I’m sitting here in awe at the fact that today is the last day of April, 2019.

The highlight of this month was definitely traveling to Dallas, Texas to meet Chanel Cleeton, the author of Next Year in Havana and When We Left Cuba! Dallas is definitely a city now that I would love to explore a bit on my own. It was a bit difficult to experience it how I would like having my kiddos in tow, but I’d love to go back one day and find local coffee shops and search for some hidden gem book stores.

I’m so happy to say I met my first author..and that it was Chanel Cleeton. I have loved what I’ve read thus far by her and I’m rooting for whatever else she does.

This month I read 18 books! That is insane for me. I’ve only had one other month like this one which was last September where in managed to read 19 books, so I’m very proud of myself. I was in a huge mood for poetry so I read quite a few poetry collections and Audiobooks are the real MVP! I was also in a big mood for memoirs which I love on audio, so I felt like I was just devouring them.

My top 3 Reads in April were:

An Honorable Seduction by Brenda Jackson

When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton

That Month In Tuscany by Inglath Cooper

This has been one of those months where I want read all the things! I literally have a stack of books on my nightstand and dresser of books I’ve been insisting that must be around me because I’m determined to pick them up sooner rather than later.

Shoutout to yet another hidden gem coffee shop I found in the month of April, Shotgun Roasters which is in the very cool brick building in a neighborhood you wouldn’t necessarily expect and not too far from downtown. My maple sage latte was on point and they had a really cool selection of books inside which took me by surprise. You could definitely tell one of the workers is a film lover because there were a few movie posters–I in particular was a fan of the painting of The Creature from the Black Lagoon. I wanted it, So bad.

Tomorrow will be May 1st which kicks off a readathon I really want to participate in, ChickLitAthon which sounds like a lot of fun. I feel most of my reading could be narrowed down Chick-Lit, and although I am still fine tuning my tbr, I definitely plan to take part. I have a few titles on my shelf that have been calling my name.

April was a month of early risings. Procrastination. Taking the long way home. frustration. Laughter. taking a second (and third) look. Perspective. lattes (hot & cold) places new to me. Book stacks. being the shoulder to lean on. Realizing even those who seem perfect for another, have problems. Good food. late nights crying over how Global Warming is making hunting for food difficult for Polar Bears. wishing I could save the world. & taking a trip into the past by cracking open a book published 4 years before my Mom was born with a creepy cemetery, strange old home and a ghost girl.. Here’s to May being even greater*