on the bookshelf :: April

From 19 books in January, to six a piece in February and March, followed up by a woeful FOUR in April. It’s easy to beat myself up for dropping off after a big start, but I’m trying to remember to look at the bigger picture. Twenty nine books in four months is still a touch over seven a month. It’s less than my required average monthly total, to reach my 2023 goal of one hundred books, but not irredeemably so – I’m sitting at an average of 7.25, compared to a required 8.3. Not too bad.

I also need to remind myself that just like my crafting, reading can be really seasonal. January always has a high book count, and I know that July is coming and with it winter holidays and the chance to dive in and catch up. Time and place – and prioritising! I definitely could manage to spend less time on instagram and more in a book!

Of the four I read this month, two were audiobooks, one an ebook borrowed from the library via borrowbox, and the fourth was a hard copy purchased from my fave indy bookshop. Two were dramas, one was suspense, and one was…hard to classify. Drama? Personal saga? All four this month were Australian.

The links below are mostly affiliate links – I have included Amazon, and for the Aussies, QBD options. Where I have listened to an audio book, it is through my Audible subscription and I have linked to the version I listened too. If you haven’t signed up for audible previously, you can get a free 30 day trial here. Books marked with a ^ mark are also available with a kindleunlimited subscription that also has the option of a free trial here, and † denotes a kindle book available through Prime Reading – you can get a free trial of prime here. The kindle links will also show hard copy options from Amazon. 

How To Be Remembered :: Michael Thompson {kindle // indie hard copy} Oh my gosh, I adored this book. Underpinning the protagonist’s life is a concept that borders on the paranormal – on his first birthday each year, he is forgotten by everyone and any trace of his existence also disappears. And yet it doesn’t feel like a paranormal book – the author doesn’t belabour the point, doesn’t try and explain the mechanics of how it works, it simply is, and we discover it’s quirks and loopholes along with the character. It is an absorbing story of love versus destiny, and the power of each to shape the other. Possibly one of my favourite books so far this year.

Looking for Eden :: Caroline Overington {audible} I can’t remember how this book came to be in my audible library, but it was there and it was the right length and so I gave it a crack over the Easter long weekend as I crafted. I will confess I didn’t love it. The majority of it was fine enough – my main issues were personal preference, I hate first person and I especially hate first person talking to the reader – but at the end was an unexpected segue in a side plot that seemed to exist only for shock value, and completely threw me and my opinion of the book. I am told this is rather common in her books, so if you like other novels by this author, don’t let my review sway you! Just not my kind of book.

The Couple Upstairs :: Holly Wainwright {kindle // qbd} I grabbed this book on borrowbox last Sunday, as an easy read while I knitted, and I finished it in the day. It was the perfect Sunday read – light enough to power through, but with enough drama and depth to make it feel satisfying to finish. A story of the power of rose coloured glasses and memory, fresh starts, and people who are never quite as they seem. Some tricky subjects included that are sensitively handled by the author.

The Garden of Hopes & Dreams {kindle // audible //qbd} when Audible kicked off their most recent “spend five credits get a voucher” promo, I splurged on three credits, and this was one of the books I picked up. It took me a bit to get into, but in the end I quite enjoyed it. Some light drama with a happily ever after, and even though I didn’t quite resonate with the resolution of one of the side plots, it was a listenable book that didn’t require too much focus while I crafted!

Six days into May, I have one book finished, and another started. I’m aiming for eight this month at a minumum, which won’t get me much back on track for my goal of 100 by the end of the year, but will mean I won’t fall further behind! To help keep me accountable, I’ve started a low-key bookclub over on instagram. If you’d like to join us, all the details are over on this page.