April Reading Re-Cap

I definitely got hit with a reading slump this month, somewhat because I was busy with work stuff and social life stuff and didn't have a lot of solo reading time, and also because I didn't know what to read to start off the month. I also came to the realization that I don't want to make TBR lists anymore (I may do a post about this), and instead want to let my reading list develop organically based on my mood, what holds came in at the library, and what books I get in my subscription boxes. I think this will help me make my reading life more fun and easy, instead of feeling like I'm falling behind if I'm not reading books on my TBR list right away. Now, onto what I read in April!

Literary Fiction

  

It was Roxane Gay month for me in April, apparently, and I read An Untamed State, her debut novel, as well as Difficult Women, which is her most recent collection of short stories. I read Bad Feminist last year and really enjoyed her writing, so I knew I had to read more from her. If you've never picked up one of her books before, I highly recommend them. Her writing has a lot of presence and even though she addresses uncomfortable scenarios and subjects, I cannot put her books down. They demand your attention and I think they are must-reads. 

Mystery

I feel so proud of myself for not just reading one book in a series and then stopping! I'm really terrible at finishing a series, but I was happy to pick up the second Veronica Speedwell mystery by Deanna Raybourn. Like the first, this was another fun historical romp with Veronica and her assistant/friend Stoker. Stoker, who wears an eyepatch and is a taxidermist but also a historian and really hot, is my favorite character. I did feel this book threw in way too many Victorian cliches and there was an instance of Veronica dressing up like a Chinese servant that made me cringe, but overall I enjoyed the book and spending more time with these characters.
 
Sci-Fi/Fantasy

       

These were probably my favorite read of the month. I read Home, the second in Nnedi Okorafor's Binti series, and I finally picked up the first two books from Anne Bishops's the Others series. I don't know why I hadn't read these books sooner! They were so good! I don't know why but I like a lot of mundane details in my urban fantasy, and these books both delivered on that, as well as a unique world, compelling characters, funny dialog, and a good dose of action to mix up the daily activities of Meg Corbyn, an escaped blood prophet, hiding out in a town of vampires, shifters, and other supernatural beings known as the terra indiginae. Basically it reads like a smalltown romance but with really unique urban fantasy elements. I'm reading the third book in May as it just came in at the library.

Young Adult

     

 

The two YA books I read this month are very different, and I enjoyed both of them in different ways. The Skin I'm In is one of those kind of classic coming of age books that I think every teen should read and adults that work with teens should read. The main character, Maleeka, has a very real voice and the book deals with issues of identity, interpersonal relationships, and just what it's like to grow up as a girl. The Falconer, meanwhile, is a steampunk-ish historical fantasy about a 18-year-old girl named Aileana who hunts faeries in Victorian Scotland. It was pretty good, but I would have liked more world building and more backstory about the characters. The dialog was really funny, though, and the author did a great job balancing action and drama with humor. I was a bit annoyed with the ending, but I don't want to give too much away!


What I'm Reading Now...

     

The Cold Eye by Laura Anne Gilman is the second book in her Devil's West series. The books feature a young woman protagonist who becomes the left hand of the Devil, patrolling his territories and encountering mysterious evils. It's like a supernatural folk tale with Western vibes, and I really enjoyed the first book so I was happy to pick this one up. I'm almost done reading A Talent for Trickery by Alissa Johnson, which will count towards my Historical Romance Reading Challenge. This book features an ex-thief heroine, Charlotte, and a private investigator who needs her help to solve coded letters left behind at several crimes, one of which was the murder of someone that Charlotte knew since childhood. It has a lot of witty banter back and forth and I like the heroine, plus the hero is strong but not a alphahole. The ebook is a great deal if you are looking for a historical romance that isn't between two nobles! 

As you can see, I'm getting rid of the obligation have a TBR for May. I'm going to just read what I have checked out from the library and a few books I own that will apply to some of my reading changes. I want more flexibility out of my reading life and to not feel like I need to force myself to read something that I'm not in the mood for. So here's to a fun, non-comittal reading month in May!

Happy Reading!