It is time to share what I read in April!
April was a great reading month for me, mainly because I had three five-star reads.
I am calling 2025 my year of learning through books. I want the books I read to teach me something. I’m focusing more on quality than quantity.
I’m trying not to focus on the number of books I read this year. Instead, I am focusing on books that make me think. I want my reading to take me places I’ll never go and teach me things I didn’t know.
April was great for learning.
I read two historical fiction books in April that taught me so much. I learned more about the Great Smog in London in 1952 and about the Canadian West in 1905.
Two of my nonfiction books will also be staying with me for a long time. One was a memoir about abuse, and one was a book on the abuse of power in churches.
I am loving my challenge to focus on learning through reading.
April 2025 Reading
I’m sharing a few brief thoughts on each book, but click on the title for a full review and more information.
Fiction
The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry is another five-star Patti Callahan Henry read for me. I love Patti’s writing.
I would describe The Story She Left Behind as part historical fiction, part mystery, and part literary fiction. For me, it was the perfect combination of all three.
It is set in 1952 South Carolina and 1952 England, during the Great Smog. If you have never read a Pattie Callahan Henry book, I think this is a great one to start with.
The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh was a fun and clean romance book with depth to the characters that you don’t often find in romance novels. If you are looking for a fun summer read, I enjoyed this one.
Rocky Road by Becky Wade is book two in the Sons of Scandal series. This made a fun, quick vacation read.
Finding Flora by Elinor Florence was a historical fiction book set in the Canadian West in 1905. It is about survival, friendship, hardship, community, and more.
If you’re looking for a historical fiction book that’s a little different, I think you might enjoy this one.
Nonfiction
The Martha Rules by Martha Stewart is a book full of business tips from Martha Stewart. This book was a fun look into how Martha built her business empire, but it was published in 2005, so it was a bit outdated.
Christian Nonfiction
What Is A Girl Worth by Rachael Denhollander is one of the most well-written Christian memoirs I have read in a long time. I’ll share more about this book for Sunday Reading soon.
Redeeming Power by Diane Langberg was a great book to read following What Is A Girl Worth. This book deals with abuse of all kinds within the Church and the Christian community around the world.
I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading in the comments.