#SBS April Monthly Wrap-Up

Welcome to our monthly feature where we talk about what we read, adopted into our libraries, and what’s on our minds. After hosting #SignedBookSundays on instagram for 5+ years, we are transitioning to this format as a way to share signed books and talk about bookish (and personal) highlights. Join us the last Sunday or last day of every month (or whatever day today is…)!

In Case You Missed It

• YallWest was this past weekend!! I am sure we are/were posting in our stories over on instagram!
• Many author interviews this month!
  Author Interview: Out of the Ashes by Kara Thomas
  Author Interview: Going Dark by Melissa de la Cruz
  Author Interview: Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens
• The where to buy signed books page is updated for most of May now – of course, I keep adding more and more when I find them…recommend bookmarking this page!
• We curate a Bookshop page with most of the YA New Releases – please consider supporting us by buying books through our links or shop, or we have a Ko-Fi!

What We Read

Kelly: I read 4 books in April as of writing this which is a bit early. I will be travelling by the end of this month, so I hope that number increases while I have dedicated stuck on a plane reading time. The slump is real, I thought it was bad last month…so much worse. Some of my stand outs of the month were:

• Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen – 5 stars – Some books feel like they were written for you and some books aren’t for everyone. This book was for me!! All the punk & music references, the feeling of being ostracized by family & society…and the troubles of surviving as a vampire in a world full of humans (I mean I am not a vamp -winkwink – but any outsider/queer can feel the same type of feelings). This is an adult imprint, but I think older teens and fans of YA will also enjoy it!
• The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur – 4 stars – This adult marriage of convenience turned into seriously complicated feelings was a wonderfully steamy sapphic romance! Check CWs!

Christy: WOOF April was rough. 2 books. Already doing better a few days into May.

• Star Wars: Jedi: Battle Scars by Sam Maggs – I mean, we knew I was going to read this because it’s 1. Star Wars and 2. My fav Jedi but when Sam Maggs promised it was SO GAAAAAAY, I was all in. Bless Sam for giving us new ships!
• Teen Titans: Robin by Kami Garci, with art by Gabriel Picolo – This series is just so much joy and I do love seeing Damian Wayne being himself.

What We Hauled

You too can be obsessed with signed books, look here for where to buy a copy from your favorite author’s local indie or preorder incentives that include bookplates.

Kelly’s Highlights

• You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron – Releasing June 20th – Thank you Bloomsbury YA for the advance copy!
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros – Releasing May 2nd – Thank you to Red Tower Books for the advance copy!
• Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton – Releasing June 27th – Thank you Bloomsbury YA for the advance copy!
• All That’s Left to Say by Emery Lord – Releasing July 18th – hank you Bloomsbury YA for the advance copy!
• Who Could Love You, Astor Price? by Amy Jane Lehan – Releases Aug 8th – Thank you to the author & Cloudy Day publishing for the advance copy!
• Signed Books I added to my collection this month: The Fiancée Farce by Alexandra Bellefleur, Star Wars: Cataclysm by Lydia Kang.

Christy’s Highlights

• Harley Quinn: Ravenous by Rachael Allen – TY to Random House. I LOVED the first book and can’t wait to read this one!
• Pieces of Me by Kate McLaughlin – TY to Wednesday. I always get the best books from Wednesday and this one looks amazing.
• Three Drops of Blood by Gretchen McNeil – Finally got my signed finished copy!
• No Perfect Places by Steven Salvatore – TY to Bloomsbury! Ahhh we’ve been fans of Steven for so long and we are excited for this book!

What We Hope to Read

Kelly’s TBR

Well I didn’t read much, but crossed off one more book…time to delete and start over with the potential list? Possibly, we shall see what I read in May (holy crap I cannot believe it’s May!)

You can follow my reading on goodreads and/or storygraph where I share what I just read, and some immediate reading reactions – full reviews are almost exclusively on here on the blog or instagram.

• The Stolen Heir by Holly Black
• Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
• The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa
• I’ll Take Everything You Have by James Klise
• Always the Almost by Edward Underhill
• Made of Stars by Jenna Voris
• Reader, I Murdered Him by Betsy Cornwell
• She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

Christy’s TBR

I read one last month (and have since finished another) so it’s time to add some new options!

• Star Wars: Cataclysm by Lydia Lang
• The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda
• Every Time You Go Away by Abigail Johnson

On the Top of Our Minds

Kelly: 

This month, just blinked by…but that just means when you’re reading this, I will finally be reunited with Christy, as well as the YallWest book festival and my first time at Disneyland! My brain is in total vacation mode already!

Christy:

April was a blur. Final RunDisney race of the season (😭). Judy visited for a few weeks. Work was busy. We went camping.

I am sad that RunDisney is over. This season was a blast and I am excited to come back for a perfect season to celebrate turning 40 in 2024. Springtime Surprise was fun and I think I brought my best costumes! I mean, I do love a good Pixar theme. I celebrated with a photoshoot with my running partner Alyssa in EPCOT’s Morroco pavilion.

Tours are slowly coming back and we saw MUSE and Evanescence. Both amazing shows and highly recommend.