Happy Wednesday Everyone :)
Can you believe it's already the second of May?
It feels like I was literally just posting my March 2018 wrap up, and now it's already time to talk about all the books I finished in April 2018.
There were some good ones, some not so great ones, and some amazing ones, and you're going to hear about all of them.
Like always, I'll be posting the books in the order in which I finished them, rather than in the order of best to worst or worst to best, and I'm excited to share it all with you guys today.
Let's go ahead and jump right in.
The Defiant by Lesley Livingston:
While I hadn't completely loved The Valiant, I had enjoyed it enough that I decided to continue on with reading the second book in the series. I found the start of this one really dragged, and for the first third of it or so I was honestly expecting it to end up a two star read for me. However, the other two thirds of the book was definitely more interesting, and I loved the emphasis on sisterhood and never giving up no matter what the odds. As well, it was interesting to hear all about the origins of the tribe that this book largely focuses on, and I ended up rating it three out of five stars.
Life Just Got Real by Sadie Robertson:
I wasn't sure what to expect from reading Sadie Robertson's first fiction novel, but it was a pleasant surprise. It focuses on two girls from vastly differing worlds and social settings who are both chosen to be the new co-stars of an up and coming reality show. The writing was really well done, I enjoyed the emphasis on friendship, and the way that the faith element is blended in beautifully. You can read my full review here.
Falling For You by Becky Wade:
It's May 2nd guys! Which means yesterday was book release day for this amazing new story by one of my all time favorite authors, and you all need to run out and purchase it as soon as humanly possible. Becky Wade is a genius at showcasing how Christians aren't perfect, and that we all face struggles the same as anyone else. This is my favorite book of hers to date, and it got a perfect five star rating from me. I can't recommend this one enough, and you can read my full review here.
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken:
The Darkest Minds had been on my TBR list for quite sometime, and I had every intention of reading it before we attended RT Booklovers in April of 2016 as Alexandra Bracken was signing there, and I wanted to finish it before I met her. However, that definitely did not happen, and I only ended up reading it this past month. I was a big fan of the world building, and the complexity behind its dystopian setting. I also really enjoyed Liam and Zu as characters; Zu in particular. While I had figured out most of the plot twists and turns, there were still a couple that definitely left me guessing, and overall I found myself really enjoying this one. I gave it four out of five stars, and I'm looking forward to seeing its film adaptation.
Live Original: How The Duck Commander Teen Keeps It Real and Stays True To Her Values by Sadie Robertson:
I'd recently completed a devotional series by Sadie Robertson through YouVersion, and after doing so, I was really interested in picking up this book by her. I think it's so refreshing to see a teenager in Hollywood who's determined to stay true to her faith and her values, and I honestly really enjoyed this one. I gave it four out of five stars, and you can read my full review here.
Unleashing Mr. Darcy by Teri Wilson:
I love Pride and Prejudice retellings when they're done right, and I loved the Hallmark movie that was based off of this book. So going into this one I had a sneaking suspicion I was going to love it, and I was definitely not disappointed. I loved the fact that this story is told from both Lizzie and Donovan's point of views; as the reader gets a first hand glimpse into how they end up feeling about each other. The England setting was beautiful, and blended in perfectly with the developing story, and I adored the Pride and Prejudice references that are dispersed throughout. My only real complaint was I didn't think the sex scene was truly necessary, but it is a romance novel and I suppose that's to be expected. All in all, I can't say enough good things about this beautiful story, and I gave it five out of five stars. I can't wait to watch Marrying Mr. Darcy when it debuts on Hallmark channel in June!
The Revolution of Ivy by Amy Engel:
I kind of ended up surprising myself with just how much I'd enjoyed The Book of Ivy, and I was really looking forward to reading the sequel. I'm happy to say that this was a rare case of the second book in a duology being just as good as the first, and Bishop was amazing as always. The ending had me shook, and it took me a few days to wrap my head around everything that goes down. All in all, a great read, and I gave it four out of five stars.
The Case For Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro:
This particular novel was one that I'd included in my "Most Anticipated 2018 Releases" post, as I'd really enjoyed the first two novels in the series. Unfortunately, I found this one to be a little less interesting than the other two, partly because most of it is about the action being wrapped up that was introduced in those ones, and it kind of dragged on for quite awhile. Plus, I felt the ending wasn't quite what I expected, and I would have liked a little more of a wrap up. Overall though this was a pretty decent trilogy, and I gave this particular book three out of five stars.
Forever My Girl by Heidi McLaughlin:
I fully reviewed this one on my blog last week, which you can find here, but to summarize I was left extremely disappointed with this one. I'd loved the movie, and the fact that it didn't seem to be the typical new adult story. However, after reading the book I was beyond belief annoyed that it was a cheating scenario, and that I really didn't care for either Liam or Josie as characters. I only ended up rating it two out of five stars, and I don't foresee myself continuing on with this series in the future.
So Hard To Forget by Evelyn A Crowe:
I usually only read sweet romance type Harlequins, like the family ones or the Love Inspired ones, however the synopsis of this one sounded really interesting when I stumbled upon it at my library, and I decided to give it a chance. Unfortunately, I felt the plot line was so far fetched it was almost laughable, and it seemed ridiculous just how fast the two main characters ended up falling for each other. It especially irked me the way that Nicole had already been burned by one guy she'd met at her family's business before, and yet she has no problem with carrying on with Max-despite having just met him, and knowing next to nothing about him. All in all, this one got a two out of five star rating from me, and I kind of wish I hadn't wasted the time on it.
Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff:
Unlike everyone else who's read this series and loved it, I honestly wasn't that taken with the first two books, and was really only reading this one to see how the authors chose to wrap everything up. I was interested in this story because of its uniqueness in being told entirely in epistolary style, and the fact that I often love science fiction books. However, I honestly haven't liked any of the characters introduced throughout the story, and my opinion didn't change with this one. Plus I wasn't a huge fan of how crass most of the content is throughout the series, and biochemical warfare is terrifying and perhaps not something I'd like to be reading about. But overall, I found this series to be really boring, and slow moving, and it took me forever to get through each of the books. I think that this one was honestly my least favorite of all three and I only gave it two out of five stars. Unfortunately, I seem to be in the minority on this one, but it just wasn't for me.
Rescue Team by Candace Calvert:
Rescue Team was another favorite of mine for this month, and I reviewed it fully here. I never thought that medical dramas would ever really be my thing, but this amazing lady definitely proved me wrong. I adored Candace Calvert's writing style, and her faith filled stories about redemption and second chances. I gave this one five out of five stars, and I'd highly recommend.
Let Them Eat Fruitcake by Melody Carlson:
Let Them Eat Fruitcake is the second book in Melody's 86 Bloomberg Place series, and it was another enjoyable installment. I've heard this series referred to as a Christian Sex In The City, and I could definitely understand the comparison. It was fun once again to check in with the four roommates that call 86 Bloomberg Place home, and I really found myself enjoying Leilani's character especially in this one. I gave it three out of five stars, and I look forward to reading the next book in May :)
Princess Ever After by Rachel Hauck:
I'm starting to believe that Rachel Hauck honestly couldn't write a bad book if she tried. Princess Ever After was a fantastic follow up to Once Upon A Prince, and I rated it four out of five stars. I don't want to say too too much about it, as I'll have a full review on it up on my blog next week, but suffice to say that I loved it.
Fawkes by Nadine Brandes:
This was the last book I finished in April, and while I enjoyed certain parts of it, it wasn't quite as good as I was expecting. I rated it three out of five stars, and I'll have a full review of it on my blog this Friday!
While I did end up reading a few books in April I was disappointed in, I also read some amazing ones that have been added to my favorites list! Thanks so much for joining me today for my April TBR guys, and I'll see you all again on Friday. :)
This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photos do not belong to me and all rights to the respective owners.
.
Can you believe it's already the second of May?
It feels like I was literally just posting my March 2018 wrap up, and now it's already time to talk about all the books I finished in April 2018.
There were some good ones, some not so great ones, and some amazing ones, and you're going to hear about all of them.
Like always, I'll be posting the books in the order in which I finished them, rather than in the order of best to worst or worst to best, and I'm excited to share it all with you guys today.
Let's go ahead and jump right in.
The Defiant by Lesley Livingston:
While I hadn't completely loved The Valiant, I had enjoyed it enough that I decided to continue on with reading the second book in the series. I found the start of this one really dragged, and for the first third of it or so I was honestly expecting it to end up a two star read for me. However, the other two thirds of the book was definitely more interesting, and I loved the emphasis on sisterhood and never giving up no matter what the odds. As well, it was interesting to hear all about the origins of the tribe that this book largely focuses on, and I ended up rating it three out of five stars.
Life Just Got Real by Sadie Robertson:
I wasn't sure what to expect from reading Sadie Robertson's first fiction novel, but it was a pleasant surprise. It focuses on two girls from vastly differing worlds and social settings who are both chosen to be the new co-stars of an up and coming reality show. The writing was really well done, I enjoyed the emphasis on friendship, and the way that the faith element is blended in beautifully. You can read my full review here.
Falling For You by Becky Wade:
It's May 2nd guys! Which means yesterday was book release day for this amazing new story by one of my all time favorite authors, and you all need to run out and purchase it as soon as humanly possible. Becky Wade is a genius at showcasing how Christians aren't perfect, and that we all face struggles the same as anyone else. This is my favorite book of hers to date, and it got a perfect five star rating from me. I can't recommend this one enough, and you can read my full review here.
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken:
The Darkest Minds had been on my TBR list for quite sometime, and I had every intention of reading it before we attended RT Booklovers in April of 2016 as Alexandra Bracken was signing there, and I wanted to finish it before I met her. However, that definitely did not happen, and I only ended up reading it this past month. I was a big fan of the world building, and the complexity behind its dystopian setting. I also really enjoyed Liam and Zu as characters; Zu in particular. While I had figured out most of the plot twists and turns, there were still a couple that definitely left me guessing, and overall I found myself really enjoying this one. I gave it four out of five stars, and I'm looking forward to seeing its film adaptation.
Live Original: How The Duck Commander Teen Keeps It Real and Stays True To Her Values by Sadie Robertson:
I'd recently completed a devotional series by Sadie Robertson through YouVersion, and after doing so, I was really interested in picking up this book by her. I think it's so refreshing to see a teenager in Hollywood who's determined to stay true to her faith and her values, and I honestly really enjoyed this one. I gave it four out of five stars, and you can read my full review here.
Unleashing Mr. Darcy by Teri Wilson:
I love Pride and Prejudice retellings when they're done right, and I loved the Hallmark movie that was based off of this book. So going into this one I had a sneaking suspicion I was going to love it, and I was definitely not disappointed. I loved the fact that this story is told from both Lizzie and Donovan's point of views; as the reader gets a first hand glimpse into how they end up feeling about each other. The England setting was beautiful, and blended in perfectly with the developing story, and I adored the Pride and Prejudice references that are dispersed throughout. My only real complaint was I didn't think the sex scene was truly necessary, but it is a romance novel and I suppose that's to be expected. All in all, I can't say enough good things about this beautiful story, and I gave it five out of five stars. I can't wait to watch Marrying Mr. Darcy when it debuts on Hallmark channel in June!
The Revolution of Ivy by Amy Engel:
I kind of ended up surprising myself with just how much I'd enjoyed The Book of Ivy, and I was really looking forward to reading the sequel. I'm happy to say that this was a rare case of the second book in a duology being just as good as the first, and Bishop was amazing as always. The ending had me shook, and it took me a few days to wrap my head around everything that goes down. All in all, a great read, and I gave it four out of five stars.
The Case For Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro:
This particular novel was one that I'd included in my "Most Anticipated 2018 Releases" post, as I'd really enjoyed the first two novels in the series. Unfortunately, I found this one to be a little less interesting than the other two, partly because most of it is about the action being wrapped up that was introduced in those ones, and it kind of dragged on for quite awhile. Plus, I felt the ending wasn't quite what I expected, and I would have liked a little more of a wrap up. Overall though this was a pretty decent trilogy, and I gave this particular book three out of five stars.
Forever My Girl by Heidi McLaughlin:
I fully reviewed this one on my blog last week, which you can find here, but to summarize I was left extremely disappointed with this one. I'd loved the movie, and the fact that it didn't seem to be the typical new adult story. However, after reading the book I was beyond belief annoyed that it was a cheating scenario, and that I really didn't care for either Liam or Josie as characters. I only ended up rating it two out of five stars, and I don't foresee myself continuing on with this series in the future.
So Hard To Forget by Evelyn A Crowe:
I usually only read sweet romance type Harlequins, like the family ones or the Love Inspired ones, however the synopsis of this one sounded really interesting when I stumbled upon it at my library, and I decided to give it a chance. Unfortunately, I felt the plot line was so far fetched it was almost laughable, and it seemed ridiculous just how fast the two main characters ended up falling for each other. It especially irked me the way that Nicole had already been burned by one guy she'd met at her family's business before, and yet she has no problem with carrying on with Max-despite having just met him, and knowing next to nothing about him. All in all, this one got a two out of five star rating from me, and I kind of wish I hadn't wasted the time on it.
Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff:
Unlike everyone else who's read this series and loved it, I honestly wasn't that taken with the first two books, and was really only reading this one to see how the authors chose to wrap everything up. I was interested in this story because of its uniqueness in being told entirely in epistolary style, and the fact that I often love science fiction books. However, I honestly haven't liked any of the characters introduced throughout the story, and my opinion didn't change with this one. Plus I wasn't a huge fan of how crass most of the content is throughout the series, and biochemical warfare is terrifying and perhaps not something I'd like to be reading about. But overall, I found this series to be really boring, and slow moving, and it took me forever to get through each of the books. I think that this one was honestly my least favorite of all three and I only gave it two out of five stars. Unfortunately, I seem to be in the minority on this one, but it just wasn't for me.
Rescue Team by Candace Calvert:
Rescue Team was another favorite of mine for this month, and I reviewed it fully here. I never thought that medical dramas would ever really be my thing, but this amazing lady definitely proved me wrong. I adored Candace Calvert's writing style, and her faith filled stories about redemption and second chances. I gave this one five out of five stars, and I'd highly recommend.
Let Them Eat Fruitcake by Melody Carlson:
Let Them Eat Fruitcake is the second book in Melody's 86 Bloomberg Place series, and it was another enjoyable installment. I've heard this series referred to as a Christian Sex In The City, and I could definitely understand the comparison. It was fun once again to check in with the four roommates that call 86 Bloomberg Place home, and I really found myself enjoying Leilani's character especially in this one. I gave it three out of five stars, and I look forward to reading the next book in May :)
Princess Ever After by Rachel Hauck:
I'm starting to believe that Rachel Hauck honestly couldn't write a bad book if she tried. Princess Ever After was a fantastic follow up to Once Upon A Prince, and I rated it four out of five stars. I don't want to say too too much about it, as I'll have a full review on it up on my blog next week, but suffice to say that I loved it.
Fawkes by Nadine Brandes:
This was the last book I finished in April, and while I enjoyed certain parts of it, it wasn't quite as good as I was expecting. I rated it three out of five stars, and I'll have a full review of it on my blog this Friday!
While I did end up reading a few books in April I was disappointed in, I also read some amazing ones that have been added to my favorites list! Thanks so much for joining me today for my April TBR guys, and I'll see you all again on Friday. :)
This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photos do not belong to me and all rights to the respective owners.
.
Comments
Post a Comment