Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin

A special thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book much better than her other two books. My problem with Gretchen Rubin is that she constantly reminds us that she has a blog, and mentions her husband and children way too much. There are so many good nuggets in the book that she could flesh out, she doesn't need to consistently tell us about her privileged lifestyle, her blog, Jamie, Eleanor and Eliza.

At times I found her preachy.  She certainly doesn't do herself any favours when she recounts conversations that she has with people as she sounds completely righteous.

Like I said there were a lot of good takeaways from the book - I wish she had of expanded upon those and done away with all of the personal fluff.

Emma by Alexander McCall Smith

I  received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

I wanted to like this book, I really, really did...but...it failed.  McCall Smith attempts to transport Emma into modern times and the whole thing feels kind of forced.  The language for one, is not reflective of modern times, it still reads with too much formality and McCall Smith relies on rephrasing instead of rewriting/retelling.  The original Emma is not a likeable heroine and neither is McCall Smith's Emma and I think he should've left her alone.

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

A special thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Floating on the Seine is a very special bookshop.  Monsieur Jean Perdu is a brokenhearted bookseller that prescribes books to locals and tourists of Paris much like a pharmacist.

Perdu is accustomed to his solitary life as he mourns Manon, his lost love.  His feelings are awakened with a new neighbour, equally fragile.  To avoid any sort of a relationship with her, he sets sail.  I loved the idea, setting, and premise of this book but once the bookshop sets sail, that's when my interest also set sail.

Rodin's Lover by Heather Webb

A special thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kudos to the author for her attempt at historical fiction - based on her notes and acknowledgements, she certainly did her homework.  I am always amazed at how an author can take a historical figure and imagine the conversations and interactions that took place surrounding the events that formed their mark on history.  

There were many parts of the story I enjoyed, I often paused to research the works mentioned, Claudel had some amazing pieces and what was more impressive was the obstacles she faced being a woman in the male-dominated art world.  Where the story fell flat for me was Claudel herself - I don't know if the author took liberties with her character, making her unlikable by other women (and the reader) with her sharp demeanor, but it made me limp through the book.  Perhaps the disconnect was done on purpose to illustrate her mental decent.      
  
I also wasn't overly invested in Claudel's relationship with Rodin.  It was supposed to be a passionate, at times jealous affair, but I didn't buy into it, the writing wasn't strong enough and Webb seemed to say the same thing over and over about their passion for each other.  

I found this book just okay.  I did expect more passionate, especially based on the title, but I found the book a bit boring.  

The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens

A special thank you to NetGalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Four lost hikers are about to discover they’re capable of something extraordinary.

Nola, recently widowed, has gone up the mountain to commemorate the first wedding anniversary without her husband. Bridget, thin and fit, is training for a triathalon. Vonn, a rebellious teenager, is trying to sort herself out and escape her family at eight thousand feet. Wolf, reeling from the death of his best friend in a tragic accident, is the only one of them with hiking experience—he has come to the cliffs with no supplies because he plans to commit suicide.

After a series of missteps strands them in the wilderness together, the group realizes that their only chance of survival is to depend on one another. The four broken individuals form an incredible bond that pushes each other further than they ever thought possible. But only three make it home alive, yet all are forever changed by their days on the mountain.

I am thrilled to be an early reviewer of The Mountain Story, especially since I've been a huge fan of Lansen's writing after reading Rush Home Road years ago for a book club selection. 

Lori is a brilliant writer and has created more unforgettable characters in Wolf, Vonn, Bridget, and Nola. This story is moving, heart-stopping, enthralling, and brilliantly penned—it is a huge undertaking and she pulled it off.

The Mountain Story is a page-turner that is filled with hope and resilience of the human spirit.  I knew this story would linger and I wanted to savour it, but I simply couldn't put it down. Lansens' writing never disappoints and I highly recommend! 

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LORI LANSENS was a successful screenwriter before releasing her first highly successful novel, Rush Home Road. Her follow-up novel, The Girls, was also an international success. Lori's third novel, The Wife's Tale, has become a national bestseller.

Born and raised in Chatham, Ontario, Lansens now makes her home in the Santa Monica Mountains with her husband and 2 children.

At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen

A special thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't want to compare this book with Water for Elephants, I don't think that is fair to do...but...I didn't love this book and Water for Elephants is partly to blame because it was so fantastic.

Gruen tackles a historical time and fictitious creature in At the Water's Edge.  I enjoyed the setting for the book, as many other reviewers have said, this would make a great movie.  My problem is with the characters.  It's not that Gruen is a bad writer, quite the opposite, but I didn't overly like any of them.  I kept getting the Scottish girls confused, and didn't care for any of the men, save for maybe Hank at times.  I realize that the reader is not supposed to like Elis, he's very similar to the husband in Water for Elephants, but I found his character flat for the villain part.

The book started off great.  The best part of the book for me was the prologue and the New Year's Party.