Hi guys! April was a slowww reading month for me. I worked and I worked and I worked. I also participated in Camp NaNoWriMo and FAILED. It was not a good month, friends. But alas, there is still tea in the world so not all is bad.

I hope I find you all well and miles ahead of me in your reading lives. April has been an extraordinarily busy month for me. I’ll discuss my personal life in the What About Me? section down below for those of you interested – but basically this whole year has been a juggling act of me floundering in my life trying to work out HOW TO DO THE THING OF LIFE. And as such, my reading as suffered.

This by no means, means that I haven’t been reading good books. I’ve been reading some great books! Also, let me know what you think of my slightly different style of instagram photos! They’re the ones dotted throughout this post like the one above – I’ve got for a different angle and a much bigger frame. Call me egotistical, but I’m rather a fan of the outcome. But before we dive into anything else, let’s have a look at what offers are happening around the book world!

THE BOOK DEPOSITORY

The Book Depository is your one stop shop for any book that you might need. With free global shipping and the biggest range of books that you ever did see, you can’t go wrong. Check out their awesome BARGAIN section for some super lower prices and head over to their NEW RELEASES section to snatch the latest read! Feeling peckish? Grab a cookbook on INTERNATIONAL CUISINE or find the best BEDTIME STORY to snuggle up with.

WORDERY

Can’t get enough free global shipping in your life? Well, come this way, sir. Wordery offers a fantastic range of books at wicked prices – an irresistible shopping scenario! Can’t get enough Game of Thrones in your life? Don’t worry, Wordery has all your answers on their GAME OF THRONES HUB. Or head over to see their BOOK OF THE WEEK or a great range of CHILDREN’S FICTION!

ANGUS & ROBERSTON

Yearning to support an Australian company? Then the next two stores are for you! Angus & Robertson have a lot to offer and with free shipping on all orders over $60 AUD what more could you possibly want? Last minute gift ideas for mum? Grab a GIFT CARD with 10% off! Or have a rummage through their SALE section to snag a deal. Missed the STELLA PRIZE award winners? Don’t worry, Angus & Robertson have got you covered.

BOOKTOPIA

Another Australian company for you to go forth and support! There are always oodles of bargains and deals going on in this neck of the woods, so I highly recommend going and checking them out! More discounts on GIFT CARDS! Get yours for 10% off! Fancy a good BOOK BINGE? Well, shop with Booktopia and get an extra 10% off when you go mad. And don’t forget to look at the 2018 BOOK OF THE YEAR awards by the Children’s Book Council of Australia!

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Wolf Children
by Paul Dowswell 

Genre: Historical Fiction, Children’s Fiction
Author: Paul Dowswell
Published: October 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 288 {paperback}

This was an absolutely amazing piece of historical fiction. I loved the setting, I loved the characters and I loved the representation of history. If you’re into your war stories and are itching to know more about the home front for Germany, do yourself a favour and grab a copy of this.

My review

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 Monstress, Vol. 1
by Lie & Takeda

Genre: Fantasy, Steampunk, Graphic Novel
Author: Liu & Takeda
Published: July 2016
Publisher: Image Comics
Pages: 192 pages

Will I continue the series? YES

I had no idea what to expect going into this one but I was completely and pleasantly surprised! This is angled as steampunk horror but it’s not quite steampunk and it’s not quite horror. Okay, maybe it’s a fair bit steampunk – still! Some beautiful artwork and really original fantasy storylines are to be found in its pages!

Review to come

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The Wingsnatchers
by Sarah Jean Horwitz 

Genre: Fantasy [Fae], Children’s Fiction
Author: Sarah Jean Horwitz
Published: April 2017
Publisher: Algonquin
Pages: 268 {kindle)

Will I continue the series? NO

This was the March book club pick of the month for the Squabbling Dragons! A book with a beautiful cover and FAERIES – the sure way to my heart! Whilst I really enjoyed reading this and thought it was a fantastic piece of fiction, I probably won’t bother to continue on with the series. I’m quite content with where we left off.

Review to come

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A Million Worlds with You
by Claudia Gray 

Genre: Sci-Fi, Young Adult
Author: Claudia Gray
Published: November 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 432 {paperback}

This series. Oh my goodness. So much wow. I was thoroughly pleased with this conclusion to the Firebird series and also very sad to have reached the end of it. Nonetheless, this is working towards some of the yearly goals of finishing off series! Woo!

Review to come

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• I reviewed some books:
  • To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
  • Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
  • Wolf Children by Paul Dowswell
• I announced and made my TBR for round six of the Alphabethon
• I did my March book haul
• And my March wrap-up
• I discussed bookstores to visit in Philadelphia

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Looking for a new and exciting book club to join? Come have some fun with Casey and I over at the Squabbing Dragons! We’re a Goodreads book club and we focus on reading Sci-Fi/Fantasy books that are underrated! This May, starting on the 17th, we’ll be starting a new book! We’ve yet to announce it because SO MANY OPTIONS, GUYS. So keep tuned!

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Genres Read:

Pages Read:

Total: 1,180

Progress Towards Goodreads Challenge:

22%, or, 22/100 books

I’m really falling behind with this challenge. I feel like I’ve never been so pressed for time when it comes to reading. I’m hoping that I’ll have a big come back at some point but who knows!?

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As I mentioned previously, April has been a very busy month for me. My hours at work ramped up and so whilst I was spending my days there, I was coming home too tired to do anything but eat and sleep in the evenings. I didn’t get as much read for the Alphabethon as I was hoping either but heigh ho! What can you do!?

I want to say that I hope May will be different, but I honestly have no idea. I think it’s going to be hard to get back on track with my reading goal of 100 books for the year at this point. I can but try.

One of the more exciting things that happened in April was that it was my sister’s engagement party! That went so nicely and was a great night. Seeing as I’ve had some amazing movie-barren months lately, I’ve also pledged to myself to get to the cinema more to see more films! Woo! And finally, I went to a concert to see Blue Planet 2 with a live orchestra playing the music. It was absolutely stunning.

Movies I watched:

Avengers: Infinity War, 2018: 7/10 stars

Obviously this was amazing and I loved it. I can’t believe we have to now wait so long for the follow up to this because DANG, what a cliff hanger. Can you ever truly go wrong with a Marvel movie? I do not think so. This was a lot of fun, a lot of drama and a lot of daddy issues.

Sherlock Gnomes, 2018: 6/10 stars

I am a child, yes. I bloody love Gnomeo and Juliet and this has – no joke – been one of my most anticipated releases for the year. I CAN’T BELIEVE I GOT A SEQUEL. Like heck yeah! And here’s me thinking I was just about the only person in the world to see it. And you know what? It was actually really good, I really enjoyed it.

Top Gun, 1986: 7/10 stars

I’m slowly educating myself on older movies and finally can claim to have seen Top Gun! This was really enjoyable – if also really emotional. I can’t believe I haven’t watched it until now! I think the title always put me off, making me think of just about anything but planes. But I’m so glad I’ve seen it now.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 1975: 7/10 stars

I have been meaning to watch this for at least 871 years now and it was worth the wait. Monty Python has FINALLY crept onto Netflix so I can join in with all the jokes and hilarity that ensues from these films. Very, very funny.

Black Panther, 2018: 8/10 stars

This deserves all the praise it’s been getting because it was mind-bogglingly good. The characters were fun and the plot was wonderful. I loved the imagination that’s gone into creating Wakanda and how crazy brilliant it was.

Good Will Hunting, 1997: 8/10 stars

I really thought I’d already seen this but it turns out I hadn’t. What a crying shame! No fear, my friends, this has now been remedied. Whilst an incredibly long film, it’s filled with amazing and emotional moments. Some of those moments are just too intense to handle and you’re sitting there screaming at the screen I’M HERE FOR YOU BUDDY! Ah, so good.

TV shows I watched:

Lost in Space, series one

You bet I jumped on this band wagon. I’ve been watching this one with Jayden and we’re both totally engrossed in it. Maybe the acting is cringe at times, maybe the plot is highly (worrisomely) predictable – BUT THERE’S NO TURNING BACK NOW!

Dragons: Race to the Edge, series six

Yes I’m still making my way through this. Yes I love it. No, I will not be an adult and not watch it.

Fawlty Towers, series two

WE’RE SO NEARLY DONE. It’s seriously too stressful to watch more than one episode at a time. Nothing ever goes right for poor Fawlty!

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Tick! April done! 

What was your favourite book that you read in April? 

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~~ Kirstie ~~

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