Welcome friend! It is time for the fourth wrap up of 2025. The year is flying fast. How was your April? Read on for ours.
Buddy Read of the Month

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar | Goodreads
This month we had an impromptu buddy read: The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar. The timing worked out perfectly, and we both were enraptured by the gorgeous fairy tale that the narrative had to offer. Stay tuned for our full discussion! – Ariel, Kriti.
Ariel’s Highlights for April
Favorite read

A Letter from the Lonesome Shore by Sylvie Cathrall | Goodreads
A highly anticipated conclusion to a duology I started last year, I reread the first book: A Letter to the Luminous Deep prior to diving into this one. It is a whimsical and gorgeous ocean-themed, character-driven tale told through correspondences and journals. It was sad to say goodbye after the duology ended, but I look forward to future rereads!
Noteworthy

The Flight of the Fallen by Hana Lee | Goodreads
Another highly anticipated arc that I read this month was The Flight of the Fallen, which is a sequel to The Road to Ruin, which is an exciting adult SFF that takes place in a magic-torn wasteland where cities are connected by couriers driven by magical motorcycles. It’s a blast and I loved reading the second book too!
Game
Parkasaurus– A very cute indie game where I manage a zoo full of dinosaurs! I grabbed it on sale and I’ve been really enjoying making sure the dinos are happy. An added plus is you can put hats on them too for extra cuteness! Image from Presskit.

Kriti’s Highlights for April
Favorite read

The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer | Goodreads
This historical fiction published in 2019 is a beloved book in the genre and now I understand why. I am excited to share my thoughts on this one on the blog next week.
Noteworthy

To Have and to Hold: Motherhood, Marriage, and the Modern Dilemma by Molly Millwood | Goodreads
I mentioned this book in the latest TBR Tales article: The Four Trimesters Reading List: My Favorite Books through Pregnancy into Early Motherhood. This book offers an overview of modern motherhood, bringing up children with a lack of understanding of the change. It keeps the marriage that brought the children into existence at the centre and offers insight into how a relationship is forever changed. I felt seen in this book and reading the challenges that continue to come a parents way as the child gets older was very informative.
Anticipated Reads
Other Updates from March
- Booklist: May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada. In the U.S., it’s Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Here are some new books that explore these cultures.
- Article from Editor’s Alchemy: For writers, Allison offers query letter critiques as one of her editorial services. This article answers What Does a Query Critique Look Like? Every editor does things a little differently, and critiques by the same editor may vary depending on the state of the original query, but this will give you a sneak peek into the assessments she provides.
Also check out: Want To Read Ya Fantasy? Here’s Where To Start
Allison Alexander is a freelance book editor, writer, and artist. Her monthly newsletter, Editor’s Alchemy, explores writing, querying, publishing, and how to mix a little magic into your story. She also shares book recommendations from Ariel and I there! Click here to subscribe to the newsletter.
- The 2025 winner The Carol Shields Prize for Fiction is announced! Canisia Lubrin has been named the winner for her book Code Noir, published by Knopf Canada/Soft Skull Press.
- Armed with A Book is listed on Feedspot’s Top 70 Historical Fiction Blogs. 🙂
Thanks for joining up for this wrap up!
Tell us your favourite and noteworthy read from April in the comments. What are you excited to read in May? What are you currently reading?
Be First to Comment