For the Love of Reading: April 2024

It’s a new month, let’s get into what I read last month.

The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is the quintessential summer read. Set on Nantucket, it’s got plenty of recognizable local places. It’s also got interesting characters who are friends and also flawed and maybe a little over-the-top. There’s an intriguing mystery, which also provides plenty of drama and heartbreak. And the writing is good but easy and accessible. While this is part of a series with interconnected characters, it also stands on it’s on as a fun summer romp of a book.

Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It took me a while to get into this quiet and mournful book but once I did I was blown away. The writing is gorgeous and the story is tragic, the main character is a champion at rebuilding her life after it’s total destruction, and the supporting characters are the sorts you’d want to have as friends. There’s a bit of a mystery, plenty of descriptions of beautiful settings, and a satisfying conclusion that will leave you hopeful for a bright future for our lovely protagonist.

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Book #3 in the Nantucket series does not disappoint as Hilderbrand comes in yet again with another great cast of characters to revolve around Chief Kapenish and his team as they solve the mystery of a dead body on the beach. As always, there’s plenty of Nantucket scenery and food, gorgeous houses and fabulously indulgent parties, and a surprise twist that I didn’t see coming. While this is part of a series, it can be read independently as well. Recommended for a fun and light summer read.

Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A compelling mystery centered around the disappearance of a young social media influencer, I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. There is plenty to digest with regards to the unhealthy role social media plays in our lives, our addiction to our phones, our need to be constantly connected (which is perhaps actually making us feel disconnected), and our over-analyzing of ordinary people who we feel owe us pieces of their lives. The writing is even and the pacing is good, the plot is strong, and the ending is chilling. It will make you think twice before you mindlessly scroll again!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It’s a shorter list this time, partly because vacation and partly because . . . I don’t actually know. But deck days and camping season are coming and there’s nothing I love more than reading outside so I expect things to pick back up momentarily.

I hpoe you’re reading something great right now!