Hello friends!

I hope you’re doing amazing! You know the drill; it’s time for the monthly Wrap Up. Can you believe we’re already in May? This year is flying by!

It’s funny how I thought I wouldn’t be able to read much this month, but fortunately, I was able to still fit some reading here and there! Even though I really wanted to read certain books that I wasn’t able to (yet), I still think I read a good number of books this month!

I ended up reading 9 books in April: two I originally had for my April TBR, one is the last book of a series I started a few months ago, another one is the first book of a series I wanted to start months ago, and the remaining five were random books I grabbed during the month!

So all in all… it wasn’t that bad of a reading month! I guess the only thing I would want to be different is the fact that I didn’t focus on my TBR as much as I wanted, so I ended up picking random books that sounded interesting at the time. Again, nothing too serious! 🙂

So, enough rambling! Let’s take a look at the books I read in April, shall we?

This is the list I have to share with you today! Let’s take a closer look:

1. Spinning by Tillie Walden: 3/5⭐

I’ve been wanting to read a graphic novel again for a while now, and this was a perfect quick read for the job! The story was okay-ish.

Synopsis

“Poignant and captivating, Ignatz Award winner Tillie Walden’s powerful graphic memoir, Spinning, captures what it’s like to come of age, come out, and come to terms with leaving behind everything you used to know.
It was the same every morning. Wake up, grab the ice skates, and head to the rink while the world was still dark.
Weekends were spent in glitter and tights at competitions. Perform. Smile. And do it again.
She was good. She won. And she hated it.
For ten years, figure skating was Tillie Walden’s life. She woke before dawn for morning lessons, went straight to group practice after school, and spent weekends competing at ice rinks across the state. It was a central piece of her identity, her safe haven from the stress of school, bullies, and family. But over time, as she switched schools, got into art, and fell in love with her first girlfriend, she began to question how the close-minded world of figure skating fit in with the rest of her life, and whether all the work was worth it given the reality: that she, and her friends on the figure skating team, were nowhere close to Olympic hopefuls. It all led to one question: What was the point? The more Tillie thought about it, the more Tillie realized she’d outgrown her passion–and she finally needed to find her own voice.”

2. How to Ikigai by Tim Tamashiro: 3/5⭐

Well, this wasn’t my favorite book of the month for sure, but it wasn’t as bad as either. I picked this up randomly during the month, but to be honest, I didn’t get a lot from this book. It ended up being a little too repetitive and generic (assuming you’re already familiar with the concept). I personally think there are better books about the subject out there!

Synopsis

“Discover the secret to lasting happiness and longevity in this transformative self-help book based on the ancient Japanese, time-tested wisdom of Ikigai.
Find joy in life’s journey with Ikigai. This ancient wisdom from Okinawa, Japan, can illuminate your path to self-improvement. Okinawa, Japan is a tiny island south of the Japanese mainland where people live their life’s purpose every day. How to Ikigai explores the lifestyle choices that have led to an island full of fulfilled, long-living people.
Embrace longevity through the Ikigai philosophy. Learn to age gracefully, armed with the secrets of one of the longest-living communities on earth. By integrating Ikigai into your life, you foster an attitude of gratitude, infuse your days with happiness, and inspire purposeful living.
How to Ikigai explains a simple four-directions map for living a meaningful life. Do what you love, do what you’re good at, do what the world needs, and do what you can be rewarded for.
An engaging exploration of the Ikigai philosophy, offering profound insights into finding your life purposePractical steps for implementing Ikigai in your everyday life, paving the way for happiness and self-improvementPowerful narratives showcasing Ikigai in action, like the inspiring story of David Michiels.
If you liked books such as Awakening Your Ikigai, My Little Ikigai Journal, or  The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, you’ll love How to Ikigai. Also, be sure to listen to Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson’s podcast exploring Ikigai with Tim Tamashiro.”

3. Butts: A Backstory by Heather Radke: 2.75/5⭐

I had high hopes for this book! I saw this book somewhere, and I thought the title was hilarious, so of course, I had to add it to my TBR! I like to read books about random topics, so I didn’t think too much about it when I decided to pick it up. The author warned in the beginning that this wouldn’t be an extensive science book about butts – which I was totally fine with, and I adapted my expectations while continuing reading the book. Now, with that said, this was a little disappointing. I was enjoying it at first, but as the book progressed, the author started inserting herself (and her opinions) more and more into the book. But to me that wasn’t the biggest issue – what I disliked most about this book is how it’s not really a book about butts. The chapters start with it as a topic (and kind of a justification of why the topic is being mentioned), but I noticed that the focus kept going to other things. I would describe this book more as a book about the female body throughout the years – and there’s also a lot about race too. I found some chapters fascinating and informative, for example Sara Baartman’s chapter, but other chapters like Miley Cyrus’s felt a little too biased and less relevant. Even though I wasn’t expecting a full-on science book, I still wished the author focused more on informing the reader, and kept the butt topic as a main focus.

Synopsis

“Whether we love them or hate them, think they’re sexy, think they’re strange, consider them too big, too small, or anywhere in between, humans have a complicated relationship with butts. It is a body part unique to humans, critical to our evolution and survival, and yet it has come to signify so much more: sex, desire, comedy, shame. A woman’s butt, in particular, is forever being assessed, criticized, and objectified, from anxious self-examinations trying on jeans in department store dressing rooms to enduring crass remarks while walking down a street or high school hallways. But why? In Butts: A Backstory, reporter, essayist, and RadioLab contributing editor Heather Radke is determined to find out.
Spanning nearly two centuries, this “whip-smart” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) cultural history takes us from the performance halls of 19th-century London to the aerobics studios of the 1980s, the music video set of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby Got Back” and the mountains of Arizona, where every year humans and horses race in a feat of gluteal endurance. Along the way, she meets evolutionary biologists who study how butts first developed; models whose measurements have defined jean sizing for millions of women; and the fitness gurus who created fads like “Buns of Steel.” She also examines the central importance of race through figures like Sarah Bartmann, once known as the “Venus Hottentot,” Josephine Baker, Jennifer Lopez, and other women of color whose butts have been idolized, envied, and despised.
Part deep dive reportage, part personal journey, part cabinet of curiosities, Butts is an entertaining, illuminating, and thoughtful examination of why certain silhouettes come in and out of fashion—and how larger ideas about race, control, liberation, and power affect our most private feelings about ourselves and others.”

4. Out of Control (Full Throttle #4) by K. Bromberg: 4/5⭐

As a conclusion to the series, this was great, but if we’re focusing on the book’s story itself… I wanted a bit more. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed it, but since this book centers around one of the most talked-about characters from the previous installments – and especially a villain – I was expecting a little more… darkness? Like I said, I did like the story, but perhaps my high expectations got the best of me here! Still a good read.

Synopsis

“Every story needs a villain.
The arrogance. The conceit. The lone wolf.
Oliver Rossi is that person on the track.
And leave it to me… I’ve gone and fallen for him.
Rossi is his own worst enemy. He doesn’t care what people think or what’s expected of him. And he’s reached the pinnacle of his sport because of his bad boy ways.
He’s unpredictable and reckless on the track. He’s even worse off of it. After years of circling around each other, all it took was one night, one uncharacteristic act of chivalry, to know I wanted more with the man everyone hates.
Forget the warnings from my brother about his new teammate and the fallout from my family—he’s worth the risk.
With his job on the line and eyes always on us, secret trysts are all we allow ourselves.
It’s all fun and games until lust turns to love and for now begins to feel like not enough.
I want it all.
I want forever.
And I want it with Oliver Rossi.
But is Rossi willing to show the world he’s ready to move past his villain era so we can have our own happily ever after or will this whole thing spin out of control?”

5. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins: 4.25/5⭐

I really liked this book! I wasn’t planning on reading it this month, but I needed a break between all the fantasy books I was reading, and this was a perfect fit at the time. My friend read this, and she said that it reminded her of me, so I was too curious not to give it a try! I actually really enjoyed this, and I found David to be a very inspiring person. I took valuable lessons from this book that I’m already applying in my life. Definitely recommend this gem!

Synopsis

“For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare — poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse colored his days and haunted his nights. But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world’s top endurance athletes. The only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, he went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside magazine to name him “The Fittest (Real) Man in America.”In Can’t Hurt Me, he shares his astonishing life story and reveals that most of us tap into only 40% of our capabilities. Goggins calls this The 40% Rule, and his story illuminates a path that anyone can follow to push past pain, demolish fear, and reach their full potential.”

6. The Only One Left by Riley Sager: 5/5⭐

This book was INSANE! I’m convinced Riley Sager can’t write a bad book. It’s crazy the number of plot twists this book has! I think it’s interesting the way this author creates stories that are so full of detail and with plenty of characters that the reader can’t trust. It’s safe to say Riley Sager has become my go-to thriller author, and I can’t recommend his books enough.

Synopsis

“At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope
Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.
Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life
It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer—I want to tell you everything.
“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead
As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth—and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.”

7. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J.K. Rowling: 5/5⭐

A book that needs no introduction! I read this book for the first time AGES ago (probably like about 15 years ago if I’m being honest), so it was time to read it again a refresh my memory. I mean, what else can I say? There’s no surprise here: of course I had a great time reading this book, and I can’t wait to start the second book, “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”!

Synopsis

“Harry Potter has never played a sport while flying on a broomstick. He’s never worn a Cloak of Invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon. All Harry knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry’s room is a tiny cupboard under the stairs, and he hasn’t had a birthday party in ten years.
But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: A letter with an invitation to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed. There he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny that’s been waiting for him – if Harry can survive the encounter.”

8. The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater: 3.25/5⭐

Okay, maybe I’ve been a little harsh with this book since I started rejecting it from the beginning. To be honest, it’s not that I loved this story, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. I still find the supernatural aspect of this book not that interesting, but I actually enjoyed the characters and their relationships with each other. I’m glad I didn’t give up on this, so let’s see how the rest of the series goes.

Synopsis

““There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love… or you killed him.”
It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.”

9. Redefining Anxiety by Dr. John Delony: 4.5/5⭐

This was another book I picked up randomly this month! It was a quick read, but I really appreciated Dr. John’s perspective on the topic. I found this small book insightful and genuinely helpful for anyone struggling with anxiety – I just wish it had been a full-length book! I would definitely recommend it to readers facing the same challenge.

Synopsis

“Anxiety is real—but it isn’t the end of your story. Dr. John Delony knows what anxiety feels like. He’s walked that dark road himself, but he found light and hope on the other side of it. Bringing together his own journey and two decades of counseling and research, he walks you John will show you that most of what you’ve heard about anxiety is wrong. Things While mental health is complex, our culture has made anxiety into something it’s not. For the majority of people who face anxiety, the truth is simpler than we anxiety is an alarm . It’s a signal—nothing more and nothing less. Anxiety is simply our body’s way of telling us something is wrong. If we stop and listen, we can calm the alarm and move forward into healing and hope.”

As usual, I’ll be posting the reviews for these books, so stay tuned!

What about you guys? How was your reading month? Let me know in the comments! Thank you for reading friends, I’ll catch you guys later!