What are you reading? {SPRING 2026} April & May

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GingerScraps

GingerScraps

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What are you reading? {SPRING 2026} April & May
I decided instead of new monthly threads, I will make new threads for watching, reading, crafting, I will post them quarterly.
So they will be
🌸 Spring: March, April, May
☀️ Summer: June, July, August
🍂 Fall (Autumn): September, October, November
❄️ Winter: December, January, February

We already did March in its own thread... so this will now be April & May. Then June I will make a thread for June, July, August.

Looking forward to chatting with you some more <3

Hey everyone! 🌷📚

New month, new reads… and I couldn’t resist starting up our April book chat!

I always love seeing what everyone is diving into - whether it’s a can’t-put-it-down novel, a relaxing cozy mystery, an inspiring self-help book, or an audiobook keeping you company while you’re on the go.

So… what are you reading this month?

Are you hooked on something right now? Just finished a great book you’d recommend? Or maybe you’re building up your “to read” list for April?

Feel free to share anything like:
  • What you’re currently reading
  • Audiobooks you’re listening to
  • Recent favorites you’d recommend
  • Hidden gems others might not know about
  • Books you’re excited to start soon
If you enjoy chatting about books, don’t forget about the GingerScraps Book Club! It’s such a fun way to discover new reads and talk about them with others in the community. You can check it out here:
GingerScraps Book Club: https://forums.gingerscraps.net/forums/hey-good-bookin-the-gingerscraps-book-club.297/

Alright friends… what’s on your April reading list? 📖✨

And if you’re in the mood for more everyday chatting and making new friends, come join us here too:
Everyday Chatting & Waffling {2026} Let’s get to know each other!
 
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I'm ALMOST finished with East of Eden, I had a really bad few days (health wise) and couldn't read or even listen to a book, BUT I'm feeling better today and hoping to finish tomorrow so I can start on the April GingerScraps Book Club books, they both look so good!!

April 2026 Book Discussion - These silent woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant

Hi everyone! welcome to April's Book Club Discussion thread!! This thread will remain open even after we finish reading the current book, so everyone who wants to add any opinions can do so at her leisure. 1. To avoid spoilers, remember to click on the three dots...
forums.gingerscraps.net forums.gingerscraps.net
AND

April 2026 Book Discussion - The golden spoon by Jessa Maxwell

Hi everyone! welcome to April's Book Club Discussion thread!! This thread will remain open even after we finish reading the current book, so everyone who wants to add any opinions can do so at her leisure. 1. To avoid spoilers, remember to click on the three dots...
forums.gingerscraps.net forums.gingerscraps.net

What are YOU reading?
 
I just finished listening to "Before Dorothy", by Hazel Gaynor. It's like a prequal to the Wizard Oz, leading up to the storm that takes Dorothy to Oz, and then the ending is what happens after she makes it back home. It add a lot of context to the movie, I felt.
 

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I've been reading a series of speculative fiction by Larry Correia. It takes place in an alternate 1930s where magic emerged in the 1800s.The main character is a private investigator. The whole series is very much a steampunk vibe with pulp adventure, airships, and noir detective tropes. This wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a fun, fast-paced adventure series.
 
All the blue of the sky by MĂŠlissa da Costa. (original work title, "tout le bleu de ciel")
It is about a young man diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's at age 26, who decides to flee the hospital and the sympathy of family and friends. Through an advertisement, he finds a young woman to accompany him on his final road trip.
The topic of the book is quite personal to me because my mother had vascular dementia. The course of the disease is somewhat different from Alzheimer's, but in the end, the "result" is the same.
 
I finished These Silent Woods, WOW what a book!! It was so good!! You can read my full review here BUT it does have spoilers. It was so good!

I'm about half way through The House In The Cerulean Sea, it is a lot of fun! Here is a description,
"Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours."

I plan to read The Golden Spoon this month too (the second GS book club book for April :)
 
@laura.dulle : I'm putting that on my TBR list! I'm OBSESSED with Wicked, I think that book sounds right up my alley!

@breoni : That steampunk book sounds so fun! I'm intrigued! I hope you love Remarkably Bright Creatures <3 Let us know what you think when you finish.

@Route66 I'm going to check that out! My grandma has Alzheimer's and I have some brain issues due to past strokes and TIAs so I'm always looking to keep my Brian in shape :)

@Freckles167 That sounds heart wrenching, but like a beautiful story <3 Once you finish, let me know if you recommend it.
 
GingerScraps said:
I'm ALMOST finished with East of Eden, I had a really bad few days (health wise) and couldn't read or even listen to a book, BUT I'm feeling better today and hoping to finish tomorrow so I can start on the April GingerScraps Book Club books, they both look so good!!

April 2026 Book Discussion - These silent woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant

Hi everyone! welcome to April's Book Club Discussion thread!! This thread will remain open even after we finish reading the current book, so everyone who wants to add any opinions can do so at her leisure. 1. To avoid spoilers, remember to click on the three dots...
forums.gingerscraps.net forums.gingerscraps.net
AND

April 2026 Book Discussion - The golden spoon by Jessa Maxwell

Hi everyone! welcome to April's Book Club Discussion thread!! This thread will remain open even after we finish reading the current book, so everyone who wants to add any opinions can do so at her leisure. 1. To avoid spoilers, remember to click on the three dots...
forums.gingerscraps.net forums.gingerscraps.net

What are YOU reading?
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So glad you are feeling better, take good care dear @GingerScraps
 
GingerScraps said:
I'm about half way through The House In The Cerulean Sea, it is a lot of fun! Here is a description,
"Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours."
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I've read this book and simply adored "Lucy!" There's a sequel out now, too.
 
I haven't "read" a book in ages as I am almost soley and audio book listener these days. I love being able to listen to books while doing other tasks around the house, driving or even a light day at work.
I am currently listening to Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover and can't wait to watch the movie, though I know is it rare that a movie lines up with the book.
The best book I have read recently was Recipe for Joy: A Novel by Monica Comas. It wasn't a book or author I knew anything about but it was a amazingly good book. A sweet story (but also sad parts) about restoring relationships and family history and memories. Family recipes handed down through generations are a big part of this story and they are included at the end of the book. It truly was a Joy to read. Highly recommended!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239183095-recipe-for-joy
 
If any of you watch The Sister Wives reality show. I just finished Christines book and it was actually really good, way better than I expected. A lot of interesting insights behind the scenes. I have been watching the show since it come out in 2010, I have a love/hate relationship with it, but can't stop watching. At this point I'm so invested in all of them. lol

Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom by Christine Brown Woolley
 
So I finished my latest book series and I didn't know what I wanted to read next. I went to one of the AI platforms and told it books I've already read that I enjoyed and asked for recommendations. I was impressed with the list it returned. Has anyone else had luck finding a new author / series this way?
 
I'm reading this month's book from our book club "Get a life Chloe Brown"
 
breoni said:
So I finished my latest book series and I didn't know what I wanted to read next. I went to one of the AI platforms and told it books I've already read that I enjoyed and asked for recommendations. I was impressed with the list it returned. Has anyone else had luck finding a new author / series this way?
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I have never thought to do that, it is an interesting idea though!

Right now I'm finishing a book that I don't really like... but I want to get to the end, lol It was a recommendation from some of the girls in our family, but I'm just not clicking with it.

Then I plan to read "Get A Life Chloe Brown".

What do you all do when you are reading a book you don't really like? Do you push through or do you just pass and decide not to finish?
 
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I always have 2 books going one to hold and one audio. I have 3 book challenges for myself this year. One is alphabetical that Connie Prince shared last year, two is one I found somewhere that looked interesting and the third is one I created for myself, alpha but all thrillers. The first 2 I try to throw in classics, historical fiction and biographies and a few young adult ones. Right now, I am reading the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid & I am listening to XOXO by Axie Oh translated by Marine LaBaisse.

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I'm curious, does anyone ever re-read books? I have a series I really enjoy and I think I've read each of those books 3-4 times now. LOL!
 
GingerScraps said:
What do you all do when you are reading a book you don't really like? Do you push through or do you just pass and decide not to finish?
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I usually quit if I'm halfway through and not enjoying a book. However, if I'm reading it for a book club, I usually press on and try to finish so I can discuss it knowing the whole story. I really don't like giving up on books, but I feel like I have limited time to read, so I'd rather be reading something I feel like I can hardly put down.
breoni said:
I'm curious, does anyone ever re-read books? I have a series I really enjoy and I think I've read each of those books 3-4 times now. LOL!
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I don't reread on purpose! Sometimes I love a book so much that I think I'll reread, but it's never actually happened because there are just so many books to explore! Last month I went to the library and was browsing and chose an Amish fiction book that looked good. I got home and started it, and it took me a good half an hour to realize I'd already read it lol! I don't have the greatest memory!!

Right now I'm reading the GS May book club picks. I just finished Get a Life Chloe Brown, and now I'm reading Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. When I say read, I mean listen to audiobook. I used to read all my books in physical form, but now since I have less energy and want to go to sleep earlier, it works much better for me to listen while doing housework, scrapping, relaxing before bed, showering, etc.
 
@jcfdelaware I enjoyed Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, did you know Netflix bought the rights to make it into a movie. I'm curious who the cast will be! I have tried to read multiple books at once buy my brain just can't handle it! LOL You reading challenges sound fun though!

@breoni I have re-read books and what's interesting is that sometimes I have a totally different take on the book upon second read! It is just interesting how where you are in your own life and what you're going though completely impacts how you receive and process content.

@kelley That is so relatable! I have totally done the same thing, like an hour into an audiobook and I will think... hmm I think I already listened to this! 🤣
 
@kelley regarding rereading by accident. I had done this so many times the I signed on to Goodreads and listed every book that I could remember reading. It took me several days, but it has helped me not to buy or start one that I already read.
 
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