Everything I Read in March-April 2024
I’m reading too quickly these days! My quarterly updates were starting to get a little too long, so I figured I’d try sharing my reading updates every other month. I read 11 books in March and April 2024 (including 5 short stories). Of the 6 books that weren’t short stories, 5 were nonfiction and only 1 was fiction—and I read all 5 nonfiction books on audio. I finished the Getaway Collection of short stories that I didn’t realize I started back in December!
My 2024 reading goal on StoryGraph is to read 45 books and 13,000 pages. I’m already way ahead of my goal thanks to all the short stories I read, ha. I have time to read some longer books and am working on one now! If you’re also a reader, be sure to join the app and add me as a friend: my username is cottoncashmerecathair! And share your favorite recent read(s) in the comments!
READ NEXT: Everything I Read in Winter 2024
Everything I Read in March-April 2024
Fiction
Family Trust by Kathy Wang
I followed Kathy's blog before she wrote this book (her first!) and purchased it to support her. I told myself I needed to read the books that have been on my TBR the longest, so I read this one.
This novel is told from multiple perspectives: first, we meet Stanley Huang, the patriarch of the family that has been recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He has bragged about his wealth his whole life, so his adult kids (Fred and Kate, who both work in tech in the Silicon Valley), are curious as to how much money he actually has and how that inheritance might change their lives. We also hear from Stanley's ex-wife and Fred and Kate's mother, Linda (who is trying to find love and companionship again), and his current (very young) wife, Mary. Each family member experiences challenges as they grapple with the loss of Stanley and must realize what they truly value.
It's a fun story, and you could definitely tell that Kathy knows her stuff (she lives in the Silicon Valley and that I believe works or used to work in tech herself). I had the hardest time following Fred's story because the tech/business lingo was hard for me to grasp. The ending also doesn't have much of a "bang" if that's what you like in novels. I wanted a little more from the ending!
Audiobooks
One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy
I heard such great things about this book from other millennials, so as a millennial myself, I had to read it! I actually listened to it on audio, and you could hear Kate getting emotional at times as she reflected on the millennial experience and how it shaped her to become who she is today.
One in a Millennial is part retrospective analysis on things that contributed to our upbringing as millennials and part memoir; Kate tied these "universal" millennial experiences into her own life. (I would say the experiences are mostly universal...there were some things I didn't really experience so it's important to go into it not expecting EVERYTHING to align with your life.)
I do wish there was maybe more of a deep dive into certain topics; it felt like Kate mostly just touched on things as she covered a lot of the millennial experience. It was also a lot heavier than I was expecting! She covered some darker, more important topics like how religion played a role in our lives (which I could relate to) and how the fat-shaming of women (who now we know weren't overweight at all) was so prevalent in media and impacted how we saw ourselves.
Behind the Seams by Dolly Parton
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook! It's about the evolution of Dolly Parton's style, and it's told in an interview-style format so Dolly is answering questions and it feels very informal, like you're just hanging out with a dear friend. (You can hear people laughing at her responses in the background sometimes.) They also added in some snippets of her songs! The downside of the audiobook is that there were no photos of her outfits, so that would be the benefit of reading/owning a physical copy.
It's a super fun memoir about her life and her fashion choices at each stage of her life, from before she was a country singer to where she is now as a superstar and philanthropist. She's always had a unique sense of style and wears it with pride. I especially liked hearing about her performance outfits and everything that goes into those. I loved this book! It's a quick read/listen also.
Finding Me by Viola Davis
Oh my gosh, this was an EXCELLENT memoir. I listened to Viola read it herself and highly recommend going that route. I knew of Viola from watching How to Get Away with Murder many years ago and had no idea about her childhood and how she became an actress. Her upbringing was truly heartbreaking, and the fact that she overcame it all is so inspiring but not without its challenges.
I highly recommend this book; she is so vulnerable and her storytelling really pulls you in. Plus she does accents for the people she wrote about so well! There are quite a few trigger warnings, though. It was tough to listen to at times but still so important.
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
I could have sworn another blogger read this book and recommended it and that’s why I read it, but I can’t remember who it was (maybe it was one or both of the Bad on Paper podcast hosts?!). I listened to the audiobook, which was read by the author (a music producer), and I don’t know what I was expecting but it was…not this. I just didn’t fully vibe with the author. He did not have my favorite audiobook voice, and some of the topics were hard for me to connect with. I did love the super short chapters; it’s an easy read because of that. He touches on a lot of topics surrounding art, artists, creative work in general, and simply “being” as a human on this planet.
Next Level Basic by Stassi Schroeder
Stassi’s first book (I just realized she’s releasing a second later this year!) has been on my library TBR for a long time, and I decided to read it because I’ve noticed some of the older books on my TBR disappearing! I’m a big Vanderpump Rules fan (and Bravo fan in general), so I felt like I needed to read Stassi’s book. It’s a fun read, especially if you’re a fan.
It’s a lighthearted memoir that’s read by Stassi herself and told in a very casual, conversational tone with lots of slang. In this book, Stassi discusses various aspects of life (i.e. autumn) or other things that may make you “basic” but then talks about how you should embrace the things that make you happy, even if they are basic! Each topic is intertwined with her own life stories. (As I get older, I care way less about what other people think of me and will enjoy what I want to enjoy!)
The Getaway Collection
As I mentioned at the start of the post, I finished the series of six mystery and/or thriller short stories I unknowingly started reading in December that are available via Amazon Prime Reading. Each story was written by a different author, and each book is a standalone story, so you can read them in any order.
Uncharted Waters by Sally Hepworth
I own this short story and read it at the end of December before I realized it was a part of this series! Here is my original review:
Ella boards a luxury wellness charter without her husband, her usual plus one. There, she meets Chloe, who is there getting over a broken heart, and they become fast friends. During their time on the charter, they realize they have more in common than they thought. I don’t read many psychological thrillers, and this one made me realize how much I love a non-scary thriller! Ranked 1/6
His Happy Place by Zakiya Dalila Harris
Ama and her boyfriend, Nathan, head up into the woods outside of NYC to spend a weekend away at his happy place, his secluded cabin. Everything seems fine during the day, but at night, Ama is haunted by the secrets the cabin holds. Does she really know Nathan the way she thinks she does? This short story was CREEPY and violent and also kind of confusing. The ending was so abrupt and didn’t fully tie together all the loose ends! Ranked 5/6
Stockholm by Catherine Steadman
Psychiatrist Olivia and her outwardly perfect husband, Sebastian, are headed to Sweden on an anniversary trip. Turns out, things have been spiraling downhill for Olivia since they married. She thinks they’re going to Stockholm, but he surprises her by taking her to another, more remote destination, and Olivia takes it upon herself to surprise Sebastian, too. This was another creepy/violent short story. I’m not a huge fan of violence! Ranked 4/6
Belle Mer by Luanne Rice
Clea finds her grandmother’s estate on a vacation rental site and takes it upon herself to book a week at the place she used to call home (and that should have become hers but was taken by a slimy estate lawyer). While there, she uncovers way more about her past than she ever expected to find. I really enjoyed this short story and did not guess the twist! I don’t think I read thrillers enough to catch on to the common tropes lol. Ranked 2/6
Catch Her in A Lie by Jess Lourey
Two agents, Van and Harry, follow a woman and her daughter to Costa Rica following the suspicious death of the woman’s husband (and two other men who died the same way and have other similarities). The woman’s husband’s death was originally called a suicide, but was it actually a homicide? And did she do it? I really enjoyed this short story, too! I also did not guess the twist of this one. I’d read more by this author! Ranked 3/6
Shell Game by Rumaan Alam
Mark spends a week on a Cape Cod vacation with his family and his siblings and their families, and he learns some things about himself and his extended family that he wasn’t expecting. This was an interesting story that didn’t really have a clear plot or ending, it was mostly just the main character reflecting on life and everything they know. It’s thought-provoking at times. It was an interesting writing style with short sentences, and the pacing was very quick. Ranked 6/6
