April 30, 2020

April 2020 Reading Wrap Up

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

What Was Your Best April Read?

April was a meh reading month with zero five-star reads, two four-star reads, and four three-star reads. In addition, I had two DNFs. I read a total of six books which puts me two behind the pace to meet my year-end challenge of 100 books.

Find all my April reads listed below in order of Star Rating and preference. Keep in mind that I normally recommend five- and four-star reads on the blog; three-star reads receive mixed reviews from me for various reasons; and two-star reads are books I may or may not have finished but they were not for me. One star reads are usually shelved as DNF or perhaps quickly scanned.

Because of COVID-19, I find that I don’t have the desire to keep up my usual pace or exert my usual effort. Are you under orders to stay home where you live? I am, and my reading has suffered greatly. I have difficulty focusing, especially with my heavier content reads or reads that are not quite right for me. Picking up a Middle Grade read with its light subject matter and snappy writing immediately jump-started my reading!

My favorite fiction read of the month is Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon (even though it was heavier and grittier than anticipated)

Did we read any of the same books?

Titles are Amazon affiliate links and my available reviews are linked.

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 Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon

4.5 Stars. Historical Fiction (WW11). An inspiring and memorable main character who worked with the French Resistance. My full review here.

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And They Called it Camelot by Stephanie Marie Thornton

4 Stars. Biographical Historical Fiction (U.S. History). Fascinating. Not Yet Reviewed.

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Sea Wife by Amity Gaige

3 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Women’s Fiction. Troubled relationships, suspense, and survival. My full review here.

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A Hundred Suns by Karin Tanabe

3 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (with a generous side of psychological thriller). Goodreads review here.

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Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo

 3 Stars. MG Contemporary Fiction. Part of a trilogy but can be read as a stand-alone (of the trilogy, my favorite is Louisana’s Way Home (scroll down the page). Raymie not yet reviewed.

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Redhead By the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler

3 Stars. Contemporary Fiction. Character-driven novella; quirky character. Not reviewed.

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DNF

2 Stars. Followers by MeganAngelo. DNF (50 pages). Characters and plot didn’t engage me.
2 Stars. The Operator by Gretchen Berg. DNF (21%). I didn’t appreciate the religious nature of the profanity. Not the cozy, charming read I was expecting. Others have loved it.

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QOTD:

What did you read in April? Did you have a favorite?
Did we read any of the same books?
Which of these books is on your TBR?

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ICYMI

On the Blog in April:

#throwbackthursday Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon

Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon

#throwbackthursday Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

National Library Week: What Are You Reading Digitally During Social Isolation?

#flashbackfriday As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner

#throwbackthursday The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

National Poetry Month

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

#throwbackthursday Castle of Water by Dane Hucklebridge

1st Line/1st Paragraphs, Tuesday Intros: Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon

#6Degrees of Separation: From Stasiland to…

#throwbackthursday America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

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Happy Reading Book Buddies!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text

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***Blogs posts may contain affiliate links. This means that at no extra cost to you, I can earn a small percentage of your purchase price.

Unless explicitly stated that they are free, all books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library.

Book Cover and author photo are credited to Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website.

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