I felt like I read a lot in April. I was still healing from my shoulder surgery but back in the groove a little bit more than I had been. I had a few standouts books read this month but many that were “fine.” I have continued my trend of being really picky about requesting ARCS, so while I still have a good handful to get through this spring and early summer, that should fade off and I hope the 2nd half of the year is spent on my ever growing TBR list and my 2023 reading goals list.
Here is what I read in April.
Symphony of Secrets – Brendan Slocumb
This book! I loved this book. Like his debut, The Violin Conspiracy, it is story woven around music and Brendan Slocumb has taken us on a dual timeline journey that is a cup full to the brim with substance. In another life I was more involved with music than I currently am, but I still have a deep love for all things music related. Take a current professor/researcher, his bad-ass best friend, mix that with a famous composer from the past, money, greed and a most lovely woman named Josephine that has a deep affinity for music and you have a symphony of perfection! Everything about this book worked for me from the pacing to the reveals. I loved Bern, Ebony and Josephine – they were well developed characters that came alive for me. The racial issues of the 1920’s and today were done so well and there were a few chapters that I had to re-read as they took my breath away. Make sure you don’t miss the author’s note at the end. Mr. Slocumb, you write it and I will read it. Your written word is truly a gift. If you have not yet read The Violin Conspiracy, I highly recommend that as well – another 5🍷.
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None of This is True – Lisa Jewell
4.5 The Queen of Creepy has done it again. Lisa Jewell has created a world in which my skin was crawling and goose bumps were shivering numerous times. Alix and Josie first meet in a pub and it becomes obvious they are both celebrating their 45th birthday. Upon chit chat, they learn that not only do they share a birthday but were both born in the same hospital. Alix, a podcaster with a troubled marriage, agrees to interview Josie, a part time seamstress in an abusive household, for a podcast on beginning your life anew at an age where things have a need to change. Well, it all goes OFF THE RAILS. Jewell is a gifted writer that excels at creep-galore, pacing, suspense and just enough red herrings to keep you wondering. I felt like I was watching a Dateline episode that I couldn’t look away from. I had the opportunity to hear Jewell speak at a local indie bookstore in Denver just before the pandemic and I really liked her – found her down to earth, funny and super personable. I actually felt like Alix portrayed much of the characteristics that I saw in Lisa that day. Super entertaining dark read until the very end. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion. None of This is True will be out 8/8/2023.
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The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise – Colleen Oakley
This had a little bit of a “cozy mystery” vibe which I don’t always relate to, but I found it fun and entertaining. I enjoyed it on audio. Tanner is young adult that has had her path completely de-railed from what she thought it would be due to a freak accident at a party she didn’t even want to attend in the first place. Louise is a very lovable older woman that has her kids very worried about her. Her children hire Tanner to help her our and they aren’t particularly fond of each other at first. Odd things keep happening that make Tanner wonder who Louise really is. I enjoyed their forming friendship and the stories of their pasts.
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Black Cake – Charmaine Wilkerson
This is a toughie as I went into it expecting to LOVE it due to previous reviews I had read. I think this is a case that going in blind would be better – I just knew too much. I did like it and it was very well written but it fell a tiny bit short than what I expected.
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Find Your Unicorn Space: Reclaim your Creative Life in a Too Busy World – Eve Rodsky
I don’t even remember how I learned about this book but I was drawn to the words “creativity” and “too busy world”. I found certain parts unique and inspirational and very well worth the read.
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Happy Place – Emily Henry
I love Emily Henry. I think she’s smart, witty and I love the banter dialogue that she has written in the past. I did enjoy this book but I grew tired of the fake dating trope and just wanted it to end. I have a feeling this was a case of, it isn’t you, it is me. I’m getting too old for this nonsense on repeat. 😂
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No Two Persons – Erica Bauermeister
3.5 While I have read books before that tie characters together by an object, event or idea – No Two Persons does so in a unique way, through a book. It isn’t an uncommon thought or feeling that any given book will hit different for a number of different people. What I love, you may not and vice versa, and of course timing plays into that as well. But in No Two Persons we go a step further in how someone’s journey may be altered by reading or even just the existence of this particular book. I did like it quite a bit, yet sometimes its disjointed nature was just a tad much for me. Those that love deep character driven novels may love it even more than I did. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an early release e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion. No Two Persons is now available.
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The Bird Hotel – Joyce Maynard
After enduring too much tragedy, Irene starts a new and winds up at the hotel La Llorona, which feels like it is straight out of a fair tale. For me, the magical realism piece felt larger than it probably was and kept me from moving from like to love. I think I needed a little bit more realism and less of the magical feeling. I also had a hard time jumping to the “I loved it” category due to the large amount of characters. It was long and some of it seemed unnecessary. Otherwise well written, a very sad and somewhat depressing story. Thank you to NetGalley and SkyHorse Publishing for an advance e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion. The Bird Hotel is now available.
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The Golden Couple – Greer Hendricks
Marissa and Matthew are wealthy DC residents that seem to have it all, but just don’t. Marissa’s infidelity leaves her with too much guilt and so she must confess to try and save her marriage and family. She seeks the help of no-longer-a therapist because her license was yanked, Avery. A very twisty domestic suspense drama that is filled with secrets. I enjoyed this on audio.
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Small World – Laura Zigman
Joyce and Lydia are two now divorced sisters that decide to live together as adults. Joyce regularly trolls the neighborhood online site, Small World, which I found to be the most entertaining part of the book – she makes up short poems of the posts. Past secrets become uncovered as the sisters’ relationship changes. I felt it was a book of grief, loss, forgiveness and hope.
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The Doctor’s Wife – Daniel Hurst
I am going to be honest here. I read this book less than a month ago and I have a very limited memory of what it is about. Hmmm. Drew is a doctor that wants to move to a small town. Fern goes along with it. There are secrets with a double time and lots of twists and turns. I found it to be a quick read that kept me turning the pages but ultimately not very memorable.
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The Matchmaker – Catherine Walsh
This was my third book by Catherine Walsh. While I liked it, it was not as strong for me as the first two I have read. Set in a small town in Ireland, Katie Collins is living a fairly peaceful existence until a developer, Callum, comes in to build a large hotel outside the village, and make other changes as well that affect Katie‘s life. First, the construction disturbs her sleep, and then she finds out it will interfere with the other parts of her life well. Great setting and ok story but wasn’t the perfect match for me. If rom-com is your favorite genre, you may love it a bit more than I did. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion. The Matchmaker is now available.
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I Have Some Questions For You – Rebecca Makkai
Bodie is a filmmaker and podcaster and is invited back to her old high school/boarding school to teach a short course on podcasting. There is a focus on a murder from her student years when her roommate Thalia was murdered. A current seminar student is revisiting the case with her project and brings to light information that begs the question if the murdered was rushed to justice and was there more to the story. I had very high hopes for this one and it fell a bit flat for me.
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The Bride to Be – Daniel Hurst
As soon as I started this one I sort of regretted requesting it as an ARC. Written by the same author of The Doctor’s Wife, I just didn’t connect with it much at all. Alternating chapters left me confused and quite frankly disinterested. There were some twists and it kept it flowing as a page turner but it was just ok for me.
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