That’s right… in order to assuage my guilt over my lack of book reviews, I’m going to try and cram lots (and lots) of one-sentence book reviews into this one post as I look back over my 2018 reads so I can start 2019 with a “fresh slate”, as it were. Here we go!
–Marissa
Anthony, Gretchen. Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners – Quirky family drama, but enjoyable!
Armstrong, Heather B. The Valedictorian of Being Dead – Absolutely LOVED this non-fiction memoir dealing with depression and family
Auvinen, Karen. Rough Beauty – Single girl in the Rockies… wanted *more* from it…
Bloom, Amy. White Houses – fictionalized Eleanor Roosevelt love story… felt a bit… stilted?
Burton, Tara Isabella. Social Creature – Instagram, FOMO and murder!
Byrne, Kerrigan. The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo – LOVE any of her books!
Carlino, Renee. Blind Kiss – Fun romance premise, but didn’t deliver the *zing* I wanted…
Candlish, Louise. Our House – Such an interesting suspense premise, I enjoyed it!
Chiklis, Autumn. Smothered – Overbearing mother, figuring-it-out millenial…
Clarkson, Sarah. Book Girl – Eh.
Clinton, Bill and Patterson, James. The President is Missing – Surprisingly fun and suspenseful, and felt very authentic!
Dalcher, Christina. Vox – Didn’t live up to the hype…
Dare, Tessa. The Governess Game – Tessa writes, and I’ll always read it!
Dare, Tessa et al. How the Dukes Stole Christmas – Same!
Dare, Tessa. Once Upon a Winter’s Eve – Same!
de Rosnay, Tatiana. The Rain Watcher – Quiet but powerful family drama…
Doan, Amy Mason. The Summer List – Loved the premise of this “women’s fiction” story…
Enger, Leif. Virgil Wander – Meandering but sweet…
Faye, Gael. Small Country – A tough read on the immigrant experience…
Frear, Caz. Sweet Little Lies – I don’t even remember this one 
Giffin, Emily. All We Ever Wanted – Full of depth and tough choices for an affluent family…
Grisham, John. The Reckoning – I slogged through ALL those pages… FOR THAT?!
Guillory, Jasmine. The Proposal – Fun, sexy, frothy, foodie, lovely!
Han, Jenny. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – In anticipation of the Netflix movie!
Harris, Anstey. Goodbye, Paris – I don’t remember it
Hoover, Colleen. All Your Perfects – I really loved the two main characters, they became friends to me…
James, Eloisa. Born to be Wilde – Always love Eloisa!
Jeffries, Sabrina. ‘Twas the Night After Christmas – A lovely reread!
Jones, Tayari. An American Marriage – Difficult subject matter, but beautifully rendered, recommended!
Kor, Eva. Surviving the Angel of Death – An amazing survivor story from the Holocaust…
Kubica, Mary. When the Lights Go Out – This one’s ending just flat out PISSED ME OFF!
Land, Stephanie. Maid – Thought provoking and engaging…
Lee, Min Jin. Pachinko – So glad I read this sweeping family drama over generations in Korea…
Lynes, S.E. The Proposal – Eh, it was fine for the time…
Mailhot, Terese Marie. Heart Berries – I just flat didn’t like it, no matter the accolades…
Mastromonaco, Alyssa. Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? – fun peek behind the Obama White House curtain…
Michaelides, Alex. The Silent Patient. – I wasn’t feeling the hype as much as everyone else…
Miller, Jennifer and Feifer, Jason. Mr. Nice Guy – Cute-ish
Mohammadi, Kamin. Bella Figura – loved this memoir of a year in Italy…
Moriarty, Liane. Nine Perfect Strangers – NOT what I expected, but still I totally got into it!
Moritsugu, Kim. The Showrunner – Frothy and silly, but fun!
Mustich, James. 1000 Books to Read Before You Die – Takes itself VERY seriously…
Osborn, John Jay. Listen to the Marriage – Interesting point of view for a “marriage in crisis” book…
Perri, Camille. When Katie Met Cassidy – Quirky but unique love story… felt authentic…
Perry, S.K. Let Me Be Like Water – Sad but sweet…
Pinborough, Sarah. Cross Her Heart – Eh.
Rosenbloom, Stephanie. Alone Time – Loved this memoir of travel and self reflection…
Sedaris, David. Calypso – LOVED. IT.
Serle, Rebecca. The Dinner List – Thought provoking and warm…
Sims, Thomas J. On Call In the Arctic – Absolutely loved this memoir – think “Northern Exposure”!
Soule, Charles. The Oracle Year – Eh, it was fun enough.
Steadman, Catherine. Something in the Water – Suspenseful and page-turning!
Summers, Courtney. Sadie – Sad, just beautifully done
Tamblyn, Amber. Any Man – Not my jam
Thayne, RaeAnne. Season of Wonder – Lovely little Christmas story…
Tomlinson, Tommy. The Elephant in the Room – Really loved this honest weight-loss memoir…
Tracy, PJ. The Guilty Dead – Another Monkeewrench novel!
Unger, Lisa. Under My Skin – Don’t remember it
Weiss, Piper. You All Grow Up and Leave Me – Creepy memoir, but super slow moving and ultimately kinda boring…
Witherspoon, Reese. Whiskey in a Teacup – Fun lifestyle book from Reese!
Youngson, Anne. Meet Me at the Museum – Lovely, soft, warm epistolary novel
Zinovieff, Sofka. Putney – Icky, and not really in a good way…
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