I'm getting ready to head out for a couple of weeks of travel in Europe. But before I do, it's time to share reviews of the books I've read in March.
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Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood
This is a great one, with lots of plot twists. Seventeen year old Sophie has disappeared. The story is told from the perspective of her parents in alternating chapters. As her parents search for her, they uncover some truths about their daughter that they did not know. They also hone in on the reclusive neighbor who is the only one that won't speak to them about anything he might have seen the night of Sophie's disappearance. As their suspicion grows, they push the limits of what they will do to find out what happened to their daughter. This one will keep you guessing until the end, and is a real page turner. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Five out of five stars!
To order your copy on Amazon, click here.
End Of Active Service by Matt Young
Dean has recently completed his time served in the Marine Corps. As he is struggling to readjust to being home, he meets Max. Shortly after, Max gets pregnant. As Dean tries to pretend he's fine, his world is slowly falling apart. Not an easy read, but you can really feel for the characters. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
This book will be released June 18, 2024. To pre-order your copy from Amazon, click here.
Becoming Ted by Matt Cain
When Ted's husband of almost 20 years informs him that he's met someone else and is leaving him, Ted is devastated. But as Ted slowly starts to explore who he really is, he realizes that his relationship may have been holding him back. This one is very sweet. A bit campy and over the top at times, but I really enjoyed the characters and it was a fun read. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
This book will be released June 4, 2024. To pre-order your copy, click here.
The Double Life of Benson Yu by Kevin Chong
This was a tough one for me. While the story was definitely captivating, the style was difficult to follow. I had a hard time figuring out was was past or present, reality or not reality. Also note that there is reference to abuse in the book, for those that don't care to read about that topic. 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.
You Get What You Pay For: Essays by Morgan Parker
This is a powerful collection of essays about the author's experience living with mental illness and being Black in America. It's raw and honest. Extremely well written. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
To order your copy on Amazon, click here.
Honey by Isabel Banta
Absolutely loved this one! As a huge music fan and someone who is fascinated with how the music industry works, this was such a fun read. And while I'm not really a huge fan of pop music and the boy and girl bands of the 90s, the story just drew me in. It follows Amber Young, who is a young girl from NJ trying to make it in the music industry and discover herself in the process. You can definitely see the parallels between the characters in the book and real life people in the music business, including Amber's fellow female pop stars and the producer/writer from Oslo that everyone wants to work with because all he does is make hit singles. Totally intriguing peak inside the music business and the young talent it creates. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Five out of five stars!
This book will be released June 25, 2024. To pre-order your copy from Amazon, click here.
So Fetch by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong
Ironically, I've never seen the movie "Mean Girls", but still really enjoyed this one. I am a huge Tina Fey fan, so loved reading about the screenplay she wrote. If you're a fan of the movie, this is a must read! 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.
Yours For The Taking by Gabrielle Korn
I think this one had a lot of potential that it didn't quite reach. The story was engaging. It's based on what life on Earth is like a few decades in the future after our abuse of the planet has made most of it inhabitable. As new societies are formed within what are called the "Insides", the story focuses on the one in NYC that is started with only women and under what is basically one big experiment. My issue with the book is that it was hard to really get involved with any of the characters. I also felt that the writing was at times written at a level for a younger reader. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Three out of five stars.
To order your copy from Amazon, click here.
Candida Royalle and the Sexual Revolution: A History From Below by Jane Kamensky
This is the biography of Candida Royalle. It follows Candice's story from her troubled childhood, to her work in the porn industry, and through her death. The author takes the details of her story from Candice's own written journals, which were extensive. It lets you dive deep into her personality as someone who struggled with how to get the industry that was her life, the respect she believed it deserved. Very well written. Sometimes biographies can be slow to read and dry, and this one really tells a story. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
To purchase this book from Amazon, click here.
So that's a wrap on the books I've read in March. Hope you found a few that interest you!
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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