Mailbox Monday (100)

I've officially made it to my 100th Mailbox Monday post! I wasn't sure I would get to it before the baby arrived, but it's managed to stay in so far. Good timing on the baby's part, especially since in its honor this week is full of books for the baby-to-be.
Gifted
On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman
This, like the next two, with both given to me at my work baby shower. Till now, I've never actually read this book, but I know it's a pretty popular. Looking through the book from the story to the illustrations, it's easy to see why.

Disney Bedtime Stories
This one definitely spans the Disney universe, from classic characters with stories on Mickey, Donald, and Winnie the Pooh, to the movies that came out when I was growing up like Aladdin, The Lion King, and Toy Story, to the classic movies with stories from Bambi, Cinderella, and Peter Pan, and even to more recent favorites like Monster Inc, Finding Nemo, and Cars. Maybe not one to read in one sitting, but I'm guessing eventually we'll read through them all.

Noisy Farm
As much as I may want to look down on books like this since they don't really tell a story, I can accept how much fun they are for a tiny person. Especially since not only does this one make noises, but also lets you pet all the animals.

From Goodreads
KeeKee's Big Adventures in Athens, Greece by Shannon Jones
Yes, even my goodreads win this week is a children's book! This is is pretty adorable book about a cat who travels to Greece and visits the sights. Considering Greece is the country on the top of our travel list this is a pretty prefect one for us. There's actually two other books in this series where KeeKee travels to Paris and Rome, and given how cute this one is it may be worth picking the others up as well.

What did you find in your mailbox this week?

The Top 10 Books of 2014 So Far

I debated a while as to whether I wanted to write this. After all at the end of each year, I try to write a post listing out my favorites of the year. What if my post halfway through the year was the exact same as the end of the year?!?! Would it even be worth writing? Except, I know how silly that sounds since I have a whole year of reading ahead of me. Yes, books on this list will likely be on my end of the year list (and likely in different spots since my thoughts change with time), but it won't be a carbon copy.

But while I have every intention of writing a top 10 post at the end of the year, I'll have a newborn baby then too. Yes, I have every intention of keeping up the blog after baby, but who knows how crazy life may be. So just in case, I wanted to write this that way I can much sure my favorite, up till now, have their time in the spotlight.

1. Somewhere in France by Jennifer RobsonWhile this review went up in 2014, I technically read it in 2013. Except I read it after my Top 10 of 2014 had already been written. It's too bad because it would have been number 1 of 2013, and is number 1 on this list as well. I can't wait to reread it, so much so that I've suggested it as our book club selection so hopefully they love it too.


2. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra ClareAs much as I love Clare's books I wasn't expecting this to be here. But I can't help but think this was the perfect way to end this series, and a great way to build excitement for her next two series. As much as I want to hate Clare at times I really can't, especially when she's so good at drawing you in.


3. Three Souls by Janie ChangThis was such a haunting book, but it's definitely one that left an impression. I think the cover is perfect for the story, and I loved getting to explore China in this. I know this is a debut which makes me even more excited for what's to come from Janie Chang.


4. Driving Lessons by Zoe FishmanI feel like I was so vague in my review of this book because I wasn't quite ready to share what was going on with me. In this book the main character is in her early 30s and not quite sure if she wants to have kids, but then unexpectedly she gets pregnant. Not realizing this story line would be the main point in this, I read this only a week or two pregnant and found it to be such a pleasant surprise. The cliched moment on food tasting weird for so perfect for me since I had my own version only days before. It pained me a little while writing my review that I couldn't reveal just WHY it spoke so much to me, but now that my secret is out I'm so happy to be able to finally share!


5. Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple2013 seemed to be the year of Bernadette, but better late than never, right? Especially since there's still a movie on the way. I really loved the way the story was told, through e-mails, documents, and such. And Bernadette came off as so out there and crazy you couldn't help but love her. I do feel quite a bit late with this, but if you haven't read it yet, definitely do it before the movie


6. When the Cypress Whispers by Yvette Manessis CorporonI still can't get over some of the food description in this. Yes, there was a love story too, but what I remember most about this one is how easily it transported me to Greece to be part of the culture there.


7. The Care and Management of Lies by Jacqueline WinspearThis likely would have been higher without Somewhere in France to compare it to, but it's still a pretty amazing look at WWI. It is a bit heartbreaking, and I'm not sure I'm quite up for rereading it yet. But it's definitely one I'd love to come back to.


8. Cancel the Wedding by Carolyn DingmanI only finished this one yesterday, and have yet to even write my review of it, so it only barely made the list. But it definitely deserves to be here. From the title you'd guess this is a basic chick-lit, and while it does have a romantic story line, that's not the part that spoke to me. Instead it was the parts where the main character researched her mother's life after her death. I think there's definitely someone about one's death that makes you realize all the questions you never asked, and considering my mom's passing it really resonated with me.


9. Beautiful Ruins by Jess WaltersAnother book I feel like I was a bit late too. It's hard to describe succinctly, but it really is a beautiful book. There is a lot going on at times, but overall it really managed to work.


10. The Collector of Dying Breaths by M.J. RoseGoing into this book I wasn't sure I would enjoy it as much as I did. Especially knowing that it's 6th in a series I've yet to read, but it didn't really matter. I think one reason I enjoyed this so much so because it was the type of book my mom always loved, and reading it as I imagined she may have, made me enjoy it that much more.

Have you had the chance to read any of these books? And which books would you include on your top 10 list of the year, so far?

Greece Lightning

When the Cypress Whispers by Yvette Manessis Corporon
Considering that Greece is probably top of my list of countries I'm dying to visit, it's surprising that I so few books set there. I'm sure I've read books there that take place in ancient times, and the in the traveling pants books Greece did make a cameo. But this is the first book I can remember reading in modern day where Greece is where all the action takes, and with that, it's an amazing way to start.

In some ways I want to say that this book transported me to Greece, but that wasn't quite the case. Instead each time I'd read about the beaches or the cypress trees or quaint little villages and sigh because I wasn't quite there. It did bring Greece alive so close that I could taste it, but for me it wasn't quite enough. If only because I actually can't wait to be there myself.

Speaking of taste, the food is also an aspect that had my drooling page after page. As a girl whose favorite snack is slices of feta reading a passage of baked feta that "had been generously drizzled with olive oil and smoky paprika, then topped with just a few slivers of fresh peppers," is practically heaven to me. And that's just at one meal! I was definitely in awe at all the various times food was described throughout and even now am still craving a good Greek meal.

The book did wind up a little predictable, but not in a way I would have expected before reading it. Daphne is a 30-something single mother visiting Greece and her grandmother for this the first time since her childhood. She's still trying to figure out a way to blend her past and her future, something I can definitely identify with. But while I may predicted the big events, I was still surprised that the ending wasn't a perfect happily ever after.

I think you can probably tell, this book had me dying to visit Greece. Hopefully I'm able to get there sooner rather than later, but if I ever need to feel at least somewhat transported there, I'll be picking this one up again.

4.5/5

Disclosure: I was provided this book through TLC Book Tours. All opinions expressed are my own.

Mailbox Monday (64)

Mailbox Monday is the place for bloggers to share the books they've recently added to their shelves. It was started by Marcia, who now blogs at To Be Continued..., and is hosted each month at the Officially Mailbox Monday site. The week I'm excited to share...
For Review from Virtual Author Book Tours
Cover Me Boys, I'm Going In by Keith Hirshland
This is a memoir about the author's life in sports reporting. He does specialize in golf, which I'm not actually a huge fan of watching. But I'm still excited to see a behind the scenes look at what it's like being on tv and being a sports reporter.

For Review from TLC Book Tours
When the Cypress Whispers by Yvette Manessis Corporon
This is a chick-lit type, where Greece is featured. It's about an American who escapes back to her childhood home in Greece to help herself move on from the loss of her husband.

From Paperback Swap
The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich
I'm more excited about this one than I have been about any book in a while. It's a historical fiction about a Jewish midwife in Venice in the 16th century. Combining so many of my favorite theme to read about (Renaissance! Judaism! Babies!), I'm really hopeful that this lives up to my expectations.

From Goodreads
Nothing Sweeter by Laura Drake
Yes, this book is exactly what the cover makes it out to be. But it is about an L.A. girl who moves to the South like me, and just that gets me even more excited for it.

What did you find in your mailbox this week? And do you have a favorite book that seems to be about all encompass all the themes you enjoy reading?

While you're here, don't forget to enter my giveaway for At The River's Edge by Mariah Stewart!