Hi pals!! Ready to talk about what I read in April?! Another month has FLOWN by (why is it than January felt longer than February, March, and April combined?) and it’s time for another reading recap. This post contains affiliate links.
I really stepped up my quarantine reading game this month and I’m excited to have FIVE books to share with you this month! I also made a lot of quarantine book purchases (oops) and I’m sharing those with you as well! As always, if you’ve read anything noteworthy this month, please share it with me in the comments! Love talking books with you guys and I’m so glad you love hearing about what I’ve been reading.
This month, I have something new to share! I’ve made an affiliate account with Bookshop.org! (I still also have my Amazon shop page, if that’s where you prefer to get your books).
Bookshop is a great way to get books online while also supporting local bookstores. I HIGHLY encourage you to shop through Bookshop if you can. I have made two “shelves” on the site: my 2020 reads and some books that are on my TBR/books I’ve bought recently.
My 2020 Reading Goal update.
In case you’ve forgotten, my reading goal for 2020 is 52 books! I am still about 5 books behind. I thought I would be able to catch up this month but I’ve mostly just kept myself from falling behind even more. With all these romance reads, I’m hoping I can close that gap this month!
7. The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
5/5 stars.
WOW. This book. My friend Jess said this was one of her favorite romances and it did not disappoint. I absolutely loved the characters and thought they were so likable, realistic, and well written. I’m so glad I read this book when I did because the sequel, The Happy Ever After Playlist, came out in mid-April (DON’T read anything about the sequel unless you’ve read the first book)! I haven’t read the sequel yet but I’m working on it. Highly recommend this one. There are a few heavier themes throughout, but nothing that kept me from reading it during quarantine-times.
Find it on Goodreads. | Buy it here.
8. The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
3/5 stars.
This was BBBC’s April book pick along with the sequel that also came out in April titled Undercover Bromance. I loved this book’s concept and the fact that the main characters were all males and one of the main themes was trying to fight toxic masculinity. I thought the plot itself was so unique! However, the book was just ok for me. The writing was fine and I was entertained, but there were definitely some cringe-worthy/corny parts. A solid 3 stars in my book.
Find it on Goodreads. | Buy it here.
9. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
4/5 stars.
I read this book in one day! I also read The Dinner List in one day so I think that says something about Rebecca Serle as an author. She writes books that can be quickly and easily devoured. I enjoyed this book and how the characters and the storyline were SO incredibly realistic. Also, can we talk about the cover for a sec?! It’s incredibly gorgeous. Ryan even commented on how cool the cover looked. I would definitely recommend this one for a romance read during quarantine.
Find it on Goodreads. | Buy it here.
10. Beach Read by Emily Henry
4/5 stars.
Really enjoyed this April BOTM pick! Beach Read was absolutely not what I was expecting but I enjoyed it nonetheless. There were a lot more heavier themes that I was expecting from a book literally titled “beach read” but I would still totally recommend it. I think the biggest problem I have with it is the cover! Does not match the content of the book. But anyway… the setting and characters gave off a small-town vibe which I enjoyed. Be warned there was a lot more to the story than just the romance part! I would def recommend this story, but go into it with an open mind and remember it’s not just about a romance!
Find it on Goodreads. | Buy it here.
11. Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren
3/5 stars.
Since reading The Unhoneymooners (one of my fav books of 2019) I’ve been wanting to read more of Christina Lauren! This book was an absolutely fine romance. It had some fun twists and turns. I thought the ending felt a bit rushed/forced, but I liked the concept of the main character having such a big secret (she is the hidden daughter of one of the biggest movie stars in the world). Definitely not my fav romance and nowhere near the same level as The Unhoneymooners but I was entertained and didn’t regret reading any of it!
Find it on Goodreads. | Buy it here.
BAD B*TCH BOOK CLUB.
I joined an online book club in 2020 and I’m really excited about it! This book club is mostly virtual (depending on your city, there are in-person meetups as well) and books are chosen through a virtual vote. The Facebook group has over 2,000 members and the picks have been amazing so far. I’ve read all of the BBBC books so far this year.
May’s pick is The Stationery Shop. And they’re also holding a romance challenge which I’m participating in as well! I am really loving this book club format especially due to COVID. It encourages me to read something different each month that I may or may not have on my shelves already. I’m hoping to read some of the previous books from 2019 as well.
BOTM APRIL PICK(S).
I always get a ton of questions about which book I picked for my BOTM box so I decided to add it into my monthly reading round-ups! In May, I picked:
Happy & You Know It with Untamed and Writers & Lovers as add ons! I was struggling really hard with which book to pick. I was between Happy & You Know It and The Book of Longings. I definitely think The Book of Longings is one I’ll add on to my box next month! The premise sounds so interesting.
I’ve been a BOTM member since May 2017 and I love it! It’s the best book subscription box I’ve found. Every month, Book of the Month chooses five books and I get to pick the one I want. If none of the books appeal to you, you can skip! Credits roll over into the following month. (If you sign up with my referral link, we’ll both get a free book!)
Books I Bought in April.
Hooo boy. I bought a lot of books this month. Oops. I needed to get some more romance and I decided to participate in BBBC’s romance challenge so I bought the books I thought sounded the most interesting for that. I usually have a really hard time choosing what book to read next, so doing these reading challenges will definitely help me with that!
Currently reading.
I just finished reading Undercover Bromance today! I’m moving onto The Right Swipe for the BBBC Romance Challenge! We’re discussing the book over Zoom on Tuesday so hoping to finish it quickly! Let me know what you’re reading down below in the comments!
