April in life and reading #Monthlywrapup
Hello Readers! I hope you all are well and had an amazing April. For me, April has been mostly a normal month. Usually, I write this post as soon as the month ends but I haven’t been around last 4-5 days as I wasn’t in the mood to write posts and me and my kid caught cold and I was just feeling lazy. I have to drag myself out of bed to write this post and all pending book reviews. So here is how my April life and reading have been –
Highlights of the month-
My kid’s school started for 15 days this month and at month end again she has summer vacation that started on the 29th and will last till June 7th, but for those 15 days, we have to adjust our sleeping cycle. Her school timings have been increased a little and we have to get up an hour earlier, that is at 6 in the morning. I’m a night owl and it’s not easy for me to wake up that early or sleep before 11 at night. First week I spent in a sleep-deprived haze and to make it hard my husband was away for those 15 days. As per the new post-COVID policy, he has to go to the office 10 days every month and his office is in another state (24 hrs by train) which was both good and bad for me.
While I liked having his help with things around the house and taking my kid out in the evening which gives me ‘me-time’, I have to say I enjoyed uninterrupted reading time when he was away, at least in the morning till noon when my kid was at school. I could finish most of my reading and writing blog by noon but for the rest of the days, I had lots of work. Thankfully my kid has been really nice when he was away and we had a pretty good routine until she caught summer fever. As soon as she felt better we both caught a cold on the last weekend of the month when my husband arrived and then that change in sleep routine caught up making me super tired and lazy. (now I have 3 reviews to write along with this post that I started writing this morning only)
April was blog birthday month. I didn’t want to write post at first but then I changed my mind.
I could read as much as last month and I enjoyed all books I read in April.
Reading Stats
Books Read – 7
Total Pages Read – 2218
Book Read in March
(Click on titles to read full review)
Murder in Melucha, second book in Meandering Magicians series, is entertaining and imaginative middle-grade fantasy mystery that takes Kalban and Meenakshi to Kalban’s home, Melucha. The best thing about the book is Melucha, its description, court and its rules, mystery, and the theme of human nature and many meaningful lines. I’m sure middle grade readers will enjoy this book. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Miracles for the Maharaja is an adventurous middle-grade fantasy and mystery in which Meenakshi and Kalban are at Kingdom of Pür where they have another mystery to solve. What I loved most is the banter between the characters, the legend of Pür, the demography and geography of Pür, knowing a little more about other territories and characters, and the theme of power and greed. I was pleased to see all my negative points for the previous books were ameliorated in this one making this straight 5 star read. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Widow’s Mite is a touching and emotive #contemporary that revolves around one of Maisie’s friends, Minie, who was known to be obsessed with living economically and frugally in first book, The Hoarder’s Widow, but no one could figure out why which is revealed in this story. This is a painful and heartwrenching bereavement journey of Minnie that tested her patience and hope. The author excellently presented layers of financial exploitations by fraud and scams under the bereavement services or investment companies for new widows or old people, trauma of hunger, misleading and misappropriation of will, and emotional and physical toll of long-suffering. I recommend this if you don’t mind slow pace. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Damsel is adventurous and entertaining YA dragon fantasy that is going to be a Netflix movie and I agree with all readers who said, this will make a much better movie. While I enjoyed the adventure and the chase between Eloide and the dragon and Eloide’s time in the cave, I didn’t like some of the things that made it okay read. ⭐⭐⭐
Her Lost Words is moving and beautifully written historical fiction on the lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter Mary Shelley. Their love of literature, zeal for language, radical feminist beliefs, and challenges they faced in their lives during the 18th and 19th centuries are genuinely inspiring. This was the best book I read this month. The middle part was little dragged and slow but that was a minor issue I overlooked while rating this fabulous historical fiction based on historical figures. What I loved most is snippets from the work of authors in this book – Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley, and Lord Byron. It was also interesting to read mentions of some well-known and some forgotten historical figures of the era. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Twisted Love is entertaining, dark and twisted steamy romance that follows Ava and Alex’s story who have opposite personalities, have deep and complex history, and never thought would fall for each other but they do when Josh – Alex’s best friend and Ava’s elder brother asks Alex to look after Ava while he is away for pre-med internship. What I loved most was the backstories of both characters and the suspense it created even though it wasn’t as surprising as I would have liked. While I didn’t like the steamy sex scene (too uncomfortable for my liking), I can’t deny how addictive this book was. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Change Your Habits, Change Your Life is non-fiction self-help book on habits and how they can make life better and easier in all areas. The author took a realistic and practical approach with real-life examples and experiences and has given doable exercises to incorporate habits in life. What makes this different is the author has talked about what are bad habits and if they are really bad or not and also how to break from the habit that is no longer serving the purpose in life but we still follow it as it has been ingrained in our life. I still need to write a review on this but I think I will rate this 4.
Best book of the Month
Best Character of the Month
Ava Chen in Twisted Love
Mary Shelley in Her Lost Words
Other Posts
My Read-bait Words in the Synopsis or Reviews
Blog Stats
Followers – 2191
Views – 7312
Visits – 5965
Likes – 301
Comments – 150
Plans for May
Nothing major. Posting and blog hopping will be irregular as my kid is at home for the whole month.
I will finish the Twisted series. It’s so addictive, it is making me put aside my planned TBR. So quickly I finish it the better. I’m sure buying other books by Ana Huang even though all the sex scenes are uncomfortable. I simply love her characters.
We didn’t get the house key in April as expected but we signed the house registration and everything so hopefully we will get it this month and start working on furniture. We seriously are so tired of our current rented house that we are ready to move to new house even without furniture.😪
Thank you for reading! Let’s chat..,
How was your April?
Have you read any of these books?
What are your plans for May?
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Books Teacup and Reviews
Hi, I'm Yesha, an Indian book blogger. Avid and eclectic reader who loves to read with a cup of tea. Not born reader but I don't think I’m going to stop reading books in this life. “You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
22 Comments
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Deborah S
Twisted Love SOUNDS AMAZING (thank you!) I can’t get enough romance reads right now but I am trying to stay away from fantasy/historical/or anything that feels super fake to me. A sexy novel doesn’t hurt either (lol). I just finished the first two books in the Midlife Romance series by Lisa Battalia (https://www.lisabattalia.com/). The main character Lori has dedicated her life to her family. Her career and dreams have all been put on hold to take care of her husband and children. So, what happens when after 20 years of marriage, her husband leaves? I feel like the author does a fantastic job writing about sexy grown-up characters that you can actually relate to. Lori reconnects with her old friend Brandon (the two have a bond that has remained even though they haven’t seen each other in a decade!) She plans an impromptu trip to visit him and CUE the steamy couldn’t-put-the-book-down-romance. However, I liked this book so much because it’s not just an easy reigniting of past love. They are both adults, with financial obligations, and children, and they can’t just run away and live happily ever after. I was rooting for them from start to finish. If you end up checking it out, I would love to know what you think!
Books Teacup and Reviews
If you don’t mind smut or explicit sex scene, I think you will like Twisted series. Midlife romance series sounds super interesting. You convinced me to add them to wish list. Thank you for sharing it.
Hooked By That Book
Good luck with all the new changes. Looks like it was a good reading month, hope May is just as good. I love Ana Huang and enjoyed her Twisted series. I’m on the Kings of Sin series now. Just as great. Hope you have a great week.
Books Teacup and Reviews
Thank you! I wish you great May as well. twisted series is addictive and I’m sure getting Kings of Sin series.
Eustacia | Eustea Reads
Love how your reading list is so diverse – especially in terms of genre! Sounds like the school’s timing doesn’t suit you – I hope you’ll get more rest when the summer vacation begins!
Books Teacup and Reviews
I like trying different even though gravitate towards fantasy and romance more. It keeps reading interesting and away from slump.
I got used to it after two weeks but now it’s summer vacation so I feel o have to set up routine again.
Carla
Your daughter’s school schedule is very strange, it would be hard to keep in a regular schedule. I’m glad you are both feeling better, summer colds are terrible. It looks like you did well reading and enjoyed what your read, always a win/win. I sure hope you get your keys to the new place soon, Yesha. The waiting would drive me crazy.
Books Teacup and Reviews
It’s how school schedules are here in India. Term end break in March. School starts in April (maybe for orientation or setting the calendar Or something) then summer vacation in May as summers are terrible here, without break kids might catch heat stroke. Then again starts in June till Diwali break in November. Back to normal in December until next term break in March.
Carla
I know weather will effect things. Enjoy your time together.
Books Teacup and Reviews
Yes it is crazy to wait but we can’t do much about it.
Lashaan Balasingam @ Roars and Echoes
I hope you guys get to move out and into the new place soon and that you and your kid feel better soon. I hope May is a good month for you! 😀
Books Teacup and Reviews
We feel much better. I hope so too. It’s tiring to wait now.
Bookstooge
You semi-joke about moving into the new place without furniture. I would recommend that line of action if your current place is causing problems. Blankets and pillows will do for just about everything, you know?
Books Teacup and Reviews
I wouldn’t mind that but carpenter and electrician will be working in the house and living with them working around would be uncomfortable and also noisy. It just 3 more months! I think I will survive rats, ants and cockroaches… problems in current house. I’m not violent towards insects but one of these days they’re testing my limits.
Teri Polen
Glad you and your daughter are feeling better, Yesha. And that’s a seriously long train ride for your husband – wow! Sure hope you get the keys to your new place soon.
Books Teacup and Reviews
Yes, we are hoping his visits don’t get too frequently after some time as the company previously had more relaxing policies due to which we shifted back to our hometown and bought the house. Let’s see how long he has to travel every month. Either he has to carry on or change the job which too might require traveling but lesser hrs.
Susy's Cozy World
Really sorry for the cold! I hope both you and you daughter will feel better soon!! 🤞
Books Teacup and Reviews
We feel much better now. Thanks, Susy!
Tessa Pulyer
April was full of challenges, wasn’t it? I hope May is a lot calmer and free from any illnesses. (And, I’ve got two reviews still to write, so I feel your pain on that.)
Books Teacup and Reviews
Thank you, Tessa! I hope so too. Somehow that pending reviews keep nagging and distracting from current read so I better get it done.