Books Books Books!

I know I've shared that I've fallen off of the reading train for a while since Ella was born, and especially since being back at work, but I'm getting back into it and making time for it because I love reading.
In the meantime, I realized that I never shared all of the books that I read this summer while I was on maternity leave (and before), and there were some good ones!

The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay

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The Goodreads synopsis: "No stranger to the injustice of racial hatred, five-year-old Peekay learns the hard way the first secret of survival and self-preservation - the power of one. An encounter with amateur boxer Hoppie Groenewald inspires in Peekay a fiery ambition - to be welterweight champion of the world."

I got this book from my friend Christy who has yet to steer me wrong with a book recommendation. I must say, the description of the book made me less than excited to read it, BUT this book isn't about boxing. Boxing is the thread that ties this story together but it's more about life, and how meeting certain people can influence and impact you in different ways. I really enjoyed this book--it's over 500 pages and I read it in 2 weeks, reading it every chance that I got. I really enjoyed and loved the main character and everything that he stood for.

There were parts that were VERY descriptive, but I think it added to the book. Overall I gave this one 4.5 stars.

Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben 

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The Goodreads Synopsis:
"Sports agent Myron Bolitar is poised on the edge of the big time. So is Christian Steele, a rookie quarterback and Myron's prized client. But when Christian gets a phone call from a former girlfriend, a woman who everyone, including the police, believes is dead, the deal starts to go sour. Trying to unravel the truth about a family's tragedy, a woman's secret, and a man's lies, Myron is up against the dark side of his business where image and talent make you rich, but the truth can get you killed."

This book passed the time fine. It wasn't my favorite Harlan Coben book, but it still held my attention and had me wanting to know what happened in the story. If you like a mystery read, this might be up your alley. I gave it 3 stars.

No Way Back by Andrew Gross

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Goodreads Synopsis: "A chance meeting with a stranger in a hotel ends in a shocking murder. Wendy Gould is an average mom--and the only witness. Nanny Lauritzia Velez knows a shocking secret that could prove to be deadly. Both of their lives in danger, this unlikely pair must work together against a network of dangerous men who want nothing more than to see them dead."
I stumbled on this book because I was interested in another book by this author that had amazing reviews. I think this one was $1.99 on Amazon so I figured what the heck? I wasn't impressed at all. The story seemed really far fetched, I didn't really like the main character and it just didn't do much for me. I basically skimmed the last part of the book to finish it.
I gave this one 2 stars and wouldn't recommend it. (Keep reading for a rec from this author that I DID love, though!)

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

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The Goodreads synopsis is really long, but basically this is about a woman who has been married for a while, and her marriage is kind of on the rocks. When she chooses a work obligation over holidays with her family, tensions get higher between them. Her family goes off for the holidays, and Georgie (the main character) discovers a way to communicate with her husband from the past, when they were dating which makes her think about and re-evaluate their current relationship.
It sounds far-fetched (and yes, it is), but the story here was actually really cute and kept me interested. If you've read and liked other Rainbow Rowell books, you'll probably like this one. It's a quick and easy read and makes you think about relationships.
I gave this one 4 stars.

The One Man by Andrew Gross

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The Goodreads Synopsis (it's a long one, but good): "1944. Physics professor Alfred Mendl is separated from his family and sent to the men’s camp, where all of his belongings are tossed on a roaring fire. His books, his papers, his life’s work. The Nazis have no idea what they have just destroyed. And without that physical record, Alfred is one of only two people in the world with his particular knowledge. Knowledge that could start a war, or end it.

Nathan Blum works behind a desk at an intelligence office in Washington, DC, but he longs to contribute to the war effort in a more meaningful way, and he has a particular skill set the U.S. suddenly needs. Nathan is fluent in German and Polish, he is Semitic looking, and he proved his scrappiness at a young age when he escaped from the Polish ghetto. Now, the government wants him to take on the most dangerous assignment of his life: Nathan must sneak into Auschwitz, on a mission to find and escape with one man."

This was the original reason I'd looked into the other Andrew Gross book because this one had such good reviews. The story line was super intriguing and I've been into historical fiction since The Nightingale. This book did not disappoint! It was fast-paced, full of tension and drama, and kept me reading. It is intense!

If you love a good historical fiction, mixed with a thrill of a ride, I definitely recommend this one to you. Andrew Gross made up for the dud in No Way Back with this one!

I gave it 4.5 stars

Any must-reads to recommend for me??