April: What I Read

2017 Reading Challenge for April

I was reading, and then someone invaded my space in the cutes possible way.

It's getting really hard for me to read 10 books a month to meet my Goodreads goal.  The last 3 I read this month were all really skinny, and I picked them because they're really skinny, which is a bad way to choose a book.  So bad, in fact, that it's a CULTURAL TRUISM to not judge a book by its cover.  I think I am just, um, over extended.

But!  Read 10 books I did, and some of them were EXCELLENT.

10 Spring Reads for April:

(maybe you can skip this one)

10.  The Index Card: Why Personal Finance Doesn't Have to be Complicated by Helaine Olan and Harold Pollack:  Look, I need to get my budgeting shit together, but I can't guarantee that this is going to be the book that does it for me., KWIM?

(these were pretty good, and you should think about them)

9.  The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher:  Fisher was a delightful writer, but I think the sad, sad timing of this one is what makes it really stand out.  

8.  The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines: I was prepared to hate this because I am always afraid to peer too far under the surface of iFixer Upper because I know I am going to find ideology I can't live with and have to stop watching, but you guys!  This book is charming and delightful and completely on-brand.

7.  Night Ocean by Paul La Farge:  Listen, all of the reviews say this is magical, and maybe I was just not paying enough attention, but for me, it was just meh.

(I love these because I am a fan anyway)

6.  The King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard:  OH MY GOODNESS!  I have been waiting a YEAR for the next installment of the Red Queen series, so you bet your bottom dollar (I really wanted to say your ass and stopped myself because it sounded so vulgar, but there you have it), I was going to love this book, even though is dragged for, um, say like 300 pages.  But still, the end was fab, and this is a series that would be an excellent waste of your time and I mean that in the best possible way.

5. Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner:  Lisa Gardner thrillers (The Detective DD Warren series, specifically) saved my life when I had postpartum insomnia when Harry was 4 months old and I thought I would never sleep again.  As a rule, her books are smart and engaging and scary and really easy to read.  This one is not the very best of the bunch, but I am a sucker for a news Lisa Gardener, so.

4.  Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay: YES.  THIS BOOK.  YES.  I pretty much love all of her stuff, so I knew I would like this, but I bet you will, too.  She talks about herself, about pop culture, and about what's wrong with contemporary feminism and how we fix it.  Loved it.

(get these RIGHT NOW)

3.  Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson:  This book is perfectly spare and lovely-- not one extra word in the whole thing.  And you can probably read it in one sitting, which is a huge bonus in my book.

2.  The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak:  I am not usually a huge fan of male authors or protagonists, but this book is WONDERFUL.  It;s set in the 80s and is about 14 year-old kids who are video game designers-- it's a perfect little coming-of-age story.

1.  Our Short History by Lauren Grodstein:  I cannot describe this book to you without making you think it is maudlin, but it is NOT maudlin, so follow the link and then buy this book or get it from your library right now.  It's terrific.

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