Twelve Books I Liked in April

First, I want to thank y’all so much for your support on the post I wrote about my health on Friday. I will be responding to individual comments soon, but I wanted to say I am truly thankful for your encouragement.

Usually I like to mix up genres throughout the month, but with everything going on, I preferred lighter reads in April (though I still had to throw in a few thrillers and some historical fiction). I was also still catching up on NetGalley reads, so I can go a month without reading NetGalley for Erin and Dani’s Read My Books Challenge in June.

The Winemakers by Jan Moran
(c/o NetGalley)
A book full of wine and secrets? I'm in! The Winemakers is set in the 1950s (with flashbacks to the 1920s) at a time when women are seen as nothing but homemakers. Caterina's mom Ava manages to run a successful winery in Napa, but that might all come crashing down when old secrets surface that could destroy her business and Caterina's future with the man she loves. The Winemakers is a quick, light read that kept me interested till the end.

The Witches of Cambridge by Menna van Praag
(c/o NetGalley)
This isn't a book I would usually read, but I am glad I gave it a try. I really liked all of the characters and how they solved their problems with just a dash of magic. It was a cute, fast read that helped me escape for a few hours.

The Girl from Home by Adam Mitzner
(c/o NetGalley)
This book started off a bit slow, and I was bummed, thinking it was going to be super boring. I can't say much to explain why it picks up, but once Jonathan and Jackie start spending time together, things got interesting. I still think there was too much financial jargon that made my eyes glaze over, but overall, it turned into a good read. If you like thrillers, I think this one is worth a read.

The House by the Lake by Ella Carey
(c/o NetGalley)
This book was one of those cases where I didn't like the writing, but the story made up for it. Anna's grandfather Max asks her to go on a mission after seeing an article in a newspaper: to retrieve something he left behind in his family's Schloss 70 years ago. The story alternates between 2010 and the 1930s as Anna discovers why her grandfather never returned to Germany after the war.

The One You Really Want by Jill Mansell
(c/o NetGalley)
If you're looking for a light read with great characters, The One You Really Want fits the bill. I liked reading about Carmen, Rennie, Nancy, and Rose as they all dealt with big changes in their lives. Even the minor characters were great. You really feel like you are part of the characters' lives. It was a bit of a long read for a chick-lit, but I enjoyed it!

Will You Won’t You Want Me? by Nora Zelevansky
(c/o NetGalley)
I thought this was a cute and funny story of a 28-year-old who needed to grow up and not live in the past. Marjorie was a great character, and I think you can't help to like her, even if you can't identify with her. The only thing that bothered me about the book was the constant cultural references. I thought they were a little too frequent.

Keep Me Posted by Lisa Beazley
(c/o NetGalley)
I really liked this book of two sisters who decide to communicate by letters for a year. They discuss their children, marriages, friends, and other problems. Suddenly, a mistake occurs, and their letters go viral online. They have to face the repercussions of having their private thoughts available for the world to see. It was a good book, though I wish the problem would have occurred earlier (it was about 60 percent in), so the resolution didn't feel so rushed. Overall, I enjoyed it.

One Moment at Sunrise by Karen Aldous
(c/o NetGalley)
Let me get this out of the way first-the writing in this book is mediocre. The dialogue is super awkward, and sometimes it was hard to follow. That said, the story more than made up for the writing. I thought the characters were interesting, the plot was engaging, and it made me eager to find out how it ended. If you can handle the writing, I think the story makes it a good read.

The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas
(c/o NetGalley)
Ten years ago, Tessa and Callie helped put away a serial killer. Tessa has always had questions about that night, so when she goes back home, she is determined to find out what really happened and if the wrong man is behind bars. This was an interesting book. It kept me wanting to turn the page and had some unique twists. If you like thrillers, I would recommend this one.

I Said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption, and True Love by Emily Johnson Maynard
(c/o BookLook Bloggers)
I am not usually a fan of memoirs, but I have always liked Emily Maynard and was curious to learn more about her Bachelor and Bachelorette relationships. If you are looking for a Bachelor-tell-all book, you probably won't like this. Emily's memoir is more about her spiritual journey and why she thinks the other relationships failed. I was hoping it would be a little deeper than it was, but it was still interesting to read more about Emily's story.

Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave
(c/o NetGalley)
World War II historical fiction is my favorite genre, so I judge it a little harsher than other genres since I've read so many. I really enjoyed Chris Cleave's letter at the beginning explaining why he wrote the book (though it gave away a major plot point, which was a bummer). Overall, this book felt really slow compared to others (it felt like nothing happened until about 40 percent in), but I did enjoy the character development, and I thought it was very well written. If you are looking for a fast-paced war novel, this isn't it. If you enjoy character studies of people during the war, this is a good read.

Why We Came to the City by Kristopher Jansma
(c/o NetGalley)
Sometimes, whether I like a book or not depends on timing, and I don't think the timing was right for me with this novel. I think if I had read it a few months ago, I would have enjoyed it much more. Even so, I thought this novel of four friends (plus an acquaintance) dealing with life in New York and an unexpected tragedy was powerful and well-written. I think it got wordy at times and could have been a little shorter (and then ended on a weird note), but it was an interesting character study.

Linking up with Steph & Jana.

I love book suggestions. What have you read lately?