This week’s post is a throwback to my first 10 book reviews…ever. I used Goodreads as it goes back the farthest. This was… interesting (?) to see what books I was reading in 2012-2016… true crime, romance and my first Jodi Picoult! These are the first ten that have more than just a starred rating. These are not edited and are a bit cringe worthy. 😂 🤣 (Links to Goodreads)

March 2012 – Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

Crazy good. Raw. Emotional. The story of the Latham family is told in the present tense. Characters are brought to life in a slow, gorgeous pace…building up to the climax. As a mother, it was a difficult read. But I didn’t want the story to end. Loved it.

March 2012 Secrets to Happiness by Sarah Dunn

Eh. Slice of life stories about Holly Frick and some of her friends. Holly was likeable in some ways, but her personality developed slowly. The other characters were semi-interesting, and how Holly reacted to their stories was telling. Her best quality was that she kept trying to “do the right thing” and find some morality. The story felt disjointed, and jumped from story line to story line. I did NOT like Amanda’s story. Maybe just too light for me.

Here is my favorite quote:

“You’ve got to let people be just, you know, people. Everybody does bad things sometimes, for all sorts of reasons. You’ve got to try to at least understand.”

March 2012 Love the One You’re With by Emily Giffin

I just love Emily Giffin’s writing style! I’ve read several of her other books and this one I definitely had to slow down to read. There was a lot of turmoil over Ellen’s decision, and I could see how she was sucked in by Leo and their history. I really enjoyed it.

May 2012 Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

Well, yes its a book in the erotica genre. But ultimately its a love story. No, really! The BDSM world is not for everyone, but I think it was well done. Loved the trilogy…writing was a little ordinary, but story was well done. Loved the email snarkiness. And NO, I do not want to see this done in a movie 🙂

June 2012 House Rules by Jodi Picoult

I really liked it! Suspenseful. Engaging characters. Amazing research on Asbergers. Will definitely read this author again!

July 2012 The Road Through Wonderland: Surviving John Holmes by Dawn Schiller

Amazing. Chilling. What a sad sad story. I was 8 years old in 1981, and don’t recall any of these headlines. Dawn’s story is simply told in the present tense, but I couldn’t put it down. I’m very drawn to that time in history, 70s and 80s. Not sure if I would see the Wonderland movie, but loved the foreword from Val Kilmer and Kate Bosworth. Now to read something a little more light!

September 2014 The Book of You by Claire Kendal

Creepy stalker. Some psycho bondage stuff. Very well written, suspenseful, eerie, hard to put down!

April 2015 What I Remember Most by Cathy Lamb

Hard to describe the feelings I have after reading this book… The characters were my friends and they will live with me for a long time. Easily one of my top 10 of all time. It was suspenseful and funny, heart wrenching and deep, joyful and I didn’t want it to end! Bravo Cathy Lamb!

November 2016 The Flood Girls by Richard Fifield

I have wanted to read this book for MONTHS and it didn’t disappoint. I absolutely adored this gorgeous story of Rachel and Jake and all the crazy characters living in a tiny town called Quinn. So colorful and vivid and daring. Redemption and forgiveness and shame and guilt. Laughed out loud and got out the tissues too. And the clothes. Oh the clothes!

January 2016 My Very Best Friend by Cathy Lamb

Cathy Lamb does it again! She breaks me with her writing every time. This story has so much depth and heart. Nerds, Scottish warriors, cats in sweaters, true love, true friendship, taped glasses, desperate pain, beautiful scenery, animals with funny names, letters and lies, gabbing and gobbling, a mystery and a murder to solve, extreme joy and hysterical laughter, historical and yet modern, thrift store finds and kilts, books and deep conversations, an ocean and two islands…. Clan TorBridgePherLott FOREVER!

QOTD: Do you remember the first book you reviewed?

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

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