#3: Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

If you liked Gone Girl, read this other Flynn novel that was written before Gone Girl.  It's not quite Gone Girl caliber, but it does make you wonder about what goes on in Gillian Flynn's mind.  It's the story of Libby Day, a now 30 year old woman who lived through a mass killing of her family.  Her brother Ben went to jail for the murders, but now 22 years later, Libby starts asking questions that may prove that Ben was not, in fact, the killer.  It's intense for sure, but not quite as over the top as Gone Girl.

I laughed when I was reading her Thank You section at the end of the book--she thanked her husband for knowing what goes through her mind AND still wanting to sleep next to her each night.  Hilarious!

A good read.  Now I can watch the movie!

Happy reading!
-Dodie

#1: Dragonfly in Amber and #2: Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

I said that I wasn't going to blog about books in 2015 unless they moved me in some way, or I felt the need to write about a particular book.  Well, I do intend to keep that promise, mostly to myself because I began to dread writing about each and every book I read.  But, I do plan to list the books I read in this blog so that I can continue to have a record of what I read.

Dragonfly in Amber and Voyager are the second and third books in the Outlander series, to which I have become addicted.  I have watched the entire first season of Outlander twice, I now own the CD's for season one and listen to the beautiful music in my car, and Rob gave me a page-a-day calendar that sits on my bedside table.  I have not yet begun book 4, although I did buy it and it's just waiting for me, because my good friend Scottie has not yet finished Voyager and I don't like to read when I can't talk to her about what I am reading, so I am waiting until she starts reading book 4 to begin it myself.

Outlander is the greatest epic love story I have ever read.  It makes you think and feel and it has caused my relationship with Google to expand, as I look up places and historical events that I never dreamed of learning about.  I can't not wait to begin book 4 and I really can't wait for the second season of Outlander to start on Starz in April.  Rob even watched the first season with me, so this isn't just a girlie story.  Now, I doubt he'd read the books (they are insanely long--Voyager is 870 pages--dense, long pages), but he will watch it with me when it comes back to TV.

This is a great series to pick up if you aren't afraid of long books and want to read an amazing story.

Happy reading!
-Dodie

2015 Top Ten List

This year, unlike other years, I am actually going to rank my Top 10 Favorite Books.  I had not planned on doing this, but since I just read one of my original posts and am now in tears, I figured that because one book moved me so much and allowed for such intense personal growth and reflection, it didn't deserve to just be stuck ion the middle of a random list.  It rocketed its way to the top of the list.  

So, if you can't find time to read 52 books this year (and I know for a fact that with my new addiction to the Outlander series I won't come close to reading 52 books this year), take a look at this list of my Top 10 Favorites and maybe you can find something from this list to read. 

Enjoy! 

10. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
9. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
8. On the Island (series) by Tracey Garvis Graves
7. Five Brides by Eva Marie Everson
6. Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
5. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
4. Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner
3. Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
2. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

and my favorite book of the year is....

1. The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers