What’s up, Doc? Can you tell what my children have watching lately? 🐰 I thought it would be easier and fun to just highlight my favorite reads this year in a quarterly fashion. 🌿📚🌿
I had some BEAUTIFUL reads in January. Surprising reads, too, as Out of Silent Planet was a reread and was so much better this time around. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich was a semi-autobiographical, heart wrenching look at a Soviet work-camp. The Scent of a Water was a favorite, so introspective and lovely. About an older woman starting afresh and the things she learns from the journals of her relative, her new neighbors, and nature. Wives and Daughters just a pure character dive into depth and insight, people to root for and love. Gaskell is SO accessible and lovely. You don’t have to work hard to be rewarded.
February brought the the lovely read of Emily of Deep Valley, a book that’s been on my TBR list for a long time and it didn’t disappoint. A coming of age story with so much to learn for this almost 42 yo! My reread of Martha’s Vineyard: Isle of Dreams by Susan Branch was just perfect. My favorite memoir from her! I really enjoyed finding the work of Austin Kleon, his encouragement on creativity really resonating with me.
A pleasure is full grown only when it is remembered.
C.S. Lewis
March brought the beginning of a huge reading slump, but I did manage to enjoy the adult historical fiction, The Morning Gift, by Eva Ibbotson, a new to me author whom I’m enjoying. This was about an girl trapped in Nazi-occupied Vienna and it was different, well done, and I really enjoyed it.
Love, Amy ♥️🌿
A.M. Pine - Hearth Ridge Reflections 
I’ve been reading too much war, death and Dostoevsky. I need to take a breather! I’m hooked on the Masterpiece Theater The Durrells in Corfu and plan on reading the trilogy of books the show is based on about an eccentric British family who move to this Greece island and have all sorts of funny adventures. Maybe I’ll move to Corfu?
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Oooo! I have some of those books on my shelf! Yes, I go in phases, too. ♥️
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I listened to Gaskell’s Wives and Daughters this year – love her work.
You’ve had a reading slump & I’ve had a writing slump. I probably should just do a shorter write-up like you have done here. I’m looking forward to reading Goudge’s The Child From the Sea when I’ve finished the books I’m reading atm. I borrowed a big fat book on Beatrix Potter from the library and reached my renewal limit with 100 pages to go.
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Well, my writing hasn’t been that great either, Carol! Hahaha! Seasons of life. I really enjoyed The Child from the Sea even though it was a bit of a different feel than some her other novels. Her writing is so vivid and alive, I can still “see” parts of that book, years after reading it! Ooo! I hate that when one is trying to finish something before library deadline. ♥️
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I love Austin Kleon’s weekly newsletter. It’s always full of interesting things! So happy to hear you’re enjoying his books.
I do the exact same thing when I’m in a reading slump. My desk explodes! But one book that ALWAYS pulls me out of a slump is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Books about books and reading always get my energy going and it’s set in my favorite historical fiction time period. I read it twice last year!
I hope you find something that strikes your fancy soon! But even if it takes a while, the reading mojo will return with a vengeance. It always does!! 🙂
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Although you have been enduring a reading slump, you stil seem to have read some lovely books. I really must read Lewis’ science-fiction books and I have enjoyed many of Ibbotson’s lovely historical novels, so great to see both of these here. I hope the next quarter of the year will be a more fruitful reading time for you. 🙏🙂❤
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First of all, I love reading your blog but don’t always get a chance to comment. I love this peek into your first quarter of reading for the year. I just got Jaime Jo Wright’s The Souls of Lost Lake in the mail today so that’s one I’m really excited to pick up next. Though, I’m trying to read just one book at a time right now so I need to finish my current read first.
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Awwww! Thanks, Chantel! How lovely for you to stop by. Can’t wait to hear of what you think of Jaime Jo Wright’s book! I actually know her in real life {we’re not close or anything, but in the same circles in the town I grew up in} and I’m excited about the support you give her! 😄♥️
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Seeing your stacks of books makes me get the library itch! I post a list of books I have read each month. I must say, I have nearly as much fun choosing the books as I do reading them. Nothing beats a big bag of books, fresh from the library!
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I so agree. Anything bookish is such a delight. Thanks for stopping by and chatting. 😄♥️
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