January Wrap Up

I read eight books in the month of January. That means I've read eight books 2019. I've set my Goodreads goal for seventy, so I'm a little ahead of schedule. Here are the books I read this month and what I thought of them.

With This Pledge

I really enjoyed this Civil War era romance. I loved the setting and the sweeping plot. All of the story takes place at the Carnton plantation which is turned into a hospital. I should give a warning that some of the content is gruesome, but it's really well done. The characters are well developed and have good chemistry. I'm interested to see where the series goes from here. I received a free review copy from Netgalley. The Curse of Misty Wayfare This is the third book I've read by Jaime Jo Wright, and I think it's my favorite so far. I loved the creepy insane asylum setting. She did such a good job setting the mood and building the characters. I preferred the historical time line a little over the contemporary, but they both had intriguing mysteries and engaging storylines. I didn't see the end coming for either of them. A little warning, this is essentially a ghost story. I have heard a couple of reviewers say this book was too scary for them. I didn't have that problem, and I read primarily at night. Still, if you don't like scary stories you might want to give this one a pass, or read it with the lights on.         I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher for the purpose of review. The Atomic City Girls I was a little disappointed in this book. The time period and setting were interesting, but I didn't care for the main characters. Also,the title and cover are misleading. There are four main characters and only two of them are women. I was expecting a story of female friendship and camaraderie, and mostly got a soap opera. There are a lot of other really great WW2 era novels out there. I wouldn't bother with this one. The Dreamers Oh...this book. I could not put it down. It's so well written, and the story is amazing. It's an interesting look at how people handle crises and relationships. I became really involved in the lives of the people in this town, and weather or not they were going to survive the epidemic. I read most of it one sitting because I had to know what was going to happen next. Highly recommended! I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher for review. Where the Crawdads Sing I listened to this one on Audible. I really enjoyed the narration. The story was beautiful and heart breaking. I loved it, and I can't stop thinking about it. I would caution you of you're sensitive to language , there are several instances of profanity and a couple of intimate scenes.    Between Two Shores

I thought this book was really well written and I enjoyed it a lot. The female characters were strong and independent. The male characters were hard for me to like. One was abusive and another one seemed really selfish. While there is some romance, this isn't a love story. It's a story about war and adventure. There is a lot of historical detail, which I love. I would recommend this for lovers of historical fiction and readers who enjoy strong female characters. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher for the purpose of review.

The Wartime Sisters This book was really well done, and I enjoyed it. It's set during World War Two, but it's really a family drama. Female friendships also play an important part in the story. I enjoyed the New England setting and learning about women's roles in the war. The family secrets were somewhat predictable, but I enjoyed the process of discovering them. I would recommend this books for readers of family drama and WW2 novels. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for the purpose of review. Grace for the Good Girl One of the biggest struggles of my faith has been that I haven't struggled in my faith. I'm a rule follower. I don't rebel or question authority. This has made me feel like I'm a somewhat dull Christian. In this book, Emily tackles the good girl image and the masks good girls wear. I highly recommend this book for women who grew up in church, but also any Christian interested in the theology of grace. What books did you read in January? Let me know in the comments or leave a link to your wrap up post.

February Cover Love

There are some beautiful book covers coming out in February. Here are my favorites.

Castle on the Rise

A Desperate Hope

One Thing I Know

Between Two Shores

Daughter of Moloka'i

The Lost Man

Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe

Daughter of Moloka'i is my favorite. I love the flowers. Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments.

Can't Wait for Castle on the Rise by Kristy Cambron

I'm linking up with Wishful Endings to share an upcoming release I'm excited about. 

Castle on the Rise

Release date ~ February 5, 2019

I love Kristy Cambron's books. Her Lost Castle series is right up my alley. I would compare these novels to Kate Morton with their multiple timelines and historical mystery to solve. I have a Netgalley copy on my Kindle that I will start very soon.

Top Ten Tuesday ~ Recent Additions To My TBR

One of the things I love about books and reading is that there are always new books to discover. My to-be-read lists is always growing. Here are a few of the books that have made it onto my TBR recently.

The Gown

Learning to See

Unmarriageable


The Enchanted April
The Dean's Watch


The Night Tiger
You Were There Before My Eyes

Have you read any of these? Let me know in the comments. Check out more Top Ten Tuesday posts at That Artsy Reader Girl.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

I'm linking up with Book Date to share this week's TBR.

Just finished:

Between Two Shores

Currently reading:

Grace for the Good Girl

The Wartime Sisters

In the Shadow of Croft Towers

What are you reading this week? Let me know in the comments.

First Line Friday ~ Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green

I'm linking up with Hoarding Books to share the first line of my current read.

Between Two Shores

"I told you I'm not staying."

What are you reading this weekend? Let me know in the comments.

Can't Wait for Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green

I'm linking up with Wishful Endings to share an upcoming release I'm excited about.

Between Two Shores

Release date: February 5, 2019

I'm on the launch team for Between Two Shores, so I received an early copy. I love historical fiction, and Jocelyn's books are always rich in historical detail. I'm really excited to read this one!

Top Ten Tuesday ~ Books I Didn't Get to in 2018

I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl to share this week's top ten list.

I read seventy-five books last year. While that seems like a lot, it still feels like I missed a few books. I'm not a super fast reader. I usually read one book a week, so there's no way for me to read all the new releases and all the back list books I want to read. Is there? Here are few of the books I was hoping to read last year that never actually made it to the top of my TBR.

The Solace of Water

The Heiress of Winterwood

The Mayflower Bride

The Hidden Side

The Captain's Daughter

Engraved on the Heart

Rachel Linden

The Saturday Night Supper Club

A Daring Venture

Fawkes

Have you read any of these? Let me know in the comments.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

I'm linking up with Book Date to share this week's TBR.

Just finished:

The Dreamers

The Atomic City Girls

Currently reading:

Between Two Shores

Grace for the Good Girl

What are you reading this week? Let me know in the comments.

Can't Wait for The Curse of Misty Wayfare by Jaime Jo Wright

I'm linking up with Wishful Endings to share an upcoming release I'm excited about.

The Curse of Misty Wayfare

The Curse of Misty Wayfare releases January 22. I highly recommend this book and anything Jaime Jo Wright writes. I read an early Netgalley copy and loved it. 

Top Ten Tuesday ~ New to Me Authors 2018 Edition

I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl to share this week's top ten list.

I discovered some great new authors last year. Some were debut authors and some I just hadn't ever read before. Here are some of my favorites.

Ayobami Adebayo

Stay with Me

Erin Bartels

We Hope for Better Things

Agatha Christie

And Then There Were None

Lauren K. Denton

Hurricane Season

Gail Godwin

Flora

Lisa Jewell

Then She Was Gone

Tayari Jones

An American Marriage

A.J. Pearce

Dear Mrs. Bird

Bethany Turner

The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck

Marisa De Los Santos

I'll Be Your Blue Sky

Did you discover any new authors recently? Let me know in the comments.