April is finally here and with it spring appears to have arrived. I spent much of March in a total reading slump. I am attempting to push through and get my reading habits back on track this month. My April TBR is a mix of non-fiction and longer fantasies. I know what usually pulls me out of a slump and these are them.
I already started and completed one book in April. Amari and the Nightbrothers is a middle grade fantasy that I picked up and flew through last week. It was everything I needed it to be a whimsical, quest-based tale in a school setting. It reminded me a lot of the earlier Keeper of the Lost Cities books and the Nevermoor series.
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Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
This is the only book that I actually may fly through on my April TBR. I love Leigh Bardugo and really enjoy the Grishaverse. Depending on how quickly I complete this, I may add King of Scars and Rule of Wolves to the list. The plan is to start this one this coming weekend so that I can do a bit of marathoning.
The Art of the Gathering by Priya Parker
I started this book last month. Parker writes about how our gatherings these days are routine and lackluster. She lays out the ways to make your gatherings special, important and meaningful. Since part of my job focuses on gathering and facilitating conversations, I think this book will help me bother personally and professionally. Of note, Parker isn’t saying that every time you are with your friends should be carefully planned. There are times when it is ok to just “hang,” but those are not gatherings.
Cyber War By Richard A. Clarke and Robert Knake
I’ll be honest this is purely a professional knowledge book. I’m excited to read Cyber War but it will likely take some time. I don’t know what more to expect other than deepening my knowledge of the risks we face and potential mitigation strategies. I will likely read bits and pieces of this before bed.
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
I am really excited to read this book as a part of Simone Jung’s Fantasy book club. I’ve wanted to read this Hugo Award Winning book for a while, but just haven’t found the time. Fantasy book club gives me the perfect opportunity. I will have to pace myself through it. I just need to be halfway through by the 15th of the month. Then finish it for the end of the month! I cannot wait to dive into this classic.
The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper
I finally started reading this sequence in February. I have had this book on my shelves for YEARS and in an effort to read my backlog, I decided to pick it up. There are some problematic parts (non-diverse characters, references that are a bit outdated, etc.). However, I am trying to be a bit understanding since it was written between 1965-1977. There hasn’t been anything that has been outright racist and it is largely based on Norse and Anglo-Saxon mythology.
