Looking for some bookspiration? Then you'll want to check out everything I read in April 2024 ... from mysteries to literary fiction (and more) there's a book here for everyone!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I've gotten a little off track on writing these reading roundups over the last couple months. So even though I'm quite bit behind on April, I figured that it was better late than never!
April was a super busy month around here. My husband and I visited Italy for the first time (mostly Rome and Florence, with side trips to Bologna, Pisa, and Siena), which was amazing. Then a few days after returning home, we headed to Florida for a long weekend to visit family. Very fun, but I'm still tired just thinking about it, lol.
I tend to read less when traveling (mostly because I'm so tired from walking 15,000+ steps a day!), although I love the uninterrupted hours of reading time while flying. With my travels in mind, I chose a few books set in Italy this month, and it definitely got me in the Italian spirit during my trip!
Last month, I read six books, and my favorite was Good Material by Dolly Alderton! I just loved this book (you can read more of my thoughts below). I've never read any of Dolly Alderton's novels before, but I will definitely be correcting that mistake soon.
What did you read this month? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!
Books I Read in April 2024
I've included links for all of these books on Bookshop.org and Amazon so you can easily find them, as well as my ratings for each book (one star is lowest / five stars is highest).
The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett
About the book: In The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, a cult brainwashes a teenager into believing that her baby is the anti-Christ. After the young mother comes to her senses and contacts the police, the other Angels commit suicide, and the mother and baby vanish. Years later, the baby has turned 18, and true crime writer Amanda Bailey is writing a book about the Alperton Angels cult that's sure to be the scoop of the year. She just needs track down the baby. But rival author Oscar Menzies is also on the baby's trail. Forced to work together, the two writers realize that the truth is even darker than they thought, and by pursuing the story, they risk becoming part of it.
My review: This was such a fun and unique book! It's an epistolary novel, so the story is written through a series of found footage, as well as texts, emails, and meetings between the characters, rather than a standard narrative. I loved the set-up, and I found it really hard to put down. The story kept me gripped throughout, and the ending definitely veered off the path from where I thought it was headed!
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
Watch It Burn by Kristen Bird
About the book: In Watch It Burn, after elementary school teacher Nichole Miller discovers the body of 65-year old Beverly Hoffman in the Guadalupe River, she makes two calls. The first is to the police, who rule Beverly's drowning in two inches of water an accident. The second is to her best friend Jenny Martin, a journalist who's trying to save her career and her failing marriage. Beverly was a beloved community member who she co-founded the wildly popular personal-development company Genetive with her influential husband. Convinced that foul play is involved, the two friends enlist Beverly's daughter-in-law Robin to help them uncover the truth about Genetive and Beverly's death.
My review: This book was a bit of a random pick. I mostly chose it because it was set in Texas, but I ended up really enjoying it! It's a bit of a slow burn, but there was a lot to like, from the interesting story which features a cult-like company located in a conservative small town setting to the strong women who tell their story through multiple points of view.
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
About the book: My Brilliant Friend is the first book in the four part Neapolitan Novels series! Set in a poor, but vibrant neighborhood in 1950s Naples, the novel tells the story of the complex friendship between fiery Lila and bookish Elena, from their meeting as 10 year olds through their school years and adolescence. As the girls' friendship transforms, so does their neighborhood and country.
My review: I've been meaning to read a book by the mysterious Elena Ferrante for years, and couldn't think of a better time to dive in than during my Italy trip! This book really delves deep into the girls' day-to-day lives, and it often felt like not a lot was happening. But by the end, the changes in the girls and their friendship, as well as their violent neighborhood, were great. There was such a strong sense of place in this novel, and the complexities of the girls' characters and relationship was so clear. I'm looking forward to starting book #2 in the series soon!
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza
About the book: The Sicilian Inheritance opens with Sara Marsala struggling to recover after a failed business and marriage, and grieving the recent death of her beloved great-aunt Rosie. But Rosie's last gift has offered Sara an escape: a plane ticket to Sicily. The ticket comes with a deed to a plot of land (that may, or may not, belong to their family), and a huge secret. Rosie believed their family's story about Sara's great-grandmother Serafina is wrong. Serafina didn't die of illness in Sicily while her husband worked in America; she was murdered. As Sara travels the beautiful Italian countryside, she attempts to discover Serafina's true story. But as she learns about Serafina and challenges the local status quo, Sara finds herself facing the same dangerous forces that took down her great-grandmother.
My review: This book was inspired by the murder of author Jo Piazza's own great-great-grandmother, and it feels like a love letter to strong women. Serafina's story was equal parts fascinating and heartbreaking, and I really enjoyed the peek into Sicilian women's history. This book has a little of everything, including romance, mystery, and history, and the descriptions of the setting, food, and characters were very evocative. One note: the main character Sara is a butcher, and I could definitely have done without any details about her career!
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
Good Material by Dolly Alderton
About the book: Good Material starts after a breakup. Andy can't understand why his girlfriend Jen stopped loving him. The breakup has left him without a home, and to make matters worse, his career is floundering, and his friends have all grown up when he wasn't looking. If only he can figure out what ruined his relationship, maybe he can get Jen back. Andy has a lot to learn, not the least of which is Jen's side of the story.
My review: I absolutely loved this book! The story is mainly told through Andy's point of view, and he's definitely a sad sack type of character. Although I empathized with him, I also wanted to shake him and say, "get it together man!" Then near the end, the book switches to Jen's perspective on the breakup ... which I thought was brilliant and put everything in perspective.
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(5 out of 5 stars)
How Can I Help You by Laura Sims
About the book: In How Can I Help You, Margo's colleagues and and patrons at the library know her as competent, friendly, and charming librarian. But they don't know her real name, and they have no reason to suspect that she's former nurse who has left a trail of suspicious deaths in her wake. Margo has turned the page on her old life, and the library has become her sanctuary. At least until Patricia, a recent graduate and failed novelist shows up. Patricia has noticed Margo's subtly sinister edge, and after a tragic accident in the library's bathroom, the new librarian can't resist digging into Margo's mysterious past. Patricia soon becomes fixated on Margo, and her obsession sends the two women hurtling toward disaster.
My review: This was a quick, but fun read! The narrative alternates between Margo and Patricia, and as their cat-and-mouse game progresses, the tension slowly builds. Usually you think of librarians as friendly, upstanding people, and this book turns that stereotype on its head. Neither woman is particularly likable once you learn their inner thoughts, but that is all part of the fun.
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
And that wraps things up for April! I hope you found something new to read! Have you finished any of these books, or did you read anything this month that you'd recommend? Let me know if the comments!
Looking for more great books? While I didn't do a roundup for February or March, Commitment by Mona Simpson and Happiness Falls by Angie Kim were both five stars reads for me! You can also follow me on Goodreads to see everything I'm reading, and for more inspo, check out all the Books I Read in January 2024 and this roundup of my Favorite Books from 2023 that I created for bookshop.org!
