Mel's Random April

Wow, what a month! Here in the UK we've had gorgeous weather for much of it - it's been like summertime! Add to that Easter so plenty of chocolate (which does melt in sunshine, but still tastes good - I speak from experience!) and of course, yesterday was the Royal Wedding. I don't know how much coverage those of you around world had, but in the UK it's been more or less continuous all month! But I won't complain as
a) we got an extra day of work for it
b) it was happy news so that made a nice change for papers to focus on a happy occasion
c) I hope they'll be happy together 

For me though the event of the month was the addition of sun in April - have you see how pretty the Thames is by Richmond in sunshine? No? Have a look...

River Thames by Richmond on a sunny day in April

 Lovely, isn't it? :-)

So, how was my reading month?

Books
Breathless - Dean Koontz (BCC's Mystery & Suspense Challenge)
Amercian Gods - Neil Gaiman (FTC's Speculative Fiction Challenge)
River Marked - Patricia Briggs
Remember Me 2: The Return - Christopher Pike (TBV's YA of the 80s and 90s)
Chamed Life - Diana Wynne Jones

EBooks
In The Arms Of Stone Angels - Jordan Dane
The Twisted Tale Of Stormy Gale - Christina Bell
Aftertime - Sophie Littlefield
The Restorer - Amanda Stevens
Spirit Dances - C.E. Murphy

Guest Posts
Sarah raved about The Gone Away World - Nick Harkaway which meant I had to go out and get my own copy!
Emma wrote a wonderful retrospective on much missed children's author Diana Wynne Jones

Other Posts
Sophie Littlefield stopped by for an insightful Q&A session
Books Remembered focused on The Ancient Future by Traci Harding
I confessed how little I've read with Pride and Prejudice one of my major bookfails

Plus some combined envy in my weekly wishlist posts, smuggness in my Mailbox and some guilt in my Throwback Thursdays.

So with all that in mind my reading challenges status looks like this:
BCC's Mystery & Suspense Challenge - 6 Read, 6 Left to read
FTC Speculative Fiction Challenge - 7 Read, 5 Left to read
BV's YA of 80s and 90s Challenge - 8 Read, 4 Left to read

Personal Classic Challenge -  2 Read

Highlight of the month - Hmm, tough one this month, but it's got to be Amercian Gods - Neil Gaiman - I just got sucked into the layers of the story and fabulous writing.

Honourable Mentions: So many this month - River Marked - Patricia Briggs and Aftertime - Sophie Littlefield were fantastic reads. I also loved Sophie Littlefield's frank replies to my questions, taking part in my first blog hop (The Fool for Books Hop) and so many lovely comments from you guys out there.

So how was your April? :)