There are good reading months and there are bad reading months. This wasn’t a particularly good one for me and most of the books I read in the last month were just meh . I’m laughing because I just can’t seem to keep a steady reading mojo this year (*cough* 2020 *cough*) but I’m not mad about it.
I mean don’t get me wrong, I actually had a great month, the best since Covid started – hubby was able to come home (he was stuck outside the country when borders everywhere closed) and I celebrated my birthday on the 26th … it just wasn’t a good reading month. Anyway, I suppose I should stop babbling each month about the great reading slump of 2020. It is what it is.
These are books I read in the last month:
Loved it:
One year of ugly ~ Caroline Mackenzie
Book club book of the month
#ReadCaribbean
This book was an interesting read for me as a native Trinidadian. It is fiction but gives so much insight into Venezuelan immigration to Trinidad. For those who don’t know, Trinidad is a Caribbean island just off the coast of Venezuela. Due to unrest in Venezuela, and the stable economy of Trinidad (pre Covid) there has been significant immigration of Venezuelans to the island.
The book follows Yola, a Venezuelan illegal immigrant to Trinidad. Her family is forced to house other refugees to repay a debt owed to a local criminal nicknamed Ugly by a deceased relative.
My critique: the exaggerated over use (and in a few cases, incorrect use) of trini slang among the local characters was sometimes annoying. There were also some (in my view) problematic portrayals of Trinidad. Also, I personally found that it was all wrapped up a little too perfectly at the end. All that said, the writing was great and flowed well. I recommend.
3.5/5 stars
Goodreads link here
Liked it:
The Beau & the Belle ~ R.S. Grey
Definitely of the cutest books I read in the last month. Its the typical RS Grey rom com style and I literally blew through it in a day.
The story follows Lauren a 17 year old high schooler from an affluent family who develops a crush on her fathers tenant Beau, a hot final year law student. When a hurricane hits New Orleans and they are forced into different places, they lose touch until they meet 10 years later… both mature adults.
The book was a bit too cheesy at times but it was mainly cute with a healthy dose of angst and spice. Lauren and Beau (as adults) had great chemistry and I really enjoyed it. Now, was it my favourite from Grey? No. But I would still recommend it.
3.5/5 stars
Goodreads link here
The keeper of lost things ~ Ruth Hogan
Anthony Peardew collects things that are lost with the intention to return them to their rightful owners in order to atone for a promise he made. Before his death, he choses his assistant Laura to fulfil his legacy of returning the lost items to their rightful owners. Laura determines to fulfill the wishes of her boss to return the lost things (and embarks on a path of self discovery).
Theres a bit of magical realism intertwined with two parallel feel good stories of love and loss, humanity and relationships spanning a period of 40 years.
I won’t lie I had a hard time staying focused as I read this one partly because it did seem to jump around a bit, and partly because of i wanted more of one story and less of the other. That said, it is one of the more interesting books I read in the last month. I genuinely think the premise was good and the author is clearly a brilliant writer. I enjoyed ‘the wisdom of sally red shoes’; a later book by this author and so, although I didn’t absolutely love this one, I’ll read her again.
3/5 stars
Goodreads link here
After you ~ Jojo Moyes
I read me before you last year and loved it. That said, I wasn’t sure I would continue with the series because I didn’t know where it could go with Will’s death and all and i didn’t know if I wanted to read about a new romance for Louisa.
It worked. Well it did for the most part. And that’s because, like the first book, it was more than just a romance. There were other relationships explored and developed, quite well.
I mean I will say … Lily was an absolute brat and her redeeming qualities didn’t redeem her fully for me. I also didn’t like the circumstances of their meeting (far-fetched?). The adult-teen relationship was done well though.
Did I love it as much as me before you? Nope
But was it a solid story on its own? I’d say so.
3.5/5 stars
Goodreads link here
Not my vibe:
Summer Dreams at Villa Limoncello ~ Daisy James
Received from a Netgalley for an honest review
I don’t mind cozy mysteries but this read very young. The mystery was a bit contrived and some things were just far fetched. Ok most of it was. I mean I guess it was cute but it’s still my least favourite of the books I read in the last month.
I received this book from Netgalley honestly way too long ago but I make it a point to read them all 🙂
2/5 stars
Goodreads link here
And that it, those are the books I read in the last month. Like I said, it was, for the most part, a lackluster reading month. Hopefully next month’s books are better.
PS the photo above shows our book club books for the year. Some pretty good ones on that list.
Linking up with Steph and Jana
