(Photo via Jennifer Roup/thats_what_she_read)

I set a goal at the beginning of 2019 to read 12 books this year. I’ve already read two and am making good progress on my third. That means I probably could have been a little more ambitious with my goal, but that’s OK. I’d rather have been realistic, rather than setting unobtainable goals for the year.

ANYWAY. I intend to recap each book here, mostly to document them for myself. But also so I can hopefully share some good books with all of you as well. I’ll provide a short review on each, as well as a link if you’re interested. (Full disclosure: The link is an affiliate link for my Amazon Influencer account, because I AM AN INFLUENCER YOU GUYS.)

Without further adieu, let’s get to it. I’ll find a way to sort these all here, as well as on my Amazon storefront and on Goodreads. Whatever is easiest for you to follow along.

Book No. 1: Little Fires Everywhere (Celeste Ng)

From Amazon: “From the bestselling author of Everything I Never Told You, a riveting novel that traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives.”

My review: I loved this book. I loved it so much that I could hardly put it down and ended up reading it in just a few days. Every time I would start to feel one way about a person, my feelings would instantly shift with new information. By the end, I was conflicted with how I felt about each individual character.

But you know what? That was half the fun. The past is a reoccurring theme for each person, but so is the future. When does the past stop limiting what’s ahead? When do we let what’s happened go in favor of what can be?

I’m excited to see the book adapted by Hulu, and will be curious to see how the images in my mind match up with those on screen. All in all, I would highly recommend this book for anyone willing to get lost for a few days.

Book No. 2: Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits (Reese Witherspoon)

From Amazon: “Academy Award–winning actress, producer, and entrepreneur Reese Witherspoon invites you into her world, where she infuses the southern style, parties, and traditions she loves with contemporary flair and charm.”

My review: I gave it four stars on Goodreads, because I did enjoy it. It was a light read, which I knew going in. However, the more I’ve thought on it, I think maybe a 3.5 star rating would probably be more appropriate.

While I did enjoy getting to know Reese better in this book, I also left wanting more. She has a lot of great stories about her family, and I wanted more of that. I’d read an entire book on Reese’s grandma, Dorothea, if she put one together.

So, would I recommend this book to you? Sure! It’s light. It’s fun. It has some great recipes and family photos to break things up. I just wouldn’t go in expecting something ground-breaking. Maybe treat it as a palate-cleanser between a couple of heavy books. That’s what I did.

What’s next? Glad you asked. I’m working on I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, which I’ll hopefully have a report on soon. It’s pretty heavy, but fascinating and well-executed. Stay tuned.

And don’t forget that you can follow me on Goodreads. I’d love to be friends with you.