April Reading Edit
April reading wrapped, my favorite books of the month, plus my Weekly What
I read 21 books in April. Here’s a little breakdown of my reading month:
16 library/Libby borrows
3 gifted from publishers
3 books I own (Emma, The Virgin Suicides, Mockingjay)
6 backlist titles (29%), 15 frontlist (71%)
11 print, 7 audiobooks, 2 hybrid reads (print + audio), 1 ebook
April favorites:
Let’s chat April reading!
What did you read in April?
What was/were your favorite book(s) of the month?
Have you read any of my April favorites?
Reading
The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff. Complimentary review copy provided by publisher. Ryan and Lillian Bright are deeply in love and new parents to a baby girl when alcoholism upheaves their lives. This family saga explores 4 generations dealing with cycles of trauma and addiction and the impact to familial relationships. I’m a sucker for a good family saga and this did not disappoint! I really liked the writing style though at slightly under 300 pages I could have spent more time with the characters. This book is being marketed to readers of Mary Beth Keane and Claire Lombardo; Keane is a very good comp.
Make Sure You Die Screaming by Zee Carlstrom. The newly nameless nonbinary narrator of this story is capital-S Spiraling when they embark on a Thelma and Louise meets Imogene Binnie’s Nevada road trip with their best friend of two-weeks riding shotgun. They’re heading from Chicago to Arkansas to search for the narrator’s missing conspiracy theorist father at their mother’s behest. This is a wild and unpredictable journey laced with grit, humor, and an unexpectedly impressive amount of truth about the current state of society. An under the radar gem.
Zeal by Morgan Jerkins. From the post-Civil War South up to near present day, the story of two couples linked across time and space by a love letter between two formerly enslaved lovers separated by circumstance. An impressive blend of history, legacy, and love inspired by a real artifact.
Audition by Katie Kitamura. Dissenting opinion alert 🚨 I have seen nothing but rave reviews from trusted readers alongside general positive buzz, and enough time has passed since I read a Kitamura book I was convinced to pick up Audition.
The book opens with a man and woman meeting at a restaurant. She is an accomplished actress, he young enough to be her son. Who are they to one another? The story is told with two competing narratives and little resolution.
I intentionally did not revisit the review I wrote for A Separation in early 2019. I recalled it wasn’t a good reading experience for me, but I wanted to go into this book open to the experience, and really expecting good things based on what I have heard.Upon finishing I looked back at my review and it made me laugh because I could recycle much of it for my Audition experience. Here is what I wrote about A Separation in Jan 2019:
Quite possibly the most tedious 230 page book I've ever read. The story is character driven, but you never really get to know the characters or care about them. There's a mystery that isn't so mysterious. Mostly it's trying hard to be some sort of cerebral commentary on grief and relationships, but it's boring as all get out so the message gets lost along the way.
Yeah, so… I think at this point it’s safe to say Kitamura’s writing style is just not for me. Now that I have revisited that review I recall A Separation being an incredibly frustrating reading experience for me. I felt the similarly about Audition.
This book is one of those books where what’s happening isn’t really at all what the book is about. Much of what’s on the page is some form of metaphor or symbolism or crafting lines for the express purpose of reading between. I love being challenged with elements like this, I don’t tend to enjoy books that are entirely this.
The story is told in first person, but again, I never felt close to the character. I found the narrative recounted in a very inauthentic voice, of which I was constantly aware. The whole thing just wasn’t for me. The book is very open to interpretation and very style over substance, and certainly that will appeal to some. I think this book is probably best read in community so it can be dissected and discussed.
Obviously, this book is getting much praise from both readers and critics so if you’re curious don’t let me dissuade you. If you too are irked by the style, consider this reassurance you are not alone.
Listening
They Came for the Schools: One Town's Fight Over Race and Identity, and the New War for America's Classrooms by Mike Hixenbaugh. Culture wars as they play out in one affluent school district known for academic excellence in the DFW suburb of Southlake, Texas. Excellent, comprehensive reporting shows how public schools become weapons for radicalization in service of a broader movement.
Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put by Annie B. Jones. The forward to this refers to Annie as earnest and endearing and that’s exactly what I would say about this book of essays where Annie shares the beauty in her ordinary, small town life as a podcaster and independent bookstore owner. I always look forward to listening to Annie’s From the Front Porch podcast and Ordinary Time reads like an extension to that, a welcome into more of the Annie behind the shelves and mic. I absolutely recommend the audio for this book as Annie narrates.
Notes to John by Joan Didion. Based on notes found posthumously Notes to John is a detailed and intimate recounting of Didion’s sessions with her therapist around the early 2000s working through her fraught relationship with her adult daughter who struggled with alcoholism and mental illness until her death in 2005 at the age of 39. A worthy listen narrated by Julianne Moore.
Watching
Paradise (Hulu). We finished this twisty thriller with a speculative political bent. I really liked it despite some plot holes and an overreliance on twists. I assume there will be a second season at some point.
Conclave (Prime). Because conclave.
English Teacher (Hulu). This is a refreshingly funny 8 episode sitcom about a gay English teacher at a public high school in Texas.
Eating & Drinking
These Teriyaki Turkey Burgers show up frequently on our grilling season menu. I served them with Sweet Potato “Fries”.
I ate this Grilled Rosemary Ranch Chicken over a salad. I made it with fresh rosemary from my herb garden—I love being able to do that!
BBQ Salmon Bowls with Mango Avocado Salsa mean either salmon and/or mangos are on sale. I like to add black beans to our bowls and I make the rice in my Instant Pot.
Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole is an excellent vehicle for leftover ham. I like to add 2-3 cups of broccoli florets. I served it with salad and fruit.
My go-to Friday night pizza crust is a sourdough recipe I’ve been making for many years—it’s very good. I wanted to experiment a bit with other slow rise pizza crusts so I tried this super simple, overnight dough. It turned out quite good and offers a decent balance of crisp and chewy. I don’t think it beats my sourdough, but it’s a good one if you’re looking for a hands-off, commercial yeast recipe.
Links + Loves
The 30 Best Fiction Books of the Last 30 Years according to the LA Times.
7 Book-to-Screen Adaptations Out in May (Book Riot)
While mass market paperbacks have always been my least favorite format to read I do love a vintage MMPB cover and they generally hold a nostalgic place in my reader’s heart. I appreciate this piece on the last days of mass market paperbacks. (Inside Agenting)
This Is How Meta AI Staffers Deemed More Than 7 Million Books to Have No “Economic Value” (Vanity Fair)
Their defense also hinges on the argument that the individual books themselves are, essentially, worthless… Meta says, that while the company “has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in LLM development,” they see no market in paying authors to license their books because “for there to be a market, there must be something of value to exchange, but none of Plaintiffs works has economic value, individually, as training data.”
Is anyone else just completely and utterly disgusted by the billionaire class, or just me?
What are you reading, listening to, eating, watching, liking, and/or linking this week? Let’s chat!
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Until next time!
I was considering buying The Audition but I won't now after reading your review. Sometimes it's helpful to read a less than positive review so I know what to avoid. I managed to finish four books in April which I just posted on my Substack, but only completed one novel, Long Island Compromise, which I didn't particularly enjoy (despite some hilarious parts). I'm currently reading The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwon and loving it, as it is quick-moving and focuses on faith and cults, which are also the topic of Cultish by Amanda Montell, my favorite non-fiction read from April. I highly recommend the Sounds Like a Cult Podcast from Montell.
Those salmon bowls sound delish. Have you every made crispy rice (like spread on a cooking sheet)? I think I'm going to try that this week to add to my salads/bowls.