Welcome to my March book reviews. I read and listenened to some great books this month, and I recommend almost all of them. March started with listening to audio books on my walks and laying on the beach in Cancun reading on my Kindle. And we all know, the month has gotten a little crazy with staying at home. So I am still reading, but I have to say that I feel way more distracted than usual. Anyone else having trouble concentrating on books right now? I am spending way too much time on social media instead of reading, but anyway here are my books from this month!
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Long Bright River by Liz Moore
This police procedural/thriller got rave reviews, and came highly recommended from book bloggers and podcasters. It's the story of a female police officer in Philadelphia who tries to find her missing, drug addict sister. Unfortunately, this one was just ok for, hovering somewhere between 2 and 3 stars. I kept listening 'til the end, thinking there might be a plot twist that would make it as good as everyone said. But it fell flat for me.
I had two "DNF" titles this month. I think they are probably good books, but my mind is so scattered right now with virus news and a lack of routine. They were Mercy House and Whisper Man. I've heard good reviews, but only got about halfway through them.
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The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
I read this perfect beach book while laying on the beach during spring break...loved it. It's a little more of a mystery than most of Hildebrand's books. There's a murder right before a big wedding in Nantucket. The wedding is called off, and mystery ensues. I really enjoyed all the characters in the family, as well as the who-dun-it element. A great escape summer read!
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Open Book by Jessica Simpson
I will start out by saying that I am not a big fan of JS from her reality tv days or her music career, so I don't think you have to be really familiar with her career to enjoy this book. I DO like Simpson's shoes and purses, and I learned in this book that she has made billions (yes, billions with a B) from her many retail endeavors! I listened to this on audio and think it adds a lot to the story to hear it with Jessica's narration. This is not literary or life-changing, but it is interesting and fun.
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Saving Meghan by D.J. Palmer
In this medical thriller, teenage Meghan suffers from mysterious symptoms. Is she really sick or is her mother making her sick through Munchausen by proxy? Or is her controlling father doing something to cause her symptoms? This book kept me listening, and reminded me of a Jodi Picoult style book.
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The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian
I saw that Bohjalian has a new book out (The Red Lotus) so I looked for a backlist book to read. The Guest Room is about a suburban bachelor party that goes wrong. Two men are dead, and two women are on the run. It describes Russian human trafficking and prostitution. A strong R rating on this one. The characters were good and believable, and I enjoyed the story.
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Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
This was a Today Show Read with Jenna pick. I have loved all the books that I've read that are her picks, even though I didn't know they were part of her book club before reading them. So I am learning that I can count on her recommendations. In this book, a 12 year old boy named Edward is the sole survivor of a plane crash that kills his family. The story is about his attempt to rebuild his life, with alternating chapters about people who were on the doomed flight. While the book is sad in places, the message is one of hope. I highly recommend this one. You can see an interview with the author on the Today Show here.
Some new releases for April that caught my eye:
Valentine - there's a brutal crime in 1970's Odessa, oil field mystery and literary fiction
Feels Like Falling - our favorite summertime author has a new book out, set in North Carolina
Pretty Things - two women, a con artist and an heiress, are brought together in the scam of a lifetime
Magnolia Table - a new cookbook from Joanna Gaines
What have you been reading lately?
Be sure to check out my newly designed Books page by clicking here or at the top of the page.
I will list each month's books there, as well as my favorites from the past.
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