First of all, who is surprised that it's almost May and I'm just now sharing my March reads? Anyone? No, I didn't think so. Whatever man.
March was such a fun month! Mom and I got to go to the UK vs. LSU game at Rupp Arena which just happened to be Senior Honor Night! So of course we proceeded to cheer our little hearts out for our beloved Wildcats, especially our senior, Alex Poythress! It was a long day of driving, cheering, SHOPPING (because duh, where else will be find SO MUCH Kentucky stuff???), spending time with our sweet Lexington family, and more driving. Thanks to the Blackmon family for our tickets! You made my whole month!
Look at that arena full of MY PEOPLE!
Me and momma after we WON!
This was the slowest reading month I've had this year, but I still managed to read seven books. Be sure to check out the reviews for Looking for Lovely by Annie Downs and Start Something that Matters by Blake Mycoskie, my two favorite reads this month!
4 stars
Sycamore Row (Jake Brigance #2) by John Grisham: In Sycamore Row, Seth Hubbard, a prominent businessman dying of lung cancer, commits suicide. But before he does so, he plans his funeral, carefully pens his last will and testament, and mails it to Jake Brigance, a local lawyer Seth admires because of his integrity during the Hailey trial three years earlier. In his will, Seth leaves ninety percent of his wealth to Hetty Lang, his black maid, and completely cuts out his children, grandchildren, and ex-wives. In the course of the trial, the book explores the questions: was Seth of sound mind during the writing of the will, was he unduly influenced by Hetty, and why would he leave so much to his maid? I haven't read A Time to Kill (when I started Sycamore Row, I didn't realize it was part of a series), and while the story line from the first book is referred to occasionally, I didn't really feel like I missed anything because I haven't read it. I have really enjoyed some of John Grisham's novels, while some of them felt like time wasted. This one was time well spent.
4 stars
Cometh the Hour (Clifton Chronicles #6) by Jeffrey Archer: Apparently I started reading this series just in time. I finished the fifth book in February and Cometh the Hour was also released that month. I was surprised to get a copy from the library so quickly. A suicide note helps to quickly resolved the court case between Emma Barrington and Lady Virginia Fenwick. We also see less of Emma as chairman of the board of Barrington Shipping and more of her serving in the community. Harry is still helping to sell Anatoly Babakov's autobiography and advocating for his release from prison in Russia. Giles is deciding if his political career is over and if he'll rescue Karin, the new woman he loves, from East Germany. (Again, I'm not crazy about the mostly self-indulgent Giles and this story line, although he still has some redeeming qualities and there are a couple twists to his and Karin's relationship that make it more interesting than I thought it would be.) Sebastian spends a good amount of time in this book courting Priya, although her traditional Indian parents are determined she'll marry the man they've chosen for her back in India. I really liked Priya, but was thankful her time in this book was temporary as Samantha and Jessica return! As usual, the cast of characters I love to hate are back and devious as ever! I loved this book so much I finished it in only two days and am so sad I have to wait until November for the seventh and final installment of the Clifton Chronicles.
5 stars
Looking for Lovely: Collecting the Moments that Matter by Annie Downs: I was so excited to be chosen for this launch team. And let me tell you, I needed to read it to be sure. Annie shares her own story of the lies Satan whispered to her that she believed for so long: you're too fat, too much, unlovable, not enough. And she shares how God worked in her life, placing what she needed in each moment. That might have looked like a much needed counselor, a well timed Scripture, good friends. Or it might have been as small as pretty nail polish, Zumba classes, hiking her favorite trails, and good music. God may show up differently for each of us in our every day, but God shows up. Annie explores what it means to look for lovely and encourages us to do the same. Read my full review and some of my favorite quotes here.
2 stars
An American Spy (The Tourist #3) by Olen Steinhauer: First of all, I bought this book way back in Florida on my honeymoon at the CVS on Anna Maria Island (slim pickins, to be sure), got a few pages in, then decided to drive to the Barnes and Noble in Sarasota to buy something else. I just could not get into this book. But in my efforts this year to read the books I already have (or can rent/get for free), I tried again. And I did get through it, but it was painful. Maybe if I had started at the beginning of the series, I would have been more invested in the characters and enjoyed it more. But (again), I didn't realize this book was part of a series until the author started, very frequently, referring to the previous story lines. Definitely not a stand-alone book. Even among those who've read the series, An American Spy only has decent reviews on Goodreads. Definitely not one I would recommend.
4 stars
Caught by Harlan Coben: At what point does one read enough Harlan Coben books? In my opinion, exactly never. An ex-boyfriend recommended his books to me and I fell instantly in love (with Harlan Coben's books, not the ex-boyfriend, obviously). I especially love that his books have characters in common: detectives, PI's, a particular financial advisor I love. Seeing their familiar names is like seeing a friend unexpectedly and always makes me smile. Caught is the story of Dan Mercer, social worker and all around nice guy who is accused by reporter Wendy Tynes of sexually deviant behavior with underage girls on national television. Dan espouses his innocence, but his life is ruined. When Dan is murdered, a cell phone is found in his hotel room belonging to missing teen, Haley McWaid. But where is Haley? And is Dan really guilty? Another never-saw-it-coming ending that I highly recommend!
4 stars
American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle: American Sniper was the Big Library Read in March and I was really excited to read it knowing people all over the country were reading it as well. (I actually listened to it on my Overdrive app as they had unlimited electronic and audio copies for rent during the Bid Read time frame!) I really enjoyed the first person telling of the life and military career of Chris Kyle. The life of a soldier is one of sacrifice and bravery, danger and fear. I am so desperately thankful there are men like Chris Kyle who put their lives on the line for my freedom, but it a hard thing to hear an account of. It isn't exceptionally well written, but then again, Chris was a soldier first, not an author. I loved that his wife Taya wrote parts of the story from her perspective. Overall a great but hard read!
I saw this book back in September at the TOMS store in Austin, Texas and knew I would have to read it. One, because I'm a TOMS superfan, and two, because I love this business model and wanted to know all there is to know about it. If you fall into either of these categories, you will love this book. Blake, an entrepreneur even before the start of TOMS, shares about his story and the birth of the famous classic TOMS shoe and his company committed to the one-for-one model. He also shares tips for running a business of any size and any model. As someone who so desires to own my own business, I found myself so thankful for the knowledge, personal tidbits from his experience, and encouragement he shared. And I love that he used the TOMS brand in the design of the book. When you read it (because you totally should), be sure you have a pen and highlighter handy!
So that's it! At the end of March, my total number of books read was 27, bringing me to roughly 34% of my total reading goal for the year. Not too bad! How are your reading goals coming? Have you read something recently you just have to share? I'd love to hear from you! Happy reading!
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