ll carry with me forever.
When it’s almost halfway through February and yo When it’s almost halfway through February and you still haven’t posted January’s recap. January was filled with lots of family time. 💙
Hello, friends! 👋🏼 Swipe through for a few g Hello, friends! 👋🏼 Swipe through for a few glimpses from January. As 2022 came to an end I had this feeling that I was preparing to hibernate and I guess, in a way, I have. I’ve been slowly easing into the new year, focused on getting back into a few routines after Iceland and the holidays. And it’s been a great month. I can’t believe it’s almost over. What have your favorite moments of January been?
2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of 2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of so many dreams experiences. Whales. Cape Cod/Nantucket. Iceland. I saw musicals that have I’ve been dreaming of with Moulin Rouge, Wicked, and Six. 

It wasn’t without its stresses and rough moments but I’m grateful for the good that can be found, even when it’s hard.
Let’s journey back to November for the second we Let’s journey back to November for the second weekly dam walk of the month. My dad joined me for this one and we made it somewhat fast because it was a chilly day. “The water looks cold,” I said when we back to the car.

Between Iceland and the below zero, windy, and snowy weather we had last week (which came with requests from my parents not to go) it’s been a few weeks since I’ve been to the dam and I miss it!
Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Vienna and it still lives in my memory today as such a special time. I know December in Reykjavik will be the same—and not just because I came home with a little over $100 worth of ornaments of all 13 Yule Lads AND their mom AND the Christmas cat. (There was a little bit of miscommunication between my mom and me on that shopping trip. 😂)

It might have been cold (and when that wind hits you don’t want to be outside or by the harbour…I speak from windswept, breath-stolen experience and will forever be grateful for the library we eventually found respite in) and we only saw the sun a few hours each day, but seeing this already charming city decked out in Christmas lights with a skating rink and the prettiest tree secured it’s place in my heart.

Reykjavik, I hope to see you again one day. Soon. Probably not in December, but I’m glad I got to see you in December once.
Last year my niece and I visited New York at Chris Last year my niece and I visited New York at Christmastime and it was fun to see the city decked out in lights. I can also now say that I’ve seen the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and skating rink and the Saks Christmas lights, but I’ve also seen the crowds they draw.

It was completely different in Reykjavik this year. You actually had a chance to skate on the ice rink if you wanted (and I never did the conversation, but I think it’s cheaper) and you could actually walk up to the Christmas tree. Two very different Christmas in the city experiences.
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