April Book Picks

Favorite Book:

Bumped by Megan McCafferty
Even though I had a few issues with it, I can say it was the best book of the month.  I liked the concept of the dystopian society, how the cleverness of the writing, and how funny it was.

Favorite Audio:

Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary Jacky Faber, Ship's Boy by L.A. Meyer, read by Katherine Kellgren

Hands down my favorite book of the month overall, I really enjoyed this book.  Katherine Kellgren does a great job and Jacky is one of the best characters I have read. 

Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy (audio) by L.A. Meyer,

Description from Goodreads:
Life as a ship's boy aboard HMS Dolphin is a dream come true for Jacky Faber. Gone are the days of scavenging for food and fighting for survival on the streets of eighteenth-century London. Instead, Jacky is becoming a skilled and respected sailor as the crew pursues pirates on the high seas.

There's only one problem: Jacky is a girl. And she will have to use every bit of her spirit, wit, and courage to keep the crew from discovering her secret. This could be the adventure of her life -- if only she doesn't get caught....

I really sorry I didn't start this series sooner.  It is pretty awesome and Jacky is a great character and one of my new favorites.  While the book certainly doesn't shy away from the bad things that can happen to children, it doesn't get too carried away in that department.  Jacky is in some pretty deep trouble during parts of the book and she doesn't come away scot-free.  But it makes her character realer somehow and I liked that about this book.  It was nice to see a diverse cast of characters and how the characters have individual personalities.  Jacky is a showboater, so to speak, and with that comes a lot of trouble.  It was funny to see how she handled the onset of puberty and how she furthered The Deception.  She is a crafty and ingenious character, that's for sure. 

8 hours

I am really enjoying Katherine Kellgren as a narrator.  This is the third book I've listened to with her as the reader.  I was not a fan of her in The Red Pyramid, but I really enjoyed her The Mysterious Howling and I loved her in as Mary "Jacky" Faber. It just goes to show that sometimes it is just the source material and not the narrator.  I love her voice as Jacky and I think she does a great job with the accents and distinguish the characters.  Jacky is a great character and Kellgren brings her to life in a wonderful way.

Hogwarts: Charms
Whisper
Bloody Jack

Summer Lightning by P.G. Wodehouse

Once again, Blandings Castle is host to a series of misunderstandings and false identities, all leading up to some seriously funny happenings.  Hugo Carmody, secretary to Lord Emsworth, is in love with Lord Emsworth's niece, Millicent Threepwood, and he schemes to find a way to marry her.  Meanwhile, Lord Emsworth's nephew, Ronnie Fish, is in love with a chorus girl named Sue Brown, much to the objections of his aunt.  And Galahad Threepwood, brother to Lord Emsworth, is writing his reminiscences which worries the upper class society.  These three things together make up the hilarious goings-on in Summer Lightning

"There are mysteries afoot in this house, and I don't like 'em. The atmosphere of Blandings Castle has changed all of a sudden from that of normal, happy
English home into something Edgar Allan Poe might have written on a rainy Sunday."

 Another fun adventure at Blandings Castle! I love these British stories.  It's like reading a British sitcom.  As usual, it is a typical Wodehouse comedy.  The Efficient Baxter makes an appearance after an invitation from Lady Constance to steal Galahad's manuscript and I love how Lord Emsworth thinks that Baxter is just crazy even though all the stuff Baxter does has a rationale.  And this book involves what it seems will be one of many stories involving the thief of the Empress of Blandings, Lord Emsworth's prized pig.  So funny!


Hogwarts: Muggle Studies
Wodehouse Challenge

Leave It to Psmith by P.G. Wodehouse

Back to Blandings Castle! This time the occupants get involved in what becomes a fairly elaborate scheme to steal Lady Constance's necklace in order to get money for both Freddie, youngest son of Lord Emsworth, and Lady Constance's stepdaughter.  Enter Psmith to aid in the scheme and romance the new library cataloger in his charming and verbose way.

Psmith himself regarded the coming ordeal with equanimity.  He was not one of those whom the prospect of speaking in public afflicts with nervous horror.  He liked the sound of his own voice, and night, when it came,found him calmly cheerful.  p.228

I was, once again, amused by the antics at Blandings Castle.  Lord Emsworth played a small role in this novel with most of the action centering on Psmith.  I suppose that is because this is counted as the second Blandings Castle novel and also as the fourth Psmith novel.  I liked Psmith and thought he was witty and funny and very clever and I am definitely going to have to read the other Psmith books.  I liked all the characters in general though Baxter and Lady Constance are the perfect foils for the insanity that surrounds everything that happens at Blandings Castle. I want to feel sorry for Baxter but he sort of makes it impossible for that to happen.  I know he pops up in parts of the rest of the series. 

The plot to steal the necklace got pretty complicated though it was all explained throughout.  It was amazing just how many characters ended up on the scheme. But it all worked out (hilariously) for the best.

Hogwarts: Muggle Studies
Wodehouse