April TBR

I have to confess, I’m not normally all that organised about my TBR. I tend to buy books as and when they catch my eye, and then pick them up at random. I’ve had to get a little more sorted because of my podcast, especially since in Season 2 we’ve introduced themed weeks! But in my personal reading life, I still largely gravitate towards whatever book I fancy at any given moment.

This month though, I want to impose just a little order on the chaos. Not too much! Because part of the fun of reading is going where the mood takes you. At least, it is for me. But I want to take a more structured approach towards the ever-growing stack of unread books on my shelf. And so, here’s my planned TBR list for April:

You Should See Me In A Crown, Leah Jackson

I’ve actually started this one already, and it’s a complete delight so far. A fun read, lighthearted but not without substance, it’s a perfect note to start the month on. I read a lot of fantasy last month, so I’m gravitating more towards contemporary reads like this one at the moment.

The book concerns Liz Lighty, a Black teen who loses out on a scholarship to the college she’s been planning on going to her entire life. Instead of giving up, Liz decides to grit her teeth and do something that goes entirely against her nature. She’s going to run for prom queen. If she wins, it’ll earn her a scholarship to set her life back on track. But it does mean sticking her head above the parapet for the first time in her life. And the new girl in school, Mack, is just the cute distraction she doesn’t need right now.

Red, White and Royal Blue, Casey McQuiston

Another fluffy romance, this one comes highly recommended by my podcasting co-host and I’ve been curious about it forever. Spring is in the air, finally, and so it only feels right that I turn to reading cute stories like this one.

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations. The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince.

As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations.

A Million Reasons Why, Jessica Strawser

This is The Island Library’s book club read for this month, it’s a new release and I’m excited to get stuck in when it arrives. It seems like a less lighthearted read than the previous two, but it’s another contemporary fiction. As soon as I read the blurb I got definite Jodi Picoult vibes, which is always a win for me.

When two strangers are linked by a mail-in DNA test, it’s an answered prayer―that is, for one half-sister. For the other, it will dismantle everything she knows to be true. But as they step into the unfamiliar realm of sisterhood, the roles will reverse in ways no one could have foreseen…

The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison

This one is also podcast-related. We’re recording an episode with the theme of ‘classics’, and I decided to pick up The Bluest Eye for my read. I’ve heard it mentioned a lot, but don’t actually know much about the plot. As a result, I’m not sure exactly what to expect, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to be devastating.

Pecola Breedlove prays for her eyes to turn blue so that she will be as beautiful and beloved as all the blond, blue-eyed children in America. In the autumn of 1941, the year the marigolds in the Breedloves’ garden do not bloom, Pecola’s life does change- in painful, devastating ways.

Date Me, Bryson Keller, Kevin van Whye

And finally, another cute contemporary read. Because why not? I first heard about Date Me, Bryson Keller on the Unabridged podcast, and it intrigued me. I’ve heard the title come up a couple more times since then, and so when I did a big book order last week it felt inevitable that this one would make it into the cart! I love all the wild ways YA characters get themselves into pseudo relationships, and this one sounds like a particularly fun take on the trope.

Everyone knows about the dare: Each week, Bryson Keller must date someone new–the first person to ask him out on Monday morning. Few think Bryson can do it. He may be the king of Fairvale Academy, but he’s never really dated before. Until a boy asks him out, and everything changes.

Kai Sheridan didn’t expect Bryson to say yes. So when Bryson agrees to secretly go out with him, Kai is thrown for a loop. But as the days go by, he discovers there’s more to Bryson beneath the surface, and dating him begins to feel less like an act and more like the real thing.

What does your reading list look like this month?

Share any recommendations in the comments, I’d love to know what you’re looking forward to reading in April!