Which books are worth the read and which should you skip? Find out what books I’ve been reading lately and whether I recommend them.
Isn’t it interesting how the same number can mean different things to different people.
To most people, nine books in a month would be amazing. As a book blogger, I look at my tally of nine books and wonder what happened? I’m usually reading 12 books at least.
Admittedly my Reading Lately post is coming out early because of how the calendar falls. Plus, I read a massive history book that really should count as like three books.
Then I remember that no one cares how many books you read a month. It’s not a competition.
More important than a number is the quality of your reading month. Did you read as much as you wanted? Did you enjoy the books that you read?
So reading three books at the beginning of the month sounds great until you realize that they were all lousy. So reading just one five-star book over the last week was a much better use of my reading time.
Don’t let comparison (to others or to even to your past reading) steal your joy in what you’re reading now!
April Reading List
True Biz
Sara Nović
Sara Nović gives you an insightful look into deaf culture with a story about the personal and political crises that surround students and the headmistress at the River Valley School for the Deaf. Charlie is a rebellious transfer student who has never met another deaf person and Austin is the school’s golden boy who is shocked when his baby sister is born hearing. Meanwhile, February is desperately trying to keep the school open and her marriage intact.
What I loved most about True Biz was how much I learned about deaf culture and community. I was shocked by some of the historical and even current stances on sign language and had some astounding insights into the deaf perspective. The coming-of-age narrative between Charlie and Austin was quite good, though I will admit that the ending did not give the closure I would have liked.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 5 April 2022
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Sea of Tranquility
Emily St. John Mandel
Emily St. John Mandel (author of Station Eleven) returns with her third novel, a story about parallel worlds and alternate possibilities. In 1912, a young man hears a violin playing in the Canadian woods, an event that a videographer captures in the present day. Two hundred years later, a famous writer includes a similar haunting scene in one of her books. Decades later, Gaspery-Jacques Roberts is hired to investigate this anomaly in time, one that has the potential to disrupt the universe’s timeline.
At under 300 pages with a large font and small size, Sea of Tranquility is an extremely short read. Mandel brilliantly writes literary science fiction, and Sea of Tranquility has a gorgeous lyrical presence to it. The story is simple and unrushed, laying out each scenario and then tying it all together as Gaspery-Jacques’ time-traveling contemplates the nature of destiny and fate.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Knopf Books. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 5 April 2022
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City of Orange
David Yoon
A man with amnesia wakes up in a post-apocalyptic world, injured and alone. He has vague memories of life before, but can’t seem to piece together how the world has come to its current state. As his memories return, he struggles to survive in the harsh environment until he meets a boy and realizes that life is much different than he thought.
City of Orange is not what you expect, which is a two-edged sword. The snippet conveys an exciting post-apocalyptic story, and City of Orange is anything but excited. The story is slow-paced and, quite honestly, drags for most of the book. However, the unexpected message of the book is clever and thought-provoking. Unfortunately, I’m not sure the slog of reading the book is worth the reward at the end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Putnam through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 24 May 2022
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It All Comes Down to This
Therese Anne Fowler
Marti Geller has always stated that, after she dies, the family summer cottage will be sold and divided between her three daughters. Beck, a freelance journalist in a loveless marriage, is counting on the inheritance to give her time to write a novel and change her marriage. Recently divorced cardiologist Clare is struggling to fix her complicated love life and Sophie is an Instagram influencer whose empire is sitting on a house of cards. With the death of their mother and the debate over the cottage, the three sisters must come to terms with their own lives.
I love a good family drama, but It All Comes Down to This just didn’t connect with me. I wasn’t interested in any of the sisters’ storylines and the drama felt stale. Even worse, the romantic relationships were a mess, yet then everything tied into too neat of a bow. The whole book felt pointless, and I would suggest passing on this one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 7 June 2022
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Upgrade
Blake Crouch
In a future where the world has been ravaged by the unintended consequences of gene editing, Logan Ramsay works for the Genetic Protection Agency, tracking down unauthorized gene editors to atone for his family’s role in the disaster. When an explosion infects Logan with a virus, he undergoes a genetic transformation and now must use his new abilities to stop it from happening to anyone else.
I’ve enjoyed Crouch’s smart sci fi thrillers previously, but Upgrade might be too smart for its own good. I was bored to tears throughout the entire book, which failed to make DNA science interesting, and I actually don’t mind reading fat science books about genetics. Even the action scenes were putting me to sleep. I’m honestly ashamed to say I even finished the book because it was that dull.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Ballantine Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 12 July 2022
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From the Backlist
Never
Ken Follett
Pauline Green, the United States’s first female President, tries to avoid war when an act of aggression escalates and the world’s greatest powers are caught up in a tangled web of alliances. With the aid of a young intelligence officer in Chad, an undercover spy in Northern Africa, and a Chinese spymaster, Green must use all her political savvy to save the world in this epic political thriller.
Follett states that he wanted to write a modern WWI story, about a war that no one wanted but the political alliances forced upon the world. I had forgotten how much I love political thrillers, and Never served up the perfect combination of relatable characters and plausible global politics that kept me glued to the page as the world is on the brink of war.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 9 November 2021
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The Last Mrs. Parrish
Liv Constantine
Coveting the life of elite socialite Daphne and her husband Jackson, Amber Patterson sets out on a mission to insinuate herself into the Parrish family. Quickly she becomes Daphne’s most trustest confidante and companion, and Amber is determined to take the life she knows should be hers. Until she learns that the Parrishes have a secret of their own.
Being a Reese book club pick with lots of great reviews, I had high hopes for The Last Mrs. Parrish. Although the book was an easy read, the plot was too predictable, never diverging from its overused trope. I also couldn’t get over the fact that Amber was so one-dimensional; she was extremely focused and conniving, but her goals were so superficial and she didn’t seem to mind the glaring holes in her schemes. All in all, The Last Mrs. Parrish was an okay read for when you want to escape into a psychological thriller.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 17 October 2017
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The Guncle
Steven Rowley
After his hit tv show ends and his boyfriend dies, once famous sitcom star Patrick lives a life of seclusion in Palm Springs. When his sister-in-law dies and his brother goes to rehab, Patrick agrees to watch his niece and nephew for the summer. All at once, Gay Uncle Patrick, lovingly referred to as GUP, learns the weight of parenting children, even if just temporarily, and finds the power to move past his own grief. A heartwarming family comedy, The Guncle conveys an incredibly sweet message with extremely irreverent humor, which will not be to everyone’s taste (and wasn’t always to mine, hence the 3.5 stars instead of 4).
My Rating:
Publication Date: 25 May 2021
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Team of Rivals
Doris Kearns Goodwin
In her Pulitzer Prize-winning book, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin takes a deeper look at Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, focusing on his political skills and maneuvering during his political career. Goodwin focuses on Lincoln’s cabinet, composed of his fiercest competitors whom he used his supreme skill to help them work together. A solid biography, Goodwin’s massive tome is well-worth a read. If you are into audiobooks, be sure to get the full unabridged audiobook version because the abridged version doesn’t convey the story nearly as well.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 25 October 2005
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Currently Reading
I always seem to have multiple books going at once. Here’s a peek at what I’m currently reading.
My To-Read List
What’s up next for me? Before I let you go, here are a few of the titles I’m hoping to get through this upcoming month.
Be sure to come back next month to see which ones I read.
Which Books Did You Read in April?
What books did you love this month? Which books can you not wait to read? As always, let me know in the comments!
More Book List to Enjoy:
Stuart says
Absolutely agree that Upgrade was a massive disappointment.
Ann says
Hi Rachael! Love getting your lists!
I think I started the month with Shadows of Pecan Hollow by Caroline Frost. I had looked forward to this one and waited for its release for a while because I am a Texan and it is a Texas tale. It did not disappoint in that sense. She mentions lots of real locations, even smaller places by name. That was fun because I live near some of them. It was a wild ride. Some rough & tough characters! I gave it ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. Could almost go to 4, but I am trying to grade a little harder in 2022. Some of the story gets a little crazy, but it was a fun read and her writing was great!
I also red Run, Rose, Run. Not something I would typically read. As a matter of fact, my first time reading James Patterson. This book was pretty hyped because of Dolly Parton being a co author. Who doesn’t love Dolly?! It includes original songs by Dolly. Again, a fun ride. I read through it very quickly. Another ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. The main character is likeable and you want to find out who she is and just what is making her run! The character’s quick rise in the country music business is not believable, but once again, you go along for the ride in this one. And the “fairy godmother” character might be a mix of Dolly & Reba .
I also read a memoir that my husband finished after working on it off and on for 20 years! I will not list the name, because it is all in Portuguese. Hoping he can get it translated in future. He is Brazilian and wrote about his childhood. He was inspired to write (as I am sure countless others were) after reading Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes. I had read McCourt’s memoir first & actually suggested that he could tell stories from his own childhood. So proud he finally got it done. This is obviously a very personal read for me. We met when my husband was an exchange student in my hometown and he concludes the book with his time here.
I don’t know about everyone else, but although I do lots of reading, I am not sure I could write. Certainly not an entire book. So this gives me a new appreciation for all the authors, having seen the time and effort that my husband put into his book. It really makes rating the books that much more difficult.
I quickly read my husband’s book bc I needed to get back to my library holds. I am always aware of my due dates & know that some of the more popular new releases cannot be rechecked. I read the latest Anne Tyler: French Braid. Another one I waited for when I heard she had a new one out. I really love her books. I can probably read many of hers multiple times. This one was a comfortable read for me. This is set in Baltimore, which any fan knows, is often the case. I gave her ⭐️⭐️⭐️ also. This seems to be a 3 star month for me. This was not Anne’s best, but was very similar to previous books & I always enjoy her writing. Really cute cover.
I have too many TBR to list all. Currently, I have finally gotten around to Greenwich Park. I heard it lives up to the hype. Still trying to get the characters straight. There was a blurb by Ashley Audrain (author of The Push), so I am a little nervous, knowing something is coming. So far, so good. I like the fact that it is coming together in bits.
I have a copy of Amanda Eyre Ward’s The Lifeguards. Another cute cover. This one got my attention bc it is set in Austin and mentions Zilker Park and Barton Springs. The author is a Native & I currently have a UT student in Austin.
Enjoyed Jennifer E. Smith’s The Unsinkable Greta James. This was her first adult fiction. She’s done lots of YA. I am not a YA kinda gal, and was pleasantly surprised by this book. I thought it was a very charming story and very well written.
I do have True Biz waiting as well. I feel like I am running a little behind this month and next month is creeping in. I seem to average 3 books a month, sometimes getting in 4.
I have a really, really bad habit of letting the new releases get the better of my reading time.
All in all, I have enjoyed my April reads. I feel like they were a little “easier.” I may need to ramp it up with some more serious books. I have 10 books in the wings on my library wait lists.
Memphis & When I’m Gone Look For Me In The East are in transit. Has anyone else noticed the supply chain things to be a thing of the past & books are arriving rapid fire?!
Waiting on the new Douglas Stuart, Young Mungo. That will probably be my darker read. He is the author of Shuggie Bain, probably one of my top reads of the last couple of years. He got the Booker Prize for that one.
Hope I was not too long winded. I always enjoy seeing what everyone is reading!