April 2022 Reading Wrap-Up

Between family visitors, overnight guests, a birthday party, and a brand new puppy, I was certain I wouldn’t have any time to read. Consider me pleasantly surprised. I ended up reading six books again this month. One literary fiction, one psychological thriller, a dystopian suspense, a coming of age story, one contemporary fiction, and a fantasy/sci-fi/magical realism story.

Here’s a quick wrap-up of all my April reads (click on the links for a more detailed review of each book).

My least favorite book of the month was Early Morning Riser, by Katherine Heiny. I just don’t love a character heavy story without a real arc and this one fell a little flat for me. I had trouble staying focused as I followed the main character over the span of two decades. Really well written, but not really my cup of tea. 3/5 stars.

The most realistic book I read this month was After I Do, by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I laughed. I cried. I shook my head in complete frustration. I thought the dialogue was genuine and the author’s take on the struggles in marriage was honest. I didn’t want this one to end. 5/5 stars.

One of the best psychological thrillers I’ve ever read was Rock, Paper, Scissors by Alice Feeney. Not enough words to describe how much I loved this one. I’m pretty critical of thrillers in general (even though they’re my favorite), and this one exceeded all of my expectations. Unreliable narrators. A twist within a twist that I just NEVER saw coming. I wish I could go back and read it again for the first time to really savor it all! What a wild ride! 5/5 stars.

The most terrifying book I read this month was The Grace Year, by Kim Liggett. This dystopian novel is obviously fictitious in every way, but I can almost see how it could maybe happen. Probably not at all, ever…but made me think! And it enraged me in every way imaginable. This YA novel is what you’d get if The Hunger Games, the Lord of the Flies, and The Handmaid’s Tale had a baby. 4/5 stars.

The most magical, yet thought provoking book I read this month was The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig. A cross between The Butterfly Effect and It’s a Wonderful Life. Full of fantasy and magical realism and a lot of character reflection. For me, this one lived up to the hype. I absolutely loved it. 5/5 stars.

My favorite book this month was Mary Jane, by Jessica Anyu Blau. It was just so wildly fantastic. A coming of age novel set in the 1970’s …two things I love in a book! I really enjoyed the characters in this story and found myself laughing out loud while simultaneously cringing. I did NOT want this one to end. This would be a perfect beach or poolside read! 4.8/5 stars.