April was apparently the month I got better at time management! 2 more assignments were due, but despite that, I managed a decent amount of blogging and reading too!

Reading Wrap

In April I read 5 books. I’m pretty pleased with this, considering I have been working on 4 assignments simultaneously this month, along with work and all the other bits of life! I checked one more off my Climate Fiction Prize reading, leaving me two shortlisters to go until the 27th May. I also read a couple of ARCs and a bookclub pick, along with a non-fiction.

• Lab Girl by Hope Jahren. A memoir about a botanist. I really didn’t like this at all, which is a real shame. The author doesn’t seem to like literally anybody, especially her students.
• First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston. Loved reading this alongside the Artemis II mission! Super fun science fantasy with real-world physics used to build a spaceship! (ARC sent by Angry Robot.)
• Sabriel by Garth Nix. A classic ya fantasy that absolutely holds up today, following Sabriel (a necromancer of sorts) as she searches for her father. I really enjoyed this one and definitely want to continue the series.
• Endling by Maria Reva. A Climate Fiction Prize longlisted book. Not my favourite, but very interesting to read – the author does some clever storytelling here. I learned more about Ukrainian people and the war than I got about climate, but maybe that is the point.
• Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst. The third Spellshop book, and it’s just as sweet as the first two. I really liked the main character in this one, and the sea setting made a really nice change! (ARC sent by Pan Macmillan.)

Books ACQUIRED

I gained 7 books in April, which was higher than expected! Publishers were once again generous, and I received 4 books this way. I also got a preorder in, then bought 2 books that I wasn’t planning on buying while I was in London for a book launch party for said preorder!

• Breaking Waves by Emma Simpson (publisher)
• Foreign Fruit by Katie Goh (publisher)
• Pixie by Jill Dawson (publisher)
• Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst (publisher)
• Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe
• A Palace Near the Wind by Ai Jiang
• The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd

Reading Challenges

Blog Wrap

REVIEWS:

• Every Version of You by Grace Chan
• Sunbirth by An Yu
• Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe
• Dusk by Robbie Arnott

DISCUSSIONS:

• Let’s Talk Bookish: Casting in adaptations
• Let’s Talk Bookish: Poetry in the age of social media
• Let’s Talk Bookish: The increasing popularity of climate fiction

READING UPDATES:

• March Wrap-Up
• WWW Wednesday: 08/04/26
• WWW Wednesday: 22/04/26

OTHER:

• r/Fantasy Book Bingo 2025 Wrapped & 2026 Plan
• The Climate Fiction Prize 2026
• Book Tag: Reading firsts in 2026

Life Wrap

You Tell Me: How was your April? What was your best read?