Happy Spring! After spending a couple of weeks in Europe where the temperatures were a little chilly, I'm back home in South Carolina where it already feels like summer. The warm temperatures means lots of time on the lanai in the evenings or at the pool on the weekends reading.
Even though I was traveling for a good chunk of the month, I still managed to keep up with my reading, so plenty of books to review and for you to check out. As always, you can follow my reading "real time" on Goodreads. Just click here to check out my Goodreads profile and feel free to send me a friend request.
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Big In Sweden by Sally Franson
Like other reviews on this book, I can't quite decide if I love it or hate it. The main character, Paulie, goes on a reality television show in Sweden, where the winner gets a chance to meet their Swedish family. Through the process of the filming and competition, Paulie discovers a lot about herself. My main issue is that Paulie, at times, was so quirky and contrived, that she became annoying. You wanted to cheer for her, but it was hard. A cute story, but hard to love the characters like I wanted to. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Three out of five stars.
This book will be released July 2, 2024. To pre-order your copy from Amazon, click here.
The Women In The Castle by Jessica Shattuck
I love historical fiction from WWII, but this one did not grab me as much as others had. The story just wasn't compelling and didn't seem to have a purpose to it. The book was fine, but not one I would highly recommend. Three out of five stars.
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The Sin Of The Century by Jose de Cueller and Nicole von Germeten
This one was a struggle for me. Just not my style of book. Hard to follow all the characters and figure out the story. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Two out of five stars.
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Scream Of Silence (Demons Book 1) by Bryan Cassiday
If you like campy, over the top horror books, this is for you. I found the writing to be repetitive. Definitely not a lot of depth to the story. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Three out of five stars.
This book will be released June 11, 2024. To pre-order your copy on Amazon, click here.
Drawn From Life by Sarah P. Blanchard
Great characters and a great story. And while I felt like you could pretty easily figure out how the accident that the book centers around happened, the characters were interesting enough to keep you reading. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars.
To order this book from Amazon, click here.
The Medicine Game by Michael Scott Green
This is a reality-based book that follows four people from different backgrounds that go to medical school together. It gives you insight into the world of medical school and students and residents going through the medical system. The second part of the book follows the same four people about 10 years later as they navigate their careers. Very engaging. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars.
Watching You by Lisa Jewell
I love a good thriller, and this one does not disappoint. Full of lots of interesting characters. It keeps you guessing until the end! Four out of five stars.
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A Perfectly Good Fantasy: A Memoir (Nonfiction Addiction Book 3) by Lynn Walker
This is a very open and honest memoir. The author had turned her life around after dealing with addiction. But despite gaining success obtaining her masters degree and professionally, she turns back to alcohol, thinking she can control it. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars.
To order this book on Amazon, click here.
Sisters Of Fortune by Anna Lee Huber
Everyone is familiar with the story of the Titanic, and this historical fiction novel based on real passengers - the Fortune sisters - is a great take on the story. The characters are well developed. The writing and flow of the book gets you involved quickly. And even though you know how the story ultimately ends, it's a page turner to find out who survives and who doesn't. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Five out of five stars!
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All I See Is Violence by Angie Elita Newell
The concept of this book is great and it has the potential to be really good. However, the author tries to tell three separate stories in the book, and it is just too much. None of the three stories feels complete. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Three out of five stars.
To order this book from Amazon, click here.
The Women by Kristin Hannah
I'm a big fan of Kristin Hannah's, and this one is one of my favorites of hers. It can be tough to read at times. Not because it isn't a good book, but because she does such a good job writing a book about Vietnam and the people who served. The book covers not only what they experienced there, but what they experienced coming back home. And giving focus to the women who served as nurses there - women who were ignored even more than the men - is worth reading to be educated about what happened to them. Yes, there is a love story/romance angle to the book that some didn't feel was necessary, but in my opinion it adds to the characters and story and makes this even more of a page turner. Five out of five stars!
To order this book on Amazon, click here.
So, there are my reads from April. Some big hits as well as some big misses, which is the way it goes with books. I hope my post helps you find some new books to add to your reading list!
What books do you recommend I read next? Let me know! Did you check out any of these books? I'd love to hear what you think! Comment below or e-mail me at tips2livebywriter@gmail.com.
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