April Wrap Up!

 Happy end of April! 

I know I haven't been around all month. I'm having some major writer's block when it comes to this blog, plus I think I'm just pouring so much writing time into my WIP's that I don't have much energy to pour writing into this blog. Hopefully in the coming months I'll be able to be more active on here. Thanks to everyone's stuck around this long. I promise I will get back to posting soon. 

For now, though, here's how my April went! 

April Writing: 

I accidentally participated in Camp Nanowrimo. The one year I don't actually sign up for Camp Nanowrimo and I write more than 50K and am super excited about a WIP in the month of April. Figures haha As if I don't have enough to work on, I did, in fact, start a new WIP this month. Its been super secret, but one that I am beyond excited about. I've had so much fun working on it and writing it. It's about a circus full of outcasted vampires, werewolves and magicians and a girl who may have a bigger destiny in front of her than she could have ever imagined. It's got misfits and found family and banter. I'm enjoying it so much! I know it may sound weird, but I always enjoy writing the supernatural genre - like with the werewolves and vampires - than any other genre. I love writing the scary, tense scenes along with the emotional, brooding parts. Everything about that genre is just my favorite, so I'm really enjoying it. At the moment I'm calling it The Immortal Circus. 

Editing-wise I have been spending this month editing Heart of Xion (the title for Project Xion). It's been going really well and I'm so excited to share this story! I already have a few people reading it for me. I plan to send it out to a few more beta readers at the beginning of May. I'm planning to publish it in July. Have I bitten off more than I can chew and should take a break from publishing? Maybe. Am I going to? Nope. Once Heart of Xion is done with edits and ready to be published I'm gonna be hard at work editing Scarlet Phoenix. No rest for the busy writer/author. 

April Reading: 

So, I didn't realize how much I read this month until I just went to look at my Goodreads account. I read four full books and I finished two at the beginning of the month. 

I finished House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas at the beginning of this month.

That was one of the worst reading experiences I've ever endured. I had to finish the book because there's a big, important thing that happens at the very end... but honestly, Maas' writing was not good at all and it felt like a true struggle to get to the ending. There was also a whole lot of spice-y/explicit scenes to skip through that I didn't appreciate. I liked the first book House of Earth and Blood... but I don't recommend the series. That first book is not worth the struggle of getting through the second book. 

I also finished Black Elk Speaks for my religions class at the beginning of this month. I thoroughly enjoyed that book. It was really good and a great resource for getting to know the Native American religion, experience and historical experiences. Definitely recommend if you enjoy or want to know more about Native American religion/history. 

Next up I read The Summer We Forgot by Caroline George.

It was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it did not disappoint. I don't usually read YA contemporary or murder mystery, but I made an exception for Caroline George. Her prose is beautiful, her writing touches on such heartfelt and meaningful things that spoke straight to my heart (like how Dearest Josephine did) and the story itself kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting to find out more. I just love everything about her writing and books from beginning to end. 

My next most anticipated book (I have a lot of most anticipated books haha) was Fluff with a Side of Treason by Jenni Sauer.

It's a short story collection of fluffy shorts with all her Everaft Galaxy characters! I loved it so much and made me fall even more in love with each of her characters. Her characters make me feel so seen in so many ways. All of her books are just so good! 

This was a surprise read for me, but I ended up reading Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.

It took me a minute to really get into it. I don't think I got super invested till almost the middle, but after that I am beyond invested in all of her characters. Parts of it felt a little rushed, but the worldbuilding is so unique and well done and her characters are more complex than most characters I've read in a while. 

Then, of course, I got Children of Vice and Vengeance also by Tomi Adeyemi.

Even though this book wrecked me, crushed my heart and made me cry too many times... I loved it more than I liked the first book. The characters can be frustrating and make bad decisions and its like reading a train wreck... but I guess I enjoy that? Because like I couldn't put it down and am so heavily invested in these characters now that I can't believe I have to wait till next year for the next book! Also, the love triangle thing she has set up makes me so nervous haha 

April Life Stuff: 

My mental health tanked quite a bit this month. I was super depressed for most of April and if I wasn't depressed I was having really bad anxiety. It was rough. I'm so thankful though that I am starting to feel better. My depression has lifted and my anxiety is evening out. I feel like I have more control again. 

Other than the mental health stuff, I had a good Easter weekend with family. We went to my grandparents' and had a good time there. I'm thankful for the sunny days we've had this month and for the warm days we had last weekend. We got to hang out with friends and do a cookout, I got to hold their new puppy and I had fun dressing up cute and going to a fairy fair. 

I also participated in my library's author fair! It was a warm, sunny day and I had a good time. It didn't go as well as the last author fair I participated in, but I had a good time connecting with authors and some readers. 

My mom and I and then my brother and I (yes I went to see this movie twice) saw Morbius this month! I know it's gotten terrible reviews and awful reception, but I do not care! While I thought it felt a bit rushed at times, I loved it and think its absolutely worth watching and I will die on that hill. Vampires and Marvel together? That is right up my alley. 

I'm also just really thankful for the new community at our new church that I've found. It's been such a blessing and an answer to prayer. God heard me complaining about having no friends, He heard me struggling with loneliness and He was like here you go! A entire community of people who will welcome you in and get you out of the house more than once a week and make you feel at home. When God gives, He gives more than we asked for and I praise Him for that. He's so good. I've gotten to go to a game night, gotten to hang out with a writer friend, go out to coffee with a new friend, and hang out with the college group every Tuesday. It's been really good. 

Looking Forward To May: 

I can't believe it's almost already May. Its so crazy. But also so exciting because Multiverse of Madness comes out and I'm seeing it next Friday!! I am so hyped about this movie! I've been hyped about it since I saw the sneak peek preview at the end of No Way Home. It'll also be fun since I get to see it with some friends. 

I also might be going rock wall climbing next week with some friends. I'm not sure, but it is a possibility. I'm trying to think of what else is happening in May... I'm sure there will be lots of hanging out and doing things with friends. There's going to be a Memorial Day party I'll probably go to. Overall, I'm just really looking forward to sunnier days. My religions class for this semester ends next week too, so then I'll get a few weeks of break before starting my final summer semester.

I'll definitely be reading. I just started The Phoenix Priest by Cassidy Clarke and am loving it. I also plan to read Vampires, Hearts and Other Dead Things (I can't remember the name of the author) and The Righteous by Renee Ahdeih. 

Writing-wise, I'd like to finish the first draft of The Immortal Circus, get feedback back from beta readers and work on final edits for Heart of Xion. I also plan to tentatively start working on edits for Scarlet Phoenix during my break between semesters. 

But yeah, for now that's all I've got and hopefully in coming months I'll be able to be more active and post on here. 

How was your April? What are you looking forward to in May?