What I Read This Week: May 2, 2021
Thanks to my COVID vaccine forcing me to rest, I finished five books this week and most of them were pretty good.
Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown
Mystery/Audiobook
A solidly meh mystery about a man and his daughter trying to deal with the aftereffects of his wife’s disappearance while hiking. It started out strong, then rambled all over the place and seemed to drag on forever. The writing is weak, lots of adverbs – which is one of my writing/reading pet peeves. The story makes me think about the age old question of whether or not we can ever truly know another person, be that a best friend, partner, or parent. I liked the characters, especially the daughter Olive and her mysterious visions. I just wish the whole thing was stronger. It was a miss for me, and I wouldn’t recommend it.
Ever After Always by Chloe Liese
Contemporary romance
[block rendering halted]Available on Kindle Unlimited. This is book three in the Bergman brothers series. I love series like this where the previous book characters show up in other stories. This one wasn’t nearly as strong as the first two in the series, though I still enjoyed it. I appreciate that it’s a romance about a married couple, I find these a lot more realistic than new relationship ones. I can relate to Aiden and Freya’s struggles both individually and as a couple. I especially loved how the Bergman family rallied around this couple to help them through their difficulties. I highly recommend this series for readers of romance, definitely start with the first book!
The Point After by Sean Conley
Memoir
[block rendering halted]This memoir surprised me in many ways. Sean Conley is a former NFL kicker turned yoga instructor, and chronicles his life starting when he fell in love with kicking as a child. As a football fan, I loved the behind the scenes look at NFL life. It was really eye-opening in terms of how the league operates. I can’t say I was surprised my much of it, yet I was disappointed to hear it. Sean’s story is one of perseverance and what happens after we reach our goals. Over time, he learns there is so much more to him than being a kicker with an NFL dream. While my life has been very different from his, I could relate to his journey. I highly recommend this for readers of memoir, especially sports stories.
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
Contemporary romance
Advanced copy from NetGalley, expected publication May 18, 2021.
This is a charming romance with a compelling premise. I read it in a single day, I couldn’t put it down! Jess is a single mom who hasn’t ever dated seriously. Her best friend talks her into submitting a sample for a new matchmaking company that uses DNA samples to make matches. River is a founder of the company, so when he gets a match in the system, it’s a huge deal. I absolutely loved this concept of matching based on DNA. It made the story interesting because it was something neither character had control over. The writing is sharp and hilarious. I highly recommend this one for readers of romance.
The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis
Historical fiction
[block rendering halted]This is my book club‘s May selection. This story takes place in and around Grand Central Terminal in New York City on two timelines, one in the 1920’s and another in the 1970’s. We get alternating perspectives from two women whose lives revolve around Grand Central, they’re in the same spaces during very different times and circumstances. I enjoyed the history but found the stories rambling at times. It seemed to take a long time for things to come together. Overall the writing is solid and I learned quite a bit. I recommend this one for readers of historical fiction, particularly NYC history.
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