A Round Up of What I read this month!
Welcome all to my April Book Round Up, where I take you through all the stories I read this month — the ones I loved, the ones I hated, and the ones that left me frustrated. This month was far more impressive than last month. One of my best reads of the year happened this month, alongside several strong books that stayed on my mind long after I finished them.
This round up is coming a little earlier than usual as I’m sticking to my upload schedule, so I’m still reading a couple of books that I hope to finish before the month ends.
Overall, I read 13 books in April, including one 5-star read and a couple of very strong 4-star reads. I also managed to make a decent dent in my TBR, which I’m very proud of, and I completed another book for my reading challenge — another win for me.
That said, reading has still felt a bit strange lately. Even the books I’m enjoying aren’t quite hitting the way I want them to, and I’m really hoping I’m not heading towards reading fatigue. Because of that, I’ve been trying to stop passively reading and engage more critically with what I’m picking up, really taking the time to think more deeply about what I’m reading. Hopefully, I’ll get over this weird hump soon.
Anyways, let’s get into the books I finished.
Completed Books (in chronological order, Notable in italics)
Finished
- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
- Indigo by Beverly Jenkins
- Kindred by Octavia E Butler
- How Simi Got her Groom Back by Sonali Dev
- Church Girl by Naima Simone
- Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E schwab
- The Lagos Wife by Vanessa Walters
- Dear Debbie, by Freida McFadden
- An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma
- One Boat by Jonathan Buckley
- Seasons of Fidelity by Takerra Allen
- Cruel Summer by CW Farnsworth
Currently Reading
- Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Highlights
Project Hail Mary was easily my highlight of the month and one of my favourite reads of the year. It was such a wild, emotional ride and gave me everything I could want from a book. I recently uploaded a book vs screen review because I watched the film adaptation this month, and it absolutely delivered on everything I needed. It definitely helped that both the book and film were still fresh in my mind when I wrote the review. Such an incredible experience — a book that genuinely left me emotional and in tears. I would legitimately die for Rocky. Amaze, amaze, amaze.
Church Girl was a book I stumbled across — a cute, short Black romance. It features the single dad trope (which I don’t usually love), but I really enjoyed it this time around. It reminded me that my heart hasn’t completely hardened and that romance isn’t dead for me after all. It wasn’t the best romance I’ve ever read, but it delivered everything I look for in the genre: something that makes me feel giddy while still offering an engaging enough plot to keep me invested.
Kindred was also a standout read this month. It’s a harrowing story that I enjoyed far more (in a genuine, I am having fun way) than I expected to. Despite its difficult subject matter, the journey it took me on left me feeling more stressed than emotional, which oddly helped when engaging with a story tackling something as devastating as slavery. I’m so glad I finally read it, and I loved its unique approach to science fiction. I also spoke about it in more detail in my Genres I’m Loving Right Now post, so make sure to check that out.
TBR Overview
I’m proud to say I made quite a bit of headway on my TBR this month. There were quite a few books I am going to try and whiz through, but I might end up having a lot to say about some of them, so buckle up.
Kindred – already discussed, so we’ll move swiftly along.
Indigo was a very cute romance set against the backdrop of an incredibly painful period in history. I still really enjoyed it and found it sweet, but I wasn’t completely obsessed with it.
How Simi Got Her Groom Back was one of the most frustrating books I’ve ever read. Two sisters: one fighting for a green card and the other willing to completely upend her own life to make it happen. I could not stand the ‘green card’ sister — she was so selfish and unnecessarily cruel. I really struggled to get through this because nearly every character was irritating me, but I did enjoy the ending.
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is one I’m still unsure about. I really liked the concept and, of course, the whole sapphic vampire premise (I’ve been getting into more queer literature lately), but the execution felt far too long-winded. It took me nearly halfway through the book to actually care about what was happening. I also think some characters could have been cut entirely in favour of giving the main characters more depth. Still, I enjoyed it overall.
An Orchestra of Minorities — whew, now this was a read. Stressful from beginning to end, and I still can’t believe it ended the way it did. It has a brilliant premise with such an unconventional execution. Having the story narrated by the Chi—an all-knowing, all-seeing guardian spirit—makes it feel both first-hand and second-hand at the same time, which creates a fascinating reading experience.
There’s also a lot to unpack about the role of women in this novel that I simply can’t get into today, but I read a review that genuinely made me rethink the importance of critical analysis and paying closer attention to how women are portrayed, especially in narratives written by men about men. It’s an incredibly painful and traumatic story that felt unending, but I still enjoyed it overall. However, the more I sit with it, the more it feels ever so slightly tainted.
Seasons of Fidelity had a very slow start. It felt a bit like watching a TV show where you’re constantly jumping between scenes and characters, which made for a confusing reading experience at times. I kept having moments of “wait… what is happening?” Also, this book should honestly just be called Infidelity because my word — everybody is cheating.
That said, it does offer a layered exploration of relationships and complicated dynamics. I did have issues with some of the author’s choices — I’ve heard Takerra Allen tends to push the boundaries of what’s acceptable, and there were definitely moments that rubbed me the wrong way. That ending, though? Absolutely shocking. I do plan to read the second book… just not anytime soon.
Reading Challenge Update
I managed to read One Boat by Jonathan Buckley purely because it was the shortest book on the list. I did enjoy parts of it, and there were moments of genuinely strong prose. However, I felt like the book was trying to be too many things at once and, because of that, it fell apart more often than it came together. It had some very insightful moments, all the same, but I can’t say I’d actively recommend it.
The Mixed Bag
At this point, because I’ve already discussed so many books, you probably already know what landed in my mixed bag category.
We all know how I felt about The Lagos Wife, as I have a very in-depth review of it already — so please give that a read if you haven’t already.
I also read Dear Debbie this month. I don’t usually read Freida McFadden thrillers anymore because I simply don’t think she’s a particularly strong writer, and I often feel like these books are churned out without enough thought or care. However, a friend asked me to read it and, as the book mule that I am, I obliged. That said… I did enjoy it. It was an absolutely chaotic book, if I’m being honest — full of plot holes and unfinished storylines — but are we really surprised?
I think that’s it for this round-up — a lot of books to discuss this month. I’m currently reading Legendborn, but I can’t form a strong opinion on it just yet. I do plan to review it this month, though, so stay tuned for that.
As always, follow me on Fable and Goodreads to see what I’m reading in real time and get a glimpse of my ratings and reviews. Let me know in the comments if there’s anything specific you’d like to see in these round ups going forward.
Thanks, as always, for reading — and I’ll see you on Friday for my TBR update!
Signed,
