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I'm Shay! I’m a cookbook author, lifestyle blogger, travel agency owner, wife and mama who loves making every day special for my family.

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Mix & Match Mama

Books, Shay ·

April Book Review


A very suspenseful mystery, a memoir, a French diet, a World War II book, a good reminder that we need to not over-commit ourselves and a book about hiking…
Listen friends…this month, I read the most random assortment of books.  Every time I finish a book, I write the title down on a sticky note on my desk and when I went through them this morning, I laughed at the eclectic mix that was my reading for April.  I’m pretty sure there is at least one book on this list that you will enjoy…and thanks to you guys because three of the six books were recommendations directly from your comments in previous posts.  Thank you so very much!!
So, you guys told me to read The Girl on the Train and oh my goodness, I couldn’t put it down!  Many of you knew I liked Gone Girl, so you recommended this one and honestly, I liked it better than Gone Girl.  This book was really suspenseful but not as mean.  If you’ve read Gone Girl then you know what I’m talking about…that book is really suspenseful and kind of mean.  I read this book pretty quickly (not as quickly as book #6 but fast!).  If you like suspense and if you liked Gone Girl, then I highly recommend this one.
I’ve been talking about this one all month…my friend Melanie wrote her third memoir and this time, it’s about friendship.  Nobody’s Cuter Than You is so, so, so, so good!  This book is about friendships from kindergarten all the way through adulthood.  You will laugh, you might even cry, and you will most definitely enjoy this book!  This is one of those books that you should read with your bestie…trust me, you’ll both love it!
And because I have a love affair with books about French culture, you ladies told me to read French Women Don’t Get Fat.  This book had a lot of funny little tidbits and anecdotes about French women which made me love it so much.  I also liked that the author included recipes that help her stay trim and slim.  If you’ve enjoyed my other French picks, then you need to read this one too. I already bought the sequel to this book!  I’ll let you know after I read that one too.
I am a sucker for Bill O’Reilly’s Killing series.  I’ve read Killing Kennedy, Killing Lincoln, Killing Jesus and now…Killing Patton.  This book was more about World War II than just Patton.  Because I like history so much (especially WWII history), I loved this book.  That being said, I keep offering it to my girlfriends to read and they all keep turning me down.  I need to find me a friend who enjoys a good WWII book as much as me :).
I don’t know Jessica Turner but I want her to be my friend.  I read the first page of The Fringe Hours and thought she was speaking directly to my soul.  This is an amazing book about finding time for yourself, how we need to say no to even really good things and how we should put ourselves and our nuclear family first.  I read this book along with my Bible study this month and was truly blessed by her encouragement to just do the best we can and to keep our priorities in check.  This is a good book for any woman but especially moms with kids at home.  Read. It. Moms.  Read it.  I highly, highly recommend it!

When I was done reading Wild and gave it to Erika, I told her I was physically, emotionally and mentally tired.  I haven’t seen the movie with Reese Witherspoon, (it got mixed reviews when I posted this pic on Instagram) but the book is pretty fascinating.  This is a true story about how one woman hiked over 1100 miles.  Out of all of the books I read this month, I read this book the fastest.  Even though I really couldn’t relate to this woman, I wanted to see how her hike ended.  Thank you so much ladies for recommending this to me!  I was truly sucked into her story and found it really interesting to read.
And then I was sent this sweet little book this month.  If you know someone who is going through an adoption or has recently adopted, this would be a really thoughtful gift to give.  These Chicken Soup stories are always so heartwarming and happy.  There is so much joy in adoption :).
So, there you have it!  My April Book Review!
As always, you can see a complete list of the books I’ve read in 2015 here.  
And you can follow me on Goodreads here.
Today is Monday…
…so Meal Planning Monday is up on my foodie blog.
I can’t wait to hear your book thoughts and suggestions this month!  Comment below!
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Comments

  1. Samantha Harris says

    Great suggestions! I agree, girl on the train was better than gone girl. You need to read A hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams…. So good!

  2. Anonymous says

    I also love a good WWII book, I'll have to read your suggestion! If you haven't, I highly recommend Memoirs of a Geisha. It's a beautiful combination of love, perseverance, and hope – hands down one of my favorite books ever. And, bonus, the movie is actually pretty good, too!

  7. K says

    I highly recommend The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. It's excellent. It's about two sisters who live in France, World War II, and the Nazi occupation of France. One of the better books I've read as well as one of the saddest.

  8. Auntie T says

    I loved Killing Patton (and all the Bill O'Reilly Killing books) Your girlfriends are missing out. The Kristin Hannah book, The Nightingale (France and WWII) was excellent.

  9. Anonymous says

    2 of my favorite reads over the past couple years.
    1. Still Alice by Lisa Geneva – a novel from the perspective of a middle aged woman with Alzheimers.
    2. The Rent Collector by Camron Wright – a novel follows a family living in the Cambodian dumps.
    Both excellent books!

  11. Jenn says

    Great list of books, I added a few to my list! I also read a lot of WWII books, I second The Nightingale. Also have you read All The Light We Cannot See? Fantastic!

  13. familyoffoley says

    I just finished reading Delicious by Ruth Reichl. Reichl was the former editor of Gourmet magazine and has written several foodie memoirs (also very good reads)–this is is her first foray into fiction. It is chick lit-ish –has a journey to self-discovery, has some romance, has a bit of mystery, has some talk of food and lastly–although set in present time there is LOTS of WWII.

  18. Anonymous says

    Have you read Sarah's Key by Tatiana DE Rosnay? Amazing story! It's about the roundup of Jewish woman and children in France during WWII. As a mother I couldn't even imagine. Such a great book with information to learn about.

  19. Anonymous says

    Have you read "The Harbinger" by Jonathan Cahn? Very interesting book and an easy read!

  21. Stephanie Jennings says

    Reading "Girl on the train" now. I love, love, love your reviews. Keep it up. I just finished "Beautiful Day" by Elin Hilderbrand. That was a great read. Have a great week!!!

  22. Meg A. says

    Books about WWII are my favorite. The Nightingale was SO good (probably my favorite) as was War Brides and The Plum Tree. And I can't forget All the Light We Cannot See!

    • Ashley says

      I loved War Brides as well. If you haven't read The Ship of Brides yet, I highly recommend it!

  23. Melissa Sexton says

    I just finished Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. There is a total of 8 books in the series and I fully expect this series to occupy my entire summer. It is about a WWII English nurse that is transported back through time to 1745 Scotland. The premise was a little crazy to me at first, but the writing is wonderful and I love learning about the Scottish Highlands and the clans that occupied them.

    • Anonymous says

      I just finished The Nightingale and cannot say enough nice things about it!! Definitely one of my favorites of the year as well!

  28. Heather says

    I love WWII era books, I have added the Killing series to my list!

    Some of my favorite WWII era books are
    1. The Kommandandts Girl
    2. The General's Wife
    3. On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
    4. Sarah's Key

    I'm currently reading "Devil in the White City" and it's about the World's Fair in Chicago and it has been really interesting thus far!

  29. thebusybrunette says

    Shay,

    These are great recommendations! I have a few of these books on my reading list so I loved reading your comments/opinions on them.

    I agree with another poster – Angela Ellingson – that you should write a book. I'd definitely buy it!

    Hope you and your family are enjoying spring! Have a great week!

    "The Busy Brunette"
    http://thebusybrunette.blogspot.com/

  30. Anonymous says

    I LOVED the movie and so did my mom who I saw it with. I read your Insta comments because I was surprised you said the movie got mixed reviews. It sounds like the only people who didn't like the movie were ones who read the book first. That's pretty par-for-the-course, right? I've never seen a movie after reading a book that I loved. I'm a fan of movie first, book second 🙂

  31. Darcy says

    It's not new but "Love Does" by Bob Goff is fabulous. Christ centered, humorous and funny all wrapped up in a book of short stories. 🙂

  33. cmcdonald says

    Just checked my tracking link and Nobody's Cuter than you should arrive in the mailbox today! 2 copies, one for me and one for the bestie. Cannot wait! Melanie Shankle is hilarious! Happy reading!

  34. Anonymous says

    Book recommendations are always fun! I have to say, I am surprised you liked Girl on the Train so much! For me, it was one of the first books in a long time I hardly could finish. I didn't find it all that suspenseful, rather I got really tired of being in that girl's head. Maybe having personal struggles with family who are alcoholics, made the character not appeal to me, nor be entertaining. For summer, (or any time of year) I recommend Elin Hilderbrand.

  35. Carrie says

    It seems everyone is reading The Fringe Hours, so I have now bumped it up to be the next book I read 🙂 I read Wild a year or two ago, had NO idea there was a movie… I have got to see it!

  36. Melissa says

    Oh I would borrow your WWII books in a skinny minute!!! That's one of my very favorite periods of history and one of my all-time favorite bios is called "Franklin and Winston-A Portrait of a Friendship." SO GOOD!!! Thanks for sharing your reading list. I keep a running list on my phone of books to order or get from the library and every time you make a list I add at least a few. Happy reading!

  37. Liz/ says

    LOVED Girl on The Train, just finished it the other week and I agree, I liked it more than Gone Girl….so good! Nobody's Cuter Than You is what I am reading now and I just LOVE it! I have heard Dark Places is good, written by same person who wrote Gone Girl so will probably read that next and I am glad you liked Wild cause that is on my list and I will read that soon!

  38. Stephanie says

    I've got " The Girl on the Train" right now and I'm so anxious to read it! My two recent reads, that I just loved are "The Life Intended" and " The Sweetness of Forgetting " both by Kristin Harmel. "The Sweetness of Forgetting " you would love—the main character, Hope, owns a bakery in Cape Cod and it flashes back to Paris during WWII and what happened to her grandmother. Awesome books!!! Thanks for your monthly reading suggestions!!

  39. Erin says

    All the Light We Cannot See should be added to your must read list. It is beautifully written, captivating and a different perspective of WW2. I saw someone else mention On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, which I loved for the same reasons.

  41. Anonymous says

    If you haven't read "Beach Music" by Pat Conroy, you should. It is without a doubt the BEST book I have ever read.

  42. Shannan Moore says

    I highly recommend Snowflower and the secret fan. It is about 19th century China, specifically women and their relationships. It is incredible!

  45. Anonymous says

    Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman. It's being turned into a feature film starring Dakota Fanning, Diane Lane and Elizabeth Banks.

  46. Kris says

    Ok, I really enjoyed the Killing Patton book as well! My grandfather was actually in the Army 1st division under Eisenhower during the battle of the bulge. I cannot imagine what all he endured and that he lived to come home, raise 6 kids and become a local pastor.

  47. Courtney Cammarano says

    Reading Girl on the Train now — I'm just at the very beginning and am already completely sucked in. And I loved Wild, both the book and the movie. She is definitely hard to like at various times throughout the story, but she's so completely REAL and unvarnished that it made it all worth it for me. A good lesson that even when you feel so very broken and self-destructive, you can still choose the light and come out the other side.

  48. d5lewis says

    I've been a faithful reader, but have never commented. HOWEVER, since you declared your love for WWII books, I had to break my fast. Please read THE HEART MENDER by Andy Andrews. It is based on a true story and it is the first I had every heard of this aspect of WWII. It is a book of forgiveness and redemption.

  49. Anonymous says

    I love my Fitbit – one of the best $100 dollars I have ever spent. It not only tracks your steps, also tracks water intake, sleep and weight fluctuations, if you're into monitoring those things daily. Some days at the end of the day I am exhausted, but I haven't been very physically active (I have a desk job), so I kick myself and get some more exercise….keeps you honest about your level of activity. It also motivates me to plan my exercise for the day when I know I need to hit 10,000 or 12,000, or whatever number of steps you specify.

  50. Anonymous says

    I'm confused as to how Gone Girl was mean… The main character clearly has a mental disorder.

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      I thought both main characters were pretty mean to each other. There really wasn't a pause for any kindness in that book. I loved it… I just think The Girl on the Train had some moments of kindness and fewer brutal scenes.

  51. Cait says

    Thank you for all these great reads 🙂 I loved wild and I can't wait to get a few more like orphan on a train!

  52. Colleen says

    I love WWII books too and always get blank stares when I recommend them to my friends. Have you read any of Leon Uris's books or the The Winds of War? They are intense reads but ones that you keep thinking about years after you have finished the book. So good. And definitely read, Unbroken, if you have not already read that.

  53. Leslie Roberts Clingan says

    Please may I apply for the position of friend who likes WWII as much as you do! I read books about World War II, with a particular passion for the Holocaust/Anne Frank. If you are still accepting applications for said FRIEND, I will send you my resume. Just know, right off the bat, I am volunteering at the El Paso Holocaust Museum. XO

  54. Anonymous says

    Here's a book recommendation I meant to give you last time you posted on books:

    "And God Came In" by Lyle Dorsett – the biography of Joy Davidman, wife of C.S. Lewis

    Fascinating, poignant book; especially interesting if you're a fan of C.S. Lewis, but is touching regardless.

    ~Andrea

  55. Sally Hepworth says

    Are you in a book club Shay? It is such a nice way to catch up monthly with your friends and talk about a book. And it forces you to read something you wouldn't necessarily pick for yourself (though this is not always a good thing!)

  56. Kelli M says

    Hi Shay, it appears we share the same taste in our books! You MUST read "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah if you haven't already. It is about two sisters in France during WWII (so it combines two of your favorite things). It is by far the best book I have read this year and one of the best I have read perhaps ever. It is so powerful, heart wrenching but beautiful. Everyone I know who has read it feels the same. Happy reading!

  57. Ashley Hall says

    You should check out the author Mary Kay Andrews. She is very similar to authors like Emily Giffin and Sophie Kinsella! Plus a lot of her books on Amazon are not very expensive : )

  58. Jaren says

    I'm about to start a Bible study group and we will be reading Bad Girls of the Bible. It's all about different females in the Bible, gives contemporary examples of these women and how we can relate to their struggles. I've heard nothing but great things about it. I've also heard great things about Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.

  59. Leslie Roberts Clingan says

    Hi Shay, I am one of your many faithful blog followers. I am thrilled to say we are also Goodreads buddies after you accepted my friendship request. Today I posted a review of Nobody's Cuter Than You as inspired by your mention of the book here. I have shared it on my blog twice while reading it and now my review is up. Would be so honored if you would stop by to check it out. Thank you for the many ways you enrich the lives of your blog followers and readers. You are an amazing wife, mother, friend and woman. I am so glad to have discovered you and Sheaffer. And have so enjoyed starting my own blogging adventures, following your great lead. Thank you! http://onceuponatimehappilyeverafter.com/?p=2738