Quick Lit: April 2017
May 26, 2017
One of my worst blogging habits is my inability to write about what I've read in a timely manner. So, I'm trying something new: recapping what I read at the end of each month and linking up to Modern Mrs. Darcy. I feel like "traditional" reviews have declined in popularity, although I'll still be writing some every month, so I'm hoping this will be a fun way to share what I'm reading. The exception will be review books that I can't discuss yet!
Does it count as "timely" if I'm writing about April reads at the end of May? Probably not. I don't know why I kept dragging my feet when it came to writing this post... If you missed it, I recently reviewed The Bone Season, The Mime Order and The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon and Disruption and Corruption by Jessica Shirvington.
And in the next week or so, I should have reviews up for two additional April reads soon - The Mothers by Brit Bennett and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES BY SARAH J. MAAS | This was my third time reading this book, and it's so interesting how my feelings about it alter with each reading. In some ways, I got to approach it with fresh eyes because I read it in a different format (audio!) and have new insight after the events in the sequel. I loved seeing all the clues included, and I got to pat myself on the back for spotting some of them in my very first read. I still feel like the pace is uneven - the plot goes so slow until the portion under the mountain! Maybe that's because I knew what I had to look forward to in A Court of Mist and Fury? That being said, I So Loved It!
A COURT OF MIST AND FURY BY SARAH J. MAAS | After finishing ACOTAR, I continued my audio re-read by queuing up the second book. The narrator, Jennifer Ikeda, did such an excellent job bringing the characters to life. Although it was a re-read, I still felt the tension, the romance, and the raised stakes while I was reading! I adore the Inner Circle and the Night Court (who doesn't?!) and just lose myself in this world with every turn of the page. However, I'm not a fan of the sexual content, personally, and would recommend it with reservations for that aspect alone. But I have to say I'm So Obsessed With It overall - because I am!
ALEX, APPROXIMATELY BY JENN BENNETT | I hadn't read anything by Bennett before, but I grabbed this one from the library because I kept seeing people talk about it. It's basically a YA version of You've Got Mail! Bailey "Mink" Rydell decides to live with her dad in California - partly as an escape and partly to be closer to the movie geek she met online, Alex. She takes a job at a museum, butts heads with the security guard and discovers life (and love) is so much messier than the movies. I loved the banter, the swoons and the way Bailey grows in a new environment. I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't known Alex's identity, but I still So Liked It.
THE SECRET BY JULIE GARWOOD | I've been hesitant to read the romance genre because there are aspects of it that I know won't work for me as a reader, but I have a few friends whose recommendations I'll trust. This book is one that Kelly and Alexa both love with the promise of a strong female friendship and a swoonworthy love story. While I liked a lot of the elements in it, especially the setting, the romance just didn't work for me. I had major issues with the alpha hero and the way the heroine interacted with him, which was a bummer. I was So Okay With It for the most part, but I did love the friendship and finding out more about midwifery at the time.
THE BRIGHT SIDE OF DISASTER BY KATHERINE CENTER | Unfortunately, I hated pretty much everything about this book. Heroine Jenny Harris' fiancé takes off the day before she goes into labor with their child, and it propels her into a life she never imagined. I expected to relate to her somewhat since I'm a relatively new mom, too, but OH MY WORD, I just wanted to rage at her. She needs a Get-A-Grip Friend in her life! Think of the most annoying, whiny, "here's every horrific detail about raising a baby" new mom that you know... Jenny is worse. The plot was a total bore, and there was way more telling than showing. I'm bummed to say I So Over It.
PURPLE HEARTS BY TESS WAKEFIELD | Cassie, a struggling singer/songwriter, is drowning in medical bills after she's diagnosed with diabetes. She approaches a friend in the Army about a marriage of convenience for the military benefits, but he declines. But one of his friends, Luke, overhears and volunteers instead. I liked that chapters alternated between Cassie and Luke. However, as the reader, I knew more about Luke than Cassie did, but it ended up making me sympathize with him and have very little patience for her. I wasn't super invested in them together, but I still found myself totally caught up in the book. So, I'd say I So Liked It!*
