Another TBR Book...

 

James is one of my favorite British bands, so when I heard that lead singer, Tim Booth, had a book coming out...well, I had to add it to my TBR list. How could I not? I love his lyrics, so, I'm sure I'll love his writing. Or, at least I'm willing to give it a go and see. 

Here's a summary of the book (via Goodreads):

Meet Seth Brakes. Musician. Reluctant romantic. Inherent troublemaker. Addict.

And three hundred and twenty days sober.

After a near-death experience, Seth is carving a new path for himself. Having reformed the band - the infamous Lucky Fuckers - things are looking up for gigs are falling back into the diary, he's in love and finally getting back to what he enjoys writing music.

That is until his past starts to creep up on him . . .

A dark comedy that is painfully honest, original and dynamically told, When I Died For the First Time is a raw account of a man tested his uppermost limits, hitting legendary highs and crashing to catastrophic lows. It's a tale of second chances, love lost and gained, and coming back to a story that stays with you long after you've turned the last page.

Definitely sounds very rocker to me, so I'm willing to give it a read. Let me know if you've heard of the book, or of the band. 

Happy reading!!

TBR Book...

 

A bookish friend posted about this lovely on their IG account, and I loved the cover and the title, so I had to add it to my TBR list.  Here's what the book is about: (summary from Goodreads)'What if we decided to try and find him?'

'What on earth are you on about?' she said. 'How are we going to catch the Yorkshire Ripper, when the police haven't even managed to?'

I sighed. Her questioning my ideas was a recent and unwelcome element to our friendship. But it was a valid point. How would we catch him? We needed some sort of plan, a way of gathering clues and putting them into order.

I thought about what the policeman had said about structure, and then about Aunty Jean and her notebook, and the idea I had hardened like toffee. I knew exactly what we needed to do.

'We'll make a list,' I said. 'A list of the people and things we see that are suspicious.

And then . . . And then we'll investigate them.'

The List of Suspicious Things is a tender and moving coming of age story about family, friendship and community. Sometimes the strongest connections are found in the most unlikely of places.

How great does that sound? Reading that, I'm hooked. I can't wait to dive into this one. Let me know if you've read it or plan to. 

Hope you are having a terrific Tuesday! Happy reading! 

Monday Musings...

Sleep has eluded me for so long. I finally tried sleep patches, but they did not work. Ack! Last night when I finally fell asleep, I slept hart and it was bliss. Of course, I had to wake up early (4:30am) and I was so sluggish. I still feel sleepy.  My sleep debt is too high. I want to go back to bed, but my to-do list won't let me. So, I have decided my dream vacation is to rent a very nice hotel room and sleep for days. LOL! If only. 

Aside from lack of sleep, I am finally going to declutter. My sister wants to have a garage sale soonish, so I want to gather some items to include in it. I figure this might give me the push I need to start decluttering. Wish me luck! My office is out of control - yikes!

I'm too tired to muse about anything else. So, I will let you go for now. Hope you are having a wonderful Monday morning. Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1. Books. I've bought a few recently and have added a few more to my TBR list. There are just too many good ones out there. And, there are quite a few old favorites I want to get in a different editions. My bookish lists are never-ending. Yikes!

Here's one I just bought:

2.  Tracker. I am loving this show. It is so good. Although the last episode wasn't my favorite - I felt it was like a filler episode. I am looking forward to the next one - we finally get to meet his sister and find out what she thinks of her brother and their dad's death. I'm curious to see how she turned out. I didn't really care for their mom - she's rather shifty. So, it'll be good to get a feel for what the sister thinks. Although I'm more curious about his older brother. And, I want to know what made Colter choose to be a tracker- I feel like it's the kind of job that will always keep him alone. Is that what he really wants? I have so many questions. What about you? Are you watching this show? What do you think of it? 

3.  Planner. I ordered some new inserts. They were on sale, so I figured it was okay to do so - considering I'm supposed on to be a no-spend. Ugh. I want to use my personal sized rings, so I figured I'd go for it. By the way, how crazy is it that some companies are already having pre-orders for 2025 planners?! That is way too soon, right? That is making me not want to order anything from them. I'm barely committed to my current planners and I have to commit to 2025 ones already? No, thank you!

4.  Nail polish. I bought some cool hot pink polish that I am loving. I thought it would cheer me up - the boost of color. So far, I am loving it. 

5. Music. I'm listening to my 'liked' songs on Spotify. It's a good mix, so it's fun. It has Jenny Lewis, The National, The Cure, James, Taylor Swift, REM, The Beatles, and so many more. Definitely keeps my mood boosted. 

Hope you have a great weekend! May the Fourth be with you! Happy reading!

Our Kept Hearts: Book One of the Waldron Hearts series by Tennille Marie

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for provding me with a copy of this book!)

 
about book:  (summary from Goodreads)

A heart-warming coming-of-age debut novel where sisters learn that even motherless daughters must grow up and become women one day. 

Arkansas, 1953. Nine-year-old Hazel McKay knows little girls need a mother. So, when her mother decides to leave her and her little sister, Ruthie, without any reason except she wants more, Hazel feels like her life is falling apart. With their father working out of town most days, Hazel and Ruthie are left on their own in the little house in the middle of the woods, where they find more than just animals and birds hiding in the forest. 

Meanwhile, not far away, ten-year-old Joel lives with his alcoholic father. Caught in a struggle to survive his father's volatile nature and the desire to satisfy his curiosity about the little girls that live in the house in the woods, Joel finds a world of friendship and love he never knew existed.

Together, the three encounter school dances, heartbreaks, first loves, and a world turned upside down by the threat of nuclear war. With a new beginning on the horizon, Hazel, Ruthie, and Joel find their happiness is in jeopardy when tragedy strikes, and they are forced to make a choice. Bury a secret so deep no one will ever know the truth or lose everything they hold dear.

NetGalley Reviews are in -

"What a story!"

"Can't wait for the next book."

"I absolutely loved this coming of age story by Tennille Marie. It was one of those beautiful stories written with so much heart and love. Her characters were so honest and real. I was totally mesmerized right from the beginning."

my thoughts:

Love, love, loved this unputdownable story by Tennille Marie. It's the first book in her new Waldron Hearts series and it is fantastic! And, did I mentioned that it's her debut novel! Talk about hitting it out of the park! 

So, what did I love about this book?

1. The characters were the best! I really enjoyed getting to know them and rooting for them - Hazel, Ruthie, and Joel. 

2. It's a coming of age story, which I just loved. We are talking about heartbreak, friendship, family - all of it. 

3. The writing. It is top notch! I found myself easily immersed in the lives of these characters and wanting to find out what would happen next. Plus, the 50s and 60s time period - such a great setting!

4. Sisters. A book about sisters will always win my heart. Probably, because I have a sister. 

5. Everything. Overall, this was just a damn good story. And, I can't wait to read the next book in the series! I loved Our Kept Hearts to bits!!

Make sure to check out this amazing debut novel by Tennille Marie - you are going to fall in deep with Our Kept Hearts! 

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!