It’s officially month four of starting to read again in 2026, and boy was it a good one. With some spring break traveling that gave me a seven hour layover (aka: time to read) and wanting to procrastinate on my work, April was a very busy month of reading! Unfortunately however, similar to last month, the nonfiction book got slightly neglected simply due to how much enjoyment I got from my other books. But hey, at least I was reading! I hit a record eight books just in April, but for the sake of everyone’s time, will just be listing my favorites (and least favorites) and rapid firing the rest at the end.
[One Penny Deposited]
If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: Why Superhuman AI Would Kill Us All by Eliezer Yudkowsky & Nate Soares
★★★★☆ – 4/5 stars (so far)
This book is seen best as a reflection on human nature to create and invent, even when we shouldn’t. Written by two men who nearly founded the ideas for today’s Large Language Models and inspired the CEOs behind this technology, If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies explains what AI is, how it works, how much its inventors understand about it, and why we should be concerned. With countless examples and parables to help readers understand, Yudkowsky and Soares’ book helps spread awareness about the dangers of technology and Artificial Intelligence.
Falling victim to my nonfiction difficulties, I admittedly have not finished this book. I’m only about 1/3 through, but can already tell the authors spent a very long time writing this. Each chapter not only has incredibly detailed examples and metaphors, but also includes a QR-code at the end where readers can scan and learn more about what was covered in the chapter. The novel is incredibly good at describing the complicated processes of how AI works and laying out their concerns. For those interested in learning about the tech, I cannot recommend this book more, and will definitely be finishing it!
[One Penny Deposited]
The Scapegoat: A Novel by Sara Davis
★★☆☆☆ – 2/5 stars
The Scapegoat: A Novel follows an unnamed man living in the Bay Area after his father’s death as he investigates the death in his free time. Relatively alone, the narrator finds himself struggling to make connections with others and forgetting large portions of his days until he meets a woman with ties to his father. The unreliable narrator often hallucinates scenes but recalls them as fact, leading the readers unsure of what to believe.
I struggled to read this book. Not only because of the unreliable narrator, but also just because it was boring. Half of the narrator’s internal monologue was monotonous or uneventful or self-deprecating, resulting in an unfortunately bland novel. I’m still not sure what even happened in the end, and only remember being confused and unimpressed. I picked this novel just by walking through the shelves of the library and had even picked up another novel by this author, but ultimately ended up returning the other book before reading it after finishing The Scapegoat. I’m not sure if all her books are like this, but I definitely can’t recommend The Scapegoat to others.
[One Penny Deposited]
The Prison Healer Trilogy by Lynnette Noni
★★★★★ – 5/5 stars
Lynette Noni’s The Prison Healer Trilogy, with novels The Prison Healer, The Gilded Cage, and The Blood Traitor, follows teenager Kiva Meridan as she endures life during and after imprisonment in the world’s death prison. Arrested at age seven for her parents having ties to a nation, Evalon’s, rebel force, Kiva finds herself surviving only thanks to her healing and spy skills, making her irreplaceable to the prison’s dean. However, when the rebel queen shows up to the prison, sick and dying, Kiva must attempt to heal the woman while trying to survive three deadly challenges.
Now, I’m not one of those people who’s super picky on her books, and I give out plenty of 5 stars. But needless to say, I really really enjoyed this series. Despite her predicaments, struggles, and countless near-death experiences, Kiva is able to find her way out of so many situations and stay alive; an inspiring story for many. The world building is done incredibly well—sometimes I feel dropped clueless into a new fantasy world and struggle to keep up, but not with this trilogy. Noni does an incredible job introducing every character and kingdom, and I found it easy to keep up. Plus, there are maps in the front of the book! I also deeply enjoyed the romance sub(?)plot between the various characters. I found it so cute! If you’re looking for a Shadow and Bone or even Hunger Games-type book, I highly recommend this trilogy!
[One Penny Deposited]
Rapid fire of the other novels I either completed or DNFed:
★★★★☆ – 4/5 stars All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
★★★★☆ – 4/5 stars Bad Blood by Jennfier Lynn Barnes (LOVED the ending of the series!)
★★★☆☆ – 3/5 stars The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie (kinda mid tbh)
★★★★☆ – 4/5 stars Not Today, Satan by Amantha Joyce (cute love story, dessert book)
DNF: Pony Confidential by Christina Lynch (could not stand the horse narrator)
DNF: Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead by K.J. Parker (world building went too quick, I couldn’t keep up)
[Maximum Payment Reached. Please Return Next Month]