Welcome to August! Here are some of my picks this month - impressively, I managed to squeeze in a few reads these past few weeks, despite falling into bed by 9pm most nights, totally exhausted.

Pretty Baby - Mary Kubica

She sees the teenage girl on the train platform, standing in the pouring rain, clutching an infant in her arms. She boards a train and is whisked away. But she can't get the girl out of her head… 

I recently finished 'Pretty Baby' and I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

In summary: We meet Heidi, a kind woman from a comfortable life, who observes a young girl & her presumably infant daughter, popping up in various aspects of her life. Unable to resist her conscience, she invites her to stay at her home - and thus, we meet (and hear from) Heidi's extended family - husband Chris and daughter Zoe. Through several perspectives, we find out more about each character's history.

The theme of social responsibility - particularly in regards to homelessness and the care system - rings out loud and clear in the book. Mental health issues are also raised, meaning the novel could be an uncomfortable read at times, but that's understandable.

I really felt that Heidi was the true lead of this novel. Yes, Willow and baby Ruby were an integral part of how the story panned out - but ultimately it was Heidi whose past and present (& potentially future) were highlighted. She spiked my interest early on, and certainly towards the end of the book.

I'd recommend 'Pretty Baby' as I feel it was a story that hadn't been told before - and it was told very well. A great read.

Never Always Sometimes - Adi Alsaid
Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they'd never, ever do in high school. 

Sometimes we all need a book that we can read without thinking too much - something that isn't life altering, but is smart and easy and a happy escape from reality for just a little while.

That's what 'Never, Always, Sometimes' was for me. And I definitely needed it!

The story revolves around two best friends and their final months of high school. They find a list they had made in the early years of their friendship, that revolved around things they would NEVER do - but decide to spice things up by doing the opposite.

It's a sweet tale, written in two perspectives - his and hers. We meet interesting characters along the way & see the world through their eyes for just a little while.

A great little novel, and a nice way to remember the old school days. (Side-note: I feel old.)

What have you been reading lately?

I've been struggling to get my groove on with reading over the past few months - it's becoming very obvious that my patience for novels has waned quite a lot. When you only have a few spare moments in a nap time, or at bedtime, I feel like I don't want to waste them on average books. And lately, it hasn't only been poor novels that have missed out - anything long or requiring large amounts of concentration has also been put to the back of the pile. I'll get my groove back, I know it... but for now, here are some of the great books from Harlequin Australia that I've been reading and reviewing. Check them out!

Normal - Graeme Cameron

I am an avid thriller fan, both novels & film/television, so hearing about this new book up for review in this genre, I was VERY excited to read. First things first, I powered through the book. It was a quick read & with a toddler clinging to your legs, that's something I value - fast and easy is the way to go.

It's a different kind of a novel, largely due to its different perspective. Having the story told from the eyes of the serial killer is an interesting premise. As absurd as it sounds, you really do find yourself pulling for the wrong side - though I wish that there were more back story as to why he acts the way he acts. I even found the victims intriguing, as random as they were fitting into the story.. and knowing their time in the short might have been short lived.

The only real criticism I have with the novel (aside from a rather open ended finish) is the police presence - it wasn't very believable, and felt a bit contrived. They have perfect opportunities to catch our author, and yet, silly mistakes and over the top personalities seem to thwart their efforts. Understandably this is good for the killer, but not so for the police themselves.

I'd definitely recommend this novel to others - maybe not teens, though! 

Mother Zen - Jacinta Tynan
I started this book with a fairly naive perspective: my only daughter was born in 2013, so I wasn't particularly tuned into the parenting world before that time.

That said, it was fascinating hearing about the media circus that erupted over Jacinta's parenting beliefs from several years back. Even then, social media loves a good story - and it's so much worse now. Reading about the experience through the author's eyes was interesting, though at times came across as a little self indulgent.

I would describe my feelings towards Mother Zen as being love-hate. Actually, I wouldn't even call it hate - it's more like love-frustrated.

In one regard, I thoroughly do enjoy reading about women enjoying motherhood. It's a breath of fresh air, amongst the comparisons, the one-upping & the complaining. In another regard, yes, some of the comments do come across as glib or smug - not that they were intended to do so, perhaps it's just a tone. As we all know, it's very hard to be accurate about emotions when you're writing a column, or a blog, or a book.

I will say that it was hard reading about such easy conception stories and about not enjoying the pregnancy aspect - only because of my own background with infertility and pregnancy loss. That said, we all have our unique stories, and Jacinta is very lucky to be parenting two beautiful boys.

I suppose my review fits somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. I appreciate the good vibes and positive energy (and will be doing some research into meditation myself) & it was certainly an interesting read.

The Road To Hope - Rachael Johns
It took me a while to really get invested in 'The Road to Hope' but once I was about a quarter of the way in, I was officially converted.

I read this novel as a stand alone piece, and feel that the background crossovers were explained well and weren't confusing at all. I felt for the lead character, Lauren - and the way the rest of the characters in Hope Springs really helped paint a picture of the town itself.

The hot doctor thing - well, yeah, it's a little cliché (of course he's hot!) - but he's got a lot more to him than his looks!

The theme of moving on/away vs standing still is pretty pertinent all the way through the book, even as it reaches its conclusion. I do feel that it ended in a way that made sense, and made me wish both of the lead characters luck on their journeys.

Makes me want to go and hunt down the first book now, too! :)

What have you been reading lately?

It's no secret that times have been tough around here lately. I'm grateful for this blog, which became an infertility focused-one a long time ago, as it has introduced me to so many wonderful and supportive people, but also some interesting opportunities.

I was recently asked if I would be interested in reading & reviewing a book, written by a couple who went through their own infertility journey. The book was called 'Where Have All the Storks Gone? A His and Hers Guide to Infertility'.

It arrived on Friday, just after we received word that our pregnancy was non-viable, and to cease all medications. Not the brightest of days, as I'm sure you've guessed, but the perfect time for a distraction.

The authors, Michelle & Chris Miller (from Stork Parenting) are unique, in that they have written their journey together, but separately. It's refreshing to read a story from both perspectives, especially since it's not often you hear about how men cope with infertility. That's not to invalidate a woman's story in any way; it's just that an added perspective adds to the experience and gives a little more insight to their journey as a couple.

The book is a quick read - I started last night while in the tub, and finished it this morning while Georgia napped. It's easy to follow, the authors honest and likeable, and you'll soon find yourself following along for the ride. I won't go into details, because I don't want to spoil anything - however the book would be well suited for couples struggling to conceive, who might soon find themselves heading down the path of assisted reproductive treatments, like IUI or IVF.

I'm not giving too much away (as you can already gather this information by looking at the photograph on the back cover) but it was heart warming to see the family as they are today. But I have to say, the way the book ended was a little too cliché for me. It wrapped up really fast, almost glossing over the fact that the couple managed to conceive their last two children naturally and without any mention of fertility treatments. If I had a dollar for every person, and now every book, that implied that getting knocked up after IVF was easy... well, I wouldn't be blogging right now. That said, lucky them. :)

The lovely folks at Shelton Interactive have an extra copy of the book to giveaway to a lucky winner. Go ahead, get entering!
a Rafflecopter giveaway Breathe Gently was provided with a complimentary copy of the novel to read at my leisure - all reviews are my own. If you are interested in a product review or giveaway appearing on Breathe Gently, please email me.

One of my goals back at the beginning of this year was to read more.

I barely had time to pick up a book at ALL last year, what with the newborn days and Georgia growing up so fast... so I picked a goal of 6 books for the year. I figured that gave me plenty of time for me to get back into the habit again.

So far I'm at 26 books. :)

I've well and truly smashed my goal, and it's only October! Let's face it, I've had plenty of time up my sleeve lately.

I'm pretty proud of my efforts... especially since I completed fairly lengthy books in there. I've read all of the Game of Thrones novels, and they aren't especially short. I've also started re-reading the Outlander series, since they're close to my heart.

I still don't have a lot of time to read during the day, since Georgia keeps me busy. But every night after she goes to bed, I go up early myself & read. I also finally joined a library, which I'd just never gotten around to doing before. Having that 'me time' has been a good way to tune out when things get tough.

Have you guys got any good recommendations for me?

As you can see from some of those titles, my reading tastes are REALLY varied. My favourite kind of books are the ones that suck you in from the get go. :)

We're almost a quarter of the way through 2014 already, can you believe it? I thought I might take the time to update on how things are going around these parts, because I'm feeling pretty darned great about this year.

• Georgia ~ I've been taking lots of pictures, and watching her growing up from a wee baby into this cute little toddler. In the last few weeks, she seems to have shot up again - her face has changed, she's lost a lot of her chunky baby thighs (sniff) -- growing too fast. She's been through the wars with some more teething & a cold, and we've been starting to wean; meaning we've had a clingy, sad wee one for a while. Thankfully we're coming out the other side, and that trademark cheeky grin has come out again. :)

• Read ~ I'm currently reading 'Twelve Years a Slave', which is book #5 of the year so far. I've also just purchased all of the 'Game of Thrones' novels as a bundle for $20 - so I have a LOT of epic reads ahead of me. I've read the first two, but I keep getting distracted...
  
• Move ~ I have consistently exercised every Monday/Wednesday/Friday since January 1st, with no excuses. Mostly runs, but sometimes workout DVDs and/or walks. I'm down almost 7kg and feeling really good, running 5km stretches now.
  
• Cook ~ I'm really proud of how much I've cooked so far this year. We haven't spent a lot on eating out at all, apart from the odd Thai food meal with friends. And, best of all, I'm lucky enough to be getting a shiny new cooking device for my 30th, which will help to REALLY spice things up in the kitchen.
  
• TTC ~ Watch this space; not a great deal of things to report here yet, but we're working on it!

Instead, I'm going for hopes & dreams.  Hopes and dreams are guilt-free. I'll just take them as they come. :)

• Georgia ~ I don't want to miss a thing. Yes, that means obscene amounts of photographs, but I make no apologies for wanting to capture every minute! She's coming up to some major milestones soon, and I can't wait to see her growing up.
  
  
• Family ~ Spend as much time with them as possible. Everyone has really come together this year, and I love it. Hubby & I have a few date nights planned, so we'll get to spend some quality time together. Plus, the grandparents might just find themselves on babysitting duty - so it's a win/win for everyone!
  
  
• Blog ~ Post more frequently! I've definitely slacked off this year, and mostly have written about Georgia {of course!} so the plan is to just keep busy. I'm hoping to get involved in monthly projects or prompts every now and again, potentially starting off with #weVerb14.
  
  
• Read ~ I have at least a dozen books I want to read on my Kindle - it's just finding the time to sit down and get on with them! This year, I'm going to set a goal of at least 6 books. It doesn't seem like a lot, but I barely read a thing last year, and I'm trying to be realistic about what I can start and finish.
  
  
• Move ~ I'd like to start up on my treadmill again. I'm not even going to pretend that joining a gym is viable for me right now, but the treadmill is in the garage - it's set up, it's ready to go. All I need to do is get some tunes on my iPod, drag a fan in & DO IT. Hopefully Georgia will keep to her two nap schedule {she's doing really well at the moment!} and I can get on this every few days.
  
  
• Organise ~ I have a tonne of baby clothes to sort/store/give away, and the house is a complete mess more often than not. This year I'd like to start tackling things, bit by bit. I've already started printing out photos of Georgia's first year - I decided a while back that I'd like old school prints/photo albums until her first birthday. I'm up to month 6... so I'll tackle the next block soon.
  
  
• Cook ~ Doesn't worry me if they're old favourites or new experiments, but the goal is to keep saving money & cook up a storm this year. If not a storm, maybe just a drizzle. But cooking, all the same. :)
  
  
• TTC ~ Georgia is coming up to her first birthday in just a few months {how did that happen?} so it's natural to start thinking about what happens next. Hopefully we can tackle this & come up with a plan that fits us both, since natural babymakin' just isn't on the cards for us - but this is certainly a hope and a dream. I can think of nothing more awesome than a sibling for Georgia.

The Siren will be available from 29 August online at Harlequin and in bookstores nationally for RRP AUS $19.99. There's also an upcoming Q&A with the novel's authoress coming up, if you're so inclined!

Thanks to the folks at Harlequin Australia & Morey Media for sending me a copy of The Siren to read and review.