What I Read in April 2022
I’m finally learning to stop reading books that aren’t working for me and it’s great! I highly recommend trying it. All it took was a little mindset shift. I saw someone on Instagram refer to DNF “do not finish” as NRN “not right now” and it has helped me be able to put aside books. I started and stopped several audiobooks so I could make time for books I wanted to finish instead.
My picks for April were fairly diverse. I read two mystery novels, a fantasy novel, two self-help books, a coming-of-age novel, and a collection of poems.
The Maid by Nita Prose
Goodreads Synopsis: Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.
Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life's complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.
But Molly's orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what's happening, Molly's unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it's too late?
A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.
My Thoughts: I wasn't expecting a murder mystery to make me cry. There were so many sweet, tender moments in this book, especially between Molly and her grandmother. I didn't love the way Molly's neurodivergence was represented, nor the way the author used Juan Manuel's Mexican identity in a way that was stereotypical and negative. Although the book was filled with cliches, Molly was so endearing and capable that I'm rating this 3 stars for the surprise ending.
The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson (Truly Devious #4)
Goodreads Synopsis: The Truly Devious series continues as Stevie Bell investigates her first mystery outside of Ellingham Academy in this spine-chilling and hilarious stand-alone mystery.
Amateur sleuth Stevie Bell needs a good murder. After catching a killer at her high school, she's back at home for a normal (that means boring) summer.
But then she gets a message from the owner of Sunny Pines, formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls--the site of the notorious unsolved case, the Box in the Woods Murders. Back in 1978, four camp counselors were killed in the woods outside of the town of Barlow Corners, their bodies left in a gruesome display. The new owner offers Stevie an invitation: Come to the camp and help him work on a true crime podcast about the case.
Stevie agrees, as long as she can bring along her friends from Ellingham Academy. Nothing sounds better than a summer spent together, investigating old murders.
But something evil still lurks in Barlow Corners. When Stevie opens the lid on this long-dormant case, she gets much more than she bargained for. The Box in the Woods will make room for more victims. This time, Stevie may not make it out alive.
My Thoughts: What did I just read? It took until the last few chapters to get to the good stuff and I can say for sure that I did not see that ending coming. Interesting stand-alone for Stevie but I preferred the Ellingham setting. Can we get a Nate spin-off? I need to know what he’s writing.
Disconnected: How to Stay Human in an Online World by Emma Gannon
Goodreads Synopsis: Millennials might have grown up online but now they want to log off. And it's not just millennials. A year of lockdowns, Zoom meetings and reduced physical contact has made us more dependent on the internet than ever before - but has it lost its humanity?
Our focus on community and real connection has been sent off-course and we're becoming more aware of how the algorithm manipulates us and how our data has made us a product to be sold. So, where do we go from here and how can we get back on track? (Dis)connected examines these topics and offers tangible tips and advice for those of us who might feel a little lost right now and want to find themselves again.
My Thoughts: Thank you to NetGalley for the Advance Listening Copy (ALC) in exchange for an honest review. I always enjoy reading Emma Gannon's perspective on the internet. Her latest book Disconnected: How to Stay Human in an Online World is written specifically for a millennial audience. She presents keen observations based on her own life and friends on topics like influencer marketing, a shift towards private accounts, a desire for genuine "authentic" connection, and a need for less time online. It's not the advice you'd expect but I can guarantee that it will make you think twice about your online habits if you're not already. I really enjoyed the quick prompts. They'd be worth going back through the book and creating a journal to reflect on how the internet makes you feel. This is a quick read that you can easily finish in an afternoon.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Goodreads Synopsis: When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!
My Thoughts: If a book is hyped up by everyone on the Internet, I'm probably just going to think it's OK. And that's fine. It was hard to get through the first half of this book. Nothing happened and nothing made sense. I know a lot of Fantasy novels use the beginning chapters to introduce characters and do a bit of world-building but no one should have to suffer through half a book to get to any real plot. On the other hand, I really liked Feyre. She was so headstrong and did everything she could to take care of herself and her family despite all the obstacles in her way. I'm not convinced that after absolutely hating Tamlin she magically wakes up one day and falls in love with him because he purrs. There wasn't enough of a lead-up to their romance for me but when it is revealed, their interactions are really tender. You can see how much he cares for her. The real action begins when Feyre's eyes are opened to the evils of Prythian. By the last couple of chapters, everything comes together and I can see why people enjoy the series. It's pretty obvious to me where A Court of Mist and Fury is going but I'm not sure it's enough for me to keep reading the series.
I Hope This Finds You Well by Kate Baer
Goodreads Synopsis: “I'm sure you could benefit from jumping on a treadmill”
“Women WANT a male leader . . . It’s honest to god the basic human playbook”
These are some of the thousands of messages that Kate Baer has received online. Like countless other writers—particularly women—with profiles on the internet, as Kate’s online presence grew, so did the darker messages crowding her inbox. These missives from strangers have ranged from “advice” and opinions to outright harassment.
At first, these messages resulted in an immediate delete and block. Until, on a whim, Kate decided to transform the cruelty into art, using it to create fresh and intriguing poems. These pieces, along with ones made from notes of gratitude and love, as well as from the words of public figures, have become some of her most beloved work.
I Hope This Finds You Well is drawn from those works: a book of poetry birthed in the darkness of the internet that offers light and hope. By cleverly building on the harsh negativity and hate women often receive—and combining it with heartwarming messages of support, gratitude, and connection, Kate Baer offers us a lesson in empowerment, showing how we too can turn bitterness into beauty.
My Thoughts: Bravo, Kate Baer for erasing the messages that tried to erase you. This collection of poems is a powerful reflection on what it is to be a woman in America right now, especially a woman on the internet. Kate is reclaiming space for all of us through her work. You can read this collection in a single sitting or a few poems at a time. I promise there will be a few you keep going back to. The juxtaposition of hateful words against the beauty Kate finds in them is compelling.
Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day by Jay Shetty
Goodreads Synopsis: Jay Shetty, social media superstar and host of the #1 podcast On Purpose, distills the timeless wisdom he learned as a monk into practical steps anyone can take every day to live a less anxious, more meaningful life.
When you think like a monk, you’ll understand:
- How to overcome negativity
- How to stop overthinking
- Why comparison kills love
- How to use your fear
- Why you can’t find happiness by looking for it
- How to learn from everyone you meet
- Why you are not your thoughts
- How to find your purpose
- Why kindness is crucial to success
- And much more...
In this inspiring, empowering book, Shetty draws on his time as a monk to show us how we can clear the roadblocks to our potential and power. Combining ancient wisdom and his own rich experiences in the ashram, Think Like a Monk reveals how to overcome negative thoughts and habits, and access the calm and purpose that lie within all of us. He transforms abstract lessons into advice and exercises we can all apply to reduce stress, improve relationships, and give the gifts we find in ourselves to the world. Shetty proves that everyone can—and should—think like a monk.
My Thoughts: I really enjoyed listening to this book on audio. There were lots of passages I'd like to go back and annotate in my physical copy of the book. Think Like a Monk was definitely a case of right book, right time for me. I can understand some of the criticism- a lot of the quotes are borrowed from other sources and rehashed into this self-help book but it outlined a path forward for me and brought to light some of the inner work I need to do to get myself into a better headspace. Read this book if you're in need of a mindset shift. It will lead you in the right direction and remind you to just breathe!
Call My By Your Name by Andre Aciman
Goodreads Synopsis: Call Me by Your Name is the story of a sudden and powerful romance that blossoms between an adolescent boy and a summer guest at his parents' cliff-side mansion on the Italian Riviera. Unprepared for the consequences of their attraction, at first each feigns indifference. But during the restless summer weeks that follow, unrelenting buried currents of obsession and fear, fascination and desire, intensify their passion as they test the charged ground between them. What grows from the depths of their spirits is a romance of scarcely six weeks' duration and an experience that marks them for a lifetime. For what the two discover on the Riviera and during a sultry evening in Rome is the one thing both already fear they may never truly find again: total intimacy.
The psychological maneuvers that accompany attraction have seldom been more shrewdly captured than in André Aciman's frank, unsentimental, heartrending elegy to human passion. Call Me by Your Name is clear-eyed, bare-knuckled, and ultimately unforgettable.
My Thoughts: I feel like I'm the last person to read this book but Oh. My. Gosh. This novel is absolutely beautiful. The prose reads like poetry. So much more than just a coming-of-age novel, Call Me By Your Name is an exploration of teenage desire and memory. I was simultaneously filled with hope for Elio and doubts about his future, especially with Oliver. Aciman really captures the longing you feel as a teenager... longing for the future and longing for someone else. Elio is constantly reading into subtleties in his interactions with Oliver, and in that way, he's somewhat unreliable as a narrator (especially since we are hearing the story as a retrospective of his life now that he's an adult). The way the author writes about the space between and overthinking everything with such accuracy made me feel emotional and nostalgic. His descriptions of passion, the Italian beaches, and what it's like to be a young student are vivid and dreamy. Reading this book I just kept thinking about how much of our identity is wrapped up in how we think others perceive us. I already want to read this book again but might settle for watching the movie next so I can compare.
Have you read any of these? Which are your favorites?