What I Read in April!

I can’t quite believe how quickly April has gone. I am even more surprised with how many books I have read this month! I have read 9 books throughout April and I cannot quite believe it! Here is what I read in April!

Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman

“Rumi Seto spends a lot of time worrying. What to eat, where to go, who to love. But one thing she is sure of she wants to spend her life writing music with her younger sister, Lea. Then Lea dies in a car accident, and Rumi is sent to live with her aunt in Hawaii. Now, miles from home, Rumi struggles to navigate the loss of her sister, feeling abandoned by her mother, and the aching absence of music. With the help of the “boys next door” teenage surfer Kai, who doesn’t take anything too seriously, and old George Watanabe, who succumbed to grief years ago Rumi seeks her way back to music, to write the song she and Lea never had the chance to finish.”

In short, what a book! I loved this book and couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. Rumi’s story is heart-breaking, heartwarming and beautiful and deserves to be read by everyone. Also Mr Watanabe is a gift to the YA world! I had a lot of thoughts about this book, so I wrote a full length review that you can find here.

★★★★

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Super Sons: The Polarshield Project by Ridley Pearson

“Jon Kent and Ian Wayne are opposites in every way except one–they are the sons of the World’s Greatest Heroes, Superman and Batman! To uncover a global conspiracy, this unlikely duo will need to learn to trust each other and work together to save the Earth. But who is the mysterious Candace, and what secrets does she hold that could be the key to everything?”

 I went into to reading this knowing nothing at all about the story or even the characters and finished it with a smile on my face! Although I am more of a Marvel fan I always enjoy reading into the DC world every so often. This was exactly that. Although I don’t think I will be purchasing anymore books in this series I enjoyed it.

★★★

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For Every One by Jason Reynolds

“For Every One is just that: for every one. For every one person. For every one dream. But especially for every one kid. The kids who dream of being better than they are. Kids who dream of doing more than they almost dare to dream. Kids who are like Jason Reynolds, a self-professed dreamer. Jason does not claim to know how to make dreams come true; he has, in fact, been fighting on the front line of his own battle to make his own dreams a reality. He expected to make it when he was sixteen. Then eighteen. Then twenty-five. Now, some of those expectations have been realised.”

I don’t actually own this book but my friend Lauren does and she is currently passing this book around to be read and annotated. This book is excellent, a fabulous quick read that I loved annotating. I came out of it feeling a lot better about where I am in my life and where I am heading. Well worth the read!

★★★★★

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Last Bus to Everland by Sophie Cameron

“Brody Fair feels like nobody gets him: not his overworked parents, not his genius older brother, and definitely not the girls in the projects set on making his life miserable. Then he meets Nico, an art student who takes Brody to Everland, a “knock-off Narnia” that opens its door at 11:21pm each Thursday for Nico and his band of present-day misfits and miscreants.”

This book isn’t actually out till the 16th May but I had the opportunity to read it early. This book deserves the world! I loved this book so much and couldn’t put it down. It tackles hardhitting topics whilst being filled with fun heartwarming moments. This is one of those books that you will not want to end. I cannot wait for this to be out in the world and I will be posting a full review near release date!

★★★★★

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Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

This is book 3 in the series so I have included the synopsis for the first book! “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Josh.”

This series holds such a special place in my heart and I could reread it over and over again. I actually listened to the audiobook as the last book rather than read it physically and I love the narration of the story via the audiobooks. I will certainly be reading this book series again soon!

★★★★★

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Release by Patrick Ness

“Inspired by Mrs Dalloway and Judy Blume’s Forever, Release is one day in the life of Adam Thorn, 17. It’s a big day. Things go wrong. It’s intense, and all the while, weirdness approaches…

Adam Thorn is having what will turn out to be the most unsettling, difficult day of his life, with relationships fracturing, a harrowing incident at work, and a showdown between this gay teen and his preacher father that changes everything. It’s a day of confrontation, running, sex, love, heartbreak, and maybe, just maybe, hope. He won’t come out of it unchanged.”

I listened to this book via audiobook rather than reading it physically and I really feel like it added to my overall reading experience. I had tried to listen to previous Patrick Ness books in the past via audiobook and wasn’t a fan. Release is an excellent story and is beautifully written. I just didn’t quite understand the Queen and Fawn story line which is why I rated it lower.

★★★

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Beauty Sleep by Kathryn Evans

“Laura was dying. There was no cure for her illness. So her family decided to grasp a desperate last hope – Laura was frozen until she could be cured.

But what happens when you wake up one day and the world has moved on forty years? Your best friend is middle-aged, your parents presumed dead. Could you find a new place to belong? Could you build a new life – while solving the mystery of what happened to the old one?”

I could not put this book down! This sci-fi mystery is excellent and keeps you guessing right till the very end. Kathryn Evans has written a such a spectacular book. I am going to be writing a full review of this very soon!

★★★★

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The Taste of Blue Light by Lydia Ruffles

“These are the things Lux knows:
She is an artist. 
She is lucky. 
She is broken.

These are the things she doesn’t know:
What happened over the summer.
Why she ended up in hospital.
Why her memories are etched in red.”

I listened to this audiobook within the space of 2 days. I was a huge fan of the audiobook narration. I did enjoy the story but towards the end of the book it lost its appeal for me. I’m glad I did listen to this audiobook though! A interesting story overall

★★★

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The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

“Tiffy’s been dumped by her cheating boyfriend and urgently needs a new flat. But earning minimum wage at a quirky publishing house means that her choices are limited in London.

Leon, a palliative care nurse, is more concerned with other people’s welfare than his own. Along with working night shifts looking after the terminally ill, his sole focus is on raising money to fight his brother’s unfair imprisonment.

Leon has a flat that he only uses 9 to 5. Tiffy works 9 to 5 and needs a place to sleep. The solution to their problems? To share a bed of course…”

After hearing a lot of people talk about this book and learning that Carrie Hope Fletcher narrates part of the audiobook I knew I had to give it a listen! It is such a fun, heartwarming and sweet book to read especially if you are in need of a pick-me-up! I’m glad I picked this book up!

★★★★Those are all of the books I have read in April! It has surprisingly been an excellent reading month! What have you read this month? What are you going to be reading next month? Let me know in the comments!