I am late posting my March books read (this is something more common than not for me) and my world is still spinning in quite a crazy way, so that will likely continue (late posting) for some time. I did complete seven books in March, many were read by audio in the car or books read on an airplane as there has been a lot of that lately. Overall I read some real standouts, my mind was blown at least 3 times! There was only one book that was a bit Meh for me. In the spirit of just getting this posted – I will cut to the chase and tell you about what I read in March.
More Than Enough – Anna Quindlen
4.5 I loved this character driven story of family, forgiveness, grief, joy, friendship and so much more. Polly and her 3 friends have a small bookclub, but they never read the book – it is actually a rule. Love this. These are real characters with faults and they are stumbling through the realities of the human condition and doing the best they can. So well written. Another winner by Anna Quindlen. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advance digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. More Than Enough is now available.
🍷🍷🍷🍷1/2
Yesteryear – Caro Claire Burke
I’ve been debating internally where this hits on the 4 – 5 * range for me since I hit the 50% mark. Parts are 5, no doubt. Uniqueness, originality, creativity, writing (mostly), binge-able, all of the above. I think it was maybe just a tad too long for me and while I both strongly disliked Natalie and couldn’t get enough of her warped brain, at some point I had enough. The last 20% drew me back in fiercely and I was overall pleased how it wrapped up. This book will be talked about everywhere the rest of this year and I am willing to bet it is a celebrity pick or BOTM for April (edited: it was both). I do plan to hear the author in Denver on her tour and looking forward to that. (Edited: I did, and it was fantastic!) You will either love or hate this book. If you hate it, just put it down, no need to read it. Unless you truly want to understand how the people like Natalie are real, today, right now and their fake personas are so far from the good people that they proclaim to be. I am not going to expand further on that but this is hitting a nerve so hard because Natalie and her family use the Christian values label so loud and proud and yet they are anything but. I am not at all surprised that it has already been set for the screen (starring Anne Hathaway) and if you want more of the author, check out her co-hosted podcast, Diabolical Lies. Thank you to the publisher Penguin Random House / Knopf for an advanced print copy, very appreciated.
🍷🍷🍷🍷1/2
Lady Tremaine – Rachel Hochhauser
What a fun and creative book! Lady Tremaine was not a book I had considered at first at all, until I kept seeing review after review this month for it and they were all glowing. This is a reimagining of the classic fairytale Cinderella, told from the point of view of Etheldreda, the “wicked step mother.” Was she truly wicked or just a mother that was misunderstood with a fierce love and protection within her for her children. As a two time widower, she is trying to hold her life together in a house that is literally falling apart with no money and no resources. As the royal family calls for a ball for their son the prince to find a suitor, Ethel sees the opportunity to fix her situation and provide better for not just one daughter but all. But what happens when things are not as they seem? I loved this book and recommend enthusiastically as a very pleasant escape from reality. To boot, this is a debut for author Rachel Hochhauser – which is quite amazing. She has come out blazing with such a creative, fun, and clever debut – I can’t wait to see what is next for her.
🍷🍷🍷🍷1/2
Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage – Belle Burden
My mind was blown at this one. Belle Burden was living the elite life of the uber wealthy (major old money) and believed to be happily married for twenty-one years with everything just peachy. And then two weeks into Covid she discovers her husband “James” (real name Henry Davis) is having an affair. He says it means nothing, he loves his wife and family and recommits to wanting to make it work. Until he sleeps on it. He wakes up the next morning, says he’s done – with all of it. Doesn’t want the Martha’s Vineyard house, luxury NYC apartment, her, nor the kids – not even shared custody. WTAF! This man is a complete monstrous sociopath. Those first desires change to be filled with even worse demands – I truly think he had this whole thing planned out and laid the first breadcrumbs prior to their marriage when he demanded a slight alter to their prenup. Maybe even before that when she mentioned The Morgan Library when they first met. Some people think he snapped with Covid, honestly I think the only thing Covid may have done was speed up the timeline. There is so much to unpack here – I do hope one of my in person bookclubs picks it as I want to discuss! I can’t stress enough how important it is for women (both partners really) to know the inside and out of their financial lives and really to think out that structure carefully. Not surprising we have a screen buyer already and Gwenyth Paltrow is said to be cast as Belle. I think Belle seems a bit more genuine (and naive!!!) that GP but we shall see if her acting chops rise above that.
🍷🍷🍷🍷
You with the Sad Eyes – Christina Applegate
First things first, if you are going to read this book, I highly recommend the audio. Read by the author, Applegate invokes her tone, dry chuckle, pronunciation and more into this reading of her memoir that takes it up a notch. It will only add to the experience. With that said, this is a very sad, messy, chaotic book. Oh, what a life she has had. From her childhood with her mom and introduction to acting, her life takes off with a bang. For those that like name dropping, you won’t be disappointed as there is plenty of that. But the telling of her horrific long-winded relationship with a physically and emotionally abusive boyfriend (never named in the book) examines the cycles of violence that are often passed down to future generations. She relives these moments with obvious pain on audio and delivers a great deal of empathy for all domestic violence victims. Those that follow her know that she has had great health struggles including breast cancer and now MS. While she is now retired from acting to focus solely on her family and her health, she leaves an open book to her path on how she has arrived from where she began.
🍷🍷🍷🍷
Last One Out – Jane Harper
I have been a big fan of Harper’s so naturally this was one of my most anticipated books this year. The author captures the setting as she always does – a living, breathing character that adds immensely to the story – a dying town seeped in sorrow. But the rest of the story fell a tad short for me. I didn’t dislike it, but it didn’t quite live up to my own expectations – which could be part of the problem. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance audio copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Last One Out is now available.
🍷🍷🍷1/2
The Other Couple – Claire McGowan
This is a multiple POV and timeline suspense drama/thriller that was “fine”. It was entertaining and while I did mostly enjoy it on a long plane ride (read almost all of it in one sitting) it lacked a little something-something for me to say I loved it. I was often confused (this may have been on purpose) and the ending fell flat for me. I liked it, but it wasn’t a love for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishing for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. The Other Couple is now available.
🍷🍷🍷
