What I Read in April

Go As a River: I really loved this book. It spanned a long period of the main character’s life, and the trials and tribulations she encountered growing up, from her teenage years to midlife. Sometimes I found myself wanting more depth, but I think that the author chose not to do that in order to continue the metaphor of life as a river throughout the book and in the end I liked getting to see the “big picture” of her life. I also loved learning about a piece of history that I didn’t know anything about previously. Overall, I agree with the blurb- if you loved books like “Where the Crawdads Sing”, I think you’ll enjoy this one as well! 4.5/5 stars

Baby X: This was a fun and unique read! I really enjoyed the speculative fiction aspects and appreciated that it didn’t feel over the top- but like something that could actually happen someday. It made me think about what I would do in their circumstances- what it would be like to choose your children based on their DNA. It was easy to read, had a few good twists and I love how all of the multiple points of view came together. Overall I really liked it and still think about it often! 4/5 stars

Thank you to The Quick Brown Fox & Co/ Crooked Lane Books for sharing an advanced copy to read and review. This entertaining read is out now!

Demon Copperhead: I was hesitant to pick this one up for a few reasons: it has a ton of hype, I haven’t read “David Copperfield” that it is based off of, and it is LONG. Despite my reservations, I am so glad that I decided to give it a try! I ended up listening to it on audio (a great choice!) and really grew to love Demon’s character. It IS sad, long, and not necessarily enjoyable to read- but it is an important and memorable piece of literature for sure. It made me feel deeply for those living in poverty, struggling with addiction, and children in the foster care system and how difficult it can be to escape any of those situations, let alone all three. But it also had elements of hope and how the right people in your life can make all the difference. 5/5 stars

The Simple Wild: This is not my typical genre, but I picked it up for book club this month. It’s a very quick and easy read, but I didn’t care for either of the main characters which kind of ruined it for me. I did love the stepdad, Simon, and felt for the Dad living with so many regrets- a good reminder to live life fully and intentionally. Overall, I enjoyed it but didn’t love it and am confused why it had SO much hype. 3/5 stars

The Midnight Feast: I’ve read a LOT of thrillers, but this new release by Lucy Foley has a unique plot, unlike any that I’ve read. It takes place on the opening weekend of a luxury resort and alternates points of views and timelines to reveal sinister motives and histories. There are many characters to keep track of (both in the present and past), as well as diary entries and elements of folklore woven throughout. In other words, the author tackles a lot, but I think she tied it all together nicely. It wasn’t my personal favorite (I did find it pretty predictable), but I think a lot of readers will really enjoy it! 3.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for sharing an advanced copy to read and review. The publishing date is June 18, 2024.

Did I Ever Tell You? I LOVED the premise behind the book- the author lost her mother at a young age and before her mother died she filled a chest with notes or packages to open at specific milestones in her life. It’s 100% something I can see myself doing in a similar situation. I also loved listening to the letters and videos from her mom, she was so wise. The rest of the book was good, but not great. I had a hard time connecting with the author- she was right, other than the death of her parents, her life was very privileged. I’m truly glad she had so much support and wouldn’t wish the loss of great parents on anyone, but it didn’t make for a particularly interesting story to me. 3.5/5 stars

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde: I really loved this book and didn’t expect to since it’s a romance (I think it’s the first I’ve ever given 5 stars to!) This felt like MORE than a romance. I loved the addition of the magical realism aspect- it made it feel less predictable and cliché. The characters felt real and well developed and I loved the found family and history woven into the story. 5/5 stars

Funny story: Emily Henry is a beloved author, but hasn’t been historically loved by me. However I gave her another try and I’m so glad I did! This book was full of good banter and I loved the library setting and the inclusion of platonic love as well. 4/5 stars

Kill for Me, Kill for You This new release thriller had SO much hype, but unfortunately I didn’t love it. In fact, as I write this, I honestly can’t remember much about it. One of those books that is fun to read, but very forgettable. 3/5 stars

Expiration Dates I end up reading Rebecca Serle’s books because she often has a magical realism element in her stories (which I usually love!) but they tend to fall flat for me. In this story the characters felt very pretentious and unrelatable and in general, I had a hard time connecting to the story. I was definitely left wanting more. 3/5 stars