Reading, Lately

1 // 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess I've heard things about this book for while, but I just recently read it when my sister let me borrow her copy. It is an extremely easy read, and I love Jen Hatmaker's writing. She is so honest, and she words things in a way that can just make you laugh! I loved the premise of the book, which is to simplify seven areas of life to focus more on what matters and to fight against the lifestyle of excess that is so prevalent in the U.S. The extent to which Jen experimented cutting back in these seven areas was quite impressive, as practically I don't think I could do what she did. For that reason, I didn't see the book as a guide or an example of something I would like to try, but I did like that it made me stop and think about how much food I waste, how many things I throw away, how much time I spend on the internet/phone/social media, how many clothes are in my closet that I don't wear, etc. I think it is important to be mindful of just how much we are blessed with, because it moves us to be more grateful.

2 // Undetected I love all of Dee Henderson's books, and this was no exception. It's a perfect summer read, as evidenced by my reading the entire book by the pool one Saturday. Dee Henderson writes in such a way that you feel like you really get to know the characters, and I love that in her books. It is a sweet love story that is maybe a little predictable, but very enjoyable nonetheless.

3 // Bittersweet I have to admit that this book was a little darker than I was hoping. It's about a poor college girl who spends the summer with her very wealthy roommate's family at their summer estate. The girl finds herself mixed up in the family drama and works to uncover the many secrets she believes the family has. The book was good in the sense that I wanted to keep reading it to find out what happens, but it wasn't uplifting or funny or inspiring by any means. Overall it was just not the type of book that I normally read, but that isn't to say it's not worth picking up if you'd like an easy read with some twisted rich people drama.

4 // The Girl You Left Behind This was by far my favorite book out of this bunch, both for the writing and the story line. I hadn't read anything by Jojo Moyes before, but I'm excited to read some of her other works now! The book starts in France during World War I, where the main character Sophie and her sister work to keep their families safe as their husbands fight at the front. Sophie's most prized possession is a portrait of herself painted by her husband, but exactly what happened to the painting during the war is a mystery, as a century later the new owner of the painting is threatened with losing it forever. I couldn't put this book down - highly recommend!

5 // We Were Liars This book has quite a good plot and a great twist at the end. I don't want to say too much else because I don't want to give it away, but I really enjoyed reading this one!

Disclosure: I received Bittersweet from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for my review. All opinions are 100% my own.