The After Series by Anna Todd

After, After We Collided, After We Fell, After Ever Happy, Before

by Anna Todd

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Yup, I am putting this train wreck of a series all together.  I was completely obsessed with this and it was terribly wonderful.  I was having a wonderful To All the Boys movie party with my friends when this new Netflix movie was brought up.  I agreed to go and watch it and when I found out it was a book, I bought number one and then the next day bought the whole series, I was hooked.  This series gets 5 stars because I read all of them in about a week and was completely consumed with these books. They are a little or a lot for mature readers.  But I just had to know what was going to happen to Hardin and Tessa. They have the most toxic relationship that you really can't help but cheer for, in some strange not normal way.  I would be like "oh they can get through this" but in my own personal life I would never and I mean NEVER put up with the crap that Tessa does.  Like I said before this series consumed all my free time for a solid week and I am not sorry about it.  Now the books are being rotated around to my friends so they can all have all the emotions that go along with After.

Tessa is a sweet girl who always has done the right thing, has the perfect boyfriend from high school and does really well in school.  In comes bad boy Hardin, who can have any girl he wants, has a pretty rough history and for some reason can't stay away from Tessa.  Tessa becomes unable to resist Hardin and spends all her time with him and falls for him, even when everyone including Hardin tells her she should stay away from him.  Tessa ends things with her high school boyfriend and being with Hardin has her questioning who she is and who she really wants to be.  This series follows the relationship ups and downs of Hessa! (ahhh how adorable)

The Friend Zone by Sariah Wilson

The Friend Zone

by Sariah Wilson

⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

How did I fall upon this book... Facebook actually.  I follow a bunch of Facebook book club pages and this one popped up.  So I clicked on it an read some reviews and decided to give it a go.  I am giving this book 3 1/2 stars just because it seemed pretty predictable to me.  There was not much that really had me on the edge of my seat wondering what could happen next. Overall it was a nice read, just very predictable!

Logan is a star quarterback who had a hot temper, he got kicked off his college football team for fighting and is basically on his last resort.  He gets recruited to a new school and this coach is very serious and has a long list of rules.  One of his rules is no dating, seems ridiculous but whatever.  Anyways, Logan is really trying to follow the coaches rules, and want to do well for himself.  He wants to graduate and be better than his parents and have a 4.0.  He gets a math tutor, who happens to be the very off limits coaches daughter, Jess.  They have chemistry and very flirty encounters but Logan and Jess both know the rules that he father has set.  Can they follow the rules and just be friends, even though their hearts want more?

Adorkable by Cookie O'Gorman

Adorkable

by Cookie O'Gorman

⭐⭐⭐⭐

One of my favorite young adult books that I have read was the To All the Boys Series, and this book is the cousin to that series.  If you like the fake dating in high school story line then this is a great choice for you! I give it 4 stars because I think it is pretty tough to top To All the Boys I've Loved Before.  Although I could see myself reading this one again just for a quick fun little read.  

Sally and Becks have been best friends since early elementary school.  Sally is a girl who loves Harry Potter and is constantly being set up on dates by her best girl friend.  Becks is the popular soccer player, who constantly get attention from all the girls in school.  Sally and Becks have a very strong friendship, but what happens when Sally asks Becks to be her fake boyfriend to get her friend to stop setting her up on dates.  I mean what could possibly go wrong pretending to be in a relationship with your best friend.

Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey

Waiting for Tom Hanks

by Kerry Winfrey

⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐

This book is your classic rom com movie in book format.  Has many references to Tom Hanks in his rom com films. I give this book 5 stars, it is a feel good book that had me staying up extra late to read.  When I finish a book in 24 hours, it must be pretty good!

 

Annie is a girl who has come up with a reason for every relationship to not work.  She has been known for asking for specific questions on dates based on the rom com films she loves so much.  Annie is excited when it is announced that a rom com is going to be shot in her town.  She and her friend go exploring and she turns right into the leading actor, Drew, and spills her coffee down the front of him.  She gets a job as the directors assistant and can't seem to stay away from Drew.  She feels like he is not her happily ever after because of his past.  Can Annie get past her idea of her own Tom Hanks and see what is right in front of her?

We Met in December by Rosie Curtis

We Met in December

by Rosie Curtis

⭐⭐

I read so many reviews on this book, some were great and some were not so great.  I am a sucker for a great romance book so I wanted to love this one, but sadly I did not.  I tried so hard but I spent most of this book frustrated at the characters.

.

Jess moves to Notting Hill in London to start a new career and moves in with a good friend.  There are four people living in this house together and one happens to be the good looking Alex.  Alex and Jess spend time flirting with each other but never act on it.  Throughout the book they continue to flirt all while dating other people (this drives me crazy).  So this book is about their flirtatious attitudes towards each other while being involved with other people. I give it two stars, just because the author does a great job with getting you involved in the story and you really can picture everything that happens.  I just did not like the story line, that is a personal preference though!

Passion on Park Avenue by Lauren Layne

Passion on Park Avenue

by Lauren Layne

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Like I state before, Lauren Layne is a favorite of mine!  So get used to seeing her books on here because I read them all and fall in love with each page that I turn!

Naomi is the daughter of a housekeeper.  At nine years old she was tormented by Oliver the son of the family her mother worked for.  As an adult Naomi started a very successful business and she wants to prove to Oliver's family that she belong on Park Avenue.  Before her mother died she had filled out paperwork for Naomi to live in the Park Avenue building that she worked in when Naomi was a child.  Who happens to be her neighbor, Oliver.  One problem, Oliver doesn't remember her and is seriously crushing on her.  Naomi on the other hand wants nothing to do with him and has made it clear she does not like him.  Can these two work past their childhood problems and find a way to handle to passion building between them. 

The Prenup by Lauren Layne

The Prenup

by: Lauren Layne

⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

First I should start off by saying this, Lauren Layne is one of my most favorite authors!  She does an amazing job at making you fall in love with the characters in all her books and this one is no different.  If you are looking for a quick book to hit you in all the feelers, this one is it!

Charlotte and Colin (her brother's best friend) got married after high school, ten years ago.  They both had reasons to get married and love was not the reason.  Fast forward ten years and they are still married, Charlotte lives in California and Colin in New York.  It is quite possible that they have not seen each other since the wedding 😮.  That is until Colin emails her and said they need to talk.. uh oh!  Charlotte flies to New York and that is when Colin asks for a divorce!  Before they can actually get divorced, they learn that Charlotte's brother wrote the prenup and it included that the bride and groom must live under the same roof for three months.  What a sneaky fella!!  Two marriedd stranger living together... what could possibly go wrong?

Who is Kate?

Who is Kate?
- Kate is a teacher.  I teach 5th grade and love it. I have been teaching since 2009 and have taught 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th grades! I personally believe teaching is one of the most powerful professions just because it matters everyday. I have taught in both Iowa and Nebraska and am now lucky enough to teach at the same elementary school that I attended!

-Kate is a coach.  I have been coaching since the first day I started teaching. I have coached volleyball for 10 years, softball for 2 years, and track for 14 years. Coaching is a great opportunity to help kids grow and  reach goals.  It is great watching my athletes achieve goals that I knew they could achieve and getting them to believe in themselves while building their self confidence.

-Kate is a reader.  I read many 5th grade books and many adult books.  So far in 2020 I have read 53 books.  I have been trying to decide how I wanted to document the books I read both 5th grade and adult, and came up with the idea to blog a mini book review when I finish books!  I have been writing titles in a notebook and trying to keep track by months but it was not helping me remember a little snip from the book and then this idea came to my head.  So... we shall see how it goes!

-Kate is a daughter, sister, aunt and dog mama.  I love my family and am lucky to have a family that supports me in whatever ideas I have.  I have the best nieces and nephews and am lucky to have their love.  I am a dog mama to Melody.  She is my beagle dachshund mix.  Melody has been mine for 7 1/2 years, and I rescued her from a great rescue in Omaha, Nebraska called Hands, Hearts and Paws.  I am lucky to have found the perfect best furiend for me.  She is pretty adorable too!