The Paris Wife

The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain

Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway and her life changes forever. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group—the fabled “Lost Generation”—that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

Though deeply in love, the Hemingways are ill-prepared for the hard-drinking and fast-living life of Jazz Age Paris, which hardly values traditional notions of family and monogamy. Surrounded by beautiful women and competing egos, Ernest struggles to find the voice that will earn him a place in history, pouring all the richness and intensity of his life with Hadley and their circle of friends into the novel that will become The Sun Also Rises. Hadley, meanwhile, strives to hold on to her sense of self as the demands of life with Ernest grow costly and her roles as wife, friend, and muse become more challenging. Despite their extraordinary bond, they eventually find themselves facing the ultimate crisis of their marriage—a deception that will lead to the unraveling of everything they’ve fought so hard for.

                    I recently finished "The Paris Wife' and I absolutely couldn't put it down. Paula McLain does an amazing job at making Hadley's love story fell like your own. I grew attached to her romance with Hemmingway because she was so descriptive. She painted a vivid image of their spontaneous life. I would recommend this book to someone who wants to be swept off their feet by indulging in the magic that was Hadley's and Ernest's relationship, but can deal with the heart break of a tragedy.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Franny and Zooey

Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger

The short story, "Franny", takes place in an unnamed college town and tells the tale of an undergraduate who is becoming disenchanted with the selfishness and inauthenticity she perceives all around her.

The novella, Zooey, is named for Zooey Glass, the second-youngest member of the Glass family. As his younger sister, Franny, suffers a spiritual and existential breakdown in her parents' Manhattan living room -- leaving Bessie, her mother, deeply concerned -- Zooey comes to her aid, offering what he thinks is brotherly love, understanding, and words of sage advice.

                                   I was very surprised by the ssophisticatedmanner in which this book was written. In stark contrast to Salinger's other famous work, "The Catcher in the Rye", this book was immensely wordy, and where as Holden from Catcher despises actors, one of the main characters in this book, Zooey Glass, is a professional actor, with the other Franny, being an amateur. It is a read which deserves periodic reflection, and may require one to carry around a pocket dictionary, but despite and also because of these facts it is a satisfying and worthwhile read.

Rating: 8.877777 out of 10

Shadow and Bone

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

                                         Griff- This book is full of mystery and action. It will keep readers on their toes as they read through the adventures of the main character. The reader will cheer and cry along with the characters and feel as though they were with them. If you're in the mood for suspense and mystery this book is definitely for you!

Rating:10 out of 10

The Green Beauty Guide

The Green Beauty Guide By Julie Gabrial

Go green and get gorgeous The promise of beauty is as close as the drugstore aisle shampoo that gives your hair more body, lotions that smooth away wrinkles, makeup that makes your skin look flawless, and potions that take it all off again. But while conventional products say they'll make you more beautiful, they contain toxins and preservatives that are both bad for the environment and bad for your body including synthetic fragrances, petrochemicals, and even formaldehyde. In the end, they damage your natural vitality and good looks. 
Fortunately, fashion writer, nutritionist, and beauty maven Julie Gabriel helps you find the true path to natural, healthy, green beauty. She helps you decipher labels on every cosmetic product you pick up and avoid toxic and damaging chemicals with her detailed Toxic Ingredients List. You'll learn valuable tips on what your skin really needs to be healthy, glowing, and youthful. 

                                                        This book is great for anyone ooking to increase their knowledge on the toxic chemicals we but into our bodies via cosmetics! It is a wonderful foundation in starting a greener life style. The recipes are a bit advanced, so try checking the internet for more basic ones, before trying the ones in the book. If you are concerned about putting cancer causing agents in your body you need this book!

Rating: 9 out of 10

We Were Liars

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

                                   "Me, Johnny, Mirren, and Gat. Gat, Mirren Johnny, and me." They were liars, but they were so beautiful. Lockhart wrote one of the deepest and most beautiful novels ever.  Each chapter is like a short story. Also, every paragraph seemed as if it was the last. Lockhart is gifted. She is deep and her writing is like no other. 

Rating: 10 out of 10

City Of Bones

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

                                   Griff- This book emotionally tore me limb from limb with twists and turns all along the way. Just when you think you know everything, there's something else the author adds to give it a spin. this book was fantastic and I recommend it to all audiences. The author's style will leave you curious, and that will force you to go out and get the next book. 

Rating: 10 out of 10

This Star Won't Go Out

This Star Won't Go Out by Ester Earl with Lori &Wayne Earl 

A collection of the journals, fiction, letters, and sketches of the late Esther Grace Earl, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 16. Photographs and essays by family and friends will help to tell Esther’s story along with an introduction by award-winning author John Green

                                This book was eye opening. To be able to read someone's diary is one of the most interesting experiences. Rarely do you get the unfiltered truth of what it's like to be a cancer patient, but in this book Esther Earl tells you what it is like. Esther's story of friendship and hardship inspired me. Nonfiction isn't my cup of tea, but Esther's inspiring story kept me interested until the end. 

Rating: 9 out of 10