April Wrap-Up + Currently Reading

If you've been around here for a while you know that I don't do monthly wrap-ups (or TBR's). Instead, I have my oh so fabulous Best In Books feature (kindly shared with me by Booktuber Hope Ortego). And, having read eight books in April, I read enough to justify a Best In Books post. But to be perfectly honest, I'm just too lazy to do it. LOL I was sitting here thinking about what reason to give for skipping Best In Books this month when I finally thought, oh forget it. I'm too lazy to do it today and I'm not ashamed to admit it. :) 

So with that said, welcome to my very brief April wrap-up. :) Because even without a Best In Books, I know you're still dying to know what I read all month, right? Right??? Even though there was no stand-out, 5 star read in April, it was still a good reading month with some stories and characters that pulled me right in.

ALEX, APPROXIMATELY - JENN BENNETT

4 STARS

For some reason, in my head I had kind of lumped this one in with Autoboyography by Christina Lauren. I was convinced I was going to love both and when Autoboyography was a resounding 5 star read, my expectations for Alex, Approximately sky-rocketed. So maybe it was my own expectations to blame. While this wasn't a 5 star read, I still totally enjoyed Bailey and Porter's story. They'd both dealt with trauma in the not-so-distant past and I loved the push/pull between them. (And Porter was pretty amazing.)

BITTERSWEET (TRUE NORTH #1) - SARINA BOWEN

4.25 STARS

Finally! I'd been wanting to start this series for so long. I adore Sarina Bowen and she did not disappoint. I was pulled right into Griff and Audrey's story from the very start and I loved how they came together. Bowen writes great characters and dialogue and I was lapping it up. Can't wait to pick up the next book in the series.

LICK (STAGE DIVE #1) - KYLIE SCOTT

3.5 STARS

This was a totally fun listening experience, helped by the fact that it was voiced by my favorite female narrator, Andi Arndt. I haven't read a lot of rock star romances, and this was a fun take on the (sub)genre. A rock star and a regular girl who meet and drunkenly get hitched in Vegas... and then try to get to know each other and blend their lives. What could go wrong, right? This was obviously nothing deep, but it was full of humor and both main characters were so likable. 

THE ONES WHO GOT AWAY - RONI LOREN

(THE ONES WHO GOT AWAY #1)

4 STARS

The synopsis of this one grabbed me: survivors of a school shooting who reunite 12 years later. Sadly a sign of our times, Loren really handled it well and showed the lasting effects on the characters while also delivering a wonderful romance. She managed to balance out the serious subject matter with the romance and it just worked. I was pulling for the main characters so hard - wanting the best life they could have without being weighed down by the past. This was a romance with some real depth and I was all in. 

JUNIPER SKIES (JUNIPER SERIES #3) - LORA RICHARDSON

4 STARS

I've sang the praises of this YA contemporary series to anyone would listen. According to Richardson this is probably the last in the Juniper series and I'm sorry to say goodbye to the small town and the people there. I loved Delphine and Abe's story - they both had pasts that very much shaped their present. I love characters who feel utterly believable and Richardson creates just that.

THE ONE YOU CAN'T FORGET - RONI LOREN

(THE ONES WHO GOT AWAY #2)

4 STARS

This second book in The Ones Who Got Away series comes out next month and once again I was struck by how well Loren blended the sobering after-effects of a horrific event with romance. There was an event near the end of this one that I did not see coming and it was so sobering and felt so completely real that I got choked up reading it. These are not light and fluffy romances, and the relationships don't come easy, but the stories are completely gripping. 

BURN FOR ME (HIDDEN LEGACY #1) - ILONA ANDREWS

3 STARS

This one just didn't really work for me. It was mostly the audio narration that killed it, but even beyond that I found characters not particularly likable or relatable and at times even cartoonish. In fact, the only character that was truly interesting was Mad Rogan but even that wasn't enough to carry the whole book. I found the narration poorly done and it was a constant distraction. (Just one example: Rogan was roughly 30 years old but sounded like an old man with a three-pack-a-day habit.) It's doubtful I'll continue the series.

REMEMBERING IVY - CLAIRE KINGSLEY

4 STARS

This one was such a pleasant surprise! I'd never heard of Kingsley before and was gifted this one by my friend Carol (Carol's Crazy Bookish World on Facebook). I totally fell for this super swoony story. William appears in Ivy's life, with seemingly no past of his own, and says his purpose is to protect her. I loved unraveling who William was, what led him to Ivy, and I was a total sucker for their romance.

CURRENTLY READING

     

I'm at about the 50% mark of Moonlight Seduction and really enjoying it. This is the second book in Jennifer L. Armentrout's de Vincent series and releases in late June. Each book focuses on one brother and I'm dying to get more of Gabe's story. Based on a bombshell that was dropped at the end of the first book I know something big but it's barely been covered yet. Gah! 

I listened to Lick, the first book in the Stage Dive series last month and enjoyed it enough to continue. Play is Mal's book and even though I'm only about 20% in I'm already loving his craziness and off the wall banter.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK IN APRIL?

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?