8 Books I Read in April
8 Books I Read in April
By: Brittany Shields
Lots of exciting books in this group!
I read two that were nominated for the best book in their genre on Goodreads (one that won).
I read three that just released in April and one coming out in June.
And then I read two non-fiction books that were pretty interesting (one that’s a MUST-READ)!
Read my blurbs and click the links to see my full reviews.
If you want to keep up with what I’m reading, get other book recommendations, play book-related games, and see when I’m offering book giveaways, follow me on my Facebook page!
Invite your friends to follow me and you’ll help activate my 500-follower-$25-Barnes-and-Noble-gift-card-giveaway!
Thanks for checking in and enjoy your next book :)
1. The Falcon (Nina Guerrera #3) by Isabella Maldonado
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
“You can’t beat a raptor into submission. You must work with its natural behavior to bend it to your will.”
This is book three in a great series! (See Book 1 HERE)
If you’re already familiar with this series then you know that our female protagonist, Nina, former street cop, works with a special ops FBI team made up of Breck, a computer wiz, Kent, a former Navy SEAL, and Wade, a criminal profiler.
In this book the team is investigating a series of disappearances at AIT in Arizona.
As their investigation progresses, they discover the culprit not only has an obsession with Egyptian rituals and culture, but has knowledge of falconry training and is himself searching for a mate that he will tame and train to love him back.
It’s a fast-paced story that I really enjoyed. Read more about it in my full review linked below!
This book releases June 28, 2022. You can pre-order using my affiliate link below.
2. Gospel People: A Call for Evangelical Integrity by Michael Reeves
Genre: Christian Living/Theology
“‘The evangelicals’ are being defined—and even defining themselves—by agendas other than the gospel.”
What does ‘evangelical’ mean?
You listen to the media and read books like Jesus and John Wayne and you start to wonder if ‘evangelical’ is a term with too much negative baggage that needs to be retired.
I’ve thought this many times and this was a great book for me to read.
Michael Reeves recognizes the precarious place the word ‘evangelical’ hangs and has written this book to address this controversial word and remind us why we may still call ourselves evangelical.
He sets out, not to defend all that is called evangelical, but to show us the biblical case for ‘evangelical’— what it means, how we, as Christians, can return to the integrity of the word, and why it matters.
This book is worth reading even just for the last chapter. In my review I talk about my favorite parts, flesh out more of the outline of the book and provide other resources on this topic.
This book released April 5, 2022 and can be purchased using my affiliate link below.
3. Discrimination and Disparities by Thomas Sowell
Genre: Non-Fiction/Economics/Cultural
“The actual consequences of a social vision cannot be assessed on the basis of its good intentions or even its plausibility. The real test is what has actually happened when that vision has been applied, and what the implications are of those social consequences.”
Ibram X. Kendi, famous anti-racist activist, has famously said, “When I see racial disparities, I see racism.”
But is this true? Do disparities equal discrimination?
Thomas Sowell, influential African-American economist and social theorist, has written this book to examine the prevailing social vision which agrees with Kendi’s words.
This book is a presentation of facts and research that tear substantial holes in the progressive narrative and reveal, unsurprisingly, that there are a lot of causes at play when we look at disparities in America and in the world at large.
Sowell argues that though racial discrimination does exist, it is neither the sole nor primary cause for racial disparity. Just because there are some disparities between groups, does not necessarily mean it’s someone’s fault and requires ‘fixing.’
This book should be required reading. It’s so enlightening! It’s intelligent, logical, and easy to understand.
I couldn’t include everything, but if you check out my full review there are more quotes and interesting things I learned.
4. Watch Out for Her by Samantha M. Bailey
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
“It made me wonder: To what lengths would she go to fill the void? And what was it she was looking for?”
“Desperate people do desperate things. Not always on purpose. But sometimes.”
I loved Bailey’s debut book Woman on the Edge. I maybe liked that one better than this one, but this was still pretty good.
It has alternating chapters between our two female protagonists— Holly (the babysitter) in the past and Sarah (the mom) in the present. Something happened in between these two timelines that has caused Sarah and her family to move away, paranoid that Holly is coming after them.
The book slowly reveals what happened.
It’s a suspenseful and fast read.
Check out my full review for my five comments regarding it.
It just released on April 26, 2022 and can be purchased through my affiliate link below.
5. Humble Moms: How the Work of Christ Sustains the Work of Motherhood by Kristen Wetherell
Genre: Christian Living
“Greatness is not about puffing ourselves up, but laying ourselves down. It is not only about what we’re doing, but why and how we’re doing it. It is the humble posture of the heart.”
Kristen Wetherell gets me.
She understands how motherhood makes you weary. She understands all the struggles and the needs.
Motherhood is hard. So how do we do it? How do we endure? How do we love our kids when we don’t like them?
Where do we get the strength and joy to not just survive each day, but do it with less sinful behavior? (my words, not hers)
Kristen has written this relatable and convicting book to remind us in all seasons and contexts of motherhood that at the core, we have a heart and hand disconnect. We may display servants’ hands but not with servants’ hearts.
Taking us through the book of John, Kristen shows us how Jesus created, sustains, satisfies, provides, leads, and loves us. How he has sacrificed for us, prays for us, and dwells with us.
This is definitely one I’ll come back to often.
My full review has more quotes and related books to read.
This one just released April 12, 2022 and can be purchased using my affiliate link below.
6. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Genre: Fiction
[Nominated for ‘Best Fiction’ category of the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge]
“A book is a resting place for the memories of people who have lived before. A way for the memory to stay fixed after the soul has traveled on.”
The size of this book is a little intimidating (600+ pages). It has a story within a story AND there are five characters that span across many places and times. It’s a lot.
But I’m here to help you out!
First tip: don’t read an e-book, you’ll want to easily flip back and forth.
Second tip: my full review has a cast of characters you can refer to when you forget who is who. Once you’re into a bit, it’s not as hard but the beginning is a bit dicey.
I wasn’t a fan of the formatting of the book and the disjointedness, but I like the concept of this mythical story— Cloud Cuckoo Land— weaving itself into each character’s life. The power of the story is the hope for something better and how it sustains people through hard times, enduring through the ages in storms, wars, and temporary abandonment.
I’ve included a lot more of my thoughts on this contemplative book in my full review and provided a list of BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION QUESTIONS for those who want to tackle this book with friends. There are a lot of things to think about!
7. Freed & Fierce: The 7 Untapped Essentials for Life-Long Eating Disorder Recovery
Genre: Nonfiction/Self-Help
“The ultimate purpose of this book is to instill in you excitement, hope, and help you feel strong, fierce, and empowered to do the hard, yet rewarding, things. I want you to just ‘know’ with every fiber of your being that you can recover (even if you’ve already tried “everything”), and that you have a beautiful, vibrant life awaiting!”
Kara struggled with an eating disorder for 11 years. She felt like she had tried everything and nothing was working. Recovery seemed impossible.
Until she approached her eating disorder more holistically.
The heart of this book is Kara sharing with readers what worked for her and encouraging others that recovery is possible, especially if we treat more than just our behaviors.
Since I have not struggled with an eating disorder, I can’t personally speak to the effectiveness of her 7 pillar system, but I like that she isn’t just promoting behavior modification but looking at the whole person.
Check out my full review for a list of her 7 pillars, my takeaways, and my caveats. I’ve also included a link to her coaching/support Facebook page that may also be a beneficial resource for you.
8. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Genre: Science Fiction
[Winner for ‘Best Science Fiction’ category of the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge]
What a great book!
Andy Weir is best known for his book The Martian. I haven’t read it, but you can bet it’s on my TBR now!
In Project Hail Mary, a science teacher and his BFF alien buddy science and engineer the crap out of space stuff to save their planets from a star-eating microbe.
It’s a bit more complicated than that, but that’s the main gist!
Weir fashions a brilliant, humorous, and endearing story filled with complicated science that he generally dumbs down for us, giving us a very pleasant book.
I loved the plot, loved the characters, and feel this book deserves its award.
Check out my full review for a mediocre space pun, some science-y words, a more entertaining plot description and the only book club discussion question you’ll need.
Share this list to your social media!