Books in Progress: What I’ve Been Reading – April 2021

Spring time is tricky thing. We get so excited that winter is over, but often forget it has a few downsides, too. While we do get flowers and warmer weather, we also get lots (and lots and lots) of pollen. My oldest daughter and I have been sneezing and crying like crazy the last few days! The instant I step out of the car at soccer practice my eyes start streaming tears and Benadryl isn’t helping.

But the upside is that both my daughter and I are happy to stay inside and read until the pollen-palooza subsides, and finishing more books is never a bad thing. I have so many great books on my list this month and I can’t wait to share them with you! And since she’s been doing so much reading too, I asked my daughter to make me a list of books she would recommend for fellow 2nd graders, so stay tuned for that post coming soon!

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Just Finished:

The Paris Dressmaker

Before you keep scrolling, this is not just another WWII novel. Apparently there is a whole bunch of interesting history around couture fashion and the Parisiennes who resisted the Nazi occupation in their own quiet ways. The story bounces back and forth between two very different women, until their individual courage brings their journeys together in the end.

The Self-Driven Child

I think all of us who have children can agree that we want to raise our children to be adults who are motivated and capable, but how do we do that? The authors of this book provide some insights into how we can give our kids choices (within reasonable boundaries, of course) to help them feel a sense of autonomy and learn to make decisions about their own lives while the stakes are still fairly low. This will probably be a book that I re-read and reference again and again through the next few years.

Dreams of Savannah

First of all, what a pretty cover. Second, what a lovely story! This is historical fiction that takes place mostly in Savannah at the very beginning of the civil war. The setting and time period are fraught with tension, but I thought Roseanna M. White did a great job capturing the nuance of the confederate South and the changes that were taking place. There were several love stories, lots of action, and the plot really focused on the personal growth of several main characters and how a change in perspective can impact the way you move forward with your life. All told, I loved this novel and highly recommend it.

In Progress:

Infinity’s Gateway

This book is a little outside my wheelhouse since I don’t read a ton of science fiction, but I was intrigued by the Bermuda Triangle storyline. I’m about a third of the way through it and my preliminary comment is that it’s a little bit of a slow start, but the action has started to pick up in the last 20 pages or so, and I’m interested to see what happens to the crew of the Navy vessel that just dropped off the map. It appears that we might have a time-warp situation going on? We will see.

An Elegant Facade

The elegance of the cover certainly matches the title of this Regency romance. I’m new to Kristi Ann Hunter and I’ve been enjoying her sweet, humorous love stories. This book is the second in a series and follows Georgina Hawthorne in her first London season and the pleasures and perils of coming out into society. She appears flawless on the surface, but she has a secret that undermines her confidence, jeopardizing her mission to marry well. Colin McCray isn’t a part of the nobility and knows it’s a waste of time to dwell on his unexpected attraction to the beautiful and popular Georgina — or is it? (Of course it’s not, let’s not pretend like we doubt there will be a happy ending here).

The Colonel’s Lady

I looooove Laura Frantz. She is the queen of colonial historical fiction and I will always read anything she writes. The Colonel’s Lady is a backlist title that hadn’t picked up until now and it takes place in 1779 in a Kentucky fort. Roxanna Rowan arrives to find her father has just died, but what she doesn’t know is what role the handsome but formidable Colonel Cassius McLinn played in his demise. Against her better judgement, she begins to return the affections of the colonel, but what will happen when she learns his secret?

Anne of Green Gables

Surely Anne needs no introduction. This is our current read aloud and I’m enjoying sharing this classic with my girls. They are 6 and 8 and seem to understand Anne in the way that only little girls can. This is such a great book for building empathy as they watch Anne overcome her circumstances and rejections. I will also say, I didn’t remember there being so much description in this book. I have a tendency to skim past excessive description because I just don’t care that much, so it’s been a little hard for me to slow down and read every word for the girls.

Up Next:

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor

Happy birthday to me! I ordered this latest book from Abigail Wilson with some birthday money and I can’t wait to dig into it (I also preordered The Gold in These Hills, in case you were wondering what else I’m excited about). I love a good Regency romance/mystery and this author has never disappointed me. I’ve read all of her books and loved them all.

The Wife Upstairs

As I understand it, this book is a loose retelling of Jane Eyre. It’s been a while since I read that particular classic, so I might need to do a re-read in order fully appreciate The Wife Upstairs. It’s gotten a ton of positive attention (it already has 3k Amazon reviews since it’s release in January!) so I’m looking forward to seeing what the hype is about.

Serving Up Love

I’m rounding out my list today with a novella collection from a group of authors that I’ve read and enjoyed in the past. There are four historical stories tied together by the fact that each heroine is a ‘Harvey Girl’ working at the chain of Harvey House restaurants and hotels. I’d never heard of Harvey House before now, so I’m looking forward to learning something new from this collection.

Don’t forget to check out Modern Mrs. Darcy’s quick lit link up if you want even more book ideas to add to your TBR!