April 2023 reads

I spent most of this month reading about and plotting travel and a general desire to go a few days without reading in between books but still encountered some good and some not so good.

April reads: 

Engrossing Reads

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead - This was well written, cleverly connected, and deep - it hit me. Two characters I loved and an intriguing thread throughout. It featured a story within a story which is not always a hit for me and books within this book, which is also not always a hit for me. Yet this was. Thanks to Rose for the rec! OCNJ library hardcover

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley - Is it weird to say a book has chutzpah? This one does. I didn't know anything about it and am surprised I liked it like I did  OCNJ hard cover

Hide (Detective D.D. Warren #2) by Lisa Gardner - Once upon a time (2019), I read another book by Lisa Gardner and D.D. was a character in it. I liked her more than the main character and found there was a series and decided to start reading it. Then I realized that while it was that character's #1, it was the 5th time DD had been in a book, so I had to go back to the beginning, only I started with the second because I found it at my used bookstore, and here we are in 2023 and all that to say I'll read the next DD but am not going back to the first. LOL used paperback, own

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James - This sat on my shelf for YEARS, including all the ones everyone was cycling through it in Show Us Your Books. I finally picked it up and tore through it. Great pacing, very good story. I prefer to read her books during the day LOL Hardcover, own

Reef Road by Deborah Goodrich Royce - This experience felt a little like being on drugs and the book is just beyond your functioning cognitive understanding in your drug induced state until the stories converge. So take from that what you will. LOL used paperback, own

Passed the Time Just Fine

This Bird Has Flown by Susanna Hoffs - Yes, The Bangle. Yes of course I had to read it. It was fine. I liked the music parts of it so much. Lots of sex in it which surprised me but I'm not sure why? Anyway a find read and a novel one - pun intended OCNJ library hard cover

Red Queen by Juan Gomenz-Jurado - I struggled a little getting going which is typical for me with novels that have been translated until I pick up the rhythm. Once that happened, I sped through this. Antonia Scott is a tremendous character and I loved Jon as her sidekick. Quick and intelligent writing. Free copy from Minotaur books, paperback, own

The Second Ending by Michelle Hoffman - I do love a quirky cast of characters that converges, and this book had that. I did think it was a little overstuffed in the beginning but it hit its stride about 40% in and was an enjoyable read Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Lie Between Us: A Thriller by Amanda McKinney - She sent this to me because I read and liked her novel The Widow of Weeping Pines. This was a super quick few hour read digital copy, free from author

Not For Me/Did Not Finish

If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook - Middle of the road as far as family dramas go - I liked the end, but was really annoyed by several characters throughout. And while that is sometimes the point, it started to grate too much here. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review NFM

Homecoming by Kate Morton - As always, the writing is careful, intricate, and beautiful. As always, the book is 150-200 pages too long and this time the end was not worth it to me. The story within the story was okay here, but the book within the book was absolutely unnecessary. OCNJ library hard cover NFM

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Extra Book Love for two  April occurrences: 

National Library Week 

Independent Bookstore Day 

Both libraries and independent bookstores ensure vital communities.

Library love ALWAYS. One of my lifelong loves.

Amazon and Target are not bookstores and don't need our book money, but the little independent bookstore in the neighborhood that is so much more than just a bookstore IS a bookstore and DOES need our book money even though they cannot afford to give us book deals like Amazon and Target can because they are backed by other revenue. If you are buying books, please buy them from independent bookstores. 

What have you been reading?