April Recap

~ Beth (Reading Every Night)

April has ended up being a bit of a so-so month for me. I didn’t read as many books as I’d hoped and didn’t post as many reviews as I planned, but I kept blogging throughout the month so I’m going to class April as a success, at least when it comes to blogging. Here’s hoping now we’re in May I can get things back on track.

Monthly Recaps - This Month

Books I Reviewed

April Recap '17, #1

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

This was one of my most anticipated releases for this year, and not only was it everything I hoped it would be it was so much more. Strange the Dreamer is easily a favourite read of 2017 for me.

Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza

Unfortunately this one wasn’t what I hope it would be. While the plot was fast-paced and the world-building was intricate the characters weren’t well developed, which really let the story down.

The Ship Beyond Time by Heidi Heilig

Again this book wasn’t what I hoped it would be. It was a great story but the ending was left too open, it makes me think there’s another book due to be released but I know that isn’t the case.

The Mortal Instruments Series

I finally got around to re-reading the first half of the Mortal Instruments series this month, and while City of Bones wasn’t as good as I remembered City of Ashes and City of Glass were each a lot better.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig

I don’t read many mystery books, but I’d heard great things about Last Seen Leaving and couldn’t resist. Luckily I enjoyed it as much as everyone else did, and was kept guessing right until the end.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

All I can say for this book is the hype is real. The Hate U Give is such an important book, using Starr and Khalil to tell a powerful story. It was incredibly well written and is a book I highly recommend.

Top Ten Tuesday

Must Have Merchandise for Every Harry Potter Fan

Top Ten of the Most Unique Books I’ve Read

Top Ten Things that Will Make Me Instantly Want to Read a Book

Top Ten Things that Will Make Me Instantly Not Want to Read a Book

Waiting on Wednesday

Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser

Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody

Standalone Sunday

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven

Monthly Recaps - Book Haul

I’d say this is an average haul for a month, I didn’t overspend but didn’t under-spend either. Ideally this is the kind of haul I’d like to have each month. Unfortunately I just can’t control my spending when it comes to books. Still I always have some amazing books to show for it, even if I end up with no money left in my bank account.

April Recap '17, #2

Waterstones

Amazon

April Recap '17, #3

Fairy Loot

Monthly Recaps - Last Month

I’ll admit that because of the way this month has gone I don’t have a TBR list for next month. I’m not approaching a book slump or anything, I’m just at the stage of my mood reading mood where I have no idea what I want to read until something catches my eye. The only book I know I’m definitely going to read is…

A Court of Wings and Ruin

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s manoeuvrings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords—and hunt for allies in unexpected places. 

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.

So at the moment my May seems kind of empty, but I’m playing around with an idea for a new feature on my blog and also playing around with the idea of getting some re-reads read and reviewed. Really May is going to be a month where anything could happen.

56 thoughts on “April Recap”

  1. I’m sorry to hear you didn’t read/review as many books as you’d hoped in April! But your blogging has been on point haha, so that is definitely a success. 😊 I am SO excited for Strange the Dreamer, I’m hoping I can read it this month! As for your haul, good for you on having a mostly-balanced month! I’ve heard great things about Geekerella and Defy the Stars, can’t wait to read those. Have you read Hunted yet? I don’t think you have, (if you did curse my terrible memory) so I hope you enjoy it! ❤ You know I’m kind of a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings…! Speaking of B&B retellings, I’m so not ready for ACOWAR haha. I’m debating whether or not I should reread the first two books? 🤔 But either way I can’t wait to see what you think of it! Hope you have a great May, Beth! 💞

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    1. Yeah, I think overall it was an OK month for me. I ended up enjoying most of the books I picked up which is always the most important part right? And thanks Analee, that’s great to hear. 🙂
      I hope you manage to get to it this month then, and yeah I’ve heard some good things about Geekerella too. I’m looking forwards to getting started one it myself.
      Yeah I finished Hunted last week I think, it was definitely a great book in my opinion.
      Oh I’ve already finished ACOWAR! 😀 I was not ready for that book at all. I still don’t think I’m ready for it even now I’ve finished!
      Thanks Analee, I hope you have a brilliant May as well. 🙂 ❤

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      1. Oh yes, it’s a good thing you enjoyed most of them!
        Oh that’s great! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, that makes me so excited to read it.
        Oh my gosh Beth I will never be able to keep up with your reading skills! 🙌😍 That is amazing ahhhh I take it you loved it?! 😉 Oh I’m so nervous now haha. Not ready for the feels!

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      2. That’s what I aim for most months, then again I do tend to love most books I pick up so I guess it’s an easily achievable goal for me! 😀
        Yes I really enjoyed it, I’m hoping to have my review up next week because still needs to be written. 🙂
        Yes definitely amazing, pretty much everything I wanted from the finale from that series! 😀 ❤

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    1. Thanks so much Lauren. I’d highly recommend THUG, it’s such an amazing book and I really hope you’ll enjoy it too. Same with The Girl from Everywhere.
      Ahh, see try as hard as I may to resist I just can’t when it comes to book! 😀 ❤

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  3. looks like you had a quality reading month Beth! THUG was so powerful, that alone made my start of teh reading year. i am still asking the universe for some time to read Strange the Dreamer w/out falling too behind on upcoming reviews lol. I really would liek to re-read TMI at some point (maybe next year lol) although if I”m being honest, TID are my fave books from the Shadowhunter world. I think you did great with book buying as well lol, you p/u some that I read & loved but still need to purchase myself (Hunted & Defy the Stars). You have me curious about your May, happy reading! ❤

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    1. Thanks so much Lilly. Yeah overall I think I had a good month, and I enjoyed all the books I picked up as well which is always a plus. I definitely agree about THUG, it was one of my favourite books of this month, same with Strange the Dreamer so hopefully you manage to get around to it soon.
      I have plans to start TID next, and I’ve been hearing that from loads of people so I’m excited to get started! 😀
      Thanks so much Lilly, happy reading to you too! 🙂 ❤

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  4. It looks like you read a lot of wonderful books in April! I’m glad to see that you loved Strange the Dreamer 😀 I absolutely loved it myself and it’s just so nice that it lived up to expectations. I’m sorry City of Bones wasn’t as good as you remember but at least the following installments were an improvement. I’ll be checking out your reviews for those ones a little later this week! I was thinking of buying Empress of a Thousand Skies during the festival but I’ve heard a bit too often that the characters are a little lacking. But if the world-building is adequate, I think I might still give it a try. And what a great haul. I’d love to see what you think of Hunted! I bought that one myself this month but I think I might be getting to it next month. And I hope you’re enjoying ACOWAR. I haven’t started it just yet, but I’m planning to this week, probably by tomorrow. I really hope it lives up to all the hype! And I hope you have another successful month in May! 🙂 ❤

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    1. Thanks so much Azia, I enjoyed everything I read in April which is always a plus I think. My expectations were high for Strange the Dreamer, I think everyone’s were, so I’m really glad that one lived up to the hype.
      Yeah it’s a shame but I’ve heard so many amazing things about the series I can’t wait to get started on the next ones. Hopefully soon. 🙂
      If you’re reading Empress of a Thousand Skies for the world building it’s well worth picking up, if you’re reading it for the characters I’d say give it a miss. Still hopefully you’ll enjoy this one a little more than I did either way.
      Oh Hunted was really good, and so is ACOWAR too. I’m about three quarters of the way through now and it’s just amazing. I really hope you enjoy both Azia.
      Thanks so much, and I hope your May is successful as well! 😀 ❤

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      1. Well, I think I can live through the characters if the world is amazing in Empress of A Thousand Skies. Hopefully the second book improves upon its characters so that the story is strengthened by two important storytelling elements 🙂
        And yay! Looking forward to the both of them. I’ll be starting ACOWAR later tonight so that should be fun. I’ll probably finish it by tomorrow night if I’m being honest with myself LOL 😀

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      2. In that case I’d recommend giving that book a try when you have a chance. The world building was really good, so was the plot, it was just let down by the characters. Yeah here’s hoping book two is better!
        I’ll be finished ACOWAR tomorrow as well, probably in the morning on my commute to work! 😀

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  5. Even though April was more of a so-so month for you it seems like you read a lot of great books, Beth! Well, minus Empress of a Thousand Skies. It still sucks that that one ended up not really working out in the character department. Especially since I know you said it had some great world building. And this months FairyLoot! I’m jealous of everyone who is subscribed because of that TBS bag. That quote is my favorite Warden quote! I actually have a background on my phone that I made just for that quote. I even have the whole scene memorized due to my rereading from the beginning of the year 🙈. I so wish there was a way that I could buy one of those bags. Anyway! I can’t wait to see your thoughts on ACOWAR. I have a feeling that book is going to be one we’re going to discuss as much as we have TSR and the Shades of Magic books. I’m not prepared for the ending. I hope you have a fantastic May! And I can’t wait to see whatever new feature you’re working on. 😁♥

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    1. Yeah looking back I think I am happy with the books I read this month, I enjoyed them all for the most part which is the important thing. 🙂 Empress of a Thousand Skies was a disappointment, but in the grand scheme of things it wasn’t a terrible story, just not what I’d hoped it would be.
      Oh the second I saw there was going to be a TBS item in this month’s Fairy Loot box I knew I had to have it.
      I’m already like three quarters of the way through this book and so far it is amazing. I can already tell this is going to be a five star read for me because it’s just brilliant. What do you think of it so far? I’m not prepared for the ending either actually.
      Thanks so much Melissa, and I hope you have a brilliant May as well! 😀 ❤

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      1. Definitely, the important thing! And here’s to hoping the sequel for Empress of a Thousand Skies is better. 😊
        I saw where they announced there would be a TBS item too and then proceeded to wish that international shipping didn’t cost so much. If only! One day I’ll give in and subscribe to FairyLoot, one day lol. Especially since there almost always seems to be a candle.
        I am loving it so far! Beyond loving it. I honestly think it might blow ACOMAF out of the water completely for me. Which, I know you’ve finished it now. Did it blow ACOMAF out of the water for you? I have around 30% left so I should be finished by Sunday if not tomorrow. And I can already feel the reading slump coming on. I don’t even know what I want to read next or if I want to read anything. I might just reread ACOTAR and ACOMAF and that is the first signs of a slump. 😅
        You’re welcome, Beth!! 😊♥

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      2. Yeah here’s to. 🙂
        And again yeah shipping can be expensive coming to the UK as well but in the end it’s more than worth it. There has not yet been a box I haven’t loved so if you do end up subscribing I’m sure you’ll feel the same! 😀
        It completely blows ACOMAF out the water for me, there’s so much happening I’m not sure where to begin reviewing it. Ohh, here’s hoping the reading slump isn’t seriously bad, I know you’ve still got to get around to Lord of Shadows! 😀 ❤

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      3. It did the same for me! Although, ACOMAF will always be my favorite for obvious reason as I’ve reread it more times than I can count. But ACOWAR was just WOW. Surprisingly I wrote my review in a few hours right after I finished it. I had a hard time though because so much is revealed that I felt like going into too much detail would give something away. I didn’t want to do a spoiler review since I’m adding my playlists to it, you know?
        And so far no slump. We’ll see what happens whenever I’m done rereading and try to read something else though. 😂

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      4. ACOMAF was definitely amazing! And yeah I can see why it was your favourite. I almost feel with everything that happened in ACOWAR the second book was the lighter one where everything was, for the most part, happy. Not to say I didn’t love ACOWAR though! 😀
        I’ll be checking out your review soon, I’m really really excited to see what you think of it! 😀 Mine will be posted tomorrow likely, I have it written and saved in my drafts so just need to press the publish button! 😀

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      5. I agree! In a way, ACOMAF was definitely the happier of the two which given that that one also had some heartbreaking moments says something about ACOWAR. But ACOWAR was way more intense! I feel like the intensity is what amped up the emotions.
        YAY! I can’t wait to see your thoughts on it too. 😁♥

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  7. Ohhh I love the idea of knowing anything could happen in May ahha this is exciting 🙂 I hope you’ll enjoy your reads this month and I’m eager to know how you feel about Geekerella – I heard only great things about this book so far! 🙂

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    1. Yeah I guess it was, and I enjoyed most of the books I picked up with is always the most important thing in my mind. 🙂 Book buying is always going to be a problem for us I think, and enjoyable problem though! 😀
      Thanks Donna. 🙂 ❤

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  10. I’d DEFINITELY classify April as a success for you (a mega success if it was my wrap-up too hahah). I like how you NEVER have ugly books. Like… every time you wrap-up, all I see is pwwwetty books hahahah 😀 I also like that you don’t have a “list” for your May TBR. I like the “surprise” factor (which is why I always prefer just mentioning that ONE book I’m sure I’ll read next in my May TBRs hahah)! Looking forward to your reviews and hope you have a wonderful month of May, Beth!! 😉

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    1. Yeah looking back I think in terms of books and blogging April can be called a success as well! 😀
      Ha I tend to be very influenced by covers when it comes to the books I buy. I like pretty things and I want as many pretty books as possible on my bookshelves.
      I think I want to get back to the surprise factor. I feel a little bit like I’m coming up to a book reading slump so I’m hoping maybe only setting myself one book to read this month will help. The downfalls of being a mood reader right?
      Thanks so much Lashaan, I hope you have a great May too. 🙂

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    1. Thanks so much May, I love taking photos of my books and these are always easy ones to do! 😀 It’s definitely an amazing book, best read of the year so far. Ohh, pink hair would probably look awesome, I say do it if you want to! 😀
      Yeah I think it was actually, here’s hoping next month is the same. 🙂

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  12. Thug and Strange are such standouts I LOVED them and the covers for both are amazingly beautiful *heart eyes forever* Argh I wish I could get fairyloot it always impresses me but international is too much 😦 Still I can live through everyone else and their unbozings instead.

    Hope you have an awesome May, I’m planning on picking up acowar as soon as I finish acomaf, I’m scared and excited CANT WAIT XD

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    1. They’re probably my two favourite books I read this month, and Strange the Dreamer is in the running for my favourite book of the year as well. Oh the shipping is expensive, but kind of worth it at the end of the day so if you ever do manage to get a box it will be money well spent I think.
      Thanks, I hope you have a great May as well. I’ll be starting ACOWAR tomorrow and I am so so so excited! 😀 ❤

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  13. I’m still unsure about my feelings on The Girl From Everywhere, so I don’t think I’ll read The Ship Beyond Time. I think TGFE could easily be a standalone novel, and everything was wrapped up perfectly to me, so I don’t feel any need to read another installment.

    I’ve heard that ACOWAR has some really homophobic and aphobic parts, so I’m not sure I’ll be picking it up (though it looks good). In May, I’m looking forward to The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich and Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh ❤ Ahhhh, I hope you enjoy Hunted! I read it earlier this month, and I really enjoyed the writing style. In terms of book hauls, I recently acquired Durarara!!, Vol. 6 by Ryohgo Narita and Mexico City Blues by Jack Kerouac.

    Ellie | On the Other Side of Reality

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    1. I liked The Girl From Everywhere, and actually now I’ve read The Ship Beyond Time I agree it ties everything up quite well. Better than the second book did at least and that was supposed to be the last one. :/
      Oh I hadn’t heard about that, now you’ve mentioned it I’ll probably be more aware if I do come across them but I’ve loved the whole series so I’m hoping it’s still a good ending to the series.
      The Love Interest is on my highly anticipated releases list as well, and I really hope you enjoy Flame in the Mist as well. I agree Hunted was really good, I’m going to be writing my review for it tonight, and sounds like a great haul for you as well! 😀 ❤

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  14. Looks like a good reading month! I feel you, my May is very empty too. I’m still reading It by Stephen King. It’s taking me forever to read it I swear I’m never going to finish it. When I finally finish it I just want to read small books.

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  15. Ah, I still need to read Strange the Dreamer! 🙈 But I definitely agree with you about Empress of a Thousand Skies and THUG! I’m also super excited for ACOWAR! It’ll be our first finale from SJM, and I’m hoping it’s good! 😍

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    1. Oh Strange the Dreamer is a brilliant book, in my opinion, so I really hope you enjoy it as well Mikaela. Yeah Empress of a Thousand Skies wasn’t so good but THUG was beyond amazing. Kind of made up for it and ended this month on a high note.
      Oh yes, we have no idea what to expect from SJM when it comes to finales. I feel like it’s going to be some kind of heartbreaking either way though. 🙂

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      1. Yes, I know! Can’t tell if ACOWAR is going to be a happy ending or if it’s going to be bittersweet, and I feel like someone is going to die, to be honest. BUT I’M SO EXCITED. 😂

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    1. Well in my opinion Strange the Dreamer is Laini Taylor’s best book, but her Daughter of Smoke and Bone series is pretty amazing as well. 🙂
      I wasn’t sure what to expect from Strange the Dreamer either, but it ended up being better than anything I could have ever imagined! 😀

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  17. I also really loved Strange the Dreamer and The Hate U Give. I was worried that THUG couldn’t possibly live up to the enormous hype but it blew even my high expectations out of the water!

    I love the set up of your post too, it looks really beautiful! Have a great May!

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    1. Strange the Dreamer was amazing, more than worth the wait for its release! I felt the same way about THUG, I thought I knew what the book would be about and how it would make me feel but it blew me out of the water as well.
      Thanks so much, I hope you have a great May as well! 😀

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  18. Oh my goodness I read The Hate U Give last month as well and absolutely loved it! It was so relevant and very controversial but I think that more people should read it to get a better understanding of the life of black americans.

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