My recent reads

"The Lovely Bones" - 2 out of 5 stars
This one was recommended to me through a bunch of different people.  They told me that it is about a young girl that dies and tells her story from heaven.  I honestly had a really hard time reading this one.  Before I read the book, I did not realize that the way that she died was being raped and murdered.  If I would have known they were going to talk about rape I never would have read it.  I don't like that topic and I tend to stray away from movies/books about it.  I wasn't prepared to read about that so in depth, so I think that killed the entire book for me.  The whole time I was just focused on, "does he get caught" or "is the dad going to find and and kill him" that I couldn't actually enjoy the book.  Definitely was not my thing.

"Hope Ignites" - Jaci Burton- 4 out of 5 stars
This is your typical romance novel where you know the girl is going to get the guy at the end.  After something so dark as the last one, I needed something light and with a "feel-good" attitude.  The woman, Desiree, in the book is a take no crap kind of girl, and that was a lot of fun to read.  She is an actress that is starring in a movie that is being filmed on a local rancher's (Logan) land.  This the second book of the Hope series, and I actually read the first one as well.  She goes through each recurring character's love story in each of the books.

"Someday, Someday, Maybe" - Lauren Graham - 3 out of 5 stars
I really really wanted to like this one, but it ended up being just kind of "meh" to me...  The story is about a girl moving to New York to pursue her acting career.  She faces a lot of rejection and worries that she won't "make it" and will have to move back home with her parents.  It was a lot of fun for me to read because I was in the theater business for so long, but I just couldn't get into it for some reason.

"The Cupcake Queen" - Heather Helper - 3 out of 5 stars
This was another one that was just "okay".  It is a "young readers" type of book and was a really easy read, with short chapters.  It is about a young girl (Penny) whose mother moves them from New York City to the small town that she grew up in, while her father stays behind in New York.  She meets a few great friends, a cute boy, and even makes some enemies almost right away.  It's a cute story with some serious moments as she tries to understand her parent's separation.

Next up on my reading list is:

"The Name of the Wind" - Patrick Rothfuss
This is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard

"Larkspur Road" - Jill Gregory
         Fifth grade teacher Mia Quinn expected a tranquil summer in her hometown of Lonesome Way, Montana, sewing for her quilting group’s exhibition fundraiser and caring for her rescued dog, Samson. But all her plans for a relaxing break are thrown out the window when Travis Tanner—the boy who broke her heart in high school—returns to town with his ten year old adopted step-son. 
          A former FBI agent, the boy Mia once knew is now well over six feet of male muscle—and he still has the power to make Mia lose her train of thought with just a glance. When Travis asks her to tutor his troubled son, Mia quickly discovers that the sparks between them are hotter than ever. As danger comes to Lonesome Way and family secrets come to light, will Travis and Mia realize that love can be even better the second time around?

"Shoe Addicts Anonymous" - Beth Harbison
        Helene Zaharis's  politician husband  keeps her on a tight leash and cancels her credit cards as a way of controlling her. Lorna Rafferty is up to her eyeballs in debt and can't stop her addiction to Ebay. Sandra Vanderslice, battling agoraphobia, pays her shoe bills by working as a phone sex operator. And Jocelyn Bowen is a nanny for the family from hell (who barely knows a sole from a heel but who will do anything to get out of the house). 
         On Tuesday nights, these women meet to trade shoes, and, in the process, form friendships that will help them each triumph over their problems—from secret pasts to blackmail, bankruptcy, and dating.  Funny, emotional, and powerful, Shoe Addicts Anonymous is the perfect read for any woman who has ever struggled to find the perfect fit.

"Butterfly Cove" - Christina Skye
         Maybe opposites don't always attract. If they did, architect Olivia Sullivan would have run away with bad boy Rafe Russo when they were teenagers. Instead, Olivia has spent ten years dreaming up designs for a life that hasn't gone the way she planned. Still reeling from her career's implosion and her father's death, Olivia thanks her lucky stars for the support of her three lifelong friends. But this good girl is through sitting on the sidelines. When Rafe returns to the beautiful Oregon coast where they grew up, her former flame ignites a new desire. Now Olivia must take a walk on the wild side to show the new deputy that in matters of love, being bad can feel very good.
       Freshly back from Afghanistan, rugged ex-Marine and new deputy Rafe is done breaking laws and hearts. He's always regretted leaving Olivia behind, but now she's after adventure and he'd better proceed with caution. Because wanting her again might be easy, but fighting for a future together will be his biggest risk yet

Have you read any great books lately?  Do you have any suggestions?? Have you read any of the ones on my list, were they any good???