Show Us Your Shelf

Joining a new link party today hosted by Joanne (Slices of Life), Jennifer (Overflowing With Thankfulness), Tanya (The Other Side Of The Road), and Marilyn (Memphis Bridges). Feel free to join with a bookish post of your own. 

This is week one of a new link up called Share Your Shelf, and today we're sharing what we read in April. I do love a good book recommendation so will definitely be checking out what others have on their blogs. 

Reading is one of the rare hobbies we can have that is both personal and communal. We each have our own individual tastes and preferences in terms of genre and writing style, but most readers also love to share titles, talk about books of all kinds, and discover new authors. 

I'm old school in that I still love to have that book in my hand. It's 2024 though, and I can admit technology has its place too. I've really enjoyed the Audible app this year. If you know us you know we log a lot of miles in the car trekking hither and yon and hubs and I have listened to a lot of great books that way. I download something I know will be of interest to him (he likes biographies, the Civil War, explorers, history, and the wild wild west) so oftentimes I'm listening to something I might not read otherwise. 

No real road trips in April so these are all me. 

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

Technically I finished this one at the end of March, but it was my book club's April title so I'm adding it here. I'm not much for writing reviews, I'd much rather we talk about our favorite and not so favorite books over a cup of tea, but I gave this one three stars on Goodreads if that helps. The plot revolves around four sisters, the ties that bind and the ones that break too. The author made a lot of references to Little Women, but unlike the original Jo, Beth, Amy, and Meg, I just could not connect with the sisters in Hello Beautiful. I actually found the men in the story to be the more likable characters.

Are We There Yet?: My Journey from a Messed-Up to Meaningful Life by Jeff Allen

I heard the comedian Jeff Allen interviewed on one of my favorite podcasts (Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey) and decided to read his memoir. This was a fast read and he writes like he talks. He shares honestly about his journey through addiction and especially anger, and the way God intervened in his life to change that. 

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

Someone had recommended this to me, and while it's not my typical read (more chick lit than I usually go for) it was very enjoyable. A clever premise that required you suspend reality, but I bought in and ended up liking this one. Plus there was a twist I didn't see coming and I always appreciate an author who is able to pull that off. 

The Secret Life Of Sunflowers by Marta Molnar

This is our May book club selection so I won't say too much about it here. A novel based on the true story of Johanna Bonger, Vincent Van Gogh's sister-in-law. The novel hops back and forth between that and a related modern day story, a format I normally like. In this case I didn't think the author needed the new. The book wasn't bad, a little slow moving, but mostly I was disappointed the plot wasn't more Van Gogh focused. Another three star read for me. 

Okay...whose read something fabulous lately? Please share.