In April I read 4 books, making my 2017 total 16 so far. I had a busy month with lots of travel and events, so I didn’t reach much at all.

• Faceless by Alyssa Sheinmel – This was a very intriguing YA book. Maise, a high school junior who is an avid runner, goes out for her usual morning run that changes her life. Lightening strikes, creating a fire that burned most of her face and the left side of her body. Very soon into her recovery, she and her parents are given the opportunity for her to have a face transplant (a very rare surgery) that will impact the rest of her life. She has the surgery, and then struggles to figure out who Maise 2.0 is now. This was a great story about physical appearances, our obsession with our looks, teen angst, therapy, honesty, and relationships. I really enjoyed it!
• Eternal on the Water by Joseph Monnigner – I read this book almost every year, in April, in memory of my mother. This is a beautiful novel about love, nature, crows, Thoreau, and the reality of an incurable disease. With each reading, I fall in love with the love story of Mary and Cobb. I cry for them, and I cry because I still my mom all the time (6 years later).

• Bionic by Suzanne Weyn – Interestingly, this YA book is very similar to Faceless, which I read at the beginning of this month. In this story, Mira, a teen athlete, is in a horrible car accident that leads to many surgeries and extremely advanced technology that brings her prosthetics and muscle ability far surpassing her former self. This was a unique story about recovery and strength, with a little teen drama for fun too!
• Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah – I listened to this book read by the author, a comedian. Having just visited South Africa last summer, I really enjoyed hearing Trevor’s stories from growing up in South Africa. I had no idea what to expect from this story, so I was surprised to learn so much about his touching relationship with his mother, his tough childhood, and very little about his current career. I loved his accent and liked the book!