Welcome to April's Reading Roundup, where I give a quick little summary and a few opinions on all the books I read this month!
As a quick little note, a title's inclusion on this list does not mean my endorsement. As always, you can find my review with content on Goodreads.(https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/170359201?ref=nav_profile_l)
The Light in Hidden Places | YA Historical | 5 stars
《One death, or thirteen Jews. It was a good trade.》
Based on the unpublished memoir of Stefania Podarska, The Light in Hidden Places is beautiful and tragic. Two sisters stand between thirteen Jews and death...
Incredible writing, incredible story, even more powerful because it's true.
100 Days of Sunlight | YA Contemporary | 3 stars
《I am drowning in reckless joy》
This was such a sweet book. I really loved Tessa and Weston, and the fact that she's a poet! Very cute and fluffy, but in a good way. Unfortunately, the frequent language kept me from rating it higher.
Avalon | Adult Fantasy | 3 stars
《It was Avalon as it had been once long ago...and would be again.》
Well, I finished the Pendragon Cycle. And I had hoped Avalon would be more interesting. Don't get me wrong- it was. But all the POVs that didn't belong to James or Embries got really tedious. Still, there's a final confrontation between Morgian and the good guys, and I did like Avalon overall- it just wasn't as gripping as it could have been.
Lovely War | YA Historical Fantasy | 5 stars
《Let me, too, always be with you.》
Oh, wow. Julie Berry's writing is simply incredible. Seriously. It got the 5 stars for the writing.
The plot device of having Greek gods narrate was really interesting and reminded me of The Book Thief. Hades' sections were probably my favorite- so heartbreaking and yet somehow hopeful.
I loved the characters and the music references. I'm not one that cries during books, but I was almost in tears twice.
The brutality of WWI is so real, but the true love that carries the characters through is so beautiful. Due to some content, Lovely War is recommended for mature teens and adults.
Sky of Seven Colors | YA Fantasy | 5 stars
《On my seventeenth birthday, I hiked into a forest and disappeared. It was Andrew's idea. The forest, not the disappearance.》
Absolutely stunning. Sky of Seven Colors is magical and beautiful and tragic. Color and loss and finding home all feature in this YA portal fantasy. I really loved the world building, and the story was solidly written. I definitely hope to read more from Rachelle Nelson!
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer | Classic | 2 stars
Maybe I would have enjoyed this more had I been ten or eleven...
The lack of a continuous plot was the first thing that annoyed me. Then there was Twain's casual disdain for religion and religious people.
The Looking-Glass Illusion | YA Fantasy | 5 stars
《However this ends, I will not cower before lies. So I rise from where I kneel. And seek the truth that waits ahead.》
I was so looking forward to this book after reading Wonderland Trials last year...and it did not disappoint! The illusions and games were so intriguing, and Wonderland's worldbuilding was a lot of fun. Plenty of plot twists kept me always second guessing what was going to happen next. Great book, Sara Ella!
An American Immigrant | Adult Contemporary | 5 stars
《Maybe the missteps that brought her here hadn't been missteps after all.》
This novel was well written and fascinating- heartbreaking and hopeful. Looking forward to see what else Johanna Rojas Vann will write!
The Shadow Queen | YA Fantasy | 2.5 stars
This did surprise me by being a 2.5 star read...CJ is a good writer, and so those stars were earned by the addictive and exciting nature of her writing. Character wise, the only character I really cared about died on p. 124. Plot wise, it wasn't anything super original- girl with magic teams up with slightly dark guy to reclaim her kingdom. Content wise, I wasn't a fan of Lorelai's (the hero's) magic looking an awful lot like Irina's (the villain).
The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry | MG Historical | 4 stars
One of my most anticipated reads of 2024, Lucy Landry did not disappoint! I loved the Anne of Green Gables feel to Lucy's character.
Great MG historical fiction. I can't wait for your next book, Anna Rose!!
The Summer We Forgot | YA Thriller | 4 stars
I'm not usually a contemporary thriller sort of girl...but The Summer We Forgot grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go. The psychological aspects added to the suspense, and the characters were amazingly written. Caroline George has now been added to my insta-read authors list (: Some content, though, makes this best for mature teens and adults.
Mistborn | Adult Fantasy | 4 stars
Other writers kept telling me to read Mistborn, so I did. The characters - Vin and Kelsier were favorites. Spook and Elend (Mr. I'm gonna read books at parties) were pretty great. And the twists! I suspected a few, but was still on the edge of my seat. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable book, and I definitely plan to read more of the Cosmere. Mistborn is rather violent in sections, though, so I wouldn't recommend it to younger teens or the faint of heart.
Wildwood | MG Fantasy | 2 stars
《How five crows managed to lift a twenty-pound baby boy into the air was beyond Prue, but that was certainly the least of her worries.》
A Narnia without an Aslan...
Wildwood had many of the same story ingredients as Narnia - children find another world, talking animals, sentient trees, a witch, one kid is a traitor, a stone table, etc. But Wildwood has no Aslan. Instead, nature rules. Prue goes to find the Mystics, but all they can do is ask nature. So I found Wildwood sad in that there was no greater hope for Prue, Curtis, and friends beyond the whims of nature.
"My dear Prue, we are the inheritors of a wonderful world, a beautiful world, full of life and mystery, goodness and pain. But likewise are we the children of an indifferent universe. We break our own hearts imposing our moral order on what is, by nature, a wide web of chaos. It is a hopeless task." -Iphigenia, p. 380
(Though, I must say that Septimus Rat was delightful).
Gallant | YA Fantasy | 2 stars
《Why should death stop us from living?》
Mixed feelings overall.
V.E. Schwab's writing is gorgeous, no doubt about that. I liked Olivia as a protagonist, and Matthew, Edgar, and Hannah were great characters. The setting and worldbuilding were amazing.
Basically, it's the general worldview that bothered me. There are mentions of God, but He's never appealed to as a higher power.
"She has never believed in higher powers, because if there were higher powers then they took her father and mother, they took her voice, they left her in Merilance with nothing but a book. But there are lower powers, stranger ones, and there in the dark, behind the door, she prays to them." -p. 213
And, yes, I have major issues with that line of thought.
If there had been more hope, I definitely would have rated Gallant higher. But the dismal worldview, the hopelessness of the Prior family, left me wishing for something more. A similar read with a more hopeful tone is the Realms of Light duology by Sandra Fernandez Rhoads.
The Only Girl in Town | YA Thriller | 3 stars
《I know before I know that everyone is gone》
What if you were the only one left?
The Only Girl in Town is a thrilling read that explores loss and grief, as told by an unreliable narrator.
July's view of death and the afterlife was pretty hopeless, but her story of loss was very poignant and well written.
Well, there's my reads for the month! I was hoping to finish up The Well of Ascension to review for y'all, but i suppose that will have to be next month.
Question for you! What books would you like to see me review?