Hello, and happy spring! Aside from the temperature fluctuations (April in East TN could mean a low of 30 and a high of 75 in the same day), the longer days and vibrant colors of spring bring me lots of joy after suffering through the cold of winter. I’m not a cold weather person at all. I attended an outdoor event at my daughter’s school today and wore duck boots and a fleece jacket while everyone else enjoyed the 65 degree temperature in t-shirts and sandals.
But you’re not here to read about my cold-blooded nature, you’re here for the books! This month I have a good mixture of fiction and nonfiction (and by that I mean it’s not all novels like it usually is). There’s a little romance, a little fantasy, and a middle grade pick to go along with a couple of memoirs and book about celebration. I like to think there is something for everyone.
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Just Finished:
Reborn in the USA: An Englishman’s Love Letter to His Chosen Home
The first of the nonfiction titles on this list, I had mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand I did enjoy reading about the author’s coming of age in Liverpool and the obsession he developed for all things American. What I didn’t enjoy as much was the level of detail about some of the more personal aspects of his teen years. I also really wanted to hear more about his transition to America, and I felt like that was tacked on at the end as an afterthought.
This one is the latest installment in my infatuation with YA fantasy. It is the sequel to Graceling, and follows Bitterblue’s struggle to bring her kingdom back to prosperity and freedom after her father’s tyrannical and abusive reign. It is set in a world where some people have ‘graces’, special abilities that they are born with and that are signified by having two different colored eyes. There is adventure, intrigue, romance, and many surprises. There were several twists I didn’t see coming and I really enjoyed it all the way through.
Since I just posted a full review of this book a last week I won’t load you down with description, but I will say that there are many gems of wisdom in this slim book about celebration. I love how the author uses scripture to show us why it’s so important to let yourself feel joy and how we can help that happen more often instead of dreading potential heartbreaks.
In Progress:
Melody Carlson is the queen of sweet romances. I’m almost done with Looking for Leroy and I’m planning to post a review of it next week, but the gist is that this is a story with an older couple who get a second chance at romance. Brynna and Leroy haven’t seen each other since the summer they spent together at camp thirty years ago, but a weird coincidence and some meddling friends bring them together unexpectedly.
You guys, I just love Ree Drummond a.k.a The Pioneer Woman. She is so lovable and funny with her quirky sense of humor. This book is filled with personal stories of life with her family on the ranch, and I find her relationship with her husband to be so relatable! I’ve been listening to the audio version which she narrates herself, and I highly recommend it if you want to laugh out loud while you fold towels.
Up Next:
Linnea is smart and independent, if only her grandfather would believe in her. Flynn has no interest being anywhere near a woman, but a series of events lead him to be hired as a protector for Linnea as they travel west — only she doesn’t know it. What could possibly go wrong? Might they develop feelings for each other? I seriously can’t wait to dive into this book by my beloved Jody Hedlund. I’ve loved every book of hers I’ve ever read and she is prolific, so that’s quite a compliment.
I’ve been waiting so long for my hold to come in for this book! Abigail Wilson is a master of regency romance, blending history with action and intrigue. Her stories usually have an element of mystery and this one is no different, promising a heroine with a sleeping disorder, a suspicious death, and a love triangle. Sign me up! Also, the cover is SO PRETTY.
I know almost nothing about this book except that it is a middle grade fantasy/historical/adventure novel that Meredith from the Currently Reading podcast recommended with lots of exclamation points. I also know that it’s by RJ Palacio, author of the popular, award-winning book ‘Wonder’ that was turned into a film. I’ve been waiting on my hold to come in for a while on this one too, and I’m looking forward to reading it over the next few days.
I got this book for my birthday! Angela Ruth Strong was the featured author for the Fall 2021 Issue of Spark Flash Fiction and I thought her story was an absolute delight, so I’m excited to try this book! It’s supposed to be a rom com about a young lady who decides to try some outlandish and outdated advice on how to catch a husband, all while being filmed by her brother’s roommate for an online tv show. Sounds like plenty of opportunity for shenanigans to me!
And don’t forget to check our Modern Mrs. Darcy’s monthly quick lit post for more reading ideas!