🌦️April 2022 reading thread 📖

[lizblue]

I just searched to see if anyone else read All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood and saw that kittyriot and canteverremember mentioned it.

I was super uncomfortable with the subject matter and I'm still uncomfortable with it, but it's really well written and captivating and I think I loved it.

I think Greenwood is brave for writing it and it rang very true. It also sucked me in and I read it in less than 24 hours.

[overboard]

Apr 5, 2022 12:12:44 GMT -6 lizblue said:

I just searched to see if anyone else read All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood and saw that kittyriot and canteverremember mentioned it.

I was super uncomfortable with the subject matter and I'm still uncomfortable with it, but it's really well written and captivating and I think I loved it.

I think Greenwood is brave for writing it and it rang very true. It also sucked me in and I read it in less than 24 hours.

This is a polarizing book. I loved it. She has another book out that is pretty good, but not as good as this one.

I’m happy to discuss via spoilers if you want.

[haleyscott]

March was a rough reading month for me. I only got 1.5 books read. I’m bummed but making it a focus for this month to get more done and back on track.

For March I read Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman. It was a bunch of short stories about families over a time period who lived in the house. I love her way with words but it just wasn’t a page turner for me.

I started the woman with the blue star in the end of March and finished it a few days ago. I really really liked it. I’m currently reading the Castaways by Elin Hildebrand now and I’m really enjoying it.

Next up I have The explosive child & the book of magic to read.

[thatgolfb]

I just went wild with holds on Libby. My library had The Diamond Eye as a skip the line, so I will be doing my best to get through that in 7 days. Or I may just use an Audible credit to buy it if needed.

I finished Regretting You. It was fine. Typical Co Ho for sure.

I am working through the Spanish Love Deception again since my hold came back up. But I have too many things to read. 🤣

I started The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan on Audible. I had been burnt out on WW2 historical fiction, but now I’m back on it.

[melohdy]

I read 4 books in March (5 if you count Under the Whispering Door, which I finished around the 1st) and am on track to meet/exceed my goal for the year.

The Appeal - 4 stars
Verity - 4 stars
Project Hail Mary - 5 stars
A Touch of Darkness - 3 stars

I also finished Thursday Murder Club yesterday and LOVED it!

I'm currently reading The Cartographers; listening to My Plain Jane, and may also start Rock Paper Scissors on audiobook

[angelashly]

Apr 5, 2022 12:12:44 GMT -6 lizblue said:

I just searched to see if anyone else read All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood and saw that kittyriot and canteverremember mentioned it.

I was super uncomfortable with the subject matter and I'm still uncomfortable with it, but it's really well written and captivating and I think I loved it.

I think Greenwood is brave for writing it and it rang very true. It also sucked me in and I read it in less than 24 hours.

I need to try again. I think I was in a place where I couldn’t read the subject at the time

[junch817]

Justin Baldoni has a new YA book coming out this year. I love him so much.

http://instagram.com/p/Cb-NBzarWkl

[filingjointly]

Apr 5, 2022 12:12:44 GMT -6 lizblue said:

I just searched to see if anyone else read All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood and saw that kittyriot and canteverremember mentioned it.

I was super uncomfortable with the subject matter and I'm still uncomfortable with it, but it's really well written and captivating and I think I loved it.

I think Greenwood is brave for writing it and it rang very true. It also sucked me in and I read it in less than 24 hours.

I read this last year. I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment. Really well done but SO uncomfortable. Especially the ending for me, somehow. I really sympathized with her aunt the whole book.

The book was semi-based on the author’s life, so it makes sense that she writes it like a “normal” relationship but yeah, super uncomfy.

[cdnfroggy]

Apr 5, 2022 12:12:44 GMT -6 lizblue said:

I just searched to see if anyone else read All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood and saw that kittyriot and canteverremember mentioned it.

I was super uncomfortable with the subject matter and I'm still uncomfortable with it, but it's really well written and captivating and I think I loved it.

I think Greenwood is brave for writing it and it rang very true. It also sucked me in and I read it in less than 24 hours.

I totally get the conflicted feelings - I had lots while reading it, but I loved it. It was so well written and a perfect example of very grey situations. 

[kittyriot]

Apr 5, 2022 14:40:29 GMT -6 cdnfroggy said:

Apr 5, 2022 12:12:44 GMT -6 lizblue said:

I just searched to see if anyone else read All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood and saw that kittyriot and canteverremember mentioned it.

I was super uncomfortable with the subject matter and I'm still uncomfortable with it, but it's really well written and captivating and I think I loved it.

I think Greenwood is brave for writing it and it rang very true. It also sucked me in and I read it in less than 24 hours.

I totally get the conflicted feelings - I had lots while reading it, but I loved it. It was so well written and a perfect example of very grey situations. 

I adored this book. I live in a rural area and knew situations like these, even had friends in similar situations. So it rang true and reminded me so much that people have to check their judgements to ensure they’re helping in the best way possible, because sometimes help doesn’t look the way we want it to look.

But no question, it is a hard read….

[angelashly]

You all made me grab Rock Paper Scissors off my shelf to start at DD’s dance

[melohdy]

Apr 5, 2022 16:27:54 GMT -6 angelashly said:

You all made me grab Rock Paper Scissors off my shelf to start at DD’s dance

I ended up starting the audiobook on my walk because it is from the library and I didn't want to miss it. I read mixed reviews, though.

[angelashly]

Apr 5, 2022 16:29:03 GMT -6 melohdy said:

Apr 5, 2022 16:27:54 GMT -6 angelashly said:

You all made me grab Rock Paper Scissors off my shelf to start at DD’s dance

I ended up starting the audiobook on my walk because it is from the library and I didn't want to miss it. I read mixed reviews, though.

I’m excited

[peaseblossom55]

I read 11 books in March
A book on the office
best Wishes Warmest regards
Local woman Missing
The Betrayal of Anne Frank
The Four Winds
Such a Quiet Place
The Dictionary of Lost Words
The premonition
Not A Happy Family
Ruin and Rising
Pretty Girls
Most were 3 stars Best Wishes Warmest Regards was a solid 4.

[emma]

I finished The Gray Man, I liked it, it’s a solid 3.5 stars so I gave it 4 on Goodreads but I didn’t enjoy it as much as Orphan X (same genre, very similar premise). Not sure what to read next

[mintyblueair]

March was a bit slow for me because I was glued to the news for the first half, and what reading time I did have I devoted mostly to school-related stuff. I read:

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Lose Your Mother by Saidiya Hartman
The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker
A Girl is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin

I'm currently halfway through a re-read of Sons and Lovers by DH Lawrence, which is one of my favourite novels, and about 1/3 of the way into The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (not loving it).

In March I also started but didn't finish Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. I thought I'd return to it but I decided to just return it to the library and move on. That was a big deal for me because I always feel obligated to finish books 🤣

ETA: I also re-read The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante in March. I love that little book so much.

[Bluebird]

I finished The Rose Code last night. Loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It was a historical fiction about female codebreakers during WW2, with great characters and a mystery in the storyline.

[mintyblueair]

I've got a bunch of library books to get through:

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
Matrix by Lauren Groff
The Mystery of Right and Wrong by Wayne Johnston
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

[caer]

I haven’t checked in at all yet this month. I read 11 books in March and most were decent. Notes On An Execution was the standout.

I’ve only read one book in the past 10 days. We went to Disney, extended our trip by a couple of days, then our flight was cancelled and we couldn’t get a new one so we’re still here lol. We’ll hopefully be heading home tomorrow. I (slowly) read A Very Punchable Face this week and loved it! SO funny. I just started The Secrets We Share by Edwin Hill and it’s good so far.

[emma]

I think I’ve settled on The Thursday Murder Club as my next read

[thatgolfb]

Apr 5, 2022 17:36:10 GMT -6 Bluebird said:

I finished The Rose Code last night. Loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It was a historical fiction about female codebreakers during WW2, with great characters and a mystery in the storyline.

I think this was my favorite read from last year!

[nelzie]

I've read 4 books so far for April.

Don't Look for Me by Wendy Walker was a great thriller that kept me guessing -4.5 stars

So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park - 3 stars. This was recommended to me as an enemies to lovers romance which I'm a big fan of but I would call this book that. More contemporary fiction with a romance subplot. Which was disappointing because I've been in the mood for a good romance book. I really enjoyed the mother/daughter relationship

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead - 3.5 stars. This was fun just like the first book. Obviously completely over the top and unbelievable. I enjoyed it but not quite as much as the first book. I'm glad to see it looks like there will be another book.

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo - 3.5 stars. This was hyped way up on booktok and it didn't live up go that for me but it was pretty good. Who doesn't love a good "shitty men getting what they deserve" story?

I'm working on Upgrade by Blake Crouch which I got from netgalley. I'm about halfway through and loving it so far. I want to stay up all night and read but I'm sick so I need to get some sleep, lol.

Also started The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi and The Appeal by Janice Hallett, both of which I'm really excited for.

My hold for the novella Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood (The Love Hypothesis) audio just came in so I'll probably knock that out tomorrow.

A lot of good books came out today so I added a bunch to my holds list. A lot of them only have a 2 week wait so I may have a lot come in all at once.

[adelbert]

Apr 5, 2022 21:30:46 GMT -6 nelzie said:

I've read 4 books so far for April.

Don't Look for Me by Wendy Walker was a great thriller that kept me guessing -4.5 stars

So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park - 3 stars. This was recommended to me as an enemies to lovers romance which I'm a big fan of but I would call this book that. More contemporary fiction with a romance subplot. Which was disappointing because I've been in the mood for a good romance book. I really enjoyed the mother/daughter relationship

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead - 3.5 stars. This was fun just like the first book. Obviously completely over the top and unbelievable. I enjoyed it but not quite as much as the first book. I'm glad to see it looks like there will be another book.

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo - 3.5 stars. This was hyped way up on booktok and it didn't live up go that for me but it was pretty good. Who doesn't love a good "shitty men getting what they deserve" story?

I'm working on Upgrade by Blake Crouch which I got from netgalley. I'm about halfway through and loving it so far. I want to stay up all night and read but I'm sick so I need to get some sleep, lol.

Also started The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi and The Appeal by Janice Hallett, both of which I'm really excited for.

My hold for the novella Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood (The Love Hypothesis) audio just came in so I'll probably knock that out tomorrow.

A lot of good books came out today so I added a bunch to my holds list. A lot of them only have a 2 week wait so I may have a lot come in all at once.

Ooh a thriller that kept you guessing? I'm definitely going to try that one out!

[nelzie]

adelbert just fyi, it's mentioned in the book description but just in case you dont read them, definite trigger warning for death of a child in that one.

[CestLaVie]

Apr 5, 2022 21:16:40 GMT -6 thatgolfb said:

Apr 5, 2022 17:36:10 GMT -6 Bluebird said:

I finished The Rose Code last night. Loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It was a historical fiction about female codebreakers during WW2, with great characters and a mystery in the storyline.

I think this was my favorite read from last year!

Same, and I'm so excited to tuck into the new one!

[CestLaVie]

I am almost done Black Cake and am realllllly enjoying it.

Love and Saffron was warm and fuzzy (and a short book). Apparently she wrote it at the beginning of the pandemic as an email to her friends for entertainment then decided to publish it. It's a series of letters back and forth between 2 friends and it really is a cozy food read.

[Minerva]

So far this month, I’ve read AC’s And Then There We’re None (good, but not my favorite AC) and The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (3.5 stars). I’m currently devouring Death on the Nile with plans to watch the films once I’ve finished. So far, I’m loving it!

[cdnfroggy]

I'm still working my way through Bonk by Mary Roach. I got my copy of Sea of Tranquility and I think I will bump it up to be on this months TBR and my hold on Notes on an Execution came in, so that will most likely be my next read.

[boxerific]

soiree that happens to me too but only if I am mid-listen and turn off the car. If I pause it first, then turn the car off, it doesn't go backwards.

My March was slow, but had some good ones.

Crying in H Mart - 4 stars
Rock Paper Scissors - 4 stars
Nine Lives - 4 stars
The Mother Next Door - 2 stars

I have a stack of 6 books from the library on my nightstand and am currently (still) reading Shiver. (It's good but I keep picking up the remote when I lay down in bed, instead of my book.) I'm listening to What Happened to the Bennetts on audiobook.

I'm driving to and from Florida next week, so my hope is to listen to quite a bit of my book, and then some, since I have approximately 8 audiobooks on hold.

[thatgolfb]

Apr 6, 2022 9:19:14 GMT -6 Minerva said:

So far this month, I’ve read AC’s And Then There We’re None (good, but not my favorite AC) and The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (3.5 stars). I’m currently devouring Death on the Nile with plans to watch the films once I’ve finished. So far, I’m loving it!

I read this book last month for the same reason, and I haven’t watched yet!