April 2025 Wrap-Up and May TBR
Plus the next Booker of the Month pick and upcoming releases on my radar
Hi, book friends.
I know April showers are common, but my month felt more like a maelstrom. Still, we ended it at the beach, which made everything feel a bit more balanced. This week is still going to be busy as I travel for work and then celebrate my first Mother’s Day (!), but I’m optimistic that May will move more slowly and treat me well. Hopefully with more reading time!
Speaking of which, things are finally blooming where I live — everything is green again, and as I type this, I’m looking at the tree in my front yard white with blossoms against a backdrop of dandelions across the street. That really goes a long way toward healing a weary soul, ya know?
What I Read in April
I managed 7 books in April — but I only got there because I was on vacation for its last 5 days, over the course of which I read 4 of those books. 😅 Still, it was a good quality month!
I had hoped to have all the full reviews written for you by today, but alas. Stay tuned on Instagram or the blog for the ones that are missing!
Loved
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry† 🎧: This was Book Lovers meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and I was totally here for it.
Playground by Richard Powers 📖🎧: Might be my favorite Powers to date?? He is just…SO SMART?
Liked a lot
Royal Assassin (The Farseer Trilogy, #2) by Robin Hobb 📖🎧: Finally back in Fitz’s world and loving it! These books are slower paced but have a lovely classic fantasy storytelling feeling to them.
The Mask Falling (The Bone Season, #4) by Samantha Shannon 📖🎧: I CANNOT believe that all you Bone Season fans waited SO LONG for the fifth book after that ending!
When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi* 📖: Scalzi can always be counted upon for a fun, heartfelt time. This was no exception.
Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake*† 📖🎧: This started off slow for me, but before I knew it, these messy siblings had hooked themselves straight into my heart.
Liked
Democracy in Retrograde: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives by Sami Sage and Emily Amick 📖🎧: A little cheesy at times, but super accessible and full of legitimately useful tools to up your civic engagement.
*print copy gifted to me by the publisher
†audiobook gifted to me by the publisher
May TBR
Let’s pretend like a) I’m not cheating by putting 11 books on this list because The River Has Roots is TINY, and b) my usual 10 books a month isn’t already proving to be a stretch goal in 2025. Because I am excited about this TBR, okay???
A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher: My first Hugo Award nominee of the season!
Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel: This month’s Booker of the Month (and as of earlier today, a Pulitzer finalist!)
The Antidote by Karen Russell*†: I’m determined to get to this one this time.
The Dark Mirror (The Bone Season, #5) by Samantha Shannon†: Finally at the most recent Bone Season book, and very excited about it.
Faithbreaker (Fallen Gods, #3) by Hannah Kaner*†: Can’t wait to see how this trilogy ends!
Notes from a Regicide by Isaac Fellman*†: This one has gotten a lot of hype. I’m excited to see what it’s all about.
The Pretender by Jo Harkin*†: Loved Wolf Hall. Hoping to love this one too.
Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put by Annie B. Jones*: As a creature of habit who married her high school sweetheart and lives 45 minutes from her childhood home, I’m expecting this one to speak to me.
When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley*: Queer mermaid romance. Say less.
The Incandescent by Emily Tesh*†: I really enjoyed Some Desperate Glory, which won the Hugo, so I’m excited to read this! Out 5/13.
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar*: Like I said, it’s tiny — less than 4 hours on audiobook. So it’s not cheating. Not even a little bit.
*print copy gifted to me by the publisher
†audiobook gifted to me by the publisher
Conversation Pushers
If you missed this month’s post on Democracy in Retrograde by Sami Sage and Emily Amick, you can catch up here. I matched and donated commissions from my Bookshop or Libro.fm sales of the book to Civic Nation!
As I explained in the post, I’m shifting this column’s schedule from monthly to ad hoc. So no dedicated Conversation Pushers book for May, but I’ve got my eye on a few titles that might be a good fit that I plan to work into the TBR very soon.
May Booker of the Month
ICYMI, I run a book club called Booker of the Month, where we read one book from the Booker Prize longlist each month. There are 13, so we double up just once, and by the time next year’s longlist is announced, we’ll have read them all. The April meeting was fantastic as always!
Our May selection is Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel. Today it became a Pulitzer finalist! It’s also short. Join us!
Learn more about the book on the StoryGraph.
Get a print or ebook copy or the audiobook.
Sign up for our Zoom discussion on Monday, May 19 at 8 PM ET. (NOTE: This is one week earlier than usual due to Memorial Day!)
May hot releases
FYI, I keep a running list of new releases I’m excited for on my Bookshop storefront, plus a list of recent releases I love or expect to love.
Books I have my eye on this month include:
The Incandescent by Emily Tesh (5/13)
Anji Kills a King by Evan Leikam (5/13)
Metallic Realms by Lincoln Michel (5/13)
So Many Stars: An Oral History of Trans, Nonbinary, Genderqueer, and Two-Spirit People of Color by Caro de Robertis (5/13)
Circular Motion by Alex Foster (5/13)
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (also 5/13 … the 13th is going to be a big day!)
The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig (5/20)
The Book of Records by Madeleine Thien (5/20)
As always, thanks for sharing your corner of the internet with me! It would mean a lot if you were to take a second to like this post. I’d love to hear how your reading month went in the comments, too.
Finally, if you like this newsletter, please send a few friends my way.
Until next time,
— Deedi (she/her)
Ordinary Time is incredible!! Can’t wait for you to read it!