Reading Roundup – January 2016

How was the first week of the new year for you? It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be getting back into a routine but I was definitely ready for a relaxing weekend! There’s nothing better than spending a Saturday lost in a good book! I always set a goal of reading one book a month, but I usually end up reading them in spurts. The last few months of the year I read three fantastic books. Here’s how I reviewed them on Goodreads! 

If you are looking for a quick, feel good book, read The Rosie Project! The story is narrated by a socially challenged genetics professor, Don Tillman who is on a quest to find the perfect wife. Don’s life is extremely regimented and his days are planned down to the minute. Never been on a second date but told he would make a good husband, he embarks on The Wife Project and creates a comprehensive questionnaire that will weed out any unsuitable partners with undesirable traits and help him find his true love. The perfect wife must be punctual, a moderate drinker, non-smoker, meat eater, dancer…the requirements are endless and to be a successful applicant, you must have a score of 100%!  Don’s only two friends, a colleague and his wife, suggest making minor tweaks to the questionnaire to attract more suitable applicants and the recounts of his dates are hilarious! 

The Wife Project is put on the back burner when Rosie enters his life. Rosie is unconventional and not a match based on the questionnaire…she smokes, can’t cook and works in a bar. But Don finds her attractive and enjoys her company so he decides to help conduct The Father Project to find her biological father. Don’s life goes into a tailspin while he is helping Rosie as he is introduced to new experiences, is spontaneous and finds he is having fun!

This is an entertaining read and you really connect with the characters. The story shows us that we are really all the same, we just view the world differently! 

Marie Laure lives with her father who is the master locksmith at the Museum of Natural History in Paris.  Woodworking is his hobby and he surprises her often with little wooden puzzles that become more and more complex over the years. When she goes blind at age six, he builds her a miniature of the city so she can memorize it by touch and be self sufficient finding her way home. When the Nazi’s occupy Paris when Marie is 12, she and her father flee to the walled city of Saint Malo to live with her great uncle. With them they carry a special treasure from the museum.

Werner, a German orphan boy who has a talent for repairing electronics is chosen to attend one of Hitler’s brutal military schools. Werner learns quickly to conform but never really understands what he is fighting for and has to make choices that he would not have had to make if it was a different era. 

All the Light We Cannot See shifts back and forth through time and their paths eventually cross during late WWII in France. It was beautifully written and you can imagine the scenery like you are standing alongside the characters.

Three Wishes is another great read from Laine Moriarty. Triplets Lyn, Cat and Gemma attract attention wherever they go and the story begins at a restaurant celebrating their 34th birthdays when a very dramatic argument breaks out. The story then goes back to the events leading up to that evening and told by multiple perspectives including random strangers that interact with the triplets. Each of their lives are turned upside down as they deal with miscarriage, domestic abuse and infidelity. The author does a good job buffering the intense issues with humor and while this is not a light and funny read, there are parts where you will laugh out loud. The characters each have distinct personalities that are relatable and whether you like them or not, you feel their joy, pain and frustration as they deal with their relationships and move through life.

What books have you read lately? Let me know in the comments!

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Meet Jill

Welcome to Doused in Pink, a fashion-focused lifestyle blog where you will find posts about style inspiration, non-toxic beauty, articles on living a healthy lifestyle, DIYs and decorating ideas. Grab a glass of your favorite beverage, sit back, relax and stay awhile!

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