April Books 2023
April Books 2023: 8 Books I Read this Month
By: Brittany Shields
This was another month of new releases (this year and last) and more checkmarks on my challenges! And all of these books I would recommend!
I fulfilled four prompts for the Shelf Reflection’s 2023 Reading Challenge, three categories for the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge,
PLUS a couple of these were on my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2023 and 2022.
Notable are the last two books I read which each won ‘Best Mystery/Thriller’ in back-to-back years. Since I read a lot of this genre my expectations of ‘best’ in this category are pretty high. Having read them one right after the other, the differences seemed bigger. I found one to be fitting and one to be a bit over-hyped (but still good).
Spotlight of the Month
My spotlight this month goes to Steven James’ newest book Broker of Lies! He is one of my favorite authors and it's been awhile since his last release. He is so good at crafting suspenseful, thought-provoking, deep, (and clean) stories.
If you haven’t read anything by him, I would highly recommend picking up one of his books!
Plus he has a weekly podcast called The Story Blender where he interviews authors and talks about writing. If you’re a writer or aspiring to be one, you may find that a helpful resource!
1. On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden & Gift of Living by Alan Noble
Genre: Non-Fiction/ Christian Living
“Your existence testifies… There is nowhere you can hide where your life will not speak something to the world.”
Why get out of bed? What is the point? Why is it good and meaningful to live?
These are the questions Alan Noble seeks to answer in this short, direct, and transparent book.
Noble is honest and transparent about the despair and anxiety that can trap us and keep us from viewing life as a gift. He doesn’t minimize the feelings but instead encourages us to endure. Not because having faith in God makes it all go away, but because He is the Sustainer who promises to restore us in this life or the next if we trust him with our life.
I definitely think this book is worth reading because it reminds us that just existing is an act of worship, choosing to live and just do the next thing is a witness to others, and that even in our struggles, we can still sacrificially love others in a really meaningful way.
Read my full review for a few things I wish were in the book and more about how our life testifies.
2. Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Fiction/ Historical Fiction
[Winner for ‘Best Historical Fiction’ category of the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge]
“When did winning become something I needed in order to survive? Something I did not enjoy having, so much as panic without?”
This was a surprisingly engaging book considering it’s pretty much just about tennis.
I shouldn’t say that, though, because my favorite part of the book was the development of the father/daughter relationship.
‘Carrie Soto Is Back’ is the story of Carrie’s tennis journey from rookie to challenger to champion to comeback.
Does she have what it takes— physically, emotionally, and mentally— to be the best? And if she can’t— can she live with that version of herself?
I like sports, but if you’re apprehensive about reading a sports-related book, I’ve seen many reviewers who loved the book even though they were anti-sports.
Read my full review for a more detailed plot summary, a discussion on fame and ambition, more on my favorite part- the father/daughter relationship, some random comments, the language advisory, and a rabbit trail of the NCAA women’s bball championship game of 2023.
3. Is Easter Unbelievable?: Four Questions Everyone Should Ask About the Resurrection Story by Rebecca McLaughlin
Genre: Apologetics/ Theology
[Fulfilled ‘Book with a title that is a question’ for Shelf Reflection’s 2023 Reading Challenge]
“Whether you think that hope of everlasting life is pure naivety or you’re wondering if there might just be a God who has a plan for your life, this book is for you.”
Is Easter unbelievable?
Yes, and I believe it.
It’s unbelievable because it was a miracle and beyond our imagination. I believe it, not only because I trust God and his Word, but because there is historical evidence to support it.
This is a very short (60 pages) and practical book to give a brief overview of why we can believe such an unbelievable thing as a resurrection.
Here are the four questions she poses:
Is Jesus’s life historical?
Is Jesus’s death ethical?
Is Jesus’s resurrection credible?
Is Jesus’s offer desirable?
Read my full review for a little bit on each question, some more quotes, and a list of Rebecca McLaughlin’s other books.
4. Our Hope for Isabelle: Grieving with Joy and Hope for Eternity through Infant Loss by Elizabeth & Taylor Bloomquist
Genre: Memoir
“The world cannot define your child’s worth.”
Elizabeth and Taylor Bloomquist have written this book to share their heart-breaking yet hope-filled journey through the pregnancy, birth, and loss of their daughter, Isabelle, who was diagnosed with Trisomy-18.
I love that this book is written for a couple to read together. Taylor and Elizabeth go back and forth throughout the book sharing what did or did not help.
They give examples of how husbands can love their wives during this time and how wives can love their husbands. They provide questions at the end of each chapter to help couples communicate when they’re not sure where to start.
I definitely recommend this book for anyone who has experienced or is currently going through an infant loss. I especially recommend this for couples.
It’s short. It’s tender. It’s understanding. It’s hopeful. It’s helpful.
Read my full review for more about their story, Trisomy-18, quotes that resonated with me, and a link to other books on grief, pain, and suffering.
5. Broker of Lies by Steven James
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
[On my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2023]
[Fulfilled ‘Book with less than 2023 reviews’ for Shelf Reflection’s 2023 Reading Challenge] (at the time of this review anyway…)
“Winston Churchill famously said, ‘In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.’”
Broker of Lies is a story of arson, government secrets, nuclear threats, and two unlikely characters brought together to figure out where an attack will occur, who’s behind it, and how they can stop it. Not to mention they’re being hunted by two groups of people who either want their secrets or want to kill them.
Most of the book takes place near the nuclear facility in Oak Ridge, TN (and Knoxville) which was built in WWII when the nuclear bomb was being ‘perfected.’
There’s a bit of complexity in the book to keep straight if you only read small chunks at a time. Hopefully my cast of characters and plot summary in my full review can be something that helps you remember who is who.
Also find a more detailed plot summary, ponderings on justice, vengeance, and secrets, and some cool things I learned.
I love Steven James as an author because he writes suspenseful and thought-provoking books that are clean (no swearing/sexual content) and very engaging.
6. This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom #1) by Tahereh Mafi
Genre: Fantasy/YA
[On my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2022]
[Nominated for ‘Best YA Fantasy’ category of the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge]
[Fulfilled ‘Book with a castle’ for Shelf Reflection’s 2023 Reading Challenge]
“She dreamed of unleashing her mind, of freeing her hands to create without hesitation— but the roar of Alizeh’s imagination was quieted, always, by an unfortunate need for self-preservation.”
“Fire was her soul, but water was her life; it was all she needed to survive.”
‘This Woven Kingdom’ is a version of Cinderella: orphaned girl heir to a throne, forced to serve, treated poorly, falls in love with a prince, attends a ball in a magical gown where said prince is looking for a bride, must leave by midnight, etc. with a bonus magic carpet ride and a touch of Rumpelstiltskin where magic comes at a price.
The difference is that Alizeh (our Cinderella character) is a bit more complicated and the overlying plot more dark.
It’s got the fantastical world-building, mysterious characters, unfulfilled prophecy, a touch of romance, and a character you can root for! Oh yeah, and there’s a dragon.
For more about the plot, the Persian lore it’s based on, other plot threads, my opinion of the romance and my overall recommendation of this series, check out my full review.
7. The Maid by Nita Prose
Genre: Mystery
[Winner for ‘Best Mystery/Thriller’ category of the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge]
“This is the problem with friendships. Sometimes you know things you shouldn’t know; sometimes you carry other people’s secrets for them. And sometimes, that burden takes its toll.”
This book had a lot of hype. I’d seen it recommended a lot and it was the winner for best mystery/thriller, so perhaps my expectations were set too high. For all the accolades, it was a bit underwhelming.
Had I gone into this book without knowing the hype, I think I would have liked it better.
The premise of this book is that a young maid, Molly, who works in a luxury hotel, walks into a room where a wealthy and regular guest is dead in his bed. Suspected murder. Because of her abnormal behavior and mannerisms and her proximity socially and physically to the scene, Molly is the prime suspect. She must clear her name. Along the way she experiences betrayals and discovers who her real friends are.
Read my full review to see why some people disliked it and what my overall recommendation is!
8. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Genre: Mystery
[Winner for ‘Best Mystery/Thriller’ category of the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards]
[Fulfilled ‘Book with “thing” in the title’ for Shelf Reflection’s 2023 Reading Challenge]
“It feels like a victory that we are moving closer to the truth. But when the truth is taking you somewhere you don’t want to go, you also aren’t sure if you want that win.”
This is a mystery not a thriller. It is the story of a mysterious disappearance of a husband/father and the strained relationship of a thoughtful stepmother (who I liked) and resistant teenaged stepdaughter (who I didn’t like that much) and how their relationship develops through a shared traumatic bond.
Hannah (stepmother) is delivered a note from Owen (disappeared husband) that says simply ‘Protect Her.’ And then Hannah and Bailey (daughter) are forced on a journey to discover why Owen left them behind and why he is running.
This has also been adapted to a limited TV series on Apple TV which I’ve started and so far it’s following pretty closely to the book!
Read my full review for more details on the plot, my comments, and why some people didn’t like the book.
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