April 2021 WRAP-UP
Phew, this was a busy month, ending with a liturgical marathon, as we finally had our Great Week (Orthodox services are so deep and powerful, and also quite long, especially during this very special week) and Pascha (aka Easter), almost a month after everyone else.
I have been also reading a lot, as much needed time off at the end of the day, but as I’m in the middle of so many books, my stats are actually not very impressive.
The big news was my first participation ever in the Club organized by Simon at Stuck in a Book. This time, in was the #1936Club.
Two other big highlights were
my buddy read of Before the Coffee Gets Cold,
and the beginning of another buddy read: The Archipelago of Another Life
📚 Here is what I read in April:
18 books:
6 in print
= with 1,377 pages, a daily average of 45 pages/day
12 in audio
= 24H39, a daily average of 49 minutes
9 in nonfiction:
- The Book of Micah
- The Book of Joel
- The Book of Obadiah
- The Book of Jonah
- The Book of Nahum
- The Book of Habakkuk
- The Book of Zephaniah
- The Book of Haggai – these first 8 books were as audiobooks, for The Classics Club and the Books in Translation Challenge
- A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life, by George Saunders
5 in mystery:
- Murder in the Mews (Hercule Poirot #18), by Agatha Christie
- Appointment With Death (Hercule Poirot #19), by Agatha Christie
- Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (Hercule Poirot #20), by Agatha Christie – these first three were as audiobooks, for The Classics Club
- Double Indemnity, by James M. Cain – ebook for the #1936Club and The Classics Club
- Piège pour Cendrillon, by Sébastien Japrisot – French ebook for the The Classics Club
2 in literary fiction:
- The Old Capital, by Yasunari Kawabata – ebook for The Classics Club
- First Person Singular, by Haruki Murakami
1 in historical fiction:
- The Swedish Cavalier, by Leo Perutz – ebook for the #1936Club and The Classics Club
1 in science-fiction:
- How to Mars, by David Ebenbach – ebook received for review
MY FAVORITE BOOKS THIS PAST MONTH
READING CHALLENGES & RECAP
Classics Club: 47/137 (from November 2020-until November 2025)
Japanese Literature Challenge: 12 books
Total of books read in 2021 = 60/120 (yes, already at 50%!)
Number of books added to my TBR this past month = 11
OTHER BOOK REVIEWED THIS PAST MONTH
GIVEAWAYS
The open giveaways are on my homepage
REVIEW COPIES AVAILABLE
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And monthly raffle with a Newsletter
(see sample with link to sign up)
MOST POPULAR BOOK REVIEW THIS PAST MONTH
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MOST POPULAR POST THIS PAST MONTH
– NON BOOK REVIEW –
My top 10 books for the 1936 Club
BOOK BLOG THAT BROUGHT ME MOST TRAFFIC THIS PAST MONTH
Stuck in a Book
please go visit, there are a lot of good things there!
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Marianne at Let’s Read
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please go and visit them,
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Come back tomorrow
to see the books I plan to read in May
📚 📚 📚
How was YOUR month of April?
Nicole at Feed Your Fiction Addiction
has created a Month In Review meme
where you can link your monthly recap posts
Thanks Nicole!
Words And Peace 
I haven’t read George Saunders since I was in college. I should pick up more of his stuff. I hope you have a great May!
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This is not a novel. The book is based on his classes on Russian short stories. Excellent
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Coincidentally, I’ve watched two episodes of the Poirot series with David Suchet this month, namely Murder in the Mews and Appointment with Death. Both of them are good entertainment. I don’t think, I’ve heard of First Person Singular. Hopefully, I’ll get to read more Murakami books sooner or later.
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David Suchet is the best Poirot, in my opinion.
First Person Singular is a collection of 7 short stories, his newest one. I prefer his longer novels, but still, it was his nice characteristic writing art
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That does sound like a busy month, Emma! I read some very good books this month, including Archipelago of Another Life, which I really enjoyed. Thanks for organising that!
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So glad you read and enjoyed it! I have some other intriguing books coming up in May!
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I didn’t see you around much in April, and no wonder, with such a huge booklist! I’m curious about A swim in the pond in the rain – lovely title, and moreover you called it a favorite. Going to check out the blurb~
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It’s been a bit hectic here, and I am super late in visiting blogs and answering comments, and reviewing books! A swim in the pond in the rain is a great nonfiction book on the art of the (Russian) short story. I think you love short stories, so you should definitely try it
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I love Russian lit (Dostoevsky in particular), so anything on Russian lit works just fine. 🙂
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So, you will love this!!
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Fantastic job in April! Happy May!
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Thanks Freda, to you too!
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Glad you made it through your very busy month. Have a great May!
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You too, already half gone actually
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The Maurice Leblanc book sounds like fun–a bit less dark than Edogawa Rampo!
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Maurice Leblanc is always a good choice ;-)Though really, Rampo is so very clever!
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You had a great book month! I am unfamiliar with these books, so it’s always great to find out about new books to me. I am trying to read at least one nonfiction book a month as well as vary my reading genres and ages. I hope your May is going well!
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Great idea! Let me know if there’s some nonfiction areas you are interested in exploring, I may be able to recommend some good titles. Enjoy the rest of your May reading time as well
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