I can't believe we are at the end of April already. This month just cruised by, but maybe it's because I was on a cruise for a week.😀😂 My husband and I spent a week on the Norwegian Breakaway sailing to some of the amazing Eastern Caribbean islands. We had beautiful weather and enjoyed some much needed rest and relaxation.

Before traveling, I watched several YouTube videos on packing for a cruise. You will find some of the tips and takeaways, I learned, down below. Not cruising soon, no problem, some of the tips are also great ideas to pack on any vacation. Another ideas, is that I've added a list on my phone notes app of "Things to Bring on Vacation". This makes packing so much easier and who doesn't appreciate that. 😉

As you too begin to slide into summer mode, I hope you find a take away or two in this edition. As always, thank you for reading, responding, and supporting me on these monthly blog posts. They really have brought me such joy and pleasure creating them. As a reminder, if you'd like this blog emailed directly to you each month, DM me your email address and I can easily add you to the list.

Happy Reading! 📚☕

💗Dawn

This month, I read a rom-com by one of my favorite authors, Emily Henry. I can't wait to read her newest book, Funny Story, that was released this month. I read a new psychological thriller that I rated a "5" on the Devour Scale. This would be a great one to take on vacation.I also devoured a book with a touch of magical realism in three days. Lastly, I read a historical fiction book that took me by surprise. As they say, "Don't judge a book by it's cover".

Each month, I review one bonus book that did not appear on my regular Instagram reviews. This month, is a backlist book that is by J.K. Rolling. She has written/published books under the pseudonym, Robert Galbraith. The first book in this series is, Cuckoo's Calling. This book also inspired the acclaimed HBO Max series C.B. Strike which you will find more about down below

As a reminder, if you click on each book cover, it will take you directly to the Bookshop.org link to purchase the book. Why Bookshop.org? Because Bookshop.org helps to connect readers with independent booksellers all over the world. ‍ Every purchase on the site financially supports independent bookstores.

Emily Henry does it again! She’s created another great rom-com that I devoured in 5 days. When a group of friends from college get together at their summer happy place what could go wrong? Harriet and Wyn have to fake they are still engaged, the summer cottage is being sold, and Cleo has a big secret she’s keeping from everyone. If you like books with a close knit group of friends, second chance romance tropes, and alternating chapters (past to present), then this is a book for you! I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale. I also highly recommend Happy Place if you are looking for the perfect beach read this summer.

Looking for your next psychological thriller read? Look no further! I devoured this one in 3 days picking it up any spare minute I could get. After realizing Amanda and Wendy both have an intense desire for revenge against the men who destroyed their families, they come up with a perfect plan: if you kill for me, I’ll kill for you. This starts the twisty rollercoaster ride you won’t want to get off. If you like Hitchcokian thrillers, twists in plots you didn’t see coming, and stories of revenge, then this is a book for you.

I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale.

Rebecca Serle does it again. For those that liked “One Italian Summer” here is her latest book. What if every time you dated someone, you’d receive a note with his name and a date of how long you’d date for? That is what happens to Daphne until one day she gets a note with a name and no date. Could this guy be the one? If you like books with a bit of magical realism, a bit of a secret, and a bit of romance, then this book is for you. At 272 pages, I devoured this one in 3 days and gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale.

I just finished and discussed this one with my in-person book club and boy did it spark the discussion. I'm not going to sugarcoat it though, this book had a slow start for me and didn't pick up until about 1/4 way through. But then, hold your horses,LOL, you will be in for one heck of a ride. This historical fiction novel is told from three generations of people, all being inspired by the true story of America's greatest race horse. If you like books that rely on true historical events, move between timelines and narratives, all while keeping a compelling plot, then this book is for you.

I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale, due to it's slow start.

Did you know J.K. Rolling has written/published books under the pseudonym, Robert Galbraith? Cuckoo's Calling is her brilliant debut mystery that introduces Detective Cormoran Strike as he investigates a supermodel's suicide in the first novel in this brilliant series. After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, creditors are calling, and after a breakup with his longtime girlfriend, he's living in his office. Then John Bristow walks through his door with a shocking story: His sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry -- known to her friends as the Cuckoo -- famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man. You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this.

I gave this one 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale.

If your have a library card, I highly recommend you download the Libby App. Read with Libby and borrow ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more from your local library for free! Libby is the newer library reading app by OverDrive, loved by millions of readers worldwide! Watch the YouTube video below to learn more about the app and how to quickly set it up. I have also included a link below that gives fun secrets and hidden gems to help you learn more about this app.

My husband and I have been enjoying the CB Strike series since it came out in 2017. We were excited to see that there was a new season available. So, this month, we watched the newest episodes of Season #4 , which covers the 5th book in the series, Troubled Blood. I highly recommend this series, even if you don't want to read the books. I've also been enjoying the Palm Royale series this month. It's an original put out by Apple TV+. The cast is amazing and the costumes and sets are to die for.

Based on the best-selling novels by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling), Tom Burke stars as private detective Cormoran Strike, a former war veteran now working out of a cramped London office. Together with his assistant, Robin Ellacott, Cormoran tackles cases that have, so far, baffled the police. Though struggling with the psychological and physical toll that combat have wrought on him, Cormoran is well-equipped to delve into complex conundrums thanks to his background as a Special Investigation Branch investigator. Watch trailer here

Here's the set up, in 1969, an ambitious woman aspires to cross the line between the haves and have-nots to secure her seat at America's most exclusive, fashionable and treacherous table: Palm Beach high society.

My recommendation this month is the podcast, "What Should I Read Next" hosted by Anne Bogel. This was my gateway into bookish podcasts and I believe Anne set the bar high. On these weekly editions, she interviews one guest to find out his/her tastes in books. She asks for three books they love, one book they don't, and books they are currently reading. From these book, she selects three books that she feels the person should read next. It's a fun way to get book recommendations for yourself as you listen in and eavesdrop in on these book loving conversations.

I am also sharing a bonus podcast episode from Get(literate). Listen in as Stephanie interviews Leah, from Tiny and Snail, to hear about how she turned a tragic event into something positive,

What Should I Read Next? is the show for every reader who has ever finished a book and faced the problem of not knowing what to read next. Each week, Anne Bogel, of the blog Modern Mrs Darcy https://modernmrsdarcy.com/blog/, interviews a reader about the books they love, the books they hate, and the books they're reading now. Then, she makes recommendations about what to read next. The real purpose of the show is to help YOU find your next read.

Do you recall last month, when I wrote about letter writing and shared my beautiful cards from Tiny and Snail? Well, one of my favorite bookish friends had Leah (aka Tiny) on her podcast this month.

Come listen as she talks about the story behind Tiny and Snail, why card writing is so important and how you can get a beautiful set of cards for yourself. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-lit-erate-read-write-learn-love/id1631731255?i=1000652595610

This month, before going on a cruise, I was sucked in to watching YouTube videos with tips on what to buy at the Dollar Tree to help with packing and to use once you are aboard the ship. I found some of the ideas quite brilliant and wished I would have known them in the past when traveling. My favorite had to be buying a 10 pack of shower caps and using them to wrap your shoes in. Genius!

This month I am loving a gadget that is so simple but so useful. I am also sharing a free games app put out by the NYT. Have you tried playing Connections yet? It will stretch your brain, for sure.

My husband says that I am a sucker for gadgets.🤣🤣 However, I have to say I am loving this clear memo board gadget. I stuck one to both sides of my computer monitor allowing me to stick post-it notes right on it. It also has a phone stand that I can charge my phone and see my phone screen while working on my computer.

Description:

Transparent Computer Side Panel Memo Creative Monitor Side Panel with Phone Holder Suitable for Office Home Desktop

• EASY TO USE:Display memo board size 11.8x3.1x0.8inch. You can paste memos on the message board to record important things and to-dos to prevent forgetting.Desktop memo boards the bottom to fix the phone Or other small objects, convenient storage, make your life more organized and more convenient.

Click on the small picture (right corner) to take you directly to the Amazon link. The large picture below is my monitor after I've attached the memo keepers.

Do you enjoy playing word games? I am LOVING this app with free games to play each day. I love starting my day playing Wordle, Connections, and doing the Mini-Crossword while sipping my coffee. All these puzzles help keep your mind sharp while also having fun. This New York Times Games app is free to download, and the app offers new puzzles daily for every skill level. Another fun feature, each game allows you to share your scores with others, which is a fun way to connect daily with your other puzzle loving friends. Wondering more about Connections? See the article, linked below.

What have you been devouring lately? Care to share? Let me know in the comments or e-mail me at dawnnacker@wowway.com with your reading, watching, listening, and learning finds of the month. You just might see them featured in a future blog post. Do you want to make sure you receive this monthly blog via email? DM me and let me know to add you to the email list. Want to see my book reviews in real time, be sure to follow me here at https://www.instagram.com/dawndevoursbooks/