Monthly Wrap-Up | April 2019

Hey everyone!

Despite starting a new job, I was able to read 14 books during the month of April! It was a much better month than last in terms of star ratings.

I’ve been feeling myself almost slip in reading slumps lately, so I’ve been jumping for genre to genre hoping to avoid the slump. It’s helped a little, but I think it’s just the stress of a new job making me feel slumpy.

As usual, here are my top two books of the month from differing genres.

 

Holy Sister is the third and final book in the Book of the Ancestor trilogy and it is truly a work of art. Mark Lawrence concludes the story beautifully by weaving together a complex narrative and giving the characters a worthy ending.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vigilance is a terrifying novella of a not so distant future United States of America so wrapped up in guns and violence that they’ve dissociated from the world stage and created a stage of their own chockfull of gratuitous gun violence. Vigilance is a must read for everyone. Bennett takes a magnifying glass to the gun control debate that shows readers a potential future that doesn’t look so unrealistic if you’re keyed into current political events.

 

 

 

 

 

The Handmaid’s Tale is one of my favorite classics of all time. Everything about this adaptation is incredible. I’d definitely recommend it.

 

Tiamat’s Wrath is an action packed addition to The Expanse series. Though it sets up a lot for what is to come in the final book, Tiamat’s Wrath packs multiple punches you won’t see coming.

 

Bound is a short story that takes place six months after Grey Sister. Bound is a cute (I never thought I’d describe something in this series as cute) and fun story that features Nona, Ara, Kettle, and Regol.

 

I LOVED everything about Maybe Someday. From the characters, the writing, the story, and the music made for the book. Absolutely everything about this book is nothing short of amazing. Colleen Hoover has stepped up her game.

 

Maybe Now is an okay sequel to Maybe Someday. Would I recommend it? Probably not. Also, my review is a lot more negative than I wanted it to be since I did rate the novel four stars. I had no trouble finishing the book and I read it relatively quickly, so I guess it couldn’t have been that bad!

 

Social Misconduct is a disappointing read that tries to get at the horrors of a social media smear campaign, but instead only highlights hackers and the stupidity of those who fall for them.

 

The Red Scrolls of Magic was only slightly disappointing despite my negative review. Clare’s classic action scenes and world building are top notch, so my issues with the writing are minor in comparison.

 

Pocketful of Blame is a quick read that sets up an intense romance housed in a dark mystery. I picked up Pocketful of Blame because Siobhan Davis recommended it. I read the synopsis and picked it up almost immediately. For the most part, I enjoyed the story, but had I few issues.

 

The Test is a must read as it mirrors and offers insight into immigration as many countries attempt to deal with influxes of people seeking better lives elsewhere. Compassion should be a key component of any immigration program and The Test is a testament to that fact.

 

A Perfect Lie is a boring thriller that has the potential to be as ruthless as House of Cards, but misses the mark entirely.

 

Spellslinger is a fun set up to what’s going to be a kickass series full of outlaws and magic!

 

 

No feelings Involved has Davis’ signature chemistry and intense relationship with salient themes making Davis’ latest romance not to be missed.

 

Have you read any of these? What did you think? What did you read in the month of April?