April Wrap Up

You know when you start reading a book and it’s a book you’ve been waiting for but it’s taking you too long to finish it but then you read two other books in the span of three days?

Yeah. It sucks.

Hello, Internet! For the past few weeks, I had been looking for The Rose & The Dagger everywhere, but I just couldn’t seem to find it. Finally, I got my hands on it. It was taking me a really long time to finish it. I wasn’t in a reading slump, I know that because I finished two other books within three days. It was just taking a really long time to finish The Rose & The Dagger. But thankfully, I was able to finish it before the month came to a close, which shows that I actually can be patient. Shocker.

Anyway, today I bring you another monthly wrap-up! Let’s get that started! I read a total of eight books this month, and that makes me pretty happy.

The first book I read this month was Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier. I had picked this up some time ago, but couldn’t really get into it. I started reading it again and finished this time. I mean, I enjoyed it. It was alright. It just didn’t blow me away. And that’s fine, really. I’m still probably going to finish the series. It’s an ok book that was enjoyable. Nothing more to it.

Next up we’ve got This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab.

I.

Love.

This.

Book!

So many people have been raving about it for the longest time, so I was really happy when it lived up to the hype. In this dystopian society, violence doesn’t just make trouble. It breeds actual monsters. It tells the story of Kate, who wants to show her father that she can be just as ruthless as him. It also follows the story of August, who just wants to be human. When their paths collide, things get messy very quickly. Like I said, I really liked this book. It was well written, funny, and just an all-around good book. I really recommend it.

The third book I read this month was Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard. This is a novella consisting of two stories: one about Queen Coriane and one about Farley. If you haven’t read the Red Queen books, I wouldn’t recommend reading this, but if you have read them, then you should. I’ve always really liked novellas because they tell the stories we generally wouldn’t hear. Also, I listened to this as an audiobook as well as reading it, and it really reminded me how much I love audiobooks. I haven’t listened to one in a while, so it was really refreshing to me.

Next up we have Dramarama by E. Lockhart. You might have heard that name before from books such as We Were Liars and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. My friend and I are huge drama nerds. We’re all about Broadway and musicals, so when she told me to read this, I happily obliged. I really didn’t expect what came from this. Instead of telling the story of a talented kid just trying to make it in the history, the author tells a story about a girl who just wants to get out of Ohio. And I appreciated that. I appreciated that it wasn’t exactly a happy-ending story and that it showed how tough that business really is. I really liked it, so if you’re into this type of concept then you should check it out.

Next up we have Alex and Eliza by Melissa De La Cruz. Honestly, I don’t really know what to say about this. As mentioned before, my friend and I are Broadway fans (i.e. Hamilton fans) so when I heard about this book, I just thought that it’d be a literary telling of the American Revolution and Alexander Hamilton’s life. Boy, was I wrong. It was a love story about Alexander and Eliza, and I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did. But I still didn’t love it. It was cute but kinda...eh-ish. Save for a small portion, it didn’t include the witty banter that I was expecting from the sisters. Angelica was bitter at times, Peggy was quite weak, and Eliza could be naive. Although I understand that this may have been the norm at the time, I was still disappointed in that fact. It was a little slow moving towards the middle, but that didn’t really bother me. If you’re curious about this book, then sure, go ahead. It was ok, it just wasn’t great.

Next, I bring you The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon. I read Everything, Everything last month and I loved it a lot. My book club wanted to read The Sun is Also a Star, and I had been meaning to read it anyway, so it was perfect timing. Among many other things, I love the concept of this book. Deportation doesn’t really get touched in YA often, or I haven’t really heard of it being the basis of a plot, but either way, it was really eye-opening to see the main character, Natasha, have to deal with her family being on the verge of being deported and having to try to fix it herself without help from her parents. It really showed the heartbreaking reality of immigration and the hardships of people who come to a country for a better life only to be kicked out because they aren’t wanted. My parents are immigrants, and if it weren’t for them coming to America, I wouldn’t have the opportunities that I do have now. I also love how it told the stories of people who would normally just be there to fill the space and keep the plot going. It just goes to show how much one thing can affect an array of people. It was a powerful book, and I recommend it with all my heart.

The seventh book I read this month was Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I think that's what surprised me most of all, the fact that I didn't cry. There's a good chance that I've cried over the last couple of books I read, and they're probably not even sad. But I didn't cry while reading this one. After reading the book that people have told me will rip your heart out and leave it to die, I didn't shed one tear. But that didn't make this book any less amazing. Hannah Baker committed suicide (that's not a spoiler because it's what the book centers around). Before this, though, she recorded the reasons why she did it on cassette tapes. She sent these tapes to all the people who played a part in her decision, and when Clay Jensen gets them, he wants nothing to do with them. But he listens anyway, and what he finds out changes his life. I've been wanting to read this book for such a long time, I've just never gotten around to it. I heard so many wonderful things. I will admit that some of my motivation to read this was also because of the recent release of the Netflix adaptation. It wasn't because I was desperate to watch it, I would have been just fine not watching a minute. I just couldn't go on any social media without seeing people talking about it and spoiling a book that I've been wanting to read. I couldn't find the book anywhere, and at that point, I was so close to just watching to show and compromising every ounce of integrity I've ever possessed. But luckily, I got the last copy at Barnes & Noble and finished it within two days.

The message that this book spreads is important. I feel that people don't really like talking about suicide because it makes them feel sad and uncomfortable. Sometimes, like in the book, when people say that they've been contemplating suicide, people respond by saying that they just want attention. I find that really disgusting. You should find out the truth before you make claims like that. Although, I do wish that the book explored more of the mental health that comes with suicidal thoughts because that's important too.

I liked this book a lot because it uses storytelling to teach us about something people generally don't want to talk about, so I really appreciate that. Jay Asher didn't disappoint me, and if you haven't read it yet, you should.

Lastly, as I pointed out earlier in the post, I read The Rose & The Dagger by Renee Ahdieh. This is the second book in The Wrath & The Dawn series, and boy was it good! It was a rollercoaster of emotions and beauty. Renee Ahdieh is truly an amazing writer. And I have to say, the girl power in this book really blew me away! Shazi was a strong character from the start, but she got even stronger in this book. Not only did Shazi display it, but so did the other women in this book. I love that so much, and I know I’ve said this before, but it’s really important that girls have someone in literature to look up to. They need someone to look up to, period. I loved this book, so go check out The Wrath & The Dawn.

And there you have it, folks! That’s my April Wrap Up! I’ll see you soon for the April edition of Five Fan Favorites, but until then, auf wiedersehen! Thanks for reading,

-Ari