The Blogger's Bookshop : March Wrap Up and April TBR!

So I thought I would start a little segment on my blog that I know is very popular around the book blogging community and that is to discuss what I read in the previous month and what I intend, or hope to read in the following month. So here goes nothing, this is my March Wrap Up and my TBR for the month of April!

So March for me was quite an active month. Being a supply teacher for local primary schools, my job includes a lot of travelling via public transport. This month I was extremely lucky because I was really busy due to being called in a lot. As my daily transport can be anything from 30 minutes to 2 hours a day, this gives me lots of reading time. So overall I felt that I didn't do too badly, I kind of stuck to my March TBR with a few aversions along the way. I read a grand total of 7 books this month, making my total 19 books read so far in 2015. I'm currently 7 books ahead of schedule! Below I'm going to tell you the books that I read in that month as well as my general opinions of them.

1. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (4/5 stars)
In my goodreads updates I used one word over and over to describe this book. Intense. I utterly adored this book. It was just what I was in the mood for and what it delivered was very impressive. If you are looking for that medieval fantasy type read then this is definitely one for you to pick up and check out. It's that perfect blend between a high fantasy and a dystopian set in a very archaic type of world. It's a fantastic read and clearly one of my new favourites of the year. This book in my eyes is a mix of X-Men and Crown of Midnight. You can read my review of the book here.

2. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E.Schwab (5/5 stars)
I absolutely adored A Darker Shade of Magic, it's definitely left me wanting more which means until then I will be stalking Victoria's twitter feed and spamming her with never-ending tweets about the sequel, yet untitled. ADSOM provides the reader with such a unique and adventurous reading experience that when you finish it you will dream of what you only wish were possible. V.E.Schwab sums this thought up really well in her dedication in this book: For those who dream of stranger worlds - and I truly believe that this book is perfect for that. Overall ADSOM was a thrilling, adventurous read for those who do indeed dream of stranger worlds... You can read my review of the book here.

3. I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson (5/5 stars)
It is clear to see that I thoroughly enjoyed this book to the extent that I claimed it my favourite contemporary ever. It resonates so personally with each reader and the way Jandy Nelson makes the reader view the world through the twin's eyes is nothing short of spectacular. If you haven't read or added I'll Give You the Sun to your TBR pile yet, I highly suggest you do because it's popularity proceeds it and gratefully so. You can read my review of the book here.

4. New World: Rising by Jennifer Wilson (4/5 stars)

I thought this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. It had an exhilarating plot with fully fleshed out, realistic characters in a dystopian setting one can only fully imagine the horrors of in their head. I will be excited to read the sequel to this book, New World: Ashes which released July 10th 2015, so not too long to wait. I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of a good dystopian novel or who just likes characters with a kick ass demeanour but secretly hide more to themselves than they're willing to let on. You can read my review of the book here.

5. Weird Things Customer's Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell (5/5 stars)

Oh my goodness I absolutely loved this book. It was hilariously relatable, especially having worked in a bookshop in the past. Honestly, the things people come out with are ridiculous. This is a great little read if you need perking up a bit, or just fancy a bit of a giggle. I really couldn't wait to pick up the next book in this series.

6. More Weird Things Customer's Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell (3/5 stars)

I enjoyed this book but unfortunately the first book set the bar quite high. This one didn't seem as funny to me and a lot of the segments were really long which made a lot of the quotes lose their impact - I much prefer the short and sharp ones because they seem to be more humorous. Still a really enjoyable read though and I am glad to have it in my collection.

7. Splinted by A.G.Howard (3/5 stars)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am excited to see where the sequel takes us. Hopefully we delve back into the realm of Wonderland and get some much needed development to some of our male protagonists. I do however look forward to seeing how Red Queen's influence in this story is going to take hold. Now that Alyssa is back in the human world, is Wonderland going to start weaving it's way back into her life? Perhaps elements of Howard's dark and eerie Wonderland will break through the seal of the rabbit hole. I look forward to finding out. You can read my review of the book here.

So those were the books that I read in March, so what do I intend to read in April? Well April is going to be quite a busy month, I'll be away in Disneyland Paris from the 5th-9th April so I suppose I'll have the train ride down to London and then the plane to Paris. I also have my birthday on the 19th so I am anticipating I will get a few books that might take preference over my TBR. However, I am going to attempt something I'm calling 'ARC April' - a month that I am going to solely dedicate to trying to read all of the advanced copies I've received from publishers, especially one's on NetGalley! My first read however is an exception as I've already started it in March! I know this TBR is extremely ambitious however, this is what I am planning on reading...