April may not have been my strongest reading month—I read 14 books, one less than March and once again missed my ambitious 20-book goal—but honestly? It was still a really good month of reading.

I found some incredible fantasy novels, emotionally haunting stories, cozy reads, and even finally crossed a few long-awaited books off my TBR. There were definitely a couple misses, but overall, April gave me some genuinely memorable reads and a lot to obsess over.

So let’s get into everything I read this month 📖✨

A Thousand Perfect Lies

This was a pleasant surprise. This is an academic mystery where one Billie has to infiltrate a boarding school to discover who framed her sister for murder and then tried to kill her, sending her into a coma. I loved the building tension within the novel and the way the character dynamics grew.

Between These Broken Hearts

This was such a strong conclusion to the series. What really stood out to me was Jaslyn’s character development and the emotional journey she undergoes throughout the novel. Watching her confront her trauma, accept herself as fae, and ultimately take control of her own destiny made her incredibly compelling. Both Jaslyn and Felicity go through powerful arcs centered around healing, self-worth, and learning to love themselves. The ticking-clock plot also added a constant sense of urgency that kept the tension high and made the story hard to put down.

The Poisons We Drink

This was a difficult read for me because while I appreciated the novel’s exploration of systemic racism and social injustice, I struggled to connect with the main character. Venus often came across as self-righteous and emotionally distant, which made it hard for me to fully invest in her journey. The themes and commentary were strong, but the disconnect with the protagonist made the overall experience less immersive for me.

The Verdant Cage

This started slowly, but wow did it pull me in by the end. The atmosphere reminded me of The Village mixed with The Grace Year, which immediately gave the story an unsettling edge. As the tension continued to build, I became completely hooked, and that ending genuinely shocked me. The final twist completely changed everything and immediately had me searching to see if a sequel had been announced because I need answers.

Three Shattered Souls

This was honestly amazing. One of the best things about this series is how each installment improves upon the last. The stakes continue to rise, the world expands naturally, and the story evolves in meaningful ways. What really keeps the tension high is the fact that no character feels safe, which makes every loss hit harder emotionally. That ending was heartbreaking, bittersweet, and incredibly satisfying all at once.

A Sea of Unspoken Things

Adrienne Young continues to prove why she’s one of my favorite atmospheric writers. Her prose is lyrical and haunting, and she creates such a strong sense of place and tension throughout the novel. I loved the mystery woven into the story and the slow-building unease that lingered from beginning to end. It completely pulled me in and never let go.

A Lady for a Duke

This book was such a beautiful surprise and an absolute delight to read. The story follows a trans woman living openly as herself after being presumed dead in battle, and the emotional depth of the novel was genuinely moving. I loved the romance and reconnection between the characters, but I especially appreciated how the story explored identity, acceptance, PTSD, and the struggles faced by the transgender community. It was heartfelt, thoughtful, and deeply romantic without losing sight of its emotional core.

Leviathan Wakes

I’m so happy I finally read this because it absolutely lived up to the hype. While the novel starts slowly, the pacing feels intentional and carefully constructed to build the world and tension. Miller’s noir-inspired storyline gave the novel such a unique atmosphere, and the growing horror elements surrounding the protomolecule were genuinely unsettling. The characters were compelling, morally complicated, and sometimes downright awful in the best way possible. This was science fiction at its finest.

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter

This was the definition of cozy fantasy perfection. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to curl up on the couch with tea and disappear into its world for hours. I adored the slow-burn romance between Agnes and Havelock, especially because their personalities balanced each other so well—his chaos against her orderliness created such a fun dynamic. The wholesome atmosphere mixed with that fantastic plot twist near the end made this one such an enjoyable read.

River of Spirits

This became our nightly family read, though I’ll admit there were definitely moments where I read ahead because I was so invested. As a fan of Greek mythology, I loved the underworld adventure and the fresh spin the novel brought to familiar mythology. The emotional themes surrounding grief and memory were especially powerful as an adult reader. The idea that the people we lose live on through our memories gave the story so much heart. Also, my son would like it officially noted that the book desperately needed a map of the underworld.

Baptism of Fire

I finally realized what’s been holding me back from fully loving this part of The Witcher series: there are simply too many side quests. Don’t get me wrong, I love side quests in video games, but when reading, I found myself constantly wanting the story to return to Geralt and Ciri’s main narrative. That’s probably why I connected more strongly with the earlier short story collections—they fully embraced the episodic structure instead of balancing it against a larger ongoing storyline.

Sibylline

I specifically read this book because of the controversy surrounding it online, and honestly? The internet massively exaggerated the situation. The infamous scene people describe as necrophilia simply isn’t presented that way in context. The character involved is revived before any sexual interaction begins, and the emotional setup between all three characters had already been heavily established throughout the story. As a survivor myself, I expected to be deeply uncomfortable, but instead I found the discourse around the book far more shocking than the actual content itself.

The Last Starborn Seer

This was such a strong epic fantasy with immersive worldbuilding and compelling character dynamics. I really enjoyed following Leilani’s journey and watching her come into her power, though I will admit that as she gained confidence, she occasionally became harder to like. At the same time, her distrust and secrecy made sense given how isolated and mistreated she had been throughout her life. Even when her decisions frustrated me, they still felt emotionally grounded. Overall, this was a very solid fantasy novel, and I’m excited to continue the series.

Cardcaptor Sakura Collector’s Edition Vol. 7

I will always have such a soft spot for Cardcaptor Sakura. Revisiting it as an adult definitely makes some of the more questionable elements stand out more than they did when I was younger, but the charm, heart, and relationships still hold up so well. I especially love Sakura’s relationships with her friends and her brother, which continue to give the series so much warmth and emotional sincerity.

Even though I read one less book than March, I still had an amazing reading month overall. There were so many memorable stories this month, and honestly? I’m okay with quality over quantity.

Now let’s see if May is finally the month I hit 20 books…
(Probably not, but optimism is free.)

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