April was a decent reading month, with 11 books read, NINE of them ranked 4 stars or higher! Read on to get my take on the books I loved, and a couple that didn’t work for me.

Saoirse by Charleen Hutubise was a win for me. Our main character, Sarah, starts her life in Michigan and, until she was a teenager, lives in fear and silence. At 17, she finds an opportunity to escape her life of abuse and ends up using a stolen identity as Saoirse (which means “Freedom”) in Ireland. We meet her in 1999, an established artist living on the rugged coast of Donegal. Her partner and two beloved daughters are frequent subjects in her popular paintings. She is living the safe and happy life she always dreamed of. When her artwork receives sudden public acclaim and a big reception in Dublin, the secrets she has taken such pains to keep now threaten to be revealed and destroy her life. The book is well-written, suspenseful, and will give the reader lots to think about. 5 stars

Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell was another book by an Irish author that did not disappoint. One morning, Clara makes a split-second decision to change her life. She grabs her clothes off the clothesline, puts the kids in their carseats, and leaves home, finally admitting that it is no longer safe and that she must escape. The story that follows is a nail-biting tale of Clara trying to find housing for herself and her children and trying to remain steadfast in her determination not to cave in to her gaslighting, abusive husband and return to him. This is less a story about domestic abuse and more about the struggle single women have to live independently when they have children and need to support them without aid. In particular, in Ireland, where the book is set, there is a housing crisis, and government aid is difficult for a single mother to obtain. The story is dark, but ultimately hopeful. 4.25 stars

Good People by Patmeena Sabit was my favorite book this month, and it certainly was one of the most thought-provoking books I have read this year. The book is about immigration and how well some cultures adapt to American customs, and how some do not. This novel is the story of the Sharaf family, who immigrated to the United States from Afghanistan. Their daughter Zorah is either a shining star with enormous potential or a girl who brought unthinkable shame upon her family. We learn about the Sharaf family through short chapters told by friends, ex-friends, neighbors, police, forensic scientists, and other observers. We do not hear one thing from the Sharaf family’s perspective at all. A terrible tragedy has occurred, and we just have the court of public opinion from which to form our own conclusions. This was a fascinating book to read on several levels. The documentary-style telling of the story was fabulous, and you will have a different opinion of what actually happened with each chapter. Finally, this book will leave you thinking about how some cultures assimilate so well into a new culture, and how others seem to resist with all their might. This book flew by for me; I think I finished all 400 pages in a day or two. I also need to mention that the reader will not know definitively what happened in the end. You will be left to form your own conclusions, which I rather liked. 5 stars

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry is in the popular “romantasy” genre that is so popular now. It isn’t my typical cup of tea, but the book was free on Kindle Unlimited, and I had heard positive reviews, so I dived in. The story is a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers story about an outcast princess who is inexplicably married off to a prince from another kingdom and her transformation from an introverted mouse to the warrior she was meant to be. Good world-building, not too steamy in the romance department, and some interesting plot twists. It was fun. 4 stars.

Trespasses by Louise Kennedy will be for you if you want a book that will educate you about a time in history you may not know a lot about. I need to say right up front that this book will not be for everyone. I enjoy books by Irish authors, books that teach me something, and give me thoughts to ponder after I read them. This book ticks all those boxes. This book is set in Northern Ireland in 1975 during the “Troubles”. Our main character is Cushla, a teacher at a parochial school who lives with her alcoholic mother and helps out in the evenings at the family pub run by her brother. While working at the bar, she meets Michael Agnew, a barrister who defends IRA members accused of violent acts against others. Cushla is in the Catholic minority, and Michael is Protestant and also married. They embark upon a secret affair that has a ripple effect in their community. The book depicts violent acts between the two differing religious factions, which may be disturbing to some readers. Ordinary people were just trying to co-exist and carry on their daily lives amidst terrible bombings and other acts of terrorism perpetrated by their fellow citizens. I think the description of life in Northern Ireland at that time was extremely well done, and I learned so much from the book, in spite of its difficult content. 5 stars

Switching gears to a much more light-hearted book, Confessions of a Grammar Queen by Eliza Knight is one that so many of you will enjoy. Our main character, Bernadette Swift, is a copy editor at a publishing house in New York City in 1963. She has aspirations to become the first female CEO of a publishing house. Recently, legislation was passed requiring women to be paid the same as men for the same job, but that is not what Bernadette is experiencing. She also suffers from unfair treatment from her boorish boss Mr. Wall. Bernadette is determined to do something about workplace inequality and forms a book club for women like herself. They meet secretly in the NYC public library, reading controversial books such as The Feminine Mystique. Bernadette is a force to be reckoned with, in spite of her perky headbands, kitten heels, and ladderless pantyhose. She ends up gaining lots of support, including the best book boyfriend ever. She also has a Great Dane named Frank who has plenty to say. This was a very cute book with a deeper underlying theme. 3.5 stars

The Undoing of Violet Claybourne by Emily Critchley is a book you will like if you enjoy books set in crumbling English mansions, revelations of long-held family secrets, and class dynamics of the 1930s. The book is written from Gilly’s point of view, a lonely teenage girl attending a girls’ boarding school while her newly remarried father remains in Egypt, working for the government. She is roommates with Violet, an upperclass girl who becomes her first true friend. Violet invites her home to Thornleigh Hall for the holiday break, where Gilly’s eyes are opened to a new and more privileged world. She is immediately drawn to Violet’s two older sisters and desperately longs to be accepted by them. Increasingly, Violet is left out, and when a tragedy occurs, Gilly finds her loyalties aligning with the manipulative older sisters rather than with her friend. Violet becomes a scapegoat, and her already fragile mental state is undermined. Our main character makes some unfortunate choices, and you will find yourself thoroughly engrossed in the story and its outcome. Don’t miss this one! 4 stars

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke is a super-hyped best seller right now. And it was not for me whatsoever. I will briefly discuss it and then recommend a book on the same theme that was much better. Briefly, the book is about Natalie, a hugely successful trad wife social media influencer who details her supposedly perfect life and children on YouTube. In reality, she has a host of employees behind the scenes making everything happen. Natalie wakes up one day to find it is 1850, and she has to do all the work herself. She finds herself hauling firewood, boiling water to wash clothes, and living with a husband who very much wears the pants in the family. Has she time-traveled? Is she a victim of some insane reality show? We don’t know, and frankly, Natalie was so obnoxious and hateful, I didn’t care. I finished the book and rated it 2 begrudging stars. This book was a mess.

If you thought the premise of a book based on a social media superstar was kind of fun, Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza is a far better choice than the over-hyped Yesteryear. Rebecca Sommers is the trad wife influencer that her millions of followers can’t look away from. She’s living the dream on a fabulous ranch with scads of children and a seemingly perfect life. Lizzie, a struggling magazine journalist, used to be Rebecca’s college roommate, but has not seen or heard from her in 15 years. Suddenly, Rebecca reaches out to Lizzie, saying she has BIG news, and that her old friend is the one she wants to break the story to. Rebecca invites Lizzie to MomBomb, the biggest influencer conference ever, all expenses paid. At first, it is just like old times, but before Rebecca reveals her big story, she disappears, and her husband, Grey, is found dead on the ranch. Is our picture-perfect influencer actually a cold-blooded killer? Lizzie is determined to find out. This book was well written, fast-paced, and very plot-driven. Chapters alternate between Lizzie and Rebecca’s points of view, keeping you on the edge of your seat, wondering what is going on. 4.25 stars

What Happened to the McCrays by Tracey Lange is the story of a marriage. This highly rated book from 2025 is now free on Kindle Unlimited and I very much recommend it. Kyle McCray gets word that his father has suffered a stroke, so he returns to his hometown to care for him, but he does not expect to receive a warm welcome. You see, Kyle left suddenly two and a half years ago, abandoning everyone who depended on him: his dad, his employees, his friends, and particularly, his wife Casey, a beloved teacher in the town. The longer he is home, the more he realizes the impact his departure had on those he left behind. He is offered redemption in the form of a temporary job offer to be the coach of the middle school ice hockey team at the school where his ex-wife works. The book is a very well-done story of how Kyle tries to mend his relationships and whether he and Casey can come to terms with what drove them apart. You will root desperately for Kyle and Casey and savor every word of their story. Have tissues handy. 4 stars

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth is a mystery that will have you quickly turning the pages as you laugh out loud. Our main character is “Mad Mabel”, Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, an 81-year-old woman with a past. She is foul-mouthed, resilient, sarcastic, and unapologetically grumpy. You will love her. Mabel has been living anonymously for years, hiding from her past, when suddenly things come crashing down. A neighbor dies, and Mabel is the one to find the body. Things come to light as to who she is, and her reputation is shredded once again. Mabel is not going to sit in silence this time and determines to tell her true story to a couple of podcasters who are willing to let her share the story of her misunderstood life. Mabel is one of the most memorable characters in recent literary history and I think you will love both her and this book. 4.5 stars

One last note on a book that I bought and DNFd. This was American Fantasy, the new book by Emma Straub. The story is about a middle-aged woman who goes on a cruise featuring a previously popular 1980s boy band. I found the book so pointless and boring that I actually returned it for a refund. I don’t really enjoy trashing books, but this was such a disappointment from an author I’ve enjoyed before. I am not sure what happened. If any of you read this, I’d love to know what you thought.

Overall, a successful reading month! I hope you are reading something you are enjoying as well.