Reading at the Beach

Hi Dee Ho Peeps!!!!

I'm in the middle of an amazing 2 week stay at the beach and let me tell you, I've been reading like crazy!!!!    Instead of bombarding you with all the pictures of the awesome food we are consuming I thought I'd let you in on what I've been reading!

Book #1

Save the Date by Mary Kay Andrews

I am a HUGE fan of the delightful Mary Kay Andrews and I was wonderfully blessed to win a House Party featuring this amazing author! Part of the party pack that I received was an advance copy of her newest book that will be released on June 3rd.   Peeps, it is funny and full of the most lovable Southern characters and if you need a great book that just makes you smile then read it.  You'll wish you were hanging out in Savannah with Cara the florist.   My grade A+

Book #2


Dark Places: A Novel by Gillian Flynn

This is the second novel written by Gillian Flynn and the second I've read.  Much like many other people she sucked me into her deep dark world with Gone Girl.  She's an amazing writer with a very strange and twisted mind but she keeps me reading and thinking.   This is a DARK story much like Gone Girl and she did in fact surprise me in the end, just not as much.   This was a great book though and I do recommend it if you can handle this type of dark material.  It's fiction people...you must remember that!!     My rating A+

UPDATE:   I just found out that this book is also being made into a movie coming out in September of 2014.  Sounds like a big year for Gillian Flynn books at the movies.   Chalize Theron is cast as the main character and I'll have to see, she's gonna need to be VERY convincing as a Libby Day because she is not who I pictured in that role.  I was thinking maybe Amy Adams, Emma Stone, someone on that line.  We shall see but I will definitely see this movie too!



Book #3

Always the Baker, Finally the Bride: Another Emma Rae Creation | Book 4

I've read all the books now in the Emma Rae Always the Baker series.   After I read something as dark and twisted as Dark Places I need something light and easy and fun.   I always enjoy the Emma Rae books and this was just what I needed.   A great beach read and something that lifts my spirits out of the depths of darkness.   A good fun series to read.   My rating A-

(Hey I'm on a roll here, nothing bad so far)
This is also where I hit a lull and could not decide what I wanted to read next so I took to the Facebook and got some great suggestions for my next reading adventures.   I got so many great suggestions and my Amazon wish list is now filled to the brim with books to read and the promise of some excellent new authors to get to know.

Book #4


Dixie Diva Blues

While narrowing down my reading choices I decided to read another in this fun series.   Once again another Southern series.  Trinket and Bitty and the Divas are up to their usual shenanigans and at this point I feel like I know these crazy ladies.   I finished this book in about a day and a half so you can tell that it is a nice easy fun read.  Another great beach book!!   My rating A-

Book #5


Sharp Objects: A Novel

After a couple of recommendations I decided to finish out Gillian Flynn's repertoire  with her first novel.   She is seriously a disturbed lady  :-)   Actually I'm only about half way through this book and it isn't nearly as twisted and deranged as the other two but still good.   I can't wait to see where she is going with this book although I have formed some preliminary ideas, they are probably way off base but that's the fun in reading isn't it?
UPDATE:   I finished this book this morning and I'll have to say my suspicions about where the story was headed was partially correct and my rating is an A-.  I definitely didn't enjoy this one as much as the other two books but it was still good.

I'll give you my final rating as soon as I finish with an update to this post and let you know what I decided to read next.   It'll be something light and fun though then we will move on to another serious  thriller.

Happy Days for me are spent at the beach with a kindle loaded full of books.  That's a good day!!
What about you peeps, what do you do at the beach?  Read any good books lately?   Let's fill the comment section with book ideas.  I have to keep loaded up on books, it's a 12 hour drive home you know!!!

Peace, Love & Beach Reading