Reading is indeed fun and fundamental. I’ve been a reader since a very young age. I can get lost in books and sometimes there are very special books that stick with you. For me, The Book Thief and The Songbook of Benny Lament are two that fit the bill. Sometimes it’s not just books but authors or narrators that stick. For audio books, I have talked about my adoration for Julia Whelan. She has narrated many books including One True Loves, Happy Place, Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Gone Girl, Malibu Rising. Another fantastic narrator is Bahni Turpin. Her performances include The Hate You Give, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, A Piece of Cake, If Beale Street Could Talk. Sometimes, the narration or performance of a story can make or break listening to a book.
For authors, right now I am loving Kate Quinn and Lucy Foley. Kate Quinn writes a lot about World War II and the role that women played. Her books are historical fiction and always very intriguing and interesting. Lucy Foley is a newer author for me but I am enjoying her work. She writes psychological thrillers which is another favorite genre of mine. I’ve been reading some different authors recently which you’ll hear about in future posts. Some I really enjoyed and some I did not.
However, this month is full of books that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The Rose Code
A really great listen full of girl power and female friendships. While it is a serious topic, there is a lot of hilarity in this read. The book is historical fiction and some of the characters are based on real people. The author’s note is as fascinating as the story.
4.0 stars
By Way of Sorrow
This is a brand new author for me. I read about her current book in a “what to read this month” list and was intrigued by the story. I won’t give too much away but the main character is a transgender woman who is an attorney. This book is the first in a trilogy. I loved it so much that I immediately read the 2nd book. The 3rd installment just came out and I thought that would have to wait a long time to access it but Hoopla to the rescue! I am currently reading the 3rd book and will report back on my recommendation.
4.0 stars
Survivor’s Guilt
This is the 2nd book in the Erin McCabe series and I loved it as much as the first book. It is a totally different story but with some of the same characters. The story was brutal but also very intriguing. Yes, I recommend this one as well.
4.0 stars
The Christie Affair
This book was a Reese Witherspoon book club pick earlier this year and was recommended by a friend in a book club. This is another “based on a true story” book and it is indeed fascinating. I wasn’t sure that I’d be interested in a story about Agatha Christie going missing for 11 days but I was hooked.
4.0 stars
Seven Days in June
This was another Reese bookclub pick but I didn’t know that when I read it. It has recommended to me by a few folks and when it became available I dove in. This book is filled with all sorts of characters all of whom are incredibly flawed and interesting. I read this book so fast that I was disappointed in myself for not savoring it more. This book has been on all sorts of “bests” lists and it’s easy to see why.
4.0 stars
The Diamond Eye
Another Kate Quinn this month. I enjoyed The Rose Code so much that I wanted to read another by this author. The story is intriguing and again it is historical fiction. Kate Quinn does a ton of research for her books so her author’s notes are amazing. I don’t want to give away too much but the story is interesting not just because she’s a female sniper but also all of the politics that comes with being a female sniper.
3.5 stars
I had lots of highly rated reads this month which is not a bad thing! Because I read a lot of books based on recommendations, there’s a good chance that the book will be decent. I’ve recently read a couple of books though that didn’t get a high rating. You’ll hear about those the next time.
As always, if you have recommendations, please put them in the comments.
Reading Journey-Goal=70 books
Jan-5 Feb-5 Mar-5 Apr-6 May-6 Total Read: 27 books
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