What I Read in April
I’m so excited to share my book round-up this month. March was rough for me; reading felt more tedious since some of the books weren’t as enjoyable as I hoped or expected. I did something a little different this month, and planned out the books I wanted to read ahead of time (to be honest, March was so blah that I started planning this list on like the 16th). Still staying true to my mix of thrillers, non-fiction, and something more lighthearted, I ended up really happy with what I read this the month. Keep reading for my reviews, recommendations, and don’t forget to share your favorites with me on Goodreads as we head towards summer.
what i read in april
i hope this finds you well by natalie sue
4/5 stars
Last month I read a couple of dud thrillers, so I wanted to clean the slate and read something a little more lighthearted. This is about a twenty-something administrator who gets in trouble at work and accidentally ends up with access to all of her coworkers’ emails. As someone who’s never worked corporate this was a fun little look into office culture.
This is full of witty, thinking out loud writing, and the author did a great job balancing familiarity and uniqueness when developing these characters. Cconsidering it’s a character-driven novel, I appreciate that the characters had a grey area. No one was fully likable or unlikable, and it made them more realistic.
Overall, it’s a lighthearted read, yet there are deeper, more introspective themes that make you think. This is a book for the introverts, late bloomers, and those with social anxiety.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
imaginary strangers by minka kent
5/5 stars
What an incredible psychological thriller. This hooked me from the beginning, and I could not put it down.
The plot explores a sociopathic mother who will do anything to protect her young kids. I appreciate how the author wrote about this in a believable yet respectful manner; you can tell the sociopathy angle was well-researched, and I learned more than I expected.
This was perfectly paced, and the author blew me away with how she crafted an atmosphere of unease and uncertainty throughout. I read a lot of thrillers, but this one definitely kept me guessing.
Check the TWs first, as some sections were difficult to read, but if you love psychological thrillers, you won’t want to skip this one.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
becoming bulletproof: protect yourself, read people, influence situations, and live fearlessly by evy poumpouras
5/5 stars
If I had to rank it, I’d consider this the best, most impactful book I’ve read so far this year. Consider it a must-read, as it’s full of practical advice for protecting yourself, loved ones, and your home, as well tips to be able to read people better.
Written by a former secret service agent, her stories are engaging and she shares raw, real wisdom from her time protecting presidents and their families. One of the final sections details some of the lessons she learned from the presidents and First Ladies she served, which I loved as a general fan of American history.
The tone of the book is empowering and emphasizes self-sufficiency and personal competence. Reading this will make you more confident in your ability to navigate different situations and environments, especially as a woman.
Favorite quotes and takeaways:
Get off the X. They keep presidents moving to lessen their vulnerability, and we can apply the same lesson to ourselves: “When it comes to building up your mental fortitude, don't remain in the same place long enough to get hit, hurt, or insulted.” (p. 57)
When it comes to working with others, give them choices. “People will be more willing to compromise and work with you if they feel that you've already extended courtesy and flexibility toward them, so offer autonomy wherever you're willing to give up control so you don't have to surrender it for those things you truly care about. Give when you can so you don't have to give when you don't want to. (p. 263)
“When it comes to taking a leap, the first obstacle to push past will always be yourself. First look at the tone and attitude of your thoughts— are they self-limiting? Do you sabotage a goal by convincing yourself there are too many obstacles in your way? Do you focus on all of the reasons why you can't pursue something rather than how you can? There will always be that voice of doubt that crops up when you're considering taking a risk. There will always be an inner critic lurking in the wings, willing to point out all of your flaws and inadequacies. If you turn every obstacle into a wall you can't get over, you let yourself become the cause of your failures. Knowing how to notice and navigate the self-editing process is the difference between trying or not, achieving or not. The first ‘No’ you hear should never come from you.” (p. 270)
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
long bright river by liz moore
4.5/5 stars
A Peacock miniseries had caught my eye recently, and when I realized it was based on a book, I knew I had to read it before I could watch. I still haven’t seen the show, but I can say that this book did not disappoint. It’s a compelling thriller that incorporates realistic modern-day struggles, like addiction, complicated familial relationships, and work-life balance.
At almost 500 pages, it’s one of the longest thrillers I’ve read. While it doesn’t feel like there’s much filler added, I will say that the pacing is slow at times, and the tone is definitely somber and bleak.. not a feel-good read by any means, but the story is engrossing, rather than depressing.
The author uses dashes instead of quotations for the dialogue; this threw me off a little bit, but overall it was beautifully written. You can tell the author views writing as her craft, and you can tell she gives her all to each and every scene. Highly reccomend.
Read it here.
friends with secrets by christine gunderson
4/5 stars
This was a fun, quick read, even with a longer page count (400+ pages). It’s more contemporary fiction than suspenseful thriller, but enjoyable nevertheless.
The writing is funny and conversational, but a little overdone at times. I loved that the author embraced the characters’ flaws, but it was exaggerated to the point where they felt like caricatures at times.
Read this for the friendship or commentary on motherhood, not the suspense. In that way, it’s very similar to “A Simple Favor.”
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
don’t believe everything you think: why your thinking is the beginning & end of suffering by joseph nguyen
4/5 stars
I’ve seen this book shared on Instagram a lot, and thought it was good (not great). Definitely get the expanded edition for the chapters on inner and outer work; they take the principles from theory to action steps, and I wouldn’t have enjoyed the book as much without them.
The book itself is a very easy read with short chapters and poems scattered throughout. The author shares valuable insights, and I had a few “a-ha” moments, especially as someone who struggles with overthinking. That being said, if you read the book description prior to picking up the book, you might be a little disappointed as I think it oversells the book a bit.
This would be beneficial for ruminators and over-thinkers. It emphasizes importance of seeking alignment and flow states, as well as focusing on being present, as thinking ultimately distorts your reality.
Favorite quotes and takeaways:
“The truth is that you do not have to have thoughts or think to feel positive emotions. Positive emotions are not the byproduct of thinking but the organic result of being fully in the present moment and connected to life rather than thinking about it.” (p. 47)
“Most of us have been conditioned to ‘fight’ our thinking, which only worsens things and leads to the agonizing experience we call ‘overthinking.’ The solution is not about doing more but about not doing what’s causing the suffering. It’s not a process of force but one of flow.” (p. 55)
“Your mind’s job is to anticipate threats. Your body’s job is to regulate the resulting emotions. Everything has a role. When you let your body feel and process emotions fully without the interference of your judgmental thinking, emotions will naturally pass more easily and quickly than you realize. The mind and body will always restore balance and harmony naturally when we get out of the way.” (p. 63-64)
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
no time like the future: an optimist considers mortality by michael j. fox
5/5 stars
This was an incredibly raw look into the reality of living with Parkinson’s. You don’t have to be familiar with the author’s film work to enjoy the book, and the references to time are wise and heartfelt, not cheesy.
The nonlinear storytelling makes this an engaging read; it’s not hard to follow, and it still felt like a cohesive narrative, rather than a collection of essays. This was so well-written that it made me want to read the other books Fox has published now.
Favorite quotes and takeaways:
“I consider the role gratitude played in his life. I'm beginning to see that faith, or fear's opposite, can be expressed as gratitude, which has always been the bedrock of my optimism. I've spent sufficient time and energy dissecting what went wrong; I'm ready to reconnect with everything that went right.” (p. 199-200)
“When I visit the past now, it is for wisdom and experience, not for regret or shame. I don't attempt to erase it, only to accept it. Whatever my physical circumstances are today, I will deal with them and remain present. If I fall, I will rise up. As for the future, I haven't been there yet. I only know that I have one. Until I don't. The last thing we run out of is the future. Really, it comes down to gratitude. I am grateful for all of it - every bad break, every wrong turn, and the unexpected losses — because they're real. It puts into sharp relief the joy, the accomplishments, the overwhelming love of my family. I can be both a realist and an optimist.” (p. 226)
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
love, mom by iliana xander
4/5 stars
This is a solid thriller, and one of the better Kindle Unlimited options. It’s super twisty, especially during the second half, and overall a very entertaining read. The chapters are short, so it’s a quick, fast-paced read (even if it starts a little slow).
The author creates a very tangled web, but every question is answered by the end, which I appreciated. You can tell the author was deliberate in plotting out the story; every character and every detail served a purpose.
That being said, the story definitely leans into far-fetched territory. I wish authors would creating random characters with unlimited money to spend as means to drive the plot forward; it feels a little lazy.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the three lives of cate kay by kate fagan
2.5/5 stars
Not going to lie, I struggled to get through this. The premise caught my attention, but the execution lacked and was a little convoluted.
Told through the perspective of a lot of characters, it took me a while to get into and for things to start clicking; I just found it so hard to follow initially. I was more invested towards the last third of the book, but the ending was lackluster and didn’t leave me with strong final impression.
Themes include identity, friendship, love, secrets, and the price of success. I found the main character to be unlikeable and over-exaggerated at times, but there were definitely earnest moments throughout the book that I enjoyed.
Favorite quote: “Broken things are beautiful. More beautiful in the end than perfect things, which are usually an illusion of some sort.” (p. 270)
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
This month I also read…
Self Help: This is Your Chance to Change Your Life by Gabby Bernstein - 3/5 stars.
I’m not sure why, but as popular as they are, Gabby Bernstein’s books just don’t fully land with me. This one dives into a form of psychotherapy called Internal Family Systems (IFS), and while Bernstein does a great job explaining the concepts, the book as a whole wasn’t very impactful. The chapter on the mind-body connection was most enlightening, but I think this type of psychotherapy would benefit more from a hands-on exploration with a licensed therapist.
Favorite quotes:
“We try so hard to stop our extreme patterns. Stop drinking, stop overeating, stop raging, stop controlling, stop shaming ourselves. But what if these extreme patterns are, in fact, an attempt to protect us by putting out the flames of emotions that are too unbearable to face?” (p. 31-32)
“When we experience a subtle shift in perception-when we choose to witness our destructive, extreme patterns and beliefs as protection mechanisms (Protector parts) - we experience a miraculous adjustment in our psyche.” (p. 46)
“You have the power to redirect your life right now by accepting this: your happiness is a choice you make; choice is a muscle, and the more often you choose to check in, the less time you'll spend checked out.” (p. 84)
Three Mothers by Hannah Beckerman - 3/5 stars, free to read with Kindle Unlimited starting 5/1.
Good but not great. The plot is familiar and I found the multi-POV/ characterization to be a little weak.
That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally - 4/5 stars, free to read with Kindle Unlimited.
Loved this. It was heartfelt yet easy to read, and the twist 100% got me.
All The Lies by Nicola Sanders - 2.5/5 stars, free to read with Kindle Unlimited.
This held my attention and the author kept things suspenseful, but it was a little too all-over-the-place for me and the ending was rushed.
