With April over, it’s time to share my reading wrap-up. This past month, I read twelve books. I feel like this year I’ve been reading way more in general (almost double the amount I used to read). I did intend to at least try to slow down a little bit, but now that I’m able to drive and go to the library, I have a feeling that future wrap-ups will at least shake up my future reading plans!
Despite my reading successes this month, April really wasn’t the best for me in terms of blogging and Bookstagram. With the studying and training I’ve been working on, I did end up spending less time on these platforms. So this May, I really want to focus on balancing the two and creating a schedule that’s a little more adaptable should my priorities ever change. Hopefully that works!
Anyway, here’s everything I read this month. I hope you found some great new books this month too!
April In Stats
Books Read
Pages Read
Average Rating
%
Goodreads Goal Progress
BOOKS BREAKDOWN
- 6 PHYSICAL BOOKS
- 4 E-BOOKS
- 2 AUDIOBOOKS
April In Books
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Before the Coffee Gets Cold takes place in a small cafe in Japan that has been serving coffee for over a hundred years, plus the opportunity to travel to the past. The story follows four characters who take up the cafe’s orders. However, the cafe works under several conditions: customers must sit in the same seat, they must not leave the cafe, and they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold.
This is for Tonight by Jessica Patrick
This is for Tonight follows Andi Kennedy, who’s trying to grow her YouTube channel so she can pay for college. Her goal is to head to the Cabazon Valley Music and Arts Festival to film an interview with a famous band. But she finds herself competing for the spot with Jay Bankar, the annoying host of a popular prank channel. But as their competition grows, Andi finds a growing connection to him where she’ll have to decide what’s more important.
This was a really fun, light summer contemporary! Although the middle dragged a bit for me, I read this book so fast because it was really enjoyable. There were some interesting twists in the story, as well as some really heartwarming messages.
A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P. Djèlí Clark
A Dead Djinn in Cairo follows Special Investigator Fatma el-Sha’arawi in 1912 Egypt. What starts out for her as an odd suicide case becomes a journey through the city’s ghouls, assassins, clockwork angels, and a plot that could unravel time.
I read this book as well as The Haunting of Tram Car 015 to prepare for A Master of Djinn. I absolutely want to try out more of Clark’s books as I just love his writing! This book was definitely more centered on the world than the mystery, but I was captivated nonetheless.
The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He
The Ones We’re Meant to Find follows Cee, who awoke on an abandones island three years ago with nothing but but a rickety house, an old android, and a single memory of her sister who she needs to find. Meanwhile, STEM prodigy Kasey wants to escape from the eco-city, Earth’s last unpolluted city, which was originally only meant for those committed to protecting the planet. She has to decide if she’s ready to use science to humanity, even though it’s already failed the people that mattered the most.
Thank you FierceReads for the e-ARC! I really loved the messaging this book had about our relationship with the environment, and how that played into the world and its current conflicts. While I didn’t always like the pacing in this book, it came with a lot of twists and elements that I wasn’t expecting, and I really enjoyed those moments throughout the book.
The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark
The Haunting of Tram Car 015 is the second book in Clark’s stories of an alternate Cairo. It follows Senior Agent Hamed al-Nasr and his new partner Agent Onsi as they investigate a dangerous and possessed tram car. But what starts as a simple exorcism becomes more dangerous as the inner demon is revealed.
Again, I read this book in preparation for A Master of Djinn. And while these books aren’t necessary to read that one, I am, again, so happy that I read these. I love the blend of the 1912 setting with mystery and fantasy all-in-one. This book was a little bit more plot-centric than A Dead Djinn in Cairo, but I really enjoyed both just the same.
In the Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland
In the Ravenous Dark follows Rovan, whose father died while trying to protect her from her fate of being controlled as a magic-wielder. After accidentally exposing her powers, she’s sent into a world of deception. In her plans to escape, she falls for Lydea and Ivrilios, two people she can’t trust. But together, they discover a secret that will destroy Thanopolis, and the three must gain each other’s trust in order to save them all.
Thank you FierceReads for the e-ARC! I really enjoyed the concept of this book as well as the representation. However, I sometimes had trouble with the way that the plot was written. On the other hand, I found the world so interesting and so well-developed.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
The Six of Crows duology takes place in the same world as the Grishaverse. It’s a heist novel following Kaz Brekker, a young criminal in search of good fortune. He is presented with a dangerous heist that would give him lifelong wealth and riches, but it’s a mission that he can’t pull off alone.
This was a re-read for me in preparation for the Shadow and Bone TV show, as well as my first read of Crooked Kingdom. I enjoyed it just as much as the first time! In particular I really like the balance between the storyline and the development of not only the characters, but also the developing relationships between them.
As Long As Grass Grows by Dina Gilio-Whitaker
As Long as Grass Grows explores the history of treaty violations and the protection of Indigenous land and culture. Through this, the book also explores different approaches to environmental policies and practices.
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Crooked Kingdom follows Kaz and his crew after pulling off a daring and deadly heist. But instead of gaining their reward, they’re back to fighting for their lives.
I’m actually going to say that I liked Six of Crows a bit better! However, I did like the focus in Ketterdam as well as the character development here. I’m so glad I finally finished this duology since I never want to finish any series (oops) – King of Scars is up next!
The Five by Hallie Rubenhold
The Five tells the devastating stories of Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine, and Mary-Jane. They have little in common aside from the year of their murders. While the person responsible was unidentified, but the character behind the murders created became more notable than the lives of the women themselves. That, combined with untrue speculations regarding the women prevented their stories from being told.
This book taught me quite a bit about Victorian London and what some of the living conditions were like for many people, and I loved the amount of research the author was able to put together on the victims’ lives. However, I didn’t quite like how a lot of the assumptions were presented in context!
Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton
Lucky Girl follows 17-year-old Jane Belleweather, the winner of a lotto jackpot worth $58,642,129. But Jane is still a minor, and coming forward to claim the ticket would lead to its forefit. She could let her hoarder mother cash it, but that will only lead to buying more stuff she doesn’t need. Then her friend and aspiring journalist is determined to find the winner. And to top it off, Jane’s ex-boyfriend is back in her life and he has plans for the money. As tensions rise in the town with no better options, Jane wonders – would the money truly be a bad thing?
Bunny by Mona Awad
Bunny follows Samantha, an MFA student at Warren University and a loner in her fiction writing cohort. That is, until the clique of girls, who move together as one and call each other “Bunny,” invite her to their off-campus workshop one night, and reality begins to blur for her.
I picked this book up after hearing so many interesting reviews about it, and I sadly didn’t like it as much! I see what the book was trying to do and how interpretive many of the parts were, but I feel like the execution just didn’t work for me.
How did your month go this April? What were your favorite reads? Let me know! I’d love to know if you’ve read any of these as well and what your thoughts were!
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lovely wrap-up and cute blog!
Thank you!