I’m learning my lesson with these. I should probably get in the habit of doing them once a month.

I have been cruising on my reading goal for 2016. I have finished 10 books this year. I have a goal of 40 books this year and I’m just a tiny bit behind that right now.

Looking at my list for the year so far, I feel like I’ve read a bunch of beach reads, but I’ll fill you in on what I loved and what was just OK.
3 Stars – which means it was good, but not anything to write home about.
The Charlaine Harris book – I’ve had these on my bookshelf for years and I kind of just got over it. I watched the show True Blood for a few seasons and just got bored of it all. Now that it’s been a while, I’m going to finally read the rest of them and give them away. If vampires and other fantasy creatures are your thing, these may be your thing.
Star Island by Carl Hiaasen – I loved Skinny Dip. This book wasn’t as great for me. It was entertaining, but a little too odd for me. It’s like a tabloid magazine blown up into one long book. I will for sure give him another shot. 
4 Stars – which means I liked the book a lot and would probably recommend it.
The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Liane Moriarty – I liked this story. It was another story that switches view points throughout. It was an interesting story to follow. I’ve read many of her books and they all have a similar style and it doesn’t disappoint for me. It wasn’t my favorite of Moriarty’s books, but I liked it.
A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams – This would be a great beach read. It is a story of friends from the early 1900’s that find themselves in a love triangle with lots of interesting turns. It is set in a little beach town in New England and you feel like you can picture every detail of the quiet town as you’re reading it. 
How to be Single by Liz Tuccillo – This was very Eat, Pray, Love for the single girls. It was interesting to read the sections in different countries, but a lot of it was really unbelievable for me. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I’ll netflix it when it’s on DVD for sure. 
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak – So I love this book, but it’s not a five star book for me. It is a very well written story, but the ending seemed rushed for me. I wanted to cry like a baby at the end, but it didn’t happen, so I just feel like there could have been something more. Tell me what you think. My husband gave this five stars and I think maybe I was expecting too much?? 
After You by JoJo Moyes – I love that this story has characters from Me Before You, but it was different. Sometimes sequels can just be milking the original wonderful stories, but I thought this was a great transition to a new story line with the same characters that I loved from the first book. 
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff – This book made me think lots. It was a book for me that I didn’t know how I felt about it the entire time I was reading it. I’m still thinking about it over a month later. It wasn’t a story that made me feel happy or warm, but just emotional in a way that is hard to describe. Who else has read this?? 
5 Stars – which means I loved the book and I would read again and send it off to others
#Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso – I could probably write a separate post about this book. I love “self-help” books that are real people just telling you their stories. I also live in the real world and understand that sometimes people get extremely lucky doing something awesome. I loved reading her story because it was a simple version of the happenings in life that got her where she is. It’s a book I will read again and one that I have shared with coworkers. Lots of people have mixed reviews, but I went in with little expectations and felt like the book gave me a little boost of happy and a bigger boost of inspiration. 
So that’s what I’ve got for the great reading link up from Steph and Jana. Go see all the people that link up and find some new books to read.
Tell me your favorite Carl Hiaasen book or your favorite how to be awesome book. Maybe I’ll read all suggestions and then share the best ones. I love that shit.