April Reading Report
Eight books I read in April
Welcome to my monthly reading report, where I share short reviews of standout books. After a months-long reading slump, I’m finding my way back to books, still reading mostly via audio, still slowing my pace to make sure I actually absorb the words—but I’m reading.
When avid (online) readers share about reading slumps, I sometimes think it sends the message that we must read ALL THE TIME or else life isn’t fulfilling and complete. Nobody needs extra pressure to maintain an enjoyable hobby at a full-time pace, and I hope today’s reading report serves as a reminder that reading can be a gauge for mental health status, a much-needed escape when life is hard, or a hobby you can set aside for any amount of time. Increases in reading volume can mean you’re feeling better, but the number of books you read in a month doesn’t have to mean anything.
Even if reading is a significant part of your work, my wish for you going into May is to find a low-pressure sweet spot as summer reading guides start rolling in and excitement for the next bookish season ramps up.
April Reading Report
Historical Romance Narrated by Justine Eyre
How to Tame a Wild Rogue by Julie Anne Long. All of London seeks shelter in anticipation of a raging storm. Not even the most swarthy of sea-farers will brave the docks, leaving Lorcan St. Leger in the right place at the right time to catch Lady Daphne Worth as she leaps from an open window. Rain-soaked and seeking shelter, the pair finds solace in the warm foyer of the Grand Palace on the Thames, an exclusive inn whose guests are carefully quizzed before securing a room. To pass inspection, Daphne and Lorcan pretend to be a married couple and spend the remainder of the storm falling in love. Long threads vignettes featuring other couples in the inn through the novel, reminding me of Eloisa James, and the hero felt akin to Sarah Maclean’s leading men. This was my first Julie Anne Long historical, and I’d pick up another when I want a quick, satisfying Regency romance.
The Rogue Not Taken by Sarah Maclean. After losing her cool in front of an entire party of aristocrats, Sophie Talbot escapes by posing as a footman for Kingscote, Marquess of Eversley. King thinks this bold woman is trying to trick him into marriage, but Sophie could not want this man less, until, of course, they spend hours on the road together. Full of enemies-to-lovers banter and steamy scenes, this trilogy is one of Maclean’s best.
The Rogue of Fifth Avenue by Joanna Shupe. I’ve probably listened to Shupe’s Uptown Girls series three times through. This is the first in the series all about the Greene sisters (they don’t need to be read in order). Mamie Greene, eldest daughter, is ever-steadfast and obedient, aside from her weekly visits to the tenements across town to provide food, money, and assistance to women in need. When her friend is accused of murdering her abusive husband, Mamie can’t think of anyone else to turn to except Frank Tripp, her father’s handsome young lawyer. As they investigate a murder, discuss a decades-in-the-making betrothal contract, and secretly meet in the middle of the night, Frank and Mamie find purpose and love.
A Childhood Favorite
The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine.
and I discussed this childhood favorite for an upcoming episode of the SSR Podcast, and we had a blast! I loved returning to a fairytale world of Gail Carson Levine’s creation and couldn’t help but compare her world-building, subtle romance, and strong female characters to the popular Romantasy novels all over BookTok today. Surely there’s a correlation between the girls who devoured every fairytale retelling available in the early aughts and the women who devour every Sarah J. Maas book now in their 30’s or 40’s, right? Alli and I unpacked the staying power of fairytales and more, so stay tuned for the full episode.Poetry & Literary Fiction
Instructions for Traveling West by Joy Sullivan. In her debut poetry collection, Sullivan explores intuition, upheaval, and the unknowable with nature imagery spanning continents and earnest confessions spanning decades. I connected most with her poems about faith and coming of age and would recommend this collection to fans of Kate Baer.
James by Percival Everett. I want to shout my love for this book from the rooftops, but I’m left speechless when I try to come up with specifics. I highly recommend the audiobook, as the narrator nails the code-switching dialect and tone of the titular character. I suggest, at the very least, taking in a summary of Huck Finn before reading James, but reading up on the history and literary legacy of slave narratives would benefit the reading experience, too. This novel is sure to become a modern classic, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting the literary awards season to see if Everett scoops up much-deserved recognition.
Contemporary Romance
Funny Story by Emily Henry. In an alchemy that feels made for me, Henry includes beautiful Lake Michigan scenery, allusions to favorite children’s books, a Tessa Dare reference (!!!), and lots of library nostalgia in her newest romance novel. Read my full review here.
How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang. If you’re seeing Kuang’s debut in conversation with Emily Henry’s novels, it’s partly because Kuang wrote the screenplays for Beach Read and People We Meet On Vacation. She brings her years of Hollywood writing experience to the novel form with a story about two writers—one LA veteran and one YA author new to the writer’s room—whose lives are forever altered by a horrible accident in high school. Content warning: in the first few chapters, you learn that Grant was driving the car that killed Helen’s sister, who intentionally jumped in front of it as an act of suicide. Kuang’s main skill is getting the reader from such a dark place, wondering how can these people possibly fall in love, to a believable happy ending. Although the book felt long to me, I did enjoy all of the behind the scenes details of working on a pilot and adapting a book for TV (it was what I wanted Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld to be). I also loved the way Kuang explores Helen’s complicated relationship with her immigrant parents without tying things in a neat bow. Helen isn’t a typical rom-com heroine—she’s shy, awkward, and not in a “she’s so quirky” way. I found the whole novel to be a cinematic love story, perfect for fans of Beach Read and ripe for adaptation itself.
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Wasn’t Funny Story such a delight!? Thanks for the reminder to pick up the Joy Sullivan poetry collection.
I'm a big fan of Gail Carson Levine