Although in June I got a lot of books I did not read that many. But I feel that since I did a big haul I should do a wrap-up. Even if it's just for fun.
__________________________________________________
Trusting You & Other Lies by Nicole Williams
Phoenix can't imagine anything worse than being shipped off to family summer camp. Her parents have been fighting for the past two years—do they seriously think being crammed in a cabin with Phoenix and her little brother, Harry, will make things better?
On top of that, Phoenix is stuck training with Callum—the head counselor who is seriously cute but a complete know-it-all. His hot-cold attitude means he's impossible to figure out—and even harder to rely on. But despite her better judgment, Phoenix is attracted to Callum. And he's promising Phoenix a summer she'll never forget. Can she trust him? Or is this just another lie?
_______
On top of that, Phoenix is stuck training with Callum—the head counselor who is seriously cute but a complete know-it-all. His hot-cold attitude means he's impossible to figure out—and even harder to rely on. But despite her better judgment, Phoenix is attracted to Callum. And he's promising Phoenix a summer she'll never forget. Can she trust him? Or is this just another lie?
_______
Reading this book I thought it was going to be one thing but after I finished it I noticed that I had enjoyed the story, the characters and where everything had gone. While I did thnk that Phoenix was a bit too much sometimes I ended up not hating her which is good but I kinda wanted more out of her as a character. Like part of me wanted to see here more of a character, maybe even more fearless, but definitely be more involved in the camp activities. I don't know what I mean but it's just a feeling I got after a couple of weeks have passed since I read it.
Below is a link to my official review for Trusting You & Other Lies by Nicole Williams. And below that is a link to the GoodReads page.
_______________________________
The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg
A moving novel about three people who find their way back from loss and loneliness to a different kind of happiness. Arthur, a widow, meets Maddy, a troubled teenage girl who is avoiding school by hiding out at the cemetery, where Arthur goes every day for lunch to have imaginary conversations with his late wife, and think about the lives of others. The two strike up a friendship that draws them out of isolation. Maddy gives Arthur the name Truluv, for his loving and positive responses to every outrageous thing she says or does. With Arthur’s nosy neighbor Lucille, they create a loving and unconventional family, proving that life’s most precious moments are sweeter when shared.
_______
_______
This was one of those books where I didn't really think much about it but just asked for it. And NetGalley gave me the opportunity to read it. And again it wasn't such a bad book. I actually liked it.
It definitely tugged a heart string now that it's been weeks, like with Trusting You & Other Lies. Where it settled in my mind and now I ca tell that it was a good book, I don't know if I feel this way about the others but I adored Arthur as a character. He was well rounded; a good person, caring, smart, and even his flaws were good. He talked to the gravestones of the dead at cemeteries, that alone is creepy but with Arthur it was endearing.
Below is a link to my official review for The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg. And below that is a link to the GoodReads page.
_______________________________
Two Good Dogs by Susan Wilson
When Cody, a troubled fourteen-year-old, witnesses a murder, she tells no one. But it begins a spiral for her from which she cannot escape. Her worried mother Skye thinks a change of scene is just what her introverted, withdrawn daughter needs and since her dream has always been to own an inn, she jumps at the chance to buy a dilapidated bed & breakfast in the Berkshires. But being an innkeeper is harder than it seems and Cody still seems to fall in with the wrong crowd. When Adam March arrives as the inn’s only guest, he is accompanied by his rescued pit bull, Chance, a dog who has saved Adam in more ways than one. Cody and Chance begin a wary bond and soon, Adam finds another rescue who needs the kind of attention he gave Chance years ago. With Adam and Skye beginning a tentative relationship and Chance showing Cody how to trust again, this new-found family seems to be on the brink of second chances. But soon, a murderer is closing in—someone hiding in plain sight, and threatening everything and everyone—even Cody’s life.
_______
I don't know if reading the first book would make me understand some of the characters but I enjoyed this story.
It's such a beautiful story that hit a little home because I still hurt to remember that my dog had died last year. And seeing how much Adam and Migo loved their dogs Chance and Dawg made me happy. Definitely a book that I'm glad I read.
Below is a link to my official review for Two Good Dogs by Susan Wilson. And below that is a link to the GoodReads page.
_______________________________
