Happy Tuesday! It’s almost the end of the month, so I am sharing the books I read this month and what I am currently reading. I am linking up with the Share Your Shelf ladies – Joanne, Marilyn, Tanya, and Jenn – so be sure to check them out on Thursday for other great bookish posts.
Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
I was so happy to go back to Rome, Kentucky and spend some time with the third Walker sibling. Emily’s nemesis since her first day of college is moving back into town and she is not happy about it. As if Jack coming back to town isn’t bad enough, he shows up next door. Emily has had it and does everything she can to make him want to leave. Of course, he won’t. Jack turns up the charm and works to get in the good graces of the residents of Rome. It was fun, it was flirty, and I loved it. Sarah Adams just announced the fourth book in the Rome series and it is already on my TBR list.
Big Game by Stuart Gibbs (kids audio)
In this return to Fun Jungle, Teddy finds himself in the middle of another crime. This time the rhinos are in trouble. Of course Teddy can’t leave the investigation to the security team. Teddy and Summer team up again to solve the crime. There is a bit of suspense, some fun, and interesting animal facts in this book. Luke and I loved it.
Husbands and Lovers by Beatriz Williams ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
I absolutely loved this book! It was a dual timeline story of two women connected by a unique bracelet. In the present day, Mallory is a single mom with a son that needs a kidney transplant. She is forced to face her past and connect with her son’s father to help save his life. In the 1950s, a woman must also face her refugee past after an encounter with a hotel manager and the spies with whom he is entangled. This is a fabulous book that I could not put down!
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
I love all things ocean life, but I wasn’t sure what to think about a book co-narrated by an octopus. Well, here’s what I think. Why did I wait so long to read this?? It was fabulous! Marcellus the octopus is brilliant. I love how a small town takes care of its residents with a bit of gossip sprinkled in. That is exactly what happens here. Tova is a widow that has been cleaning the local aquarium every night since her husband died. She has befriended Marcellus and the two of them look out for each other. A troubled young man comes to town, thinking he’s going to find his father. He doesn’t exactly do that, but he does find his purpose, friendship, and answers to questions that he didn’t even know he had. I loved this book and will recommend it all around!
The Lost Ticket by Freya Sampson ☀️☀️☀️☀️
I have had this book sitting on my kindle and my bookshelf for a while now. I decided to give it a try and I am glad I did. It took me a minute to get into it, but the story of Frank on bus 88 warmed my heart and broke it at the same time. Frank has been looking for his missed love opportunity for decades. He met an artist on the bus in 1962 and fell in love with her. Unfortunately, he lost her number on the back of a ticket and was never able to meet up with her. He has been spending the last 60 years riding bus 88 looking for his artist love. Libby meets Frank on the bus and decides to make it her mission to find this woman. Unfortunately, Frank’s dementia is progressing and they are running out of time. All the while, Libby is nursing her broken heart, finding her strength, and joining with new friends to help Frank find the girl on bus 88.
Sister Stardust by Jane Green ☀️☀️☀️☀️
Claire is a self-proclained country bumpkin from outside of London who dreams of a bigger and better life. Through a string of coincidences she ends up in a fast moving crowd and spends a few weeks in Marrakesh with Talitah Getty and friends. Claire transforms into Cece and is swept off her feet by the glamour, the wild times, and the freedom. She eventually runs into some dark times, but their friendship holds true. Jane Green does an incredible job describing Marrakesh and all that goes along with living there. I was looking forward to that knowing that Jane lives there now. This was a juicy story with enough history to make is sensational and believable. Enjoy!
Betting on Good by Wendy Francis ☀️☀️☀️☀️
This book was a timely read because it takes place in Louisville during the weekend of the Kentucky Derby. Drew turned 40 and has always dreamed of going to the Derby. Her husband plans a trip to the Derby for them and another couple to celebrate Drew’s birthday. This is supposed to be the trip that tops everything. The plan is to do all the Derby weekend things, reconnect with each other, and win a lot of money. Drew’s husband has gotten himself into a little financial trouble and is hiding it from her. The other couple is having some trouble, too and hoping to use this weekend to save their marriage. Well, the weekend doesn’t go according to plan at all, but it sure was interesting. I got this as an Amazon First Reads and it comes out May 1st.
Books for School
As a reminder, I do not add a rating for kids books. I am happy to share my sunshine rating and thoughts if you would like to email me, but as an elementary school librarian in a county with many book challenges I do not feel comfortable publishing them here. It stinks, but that is the way it is right now.
These books have been nominated for the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award. This is a student choice award. The books are selected by school and public librarians, so they are usually well liked and interesting.
Balto and Togo: Hero Dogs of Alaska by Helen Moss (kids)
Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry (kids)
Table Titans Club by Scott Kurtz (kids graphic novel)
Lost and Found by Mei Yu (kids graphic novel)
Gamerville by Johnnie Christmas (kids graphic novel)
A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall by Jasmine Warga (kids)
Anzu and the Realm of Darkness by Mai K. Nguyen (kids graphic novel)
The Monster and the Maze by Maple Lam (kids graphic novel)
Currently Reading: Magnolia Wu Unfolds it All by Chanel Miller (kids)
Currently Listening: Panda-monium by Stuart Gibbs (kids audio)
You can always checkout what I’ve been reading on my Books 2025 page. I have all of my yearly reading pages linked here if you want to see what I’ve been reading for the last 7 years.
This was a big reading month because I am in the process of trying to read 10 middle grade novels and 10 middle grade graphic novels to select the books for our public library and school’s Battle of the Books for next year. I am hoping to finish these pretty soon so I can get to my favorite books of the year – SUMMER BEACH READS!! Have a great day full of sunshine and books!
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