April was another successful reading month. I read 11 books in total, many of which I received for free to review. It is also enjoyable for me to discover new books and authors, and I most definitely have a few good titles for you.

 

Soulless by Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate #1)

Read my full review HERE

I still cannot say enough about this book. I adore it, absolutely adore it! This is my new favorite series without a doubt.

 

 

 

 

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (Shades of Magic #1)

This book is another fantastic read. If you haven’t read it, you simply must do so. If you like Harry Potter, you will like this book. It’s one of the most original magic-based books I’ve read recently. The main character Kell is one of the few remaining people capable of traveling between the different dimensions of London. I was skeptical at first given this premise, but Schwab’s wonderful writing makes it work wonderfully. As a disclaimer, I do believe there is some language.

 

 

January Dreams by Carrigan Richards

Read my full review HERE

This book left me torn. It was wonderfully horrible. I couldn’t put it down nor shake my morbid curiosity. I will likely read the sequel.

 

 

 

Bitch Planet by Kelly Sue DeConnick

Albeit this is a comic, but it touches upon many modern social and gender issues. Set in a future where women’s rights have completely died, non-compliant women are imprisoned and sent to Bitch Planet. This comic is totally improper and delightful. Obviously, there is foul language, and nudity in addition. I don’t necessarily enjoy those aspects. But as a woman, I felt the themes and points were relevant and powerful.

 

The Glittering Court by  Richelle Mead

Read my full review HERE

Completely underserving of all the attention it received. If you want to read it, go borrow it from the library. It’s not that it was particularly bad, but it was overall, it was a bore.

 

 

 

The Proving by Ken Brosky

Read my full review HERE

An interesting and well done piece of science fiction. I enjoyed the characters and world building immensely. There were quite a few twist and turns that were unexpected as well. Brosky has a bright future ahead of him.

 

 

 

Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Read my full review HERE

I adored this novel. Truly it spoke to me in a way that no book has in quite sometime. It left my heart both sad and glad. If you’ve ever felt like you were strange or out of place or didn’t belong, which I’m sure all of us have, read this book. We can all glean something from its message.

 

 

Bonds by Marie Ann Cope

I could tell from the prologue that I wasn’t going to enjoy this book, and unfortunately, that seems to be the case. It wasn’t that the writing was bad or there was anything particularly wrong about the book. The story itself, however, felt tired and uninspired. Nothing about it was new, original, or challenging to me as a reader. We’ve heard this story a million times. Now a teenage girl between the ages of 12-14 might disagree with me. But as an adult who loves YA literature and fantasy, the writing did not appeal to my senses at all.

Overall, I’d describe the book as flat. Flat characters, flat world building, flat descriptions, and flat storyline.

Blood Magic by Ann Atkins

I’m sorry I just couldn’t. I always feel awful when I rate something this low, but the overwhelming amount of grammatical errors completely ruined the book for me and blinded me to any potential it might have. This will sound harsh, but it’s that kind of sloppiness that gives self-publishing a bad reputation. I’m all for supporting self publishers who take the time to make their work up to the caliber of edited work. I’m not saying the authoress should refrain from writing; I’m saying that if she continues, proofreaders would be a wise investment.

Furthermore, the above paragraph was my review on Goodreads. I thought it was quite apologetic and tactful, despite the many errors of the book. In return, I received an extremely uncouth and plain nasty message from the author that was ten fold more rude than anything I had written, even though she offered her work for review. I cannot support that kind of behavior. As a reviewer, it is my job to tell other readers my thoughts. If an author can’t take constructive criticism, then they shouldn’t be writing in my opinion.

Fire Girl: A Tale of Witches and Wolves by Andy Mulberry

Read my full review HERE

The story is a simple one but infused with humor and a subtle darkness. I was entertained from cover to cover. Andy Mulberry is fantastic writer, and I hope to work with her more in the future. She expressed interest in having me host a giveaway, so that may happen in the near future. In the meantime, if you could give her your love and support, that would be amazing!

 

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

What a fabulous steampunk novel! Based on World War I, we meet the Clankers, builders of great war machines, and the Beasties, breeders of genetically mutated, fantastical creatures capable of serving as airships. I loved the world that Westerfeld created. That was my favorite aspect of the story. He included illustrations in the physical copies, which helped create fantastic pictures. While my love of the characters was slow, by the end, I loved them immensely. Each had a definite character arc that allowed the readers to see them grow and developed. I can only see this series getting better and better.

 

What did you read in April? What book was your favorite? What do you plan to read this month? Comment below!

Just a reminder, darlings, tomorrow I am leaving for Florida. I will still try to have two other posts this week, just to keep the content going. I will likely put these on auto-post however and will try to enjoy my vacation while refraining from commenting or working too much. I’ll miss you though!

Thanks, darlings, and tootle loo!