It looks like the hot weather has finally made it's debut and I for one couldn't be happier. Although I adore curling up with a cozy blanket and a good book, I always look forward to reading on my porch swing on the deck with an icy cold drink and the sounds of summer all around. Some people change their reading habits in the hotter weather opting for lighter "beachy type" reads, I mean there are marketing campaigns based around this time of year, but I never really make that conscious switch. I read whatever pricks my interest at the time, and if it's a hefty tome so be it, as can be evidenced in one of my May reads below. I am lucky enough to be surrounded by readers of all genres at work and we are constantly recommending/sharing our books which is always fun as it opens up new reads that we may have missed. Let's see how the May bookshelf stacks up shall we?
In this spooky novel an old sanatorium gets a new life as it is transformed into a high-end hotel amidst the peaks of the Swiss Alps. An invitation to her brothers engagement party brings our main character, Elle, to the hotel looking to reconcile the past. Currently on leave from her job as a detective Elle finds herself with an uneasy feeling about her surroundings and as a storm approaches, closing the hotel off from the nearby town, her unease grows as a woman goes missing ... and then another.
This book definitely hit high marks for atmosphere, creepy sanatorium, the storm that rages trapping everyone inside the hotel, all very reminiscent of The Shining by Stephen King. But when it came down to the actual story it was a bit lackluster for me. Maybe I was too caught up in the comparison that I did not fully immerse myself in it and enjoy it for what it was, a good story.
Rating: 3/5
Nora Seed does not see a purpose to her life. Nora does not want to continue living. When she acts on this she finds herself between life and death, in a place called The Midnight Library, where each book represents a choice in her life not taken. By choosing a book Nora gets to see how life would have been different had she made different, or in her mind, better choices. With an infinite number of realities Nora learns something new about herself as she realizes that the grass is not always greener elsewhere.
I cannot say enough about this book! I absolutely loved it! It made you laugh, cry and everything in between while always, always keeping you hooked on Nora's journey. As with all of Matt Haig books there is a faint fable-like quality to them and it reads like a dream, while provoking thoughts about our own journeys and what-ifs. A GEM.
Rating: 5/5
A fictionalized version of the lives of the Chanel sisters, Antoinette and Gabrielle (a.k.a Coco). From humble beginnings in a convent until they reached an age when they could be on their own, the story is told via Antoinette, the younger sister as she watches Coco learn to sew and create, first under the tutelage of the nuns, to starting a lucrative hat making business from her apartment in Paris, until finally becoming one of the most legendary designers in the world.
This book married two loves, history and fashion, and how one influenced the other to create sought after designs. I love when a story brings an elusive figure to life and makes them relatable.
Rating: 4/5
A contemporary love story from my new favorite authors. What do you do when your first love comes back into your life after a very public event tears you apart? Tate Jones finds out firsthand on the set of her latest movie, which happened to written by none other than Sam Brandis, the one who introduced her to love and subsequently tore her heart in two.
Always so fun to read a story written by these ladies. They walk the romantic line so very well while maintaining a very realistic story, with both the ups and down of love.
Rating: 4/5
This novel takes place in 1894 and we follow 17 year old Ada as she starts her life as a newly wedded woman. Unfortunately all does not go as planned as she fails to become pregnant after a year of marriage, she is condemned as a witch when her friend loses her baby and has to leave the only home she has ever known to escape jail. After a stint at an out of the way convent she strikes out on her own and joins a group of outlaw women who have come together after being exiled for various reasons. In her quest to find out why she is barren she learns about life and finds a place to call home.
This book dragged on for me, as I couldn't fully immerse myself in the tale.
Rating: 3/5
Iris watches as her beloved husband waves goodbye on his way to Florida for a business trip. Later that day after failing to get in touch with her husband Will, she gets a call from a Seattle airline after one of their planes crashes killing all onboard, one of which they say is her husband. Why was Will on that plane? Why would he lie?
I enjoyed the twists in this book and how Iris went about learning and figuring out who her husband really was.
Rating: 3.5/5
Another marriage in peril mixed with The Lord of Flies type survivalist story. After a whirlwind romance Abigail agrees to marry Bruce, a gentle and level-headed multi-millionaire. On the night of her bachelorette party a drunken Abigail has a one-night stand with a stranger. Out of character for her she puts the incident aside and convinces herself that it is behind her, until she sees the stranger in her own neighborhood prior to the wedding, then she sees him again at the wedding itself. Coincidence or not?
I figured out the storyline pretty early on but did enjoy how it played out. I enjoy this writer for his quirky and creepy stories.
Rating: 3.5/5
With the Bridgerton craze at its peak this book fills the void until a new season comes to the screen. A gutsy female reporter embarks on a journey to uncover the truth behind a murder after finding the body. Doing this she comes to meet a disgraced Inspector and together they embark on the hunt for the killer, all the while trying to keep their hearts from becoming victim to each other.
Such a fun little read. If, like me you are waiting for another season of Bridgerton, this will definitely keep you entertained. First one in a series which is also great news.
Rating: 4/5
Well this book is about as far away from a beach read as you can get but as I said I was never one to shy away from a highly recommended read, never mind the season.
A hard topic as we follow 11 year old Aminata Diallo as she is abducted from her home in Africa to become part of the slave trade in South Carolina. Her horrific tales of being chained both neck and foot, to the conditions of the ship that took the slaves to America to sell is one of despicable terror, even more so because it is based on fact. In her quest for freedom Aminata suffers such losses that would have killed a lesser human, she also becomes a figurehead for said freedom in her later years.
This story captivated me and had me both crying and cheering for our heroine as she kept moving toward the ultimate freedom. Truly a great read.
Rating: 4.5/5
The 15th book in this ongoing British crime series that shows no signs of slowing down.
Kim and her team are on the hunt for a twisted killer after a series of murders whose victims were horrifically tortured prior to death. Once they learn of the link that ties the victims together time is of the essence to stop the killer before they strike again.
Always a thrill ride with Kim and her crew, fast paced and gritty this series never disappoints.
Rating: 4/5
Told from the point of view of three women, two of which are from 18th century London we learn about an old Apothecary Shop that did more than dispense cures for the people of London, it also hid a dark truth. This truth slowly comes to life via current day London tourist, Caroline, who finds a treasure while "mudding" on the Thames. Back and forth we go between both timelines learning about the three women and how they came to work/find the apothecary.
This was my audiobook of the list and I wonder if I would have enjoyed it more had I actually read the book instead as the narrating for one of the women seemed very forced and I found myself drifting.
Rating: 3/5
Phew! 11 books this month even with my new cross-stitching hobby in the mix ... well there was some time off so that helped.
Happy reading!
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