alyciatimm

Murder Mystery March? It honestly started out that way by pure coincidence. While I love a good murder mystery, the month swung back into my normal flow after the first weeks.

Overall, March was a solid month of reads thanks to some Half Price Books deals and some stellar recommendations.

As always, thank you dearly for reading with me!

~AT

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

4.5/5 Stars

Buckle up, because this is the kind of book that you do not put down until you have your answers.

This book was fascinating because it was so much more than a “Whodunit.” It took you on this complex journey of ethics, illness, and parental pressures.

There are so many secrets to uncover, and so many links to bust open in every single chapter. It’s highly engaging for my mystery lovers, but also relaxed enough appeal to those that can’t quite handle the intensity of most murder mysteries.

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand

4.5/5 Stars

The Nantucket wedding of the century is cancelled when the maid of honor washes up dead on the shore.

That is quite the whodunit set up, and I was hooked. This was a clean, wholesome, murder mystery. I didn’t close the book feeling tormented or dirty like many murder mysteries leave me feeling. I didn’t have to get into the minds of sociopaths or explore the deep dark secrets of the human psyche. While I do enjoy a good psychological thriller, this was a nice break from the norm, and proof that you can read a solid murder mystery without leaving part of your soul in the pages.

One of Elin’s best novels, in my opinion.

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

3.5/5 stars

An aspiring writer working as an agent, living in an old shed, simply trying to make it. That is the premise of this story.

While King is truly a master at prose, and her writing is beautiful, it is not always engaging. There were times that this book just went on and on in a way that can work with short stories, but causes a novel to drag.

While the writing in this novel was lovely, it takes a lot of grit and patience to make it through. (keep in mind– I came to this novel after two incredibly engaging murder mysteries.)

The Story Teller by Jodi Picoult

5/5 Stars

FIVE STAR ALERT!

Oh. My. Word. The dimensions of this book. I don’t even know what to tell you about, what story line to choose to talk about, because there was so much going on here.

You’ve heard me say over and over that the WWII genre is too hard for many authors to compete in, but let me tell you, Picoult delivers.

But beyond the WWII story is the present day story of an (ex) Jewish baker, a war-crimes FBI investigator, and an (ex) Nazi now 90-years-old after hiding out in the States under a new name.

Picoult is a master of exploring the gray area of ethics, and in this book she goes above and beyond to deliver.

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

3/5 Stars

I am typically a lover of all things Paris, 1920’s, and Hemingway, but I really struggled through the writing style of this one.

The research was clearly all there, however, at times this book really dragged on.

In her defense, this is an incredibly hard type of writing to take on. You are telling someone else’s true story. This makes dialogue and details incredibly difficult to execute.

With that said, I have seen this done well, and this book did not quite hit the mark for me.

The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar

4.5/5 Stars

Another incredible WWII story with a unique twist. This book follows the lives of female pilots during WWII as they work in the states to train new pilots and carry cargo from base to base.

This book presented strong characters and a very unique and empowering perspective to this time period. It shows an often neglected chapter in history.

I personally found this book to be a refreshing change to typical WWII stories.

Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton

4.5/5 Stars

Hilarious and vulnerable. This is typically the making of a great book. In my opinion, this book delivered.

I laughed, I cried, I cringed- it evoked all of the emotions. In this memoir, Dolly shares a very full picture of her 20’s- both the beautiful and the ugly. She is not afraid to make herself unlikable in order to get the truth out.

You’ll get to grow with her, learn with her, grieve with her, and laugh with her. She invites you to all of her nights out and one-night-stands. But most of all, she invites you to learn the same lessons she had to learn the hard way.

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center

3.5/5 Stars

Can we start by admiring this cover? Katherine Center always has the best covers.

And just as her covers are always eye candy, her books could definitely be classified as brain candy, and this was no different.

If you are just looking for an easy, inspiring, and slightly cheesy read, this is your next book. While her dialogue can make me cringe at times, as can her “happily-ever-afters,” sometimes you just need to fly through a book that makes the world a little brighter for a few minutes.

The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams

3/5 Stars

Well, I hate to leave you all on a 3-note, but here we are. I expected so much out of this book, after hearing people rave about the author for months.

Maybe I caught her on an off day, but this book did not do it for me.

It was just so slow. The subject matter was so intriguing, and I couldn’t wait to dig right in, until I stuck the shovel in the ground and just kept digging for miles and still not uncovering anything I had to know more about.

Oh well, you win some you lose some.