It’s BOOK REVIEW DAY!
If you’re in to books, it’s your day because I read FIVE this month and have their reviews below. Not into books? No worries! I am also sharing a “mix and match” of athletic wear from my favorite sources at various price points. Something for everyone 🙂 .
Five books, one little month, here we go…
Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old by Brooke Shields
This was our FEBRUARY BOOK CLUB read and well, I only gave it two stars. So, there’s that.
If you read it/don’t care about “spoilers”/want to read our thoughts and opinions of it from the book club, click HERE.
Basically, I picked this book as I *thought* it would be about Brooke Shields’ journey as a woman aging in Hollywood with maybe some amazing nuggets about her health, wellness and overall “how she’s doing it” (and clearly doing it well). In reality…it was a little bit about that and a lot about her Hollywood experiences sans any aging wisdom. It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t good, it was just kind of forgettable. It’s my fault for assuming the book would be about one thing when in reality, it was more about another.
If you are looking for a great memoir though, ironically, her ex-husband Andre Agassi wrote my very favorite memoir to date!
Next up…
The Lodge by Kayla Olson
Now this book was CUTE! I loved this little sweet rom com about a New York City author who goes away to Vermont for a month to ghost write a member by a former boy band member only to discover the cute guy across the hall (who has a connection to said boy band).
This one was meatier than a Hallmark movie while also being pretty Hallmark-y.
It was light, it was easy to read, it is set in a charming little snowy ski lodge, there are great characters, and it oozes winter charm. I could read books like this one over and over and over again. It was just HAPPY.
Two big thumbs up if you’re in to light little chick lit novels.
A Better Second Half by Liz Earle
Well, let’s just stop at the title. I hate to say it, but this is the book about aging and wellness I should have suggested over the Brooke Shields one for Book Club this month. This one was REALLY GOOD.
The author, a skincare mogul, talks in depth about having “a better second half” (ie: enjoying the second half of your life). She shares all of the ins and outs about her personal routines (it’s very specific from what she does in the morning to how she manages her day, her stress, her diet, her time, etc), she shares recipes, beauty secrets, her thoughts on aging and sleep and hormones and quite frankly…just getting older and genuinely loving it. Not only did I walk away from this one with a lot of practical ideas, but I found the entire concept of “living a better second half” quite inspiring and encouraging.
This is one that I bought in hardback (not Kindle) and trust me when I say that I will be looking back on it as a reference in years to come. Two really big thumbs up. If you were disappointed in our book club read this month but still want a book on aging and wellness, here you go.
Here Be Dragons by Melanie Shankle
Well holy guacamole. As you know, I adore me some Melanie Shankle. I’ve known her personally for years, read all of her books, listen to her very popular podcast and flat out adore her. I was not prepared for her latest book.
At all.
You guys, Melanie gets raw and very very real about the trauma she endured for decades at the hands of a mean girl…her own mom.
Only Melanie Shankle could write this book. It’s beautiful and tragic and heartbreaking and laugh out loud funny all at once. She tells her story from birth through today (as a woman in her 50s with her own 20-something daughter) about the emotional abuse she endured from her mom. She talks in great detail about her struggle with trying to break generational abuse while also showing love and grace to her own parent. I don’t know what I thought I was about to read when I started reading it, but my heart wasn’t prepared. I think whether you’ve grown up with an amazing mom, an absent mom or an abusive mom, there is a message here for you. I just felt this one in my bones when I read it.
Melanie Shankle, I adore you. You are funny and witty and smart and oh so real. It was very brave of you to write this book, and I can only imagine how many women you will encourage through your story and your strength to walk away.
Two HUGE thumbs up.
The Cozy Life with Hygge by Pia Edberg
And finally, I did an entire post on this book just TUESDAY! I loved this one so much and highly recommend it. You can see all the details in THIS POST 🙂 .
That’s our FEBRUARY BOOK REVIEW! I hope you found something today to read in March.
Don’t forget…
To see the complete list of books I read in 2015 (all 63 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2016 (all 62 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2017 (all 62 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2018 (all 61 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2019 (all 54 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2020 (all 54 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2021 (all 59 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2022 (all 60 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2023 (all 51 of them), click here.
To see the complete list of books I read in 2024 (all 58 of them), click here.
If you want to stay current on all of the books I’m reading in 2025, THIS PAGE HERE is where I keep the books, authors and reviews each month.
We would love, love to have you join us in March for our BOOK CLUB (on March 25th!)!
Next month, we are reading…
…The Crash by Freida McFadden.
Happy Book Day! If you have new book recs for me, I would love to read them in the comment section today.
Don’t forget, I also have a “mix and match” of athletic wear from my favorite sources at various price points today too!
I’ll see you guys tomorrow! xx
Elspeth Mizner says
Thank you for all the recommendations! I finished Brooke’s book too and found it to be just okay, interesting, but not my favorite! Happy Thursday!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Ashley D says
I look forward to this blog post every month!! 🙂 I have read two books and am currently finishing up one!
Things We Leave Unfinished (By Rebecca Yarros): I loved the two storylines going back and forth in this book. A beautiful love story, yet it has a surprising ending that you don’t see coming. I definitely recommend this book and gave it a 4.5 rating!
The Last Mrs. Parrish (By Liv Constantine): I absolutely loved, The Senator’s Wife, so I was excited to pick up this book. The first half of the book was told by one perspective and the other half a different character’s perspective. I liked it, but I feel like some details could have been left out. It dragged a little at times, but I think I will still read the next Mrs. Parrish book after this one.
Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl (Renee Rosen): I didn’t quite know what to expect when I started reading this book, but I am loving it! If you are into fashion, makeup, “Old Hollywood vibes” you will love this. The book is about Estée Lauder and one of her friends. It follows how Estée dreams big about becoming a household name. In a world unaccustomed to women in power, Estée’s grit and determination eventually pays off. The story is told from her friend’s perspective, and I can’t wait to finish it.
Katie Tullis says
Ohhh some good (and different) ones this month!! Thank you!
Kay says
Yay-I love book day! And we’ve been so on the same page for 2025. ‘The Crash’ was right up there on my TBR list and I also have Melanie’s new book shelved and ready for me. I love her!
I just started Lisa Genova’s new novel “More or Less Maddy”and so far so good. She is SUCH a strong writer, so smart. It’s about a college student from a “perfect” Connecticut family who is struggling with not fitting into the dreams her parents have for her. Eventually the book gets into her bipolar diagnosis.
Jennifer Melville’s “Glow Up” is a really cute book to read in your morning routine!
Thanks for sharing all these great reads.
Tracey Angell says
I went to purchase A better second half and it’s telling me that it’s not released until May??
I also thought Brooke Shields book was terrible, it was all over the place and not what I expected.
Mix and Match Mama says
That is SO WEIRD! I just went back to my Amazon account and saw that I bought the actual hardcover book on July 24, 2024. The cover of my book is green where the image online is now gold. I wonder if they have a revised edition coming out and that’s why you can’t order it? My link in my “previous orders” takes me straight to the link I shared.
Kim says
I love book review day! I’m so happy you read Here Be Dragons. I just purchased it and I can’t wait to dig in!!
Jacquelyn Jenkins says
Your summary of Here Be Dragons was spot on. I think there’s wisdom in this book for every woman. Because we all have been or know someone who’s been effected by mean girls. This is a book I will reflect on years down the road.
I just finished The Things We Leave Unfinished. I highly recommend! The book toggles between a WWII story and present day. It’s my favorite book I’ve read so far this year.
Elizabeth Lind says
I just read Is She Really Going Out With Him? By Sophie Cousens. Really fun and didn’t want it to end. She’s newly divorced and has to write about dating for her job.
Mix and Match Mama says
That one is so cute! My favorite of hers to date!
Alissa says
Absolutely loved Here Be Dragons. I’ve read all of Melanie’s books and I think this is her best one yet!
Mix and Match Mama says
I agree!
Cortney Carlson says
I read Melanie’s book too and I agree! I adore her and even though the topics she discussed were hard and heavy she did such a great job of adding levity at just the right moment. Highly recommend
Faith says
I love your book reviews and adding several of these to my list!
Janet Teeter says
I listened to the audible version of Here Be Dragons. I went through EVERY emotion while listening to Melanie’s story. I was cruising down the Highway sobbing, vacuuming and laughing. It was a whole experience and I loved every minute of it.
Erika Slaughter says
BIG fan of Here Be Dragons! Didn’t want to put it down!
sandi says
Such a diverse group of books. Two books I read this month were Sweet Sorrow by David Nicholls and The Color of Water by James McBride. Both were good not great, something to read while waiting for snow to melt.
Loaded on my Kindle for this month are:
Where the Light Gets In: Losing My Mother Only to Find Her Again by Kimberly Williams-Paisley
The Sixth Wedding: A 28 Summer’s Story by Hilderbrand
The Secret Life of Violet Grant: Beatriz Williams
A few books in the comments above have been on hold at the library, so it great to see that they were good; something to look forward to when they become available.
Mix and Match Mama says
The Secret Life of Violet Grant is AMAZING! It was my 3rd favorite book one year. I hope you love it too! Thank you for the additional recs!
Rachael says
My favorite day of the month! Adding The Lodge to my list, as it looks like a never ending winter here in upstate NY.
My top four from last year, because I can’t pick three, that I always recommend:
God of the Woods (thank you for that suggestion)
The Wedding People (so much more than the rom con I thought it was going to be)
Here one Moment by Liane Moriarty
Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan
Currently reading The Favorites, and I’m not loving it as much as Instagram said I was going to😬
Tammie Narvell says
I love your book reviews every month on the blog! I’m looking so forward to reading Melanie Shankle’s new book!
Sarah says
I recently read a book that’s a little outside of my normal genres. It’s a mystery novel that’s also sort of an homage to classic mysteries. It’s called “Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone” by Benjamin Stevenson. If you like it there are 2 more books with the same main character. Despite the title it’s actually kind of fun with some tongue in cheek humor and a little breaking of the fourth wall.
Karen says
Oooh this is an excellent book by a fantastic Aussie author!
Leticia says
I really enjoyed this one, and the next “Everyone on this Train is a Suspect”. Fun who-dun-it reads.
K.K. says
I love, LOVE book day. Thanks for reading an array, and I’m glad you still like the light and fluffy along with the more serious or pratical… 🙂 I just got Melanie’s book, and I’m eager to read it.
Kristen says
I just read two books that I loved. One is a sequel after the first..
Count the Ways & How the Light gets in by Joyce Maynard.
Kristy says
I too ordered the book for pre-order for May 13! Book review day is always my favorite.
And I LOVED There Be Dragons. It was so hard to read, made me laugh and cry and I underlined.
I just finished The Frozen River from your recommendation. It was also so good and made me think. I really enjoyed it. Started The Women by Kristin Hannah. Pretty sure I’ll be putting The Lodge on my kindle. And I have The Crash ready for me to read and I hope to participate in Book Club this month.
Elizabeth Lind says
I don’t know if you read The Five People You Meet In Heaven? I loved it!!
Lynn says
I love book day! How did you get How to Live a Better second half? Its release date is May 13.
Outlive is one of the best books I have ever read!
Mix and Match Mama says
I’m not sure what happened, but it looks like they’re re-releasing it (maybe it’s a little updated?)? I bought mine in July from Amazon…so I really don’t know? When I pulled the link this week, I don’t know if I just didn’t catch it or if it changed?
Jeanne says
A day late (as usual!) but a book that I really found interesting and different was JFK JR. An Intimate Oral Biography. It’s basically written by friends, family, teachers and coworkers. I stayed up much too late reading this one!
Melanie Shankle says
Shay, I cannot thank you enough for your kind words about Here Be Dragons. It means so much to me to read incredibly generous thoughts on it! Love you!
Jennifer says
I just finished A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler. It was a great February read. it’s a small town, second chance romance about a couple later in life. I loved this book.