Nerd Girl Loves Books

4 stars

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Generally I get a bit skeptical when I see so much hype about a book, but I have to admit, this is a really good book. The Four Monkey Killer has terrorized the citizens of Chicago for five years. Det. Sam Porter has been on the case since day one. When the killer’s body is found it’s discovered that he has taken another victim. He also left behind a diary which gives Det. Porter a glimpse into the depraved mind of the killer. With the help of the diary, Det. Porter races the clock to find the kidnapped girl before it’s too late. Continue reading “The Fourth Monkey (A 4MK Thriller #1) by J.D. Barker” →

4.5 stars

A very fitting ending to a great series of books. I have loved these characters and books for years. It was very bittersweet to say goodbye to some of the characters in the book, but at least the author gave them a worthy finale. Continue reading “Assassin’s Fate (The Fitz and the Fool #3) by Robin Hobb” →

3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, fluffy, quick read. It’s definitely written for a younger audience. It’s not a long book, has short chapters and the writing is fairly simply. That’s not to say that the subject matter and story falls short. Quite the contrary. Continue reading “Knight of Light (The Watchers #1) by Dierdra Eden” →

3.5 stars

This was our July book club book. The author grew up in a poor family from Kentucky and through hard work and a fierce grandmother was able to earn his way into Yale law school and change the course of life for his immediate family. The book tells the story of his life and family and is interspersed with facts and statistics about rural Americans and low income families living in the Rust Belt.

3.5 Stars

I received a free copy of this story on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is being released in 6 parts. This is part 1 of the installment. The story introduces us to Sarah. She is a young mother of 4 month old Elliot. She is married to Warwick, who comes from “old” money. Warwick is a classical handsome man that Sarah feels lucky to be with, but Warwick isn’t quite as All-American as he seems. Continue reading “Take it to the Grave Part 1 of 6 by Zoe Carter” →

2.5 stars

So I must have been living under a rock the last few months because I had no idea this book was so controversial. I’m glad that I didn’t know about all of it so I could read it without any preconceptions. That said, it’s an ok book. Not great, and not horrible. Continue reading “Carve the Mark (Carve the Mark #1) by Veronica Roth” →

4 stars

This was a very sweet book that I enjoyed reading. The story centers on a small town, Chilbury, near the coast of England in the early part of WWII. Most of the men are gone to fight the war, leaving no men for the church choir. When the vicar announces that the choir will be shut down due to a lack of male voices, a new resident convinces the vicar to let her lead the choir. At first skeptical, the ladies eventually embrace the new choir director, whose wisdom helps each woman find strength within themselves they didn’t know they had. Each lady faces her own obstacles and struggles, and the story unfolds through a series of letters, diary entries and personal journals. Continue reading “The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir by Jennifer Ryan” →

4.5

This is the second book in the series and it is just as unique and good as the first book. The story is also told in a series of diary entries, emails, instant messages, surveillance footage summaries, and amazing illustrations. This book is just as large as the first book, but it’s a very quick, engrossing read. Continue reading “Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) by Aime Kaufman and Jay Kristoff” →

4.5

Wow. This book is very unique and so, so good. The story is told in a series of diary entries, emails, instant messages, surveillance footage summaries, medical reports, interviews and amazing illustrations. This clever method sucks the reader into the story, making it hard to put down. Despite the book clocking in at 599 pages, it’s a very quick, engrossing read. Continue reading “Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff” →