April Reads…

I love the booktubers and my favorite eps are the monthly recaps of what they read.  I thought I’d play the same game.  I completely read by “flavor.”  What I mean by that is there’s generally a trend in my reading.  Right now?  Other than the classic novels I make myself read to reach my resolution, my flavor is books written in the early 1900s.  Here’s my recap of the last month.  The most confusing part of it all is that I’m pretty sure last month was March not April.  Dang it.  Next time I turn around it’s gonna be 2021.

Here’s what I read.  In order even.  Thank you Goodreads for keeping track of it for me!

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (Woot!  Monthly classic-novel-reading-resolution met!)  Recommended?  Yes!

Tom Sawyer Abroad by Mark Twain (bonus classic!!)  Recommended?  Yes!

Tom Sawyer Detective by Mark Twain (bonus classic!!)  Recommended?  Mmmm.  If you really want to finish the Tom/ Huck series.  Otherwise?  There’s only so much time to read.

Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini (classic?)  Recommended?  Yes!  Totally.  Loved it.

King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard.  Recommended?  No.  I didn’t finish. Boooorrrrringggg.

Six-Gun Snow White by Catherynne Valente.  Recommended?  Yes, but despite her fairyland series this book isn’t for the little ones.  If you’re all grown up, check it out.  Valente is an amazing writer.

Queen Lucia by E. F. Benson.  Recommended?  Mmmm.  Did I enjoy?  Yes.  But I’d guess it’s a pretty limited audience for this book.  It is, after all, about the interactions of spoiled, small town, 1930s, villagers.  Who are also middle-aged.  Y’know?!

Very Good Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse.  Recommended?  Yes!!  Are you kidding me?  Jeeves and Wooster stories are freaking hilarious.

Let’s Kill Uncle by Rohan O’Grady.  Recommended?  A reluctant yes.  Pieces were brilliant.  But kids prudently plotting murder should have been brilliant the whole way through.  Right?  Right??!!

Miss Buncle’s Book by D.E. Stevenson.  Recommended?  Yes.  Totally.  Completely.  It was charming, sweet, funny, delightful.  I loved it.

A Damsel in Distress by P.G. Wodehouse.  Recommended?  Duh.  Wodehouse = the win.  But if you haven’t trod the Jeeves road yet, start there.

A Kid For Two Farthings by Wolf Mankowitz.   Recommended?  I don’t know.  I’m like 50/50.  I liked it personally, and if you are interested in books from around then, I’d guess yes.  But it seems like this little novella also has a limited audience, and again, there’s only so much time to read.

Miss Buncle Married by D.E. Stevenson.  Recommended?  Yes.  As enthusiastically as Miss Buncle’s Book?  No.  But it was fun all the same.

The Brontes Go to Woolworths by Rachel Ferguson.  Recommended?  Mmmm… I liked it.  But, it was weird.  If it sounds good to you, totally.

Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout.  Recommended?  Yes!  So fun.  Watch the Nero Wolfe show too.  It was incredibly faithful to the books.

Picadilly Jim by P.G. Wodehouse.  Recommended.  Yes.  But again, Jeeves first.

I’m also making my way through Varney the Vampyre but we’ve taken a break from each other.  I think my flavor next month might be to go through my “currently reading” list on Goodreads and clean that baby out.  I’m half way thru about 12 books that I haven’t just ditched, seeing them on Goodreads every day irritates me.  But we’ll see.  I’ve still got some good early 1900s to go.  Another Nero Wolfe, The Pursuit of Love, something else I can’t remember.  🙂  But I’ve also got some anticipated YA reads to go.  My next classic might be the final Barcestshire book…. Maybe…Gosh!  I’m not about commitment when it comes to what I’ll read next.  Quit pressuring me.

Best read of the month?  That’s a hard one.  But I have to say the one that is most charmingly vivid in my memory is Miss Buncle’s Book.  But Captain Blood!  Six-Gun Snow White!  Huck-freaking-Finn.  Even still…Miss Buncle wins.

What are you reading?

~Amanda

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