🌻 What I Read In April 2026

🌻 What I Read In April 2026


2026 GoodReads Reading Challenge:  17 Books Completed Out of Goal of 100 (17%)

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In March, I started to pick up the pace again with my reading, and I was intent on doing the same throughout April. I think I did well with six finished book and one DNF. I also had a nice mix of genres and methods, with some being immersive reads, ebook and audiobook. I loved having the chance to re-read Pearly Gates, and fall in love with this wonderful book all over again. 

I am still behind on my Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2026. I really need to read more quick and easy books to get my numbers up. If you have any recommendations, please let me know in the comments. 

 

Ninth House, Written By Leigh Bardugo

My Rating: 💜 💜 💜 💜 💜

My second Leigh Bardugo book series.  This one is the pick for one of my Chapter 25 Book Clubs - Chapter a Day Read Along. 

I absolutely loved this book. The FMC Alex Stern is a total badass. She doesn't want to be in the world that she is living in at Yale, but it seems to be the best for her at the moment. It is her second chance, a way for her to put her dark and dangerous life in Los Angeles behind her. Especially given her unique skill, which brought her to the attention of Dean Sandow, who offered her a full scholarship to attend the university. 

Her world at Yale is mixed - attending classes and trying to keep her grades up while also learning about the strange and mystical societies from Darlington, the handsome and moody man who has been entrusted with teaching her about the societies. 

When a local young woman is brutally murdered, Alex starts to investigate, even though everyone is telling her not to. What Alex discovers will change the university forever, but it might help her bring back Darlington, who has disappeared without a trace. 

Alex is a troubled woman, but she is determined, strong, and funny as hell. 

I immersive read this book with the ebook and audiobook, and I'm so glad I did. The book is awesome, but adding the wonderful narration from Lauren Fortgang and Michael David Axtell just makes it better. 

The book club I read this with is a chapter-a-day club. I managed to stick to the schedule right up to the penultimate day when I had to read the final chapters right away after the cliffhanger at the end of that days chapter. I regret nothing, lol. 

I loved this book so much, I am going to go straight into reading the second book in the series, Hell Bent. Thankfully, Lauren and Michael are also the narrators of this book, so another wonderful immersive read for me coming up. 

Pick Up On Amazon



My Rating: 💜 💜 💜 💜

Thank you, NetGalley, Hadley Field and Felix Green for allowing me to listen to this ARC audiobook. 

This is such a sweet and endearing story. I loved listening to every minute of it. It is gloriously narrated by Thomas Busby, who gives one of the best narrations I have heard. His different voices for each of the characters are so adorable that I couldn't stop listening. 

In this book we meet Prince Alaric, a man who is desperate to save the life of his brother. He believes the only person who can help is Eamon, his father's former mage. Unfortunately for him, Eamon does not want to help. Will he convince Eamon to help?

The characters and the world they inhabit are very easy to get immersed in, and you can't help but fall in love with the characters, even the not so nice ones. This is a pleasure to read from start to finish, especially with Thomas Busby's narration. 

If you like grumpy yet adorable characters, fantastic setting and sensational narration then I think you will love this audiobook. 




My Second Read Rating: 🩵 🩵 🩵 🩵 🩵 🩵 🩵

This is the second time I have read this wonderful book. I was lucky enough to get the audiobook ARC on NetGalley in 2025 and fell in love with the world and characters. The second book in the series is out now, so I wanted to immerse myself in this world again before jumping in. 

It's even better on the second read. There are so many wonderful things I forgot - Calypso the cat, for example. The sass from Pearly Gates is amazing. Some of the things she comes off with are hysterical, but the story also has so much heart and emotion to it.

If you haven't read this book yet, I can't recommend it enough. It would be an immersive read, especially given that the audiobook is narrated by the author, who does an awesome job. 

You don't need to read this before The Midnight Croissant, but I would recommend it to get into the world and understand the characters and their history. 

 

The Dead Husband Cookbook, Written By Danielle Valentine, Audiobook Read By Lauryn Allman

My Rating: 💜💜💜

Thank you NetGalley and Viper Books for allowing me to read the ebook and listen to the audiobook. 

This is a fantastic thriller and mystery where you don't know what is going to happen next. Maria is a wonderful character where I couldn't figure out if she was telling the truth or not. She has been through a lot in her life, which all comes to the forefront in this book, but it's hard to know if she's guilty or not. 

I kept changing my opinion about Thea as well. I had a hard time liking her at times. She has lots of times when she is totally submissive and doesn't fight for herself, and other times when she is fierce. 

This is a wonderful page-turner of a book. I never knew what was going to happen next, and the story kept amping up the tension and drama throughout the entire book. Thea is a character that is quite changeable - she is quite submissive at times and allows others to walk all over her, while at other times she is strong and determined, especially when she gets on the trail to find out exactly what happened to Maria's husband and the others. 

One aspect that was very difficult to read was the frequent mention of animal butchery. There was too much of that, and it totally took me out of the story. 

If you like a story that keeps you on the tips of your toes, then I think you'll love this book. 

One thing I loved the entire way through was the narration. Lauryn Allman does a wonderful job making the characters distinctive, and greatly helps to amp up the tension and drama throughout the book. 

If you love a page turner with sometimes unlikable characters, then I think you will love this audiobook. 

Grab on Amazon

Gracie Gets Lucky, Written By Lexi Davis

My Rating: 💜 💜 💜

Thank you NetGalley and Lexi Davis for allowing me to read the ARC for this book. 

This is a fun and spicy book that is a quick read and very entertaining. 

Gracie is at the bar with her friends, looking for a one-night stand. Her childhood friend Beck is after something else - a relationship with Gracie. He has been the one person in her life whom she could always rely on, and they can always be themselves with one another. But Beck has known that he wants to be more than a friend to Gracie. Will they stay friends, or are they destined for something more?

I like the time jumps throughout the book, which show Gracie and Beck at different points in their childhoods and adult lives. It helps give a great insight into their relationship over the years. 

I have to admit, one of my favourite things about this book is that one of Gracie's friends is named Kirsten. Don't see my own name in books very often, so totally squealed when I saw it. Thanks, Lexi. 

At a little over 100 pages, this is a quick and delightful. But be sure to read the trigger warnings at the start. 

Have A Read via Amazon

Bad Bunny, Written By Lexi Davis

My Rating: 💜 💜 💜

Thank you NetGalley and Lexi Davis for allowing me to read the ARC for this book. 

This is a fun and spicy book, perfect for people who like that with a dose of supernatural wrapped up in it too. 

Nora is a teacher who brings a fluffy white bunny rabbit into her school room, thinking it would be great for her students. But this bunny rabbit is not what he seems. The bunny shapeshifts into a handsome man, telling her that he is a prince, and he needs her help. 

It's a fairly short book with under 200 pages, and a fun ride for all. Perfect for reading at Easter time, or anytime you are looking for a little spice in your day. 

Jump over to Amazon to get a copy

Wild Dark Shore, Written By Charlotte McConaghy

My Rating: dnf

This is the March book of the month for my local Chapter 25 Book Club. I got about one-third of the way through before I decided to dnf it. I don't know if my brain just wasn't in the right place for it, but I found it intriguing, but very slow. I didn't want to stick with it for another two-thirds of the book when I have other books that I am itching to start. I may go back to it at some stage, as I have the Audible audiobook, but it won't be for a while. 

Grab a copy on Amazon

May Plans:

April was a fantastic reading month. After a few lacklustre reading months, I really got my reading mojo back. I have a lot of great books I can't wait to dive into in May, and I'm massively tempted to add the sequel to Ninth House, Hell Bent, to the list. I really want to know what happens next to Alex and the others in her world. 

I am in the middle of one of my most anticipated books of the year - The Midnight Croissant by Bonnie Solomon. I loved the first book in the series, Pearly Gates, and it was one of my favourites from 2025. Thankfully, this is proving to be a total winner as well. Pearly in Paris!! Heck yeah!

I have a few books I definitely want to read, and I'm also tempted to add one or two books to the definite list. One being Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. I have heard so much buzz about this book on BookTok and Bookstagram, and my curiosity is growing. I just got the audiobook on my Libro.fm, so might just have to indulge and hope that it lives up to the hype. 

What are you looking forward to reading in May? Let me know in the comments. 
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