wrap up
Bookish other,  Wrap-ups and TBRs

April ’20 wrap-up

Good morning bookworms!

April… jeez… I’m glad that’s over!! The world is still in isolation… Am I doing anything productive?? Not really!!

Let’s talk about what happened last month…

what i read

I survived the O.W.L.s, and managed to hit all the prompts I needed in order to go for the careers I want for my N.E.W.T.s!! I almost missed Potions because I couldn’t find a book under 150 pages – and at the last hour (literally between 11pm and midnight on 30 April) I just decided to reread a comic. But I had to be super careful because I have all 12 of the original single issues, AND they’re signed by Pacat. Treasured possessions indeed.

Did I stick to my TBR? Uhhh… not really. I did finish 3 books on the TBR (marked with an *), including a friend pick that has been on my TBR since February, so THAT’S a positive. But apart from that, I chucked the others and mood read my way through.

I’ll be honest, I’m not entirely sure where my priorities went in April, but I reread FOUR books. Which, is incredible, really. Especially if you know me. I think I reread four books total last year – if that. However, I’ve only ticked off ONE backlist book, which I’m pretty sure gives me a total of four books this year towards BTB… Which isn’t good because I set my target at 75… eeek!!

SYMBOLS
Symbol Key Symbol Key Symbol Key
⚔️ fantasy contemporary ? sci-fi
? historical fiction ❤️ romance ? crime / mystery
? thriller ? classic ? non-fiction
? own voices ?️‍? queer ♿️ disability rep
?‍♀️ YA ? MG ?‍? Adult
? physical book ? ebook ? audiobook
? webcomic / graphic novel ?‍♀️ buddy read ? reread
? Beat the Backlist ARC / review copy ? Aussie author / #loveozya
? O.W.L.s ? YARC ? friend pick

Emoji table for reference

 

Book

Author

Series

Symbols
? Subject

Rating (/5)

Cover

Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow Jessica Townsend Nevermoor #2 ⚔️ ? ? ? ? ?
Dragon Training

5

Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow
The Map From Here to There * Emery Lord The Start of Me and You #2 ⛱ ❤️ ?‍♀️ ? ⏰ ?
Herbology

4

The Map From Here to There
Date Me, Bryson Keller Kevin van Whye   ⛱ ❤️ ?️‍? ? ?‍♀️ ? ⏰ ?
Ancient Runes

4

Date Me, Bryson Keller
A Vigil in the Mourning * Hailey Turner Soulbound #4 ⚔️ ❤️ ?️‍? ?‍? ? ?
Transfiguration

4

A Vigil in the Mourning
Southern Storms Brittainy Cherry Compass #1 ⛱ ❤️ ?‍? ? ?
Arithmancy

3

Southern Storms
Tweet Cute Emma Lord   ⛱ ❤️ ?‍♀️ ? ?
Care of Magical Creatures

4

Tweet Cute
The Scorpio Races Maggie Stiefvater   ⚔️ ?‍♀️ ? ? ?
Defence Against the Dark Arts

5

The Scorpio Races
The Hating Game Sally Thorne   ❤️ ?‍? ? ? ?

5

The Hating Game
The Seafarer’s Kiss * Julia Ember The Seafarer’s Kiss #1 ⚔️ ❤️ ?️‍? ?‍♀️ ? ? ? ?
Charms

4

The Seafarer's Kiss
Fence #1 C. S. Pacat Fence #1 ⛱ ❤️ ?️‍? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Potions

4

Fence issue 1

It was so hard to pick a favourite this month without picking a re-read… but, I think I’m going to go with Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye. It’s a debut novel that will release in July, and I’ll post a review coming up closer to, but it was adorable (with just enough heartbreak) and I did love it.

what i did

I really didn’t do anything groundbreaking this month… I finished the 1000 piece Harry Potter jigsaw puzzle that was about 800 bluey-purple pieces, and 200 black pieces. That was hard. I went through three audiobooks while doing that. I did start the HP audiobook while doing it (because CUTTE), but I got so mad at Stephen Fry’s smug voice when I couldn’t find the piece I was looking for so I rage quit listening to it and started The Scorpio Races instead.

I played some more Animal Crossing. But I got cranky because I had only just started playing when the Bunny Day event happened, and I stopped getting iron ore from rocks and got 800 rock eggs instead and then I had to use flimsy nets because I had just handed over 30 ore to build the Nook’s Cranny, so I rage quit it too. But I picked it back up again at the end of the month and now I’m on my like 4th house extension so we’re good again.

Apart from all that, I really just worked. I don’t want to complain because I feel so lucky to still have a job at the moment, but there is definitely a thing about having your home become your workplace. I set up my work computer right next to my computer in my library / study, and so the room’s feeling has changed for me. It’s become less of a sanctuary. Which also means that I have been blogging less – so I’m sorry!!

on my blog

We had Bookending Spring this month, which was so good!! I stepped in at the last moment as a substitute host, and I had a blast. There were so many great prompts that I think I’ll do some during May because … I didn’t really post a lot during April.

My three days that I hosted were 20-22 April, and the posts were:

It’s such a buzz trying to come up with original prompts to try and fit a theme, and I just want to take a minute to give a shout out to Sam @ Fictionally Sam, and Clo @ Cuppa Clo for always being such great leaders for these events, but also to the other hosts who are amazing and deserve a lot of love for all their hard work.

If you get a chance, I highly recommend you check out some of the fun tags the team created.

on your blogs

So, it turns out I’m just a giant failure at blog-hopping (like we didn’t already know), but I’m still trying. I gave up on the going alphabetically, because I went to Isabelle’s blog and was reading through 63 (not an exaggeration) posts that I had to catch up on (since January though, it’s ok), and eventually WordPress decided that I was a spam-bot so about halfway through, and then for a week afterwards all of my comments went to the spam folders. (Please have a look on your blogs and see if my comments need rescuing, ok?)

Regardless, I am slowly making my way through. I am still around the 1,000 mark, but at least it didn’t go up in number!! So, some of my favourite posts that I read this month (even if they weren’t posted this month) were:

And finally, Kal at Reader Voracious started a new tag called “What my Favourite Characters Would Do in Quarantine“, and this series has been my LIFE. Every time I come across one I love it so much, so I need to share some of my faves.

Side note, if anyone wants to tag me in this, please do… but also, I’m not sure how creative I’m feeling!! ?

How was your April?

until next time, happy reading! Meeghan xo

25 Comments

  • Kristina

    Well, 3 books from the TBR is better than nothing – still a win if you ask me ! When I do one I literally pick like none of them xD ohh and a good reading month too!! I still need to read The hating game & Tweet Cute at some point..

    Ouch, I feel you.. having your sanctuary moved as “work place” must suck indeed.. i’m still lucky enough that I need to “travel” to my actual Café to work soo – I get to leave the house AND see people! ahaha … but yeah- I mainly played animal crossing & worked too; SO HAPPY that bunny day is gone!! urh. ?

    AHAHA omg- commenting so much you get taken for a spam bot is kinda funny xD
    Thank you so much for including my link ❤️ I’m so happy that you enjoyed that little thing!

    • meeghan

      Bunny Day was the WORST!! I had to use flimsy nets for ages because I just kept getting rock eggs and no iron ore!!

      And yes, three books off my TBR was pretty good for me!! I was very pleased. ? I do recommend The Hating Game, it’s so good!!

  • _tirilu

    I can picture you rage quitting HP for Stephen Fry’s smug voice so well, I just wanna laugh my head off. I hope it’s getting better for you soon and that the quarantine ends soon for you too. Take good care of yourself. <3

  • Rukky @ Eternity Books

    I am seriously impressed that you’re still wading through your immense list of posts to catch up on!! I’d probably just quit, and cry for a little while ? Which is basically me right now with the posts that I have to catch up on ? Kal’s tag sounds so much fun, and I have to go check that out!! Congrats on managing to read 3 of the books that you had on your TBR, and completing that huge puzzle!! I wish I had a chance to participate in BE Spring, but I’m super excited to check out your posts!!
    I hope you have an awesome May ?

    • meeghan

      Thank you so much Rukky, you’re the sweetest, and always so supportive!! ?
      Wishing you an amazing May ?

    • meeghan

      YES!! YAY to finishing my OWLs in the month that the OWLs were on!! There’s a first time for everything!! ?

    • meeghan

      Thanks Sophie!! (I’m actually very impressed with myself for reading that many from my TBR!!)

  • Clo @ Cuppa Clo

    “I got so mad at Stephen Fry’s smug voice when I couldn’t find the piece I was looking for so I rage quit listening to it and started The Scorpio Races instead.”

    I’m cackling I can just imagine you rage quitting the audiobook whilst looking for a puzzle piece and this amuses me greatly, The Scorpio Races was a good read though from what I can remember. Ah I wish I had animal crossing new horizons, I really like creating things and since I started playing the series back with wild world everything I’ve ever wanted (at least by the looks of things) is in acnh *sobs* I hope you have a good May and Bookending Spring was a blast so thank you and all the hosts for being amazing <3

    • meeghan

      ?? The Scorpio Races is my favourite book ever. I love the audio and the my hard copy. It’s so soothing, which is odd considering it’s a book about murderous water horses and death. But I love it.

      Clo, I would buy you a switch if I could, just so you can play ACNH!! ?

  • Marie

    Ahh well i think you’ve had a pretty good reading month as a whole! I’m happy you enjoyed Tweet Cute, it’s such a fun read <3
    Thank you so,so much for sharing my posts, so happy you enjoyed them. and don't worry too much about being late to blog hop, I'm perpetually late too haahhaa 🙂
    I hope May has been kind to you so far! <3

  • Kal @ Reader Voracious

    Congrats on finishing your OWLS, Meeghan! You got a lot of reading done and who cares it a handful were re-reads? I think mood reading is great and I know for me personally, I let my guilt & responsibility of being an ~influencer~ with review obligations sap my enjoyment of my hobby sometimes. READ WHAT YOU WANT!

    Also I TAG YOU IN THE QUARANTINE TAG! I will edit it into the original post if you need it, haha! <3

    • meeghan

      ??? That’s hilarious, The Orang-utan Librarian just tagged me today!! But I love you so much for being willing to go back and change this!!

Let's chat!

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