I am on a mission. I am going to try to finish more book series. There are so many series I have started reading and never ended up reading the second book. Since this has become a pattern for me, I decided to make my TBR for April dedicated to reading the second book in a series. All the physical books I picked are the second book in a series. As far as audiobooks, I am listening to the second book in a romance series, and I have another book lined up that’s also the second in a series I never finished. I wanted to share what I will be reading this month.

In March, I read five books. They are as follows:

• Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper 5/5 stars
• The Briar Club by Kate Quinn 3/5 stars
• Even Though I Knew The End by C.L. Polk 4/5 stars
• The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang 4/5 stars, re-read changed rating to 5/5 stars
• The Show Girl by Nicola Harrison 5/5 stars

Even Though I Knew The End is a book, I wish was a series instead of a standalone book. I liked the world-building and how Helen’s abilities shaped the story. The Kiss Quotient was a book I wanted to read in February, but instead, I ended up casually reading throughout March. I rated The Kiss Quotient four stars when I read it the first time. Shame on me. This book was everything I remembered and so much more. It’s nice to reread a book I loved a few years ago and still love today. The last book I read was The Show Girl by Nicola Harrison. This book ripped out my heart and stomped on it, and I would re-read it again. Olive, the main character, goes through so much and stands up for herself. The Show Girl is a homage to all the women in history who challenged social norms.

Here are the three books I want to read this month:

A Perilous Undertaking: A Veronica Speedwell Mystery by Deanna Raybourn

I read the first book in the Veronica Speedwell series while I was in Europe in 2023. I loved it! Veronica was such a fun character, and she did whatever she wanted. The chemistry and banter she has with Stoker is something I can’t wait to read about in future books. In A Perilous Undertaking, Veronica is tasked to save an art patron from being executed for the murder of his mistress. I’m curious if this book will explore more of Veronica’s past like the first book did.

The Ashes & The Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent

The Ashes & The Star-Cursed King is the second book in the Crown of Nyaxia series. I described the first book as Hunger Games if Hunger Games had vampires and was a fantasy instead of a dystopia. The second book deals with the aftermath of the first book, which I won’t go into. Oraya and Raihn’s dynamic has been forever changed, and I want to know how Oraya will deal with that.

Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver (Not Pictured)

Leather & Lark is the second book in The Ruinous Love Trilogy. I read Butcher & Blackbird last year, and while dark romance is not usually a sub-genre I read from, I enjoyed the first book. This series is a serial killer romance where one or more of the main characters are serial killers. In Leather & Lark, the male character is a contract killer who falls in love with a musician. This book series is wild, and I’m here for it. I have my copy on hold at the library, and I didn’t pick it up in time before writing this post.

This will be a fun reading month. It will be nice to go back to series I am familiar with.