Y’all, it has been a long month. And by long month, I mean it’s been so crazy busy that April feels like I blinked and it was over. As I write this, we’re standing on the precipice of May. MAY. THERE IS NO WAY IT IS MAY ALREADY.

Anywhoo, today we’re looking at books! Good books. Bad books. All of the books in between. Somehow, despite all odds, I managed to finish two books in April and start into two others, which means the reading has been oddly good lately. (the minute I say this, it’s bound to go down the drain again. historians take note.)

I’m also pleased to say that the reading I’ve done lately has been good. Unlike my January shelf, these books were not in the least disappointing. Which comes as a shock for all of us, I’m sure.

Of all the books I’ve read this year, both April books were 4 stars or higher. And that is a stat I can very much get behind.

BOOKS I READ

THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL by Anne Frank

This was a hard read, guys. A hard. Read. I wasn’t confident I’d be able to get through this one unscathed, and thank goodness I knew that going in, because it hurt. Anne was definitely an interesting narrator for hers and the other lives within the secret annex. It often made me wonder–as one who also journals–whether or not she was entirely reliable for some of the goings on within said annex. A pre-teen girl would certainly seem to fit the bill for an unreliable narrator (I unfortunately know this from experience), but whether or not everything was presented in its truest form, this book hit swift and hit hard.

I know a lot of people who find themselves engrossed in stories from World War II. I’m not one of these, but I will say that for someone who doesn’t particularly like historical books or nonfiction, this managed to engross me once I finally got going. I stalled out a bit mid-April, but managed to finish it strong by the end of the month.

When all was said and done, my only regret was that Kathleen Kelly’s mother hadn’t given me the warning to read it with tissues. As with most World War II stories, this one does not end happily. But I suppose we can’t hope for a happy ending in a time when nothing was fair and everything was terrible.

The reason I gave this book 5 stars was not because I thought the story was incredible or the writing flawless, but because this was the diary of a real girl’s life. It couldn’t have been written better because her story was her own to tell. She wrote it how it was, and to criticize her story is to criticize a life.

There are some content warnings, weirdly enough. Some mature themes sprinkled throughout and, of course, the violence of the time period. Even so, I would recommend this book to those who have not yet read it. I truly feel it’s one that everyone should read at some point in their life.

ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE by Gail Honeyman (audiobook)

I wish I could have given this book 5 stars. Really and truly I do. The narration was brilliant, the character portrayals a delight to listen to (which is TRULY saying something, coming from me). The storyline–which one might argue is the main point of the book–was also brilliant. I just wish that a) there wasn’t so much cussing, and b) there wasn’t one very particular scene that shall go unnamed. (Not, you might be surprised to know, a romantic scene. Still a weird scene, though.)

I didn’t know much about this book going into it. One of my patrons at the library recommended it, and since her taste in children’s books is impeccable, I decided to give it a go. Pairing mystery with suspense, psychological trauma, a dash of romance, and a good sprinkling of bait-and-switch, this book is one I’ll be thinking about for a while, specifically how the author in question handled specific situations and plot twists.

If you can look past the f-bomb (again, not something I can easily do, but somehow it’s easier to listen to than it is to read it) and a really weird scene at a salon, you might enjoy Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. And if you’re an audiobook listener, definitely pick up the audiobook of this one. I was hooked immediately.

BOOKS I’M READING

I can’t leave anything alone. As soon as I cleared some space on my nightstand, I filled it right back up again.

THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE by Robert Louis Stevenson

Is my obsession with psychological stories obvious, or do I need to try a little bit harder? Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is technically a reread for me, but it’s been soooooo long since I’ve experienced this story. I’ve grown a bit since then, and I can now look at this story through a completely new set of eyes.

I’m really excited to dive into this book now that I’m old enough to understand some of the subtler nuances. I’m hoping to do a full-blown review of it, actually. (and if I can swindle some of my friends into reading it with me, that would be doubly fun…)

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS by Kenneth Grahame

I was listening to the audiobook of this one, but as I mentioned earlier, audiobooks are a struggle for me. So I scratched that as soon as my book went back to its virtual library and decided to download the ebook. Now I’m reading this book via my own narration skills, and while I can’t say I’m enjoying it more, I can say I’m enjoying it easier!

I particularly love Toad. He’s such a little goober. Honestly I feel a sort of kinship towards him, if I’m being honest. I think he might have ADHD.

ADDITIONS TO THE TBR

…can you truly call yourself a bookwyrm if you don’t add two books for every book you read? I often find that my TBR grows faster than I can keep up with it, and April was no exception. I read two books, and have promptly added two more to keep things even.

THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I’m a little reluctant to read this one, actually. I’ve added it to my TBR because I’m trying to knock out all of the classics that I currently own before going out and purchasing more, but I’ve recently watched the movie and… honestly I don’t understand this story. The plot made no sense. The characters annoyed me. Gatsby himself was less a man of mystery and more a man with pent up anger issues. Also his obsession with Daisy (spoiler?) is just plain creepy.

Daisy, on the other side of the coin, is an annoying little brat who knows the hold she has over Gatsby and uses it to her advantage.

I’m seriously hoping the book is far better than the movie, as books often are. But if the movie follows the plot of the book to any extent, I fear I’m setting myself up for disappointment…

THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides

This one was added this past week, actually! I was out to lunch with some friends, and they mentioned The Silent Patient… Apparently it’s one of the best books they’ve ever read, which obviously means I must read it myself in order to tear it apart in the comforts of my own home see what all the hype is about.

I’m particularly excited about this one. I’m obsessed with psychological thrillers (we know this), and am so so happy that more of them have been being introduced into my little life lately! (in other news, if you have any psycho thriller recommendations, I am always taking them) Looking at the description of this one, I might have to bump it up even further on my list… I might not be able to resist sinking my teeth into this one as soon as it comes to my library!

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TALK TO ME.

Speaking of all of these books, if you’re not friends with me on Storygraph and you’d like to be–either to stay up to date with the books I’m reading or to buddy read alongside me–you can find me right here! I’ve swapped to Storygraph after resisting it for many, many moons, but I’m so so glad I made the switch. I find that I love the graphs, and also love being able to block out the view of what everyone else around me is reading if I need it. (I’m a particularly slow reader, and seeing everyone else reading five billion books in thirty minutes can be a little overwhelming!)

And alsooo… If you have any book recs, please send them my way down in the comments! My TBR is longer than my anticipated lifespan, but I’ve never been known to turn down a good recommendation! (even when I probably should… *glances at TBR* *sweats nervously*)