April 2026 Reading Wrap Up

Better late than never (again)...

April was full of great reads!

Devour the Snake by Nikki St. Crowe - ★★★★★

Maybe I’m biased because of my love for Peter Pan retellings…but this book was amazing! I’m so in love with Roc and his character has so much depth in this book. I also loved how you could just feel for James and his imposter syndrome right from the start. You could just feel what the characters were feeling and I loved that.

Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon - ★★★★☆

This books is so cute and funny. I will say there wasn’t really any world building, but I suspect that is because the world building was done in the critical role campaigns. But I liked that it includes pieces of that world and makes a picture of the adventure that can be seen whether you’re familiar with it or not. I, personally, am not familiar with it except a city name or two and I still enjoyed it. And the characters are so lovable. I was just swooning over Oskar the whole time! If you’re a fan of swoony romance with mystical creatures, this books is for you! Whatever you’re familiar with critical role or not.

Things We Hide From The Light by Lucy Score - ★★★★★

This book had such a great portrayal of PTSD. It showed the struggles and stumbles along the path to healing and all the good that can be found on the other side. The romance between Lina and Nash was as fierce as it was tender, with their love claiming them from the start and only growing stronger with each encounter. Nash showed Lina how to open up and trust someone else in her life, while Lina showed Nash that there is more to life than just surviving. Together they found a new love for life that wasn't what they had been expecting. I loved the characters and the sub plot with Hugo was very interesting. Pieces of the puzzle that had been missing before came to light in very interesting and intertwined ways. It was an engaging and wild ride from the first page to the last.

The Deal by Elle Kennedy - ★★★★★

This is one of my new favorite books. I loved how the romance wasn't instantaneous and they started becoming friends first while fake dating. The character backgrounds were well done and the way the characters reacted to different situations were well done in line with their backstories. The romance was so sweet and progressed naturally. I loved everything about this book and I can't wait to continue the series and watch the show.

Mile High by Liz Tomforde - ★★★★☆

I loved the romance in this book but I had a hard time dealing with Zanders' ego at times. I liked the body type inclusivity and I loved that even though Stevie's confidence was building, she still had her bad days sometimes. This made the story feel real and not just like "oh I'm better now because of him." I was inspired by her growth and it was great to see Zanders grow along side her. I like stories like this where the characters have their own growth and they help each other grow on their own instead of the growth becoming dependent on each other. It was a good read and I am excited to continue the series.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt - ★★★★☆

This was a beautiful book about love, loss, and how it feels to no longer be lonely. The overall plot was interesting, even though some coincidences seemed a little bit farfetched. But overall I enjoyed the book and I love Marcellus! The ending was so sweet and warmed my heart.

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer - ★★★⯪☆

This book was a great continuation of the series. I loved the banter and the story was fun. The series is definitely a slow burn which is getting a little bit frustrating at this point since we have now finished book 2. It also felt like there weren't as many significant plot points in this book. But overall it was a fun read and I enjoyed it.

Don't Let the Forest In by CG Drews - ★★★★☆

If you're looking for a YA fantasy with just enough dark elements to make it spooky, this is for you. I am not a fan of horror books usually, but this one was more macabre than scary. I enjoyed the darker elements while also enjoying the plot. I think the characters were well done and the story was a good balance of mystery and romance. I loved the romance because it felt real and it didn't overshadow the story.

Crossed by Emily McIntire - DNF

I got to about 45% in the audiobook but I just don't like the priest trope...

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi - DNF

I got to about 20% in the audiobook but I just wasn't getting hooked into the story.

The Courage to be Disliked by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi - DNF

I got to about 24% in the audiobook. It was an interesting design where it is a student debating philosophy with a professor. This design didn't really work for me because instead of building on a premise, it shows conflicting views which got confusing. There was also a lot of jargon that was thrown in that I don't think was needed.

Overall Wrap Up