Five Verse Novels I Read in April, and What I Thought of Them

National Poetry Month has come to an end.

I didn't do much on the blog for Poetry Month this year, but I did set goals for myself personally. Those goals were: read 5 new verse novels and write 10 new poems.

Did I make it? Yes! Admittedly, I wrote two of the poems today after realizing that I was only up to eight. But that counts!

I'm not prepared to share any of the poems I wrote in the past thirty days, but I'm always happy to share about books I read! Here are the 5 verse novels I read this month, along with some quick thoughts about each one:

TO STAY ALIVE: MARY ANN GRAVES AND THE TRAGIC JOURNEY OF THE DONNER PARTY by Skila Brown

This book was engaging, beautifully written, and a bit horrifying at times. Highly recommended! See my full review here.

RONIT & JAMIL by Pamela L. Laskin

I was disappointed in this book, primarily because it was hard to follow and I felt that the romance was poorly developed. It has some beautiful language and form poetry, but it just didn't work for me as a novel.

I DON'T WANT TO BE CRAZY by Samantha Schutz

This book was a little different in that it was a memoir. I found the verse format to be effective and the writing to be engaging, though the book ended a bit too abruptly.

ONE by Sarah Crossan

This is a beautifully written and heartbreaking story about conjoined twins. Loved it!

YOU CAN FLY: THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN by Carol Boston Weatherford

This is a quick read that is both engaging and inspiring. It's a bit different in that it is historical, and it's told in 2nd person.


Did you read any verse novels or write any poems this month? I'd love to hear about it!