TBB Book Review: April Reads

“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.” ― Anna Quindlen

Another month of reading has gone by in The Blended Blog's Virtual Book Club, and today we're sharing our reviews and linking up.  We love new members, so if you'd like to join us, fill out this form and we'll send you all the details.

This month we had four great titles to choose from:  Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, The Silent Girls by Eric Rickstad, and The Widower's Wife by Cate Holahan.  

I love a good murder mystery, and I hadn't heard of Eric Rickstad, so I chose The Silent Girls.  The creepy opening chapter was so disturbing that I almost changed my mind. Luckily I got over myself and continued reading, because this book is definitely a page turner.

Frank Rath is a private investigator asked to assist a small town police department in Vermont after a teenage girl goes missing.  Soon a link to other missing girls is discovered, and it's a race to put the puzzle pieces together before there is another murder.  The pace of the book was excellent, and the characters well developed.  I enjoyed all of the twists and turns, although the cliffhanger ending wasn't my favorite.  Apparently there's a sequel coming out this fall though, so it's all good.

If you like a dark thriller, I give this a thumbs up.

This month, I also read My (Not So) Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella.  I'm a huge fan of Kinsella and the Shopaholic series.  Her books are light and fun and fluffy, and this one was the perfect antidote to my previous pick!

Kinsella follows her usual formula of a lovable main character whose life is a disaster. Luckily, everything works out "perfectly" in the end.  This book made me want to buy a farm and open up a glamping business.  Need to share this dream with my husband.

This should be on your list for spring/summer vacation reads.  Two enthusiastic thumbs up!

I finished out April with A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams.

Another good beach read, although this one is a little more serious.  The story alternates between 1931 and 1938, taking us to Manhattan and summer in Rhode Island.  There's a beautiful love story, lots of betrayal, and a bit of mystery.  I had no idea how things would turn out until the very end.

Another thumbs up.

Head over to The Blended Blog for reviews on all the other great titles.