Reading Recap: April 2025
It is sneezin' season
The Kentucky Derby was here in Louisville on Saturday, and it feels like the whole city is just a little hung over this week. I’m coping by reading the new Emily Henry. And here’s what I read in April!
The Tell by Amy Griffin
I love a propulsive memoir, but this book annoyed me (which is hard for me to say about a book about child abuse!) Amy tells the story about discovering childhood trauma in her 40s that she has spent her entire life suppressing. Her story is important, but lacks what I would argue are important details, like the fact that she is married to a venture capitalist, is friends with Reese Witherspoon, and founded her own wealth management company. She doesn’t mention any of this as part of how she can heal from the trauma (therapists, lawyers, time off from work, flights all over the country to see her family and friends). But I just feel like if rich white ladies are not talking about their privilege in 2025 then I guess I shouldn’t be surprised?
Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd
I don’t usually read cozy mystery, but I love almost everything Jess Kidd has written. A former nun leaves her convent (and her order, for good!) to go in search of a missing friend. Kidd’s books are always full of characters that are so original and quirky, and this one is no different. Spoiler alert: It should be called Murders at Gulls Nest because there are multiple dead bodies. It is totally surprising and charming! If Phyllis from Call the Midwife solved mysteries and lived in the Stars Hollow equivalent of the UK, that would be this book.
This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead
Did you read and love Bright Young Women? I really liked that 2024 retelling/fictionalization of the Ted Bundy murders where the author tells the story from the perspectives of the women who were involved. This book reminded me a lot of that one because it features the recent, unsolved Idaho murders, which I knew nothing about. It is part commentary on true crime, part mystery, and even though I saw the ending coming at about the halfway mark, I still enjoyed reading it. I would categorize this as not quite as good as Liz Moore, but definitely in the literary mystery genre.
The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck
Shoutout to Knox McCoy of The Popcast for bringing some excellent book recommendations lately. I don’t normally read short stories, (I’m realizing I’ve given that caveat for almost all of these books), but I could not resist that cover. AND the audio was absolutely incredible, it featured an entire cast, and I loved it. The title story was absolutely my favorite, but it was kind of nice to dip in and out and not have to follow 300 pages of the same story. These are all set in New England during various parts of America’s 200+ year history. I haven’t read North Woods, but I bet if you enjoyed that book, you’d love this.
That’s it for me! Up next in May: Emily Henry’s new book, Twist by Colum McCann, and my very long list of books on NetGalley that somehow keeps growing!