What I read in April
Each month I share short and sweet book reviews of the books I’ve finished. Click on the titles or images below to see more detail on each book.
I discovered while putting this blog post together that many of these books are FREE on Kindle Unlimited. If you’re not already signed up, now would be a great time to try it out! Grab your free trial here.
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
This sequel to beloved cozy fantasy Legends & Lattes did not disappoint. It was sweet and cozy and perfectly bookish. I loved getting the backstory of our favorite ogre/bookstore owner and felt like the ending was absolutely perfect.
West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
I was surprised by how much I loved this novel. Dual timelines, one in modern day, one in the dustbowl era. This is the story of a teenage boy down on his luck and his epic adventure helping to transport two giraffes across the United States.
Sweep by Jonathan Auxier
A great re-read, this time with my 7 and 10 year olds. This is a fantastic story in addition to being a glimpse at what child labor was like in the early 1900s.
My kids were appropriately outraged.
The Home Place by J. Drew Lanham
Loved this beautifully written memoir of a Black boy/man and his ties to birds and nature.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Read this old favorite with my kiddos. They loved it and I enjoyed being back in this world again.
Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam
I don’t generally read self-help books much anymore. They are just all so similar, mostly written by people (men) who are not in similar circumstances to my life.
This book is different!
I have taken many actionable suggestions from this author over the years and this book is absolutely brimming with ideas to help us spend our time in ways we actually want to spend it.
It’s easily digestible and actionable.
I loved it.
Field Notes from an Unintentional Birdery by Julia Zarankin
This was light, funny, and interesting. A great look at what can be an all-encompassing hobby as well as the personal story of an immigrant.
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
This was not for me. The writing is incredible. I finished the entire book, hoping for some redemption, but never found it. Very violent, very dark with no likeable characters.
It’s a Greek myth retelling so all the violence and incest is probably to be expected. I just wanted to love this book and I didn’t.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
I have intentionally waited a long time to get to this book. Overall I loved it. I pulled out lots of powerful phrases and it gave me a lot to think about. I do feel like it would have benefitted from a tighter edit, it felt very repetitive in places.
The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell
Think Great British Bake Off + a little bit of murder.
Predictable, fun, enjoyable, and exactly what I needed. The ending seems far fetched but I just ignored that because the rest of the book was so fun
Love Poems for Married People by John Kenney
Meh.
Some of these poems were hilarious.
Most were not.