Colleen’s Kindle April 2023 reads: Part One

Let me introduce you to the books filling my Kindle this month. (Not all of these books are KU—I’ll identify the ones that are). Click the book image to visit the books on Amazon.com.

Coming Home, by Smitha Vishwanath

My Recommendation (Print book): Coming Home is the debut novel of Smitha Vishwanath. The story begins with the protagonist, Shanaya, on her way home to attend her mother’s funeral. I was immediately hooked on the imagery and the descriptions of the funeral rites. But it was Shanaya’s loss that tugged at my heart the most.

At twenty-six, this vulnerable young woman has dedicated herself to her banking career. For all sakes and purposes, she’s a success. Yet, in the act of coming home, Shanaya begins a journey that teaches her all about relationships with her father and sister, her aunties, and even her friends. Even better, she discovers true love.

Shanaya also comes to grips with breaking cultural norms. She’s forced to deal with the possibility of her father remarrying. She deals with her obligations to her family and learns about love and loss and how life change affects them all. We’ve all been hurt by people we thought were our friends, and so has Shanaya. The book is also a coming of age tale about finding one’s self through life’s challenges.

I always enjoy books featuring characters from other cultures. We can all learn so much about the world and ourselves when we’re introduced to new ways of thinking. This was a delightful read!

---

In the Tree’s Shadow, by D. L. Finn

My Recommendation (KU): If you like speculative fiction like I do, you will love this collection of flash fiction and short stories. There’s a huge selection of horror, fantasy, paranormal, and even some sci-fi! However, not everything is full of darkness. There are some wonderful tales filled with magic, along with a bit of poetry!

One of my favorites is a magical tale called “Lyrical Dragon,” where the dragon communicates in haiku with a young girl. The author is never far from her poetic roots and shares other bits of poetry along the way.

I also loved the 99-Word stories—where some of the shortest stories held the most meaning.

From the light to the dark, watch for the story called “The Last Ride of the Night.” The story “A Day at the Lake,” amped up my creepy scale to a ten! This author embraces a spectrum of genres which really make this book sing.

---

Death at the Asylum: Rhe Brewster Mystery Series, Book 5 (The Rhe Brewster Mysteries) by Noelle Granger

My Recommendation (Kindle): I’ve recently read all the Rhe Brewster mysteries and was champing at the bit for the fifth book in the series. In book four, Sam proposed to Rhe, and she said yes!! Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long.

“Death at the Asylum” begins with an assassination attempt on Maine’s governor. Rhe and Sam are in attendance and save the governor’s life. As the investigation begins, they become part of a task force to identify the assailant who is thought to be a military sniper.

There are many changes in Rhe and Sam’s lives. When the book begins, Rhe and Sam are already married. I didn’t miss the chaos of a wedding one bit because there’s plenty going in this book!

Someone steals Rhe’s identity. Rhe’s an ER nurse. At work, someone is stealing drugs from the locked cabinet. Then, there’s Rhe’s ongoing feud with the hospital administrator to deal with. Oh, and I can’t forget the serial rapist that’s on the loose.

As usual, the subplots had me turning pages long into the night. Granger tells the story with chapters alternating between Rhe and Sam’s viewpoints, which also added to the storytelling. If you love cozy mysteries, this is one series I highly recommend.

 If you have your book listed on BookBub, I will add my review there also! Click HERE to follow me! (Colleen M. Chesebro) Let me know in the comments if you follow me so I can follow you!

Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a tiny amount from qualifying purchases. If you purchase from the Amazon.com link above, I earn a small commission to fund my reading habit. Amazon will not charge you extra, and you’ll keep me supplied in books that I can review. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.