April Reading Wrap-Up

 

Many mornings when I open the curtains on my sliding glass door, this is what I see.  The deer have been enjoying the crab apples that have fallen to the ground.  At times there have been as many as five deer in our backyard.  

Spring continues to unfurl and it has been lovely to watch.  The weather has been very spring-like with some rain, some clouds and some sun.  

Our oldest son will be getting married near the end of May.  We are looking forward to this blessed event and praying for good weather.  The ceremony will be held outside under a canopy of pine trees, with the reception being held at the same location under a pavilion.  

As far as reading goes, it has been a pretty good month!  I read 9 books in April.  Here's the breakdown:

Christian Fiction/Romance: 2

Cozy Mystery: 4

Mystery: 1

Historical Fiction: 1

Non-fiction: 1

Christian Fiction/Romance:

Boo by Rene Gutteridge - Skary, Indiana has made a name for itself by taking advantage of the fact that famous horror novelist, Wolfe Boone, lives in town.  Wolfe is a loner and doesn't know many people in town.  Ainsley Parker regrets that the town seems so enthralled with all things horror.  She imagines that Mr. Boone must be a terrible man and wishes he would make his home somewhere else.  When she learns that Wolfe has given his life to Christ and is giving up writing horror novels, she is skeptical, but as she gets to know him, she finds that there is more to Wolfe Boone than horror.

The Solid Grounds Coffee Company by Carla Laureano - Professional climber Bryan Shaw has given up climbing and purchased a coffee farm in Columbia.  He returns to Denver to learn the art of roasting coffee beans and set up a roastery.  Ana Sanchez has been put on leave from her job at a publicity firm.  Bryan asks for her help in getting his new business up and running.  As Anna gets to know Bryan better, she realizes there is more to him than she suspected. 

Cozy Mystery:

Killer Kung Pao (Noodle Shop Mystery #6) by Vivien Chien - When a woman is electrocuted while having her nails done at the salon, Lana Lee uses her connections along with her detection skills to discover the killer's identity.

The Scent of Murder (Jazz Ramsey #1) by Kylie Logan - Jazz Ramsey spends her free time training human remains detection dogs.  One evening, while training a dog at an abandoned apartment building, she discovers the body of a young woman.  The woman is dressed in all-black and covered in thick white make-up.  As Jazz looks closer, she realizes she recognizes the woman. 

Here Comes the Body (Catering Hall Mystery #1) by Maria DiRico - Mia Carina returns to New York when her marriage ends. Her father has ties to the Mafia and has recently acquired a catering hall from a gambler who couldn't pay his debts.  He is determined to make catering his new career and Maria is going to help him.  Unfortunately, during their first event a woman is found murdered and the evidence is pointing to Mia's father as the killer.

A High-End Finish (Fixer-Upper Mystery #1) by Kate Carlisle - Shannon Hammer runs a successful construction business specializing in restoring Victorian homes. The day after a blind date gone wrong, Shannon stumbles over the body of her date at one of her construction sites.  Since the altercation she had with the man was witnessed by many, she is at the top of the suspect list. 

Mystery:

A Royal Affair (Sparks & Bainbridge #2) by Allison Montclair - Iris and Gwen are hired to vet Prince Philip for the royal family.  As they set out to learn something about the prince, they discover someone has been attempting to blackmail the royal family.  

Historical Fiction:

A Mosaic of Wings by Kimberly Duffy - Nora Shipley is attending the University in hopes of one day becoming an entomologist.  She is following in her deceased father's footsteps, whom she hopes to honor by her choice of career.  Life at home is strained as she and her step-father struggle to get along.  When she is offered an internship studying butterflies in India, she takes it hoping to win a scholarship to further her studies.  Unfortunately, her strong opinions and sharp tongue get her into trouble. 

Non-fiction:

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell - The author's recollection of his family's sojourn on the island of Corfu.  He was a young boy at the time and loved to collect and study animals. 

Other reading:

I am continuing to occasionally read a poem from One Hundred and One Famous Poems and am also doing a read/listen to The Iliad by Homer.

I hope April found you in the company of good books!

~ Gretchen

I am linking up with The Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight.