The Charleston Book Bag

**** - I liked it a lot!       I did not expect this much information in a cookbook! As a person who has been practicing intermittent fasting for almost two months, I found the recipes and modifications in the book extremely helpful. I also really enjoyed the way that the author broke down information and shared it gradually, but made it applicable to everyone. My favorite recipes were the snacks - tasty and filling!       I gave the Intermittent Fasting Cookbook four stars, because I really enjoyed the information and recipes. I felt that it made me feel a little bit "looked down on" because I don't follow all of the book's recommended suggestions. However, this didn't put me off reading the information or trying the recipes! I really liked it. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy!

  Today, we're doing something a little different! I'm ranking my top five favorite reads of 2020 so far. Up to today (August 17th), Goodreads is showing that I've completed 37 books (my goal is 50!). I've had a great time exploring new genres and authors this year.  Number one! I loved this book so, so much. I've shipped Jo and Laurie since I first read Little Women  and I think Stohl and de la Cruz did a great job getting into Jo's head. I'm never opposed to good fan fiction - but this is great . I've re-read it once and I'll probably re-read it again before the end of the year.  Number two! I understand that this one is only new to me. BUT, I went through the whole trilogy and the first season of the show. Harkness has a gift for weaving history and fantasy seamlessly together. I absolutely loved following Diana Bishop (and I imagine I'll re-read these in the years to come!). I'm pretty sure there's a new one out about Galloway (um, ye...

Claire is escaping her abusive husband and public life. Eva is escaping her past mistakes. A chance encounter at the airport causes Claire and Eva to switch boarding passes and assume the other’s identity. But when a plane crash narrows Claire’s options, does she have the courage to evade Eva’s past demons and assume her identity completely? In The Last Flight , Julie Clark explores a multitude of current issues through mystery and suspense. However, it is Clark’s characters that ground the story and keep you turning the pages. Alternating between Claire and Eva’s perspectives, The Last Flight jumps between narrating the past and the present in the story. Each narrator is fully grounded and Clark will keep you turning pages long into the night.  Julie Clark’s follow up to The Ones We Choose is a great choice for anyone who enjoys a thriller, a mystery, or strong female characters in a book. The Last Flight is available at the Charleston Public Library in print and as an eboo...

     Someone is lying. Anna Andrews is a news anchor, living her dream life - until suddenly everything she’s worked so hard for is gone. Detective Chief Inspector Jack Harper is waiting for an exciting crime to show up - until it turns out he’s a suspect in his own murder investigation. Someone is dead in Blackdown, and somehow Anna and Jack are connected to the murder. Are they telling the truth to each other? Are they telling the truth to their readers? Combining unreliable narrators, a mysterious introduction, and alternating perspectives, His & Hers combines the best elements of a thriller and a mystery. I felt a little confused trying to catch up to the breakneck pace of the book at times, but the twists were worth any confusion they might’ve caused. His & Hers is a delightfully fast-paced thriller and you don’t want to miss it! His & Hers is Alice Feeney’s third novel, following Sometimes I Lie and I Know Who You Are . His & Hers is available...

     Not to be overly dramatic, but I’m fairly certain that every parent’s worst nightmare is their child being taken away from them forever. Playing Nice shows two families and something is horribly wrong. At the beginning of the book, Pete Riley is approached by a couple and informed that their babies were switched at birth. Theo, born prematurely and experiencing some difficulties, does not share any of his DNA. At first, the two families attempt to blend and pioneer a modern family blend that would keep either child from being uprooted. However, the domestic scene quickly turns dark. After all, it turns out that perhaps the children were switched on purpose - and a possible murder becomes involved.  Playing Nice is Delaney’s fourth novel, following The Girl Before , Believe Me , and The Perfect Wife . Delaney takes domestic drama and spins it into an exciting thriller expertly, using alternating perspectives, police documents, and other documents in the text....

     Everyone I know has spent time feeling like they don’t fit in, or like they don’t know who they are. While I’m not a wealthy heiress (and I don’t know any, either!), I saw a lot of myself in Jill Santapolo’s latest novel. more than words explores the coming of age story of Nina Gregory. Nina Gregory is an incredibly wealthy hotel heiress, currently writing speeches for a political campaign in New York City. Nina’s world is upended as she discovers secrets about the people in her life and tries to discover what she really wants out of life. Nina clearly desires to find belonging and true identity follow her through difficult family events and shocking revelations. more than words explores how our wants and needs change as we mature and how finding what’s most important can lead us to a life that’s full of meaning. Jill Santapolo’s follow up to The Light We Lost , more than words , is beautifully written and incredibly emotional. I had a hard time putting this one ...

      Family keeps secrets - from each other and from everyone else. The Morgan family is about to reveal one of their long-held confidences. It started with a road trip. It’s ending with a road trip. The Morgan siblings’ grandpa has died and left them an inheritance - to get it, they have to recreate their road trip from 20 years before. Eddie, Portia, and Beth set off (with Beth’s husband and Eddie’s wife) to complete their grandpa’s final wishes. But, it quickly becomes apparent that the siblings are hiding things - from their new spouses, from each other, and from everyone else. He Started It is narrated by Beth, who admits early in the book that she’s a cheater, and includes diary entries from the old road trip, writer unknown. Twisting and turning, Downing takes the reader on a thrilling trip with the Morgan family through the past and the present to find the truth. Samantha Downing’s follow up to My Lovely Wife (available in print, as an ebook, and an online au...

          Sometimes, the weight of parental expectations can keep you from going after your dreams to the fullest extent. Summer at Lake Haven tells the story of Samantha Fremont. Samantha is finally free of her mother’s expectations and is setting out to start her own fashion design business. A perfect opportunity drops into her lap when she gets the opportunity to design her friend’s wedding dress. Samantha meets Ian, the bride’s charming, English (emphasis mine!) older brother and a friendship slowly grows into more. However, Samantha and Ian both have obstacles to face before they can take their friendship to the next level.  If you enjoy reading Susan Mallery , Debbie Macomber , or Elin Hilderbrand , check out Summer at Lake Haven at the Charleston Public Library. It’s available in regular print and as an ebook on Libby (check out arvrls.com !). The Charleston Public Library is open with limited hours Monday through Friday - from 10 am to 12...