Chanel Cleeton

Best Books to Read Now - April 2019

Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!

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Welcome to the Best Books to Read Now Book Club! My (hopefully) monthly blog featuring my reading list, my TBR pile and the books I think you and your best friends should be reading. 

If you’re not sure whether you’ll agree with  my recommendations, check out my blog post on My Reader Wheels and my podcast, Women With Books . Those should help you decide if you’re going to be into my recommendations.

The best book club recommendations for you and your friends!

The best book club recommendations for you and your friends!

There’s a bit more variety in my fiction choices this month - a contemporary rom com even made the list!

Gimme Some Sugar - Molly Harper
Amazon || Apple Books

I think I’ve read all of Molly Harper’s Southern Eclectic series now and I have to say, I just love Lake Sackett, Georgia. This one features a best friends to lovers storyline and deep fried red velvet cake balls. It’s perfect to satisfy your cravings for small town romance AND sweets.

When We Left Cuba - Chanel Cleeton
Amazon || Apple Books

I featured Chanel Cleeton’s Next Year in Havana last year (and it was a Reese Witherspoon book club pick) and I chatted with Chanel on the Women With Books podcast here.
This continues the story of the Perez family and the Cuban Revolution and focuses on Beatriz. It’s hard for me to say if this is a standalone story, since I read the first one and I think reading the first one really enriches this story because it gives you the whole background of the family in Cuba. So get both books and immerse yourself in 1960 Cuba & Florida!

Too Wilde to Wed - Eloisa James
Amazon || Apple Books

I read the first in this series and really couldn’t wait to see how Eloisa turned a frippy fop with a wig and high heeled shoes into a hero that we could all swoon over and Ms. James totally delivered! I love the Wilde family!

What the Wind Knows - Amy Harmon
Amazon || Apple Books

I devoured this book over road trip to Colorado during Spring Break. I saw it described as “perfect for fans of Outlander” so I knew I had to at least give it a shot. There were some similarities between it and Outlander - this story also involves time travel to the British Isles (Ireland in this case). But there was a unique family twist to this story that made it a little different and the history was much more recent. I turned the pages very quickly trying to find out exactly how Ms. Harmon was going to tie up the huge dangling mystery in this middle of this book.

Agnes Moor’s Wild Knight - Alyssa Cole
Amazon || Apple Books

I’ve had this book for FOREVER and I’ve been saving it for a rainy day. And, well. A gloomy Spring day finally came that could only be cured with an Alyssa Cole book. I have a soft spot in my heart for medieval romances and this is a novella by an author that I know handles lesser trod time periods with graceful prose and well-researched details. The only thing that disappointed me was that now I don’t have another Alyssa Cole medieval romance novella to look forward to.

And yes, there were some books I did not love this month…. I’ll be talking more about those and why I think they didn’t connect with me in my newsletter this month.

Do you like books on sale?
Make sure you’re following me on Facebook because that’s where I post great books on sale!

And what about you?
I’d love to hear what you’ve read and loved lately or what you’re looking forward to reading next!  If you want these book recommendations (and a sneak peek at my TBR list and advanced reading copies) sent straight to your inbox, remember to sign up for my newsletter where I’ll be including all the best book club recommendations throughout 2019!

Best Books to Read Now - April 2018

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Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!

Because I skipped last month, I’m going to cover five books this month! Are you ready? These are good books, y’all. I think I’ve got something for everyone.

 

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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid

Amazon || iBooks

I really can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t like this. There’s old Hollywood gossip, glamour, love and drama. This is one that would be perfect for vacations and multi-generation book clubs. And I’m probably going to re-read it again at some point, like a classic movie.

 

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The Trouble with Twelfth Grave – Darynda Jones

Amazon || iBooks

The penultimate book of the Charley Davidson series has got me feeling… a little emotional, to be honest. The series is coming to a close … next year? (I just checked. It looks like this was moved out from October ’18). There are very few series that I’ve read twelve books of and have been still this invested. Between this and the Kate Daniels series ending, I’m going to be jonesing for a new paranormal series to adopt. Y’all hit a girl up with some suggestions!

 

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Tempest – Beverly Jenkins

Amazon || iBooks

A mail order bride in Wyoming who greets her husband to be by shooting him. With that premise you know you can’t go wrong, especially with Beverly Jenkins’  expert hand guiding you through a passionate love story rich in amazing historical details. As always, I was swept away and I learned so much! My favorite blend.

 

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Next Year in Havana – Chanel Cleeton

Amazon || iBooks

Much in the vein of Tempest, above, this is another fantastic historical story with strong romance story threads and fascinating glimpses of Cuba during revolutionary times and today. Even I, a former Latin American studies major, found so much to sink my teeth into and I can’t wait for the sequel next year!!

 

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The Secret to Southern Charm  - Kristy Woodson Harvey

Amazon || iBooks

I fell in love with the first book in the Peachtree Bluff series last year and knew I had to not only read the second book but invite Kristy Woodson Harvey onto my WOMEN WITH BOOKS podcast. Listen to the episode and you’ll hear ALL MY THOUGHTS on this book (which is out today! Congratulations Kristy Woodson Harvey!!)

OH! And the first book in the series, SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF SIMPLE, which i featured on the blog last year is on sale for $1.99!! Grab it because you'll want to read both together! 

What have you been reading lately? I can’t wait to tell you about what I’m currently reading… NEXT MONTH! *evil laugh *

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