That's a Wrap!
Another month done and dusted; so that is a wrap! I have no idea where the time has gone. Locally our weather has dome some rather strange things, we should be in autumn, yet it would appear we have headed straight into winter. The only problem, while our winter months are usually dry, we have seen a lot of rainfall this month. We even had a wet Easter weekend – I do not recall ever seeing rainfall on Easter before.
While I am not a fan of cold wet weather, I must admit that I have taken advantage of the cold weather by snuggling up with a book in front of the fire whenever I am at home. What better excuse to lose myself in a book?
During April we were able to catch up with all of Alicia’s holiday reading, so the Young Adult reviews were flowing this month. Sadly, she is approaching her midyear exams, so she might be a little quieter during the next month or two. (If I can drag her away from reading that is….)
In case you missed out, here is a summary of the books we reviewed during April, keep reading you will find our book of the month selection towards the end of this post.
01 April – The Shot by Sarah Sultoon
I loved my previous encounter with Sarah Sultoon and could not wait to dig into this book. Oh wow, what a fabulous read. This book had me hooked right away. This is a look at the lives of journalists on the front line and it highlights what these brave souls face daily while still managing to be a gripping, hugely entertaining work of fiction. Loved this book and highly recommend it.
04 April – King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard
Alicia said: ” I think what truly made this book better than the second one, was the fact that Cal and Mare were kept apart for most of this book. I have to say, I preferred Mare’s character when she was away from Cal. I found her a lot more refreshing, than in the first and second book where she was constantly fawning over Cal. I actually liked Mare in this book., I think her character has had the most growth out of all the characters. Overall I thought she was a lot more relatable than before. “
06 April – You’re Always With Me by Andy Maslen
This was another second encounter for me. Andy Maslen truly shined with this book. I could not read this one fast enough. If you have not read this author’s work before, I recommend adding this title to your TBR, it is sure to turn you into an instant fan. This book is a cracker of a read that you won’t want to put down until you have reached the very last page. Andy Maslen surprised me with this one, it was nothing like Crooked Shadow which I read in June last year. This book had me racing to the finish line. This legal thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat while the author looks at the sanity of a mother dealing with post-natal depression.
08 April – Search No Further by AJ Campbell
AJ Campbell, an indie author, reached out and requested a review of this title. I was not sure what to expect. But what a fabulous read. If you have ever wondered what secrets are hiding in your family closet, then reading Search No Further will convince you to rather not ask too many questions. Search No Further digs deep into the consequences of family lies and secrets. The author looks at the dynamics in a close-knit family who not only work together but who live within walking distance of one another. She adds some secrets and then slowly reveals them to the characters and the reader, producing an entertaining, twisty read that leaves you intrigued by this fascinating family.
AJ Campbell is an author to keep an eye on, and if you haven’t read her work yet, I recommend you add this one to your TBR. The book is available on Amazon.
11 April – The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
This book had its highs and lows. I found when it came to the action scenes I was racing through the book. However, when it was just the filler, that moved from one action scene to another it felt excruciatingly slow. Maybe I was just too impatient with this book because I truly think I could have finished this book in one sitting if I had the concentration for it. Instead, it took me eight days to finish this, which isn’t too bad but at the moment I am reading lots so that is slow for me.
12 April – The Coffin Club by Jacqueline Sutherland
This blog tour book added something a little different to my month’s reading. Opening this book, I was not sure what to expect. As I started reading, I found myself thinking that this is not your typical psychological thriller. Yet, as I kept reading, I lost myself in the story. I discovered that the people in Kat’s world were not exactly what they appeared to be, something just did not feel right. This left me racing through the book eager to see where this story was heading. I loved it. I cannot recommend this one highly enough!
14 April – Find Her First by Emma Christie
I received a review copy of this book from Jonathan Ball Publishers. It’s been sitting on my TBR for a few weeks, tempting me every time I walked past.
This was my first time reading an Emma Christie book and I found myself completely engrossed very quickly after opening the first page. She draws you into the lives of her characters and leaves you unsure of who to trust. Your head spins with confusion as you flick the pages as the various characters share their thoughts. You are left forming judgements that eventually get blown away completely, proving your every instinct incorrect. I do not know when last an author delivered such a hugely surprising twist at the end of a story. This one packs a punch I loved it.
15 April – The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
When this book first appeared on social media I requested copies everywhere, I love Lucy Foley and desperately wanted to read this. Sadly, the books I buy myself always end at the bottom of the TBR and I just didn’t want to wait to read this one. So, a thank you is owed to Jonathan Ball Publishers for sending me this review copy.
As you open this book you will be whipped away to the streets of Paris. If like me you have never visited the city, this book is a brilliant way to meet the locals, see beyond the tourist attraction and even get a peek at the local wine…. If you have a good imagination. I found myself lost in the pages of this book as Lucy Foley dragged me into a gripping tale that kept me glued to the pages. This is a wonderful book that provides an engrossing escape.
18 April – Believe Me by Tahereh Mafi
Believe me when I say I enjoyed this book. Okay sorry, I just had to. I will say out of all the titles I think this one has to be my least favourite. I don’t know why it just wasn’t my cup of tea. Also, the cover bugged me so much, purely because the bright pink does not match the rest of the books. Now it looks out of place next to the rest of the series on my shelf and that is just terrible.
20 April – Torque by Glenn Muller
This book sure took me out of my comfort zone. Thank you, Glenn Muller, for this review copy. This debut novel is an action-packed read. One man is dragged into a dangerous situation and forced to keep himself and those close to him safe. You can expect some high-speed car chases that bring Fast and Furious to mind.
Glenn Muller brings his knowledge as a driving instructor into this story and adds some police procedural, rock climbing and a femme fatal that will leave most female readers a little annoyed. The story is action-packed. It has a lot of characters and loads of detail about each one’s back story. This story was well thought out and full of detail that never leaves you wondering about anyone.
22 April – Allured by You by AD Graves
This book had me screaming at the main characters. I think purely because you want them to do something. Or even tell someone what is going on. At first, I truly thought all the characters were terrible people. Then I realised I had luckily never been in that situation before. So there is no telling what I would do. I mean they truly felt that doing or saying something would just make it worst. I mean we would all like to say we would do the right thing but you never know until you are in the same situation. Not to mention Bridget and Danny are both just teenagers so you can’t hold them to the same standards you would an adult.
25 April – Who’s Lying Now? By Susan Lewis
Susan Lewis delivers again! I am a huge fan and know that reaching for a book by this author is guaranteed to be a brilliant read. This title did not disappoint. This book is not just a suspenseful thriller, the author manages to add an emotional touch with a look at the effects of social distancing regulations imposed during the COVID pandemic.
These characters are facing an incredibly difficult situation amidst lockdown regulations while most of them were in desperate need of physical contact.
Susan Lewis is a creative storyteller that keeps you coming back for more.
26 April – Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
Okay so I gave A Court of Thorns and Roses 5 stars and I honestly didn’t think the next book could be any better. And boy was I wrong. I now look back on the first book and think it was terrible compared to this one. I think this is the first time I thought the sequel was better than the first book.
There were a lot of new characters introduced in this book. Like Mor, Rhysand’s cousin. I liked her although her back story was so sad.
27 April – Quicksand of Memory by Michael J Malone
What an intriguing tale. I loved this book. Random Things Tours and Orenda Books always add a great read to my TBR every month. Thank you for this one. I loved it! Quicksand of Memory is an intense, edge of your seat read that digs into one man’s guilt and siblings’ eagerness for revenge. While showing just how hard it can be to put your past behind you and build a new life. This is a book that will keep you reading while reflecting on actions and consequences.
29 April – Nine Lives by Peter Swanson
What a brilliant read to end the month with. I completely lost myself in this mystery, racing from page to page eager to figure out who sent the list. This is a brilliantly clever thriller that will keep you glued to the pages. You will not go wrong when adding this title to your TBR. I have already added more of this author’s books to mine. Huge thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers for this review copy.
It’s been a busy month and picking a book of the month has been rather challenging. As I am writing this post I am still not a hundred percent sure what my pick for April will be.
Without keeping you in suspense, our book of the month selection:
Alicia's Pick
The Cruel Prince By Holly Black
Zelda's Pick
The Coffin Club by Jacqueline Sutherland
This post turned out longer than planned, so thank you for dropping by and reading it. Your support is appreciated, and I look forward to you sharing your thoughts on the books we reviewed this month. The May TBR has some promising reads, so see you next month. Until then…. Happy Reading!
