I had a very busy reading month! I’ve been wanting to do more light reading recently and these books do not disappoint. However, they aren’t all just superficial fluff. I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m noticing that this genre that is more geared toward women is becoming much more diverse with characters, sexuality and not needing a partner to make them whole.
And the Mountains Echoed-Khaled Hosseini
Ok, so this book is not light reading but in my defense I read it as part of one of my bookclubs. This book is a series of stories that links some of the characters together. It was very enjoyable following all of the stories and I wanted more.
Before I Met You-Lisa Jewell
This book is not your typical Lisa Jewell murder mystery but it was really fantastic. It follows the stories of two women-a young woman and her grandmother (as a young woman). The book goes back and forth weaving through each story. I was most interested in the grandmother’s story which took place in the 1920’s in London.
Fix Her Up-Tessa Bailey
This book is more of your typical light read. It’s Book 1 of 3 and I do plan to read the other two. It does get pretty steamy which surprised me. When I went to Amazon to read the description, I noted that this is book is part of the “hot and hammered” series. The library did NOT list this in the description!
I Found You-Lisa Jewell
This book is more of your typical Lisa Jewell murder mystery. And this one has amnesia to boot! The story takes many twists and turns and it’s really hard to know what to believe and what’s a red herring.
If I Never Met You-Mhairi McFarlane
Another in the more traditional romantic comedy but not all fluff. With these books, you always know who is going to end up together but the path they take to get there is a lot of fun.
In Five Years-Rebecca Serle
This is one of those “wow, this is not what I expected at all” books. It’s romantic but not a comedy. There is some sadness and heaviness involved. But it is also a nice exploration of friendship, love, partnership and getting to know yourself.
The Girl He Used to Know-Tracey Garvis Graves
Another book about a socially awkward, autistic woman. It’s interesting to see how she navigates the world and see what works and what doesn’t. Again, not a typical romance and not a comedy. But it is definitely a love story. This book takes you on a journey and a half!
The Secret Life of Cee Cee Wilkes-Diane Chamberlain
Looking for a book that keeps you hooked from the first page and that you don’t want to put down? This one is for you. There is no mystery about what happened or who did it or why. The intrigue is in the keeping the secret and then watching it unfold and explode.
The Year of Pleasures-Elizabeth Berg
I read this book for one of my book clubs. This book has really varied reviews and I was hesitant to spend time on it. In the end, I’m glad that I did. I listened to it on Audible and the reading performance was excellent. This book is not heavy reading though it deals with heavy topics. My take away was that the book reminds us how important it is to be engaged in the day to day of life. Not just celebrating and focusing on the special events but really recognizing and being grateful for what our everyday are like. I recommend this book.
I enjoyed all of the books I read this month. Do you have any recommendations?
Share in the comments.
