Recent Reads: April 2026
1 backlist, 1 frontlist, 1 classic for kids, plus some good grown-up books as well!
Hi friends! I’m excited to be getting back into the swing of writing and sharing here again after a busy spring. I have library updates and lots of books to share about, in addition to more thoughts and writing coming your way this summer I hope. But today, let’s start with the books I read in April.
Here are the children’s books I’ve read lately, with mini-reviews. (If you’re new here, I have a footnote for you!)1
📚. Middle Grade
Lodestar (Keeper of the Lost Cities #5) by Shannon Messenger (2016) :: This volume took me a bit longer to get thru (maybe in part due to the lack of scenes with a favorite character!), but once I got to the last quarter, it sped up and ended up in an exciting and surprising way!
The Curse Breaker (Isle of Ever #2) by Jen Calonita (2026) :: Ahh— another cliffhanger! Despite still not getting a satisfying ending, I loved this book as we continue with Benny’s adventures with the Isle of Ever, along with the great cast of characters from book one (and some new additions). With exciting and enlightening revelations, both the present and past timelines capture the reader just as much as in book 1 (which was one of my favorite books of 2025). Can’t wait for the next! Thank you to Libro.fm for the ALC.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg (1967) :: I decided to pick up a classic I loved as a kid (I didn’t realize it was already a classic when I read it then!). It’s funny, all I remember about this book from childhood is the two siblings running away and living in the Met. But there’s so much more to it, with their quirky & distinct personalities and the adventure they get into trying to decide the origin of a certain piece of art. My favorite parts of this book as I read it now are the unique POV, how well the author captures childhood, the narration from Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and all that is revealed at the end. This is a children’s classic that is still easily enjoyed almost 60 years after publication.
📚. Grown-up Reading
You can always see all the books I’m reading on my StoryGraph page (along with my ratings), but I thought I’d start listing some of the grown-up books I read here, too, just for fun. Anything listed here I rated at least 4 stars.
Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks by Stephen Davis (2017)
Finders Keepers by Sarah Adler (2025)
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Volumes 2, 3, & 4 by Beth Brower (2019-21) (appropriate for teen readers!)
Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line (Finlay Donovan #6) by Elle Cosimano
Pick-Up by Nora Dahlia (2024)
I hope you find something here that you or a young person in your life might like to read. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
Happy Thursday (tomorrow is our last day of school!) and happy reading,
Nicole
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👩🏼💻 Curious about my writing? I’ve written four complete manuscripts (YA & MG) and am currently drafting a MG fantasy story. See what they are all about on my website.
For notes about my reviews including how I define age categories and information on my opinions, readers’ perspectives, and ARCs, please visit this section of my about page.
I’m on Emma M. Lion #4! 🤩