Hey everyone!
March was a bit of a slow reading month for me, and you may or may not have noticed I missed March’s wrap up entirely! It took me the whole month to read one book, simply because I felt I had no energy to sit and focus on the pages. Of course, reading any amount of books in any amount of time is a fantastic feat; however, it felt like I was getting into a bit of a slump.
So, when April came around, and a whole two weeks of Easter Break to do whatever I liked, it really did feel like a fresh start and it’s safe to say that, for now at least, I’m really enjoying reading again. So without any further ado, let’s get into the books!
Burial Rites, Hannah Kent
The book I read in March was Burial Rites by Hannah Kent, and this was actually a catch-up read for the book club I’m in with some friends! Although it took me far longer than anticipated to read, once I picked up my Kindle and got into it, I found the writing style to be very engaging and the story fascinating enough to leave me wanting to know what would happen next.
It’s very much a character focused book, and at times it felt like not much was really going on… nor did it feel like it was leading up to anything. However, there was something magical about it, perhaps the Icelandic setting and the rural lifestyle of the characters was what made it so enchanting to read.
I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy
The first book I read in April was the highly acclaimed memoir by former-child-actress-turned-director-and-writer, Jennette McCurdy. I grew up watching iCarly on Nickelodeon so of course I was intrigued to know more about McCurdy’s story.
If you don’t already know, this book comes with a very lengthy list of trigger warnings; McCurdy doesn’t shy away from the abuse, eating disorders, and mental health issues she faced while navigating her life as a child star. It’s absolutely worth the read and the hype, but do be warned the content is very heavy.
Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
Next up is another very popular one, Lessons in Chemistry. This has been sitting on my TBR since I found a hardback edition going for £2 (!!!) in a local charity shop several months ago… it was too good not to! I’m glad I finally got around to reading this one, but… dare I say it’s ever so slightly over-hyped? Don’t get me wrong, I gave it a very respectable 4/5 star rating but I did have slightly higher expectations. But maybe that’s a me problem!
The writing style is easy to read, there’s some really lovely relationships that we follow along as readers and the overall messages of the book are so worth the read. It’s one I’d definitely recommend, but again, it does have a few trigger warnings including sexual assault and death.
Currently reading…
As is often the case, there are a couple of books that I started in the month which I will continue reading into the next. I enjoy including these in my wrap up posts to act almost like a sneak peak into what to expect from my next wrap up!
The Virgin Suicides, Jeffrey Eugenides
I’m approaching the halfway mark in Eugenides’ The Virgin Suicides, which I have borrowed from my sister. It’s only 250 pages long and honestly, it’s taken me much longer to read than I’d anticipated. Partly because of my busy schedule as a trainee teacher, and partly because I’m lacking that motivation to pick this book up, I don’t feel hugely excited about it at this point in time. However, there’s enough intrigue to keep me going and I’m sure I’ll update you on my thoughts in May’s wrap up!
Solitaire, Alice Oseman
Another borrowed book, but this time using the library app Libby, is Alice Oseman’s Solitaire. It’s one I’ve been meaning to read for a while, and I forgot what it was like to get completely sucked into Oseman’s writing. In a day, I read 150 pages so I know that it’ll be one I can fly through in a couple of sittings and I’m really excited to see what happens next!
There we have it folks! I’d love to know what you’ve been reading recently, or what you’ve got on your TBR piles for May (or spring in general!)
-Janet
Janet's Journeys 
2 replies on “Recent Reads: March and April Wrap Up”
Great post, Janet! I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying reading again, and thank you for sharing your recent reads. I’m curious, have you found that your reading preferences or habits have changed over the past year due to the pandemic?
Both the book and the movie The Virgin Suicides are great.