April Reading Wrap-Up
A month in books! Overall conclusions and mini-reviews.
Reading is the one thing I love to do just as much as writing. So I’d love to use this page as a mini monthly reading journal, since I don’t often leave reviews in my book-tracking app, Storygraph (which is an excellent, non-Amazon alternative to GoodReads. Highly recommend). Here goes!
April was a bit of a strange reading month for me in that I read across many different genres, more so than usual. I’ve always been a mood reader, i.e., I can only read what I’m in the mood for, and can’t for the life of me stick to a set To-Be-Read list. My reading mood usually swings between anything speculative and (queer) romance, but I sprinkled in some nonfiction and literary/historical fiction this month as well. I’m quite happy with the variety, as it’s one of my goals to try to read more nonfiction this year.
So, without further ado, here’s the list in order of completion:
This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno (audio, 4 stars) - This was not at all what I expected it to be, but I enjoyed the ride! The marketing/reviews I’d seen had me expecting a horror story with an Alexa device as the main antagonist. What I got instead was an examination of death, grief, and identity (with an Alexa on the side). The writing itself was beautiful, and I definitely want to check out more from Gus Moreno! I recommend this to anyone who likes a grief allegory and weird horror. As with any book, but especially horror, check CW before you read!
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (audio, 3.75 stars) - This one had me super invested for the first two thirds, but lost me a bit after that. I struggled to get invested in the romance (which involved tropes I don’t personally like), and the magic system was a bit too soft for my personal taste. The role of language in the magic system was very fun, though! I’d recommend this to fans of easily digestible historical fantasy.
Nadie me verá llorar by Cristina Rivera Garza (physical, 3.5 stars) - I struggled a bit with this one, despite CRG being one of my favorite authors. It was mostly a case of me trying to devour it too quickly in my second language; I think on a second read I would get much more out of it. But as always with Rivera Garza, the language and descriptions were beautiful, vivid and engaging. Recommended to those who enjoy gritty historical fiction, commentary on gender, and a fluidly surreal writing style.
The Selected Works of Audre Lorde by Audre Lorde & edited by Roxanne Gay (physical, 5 stars) - This was amazing!! I found myself marking so many pages to come back to, and I’m kicking myself for taking so long to read Lorde’s work. This volume includes essays, speeches, and other prose in the first half, with selections of poetry in the second half. I found so many passages to be inspirational and deeply thought-provoking in regard to gender and race relations, solidarity between oppressed groups, and how to take action even when afraid. I recommend this to everyone, but especially those who are interested in reading about feminism, social/racial justice, and living in the face of any kind of adversity.
The Transgender Issue: Trans Justice is Justice for All by Shon Faye (audio, 4.5 stars) - Another nonfiction banger! This one includes an excellent analysis of the state of politics, social climate, and economic status of the trans community, particularly in the UK. Faye’s analyses of inter- and intra-community solidarity was one of the most valuable parts of this book for me. Only shaved off half a star because I was already familiar with a good portion of the information presented, though there were plenty of new ideas, theories, and stories I hadn’t heard of. Recommended for anyone interested in learning more about trans issues and the fight for trans justice; this book is very approachable for those who are new to the topic as well.
Las tres reinas by M.J. Vélez (audio, 3 stars) - I have mixed feelings about this one. It definitely held my attention and I found the plot intriguing, but some of the tropes that were used just aren’t my favorite, in particular the mystery surrounding the protagonist’s pregnancy. That said, the family dynamics were the most interesting aspect of this book for me, plus it was a very quick read! I recommend this for those who like a good family mystery.
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston (physical, 4.5 stars) - What a fun ride, I had so much fun reading this! Made me laugh, made me believe in love, all that good stuff a romance is supposed to do. Plus it’s such a fun premise! Amazing imagery, descriptions of food, and such lovely pining from one of our POV characters in particular. Only took off half a star for a small structural gripe: the first half is in one love interest’s POV and the second half is all in the other love interest’s POV. I wish there would have been more regular switching between them. I recommend this for anyone looking for a good romance romp!
Salón de belleza by Mario Bellatin (physical, 4 stars) - This was a re-read for me, but it’s been a few years and my Spanish has improved to a point where I felt like I’d get much more out of it on a second read. And I was right! It’s such an interesting examination of disease, marginalization and its intersections, and the connection of these ideas with the body. Plus a morally questionable narrator (my fave). Highly recommend, especially since it’s such a quick read.
This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi (audio, 3.5-4 stars) - I went with a nice romantasy to finish out the month. This was my first book by Mafi, and while it wasn’t my favorite, I did like it enough to start the second book in the trilogy. It’s very character-driven, with more time dedicated to their inner worlds than to action. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it was very notable in this book. The dialogue was also extremely formal, which I found amusing at times. My one complaint is that it was a little insta-love in my opinion, which isn’t my favorite. That said, I do recommend this for anyone who likes character-driven romantasy.
And there we have it! I’d say I did more reading than writing this month, but that always happens when I get to finals season with my students. I already feel the writing bug returning as we head into spring/summer, which makes me excited to see what May has in store.