Hey guys,

Let me just go ahead and hang my head in shame…. I did not complete “Half of  A Yellow Sun” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as proposed simply because I…. forgot to pack it 😦 . However, I did manage to finish three ( yes three) other books while I was on vacation.  I thought I’d share those with you.

Firstly, I finished the long awaited conclusion to the White Lines series by Tracy Brown entitled “White Lines III: All Falls Down .The synopsis is as follows:

On the surface, Jada’s life is back on track. She’s battled her demons, her son is a permanent part
of her life-and yet, it still feels like she’s on shaky ground. What she really needs to settle her soul is to have Born back in her life-and in her arms-again.

Reuniting with the man she loves is proving to be the hardest thing she’s ever fought for. And when a brutal and shocking event tests the foundation of Jada and Born’s resolve, it will take every drop of willpower they possess to stay on top.

Now let me tell you… I gave this book 5 stars. It was the perfect conclusion to the series. The original White Lines story is probably one of my favorite reads. Tracy Brown eloquently meshed her other series with this series and gave BOTH series the ending they deserved.  I’m excited to see what Tracy Brown will create next!

Next, I read the next installment in the Animal series by K’wan, Animal IV.  Honestly y’all…. I thought this was the end of the series but the way it ended, proves that their is another installment coming ( insert eye roll) The synopsis of the book is as follows:

From the moment Animal’s former lover Red Sonja showed up on his doorstep, he knew trouble wouldn’t be far behind. It wasn’t because the last time he’d seen her, he had been fleeing for his life from a strange island. Nor was it because of the little girl she had in tow, claiming Animal was the father. It was because women like Red Sonja carried trouble around with them like designer purses. He knew getting involved with Sonja again would come at a price, but he had no idea how steep the price would be until it was too late. With his wife gone and his children abducted by a ruthless drug cartel, Animal must lead a suicide mission into the lair of one of the most dangerous assassins in the world, a woman who calls herself Tiger Lily. To go against Tiger Lily and the cartel Animal would need an army, so the call to arms is put out and the streets readily answer. Leading a handful of loyal souls against seemingly insurmountable odds, Animal races against the clock to save his children and put a stop to Tiger Lily and the cartel’s plans, while trying to stay one step ahead of the two detectives following the trail of bodies. Things take an unexpected turn when Animal learns a dark truth hidden beneath what he had been led to believe that changes everything, including who can be trusted. When the Grand Design his father had always spoken of is finally revealed Animal will be forced to make the hard choice between love, loyalty, and vengeance.

This book was a 3 star at most, and that’s me being generous.  I don’t even know if I want to finish this series. We’ll see. 🙂

Lastly, I  read ( actually re-read) a book by the author Emily Giffin called, “Where We Belong”( Emily Giffin is the author of the “Something Borrowed” series.  )

The synopsis of the story is as follows:

Marian Caldwell is a thirty-six-year-old television producer living her dream in New York City. With a fulfilling career and picture-perfect relationship, she has convinced everyone, including herself, that her life is just as she wants it to be. But one night, Marian answers a knock on the door . . . only to find Kirby Rose, an eighteen-year-old girl with a key to a past that Marian thought she had locked away forever.

From the moment Kirby appears on her doorstep, Marian’s meticulously constructed world will be shaken to its core, resurrecting memories of a passionate young love affair that threaten everything that has come to define her. For the precocious and headstrong Kirby, the encounter will spur a process of discovery that ushers her across the threshold of adulthood, forcing her to reevaluate her family and future in a wise and bittersweet light.

As Marian and Kirby embark on a quest to find the one thing missing in their lives, each will come to recognize that where we belong is often where we least expect to find ourselves. A place that we may have willed ourselves to forget, but that the heart remembers forever.

This a great read! Emily Giffin is just one of those authors that I will always gravitate towards. The way she pieces a story together with such vigor and life; vivacious character development and vivid imagery, is simply superb. 5 out of 5 stars for this book. Give it a read if you can!

So that’s what I read this holiday season. I can’t promise I am going to read anything else for the duration of my holiday… strong signs point to no (lol) Coming up early next year is my 2016 TBR list ( to be read list) and reading goals! Have an awesome Wednesday!

xoxo