April Books - In Search of a Trilogy

This month I started planning ahead by researching book options so I would read books from the less familiar categories.  My first research category is a trilogy.  I'm actually waiting for the third book in what I think is a trilogy: The Paper Magician and The Glass Magician.  But I read the first two books last year, which technically doesn't count.  So back to square one, and this was a tad harder than I had first anticipated.

I would find books and upon a second look, I would find out the books were a series or just a pair. So after a few disappointments, I found a couple of options and put them on hold at the digital library. But during this process I finished my March book from Kindle Lending Library, so I looked for my selections there as well.  While none of them were available, Kindle suggested the trilogy I finally settled on The Glassblower trilogy.

This was bittersweet because it was also translated from a different language and set predominately during Christmas.  It could have counted towards two more of the categories on the list.  Oh well.  The story is of three sisters whose father just died and they have to find a way to survive in a small town in Germany where you either work for your family, marry and work in that family or work out of the house for poverty wages.  I'm guessing it's set in the early 1900's.  The sisters each break with tradition and after some misadventures find their own way.  It was slow at first, but the characters were likable and there were enough twists that the story wasn't too predictable.  I have the second book on my kindle and I'm starting it soon.

The second book of the month, a book from the bottom of my To-Read List, I discovered on Pinterest.  I was actually hoping it could be my trilogy, but there are too many.    This book was a journey back to an Oz that after time went on was tarnished by Dorothy's hunger for power.  The author was obviously a fan of the Baum series and various incarnations, with references and backstories that align and blend those universes.  I love The Wizard of Oz in its many forms so I enjoyed this book. I think it's a Young Adult book.  It doesn't always have the most intelligent dialog, and it had a predictable character arc.

I was so excited to read a book from my childhood as The Messenger continues one of my favorite books The Giver.  I only discovered that The Giver was a series last year and read Gathering Blue, the sequel to The Giver, as my book with a color in its title earlier this year.

• A trilogy:  The Glassblower
• A book from the bottom of your To-Read List: Dorothy Must Die
• A book from your childhood:  Messenger

17 of 55 Books, One book behind schedule.

2015 Reading List (Source: Popsugar.com)  My Complete Reading List

January 6 books
February: 4 books
March: 4 books
April: 3 books