In Episode 169, Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books and I catch up on the 12 new releases from the Spring 2024 Book Preview. We share our reading stats, chat about what we liked, and what didn’t quite hit the mark. Tune in to hear our thoughts on these books and get some recommendations for your next read!

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CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.

Access the 2024 Summer Reading Guide Cheatsheet and Free Trial on Patreon here.

Highlights

Catherine describes spring as “disappointing and confusing” — Is 2024 a slow year for standout reads?
Catherine’s spring reading trend dips over the past three years.
On the flip side, spring seems to be Sarah’s reading season!
This spring brought Sarah two 4.5-star books.
One of Catherine’s auto-buy authors no longer makes the cut.
Sarah’s wildcard selection missed the mark this season as well.
Both Catherine and Sarah’s top picks from the Preview didn’t quite deliver.
They name the best and worst books from their spring picks.⁠

Books We Read Before the Preview [6:20] Sarah’s Picks

The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza (April 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [6:27]
Colton Gentry’s Third Act by Jeff Zenter (April 30) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [9:19]

Spring 2024 Book Preview [10:22]

April

Sarah’s Pick

The Wives by Simone Gorrindo (April 9) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:09]

Catherine’s Picks

Christa Comes Out of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman (April 16) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:22]
Honey by Victor Lodato (April 16) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:56]
Real Americans by Rachel Khong (April 30) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:23]

Other Books Mentioned

May

Sarah’s Picks

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (May 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [27:36]
The Wealth of Shadows by Graham Moore (May 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:49]
Allow Me to Introduce Myself by Onyi Nwabineli (May 28) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:11]

Catherine’s Picks

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean (May 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [30:58]
The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley (May 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:28]
Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan (May 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:00]

Other Books Mentioned

The Hunter’s Daughter by Nicola Solvinic [33:17]
The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore [39:26]
The Guncle by Steven Rowley [39:37]
Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli [42:25]
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan [47:05]

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