April Book Roundup

 

Sigh, April was a month of a slight book funk for me. I finished 4 books, but there were about 3 others that I got halfway through to and just wasn't in the mood/couldn't get myself excited enough to finish them. One of those books was "The Night Shift" which is so highly hyped up right now. Sometimes, I will try it again a few months later and absolutely love it then...we'll see. I wasn't a huge fan of that author's first book either. 

But, let's focus on the positive here...and talk about the books I DID finish! I was surprised and glad that I could still work my way through 4 of them by time April was ending and May was rolling around.

The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey- ⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟 4.5 stars

First up, a book that I really was happy about while reading! 

I love me some Kristy Woodson Harvey and her books, and this one definitely did not disappoint. This was her first Historical Fiction, and she did it really well, although I do think I did prefer the contemporary parts of the book because I loved those characters and their relationships with each other. That being said, being a current North Carolinian, the historical parts about The Biltmore and the Vanderbilt's were very interesting. 

This book had a little bit of everything; it even had a little tropical island getaway, which I am very into reading about lately since our honeymoon in St. Lucia. In pure KWH style, this book was just happy, full of wisdom, enlightening, and enjoyable. Her author's note and the ending of the book gave me chills- always a good sign! I have to stand by my opinion (similar to many others, I'm thinking) that this is her most memorable book yet. 

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth- ⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟 4.5 stars

Next up, the most charming book by the most charming author! I've followed Sally Hepworth on socials, and she is just so adorably cute. My favorite blogger and Sally were posting all about each other this month after they did a book event together in TX, and I just wanted to be right there with the both of them! Her books are "mom fiction", about realistic suburban life (although in Australia), and I've truly loved reading her recent ones. 

Just like her others, this was somewhat predictable, but I enjoyed getting there so much. She is so talented at pulling out and drawing attentions to all the little details of everyday life. While it could be sad and dark, it was still breezy and light...and laugh out loud witty/funny. Her characters are lovable, although there was a master manipulator in this one...but you're never quite sure if that character was the "bad one" or not. This book was relatable, I loved that she tied in real life events such as miscarriages, and I can not wait for more from Sally Hepworth! Her writing is so similar to Liane Moriarty's- these Australian authors do it so well!

The Club by Ellery Lloyd- ⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟 4.5 stars

Can someone tell me why UK writers are generally so much better than us Americans? That's definitely the case with this team of writers! While I liked these authors' previous book, this one was leaps and bounds better, in my opinion. 

Give me some tropical island, some celebrities/fame, and a thriller. The topic is very original, creative, and it is very well executed. I appreciate how observant the authors are and how they put power into the details; it almost reads as a character study at many parts. They are so spot on, and I loved the setting, the description of the characters, and the plot events. I loved it all! I was super surprised and impressed by this one.

For Such a Time as This: My Faith Journey Through the White House and Beyond by Kayleigh McEnany ⭐⭐⭐

Okay, okay...don't harp on me for this one. I read books from BOTH political sides, and that helps me to understand all perspectives better. I like to educate and inform myself that way, and I think that's where so many others go wrong. I have said it before- I love reading books about behind-the-scenes of the White House, even though I don't follow politics much. I didn't know much about Kayleigh McEnany before reading this, but I was interested, and I'm going to read almost anything that promotes faith from a well-known figure. This just tied in a bunch of my favorite things to read about.

That being said, I definitely don't agree with everything she said in this book, but there was a lot that I do agree with. I respect her views on Christianity and military appreciation- both of what she referred to frequently. She even devoted half of her chapter about her own daughter to discussing her appreciation for military families, that she has no ties to. While she does stay on the surface with faith, it acts as good basic information for others, especially new or non-believers.

 I appreciate that she was against "demonization and derision" and she wanted to promote "inquiring and a respectful dialogue." She doesn't gossip or trash; she's purely factual in this book (which is respectable but honestly made it a little boring, hah!) The content was a bit repetitive, it stays pretty surface level, lots of facts are there, but there's nothing too intriguing or eye-opening. 

And that was my month of reading in April! There are a lot of exciting new releases in May, so here's hoping to a great month of reading!