Weekly Mewsings: April Wrap Up, May Showers & May's TBR Poll (Please Vote!)

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz  where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.

I am linking up Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently.  

I went to sleep last night to the sound of rain outside. It is still overcast so perhaps more rain will come. That would be nice. How is it May already?! My calendar is looking full with book clubs, work trainings (and work itself), appointments, and Mouse's end of the year school activities. I meant to make more of an appearance in April, but time got away from me. Mouse is down with a cold/flu bug right now, unfortunately, and Anjin and I are trying to treat our early symptoms hoping we don't get sick too. That reminds me . . . I need to cancel Mouse's voice lesson for this next week. Singing and coughing do not go well together. 

Books Read in April

It is obvious what I was doing instead of blogging this past month by the looks of the books I was able to get to. What happened to my five books a month average? I am not complaining. I have been including more audio reading in my days, turning to my books more than I am spending on social media or turning on the television. I am sure that has contributed to my reading more.

I started the month finishing A Sorceress Comes to Call, my first (but not my last) T. Kingfisher novel. And thank you to everyone who voted in my April TBR List Poll and for those who selected Lula Dean's Little Banned Library. It really was a delightful read! I found myself getting angry one minute and then immediately felt mollified when I read the next page. It was a charming book with bite. Speaking of bite, I decided to read Bless Your Heart last month too. A mix of horror and comedy set in small town Texas. It got off to a slow start for me, but I liked it quite a bit in the end. So much so, I currently am reading the next book in the series. 

For my April book clubs, I split my book club reading between audiobooks and print books, listening to Against the Loveless World and Gideon the Ninth and reading the print versions of The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos and All Good People Here. I enjoyed taking part in the book club discussions for all of them. The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos was so romantic! And although it took me a moment to get into it, I liked Gideon the Ninth with all its clever twists. Against the Loveless World seems like a timely book to read right now, following the story of a Palestinian woman. Of the book club reads, All Good People Here was the most disappointing. It started off so well--a strong 4 paw read--but then the ending ruined it for me (and for other book club members too), so much so, it lost a paw. For the COYER read-along, I read Steel's Edge, which was a strong final book in the Edge series. 

Mouse's language arts class read The Outsiders in April, and I decided it was a good time to revisit it myself. It was one of my childhood favorites, and I was curious to see how it would hold up. It may be dated in some respects, but the story is still a good one and, in conversations with my daughter, still relevant. It was a book her entire class enjoyed. Of all her required reading so far, The Outsiders is Mouse's favorite. Yay! At Mouse's request, I read The Girl With the Silver Eyes this past month too. It is one of her favorite books (she read it a couple or so years ago). I can definitely see why my daughter loves it. I enjoyed it too! One of Mouse's friends is on a Madeline Miller kick, reading The Song of Achilles and Circe, and is trying to talk Mouse into reading them too. That motivated me to re-read Circe, this time via audiobook. It's just as wonderful as I remember it. 

 My work offered staff the opportunity to listen to Unraveling Bias: How Prejudice Has Shaped Children for Generations and Why It's Time to Break the Cycle, and I jumped at the chance. It is well researched and evidence-based. It was well worth my time and I am glad I decided to read it. 

I fit in a little poetry in April in honor of National Poetry month. I read Afterland, which is a beautiful and, at times, poignant collection of poetry. When I saw my library had an audio-copy of middle grade fantasy novel in verse, The Song of Orphan's Garden, I decided to check it out. I actually own a print copy, but though it might be fun to listen to. Even though I knew what the book was about, I was still struck by the depth of the world building and the character's backstories. It's well written and the story is compelling. I loved the characters. I would like to go back and re-read my print copy at some point.

As much as I enjoy participating in the reading bingo game, I do not plan my reading around it at the beginning of each month. It's usually toward the end of the month, as I begin to prep for my monthly wrap up, that I look to see how I am doing and panic. Can I fit another book in that meets a missing category, I ask myself. Which is how I found myself squeezing in The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher (academic setting) and Calling Invisible Women (character feels invisible). My daughter was kind enough to loan me her copy of the graphic novel, The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher (she also offered me another selection, which I kind of wish I had gone with instead, but, oh well). I admit I wasn't too sold on it for at least the first half of the novel, but the twists toward the end made it better. Calling Invisible Women had not even been on my radar of books I wanted to read, but when I read the description and found the audio on my library's website, it seemed the perfect choice for the "character feels invisible" category on that bingo card. And it was! It is figuratively and literally about a middle aged woman (and others too) who not only feel invisible but become invisible. It's a light-hearted hopeful novel, but also touches on themes that many women, especially those of us middle-aged and older, can relate to. 

Calling Invisible Women by Jeanne Ray, narrated by Coleen Marlo

Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (reread)

All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers 

Bless Her Heart (#1) by Lindy Ryan 

The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos by Melissa de la Cruz

Unraveling Bias by Christia Spears Brown, narrated by Bernadette Dunne

Steel's Edge (The Edge #4) by Ilona Andrews 

The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher by Ryan North, illustrated by Derek Charm

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb #1) by Tamsyn Muir

Circe by Madeline Miller (reread)

The Song of Orphan's Garden by Nicole Hewitt, narrated by Esther Wane & Keval Shah

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

Afterland by Mai Der Vang

The Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts 

Format pie chart from Storygraph

Of the sixteen books I read during April, six were audiobooks, six in print, and five in e-book format. My audiobook consumption is at its highest yet. I kind of like that there is a good balance between the three formats! 

Rating Scale: 5 Paws=Outstanding; 4 Paws=Very Good; 3 Paws=Good; 2 Paws=Okay; 1 Paw=Didn't Like

My ratings were a bit more spread out in April than they were in March. My highest rated book was a reread (Circe). If I had to pick a favorite read of the month though, it would definitely be Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa. It is the most memorable of all my April reads.  

My April 2025 Reading Moods (according to Storygraph)

Let's take a look at how I did with my April Chapter Break Bookish Bingo card. I did not manage to fill out all the spots, but I think I did fairly good at filling out the card; I filled 23 spots, 24 if you count the free space!

What was your favorite book read in April? Have you made progress with your reading challenges? Did you have a good reading month?

My Current Reads: 

Another Fine Mess (Bless Your Heart #2) by Lindy Ryan (e-book)

This Could Be Us (Skyland #2) by Kennedy Ryan (audio)

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea (Tomes & Tea #1) by Rebecca Thorne (print)

May's Book Club Reads:

Norwegian at Night by Derek D. Miller (Mystery Book Club)

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray (Cellar Door Book Club)

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan (Diverse Romance Book Club)

Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated by Lin King (Historical Fiction Book Club)

The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susana Clarke (Science Fiction/Fantasy Book Club)

As for May's book club reads: although I have a physical copy of this month's Diverse Romance book club selection, I am listening to the audiobook (thanks to the library). I have a conflict in my schedule this month so am not sure I will get to the Science Fiction/Fantasy meeting, but I hope to read it just the same. 

What are you reading right now?

My TBR List is hosted by Michelle at Because Reading. The 1st Saturday of every month, I will list 3 books from my TBR pile I am considering reading and let you vote for my next read during that month. My review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise).  

Please help me select my next read! I am in the mood for something cozy, perhaps heart warming, and all three of these books stood out to me as I browsed my shelves considering what to add to this month's poll. Which of these appeals to you most? Which one do you think I should read next? 

What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts

For fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, a charming, internationally bestselling Japanese novel about how the perfect book recommendation can change a readers’ life.

What are you looking for? So asks Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian. For Sayuri Komachi is able to sense exactly what each visitor to her library is searching for and provide just the book recommendation to help them find it.

A restless retail assistant looks to gain new skills, a mother tries to overcome demotion at work after maternity leave, a conscientious accountant yearns to open an antique store, a recently retired salaryman searches for newfound purpose.

In Komachi’s unique book recommendations they will find just what they need to achieve their dreams. What You Are Looking For Is in the Library is about the magic of libraries and the discovery of connection. This inspirational tale shows how, by listening to our hearts, seizing opportunity and reaching out, we too can fulfill our lifelong dreams. Which book will you recommend? [Publisher's Summary]

The DallerGut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee, translated by Sandy Joosun Lee

What if there was a store that sold dreams? Which would you buy? And who might you become when you wake up?

In a mysterious town hidden in our collective subconscious there's a department store that sells dreams. Day and night, visitors both human and animal shuffle in to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor specializes in a specific type of dream: childhood memories, food dreams, ice skating, dreams of stardom. Flying dreams are almost always sold out. Some seek dreams of loved ones who have died.

For Penny, an enthusiastic new hire, working at Dallergut is the opportunity of a lifetime. As she uncovers the workings of this whimsical world, she bonds with a cast of unforgettable characters, including Dallergut, the flamboyant and wise owner, Babynap Rockabye, a famous dream designer, Maxim, a nightmare producer, and the many customers who dream to heal, dream to grow, and dream to flourish.

A captivating story that will leave a lingering magical feeling in readers' minds, this is the first book in a bestselling duology for anyone exhausted from the reality of their daily life. [Publisher's Summary]

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida, translated by E. Madison Shimoda

A cat a day keeps the doctor away….

Discover this utterly charming, vibrant celebration of the healing power of cats in the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel that has become an international sensation.

Tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can be found only by people who are struggling in their lives and who genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take” their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, and occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.

Throughout these pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a hardened handbag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha learns to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic’s patients grapple with their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope. [Publisher's Summary]

Thank you for voting!

In my Easter basket this year: 

The Mimicking of Known Successes (#1) by Malka Older

The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles (#2) by Malka Older

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

and an adorable book loving gnome!

In April, we enjoyed our day to L.A. Times Book Festival. These are the goodies that came home with us: 

Mouse swore she did not want to leave the festival without a book. These three were among her finds:

Monster Movie! by Chuck Wendig

Whoever Steals This Book by Nowaki Fukamidori

The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig 

More of Mouse's Loot:

Lala the Memory Collector by Sui Kohno

Rebis: Born and Reborn by Irene Marchesini, translated by Carla Roncalli Di Montorio, illustrated by Carlotta Dicataldo

Mouse was excited to meet author Alejandro Lee and get signed copies of his graphic novels featuring Sally Sprocket and Piston Pete.

Anjin's Loot:

The Missing Men (Hobtown Mystery #1) by Kris Bertin

The Cursed Hermit (Hobtown Mystery#2) by Kris Bertin 

Lady Mechanika, Vol. 1: The Mystery of the Mechanical Corpse by Joe Benítez

For me (Signed copies)

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi

Also for me:

Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique 

Long Division by Kiese Laymon 

A new mouse pad for me along with stickers 

and pins Mouse and I picked up at the festival

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think? 

Following in the footsteps of Deb of Readerbuzz, who shares three good things in her Sunday Salon posts, I thought I would try to do the same. With all the worries and stressors in life, I want to highlight some of the good, even the seemingly small stuff. 

1. We enjoyed Easter dinner with my mom, and got to see the birds, a bunny, and squirrel enjoy food from the bird feeder in her backyard.

2. Armed with our umbrellas, my family and I attended the L.A. Times Festival of Books in April, and while the day started out (very) wet, the sun was shining by the afternoon. We had fun at the festival--and I even had the chance to chat with authors Rebecca Thorne and John Scalzi!

3. Recently we went to see one of Mouse's friends perform in the local children's theater production of The Wizard of Oz. The kids looked like they were having fun on stage, and it was an overall fun show. 

What have you been up to this past week? 

I hope you have a great week! Let me know what you have been reading!

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