Happy April, friends! I can’t tell you how happy I am this month is here! And because you know I love me some lists, I’m listing the reasons why below!!!
1. Our BIG Studio Recital Series is DONE! Some of you may remember that my day job is running a music lesson studio and teaching private lessons. Well, on April 1st we had our annual recital day. In the past years we’ve done 3 recitals in the same day. Now, the studio has grown so much that we ended up needing to do 4 recitals in one day!!! I was worried that it would be too strenuous a day for us teachers, but we made it through and everything went super smooth! 4 recitals and nearly 100 students! (But now we can all relax a little since the BIG event is behind us!)
2. We are going on another adventure!!! YAY! Spring Break starts here next week and Mr. Bingley and I are super excited to pack our bags and go explore Southern California! 😉 (My first time in the state and Mr. Bingley’s first time seeing some sights, since he’s only gone to CA for conventions and meetings!) We are flying into Los Angeles and driving down to San Diego and then back to LA! But along the way we will be doing some awesome activities and meeting with some very special friends! Cannot wait!!!
3. Spring weather = reading and blogging outside! We had the weirdest March here in NC, the temps were colder than they were in February…and snow! LOL! But it looks like Spring is here to stay now and that means blogging from our screened-in porch and getting my hammock out or taking a drive down to the beach! Woot woot!
4. Berry season! Last week I saw that strawberry season has begun here! We have a U-pick farm here that we’ve been going to these 10 years now (see picture on right)! I can’t wait to go pick some and eat my fill….every day! LOL! And after strawberries, we have blueberries, then blackberries!!! Mr. Bingley loves him some strawberries too!
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Want to know what Austenesque fun I’m getting into this month?
…here is what’s on this month’s
Austenesque Agenda:
~ TO REVIEW ~
Thought I try a new author since I love the Regency romances by Julie Klassen!
~ TO READ AND REVIEW ~
~ YOU CHOOSE! ~
I’m craving some Georgette Heyer and I just so happen to have added 3 new books to my collection in the last two months! Which of these three do you want to see me read and review? These Old Shades, Faro’s Daughter, or Friday’s Child? To vote, leave a comment below!
~ SPECIAL EVENT HAPPENING THIS MONTH ~
Did you hear that there are some special Meryton Press posts being published every Saturday this month? The next one will be coming here, April 8th!
~ FEATURED AUTHORS VISITING THIS MONTH ~
Linda Beutler – April 10th
Sophie Turner – April 19th
Like I said above I’m so happy April is here! I’ve got a lot to look forward to!
What are you looking forward to this month?
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I have read most of what you have lined up. I didn’t care as much for Friday’s Child as for the other of Georgette Heyer’s books. I have heard some praise for These Old Shades so I will vote for that one. Mistress and My Mr. Darcy, Your Mr. Bingley was both excellent in my opinion. So the author interviews will be of special interest. Dear Mr. Knightley is another very fine read – enjoy while on your vacation. I have not read Shannon’s newest one but it is on my Wish List. And have heard little about Northanger Abbey although I do like the JA book and the movie version with JJ Feild.
Hi Sheila,
Thanks for the lovely visit! I hope you enjoy the author features! Both authors wrote some very special posts. 🙂
LOL! The Dear M. Knightley and NA are old pics (was just looking to show a picture of me reading on the beach and in the hammock). 😉 The two books I’m brining on our trip are Mistress and Darcy and Elizabeth: A Promise Kept!
Thanks for voting! 🙂 TOS – 1 / FD – 0 / FC – 0
sorry…were both excellent…
Not enough days in the month I would think? Congrats on the successful recitals. I have read Brenda’s book and Mistress and loved them as I’m sure you will. Can’t wait to read your reviews. As for the Georgette Heyer, I love them all but will vote for These Old Shades as this was the first of hers that I read. I have read it many times since as well as the sequel Devil’s Cub. I hope you love it as much as I did. Have a wonderful trip.
So true! March went fast and I know April will, too! I’m so glad to hear you loved the two books I’m about to read! 🙂 Quite a coincidence, my first Heyer is Devil’s Cub, which I loved!!!
Thanks for voting! 🙂 TOS – 2 / FD – 0 / FC – 0
Yay!! You’re coming to San Diego!! My family arrived in what we call “America’s Finest City” in 1901, and the Quayle Brothers architectural firm built many San Diego landmarks from 1905-1940, including one of the buildings in Balboa Park, the North Park Theatre, etc.
If you have any questions about fun things to do in San Diego and/or must-see places, just pop me an e-mail, and I’ll be happy to oblige!
We live 50 miles east of San Diego now in a little mountain village (population 1500), but we’re only 45 minutes from downtown San Diego and still love going into the city to visit the zoo, Balboa Park, etc.
Enjoy your visit!!
Warmly,
Susanne 🙂
Thanks, Susuanne! We are very excited! Especially because we are going to San Diego. We’ve heard so many great things! That’s great that you live so close! I will definitely be emailing you! 🙂
Meredith,congrats on the recitals!!
I’ve read Brenda’s book and really enjoyed it and thought Mistress,by Sophie Turner was a fantastic read!! Hope you’ll love them as much as I did!!
Can’t recommended any of the Heyer books as I haven’t read any books by this author!
Hope your trip goes well and that you and Mr Bingley have a whale of a time!!!
Thanks, Mary! 🙂
So excited you loved both stories! 🙂 Appreciate all your kind words!
Hi Meredith,
I´m so glad for both of you! Going to California! WOW I have a friend who has been to California twice and she says the beachs are incredible so, enjoy a lot!. Congrats for your successful recitals in your music studio, you must be very proud (in the positive meaning LOL) now that the events are behind you!.
Oh, strawberries, they look so delicious as well your outdoors plans of reading and blogging 😉
Speaking about me, I´ve made two “Austenesque” discoveries: one in the good side and the other in the bad side… the good one is that I got the 2005 P&P soundtrack for only 5,95 euros what is a terrific bargain!. The bad one is that I started reading “Eligible” by Curtis Sittenfeld, a modern variation of P&P and I left it in the first chapters because the characters didn´t keep the essence of the original ones created by Jane Austen, specially Lizzy who, in the new version, reacts in a way that the original Lizzy never would do, so I was disappointed and, having so many titles in JAFF, I wasn´t going to waste my time in such story.
I vote for “Friday´s Child”, I haven´t read any of them but I love the cover of “Friday´s Child”. Happy Easter! 😉
Thanks you, Teresa! We are so excited! We loooove traveling together and this is uncharted territory for us!
LOL! It does feel great to have the big events behind us! And the students made everyone so proud!
I love the 2005 P&P Soundtrack! Good for you to find it for such a bargain! I am sorry to hear that Eligible didn’t get off to a great start. I know what you mean about not wanting to waste your time.
Thanks for voting! TOS – 2 / FD – 0 / FC – 1
Quite the month you have planned! I enjoyed your Emma moment with the strawberry picking!
Do you like hummingbirds? If so, on your journeys between L.A. and San Diego, you might try to take in http://www.ocparks.com/historic/modjeska/. I don’t know for sure that they have kept up the hummingbird feeders there, but in the past it was a wonderful place to sit for a time on the porch and watch dozens of them buzzing around.
Of the Heyers, I would say Faro’s Daughter, though Friday’s Child has some wonderful characters. These Old Shades is set much earlier, in the middle of the eighteenth century (though it’s the precursor to one of my favorite Heyers, Devil’s Cub).
LOL! Yes, I love that part of the book, one of my faves! 🙂
Thanks for the recommendation! I’ll have to add it to our list, we are expecting to make a few stops on our way to San Diego and back. 🙂
Thanks for voting! 🙂 TOS – 2 / FD – 1 / FC – 1
Wonderful April agenda, Meredith, and love your reading list! I can’t wait to read Linda and Sophie’s books, they write so beautifully! I haven’t read any of those 3 Heyer books (how did I miss them??) but Friday Child intrigues me, can’t say why. Maybe it’s a subconscious connection with Pat Santasiero’s Thursday’s Child, which I loved.
Wow! A recital for 100 students!! That must have been such a challenge to organise. Hope you and Mr B relax now and have a wonderful time on your travels. Have fun and tell us all about it when you come back!
Thanks, Joana! We are super excited! 🙂
We are in the same boat, since I haven’t these three Heyer books either! But then again, I’ve only read about 10 Heyer books in total! LOL!
It was a challenge, last years’ recital was 75 students, so this was a bit different for us! Not been too much relaxing this week! LOL! But hopefully while on vacation we will feel a little rested! Will definitely share some pictures when we return!
Thanks for voting! TOS – 2 / FD – 1 / FC – 2
Congratulations on all of your work with the music studio. How on earth do you find time to keep up with your blogging, Austenesque research and lists, and then reading too?
I think you’ll like Leap of Hope, Meredith. It’s the only one of those three that I’ve read, although Mistress sounds great and is on now my TBR list. Brenda’s books are usually pretty good value, so I’m sure you’ll enjoy that too. Of the rest, I can’t choose a Georgette Heyer for you as I haven’t read any of them.
It’ll be interesting to see what you make of Val McDermid’s Northanger Abbey. Apparently it’s one of the better ones from the Austen Project and the only one of that series I’ve read. I read it straight after a re-read of the original, so it may have suffered a little in comparison.
Hope you and Mr. B. have a great time in California.
Thank you, Anji! We were so happy with how smoothly everything went! LOL! It definitely has been feeling extra busy here the last few weeks! I’m looking forward to it slowing down a little! 😉
I’m in the middle of Leap of Hope and so far am enjoying it a lot! What a fun opportunity! I love also how I don’t know how this will all resolve. 😉
LOL! Sorry, the NA pic is old. I read it last summer. I wasn’t as fond of it as I hoped to be…https://austenesquereviews.com/2016/05/northanger-abbey-val-mcdermid.html
What a month you have lined up! I’m afraid my life is very mundane in comparison. My son’s birthday is coming up at the end of the month. Also the 30th anniversary of my hubby and myself being together.
I’m looking forward to your review of Leap of Hope. It’s grabbed my interest but I’m not sure about it. I’ll wait for your review and then decide. Friday’s Child is the one I’m opting for as the other two weren’t among my favorite Heyers.
Enjoy your break.
My son loves California and has been many times so I know you will have a ball out there. The perfect weather according to him. 🙂 Excited to see one of my books in your list and anxious to see what you think. I have Leap of Hope and Mistress on TBR lists too. I confess to having all of Heyer’s books but having read very few of them. That is something I hope to remedy this year. Looking forward to which one you choose to read and review.
Awesome! We had it on our list and the price and timing was right, so we just decided to go with it for Spring Break this year. 🙂 I’m very excited to take your book with me, Brenda!!!!! It is definitely fun for me to pick out which books I travel with!
Hope you do try some new Heyer books this year, my friend! 🙂
That’s exciting that you have some celebrations this month, Teresa! Yay!! Congrats to you and your hubby!!!
I’m enjoying Leap of Hope so far! I’ll be sharing my review soon!
Thanks for voting! 🙂 TOS – 2 / FD – 1 / FC – 3
Yay that the recitals went well. You had me give a little shudder b/c I had piano lessons for eight years and I was the shy kid who was sick with fright each year for the recital. LOL
Oh, neat trip! Enjoy your time with friends and seeing the sites. Looks like you have your ‘beach’ reads all set up.
Tough call for the Heyer vote list. I love These Old Shades and liked Faro’s Daughter, but I’ll pick Friday’s Child.
Nice blog visit and review line up there.
Have a great April, Meredith!
Thanks, Sophia! 🙂 LOL! Most of our 8 year olds are fearless and super confident. It is the older teens that start to get nervous about playing in front of others. But most are happy to do it anyway. We tell them that the recital is our way of celebrating all their hard work!
Thanks so much for a lovely visit! I’m looking forward to this month! Hope you enjoy your reading, Sophia!
Thanks for voting! 🙂 TOS – 2 / FD – 1 / FC – 4
Have a wonderful Spring Break!
Thank you, Denise! We are looking forward to it!
Congratulations on your music recitals! Glad all went well. Enjoy your trip out to California! I haven’t been to the southern part yet. I plan to go out to the Sacramento area in September as my sister lives out there and our cousin from N. Ireland will be going too! Just waiting on when she plans to be there before booking. Love the books you have on your line up. I hope to read Mistress this month too. I really enjoyed Brenda’s book but still have her latest one to get. I also want to get Shannon’s books and Linda’s. Not sure how much time I will have to read now that the nicer weather is coming! Thanks for sharing your photos!
Thanks, Carole! That sounds like such a fun family reunion!! YAY! 🙂
Glad to hear you have some nice weather coming your way! Hope you enjoy your reads this month!
I’m happy your recital went so so well! And now off to California – fun! I’ve never been but I think the JASNA national meeting is going to be there this year (or next year? I can’t remember) so maybe I’ll be able to make it to that.
Of the books on your list for April, I’ve only read Mistress and I really liked it. I have no idea which Heyer book to vote for! :/
Yes, you are right. I think it might be this year. I always want to try and go to those, but the timing is never right!
Glad to hear you enjoyed Mistress!
Hi Meredith! I hope you love California! If you want to meet up for coffee and you’re in Orange County, let me know. 🙂
I love Georgette Heyer. I’m currently reading “The Black Moth” on my Kindle. It’s great!
Thanks so much, Melissa! So sweet! I’ll send you a message! 🙂
Yay! I did enjoy that one too! 🙂
I read ‘Darcy and Elizabeth: A Promise Kept’ and enjoyed it! I hope you do too! I’m also going to read ‘Leap of Hope’ (hopefully) this month too. Although, I feel like I should read ‘Leap of Faith’ first – even though I KNOW I don’t have too. Lol! A little OCD there! 😉
I hope you enjoy your spring break! I’m so excited to see you!!!
Candy, don’t be afraid to read Leap of Hope first! I’m a little OCD like that myself but it truly doesn’t matter in this case. I read Hope’s story first and there’s just enough exposition in it so that you’ll understand what goes on at Crossroads. You’ll get to meet Ben, the hero of Leap of Faith, as a minor character in Hope’s scenes at Crossroads but there’s no spoilers about his story in it. The two books are more like companion novels rather than books one and two in a series.
Thanks, Anji! Good to know! I think I’ll start with Hope then! 🙂
Awesome, Candy! 🙂 That’s great to hear! I know what you mean, I am OCD like that too! 🙂
Very excited to see you, my friend!
I would like to read your review of These Old Shades. I have not read any of these three books of Georgette Heyer, but based on their description TOS intrigues me more.
Awesome, Oloore! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
Thanks for voting! TOS – 3 / FD – 1 / FC – 4
Congratulations on the recitals! Amazing! Yay also for coming to CA, my home state. 🙂 I went to college in San Diego, and it’s a lovely place to visit. I hope you and Mr. Bingley have an awesome trip! Love the strawberry picking–reminds me I need to do that with my sons. I’d love to read a review of Faro’s Daughter. Happy April, and happy reading!
Thank you, Reina! I’ve been wondering that given your recent series!! 😉 How lovely that you go strawberry picking with your sons! I usually end up going several times, one with Mr. Bingley and one with my mom, and one again when we run out!! 🙂 Hope you have a lovely month!!
Thanks for voting! TOS – 3 / FD – 2 / FC – 4
I’m so looking forward to visiting your blog again! And I hope you have a lovely trip! I was just in San Diego — really enjoyed the maritime museum and old town.
I’ve read all three of those Georgette Heyer books and I’d vote for These Old Shades, although I enjoyed all three. It’s a bit more unique.
Thank you, Sophie! I’m so excited to share your post with everyone! 🙂 We are so excited for our adventures in these new places!
Thanks for voting! TOS – 4 / FD – 2 / FC – 4 oh no! A tie!
What an exciting month ahead of you, Meredith! I hope I can visit California someday! Have fun, my friend! Look forward to your review of The Heiress of Winterwood. I haven’t read it yet but I own it so I hope you liked it! 😉 As for the books by Georgette Heyer, I’ve only read These Old Shades out of those three and, though Faro’s Daughter has a lovely blurb (it’s on my list :)) I’ll pick TOS. It’s set in the Georgian era.. men with wigs.. hmm.. but it’s great! 😉
Thank you, Maria! I will be sharing that review sometime next week. 😉
LOL! Yes, not a fan of men with wigs, but it does sound great! And thank you! You broke the tie!
Thanks for voting! TOS – 5 / FD – 2 / FC – 4