April Wrap-Up & Book Haul


April was a solid reading month & I finally beat my 4 book per month streak! I read 6 books & only 2 were in the 3 star range so I’d say that it was one of my best months when it comes to quality 😉 I’m pinning the reason for breaking my 4 book streak on the fact that my hubby, 2 tiny humans, and I were sick for about 2 weeks. It honestly felt like a never ending battle since we were all taking turns lol. Other than reading, it was a quiet month with an occasional miserable sick whimper on the home front but I welcomed it nonetheless. The next few months are always crazy with my 2 tiny humans & this one won’t be any different with Bookcon (tickets arrived yesterday! eeeeK!) right around the corner. I did manage to squeeze in my monthly date with the hubby but more on that towards the end of this wrap-up/haul <3’s

I was supposed to have mixed in a few graphic novels in honor of Saga Volume 7 being released however, that didn’t happen. I did get to read the final copy of my twin Gretchen’s poetry book. Ladies & Gents I can’t stop raving about it, I related to her writing on a personal level but what I loved the most was how there’s a little of something for everyone. Gretchen is also a book blogger who shares her love for books & poetry on her blog @ChicNerdReads 😉

On to my…

     Given to the Sea by Mindy McGinnis ★★★ (3 Stars)

A Million Junes by Emily Henry ★★★★★ (5 Stars)

A Flame in the Mist ★★★★★ (5 Stars)

Spindle Fire ★★★ (3 Stars)

The Upside of Unrequited ★★★★★ (5 STARS)

Love & You ★★★★★ (5 STARS)

If you’d like to support Gretchen’s beautiful writing, please purchase a copy of love, and you at one of the following:

Amazon (also available worldwide)

Barnes & Noble

Book Depository

CreateSpace

*currently free for those who have Kindle Unlimited

Ok so…lol…in preparation for the heavy book releasing month of May, I wasn’t trying to buy ANY books. Of course, every bookworm who tries to adhere to even a small book buying ban sees themselves tempted by the Book Gods smh. I myself purchased 4 physical books & 3 e-books however, thanks to my AMAZING book blogger friends Debby @AlwaysBooking, Danielle @BooksVertigoandTea, and my twin Gretchen @ChicNerdReads the book gifts were a plenty lol. I’m seriously happy to have met these lovely ladies, they make my work day go so much faster ❤ 

Click on pic to follow my gram @Lair_Of_Books for more snaps 😉

Strange The Dreamer, Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1), Empress of a Thousand Skies (Empress of a Thousand Skies #1) (gift from Debby), Queens Of Geek (gift from Gretchen), Dream Waters (giveaway win-Dream Waters #1), The Broken Empire trilogy (gift from Danielle), Saga Vol. 7, Avenged (Ruined #2) (Goodreads win), Traitor to the Throne (Rebel of the Sands #2), Nemesis (Project Nemesis #1), Thirteen Reasons Why

*April’s BOTM & Owlcrate Unboxing

Timekeper (Timekeeper #1), The Handmaid’s Tale, The Queen of Blood (The Queens of Renthia #1), Love, & You

Date night’s are always tough for the hubby & I who don’t have a night sitter so we opted for a US day. A personal day where we take off from work & catch a flick, some good food, visit a bookstore or 2, and walk around the city indulging in our free time sans the 2 tiny humans. In April’s day off we caught Fate of the Furious aka Fast 8. Now I had my doubts, the franchise is 8 movies deep & after the tragic loss of Paul Walker I was feeling like maybe it’s time for them to write the final chapter. I also contemplated not watching at all but hubby really wanted to see this one as a fan of fast cars & things that explode. I was pleasantly surprised to see the way they flipped the tables in this one with the team going up against Don. I was also very happy to see some old familiar faces return after being absent in the last movie. The plot twists & revelations leave many roads this team can take. There are strong rumors that Universal is in the process of creating a spin-off with Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, and Charlize Theron (see here). For now I think i’ll keep watching where this team that I’ve been following since day 1 goes…

This post is on time with being late of course & May is well underway. I already mini hauled 4 books smh BUT they are ones I’ve wanted to read for a while now. I’m actually currently reading The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich & enjoying it so i’m glad to have chosen it in my May’s Book of the Month subscription box. 

What are you lovely bookworms currently reading/watching/enjoying/dis-liking?

Author: LairOfBooks

"I didn't choose the Book Life, the Book Life chose me"

36 thoughts on “April Wrap-Up & Book Haul”

  1. Yay BookCon! Hopefully we’ll get to meet each other! 🙂 That’s awesome that you broke your 4 book streak in April. I want to read Saga Volume 1 soon, so if I love it I can buy the other copies. We’re driving to DC at the end of the month and if I love Vol 1, I decided I’ll get the others for the 15 hour car ride, lol.

    I definitely need to pick up my copy of Upside and read it soon. I can’t wait to get my hands on Flame in the Mist. Good to see you had a lot of 5 star reads in April. That’s always nice. Awesome book haul! I really want to get my hands on Nemesis. I’ve also heard a lot of good things about Strange the Dreamer, so hopefully I can get that one too!

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    1. OMYGOSH YES ASHLEY! I’ll be on twitter while there so It would be nice to say hi 😉 I think this is a wonderful idea you’re having with Saga & I’m rooting for you to LOVE it! lol its so odd, if you like space operas or just a good coupling—Alana & Marko are #goals lol. I have vol 7 sitting by my window just staring at me but EVERY time I read the volumes as they come out i’m left destroyed for a whole YEAR! can’t do it lol. This was a great reading mth so no complaints here, I found Nemesis for $8 in Strand Bookstore & couldn’t pass it up after all the rave reviews. Strange the Dreamer is another Saga for me…I’ll wait until there’s news of the sequels coming our way cuz Laini kills me with cliff hangers *sobs* thank you for stopping by Ashley <3!

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      1. I’m going to start Saga Vol. 1 next week, so I have time to order a few more of the other volumes before I leave if I like it. That’s awesome that you found Nemesis for $8, great deal! I’ve never read anything by Laini, but I do own the first two books of Daughter of Smoke & Bone. I need to read them!

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  2. That’s so awesome that you broke your streak of only reading four books! I was sick for almost all of April as well, it was not fun, and made reading a little more difficult. I’ve been watching a lot of baseball and basketball, Prison Break, Pretty Little Liars, and Master Chef Junior. Luckily my reading is back on track this month! And I’m so glad you loved A Million Junes!

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    1. Thanks Ashley! And I’m so glad you’re feeling better now 💕 I’ve always wanted to watch Prison Break but never did, now that it’s back I’m thinking of watching it again lol. Confession time, I quit PLL last year after feeling like the show would never end and everyone was A 😂😂😂 is it worth me catching up? Ahhh it’s a great feeling when you catch up with reading, I feel like I’ve been doing that all mth and we just started lol. Omygosh! A Million June’s is hands down one of my faves in 2017, def making the cut on my end of year top reads post 😉

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      1. Thank you! It is definitely worth catching up with PLL, this is PLL’s last season, so A well be revealed! I loved Prison Break when it first came out, I’m not sure how I feel about the reboot yet.

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      2. I may just have to check that out then, PLL was truly frustrating me every week 😂 well let me know if the reboot is worth the watch, hubby & I plan on watching it from the beginning 😃

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  3. Nice haul Lily! I keep forgetting I have to pick up my copy of Saga Vol.7. I keep getting distracted by other new and shiny graphic novels and comics. I’m sorry to hear that your were sick, but I glad you got to squeeze in some extra reading time and that you’re feeling much better. You’ll have to take lots of picsa at/blog about Book Con, I hear it’s a lot of fun. 🙂

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    1. Thank you Rachel! I haven’t read Saga 7 yet but that’s because I just can’t seem to bring myself to the place where you have to wait a whole year for another volume 😩😩😩 lol. Thank you & I sure will take photos. I went last year for the first time & although exhausting, it’s so much fun ☺️💕

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  7. Great recap for this month Lilly, also congratulations on breaking your four books per month streak! You got through some amazing ones, and oh I am so so glad you enjoyed A Million Junes, that is one of my most anticipated releases because I am a huge fan of Emily Henry’s writing. I can’t wait for it to be released! 😀
    Also great haul as well, I try and stick to book buying bans but I just think it’s impossible. I hope you enjoy all the books you brought, or that were brought for you, that you haven’t gotten around to yet. You have some amazing ones to get started on! 😀
    I hope your May is just as amazing as your April seemed to be. 🙂 ❤

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  8. You had a good reading month. I’m feeling you with the illness – I’m having some of that myself at the moment and feel dreadful – consequently I’ve read one book so far this month – ONE! OMG. Yes, cap locks are defo required for emphasis. I’m looking forward to reading Flame in the Mist after your glowing review.
    I’m currently reading Rotherweird which is a bit tough to get in to but also very mysterious.
    Happy May to you.
    Lynn 😀

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  9. You really had an amazing month! I have the strange the dreamer in my tbr but I haven’t read it yet. I hope you enjoy Nemesis! I’m glad you enjoyed Flame In the Mist! I can’t wait to read it! 🙂

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    1. Thank you Raven! I actually purchased Nemesis shortly after reading your review 😃 so I’m hoping I enjoy it as well 😉 FITM was awesome & I hope you enjoy it as much as I did 💕

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  10. Hey, giving four out of six books five stars sounds like a GREAT month! I’m really looking forward to reading the Upside of Unrequited. (:

    Also Saga!! I have it from the library and keep telling myself I’m going to read it. But then I don’t because I’m like, “I DON’T WANT TO WAIT ANOTHER YEAR FOR MORE SAGA!!”

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    1. I think so too! Haha 😃Upside makes me smile every time I think of it, it’s just THAT good 😉 I swear I have a tortured love affair with Saga for that exact same reason smh lol. Why can’t they be at least 6mths apart? Why a whole year?!?! 😩😂😩😂

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      1. I’m super excited to read Upside!! And I keep staring at Saga… I swear. I think I’ll have to just bite the bullet because I know I’m going to love it. I’ll just deal with the anguish of having to wait. Haha.

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    1. Thank you so much Lauren! Upside is now officially one of the only books I will re-read since I don’t do much of re-reads at all lol. I’ll be doing a buddy read with Gretchen for Queens of Geek & I can’t wait, I’ve heard so many great things. Saga = OBSESSED! haha! & Thank you for the well wishes, thank goodness we are past that <3!

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  12. Yay for an awesome reading month in April! Not only did you read more than usual, but 4 were 5 star reads!!! I am going to be checking out your review for A Million Junes for sure! I read Emily Henry’s first book, The Love That Split the World, last year and got to meet her at a book festival last October. TLTSTW was a beautifully written book, but it did have a few tiny issues that were flagged as being problematic in regards to her representation of Native Americans…

    I am happy to see you and your family are feeling better! I got hit hard with a nasty stomach bug this week and was down for the count for 3 days. It was awful. Fingers crossed it ended with me.

    Cheers to another fantastic reading month in May my friend!

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    1. Thank you Amanda! Hmmmm, now I’m renting TLTSTW🤔💭seems like she played it safe with A Million June’s lol. My family & I were also hit with the infamous stomach bug that’s been going around but for some reason jouncing back took much longer than expected. I’m just happy to be past all that 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 thanks again for your kind words 💕happy reading in May 😃

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  13. Boo about a month where sickness was running through your house! That’s never fun. But it’s awesome that you broke your reading streak. The same happened to me in April as I’ve been only reading three books a month for so long but somehow managed nine last month. And you read so many incredible books! I hope you end up having fun at Bookcon! If only traveling was cheaper because I wanted to go so bad but alas that’s not happening this year 😢. Also, incredible haul! I need to read Saga because that one has been recommended to me a lot. Did you end up enjoying The Love Interest? I’ve been hearing some mixed things about it and can’t wait to see what your thoughts end up being. Anyway!! I hope you’ve been having a wonderful May so far, Lilly!! 💕😊

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    1. Hey Melissa! Thank you & yea I was happy to finally have read past the 4 book mark lol. 9 books is just AMAZING! I think i’d max out at 6 unless I got a vacation & then I’d break records LOL! must work on planning a staycation soon *rubs chin* lol. Saga is AMAZING & one of my favorite graphic novels. Bookcon is right around the corner & I’m super excited & also getting ready to be over whelmed by the whole scene/crowd. The Love Interest was HILLARIOUS! I wonder if readers understood that this book really wasn’t taking itself seriously, it’s a satire of all the well known YA tropes. I rated it 4 stars for the laughs & ingenuity but I should have a review up tomorrow *fingers crossed* 🙂

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      1. I unexpectedly had a lot of days off work last month so I think that’s probably why I got through so many books. Mini vacation!! 😂 You went to bookcon last year too, didn’t you? I can swear I remember seeing a post. Either way, I look forward to hearing all about it! 😁
        Glad to hear that about The Love Interest and I figured it would turn out to be a book that was making fun of YA tropes. That’s what it seemed like while reading the synopsis. I see you have your review up now though so I’ll definitely be checking it out once I finish catching up on comments. 😊

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      2. Oh that’s always the best, staycations! I can smell one in the horizon for me lol. I did go last year & had a ton of fun, now I’m just prepping for this one coming up in a couple of weeks. The Love Interest was a fun read, just what I needed. I’m at the point in my arc list where there’s some genre variety so I’m enjoying that lol. Pretty soon it’s back to YA Fantasy though. Thanks Melissa 😃💕

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