Book Review: "Love, Nina: A Nanny Writes Home: by Nina Stibbe

Love, Nina: A Nanny Writes Home, (Little, Brown and Company) by Nina Stibbe is a light read perfect for a weekend or the beach.  Fully comprised of the letters author Nina Stibbe sent her sister when she moved to London and became Nanny to two boys in the 80s, you learn her side of every story.  Some rather public figures are apart of the mother's life and therefore become part of hers.  The letters give the feel of listening to one-side of a phone conversation of these two sisters keeping up with one another's life.  It's witty and interesting and you will fall in love with Nina and the family!

Publication date: April 22, 2014

Book provided for review by  Little, Brown and Company via Goodreads First Reads

Book Review: "Out of the Depths: An Unforgettable WWII Story of Survival, Courage, and the Sinking of the USS Indianapolis" by Edgar Harrell, USMC, with David Harrell

Picture credit: NetGalley

I read Out of the Depths: An Unforgettable WWII Story of Survival, Courage, and the Sinking of the USS Indianapolis (Bethany House ) by Edgar Harrell, USMC, with David Harrell with high hopes.  I may have come into the story biased by other somewhat similar stories I highly enjoyed.  This one was just different, not bad, just different.  The story itself seemed somewhat distant; lost in almost overwhelming details.  I understand that details are necessary to tell story; it's just that in this instance they took over and were sometimes disconnecting from the story.  I think the published copy of the book will be better.  I had an advanced e-reader copy, which did not include pictures.  I think the pictures may override those details in connecting the reader to the story.  Not a bad read, I just don't think it was told to it's full potential.

Publication Date: May 6, 2014

This book was provided for review by NetGalley

"Never Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without a Date" by Katie Heaney

Photo cred: Goodreads

I HAD to pick up Never Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without a Date," (Grand Central Publishing) by Katie Heaney, because it had been out for only one day and I had already read about it countless times all over the internet.  Katie Heaney is a 25 year old who has (kinda) not dated, but has surely never had a boyfriend.  I was smiling the entire time I read this book.  Her stories of "love," or at least the trials and hopes of trying to get there, start in kindergarten and work up to her  current age.  We are both Midwesterners, went to catholic grade school, had crushes on some of the same 90s heart throbs, and have never had a boyfriend.  Although I do really like Apples to Apples, and have not done some of the things she has.  Katie is over all pretty relatable; I found myself laughing, cringing, and wanting to cry. So relatable in fact that after reading about her younger hers, I myself had a weird middle school feeling, like it just totally brought me back.  I found myself reading parts out loud because I just couldn't get over how true they were (and how funny)!  I am baffled at how Heaney could write and publish this (I could never), but I am so glad she did!  As you follow her adventures in crushing you will learn so much more about friendship.  Some of these pages may be from her (Lisa Frank) diary, but more importantly it is a beautiful ode to her friendships. 
I think the last two lines sum of the book best "Falling in love is totally unimaginable to me.  I think maybe the best things often are." 

Published: January 14, 2014