Best Books of April
As I say every month, I’m shamelessly stealing this idea from Jessica Lahey. She has a recurring monthly date where she reviews all the books she reads that month. Book reviews are important for authors, and I want to get better at doing this.
So. I’m going to review them here and also online, but I’m going to do it a little differently. I’m only going to review the stuff I really liked. I don’t see a reason to spend my time writing about something I didn’t love; it’s just using up more of my energy. So only positive reviews.
These are the books I liked (or mostly liked) from April.
The Word Is Murder (Anthony Horowitz): I’m rereading the series because it makes me happy. The books are so clever, and I love them so much that I don’t read the next one until there is another on the horizon. I just can’t stand the idea of not having an Anthony Horowitz book in my back pocket whenever I need a book that I know is going to be really really good.
Sunrise on the Reaping (Suzanne Collins): This book is chilling and troubling, maybe more so reading it right now against the current news. I didn’t love the last prequel, but this one feels as familiar as the original Hunger Games and is equally as devastating. I had so many “wow” moments as things came together.
This Is Not a Game (Kelly Mullen): A sweet, easy to read and enjoyable murder mystery with a gaming theme. It made me want to visit Mackinac Island. It was a book that was the perfect read when I needed something a little lighter.
Fair Play (Louise Hegarty): I think the people who are not giving this book 4 or 5 stars just don’t “get” the book. Because once you “get” the book — and you will understand the book if you pay attention to the middle — there is no possible way to read this book without your heart in your throat. I will think about this book for a long time. You will be blown away by the cleverness and emotion and beauty. Amazing job.
The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King (Harry Trevaldwyn): This book wins for absolute fun. There were so many times that I laughed aloud. I switched to the audio, which was read by the author, and it was even better hearing the story spoken. The most interesting thing was that I would listen to the book when I was feeding Beorn (while he was sick), and his body would relax when he heard the author‘s voice. So strange. But it brought both of us joy, so I will be forever grateful. If you loved Heartstopper, but sometimes wished those kids were a little less earnest and a little more realistic, run to this book. These are the nicest kids and the funniest kids without being unrealistic kids.
What did you read last month?
3 comments
I have quite a few Horowitz books, although I haven’t read all of them yet. His latest Susan Ryeland book just came out yesterday, yay!! I’ve read all the others to date!
I finished 3 books in April, all reviewed on my blog, as well as Goodreads & StoryGraph:
* “Miss Buncle Married” by D.E. Stevenson (for my Stevenson group). A sequel to “Miss Buncle’s Book.” Miss Buncle is now married and moves to a fixer-upper in the small village of Wandlebury, where she meddles in her nephew’s romance. She remains her charming self here, and this is an enjoyable book overall — but the sequel lacks the satirical bite of the original. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
* “Can’t We Be Friends” by Denny S. Bryce & Eliza Knight (for another online book club). About the friendship between jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald and actress Marilyn Monroe that sprang up i the early 1950s. The friendship was real, and it’s an interesting story — I learned a lot about both women, although I knew more about Marilyn than Ella — but all of the letters & conversations between the two women presented here are fictional, and that bothered me, for some reason. I found it hard to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the story for what it was. 3 stars.
* I haven’t named the third book I read, because the author is a personal friend, and I don’t want her or anyone else we both know Googling the book and finding a review on my blog! But I did post about it in a general way, and included a link to the review on Goodreads. I will says it’s a personal memoir. She & I grew up in the same part of the country at the same time (1960s & 1970s), so there was a lot here I could relate to. 4 stars.
Thank you for the best books list!!! This made my day 🙂
I am so glad to hear that Sunrise Of the Reaping is better than A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (might have got that backwards). I was disappointed in that one so I haven’t read this one, and now I will!
My favorites from April were The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas, Ghost Town by Kirsten Reed, Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt, James by Percival Everett, How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin, and Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy.