April 2025 Month in Review

Posted 2 May 2025 in month in review /4 Comments

Kendo kept me pretty busy in April. I practiced 13 days last month, including a local tournament and grading. I’d been on and off with kendo for a number years, but have been practicing regularly for the past year and finally went for grading after ten years (I passed). I should keep it up now so that my next grading won’t be another ten years away 😋 Work also kept me busy for a few weeks as I helped train a new hire and acted at a level up for a couple weeks.

My reading pace took a hit due to the above factors. But I still managed two reading highlights in April! My reread of The Lord of the Rings progressed nicely. I finished The Fellowship of the Rings. I also completed a buddy read with Mayri @ Book Forager. And thankfully we didn’t get hit with tarriffs on books! But who knows what will happen in the future…

Books Finished

  • It’s All or Nothing, Vale by Andrea Beatriz Arango (middle grade contemporary novel-in-verse)
  • Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (adult contemporary cozy fantasy)

Posts Written

Challenges Check-In

This section tallies up my annual goals. (Viewcount is the only monthly metric.)

  • 24/82 books read
  • 9/30 middle grade fiction novels
  • 0/10 owned books
  • 3/9 Family Reads
  • 1/4I Can’t Believe I Haven’t Read that Yet”
  • Reviewed 46% of what I read (goal = 50%)
    • I said I would boost this in April and I actually did 🥳
  • 24/66 posts
    • 6/6 posts in April
  • 2,613/2,600 views in April

Shared on Bluesky

Mini #MGLit library book haul! 📚 #ReaderSky✏️THE SONG OF ORPHAN'S GARDEN by @nicolemhewitt.bsky.social and IT'S ALL OR NOTHING, VALE by Andrea Beatriz Arango #NovelInVerse🇨🇦 THE GHOST OF BITTERFLY BAY by @maryaverling.bsky.social #CanKidLit 🖥️BYE FOREVER, I GUESS by @jodimeadows.bsky.social

Jenna (@fallingletters.ca) 2025-04-05T14:35:07.251Z

Picked this one up last month and enjoyed it more than I thought I would! Highly recommended if you're a fan of either author. Check out Krysta's review for details. #Tolkien

Jenna (@fallingletters.ca) 2025-04-18T23:11:37.140Z

Book Review: Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa exploringallgenres.com/sweet-bean-p… #booksky 📚💙 #japaneseliterature #bookblogger

Exploring All Genres (@exploringallgenres.bsky.social) 2025-04-19T16:03:27.681Z

I have shelved my new HISTORY OF MIDDLE-EARTH boxed sets! The top shelf of my #TolkienCollection is now extremely satisfying to gaze upon. 🥰 Here are before and after shots:

Jenna (@fallingletters.ca) 2025-04-20T14:15:41.000Z

Good morning on this lovely spring day 🌷🌞☕

Jenna (@fallingletters.ca) 2025-04-20T15:30:38.000Z

If you always seem to miss #CanadaReads like I do, @spinesinaline.bsky.social has written an informative recap #CanLitspinesinaline.wordpr…

Jenna (@fallingletters.ca) 2025-04-21T15:35:57.000Z

(1/2) I read two #CanKidLit books today thanks to @hkubiw.bsky.social's recs! 📚👍🏻THE KIDS BOOK OF BLACK HISTORY IN CANADA by Rosemary Sadlier and Arden Taylor – informative non-fiction that ties in to today's celebrations and challenges canlitforlittlecanadians.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-…

Jenna (@fallingletters.ca) 2025-04-22T01:54:58.873Z

On My Radar in May

  • Monthlong – Wyrd & Wonder. If you’re not familiar, Wyrd & Wonder is a monthlong celebration of fantasy books, movies, shows, and games. Check out this post from one of the hosts, Imyril @ One More, for details on all the ways you can join in. This should be the year I’ve ‘participated’ the most since that banner year of 2020… I’m pretty stoked about the nautical theme 😄
    • I’ll be reading All the Murmuring Bones by AG Slatter. Leave a comment if you’d like to join in a buddy read!
  • 6 May – Release date of A Spell for Change by Nicole Jarvis (adult historical fantasy) and The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li (adult gothic thriller)
  • 13 May – Release date of The Gate, the Girl and the Dragon by Grace Lin (middle grade fantasy) and The Incandescent by Emily Tesh (adult fantasy)
  • 20 May – Release date of The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling (adult historical horror)

How was your April? What new books, or bookish events, are you looking forward to this month?

Jenna's signature

4 responses to “April 2025 Month in Review

  1. Congrats on passing your Kendo grading😁 I’m also reading A Spell For Change this month, hopefully we will both enjoy it.

  2. I’m looking forward to reading The Incandescent. And of course All the Murmuring Bones 😉
    Congrats on your kendo grading. That is awesome.

  3. Sia

    I’m so excited for W&W! Been working on my magic systems and magical abilities lists all year!

    And I’m reading Incandescent and Starving Saints atm and adoring both!

  4. Since hearing Emily Tesh on the brilliant Eight Days of Diana Wynne Jones podcast, I’m interested in reading her work!

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