April was a very weird reading month for me. Almost all of the books I read were from the library, and the majority were YA and graphic novels. The main reason for this was Dewey’s; I got into the spirit of the Readathon early and sort of jumped on the idea of reading a bunch of shorter books quickly instead of the longer, slower reads I’m typically drawn to.
The fact that I failed hard at reading my own books in April just emphasizes the necessity of the #SmashYourStack challenge for me in May. I’m excited to make up lost ground during that and Bout of Books. So here are my stats for April:
Total books read: 12 (although one was technically a short story, but I had it in my Kindle as a standalone ebook)
Library books: 8
Graphic novels: 3
#readmyowndamnbooks: 2 (embarassingly low)
Audiobooks: 1
Ebooks: 2
Read Harder challenge tasks completed: 4
✓ 11. Read a book under 100 pages
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
✓ 17. Read a non-superhero comic that debuted in the past three years
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
✓ 22. Read a food memoir
Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson
Here’s what I read in April, ranked from best to worst:
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys – 5 stars: Gorgeous, lush prose and a crucial re-interpretation of a classic.
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire – 4.25 stars: Unique and intriguing concept that I’d love to read a lot more about.
A History of Glitter and Blood – 4 stars: Unconventional YA that I’m excited to post a longer review about soon.
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson – 4 stars: Adorable, hilarious, and absorbing take on fantasy and superhero tropes.
Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell – 4 stars: Cute and wonderfully nerdy short story centered around Star Wars hype.
Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop – 3 stars: Latest installment in a series whose concept I love, even if the books themselves tend to leave me a bit underwhelmed since the great debut.
Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson – 3 stars: In-depth memoir of a fascinating chef, although the writing could get a bit repetitive.
Indexing: Reflections by Seanan McGuire – 3 stars: Sequel to an entertaining modern take on fairy tales that delved into the main characters’ backstory more but lost some of the action.
Through the Woods by Emily Carroll – 3 stars: Beautifully illustrated graphic novel that lacked a bit in actual story.
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman – 3 stars: Classic and disturbing short story that I wanted to like more than I did.
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon – 2.5 stars: Fun writing style and a fast read, but the characters just didn’t act in believable ways.
Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham – 2 stars: Despite my love of fairy tale characters, this was just not very interesting.
And here are all the books I bought in April, because I have a sickness:
Yet another reason the #SmashYourStack challenge couldn’t come at a better time.
What did everyone read this month?
beachesandbooks 
And here are all the books! A bunch aren’t in the picture I took because I had to return them to the library, plus there were the audio/eboks.