Saturday, April 2, 2022

March Reading Wrap Up - April Reading Plans

March was a month where books were truly a welcomed escape and escape I did. It was my best month in 2022 with (18) books read. (2) were children's books, and (5) were books with 200 pages or less and (6) were NF. This month it was mostly the NF and children's books that I enjoyed the most.  

March Reads

    1. The Paris Apartment; Lucy Foley - 3.5/5 stars (March)
    2. French Braid; Anne Tyler - 4.5/5 stars
    3. Very Cold People; Sarah Manguso -4/5 stars
    4. Taste: My Life Though Food; Stanley Tucci - 4.5/5 stars (NF)
    5. One Italian Summer; Rebecca Serle - 4/5 stars
    6. Talking to the Dead; Helen Dunmore - 4/5 stars
    7. In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss; Amy Bloom - 4/5 stars (NF)
    8. Greenwich Park; Katherine Faulkner - 3.5/5 stars
    9. Recitatif; Toni Morrison - 4/5 (short story)
    10. The Other Dr. Gilmer: Two Men, a Murder & an Unlikely Fight for Justice; Benjamin Gilmer - 4.5/5 stars (NF)
    11. The Invisible Life of Addie Larue; V.E. Schwab - 4/5 (book group read)
    12. Sanctuary, Kip Tiernan & Rosie's Place: The Nation's First Shelter for Women; Christine McDonnell - 5/5 stars (NF)
    13. Funny Farm: My Unexpected Life with 600 Rescue Animals; Laurie Zaleski - 5/5 stars (NF)
    14. The Book of Cold Cases; Simone St. James - 4/5 stars
    15. Nine Lives; Peter Swanson - 4/5 stars
    16. Fearless: The Story of Daphne Caruana Galizia Defender of Free Speech; Gattaldo - 5/5 stars (NF)
    17. Notes on an Execution; Danya Kukafka - 4.5/5 stars
    18. The Days of Afrekete; Asali Solomon - 3/5 stars

    Tentative April Plans
    1. Anxious People - Fredrik Backman - book group read  for April (read in 2020 but, need refresher on characters) (audio)
    2. Dolphin House; Audrey Schulman (eGalley) - 4.5/5 stars
    3. Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole;  Susan Cain (NF) (eGalley)
    4. A Sister's Story; Donatella DiPetrantonio (eGalley) - sequel to A Girl Returned
    5. Mad Girls of New York; Maya Rodale (eGalley) - 4/5 stars
    6. Unlikely Animals; Annie Hartnett (eGalley) - 4.5/5 stars
    7. Lessons in Chemistry; Bonnie Garmus (audio) - 5/5 stars
    8. Children on the Hill; Jennifer McMahon (audio)
    9. The Diamond Eye; Kate Quinn (audio/eGalley - combo) - 4/5 stars
    10. The Long Weekend; Gilly Macmillan (eGalley)
    11. Memorial Drive; Natasha Trethewey (NF) (my shelves - 5/5 stars)
    12. Margreete's Harbor; Eleanor Morse - (eGalley - in progress) - 4/5 stars
    13. Quartet in Autumn; Barbara Pym (my shelves)
    (PLUS - a few children's books as well)

    Happy April All!
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    43 comments:

    1. AnonymousApril 2, 2022 at 11:46 AM

      Wonderful reading month for you! I average 2 full books and sometimes 2 1/2 of another read a week. I actually bought Funny Farm because of your review and a couple of others. I love animals so it was a no-brainer for me to get sooner rather than later. You have some good authors awaiting you for this month: Gilly Macmillan, Jennifer McMahon, Kate Quinn, Susan Cain.... enjoy!

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 3:27 PM

        Mia, I can't wait to read your thoughts on Funny Farm - such a great story. I love Susan Cain's NF as well. As an introvert, I thought her book "Quiet" was very well done.

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    2. fredamansApril 2, 2022 at 11:48 AM

      Fantastic job! A couple of those I'd like to read also! Happy April!

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    3. GretchenApril 2, 2022 at 1:55 PM

      You read a lot of great books this month! I love memoirs and am especially interested in reading Funny Farm.

      Hope your April is just as great!

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 3:25 PM

        Funny Farm is one I can see myself rereading and I rarely reread a book - just so good. I hope you will enjoy it.

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    4. CindyApril 2, 2022 at 2:24 PM

      Happy April! Looks like you had a great month of reading :)

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    5. JoAnnApril 2, 2022 at 2:34 PM

      You had a great March! Taste was one of my favorites last year and I'm hoping to read Lessons in Chemistry soon, too. Hope you're enjoying Margreete's Harbor. Happy April!

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 3:24 PM

        Taste was an awesome memoir and, Lessons in Chemistry sounds very good. Margreete's Harbor has a slow style about it but, I am enjoying the time period having grown up in the late 50s and 60s.

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    6. Lark April 2, 2022 at 3:20 PM

      Awesome reading in March! You did read a lot of good books. Hopefully April is just as good. I liked Quartet in Autumn; but then I've enjoyed all the Barbara Pym books I've read. :)

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 3:22 PM

        Lark, so far I only read Excellent Women by Pym but, I really liked it.

        Delete
    7. Deb Nance at ReaderbuzzApril 2, 2022 at 3:55 PM

      I'm so glad that you loved Funny Farm and French Braid and Taste. I really enjoyed Funny Farm and Taste, too, and I am eagerly looking forward to reading French Braid.

      Excellent Women by Barbara Pym is one of the best books I think I've ever read. I'm very curious about Quartet in Autumn.

      Have a great April!

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 3:20 PM

        Hi Deb, a lot of similar books for us. I LOVED Funny Farm - that father was a real nut but, what a story.

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    8. Mae TravelsApril 2, 2022 at 4:57 PM

      I loved Tucci's "Taste," and I was a fan of Barbara Pym many years ago -- keep meaning to go back and reread her novels. Other than those two, I don't think I'm familiar with any on your list. The book world is really immense!

      best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 3:19 PM

        Mae -- so true we have so many more choices in books these days. My favorite remains literary fiction though and memoirs.

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    9. Helen's Book BlogApril 2, 2022 at 6:02 PM

      Kate Quinn's new book looks really good. I won't read it in April, but hope to get to it soon.

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 3:18 PM

        Helen, I just started it. slow start but, it's picking up rather quickly.

        Delete
    10. GregApril 2, 2022 at 6:17 PM

      I spent a lot of time reading in March as well. It was nice to get back in the reading groove. I liked The PAris Apartment and One Italian Summer is calling me also.

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 3:17 PM

        I recall you like The Paris Apartment more than me. It was fun though but, wished the setting had a bit more variety to it.

        Delete
    11. Brian's Home BlogApril 2, 2022 at 6:28 PM

      Lots of goodies, I wish I could read that much.

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 3:16 PM

        Thanks Brian. It is good therapy for me and mostly free as well LOL

        Delete
    12. Dorothy BordersApril 2, 2022 at 6:29 PM

      I see some on your list that I have read and enjoyed, including Anxious People. Enjoy!

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 3:15 PM

        Yes, I am looking forward to a group discussion about Anxious People later this month.

        Delete
    13. Literary FelineApril 3, 2022 at 1:14 AM

      It looks like you had a great reading month, Diane. I am considering reading Anxious People this coming month. We'll see if it wins my poll. I hope you have a great week.

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 3:15 PM

        Anxious People was a fun read, I am curious what my book group will think of it. Hope you will like it too.

        Delete
    14. Mark BakerApril 3, 2022 at 1:33 AM

      Happy April. Looks like you read some great books in March.

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 3:05 PM

        Thanks Mark, I do love when very few books end up being disappointing.

        Delete
    15. Aj @ Read All The Things!April 3, 2022 at 7:45 AM

      Wow, congrats on reading 18 books. Happy April!

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    16. Elza ReadsApril 3, 2022 at 10:25 AM

      Hi there Diane! Gosh, I think I'm the cat's whiskers if I manage more than 5 books a month. Wow! really great reading stats. I am so glad to see the books that I've also liked, you've also liked.

      Aaah, your April reading list is making me very jealous indeed! So many great reads I want to read too. The new Kate Quinn top of the list of course.

      Have a good week and happy reading!

      Elza Reads

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 2:59 PM

        Well, I am retired so I have more free time than you I'm sure. Our reading tastes are similar.

        Delete
    17. TinaApril 3, 2022 at 2:19 PM

      You have a great list of books read for March, impressive. I have a few of your titles on my shelf too.

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 2:56 PM

        I was pleased how the month turned out; hoping you enjoy your upcoming reads as well.

        Delete
    18. CathApril 3, 2022 at 6:53 PM

      That was a great reading month! So glad you found lots of good books to distract you. I've read Quartet in Autumn, it's quite depressing and not that typical of Pym's books I gather. I definitely want to read others by her though.

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    19. Les in OregonApril 3, 2022 at 11:15 PM

      I'm so glad that your books provided you with comfort and distraction during a stressful month, Diane. Wasn't Taste a wonderful book?! I enjoyed it so much and look forward to a reread sometime in the near future.

      I hope you have a great month of reading in April. Take care!

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 2:54 PM

        Thanks Les, I'm hoping I have chosen some good reads as well; one never knows LOL Safe travels this month; glad you will get to see your daughter.

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    20. HarveeApril 4, 2022 at 2:37 PM

      The Diamond Eye is on my list for April too. Enjoy your books this month.

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      1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 2:53 PM

        I just started The Diamond Eye today; hope we both like it:)

        Delete
    21. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 4, 2022 at 2:58 PM

      I hope you like them as much as I did Vicki. Invisible Life of Addie Larue was very good wiring but not the kind of story I would normall pick.

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    22. MelodyApril 8, 2022 at 11:18 AM

      Wow, looks like you'd a great reading month! I'm currently reading Nine Lives and hope it'd be a good one.

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    23. thecuecardApril 13, 2022 at 5:33 PM

      You had an awesome March for books / and your April looks good too. Enjoy!

      ReplyDelete

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