April 2019 Reading List

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The books on my April 2019 reading list include a mix of books coming in May, some new books that came out earlier this year, and a National Book Award Winner from 2018.

Since I’ve been planning my reading by month, I feel like I spend more time trying to put together the perfect blend of books. It’s almost like making an old-school mixtape (wow, showing my age!).

I’m pleased with the variety of stories coming up in April. I tend to have trouble reading books that are too similar back-to-back–if one really blows me away, it’s hard to judge the next one on its own merits.

I’m hoping the mix of moods will also work this month. There are a few that I think will be more uplifting, plus a gritty thriller, some heavier historical and literary fiction, and one nonfiction book that pairs nicely with a previous read.

Do you plan your reading based on how well the mix of books works for you? If so, do you look for books that are different, or do you like to read on a theme?

I think bloggers probably do a little more planning in advance than non-blogging readers, but even before I started my blog I needed the books I read back-to-back to be different from one another.

I’d love to hear if this matters to you.

Books on My April 2019 Reading List

Rules for Visiting: A Novel

Rules for Visiting: A Novel

Author: Jessica Francis Kane
Source: Publisher (Penguin Press) via Edelweiss
Publish Date: May 14, 2019

This story of a 40-year-old woman who chooses to set out on an odyssey to reconnect with her old friends in person–not online–sounds like a wonderfully observant novel for the digital age. It seems fitting for those who spend a lot of time online and for those who reject the notion but still must live in a world where many people only cultivate friendships online. Probably not a plot-heavy page-turner, I anticipate that this will be a pleasant and possibly even inspiring read.

More info →

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America Was Hard to Find: A Novel

America Was Hard to Find: A Novel

Author: Kathleen Alcott
Source: Publisher (Ecco) via Edelweiss
Publish Date: May 14, 2019

Fay Fern, an expatriate in Ecuador, and her son, Wright, watch on television as Vincent Kahn takes the first steps on the moon in 1969. A brief affair resulted in Wright’s birth, and their lives quickly diverged. Vincent becomes an American hero, while Fay becomes a leader of another kind, demonstrating against the Vietnam War and landing on the FBI’s most-wanted list.

This book promises to be a big story with big personalities, set during a time of raucous turmoil–I have high hopes for another historical fiction page-turner.

More info →

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A Job You Mostly Won’t Know How to Do: A Novel

A Job You Mostly Won’t Know How to Do: A Novel

Author: Pete Fromm
Source: Publisher (Counterpoint) via Edelweiss
Publish Date: May 7, 2019

Taz and Marnie are eager to build their lives together in the West–even more-so when they learn they are expecting a baby. When Marnie dies in childbirth, Taz faces parenthood alone in a fixer-upper in the wilds of Montana. Following Taz’s first two years as a father, this book promises that the unique personalities and landscape of the West will offer additional texture and interest to what is already a compelling premise.

More info →

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The Farm: A Novel

The Farm: A Novel

Author: Joanne Ramos
Source: Publisher (Random House Publishing Group) via Netgalley
Publish Date: May 7, 2019

At first glance, The Farm seems to have tinges of yet another feminist dystopian novel. And while I think this one will have some elements fitting of that designation, it really sounds like more of an examination of the issues surrounding immigrant women, their desperation, and the lengths they must go to for their families. In this case, the women are confined to a “retreat” for nine months–until they produce a perfect baby–at which time they will receive a huge payment. If this is done well, I have high hopes for a thought-provoking and eye-opening read.

More info →

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The Lost Man

The Lost Man

Author: Jane Harper
Source: Library
Publish Date: February 5, 2019

Two brothers meet at the line of their properties in the Australian outback, with their third brother dead at their feet. They grieve his loss and investigate what could have happened–but there are few suspects on the isolated outback, and secrets that people want to keep hidden. I missed Jane Harper’s The Dry (and its sequel, Force of Nature), but I heard many raves and I thought I’d give her new stand-alone book a try. If it’s a winner, I’ll likely go back and try the others.

More info →

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The Friend: A Novel

The Friend: A Novel

Author: Sigrid Nunez
Library
Publish Date: February 6, 2018

I have always wanted a Great Dane (their short lifespan is really the only thing holding me back), so I knew a book featuring one–a National Book Award winner, no less–was a must-read for me. This story about a Great Dane and the woman who finds herself his unwitting caregiver after her friend’s death promises to be both sad and touching, but I’m hoping its literary acclaim means that it doesn’t veer into sappiness.

More info →

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Daughter of Moloka’i

Daughter of Moloka’i

Author: Alan Brennert
Source: Library
Publish Date: February 19, 2019

The follow-up to Brennert’s 2003 novel Moloka’i, which tells the story of Rachel, a young girl diagnosed with leprosy and forced to live in quarantine in the colony for leprosy patients on the island of Moloka’i. Daughter of Moloka’i follows Ruth, Rachel’s daughter, through her adoption, internment in a California camp, and eventual reunion with Rachel.

More info →

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Where the Angels Lived: One Family’s Story of Exile, Loss, and Return

Where the Angels Lived: One Family’s Story of Exile, Loss, and Return

Author: Margaret McMullan
Source: Author agent
Publish Date: May 1, 2019

Part memoir and part nonfiction exploration of McMullan’s family’s history through the Hungarian Holocaust, Where the Angels Lived is a somewhat unique take on a WWII book. Similar to My Flag Grew Stars, McMullan explores her family’s origins in Hungary and what happened to them during the war, but her mission is made more difficult by long-held resentments and feelings that hold long after the end of the war.

More info →

 

 

 
Are you looking forward to any of these? And how do you plan your reading?

Pin for laterBooks to Read in April 2019

Books to Read: April 2019

New May 2019 Books for Your Reading List

Must-Read 2019 Books to Read this Year

New Must-Read Books Coming in May 2019

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10 Comments

  1. Rules For Visiting sounds like it would be the perfect read for me right now! I just feel like I’ve been reading SO MUCH HEAVY STUFF recently, and I’m just ready for a break. I think I definitely need to better plan out my books in the future to be a better mix of genres/moods, because my reading life has STRUGGLED this year.

  2. I read Lost Man and wasn’t really feeling it. Definitely slower than The Dry which I absolutely loved. I will be interested to hear what you think!

  3. I’ll be really interested to see what you think of The Friend. I was not a fan; it was way less about the dog than I would’ve hoped/liked.

    The Farm was really great though! Definitely seems like a dystopia, but you’re right, it’s not really. Super thought-provoking and insightful. Hope you enjoy!

  4. The Farm is on my list too! But, I’ll probably save it until late May b/c I’m looking for books for my Summer Reading Guide right now and I’m not sure that would be right for it.

  5. Your blog is really interesting visually and there is so much amazing information! I love that you don’t just focus on new releases. A lot of readers don’t have the newest books available to them so backlist recommendations are super helpful. Thank you!! ! Are you on Instagram?

    1. Thank you so much! I’m not on Instagram right now–it’s a channel that I don’t have the time to manage right now, but maybe sometime in the future!

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