Winter 2021 Book Reviews

If you are looking for something new to read, I’ve got some great suggestions with these short book reviews!

It’s been a long, cold winter, but with sunshine and blue skies the last few days I’m ready to get outside! I can’t wait until the days I can read on my porch or out in the sun. Until then, here are a few terrific books I read over the winter.

Non-Fiction

This Little Yogi Deck is an adorable little card deck with 48 simple yoga and mindfulness practices. It’s geared towards kids ages 5-9 so I shared it with my niece’s daughter as they enjoy practicing yoga together and she’s closer to that age range than my kids. The cards are bright and cheerful and easy for kids to relate to. If you have a child in that age group, I’d highly recommend checking this out – and what a fun birthday gift idea too! My rating 4 out of 5.

Fiction Book Reviews

Long Bright River is the complex story of two sisters, Mickey and Kacey who grew up in a tough family situation. Both sisters chose different paths and ways of dealing with their challenges, and although they haven’t spoken in years, their individual choices affect each other. As a police officer, Mickey patrols the streets she’s lived for most of her life and understands the people there. When a number of residents start turning up dead, she realizes there is something more going on. Her sister Kacey has been missing for a month and Mickey starts to worry she is one of the victims. Throughout the book, there are quite a few twists and turns that kept my attention until the very end. My rating 4 out of 5.

Hadley & Grace was my free Amazon Prime read for February and I enjoyed it even more than I thought I would. It’s the unlikely story of two women (and their kids) trying to escape bad situations. Hadley and Grace couldn’t be more different, but they end up bonding together to (sometimes unwillingly) help each other. Although all kinds of troubles crop up, some of them their own fault, you can’t help rooting for them and hoping for a happy ending. This was a fun read! Right now, it’s free if you have Kindle Unlimited. My rating 4 out of 5.

As the host of a true-crime podcast, Rachel heads to a small coastal town to cover a trial involving an Olympic hopeful college student accused of raping a teenage girl. She attends the trial and attempts to fairly share the details for her listeners to help them make their own decision on whether the student is guilty. However, while she is there, a listener starts reaching out in unorthodox ways to enlist her help in solving the decades-old murder of her older sister. Rachel’s curiosity pulls her into the mystery and the appeals of the listener. With two interesting plot lines going on, I really enjoyed The Night Swim. I had a pretty good idea of the ending, but it was still fun to get there! My rating 4.5 out of 5.

Although it took me a bit to get started on this book, I really loved the twist at the end! The Silent Patient tells the story of Alicia, a famous painter who hasn’t spoken since she shot her husband years ago. Theo is a psychotherapist who wants to “cure” Alicia and discover what really happened between Alicia and her husband. A bit slow at times, it’s nonetheless an engrossing read. We also get glimpses into Alicia’s life before the incident through excerpts from her diary. Definitely don’t read ahead or you’ll ruin the surprise! My rating 4 out of 5.

Want more ideas for books to read? Check out my Fall 2020, Summer 2020 and Spring 2020 book reviews.

I just picked up a new stack of books at the library, so I’m hoping there will be some more winners for my Spring reading! Aside from the library, I always enjoy getting a free book each month as part of my Amazon Prime membership. Some of the books have been great, some terrible, but it does keep my Kindle full! It’s a nice extra benefit!

What’s the best book you’ve read recently?

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