I’m starting April with seven (7) books left in the Black Dagger catch up so I think I’ve done pretty good! Note – that seven doesn’t include the two new ones that I have my name down for at the library since they have not come in.
Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey – Book one is the A Vine Mess series. I’ve really liked this author’s books that I’ve read so far but I think this one might be my least favorite. The spice was definitely less but there wasn’t even really a conflict; more glossed over mental illness crisis. I will definitely be reading the next book – which is the sister of the male MC but I can’t help but hope for a certain landscaper to get a book later too? 3/5
The Ship of Dead by Rick Riordan (audio) – Book three is the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series. Third book, third narrator. This is probably my biggest issue – each narrator spoke differently and had different accents so it was harder to remain in the story. Overall my second favorite of Riordan’s series though. 3/5
9 From the Nine Worlds by Rick Riordan (audio) – Oh look, more new narrators. SIGH. This is exactly what the title says, nine tales from the nine realms, it was just ok. 3/5
Mister Impossible by Maggie Stiefvater – Book two in the Dreamer series. I started and stopped this one multiple times. Not because of the story – more because I wasn’t in the mood at the time. I know there was a big reveal that I saw coming – but overall this story is full of action. I still miss Gansey and Blue though. Also, Declan is growing on me. 4/5
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (audio/physical book) – Book one in the Scholomance series. I tried to start this one on audio in the past but I struggled with the narrator so I moved to reading the physical book but then I moved back to the audio because these chapters are massive. Nothing deters me from reading more when I don’t have a good stopping place. This book dragged on for the first 1/2 at least but the story definitely picked up which was a surprise. I think the best comparison I could give would be if Harry Potter and The Magicians met up and competed in The Hunger Games. I’ll definitely be continuing with the series. 4/5
The Jackal by J. R. Ward – Book one in the Black Dagger Prison Camp series. I made it to another series in this world! For this one I looked up the characters on the wiki page before starting and went in reading thinking I wouldn’t like it very much. While I did like the story overall I was NOT a fan of the female lead. Bless her heart, she knows nothing of an underground prison but she is fully confident she can go at it alone and still get out? WOW. The male lead was gentle in nature (for the most part) but I wish he wouldn’t have hinted at his past and more just come out and said things. Also, I would have liked a bit more backstory on the deaths of the people who did this to him because I was angry on his behalf. 3/5
A Warm Heart in Winter by J. R. Ward – Book 18.5 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. This one follows Qhuinn/Blay, a family that we learn who they are a bit later in the book, and Zsadist who is working through some things. This is a tough one for me because I was really excited and it just didn’t meet my expectations. Though I haven’t been Qhuinn’s biggest fan in the last few books, I loved his initial book with Blay and it was one of my favorites. Same goes with Zsadist but they never bring him back. I wish he’d be involved more in the series and his part of this book was a bit of a let down. While he worked through some things they didn’t involve his family as much as others in past books. The ending was a bit hokey but still good. There would have been so much potential there though for another family to be set up if a few things would have changed just a little. 3/5
Lover Unveiled by J. R. Ward (audio) – Book 19 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. 19?! WOW. I feel like I’ve been reading these books for so long now, I’m glad that I’m almost caught up and will just have to continue with new releases. Unfortunately we are back with Davina being a larger plot point again – she came back for a bit before but not to this level. BLAH. The Immortal series was the worst to me so I’m worried I will lose steam to finish up the series if this storyline is a long one. Also? This book was practically clean which is not the norm for this series – though that was more then norm for the other series. I’m glad we are getting more brothers but I see Butch yet again has page time. SIGH. 3/5
Claimed by J. R. Ward (audio)- Book one (another new series!) of the Lair of the Wolven series. I’m closing in on this reread/catchup, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! Unfortunately this book was off for me – though it’s in the world and the secondary “story” was about Xhex it felt completely different and not a part of the world but forced into it. The female MC was a complete moron, she never learned anything – just walked through life with blinders on and thinking that people won’t resort to horrible things just because she can’t or won’t. Not everyone is a boy/girl scout. This woman is the definition of privilege thinking she’s above the police and can demand them to leave murder scenes? I hope we don’t have many books in this series if this is the way it will go. 80% in and we barely saw what the “issue” was – and what I thought was the entire point of the story – wolven people – was barely on one or two pages right at the end. I almost gave this a two but since I did finish I’ll rank it up to a three. 3/5
The Wolf by J.R. Ward (audio) – Book two in the Black Dagger Prison Camp series. We are more than 20 books in this world – I think we can lay off the recaps about Darius building the house for everyone. And the cultural references are just silly at this point but I don’t know – maybe I’m just reading too many back to back. Maybe once I’m caught up and only reading 1-2 a year these things won’t seem as frustrating. Why are we still on Butch and Vishous? Ward is playing favorites and unfortunately her favorites seem to be the two I hate the most. I can see where some others say Rio and Lucan are secondary in their own book. Overall it was ok but a bit of a let down. 3/5
Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Ruper Holmes (audio) – I first picked this up as a physical book but this was another font/didn’t like the chapter set-up so I had to switch to audio. This was a quirky book with a quirky author (he wrote the Pina Colada Song!) I enjoyed it though it was a slow start, the ending was darkly funny though. 4/5
The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell – Book one in the Deviant Kings series. I can see the Katee Robert comparison – but the story side of this series was much more detailed. There was more of a plot than I would have thought. I’m not too excited to read the rest, more because I didn’t like the ending on this one but I will at least try to continue. 3/5
Dolly Parton, Songwriter by Dolly Parton (audio) – I just love Dolly. It was great to hear her discuss her songs. 4/5
The Aftermath: The Last Days of the Baby Boom and the Future of Power in America by Philip Bump (audio) – So much information that I 100% agree on. Boomers are going to ruin everything on their way out. If I had a dollar for everytime the narrator said “In the print edition of this book” I’d be rich and wouldn’t need to stress about boomers and the ever changing economy. 4/5
Little Thieves by Margaret Owen (audio ) – Book one in the Little Thieves series. I don’t know, it was weird that we have the villain starting out in her villain era. Though she was mistreated to begin with I’m a big believer that it doesn’t give you the right to hurt others, I just didn’t see how I was going to feel sorry or care about her. The story itself was good but it took way too long to even like the MC. There were almost no good people in the whole story. Storyline wise I think book two has the potential to improve my opinion of Vanja so bottom line it was a good book. 4/5
Weyward by Emilia Hart (audio) – I’m not sure where I originally saw this book but I’d ordered a fancy UK copy so it was a while back. I wasn’t in a rush to move this to the top of my TBR but after seeing a tiktok where someone was raving about it I decided to listen to the audio. WOW. How is this a debut? This was at times a hard read but a wonderful one at the same time. Ms Hart will be a auto buy/read author from the jump. Check triggers warnings on this one though. 5/5
Wake Up With Purpose!: What I’ve Learned in My First Hundred Years by Sister Jean – A cute book about a cute sister. She is a sister though so there it is heavy on religious ideas. 3/5
End of April verdict? I’m at 80 books this year! If I can keep at the rate I’m going (highly unlikely, LOL) I’d be on track to read 240 books this year. I’m still not making a huge dent in books at home yet but I am completing series’ so I’ll take that win. I mean I’m down to four Black Dagger books and that INCLUDES the two new ones!
What about you guys? What did you read this month?
Gone Pecan 