Due to quarantine, I had a great reading month in April! I read 18 books and am now 19 books ahead of my Goodreads reading goal!
Also there is NO freaking way its already May. How did this happen?
STats
Books read: 18
Physical books: 11
Audiobooks: 7
5 stars: 2 books
4.5 stars: 1 book
4 stars: 5 books
3.5 stars: 3 books
3 stars: 2 books
2 stars: 2 books
1 star: 1 book
No rating: 2 books
As usual, I will be listing books in the order which I read them. To see a full review, click on the title of the book and you will be redirected.
Internment by Samira Ahmed / 2 stars – This book told a great story, and had a great message, but the writing style really didn’t mesh with me and therefore hindered my enjoyment.
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary / 3.5 stars – This romance was so dang cute! I’m a sucker for British chic-lit, and if you are too this is a great one. The ending was a bit too drawn out for me, hence the rating, but this was still a great read if you are looking for a romance with little smut.
Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi / 3.5 stars – This book was not very action packed and was a lot of characters contemplating about how they feel. If you like that kind of stuff- you’ll like this book! Definitely a quick read and I think I’ll continue with the series.
Looking for Alaska by John Green / 4 stars – Overall I really liked this one! It was a short book but still impactful.
The Room of Rue Amelie by Kristin Harmel / 3 stars – There’s so many WWII novels out there that if you’re looking for a good one, I would maybe skip over this one. I didn’t like the romance *at all* and the plot was similar to other books I have read before.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan / no rating – I read this book because it was a favorite of mine as a kid! I really enjoyed it for nostalgia’s sake and also realized I did not understand this book at all as a child.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro / 4 stars – This is definitely a book that I like the more I think about it. It is a bit of a slow burn, but also very impactful and prompts it’s readers to think about how far we should take technology.
Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendall / 1 star – This is definitely the worst book I have read all year. I honestly don’t have anything good to say about it so I will leave it at that.
Lovely War by Julie Berry / 4 stars – This was such a fun spin on historical fiction! This story is told by The Greek gods (mostly Aphrodite, but also with the help of others) and follows two couples throughout the course of WWI. This will definitely warm your heart but also make you cry.
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas / 2 stars – This Mulan retelling was just too slow paced and too heavy on the romance for me. The author was very well-educated about ancient Chinese history, and for me it just kind of felt like a word dump.
Shadow Me by Tahereh Mafi / no rating – All I’m gonna say is that Kenji needs to be protected at all costs and if the author kills him off I will never forgive her 😦
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan / 4 stars – After Lovely War I was really in the mood for more Greek mythology so I finally decided to start the Percy Jackson series! I’m so sad I never read these as a kid because I think I would have loved them, but better late than never right?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern / 5 stars – This is definitely a great book for quarantine because it will transport you to a totally different universe. The writing style was absolutely stunning and unlike anything I’ve read before! I will definitely be reading the rest of the author’s books shortly!
Becoming by Michelle Obama / 5 stars – This book was so incredible and I can’t believe it took me so long to read! It focuses less on politics and more on the life as the First Lady, especially being in the White House while raising a family. It was so fascinating and inspiring!
The Wicked King by Holly Black / 4.5 stars – This ending destroyed me and I honestly have no idea how The Queen of Nothing is going to play out. I have been thinking about this book for DAYS.
The Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhadar / 3 stars – The duel perspectives of this novel kind of ruined the story for me, but it is still a very important book and I can totally see why people would love it.
The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai / 4 stars – This was such a good read! Not only was this a fun, swoony romance, but it also addressed such important topics like race, gender, sexual harassment, and patriarchy. The first half of the book moved a bit slow, but the second half had my heart.
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid / 3.5 stars – I just finished this book last night (April 29) and I’m still trying to digest it. This story is obviously so important and opened my eyes to things I have never thought about before. However, I felt like the story itself was just kind of lacking, especially the ending.
I’m glad you made it to the end! What was your favorite book of the month?
The Journeying Bibliophile 