Have you ever wanted to live inside a book?”

What a question! And the answer is, “Yes!” I wouldn’t mind living in one of the myriad books I’ve read.

This month’s theme in the Book Girls Guide Book Lovers Challenge for April is Characters in a Book. There are several variations of that theme: characters stepping into the role of a character or characters simply entering into the book world, not as a character but as citizens, or sort of like extras in movies. This month, I’ve chosen Kate Quinn’s The Astral Library as one of the books that fulfill the challenge. I started it last week on my Kindle, reading a chapter or two before going to bed. This book is very different from her historical novels, but so far it’s enjoyable.

My book club has chosen The Secret War of Julia Child as our April book for discussion. I haven’t started it yet, but I am curious. The member who suggested the book told us that Julia Child worked for the OSS, the government organization that preceded the CIA. Child was an operative during World War II. And to think I knew her only as “The French Chef,” the TV chef on PBS most Saturday afternoons.

I have been a “member” of The Book of the Month Club and Aardvark Book Club for almost two years now; however, I dropped Aardvark this month. I am sure the books are appealing to some readers, but I’m finding the selections have been focused on horror, sci-fi/fantasy, and rom-coms with protagonists MUCH younger than I am. While I like a good fantasy and rom-com, I found that I could not necessarily relate enough to the characters and plot of the more recent listings to continue the membership. I was skipping more months than I was selecting titles. So, I dropped it. I am keeping Book of the Month (BOTM) for the foreseeable future.

Other books on my TBR shelf include Ki by Tayari Jones, Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards, Paula Lafferty’s The Once and Future Queen, all BOTM selections from previous months, and this month’s selections, Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter and Porcupines by Fran Fabriczki. I also have The Count of Monte Cristo on my TBR shelf. I am watching The Count of Monte Cristo on PBS Masterpiece right now, and I am enjoying it. I wonder if they will do The Man in the Iron Mask as well.

This month’s list is a bit on the heavy side. I may slip in a rom-com or a Regency/Victorian mystery to lighten the mood. As always, there are more books to read than I have time. But reading is like eating an elephant, one book at a time.

The Retreat Books and Cafe is always virtually open. Bring a mug, get a cup of tea or coffee, and relax in one of the comfy chairs. There may be a plate of scones fresh from the oven.