Mini Reviews

In the months of January and February I read a couple of books that while I like didn't do enough for/to me to warrant a whole review so here are just some short thoughts on them

Anne Of Avonlea
L.M Montgomery
#2 In the Anne Of Green Gables Novels
Click here  to read the synopsis on goodreads
Click here to see it on Amazon

I read Anne of Green Gables sometime in 2012 and unfortunately I was underwhelmed. I say that because I had my expectations super high maybe too high. I absolutely unabashedly love and adore the Anne of Green Gables miniseries with Megan Follows. I watched that when I was a very little girl and fell head over heels in love with everything about it especially Gilbert Blythe. So I had my expectations unrealistically high and the books were bound to be at least a bit of a let down.
Anne Of Avonlea picks up right where Gables left off. I won't say much as it's a sequel and could ruin some plot points for people. The bottom line is these books are sweet. Maybe too sweet in fact. I think the problem is how earnest Anne is which isn't a bad thing especially considering when they where written it's just so in your face that it becomes a teeny bit annoying at times. I will continue on with the series because I love the idea of Anne and Gilbert and I want to know how the book ends their story. I think this is a case of reading the books at the wrong time in life. I know that had I read these when I was in grade school or before I watched the miniseries I would feel differently. I feel like I missed out on what these books could have been to me and that makes me kind of sad.

Outside Beauty
Cynthia Kadohata
Click here  to read the synopsis on goodreads
This is one of about 4 books I have read in the last 2 months that deal with both not so great parents and that is classified as a coming of age book This deals four sisters and their beautiful mother and a family tragedy of course. Theirs is not a good mother or an attentive mother she in fact is just plain bad at being a mother. Each girl has a different father each father is completely different from the others. Their mother spends most of her time collecting and then discarding men. She is obsessed with being beautiful and having men  fall in love with her and give her things. The story is really about these four girls and the unshakeable bond they have with each other. As with most coming of age stories there is a family tragedy that shakes up the world these girls live in and tests the bonds they share with each other and their mother. This was entertaining and had some really great side character's. One of the girls fathers was an interesting and likable character and I would have loved to have more of him in the book. I really enjoyed the book but the end kind of fell flat for me it was tied up to neatly.  Overall I enjoyed the book and I will probably pick up other books by Cynthia in the future.