Last week was a whirlwind. From the second I landed back in Amarillo after a much needed Spring Break in Arkansas, it felt as though everything needed immediate attention. As a result, I didn’t post an update here. So….this week’s post will reflect two weeks’ worth of reading. That doesn’t mean it will be a robust post because….yeah…..life has been busy!
What I Finished
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. I have heard all of the praise for this 1908 children’s classic. It is certainly a charming concept. A red-haired orphan is taken in by an unlikely pair where she grows into her own and realizes her potential as a student. I struggled with this one. I don’t know if it was because of the feeling that each chapter was more of a stand-alone vignette than actually propelling the overall story ahead or that I just found the writing dated. I finished, but I won’t be returning to Green Gables any time soon. 2.75 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin (p. 201 of 314). Once I got back to Plainview and finished reading Anne of Green Gables, I needed something much different. I made a change to my plans and picked up the other book scheduled for March and put Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister back on the shelf. I’m really enjoying this tale of survival that includes the protagonist developing a love for reading against the backdrop of World War II London. It’s a fast moving read and really dynamic historical fiction. This book will fulfill prompt #28 (A Crossover) of The 52 Book Club 2025 Reading Challenge.
Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey (6:11 of 9:14). With the return of driving to opera rehearsals, I needed to start another audiobook. Since I have enjoyed Tessa Bailey’s other stories in the series, I decided to keep going. The topic is a little more risqué and can be uncomfortable for some readers. The jury is still out on how I feel about this one, but I have to give Bailey credit — I’m still listening and plan to finish the story.
March in Review
As anticipated, my reading numbers have gone down in the month of March. Still, I am already nearly halfway to my goal of reading 52 books in 2025….so I’m not that upset about not meeting my complete goal for the month. Here’s what I accomplished in March, 2025.
- Books read in March: 5 (down 2 from February)
- 2 audio
- 3 physical books
- 5 fiction
- Pages read in March: 1,830 (down 231 pages from February)
- Highest rated: Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey (4.75 stars)
- Lowest rated: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket (2.0 stars)
What’s Ahead in April
I still need to tie up a few loose ends from my March reading plan. I’m definitely finishing The Last Bookshop in London this week. That will just leave Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister to round out March’s reading. However, I have a sneaky suspicion that I may push this novel back into the summer. Since the children’s opera I am currently playing is a retelling of a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, I really don’t think this is the best time to read a retelling of another classic tale.
Here’s what is planned for April. I’m really excited about a few of these….and there are a few that are causing me a moment of pause.
- Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
- Paradise Lost by John Milton
- Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
- Department of Speculation by Jenny Offill
- The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Next Monday is the beginning of opera week. It may take me a day or two to get my post written, but I promise that you will hear how things are going as I continue Reading for Me.
Until next time,
Kennith
Reading for Me 
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