Thursday, April 30, 2020

Five Star Friday: April 2020



On the first Friday of each month, I will share my five-star reads from the previous month. Fingers crossed, I have lots of books to tell you about.

April has been very, very, VERY good to me! I think this is the most 5-star books I have had yet in a single month. Maybe it's the universe trying to atone a bit for our situation. Whatever it is, I am happy to have found all these wonderful books. I read a total of 35 books and had 8 that earned a 5-star rating.

Four Days of You and Me
Miranda Kenneally

It's always such a treat, when I get to watch a relationship grow and change over so many years, and Kenneally did an amazing job showing me the evolution of Lulu and Alex's romance. It was fun bringing me back to the same day every year, the day of the school trip. The change in setting and circumstance kept me on my toes, as I waited to see what had happened in the past year. I loved spending those four May 7ths with these two, and am greedy and want a follow up novella, because I loved them so much.

By the Book
Amanda Sellet

If I had to pick one word to describe this book, it would be delightful! If anyone had seen me as I read this book, they would probably wonder why I was smiling so much. It was because I was so taken by this story and these characters. I am not even a fan of 19th-century literature, but I loved the way Sellet worked it into the story. So fun, so cute, so charming. I am sort of hoping Sellet considers revisiting this world and its inhabitants, because I am so there, if she does.



I dare anyone to read this book, and not fall in love with Aven Green. I loved her spunk and sense of humor, but she was also so kind. I think it was the kindness and grace she showed to others, which endeared her to me. I really needed a dose of people being better humans, and she gave me that. She was very lovely, very much so like Auggie in Wonder. There was also so many winning moments of family and friendship, and gosh darn it! I am shedding happy tears again.


It was such a treat being back with Aven, and this time she has to endure high school. The transition was not easy for Aven. She experienced some ups and downs, but also discovered what incredible people she had in her corner. My heart exploded again, and that's why I came back for more of Aven and her gang.


What I Carry
Jennifer Longo

This book was exquisite. I was so invested in Muir's future, and the more time I spent with her, the more I hoped and prayed, that she would allow others to give her the love she deserved. So. Many. Feels. I would definitely say my favorite thing about this book was watching Muir form some meaningful attachments, but I also loved the environmental ethics stuff, which is something you don't normally find in a YA story.


The How & the Why
Cynthia Hand

This was another book, which gave me all the feels. The format was perfect for this story, and Hand navigated the two timelines with expertise. I loved, that she allowed us to really get to know both Cassandra and her bio mom. I had such a good understanding of both of them, and cared for both deeply. I CANNOT stop thinking about the ending. It's definitely in my top ten best endings list, because it just filled me with so much joy.

Up to This Pointe
Jennifer Longo

Everyone knows I am sucker for a grief and loss book, and this is about grieving the loss of a dream. Harper takes quite an extreme route during her healing process, but her extremism was to my benefit, because it was pretty cool getting to go to Antartica with her. I loved seeing her find her new dream too. It's encouraging to see the whole one-door-closes-another-one-opens thing play out, and it was quite a beautiful new beginning too.


I U-G-L-Y cried as I read The Friend Zone. It broke me, so to get to be with this character again was a gift. I saw her at her worst, and now I got to see her get into a better place, move forward, and find her HEA. I loved the set up, and the way these two first started to fall for each other. It was so sweet. And, the ending was perfect. I loved the way Jimenez let it all fall into place.




Did you have any five-star reads last month? 
Let us know in the comments!

48 comments:

  1. The Friend Zone made me cry too, it was such an emotional event! I definitely want to read The Happy Ever After Playlist!

    Anika | chaptersofmay.com

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    1. Sloppy cried for that one, and my recall, as I started Playlist, had me crying when I started reading it. If you like Friend Zone, you have to read Playlist. It's so good

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  2. Oh, I am jealous! April has been a *very good* month to you!

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    1. Don't worry. I DNFed a book today by an author I really like. So, maybe my mojo isn't following me into May

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  3. I just finished The How and the Why last night and agree with you about the ending. I kind of had a hint of the Bastian relationship ties when he kept staring at Cass and was thrilled how it turned out. Another book to hug and I'm so glad you highly recommended it to us. Having excellent books to read is always excellent and now even more important--so happy you found April's picks awesome for you.

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    1. That link with Bastian didn't come clear to me until close to the actual time. I was sort of bouncing in my seat, waiting to have it confirmed, and was so excited to find out I was right. I ecstatic that you loved that book too

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  4. I did not realize that The Happily Ever After Playlist was about Sloan. I really need that book in my life now that I know that! You had a fantastic reading month with 8 five star reads!

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    1. OMG, Carole! It was so good. I am getting all happy tears just thinking about it.

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  5. I've said it before, and I'll say it again; I need to read By the Book! Great reads here, Sam! :)

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    1. I think it comes out in a week or two. I only have nice things to say about that book

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  6. The How and the Why is such an amazing read. It's going to be one of my favorites forever.

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    1. It was so wonderful. I am sort sad it didn't get much attention, because it is a quality book

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  7. Yay! I’m on a waitlist for the cactus books, so I’m glad you liked them!

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. I am so excited you are going to read them. Such wonderful books! Can't wait to see what you think

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  8. Yay! April was a great reading month rating-wise for me, too.

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  9. Wow, I actually don't think I even have a 5-star read yet this year, and here you are with 8 in one month! That's awesome! I really loved the ending of The How and the Why, too!

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    1. I was shocked by how many I had, but then if you look, I read 2 books each by the same author, and 3 other authors who I have had 5-star reads with in the past. Wasn't the ending of TH&TW such a gift? I love how just thinking about it now has me all emotional (in a good way)

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  10. Wow, April really was good to you in terms of the 5 star reads. I always end up jotting down loads of book titles when I read your 5 Star Friday posts and this week is no different because they all sound so good. The How and the Why and By the Book are two I really want to read.

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    1. TH&TW is just a phenomenal story, and By the Book is such a treat. I am trying to remember if you are club classic, because if you are, you will appreciate all the nods to 19th century lit

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  11. I am so happy you loved THE HOW AND THE WHY as much as I did!!! I'm also definitely going to read FOUR DAYS OF YOU AND ME, BY THE BOOK, and WHAT I CARRY.

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    1. Gosh! How good was TH&TW?! I am crossing my fingers that you love those three books as much as I did. I thought you read Four Days (or bookstagrammed it?) I will be awaiting your thoughts

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  12. I am yet to read The Friend Zone but I absolutely loved The Happily EVer After. It was so so good.

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    1. I don't feel like you had to read The Friend Zone to enjoy Playlist, but I think the story had more of an emotional punch, because I was there, when Sloan lost her fiance. But, still, so so good

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  13. You know that I ordered What I Carry after reading your review right?

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    1. This makes my heart happy. I hope you love it!

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  14. I'd be happy if I had that many 5 stars a year lol But that is AWESOME you ad such a great reading month!

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. I love seeing everyone's five star books, because it means the right book found its way to you. I actually get a little sad, when I see poor reviews. It's not even like it happened to me, but I suffer sympathy pains. I hope there are some fantastic books in your future.

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  15. I am going to go ahead and take some credit here, because AVEN! I am so happy that you fell in love with them too! Lena will ask me, out of the blue, like "how does Aven do X?" and I like that it makes her like, thing about differently abled people. I also LOVED Four Days of You and Me! The How and the Why is awesome too, and I definitely need to get myself reading those Jennifer Longo books! I am so happy that you had such an amazing reading month!

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    1. I absolutely picked that book up because of you, but I stayed for Aven. I think it was done well, and the fact that it has members of the target audience thinking about what it's like to be differently abled is amazing. Longo really writes great books. I am shocked more people weren't talking about What I Carry.

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  16. Oh my, These all sound so good. Lots more for my wish list!

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    1. So good. I hope you get a chance to read a few

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  17. It's always great to get some five star reads isn't it!

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  18. That's a lot of five star reads in one month! I've only had one five star book this year so far!

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    1. I read between 35 and 40 books a month, and normally have 4-5, but this was a bonanza!

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  19. I'm so glad Four Days of You and Me was such a great read, because I'm about to start it, and love Miranda Keneally! I'm glad that April was so good to you, and I hope May is just as good :)

    Lindy@ A Bookish Escape

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    1. Fingers crossed you enjoy Four Days as much as me. I am trash for that sort of story

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  20. So many 5 star reads! I am still sad I didn't get approved to review By The Book but that's definitely the one I most want to read from all of your 5 star reads. I'll have to try and convince myself I can afford to by the ebook copy when it's released. We'll see.

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    1. Boo for not getting approved. HMH is hit or miss for me. Lately, they have been very good to me, but that wasn't always the case. I have over 130 rejections on NG, and I have no idea about EW because the way they drop off there. I have almost a 25% rejection rate, but at least I get 3/4 of the books, right?

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  21. What I Carry is one of my all-time favorites! Loved everything about it!

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    1. It was a wonderful book! I would love to see more people talking about it.

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  22. I'm listening to Insignificant Events right now. Only, funny story, I accidentally started listening to the second book first and didn't realize till I was like halfway through!! Oops! Now I switched back.

    I'm also excited to read Four Days, so I'm glad you loved it!!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. Oops! I guess you could listen to book 2 without book 1, but I liked having the backstory. Aven is a very special character. I am so happy Shannon's review and the very catchy titles drew me in. I had listened to the audio too, and I thought they were well done.

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  23. Yay for so many five stars this month! And I just got approved for by the book which makes me even happier that it got the five star rating from you.

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    1. I CANNOT wait for you to read By the Book! Wait! Don't you like 19th century lit? If so, you may be even more delighted by this book.

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