Between The Pages | April 2025 Reading Round Up.

April showers bring May flowers… and a delightful array of finished books! Welcome, fellow bookworms, to my April 2025 Reading Round-Up! This past month, I dove into three captivating novels and stumbled upon the most adorable comic book dedicated to our shared love of all things literary. Get cozy, grab a beverage, and let’s chat about the stories that kept me turning pages.

Take A Look

Sisterchicks Go Brit! (Sisterchicks Series #7) by Robin Jones Gunn (via Kindle Unlimited)

“Sisterchicks Go Brit!” (Sisterchicks Series #7) by Robin Jones Gunn follows the adventures of two midlife best friends, Liz and Kellie, as they embark on a trip to England. Liz has always harbored a secret fondness for Big Ben since her teenage years, while Kellie dreams of starting her own interior design business and envisions Liz as part of her plans.

It all started when they met Opal, a tiny woman who greatly impacted their lives. Opal hires Kellie and Liz to redecorate her apartment, and the three women quickly form a close friendship over weekly tea times. As a thank you, Opal surprises them with plane tickets to England and announces she’ll be joining them on their adventure to visit her twin sister in the small town of Olney.

However, their meticulously planned itinerary quickly unravels. From participating in a village pancake race to a surprising encounter that puts a twinkle in Opal’s eye, their journey takes them on detours through Oxford, the land of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, and even a hot air balloon ride over the Cotswolds.

Despite the unexpected twists and turns, Liz and Kellie experience the sights and sounds of London, from high tea at the Ritz to the Tower of London and Windsor Castle. Along the way, they learn to embrace God’s plans, find their dreams rekindled, and discover the true meaning of their lifelong friendship. Liz even finds the courage to share her long-held secret about Big Ben with Kellie, leading them to a poignant moment at Westminster Abbey. With her artist’s eye, Kellie finds inspiration for her design aspirations in the fabrics, colors, and furniture they encounter.

“Sisterchicks Go Brit!” is a heartwarming and humorous story about friendship, faith, and the unexpected adventures that life brings, reminding readers that sometimes the detours lead to the most meaningful destinations.

Morning in This Broken World by Katrina Kittle (via Kindle Unlimited)

“Morning in This Broken World” by Katrina Kittle is a poignant and life-affirming novel set during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The story centers around Vivian Laurent, a recently widowed and grieving woman living in an assisted living facility. When the facility goes into lockdown, Vivian, unable to bear the thought of isolation amidst her heartache, decides to return to her own home.

Fate intervenes when Vivian learns that Luna, a compassionate nursing assistant who cared for her late husband and is a newly separated mother, is facing eviction with her two children: eleven-year-old Wren, who uses a motorized wheelchair, and her troubled older brother, Cooper. In a moment of profound generosity, Vivian invites Luna and her children to move in with her, forming an unlikely “pandemic pod.”

Through alternating perspectives, the novel explores how these four individuals navigate the uncertainties and anxieties of the pandemic while grappling with their personal struggles. Vivian confronts her grief and loneliness, Luna faces the challenges of single motherhood and financial insecurity, Wren brings youthful exuberance and resilience despite her physical limitations, and Cooper battles his own inner turmoil.

As they share Vivian’s home, this makeshift family learns to lean on each other, forging unexpected bonds of friendship and support. They navigate the difficulties of lockdown, heal old wounds, and discover the strength found in human connection during a time of global crisis. The novel delves into themes of grief, loss, the meaning of family (both the one we’re born into and the one we choose), and finding hope and joy even in the most challenging circumstances. It’s a story about resilience, compassion, and the enduring power of love in a broken world.

Dear Mrs. Bird: A Novel (The Emmy Lake Chronicles Book 1) by A.J. Pearce (via Kindle Unlimited)

“Dear Mrs. Bird: A Novel” (The Emmy Lake Chronicles Book 1) by A.J. Pearce is a charming and heartwarming story set in London during the Blitz of World War II. The narrative follows Emmy Lake, a young woman with aspirations of becoming a serious war correspondent. However, her dreams take an unexpected detour when she mistakenly applies for a job as a junior advice columnist for Woman’s Friend magazine.

To her surprise, Emmy lands the position, but it’s not quite what she envisioned. She finds herself working for the formidable and fiercely traditional Mrs. Henrietta Bird, the magazine’s renowned agony aunt. Mrs. Bird has a strict set of rules and refuses to answer any letters deemed “unpleasant” – which includes anything related to the war, personal problems of a romantic nature, or any sort of “unseemliness.”

Despite Mrs. Bird’s rigid guidelines, Emmy is determined to offer genuine help and comfort to the women writing in, who are often facing immense hardship and anxiety due to the war. Behind Mrs. Bird’s back, Emmy starts secretly answering the “unpleasant” letters with her own heartfelt and practical advice, often enlisting the help of her witty and supportive best friend, Bunty.

As Emmy juggles her clandestine advice column with Mrs. Bird’s strict demands and the backdrop of wartime London – including air raids, rationing, and the absence of loved ones – she navigates the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and finding her voice in a world turned upside down. The novel beautifully portrays the resilience and spirit of the women on the home front, their struggles, and their unwavering hope amidst the chaos. It’s a story about finding unexpected purpose, the power of connection, and the courage to speak from the heart, even when it means bending the rules.

I Will Judge You By Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider (via Kindle Unlimited)

I came upon this one quite by accident, but I thought I’d look at it anyhow. “I Will Judge You By Your Bookshelf” by Grant Snider is a delightful and humorous collection of comic strips and illustrations that playfully and insightfully explores book lovers’ quirks, habits, and inner lives.

Snider, known for his witty observations on reading and writing, captures the essence of the bookworm experience in a series of charming and relatable scenarios.

From the different types of readers (the “literary snob,” the “genre enthusiast,” the “reluctant reader”) to the various stages of book ownership (the overflowing shelves, the precarious stacks, the books loaned and never returned), Snider’s comics hit close to home for anyone who has ever felt a deep connection to the written word. He cleverly illustrates the unspoken rules of bookshelf etiquette, the internal debates about which book to read next, the joy of discovering a new favorite author, and the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways we judge others based on their literary tastes.

The comic book affectionately pokes fun at our reading rituals, book-buying tendencies, and sometimes obsessive relationship with our personal libraries. It’s a celebration of the love of books and the unique community of readers, acknowledging both the joys and the gentle absurdities of being someone who finds solace, adventure, and understanding within the pages of a book.

Even if not every single comic perfectly mirrors your own reading habits, as some did not fit me. You’re still sure to find plenty that resonate and bring a smile to your face, recognizing the familiar quirks of your fellow bookworms.

And that brings us to the close of my April reading adventures! From the heartwarming journey to Britain with the Sisterchicks to the poignant reflections in a pandemic-stricken world and the charming wartime tale of an aspiring journalist, it was a month filled with diverse and engaging stories. And, of course, a little extra dose of bookish humor courtesy of Grant Snider.

Happy reading, everyone, and may your bookshelves continue to bring you joy!

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