Mind-blowing March Reads!

Mad Honey: This collaboration between Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finnegan Boylan was beautifully so written. The story is told from two perspectives - Lily and Olivia. It is a story of love and loss, forgiveness and acceptance. In typical Jodi Picoult fashion, as story unfolds my personal opinions are challenged. More than once, I put down my book and had a conversation with Greg about the controversial topics highlighted in this story. My key takeaway: if you aren’t in the situation, you’re really not entitled to an opinion. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Measure: The plot of this story was so interesting to me. Each person in the world age 22 and older receive a wooden box on their door step. Inside the box is a string. As people share about their string, they notice different string lengths. Soon, research shows that string length correlates with the length of one’s life. This book follows the perspective of eight characters, sharing their experiences and the impact of the string in their lives. At times, I felt like the story dragged on; however, I absolutely loved the ending. ⭐⭐⭐

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow: If you are a child of the 80s & 90s and grew up with advancements in video games, you will love this book. Know that the gaming does not overpower the elements of friendship, love, and loss. I became friends with Sam, Sadie, and Marx, learning more about each of them as I turned each page. There were times when I rooted for each of them and times when I internally screamed at them! The story was beautifully wrapped up at the end and left me with a feeling of hopefulness. This is a must read!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

None of This is True: This is the thriller for which I have been waiting! Lisa Jewell pulled me in from the first chapter where Josie, part-time seamstress, and Alix, popular podcaster, unexpectedly meet on their shared 45th birthday and coin themselves birthday twins. While the relationship is awkward, Josie persuades Alix to befriend her and record the story of Josie’s life for a new style of podcast. The relationship is intense, yet Alix just can’t stop meeting with Josie to hear her back story. The book is written so the reader experiences each day that the two spend together working on the podcast along with snippets of both the podcast and a Netflix documentary telling the story. I devoured this book in just a few days, staying up late each night to read just one more chapter! If you enjoy thrillers, this is a book for you! Note: This was my first ever ARC (advanced reader copy); this book will be released on August 8th. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Maid (audiobook): This autobiographical account of Stephanie Land’s journey to overcome homelessness shares the challenges of her experiences as a single mother. Getting an insight into her life provided me with a new perspective on poverty and just how difficult it is to get out of that space. While Stephanie’s perseverance is inspiring, I wouldn’t recommend this book. It was repetitive and predictable. I’ve heard the Netflix mini-series is great, so check that out instead! ⭐⭐⭐

Mad Honey and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow are definitely “five star” mind-blowing reads for me! If you had to pick just one book from my reads this month, choose Mad Honey. Does this make Mad Honey a true five star pick? Maybe this is what designates a five star read from a four star read... or maybe I'm overthinking it... yeah, whatever!