foggidawn's Barely Mysterious at All Third Thread of 2022

Hey, so we're back to being able to talk about what I'm reading!

Last year I was reading for an award committee, so I couldn't post much about what I was reading. With that work behind me, I can post titles and reviews again! For the rest of the year, I'm basically planning on recovering from the arduous reading I did in 2021. I'll read a lot less, and I'll focus on reading the "grown-up" books that I set aside in favor of award committee reading. I also have a lot of non-reading to focus on, because as many of you know...
John and I are getting married in September of 2022!
We're planning a small, simple wedding, but I'm sure it will still involve a fair bit of planning.

I'm counting on you all to keep my thread alive even when there aren't a lot of book titles to talk about! I'll still post about other things in my life: my darling dog Lottie, pictured above showing off my new bookshelves; family, friends, and fiance; cooking, gardening, gaming, sewing, and theatre (or at least any of those that I get around to this year), and whatever else I get up to. It should be an interesting, exciting year!

Books Read in 2022:

1-10. {Redacted}
11. Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune
12. The List of Things that Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead
13. The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde
14. Maus I by Art Spiegelman
15. Maus II by Art Spiegelman
16. Landline by Rainbow Rowell
17. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
18. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
19. The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik
20. The Many Reflections of Miss Jane Deming by J. Anderson Coats
21. When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
22. A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
23. The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison
24. The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers
25. The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison
26. The Clergyman's Wife by Molly Greeley
27. Straw into Gold: Fairy Tales Re-spun by Hilary McKay
28. Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus
29. The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary
30. Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
31. We Are All Made of Molecules by Susan Nielsen
32. Sweeping Up the Heart by Kevin Henkes
33. Molly of the Mall: Literary Lass & Purveyor of Fine Footwear by Heidi Jacobs
34. The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
35. Night by Elie Wiesel
36. Begone the Raggedy Witches by Celine Kiernan
37. A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
38. The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths
39. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
40. Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
41. Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
42. The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman
43. Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano
44. Other People's Houses by Abbi Waxman
45. Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
46. The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths
47. The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths
48. The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths
49. The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths
50. A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths
51. A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths
52. The Outcast Dead by Elly Griffiths
53. The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths
54. The Woman in Blue by Elly Griffiths
55. Go to Sleep (I Miss You) by Lucy Knisley
56. Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery
57. The Chalk Pit by Elly Griffiths
58. The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths
59. Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
60. The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths
61. The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths
62. Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery
63. The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths
64. The Maid by Nita Prose
65. Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
66. Gallant by V.E. Schwab
67. When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill
68. Very Rich by Polly Horvath
69. Apple Crush by Lucy Knisley
70. I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman
71. Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
72. The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix
73. The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
74. The Unadoptables by Hannah Tooke
75. The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis
76. Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman
77. The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison
78. Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
79. Ghost by Jason Reynolds
80. Patina by Jason Reynolds
81. Sunny by Jason Reynolds
82. Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis
83. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher
84. Firebirds, edited by Sharyn November
85. And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard
86. How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry
87. Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery
88. The Fairest of Them All by Carolyn Turgeon
89. Lupin Leaps In by Georgia Dunn
90. Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher
91. The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith
92. Damsel by Elana K. Arnold
93. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

(94 books read)



I, Claudia by Mary McCoy -- Imperial Day Academy has a student Senate, but the school is really ruled by the Honor Council, a group of students charged with seeing that their peers uphold the school's Honor Code. Claudia never expects to be involved in either group, though her older sister Maisie is poised to be Honor Council president someday. Born prematurely, Claudia has a limp, a stutter, asthma, and various other physical differences that have positioned her as more of an observer than a leader -- but all that will change as she gets caught up in the politics and backstabbing that happen during her time at Imperial Day.

This modern-day retelling of I, Claudius by Robert Graves really hits the mark in so many ways. (Amusingly, Graves is the surname of the principal of Imperial Day.) Readers unfamiliar with the source material will find that this book stands well on its own as a tale of school government machinations, but those who have read I, Claudius will find lots of clever corollaries between the two books. (It does make me wonder who this book is really for, though, as it's the rare teen who is a fan of Graves' work.) There's strength in the writing, plot, and characters -- scheming Livia was particularly well drawn, and Cal was appropriately terrifying. I'd recommend this to readers who enjoy YA stories set in private schools, particularly if they are also fans of Roman history (or, specifically, I, Claudius).

(I know I said I wasn't going to read any more Printz honor books for a while, but I'm glad I gave this one a shot.)

Happy new thread, Foggi! Getting close to the final countdown for the wedding, which is so exciting!

>4 MickyFine: Yes, it's less than 50 days away now!

Happy new thread, Foggi!

>6 FAMeulstee: Thanks!

(95 books read)



A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers -- This second book about Dex, a tea monk, and Mosscap, a robot, is just as delightful and meandering as the first. If you liked the first book, you'll probably like this one, too. I did.

>3 foggidawn: Ooh, I'm glad to hear that one was good as I absolutely adored her previous book, Camp So-and-So

Happy new thread!

Happy New Thread!

Hello new thread!

Happy new thread! I bounced off A Psalm for the Wild-Built on audio recently mostly because I realized quickly that I'd enjoy it more in print, so I'm hoping to get to that one soon.

>9 norabelle414: I haven't read anything else by her -- next time I'm in the mood for a camp story, I'll have to look at that one.

>10 drneutron: >11 aktakukac: >12 compskibook: Thanks, everyone!

>13 curioussquared: Hope you enjoy it when you do!

Happy new thread, Foggi!

>8 foggidawn: I am looking forward to that! I've got the Psalm ready for a re-read.

Happy new one, Foggi!

Happy new thread!

>15 quondame: and >16 PaulCranswick: and >17 figsfromthistle: Thanks for visiting!

(96 books read)



A Family Recipe by Veronica Henry -- One day, Laura is preparing for a family party before her youngest daughter leaves for college. The next, her peaceful household kingdom is falling apart. In the aftermath, she must decide what she wants to do, and who she wants to be. Intertwined with her story is that of Jilly, resident of the same house back in 1942, who finds both unexpected romance and terrible tragedy in the midst of World War II.

This was a pleasant family story, full of descriptions of lovely food and home comforts. I did think that some things came surprisingly easy to the two main characters, and there was one major aspect of the story that wasn't exactly wrapped up at the end, though one gets the impression that all will be well. All in all, a cozy sort of book that I enjoyed reading once, but probably won't revisit. I'll keep looking for other books by this author, though!

>19 foggidawn: I'll probably avoid that one but only because I hate the dual timeline stories.

>1 foggidawn: found and starred!

What's the date of your wedding? I don't recall if you mentioned it before.

My dh and I will celebrate our 42nd anniversary on September 19th. :)

>3 foggidawn: As a fan of I, Claudius, I will definitely have to give that one a try!

>8 foggidawn: Oh, I need to read that one! I loved the first book in the series.

>19 foggidawn: Looks like a nice, light read. I will have to see if I can find it.

Have a fantastic Friday, foggi!

>20 thornton37814: Yeah, if dual timelines bug you, this one's definitely not for you!

>21 fuzzi: Our date is September 17th.

>22 alcottacre: I'll be interested to see what you think of those whenever they make their way out of the Black Hole!

I watched a movie last night! (At home, not in a movie theater.) It seems like it's been months since I had time to sit down and do that. My library hold finally came in for Downton Abbey: A New Era. It was really nice, though it felt more like a couple of episodes strung together. That didn't bother me, except for the feeling, about 2/3rds of the way through, that I didn't really know where the plot was going. Some aspects wrapped up a bit too easily, but since they were generally positive, I didn't mind. I wonder if this will be the last chapter for the series? I feel like they've found a good stopping place, but you never know...

(97 books read)



Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple -- Bernadette Fox has always been a little quirky, but recent events are starting to make her husband think that maybe she's going all the way off the deep end. When the whole unstable situation finally blows up in one big conflict, Bernadette disappears. Where can she have gone? Is she even still alive? Her daughter Bee is convinced of her mother's continued existence, and she sets out to reconstruct the whole story, with the help of a packet of papers mysteriously mailed to her. Will she be able to figure out what's become of Bernadette?

This is a fun read, for which I have to use the same descriptor that I used for Bernadette herself: quirky. There were several elements that stretched my credulity, but if I just sat back and let the story carry me along, I generally enjoyed the ride. One thing that bothered me all the way through was Bee's narrative voice -- she seemed much younger than 15 to me, more like a precocious 10-year-old. That's partly explained by her health problems and her Seattle private school existence keeping her pretty sheltered, but still. It irked me. It also may have been the literal voice: I listened to the audiobook, and perhaps the narrator made her sound kind of young. Or maybe I've just been too immersed in YA books lately, which often seem to be written up, with characters sounding more mature than they actually are. Anyhow, that and the occasionally exaggerated or unrealistic plot element were my only gripes, and otherwise I found it compulsively readable.

(I think it was Anne's thread that sparked me to pick this when I was looking for an available audiobook -- thanks!)

(98 books read)



The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths -- As the Covid-19 pandemic grips humanity and lockdowns ensue, Ruth discovers a family mystery in her mother's old papers, and Nelson investigates a rash of suicides that might be something else entirely.

Another good entry in the Ruth Galloway series. It did a good job of capturing some of those early pandemic feelings and experiences. I was irritated because one clue in the police mystery was so obvious, but it seemed to take them forever to figure it out. Still, I found it a pleasant read and enjoyed spending time with favorite characters.

(99 books read)



Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery -- When her father dies, Emily is taken to New Moon Farm to live with two aunts she's never met before. She quickly comes to love the farm (and at least some of her relatives) and make new friends, but it's her passion for writing that gives her life a sense of purpose and meaning.

This series is among my least favorite of Montgomery's works, though I know many people love it. This first book is not bad; I enjoyed many of Emily's adventures. However, I have an almost visceral reaction to the character of Dean Priest, who is creepy and gross in his behavior towards Emily. I'd go so far as to call it predatory. But since he only appears a few times in this book, it's fairly tolerable. Emily is a deep character, and there's a little more darkness in her story than in some of Montgomery's others. As an adult, I have more appreciation for those elements than I did as a child. This book did make me appreciate growing up in a time when it wasn't considered immoral to read novels!

I don't know if I will continue with this series. I read this one because it was available when I was looking for an audiobook, and it came up on my previous thread when we were discussing Montgomery.

>27 foggidawn: I read the Emily series, but have no plans to reread it.

I loved Jane of Lantern Hill, though!

>28 fuzzi: I didn't really have any plans to reread it either, but here we are!

Happy new thread! Hope things are going well with the wedding planning as your date gets closer :)

>27 foggidawn: Reading my reviews, I enjoyed the book more than you did. That said, almost none of the details have really stuck with me so there's that. I still have the third book in the trilogy unread and I'm curious how I'll react to that one.

>30 bell7: Thanks! I've been trying to do one small thing each day to prepare for the wedding. That way, hopefully, when it gets closer it will still be manageable. This also keeps me from feeling anxious about not getting things done. It seems to be working so far!

>31 MickyFine: Last time I read the series I didn't write reviews, but my star ratings indicate that I liked each book a little less -- a good reason for me not to keep going this time! But if you liked the first two, the third will probably hold up fairly well for you.

>32 foggidawn: Love the idea of doing one small thing per day!

>33 curioussquared: Thanks! This weekend I'm going to visit my parents and get my wedding dress fitted -- pretty excited about that!

>34 foggidawn: Ooh yay for dress fittings! Those are always fun.

My brother and SIL went to my SIL's best friend's wedding last weekend. She was showing me pictures and both of us were highly envious the wedding dress had pockets.

>35 MickyFine: Ooh, pockets! I don't think mine has them, but they sure would be handy!

(100 books read)



Live Right and Find Happiness (Although Beer is Much Faster) by Dave Barry -- Another collection of essays by humorist Dave Barry. I've always enjoyed Barry's work, though I didn't find this one quite as laugh-out-loud funny as some of his earlier works. Still, I definitely chuckled several times. I think the essay about his trip to Russia was my favorite in this book.

Weekend update: I went to visit my parents, attended a family reunion, and got my wedding dress fitted! The dress is going to be lovely, though that's all I'll say on the topic for now. The reunion was a small group, but we had a good time and plenty of good food. We reserved a picnic pavilion at a nearby state park, and it was a great location. The weather was perfect: sunny, but not too hot. Yesterday was my mom's birthday, so it was nice to spend at least part of it with her (before heading home). Lottie came with me, though she was carsick on both the outward and homeward journeys, poor baby. John did not come, and missed us both (he described himself as "in the doldrums" while we were gone).

I'm in a sort-of book slump, despite the review above. I started one book (Symptoms of a Heartbreak) that I think I'm going to DNF, and then I started another that seems like it might be good, but I'm having trouble getting into it. I'm not in the mood for fantasy right now, but of course that's all that I have checked out from the library at the moment, and about 90% of what's sitting on my TBR bookshelf. I am listening to Book Lovers on audio, and it's absolutely terrific, so I can't really claim a reading slump, but I'm definitely in a weird reading mood.

>38 foggidawn: Glad to hear that you had a lovely visit with your parents and that the dress fitting went well.

I'm also currently reading Book Lovers (although I'm doing so in print) and thoroughly enjoying it. I was reading slowly earlier this year and finally gave myself permission to read as much fluff as I wanted and that's helped vastly. But with only a month until the wedding, I totally understand being in a weird reading mood.

>39 MickyFine: Yeah, I should probably not worry too much about what I am or am not reading for the next 33 days or so. ;-) The dialogue in Book Lovers is making me crack up! I went through a "no fantasy, thanks" mood earlier this year, so I know I'll snap out of it eventually, but in the meantime I'm mildly frustrated by my options (what's available through my library system, what I have on my TBR shelves, etc.).

>40 foggidawn: I just peeked back at my 2018 threads and it looks like I did very little reading for that last month before the wedding (other than inhaling a bunch of Lumberjanes during one free afternoon, which made my numbers look really good).

>40 foggidawn: >41 MickyFine: I think the only reason I read anything in the month leading up to mine last year was because I had COVID and was forced to isolate for 10 days, lol.

>41 MickyFine: Hmm... comics... maybe?

>42 curioussquared: Yikes! Yeah, that would do it.

>43 foggidawn: Lumberjanes are great. I also highly recommend Squirrel Girl (Marvel comics but you don't have to be a superheroes fan to enjoy them, imho), Paper Girls, and Giant Days.

>44 MickyFine: I loved Giant Days, but couldn't really get into Lumberjanes or Squirrel Girl. Might be worth another try. I've been eying Paper Girls, as I know you and some others around here liked it.

>45 foggidawn: Volume one of Lumberjanes is ok but volume two is where it really takes off. If it's still not working for you after that, it might not be your jam.

Forgot to put Check, Please! on that list. Super cute and liking hockey is in no way required.

>46 MickyFine: I'll keep that in mind, re: Lumberjanes. And, ooh, I had kind of been meaning to read Check, Please!

Right now I'm about halfway through The Forgotten Garden -- it was the one I mentioned above that was slow to start, but I'm invested in the story now. It's a bit of a chonk, though, so I may be working on it for a while. And I'm still listening to Book Lovers. I have about two hours left, but my listening time is now short snatches here and there, so I don't know when I'll get it finished, either. It could take me days, or I could listen to it all this evening.

>47 foggidawn: I just finished Book Lovers a couple days ago. Good things ahead for you. :)

>48 MickyFine: Oh, I'm sure! ;-)

(101 books read)



Book Lovers by Emily Henry -- City dwelling literary agent Nora Stephens would do anything for her sister Libby, including, apparently, taking a month-long vacation in small-town North Carolina. Though the town is charming, there's nothing there to tempt Nora away from NYC... or is there? On her first trip into town, she runs into not one, but two hot guys -- and one of them is somebody she knows; somebody she thought was also a confirmed city-dweller...

Great characters and witty dialogue make this book a delightful read. If you enjoy contemporary romance, I highly recommend it!

(That is all the review that my brain can come up with today.)

>50 foggidawn: Glad you enjoyed it!

>51 MickyFine: I did! I'll probably see if I can get my hands on some of her other books soon.

>50 foggidawn: Yay, glad you liked it!

>53 curioussquared: Thanks, I did!

(102 books read)



The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton -- When Cassandra inherits a cottage in Cornwall upon her grandmother's death, she travels from Australia to England to solve a family mystery spanning three generations.

I found this book slow going at times, but I eventually got caught up in the story -- or stories, as the book follows multiple points of view: Cassandra in 2005, Nell in 1975, and Rose and Eliza in the early 1900s. I guessed the big plot twist fairly early on, but still enjoyed how it was arrived at and revealed. If you like family sagas with touches of the gothic, this might be your cup of tea.

(103 books read)



The Dutch House by Ann Patchett -- Siblings Maeve and Danny grew up in the Dutch House, an enormous mansion near Philadelphia. Their father bought it with the profits from his budding real estate empire. Their mother abandoned it -- and them -- to go work with the poor on the other side of the world. Their stepmother banished them from it when Maeve was a young adult and Danny still a teen. For the rest of their lives, Maeve and Danny must reckon with the house and its significance in their lives.

I listened to this on audio, narrated by Tom Hanks, so of course I enjoyed it. Tom Hanks could read the phone book and make it interesting, with his particular tricks of inflection and cadence. I did enjoy the story as well, though I found myself wondering, when I got to the end, what exactly the point had been. Don't get me wrong, the writing is strong and the characterization deep and multifaceted. I was interested in these characters and what was happening to them all the way through. But the story meanders through a lifetime, jumping back and forth as Danny reminisces. I never felt like the story was really going somewhere in particular. So, if you like rambling family sagas (or audiobooks narrated by Tom Hanks), this will be a great pick for you, but if you need a strong through-line in your plots, you may find this a little frustrating.

>56 foggidawn: That one is still on my TBR list. I hope I like it a little better than you did story-wise, but I won't hold my breath.

>57 thornton37814: I hope you do, too. I found lots to like about it, but yeah, the plot...

(104 books read)



A Secret Princess by Margaret Stohl and Melissa De La Cruz -- What if teenage Sara Crewe, Mary Lennox, and Cedric Errol all found themselves at Miss Minchin's school together? Is it possible that they just might become best friends? In this remix of Frances Hodgson Burnett's three best-known classics, that's exactly what happens. When disaster strikes, the three friends leave the school for new adventures -- but of course, things don't always go as planned.

First off, let me say that I really liked what De La Cruz did with the character of Sara Crewe. Reimagining her as a wealthy daughter of the Philippines gave her added depth without departing too far from Burnett's character. I felt that Mary was true to character as well, if a little more modern in her language and attitudes. I can't say much for Cedric Errol, as it's been some time since I read his book, but the authors have conflated him with the character of Colin. indeed there was a lot of conflating going on in this book, which didn't bother me too much, as it served the story. I was puzzled, though, at the inclusion of characters from the original stories who only got an introduction, but there was nothing resolved in their story arc as it is in Burnett's books. Ram Dass, for example, and Becky the maidservant. Martha Sowerby was the most troubling to me, as the authors had her acting contrary to her character in the original. I also thought making the garden actually magical, with non-native plants and animals from various habitats flourishing side by side, was a choice I didn't feel entirely necessary. And the ending was melodramatic beyond my ability to suspend disbelief; there was some eye-rolling on my part. All of the characters exhibited much more modern attitudes than Burnett's originals. That might give them more appeal to modern readers, but I probably wouldn't recommend this to fans of Burnett's writing.

(105 books read)



Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith -- Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellicott tackle a cold case from 40 years in the past. A young doctor disappeared somewhere between her practice and a nearby pub, and no trace of her has ever been found. Her daughter, who was only a baby when her mother disappeared, is hoping for closure, though Strike admits straight out that the chances of them being able to solve the case after so much time has passed is slim, indeed.

A nice, complicated mystery, with lots of little bits and pieces, red herrings and diversions. The characters are complex and well-developed. I did not guess the outcome before the big reveal, but I had fun trying! I listened to the audiobook, and enjoyed the narration very much. I did feel that the book dragged on, especially at the end (this author has a history of writing big, chunky books that could use some tighter editing). But readers who have enjoyed earlier books in the series will probably like this one, as well. I read it now because the newest book in the series has just been released, and I realized that I had let this one fall by the wayside.

I'll probably pick up the next book some time this winter when I want a chunkster, but this one absorbed a lot of my time. I sometimes have this problem with audiobooks, in that I think I will listen to them while doing tasks around the house, but then I find myself sitting and listening and playing mindless games on my phone instead of getting things done. Audiobooks are great for me when driving, but otherwise I should probably avoid them when I have lots of other things that need to get done.

In other news, the wedding is less than two weeks away! I'm still feeling mostly on top of things, even though I didn't get quite as much done this weekend as I would have liked. It was dreary and drizzly, and I spent a lot of time cuddling Lottie and listening to my book. Next week is going to be super busy, but I'm hoping I can get some things done in the evenings this week and catch up. And if not, Mom is coming next week to help out, so we will get things done one way or another!

>61 foggidawn: Agreed on all counts in your review, and I hear the next book is even longer. I'll keep reading the books but it would be nice if any editors would dare to do their jobs on this series!

>62 foggidawn: Glad to hear you have achieved the delicate balance of feeling mostly on top of things while also having some time for Lottie cuddles :)

>63 curioussquared: Even longer?!? They're going to have to start printing them in multiple volumes if this goes on. I may have to get the ebook just to save my wrists. And thanks! I'm not feeling as stressed as I expected, though I suppose there's time yet...

>64 foggidawn: Yep -- I believe Troubled Blood was just under 1,000 pages and the new one cracks 1,200, lol. Fingers crossed you continue to be less stressed than expected as the date approaches!

>62 foggidawn: Don't sweat the small stuff - and everything but you and John in front of the person who officiates is small stuff. I did all my own wedding based on a template for 75-100 person events I'd been running for 5 years and it still was way too much stress.

>65 curioussquared: Fingers crossed!

>66 quondame: Thanks, I will try to follow your excellent advice! I feel like all of the major things (license, venue, officiant, dress, rings, cake) are in place, and with the smaller details, what gets done, gets done. And what doesn't get done, nobody will miss. :-)

(106 books read)



People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry -- Best friends Poppy and Alex are basically opposites, but somehow, their friendship works. Every summer since college, they've taken a trip together, and had fantastic, hilarious, memorable times. But then, two years ago, something happened on their trip that broke their friendship. They've barely spoken since. And Poppy, despite the fact that she's achieved her career goals and is living her dream, is dealing with depression and a feeling that something is missing in her life. She texts Alex and invites him on one more summer trip, trying to recreate the magic and rekindle the old friendship.

This is a fun summery read, with lots of fun travel descriptions and humorous mishaps. It's super obvious where the romance is going, to the point that the conflict seems manufactured. If you're looking for a fun, fairly low-stakes friends to lovers romance with some steamy scenes after a lot of will-they-or-won't-they, this will be just the thing for you.

(107 books read)



Beach Read by Emily Henry -- January Andrews is struggling with writer's block after a rough breakup, her dad's death, and the reveal of a big secret that changed everything she believed about her tight-knit family. Now's she's spending the summer at the beach house she didn't know her father owned until he was gone, trying to write the romance novel she is under contract for, despite the fact that she no longer believes in romance. What could make things worst? Well, maybe if Augustus Everett, her college nemesis, happened to live right next door...

Another fun read from Emily Henry. I liked this one a little bit better than People We Meet on Vacation, but not quite as much as Book Lovers. It has the same hallmarks as her other books: snappy dialogue with plenty of humor, and some steamy scenes when the characters finally give in to the romance. I'm glad to have discovered this author, and will keep an eye out for her future books.

Hope you're having a good week leading up to the big day!

My daughter just had her wedding on 9/6 and it was a wonderful day! Very excited for your big day coming up!! Words of wisdom, recently tested and true -- Just remember to relax and enjoy; something is going to go wrong, most people won't even notice, and as long as you get hitched, it doesn't matter!! : )

>69 foggidawn: I do love her books. And congrats on #107!

Found you again!

Wishing you all things wonderful (including good weather) for your big day tomorrow.

Hope that all went well on the big day, and wishing you both much happiness!!

Happy wedding! I hope everything was lovely and just as you dreamed :)

Felicitations!

Congratulations on your wedding, dear lady. Wishing you a love of happiness with J. xx

Hope your wedding day was lovely!

>70 aktakukac: and >71 Berly: and >72 humouress: and >73 ronincats: and >74 curioussquared: and >75 quondame: and >76 PaulCranswick: and >77 bell7:

Thank you all for your good wishes!



The wedding went beautifully; I was so happy with how everything turned out! Gorgeous ceremony, surrounded by loving family and friends, beautiful flowers, delicious food . . . I can't imagine how it could be better. John and I stayed in a very nice inn in a nearby town for the first night, then headed to our cabin in Hocking Hills. We spent three days there and did several hikes -- for those familiar with the area, we did Old Man's Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, the Rock House, and Conkle's Hollow. We also browsed through an antique mall, played a round of mini-golf, and took our kayak out on the lake. The cabin had a big hot tub, which was much appreciated after all that hiking! We drove to my parents' house to collect Lottie, then came home for a long weekend's rest before returning to work. It's been lovely -- a wonderful start to our life together.

>78 foggidawn: Gorgeous! You both look so happy and I absolutely love your flowers :)

>78 foggidawn: chainsaw boyfriend becomes chainsaw husband ;)

Beautiful photo of a beautiful bride, and a very happy groom.

Glad everything went smoothly! It all looks fantastic, especially the flowers. I assume John is holding onto his jacket but it kind of looks like he's giving a thumbs up which would be very funny

>78 foggidawn: Lovely picture, you both look so happy, congratulations!

>78 foggidawn: You look lovely and radiant! I'm so glad that you'll have so many good moments to recall.

>78 foggidawn: Lovely photo, and sounds like a great time both at the wedding and your long weekend honeymoon. Congratulations!

>79 curioussquared: Thanks! The flowers were done by a local grower/florist that John knows, and they were absolutely perfect. The pink dahlias in the bouquet are the heirloom ones that John's parents grow.

>80 fuzzi: LOL! Thanks!

>81 norabelle414: My dad also remarked on John's "thumbs-up" pose.

>82 FAMeulstee: Thanks!

>83 quondame: Thank you! Yes, it was a day full of good memories.

>84 bell7: Thanks! Yes, we both liked how things went, and thought that the length of the honeymoon, followed by a little down time at home before we had to return to work, was just right.

(108 books read)



The Alice Network by Kate Quinn -- In the wake of World War II, American college student Charlie St. Clair is pregnant and unmarried. On the way to Switzerland for a discreet medical procedure, she slips away from her proper, controlling mama and follows the only lead she has that might help her find her beloved cousin Rose, who went missing in France during the war. Her quest brings her into contact with Eve Gardiner, who was a British spy during the first World War. Eve has been drinking her life away in the solitude of her London flat for years, and has no intention of helping Charlie . . . until it is revealed that a shadowy figure from her history may have something to do with Rose's disappearance.

When I picked this book up, I thought I'd read it over the course of a week or more. I found it unexpectedly compelling, stayed up too late reading, and finished it off in a little over a day! The writing is strong, the plot gripping, the characters distinct. If you enjoy historical fiction centered on women, this is a great choice.

(109 books read)



The Rose Code by Kate Quinn -- It's 1940, and three very different women accept a mysterious summons to Bletchley Park, where some of the greatest minds in Britain are working on . . . well, nobody knows what, exactly. As debutante Osla, ambitious East Ender Mab, and village girl Beth embark on their top-secret duties helping break German codes, they forge a friendship that will be the strongest of their lives -- until it breaks, leaving the three of them estranged, and one of them in an insane asylum. When information emerges pointing to a traitor at Bletchely Park, can the three put aside their differences and come together to break one last code?

I read this just after reading The Alice Network, and liked it even better. Bletchley Park is a fascinating historical setting, and Quinn's writing and characters are excellent. I was surprised at the reveal of the mystery, and enjoyed working my way through it with the characters. Definitely recommended for historical fiction readers.

(110 books read)



A Common Life by Jan Karon -- The Mitford series is one of my long-time comfort reads, so I enjoyed dipping back into it for the story of Fr. Tim and Cynthia's wedding, right around the time of my own wedding. I think I actually enjoyed this more as a stand-alone reread than when I reread it as part of the series.

(111 books read)



My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier -- Philip was raised by his cousin Ambrose, but now Philip is a grown man in his 20s, and Ambrose must travel south to spare his health during the wet Cornwall winters. While abroad, Ambrose meets a distant connection of theirs, marries her, and before he ever gets a chance to return to England, dies. Philip is his sole heir, leaving no provision for Rachel, his widow. At first, Philip holds Rachel in deep antipathy. He received letters from Ambrose pointing to foul play, but as he learns more about the circumstances of Ambrose's death, the situation becomes murkier. When Rachel arrives on Philip's estate, she proves to be nothing like he expected. As her visit lengthens, he finds himself growing more and more fond of her. Is she the grieving, loving widow she appears -- or does she have her own secrets lurking below the surface?

This is a fascinating study, all the more so for the ambiguity of the characters. I found that the pacing lagged in spots, but all in all, I enjoyed reading and coming to my own conclusions about Rachel's guilt or innocence. While it doesn't live up to this author's best-known work (Rebecca), still an interesting read for those who enjoy the gothic.

Belated congratulations on your wedding. You and John both look so happy and I'm delighted for you. ❤️

Congrats to you and your chainsaw husband!

>90 MickyFine: and >91 scaifea: Thank you!

(112 books read)



Rainbow Garden by Patricia St. John -- 11-year-old Elaine is sent from London to the countryside while her mother takes a job in Europe. At first, Elaine resents her situation, especially being foisted off on a boisterous family with six other children who don't seem to want her there, but then she finds an abandoned garden that she decides to make into her own special place.

If this sounds a bit like a cut-rate Secret Garden, you're not entirely wrong, though the garden is only really important in the first half of the story. The main plot centers on Elaine's discovery of Christianity and the development of her newfound faith. It's all terribly earnest, as is typical of mid-century religious writing for children, though there's some adventure by way of a mountain holiday and a desperate robber toward the end of the book. I can see this book finding a place in a church library. My edition says it's been revised with more modern language, but I'm not familiar with the original, so I can't tell you what's been changed.

(113 books read)



Arcady's Goal by Eugene Yelchin -- In the Soviet Union, 12-year-old Arcady has spent his life in orphanages where children of "Enemies of the People" are sent. The only thing Arcady has going for him is his skill at soccer -- in a one-on-one match, he can beat any other boy at the orphanage, even the oldest ones. When the director has him play for the inspectors on their routine visit, he catches the eye of one man, who adopts him and takes him home. Arcady is deeply suspicious of this development. Is this man a soccer coach who has scouted him out? Or does he have some other motive?

This is a quick read, with lots of illustrations by the author. Despite that, I think its best audience might be adults who enjoy reading books for children, who might have a greater understanding of the context and the complicated emotions Arcady is going through as he struggles to comprehend kindness and empathy. Not to say that kids can't or won't enjoy this, and Yelchin includes a very helpful author's note for those wishing to learn more.

>78 foggidawn: What a wonderful picture! Congrats :)

>78 foggidawn: Congratulations both of you! Love your huge smiles.

>80 fuzzi: (omg)

>95 figsfromthistle: and >96 humouress: Thanks, both of you!

>78 foggidawn: Congratulations on your marriage. What a lovely couple you are. My coffee cup is sitting on a very faded coaster featuring a picture of Ash Cave from back in my daughter's post-grad days at OU in Athens. Best of life to both of you!

(114 books read)



Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff -- Annabelle expects sixth grade at her small private school to be more of the same, but making a new friend and discovering secrets about her family's past shakes up everything she thought she knew about herself -- not to mention the things she had just started to wonder about.

This book deals with gender identity in a straightforward way, and will be helpful to kids who are exploring the topic for the first time -- especially if, like Annabelle, they feel a little overwhelmed at the new vocabulary and wealth of information they might be facing. This book lacks the literary heft of Lukoff's Too Bright to See, but it's well-written and timely.

>98 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks!

Just stopping by to add my congratulations!

Hello, foggi, and CONGRATULATIONS on your lovely wedding! Your retreat to your cabin afterward sounds just lovely. Probably just what you needed after all of the bustle and preparation. You look beautiful!

After your comments on >25 foggidawn: Bernadette I'm glad I read it rather than listen. She did seem very precocious, but the super young voice would have put me off. I never did get into the Flavia deLuce books because of the voice on my audiobook attempt.

>50 foggidawn: you got me with Book Lovers.

>99 foggidawn: I had already added Different Kinds of Fruit to my order list.

>101 kgodey: Thanks!

>102 AMQS: Thank you! Yes, the cabin retreat was just right. I also stalled out early on the Flavia series -- can't remember if I tried them on audio or not. I think I would enjoy them if I were to give them another shot.

(115 books read)



The Huntress by Kate Quinn -- Ian Graham was a war correspondent during World War II, and ever since then he has turned his investigative eye towards hunting down Nazis and bringing them to justice. One woman, known as the Huntress, committed unspeakable war crimes. The search for her is personal to Ian, but the trail has gone cold. Nina, a former pilot in the Red Army, also has a score to settle with the Huntress, and she's not so concerned with following the correct legal channels as Ian is. Can they work together to track down a criminal? Meanwhile, in Boston, Jordan McBride's father is marrying a soft-spoken German widow who seems perfect for him . . . but Jordan's photographer's eye catches a few unsettling details that make her wonder who, exactly, her father is bringing into their family.

This is my third book by Quinn in the past month, and I'm really enjoying her work. Great characters, fast-paced plots, and attention to historical detail make for gripping reads. Historical fiction fans, take notice!

(116 books read)



The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn -- A fictionalized biography of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a Russian sharpshooter who killed more than 300 Nazis during World War II, then traveled to America on a goodwill tour and befriended none other than First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

I didn't enjoy this quite as much as Quinn's other works; I found that it dragged a bit in the second half, when she is touring around America and making speeches. I think this might be one of the drawbacks of writing about a real person -- you're constrained by their actual movements and actions, to some extent. However, it's a well-written book about an historical figure I had never heard of. Readers of historical fiction, especially those looking for stories about WWII women, will do well to take notice of this one.

Enjoying your Kate Quinn splurge, Foggi. I must go and read something of hers sometime soon.

>105 foggidawn: The Rose Code has been my favorite of hers so far. Hope you enjoy her writing when you get to it!

(117 books read)



A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser -- When June's family is evicted from their apartment, they find themselves at Huey House, a family homeless shelter in New York City. Though there are lots of strict rules and it's a long ride to their school every day, June and her younger sister Maybelle eventually start to make friends with the other kids at the shelter, particularly Tyrell, a fallow music lover, who has been in residence there for over three years. But when city-wide housing policies threaten changes for the residents of Huey House, can June and her friends find a way to stand up for themselves and make their voices heard?

This is a very New York-centric story -- which is not a positive or a negative, it just is. I really empathized with the characters, so much so that I felt low-key anxious the whole way through, mostly about the possibility of June's viola being confiscated (there's a no-instruments rule at the shelter) or that something would happen to Maybelle's favorite dog at the animal shelter before she could visit it again. I thought the ending was a little rosy-hued, but for a kids' book, that sort of hopefulness is warranted. This review doesn't sound as positive as I feel about the story in general. This is a good text for building empathy about kids experiencing homelessness in a big city, and I hope it finds a wide audience.

How goes getting your reading groove back now that you're past all the wedding planning and wedding having madness? :)

>109 MickyFine: It's . . . good, I think? I still haven't been much in the mood for fantasy, but I'm reading The Golden Enclaves right now and it's terrific, so maybe that will kick me back into that mode somewhat? (Or maybe I won't want to read any more fantasy for a while because nothing else will measure up? Only time will tell.) But I'm able to focus on reading now, and have at least a little free time in which to do it.

>110 foggidawn: I'm having a pretty good time reading Into the Broken Lands. I'm not quite going to rate it with Naomi Novik's latest, but it's been a solid fantasy 'quest of dubious value'.

>104 foggidawn: I read that one a long time ago and still am able to remember the plot. It was a good one.

>105 foggidawn: I agree. It was not the strongest of Quinn's but still quite readable.

Enjoy the weekend!

>110 foggidawn: Nice. My hold for The Golden Enclaves popped today so I'll be picking it up on my weekly library run after work. I'm excited. :)

>111 quondame: I'll have to look into that. I haven't read any by that author yet. Thanks!

>112 figsfromthistle: Thanks! Hope you have a good weekend, too.

>113 MickyFine: Yay! I finished it last night and need to write my review, but basically, it was great.

I have A Deadly Education on my shelves; looks like I should get to it soonest.

I have The Golden Enclaves, but have been waiting in favor of finishing up a couple of library books and my book club book. I'm hoping to get to it soon!

>115 humouress: Yes! Now is the perfect time to start it, because the whole trilogy is out, so you won't be too bothered by the cliffhangers that end the first two books.

>116 bell7: Hope you enjoy it as much as I did when you get to it!

>114 foggidawn: My favorite Tanya Huff is The Silvered, a werewolf adventure in a 19th century-ish milieu which goes in bizarrely charming odd directions. Oh, and the witches of The Enchantment Emporium are also fun.

>118 quondame: Ooh, intriguing! And my library has both of those.

(118 books read)



The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik -- Nobody talks about what they might do if they get out of the Scholomance. Now El's out -- even if things didn't go quite the way she expected. What will she do next?

In trying not to be spoilery, I find there's not much I can say in the way of summarizing this book. Obviously, don't read it until you've read the other two. (And if you haven't read the other two, now is the time to do so, as you can zip right through without suffering too much over the cliffhanger endings of the first two books!) I found this a satisfying conclusion -- maybe a little too tidy in spots, but hey, I loved that for these characters. I give this whole series a wholehearted recommendation.

(119 books read)



Lupe Wong Won't Dance by Donna Barba Higuera -- Lupe's dad once told her that when she was passionate about something, she should never settle for less. She's taken that advice to heart, especially since her dad died soon after that in a tragic accident. Her previous causes have included things like getting more race options on school forms for biracial kids like herself, but she may have just met her Waterloo: square dancing. Why should square dancing be part of the 7th grade PE curriculum? It's not even a sport! As Lupe's efforts to escape her square dancing nightmare intensify, she finds her social standing and even her closest friendships at risk. Is it worth it, or should she bow (and do-si-do) to the inevitable?

Lupe is a great, strong character, and the secondary characters (both adults and Lupe's classmates) are likewise well-drawn. I enjoyed Lupe's sometimes-misguided activism. Kids will enjoy the booger and fart jokes. Win-win!

(120 books read)



A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin -- Georgiana is never going to fit the mold of the perfect Regency miss -- she's too impulsive, and too fond of unladylike pursuits like scientific experimentation. When her parents dump her at Stranje House, a boarding school with a reputation for strictness that borders on cruelty, she fears that her life is over. However, as she gets to know the other girls, and the school's enigmatic headmistress, she learns that all is not as it seems. Can this school be the key to her finding a way to live life on her own terms?

I love the premise of this story, but it never came together for me. Part of it was the rushed timeline: no sooner did Georgie arrive at the school than she was immediately pressed into perfecting the invisible ink recipe that got her sent there (after an unfortunate explosion in her father's stables). Within days, she's off to avert war, and I never felt like we got a good feel for the school, nor was there time to develop relationships -- either the ones between the students, or the insta-love between Georgie and a young man conveniently on site. To top it off, the writing is very purple, downright florid in places. I could look past a little of that, given the nature of the book, but it felt over-the-top to me. This is the first book in a series, but I won't be going on with it.

>120 foggidawn: and >122 foggidawn: – I agree with your impressions of The Golden Enclaves and A School for Unusual Girls (which I read a few years ago). I'm looking forward to whatever Novik does next.

>123 kgodey: Oh, me too! She's certainly shown herself to be versatile in her writing!

>121 foggidawn: Funnily enough, I also have this on my library stack to read soon. Hoping to get to both The Golden Enclaves and that one before the end of the month, but we'll see how much dog walking keeps me busy (I'm sitting for four labs starting tomorrow).

>125 bell7: I can see how 4 labs would keep you busy! They're both quick reads, though, so maybe...

>120 foggidawn: Started it last night and enjoying it so far. I'll come back to read your review more closely when I'm done. :)

>124 foggidawn: Truly! I was recommending her books to a teacher friend of mine and was trying to stress that everything I've read by Novik has been wonderful but all the clumps are completely different, like it's almost unbelievable that they came from the same author. I appreciate that she keeps me on my toes while still always being excellent.

>127 MickyFine: Looking forward to your reaction when you finish the book!

>128 leahbird: "Clumps" -- that's exactly it. I agree!

(121 books read)



Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell -- This novel is based on William Shakespeare's family life, particularly, the death of his young son. The writing is lyrical and resonant, but I found this fairly short book to move slowly, possibly because the plot gets lost in the meandering metaphor now and again. I also felt like there were plot points that never paid off -- what was up with John's shady dealings with the wool? The kestrel seemed important early on, but then it just went away. I'm also not entirely sold on the ending. I enjoyed this book, but not quite as much as I expected to.

I keep wondering if you will change your last name now are married, and then I remember Dawn was not your real last name :)

>131 compskibook: LOL! No, I won't need to change my username! But the process of the name change in the real world involves a lot of steps, let me tell you. I'm somewhere in the confusing middle right now.

>132 foggidawn: Oh yes, name changing is a royal pain. Here on LT though I gave my husband my pseudonym last name, LOL.

>133 MickyFine: Aha! I knew it! ;0)

(Not stalkery at all, is it?)

Just chiming in that name changing is the absolute worst!! I might not have done it if I didn't like my husband's last name objectively better than my old one, lol. If you have TSA Pre-check I recommend starting the process to change your name there ASAP and following up regularly -- it took ten months for them to process my name change and I had to call and have them escalate my ticket three times. Everything else was annoying but much smoother.

>133 MickyFine: I noticed. ;-) I figure "John" is anonymous enough to preserve his privacy. Or "Chainsaw Husband."

>134 humouress: Creeper. :-p

>135 curioussquared: Yikes! I don't fly that frequently, so that's one hassle I don't have to deal with, I guess.

>136 foggidawn: *looks up people with surname 'Chainsaw Husband'*

>137 humouress: You're doing so great at this "internet stalker" thing! Keep going!

Sooo.... Googling "chainsaw husband" was interesting...

A bunch of news stories about husbands wielding said chainsaw, less but still surprisingly high number of wives wielding chainsaws, and one husband who used a chainsaw to comply with the divorce decree to "divide everything down the middle". I'm assuming none of these apply here... 😀

>139 drneutron: In Googling that, you're braver than I! The joke goes back to the first time I visited John's farm. We went for a walk around the fields, and he brought a chainsaw to clear some fallen trees and branches. I joked that maybe I shouldn't follow strange men with chainsaws into the woods, but it's worked out okay for me so far!

>139 drneutron: Looks like I've got competition ...

>136 foggidawn: Yup, I think John's anonymity is safe. :)

>141 humouress: You guys should team up. It would be epic!

>142 MickyFine: Indeed. :-)

Hello Mrs Dawn! A belated congratulations! Yes, changing my name was a pain. Good thing I plan on keeping it for the long term!

>144 The_Hibernator: Thanks! Yes, same here!

(122 books read)



The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff -- When Allie inherits her grandmother's junk shop in Calgary, she is between jobs and looking for a purpose, so she heads west to see if she can figure out what happened to her grandmother, who was eccentric even by family standards . . . and Allie doesn't come from any kind of normal family. She finds that things are happening in Calgary: dragons regularly fly over the city, the clientele of the junk shop are mostly fey in disguise, and a rogue sorcerer is setting up for something big on the horizon. Can Allie handle it, or will she have to call in the aunties?

This was good, fantastical fun. I felt like I had been thrown into the middle of the story without any explanation, though by the end it more or less made sense. So, I wouldn't recommend it to those who need lots of exposition early on when encountering new magic systems, or to those who are squicked out by lots of implied casual sex, some of it vaguely incestuous. I liked the characters, and I felt the plot moved pretty quickly, though I didn't rip through it as quickly as I might have expected to (I think that was just me, and not necessarily the fault of the book).

>146 foggidawn: I really enjoyed that one. The second in the series, not so much, but I was very happy with the third.

>147 quondame: I don't think I'll go on with the series right now. Thanks for the recommendation, though!

(123 books read)



Well Met by Jen DeLuca -- Emily wasn't really planning on being part of the cast at the local Ren Faire, but her niece wants to do it, and since Emily is there to help her sister and niece out after a traumatic car accident, she figures she doesn't have much of a choice. At least there will be hot guys in kilts running around. Unfortunately, there will also be Simon, the uptight Faire organizer who seems to have taken an instant dislike to Emily. What's his deal? Is he going to make participating in the Faire a summer-long nightmare?

This was a cute, fun story, and a quick read. I love the Ren Faire setting, and the hurdles that the couple had to cross to get their HEA seemed more believable than some I've read. If you enjoy a light romance, especially in a fun setting like this, give this book a try.

>149 foggidawn: I've had this on The List for a while so I'm pleased to see you enjoyed it. A thumbs up from Foggi is always a good indicator that I'm going to like something. :)

>150 MickyFine: Huh. I thought you were the one who recommended it to me! Anyhow, I'm pretty confident you will enjoy it.

Re: name changes, I know someone who recently went through a divorce and a name change back to her maiden name and found to her dismay that to get the Real ID she needed both her marriage certificate and divorce information to prove her actual name.

>149 foggidawn: That sounds fun!

>151 foggidawn: Maybe I used my amazing reader's advisory skills to recommend it without having read it? I have definitely done that to Mr. Fine several times, LOL.

>153 MickyFine: I may have just seen it while checking it in and thought it sounded good. Stranger things have happened!

>154 foggidawn: For me it's usually skimming through the fiction reviews in LJ or Booklist on my way to the nonfiction titles that gets me pretty regularly. :P

>155 MickyFine: I do a lot less of that in my current position, but as a trade-off, I do see the books as they come through.

(124 books read)



The Forever House by Veronica Henry -- Belinda Baxter is an estate agent who specializes in houses that have that certain something: houses that are welcoming, comforting, true homes. When Hunter's Moon, the Willoughby family estate, is ready to go on the market, she's the perfect person to handle the sale. Only, the house is going up for sale for tragic reasons, and even Belinda wishes that it could stay in the family...

The story alternates between Belinda in the present day, and Sally, who saved the house for the Willoughby family back in 1967, when she was employed there as a housekeeper. Both stories are engaging, though there's not a great deal of plot to be had in either. As with Henry's other books, it's all about atmosphere and character. This is an ideal comfort read, especially since it's set in the same town as Henry's How to Find Love in a Bookshop, so readers who enjoyed that story will come across some familiar characters and places. It can be read as a stand-alone just as easily, though. If you're looking for something sweet and gentle, this should fit the bill.

>156 foggidawn: That's also pretty fun. I get a bit of that since our library does central receiving for most material but working from home 50% of the time I don't get to wander past the carts of shiny new things as much as I used to.

>157 foggidawn: Well, that's a BB.

>158 MickyFine: Yeah, I do miss the carts of shiny new things.

(125 books read)



Well Played by Jen DeLuca -- Stacey stayed in her small town to help her mom through a medical rough patch, and now she feels a little stuck. She's living in the apartment over her parents' garage, working an unfulfilling job, and spending weekends either at a local hangout with friends or curled up at home with her cat. The thing she looks forward to most every year is the local Renaissance Faire. For the last two years, she's had a fling going on with a hot musician, but it's always been strictly no-strings-attached. During a slightly tipsy evening of post-faire letdown, she sends him a sentimental message. She's surprised when his response comes through, more tender (and articulate) than she would have expected from their in-person exchanges. It's almost like they're from an entirely different person...

I do enjoy a good Cyrano de Bergerac riff, so this was an easy "yes" from me. It does have a few issues, especially in how things are resolved. The pacing is a bit slow, and I never got a good sense of the male love interest as a character. However, fans of the first book will still find this one enjoyable for the familiar scenes and faces.

Hi Foggi! Hope that you're doing well! happy weekend. If you love Cyrano riffs, did you see the more recent one with Peter Dinklage?

>160 foggidawn: Oh, go on then. BB - if I can find the first one on Overdrive. *meanders off to search*

>161 The_Hibernator: Thanks! I did see that one. I thought the acting was great, but the music didn't really add much, for me. The production details were gorgeous, though.

>162 humouress: I read the first one on OverDrive, so fingers crossed that you can do so as well!

(126 books read)



Well Matched by Jen DeLuca -- April's not really the Renaissance Faire type, but she's become friends with a lot of Faire volunteers because her sister and her daughter are both involved. When Mitch, renowned for how good he looks in a kilt, asks her for a favor, she obliges -- if he'll help her fix up her house to put it on the market. Mitch needs a date to a family event, and he's hoping that bringing April as his "girlfriend" will get his relatives off his back for a while. But the line between a fake relationship and a real one can get blurry pretty fast...

So far in this series, we're had Enemies-to-Lovers, Mistaken Identity, and Fake Relationship, so it does seem like she's hitting all of the tropes, but I'm here for it. April and Mitch have great chemistry (translation: this one is a little steamier than the first two), and there is a fair bit of Ren Faire in the latter part of the book, despite April's resistance early on. An enjoyable continuation to the series.

(127 books read)



In the Hall with the Knife by Diana Peterfreund -- In this Clue homage, a group of students are trapped at a remote boarding school due to flooding. Their classmates headed home for the holidays, but then a major storm hit. Now they're trapped in the only dorm on high enough ground to avoid flooding . . . and Headmaster Boddy has just been found with a knife in his chest. While the janitor sets off to get police help, the students start worrying who might be next . . . and if there's anyone else in the house with them.

The book doesn't have the lightning wit of the 1985 film, and some of the color-based names are a stretch ("Mustard" as a nickname?). The writing is good and the characters mostly distinct. I found one plot point rather confusing, but that may have been intentional. While the main mystery is resolved by the end of the book, there are plenty of secrets hinted at or partially revealed that will probably play a role in later books in the series. I didn't love it enough to continue on, but it was a pleasant diversion.

>164 foggidawn: Fake Relationships is one of my favourite tropes. I'll look forward to this one.

>166 MickyFine: Oh, indeed. Especially since she incorporates that tried-and-true Fake Relationship scenario: "Oh no, there's only one bed!"

>167 foggidawn: The. Best. *heart eyes*

>168 MickyFine: I thought you'd appreciate that. ;-)

(128 books read)



The Vanderbeekers on the Road by Karina Yan Glaser -- The Vanderbeekers head from New York City to California on a surprise trip for their papa's birthday. Along the way, they'll see many interesting sights -- some on the official itinerary, some . . . not.

Another super fun entry in this delightful series. If you like realistic, heartfelt family stories, don't miss out on the Vanderbeekers.

A very belated congratulations on your wedding. Wishing you many happy years together.

>170 foggidawn: Gorgeous cover design on that one!

(129-130 books read)

 

Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder and Marion Lane and the Deadly Rose by T. A Willberg -- Marion Lane's dreary life changes forever when an old family friend extends a mysterious invitation. What appears to be a run-of-the-mill clerk's job at a dusty used bookstore is, instead, an apprenticeship into London's most successful (and most mysterious) private detective agency. Miss Brickett's Investigations & Inquiries is literally an underground operation, located in subterranean tunnels. They have engineers who are creating the most advanced technology in spycraft, and a series of letterboxes around the city where concerned citizens can drop off hints and requests. When a filing assistant is murdered one night, it's clearly an inside job -- and it may be up to Marion to figure out who the perpetrator is, in order to avoid a serious miscarriage of justice.

I picked this one up from the library shelves without knowing much about it, and was pleasantly surprised. It's not exactly fantasy (though the tech isn't fully explained, and some of it borders on the magical), but it has that fantasy feel of a person swept up from the humdrum into another, more exciting world that they didn't know existed. I think dedicated mystery readers might find the mystery part of the plot a little weak, but the book makes up for it with the details of setting and character.

(I included both the first book and the second here, as it seemed redundant to write separate reviews. Both are strong, and I look forward to future volumes in the series.)

>171 ffortsa: Thanks very much!

>172 MickyFine: Isn't it? That whole series has had lovely covers.

(131 books read)



Jennifer Chan is Not Alone by Tae Keller -- When Mallory's neighbor goes missing, Mallory is overwhelmed with guilt. Did Jennifer run away because of The Incident? Mallory and her friends may have been . . . not very nice to Jennifer. Mallory knows that Jennifer is obsessed with aliens, convinced that they are not only out there, but altruistic and seeking to make contact. Did she finally find a way to connect with the extraterrestrials? Or did something really bad happen to her? If Mallory can find out, maybe it will make up for some of the bad things that she has done.

There's a lot of good stuff going on here about peer pressure and bullying and whether people can change. The alien plotline is just ambiguous enough to keep readers wondering if maybe they really are the answer to Jennifer's disappearance. The author writes from her own experience of being bullied as a child, and later reaching out to her former bullies to see why they behaved the way they did. I thought that a few things were a little too tidy, and I also thought that some of Jennifer's diary entries were too polished to be entirely believable, but those are minor quibbles. Over all, I enjoyed this very much.

(132 books read)



{Redacted}

My thread has been much less mysterious lately, but I still have a few books from 2021 that are on my shelf to read. They're mostly books that were ineligible for the award for one reason or another, but I still don't feel that I should post about them here, just in case.

>173 foggidawn: Hmm, intriguing. Going on the mental maybe list.

>177 MickyFine: I think you might like it, based on other mysteries you've read, but it depends on how you feel about the whole "secret underground detective agency with James Bond-level tech" concept.

(133-134 books read)

 

Bitterblue and Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore -- I read these so I can read the newest entry in the series. They're excellent, of course. I thought I remembered the first two books in the series well enough, but I probably would have benefitted by rereading them, too.

>179 foggidawn: I still have to get ahold of Winterkeep as well as Seasparrow.

>180 humouress: I just got my copy yesterday. I'm excited that two came out in this series so close together after such a long break!

>181 foggidawn: My problem is that I like all the books in one series to have the same covers, and I have these: but I don't think the new books have the same illustrator. Such first world issues :0)

(135 books read)



Scattered Showers by Rainbow Rowell -- A collection of short pieces by Rainbow Rowell. These are mostly what you'd expect from Rowell: feel-good pieces with quirky romantic plotlines. I enjoyed all of them to some extent, though I'll confess to skimming the Simon Snow story because I'm not caught up with that series, so I don't know all of the characters and their circumstances. The first story was one I'd read already, as it's included in another collection, but the rest were new to me, though I see several of them had previously come out as Amazon Originals. So, if you follow the author closely, you may have read about half of these -- but if you follow the author that closely, you will still want to get your hands on this book, as there's plenty of new material to delight you.

>183 foggidawn: I put this on my Christmas wishlist so I probably won't get to this until next year (if it's not under the tree, I'll buy it for myself 😊) but I'm pleased to hear you enjoyed it. I think I'm most excited for the Attachments short story.

>182 humouress: Oh, that is irritating. They've changed the US cover illustrations, but they still kind of fit with the older ones, so it doesn't bother me as much with this series as with some.

>184 MickyFine: The Attachments short story was great, as was the one featuring Reagan from Fangirl. I think my favorite in the book may have been the last one, though, which was not related to any of her other ones.

>185 foggidawn: I think I'll survive - just barely.

Are you trying for double 75 this year? Good luck.

>187 humouress: I was thinking if I hit 125 I would be pleased (and I am), so I guess 75x2 is my stretch goal!

Hi foggi! I did love the Chainsaw Boyfriend name and love Chainsaw Husband just as much. Does John know we call him that?

Some great reads here. I hadn't realized there was another Vanderbeeker book out, and it looks like she's written another with A Duet for Home. I haven't read any of the Naomi Novik school/academy books yet, but Marina has the first two and I've been meaning to get to them. I also hadn't realized there was another Graceling book out. I never did get around to Bitterblue, though it's around here somewhere.

>189 AMQS: I suspect if John knows about our moniker for him he probably appreciates the humor.

>189 AMQS: Lots to look forward to in terms of reading, then!

>190 fuzzi: I don't think I've told him about it, but I do think he would appreciate the humor!

(136 books read)



Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore -- Hava, Queen Bitterblue's spy, has learned many secrets in the service of the queen -- not to mention the many secrets of her own that she holds deep within herself. Now, on the sea voyage back to Monsea from Winterkeep, she's discovered another secret that the ship's first mate is keeping -- one that she can't abide, after a childhood in Leck's court. When the voyage takes an unexpected turn, it may be Hava's responsibility to get all of these secrets safely home to Monsea.

I enjoyed reading this book, but the plot and pacing could be a big turnoff for some readers. I felt that the first two thirds of the book dragged and could have been tightened up without hurting the narrative. The last third of the book felt rushed in comparison. The characterization is excellent; Hava is a strong, complicated, and often unlikeable character, which seems entirely realistic when you consider the trauma she has experienced. Reading Bitterblue, Winterkeep, and Seasparrow in close succession, I can definitely feel a difference in tone between the original trilogy and the latter two additions to the series. That's not a bad thing or a good thing, per se, it's just something that I noticed. At any rate, it's an enjoyable return to the world Cashore has created, so I think most fans of the series will be forgiving of its flaws. It might be readable as a standalone, but I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series. However, if it's been a while since you read the earlier books, I think the author gives enough of a recap in the first few chapters that you will not feel lost.

>192 foggidawn: I always liked Katsa and Po and I subconsciously hoped that Cashore would return to them. But I suppose she's thrown everything at them and they've survived so they've got to a good place and their story is told. So, since there is a difference from the original trilogy, I can live with different covers :0)

Thank you as always for books, thank you for this group and thanks for you. Have a lovely day, Foggi.

>193 humouress: Yes, that's a good way to look at it.

>194 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

(137 books read)



Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths -- Detective Harbinder Kaur has just moved to London. She's now a Detective Inspector, and head of a murder squad. When her first case turns out to be the death of a prominent politician at his high school reunion, little does she expect that a member of her team will be closely involved in the case.

This was as enjoyable as the other mysteries in this series. I wasn't sure that I would enjoy the London setting as much, but that wasn't an issue. I did feel that the halfhearted attempt to pull in her old friends from the last book in the epilogue wasn't particularly successful, but perhaps if I had just read that book and was still feeling more of an emotional attachment to them, I would have liked it better. All in all, a fun read. I think this could be read as a stand-alone, due to the change of setting.

(138 books read)



A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone -- Bee is an adult film star trying to break into the world of mainstream film by starring in a squeaky-clean Christmas movie. Nolan is a former pop star who's trying to break away from his bad-boy image and earn some much-needed cash, as his earnings from his boy band career are long gone. Both of them have strict instructions from their managers to avoid even the appearance of romantic entanglements while on set -- but when they meet, the sparks fly immediately. Nolan was Bee's teen crush, and Bee is Nolan's secret fantasy. Can they keep it clean (or at least secret) for the time it takes to film the movie?

This is pretty steamy, as you might expect given Bee's career -- steamier than my usual reads, but I've enjoyed Murphy's other books, and romances with a plus-size female lead always pique my interest. It was a fun seasonal diversion, with an interesting setting and premise. I didn't entirely buy into the romance, but others may feel differently.

(139 books read)



{Redacted}

Another mysterious 2021 book. I'm trying to do a little shelf-clearing here at the end of the year.

>197 foggidawn: Thanks for reviewing this one. I've been on the fence as I assumed the steam level would be a bit much for me. Your lack of enthusiasm has me thinking I'll continue to refrain from adding it to The List.

(140 books read)



Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas -- When Bree and her dad move from New York City to Florida, Bree is anxious about many things, but she didn't realize that swimming was going to be one of them. When she gets placed in the swimming elective, she has to face her fear of the water. As it turns out, she has a natural talent, and lands a place on the swim team. There, she makes new friends. But it's not all smooth waters ahead for Bree and the team...

I really like the illustration style in this graphic novel: strong, clean lines that make the story easy to parse. Loved the story, too, which took me back to my own swim team days. The relationships were strong, and there were definitely funny moments as well as serious. I would question how quickly Bree went from not being able to swim, to beating experienced swimmers in races, but that's a small quibble. Young readers looking for graphic novels with female protagonists will be sure to enjoy this one.

>199 MickyFine: Probably a safe bet.

>56 foggidawn: Sorry to be behind on your thread. I agree with you regarding The Dutch House. I very much like the writings of Ann Patchett by the rambling of this book made me stop reading it.

>202 Whisper1: I'm glad to see you visiting whenever you feel up to it, Linda! Yes, I think I kept with it partly because of Tom Hanks' narration of the audiobook. I'm not sure if I would have stuck with it otherwise.

(141 books read)



The Story of Owen, Dragon Slayer of Trondheim by E.K. Johnston -- In an alternate version of our modern world, carbon-eating dragons terrorize the world's cities and industrial areas. Even in places like Trondheim, a small Canadian town, dragons are a problem, especially because professional dragon slayers aren't likely to live in the country when they can get more lucrative contracts from large companies. When Lottie Thorskard, one of Canada's most famous dragon slayers, retires to Trondheim with her family after and injury, the town rejoices, because Lottie's brother and nephew are both in the business. But with dragon attacks on the rise, even having a local dragon slayer may not be enough. This story is from the perspective of Siobhan McQuaid, who meets Lottie's nephew Owen on the first day of 11th grade. They become friends, and eventually she agrees to become his bard, telling tales and composing songs of his legendary feats of daring.

I liked the premise of this book well enough, but I must admit that I found it a slow read. I also had trouble believing in what they were trying to do as far as societal change. I felt like the disconnect between functional, supportive parents also being parents who would allow their child to go off and hunt dragons never allowed me to fully believe in those characters. I found the book more cerebral than engaging, when I would have liked it to be both.

(142 books read)



Cress Watercress by Gregory Maguire -- When Cress's father disappears, she, her mother, and her little brother must leave their cozy burrow by the stream and venture out to find new housing at the Broken Arms, an apartment tree overseen by a crusty owl landlord. There are no other bunnies in Cress's new neighborhood, but she makes friends with some squirrels upstairs, and gets to know her new neighborhood in a series of adventures, all while coming to terms with her new life and the changes she has been through, and is still going through.

This is a sweet, gentle read, for though there are dangers (Mr. Reynard the fox, a snake known as The Final Drainpipe) and sadness, Cress's world is mostly a safe and cozy one. This gives her room to deal with her grief over her papa, as well as her desire for a little more freedom as she grows up. I occasionally found myself questioning the workings of Maguire's animal world, as the animals still behave like animals in many ways, they also have some of the trappings of human habitation, like rugs and furniture. The rabbits eat the grass for breakfast, but apparently Mama occasionally bakes cheese popovers, too. It mostly works, and young readers are unlikely to let it bother them, since the story is engaging and the pacing strong. Recommended as a family read-aloud, or for independent readers who have just mastered chapter books and enjoy cozy animal stories.

>205 foggidawn: That sounds so cute!

>205 foggidawn: I liked that book, gave it three stars.

>206 MickyFine: It is cute, but the grief angle adds some depth. I wasn't sure what to expect from Maguire, since his adult fantasy often goes to some really dark places.

>207 fuzzi: Glad you liked it! It's interesting how people's star ratings vary in meaning -- for me, 3 stars means it was just barely okay. :-)

(143 books read)



A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson -- Harriet Morton, raised by a strict father and parsimonious aunt, has only one joy left: her weekly dancing lessons. When a friend of her ballet instructor offers her a place in a touring troupe, Harriet longs to accept, but of course, her family absolutely forbids it. When Harriet runs away, she is transported into the world of dance, set against the lush backdrop of South America. While performing at the Manaus Opera House, she meets Rom Verney, an English expatriate and patron of the arts, and is drawn to him immediately. The two are overwhelmed with love for each other, but Harriet always knows that it will end -- after all, that's what happens to ballet dancers with wealthy lovers...

This is an old comfort read for me. I really enjoy the characters Ibbotson writes, and the scenarios she puts them in (there's a certain cake scene that's not to be missed). This book does make use of the "if they would only talk to each other" trope, but it does it in a self-deprecating way, with the characters acknowledging that it's a thing. This isn't my favorite of Ibbotson's romances, but it's still a highly enjoyable read.

>209 foggidawn: Yay for a satisfying comfort re-read.

How are your holiday plans shaping up? First married Christmas! :D

>205 foggidawn: Hmm I have an ARC of that around here somewhere, I should probably read it lol

>210 MickyFine: John and I are going to my parents' for a few days, then we're coming back to our own house. We both have vacation the week after Christmas. We'll probably go visit some of his cousins who will be in town that week, and other than that, we'll relax and maybe do some projects around the house. (I have purchased supplies to take down the wallpaper borders from the late 1900s that currently decorate the kitchen and bathroom. I'd like to paint the bathroom, but I have some other repairs/updates that I want to do in there, so painting may have to wait.)

>211 norabelle414: I don't like to talk about the ARCs that I have, some many years past the book's publication date, on my shelves!

>208 foggidawn: three stars is good, but not necessarily worth a reread. Three and 1/2 are worth keeping, rereading.

>213 fuzzi: For me, three is okay, three and a half is pretty good, four is solidly good, four and a half is great, and five is excellent. I'm glad LT allows for half-star ratings!

>214 foggidawn: me too!

Sometimes it's tough enough choosing between them as it is.

>215 fuzzi: Exactly.

(144 books read)



The Reluctant Heiress (previously published as Magic Flutes) by Eva Ibbotson -- Self-made millionaire Guy Farnes purchases an Austrian castle for his fiancée. The current owner, a princess named Tessa, is working as assistant wardrobe mistress and general errand girl to a nearly-bankrupt opera company in Vienna. When Guy hires the opera company to perform at his engagement banquet, hijinks ensue.

This is one of Ibbotson's most charming romances. The characters are delightful, the plot moves apace, the setting is lovely. The romance itself is a bit secondary to these other aspects, but all in all, this is a sweet, fun read.

>217 foggidawn: Ooh, I have this on my shelf and may need to get to it soon!

>218 curioussquared: If you're looking for something light and soothing, this is just the ticket.

(145 books read)



A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday -- Leo's cab is technically off-duty, since he's driving his little sister home from school, but the lady on the curb seems desperate. When it turns out that the lady is a princess whose car service failed to turn up before a key meeting, he gets her where she needs to go, and in return, she hires him to be her driver for the weekend. The money she offers him will be a godsend: since their parents' death, Leo has been raising his little sister while working multiple jobs just to get by. What he doesn't expect is to strike up a friendship with Princess Marie, who then invites Leo and Gabby back to her country for Christmas. Leo feels out of place at the palace in Eldovia, but he can't deny certain other feelings, as well. There's no way a princess would be allowed to have a serious relationship with a New York City cab driver -- but maybe their relationship doesn't have to be all that serious?

It's like a Hallmark movie, but spicier. If you're looking for a fun holiday romance, this is one -- and it's the start of a series, to boot. I probably won't read on right away, but I'll file this author away in my mind as a future source for holiday-themed fluff.

Hi Foggi! >220 foggidawn: I listened to the second in this series earlier this year, and thought it was much better than the first. I checked to see who would feature in the third book, and will definitely have to read it at some point to find out what happens. Also, you are making me want to read and reread Eva Ibbotson!

>221 aktakukac: I'll keep that in mind! And yes, I'm very much enjoying my Ibbotson reread. I requested a book of her short stories from the library, which will be new to me, so I'm looking forward to that.

>220 foggidawn: I'll have to keep this in mind for next year (I think my current nightstand stack will carry me through the holiday season). While I love Hallmark holiday movies, if they're based on a book, I often find the source material... clunky. I know if you liked it the writing will be good.

>217 foggidawn: Could be a BB; let me see if it's on Overdrive. I've read two or three of Ibbotson's children's books and was impressed enough to buy some for my shelves. I didn't realise she also wrote for older readers.

ETA: no luck ☹️

>223 MickyFine: Thanks!

>224 humouress: Ibbotson wrote a lot of fantasy for kids, as well as some straight historical fiction (The Star of Kazan, Journey to the River Sea, etc.). Her adult fiction is very similar to the historical fiction in tone, just with romantic elements and slightly older main characters. I've read some of her juvenile fantasy, but have never felt the urge to read every single thing she's written along those lines. Sorry you can't get it on OverDrive! Maybe you'll come across it some other time.

>179 foggidawn: Is that a teen book? I'm looking for more middle school / teen books for D13 to read. She's currently reading Keepers of the Lost Cities, which I said I'd try to catch up with her on (though she gets through books a lot faster than I do, having more time). But she's almost done with the series and I don't know where to go from there.

>226 The_Hibernator: Yes, the Graceling series is teen. There are definite mentions/indications that characters are having sexual relationships, but nothing graphic -- you'll know best what she's ready for in terms of reading about that sort of thing. It's definitely written a little older than Keeper of the Lost Cities. Has she read the Artemis Fowl series? I'd also recommend the Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend, the Unwanteds series by Lisa McMann, and maybe The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani. She's probably already discovered Rick Riordan's books, but if not, that's a lot of good chunky books to keep her busy for a while.

She's suuuuper picky to the point of being a bit annoying, I'm afraid. She's really hard to buy for. She doesn't mind sex, and for some reason loves swearing.

She didn't finish School for Good and and Evil. I'm not sure what her problem with it was. Unwanteds is a good thought. I've never heard of Nevermoor. Thanks for the suggestion.

>226 The_Hibernator: I haven't read Keepers of the Lost Cities but I get the feeling it's aimed squarely at kids. It reminds me that I just read Keeper of the Mists by Rachel Neumeier which I really liked and has young protagonists. No swearing, though ;0) - why are kids so attracted to that? Mine seem to find it on Tik Tok 🙄

>220 foggidawn: Adding this to the wishlist, thanks for the recommendation. I love a festive romance read.

>228 The_Hibernator: The Graceling series might be a good fit, then.

>229 humouress: Keeper of the Mist sounds interesting -- I will have to add it to the list.

>230 charl08: Yes, there's just something about a Christmas romance, isn't there?

(146 books read)



The Morning Gift by Eva Ibbotson -- When Quin Somerville discovers Ruth Berger, daughter of an old friend, stranded in Vienna days after the Anschluss, there's only one way he can find to get her out: as his wife. He promises to start working toward a divorce or annulment immediately, so Ruth can go ahead with her plan to marry Heini, her childhood sweetheart. However, circumstances conspire to throw them together, and eventually, they begin to wonder if the marriage needs to be dissolved, after all...

This book is a mixed bag, for me. The characters are on point, especially the refugee community in London where Ruth's family ends up. They're all adorable. And Ruth's university friends are likewise charming. The romance kind of stutters along, and then the last eighth of the book is melodrama that could easily have been avoided if the characters had talked to each other instead of jumping to conclusions. As in most of these romances, Ibbotson pairs an ingenue with an experienced older man, which can start to feel a little icky, especially in this case, where he knew her briefly as a child. I actually like this book a little better than A Company of Swans, but it's not among my favorites. Read it for the characterization, and for Ibbotson's writing, which continues to delight.

(147 books read)



A Song for Summer by Eva Ibbotson -- Ellen's suffragette mother and aunts hope that she will be a brilliant scholar or a rising star in some field, but to their horror, what she really wants to do is keep house. When she takes a position as a house-mother for an experimental school in southern Austria, she finds herself charmed by the somewhat feral children and the hapless staff -- and then she meets Marek, the groundskeeper. There's more to him than first meets the eye, and he's in Austria for some very specific reasons -- one of which is smuggling people out of the country as Hitler's influence spreads across Europe. With war looming, what will become of the school -- and of Marek and Ellen's budding romance?

More delightful writing, quirky characters, and a fun setting from Ibbotson. This is one of my top three of her romances, for although it shares many of the predictable elements of other books, it feels fresh to me. Who wouldn't love Marek's habit of defenestrating Nazis, for instance? And while I do find parts of the ending frustrating, it's notable that the lovers aren't kept apart by a mere miscommunication. All in all, a satisfying light read.

>232 foggidawn: this book keeps popping up every time I type in a favorite of mine with the same title, The Morning Gift by Diana Norman.

>234 fuzzi: That one looks interesting, too!

>235 foggidawn: oh, it's good. I gave it 4 stars.

>236 fuzzi: Perhaps I will track it down one of these days.

(148 books read)



The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk -- Beatrice Clayborn is of marriageable age, and her family's future hangs on her finding a wealthy husband. However, Beatrice doesn't want to marry, as marriage would mean giving up magic. Beatrice has been illicitly studying magic for years, and she's ready to take the next step -- but doing so would mean becoming a spinster. She's fine with this -- until she meets Ianthe Lavan, the most eligible bachelor in town, who finds her singular and fascinating. She also meets Ianthe's sister Ysbeta, who shares Beatrice's disdain for marriage, and who is also determined to dedicate her life to magic. As Beatrice's feelings for Ianthe grow stronger, she begins to wonder if marriage to him might be worth turning her back on her full magical potential. She can't live without magic -- but more and more, she begins to feel that she can't live without Ianthe. No matter what she chooses, it's going to break her heart.

I do like a good fantasy of manners occasionally, and this one pressed a lot of the right buttons for me. The characters are solid, the magic system well-described, the romance works for me. I thought the dialogue was particularly skillful. The message was heavy-handed in spots, and I found the pacing just a little off, but that may have been more about my mood than about the book. I'll look for more by this author in future.

>238 foggidawn: Hmm, your review is giving me Shades of Milk and Honey vibes. Similar appeal?

>239 MickyFine: Similar, yes, but I liked SoMaH better.

>240 foggidawn: That's good to know. Thanks!

>238 foggidawn: This one has been on my list for a while. Glad you enjoyed it overall!

>241 MickyFine: You're welcome! I need to get back to that series -- I think I stopped after the third book and never picked it back up.

>242 curioussquared: Hope you enjoy it too, when you get to it!

>243 foggidawn: I just have the last book left and have checked it out a couple times this year but still haven't managed to read it.

Hi Foggi! Hope you are doing well. D13 is still reading Keepers of the Lost Cities series, so I haven't been able to introduce anything new. But hopefully soon.

Happiest Holiday wishes for your first in your new home!

Malaysia's branch of the 75er's wishes you and yours a happy holiday season.

>244 MickyFine: I have that problem with the series. I know they’ll be pleasant reads, but there’s no sense of urgency.

>245 The_Hibernator: I’m glad she’s reading something she likes.

>246 quondame: and >247 PaulCranswick: and >248 Berly: Thanks for the holiday wishes!

I hope that all of my visitors who celebrate Christmas are having a lovely one. Mine was delightful; we visited my parents and I got to see my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew. Our return home was marred somewhat by a burst pipe that brought down part of the kitchen ceiling. John’s dad, who was coming by to feed the chickens, discovered the mess and got the water turned off. He and John’s mom got started on the cleanup, earning them the In-laws of the Year award. John sent a text to the plumber who had worked on the house in the past, and he was able to come by that day and fix the pipe. Plumber of the Year award? But the cabinets absorbed a lot of water, so we are going to be remodeling the kitchen over the next few months. Right now we’re still working on getting everything to dry out. Fortunately, we’re both on vacation this week, and I was planning on spending it doing some project around the house!

I finished a few books since I last posted. I’ll try to get reviews up later today.

Oh I'm so sorry to hear about the burst pipe. Such a stressful way to end the year. Hopefully the renos aren't too disruptive.

>249 foggidawn: Yikes, that's a nightmare! Glad you had in-laws and plumber of the year to help, at least. Good luck with the remodel! I always find them equal parts exciting and stressful.

(149 books read)



Christmas by the Book by Anne Marie Ryan — Struggling bookshop owners decide to randomly give away six Christmas books to community members who are having a hard time. Each book goes to just the person who needs it most — but in the meantime, will the bookshop be saved, or is this their last Christmas?

A pleasant enough seasonal read, but I found it way too pat and tidy. If you’re looking for a Christmassy read all wrapped up and tied with a bow, here you go!

(150 books read)



A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens — our annual family reread. Christmas wouldn’t be the same without it!

(151 books read)



A Glove Shop in Vienna & Other Stories by Eva Ibbotson — A collection of short stories, mostly about love triumphing over everything. There’s delightful writing and humor throughout, as well as many elements present in her full-length romance novels. Recommended for fans of the author.

(152 books read)



The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware — Aspiring travel journalist Lo Blacklock is pleased that her magazine is sending her on a luxury cruise on the North Sea, but personal events just beforehand (a burglary and an argument with her boyfriend) leave her feeling anxious and unsettled. The first night of the cruise, she hears a scream and a splash from the cabin next door, but the ship’s security officer shows her that the cabin is vacant. Who, then, was the woman Lo borrowed mascara from earlier that evening — and is that woman still alive? Someone doesn’t like the questions Lo starts asking…

A gripping read, twisty and compelling. I felt like I should have seen the solution coming, but I was just taken along for the ride. This is the second book I’ve read by this author; it won’t be the last.

>250 MickyFine: and >251 curioussquared: Thanks for commiserating! Yes, I wanted a kitchen remodel, but not necessarily like this.

(153 books read)



Just Harriet by Elana K. Arnold — When her mom is put on bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy, Harriet is sent to spend the summer at her grandmother’s bed and breakfast. Though stroppy about the change in plans at first, she soon becomes interested in exploring her surroundings, and finding the keyhole that fits the mysterious key she uncovers.

Meh, I was not in the mood for this kid today. She’s realistically flawed, but I was just not there for the compulsive lying. The pacing also seemed off; draggy at first and then rushed at the end. Actual kids might like this more than I did.

>249 foggidawn: Condolences on the major disruption! Kitchen renovations are reputed to be the worst. And winter won't help, what with moving everything outside under a pavilion not being an option. Best wishes for all the luck you didn't have before!

I'm sorry to hear about the burst pipe, that sounds like a real pain!

>249 foggidawn: an available plumber is a good thing!

Sorry about the kitchen damage.

>258 quondame: Yeah, it’s not going to be fun. I bought some plastic shelving units that are currently in the dining room, holding all of the stuff from the damaged cabinets (thinking that we can use the shelves in the basement after this), but when we have to empty all of the cabinets, that’s going to be the pits.

>259 kgodey: Thanks — it’s not the Christmas surprise that everyone dreams about, that’s for sure! But I have at least two facebook friends who had the same thing happen to some extent.

>260 fuzzi: The plumber was definitely our favorite person that day. I gave him a quart of maple syrup before he left.

Dang! So sorry that happened but hurray for the in-laws and the plumber. And congrats on #153! The Woman in Cabin 10 sounds like a fun read. WLed. : )

(154 books read)



A Gathering of Days by Joan W. Blos — Catherine’s 14th year, growing up on a New England farm, is certainly an eventful one. There’s the stranger in the woods, her widowed father’s unexpected romance, both comedy and tragedy, and then an unexpected opportunity.

The author makes the unusual decision to spoil all of the events of the book in the preface (a letter to the diarist’s great-granddaughter), but the story retains its pathos for all that. Readers who enjoy historical books like Caddie Woodlawn and Rebecca of Sunny Brook Farm are the ideal audience here.

>262 Berly: You snuck your post in while I was writing the above review! Yes, I really enjoyed The Woman in Cabin 10 — hope you do, too.

LOL. Glad you saw me!

That’s a wrap on 2022! I’m about to head to bed; no midnight celebrations for me this year. Tomorrow afternoon I’ll have some fun setting up my thread in the new group, doing the book meme, picking my favorite reads of 2022, and all that.

Happy new year, friends!

>253 foggidawn: Belated congratulations on reaching 2 x 75!

>261 foggidawn: nice tip for the plumber!

They do earn their pay.

>267 FAMeulstee: Thanks!

>268 fuzzi: No kidding!

Okay, I've finished setting up my 2023 Thread!
Even if you've already visited, you might circle back around for the Annual Book Meme, a list of my 2022 favorites, and a cute picture of Lottie!

>263 foggidawn: ow ow ow.

>270 fuzzi: Yeah, I can see you enjoying that one!