2019 Reading Recap: April - July

Honestly, I keep mixing up my dates for when these reading recaps are due, and then next thing I know, it’s a month later! A side effect of a very busy year, I suppose. On the reading front, it’s been a good year so far. You can check out 2019’s first reading recap here.
The Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien
This remains one of my favorites of Tolkien’s darker tales. 


The Poisoner’s Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York by Deborah Blum
An interesting look at prohibition and poisonings, and the research involved in both.


Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
My first time reading this one and overall, I liked it. As always with Lewis, there were plenty of great quotes!


Beverly Cleary Audio Collection: Ellen Tebbets, Otis Spofford, Emily’s Runaway Imagination, Mitch and Amy, Socks, and Muggie Maggie
A fun collection of stories (most of which I don’t think I’d read before).

Mark of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse
This was really intriguing and a bit different than I expected. I like the characters and suspense. I can’t wait to check out the rest of the series!


Romanov by Nadine Brandes
I looooved this book. I really liked how the family relationships were a focus and really drove the story forward.


The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
I FINISHED IT. If it had been a week later, I would have taken an entire year to read this, and that hasn’t happened in a while. Don’t get me wrong: I enjoyed The Jungle Book, but it just wasn’t a book I could make myself read in a hurry.


Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith
This was cute. I’m not sure I was completely sold on how things wrapped up, but a fun read all the same. 

The Color Project by Sierra Abrams
Lots of summer vibes. (With a heartbreaking twist I was not expecting.) 

The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope
Twisty and humorous, and really fun!


Wayfarer by K.M. Weiland
The story behind the superpowers was intriguing, and the characters were fun!


To Best the Boys by Mary Weber
I loved the character relationships in this one, and the twists about the labyrinth and the disease. It reminded me of The Scorpio Races in a lot of ways.

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nieslen
This was funny and took some turns I wasn’t expecting at all, and I’m looking forward to checking out the rest of the trilogy!

Cadaver & Queen by Alisa Kwitney
I really liked the cover of this one and the whole Frankenstein retelling thing had my attention. But…I didn’t really care for this one.

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
This one was good, but I like the movie a bit more. It felt like there was just a little something missing from the book that I never could quite put my finger on…

The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolf
I first read this back in 2016 and possibly enjoyed it even more this time.

Currently Reading
Not Write Now: A How-Not-To Guide for Writing Fiction by Kyle Robert Shultz
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
What are your favorite books from 2019 so far?

Comments

  1. I haven't read Children of Hurin in a long time, but I remember being quite intrigued by the events. I think I'm due for a reread soon. And I'm so glad you liked Romanov and To Best the Boys! They're both so great.

    I, too, felt like something was missing from Dumplin' and enjoyed the movie more than the book. (The movie had less romantic relationship drama and more focus on the friendships, which I thought was a nice change.)

    Since The Jungle Book took you to read, did you actually enjoy it? I read it a few years ago and didn't think it was as good as I expected. And some of the other stories were a bit... odd. XD

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  2. I'm attempting to work my way through some of the Tolkien books I haven't read in a while (or at all—I've had The Fall of Gondolin waiting on my shelf for...longer than I meant to, hehe.), and so it's been neat to go back and see what new details catch my attention this time.

    Oh, yes. I really loved Romanov and To Best the Boys! I couldn't put them down! Yeah, I think I would have liked to see more focus on the and family relationships and friendships in the book too. I really like how they're so central in the movie!

    Overall, I did enjoy The Jungle Book, though a few of the stories left me a bit confused, since they didn't feel connected to the overall arc. But I liked the descriptive writing and the imagination behind the book. It was definitely different than what I'd expected though!

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