Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: April 2026

May 2, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

April showers brings May flowers! And a lot of books. Maybe the most I will get to this year. Have you read any of them?

[ARC/ALC] A Deal with a Debutante (London’s Most Eligible #1) by Chelsea Bobulski
[ARC/ALC] Start at the End by Emma Grey
[Reread] The Assassin’s Blade (Throne of Glass #0.5) by Sarah J. Maas
The Speed of Lightning (The Hebridean Shield #3) by Ashley Worrell
A Ghastly Catastrophe (Veronica Speedwell #10) by Deanna Raybourn
[ARC/ALC] I Could Give You the Moon by Ann Liang
Anytime I Want by Meredith Logan
Weavingshaw (Weavingshaw #1) by Heba Al-Wasity
Rites of the Starling (Shield of Sparrows #2) by Devney Perry
[ARC] The Duke’s Bargain by Megan Walker
From the Silence of the Shadows (The Veridian Empire #3) by V.B. Lacey
[ALC] Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West
[ALC] Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai
[Reread] Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas
Because the Beasts Came (Wells of Istri #1) by Madeline James
[ARC] The Commons (The Commons World #1) by Rebecce Ihim
Beneath (Rebirth #1) by Ariel Sullivan
[Non-fiction] Big Kids, Bigger Feelings by Alyssa Blask Campbell
The Wicked and the Damned (Dark Inheritance Trilogy #2) by Rebecca Robinson
A Desert of Bleeding Sand (A Desert of Bleeding Sand #1) by Lucia Damas
The Last Wayfinder by Ellen McGinty
[ARC/ALC] Rolls and Rivalry (Gaming and Romance #3) by Kristy Boyce
[ARC/ALC] First and Forever by Lynn Painter
Heart Check (Varsity #1) by Emily Charlotte
Perfect Wreckage (Wrecked #2) by Catherine Cowles
Heir of Twisted Lies (Stonegate #2) by LJ Andrews
[ARC] This Silent City (The Grim Empire #2) by A.C. Hobbs
A Love Most Brutal (Morelli Family #2) by Kath Richards
A Foolish Proposal (The Gentlemen’s Gamble) by Kasey Stockton
[ARC] Storm Breaker (Storm Breaker #1) by Nisha J. Tuli
[ARC/ALC] Student Union (The Undergrads #1) by Julie Murphy
Vengeful (Villains #2) by V.E. Schwab
[ARC] The Last Page by Katie Holt
[ARC/ALC] Spur of the Moment (Willow Creek #1) by Juliana Smith
The Thorn Queen (The Rose Bargain #2) by Sasha Peyton Smith
[Reread] Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas
[ARC/ALC] The Shippers by Katherine Center
I’m Only Me When I’m With Him (Sweeter Than Fiction #3) by Amanda Schimmoeller
Wrecked Palace (Wrecked #3) by Catherine Cowles
Reckless Refuge (Wrecked #4) by Catherine Cowles

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Book Review: What If I Never Get Over You by Paige Toon

April 29, 2026May 5, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Paige Toon
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s
Release Date: April 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

One Day meets a contemporary Bridgerton in this high-drama, escapist wonder of a love story, Paige Toon’s best yet.

Three days to fall in love. Six years to try to forget.

Ellie didn’t expect to fall in love while interrailing through Europe. But she also didn’t expect to meet a man like Ash. Three blistering days in Lisbon is all it takes to form an unforgettable connection—a bond deep enough for them to scrap their itineraries and plan to meet again in Spain. But Ellie arrives late, and Ash is nowhere to be found.

Six years later, Ellie has landed her dream job working as a gardener for a viscount and viscountess on their sprawling five-hundred-year-old estate in Wales. She finds peace amongst the towering topiary hedges and colorful gardens, but her idyll is shattered when Ash crashes back into her life. And when it becomes clear why he didn’t show in Madrid, her heart breaks anew—for what the truth means for her, and for his fate.

But they have never been able to resist each another, and when the sparks of their attraction fly, Ellie’s life will catch flame. She will have to make a choice.

OH I’M ANGRY.

The more I think about this book the angrier I become (and I loved Paige Toon’s previous book…go read that one instead).

UGHHHHHH.

I got very sick and tired of the FMC, Ellie, CoNsTaNtLy telling Ash that they couldn’t be together, go be with that other woman, I don’t want my life to look like this, etc. ad nauseum. AND when she ran away (if I read another book with a woman who runs) FOR YEARS?????? OF COURSE HE’S GOING TO BE MAD AT YOU????? And with another plot point unthoughtfully tossed into the story to try to satisfy the reasoning just sent me over the edge.

He gave up way too much. Ellie is the red flag.

AND SURPISINGLY I loved the beginning??! I was totally behind the whirlwind travel romance.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: moderate
Romance: brief open door
Violence: mild
Content warnings: death of a sibling, sexual abuse

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Book Review: Broken Souls and Bones (Stonegate #1) by L.J. Andrews

April 27, 2026May 5, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 480 pages
Author: L.J. Andrews
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: April 29th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Together they’ll restore a divided kingdom—or burn it down—in this new romantasy from USA Today bestselling author and TikTok sensation LJ Andrews.

Lyra Bien intended to live a quiet life to avoid the attention of the magic-obsessed king in the fortress of Stonegate. Until Roark Ashwood—the prince’s silent guard and rumored killer for the crown—invades her village and uncovers the truth behind the silver scars in her eyes. To save her best friend from death, she’s forced to reveal her abilities, and is immediately claimed by the crown as the next melder.

To be the King’s melder is to be revered and feared in equal measures, but above all it is a slow death sentence. Lyra is determined to find a way to free herself and her friends from bondage. But first she must get more information from the silent, brooding sentry who first took her captive: Roark.

As Lyra gets closer to Roark, she soon learns he’s nothing like she assumed—and in fact everything she needs. The more they work as allies, the harder it becomes to ignore the growing passion between them. After a sinister truth is revealed, Roark and Lyra must choose to stand against all they know, or accept their dark destiny.

GREAT START.

I have been looking forward to this book since its announcement and I loooved the audiobook. It was a great story with a true slow burn that had an ending making me neeeed book two.

I was most invested in the romance. Watching the genuine connection from enemies to lovers was top tier. This is a trope that LJ Andrews continues to write incredibly well. There’s not a rush to lust. Providing banter and those moments to see each other in another light sets the scene for off the charts chemistry.

My mind did wander a bit in the first half and I struggled to stay fully engaged, and I think that settled in the back half. The characters and found family are another strong aspect that I often see in Andrews books. I feel like this gave the air of the usual cadence I’ve read in romantasy with some unique things that I loved seeing too.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy Romance
Language: strong
Romance: 3+ open door
Violence: high

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Book Review: Carl’s Doomsday Scenario (Dungeon Crawler Carl #2) by Matt Dinniman

April 25, 2026March 15, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Length: 371 pages
Author: Matt Dinniman
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: September 24th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

“The training levels have concluded. Now the games may truly begin.”

The ratings and views are off the chart. The fans just can’t get enough. The dungeon gets more dangerous each day. But in a grinder designed to chew up and spit out crawlers by the millions, Carl and Princess Donut need to work harder than ever just to survive.

They call it the Over City. A sprawling, once-thriving metropolis devastated by a mysterious calamity. But these streets are far from abandoned. An undead circus trawls the ruins. Murdered prostitutes rain from the sky. An ancient spell is finally ready to reveal its dark purpose.

Carl still has no pants.

They call it Dungeon Crawler World. For Carl and Donut, it’s anything but a game.

ENJOYABLE SEQUEL.

I don’t have much to say about this installment?? It was a good, but not GREAT sequel. There’s definitely enough momentum that I will be picking up book three. I still delight in the uniqueness of this series and how different it is from my usual stories. I find the world fascinating and I’m always curious where each turn will lead. I feel like there’s a lot we don’t know yet and I’m super curious where it’s all going to lead.

Carl and Princess Donut are humorous and easy to follow. I like all of the video game pieces and NPC’s. There’s more achievements and another level conquered. I’ll be getting to book three soooooon!

Overall audience notes: