This month I found it really difficult to rank my books. I really really liked almost everything I read, but nothing I read is a new lifetime favorite or even a guaranteed best book of the year. This month, any of my top four or five could have been my number one depending on what was standing out to me at the time.
The other factor is that I’m currently in the midst of vetting books for the Paperback Summer Reading Guide (hooray!!). This process slightly alters the way I think about about books. I go from thinking about books in a very personal way–what worked for me, what did I like better about this compared to this, etc. to thinking about books for other readers. The PSRG is absolutely filled with books I love, but it’s just a slightly different lens to be reading through: what do I highly recommend compared to what do I personally love the most. Anyways, being in that frame of mind did filter into creating this recap and made it harder than ever to be decisive.
I should also tell you that a few of the books I read or reread in April I did so specifically to vet for the guide–some of them were no’s and some yes’s, but I’m keeping all of them secret for the moment to ensure that there are some surprises for you in the Paperback Summer Reading Guide!Â
***Did you know you can now listen to my Ranked Reading Recaps in your favorite podcast player?? Here’s how!
Right now and until the end of May, you can upgrade your to the paid version of the FictionMatter Newsletter for 20% off an annual membership. This will get you access to April’s Ranked Reading Recap, the Paperback Summer Reading Guide, and all past paywalled content.
