April Reads

I started April off with a thriller and continued that theme for 3 more books as that is what I was in the mood for. The fifth book I read was much lighter which I will get into with the reviews.

Not That I Could Tell by: Jennifer Strawser

This book reminded me of Big Little Lies, as it focuses on a group on women who are friends and/or getting to know each other in a community. A woman and her two kids disappear immediately following a "girls night" around the fire within the neighborhood they live in. A lot of suspicion is directed at her soon to be ex-husband. As the trail goes cold for the investigators, the women left behind try to come up with their own conclusions as to what happened. While a bit predictable, this was a good read if you enjoy this genre. I bought this at my local thrift shop for 50 cents as all books were half off last month!

The Wife Between Us by: Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Another local thrift shop find (this one $1.00 since it's hardcover), I recognized these authors as I have previously read An Anonymous Girl which I liked. This story follows a jilted ex-wife as she obsesses about her ex marrying a younger, better version of herself. She racks her brain trying to figure out what she did wrong in her marriage, but soon realizes she was really manipulated and needs to warn her replacement. What worked well is that you didn't know if the main character was sane or not for most of the book so it kept me guessing.

The Night Before by: Wendy Walker

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from St. Martin's Press. It comes out in a few weeks on May 14th. Laura has never been the same after her high school boyfriend was murdered and all eyes pointed to her. The unsolved mystery forced her to move away for many years, but now she has moved back and living with her sister and brother-in-law. She disappears after going on a date with someone she met on a dating site. As her friends and family look for her, they fear history may have repeated itself. What I enjoyed throughout this story is that I wasn't sure if Laura was innocent or guilty of doing bad things. It was also a guessing game as to who may have been targeting her. Great suspense and twists in this one!

Beautiful Bad by: Annie Ward

Out of all the books I read in April, this was the one I did not want to put down. The characters were so interesting to me, as was the war tore counties they lived/worked in. Maddie and Jo are best friends who are working in Bosnia and Macedonia when they meet Ian who works in the security field. The story details their friendships and relationships for years, until Maddie and Ian finally end up together and have a child. Settled in Kansas, they can't escape their past and it leads to problems in their marriage. Maddie has an accident which leads her to question many things while she is in therapy, especially her estranged friendship with Jo. When Jo comes back into the picture, there is a huge twist at the end and nothing is what you thought it would be. Highly recommend!

Midnight at the Blackbird Café by: Heather Webber

This is an Advance Reader Copy I received from Forge Books - it comes out on July 16th. I had to travel for work last week, so after reading a bunch of thrillers I was looking for something fun and easy. This book delivered! This book reminded me of Fried Green Tomatoes because the little café, and its legendary pies, tie a small town together. When the matriarch of the Blackbird Café passes, her granddaughter Anna Kate comes back to run the café per the terms of the will. Anna Kate and her now deceased Mother have a long history of staying away from Wicklow due to a feud with another family from decades ago. Anna Kate only intends to run the shop for the 2 months her that was asked of her, but the longer she is in Wicklow the more she falls in love with it. Not to mention, she finds out she is actually related to the family her Mother warned her about. Oh, and I can't forget to mention the mysterious blackbirds and die hard birders who descend upon the town to catch a glimpse of them. This was a delight - loved it!