What I read in April

I again only finished one book for April, but it’s okay. I am not putting any pressure on myself these days. I read when I read.

How’s your reading going?

Without further ado, my review of…

The Bookcharmer by Karen Hawkins (★★★☆☆)

Sarah lives in a small town, Dove Pond, and she – and her sisters – are each said to have special gifts. Sarah can talk to books, or actually, books talk to her and tell her who needs to read them so she can place them in the hand of the right people.

While the plot is sweet and the idea of Sarah being able to talk to books intriguing, this was only a minor part of the story. I would have wished for a bit more “magic” and book charming, I guess.

You expect the story to revolve around Sarah, but the actual protagonist of the story is Grace, who moves to Dove Pond with her family and who is supposedly the person to save Dove Pond from bankruptcy. The chapters alternate between Sarah, Grace, and Trav, Sarah’s childhood friend and Grace’s neighbor (why Trav? Nobody knows), although Hawkins uses the 3rd-person omniscient narration.

This is a sweet story about connecting and friendship, but also not an overall ‘feel good’ story, as the novel touches on several heavier topics including foster care, trauma, suicide and death, Alzheimers, PTSD, caregiver stress, and a small town’s financial crisis. Almost a little much for one story, to be honest.

Overall, I enjoyed this book well enough. 3,5 stars for a sweet, though predictable story with a few clever nuances. Just what I needed right now.

What did you read in April? Anything you’d like to recommend? Leave a comment, and then add me on Goodreads to keep in touch.

Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
May 18, 2020 at 5:21 pm

I don’t read a lot of books. I mean if we’re on vacation I’ll read a book a day but in everyday life I just read a few chapters before bed to unwind. In April I reread one of my all time favorite novels, The Far Country by Nevil Shute, and I just finished The Third Wife by Lisa Jewell, which was much less suspenseful than her other books but still very good. Time to find the next read…
1. San
  May 18, 2020 at 6:29 pm
  
  Thanks for the recommendations!
Sara Strand
May 18, 2020 at 5:25 pm

I love the cover of this one. I’m so guilty of buying books strictly for the cover and I feel like this one just made that list. HA!
1. San
  May 18, 2020 at 6:29 pm
  
  Totally guilty of this! :)
Dani
May 19, 2020 at 9:30 am

I read a BUNCH in April, but reading has since taken a bit of a backseat as I read slower, and more intentionally. I love the cover of this one but wow, those are some super heavy topics! I’m currently reading Modern Love: True Stories of Love, Loss, and Redemption. It’s an anthology with different types of “love” stories, not just romantic. And there’s a series with some of the stories on Amazon Prime, so I’ve been having fun reading and then watching corresponding ones come to life on the screen :)
Gretchen
May 19, 2020 at 11:38 am

I’ve been reading like crazy lately- I don’t typically but it’s been nice to escape a bit! My favorite book I read in April was probably Recursion by Blake Crouch. Fun and a bit nerdy with lots of twists and turns. Really quick and good read.
Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
May 21, 2020 at 5:49 am

I didn’t read much in March as I was adjusting to our new lifestyle of always being home. But in April I got back to my normal routine of reading. Paul goes to bed at 7:30 so after he is in bed,I watch a couple of episodes of Brooklyn 9-9 with Phil and then go upstairs at 8;30 and read until 9:30. Our library has been doing contact-free pick ups so I have gotten a few new books that way that I was excited to read so that has helped as well. I probably still read a little less than pre-Covid as I don’t have a bus commute anymore.

This book sounded promising but that is a lot of ‘heavy stuff’ to jam into one book that sounds like it should be a lighter/happier read!
Tobia | craftaliciousme
May 21, 2020 at 8:21 am

I keep on reading quiet a bit. I guess it is my way of coping a bit by escaping to fantastic worlds. But I have to agree you can’t force it. In the beginning I could not concentrate and my book picks have been a bit on the entertaining side. Now I picked up a few heaver ones.
Catrina
May 23, 2020 at 7:24 am

My April book was also written by a Hawkin – well Hawking to be exact, Jane Hawking.
She was the first wife of Stephen Hawking. It’s incredibly interesting how she battles with giving him 24-hour care, raising three children and trying to write a thesis of her own.
Apart from the story, her command of the English language is remarkable. Very eloquent.

Comments are closed.

You May Also Like