Reading Roundup (April 2014 edition)

The books I packed in my carry-on...before I found a fantastic bookstore in O'Hare Airport.

You don't want to see the after!

I spent the last week back in New England, visiting family and searching for the perfect house to move to this summer. It was my first time spending more than one night away from both my boys and the first time in ages that I traveled by myself. Despite a busy schedule while I was there I tore through the books I brought with me and ended up buying a few (ok more than a few!) while I was there. I never could resist the siren call of a real bookstore!

The best thing I did? I let myself be guided entirely by what reading I was in the mood for. I didn't try to squeeze in book club reading, or library books that were due soon. I just read whatever appealed to me most at that moment and it was delicious. There were a few nights I stayed up way too late because I was thisclose to finishing my book and I was very grateful for books I couldn't put down during turbulence on my flights. As a nervous flyer (which is ridiculous considering my husband is a pilot) I had to laugh when the first blog post I saw when I got home was this post about airplane reading from Modern Mrs. Darcy!

Circle of Quiet by Madeline L'Engle

Ruminations and stories based on the years L'Engle and her lived in a Connecticut farmhouse. I borrowed this from the library, read a chapter and returned it right away because I knew this was a book I needed to own. I skimmed a few sections but other parts felt like she was talking right to me. This is one to savor.

The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley

This may be my new favorite Kearsley novel. You know about my love for all books archaeological, and this one is set on a dig in Scotland searching for a lost Roman legion. I wanted to re-read it almost immediately. It has the perfect balance of intrigue and happy ever after. I've enjoyed all of her books so far, but this is the one I'm still thinking about weeks after reading it.

The Splendor Falls by Susanna Kearsley

Since I couldn't actually re-read The Shadowy Horses right away, I did the next best thing and read another Kearsley novel. This one is set in Chinon, France and weaves together a modern love story and a mystery involving two Isabelles, one a medieval queen and one living in Nazi occupied France. I love how the setting of her novels are almost characters themselves and now I'm dying to learn more about the town of Chinon.

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

This is the sequel to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, a young adult novel that uses vintage photographs to tell part of the story. The children journey to London to save Miss Peregrine and the plot thickens and gets darker. This felt like a middle of a trilogy book to me, as if it's main purpose was to set up the next book but it was still enjoyable. If you read the first, you'll like this one. This is not a series you can jump into and catch up easily  though, so make sure you read them in order.

Princess Elizabeth's Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal

This is another second in a series, this time following mathematician Maggie Hope through wartime Britain as she attempts to become a secret agent. She is assigned to protect Princess Elizabeth (the future queen) at Windsor Castle in the midst of the Battle of Britain. These remind me a bit of the Maisie Dobbs series in that the main character isn't always likable but the mystery is well written and fast paced. If you enjoy historical mysteries this is well worth checking out.

What did you read this month? If you want some more inspiration, check out the Twitterature linkup today on Modern Mrs. Darcy!

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