APRIL 2023 WRAP-UP | COULD I HAVE HAD A BETTER READING MONTH? PROBABLY NOT.

Folks mentioned:
Deea @novelideea
Jack @spreadbookjoy
Britta @brittabohlerthesecondshelf

Events and hosts:
#picturethis Jack and myself
#PeopleApril Elisabeth @bouquinsbooks and Ros @scallydandlingaboutthebook2711

Buddy readers and reads:
Anita - The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
Jorge - A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr
Fraser @SpringboardThought - Daisy Jones and The Six by Tayler Jenkins Reid
Ann @AnnNovella - The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Sandy @MsReadsAlot and Sonja - Say Nothing by Patrick Madden Keefe

0:00 - Intro
5:38 - Currently shortlisted prize books
11:38 - New-to-me authors
25:20 - Authors I’ve read before
36:60 - Picture books!
44:47 - Final thoughts

Videos you may like:

Drop by on Instagram - Shellyish

booktube, booktuber

[brittabohlerthesecondshelf]

Such a great wrap-up, and thank you very much for your kind words about my review of Marriage Portrait!

[creepofreek]

Thank you Shelly for your reviews. Your Knowledge if books is very extensive. Great job

[novelideea]

I read “We Don’t Know Ourselves” by O’Toole for the BTP Quarter Finals and it has a little different look on Ireland’s Troubles. From an insider/ grew up there and all of the behind the scenes things the country experienced from the late 50’s to now. I didn’t enjoy the reading of it near as much as Say Nothing but it was still interesting and eye-opening (& a little stomach churning).💕
So glad you are feeling more Shellyish🤗
I am going to look for “things that go away“ for my (almost 3yo) grandson who loves sentimentality and things that give him all the feels 🤗

[davidnovakreadspoetry]

I know nothing about the “Troubles” so I’ll file this recommendation back of my mind, as a good starting point. Romance isn’t the genre for me (do I have a genre? no) but that cover on _Book Lovers_ is so inviting.

[CharlieBrookReads]

Haha I remember reading the same books over and over. Cute looking back but harsh on you 😂😂 I still remember the words to certain books now and my kids are 14 & 16 😂😂

Great wrap up lovely ❤

[annegibson]

Good morning. I am rereading Demon Copperhead. It's my favorite book of the year so far. The audio book is also very good. I was so excited when it won the Pulitzer Prize. If you love character driven novels I think you will enjoy it. Have a great day.

[KellyannMitchell]

The marriage Protarait was good but it felt short at the end for me. I thought it was just the twist at the end that didn't work for me, but after you spoke about the ‘ feminism’ part, that would not have been fully realised on that day, as it is today, I feel as though that’s what felt off for me (💡Moment 😂 )
This is why I love listening to people's thoughts on the books they have read, it helps me fully realise and articulate why something didn't fully work for me.
I'm happy to see you’re feeling much better and doing what you love and do so well loved. Great wrap-up and Happy May reading month 💕

[EntertheBook]

If you haven't tried Coola's sunscreen I HIGHLY recommend it especially the face with cucumber. It's pricey BUT its a choice I make because it works, isn't 'white' and even smells good!

[DebMcDonald]

Donna Tartt reads The Secret History and True Grit in her glorious Mississippi accent and both are on YouTube. True Grit was my favourite book last year.

[mariasmiles]

Earlier this year I got a copy of little blue and little yellow. Not b/c of a list or from my childhood. A dear friend of mine kept telling me that a sweater of mine reminded her of that book and was special to her because her grandfather would read it to her but I had never heard of it so I got it as part of a second hand book order for bookclub.😂

[AdrianasWonderland]

i am not a contemporary reader but i think its time for me to finally pick up book lovers ahaha

[spreadbookjoy]

You’ve sold me on Book Lovers. That is a good point about The Marriage Portrait being a very modern perspective - haven’t read it yet but I’m interested it it after enjoying Hamnet. Daisy Jones is a great audiobook because if that documentary style format. I don’t think Daisy Jones is as good as Evelyn Hugo but that’s not the popular opinion and it is an interview with a Hollywood star and I love anything set in fifties Hollywood. The Secret History is a great book - I read it when I was younger and about to join a very small classics department in my university! I have Say Nothing on my tbr and look forward to reading it, so glad to hear your thoughts on it. I am planning on reading Empire of Pain alongside Demon Copperhead as I think they would make a good pairing. Thanks for sharing the previous best illustrated book nominees. Beatrice Alemagna’s books look great and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for her books. I am glad you are on the mend and enjoyed your April reading Shelly 🤍

[GloriaZThompson]

I picked up Book Lovers last year at the same place as you were… not a romance reader. But I was so pleasantly surprised! And I too, love romcoms. Fun to see you read some books you loved last month.

[oabbott]

I like Bare Republic clearscreen, it applies clear. I have sensitive skin too, and I've even tried infant sunscreens bc babies have very sensitive skin.

[deborajohnson]

I have been reading Maggie OFarrell’s books In publication order. It has been really seeing her writing change overtime. She has written several all time favorite books of mine. I am looking forward to The Marriage Portrait. Have you read Hamnet. I think you may really like it! Great video

[vesch]

Per my dermatologist rec, Cotz face sunscreen is fabulous

[pamelatarajcak]

Remember how I said the characters in The Secret History were humorless. I will repeat what I said, "I've read books where characters have fates of worlds and universes on their shoulders who have better humors than these snobs. Lighten up people!"

[AaronReadABook]

I loved A Month In The Country, definitely a re-reader, feels like a holiday. I liked the TV show of Daisy Jones & The Six better than the book, she feels a bit like a TV writer but she never seems to land the ending for me but she picks cool settings. Dig is a great doc, I saw them live too and they are much tamer now haha.

[SpringboardThought]

Say Nothing really is just gold standard to me, though I haven’t read that many of the kind, really. Emily Henry, idk, I’ve tried People on Vacation annnd Beach Read and both felt really, really shallow to me. Felt like the popularity of them at the time was going to gaslight me hah

[bookofdust]

I’ve read all three of PRK books within a year, I found Rogues disappointing, as did seemingly others on Booktube. It’s collected earlier writings and I think if I had read the other two after Rogues I would have been more impressed. You get used to his deep dive and despite being long form journalistic writings maybe they feel like you aren’t getting the full PRK treatment, as if it’s not enough. Yet others also felt like too much? It was a weird experience and frustrating after being in love with both full nonfiction works. Honestly, I would say put some distance between them and read Rogues in a few years when not in awe of the other two.

If you want to go full on Secret History consider listening to the podcast series Once Upon a Time…at Bennington College. It was my first podcast series and it does take as long as reading the book itself, but it’s a deep dive into the elusive and mysterious Ms. Tartt, but ostentatiously just as much (if not more) about Brett Easton Ellis, as he’s not as elusive at all. It will make you want to read Less Than Zero and The Shards though.