Greetings, fellow readers! How’s 2022 treating you? Hopefully you’ve been reading more than ever now that we’ve gotten through the holidays and back to normal life. Unless you are a tax professional, in which case you are probably busier now than the average person.
If you’ve been following along for a few months then you probably know about the YA kick I’ve been on, and that trend does not seem to be fading. Apparently I’m a teen in my heart because I’m still loving all the YA fantasy and romance. I’m also gearing up for Middle Grade March, so pop back in next week for a list of what I’m planning to read off of my 3rd graders shelf next month. If you’re afraid you’ll forget, you can also subscribe to my newsletter and I’ll remind you!
In any case, I have several books to share with you today, including one from last month’s list that I didn’t get around to reading because shiny new books popped up in my library hold list. So one book carried over (A Court of Thorns and Roses, in case you were wondering) but the rest of them have not been mentioned before and I’m excited to talk about them today!
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Just Finished:
This book is just charming. The Thursday Murder Club follows a group of septuagenarians living in a posh retirement community who gather on Thursdays to investigate cold cases…until a current murder pops up (much to their delight) and a real investigation begins. The characters in this book are so fun and quirky, but not in an over-the-top way. The story is twisty and turny so that you’re not quite sure how all the discoveries and events line up, and it’s full heart-melting and heartbreaking moments by turn. If you are in the mood for a laugh and maybe a few tears, pick up The Thursday Murder Club.
The story opens as Lady Isabelle travels to a gathering at the home of the nobleman her stepmother has arranged for her to marry, but it doesn’t take long after their arrival to realize she can’t possibly marry a man so cruel. She flees from the castle, only to become lost and injured in the woods. Cole, a young peasant on his way home from a meeting with the other rebels in his village, stumbles upon her and takes her home to heal. He has no idea that she is a noble and she decides to keep her secret as her betrothed searches for her, until the attraction between them becomes too strong to ignore. Can Cole overcome his hatred for the nobility when her true identity comes to light? This is one of the YA books I mentioned at the top. It’s fast-paced and full of action, intrigue, and kissing.
Australia is on the top of my travel bucket list, so I was excited to read a romance set there. Kimberly and Sam work together at a youth ministry, and Kim has been attracted to Sam since day one – except for the fact that they butt heads constantly. When they have a major blowout and Sam parts ways with the ministry to help his sister Jules on the family dairy farm, Kim thinks she can find a replacement and keep things moving, but soon discovers that’s easier said than done. In a bid to win back her insufferable coworker, she heads to Australia to help Jules create a business plan that will keep her farm afloat in exchange for Sam considering her offer to come back to the ministry with her. The setting in this book is great, as is the way Kimberly and Sam have to work on their own issues before they can help each other. Jules is a great side character with some personal problems of her own, and the theme of found family is heartwarming. Also, don’t skip the author notes at the end!
In Progress:
I’m only about 20% into this one and I have mixed feelings so far. This is a biblical fiction retelling of the story of Joseph from an inside point of view, as well as an account of his older brother Judah and how his life changes after his part in betraying his brother. I’ve read one other book by this author before and really liked it, but I’m struggling to get into this one. The writing feels a little stiff and lacks the emotion that I saw in the other book, plus I’m a little confused about one of the side characters. I’m hoping that it improves as the story progresses because I really want to like it!
The first Nicole Deese book I ever read, All That Really Matters, made it on my top ten list for last year, so when I saw that Before I Called You Mine was available on Kindle Unlimited I downloaded it immediately. It’s about thirty-something teacher Lauren who longs to be a mother, and applies to adopt internationally as a single woman. Now it seems her dream is about to come true as her application is getting close to being approved, but things get complicated when she meets an intriguing app developer. Their attraction is instant, but Lauren holds Josh at arms length, unwilling to do anything that will jeopardize her adoption application since she has agreed to remain single for the foreseeable future. I can’t wait to see how this situation plays out as Lauren navigate competing desires in her quest for a family.
This is book number three in the Hope and Glory series and I’ve been listening through them on audio. The Prince of Spies is a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story following Luke Delacroix and and Marianne Magruder, members of two families whose businesses and politics have opposed each other for years. The two meet and hit it off, until they exchange last names and things get complicated. Throw into the mix Luke’s participation in a study that could destroy the Magruder business and Marianne’s troubled home life and there is plenty of drama and action to keep you reading. If you like star-crossed lovers, then this is the one for you.
Up Next:
The sequel to Graceling, I know next to nothing about this book other than the fact that my sister recommended this series and I enjoyed the first one. I’m looking forward to seeing which special abilities or ‘graces’ the main characters will have this time. Having the ability to read minds, fight exceptionally well, or manipulate people’s perceptions makes for some really interesting world building.
I’m a sucker for a good dual timeline story, and I can’t wait to give this one a try. This is a debut novel by Alyssa Schwarz, who had a story published in the most recent issue of Spark Flash Fiction. It involves a second chance romance and an old diary that leads to the investigation of a mystery. Sounds fun, right?
And now we come to the carry-over book from last month, also recommended to me by the same sister who pressed Graceling and Fire. This is a YA fantasy book by a popular author whose other books I have enjoyed and it has a ton of good reviews. I’m still excited to read it, if only I could stop borrowing library books. Unfortunately books that I own are often pushed aside since they aren’t going anywhere, and books with a time limit jump to the front of the line. I hereby commit to picking it up soon!
What have you been reading lately? Feel free to leave a comment and let me know if there’s a book you think I MUST pick up next! You can also check out Modern Mrs. Darcy’s monthly quick lit linkup for more great reading recommendations.
I enjoy a good biblical retelling. Have you read Tessa Afshar? She has a couple of really good re-tellings. My favorite is on Rahab, Pearl in the Sand. And, I’m not sure how many times I’ve had The Thursday Murder Club on my hold at the library and just didn’t get around to reading it. Need to put it on hold again!
I’ve heard of her but never read her. Rahab’s story sounds so interesting! I need to try that one soon.