Well, it’s already March and that means it’s time for spring break (you know, for those of you who still have one). I’d say that’s when vacation season kicks off, wouldn’t you? I’m not sure I’ve ever taken a trip and not had a book or two in tow. My spring breaks were usually spent reading a couple of books on the beach. Since it’s that time of year, I wanted to share five books to read over spring break. I read all of these over the last couple of months (and one of them was a childhood favorite).
The Best Books to Read Over Spring Break
The Secret Wife by Gill Paul
Synopsis from Goodreads:
A Russian grand duchess and an English journalist. Linked by one of the world’s greatest mysteries…
Love. Guilt. Heartbreak.
1914: Russia is on the brink of collapse, and the Romanov family faces a terrifyingly uncertain future. Grand Duchess Tatiana has fallen in love with cavalry officer Dmitri, but events take a catastrophic turn, placing their romance—and their lives—in danger…
2016: Kitty Fisher escapes to her great-grandfather’s remote cabin in America, after a devastating revelation makes her flee London. There, on the shores of Lake Akanabee, she discovers the spectacular jewelled pendant that will lead her to a long-buried family secret…
Haunting, moving and beautifully written, The Secret Wife effortlessly crosses centuries, as past merges with present in an unforgettable story of love, loss and resilience.
My Thoughts:
I absolutely could NOT put this book down. I’m a big fan of historical fiction novels, and while this one is not technically in that category…it reads like a good one. I mean, I would read this one again in a heartbeat!
Slightly South of Simple by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Caroline Murphy swore she’d never set foot back in the small Southern town of Peachtree Bluff; she was a New York girl born and bred and the worst day of her life was when, in the wake of her father’s death, her mother selfishly forced her to move—during her senior year of high school, no less—back to that hick-infested rat trap where she’d spent her childhood summers. But now that her marriage to a New York high society heir has fallen apart in a very public, very embarrassing fashion, a pregnant Caroline decides to escape the gossipmongers with her nine-year-old daughter and head home to her mother, Ansley.
Ansley has always put her three daughters first, especially when she found out that her late husband, despite what he had always promised, left her with next to nothing. Now the proud owner of a charming waterfront design business and finally standing on her own two feet, Ansley welcomes Caroline and her brood back with open arms. But when her second daughter Sloane, whose military husband is overseas, and youngest daughter and successful actress Emerson join the fray, Ansley begins to feel like the piece of herself she had finally found might be slipping from her grasp. Even more discomfiting, when someone from her past reappears in Ansley’s life, the secret she’s harbored from her daughters their entire lives might finally be forced into the open.
Exploring the powerful bonds between sisters and mothers and daughters, this engaging novel is filled with Southern charm, emotional drama, and plenty of heart.
My Thoughts:
This would make such a good beach book. Of course, I did not read it on the beach. But it’s one of those stories that just gives you that good, vacation-y feeling. It’s also the first of a series, and I can’t wait for the next one to come out!
The Perfect Girl by Gilly Macmillan
Synopsis from Goodreads:
To everyone who knows her now, Zoe Maisey – child genius, musical sensation – is perfect. Yet several years ago, Zoe caused the death of three teenagers. She served her time. And now she’s free.
Her story begins with her giving the performance of her life.
By midnight, her mother is dead.
The Perfect Girl is an intricate exploration into the mind of a teenager burdened by brilliance. It’s a story about the wrongs in our past not letting go and how hard we must fight for second chances.
My Thoughts:
If you’re a fan of kinda creepy, strange stories, you’ll probably enjoy this one. Think books like The Girl on the Train or Into the Water. I honestly couldn’t decide how I felt about the way that it ended…but it was a good read.
Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Synopsis from Goodreads:
At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.
Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?
In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate?
Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.
My Thoughts:
This is not generally the type of book that I go for, but it is a really great, easy read. I thought it was a lot of fun, and surprisingly realistic. (I’ve read one more of her books since this one, and added another to my reading list.) If you like a novel that’s entertaining and relatable for any 20-30 something girl, you’ll probably enjoy this one.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’engle
Synopsis from Goodreads:
It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.
“Wild nights are my glory,” the unearthly stranger told them. “I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me be on my way. Speaking of way, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract”.
Meg’s father had been experimenting with this fifth dimension of time travel when he mysteriously disappeared. Now the time has come for Meg, her friend Calvin, and Charles Wallace to rescue him. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space?
My Thoughts:
Ok, I know you’ve seen the movie previews all over the place (and I can’t wait to see it!), but this book is a must-read. I can’t tell you how many times I read this series as a kid. I loved it then and I still do! It’s been years since I read any of these, but I picked up the box set of the series in the fall so that I could re-read them with the movie release coming up. Highly, highly recommend this one!
