April 2023 Reading Wrap-up

Hello readers,

This wrap-up is coming at you a little later than I would have liked but this week has been very busy and as I read a lot in April for the Orilium Spring Equinox Readathon, there are many books to write about. I read 13 books in April, 3 of which were for work.

Here are the 10 books I read for pleasure:

• The Writer’s Map edited by Huw Lewis-Jones

This beautiful coffee table book was a joy to read through. It’s a collection of essays on maps and literature. As always with collections, I enjoyed some essays more than others but I found all of them interesting. The best thing about this book is obviously the gorgeous maps on every page. I gave this book 4.5 stars and it fulfilled the Inscription prompt.

• Muscle by Alan Trotter

This book was nothing like I’ve ever read before. This story is told from the point of view of a gangster and is reminiscent of a noir story but with a humorous tone. I struggled to connect to the characters and the story was just a little too weird for me. If you like peculiar stories with even stranger characters, you should definitely try this one. It just wasn’t for me. I gave it 3 stars and it fulfilled the Demonology prompt.

• Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller

I have wanted to try Claire Fuller for a while and I finally did. Unsettled Ground is the story of two 50 year-old siblings dealing with the loss of their mother who they both still lived with. I enjoyed this novel and Claire Fuller’s writing but it didn’t blow me away. I gave it 4 stars and it fulfilled the Elemental Studies prompt.

• The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

Ruth Ozeki is also an author I’d wanted to read for a while. I found The Book of Form and Emptiness did a lot of interesting things and had beautiful reflections. I just thought it was a little too long and didn’t need to be. I gave this book 4 stars and you can read my full review here. This novel fulfilled the Alchemy prompt.

• Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson

For the Lore prompt, I decided to continue on with Book 2 of the second Mistborn trilogy. I enjoyed this one a little more than the first which is great for a middle book. It was less cringy on the romance side which I very much appreciated. I gave this novel 4 stars.

• Walking in Berlin by Franz Hessel

I bought this book in Berlin when I visited in November 2019 and I finally got around to it. In Walking in Berlin, Franz Hessel recounts his walks around Berlin in the 1920s. Unfortunately, I didn’t get along with this book at all. I would probably have enjoyed it more if I knew Berlin better but I was mostly bored throughout. I gave it 2.5 stars and it fulfilled the Animal Studies prompt. I’m planning on unhauling this book and I will definitely be sad to see this beautiful cover go.

• The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

I am continuing on with my Agatha Christie journey and I’m pleased to report that I very much enjoyed The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Review to come very soon so keep your eyes peeled. This novel fulfilled the Art of Illusion prompt.

• Graduates in Wonderland by Jessica Pan and Rachele Dappelke-Dale

For the Artificery prompt, I read Graduates in Wonderland. This is a memoir of two friends sharing the emails they exchanged while they were studying abroad. This book was actually a gift from one of my closest friends who I did my masters in London with. She said this book reminded her of our experience and I completely agree. I love epistolary books as I tend to fly through them and this one was no exception. I gave it four stars.

• Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden

I had very high expectations for this novel which is told from the point of view of Death and of a young man called Wolf. Unfortunately, it fell short. Although I found Salena Godden’s writing absolutely gorgeous (she’s a poet and her writing is very lyrical), I found the variety in narration and the numerous tangents didn’t always work. I gave this novel 3.5 stars and it fulfilled the Shapeshifting prompt.

• A l’ouest rien de nouveau (All Quiet on the Western Front) by Erich Maria Remarque

The last book I completed in April was this WWI novel telling the story of a young German soldier. As with most war novels, this was a difficult read but there were also some sweet and funny moments. I enjoyed the way Erich Maria Remarque talks about the friendships strengthened by adversity and his reflections on the pointlessness and unfairness of war. I gave this book 4 stars and it fulfilled the Astronomy prompt.

No new favourites this month but I got through a lot of books, including a few from my 23 books in 2023 list. I was able to clear some space on my shelves for the impending move and I’m on track to become an apprentice Beast Master for the readathon. I find that if I add time pressure to my reading, I tend to enjoy books less and I think it may have happened in April. I’m taking it easier in May.

Did you have a good reading month?

COMING NEXT on Pow’s Book Nook: my review of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie.

Until then, bonne lecture.

Pow.

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