March Reads

This was such an amazing month of reading!!!!!! It's a good thing, too, since there have been plenty of at home days this month. I  would recommend every one of these books. Let's get to it!

SERIOUSLY

1. The Dead Girls Club by Damien Angelica Walters: Ok, so I've never read any Stephen King, but I have definitely thought before, "How can a book be considered super scary? I mean, it's just words on a page. What's the big deal?" I was WRONG. This book was so super scary.....but in a fun horror movie sort of way (if that makes any sense at all). This is about a group of friends who love all things creepy...until one of their stories gets way too real. Soon the "Red Lady" is haunting the group of teens and she won't let up, even as they grow up and move on. This very much gave me "Pretty Little Liars" vibes. This was a fun spooky, psychological thriller with a horror twist. It won't go down in history as a classic or amazing by any means, but I really couldn't put this one down! 

 2. Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid: I was on the library waitlist for a few months for this one. It was one of the picks for Reese Witherspoon's books club so I think that's why. Guys, I love love loved this one! This one is like a deeper, more thoughtful version of The Nanny Diaries. This is about a young African American woman who nannies for a privileged white family. The mom really means well she can just be tone deaf at times. Then there's the mom's ex...who is currently dating the nanny. Yeah, that gets awkward. This was really such a fun book (see what I did there?) that really dives deep into class, race, age, romance, and the complicated relationships between employer and employee in a domestic setting. Read this book, it's wonderful.

3. True Crime Addict by James Renner: A few years ago, I was super into the docuseries The Mysterious Disappearace of Maury Murray. I recently discovered the TV show made my the same people, Up and Vanished (it's also a podcast). While watching an episode of that recently, I decided to look up this book that is referred to a lot in the Maura Murray series. This is an excellent true crime book and while Renner certainly doesn't solve the case (although he provides a compelling argument that Maura is alive and well in Canada), he pursues many angles and the book was just as interesting as the series, if not more so. One of my favorite books last year was the true crime book, I'll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara. One of the things that stood out to me about that book was how masterfully McNamara weaves her own story and struggles into the crimes she's researching. James Renner's book is very similar in that way and we get an intimate glimpse at his headspace and emotions as he drives himself to the brink trying to get answers. This was a great one.

 4. The Ingredients of Us by Jennifer Gold: This was a library impulse find because I thought the cover and description on the back were cute. This was a fun, light hearted read that feels very similar to the Beach Street Bakery series or like something by Elin Hilderbrand. The main character Elle runs a bakery (like every chick lit or Hallmark movie ever) and has recently separated from her husband because he was cheating. She explores the world of dating in her late '30's and all its misadventures. This is a sweet read with a happy ending, recipes throughout, and it was just light and fun. It won't go down in history as a favorite, but it was cute.

 5. You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen: This was my February Book of the Month club pick. This is by the same author team as The Wife Between Us and An Anoymous Girl. Those were both great thrillers and this one is verrry similar to those both. If you like a girl power thriller, you will probably enjoy this one. Shay is a young woman yearning for an exciting life. She meets the Moore sisters and they promise her a life of glamour and excitement.....but, of course, at a very steep cost to Shay. Ulterior motives abound and this one features elements of cults (sort of), the power of sisterhood, revenge, and murder. This was a fun one.

 6. Rushing Woman's Syndrome by Dr. Libby Weaver: I think it's so ironic, I ordered this book about a month ago, before all this Covid stuff impacted daily life. I've certainly been forced to quit rushing! I can say, wholeheartedly, that I have Rushing Woman's Syndrome. This book is a great mix of science/nutrition/mental health and dives into the responses our bodies have to this fast-paced, always on world. One thing I didn't love was that Dr. Weaver has her own line of vitamins and did pitch those a few times in the book (eyeroll), but overall the information was solid. Some of the tips involve things like limiting social media use, drinking less caffeine (I know, right?), and the importance of sleep and a healthy movement routine that involves practices like yoga. There were some great tips in here.

Reading has always been a form of self care for me and even more so now. Happy reading, friends!!

Savor Your Sparkle,
Leslie  

Here are my 2020 Books so far with stars by my faves---
1. The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg
2. The Wives by Tarryn Fisher
3. *Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak
4. Over the Top by Jonathan VanNess
5. *Teach Like Finland by Timothy D. Walker
6. The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield
7. *Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
8. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
9. *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
10. Finding Chika by Mitch Albom
11. The Sundown Motel by Simone St. James
12. *Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
13. The Dead Girls Club by Damien Angelica Walters
14. *Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
15. *True Crime Addict by James Renner
16. The Ingredients of Us by Jennifer Gold
17. You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
18. Rushing Woman's Syndrome by Libby Weaver