Books I Read - April 2020

April wasn't a fantastic reading month for me. I had a harder time finding books I was in the mood for. I did manage to read my minimum goal (10 books) and did have quite a few five star reads though. 

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I've been reading the illustrated edition of this aloud to the kids for awhile now and we finished it in April. I will always love Harry Potter and it was really fun to share it with Ashtyn. She was shocked by that plot twist at the end and wanted to give the book "one hundred stars". On a side note, she has a Goodreads account now where she reviews books after she reads them, you can follow her here if you want. 

DNF: Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn 

I got about a third of the way through, but was feeling very bored. I looked at reviews to see if it might get better, but from the reviews, I decided to leave it. 

2. Creating Character Arcs by KM Weiland  

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a well done book outlining the three different types of characters arcs and how to execute on them in your book. I found the sections on flat and negative character arcs the most helpful. 

3. The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was in a bit of a reading slump, so I decided to turn to my reread for the month. This book is brilliant! It's funny, interesting, and so inspiring. 

4. Caroline: Little House Revisited by Sarah Miller  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is an historical fiction, looking at the events of Little House on the Prairie from the perspective of Caroline (the mother). This was my favorite read of the month! I loved the way it portrayed motherhood and I was so inspired by the way Caroline faced each new challenge with faith and courage. 

DNF: Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks 

I got about halfway through this collection of short stories by reading one story a day, but I missed a couple days and had a hard time picking it up again. The stories themselves weren't boring exactly, they just weren't interesting to me either. There was also an excess of swearing and sexual references, which I didn't appreciate. 

5. The Fantastic Four by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I've been reading some different comic books this year and really enjoyed this one! It had a light hearted feel that I really appreciated. I loved how off the wall some of the stuff was. There were parts of the plot that felt contrived, but overall, I had a lot of fun reading this. 

6. The Stars we Steal by Alexa Donne  ⭐⭐⭐

I follow Alexa Donne on YouTube and love her channel. I enjoyed this Persuasion (by Jane Austen) retelling set in space, but did have some problems with it. 

The world building was my favorite part. The space aspect was fun and I loved the political intrigue that was weaved throughout the plot. 

I had a harder time with our main character. She was a very agreeable personality and often just let people have their way, even if she didn't really want to. That was annoying to read (though well written for a character like that). A lot of the tension in the book came from her lack of communication, which is a trope that I personally don't like. 

The other thing that bothered me with the book came from the way it portrayed social injustice. It introduced a big social disparity--one section of society living it up while the other was literally starving to death. Our main character talked a big talk, about how unfair that was and how they needed to change that, but she never actually did anything at all to help anyone besides herself. The end of the book, we find her lounging with her friends in luxury and I had to wonder, what had ever happened to those poor, starving people? It made the whole plot line feel shallow and left me with a sour taste in my mouth in regards to the main character. 

7. Hope in the Mail by Wendelin Van Draanen  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the author of Flipped, one of my favorite books. I have read a couple other books by her and loved them as well. This, though, is my new favorite! It was her musings on writing and life, a nonfiction book that made me laugh, left me encouraged as a writer, and wanting to be a better person. Wendelin Van Draanen is a true inspiration to me! 

8. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was another read aloud with the kids and they loved it. After each section highlighting what happens to each child, we would watch the Oompa Loompa song from the movie on YouTube, which the kids loved as well. This is a fun, off the wall read, perfect for children and adults alike. 

9. An Echo of Things to Come by James Islington  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the second in the Licanius series and I actually liked this one more than the first. I am very invested in the characters and plot and can't wait to finish the series. If you enjoy Brandon Sanderson, this series has a very similar feel (I would say slightly more violent and with slightly less mind blowing endings). 

10. The Stolen Kingdom by Bethany Atazadeh  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I also follow Bethany on YouTube and love her channel. This Aladdin retelling with a unique twist on the Jinni magic was a fun read! 

I really enjoyed the unique world building and the way that changed the plot. The plot was fast paced and I loved characters and their interactions together. My favorite character was Gideon, the Jinni we meet. 

I did feel that there were parts of the plot that came out of nowhere for me, or felt a little awkward. I think they needed more/better foreshadowing. Despite that, I had a lot of fun reading this and can't wait to read the next book! 

What did you read in April? What was your favorite read?