Book Stack List - March

Previously I shared my upcoming reading list for the month in old blog posts, but I realized - what good is that? I'd wanna know if the book is good or not! So I decided to share my read book stack with my own feedback after each month! Here's the read book stack list this month -

You can shop all the books featured HERE!

*Of course I always encourage shopping your local, independent bookstore first!*

'The Cafe by the Sea' by Jenny Colgan

So I found this one at Goodwill and obviously I love anything coastal so the title got me to purchase it. While the story was sweet - I didn't love it. It was confusing at times, I was more than 3/4 ways through the book and still struggling to figure out where it was going. It's essentially about a small town girl who left on bad terms goes to work in London at a law firm has a crush on her boss and comes back to her town per a work request from the law firm and is trying to help the town and her family rebuild after her mothers death. Very Hallmark which I generally don't mind, but idk maybe it was me, but it just lacked. I was glad when it was finished.

'My Thoughts Exactly' by S.C. Porter

This is a poetry book by a local author and I loved it! Sometimes I like to read a novel and have a poetry book on the side to read to pull me from my screen for a quick thoughtful moment. This has a blended mix of poetry about anixety/depression/motherhood/breakups/inspiration which I like! I related to a lot especially the motherhood ones. I folded over some pages and have it in reach on my desk for days I need a pick me up or to just read words that make me feel less alone in my thoughts.

'Sworn To Silence' Linda Castillo

Trigger Warning: This book does contain murder and sexual assault. However, this book was gripping from the very beginning and I usually try not to read a ton of thriller/mystery books as I use reading to reduce my anxiety. It's about a small town sheriff that used to be amish & is working back in her amish populated hometown trying to solving a serial murder on the loose, but also struggling with her past that is related to the current murders.I guess there's a Lifetime movie based on it & this book is a series too so I may check those out!

'Be Ready When Luck Happens' a memoir by Ina Garten

I've never read a memoir and truthfully I didn't know much about Ina Garten, but I heard a lot of internet craz about this memoir so in attempt to mix up my reading - I decided to give this a try! I was nervous if I'd care to read about someones life or if it would bore me to tears! I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I LOVED this! I found it to be very interesting and I was engaged right away! Ina had a very unique and spontaneous life that she tells in a very humerous and witty way thaty physically had me laughing out loud at certain parts. I also couldn't believe the lack of freedom and ability women lacked back in those times and it really wasn't that long ago! I folded pages over for some of the recipes included that I want to try & other parts I just found extra interesting or inspiring to reference to later.

'The Wager' by David Grann

This historial fiction novel has a ton of praize & is all over bookstores! I was intriqued obvi by it being a nautical read, but this was different than my little Elin Hilderbrand type of coastal beach reads. This book is based around true events with a lot of gripping dispair and struggle. I was suprised how much I really loved this book! I have the outright most respect when I see an old sailboat painting now. I think what these men went through out on the unknown seas was jaw dropping!

'Images of America Southport' Sharon Claudette Smith and Sherry Monahan / Foreward by Thomas Harrleson

I love my little coastal town so an opportunity to read and learn more about it's history was something I was too excited for! This containes more pictures with captions than anything, but still a fascincating 126 page read!

'Finding Daisies' by Jessica Jocelyn

I loved her book 'evermore' which I felt was great to read as a Mom and would be great and relatable for any Mom no matter if you're trying to become a Mom, a new mom, divorced Mom etc. So I quickly purchased her other poetry book - Finding Daisies. I love poetry books for a quick read that gets my thinking more in depth. While this one is great - I personally did not relate to it as I did her other one. I felt the primary focus was on trauma/ heartbreak / depression. Granted there were some I felt spoke to me - the motherhood ones - just not like the other one. But I do still love her writing!

My goal is 52 books for the year - aka one book a week. I am running a little behind - sometimes I read like two books in a week and then all of a sudden struggle to put down my phone to even entise myself to read. Struggle is real! But I'm confident I'll meet my goal and hopefull exceed it!

Stay tuned for April's Book Stack List blog!

Thanks for reading!

XOXOXO

Mrs. Northern Belle