April Audiobooks Bring May Magazines?!

April was a month for audiobooks! Toward the end of the month I struggled to sit down and focus to read, so I went to my trusty Libby App to find some audiobooks to get me out of the slump! I finished two audiobooks in April and finished a third just a few days into May. Audiobooks, novellas, and reads by my favorite authors are my go-to when I’m struggling with reading. 

Where We Belong (Kindle Unlimited): This book by Emily Giffin was a page-turner! The story alternated between the perspectives of two characters: Marian and Kirby and focused on their connection. Honesty, vulnerability, shame, and acceptance are big themes in this story. I feel like I can’t share too much of the plot without spoilers, but I will share that there were times that the story felt predictable and too fast-moving. Overall, I enjoyed the story and would recommend it! I love books by Emily Giffin! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Bodyguard (Checked out via Libby): I’ve waited weeks to read this book! #libraryholdstruggles While this book was a bit predictable and fluffy, it was a page turner, and I finished it in just a couple of days. Hannah is chosen by her security firm to work the Jack Stapleton case. Jack is a celebrity with looks and charm to prove it. Recovering from a recent heartbreak, Hannah finds this job challenging for multiple reasons. See what I mean about predictability! Another thing that bothered me about this book was that the author shifted from first to second person point of view throughout the text, speaking directly to the reader from a place of already experiencing the events. The story is written in past tense, but the narrator pulls apart and speaks to the reader in the moment and it was weird for me. If you’re looking for a quick weekend read or a beach read, try this book!  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hello Stranger: (ARC) Sadie is working hard to show her dad, stepmother, and stepsister that she is perfectly independent and successful as a portrait artist; however, the truth is that she’s living in her hovel studio atop her best friends’ parents apartment complex and barely surviving on the pay from her Etsy shop. Everything changes  when she is selected for a portrait contest, with the top prize of $10,000. Before Sadie can begin working on this portrait, she is involved in an accident. This results in temporary face blindness; this not only makes it difficult for Sadie to recognize people, but it also makes it challenging for her to paint portraits. While this book was a quick, easy read for me, I felt that it was a bit cheesy and predictable at times. About halfway through, I knew exactly how the story would end. Also, this is the third book I’ve read with a character who has face blindness. I found that interesting! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Gifts of Imperfection (audiobook): This is the second time I’ve read this book, and, wow! I really needed to hear the ten guideposts again. Brene’s work reminds me that I am enough and to be my authentic self. One part that really stood out to me is the guidepost on creativity. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Alchemist (audiobook): This book fell flat for me. I expected much more. I recently read two other books where this book was mentioned - Maid & The Gifts of Imperfection, so I was excited to read it. I was extremely disengaged, and the ending seemed sudden and like there was more left to the story. The only reason I finished it was because it was on audio. It felt like a parable mixed with adages, and I got the gist of it pretty early on: go for your dreams, never give up, yada, yada…⭐️⭐️

The Second Life of Mirielle West (Kindle Unlimited): This historical fiction book tells the story of Mirrielle West, the wife of a celebrity, and her stay at the only leper colony in the US. Loosely based on a true story, Mirielle faces injustices and ridicule while also building a new life inside the colony. The only hope of leaving are 12 consecutive negative tests. Mirielle makes friends and begins working to help the doctors at the colony, quite opposite of her glamorous life at home. Letters from her husband, Charlie, shed light on the realities of her not-do-perfect home life and left me wondering about the best place for Mirielle… in California with her family or in Louisiana with the other lepers, where she’s growing into her true self and truly accepted? ⭐️⭐️⭐️

As I approach a stack of physical and digital books in my TBR, I’m going to continue using my “slump” strategies to choose my books for May. May is a busy month in the life of an educator, so I know I'll have challenges with the volume of reading I'd like to do this month. As finish writing this post, it is the middle of May. At this time, I've finished one audiobook, one book by a favorite author, and one short professional book. My next read will be another book by a favorite author. Reading slump... yeah, whatever!