Book hauls, Sunday post

My Reading April (Book haul #3 & Sunday post #4)

The sun is blazing outside, I have a nice cup of tea, tickets to a recital in a few hours, and just enough time to sum up my April reading stats! Are you excited?

(ha, I know you’re not, but I sure am! Cause I think I did better this month! …I mean, I didn’t buy an entire library..?)

Since today happens to be both the last day of April, as well as a Sunday, I’m doing both a book haul and a Sunday post. Let’s look at the new arrivals first!

The ones I bought:

Attachments The Two Princesses of Bamarre Iron Cast

Attachments was praised by a few of my friends both on the blogosphere, as well as Goodreads, so I decided to check it out. It’s apparently a light office tale full of banter and, possibly, romance. I look forward to this as a relaxing evening read.

The Two Princesses of Bamarre has been hanging around my Kindle as a sample for a while, and low and behold – a sale! Of course I’ll grab anything remotely fairytale related and meant for younger readers. And as far as I’ve heard, those are some spunky princesses as well.

Iron Cast I actually just got right before I started writing this post! I had my doubts, because friend reviews list it as both ‘great’ and ‘mediocre’. It was on sale as well, so I’ve decided to find out for myself. And look at that gorgeous cover!

The ones I got for review:

Baking Powder Wars Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything

Baking Powder Wars I got quite early in April, and I’ve already reviewed it here on my Goodreads. It was full of very interesting facts, but they weren’t presented in the best way. Surely non-fiction can be written better than that, as we know by The Radium Girls?

Quackery is something along those lines, as it seems I’ve been drawn to non-fiction after I read The Radium Girls. Quackery is great fun though! I’d love to have it in print. Nice illustrations, crazy stories – it’s like the illustrated encyclopedia or randomness you spent hours perusing at your grandma’s house when you were little. It’s about all those ridiculous remedies people used to have, and some of them are quite crazy (such as blowing up tobacco smoke up someone’s rear, in an attempt to resuscitate after drowning. No, it’s not just an expression – apparently!)

Verdict:

I did so much better this month! Got only 5 books! That’s a HUGE win for me with my typical 17! Break out the champagne!

April has proven to be a real TBR burn-down month as well, because not only did I not get too many new ones, but read a lot from my old TBR! Let me sum it up.

Books finished in April (links to reviews/posts):

The Undesirables Wool Omnibus (Silo #1) Children of the Different The Radium Girls

I did not enjoy The Undesirables a lot – struck me as a bland, grey tale with a slight lack of research on the Russian part of the story, and me unable to believe some of the things happening in it. Could not recommend. The Wool Omnibus I greatly recommend to anyone, as it’s one of the most amazing dystopian slash sci-fi tales I’ve read lately. Children of the Different was also a dystopian tale with a lot of potential, but ended up slightly letting me down. And of course, as you might have gathered already, The Radium Girls will always be the book I’ll recommend to absolutely everyone.

Baking Powder Wars Olga The Kite Family

Swans Are Fat Too The Fifth Season

I’ve already mentioned Baking Powder Wars, and as for Olga – well, you might remember my recent problematic post about PoC misrepresentation. The Kite Family has also not been a read I enjoyed, but at least I’m done with it! You can read the post about its weirdness here. Swans Are Fat Too I just finished yesterday, and it was an okay reader, although with a rushed and disappointing ending. The Fifth Season I have also finished recently, so the review is still in the works.

(It was so good that I’m not apprehensive about writing the review at all *hides*)

Here are some reading & challenge stats:

And for the Sunday post, I’m sharing my Blogger Shame Challenge reading plans:

How are you doing on your challenges? And did you have an awesome book haul? Share your post links in the comments!

0 0 vote
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

55 Comments
oldest
newest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know

I love your bullet journal post. I love the idea of keeping a planner, but I end up finding that digital records are so much easier for me to keep up with. Hope you had a great April. Here’s to a great May as well!

Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know

sjhigbee
4 years ago

Only FIVE books… you are truly a woman of steel and I doff my cap in awed respect. You had a good reading month. I hope you loved The Fifth Season – it was probably my favourite read of last year. I enjoyed Children of the Different, but you are right in that it was left on something of a cliffhanger. Have a great reading week – and I’m STILL trying to work out how we have already got to May… My Sunday Post – https://sjhigbee.wordpress.com/2017/04/30/sunday-post-30th-april-2017/

Brian Joseph
4 years ago

It looks like you have picked up and finished some great books.

Quackery looks really interesting and fun. It is reminding me of some George Eliot novels that I have read over the last couple of years. She was a proponent of science and took a lot of shots at this stuff in her fiction.

Have a great Sunday!

kimbacaffeinate
4 years ago

I am anxious to start The Radium Girls. You picked up some awesome books. I will curious to see what you think of Iron Cast. I love the cover but have held off due to mix reviews. Hope the week ahead is spectacular!

Literary Feline (Wendy)

It sounds like a beautiful day where you are! I hope you have fun at the recital. It is just after noon here and I am still in my PJs. So is my daughter for that matter. We are quite the lazy bunch today, I’m afraid. I’ve heard good things about Attachments too, and hope you enjoy it! I really enjoyed Eleanor and Park by Rowell and keep meaning to read another of her books. I love your graphs! And your bullet journal page is so pretty! I should have you make one for me. Haha. Actually, I am slowly… Read more »

Elizabeth (Silver's Reviews)

What a beautiful blog.

Love this post.

ENJOY your books and reading week…thanks for sharing.

Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My Blog

Laurel-Rain Snow
4 years ago

I’ve heard good things about The Radium Girls…and Attachments was my first book by Rainbow Rowell (whose name I love!).

Enjoy your week, and thanks for visiting my blog.

Greg
4 years ago

You have sun? We have rain. 🙂 Attachments is one I’m meaning to read at some point, and the Wool series has me REALLY curious since I’ve heard nothing but good stuff. Nice that there’s an omnibus. I’m going to get to those!

Enjoy the recital and have a fab day!!

Jovita
4 years ago

Attachments is my favorite from Rainbow Rowell, I hope you enjoy it as well. Your journal is great, I enjoy the little art work you added for each book. Enjoy your book haul.

Melissa
4 years ago

I so wanted to start a bullet journal but I don’t even have time to update a regular calendar! lol Good job!

Laura Thomas
4 years ago

I must check out The Radium Girls. Seeing a lot about it recently. And you have some fun looking new books. I’m reading a lot and behind on reviews. Have a long weekend coming up and will spend it catching up, I hope. LOL

Nathan (@reviewbarn)
4 years ago

I have wanted to read Iron Cast since first seeing that cover. Sorry Baking Powder Wars didn’t work for you; it hit me just right for some reason though I admit in non-fiction I am not afraid to skip ahead =)

Geybie's Book Blog
Geybie's Book Blog
4 years ago

Glad to hear you had a great reading month. It’s a great month, huh? I had a great one, too. Anyway, Attachments and Iron Cast. The others look interesting as well but I instantly had my eyes on those two. I hope you enjoy and love them. Looking forward to your reviews.
Have a wonderful week, Avalinah. Happy reading.

Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog
Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog
4 years ago

Oh love Attachments!! I just did a relisten. Hope you enjoy it!! Great job on only 5 for the month. I haven’t been so good with that lately. Love your journal 🙂

Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight

I think I’ve heard good things about Iron Cast. And yay I’m proud of you for not going overboard on new books! Also your list of ARCs is so pretty! Enjoy the recital 🙂

Christy LoveOfBooks
4 years ago

Yay for a blazing sun! That’s my favorite. 😀 It’s funny how getting less books becomes an accomplishment with us bloggers. lol. Have a great week and enjoy your reading.

Ruzaika @ The regal Critiques

Woah, this is such a brilliant post I kinda envy you for being so organized 😀 My reading stats haven’t been as awesome in April, but it IS better than the rest of the year so far so that’s something ahahah. Great haul btw, congrats on restricting yourself from buying allll the books xD

Trish @ Between My Lines

Love your stats chart and your bullet journal. I’m a huge planner girl, but I haven’t really jumped into bullet journalling yet. I don’t think my art skills are good enough! But I love yours. Well done on your book restraint this month!

Harvee@Book Dilettante

I am way ahead of my 50-book goal for the year. I may try for 100 instead.

trackback

[…] Amanda @ Cover2CoverMom and Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks. These lovely ladies both reached out to me earlier last week to see if I was okay. Just this […]

Annemieke
4 years ago

Oh I’ll be curious to see your review on the Fifth Season. I read the prologue in January but had trouble picking it back up after that. But I do really want to read it and more by that author. Her books sound so great.

Iron Cast has a super pretty cover and a pretty naked hardcover as well!

Jo @ Booklover Book Reviews

Glad to have found your blog Evelina – love the diversity in your reading. I’ve had Attachments on my wishlist for far too long, hopefully I can get to it soon. And sounds like I really should make time for Hugh Howey’s series too.

Resh Susan
4 years ago

I love that bullet journal post you shared. You are doing a great job reading. So no need for the blogger shame part. Loved the infographics on your TBR too.

Hayley @ RatherTooFondofBooks

Well done on only getting five books this month – I’m so impressed! Can you lend me some of your willpower? Haha!
Quackery sounds like a fun and interesting read, I’m going to look out for a copy of this. Hope you enjoy your other books too 🙂

Cait @ Paper Fury
4 years ago

Oooh I really want to read the Iron Cast!! AND THAT COVER IS GORGEOUS. I’ve only hesitated because I’m terrible at historical fiction too often haha. And oh congrats on the good reading month!! *sprinkles confetti in your hair* I had a pretty intense reading month in April too which was nice…but not so many highly-rated books. I have excellent upcoming books for this month though so EXCITED.

Dragonfly @ Our Familiarium
Dragonfly @ Our Familiarium
4 years ago

omg look at your gorgeous envy inducing bullet journal page. LOVE LOVE LOVE it to pieces 🙂 especially because like that awesome book “adulthood” I have start MANY and never been successful 🙂 good job at resisting temptation and getting less books. I hope you do like the Iron Cast the covers is indeed gorgeous and DIVERSE [winks]. Looking forward to your review of The Fifth Season. I’ve heard great things about it. 🙂

Jackie B.
4 years ago

Your bullet journaling is so cute! I have never really gotten into it. I’m not a creative-type visually (I’m more into music), so it intimidates me. Plus, I love my digital lists. I just don’t like carrying around a purse if I can avoid it, and otherwise I’d never remember to do anything on my lists since they’d never be around me. I CAN”T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU THINK OF THE FIFTH SEASON. That’s one my upcoming reviews. I am so curious to see what you think. And kudos on only acquiring a single digit worth of books! That’s… Read more »

Lola
4 years ago

I usually get a lot of books each week, but I am trying to do better and get fewer new books so I can get caught up on my current ones first. You did really well this month with only 5 new books! Sounds like you had a good reading month as well. Good luck with your Blogger Shame challenge!
https://avalinahsbooks.space/book-haul-3/
avalinahsbooks.space
crawl=CC-MAIN-2021-39
253991
application/http; msgtype=response
sha1:S5XTMPWB5JNWQ26RWJMMJUEIBSXMHRSJ
<urn:uuid:4cc9f1cf-cf2b-486b-a623-1a7b3a66d235>
2021-09-19T17:00:14Z
116.202.51.164
text/html
sha1:4LD67VRFRFPFHDQ2CTXEBKVATSWRAFUQ
<urn:uuid:8c0db116-c3b2-4058-b7ee-9fa713aaa0c6>
https://avalinahsbooks.space/book-haul-3/
response
<urn:uuid:fd77b5ef-c0bc-479b-b6f6-d2b550a6e9fc>
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2021-39
publisher: Common Crawl
description: Wide crawl of the web for September 2021
operator: Common Crawl Admin (info@commoncrawl.org)
hostname: ip-10-67-67-43
software: Apache Nutch 1.18 (modified, https://github.com/commoncrawl/nutch/)
robots: checked via crawler-commons 1.2-SNAPSHOT (https://github.com/crawler-commons/crawler-commons)
format: WARC File Format 1.1
conformsTo: https://iipc.github.io/warc-specifications/specifications/warc-format/warc-1.1/