KaraMaeK

Do you know about Amazon First Reads? The program that offers early access to a selection of new books across various genres in Kindle format each month? Prime members can select one book for Free or it’s $1.99 for non-prime members. You don’t need to have a kindle, just download the kindle app on your phone or tablet for free.

At the time of writing this post, I am not compensated for any of the links provided, this is just a public service announcement and I hope you will enjoy. I find this to be a fun way to find new authors and to read some interesting books for free!

Let’s take a peak at what’s on the shelf for April 2024. And I will let you know which one I will be downloading this month.

Cut and Thirst a darkly witty short story by Margaret Atwood, the #1 bestselling author of The Handmaid’s Tale.

This story is about three women – Myrna, Leonie, and Chrissy – who meet every Thursday to sample fine cheeses, reminisce about their former lives as professors, and muse about murder. Decades ago, a vicious cabal of male poets contrived—quite publicly and successfully—to undermine the writing career, confidence, and health of their dear friend Fern.

Now, after Fern has taken a turn for the worse, her three friends decide that it’s finally time to strike back—in secret, of course, since Fern is far too gentle to approve of a vendetta. All they need is a plan with suitably Shakespearean drama. But as sweet and satisfying as revenge can be, it’s not always so cut and dried.

The Alone Time is a riveting psychological thriller by Elle Marr, the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author.

Fiona and Violet Seng were children when their family’s Cessna crash-landed in the Washington wilderness, tragically claiming the lives of their parents. For twelve harrowing weeks, the sisters fended for themselves before being rescued.

Now, twenty-five years later, Fiona channels the trauma into controversial works of art, while Violet battles addiction and failed relationships, striving for normalcy as a writer. The estranged sisters never discuss what they call their Alone Time in the wild—until they become the subject of a documentary that renews public fascination with the “girl survivors.”

Disturbing details about the Seng family emerge, and a mysterious woman claims the crash was deliberate. Fiona and Violet must confront the horrifying truth of what happened out there, unraveling secrets about their parents and themselves before any other dark truths emerge from the woods

Elle has written a few other thrillers you may have heard of – The Missing Sister, Lies We Bury, Strangers We Know, and Family Bones

The Letters We Keep by Nisha Sharma is a captivating YA romance mystery novel that unites two students from vastly different backgrounds to solve the mystery of a legendary decades-old love story gone tragically wrong.

Jessie Ahuja, an ambitious freshman and aspiring engineer, discovers two university legends. The first legend revolves around the haunted history of Davidson Tower, where more than fifty years ago, two ill-fated lovers disappeared in a devastating fire. The second legend is Ravi Kumar, a privileged billionaire nepo baby who’s both aggravatingly charming and occupying more brain space than Jessie has room for.

A campus prank locks Jessie and Ravi in the old tower’s ghostly library, where Jessie stumbles upon letters from the fabled lost lovers, forgotten in a hollowed-out copy of Persuasion by Jane Austen. One by one, these letters draw Jessie and Ravi into a beguiling mystery and an achingly beautiful long-ago romance destined to go up in flames. As fate intertwines their paths, Jessie and Ravi become star-crossed themselves. Can they overcome whatever destiny has in store for them, or are they just as doomed as the young lovers whose tragic end has become legend?

Nisha Sharma is the critically acclaimed author of YA and adult contemporary romances, including My So-Called Bollywood Life, I am adding Tastes Like Shakkar to my to read list right now!

The Vacation Rental by Katie Sise is a gripping thriller novel that delves into the complexities of love, family, and obsession. This book will publish May 7, 2024.

Georgia decides to list her beautiful country home for rent during the month of August. It’s a chance for her, her husband Tom, and their young daughter to escape to the relaxing Connecticut shore and reconnect.

The house becomes a dream break for Anna, who seeks refuge from the oppressive New York City summer and an increasingly ill-fated relationship with her lover.

As the weeks wear on, both Georgia and Anna discover that the pleasures of escape are as difficult to trust as the comforts of home.

Yet, lurking beneath the idyllic surface, neither can shake the feeling that something is about to go terribly wrong.

Author Katie Sise has written a number of other novels including Open House and We Were Mothers

Their Last Resort is an all-new standalone romantic comedy by R.S. Grey, set in the idyllic location of a luxury vacation resort in Turks & Caicos

Paige Young and Cole Clark are polar opposites. Paige, a world traveler since birth, loves leading activities for guests at the resort. From bingo nights to cliffside hikes, she’s up for anything. Cole, on the other hand, prefers his number-crunching desk job. He’s the assistant director at the resort, stiff and meticulous.

They’re perfectly aligned in one way, though—their ability to drive each other crazy. Every day brings a fresh battle of wits. They’re rivals, archnemeses… and they’re definitely never going to talk about that one time they kissed. Ha ha. Nope!

But when Paige finds out that Cole has been ordered to fire her on the same day a hurricane threatens their little slice of paradise, it’s clear the game is over. At odds, in peril, and forced to shelter in place together, these two enemies might finally have to confront their true feelings (you know, the ones hidden under all those withering looks).

This book will also release in audiobook format on May 1. Maybe this will make a good listen.

The Bootlegger’s Daughter by Nadine Nettmann is a captivating historical fiction novel set in Prohibition-era Los Angeles.

It’s 1927, and Letty Hart finds herself in a precarious situation. Her father’s old winery provides a meager wage, but when the contract goes bust, Letty stumbles upon a hidden cellar filled with enough liquor to tempt her into bootlegging.

Meanwhile, Officer Annabel Forman, determined to be the first female detective in the LAPD, connects a series of unsolved murders to bootlegging. She’s building her case against the underworld of merciless met.

As Letty and Annabel navigate an underworld dominated by ruthless powers, they collide on a path where their morals erode, and survival means crossing the line.

This historical fiction, mystery, thriller was published March 12, 2024 so you may have already seen it around.

Before I started looking at each of these books in detail, I thought I would pick The Bootleggers Daughter but I have decided to pick up Alone Time with Vacation Rental in a close second!

Which book will you chose?