The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📍Stand-Alone: 
📍Release Date: May 11, 2004
📍Format: Paperback
📍Setting: Colby, NC
📍Page Count: 374
📍Genre(s): YA, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
📍Date(s) Read: 8/2-8/3/19
📍Rating:   Book:  4.75/5   Audio: 4.75/5   Narrator(s):Stina Nielson

☕Reread: 2 
☕N.E.W.T.'s Magical Readathon: An "E" in Herbology-Read a book between 350-390 pages


My Rambles:

This is the first book I ever read from Sarah Dessen and I loved it! That's what made me pick up more of her books. I haven't found many of hers since that I loved as much as this one (until recently..one came really close: Once and For All). The other books I liked but not something I would go out of my way to really recommend individually. I would probably just give her name as a whole if they wanted individual books after this one and Once and For All.

So, when I needed a book for the N.E.W.T.'s readathon and my other "fell through" and I went searching for something that fit the prompt and I was happy to see this fit the category and the fact that my local library had the audio book made it that much better. I always listen to her books because it's hard for me to just sit and read them. I think this was about the time I started liking audio books because they get me through books much faster but I really started getting into them within the last couple of years or so (listened to/read this book the first time sometime between 2011-2013..for whatever reason, the date(s) I read them isn't on Goodreads right).

rambling again huh? This time audio books!?!?

ahem....

I came across this book during a time I think I needed it and also realized that I loved contemporary romances around family. At the time, I wasn't reading romance that much, as fantasy had completely taken over my life within the last 2-4 years (Read Twilight in about 2009 when the first and/or second movies were coming out..either on DVD & the 2nd to theaters...whichever...another ramble..sorry)...

This was my start again, to getting back into romance, but this time, a different type of romance. Before, I read a lot of the "Urban Romance" I think it would be called (Nikki Turner, etc), then, as I was getting my fill of those, I found YA Fantasy (YA period) ever since (about 10 years ago now..read them over the summer). It's not that I had never read YA before and knew that some of the ones I read before were focused on younger folks (Teens), I never knew that it was called "YA" until much later (and sometimes, I still struggle telling what is what in genre lol). But, since reading this, I wanted to get more into regular romance but it was hard because I was so used to reading books with some type of action in it that it took a while for me to get past that and now that I am used to reading regular romance, it can still be a bit hard and miss that action.

But, over the last couple of years, I have read more romance, found some great books, a favorite author and looking forward to more! 

What did I think of it this time? Did I like it as much as the first? 

I still really loved the story. A lot. I think my feeling for it was more nostalgia but at the same time, I knew why I loved it..I'm still not quite sure how I feel though...The love is there...yet, there's the part of me that's a little older, reading it again, seeing the imperfections (that I may have noticed before but just didn't remember), I think that's what got me going back and forth on how much love I have for it. That's why it got a 4.75 because I don't give 5's as easily as I used to but it definitely isn't a 4.5 starts. Although, there was one part, although you got the idea of what happened, it would be nice to know what may have been said/done..but maybe that's just me being nosy..lol..

This is a book that would more than likely be re-read again in the future. 

Every Breath You Take (Under Suspicion #5) by Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📍Series: #5
📍Release Date: November 7, 2014 
📍Format: Hardcover
📍Setting: New York
📍Page Count: 287
📍Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery, Adult
📍Date(s) Read: 8/1/19-8/2/19
📍Rating:   Book:   2.75/5   Audio:  2.5/5     Narrator(s): Heather Lind

N.E.W.T.'s Magical Readathon
An "E" in herbology: Mandrake! Quick, put your headphones on! Listen to an audio book

My Rambles:
The narrator was a bit monotone and kind of boring. I had to keep her at 1.2 speed to understand her (was able to take it up later in the book). I finally got used to her enough to finish but she still just wasn't really for me. 

This book started off kind of slow (As did the last one). Maybe slow is the wrong word for this one, I just couldn't get into it for the few first chapters or so and the same thing happened with the previous. It got better as it went on though. 

The book wasn't bad, it just wasn't something I was into throughout most of it. I think both the audio book and the book played into my being iffy about it. Plus, I'm not sure I was in as much of a mood to read it as I thought when I picked it for the readathon but I needed to get it off of my shelf. 

Naturally, I can't say much about the book without giving away spoilers but I still loved all the "main" characters in this book (characters that carry over from book to book). These are more companions but to understand some things that's going on, I do suggest reading them in order because there are things that may carry over from one book to another. So I'd especially make sure to read book 4 before this one. I don't quite remember if an instance took place in book 3 that carried over into 4 & 5 but again, just read them in order.

They are good books but, as with many series (even companions), sometimes, you have a book or two that may not be favorites but sometimes, you carry on because you want to know what happens and/or you may still be enjoying them enough to continue on. Yes, I still recommend these books even though I hit a rough patch with a couple. One day, I may look back, want to re-read just to see if my opinion changes but that may be a long while as there are so many books out there and I may do it when I just need a go to for a readathon, a author I know I like when I'm in a slump or just in the mood to re-read. 

If you like M.H.C. and/or Alafair Burke and have read these yet then go for it.

The Reading Rush 2019 Wrap Up

How did I do?!? Well, let's see....

(Reading Rush: 6/22-6/28/19)

Challenges:
✔1. Read a book with purple on the cover:
  At The Drop of a Hat (A Hat Shop Mystery #3) by Jenn McKinlay (My Thoughts Linked)

✔2. Read a book in the same spot for the entire time:
Spongebob Goes to the Doctor * (Summary of Book Linked)

✔3. Read a book you meant to read last year: If Not For You by Debbie Macomber
✔4. Read an author's first book:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Thoughts Linked)
✔5. Read a book with a non-human main character:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
✔6. Pick a book that has five or more words in the title:
At The Drop of a Hat (A Hat Shop Mystery #3) by Jenn McKinlay
✔7. Read and watch a book to movie adaptation:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

✔8.  Read a 5 Star Book:
        I Can Read With My Eyes Closed by Dr. Seuss* (Summary of Book Linked)

✔9. Read over 1,000 pages: 1,243 pages

✔10. Read 7 Books:  If I Ran the Circus by Dr. Seuss*

✔11. Read a book during a Reading Sprint:
       Follow The Drinking Gourd: Come Along the Underground Railroad by Wim Coleman
❌12. Made a Reading Rush booktube video
❌13. Go to a read-in

BTW here is my reading rush name: @bridgetsbookramblings

Not sure if we can add each other after it's over but we can try I guess. :o)

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I read a total of 9 books which is a lot more than I was going for. Even with the children's/picture books. I had only planned on doing a couple books because I was expecting to have to sit and read but I got the audio for one, had an audio for another already so that got me through 3 novels. One, I had an audio for, the other I thought I would have to sit and read. Which I did sit and read most of it but realized I could still use the online system at my library even if I owe more than their minimum to check out books ($10 or more you can't check out physical books and I owe well over that right now but plan on trying to pay it off soon). Not sure how long they've been doing that but when I realized that this week, I was so extremely grateful! So, that allowed me to pick up If Not For You by Debbie Macomber and get it read in about 24 hours, maybe a little over. As well as getting the e-books of all the children's books. One of them was the Cinderella story from the Grimm's Fairy Tales collection...That I actually loved a lot more than the Disney version.

So, some of those pages read, were from books that I may have started and put down (i.e.-The Book Thief) because I felt like I wouldn't have been able to get much done before the end of the week and needed more attention and not rushed through. Then, on Sunday, when I finished reading the last two children's books and the Debbie Macomber book, I just said I would focus on Goldie: a lotus grows in the mud. I finally laid down to go to sleep...I don't even know when...maybe, some time in the afternoon...but I know I didn't wake back up until around 10:30 PM est (I sleep a lot when my body is trying to heal from whatever it is dealing with). 

I really did enjoy doing this readathon this week. So much so that when it came close to ending, I didn't want it to end! I even went over a bit and did a live Instagram reading sprint with Ariel & Raeleen well after the readathon was over for the east coast. That allowed me to get a little further into my Goldie Hawn book as well.

Now, to prepare for the N.E.W.T.'s (blog linked) in August. I think I am pretty much together but I know how I am. I think I have it all together or close to it and then start scrambling again the day before or the day of..lol..But I am hoping to have a lot of fun like I did with the O.W.L.'s (wrap up linked)

Happy Reading!

Bridget

(keep scrolling a bit)

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-Spongebob Goes to the Doctor*: 4/5
I didn't do a review for this one but it was typical Spongebob & Patrick antics. It was still cute.

-I Can Read With My Eyes Closed by Dr. Seuss 5/5 I didn't do much of a review on this book but I did give some thoughts on Goodreads. I enjoyed it of course and don'tever remember reading it or having it read to me when I was younger. I remember a lot of Dr. Seuss books being read to me when I was younger but not sure which beyond "ABC" and I think "1 Fish 2 Fish.."

- If I Ran the Circus by Dr. Seuss 3/5
I didn't do a review on this one


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Seasonal Challenge: Summer 2019 Wrap Up

How did I do? 

Well, let's see:

Dates the Challenge took place: 6/1/19-8/31/19
Finished: 7/28/19

✅F-Follow The Drinking Gourd (by Wim Coleman) (Summary Linked)
✅A-Angel Fever
✅I- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie* (Summary Linked)
✅R-The Reptile Room (Series of Unfortunate Events #2) 

✅B-Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
✅E-Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
✅A-At the Drop of a Hat
✅C- Cinderella (Grimm's Fairy Tales version) {Did my thoughts on Goodreads. Which is linked}
✅H- P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

(Thoughts are linked unless otherwise stated)

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*If You Give a Mouse a Cookie: Didn't do a review for
this one but of course, I thought it was a cute little read as I always have. I remember reading this book to my sons when they were little. This was a 5/5 for me of course.

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If Not For You (New Beginnings #3) by Debbie Macomber

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📍Series: #3 
📍Release Date: August 22, 2017
📍Format:  Mass Market Paperback
📍Setting: Portland, Oregon 
📍Page Count: 448
📍Genre(s): Romance, Fiction, Chick-Lit, Contemporary
📍Date(s) Read:  7/27-7/28/19
📍Rating:   Book:  4.75/5  Audio:  5/5  Narrator(s): Khristine Hvam

☼The Reading Rush:
   a Book you meant to read last year

My Rambles:

I don't remember if I knew this was a part of a companion series when I picked this book up but either way, it's fairly easy to know what's going on because they give some idea of the couple of the previous book. I do plan on getting the other book when I can. It may be a while because I still have a lot of books to read but if I am in the mood quicker than expected, I can always check my local library. 

My thoughts?

I read this book for the Reading Rush and so glad I did. I wasn't sure if I'd finish this book before the end of the readathon but I started sometime after midnight on day six and finished it sometime after 1 am on day seven! This is no small book at 448 pages!

I so loved the characters! The main character Beth and her love interest Sam, I adored but I think the one I loved most, was Sunshine, Beth's aunt. Yes, she is what her name suggests! The sweet, hippie older woman with wisdom and sense that her age is supposed to have.

Naturally, there was the angst, the 'drama' and all around feels! With the endings you expect and possibly even hope for. You love the ones you're supposed to love and dislike the ones you're supposed to dislike.

Growth.

Change.

Love.

Second chances (maybe even third or fourth chances).

All things that Debbie Macomber seems to know how to write and throwing her faith into it without making it overbearing. I am a believer, yet, when I am reading fiction, I don't want to be preached to, I can watch my favorite pastor for that and read my bible. And I believe Ms. Macomber balances it out perfectly in her books and mixed with her writing style, I see why she is so well loved!

Follow the Drinking Gourd: Come Along the Underground Railroad by Wim Coleman

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📍Stand-Alone: 
📍Release Date: (First Published) 1988
📍Format: e-book
📍Setting: USA
📍Page Count: 40
📍Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Children's, Picture Book
📍Date(s) Read: 7/26/19
📍Rating:   Book:  4.5/5

The Reading Rush:
-Read it during a Reading Sprint so I got a badge for it. 

My Rambles:

I enjoyed the book. I wasn't expecting it to be written in 'dramatization' form. It is told by a brother and sister in their older years, speaking of what they dealt with when they ran away when they were younger. Once I got used to it, I began to get more into it. It's not that it was bad, but it just wasn't expecting how it was written as I said before. There isn't much I can say about this book really beyond my really enjoying it. 

This book I borrowed from my local library on Hoopla. Hopefully you can find it in your area. But you have to make sure you look for the one by Wim Coleman if you want this particular one. There is at least one other "Follow the Drinking Gourd" by Jeanette Winter. I really do wish I could find pictures to add to this beyond the cover but couldn't find the right ones for this book. 

At the Drop of a Hat (Hat Shop Mystery #3) by Jenn McKinlay

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📍Series: #3
📍Release Date: February 3, 2015 
📍Format: Mass Market Paperback
📍Setting: London, England
📍Page Count: 281
📍Genre(s): Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Romance
📍Date(s) Read: 7/22/19-7/26/19
📍Rating:   Book:   4.5/5   Audio:  4.5 /5    Narrator(s): Karyn O'Bryan

☼The Reading Rush: Purple on the Cover
The rug and chair are purple on the cover. I think it could be debatable whether it's blue or purple but I counted it as purple!


My Rambles:
(another situation that I typed this out as I was listening to the book, which some parts may be kind of obvious)

I read the first 102 pages on my own then went to hoopla and found an audio book for it. I am surprised I could get it because I owe my library money (Which I plan on paying off within the next week). I am not complaining though. It helped me to get through the book a bit faster because I am a bit of a slow reader when I do sit down to read. But, having the audio, allowed me to be on the computer or doing other things and listen to the book if I chose to do so. 

Now, onto what I thought about the book...

As this is the third in the series, I won't give away too much although these are more companion'ish than actual same story type of series (i.e.-Twilight, Shadowhunters, etc). I do love the main character, he cousin, Viv, and a young woman who works with them in their Hat Shop in London, Fee. And the love interest of one of them, I adore too. Even some of the other side characters I really love.Especially Andre and Nick! They are hilarious! 

*Gasps* 

That....

Daggone..... (trying not to curse here)

Ending!

Oh!

The Cliffhangers!

I need to tear up my room trying to make sure I have the next in the series! I will be beyond upset with myself if I don't have it! Even if I don't get to it right away, I at least need to have it at the ready when I am wanting to get to it! Thank God it's already out and I don't have to wait a year! *Sighs*

(Okay, maybe I won't tear up the room too much but I will be doing some serious searching for that book!)
                                   
Ahem..Okay, now that the dramatics are over...Let me get myself together and  carry on....

Anyone who knows anything about cozy mysteries, they are usually pretty tame when it comes to the mystery aspect of it all. Not very detailed on the gruesomeness which is one thing I like about this. I also like that they focus on the lives of the sleuth(s) in each book with some romance thrown in (at least the ones I have read so far. There was one that didn't really have one that I remember but it's been a little bit since I've read it).

This is the 2nd series I have been able to enjoy by Jenn McKinlay, the first & my favorite being, Cupcake Bakery Mystery series. I tried her Library Lovers series but I just couldn't get into it. I loved the characters and everything but there was just something not allowing me to really love it. I'd get bored and frustrated with it. To this day, I don't know why. I may try again one day. I do love her writing though. I've tried to read one of her romances but couldn't get into it at the time. I may try to rent it from the library one day, especially if I can find the audio book. I do own the next couple of books in this one I think. Which I just realized I didn't have the sixth book. 



Happy Reading,

Bridget 💜

(notice the chair & rug)

Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone (H.P. # 1) by J.K. Rowling

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📍Series: #1
📍Release Date: June 26, 1997
📍Format: Paperback
📍Setting: England; Hogwarts
📍Page Count: 309
📍Genre(s): Middle Grade; Fantasy; Magic
📍Date(s) Read: 7/22/19-7/25/19
📍Rating:   Book:  4/5   Audio:  5/5     Narrator(s): Jim Dale

☼Re-read
☼The Reading Rush:
   1. Debut Novel 
   2. Book to Movie adaptation
   3. Nonhuman Character
☼2019 Popsugar Reading Challenge: 
   Debut Novel

◙Thoughts from 2017: Sorcerer's Stone


My Rambles:

This was one of my favorites in the series. It's amazing how much I forgotten about the first time I listened to it or, maybe I just zoned out during certain parts while listening. Although I really did enjoy it this time as well, I don't know if I enjoyed it as much as the first time. Not a whole lot has changed since the first time I listened to it except the rating of the book itself. I still love Jim Dale's narration. I re-read this for The Reading Rush for the debut novel because it was one I could find the audio book for quickly and get through quicker. Seeing that I have already seen the movie, I can sit through it as I clean or do something else but I may try to wait until I get at least one more thing done before trying to watch it to make sure it gets done. Well, there isn't much more I can say that I probably haven't already said before. You can click on the link above to see my thoughts last time.