Last year was what I guess I would call, the year of the new authors for me. In the past, I had a tendency to stick with the authors I knew, James Patterson, Stephen King, Janet Evanovich, John Grisham… You get the idea. I wasn’t really wanting to branch out from there into uncharted territory. It was safe in my reading bubble, I knew I liked their writing style. I knew that in approximately 300 pages I would be told a tale that had kept me on the edge of my seat page after page. But… when you read faster than they can write, the bubble starts to get a little lonely.
Towards the end of the year I was running out of my go to’s so I decided to venture out and find some new reads.
That was a struggle!
I don’t know about you, but my process for picking a new read is harder than Helen Keller trying to decipher between her library card and her credit card— I know, I know, I’m probably going to go to hell for that one, but this is, Brash & Bookish.
If I am going to invest in the book, not only my money, but my time to read the book, I want to do my best to make sure I’m not going to end up disappointed. So, first thing that Saturday, I laced up my sneakers and off to Barnes and Noble I went. I spent two… ehh mayyyybe closer to three hours walking around the store picking up various books, reading the back cover, turning the book over and staring at the front cover, opening the book jacket, reading what was written inside there, only to set it back down again and move along to the next table to see what they had to offer.
Sure there are a bunch of people on the inside flap singing the books praises, telling you just how amazing this book is, but that’s not really what I need to know, besides, are we even sure any of these people have even read the book? Or are they a paid actor just like those poor souls that do that little jig on the Pepto Bismol commercial—don’t get me wrong, I love that commercial. It emits a giggle from me each time they reach the diarrhea part and point to their rear ends and draw out the di-a-rrheeeaaa.
But that’s not what I need to know
What I need to know is what they don’t like about the book. I need to know why someone quit reading on page 53 or why someone took 6 months to read the book and they never got past chapter 4. Could they just not stomach more than 2 sentences a day?
So to say I left Barnes and Noble a little disappointed, is an understatement. Here I came to the Wally World of Book Stores, only to leave with another James Patterson book. Don’t get me wrong, the book was FANNNNTASTIC! As you will see in my review, I mean, after all, it was James Patterson. I don’t think he has written a book that I didn’t like. Sure, some are better than others, but none IMHO that have been a complete bomb. But I needed some new authors! New to me, at least.
I was looking for something different
Something newer… Something Fresh. So I came home and began to search Amazon and Goodreads. I don’t know why it seemed so much easier, possibly just the simple fact that you can sit at home in front of your computer screen, on your tablet or what have you. In your jammies with your favorite drink— a steaming cup of hot cocoa in my case— and just take your time browsing. Not having to feel the pressure of, are you in someone’s way. Not feeling like someone may be judging you for what you might pick up… or don’t. It was easier… smoother… it was stress free.
I found a couple of new picks in a matter of 20 minutes First one out of the gate was Riley Sager, The House Across The Lake. Oh my goodness. BEST BOOK I HAVE READ IN A LONG LONG TIME! I loved the suspense and plot twists that this book gave me. Two separate times I had to go back and re-read different parts of the book because I was absolutely, without-a-doubt-certain that the author had told me something completely different a few chapters back. I LOOOOOVE books like that! He is such a master at deception that I would have sworn under oath that things were completely different. Well done, Sir! Well Done!
Another author I stumbled onto… I don’t know why I say stumbled, she’s been completely ruling the New York Times Bestseller list, the USA Today Bestseller list, and probably a handful of other bestseller lists that haven’t even been thought of yet.
She is just that good!
In case you haven’t already guessed who I’m talking about, I’m talking about Colleen Hoover. I began with It Ends With Us. I literally couldn’t put this book down. I’m almost ashamed to say I finished it in one day… Almost. Of course, I wanted more, heck I needed more, so I moved immediately onto It Starts With Us. I know it seems like those two titles are backwards in the succession, but they aren’t, I promise.
It took me more than a day to finish. Not because it wasn’t as good, but because I had those pesky little things called responsibilities get in the way. But I power read though it every chance I got. I read it while the spaghetti boiled. While I was standing in line at the pharmacy. While I was on the phone with my mother-in-law… ok, maybe not the last one—or did I?
I may not have finished it in a day, but it did not take me long. I’m sure I completed it in under 4 days. It was simply fantastic! I certainly see what all the buzz is about and will be diving into her other books soon.
But for now I have moved onto a book from one of our favorite friends, Matthew Perry’s Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. Stay tuned, I’ll let you know exactly what I think.
If you would like to check out any of the books mentioned in this post, they are available on Amazon or you can get them for free when you sign up for a free trial from Audible.
Until then, Stay Brash, Stay Bookish, Stay true to you!
