I’ve been buying more books lately for a variety of reasons including:

• I want to be supporting the book industry as much as I can right now
• I don’t know when my county public library will be re-opening. I live in regret that I didn’t put more on hold or borrow more books before everything shut down
• I need so many, aka ALL, the new releases immediately
• I have a love for stress buying
• I live in fear of running out of books to read on-hand
• I apparently enjoy ignoring the books I do already own and still haven’t read

While I did buy some books in March, I decided to keep my book-buying momentum going in April. I knew I wanted to buy more books in this month (see reasons above) and while watching one of Jessica of Peace Love Book’s April book hauls, she noted that she had ordered books from Better World Books. Better World Books is a company that sells used or donated books and then matches the amount of books you purchase to donate to non-profit organizations. They also have new editions available. I thought this was a great way to buy books while supporting a good cause and saving some money- let’s be honest, buying multiple print copies from a retailer can quickly add up. I ordered four books and they all came in pretty great condition – I think all four came from libraries and it was fairly simple to take off the library plastic covers off the three hardcovers. There’s some glue stuck on the inside, but you can’t tell from the outside and the dust jackets stayed in great shape. My only ‘complaint’  that obviously makes a lot of sense (especially right now) is that they don’t have many new books available at used/bargain prices.

Additionally, I’ve been fortunate enough to receive some really exciting upcoming releases for review. You probably know that I am not the biggest e-book fan, but I’ve been changing my ways lately and have started using Netgalley- despite having an account for two years now,oops! I use an iPad to read e-books, either through Kindle or Aldilko – I tried setting up my Netgalley copies with Kindle and it wouldn’t work. If you’re an e-book reader or want to branch out into them, I’ve been telling everyone IRL to check out Libby, which synchs up to your local library and provides their e-book and audiobooks.

Purchased Books

The Dazzling Heights and The Towering Sky (Thousandth Floor #2 and #3) by Katharine McGee –  The Thousandth Floor series falls into a bunch of my reading moods combined: books I should’ve read a while ago, author whose earlier works I want to check out (PSA TO PLEASE READ AMERICAN ROYALS), and books with a lot of drama and extravagance that are bound to distract me for a while. I read The Thousandth Floor earlier this month and really enjoyed it. I see myself reading the next two books back to back.

The Selection by Kiera Cass – I would just like to note that I ordered The Selection BEFORE the Netflix adaptation was announced. I feel like I’m in this reading mood at the moment where I want to catch up on all the classic YA or hyped reads that I haven’t read. I also really want to read Kiera Cass’ upcoming release, The Betrothed, which isn’t related to The Selection, but I want to read something of hers before that comes out in.

You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone by Rachel Lynn Solomon – Rachel Lynn Solomon is an author I’ve been meaning to read forever. With her upcoming release, Today Tonight Tomorrow (which I have a review copy of), there’s been so much love for books lately on Instagram and Twitter that made me finally get a copy of her debut.

Library Books 

Becoming by Michelle Obama (audiobook) –  Becoming is one of those books that everyone has to and will read at some point. Two of my friends are currently reading this one and absolutely loving it. I decided to read the audiobook to listen to on my daily walks and out of my love for listening to memoirs that are narrated by the author. I started Becoming last week and have been carving out time to read it outside of my walks because I’m enjoying it that much!

On hold:

Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman (e-book) – Unorthodox had been on my TBR radar for a while, but its Netflix TV show adaptation made me decided to finally check it out. I put this one on hold on Libby- it wasn’t offered in audio and I sort’ve lost interest in listening to it as audiobook because it’s not narrated by the author. The holds list is currently 15 weeks long, but I’ve found that holds end up not being even half as long as Libby says.

Dear Girls by Ali Wong (audiobook) – Ali Wong is one of my favorite comedians (PSA to check out all of her Netflix specials and her movie, Always Be My Maybe), so I think listening to her book will also be a fun and entertaining experience.

ARCs

10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon (e-ARC) –  I’m saving 10 Things I Hate About Pinky for when I’m officially done with my school work as a treat-myself read! This highlight anticipated 2020 release of mine comes out on July 21.

The Sullivan Sisters by Kathryn Ormsbee (e-ARC) –  As soon as I heard about The Sullivan Sisters, I put it on my TBR because I loved Kathryn Orsmbee’s Tash Hearts Tolstoy back in 2017 so much! I love books about sister dynamics and relationships, which is at the heart of The Sullivan Sisters, as the sisters face a family mystery when they receive an inheritance they knew nothing about. The Sullivan Sisters comes out on July 8.

Brunch and Other Obligations by Suzanne Nugent (ARC) –  Brunch and Other Obligations peaked my interest because its synopsis reminded me so much of the fifth/companion  Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book, with a more women-fiction and comedic spin. Brunch and Other Obligations comes out on May 5.

 

All the Right Mistakes by Laura Jamison (ARC) –  I’ll basically read any book with any sort of college or college relationship-esque setting, which led me to Laura Jamison’s All the Right Mistakes. All the Right Mistakes comes out on August 4.

I see myself ordering more books in May as a treat-yo-self moment since I officially graduate from college next week! I honestly keep forgetting about graduation with all the changes going on, but my school does plan on holding our commencement ceremony at a later date.

What books did you borrow or buy in April? Have you read any of the books that I mentioned? Share in the comments!