Everything I read in April
my best reading month so far
Happy almost May! Seeing as I started a new book last night and have zero intentions to finish it by tomorrow, you’re getting the low-down on what I read in April a day early. Woohoo!
If you read March’s Everything I read post then you know that I having been feeling stuck in my reading routine. I chalk it up to equal parts seasonal depression and burn-out from reading too many books a month. In April, I wanted to slow things down—give myself a break from audiobooks and to pursue other hobbies or honestly just sit and be.
The result? I personally think I had my best reading month of the year so far and the slowest (two books in this round-up were ‘fringe’ books—aka I read the bulk of them in March but finished on April 2-3rd—which I never know how to feel about).
One of the books out of this bunch is *the best* book I’ve read all year! Get your favorite bevvy ☕️ and let’s dive into the booktalk.
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker | Literary Mystery | Loved it!
A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each. All the Colors took the book world by storm last year, and I understand why. It’s a sweeping story that follows multiple decades, where our protagonist’s deal with the emotional fall-out of the unsettling serial-killer-kidnapping that plagued their small town.
And what I loved most about this story wasn’t necessarily the mystery (although equally captivating) but the themes woven within of friendship, coming-of-age, found-family, grief, and obsession. All wrapped in such lyrical prose that I ate up. This is a chunky one (600+ pages) but with extremely short chapters that you can fly through, and the audio was fantastic.
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy | Literary Mystery | Loved it!
A family on a remote island. A mysterious woman washed ashore. A rising storm on the horizon.
If there is one book you prioritize and read from this round-up, let it be Wild Dark Shore. The setting, the characters, the mystery all had my full attention. A climate crisis drives the plot forward and has you questioning what is most important to you as the world around begins to burn—what do you save? Who do you leave behind? Who are you in the face of that crisis? These are just a few questions that McConaghy has you, the reader, debating throughout. A cautionary tale about the effects of climate change that is action packed and at times, extremely dark, yet hauntingly beautiful, too.
The Sirens by Emilia Hart | Magical Realism | Really, really, liked
A breathtaking tale of female resilience, The Sirens is an extraordinary novel that captures the sheer power of sisterhood and the indefinable magic of the sea.
Weyward by Hart was one of my favorite books two years ago, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her sophomore novel. The Sirens weaves together three different timelines that span many, many generations. A mystery unfolds with the back drop of a seaside village known for the men that go missing on it’s shore. It hooked me immediately. Bonus: I didn’t guess the twist (I love when that happens) and enjoyed how the suspense built switching between the POVs dropping little breadcrumbs along the way. I found the storyline very compelling and unique with just a hint of magical realism sprinkled throughout.
Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano | Cozy Mystery | I liked it okay
Finlay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet . . . but at least there's not a body in her backyard just in her neighbor’s, Mrs. Haggerty’s.
The fifth book in the Finlay series picks up where the fourth one left off. It seems that every other book in this series I feel somewhat meh about. I didn’t hate it, but I fear we’re losing the plot and keeping the series going for the sake of it. This one felt slower than the others, and towards the end I had a quip with how something got resolved as quickly as it did.
The fourth book to me felt like the perfect place to end the series (IYKYK), but new obstacles keep being introduced. With that being said, I still love Finlay and Vero and think their antics are hilarious. These are great books for light, easy reading with a good amount of laughs.
Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping by Jesse Q Sutanto | Cozy Mystery | I liked it okay
Vera Wong is back and as meddlesome as ever just waiting for the next dead person to wind up on her doorstep.
This one started off so strong! Vera being Vera—meddling, winning everyone over with her cooking, and somehow getting herself in the middle of another crime (exactly what she wanted). There were moments that had me cackling, especially whenever Vera and Winifred were together. Yet as the book progressed, and so did the info dumping, it took me out of the main storyline. Ultimately, I overlooked the pacing, because Vera is so endearing and the way she brings people together warms my heart. I did prefer the first one and would highly recommend this series on audio!
And those are the books I read in April! Did you have a favorite read this month?? Let us know in the comments, I always love hearing what others are reading!
If you like what you read then please do share, like or drop a comment with. I appreciate it so much and it really helps me out!
XO,
MacKenzie
Wild Dark Shore was such a ride!!
What a good month, Mackenzie! I feel like those first three all definitely fit into a vibe and isn't that the best when you get on a streak of reading books you love?