What I'm Reading #5

It's been almost 3 months since I did a review on the books I've been reading. My reading really slowed down during the Christmas season. Then it picked back up, and now for some reason I'm having a really difficult time finding a good book! I've started and stopped a couple books. I think my brain is starting to get really preoccupied with the upcoming labor and arrival of baby #4, and I just can't concentrate on reading.

If you are curious, here are my previous book reviews:
#1
#2
#3
#4

And here is what I've read lately:

Eligible

This book is described as a modern-day Pride and Prejudice. I'm ashamed to admit I don't know much about the original book! This slightly over-the-top book is a story about 4 sisters who come from a wealthy family. None of them are married, and as they each lead very different lives, they eventually come together to help their family. Some parts of the book were a bit too "modern" for me, but it was an entertaining book.

The Woman in Cabin 10

I had been waiting so long to read this book, so I was excited when it finally became available at my library. This is a chilling story about a woman who goes on a cruise ship and thinks she sees someone being thrown overboard. But strangely, nobody is missing from the ship. While I didn't love the main character, I did love the setting and the suspense that built throughout the story.


Firefly Lane

After reading 2 excellent books by Hannah, I knew I needed to read another. This book was good, but I did enjoy the others a bit more. (The Nightingale, Winter Garden). This book starts out in the 70's when Tully and Kate meet as young teenagers. The book takes us through the next few decades of their lives and friendship, with many twists and turns along the way. For some reason I just didn't love this book, and I felt it dragged a little bit. I still want to read more books by this author....any recommendations?

A Hundred Summers

This was a good read! It takes place in the late 1930's in Rhode Island and tells the story of two friends who have a complicated friendship. One marries the others' ex-fiancé, and a few secrets are revealed throughout the book. It ends with a hurricane bearing down on them, and the ending of the book was one of the best parts for me.


The Couple Next Door

Oooh I really enjoyed this one! A couple with a young baby go to a dinner party next door, leaving their sleeping baby at home. At the end of the night they discover their baby is missing. Although we find out early on in the book how the baby disappeared, there are many more twists and turns to be discovered. I finished this book during a drive home from the Bay Area, and I couldn't help but share the plot with Adam. At first he thought it sounded dumb, but as each surprise was revealed, he got hooked on the book right along with me. It kept us guessing until close to the end, and although a few parts were kind of crazy and twisted, I would recommend this book if you like dark thrillers.

The Island

This was a story of 2 sisters and their mother and Aunt, who all spend a month at their vacation home on a secluded island near Nantucket. One of the daughters just broke off her engagement and the women in her family try to bring her out of her depression while trying to figure out what exactly happened to her relationship. I felt like this should have been a really great book, but there were just some parts I really disliked. And thinking back, I now realize that I haven't really loved any books by Hilderbrand.

Seamless

I am not yet finished with this book, but I had to include it. I received this Bible Study for Christmas and it is unlike any other devotional I have read. It breaks the Bible down into 7 sections, tying them all together to help explain the greater meaning of the Bible. I am only on section 2, but so far I am loving this study. It really helps to simplify the stories and themes of the Bible. Even for someone like me, who has been a Christian for a long time, the Bible can be really overwhelming and confusing. I think this book would be too simplified for someone with a deep understanding of the stories in the Bible, but for me it's perfect. There are fill in the blank sections, which helps me to really pay attention as I read. If you feel like your Bible knowledge is lacking, try this book!

And that's it for this review. Can you recommend anything for me to read that will take my mind off of my upcoming labor? I need a book that will really suck me in, but nothing too dark or depressing. I'm also open to reading positive labor/deliver stories if you know of any!