It sure has been a while since I last shared a reading recap. After the holidays, life got busy and my reading slowed down quite a bit. (I may or may not have let myself get 9 books behind on my 2022 reading goal.) Now that we’re right on the edge of summer, I’m finding myself back in the swing of it and I’m starting to make a dent in my reading list again.
I think I can admit that a tiny bit of the reason that I slowed down at reading was that I chose a few books that I really struggled to get through. In hindsight, I should really just DNF books more often if they drag on and on…but I have a hard time doing that. Anyone else?
Everything I Read: January – April Reading Recap
I seem to be in the minority with this one, but it was just not it for me. It’s described as a gender-swapped Stepford Wives, which I guess is accurate. However, throughout my reading of The Husbands, I just felt like so much of the story was one character or another complaining. It was a quick read and mildly entertaining, but I’m not sure I’d recommend this one. Again, I am definitely in the minority with this one, so check out the synopsis and if it sounds good to you, maybe you’ll enjoy it more than I did!
★★☆☆☆
If you’ve been around for many of my reading recaps, you’ll know that really enjoy a thriller. Rock Paper Scissors is a domestic thriller and I really, really enjoyed it. Some of it was a little spooky and I truly couldn’t put it down.
“Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts – paper, cotton, pottery, tin – and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.”
★★★★☆
I picked House of Salt and Sorrows up on a whim while waiting for a whole stack of holds to be available from the library (hey, support your local libraries!) I’d see it over and over again on other people’s reading lists, and even though it’s YA Fantasy (not something I read often), I decided to try it. This is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, and it was certainly entertaining and unexpected. (There were a few scenes that were graphic for my taste, and I didn’t love the ending.) If you’re a fan of a creepy fantasy novel, you might just like it!
★★★☆☆
First thing: I highly recommend listening to the audio version of Broken Horses. It’s read by Brandi and there are snippets of songs peppered throughout the reading.
I am a huge fan of Brandi Carlile, so I couldn’t wait for her memoir to be released. This book made me both laugh and cry in the best way.
★★★★★
I had high hopes for Reckless Girls after reading & really enjoying The Wife Upstairs. This is definitely a…wild ride. I was expecting more of a thriller than I got out of it. The story is mainly based on a remote island, cutoff from civilization…basically a locked room mystery on an island. Ok, I’m in! But in the end, I was left feeling a little “meh” about this one.
★★★☆☆
When I found myself in a reading rut earlier this year, I decided I might need to re-read some of my old favorites. I started with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. *Sigh* nostalgia.
★★★★★
“This is the story of a serial killer. A stolen child. Revenge. Death. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.
All these things are true. And yet they are all lies…“
Honestly, I am still not sure how exactly I feel about this book. It definitely kept me guessing. It was eerie, a little disturbing, and so strange. I’ve not read anything like it before, and I’m sure I won’t again. I held off on reading it for a while since it is classified as horror, but that aspect wasn’t too bad (I’m a bit too squeamish for graphic horror novels.)
★★★☆☆
This book hooked me pretty early on. It begins with a man named Travis who has a gift for finding missing people—he can touch an object of theirs and see visions of what happened to them. A PI with a unique talent, a missing author, and a mysterious commune in the woods? Count me in.
A History of Wild Places was captivating & twisty. I might even say it has the vibe of an M. Night Smyamalan movie (like The Village).
★★★★☆
When I read the description of Beautiful Little Fools, I was sold: a reimagining of The Great Gatsby from the perspective of the women. Then I grabbed a copy from the library and I cannot even describe how much I had to force myself to finish this book. In the end, I should’ve just added it to my DNF list and called it a day. It wasn’t so bad in the end, but I so wanted this to be a better book.
★★☆☆☆
The number of times I’ve almost read this book and changed my mind is a pretty high number. I finally decided to give it a try, since I hear about it so often. Look, this was almost too intense for me (and I don’t mean the smutty parts). It was a solidly engaging thriller, and I really wanted to know the ending. I’m just not sure Colleen Hoover’s writing is for me, and that’s ok!
★★★☆☆
I said I’d list every book, so I’m doing it! Since this book is so specific to my yoga teaching, I won’t go into it much. However, it does have great variations for poses and customizing them to fit your body.
Surprise! Another mystery/thriller. In the past, I’ve enjoyed Lucy Foley’s books enough (I say books…but I may have actually only read The Guest List.) I was excited to dive into this as a new release, but it was another “meh” for me. It was just entertaining enough for me to continue reading. I guessed some of the ending pretty early on (not all of it, though!) And in my opinion, not much happened in the story, either.
★★★☆☆
The Maid had a very “cozy mystery” vibe to it. I saw it described as a locked room mystery, though I’m not completely sure I agree with that. The story is pretty fast-paced, and definitely quirky. If you’re into a character-driven mystery, this is a good one for you.
★★★☆☆
Another audiobook on the list that I would probably say is better as an audiobook. Matthew McConaughey is a great storyteller, and while this book is a little bit on the cheesy side, he tells some really interesting stories.
After listening, I’m also 99% convinced that Matthew McConaughey is Wooderson in real life. Alright, alright, alright.
★★★★☆
This is another book that just happened to be available from the library in between holds that I was waiting for. A little mystery, a little drama, a couple of chapters in and I was hooked!
Seraphine Mayes and her twin brother, Danny, were born in the middle of summer at their family’s estate on the Norfolk coast. Within hours of their birth, their mother threw herself from the cliffs, the au pair fled, and the village thrilled with whispers of dark cloaks, changelings, and the aloof couple who drew a young nanny into their inner circle.
(3.5 stars)
★★★☆☆
I really enjoyed The Sundown Motel and The Broken Girls, so I had this one on my reading list before it was even released. Sadly, it just wasn’t on the same level of her previous books. This one was a lot less creepy than the others (though it was still suspenseful). That being said, the story moved at a nice pace, and I wasn’t ever bored. But I do prefer her creepier writing to this one.
★★★★☆
