#unreadbotmchallenge

Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller is part of my #unreadbotmchallenge (Dec 2016) “Ingrid writes letters to her husband Gil about their marriage. But instead if giving them to him, she puts them in the books in the house (and there are thousands of books) And then she disappears from the beach, leaving Gil and her two daughters behind. Years later Gill thinks he sees her and has a fall. The daughters come home to take care of him. And learn some things about their parents.” There’s some wonderful writing here and some great lines about books and readers. It’s hard to find a character to like. Gil is an awful, irresponsible, selfish man. Ingrid abandons her children. And Louise with an awful betrayal. The story moves quickly and goes back-and-forth from Ingrid’s letters to the present. And an ambiguous ending. Worth a read. Book will definitely leave you with some emotion #swimminglessons #clairefuller #bookofthemonth #contemporaryfiction #literaryfiction #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #bookhoarder #bookworm #sodacityreads #bookish #bookreview #hardcover #novel #bookaddict #bookcover #bookhaul #bibliophile #goodreads #homelibrary #fiction https://www.instagram.com/p/B16duwnA2V_/?igshid=1t4mafjef4btd

The Sisters Chase by Sarah Healy was a June 2017 #botm pick. I found this copy in my used bookstore. “After their mom dies, Mary and a young Hannah, leave their family hotel in search of something - family, a place to belong, a life to live. Mary wants one thing most of all. Will she ever find it?” Not sure what my expectations were with this book. The timeline goes back and forth between present Mary and young Mary. Pretty early you see that Mary has some big character flaws. Is it the isolation? Her runaway father she never knew? At one point, a new life is within her grasp, but past sins have a way of ruining that. This is one of those “yell at the character” books. And as the father if a daughter, there was one moment of absolute horror. But you want the sisters to find some hope. Not a fast-paced story-more of a languid, flowing creek. #thesisterschase #sarahhealy #botmsummerslam #unreadbotmchallenge #bookofthemonth #contemporaryfiction #audiobook #rebeccagibel #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #bookhoarder #bookworm #sodacityreads #bookish #bookreview #hardcover #novel #bookaddict #bookcover #bookhaul #bibliophile #goodreads #homelibrary (at Ballentine, South Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzA_QRagAXF/?igshid=jiuyvzxep5y1

Catching up on another #BOTM title - The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy. “The May Mothers get together for a night without their babies. Everything is fine until one baby is taken from it’s crib. Who took Baby Midas?” This book was labeled a thriller, but it’s more a story about raising children in NYC. There is nothing about the police investigation, but lots about how the mothers have figured it out. And all of their secrets 🤷🏼‍♂️ That have nothing to do with finding the missing baby 👶🏼 The reveal makes it a little interesting but is not really original. If you’re looking for a character study of new mothers, you might enjoy this book. The audiobook performance was excellent. #theperfectmother #aimeemolloy #unreadbotmchallenge #audiobook #libbyapp #richlandlibrary #bookofthemonth #bookstagram #booknerd #bookhoarder #bookworm #sodacityreads #bookish #bookreview #hardcover #novel #bookaddict #bookcover #bookhaul #bibliophile #goodreads #homelibrary #readsomebooks #fiction #crimefiction https://www.instagram.com/p/BysMFZOgYld/?igshid=1uv10mla3ijvx

Reading my way through my #unreadbotmchallenge Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna was a January 2018 pick 🤦🏼‍♂️ Why did I wait so long to read this book? You have two missing girls, a mom that struggles to raise them, a disgraced former police officer and a PI, Alice Vega, that has a great record at finding kids. Vega is a great character and I hope we see more stories from her. The story races around - lots of clues and red herrings. You think you know where they are, but you won’t guess this bad guy - and they are a monster. Another great audiobook performance. I kept trying to find places to listen to it. A great summer beach 🏖 read. If this is in your unread #botm stack, read it next. #twogirlsdown #louisaluna #bookofthemonth #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #bookhoarder #bookworm #sodacityreads #bookish #bookreview #hardcover #novel #bookaddict #bookcover #bookhaul #bibliophile #goodreads #homelibrary #readsomebooks #fiction #crimefiction #thriller #audiobook #richlandlibrary https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx2fLqQgekR/?igshid=1lsl2tuloi5yh

Catching up on my #unreadbotmchallenge books this month. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James was another great pick from @bookofthemonth “It’s 1950. Idlewild Hall is the boarding school for the unwanted girls - the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the damaged. Four roommates bond together until one disappears. It’s 2014. Fiona can’t stop thinking about her sister’s murder and discovery of her body near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. During the restoration there is a shocking discovery that brings old secrets to light...than some want to keep buried...” Great read from St. James. I don’t read a lot of “ghosty” books but it’s not overdone here and adds to the despair and mood of the boarding school. I guessed a couple of things quickly, but others you probably won’t. Book goes back and forth from 1950 to 2014. Seems to be common in a lot of books now, but it works here. Full of some interesting characters. Great read from St. James. #thebrokengirls #simonestjames #bookofthemonth #ghostybooks #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #bookhoarder #bookworm #sodacityreads #bookish #bookreview #hardcover #novel #bookaddict #bookcover #bookhaul #bibliophile #goodreads #homelibrary #readsomebooks #fiction #crimefiction #thriller https://www.instagram.com/p/BxhrXXUgpkR/?igshid=1t6qnaygtv056

Actually posted some reviews on the blog this week and The Possessions (a good ol’ #unreadbotmchallenge pick) is one of those. Reminiscent of Behind Her Eyes, but quite as fast-paced or thrilling, this novel was definitely unique from anything I’ve read, but I felt so unsatisfied with it. Have you read The Possessions yet? https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw8YUZrnwo2/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=veykcmsik53d

Do you have some #BOTM picks that have been around a long time? They never seem to make the reading list because of new bright shiny books. The books they read on the Island of Misfit Toys. How do you keep them from becoming forgotten? #bookofthemonth #islandofmisfitbooks #unreadbotmchallenge #myweekendisallbooked #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #bookhoarder #bookworm #bookish #bookreview #hardcover #novel #bookaddict #bookcover #bookhaul #bibliophile #goodreads #homelibrary #readsomebooks #fiction #crimefiction #thriller https://www.instagram.com/p/BuHXe-znY0Q/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=25i08fvtnd3w

January was a good reading year (right? 🤷🏼‍♂️) Winter Loon was a surprise hit and a book you should definitely add this year. THREE botm books, so I stayed even 🙋🏼‍♂️ And the final book in Kristen Orlando’s Black Angel trilogy. A great YA series you should already be reading. What was your favorite book in January? Thunderhead ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Need to Know ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Last Lullaby ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Silent Patient ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Cinder ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Cutting Edge ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Winter Loon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ You Won’t See Me Coming ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An Anonymous Girl ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Circe ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Legendary ⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Break Down ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 #januarywrapup #bradswrapup #bookofthemonth #unreadshelfproject2019 #unreadbotmchallenge #kristenorlando #youwontseemecoming #winterloon #bookstack #thesilentpatient #ananonymousgirl #bookstagram #bookshelves #booknerd #bookhoarder #bookworm #bookreview #hardcover #novel #bookaddict #bookcover #bookhaul #bibliophile #goodreads #homelibrary #readsomebooks #fiction #crimefiction #thriller #thunderhead https://www.instagram.com/p/BtYlxFvnPWr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1x72kn1xeafwg