Adrienne (fairywings) tries to keep up in 2021

Charlas75 Books Challenge for 2021

Únete a LibraryThing para publicar.

Adrienne (fairywings) tries to keep up in 2021

1fairywings
Editado: Dic 26, 2021, 5:40 pm



Hi my name is Adrienne, I am 49, live in Brisbane Australia, have 20 yr old twin boys (Declan and Riley) living at home. Riley is going into his third year of Uni, Declan has been working with my husband making lounges for the last 6 months just biding his time and getting some life experience until he is eligible to join the police force. I am a Teacher Aide, I work with special needs kids on the primary school level. Last year was tough on so many levels with the shut downs and home learning going on. Riley spent the majority of last year doing his studies and lectures on line, he is looking forward to hopefully going back to campus this year.

I love reading a wide range of books but my favourite is paranormal.

I got very busy with life and work last year so became very lax in getting on the boards, I also found it hard to keep my interest in any book, so reading died down to nothing.

I will continue to try and clean up the books on my tablet a bit (I failed miserably last year). I keep downloading free books but never get around to reading them, so my challenge is to not purchase or download before I've read some already there (failed at that two years in a row now).


2PaulCranswick
Ene 3, 2021, 1:03 am



And keep up with my friends here, Adrienne. Have a great 2021.

3fairywings
Editado: Dic 29, 2021, 6:08 am

BOMS 25
BOMT 7
LIB 10
LIB/ Audio 12
LIB/ EBOOK 8
AUDIBLE 6

4fairywings
Editado: Dic 29, 2021, 11:02 pm

Purchases

January
I went to the bookstore and used my gift cards I received for Christmas today. This is what I came home with.
Bronte Sisters Deluxe edition: Jane Eyre and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Anzac Girls by Peter Rees
Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Akarnae by Lynette Noni
Raelia by Lynette Noni
Draekora by Lynette Noni
Plus book 5 of the Rangers Apprentice series to replace the one I already had that got ruined while we were camping.

Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare
The Guardian of Lies by Kate Furnivall

April
The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Broken Throne by Victoria Aveyard
Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne

May
Navigating the Stars by Maria V Snyder
War Storm by Victoria Aveyard
Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas

From the bookshop
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe
1984 by George Orwell

From my local monthly market
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
Dirt Music by Tim Winton

June
The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai
Nightfall Berlin by Jack Grimwood
Hitler's Daughter by Jackie French
The Fate of Ten by Pittacus Lore
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Enmity by E. J. Andrews
The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer
A Darkling Plain by Philip Reeve
No! I Don't Need Reading Glasses by Virginia Ironside
The Golem's Eye by Jonathan Stroud
Sugar and Spice by Jules Stanbridge
We Must Be Brave by Frances Liardet
The Last Star by Rick Yancey
Little Vampire women by Lynn Messina
Parade's End by Ford Madox Ford

October

Mobile Library by David Whitehouse
The Cosy Christmas Tea Shop by Caroline Roberts
Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer
Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer
Frederica by Georgette Heyer
Arabella by Georgette Heyer
Mirror, Mirror: A Twisted Tale by Jen Calonita

November
The 39 Clues: Into The Gauntlet by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The 39 Clues: Operation Trinity by Clifford Riey
The Farseekers by Isobelle Carmody
Armageddon's Children by Terry Brooks
Diary of a Mad Bride by Laura Wolf
The Wind In The Willows by kenneth Grahame
Children Of The Lamp: The Blue Djinn Of Babylon by P. B. Kerr
The True History Of The Kelly Gang by Perer Carey
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Nanny by Melissa Nathan
The Last Mortal Bond by Brian Stavelly
Love In The Country by Rebecca Shaw
The Waitress by Melissa Nathan
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
A Country Affair and Country Wives by Rebecca Shaw
Avoiding Mr Right by Anta Heiss
Enigma by Robert Harris
The Romancipation Of Maggie Hunter by Jane Sigaloff
Earth To Hell by Kylie Chan
Havisham by Ronald Frame
Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer
The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan
Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett
A Knight Of The Word by Terry Brooks
Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

December
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun
The Priory Of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

5fairywings
Editado: Abr 1, 2021, 8:56 pm

January

1. Surviving the Evacuation, Book 2: Wasteland by Frank Tayell BOMT
2. I Temporarily Do by Ellie Cahill BOMT
3. Ever Shade by Alexia Purdy BOMT
4. The Horse And His Boy by C. S. Lewis BOMS
5. A Weekend With Mr Darcy by Victoria Connelly BOMS
6. Emma by Alexander McCall Smith LIB/ EBOOK
7. Fable by Chanda Hahn BOMT
8. Mort By Terry Pratchett BOMS
9. Evangeline by Alexia Purdy BOMT
10. Not Meeting Mr Right by Anita Heiss BOMS
11. Guardians of the West by David Eddings BOMS
12. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn LIB/ Audio

February
13. King of the Murgos by David Eddings BOMS
14. Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer BOMS
15. Darkness Falls by Jessica Sorensen BOMT
16. The Plus One by Sophia Money-Coutts BOMS
17. The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler LIB/ EBOOK

March
18. Demon Lord of Karanda by David Eddings BOMS
19. The Five-Minute Marriage by Joan Aiken LIB
20. The Corinthiun by Georgette Heyer LIB/EBOOK
21. Vanitia by Georgette Heyer LIB/EBOOK
22. The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary LIB/ AUDIO
23. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn LIB/ AUDIO

6fairywings
Editado: Sep 10, 2021, 5:59 am

April
24. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall LIB/ EBOOK
25. New Moon Rising by L. M. Pruitt BOMT
26. No We Can't Be Friends by Sophie Ranald LIB/ EBOOK

June
27. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo LIB

7fairywings
Editado: Oct 3, 2021, 3:34 am

July

August
28. In Case You Missed It by Lindsey Kelk LIB/ EBOOK
29. The Left Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix LIB/ AUDIO

September
30. To The Moon And Back by Jill Mansell BOMS
31. Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales BOMS
32. Something To Talk About by Rachael Johns BOMS
33. The Switch by Beth O'Leary LIB/ AUDIO
34. The Bookshop By The Sea by Denise Hunter LIB/ EBOOK
35. Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales LIB
36. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L Armentrout LIB/ EBOOK
37. Mr Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange LIB/ AUDIO
38. A Summer At Sea by Katie Fforde LIB
39. More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn LIB
40. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen BOMS

8fairywings
Editado: Dic 29, 2021, 6:09 am

October
41. Love Heart Lane by Christie Barlow LIB
42. Foxglove Farm by Christie Barlow LIB
43. Mr Darcy's Dream by Elizabeth Aston LIB
44. Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell LIB
45. You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn LIB
46. Frederica by Georgette Heyer BOMS
47. Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel BOMD

November
48. Living Dangerously by Katie Fforde BOMS
49. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell BOMS
50. The Rose Revived by Katie Fforde BOMS
51. Wild Designs by Katie Fforde BOMS
52. The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan BOMS
53. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien BOMS
54. Stately Pursuits by Katie Fforde BOMS
55. Rivers Of London by Ben Aaronovitch BOMS

December
56. Life Skills by Katie Fforde BOMS
57. The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney BOMS
58. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig AUDIBLE
59. Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli AUDIBLE
60. Christmas Every Day by Beth Moran AUDIBLE
61. President Darcy by Victoria Kincaid AUDIBLE
62. What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli AUDIBLE
63. The Trouble With Hating You by Sajni Patel LIB/ AUDIO
64. Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price LIB/ AUDIO
65. The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo LIB/ AUDIO
66. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz LIB/ AUDIO
67. Surviving The Evacuation, Book 3: Family by Frank Tayell AUDIBLE
68. Well Met by Jen DeLuca LIB/ AUDIO

9fairywings
Editado: Nov 25, 2021, 3:58 am

Popsugar Challenge

Regular Picks

A book that’s published in 2021 - Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales
An Afrofutirist book
A book that had a heart, diamond, club, or spade on the cover - Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer
A book by an author who shares your zodiac sign
A dark academia book
A book with a gem, mineral, or rock in the title
A book where the main character works at your current or dream job - The Bookshop By The Sea by Denise Hunter
A book that has won the Women’s Prize for Fiction
A book with a family tree
A bestseller from the 1990s
A book about forgetting
A book you have seen on someone’s bookshelf (in real life, on a Zoom call, in a TV show, etc.)
A locked-room mystery
A genre hybrid - I Temporarily Do by Ellie Cahill - Romantic Comedy
A book set mostly or entirely outdoors - The Horse And His Boy by C. S. Lewis
A book with something broken on the cover
A book by a Muslim American author
A book that was published anonymously
A book with an oxymoron on the title
A book about do-overs or fresh starts - To The Moon And Back by Jill Mansell
A magical realism book
A book set in multiple countries
A book set somewhere you’d like to visit in 2021
A book by a blogger, vlogger, YouTube video creator, or other online personality
A book whose title starts with “Q”, “X”, or “Z”
A book featuring three generations (grandparent, parent, child) - The Switch by Beth O'Leary
A book about a social justice issue
A book set in a restaurant
A book with a black-and-white cover
A book by an Indigenous author - Not Meeting Mr Right by Anita Heiss
A book that has the same title as a song - Something To Talk About by Rachael Johns
A book about a subject you are passionate about - A Weekend With Mr Darcy by Victoria Connelly
A book that discusses body positivity
A book found on a Black Lives Matter reading list
A book in a different format than you what you normally read (audiobooks, ebooks, graphic novels)
A book that has fewer than 1,000 reviews on Amazon or Goodreads - Darkness Falls by Jessica Sorensen
A book you think your best friend would like
A book about art or an artist
A book everyone seems to have read but you - The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

Advanced Picks

The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list
The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list
The book on your TBR list with the prettiest cover
The book on your TBR list with the ugliest cover
The book that been on your TBR list for the longest amount of time
A book from your TBR list you meant to read last year but didn’t - Surviving the Evacuation, Book 2: Wasteland by Frank Tayell
A book from your TBR list you associate with a favorite person, place, or thing
A book from your TBR list chosen as random
A DNF book from your TBR list
A free book from your TBR list (gifted, borrowed, library) - Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel

10fairywings
Editado: Sep 17, 2021, 2:40 am

I will unofficially do the Australian Women Writers Challenge. The Franklin level is 10 books. I will add them here.

1. Not Meeting Mr Right by Anita Heiss
2. Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales
3. Something To Talk About by Rachael Johns

11fairywings
Editado: Mar 23, 2021, 5:08 am

British Author Challenge

January
The Horse And His Boy by C. S. Lewis

February
Using the wild card
Darkness Falls by Jessica Sorrensen

12fairywings
Ene 3, 2021, 1:07 am

>2 PaulCranswick: Thank you Paul I will try to keep up more regularly this year

13PaulCranswick
Ene 3, 2021, 1:52 am

Lovely to see you back Adrienne and sorry for jumping in a bit prematurely!

14FAMeulstee
Ene 3, 2021, 5:21 am

Happy reading in 2021, Adrienne!

15fairywings
Ene 3, 2021, 6:31 am

>13 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul, and it's ok for jumping in a bit early.

>14 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita, same to you.

16thornton37814
Ene 3, 2021, 10:19 am

Hope you have a great year of reading!

17drneutron
Ene 3, 2021, 10:46 am

Welcome back!

18fairywings
Ene 3, 2021, 6:13 pm

>16 thornton37814: Thanks Lori same to you

>17 drneutron: Thanks Jim

19dk_phoenix
Ene 3, 2021, 6:16 pm

Cinder has been on my TBR list since the day it released, which was... oh gosh, I don't even want to think about how long ago that was. I think I preordered it. I haven't read it. I've literally never heard a bad word about it so I don't know why?!?! ...maybe your thread will inspire me and this will be the year!

20fairywings
Ene 3, 2021, 6:23 pm

>19 dk_phoenix: Well Faith hopefully I'll get to it sooner rather than later and inspire you to finally pick it up. Mind you I have a huge list I never seem to get around to myself. Oh well maybe this year is the year to scratch some off the list.

21fairywings
Editado: Ene 6, 2021, 7:41 am

1st book down.



1. Surviving the Evacuation, Book 2: Wasteland by Frank Tayell

Goodreads book blurb
Billions were infected. Nations fell. The evacuation failed.

Bill Wright's journey has only one destination, the research facility that created the virus. As he meets other survivors in his struggle across the wasteland to reach it, he discovers that it is not just the undead who need to be feared.

This is the second volume of his journal.

22fairywings
Editado: Ene 9, 2021, 1:59 am



2. I Temporarily Do by Ellie Cahill

Goodreads book blurb
A little white lie. A little white wedding. A pair of roommates in over their heads.

Days before she's set to move across the country and start a prestigious graduate program, a con artist leaves Emmy with no where to live and less than zero dollars in her bank account. But her day doesn't seem quite so bad compared to Beckett's--his fiancée called off their wedding just days before they tie the knot. Now he's single and ineligible for his place in married student housing.

So what are a girl without a home and a guy without a wife supposed to do? A quickie wedding in Vegas will solve both their problems. It's a business arrangement, and no one even needs to know. They'll just get an annulment in a few months. What could go wrong?

Only Beckett forgot to mention his new apartment is a one-bedroom. And neither of them counted on their new friends at Middlesex University thinking they're a great couple.

The platonic newlywed game might be harder to play than Emmy thought. Especially when it starts to feel less than platonic.

I Temporarily Do is a Stand-Alone Romantic Comedy

23scaifea
Ene 5, 2021, 8:50 am

>22 fairywings: Ooh, this one sounds fun! Did you enjoy it?

24fairywings
Ene 5, 2021, 6:52 pm

>23 scaifea: Hi Amber, yes it was a lot of fun, some pretty funny moments and a really good friends to lovers story.

25fairywings
Ene 6, 2021, 7:37 am



3. Ever Shade by Alexia Purdy

Goodreads book blurb
For Shade, a chance meeting with a powerful Teleen Faery warrior who wields electrical currents and blue fires along his skin, has her joining him on a treacherous mission for the good Seelie Faerie Court across the land of Faerie.

26scaifea
Ene 6, 2021, 9:19 am

>24 fairywings: Well that clinches it - added to my list!

27vikzen
Ene 6, 2021, 4:17 pm

Hey hey! Passing through to drop a star, thanks for checking out my thread! Hope your reading is great this year! I understand how it goes, I am often too busy to update the thread in a regular fashion, but aiming to be better this year.

28fairywings
Ene 6, 2021, 4:44 pm

>26 scaifea: I hope you enjoy it when you get around to it Amber

>27 vikzen: Thanks for stopping by.

29fairywings
Ene 7, 2021, 3:42 am

Hubby and I went to the movies today to see Wonder Woman 1984, was a pretty good movie but I must admit I preferred the first movie.

30fairywings
Editado: Ene 9, 2021, 1:45 am



4. The Horse And His Boy by C. S. Lewis

31fairywings
Ene 10, 2021, 12:06 am

I'm currently reading What Alice Forgot by Lianne Moriarty, it will suit two of my challenges but I don't think I'm really in the mood for it.

I'm also listening to Boy Swallows Universe on Audible.

32fairywings
Ene 10, 2021, 10:29 am

Ok so I gave up on What Alice Forgot a few chapters in, not DNF, just put down for now. Wasn't really in the mood for that one today. So instead I picked up A Weekend With Mr Darcy by Victoria Connelly since anything Austenesque always perks me up.



5. A Weekend With Mr Darcy by Victoria Connelly

Goodreads book blurb
Of course she's obsessed with Jane Austen...
Surrounded by appalling exes and fawning students, the only thing keeping professor Katherine Roberts sane is Jane Austen and her personal secret love for racy Regency romance novels. She thinks the Jane Austen Addicts conference in the English countryside is the perfect opportunity to escape her chaotic life and finally relax...
But then she encounters a devilishly handsome man at the conference who seems determined to sweep her off her feet. Is he more fiction than fact? Or could he be the hero she didn't know she was looking for?

Loved this book, such a fun read.

33fairywings
Ene 10, 2021, 11:26 pm

Today I can see that i'm having trouble being in the mood for pretty much anything so I will try to read a couple more chapters of What Alice Forgot while also trying to read some of Jane Ayre but it is entirely possible that I will end up channel surfing looking for something to watch instead.

34scaifea
Ene 11, 2021, 7:43 am

>32 fairywings: Ooh, that one sounds fun - adding it to my list!

35fairywings
Ene 12, 2021, 11:48 pm

Bought two books today.

Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Casandra Clare and The Guardian of Lies by Kate Furnivall

36fairywings
Ene 15, 2021, 8:03 pm

I read a couple of chapters of Jane Ayre this week, I'm finding this to be a bit of a slog to get through this, so bleak. I've also been reading Emma by Alexander McCall Smith, it's part of The Jane Austen Project where 6 authors were chosen to re-write Jane Austen's books in modern times.

37PaulCranswick
Ene 15, 2021, 8:33 pm

>36 fairywings: But...but....but Jane Eyre was by Charlotte Bronte?

Have a lovely weekend, Adrienne.

38fairywings
Ene 15, 2021, 9:53 pm

>37 PaulCranswick: I know right, I wasn't expecting to find it so hard to connect to this book, maybe it's just too deep for me right now, I will continue to read it (even if it is only a couple of pages at a time)

39fairywings
Editado: Ene 18, 2021, 2:38 am



6. Emma by Alexander McCall Smith

A modern retelling of Jane Austen's classic.

It had all the same motives, pairings, endings and moral awakenings and fit well into a modern telling but I wasn't really thrilled with this variation. I think I liked the movie Clueless as a modern day retelling more.

40fairywings
Editado: Feb 19, 2021, 4:56 am



7. Fable by Chanda Hahn
An Unfortunate Fairy Tale series, book 3

All that glitters is not gold.

When something precious is stolen from sixteen-year-old Mina Grime, she will do anything in her power to get it back, even if it means traveling to the dangerous Fae plane and battling one of the strongest fairy-tale villains yet.

However, nothing can prepare Mina for the dangerous obstacles she will face in the Fae world, or the choices she must make when love and life are on the line.

41thornton37814
Ene 16, 2021, 10:33 am

>39 fairywings: Many retellings just don't work. Sounds like this one didn't.

42fairywings
Ene 16, 2021, 8:17 pm

>41 thornton37814: Sad to say Lori but no it didn't work as well as others.

43fairywings
Editado: Ene 18, 2021, 2:37 am



8.Mort by Terry Pratchett

#4 in Discworld

44fairywings
Editado: Feb 19, 2021, 4:57 am



9. Evangeline by Alexia Purdy

The Land of Faerie is calling.
There are places unknown, magic lures you in and love spands lifetimes.
Don't resist. It's in the blood...

Evangeline is a short story prequel to Ever Shade.

45fairywings
Editado: Ene 19, 2021, 6:46 pm



10. Not Meeting Mr Right by Anita Heiss

Alice Aigner is successful, independent, and a confirmed serial dater, but at her 10-year school reunion she has a sudden change of heart. Bored rigid by her married, mortgaged, and motherly former classmates, Alice decides to prove that a woman can have it all: a man, marriage, career, kids, and a mind of her own. She sets herself a goal: meet the perfect man and marry him before her 30th birthday, just under two years away. Unfortunately for Alice, it's not quite as easy as she imagines.

46PaulCranswick
Ene 24, 2021, 1:22 am

>39 fairywings: McCall-Smith doing Austen makes me feel slightly uncomfortable, Adrienne!

47fairywings
Editado: Feb 3, 2021, 5:52 am

>46 PaulCranswick: Yes I felt the tone was somewhat like The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency. While reading I had that tone in my head anyway.

I read Eligible by Curtic Sittenfeld a couple of years ago. It is the Pride and Prejudice variation that was written for the project. I enjoyed that one, but Emma wasn't great.

48fairywings
Editado: Feb 19, 2021, 4:58 am



11. Guardians of the West by David Eddings

Book 1 of the Mallorean

Warned by the prophecy that a new and greater danger threatens the lands of the west, Garion, Belgarath and Polgara must begin another quest to save the lands from great evil...

Eleven years have passed since Garion's killing of the evil God Torak and his marriage to Ce'Nedra. He is now Overlord of the West, slowly learning how to cope with the duties of a king and to overcome the difficulties within his marriage.

When the Orb of Aldur warns Garion to 'Beware Zandramus!' the Voice of Prophecy revals that somewhere in the unknown land of the East the Dark Prophecy still exists and that great new dangers threaten.

While Belgarath and Garion seek to uncover the nature of this threat, Garion's son is kidnapped. All evidence points to the loathsome Bear-cult, which has gained power once more, and Garion leads an army bent on its destruction. But there are even more sinister foces at work, and Garion and his followers must look towards that malign and mysterious evil of Zandramas. Their quest must begin again.

49scaifea
Ene 24, 2021, 9:29 am

>48 fairywings: Well, finally a read of yours that I don't have to add to my list - I'm already a long-time fan of Eddings!

50fairywings
Ene 25, 2021, 6:34 pm

>49 scaifea: Yes me too Amber, this is the 3rd or 4th time I've read the series. I really need to read books I've not read before but sometimes you just have to go back to old favourites.

51fairywings
Ene 25, 2021, 6:45 pm

Well tomorrow is our first day back to school with the kids starting back, should be an interesting and long day. I am very excited about working with the new special ed teacher I have this year, but am truly sad about the teacher I've worked with for the last couple of years leaving us. I am however expected to be the anchor for my year level and help the new teacher settle in.

I am still reading The Mallorean series, as well as Snow White Sorrow on my tablet and listening to The Duke and I. I have been reading a couple of stories every day from Grimms Complete Fairy tales

52fairywings
Editado: Abr 1, 2021, 8:49 pm



12. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
Bridgertons book 1

In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable… but not too amiable.

Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen.

Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar.

The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule...

53PaulCranswick
Feb 5, 2021, 6:43 pm

>48 fairywings: I haven't read anything by Eddings and don't own anything by him either. May well put this right now.

54humouress
Feb 7, 2021, 3:52 am

Hi Adrienne! I still haven't caught up with all my New Year visits. I'm off to a slower than usual start this year.

I see your reading is going well. I'm intrigued as to what you thought of books 3, 9 and 10?

55fairywings
Feb 8, 2021, 5:47 am

>54 humouress: Hi Nina, welcome.

Evangeline is a short prequel to Ever Shade. I enjoyed both of them. Ever Shade is pretty full of adventure and magic. Lots of fun. Little bit "You're a wizard Harry" and little bit hobbit adventure rolled into the land of fairy. Will continue reading the series soon.

Not meeting Mr Right was pretty funny in parts, and in other parts you cringe and groan along with Alice at the dating scene. You can't help rooting for her and hoping she finds what she's looking for. Was really enjoyable.

56fairywings
Editado: Feb 13, 2021, 7:29 am



13. King of The Murgos by David Eddings

Book 2 of The Mallorean

In this second book of The Malloreon, Garion and Ce'nedra continue the quest begun in Guardians of the West. In their party travel the immortal Belgarath the Sorcerer, his daughter Polgara the Sorceress, and the little Drasnian, Silk.

Garion knows that it is the mysterious figure Zandramas who is responsible for the abduction of his infant son, and he and his companions journey many miles and encounter many strange beings in their search for him.

Their way leads through the foul swamps of Nyissa, ruled over by the Snake-Queen, and on into the dark kingdom of the Murgos, where human sacrifices are still made to the dead god Torak. Further on, however, even beyond those forbidding lands, they must face the ultimate danger - not only to themselves but to all mankind...

57scaifea
Feb 13, 2021, 10:53 am

>56 fairywings: You are really making me want to reread these books! Some of my favorites.

58PaulCranswick
Feb 13, 2021, 12:24 pm

I have bought the opener of the series and ordered the opener of the preceding series as I have been instructed by Bekka not to read the second series first.

59dk_phoenix
Editado: Feb 13, 2021, 4:38 pm

The Mallorean! Ah, it's been a while. Now I'm thinking I should re-read! I did an Elenium re-read... last year? end of 2019? 2018?! (what is time?!?!?) in preparation for E.K. Johnston's The Afterward which was essentially a gender-bent Elenium (intentional). Absolutely loved it. Maybe I should just go through the entire bibliography from the start again...! Now you've got me thinking... haha.

60fairywings
Feb 13, 2021, 8:34 pm

>57 scaifea: Sorryglad to add to your reading list Amber.

>58 PaulCranswick: I second that Paul, too many spoilers for the first series if you read the second one first.

>59 dk_phoenix: oohh I didn't know about The Afterward, must find that, thanks for the heads up Faith. Seems like a good time to start a re-read :)

61humouress
Feb 13, 2021, 9:55 pm

I looked at The Belgariad in the bookshop this week (prompted by your reading) but I have fond memories of the original Corgi covers and decided against buying them. I should have bought them way back when, but I borrowed them from the library when I was still in school and didn’t have the funds to splurge on books.

62fairywings
Feb 15, 2021, 3:55 am

>61 humouress: Yes it is sometimes hard to relate to new covers when your fond of the first edition you read.

I don't like my covers to have different versions for a series (if I can help it). If I can't get them all before they change I find it difficult not to go out and re-buy the earlier books. A lot of the time I will just stop buying them and look for the older cover versions in second hand book shops or when I get to go to the bi-annual book fair we have in Brisbane (which for obvious reasons has not happened since 2019).

63humouress
Feb 15, 2021, 5:03 am

>62 fairywings: Oh dear, I can absolutely relate. I was a bit put out the other day when I put a new book from the middle of a series (In the Ruins) onto my shelves and it was the wrong height :0) I was very excited about receiving it; my SIL very kindly ordered it online for me (something I'm reluctant to do, usually, because there's always something that I haven't considered and then it's not quite what I was expecting) but - entirely my fault - even though the cover was right, I hadn't thought to check the size. No matter; I have Prince of Dogs in the series in hardback, so that's taller.

I try to resist buying the books again just to match covers because I like my books to be brand new, so it'd get expensive. Not that I'm saying I've never done that ...

64fairywings
Feb 17, 2021, 4:10 am



14. Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer

Chronic overachiever Prudence Daniels is always quick to cast judgment on the lazy, rude, and arrogant residents of her coastal town. Her dreams of karmic justice are fulfilled when, after a night out with her friends, she wakes up with the sudden ability to cast instant karma on those around her.

Pru giddily makes use of the power, punishing everyone from public vandals to mean gossips, but there is one person on whom her powers consistently backfire: Quint Erickson, her slacker of a lab partner. Quint is annoyingly cute and impressively noble, especially when it comes to his work with the rescue center for local sea animals.

When Pru resigns herself to working at the rescue center for extra credit, she begins to uncover truths about baby otters, environmental upheaval, and romantic crossed signals—not necessarily in that order. Her newfound karmic insights reveal how thin the line is between virtue and vanity, generosity and greed, love and hate . . . and fate.

65fairywings
Feb 19, 2021, 4:45 am



15. Darkness Falls by Jessica Sorensen

When the disease spread through the world, people had no choice but to go into hiding. The Colony is hidden deep underground, far away from the vampires—humans that were transformed by the disease. The vampires are hideous, starving, and they will kill any human they come across.

Seventeen-year-old Kayla is a Bellator, a warrior that protects The Colony. In order to survive, there are three rules she must follow:
Rule #1—Never go out after dark.
Rule #2—Always carry a weapon.
Rule #3—No matter what, never EVER get bitten.

But what happens when the rules Kayla has always lived by can no longer apply?

The Highers run The Colony and accept nothing less than perfection. One slip up can mean death. Kayla has always worked hard to follow the rules and strive for perfection. But during a moment of weakness, she lets her imperfections show. Her punishment is worse than death. She is chosen for The Gathering and is thrown out into a world full of starving vampires.

No one has ever survived The Gathering, at least that’s what Kayla’s been told. But when she runs into a group who insist they were once part of The Gathering, Kayla discovers the Highers have been keeping secrets. Secrets that could lead to a cure.

66fairywings
Feb 20, 2021, 1:56 am



16. The Plus One by Sophia Money-Coutts

The Plus One n informal a person who accompanies an invited person to a wedding or a reminder of being single, alone and absolutely plus none

Polly’s not looking for ‘the one’, just the plus one…
Polly Spencer is fine. She’s single, turning thirty and only managed to have sex twice last year (both times with a Swedish banker called Fred), but seriously, she’s fine. Even if she’s still stuck at Posh! magazine writing about royal babies and the chances of finding a plus one to her best friend’s summer wedding are looking worryingly slim.

But it’s a New Year, a new leaf and all that. Polly’s determined that over the next 365 days she’ll remember to shave her legs, drink less wine and generally get her s**t together. Her latest piece is on the infamous Jasper, Marquess of Milton, undoubtedly neither a plus one nor ‘the one’. She’s heard the stories, there’s no way she’ll succumb to his charms…

67PaulCranswick
Feb 20, 2021, 10:04 am

Not familiar with your last three reads, Adrienne, which one was best?

68fairywings
Feb 20, 2021, 6:02 pm

>67 PaulCranswick: I liked Instant Karma the best Paul. I'm not sure I'm interested enough to read the rest of The Darkness Falls series. I did enjoy The Plus One but I felt like it's similar to so many books in it's genre.

69fairywings
Editado: Feb 24, 2021, 3:48 pm



17. The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler

When Graham Barnett named his diner The Tourist Trap, he meant it as a joke. Now he's stuck slinging reindeer dogs to an endless string of resort visitors who couldn't interest him less. Not even the sweet, enthusiastic tourist in the corner who blushes every time he looks her way…

Two weeks in Alaska isn't just the top item on Zoey Caldwell's bucket list. It's the whole bucket. One look at the mountain town of Moose Springs and she's smitten. But when an act of kindness brings Zoey into Graham's world, she may just find there's more to the man than meets the eye…and more to love in Moose Springs than just the Alaskan wilderness.

70scaifea
Feb 25, 2021, 7:56 am

>69 fairywings: This sounds like a sweet one - did you like it?

71fairywings
Feb 26, 2021, 5:51 am

>70 scaifea: I did like this one Amber. It is sweet, and there are some really funny bits in it too. I'm reading the second book in the series now, so far it's not as endearing as The Tourist Attraction but it's not bad.

72scaifea
Feb 26, 2021, 7:50 am

>71 fairywings: Thanks! I'm going to add it to my list!

73fairywings
Mar 2, 2021, 4:30 am

We've had a lovely storm roll through. So much rain and wind in a really short time this afternoon. 3 hours later and still no power.

74humouress
Editado: Mar 3, 2021, 10:57 am

>73 fairywings: Oh. You're being sarcastic? Because - if I'm nice and safe indoors and it doesn't happen too often- I'm fine with a good storm.

Though the no power thing is a deal-breaker.

75fairywings
Mar 4, 2021, 2:43 am

>74 humouress: I don't mind storms too much Nina, but this one came through rather suddenly with almost cyclonic conditions and we got hammered trying to get the outdoor chairs all stacked up to stop them blowing around, and the rain blew all the way into the patio (which doesn't happen generally) so nothing was dry. The power going out was what clinched it for me. It was out for about 10 hours. Trees blown down over power lines, happens all the time here.

76PaulCranswick
Mar 4, 2021, 4:51 am

Hey Award Winner.

Your award prize has been chosen and will be despatched any time soon.

77fairywings
Mar 4, 2021, 6:25 am

>76 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul.

Looking forward to seeing what you've picked for me.

78PaulCranswick
Mar 4, 2021, 6:49 am

>77 fairywings: Hopefully delivery will be quick!

79fairywings
Mar 11, 2021, 4:47 pm



18. Demon Lord of Karanda by David Eddings

Book three of the Mallorean

Captives of His Imperial Majesty...

Zandramas had stolen King Garion's infant son and fled to use the child in some ritual that would make the Dark Destiny supreme. Garion and his friends had followed, but now they were captives of Zakath, Emperor of Mallorea, who, while friendly, stubbornly refused to let them leave.

Meanwhile, a horde of demons was ravaging the cities through which they must travel. Zandramas was escaping further toward her goal. And the Seeress of Kell revealed that they must be at the anient palace of Ashaba within a matter of days or Zandramas would win by default. Then a horrible, fatal plague struck the city of Mal Zeth. closing it against all traffic in or out.

80fairywings
Mar 13, 2021, 9:58 pm



19. The Five-Minute Marriage by Joan Aiken

First comes marriage. Then comes love. Then things get really complicated. Desperate to help her ailing mother, Delphie Carteret agrees to a sham wedding with to her cousin, Gareth. His obligation to marry before his sick uncle passes will be fulfilled; her mother will be guaranteed annuity for life: the plan is perfect. But even perfect plans go awry. Not only is the marriage ceremony valid, but Gareth's dying uncle makes a miraculous recovery. Now Gareth and Delphie try to mastermind a way out of the mess.

81PaulCranswick
Mar 13, 2021, 11:17 pm

>80 fairywings: That sounds like a facetious read, Adrienne. Perhaps it should be passed to members of even "ex-members" of the Royal Family as an instruction guide?!

82fairywings
Mar 15, 2021, 4:38 am

>81 PaulCranswick: LOL, yes it wasn't the best I've read.

83fairywings
Editado: Mar 17, 2021, 3:24 am




20. The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer

The only question which hangs over the life of Sir Richard Wyndham, notable whip, dandy and Corinthian, is one of marriage. On the eve of making the most momentous decision of his life, while he is contemplating a loveless marriage with a woman his friends have compared to a cold poultice, he is on his way home, a little worse for drink, and finds a perfect opportunity for escape by her boring destiny.

He discovers a beautiful young fugitive climbing out of a window by means of knotted sheets, dressed in boy's clothing lovely Penelope Creed is fleeing from London. She is a brilliant London heires with and lavish life, and a proposed marriage to her repulsive fish-lipped cousin, a man she loathed. She has a shimmering dream of a love she had known once--and lost. Discovered by Sir Wyndham, he can't allow her to travel to the countryside all alone, so he offers himself as her protector.

And with her in flight across a landscape of excitement was a man like no other she had known-- handsome, sophisticated, but cynical. They had met by accident, been drawn together by danger. And now only his masked emotions and the shifting impulses of her own wild young heart would tell what their destiny would be.... When their stagecoach overturns, they find themselves embroiled with thieves, at the center of a murder investigation, and finally, in love

84fairywings
Mar 19, 2021, 6:42 am



21. Venitia by Georgette Heyer

Twenty-five years Venetia Lanyon's beauty rivaled only by her sensibility. Intelligent and independent, her future seems safe and predictable. Lovely Venetia despairs of ever meeting the handsome hero of her romantic dreams, but is nearly resigned to spinsterhood, thanks to the enormous amount of responsibility she inherited with a Yorkshire estate and an invalid but precocious brother, Aubrey. She lives in comfortable seclusion in rural Yorkshire, she has never been longer than Harrogate, nor enjoyed the lackluster attentions of any but her two wearisomely persistent suitors. She can not accept to marry the respectable but dull Edward Yardley, she will only marry for love.

Then her long-absent neighbor, thirty-eight years Lord Jasper Damerel, returns home to Yorkshire. In one extraordinary encounter, she meets the infamous neighbor, who knows only by reputation - a gamester, a shocking rake, and a man of sadly unsteady character - and before she knows better, is she in a libertine whose way of life has scandalised the North Riding for years. Lord Damerel found Venetia to be the most truly engaging and wittily perverse female he had encountered in all his life, and determined to woo and win her, he pursues her with a passionate abandon that is soon the talk of the ton. And after her encounter with the dashing, dangerous rake, Venetia's well-ordered life is turned upside down, and she embarks upon a courtship with him that scandalises and horrifies the whole community.

But Venetia has not intention of losing her heart to the rakish lord until she is sure that beneath her swashbuckling ways and shocking manners lies to tend heart belonging to her. And Lord Damerel would marry her in a heartbeat if he did not think it would ruin her. Then she discovers a shocking family secret that changes everything ... It was therefore particularly provoking to find that occasion, Lord Damerel could make up his mind to be idiotically noble...

85fairywings
Mar 26, 2021, 5:58 am



22. The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary

Tiffy and Leon share a flat
Tiffy and Leon share a bed
Tiffy and Leon have never met...
Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they're crazy, but it's the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy's at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.
But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly-imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven't met yet, they're about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window...

86curioussquared
Mar 26, 2021, 12:18 pm

>85 fairywings: I hope you liked this one Adrienne! It was a favorite last year and I ended up rereading it this year already :D

87fairywings
Mar 29, 2021, 8:07 am

>86 curioussquared: Hi Natalie, yes I did like it. It was very well done. I'm pretty sure it was your thread I found it on.

88fairywings
Abr 1, 2021, 8:49 pm



23. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
Bridgertons book 2

1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, this author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London's most elusive bachelor, who has shown no indication that he plans to marry.
And in truth, why should he? When it comes to playing the consummate rake, nobody does it better...
—Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1814

But this time, the gossip columnists have it wrong. Anthony Bridgerton hasn't just decided to marry—he's even chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended's older sister, Kate Sheffield—the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom. The spirited schemer is driving Anthony mad with her determination to stop the betrothal, but when he closes his eyes at night, Kate is the woman haunting his increasingly erotic dreams...

Contrary to popular belief, Kate is quite sure that reformed rakes do not make the best husbands—and Anthony Bridgerton is the most wicked rogue of them all. Kate is determined to protect her sister—but she fears her own heart is vulnerable. And when Anthony's lips touch hers, she's suddenly afraid she might not be able to resist the reprehensible rake herself...

89Emilylee6661
Editado: Abr 1, 2021, 11:09 pm

Este mensaje fue borrado por su autor.

90Emilylee6661
Editado: Abr 1, 2021, 11:09 pm

Este mensaje fue borrado por su autor.

91Emilylee6661
Editado: Abr 1, 2021, 11:10 pm

Este mensaje fue borrado por su autor.

92fairywings
Abr 3, 2021, 9:28 am



24. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Wanted:
One (fake) boyfriend
Practically perfect in every way

Luc O'Donnell is tangentially--and reluctantly--famous. His rock star parents split when he was young, and the father he's never met spent the next twenty years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad's making a comeback, Luc's back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything.

To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice, normal relationship...and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He's a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and he's never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. In other words: perfect boyfriend material. Unfortunately apart from being gay, single, and really, really in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common. So they strike a deal to be publicity-friendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust has settled. Then they can go their separate ways and pretend it never happened.

But the thing about fake-dating is that it can feel a lot like real-dating. And that's when you get used to someone. Start falling for them. Don't ever want to let them go

93fairywings
Abr 5, 2021, 5:15 pm



25. New Moon Rising by L. M. Pruitt

Nothing ever happens in Selene, Georgia. The biggest events in the past ten years have been a marriage, a funeral, and a bar fight. It's slow, sleepy, a little narrow-minded--but for Cari Gravier it's home.Now things are starting to happen that nobody's seen before. Strange things in the woods, dead animals--and dead people. Cari's about to discover a whole new side to Selene. And a past that may come back to bite her...

94PaulCranswick
Abr 24, 2021, 9:39 am

Hope you are having a great weekend, Adrienne.

95fairywings
Abr 24, 2021, 11:21 pm

Yesterday I spent my birthday vouchers and added 4 books to my shelves.

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern ( I loved The Night Circus)
Broken Throne by Victoria Aveyard (building the series on my shleves)
Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne

96fairywings
Abr 25, 2021, 4:19 am



26. No We Can't Be Friends by Sophie Ranald

Everyone knows a girl like Sloane. She was always The Single One. She never brought a plus-one to weddings. She was the woman you’d set up with your single cousin. She joined ballroom dancing classes to meet men and was the queen of online dating.

But then she met Myles. Perfect Myles, with denim-blue eyes and a dazzling smile that melted her insides. She’d finally found The One.

Except she didn’t imagine that Myles’s idea of Happy Ever After would include Sloane battling an overflowing laundry basket, buying birthday cards for his family, and ironing his Calvin Klein underpants.

Then Sloane finds out that Myles has a secret.

The fairy tale is well and truly over. Her heart is blown to smithereens. Eating her weight in Ben & Jerry’s and large Meat Feast pizzas can only get Sloane so far before she has to make a decision… Can she learn to love herself more than she loved the love of her life?

97fairywings
mayo 8, 2021, 4:13 am

Went shopping today for Mothers Day tomorrow and my working child bought me a couple of books.

Navigating the Stars by Maria V Snyder
War Storm by Victoria Aveyard
Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas

Now I'm adding books to some series I've been collecting, it's probably time to start reading them soon.

98fairywings
Jun 5, 2021, 4:52 am

So since covid my favourite bi-annual bookfest run by lifeline, has not been happening (obviously, like everything else good in the world). But this weekend they have a pop up shop at The Carrara Markets, the markets are a huge thing on the weekends on the Gold Coast. So we went down and bought some books, Yeeaaahhhh. It was kind of like going to bookfest but on a much smaller scale.

will list them here after I up load them.

99fairywings
Editado: Jun 5, 2021, 5:20 am

The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai
Nightfall Berlin by Jack Grimwood
Hitler's Daughter by Jackie French
The Fate of Ten by Pittacus Lore
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Enmity by E. J. Andrews
The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer
A Darkling Plain by Philip Reeve
No! I Don't Need Reading Glasses by Virginia Ironside
The Golem's Eye by Jonathan Stroud
Sugar and Spice by Jules Stanbridge
We Must Be Brave by Frances Liardet
The Last Star by Rick Yancey
Little Vampire women by Lynn Messina
Parade's End by Ford Madox Ford

100fairywings
Editado: Jun 5, 2021, 5:18 am

I also bought some books last weekend.

From the bookshop

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe
1984 by George Orwell

From my local monthly market
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
Dirt Music by Tim Winton

That takes my total of books bought to 40 which means at this point I have bought more than I've read.

101humouress
Jun 5, 2021, 5:57 am

No! I Don't Need Reading Glasses strikes a chord (meaning I'm in denial, too).

102PaulCranswick
Jun 5, 2021, 6:34 am

Lovely to see you posting, Adrienne.

Some impressive additions up there!

103fairywings
Jun 6, 2021, 1:36 am

>101 humouress: lol Nina
>102 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul, I've gotten so far behind that it's daunting coming back

104fairywings
Jun 6, 2021, 1:40 am

I started reading this because I saw trailers for the netflix series and was intrigued. It was pretty good, I will eventually read the others but not in a hurry now.



27. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

105humouress
Editado: Jun 6, 2021, 2:33 am

>104 fairywings: I've read the Six of Crows duology (which I found a bit grim) set in the same world because a friend of mine loves the Grishaverse and I watched the first episode. Would you recommend this series?

106PaulCranswick
Jun 6, 2021, 5:23 am

>103 fairywings: Don't worry about where you are or were; just jump back in!

107fairywings
Jun 6, 2021, 6:20 am

>105 humouress: Yes Nina, I would recommend the series. As is usually the case there are some things in the tv series that don't occur in the book, however I think these things made the story much more interesting. I binged it over a weekend so now I have to wait impatiently to see if they make a second season. I will get to the other books but for now I need to get some comfort reading in to get me back on track.

>106 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul, I will get around the boards, but I think I will only get to your newest thread.

108PaulCranswick
Jun 6, 2021, 6:59 am

>107 fairywings: More than enough to make a wheezy bookworm happy!

109humouress
Jun 6, 2021, 10:22 am

>107 fairywings: Oh, sorry, I wasn't clear. I intend to watch the rest of the TV series at some point (but I find with everything available on streaming, I put off watching anything until ... later ...). I meant 'is the book series worth reading first'?

110vikzen
Jun 6, 2021, 11:55 pm

>99 fairywings: What a lovely list of new reads! Hope you enjoy them all.

111fairywings
Jun 8, 2021, 7:03 am

>109 humouress: Yeah Nina I would recommend reading the book before finishing the series.

>110 vikzen: Thanks Vic

112PaulCranswick
Ago 21, 2021, 8:30 am

Hope all is well, Adrienne

113fairywings
Ago 21, 2021, 7:48 pm

>112 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul, all is well. Just haven't been doing much reading until yesterday when I finally got back into it and finished a book today.

114fairywings
Ago 21, 2021, 7:52 pm

28. In Case You Missed It by Lindsey Kelk



When Ros steps off a plane after four years away she’s in need of a job, a flat and a phone that actually works. And, possibly, her old life back. Because everyone at home has moved on, her parents have reignited their sex life, she’s sleeping in a converted shed and she’s got a bad case of nostalgia for the way things were.

Then her new phone begins to ping with messages from people she thought were deleted for good. Including one number she knows off by heart: her ex’s.

Sometimes we’d all like the chance to see what we’ve been missing…

115PaulCranswick
Ago 21, 2021, 8:13 pm

>114 fairywings: Haha it is as if I knew, Adrienne!

Lovely to see you posting.

116fairywings
Ago 22, 2021, 5:43 am

29. The Left Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix



A girl’s quest to find her father leads her to an extended family of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World of England when it intrudes on the modern world. From the bestselling master of teen fantasy, Garth Nix.

In a slightly alternate London in 1983, Susan Arkshaw is looking for her father, a man she has never met. Crime boss Frank Thringley might be able to help her, but Susan doesn’t get time to ask Frank any questions before he is turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin.

Merlin is a young left-handed bookseller (one of the fighting ones), who with the right-handed booksellers (the intellectual ones), are an extended family of magical beings who police the mythic and legendary Old World when it intrudes on the modern world, in addition to running several bookshops.

Susan’s search for her father begins with her mother’s possibly misremembered or misspelt surnames, a reading room ticket, and a silver cigarette case engraved with something that might be a coat of arms.

Merlin has a quest of his own, to find the Old World entity who used ordinary criminals to kill his mother. As he and his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, tread in the path of a botched or covered-up police investigation from years past, they find this quest strangely overlaps with Susan’s. Who or what was her father? Susan, Merlin, and Vivien must find out, as the Old World erupts dangerously into the New

117humouress
Ago 22, 2021, 6:34 am

>116 fairywings: I liked that one.

118fairywings
Ago 22, 2021, 5:20 pm

>117 humouress: I liked it too Nina.

119fairywings
Sep 9, 2021, 3:05 am

30. To The Moon And Back by Jill Mansell



When Ellie Kendall tragically loses her husband she feels her life is over. But eventually she’s ready for a new start – at work, that is. She doesn’t need a new man when she has a certain secret visitor to keep her company...

Zack McLaren seems to have it all, but the girl he can’t stop thinking about won’t give him a second glance. If only she’d pay him the same attention she lavishes on his dog.

Moving to North London, Ellie meets neighbour Roo who has a secret of her own. Can the girls sort out their lives? Guilt is a powerful emotion, but a lot can happen in a year in Primrose Hill...

120PaulCranswick
Sep 9, 2021, 11:12 pm

>119 fairywings: Nice to see you posting, Adrienne.

I thought you had truly been To The Moon And Back!

Have a lovely weekend.

121fairywings
Sep 10, 2021, 5:49 am

>120 PaulCranswick: LOL, it does feel like that sometimes. I'm trying to get my reading groove back.

Hope you have a lovely weekend too Paul.

122fairywings
Editado: Sep 10, 2021, 7:42 pm

31. Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales



In Perfect on Paper: a bisexual girl who gives anonymous love advice to her classmates is hired by the hot guy to help him get his ex back.

Her advice, spot on. Her love life, way off.

Darcy Phillips:
• Can give you the solution to any of your relationship woes―for a fee.
• Uses her power for good. Most of the time.
• Really cannot stand Alexander Brougham.
• Has maybe not the best judgement when it comes to her best friend, Brooke…who is in love with someone else.
• Does not appreciate being blackmailed.

However, when Brougham catches her in the act of collecting letters from locker 89―out of which she’s been running her questionably legal, anonymous relationship advice service―that’s exactly what happens. In exchange for keeping her secret, Darcy begrudgingly agrees to become his personal dating coach―at a generous hourly rate, at least. The goal? To help him win his ex-girlfriend back.

Darcy has a good reason to keep her identity secret. If word gets out that she’s behind the locker, some things she's not proud of will come to light, and there’s a good chance Brooke will never speak to her again.

Okay, so all she has to do is help an entitled, bratty, (annoyingly hot) guy win over a girl who’s already fallen for him once? What could go wrong?

123fairywings
Editado: Sep 17, 2021, 2:36 am

32. Something To Talk About by Rachael Johns



It's the opposite of love at first sight...or is it?

Dairy farmer Tabitha Cooper-Jones has a heart of gold, yet she's the eternal bridesmaid. Everyone's best mate. Despite facing some serious challenges over the years, she's built a successful ice-cream business and cafe, she's adored by her family and is an integral part of her hometown - there's just one thing missing from her life. But the last thing Tab wants is a man - or worse, love - to stop her achieving her dream.

In town for a temporary teaching contract, Fergus McWilliams thinks the small community of Walsh will be the perfect place to stay under the radar but he couldn't be more wrong. Suddenly, the kids' cricket team coached by Ferg is inundated with female supporters - single female supporters - and that's only the beginning.

The only woman who doesn't seem to have her sights set on Ferg is Tabitha. Despite a disastrous first meeting and a visit from a past love, circumstances keep throwing them together. Neither can deny the sparks between them, but can friendship even be possible for these two strong-willed people?

A moving story of overcoming obstacles and learning to love, from ABIA award-winning author Rachael Johns.

124fairywings
Editado: Sep 20, 2021, 7:27 pm

33. The Switch by Beth O'Leary



Eileen is sick of being 79.
Leena's tired of life in her twenties.
Maybe it's time they swapped places...

When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house for some overdue rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She'd like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn't offer many eligible gentlemen.

Once Leena learns of Eileen's romantic predicament, she proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire. But with gossiping neighbours and difficult family dynamics to navigate up north, and trendy London flatmates and online dating to contend with in the city, stepping into one another's shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected.

Leena learns that a long-distance relationship isn't as romantic as she hoped it would be, and then there is the annoyingly perfect - and distractingly handsome - school teacher, who keeps showing up to outdo her efforts to impress the local villagers. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, but is her perfect match nearer home than she first thought?

125fairywings
Editado: Sep 20, 2021, 7:27 pm

34. The Bookshop By The Sea by Denise Hunter



Sophie Lawson should be enjoying her sister’s wedding day. But nothing could have prepared her to see the best man again.

After her mother became bedridden and her father bailed on the family, Sophie found herself serving as a second mother to her twin brother, Seth, and younger sister, Jenna. Sophie supported her siblings through their college years, putting aside her own dream of opening a bookshop in Piper’s Cove—the quaint North Carolina beach town they frequented as children.

Now it’s finally time for Sophie to follow her own pursuits. Seth has a new job, and Jenna is set to marry her college beau in Piper’s Cove. But the destination wedding reunites Sophie with best man Aiden Maddox, her high school sweetheart who left her without a backward glance.

When an advancing hurricane strands Aiden in Piper’s Cove after the wedding, he finds the hotels booked to capacity and has to ask Sophie to put him up until the storm passes. As the two ride out the weather, old feelings rise to the surface. The delay also leaves Sophie with mere days to get her bookshop up and running. Can she trust Aiden to stick around? And will he find the courage to risk his heart?

126fairywings
Editado: Sep 23, 2021, 5:58 pm

35. Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales



Will Tavares is the dream summer fling ― he's fun, affectionate, kind ― but just when Ollie thinks he's found his Happily Ever After, summer vacation ends and Will stops texting Ollie back. Now Ollie is one prince short of his fairy tale ending, and to complicate the fairy tale further, a family emergency sees Ollie uprooted and enrolled at a new school across the country. Which he minds a little less when he realizes it's the same school Will goes to... except Ollie finds that the sweet, comfortably queer guy he knew from summer isn't the same one attending Collinswood High. This Will is a class clown, closeted ― and, to be honest, a bit of a jerk.

Ollie has no intention of pining after a guy who clearly isn't ready for a relationship, especially since this new, bro-y jock version of Will seems to go from hot to cold every other week. But then Will starts "coincidentally" popping up in every area of Ollie's life, from music class to the lunch table, and Ollie finds his resolve weakening.

The last time he gave Will his heart, Will handed it back to him trampled and battered. Ollie would have to be an idiot to trust him with it again.

Right? Right.

127fairywings
Sep 27, 2021, 2:16 am

36. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L Armentrout



A Maiden

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A Duty

The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.

A Kingdom

Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.

128fairywings
Editado: Sep 27, 2021, 3:54 am

37. Mr Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange



A married man in possession of a dark fortune must be in want of an eternal wife...

My hand is trembling as I write this letter. My nerves are in tatters and I am so altered that I believe you would not recognize me. The past two months have been a nightmarish whirl of strange and disturbing circumstances, and the future...

I am afraid.

If anything happens to me, remember that I love you and that my spirit will always be with you, though we may never see each other again. The world is a cold and frightening place where nothing is as it seems.

129fairywings
Sep 28, 2021, 2:17 am

38. A Summer At Sea by Katie Fforde



Emily is happy with her life just as it is.

She has a career as a midwife that she loves . She enjoys living on her own as a single woman. But she also feels it’s time for a change and a spot of some sea air.

So when her best friend Rebecca asks whether she’d like to spend the summer cooking on a ‘puffer’ boat just off the Scottish coast, she jumps at the chance.

But she barely has time to get to grips with the galley before she finds herself with a lot on her plate.

Rebecca is heavily pregnant and is thrilled to have her friend on board doing most of the work. Then there’s Emily’s competitive and jealous kitchen assistant who thinks she should be head-cook, not Emily.

And there’s Alasdair, the handsome local doctor who Emily is desperately trying not to notice.

Because if she falls in love with him, as he appears to be falling for her, will she ever want her old life back again?

130fairywings
Sep 28, 2021, 9:31 pm

39. More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn



Growing up under his punk rocker dad's spotlight, eighteen-year-old Luke Greenly knows fame and wants nothing to do with it. His real love isn't in front of a crowd, it's on the page. Hiding his gift and secretly hoarding songs in his bedroom at night, he prefers the anonymous comfort of the locally popular podcast he co-hosts with his outgoing and meddling, far-too-jealousy-inspiringly-happy-with-his-long-term-boyfriend twin brother, Cullen. But that’s not Luke’s only secret. He also has a major un-requited crush on music blogger, Vada Carsewell.

Vada's got a five year plan: secure a job at the Loud Lizard to learn from local legend (and her mom's boyfriend) Phil Josephs (check), take over Phil's music blog (double check), get accepted into Berkeley's prestigious music journalism program (check, check, check), manage Ann Arbor's summer concert series and secure a Rolling Stone internship. Luke Greenly is most definitely NOT on the list. So what if his self-deprecating charm and out-of-this-world music knowledge makes her dizzy? Or his brother just released a bootleg recording of Luke singing about some mystery girl on their podcast and she really, really wishes it was her?

131PaulCranswick
Sep 28, 2021, 10:43 pm

Glad to see you reading and posting prodigiously this last week or so, Adrienne. x

132fairywings
Sep 29, 2021, 9:50 pm

>131 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul, been on holidays so been easier to read more.

133fairywings
Sep 29, 2021, 10:02 pm

40. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

This is my least favourite of Austen's works but I felt I needed to give a re-read. I did find it easier to read this time around and did like it a little more but I'm still not as enamored with this as I am with other works.



During an eventful season at Bath, young, naive Catherine Morland experiences fashionable society for the first time. She is delighted with her new acquaintances: flirtatious Isabella, who introduces Catherine to the joys of Gothic romances, and sophisticated Henry and Eleanor Tilney, who invite her to their father's house, Northanger Abbey. There, influenced by novels of horror and intrigue, Catherine comes to imagine terrible crimes committed by General Tilney, risking the loss of Henry's affection, and has to learn the difference between fiction and reality, false friends and true. With its broad comedy and irrepressible heroine, Northanger Abbey is the most youthful and optimistic of Jane Austen's works.

134humouress
Sep 30, 2021, 5:04 am

Darn it woman, you’ve hit me with BBs too many times now.

135fairywings
Oct 1, 2021, 12:15 am

lol, Sorry, not sorry Nina

136PaulCranswick
Oct 1, 2021, 3:26 am

>133 fairywings: I actually like Northanger Abbey much more than Sense and Sensibility which I found something of a contrived and silly story.

137fairywings
Oct 2, 2021, 1:45 am

>136 PaulCranswick: Yeah Sense and Sensibility is not one of my favourites either. I did find I liked Northanger Abbey more this time around but it's not one I would like to re-read often.

138fairywings
Oct 2, 2021, 1:47 am

41. Love Heart Lane by Christie Barlow



Welcome to Love Heart Lane…

When Flick Simons returns to the small village of Heartcross she only expected to stay for a few days. The white-washed cottages of Love Heart Lane might be her home, but the place holds too many painful memories, and of one man in particular – Fergus Campbell.

When a winter storm sweeps in, the only bridge connecting the village to the main land is swept away! As the villagers pull together, Flick finds herself welcomed back by the friends she once left behind. And as the snow begins to melt, maybe there is a chance that Fergus’s heart will thaw too…

139fairywings
Oct 3, 2021, 3:33 am

42. Foxglove Farm by Christie Barlow



Return to Love Heart Lane for friendship, romance and a community who will be be there for you no matter what…
Isla and Drew Allaway appear to have the perfect life – a strong marriage, two beautiful children and their picture-perfect home, Foxglove Farm.

But, new mum Isla is struggling. She loves her little family but with Drew working all hours on the farm, Isla’s lonely.

When she discovers that Drew has been keeping secrets from her, Isla has to face losing the home they all love.
Can the Love Heart Lane community pull together once more to help save Foxglove Farm? And can Isla save her home…and her marriage?

140humouress
Oct 3, 2021, 3:36 am

>136 PaulCranswick: How dare you Sir! Jane Austen is never contrived or silly.

Except when she intends to be.

141fairywings
Oct 12, 2021, 6:46 am

43. Mr Darcy's Dream by Elizabeth Aston



From the author of "Mr. Darcy's Daughters, " the delightful escapades of the Darcy family continue with an enchanting story set at "Pride and Prejudice's" Pemberley.When Phoebe, a young niece of "Pride and Prejudice's" Mr. Darcy, is shattered by an unhappy romance, she retreats to Pemberley and is joined by kind-hearted Louisa Bingley, unmarried after three London seasons. Once the young ladies are situated in the house, several handsome strangers also arrive -- all hopeful of winning the girls' hearts. As preparations for the ball which Mr. and Mrs. Darcy are to give at Pemberley gain momentum, mischief and love triangles abound, making life as difficult as possible for anyone connected with the Darcy family.

Populated with authentic characters firmly rooted in Jane Austen's mores and stylistic traditions, "Mr. Darcy's Dream" has an unforgettable combination of romance, societal scandals, friendship, family, and marriage.

142humouress
Oct 12, 2021, 8:35 am

I'm just re-reading Pride and Prejudice for the umpteenth time. Miss Bingley, kind hearted? Oh - maybe she's Jane's daughter.

Hmm ... a whole series on 'what happens after happily-ever-after'. I might give it a go.

143fairywings
Oct 14, 2021, 3:07 am

>142 humouress: Yes Nina these girls are the next generation.
I didn't realise they were a series, but my understanding is you can read them individually, not sure though since this is the only one I've read.

144PaulCranswick
Oct 14, 2021, 3:23 am

>141 fairywings: Interesting concept. Of course with Ms Austen's work long in the public domain, I don't suppose the author would have any obligations to the Austen society or her successors.

145fairywings
Oct 19, 2021, 6:28 am

>144 PaulCranswick: There is a many pages long list of Jane Austen variations, done by countless authors. Some are easy enough to find, others are not. It would take years to read them all. I have read several P & P variations and continue to look for them every so often.

146fairywings
Oct 20, 2021, 6:33 am

44. Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell



Hallie has a secret. She's in love. He's perfect for her in every way, but he's seriously out of bounds. And her friends aren't going to help her because what they do know is that Hallie doesn't have long to live. Time is running out...

Flo has a dilemma. She really likes Zander. But his scary sister won't be even faintly amused if she thinks Zander and Flo are becoming friends - let alone anything more.

Tasha has a problem. Her new boyfriend is the adventurous type. And she's afraid one of his adventures will go badly wrong.

THREE AMAZING THINGS ABOUT YOU begins as Hallie goes on a journey. A donor has been found and she's about to be given new lungs. But whose?

147fairywings
Oct 22, 2021, 9:28 am

45. You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn



Annie Mathers is America’s sweetheart and heir to a country music legacy full of all the things her Gran warned her about. Superstar Clay Coolidge is most definitely going to end up one of those things.

But unfortunately for Clay, if he can’t convince Annie to join his summer tour, his music label is going to drop him. That’s what happens when your bad boy image turns into bad boy reality. Annie has been avoiding the spotlight after her parents’ tragic death, except on her skyrocketing YouTube channel. Clay’s label wants to land Annie, and Clay has to make it happen.

Swayed by Clay’s undeniable charm and good looks, Annie and her band agree to join the tour. From the start fans want them to be more than just tour mates, and Annie and Clay can’t help but wonder if the fans are right. But if there’s one part of fame Annie wants nothing to do with, it’s a high-profile relationship. She had a front row seat to her parents’ volatile marriage and isn’t interested in repeating history. If only she could convince her heart that Clay, with his painful past and head over heels inducing tenor, isn’t worth the risk.

148fairywings
Editado: Oct 23, 2021, 6:57 pm

Picked up some books today.

Mobile Library by David Whitehouse
The Cosy Christmas Tea Shop by Caroline Roberts
Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer
Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer
Frederica by Georgette Heyer
Arabella by Georgette Heyer

149fairywings
Oct 24, 2021, 3:29 am

I just found another book I bought a couple of months ago. It was still in the shopping bag with some stationary I hadn't got around to putting away yet.

Mirror, Mirror: A Twisted Tale by Jen Calonita

150humouress
Oct 24, 2021, 9:40 am

>149 fairywings: These days when I bring my haul home, I have various staging points; one where it sits for a few days and then it gets cleaned with disinfectant and then it's got to dry off and then be put away. I rediscover a lot of stuff :0)

151fairywings
Oct 27, 2021, 4:22 am

46. Frederica by Georgette Heyer



Rich and handsome, darling of the ton, the hope of ambitious mothers and despair of his sisters, the Marquis of Alverstoke at seven-and-thirty sees no reason to put himself out for anyone. Until a distant connection, ignorant of his selfishness, applies to him for help.

When Frederica Merriville brings her three younger siblings to London determined to secure a brilliant marriage for her beautiful sister, Charis, she seeks out their distant cousin the Marquis of Alverstoke. Lovely, competent, and refreshingly straightforward, Frederica makes such a strong impression that to his own amazement, the Marquis agrees to help launch them all into society. Lord Alverstoke can't resist wanting to help her Normally wary of his family, which includes two overbearing sisters and innumerable favor-seekers, Lord Alverstoke does his best to keep his distance but he finally finds himself far from bored.

152PaulCranswick
Oct 27, 2021, 5:43 am

>150 humouress: Wow, I am impressed, Nina. You disinfect your books?!

153humouress
Oct 27, 2021, 2:32 pm

>152 PaulCranswick: Everything! ;0)

Last year, one of my aunt's birthdays fell at the beginning of lockdown in the UK when even less was known about covid and, of course, as the older generation, my aunt and uncle are more vulnerable. My cousin got her a present, of course, but also filmed himself wrapping it for her. Apparently he has access to a clean room and full PPE gear. I'm not (quite) that bad :0)

154fairywings
Oct 28, 2021, 3:33 am

>152 PaulCranswick:, >152 PaulCranswick: & >153 humouress: We have gotten really slack here. I don't clean everything that comes into the house anymore. We've not really had high cases in Queensland, but they are saying that will change in December when the borders finally reopen. I will probably become more careful again then.

155fairywings
Oct 30, 2021, 4:14 am

47. Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel



Set in the days of civilization's collapse, Station Eleven tells the story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.

One snowy night a famous Hollywood actor slumps over and dies onstage during a production of King Lear. Hours later, the world as we know it begins to dissolve. Moving back and forth in time—from the actor's early days as a film star to fifteen years in the future, when a theater troupe known as the Traveling Symphony roams the wasteland of what remains—this suspenseful, elegiac, spellbinding novel charts the strange twists of fate that connect five people: the actor, the man who tried to save him, the actor's first wife, his oldest friend, and a young actress with the Traveling Symphony, caught in the crosshairs of a dangerous self-proclaimed prophet.

156fairywings
Oct 30, 2021, 11:07 pm

Some new acquisitions.

The 39 Clues: Into The Gauntlet by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The 39 Clues: Operation Trinity by Clifford Riey
The Farseekers by Isobelle Carmody
Armageddon's Children by Terry Brooks
Diary of a Mad Bride by Laura Wolf
The Wind In The Willows by kenneth Grahame
Children Of The Lamp: The Blue Djinn Of Babylon by P. B. Kerr
The True History Of The Kelly Gang by Perer Carey
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Nanny by Melissa Nathan
The Last Mortal Bond by Brian Stavelly
Love In The Country by Rebecca Shaw
The Waitress by Melissa Nathan
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
A Country Affair and Country Wives by Rebecca Shaw
Avoiding Mr Right by Anta Heiss
Enigma by Robert Harris
The Romancipation Of Maggie Hunter by Jane Sigaloff
Earth To Hell by Kylie Chan
Havisham by Ronald Frame

Ok these are just the books I'm keeping, I also got a bag full of childrens novels for the school library and two bags full of picture books for our book corner in the Special Ed Unit.

157fairywings
Nov 2, 2021, 6:43 am

48. Living Dangerously by Katie Fforde



Polly Cameron is happy being thirty-five and celibate, living in a small Gloucestershire town with a possessive cat for company and a Rayburn for comfort. After all, a relationship would only complicate things...But Polly's life is already complicated. In addition to her job in the Whole Nut cafe and her part in the 'Save Our High Street' campaign, there's her pottery career to get off the ground. Not to mention dodging the efforts of her friends and mother to find her a husband...

158fairywings
Editado: Nov 9, 2021, 6:11 am

49. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell



A vivid and affectionate portrait of a provincial town in early Victorian England, Elizabeth Gaskell's Cranford describes a community dominated by its independent and refined women. This edition includes another short piece by Gaskell, "Cousin Phillis"

159fairywings
Editado: Nov 18, 2021, 6:12 am

50. The Rose Revived by Katie Fforde



May, Sally and Harriet are reduced to working for Quality Cleaners when each of them needs money, badly. But when they discover that they are being taken to the cleaners, they set up an independent team and things really begin to take off.

160fairywings
Editado: Nov 18, 2021, 6:13 am

51. Wild Designs by Katie Fforde



Althea lives in a too large a house with worrisome mortgage payments, has a bossy younger sister and an irksome ex-husband. She always manages to muddle through no matter what, but everything changes when she loses her job.

Althea decides to seek solace in a borrowed greenhouse and to develop her passion for gardening. When she wins the opportunity to design a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show with the unexpected help of the gorgeous architect Patrick Donahugh, it looks as though Althea may have unearthed a new man as well as a new career..

161fairywings
Nov 21, 2021, 12:38 am

Market shopping this weekend, came home with

Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer
The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan
Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett
A Knight Of The Word by Terry Brooks
Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

162fairywings
Nov 24, 2021, 5:51 am

52. The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Golgan



When the department store she works in closes for good, Carmen has perilously little cash and few options. She doesn’t want to move in with her perfect sister Sofia, in Sofia’s perfect house with her perfect children and her perfectly ordered Edinburgh life.

Frankly, Sofia doesn’t exactly want Carmen there either. Her sister has always been sarcastic and difficult. But Sofia has yet another baby on the way, a mother desperate to see her daughters get along, and a client who needs a retail assistant for his ailing bookshop, so welcoming Carmen might still have some benefits for everyone.

At Sofia’s behest, Carmen is thrown into the daily workings of old Mr. McCredie’s ancient bookshop on the streets of the old dark city. Can she use her design skills to revamp the store and bring it back to popularity in time to benefit from Christmas shopping traffic? Can she choose between bad boy literary rock star Blair and quiet Quaker student Oke? And will she heal the rift with the most important people of all: her family?

163fairywings
Nov 25, 2021, 3:53 am

53. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

I finally got around to reading this.



In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.
Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent. The text in this 372-page paperback edition is based on that first published in Great Britain by Collins Modern Classics (1998), and includes a note on the text by Douglas A. Anderson (2001).

164fairywings
Nov 27, 2021, 8:32 am

54. Stately Pursuits by Katie Fforde



“You’re not doing very much at the moment, darling. I don’t suppose you’d care to house-sit for a while?”

Thus begins the irresistible story of two fixer-uppers—an old house and a young woman—and their efforts to recapture their true luster.

When Hetty Langden, freshly dumped and broken-hearted, agrees to look after her great-uncle’s long-abandoned mansion in the British countryside, she’s at something of a lifetime low. With no job, no lover, no prospects, and no particular talent for resuscitating crumbling estates, she hopes for nothing more than some good old-fashioned escape. What she finds includes a cast of quirky and ever-present neighbors, a couple of SNAGS (Sensitive New Age Guys), some very humorless bank officials, two disarming little canines, one gracious, dilapidated, romantic old house, and, just maybe, enough elbow grease to polish everything up again.

A British bestseller that’s as inviting as an elegant old house full of unexplored rooms (after a good scrubbing-down, of course), “Stately Pursuits” is the funniest, smartest, and warmest read of the season.

165fairywings
Nov 29, 2021, 5:05 am

55. Rivers Of London by Ben Aaronovitch



Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

166humouress
Nov 29, 2021, 9:27 am

I see you've been reading a lot of books about bookshops, Adrienne. Have you seen the Lonely Hearts Bookshop series?

167fairywings
Dic 1, 2021, 7:49 am

>166 humouress: No, i'll have to check that one out

168fairywings
Editado: Dic 1, 2021, 7:53 am

56. Life Skills by Katie Fforde



Julia's learning some lessons in love. A wonderfully romantic novel from the No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Recipe for Love, A French Affair and The Perfect Match.

A combination of overwork and jet-leg propels Julia Fairfax into becoming engaged to a golf-playing wine buff called Oscar. But when she realises that she has fonder feelings for his adorable Labrador than for Oscar himself, she is forced to confront the fact that there is something drastically wrong. Ditching her fiancé and jacking in her job, she decides to revolutionise her life.

Her new career as a cook on a pair of hotel boats is certainly a departure, and teaches her more about life than how to get a couple of narrow boats through a lock. But even afloat, Julia's past catches up with her. Not only must she contend with the persistent Oscar (not to mention his frightful mother and her own mother's determined matchmaking), but also the arrival of her childhood enemy, the enigmatic Fergus Grindley...

169fairywings
Dic 5, 2021, 7:25 am

57. The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney



Freak. That's what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna's own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.
When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.

170davidpoole4
Dic 5, 2021, 7:47 am

Este usuario ha sido eliminado por spam.

171fairywings
Dic 9, 2021, 4:06 am

58. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig



Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?

A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive and How To Stop Time.

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?

In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting new novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place. (less)

172PaulCranswick
Dic 9, 2021, 4:26 am

Just stopping by to say hello and thank you. xx

173PaulCranswick
Dic 9, 2021, 4:26 am

I will also pretend that I haven't seen the cricket score.

174fairywings
Dic 10, 2021, 6:17 am

>172 PaulCranswick: Hello and your welcome xx

>173 PaulCranswick: I don't really follow the cricket, I hope it's not to devastating

175fairywings
Dic 10, 2021, 6:21 am

59. Simon Vs. The Homo sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli



Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

176fairywings
Dic 10, 2021, 6:32 am

It is officially the end of the school year and I'm on holidays (finally!!!!!!) If all goes according to plan I should get at least a few more books in before the end of the year.

177fairywings
Dic 14, 2021, 5:49 am

60. Christmas Every day



When Jenny inherits her estranged grandmother’s cottage in Sherwood Forest, she has nothing to lose - no money, no job, no friends, no family to speak of, and zero self-respect. Things can only get better...

Her grumpy, but decidedly handsome new neighbour, Mack, has a habit of bestowing unsolicited good deeds on her. And when Jenny is welcomed into a rather unusual book club, life seems to finally be getting more interesting.

Instead of reading, the members pledge to complete individual challenges before Christmas: from finding new love, learning to bake, to completing a daredevil bucket list. Jenny can’t resist joining in, and soon a year of friendship and laughter, tears and regrets unfolds in the most unexpected ways.

Warm, wise, funny and utterly uplifting, what one thing would you change in your life before Christmas comes around?

178fairywings
Dic 14, 2021, 5:54 am

61. President Darcy by Victoria Kincaid



A contemporary adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

Billionaire President William Darcy has it all: wealth, intelligence, and the most powerful job in the country. Despite what his friends say, he is not lonely in the White House. He’s not. And he has vowed not to date while he’s in office. Nor is he interested in Elizabeth Bennet. She might be pretty and funny and smart, but her family is nouveau riche and unbearable. Unfortunately, he encounters her everywhere in Washington, D.C.—making her harder and harder to ignore. Why can’t he get her out of his mind?

Elizabeth Bennet enjoys her job with the Red Cross and loves her family, despite their tendency to embarrass her. At a White House state dinner, they cause her to make an unfavorable impression on the president, who labels her unattractive and uninteresting. Those words are immediately broadcast on Twitter, so the whole world now knows the president insulted her. Elizabeth just wants to avoid the man—who, let’s admit it, is proud and difficult. For some reason he acts all friendly when they keep running into each other, but she knows he’s judging her.

Eventually, circumstances force Darcy and Elizabeth to confront their true feelings for each other, with explosive results. But even if they can find common ground, Mr. Darcy is still the president—with limited privacy and unlimited responsibilities—and his enemies won’t hesitate to use his feelings for Elizabeth against him.

Can President Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet find their way to happily ever after?

179fairywings
Dic 15, 2021, 2:13 am

62. What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli



Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.

Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.

But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?

Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.

Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.

But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third?

What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?

What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?

But what if it is?

180fairywings
Dic 16, 2021, 5:37 am

63. The Trouble With Hating You by Sajni Patel



Liya Thakkar is a successful biochemical engineer, takeout enthusiast, and happily single woman. The moment she realizes her parents' latest dinner party is a setup with the man they want her to marry, she's out the back door in a flash. Imagine her surprise when the same guy shows up at her office a week later -- the new lawyer hired to save her struggling company. What's not surprising: he's not too thrilled to see her either after that humiliating fiasco.

Jay Shah looks good on paper...and off. Especially if you like that whole gorgeous, charming lawyer-in-a-good-suit thing. He's also arrogant and infuriating. As their witty office banter turns into late night chats, Liya starts to think he might be the one man who truly accepts her. But falling for each other means exposing their painful pasts. Will Liya keep running, or will she finally give love a real chance?

181PaulCranswick
Dic 17, 2021, 8:37 pm

Wishing you a splendid weekend and rushing through before you can mention the cricket!

182fairywings
Editado: Jun 21, 2022, 3:26 am

64. Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price
(Jane Austen Murder Mystery #1)



A retelling of Pride and Prejudice that reimagines the iconic settings, characters, and romances in a whodunit.

When a scandalous murder shocks London high society, seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seizes the opportunity to prove herself, despite the interference of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious firm Pemberley Associates.

Convinced the authorities have imprisoned the wrong person, Lizzie vows to solve the murder on her own. But as the case—and her feelings for Darcy—become more complicated, Lizzie discovers that her dream job could make her happy, but it might also get her killed.

183PaulCranswick
Dic 24, 2021, 8:09 pm



Have a lovely holiday, Adrienne.

184fairywings
Editado: Dic 27, 2021, 6:04 pm

65. The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo



A paperback original romance about a bookish Filipino-American girl who crosses paths with the innkeeper's aggravating nephew--but when they accidentally switch phones, their newly discovered secrets draw them together.

Lila Castro is ready to take on her last winter break of high school. The snow is plentiful, the mood is full of holiday cheer, and she's earning extra cash working at the cozy local inn. But her perfect holiday plans crash to a halt when her boss's frustratingly cute nephew, Teddy Veracruz, becomes her coworker. When they accidentally switch phones one afternoon, they both realize they've been hiding things from each other. Will their secrets--and a dash of holiday spirit--bring them closer to love?

185fairywings
Dic 28, 2021, 3:56 am

66. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz



Dante can swim. Ari can't. Dante is articulate and self-assured. Ari has a hard time with words and suffers from self-doubt. Dante gets lost in poetry and art. Ari gets lost in thoughts of his older brother who is in prison. Dante is fair skinned. Ari's features are much darker. It seems that a boy like Dante, with his open and unique perspective on life, would be the last person to break down the walls that Ari has built around himself.

But against all odds, when Ari and Dante meet, they develop a special bond that will teach them the most important truths of their lives, and help define the people they want to be. But there are big hurdles in their way, and only by believing in each other―and the power of their friendship―can Ari and Dante emerge stronger on the other side.

186fairywings
Dic 28, 2021, 7:44 pm

67. Surviving The Evacuation, Book 3: Family by Frank Tayell



The final volume of Bill Wright's journal, from the Bestselling series 'Surviving The Evacuation', (78,000 words)

Billions died.
Civilisation collapsed.
Zombies rule the Earth.

But there is safety, so Bill and Kim are told, in a small village on the Irish coast.

If they can just cross hundreds of miles of undead wasteland, to a rendezvous on a Welsh beach, there is a boat willing to take them there. But first they must travel back into London to rescue Annette and Daisy.

If they can find and rescue the children, and get them somewhere safe, even then Bill’s journey will not be over. It can’t be, not until he’s confronted his past and chosen between his old family and his new one.

Please Note: This final volume of Bill's journey features characters who first appeared in the short story Zombies vs The Living Dead.

187fairywings
Dic 29, 2021, 6:08 am

68. Well Met by Jen DeLuca



All's faire in love and war for two sworn enemies who indulge in a harmless flirtation in a laugh-out-loud rom-com from debut author, Jen DeLuca.

Emily knew there would be strings attached when she relocated to the small town of Willow Creek, Maryland, for the summer to help her sister recover from an accident, but who could anticipate getting roped into volunteering for the local Renaissance Faire alongside her teenaged niece? Or that the irritating and inscrutable schoolteacher in charge of the volunteers would be so annoying that she finds it impossible to stop thinking about him?

The faire is Simon's family legacy and from the start he makes clear he doesn't have time for Emily's lighthearted approach to life, her oddball Shakespeare conspiracy theories, or her endless suggestions for new acts to shake things up. Yet on the faire grounds he becomes a different person, flirting freely with Emily when she's in her revealing wench's costume. But is this attraction real, or just part of the characters they're portraying?

This summer was only ever supposed to be a pit stop on the way to somewhere else for Emily, but soon she can't seem to shake the fantasy of establishing something more with Simon, or a permanent home of her own in Willow Creek.

188PaulCranswick
Dic 29, 2021, 7:27 am

A last minute rush to 75 perhaps, Adrienne? x

189humouress
Dic 29, 2021, 12:52 pm

You go girl ;0)

I would like to wish you and your family the very best of the season and good health and happiness for 2022.

190fairywings
Dic 29, 2021, 3:51 pm

>188 PaulCranswick: with 2 days to go I might just get to 70 but not likely to make the 75.

>189 humouress: Thanks Nina. I wish the same to you and yours.

191fairywings
Dic 29, 2021, 10:59 pm

We went shopping today to get food for our new years party, but the bookshop voucher I got for Christmas was burning a big hole in my purse so of course I had to spend it. Last bookshop visit for the year and I came out with
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
The UnhoneyMooners by Christina Lauren
The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun
The Priory Of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

192PaulCranswick
Editado: Dic 31, 2021, 11:40 am



Forget your stresses and strains
As the old year wanes;
All that now remains
Is to bring you good cheer
With wine, liquor or beer
And wish you a special new year.

Happy New Year, Adrienne.

193fairywings
Dic 31, 2021, 8:32 pm

>192 PaulCranswick: I love that pic, so fitting. Here's to a less stressful 2022