What I read in April 2025
April felt particularly bookish, even by my standards. As well as gorging myself on books and penning (keyboarding?) a handful of reviews as usual, I went to three book events – two for The Mune by my talented friend Sue Dawes, and one with Natasha Pulley and Claire North, where they spoke really engagingly about Greek myth reimaginings.
This month, I’m off to Orford Ness again, where I’m hoping inspiration for a completed story will strike a second time! You can hear me read (most of) the first one at Emotional Madness in June.
In a Place of Darkness, by Stuart MacBride - 4.5*
The Cure, by Eve Smith - 4.5*
A Sunny Place for Shady People, by Mariana Enriquez and translated by Megan McDowell - 4.5*
I’ll Never Be Young Again, by Daphne Du Maurier - 3.5*
Fingers Crossed: How Music Saved Me from Success, by Miki Berenyi - brilliant. I do wonder if anyone’s suggested to Miki that she could be autistic… 5*
Eerie Exhibits, by Victoria Williamson - 4*
The Coffee Shop Masquerade, by T.A. Morton - 3.5*
Herald Petrel, by Strange Seawolf - 4.5*
The Hymn to Dionysus, by Natasha Pulley - wonderful. 5*
Deadly Yellowstone, edited by Lise McClendon - 4*
Non-Player Character, by Veo Corva - 4*
We Who Hunt Alexanders, by Jason Sanford - 4*
The Knight and the Butcherbird, by Alix E. Harrow - reading a novella on the last day of the month to boost my monthly round-up? Couldn’t be me. 4*
Looking ahead…
Feeling inspired by my last three reads of April, which all featured transformation in one way or another, I’ve started The Fox Wife, by Yangsze Choo, and I’m really enjoying it so far.
I picked up Ithaca, by Claire North, at her event with Natasha Pulley last month. I’ve really dropped the ball on both Greek reimaginings and North in recent <mumbles> years </mumbles>, but the event was so entertaining, I feel compelled to rectify that!
May itself is looking quiet for me on the blogging front, but I’ll be using the time to get on top of some of my reviews for June. The Original Daughter, by Jemimah Wei, is an upcoming blog tour book I particularly like the sound of!