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What I Read In April

What I Read In April

What I Read In April

April was another fun reading month! Best part is that I inspired my sister and one of my cousins to get back to reading. Now we have our own book club. We love to have deep conversations and especially after reading a book, sometimes I just need someone to talk to and discuss. Our “book club” will start this month, May, and we will read The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal.

What I Read In April

What I Read In April

The Jetsetters by Amanda Eye Ward

The Jetsetter by Amanda Eyre WardCharlotte Perkins won the Become a Jetsetter contest. She goes on a Mediterranean cruise and brings along her 4 estranged, adult children. She’s hoping that this trip will reunite the family. Lee, the oldest, is a semi-famous actress. Cord is a stressed out NYC venture capitalist. Regan is married and a mother of two who struggles with her weight. As a family, they explore Greece, France, Italy, and Spain, but every single one of them struggled to be around one another. They all have buried secrets and old wounds reopened.

This book is a quick read and I was immediately captivated by the fact that at one point, this family was so close. So the entire time I wondered what drove them apart. It also made me sad because these families buried their feelings. Which is very odd to me because I grew up in a family where regardless if feelings are hurt or how they are perceived, they are pretty much shared. Overall it was a good book. The only thing I personally think it fell short of is that I was hoping this book would take me to a travel adventure. It didn’t really go into that much detail about the places they saw. It mainly focused on the main characters. Which is fine, but since we are all quarantined, I wanted to “travel”.

Nantucket Sisters by Nancy Thayer

Nantucket Sisters by Nancy ThayerMaggie & Emily quickly became friends. They both come from different worlds. Maggie is labeled as an “islander” since she grew up in Nantucket and financially her family struggled. Emily grew up in a very wealthy family and they have a summer home in Nantucket. Every summer, both girls look forward to seeing each other. They’re the only ones that get each other and they share everything. They continue their friendship into adulthood. However, their friendship gets complicated. Their different backgrounds separate them apart and they’ve been keeping secrets from one another. They both had to make tough choices and their secrets start catching up to them.

Not sure if the quarantine ignited this or Nancy Thayer did a great job, but now I want to go to Nantucket. Both girls have so much love for the island. I also love their friendship. It takes them through the ease of their friendship when they’re little girls and how that evolved into adulthood. This is definitely a feel good book. I personally think the ending could be a little different for one of the characters. I just think she doesn’t deserve that kind of ending.

Books to read during quarantine

Educated by Tara Westover

Educated by Tara WestoverTara Westover was raised to be a survivalist. His father didn’t believe in the government. Her family was isolated from the rest of the world. She never stepped foot into a school and therefore her and her siblings never received a formal education. When she was seventeen, she wanted to know what else is out there in the world and wanted to go to college. She taught herself math, practiced the ACT, and eventually was admitted into college where she eventually received her Phd from Harvard and Cambridge. Her college experience was eye opening. There was so much she didn’t know about the world, so much history her father hid from her.

Wow. I’m still blown away that this book is a true story. I decided to read this book because there was so much hype and it was added on Bill Gates’ must-read list. When I read the first 20 pages, I was not impressed. It felt so slow. But I’m glad I kept reading. Every bit of Tara’s life was interesting and shocking. I can’t believe a family like this exists. And the things she went through. I was horrified and the fact that her parents thought it was all okay.

But in the end, I applaud Tara. She had no formal education at all and she was able to excel very well during college. People who have been in school their whole life could not accomplish what she did. I personally think anyone who reads this will be blown away too and it will lead you to googling a lot about her and her family (at least I did haha).

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord Book ReviewPepper is an overachiever. She is the top of her class, swim team captain, and a perfectionist. She moved to NYC when her parents divorced and lives with her mom. Her family owns one of the largest food chain restaurants and her mother makes her run the company’s twitter account. Jack is a class clown. He has an identical twin brother who is popular and well- loved from his peers. Jack feels like he is living in his brother’s shadow. Jack and his family owned a deli in the East Village that was started from his grandmother.

One day, Jack and his brother noticed that the popular food chain restaurant tweeted about their new sandwich and it looked way too similar to their grandmother’s sandwich. This started a twitter war between the two food establishments. What Jack and Pepper didn’t know was that their relationship deepens without knowing who they each are.

I had zero expectations from the book. I initially picked it out because I wanted to read something lighthearted plus the cover was really cute. However, I ended up really enjoying this book. It’s like a modern version of the movie You Got Mail. Some parts were cheesy, but it was also very adorable. For sure felt like I was watching a Rom Com movie. So if you are into that, you will enjoy this.

The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand

The Identicals by Elin HilderbrandHarper and Tabitha are identical twins. Growing up they were inseparable up until their parents divorced. Harper lived with her father in Martha’s Vineyard, and Tabitha lived with her mother in Nantucket. This separation created animosity towards each other. After over 14 years of not speaking to each other, they are forced to speak and see each other. Hence, it led them to switch islands. The twins discovered secrets, lies, and gossip. They wondered if they can ever get past the animosity towards each other.

This book is exactly what you would expect from an Elin Hilderbrand book. There are secrets that continue to unfold throughout the book. The entire time, I kept guessing what really caused the resentment between two inseparable identical twins. I also love that Elin explained the difference between the two islands, Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket. It really helped build the characters and understand the twins more. I was pleased with this book and the outcome.

Book Recommendations This Spring
SHOP THE OUTFIT: Square Neck Bodysuit (also love this and this) | White Wide-Leg Pants | Gold Monogram Necklace |

What have you been reading?

xo RD

Book Recommendations What To Read During Quarantine

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Comments

  3. Lizzie says

    These books sound so interesting, especially that first one! Can’t wait to add these to my list!

    Lizzie
    wwww.lizzieinlace.com

    Reply

  5. Natalia says

    Thank you for sharing with us! I have been reading a lot more recently and encouraging my students to do the same. It is awesome to know you got someone into something good.

    Lindifique

    Reply

  12. Stephanie says

    I loved reading Tweet Cute a couple of months ago. It was super cute and fun! I didn’t really relate to it as much as most rom coms because it was about high schoolers, but it was still adorable. I gotta get my hands on some of the others you mentioned here!

    Reply

  15. Jill says

    I enjoyed Educated and The Identicals! I’m currently reading All the Ugly and Wonderful Things and so far it’s really good. I need a lighthearted book next and am adding Tweet Cute to my reading list!

    Jill – Doused in Pink

    Reply

  17. Laura Leigh says

    One these are the cutest books, two you are the cutest, three you’re inspiring me to read more! I was reading a book a month but haven’t scooped one up for this month yet. Thinking Jetsetters may be it!

    xo Laura Leigh
    http://louellareese.com

    Reply

  19. Ashley says

    You’re a buzzing book master! Flying through new novels! I love when an author is able to paint a picture of place so well (like Nantucket) that you feel inspired to go.

    -Ashley
    Le Stylo Rouge

    Reply

  23. Katerina says

    What a shame that The Jetsetters didn’t focus on the travel side of the story much – I love it when a story can paint the surroundings and bring them to life. I miss travelling too! Education has been on my “to-read” list for a while now, I really need to give it a go! Thanks for sharing – I always love getting book recommendations.

    Reply

    • Same! But looking back I wonder if it is because they were on a cruise? I never been on a cruise and I bet the experience is different. And yes, definitely give Educated a go!

      Reply

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