April Reading Round-up: I Finally Caved and Read Crescent City

Well, today’s the day! It’s glam time, baby! My cousin’s wedding is today, which means it’s finally time to break out the dress.

This morning I’ve already done my fingernails, painted my toenails, showered, and straightened my hair.

There’s just over an hour left until we go, so just enough time to post an April reading round-up before I have to do my makeup.

Summary

This month started with finishing off a romance novel, before jumping off a cliff and diving headfirst into the Sarah J Maas world of Crescent City.

And here is the calendar view.

Books I read this month

Caught up – Liz Tomforde

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Link: amazon.com

Continuing on from last month, Caught Up is part of the “Windy City Series” about fictional athletes in Chicago and their related love lives. I’d actually tried to start this one before, but took one look at the single dad storyline and put it straight back down. I was in an anxious headspace at the time, parenting-related stuff, and I just knew it wasn’t the right moment.

I came back to it this month in a much better headspace, and I’m really glad I did.

The main character is lovable. Fiercely protective of his child, and yet willing to be vulnerable. I was worried this would come off negatively towards single dads, or in a way that felt like men can’t cope, and it was anything but. And it wasn’t in a way that glorified him in the way of “oh look, a man is stepping up” either. It was a delicate balance, and Liz nailed it.

Also, the female character has her own trauma issues going on. She’s complex, and relatable in her own way.

I thought this was the book that I wouldn’t enjoy, and I was wrong. I recommend it if you want a light, easy-to-read love story that you can feel a little bit invested in.

House of Earth and Blood, House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City series) – Sarah J Maas

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Link: amazon.com

I’m bundling these ones together, because…well, mainly because I can’t talk too much about the storyline without sharing in spoilers!

The main character, Bryce, is a bit of a party girl. She has close best friends, and is certainly not shy of male attention. But then a brutal murder happens, and Bryce is forced to unravel the mystery of her friends, her hometown, and… more. That’s genuinely as far as I can go without ruining it.

What I can tell you is that it’s complex, full of twists, and just when you think you’ve got a handle on it, you don’t.

I’ll be honest, I resisted this one for ages. A friend had been begging me, and I kept putting it off.

I kept saying that I would soon, not wanting to dive into a new world after finishing the Throne of Glass series not that long ago.

In typical Sarah J Maas style, the world is extensive and detailed, and a slow burn while you try to wrap your head around everything. So many characters, so many different species…it can feel a lot to start with (the urge to keep a spreadsheet for tracking was very real). But when you’re in, you’re 100% in, and you need to know what happens.

See how my reading ramped up at the end of the month?

Yep, calling that the Sarah J Maas effect.

I’ll be finishing book 3 very shortly. I’m nearly 50% of the way through already.

For fantasy readers, I highly recommend reading this. Especially if you have vacation time coming up and you don’t have to put the book down.

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So that’s it for the month, only three books down, but I’m on a 60-day reading streak!

And that’s it from me – time to go get frocked up and makeup ready!

What have you been reading lately? Anything you’d recommend that I read after I finish the next Crescent City book?