Money Honey: A Simple 7-Step Guide for Getting Your Financial $hit Together by Rachel Richards

Summary:

A “tough love” guide to budgeting.

My Thoughts:

0/5 DNF

Ugh, this author tried so hard to be funny and snarky and it falls short in a book about money. She references Dave Ramsey and recommends his book. She makes it sound like if you don’t earn enough money, just make more! It’s easy! Ugh, could not finish.

The Amazon summary says “humor and sass”. Nope, it was not funny and did not come across as sass. It was snarky and insulting. Maybe some people like that but not for me. I have a budget and system I like but I always like to see if there is something new I could learn or a different way. This book was so bad I couldn’t get past the first chapter. If you need budgeting help, google the budget mom. Her budget by paycheck method is kind of what I was already doing and makes most sense to me. 

Hansons Marathon Method by Luke Humphrey

Summary:

Tips and plans for running a marathon, from beginner to advanced.

My Thoughts:

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Overall this is an excellent book and I plan to implement many of the suggestions when I start training next month. It was very informative and tried to cover all levels of runners. 

I knocked it down a half star because it spoke to brand new runners or runners who ran several marathons. I don’t really fit either category. I am definitely not a beginner and have trained for marathons but never ran one (long story – I’ll add links if I can find the old blogs). I feel I fall somewhere between the just finish plan and the beginner plan. I am going to go with the just finish plan and add in speed work because I know I can do 6 days of running with one speed workout without issue. 

There is a lot of good information in the book, even if I need to adjust plans slightly for my level. I would recommend this book to those that want to run a marathon.

Edge of Valor (Edge of Collapse #7) by Kyla Stone

Summary:

The final book in the series. Will Fall Creek survive enemies from all directions? Will Liam and Hannah finally get together? 

My Thoughts:

⭐⭐⭐.5/5

You will need to read the previous seven books. This is not a series that can stand on its own (not that it’s a bad thing). I thought the story wrapped up nicely. It did drag for the first half of the book. I feel the author was too descriptive about what the characters were wearing and carrying. I don’t need to know every time Liam appears which specific guns he’s carrying.

The Lighthouse Keeper by Cynthia Ellingsen

Summary:

Dawn Conners grew up with treasure hunter parents. She thought she wanted stability and predictable but when a news show tries to sully her great grandfather’s reputation she loses her job and her boyfriend. 

She decides to throw caution to the wind and buys the lighthouse in Starlight Cove. She plans to remodel and resell it all while clearing her family’s name. Of course there are some bumps along the way and maybe even a new love interest. 

My thoughts:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Sometimes you need a light, fast read and The LIghthouse Keeper delivers. The book is fairly formulaic but I found myself still rooting for Dawn to solve the mystery AND get/keep the love interest.

I believe thus book is considered a cozy mystery. There’s no real violence or gore. It has a little romance but nothing graphic. Sometimes you need that. 

The only thing I didn’t like about the book was how much Kip, the love interest, glowered. I swear that was his only expression and the author decided not to run glower through the thesaurus to mix it up a bit.  

The LIghthouse Keeper is the first in the Starlight Cove series. You do not need to read them in order. Each book focuses on different characters. I would recommend reading in order if possible because I read book 3 first so I kind of knew where Dawn would end up. 

Categories: Books

Jenna

Jenna Volden has a degree in business and has spent the last 10 plus years working for others. She believes it is time to start her own photography and writing business. She enjoys running, coffee and helping others achieve their goals. Gluten-free foods are a lifestyle, not a choice, for her due to celiac disease. She is currently based in Phoenix, Arizona.