Mini-Review Roundup

 

  Mini-Review Roundup

Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser

Honestly, this was kind of a letdown. It's not that there's anything wrong with it, but I guess my expectations were too high. I had the sense that this was THE Marie Antoinette book. Unfortunately for me, I've already read Juliet Grey's fiction series and Caroline Weber's non-fiction Queen of Fashion and I prefer both of those. 

To me, Juliet Grey's series has all of the historical facts of Antonia Fraser's offering (I imagine she used AF's book as a major source-- it feels very much like "copy, paste, add humanity"), but also all of the heart, soul, and caring for the "characters" that Antonia Fraser's book lacks. Juliet Grey's series made the people come alive. I felt for the people in ways that I just didn't when reading AF's book. 

But Juliet Grey's series is fiction, you may say. Of course I'm going to feel for the characters more there, you may say. This is an unfair comparison, you may say. Yes, yes, except Caroline Weber's non-fiction book absolutely captured my heart and emotions. I was sobbing when reading the final years of MA's life, I felt for her as she wiled away her youth to distract herself from her childless and passionless marriage. I was emotionally invested in it all. Antonia Fraser's book just lacked this connection for me, and even though by this point I know enough about the story to fill in all of the emotional bits, AF's writing was just too distant and too plodding and too surface to leap off the page even with this knowledge. 

It wasn't bad by any stretch. If I had read it first, I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more. The facts are there. The writing isn't dry. The history is presented in a way that is easy to follow. It just...lacks the heart I want and have found elsewhere.

 

Victorian Fashion Accessories by Ariel Beaujot 

 

I picked this up on a whim because I was participating in a Victorian theme week and the conversation there sparked my interest in Victorian fashion. I enjoy seeing how fashion is influenced by and influences history (see Caroline Weber's excellent book Queen of Fashion) and Ariel Beaujot did a nice job explaining that interplay here. She focuses not on Victorian fashion overall, but on a few key items such as fans, umbrellas, gloves, etc. 

For those less interested in non-fiction and not terribly familiar with the Victorian era, this might be a little dry and disjointed. It did have that "dissertation" vibe to it. I also don't necessarily agree with all of her conclusions and I do question how factual some of her facts are (it's a little bit of a stretch to make the claims on, for example, umbrellas that she made). So, perhaps not for everyone. 

For me, I didn't mind these things. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I spent a lot of time looking up facts (that were true) and delving more deeply into the history through Internet searches. It was fun. It also taught me a lot of the "why" and the story behind a number of items that are antique store staples that I've seen a lot but didn't fully understand (like celluloid vanity sets). This was neat. It's a short read and one I considered well worth my time.

Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

 

Well, this was...not what I was expecting. Did I like it? Yeah. I think. Yes. Mostly. 

I think this might have been, in part, a case of misplaced expectations. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting, but it was not what I got. Here's what I would have told myself to expect if I could go back in time: 

The atmosphere is dreamy and hazy. The sense of place is palpable, but it's more about the heat and the vibe and the feel and the emotions than about feeling any particular historical sense of time and place. The mystery of what happened to the girls is at the center of everything, but this is not a detective story. You're not going to spend time gathering and putting together clues. This isn't about solving the mystery.

The event happens at the beginning, and then the rest of the story is more of a character study, exploring the impact and fallout of the event on the various characters. This almost reminded me of The Turn of the Screw in that you're in the position to observe the impact of events on the psyche of the characters, but you don't know for sure where the truth lies. Is that character losing their mind? Cool and calculating? Naturally bereaved? You don't know, you won't know. But the exploration and the questioning and the plausible pathways is captivating. 

Overall, yes, I think this is a good one. It has power and effect. It made me think and feel and wonder. It stayed with me. It's not what I would call an enjoyable read. It's not a happy book. I'm glad I read it.

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Mini-Review Roundup

  Mini-Review Roundup

Darkbeast by Morgan Keyes

Solid "nice." I enjoyed reading it, but I don't feel compelled to read the sequel. Chapters are short and it's easy to read quickly, even if the pacing of the plot isn't breakneck. There's also a little bit of the "glimpse into the past" which is a writing approach I usually find makes me want to read more and become more invested in finding out how the past and present connect, and that worked here too. 

The messages are sweet and the relationship between the characters is also sweet. There's just enough depth and nuance to both the characters and the plot to make this book stand out and stand on its own. It's also a sweet book. 

But, it's also kind of a downer book. The main character is likable and endearing, but she's also insecure, afraid, and kind of sad. This cast a bit of a shadow on my reading experience and leaves me with a vague feeling off glumness. So, I liked the book and I'm glad I read it, but I don't love the feeling it's left me with.

 

Poison in the Colony by Elisa Carbone 

 

I wasn't expecting to like this one as much as I did. I almost decided to give it away unread, but finally figured I'd give it a shot since I can't find an e-book version. I ended up liking it so much I decided to keep my hardcover copy and added the companion book to my TBR. 

I was expecting a preachy book for kids that would be surface level and not terribly historical. Instead, I got a book with nuance and realistic history and a set of characters I enjoyed reading about. It even made me curious enough to do some light Internet research after I finished, which I always consider a good sign.

Chapters are very short so it was easy to zip through. The plot also moved at a brisk pace, even jumping ahead in time, but in a way that never felt gripping and fast but also kept things from dragging needlessly. There were scenes that stood out and felt real and I got a good sense of time and place. I wasn't sure at first about the supernatural element, but I thought it was done well. Even with those elements, this felt much more "straight historical" than "historical fantasy." Recommended.

The Inquisitor's Tale by Adam Gidwitz

 

Oh, I had such high hopes for this book but I did not like it. The writing seemed forced-funny, and I didn't find it funny. The characters felt forced-likable and I did not like them. The approach to storytelling with all of these random people telling bits and pieces of the story felt gimmicky and unnecessary. The plot felt overly long and pointless. The action scenes felt like something from a comic book, complete with forced "Kapow" moments to tell me what I should be feeling but the writing isn't evoking. I'm left feeling mildly irritated, unimpressed, and like I want to say, "I just spent my time for that??" 

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Mini-Review Roundup

 

  Mini-Review Roundup

Fiercombe Manor by Kate Riordan

Did I like this? Yes and no. 

The yes? I was engaged. I wanted to know what would happen next. I read through it pretty quickly as a result (this was definitely a "just one more chapter" kind of book for me). 

I love stories where you're unraveling past events and this book did a good job with that. The past (1930s) and further past (early 1900s) were well balanced and I didn't have a favorite. They felt different and "of their time." I was satisfied with the Big Reveal (though not astounded) and very happy with the ending. I also liked the time spent in the house and on the property (I love "house" books).

The no? The characters were all just okay. The whole book focuses on post-partum depression and the author did a truly excellent job conveying the impact something like this has on the individual and the family. That is a good thing (so a mark in the "yes"), but it was a hard thing to read about (so a mark in the "no").  All of the goods were solid goods, but none of them really wowed me. I decided not to keep my beautiful hardcover and I imagine in a few years I'll see the book and think, "What was that about again?" and shrug. It's good, I'm glad I read it, but it isn't The One for me.

 

Prisoner of Time by Caroline B. Cooney 

 

This is definitely a book written in the 1990s. Thankfully I went into it with those expectations and so everything was fine. I was even pleasantly surprised. I also haven't read the previous books in the series and that wasn't a problem at all (though I probably got some spoilers for those earlier books, which I don't plan on reading). 

So what do I mean by "written in the 1990s?" It's short. A lot of things get wrapped up very quickly and the characters don't have a ton of depth or backstory. And that's fine. If I know to expect this, I actually am just fine with this easy-breezy approach. I got a quick story with characters that, even though they didn't have a ton of depth and nuance, were easy to understand and feel for. Some I felt annoyance, some hatred, some sympathy, and some liking. But I did feel for them. The male lead was no someone I liked very much, but the female lead was and I liked her character arc and romance.

The shortness of it all also meant that the author didn't so much paint a picture of the time and place but rather info-dumped and factoid-packed to give a sense of the setting. And, again, that works for me. There was a lot in there. This approach meant that while I might not have felt like I was living and breathing in the era, it did make me feel like I came away from the book with a good sense of history. I liked it.

Fanuilh by Daniel Hood

 

I liked it. I didn't love it. I could have almost loved it, but there were a few elements I was looking for that weren't there. Namely, I wanted the relationship between the main character and the dragon to be one of those warm fuzzy bonding friendships and it just never got there. It's not in the dragon's nature. Ok, fine. I accept that, but that would have been the key to making this book a Favorite and not just a solid like. 

Anyway, it is what it is, and what it is is a murder mystery set in a "medieval fantasy village." There's the usual cast of characters, and for the most part I liked them. The main character is likable and tropish (think Geralt in The Witcher but less growly), but I consider that a good thing. The mystery was paced well, and though I never found it gripping, I did find it an enjoyable stroll. I liked it enough that I plan on reading the next book, but I wasn't in love enough that I need to read the next book right now. This ends pretty well as a standalone anyway with a promise of "future adventures" but a completion to this current adventure.

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Mini-Review Roundup

 

 

  Mini-Review Roundup

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

I am so blown away by how much I adore this book. I wasn't expecting to love it like this, but this was the kind of book that as soon as I finished reading it I wanted to turn back to the beginning and start reading it all over again. If I hadn't read a single book this year except this one, I would have counted that a win. I don't think I can do this book justice with a full review, so here are some highlights: 

 

The length: Yeah, this worried me and is a big reason why it took me so long to finally pick it up. I didn't need to worry. It's compulsively readable and I flew through it. I wish there were more pages and that it would never end. 

 

The characters: I loved them. I quoted them. I wanted to shake them and hug them and have them in my life. I laughed with them, raged with them, was gripped in terror with them, and cried with them. The character studies alone make this a book worth reading. The movie did an excellent job capturing them, but the book takes them and makes them even more fleshed out, nuanced, and amazing. I can't sing their praises enough.

 

The history: so well told. I was utterly gripped as the yankees were descending upon Atlanta, I felt the elation and glow of the early days of the war and the anger and frustration and despair of picking up the pieces of life after everything has been shattered. The historical value of the book is less in a play-by-play of events (though you do get a good feel for things) and more for capturing the feeling of life during that time and all of the terror, hopes, fears, despair, grit, adaptation, resolve, and soul searching of a time of massive change and disruption. It's a history of people, and regardless of what side of the war resonates with the reader, it's important to remember that there were people on both sides, and this book shines a light on that human element.

 

Catherine of Aragon by Giles Trimlett 

 

Catherine is one of history's characters who has endeared herself to me. I like her. I feel for her. I admire her. Giles Trimlett's linear narrative non-fiction account of Catherine's life is everything I could have hoped for. You know when you find a version that makes you feel like that's it, you're done, you'll never be able to find a version that tops this one? Yeah, that's what Giles Trimlett has done for me with Catherine of Aragon. 

What sets this book apart is how well Trimlett captures the emotion of Catherine's story. Her tenacity and fear during the lean years when Henry VII held her fate in limbo, the elation of her early years of marriage to Henry VIII, her love for her daughter, her fight with her husband over her marriage-- all of these events are told with all of the passion, emotion, and tension found in great fiction stories. That scene when Catherine testifies at the divorce trial, throwing herself at Henry's feet, delivering that astounding speech, and then walking out was an absolutely captivating, mic-drop moment. Yes, Catherine did these things, and yes, even the driest author can't take away the power of that moment, but Giles Trimlett captured every detail and emotion with the skill of a great storyteller. I knew exactly what was going to happen, and still I was enthralled. 

Giles Trimlett has written a book about Catherine's mother Isabella, and I'll read that for sure. I wish he had written more about some of my other favorite historical ladies. I can only imagine how Matilda or Eleanor of Aquitaine, Cleopatra, or Marie Antoinette's stories would unfold in his hands.

Enter Three Witches by Caroline B. Cooney

 

Well, it seems a little unfair to review this book after those two Special Shelf Spectaculars, so let's try to give Enter Three Witches a fair shake. 

 

Did I love this book? No. Did I enjoy it a whole lot? Yes. Chapters are moderate size, but there are a ton of little chapter breaks within the chapters and each section shifts focus between different characters. The story spins out at a nice pace and it's easy to follow whether or not you're familiar with Shakespeare's version. There's a sense of doom and dread and while none of the characters were super fleshed out, I ended up invested in each of their stories. There's even a nice sense of time and place.

 

I liked this a lot. It's a creative, engaging take on the tale and I'm glad I read it. I decided to keep my print copy.  

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Mini-Review Roundup

 

  Mini-Review Roundup

Eleanor of Aquitaine by Desmond Seward

I was hesitant about this author because I've heard his Richard III books are very biased (against Richard). But, I've been so tempted to try one of his books because he writes about so many subjects I enjoy reading. So, I picked up his book about Eleanor, and it is biased in the sense that you can definitely tell which people he likes and doesn't like, but thankfully in this case he likes Eleanor. 

Otherwise, this was a pretty straight forward linear account of Eleanor's life. Readable, engaging, and hits on all the high points without being boring for readers who are already familiar with Eleanor's story. Chapters are long enough to have substance but short enough to keep things moving at a pretty good pace and not feel bogged down or like I needed to set aside an hour plus just to read through one chapter. It wasn't a love, but it was enough of a strong like that I'm definitely going to pick up more of his books (just, maybe not his Ricardian books).

 

Love by the Morning Star by Laura L. Sullivan

 

Oopffh, this has been sitting on my shelves since 2015! I'm glad I finally read it, but since I also have an e-book version I didn't love it enough to keep the print version too. 

 

Basically, if you like Eva Ibbotson's The Countess Below Stairs then you'll probably at least enjoy this book as well. Though I didn't think it was anywhere near as good as Ibbotson's take, the gist of the story is pretty much the same: girl escaping WWII ends up as a servant in a British household and falls in love with the lord of the manor. Essentially. There are differences and I won't spoil them here, but if that type of plot is appealing then this might be worth seeking out. 

 

There is a levity that was both amusing and also, somewhat, out of place. It's hard to reconcile "zany hijinks" with "Jews fleeing Nazi Germany," but Sullivan makes it work and I went into it with those expectations (it's kind of her style). Everything falls into place too perfectly, but, again, if you can suspend disbelief and just enjoy this as a fun romp then it makes for a nice way to pass the time.

Faithful by Janet Fox

I spent some time knocking off books that had been on my TBR for near on a decade, and so I feel a sense of satisfaction having read this one just for that fact alone. That said, I did enjoy the book, but not enough to keep my print copy.

 

I loved the premise and even though the main character wasn't particularly likable, she's going through a lot and does change over time so even though she wasn't always the most pleasant person to be around, I felt for her. The premise is right up my ally and the execution was pretty good, too. I felt a pretty decent sense of place, particularly during certain scenes (that hot springs scene, so minor in the story, is seared in my mind now...no pun intended). The mystery about the main character's mother kept my interest and tugged at my heart. 

I would have liked this a whole lot more, but there were three characters that really rubbed me the wrong way. One is a potential love interest who is painted far too black and white. I thought there was a real opportunity with this character to explore things, but the hamfisted characterization made this a missed opportunity. One character was so unlikable as a person, and yet I got the sense I was supposed to give her a pass. I'm sorry, I don't. I don't think the main character was wrong about her and I didn't like the way it felt like I was being lectured by the author to be sympathetic toward this character. 

 

Finally, the love interest was okay, but then he'd start spouting off these anachronistic lectures at the main character whose only real sin was that she held the actual beliefs of her time and place (and was far more open minded than the love interest gave her credit for). Not only is this annoying, but it also made him a pretty awful love interest. Where is the mutual respect in this romance? I was disappointed in the main character for falling for a guy who treated her so poorly.

 

Had these characters been better, I probably would have adored this book. As it was, I can't help but feel like a modern author decided to write about the past, half so she could write about the past, and half so she could insert her modern viewpoints in to lecture the reader and the main character. Sorry, agree with the author or not, I don't like being lectured like this and I don't like my historical fiction infused with modern thoughts and approaches. 

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Mini-Review Roundup

Mini-Review Roundup

The Many Reflections of Miss Jane Deming by J. Anderson Coats

I read and loved The Wicked and the Just, and so I was expecting something similar here. I both did and didn't get it, but I'm very happy overall. In TW&TJ, things were brutal. I appreciated that level of in-your-face brutality that drove home the situation and made it feel palpable. This book is much more middle grade and so it wasn't nearly as brutal.

Instead, what this evoked was Little House on the Prairie, and I mean that in a good way. It had adventure and the excitement of traveling into the untamed unknown. It had the warmth of family, friendship, dreams, and belonging. It had the hardscrabble disappointments and learning how to live in a new environment. It had scenery and a sense of place. It had so many things I love and I'm so glad I read it.

 

The Three Edwards by Thomas B. Costain

I loved the first book in this series, put down the second one (I'll finish it, it's just... Henry III is annoying) and so I thought I'd jump ahead to this book and learn more about one of my favorite kings (Edward I), one of my least favorite kings but exciting time periods (Edward II), and a king I know little about (Edward III). I got about as much as I was expecting: A fun and engaging narrative from an author I like a whole lot.

The Edward I part was fun, but left me wanting as it focused far more on William Wallace and the Scottish squabbles and not nearly as much as I wanted on Edward the man and his family. That's to be expected, but ever since reading (and absolutely loving) Cashelmara I've been pining for another book that focuses on the people.

The Edward II part was also to be expected. Solid. The Edward III part was interesting and gave me a lot more insight into The Black Prince, who has always been this figure of legend and not much substance to me. Joan the Fair Maid of Kent, John of Gaunt, and Alice Perrers all made appearances, naturally, and they all took on a little more shading and depth than my cursory knowledge up to this point. It also, of course, gave more insight into Edward III himself, though he still feels more shadowy. I almost feel like I know the other players more. Perhaps I'll try to find a historical fiction book that puts some personality into his character.

The Provincial Lady in America by E. M. Delafield

I still wasn't sure if I was going to continue with this series right away, but it tugged at my mind and I decided to continue on with the third book. It was...mostly as good as the first two. This one felt a little disjointed. The first part of the book was the same pattern as the first two books and I enjoyed it. Then she finally went to America and I lost steam. The new group of characters didn't grab me the way the old bunch did and I couldn't help but feel like her whirling adventure around the US was a distraction from what I really wanted to read, which was her life with her family, friends, and foes in England. It wasn't bad, but I wasn't nearly as into it as I was previously and it was easy to put the series down after this book. I still want to read the final book, but I don't feel the need to do so any time soon.

The Lady of the Lakes by Josi S. Kilpack
 

I absolutely adore Kilpack's book A Heart Revealed. I keep reading her other books in the Proper Romance series hoping to hit gold again, but every other book I've read has been just okay. This one included. I did not really like the main character and the story with his love interests was predictable and tortured in the execution. I mean, it wasn't bad and I think if a reader clicks with Walter then they'll enjoy it more than I did. It wasn't badly written, but I really disliked Walter and Mina and their parts were so long and so predictable. I did like Charlotte, but even her charm couldn't balance out the Walter and Mina parts enough to save this one for me. I own a print copy of this book, but I'll be passing it on.  

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Mini-Review Roundup

Mini-Review Roundup

How to Relax by Thich Nhat Hanh

I liked these books. They're short reads and each chapter is about a page or two long. So, they're super easy to read. I read them in the background, so to speak, where I might pick it up, read a chapter or two, and put it down again for a few days. I return to it when I want a moment of peace, rest, or to re-find my composure. For that, they're nice. Not every chapter is profound and sometimes they don't really stick, but often enough they do and they give me something to ponder or something that causes me to stop and pause or shift my mindset.

 

She Wolves: The Notorious Queens of Medieval England by Elizabeth Norton

Elizabeth Norton has long been on my TBR bu this is the first book of hers I've read. It won't be my last, but...I'm not rushing out to read more of her books either. The pros? When she got into the groove, her writing was easy and enjoyable to read. I got into it. I liked reading about the queens I knew just as much as reading about the queens I didn't know, which tells me that her narrative style was accessible and provided enough information that I was entertained even if I was already familiar and enough information that I could follow along even if I'd never read about the queen before. That's all good and why I would read another one of her books.

Now, the downsides? First minor quibble: typos. A few times Henry VI was used when it should have been Henry V, or vice versa or similar. Not a big deal if you know the history, but super confusing if you don't.

More importantly, there was too much repetition and telling and not enough showing. The "thesis" of this book is essentially that history blames strong women and unfairly judges them for actions that are justifiable and wouldn't have been considered wrong if a man had done them. Okay. A little annoying, but fine. I could have gotten on board with this had the author focused on giving examples of what the women did and let me come to my own conclusions that they were 1) badass, 2) justified, and 3) wrongly maligned (which I would have determined on my own had she made a strong case in the examples for 1 and 2).

Instead, the author glossed over the examples so I could only sort of come to these conclusions on my own and she used more page time just repeating the tired thesis. The chapters fell into a similar pattern of: State thesis, give brief overview of queen's life that somewhat demonstrates her strength and how her actions were justified, and then repeat thesis...a few more times. Had these repetitive "telling" parts been removed, it would have been a solid, if not amazing, book.

The Provincial Lady Goes Further by E. M. Delafield

I wasn't sure if I was going to continue with this series right away, but it tugged at my mind and I decided to pick up the second book. It was just as good as the first. Same quirky style, same funny and relatable situations, and the characters continued to grow on me. Not much else to say except if you liked the first book, then definitely pick up the second. 

Please Don't Eat the Daisies by Jean Kerr
 

I stumbled on this through Goodreads while looking up Shirley Jackson's Life Among the Savages (below). It was reviewed well and only 142 pages so I figured, why not? And started reading it right then and there. It was...okay. It was worth reading to the end, I guess, since it was so short. There were some funny parts. I didn't really like the narrator though, and the whole thing had a mean edge to it that I think was supposed to be funny but didn't appeal to me. The humor sometimes hit the mark exactly, but more often than not I felt like I was supposed to find it funnier and wittier than I actually did. 

Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson

While quite a departure from the Shirley Jackson I'm familiar with, I may even like this side of her writing more. At least, it hit the spot. This is another one of those "humor through commenting on mundane life" types of books, but unlike Please Don't Eat the Daisies, this one felt nice and relatable. I didn't feel like the author was sneering at me, rather, I felt like we could sit across a worn kitchen table together sipping sub-par coffee and splitting a chocolate bar. It was a quick read and ended nicely, so while I don't need to read the sequel right away, I'd like to pick it up soon.

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May's Reads Reviewed

May's Reads Mini-Review Roundup

The Forgotten Room by White, Willims, and Willig

I had such high hopes for this book, but ultimately it was just okay. Probably forgettable. Nothing was wrong, but it failed to grab me and make me invested. I didn't feel strongly in any way when reading this. It was just...pleasant. Nice enough to keep reading. Easy enough to put down.

The characters were all okay. The "mystery" wasn't much of a mystery but the story was nice enough to follow along with. The thwarted and achieved romances were all mildly emotive, but more like in a shrugging kind of way-- sure, that thwarted romance was sad *shrug* sure, that achieved romance was nice *shrug*.

The three different authors writing three different time periods about three different but mildly related character sets was done seamlessly, so that's good. It's a good vacation book when you don't want to get so invested that you don't pay attention to your vacation setting, but not so bad that you wish you had brought an alternative with you. Just...nice. Overall though, after reading Kate Morton and loving Karen White's Tradd Street books, I was hoping for more.

Since I own a pretty paperback copy, I now have the dilemma of "do I keep it?" If I didn't already own it, I would feel no need to buy a copy. Since I already do own it, I'm torn between "sure, keep it, it's pretty and was good enough" and "I'm never going to reread this and do I really want to use shelf space and moving boxes for it?" But...I already have it....ugh.

 

Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry

I have a hit-and-miss history with Julie Berry. I loved The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place but I was pretty meh on The Amaranth Enchantment. This book falls more on the meh side of things.

The thing is, Julie Berry has this tongue in cheek style that can often veer into zany and weird. That worked for Prickwillow because the whole book felt like satire of a genre. Amaranth and Secondhand Charm don't have that satirical edge--they're straight MG/YA fantasy, and so the zany just comes across eye-rollingly weird.

The characters are also pretty thin and hard to feel much about, which again works for satire, but not so much here. Finally, it felt like the audience age was off. In some cases this felt MG or on the younger side of YA (think the sweetness of a Jessica Day George book) and in other places it felt like it had an edge or darkness that made it seem older. This clashed and made for an unsettled feeling. The charms also felt like they were thrown in and not very well fleshed out, which, yes, that's another thing I didn't like about Amaranth-- it felt like too many things were thrown into the mix but it was jumbled and unfinished (but that worked in Prickwillow).  Another meh.

Peace of Mind by Thich Nhat Hanh

I've been making my way slowly though this author's books and I think this may be my favorite so far. The others are more short paragraphs or a page that focuses on an idea and gives you something to think about. I love them. This one is similar, but different. The book takes you on a sequential journey and helps you build a pathway toward a calmer and more present state of being. The author's voice came through a little more in this way, like you're having a conversation over time rather than getting different pieces of advice. Both are good approaches and I like both types of his books, but this one seems like it had a stronger impact. The sequential, building approach pulled my focus back more effectively and this book felt like a refuge and a motivator. I think I'll reread it.

Fast and Loose by Edith Wharton

I'm still making my way through Edith Wharton's novellas and it's such a pleasure. They're so easy to read, but I find they stay with me long after they're over and call to me (I foresee rereads in my future). She's so good at creating vivid characters and intriguing, thought-provoking situations. In some ways I almost prefer her novellas because they let her shine a spotlight on these things and let the reader sit with them for just enough time to really focus on them, but not find them tiresome (which is a fine line, because her characters can be easily intriguing but just as easily tiresome).

Fast and Loose had shades of Francis Hodgson Burnett's The Making of a Marchioness in that it felt like a cross between the manners and romantic entanglements of Jane Austen and the Gothic drama of Emily Bronte, but shorter and more lighthearted and fun like Burnett's. But, it's also Wharton, so there's still some heft underneath the fluff and you can easily spend a lazy afternoon musing over the different angles of the situation and what you might do if you were to find yourself in such an entanglement.

Whispers in the Sand by Barbara Erskine

This is the review I wish my past-self had read, as it would have saved me a whole lot of time and irritation:

Skip it. Trust me. I know the storyline is right up your alley: Egypt, dual era, mystery, yes, yes, I know. I know Egypt especially is calling to you and you want to spend some time with the romance and adventure of Victorian Egypt. I also know you think you're prepared for the hefty page count because you read The Ghost Tree last year and while you didn't love it, ultimately you thought it was a pleasant enough read and you loved the super short chapters. I know the first chapter seems like it's well-written. I know.

But you won't get any of that here. The chapters are long and the writing takes a serious dive after that reader-bait opening.

What you will get are awful characters. Every character is a trope pulled from the 1990s, including the painful love triangle where the main character is never quite sure which potential love interest is the misunderstood good guy and which is a villain (and both do awful things). The main character is at turns weak, bitchy, flighty, irrational, naive, and straight up stupid. The historical sections were better, and while those characters were easier to like, they were also insipid.

At nearly 500 pages with these characters, it's a wonder I didn't quit. But, I didn't like the characters much in The Ghost Tree so I thought I'd keep going...until I started to realize that this book is one big rinse-and-repeat, and by that point I was so far in that I wanted to just see it through to the end hoping that would at least make it all worthwhile. The historical story does advance, albeit in a slow and not particularly interesting way, but the modern portions are just the same contrived situation done over and over again without any plot advancement.

But the final "toss the book across the room" moment came at the end when the conclusion of the historical portion petered out to a disappointing end and the modern day portion stopped right in the middle of a scene. Now, granted, the scene probably would have been the same old shtick, but ending it this way made me feel like I was stuck in some Sisyphean hell doomed to repeatedly follow these loathsome characters through this contrived and, really, boring situation. Save yourself. Read something else.

Dark Eminence: Catherine De Medici and Her Children by Marguerite Vance

In closing out a rather hit-and-miss month, I'm relieved to say that this was a solid hit. Many people will disagree. This is the most fictiony non-fiction book I've ever read. Talk about author bias! And the writing shifts from non-fiction to straight up fiction storytelling (and romantic, blousy writing at that) from paragraph to paragraph. But I loved it.

Catherine is portrayed as her infamous bad self with all the dirt presented as fact, but it's done in such a way that I couldn't help but like and admire her anyway. Kind of like Megan Follows' interpretation in the equally ridiculous but fun TV show Reign. Really, pretty much everyone gets this treatment (Francis, Mary, Elizabeth, etc.). (Actually, for fans of Reign looking to learn a little more about the characters, this would be a fantastic book to start with).

I think the best way to approach this book is to imagine you're watching a gossipy docu-drama with colorful reenactments and salacious commentary from legit historians who aren't above a sleepover party approach to learning about history. It's non-fiction...but it ain't gospel, and it comes with a bucket of buttery popcorn and tooth-curling cotton candy. I wish I could get my hands on more of her books.

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April's Reads Reviewed

April's Reads Mini-Review Roundup

Elizabeth and her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim

This book is perfect. I love Elizabeth. She'd prefer to spend her days in her garden, alone, and I can definitely relate to that. This book is written in diary format with Elizabeth recounting the mundane daily activities of her life as a wealthy Englishwoman in Germany during the latter part of the 1800s. It's subtle, but my god this book is funny.

Much is left unsaid but the reader can still pick up on it, like Elizabeth's loving marriage (with her husband with gentle ribbing and good-natured fun referred to as The Man of Wrath) and her doting relationship with her charming children. Elizabeth is perfectly imperfect. I loved Arnim's The Enchanted April for the tranquil escapism and lovely characters, and all of that is here again but with a main character who is even more of a kindred spirit and definitely more humor.

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

While I liked The House at Riverton a whole lot, The Secret Keeper is even better. It's another doorstop with fairly large chapters, but I flew through it despite all that. The mystery kept me guessing, and just when I thought I had it figured out, some new bit of information changed things up again.

The historical part had me enthralled. It had a great sense of time and place. I loved two of the characters, but one of them I tried to like but couldn't fight off the creeping dread that I really didn't like them. That wasn't a bad thing at all though. Ah, and the romance was lovely. The modern story follows Laurel-- a hardened 66 year old cigarette smoking woman who, while not as developed, was still likable and I was caught up in her sleuthing. She wasn't the typical young lead with a romance, and while I love that trope, it was nice to have a different kind of character to follow.

Morton did a particularly fantastic job of keeping up the tension and mystery between the modern parts and the historical parts. It's hard to describe, but the way she scattered the clues kept me constantly on my toes and voraciously collecting the pieces from the past and present to try to weave together the mystery of the past. It was gripping, and the ending was worthy of the journey. 

The World According to Mister Rogers by Fred Rogers

This is another book that I read over time. Each chapter is about 1-3 pages and focuses on a story, life lesson, or thought from Fred Rogers. I felt like I was sitting on the set of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and chatting with Fred. He felt like a mentor. I learned so much about him, his show, and child psychology, which was unexpected but wonderful. Every time I'd open the book I'd get this sense of calm and love. The book has the subtitle of "Important Things to Remember" and that's very apt. I think I'll open it again from time to time and reread passages. They are important things to remind oneself of again.

The Solitary Summer by Elizabeth von Arnim

This is the second book in the "Elizabeth" series, and everything I said about the first book is true for this second book. I think you could probably read this book without having read the first one, but why would you want to miss out?

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

I can't decide if I like this one more or The Secret Keeper. It's a tough call. For about the first quarter of the book I thought that this was good, but I was impatient because I felt like I had it all figured out already and that I was going to spent the next several hundred pages waiting for the main character to get there too. While I was right in guessing that aspect of the mystery, thankfully the main character figured it out about a quarter of the way through as well and then the rest of the book opened up even more mysteries that I happily paced along the main character in unraveling.

I was also pleasantly surprised to find there are short stories/fairy tales interspersed throughout. I think there are about five of them and each one is a fantastic story in its own right. All of the characters were fun to follow and I appreciated the romances a lot. There were a lot of bittersweet and sad events that tugged at my heart. The parts with Nell and young Cassandra reminded me of my own grandparents who have recently passed, and so that was personally bittersweet as well. The final, final discovery was a little disappointing, but all in all it was very well worth the read.

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March's Reads Reviewed

March's Reads Mini-Review Roundup

Echo the Copycat by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
Calliope the Muse by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

These books are consistently good. I don't have much more to say about them than what I've already said. They're short enough to fit in quickly, but long enough to have substance. There's always a sweet element of humor and the characters are just straight up nice. These are feel-good books and I'm glad the new stories are still being published.




The House at Riverton by Kat Morton

First, let me get this out of my system: FINALLY!!! Ahem, okay, so I've had Kate Morton's books on my shelves for, oh, over eight years and I've never read them. Why you might ask, when these books seem so right up my alley? Well, because they're long and I had this impression in my head that they would fall into that "rewarding in the end but a slog to get through" category. Where I got that idea I don't know, but firmly set in my mind it was and so I longingly and shamefully looked at their beautiful spines for years.

Until January 2019, when I picked up The House at Riverton and got about 50 pages in before putting it down again. It seemed nice enough, but it just hadn't grabbed me. I vowed to pick it up again...someday.

That someday came just over a full year later when in March 2020 after tentatively toe-dipping back into reading I somehow decided NOW was the time. And it was.

This may be a hefty book (almost 500 pages) and the chapters aren't super short, but I sped through it. I didn't really like any of the characters and the plot wasn't what I'd call fast, but this is the kind of book that has a deceptive slow burn where it feels like not a whole lot is happening but I feel utterly gripped anyway. Then in the final quarter all of the threads started coming together, building and building toward the absolutely face-smacking conclusion. And then that final piece of the puzzle...ah, what a punch in the gut. It's weird to say that a gut-punch is a good thing, but in this book it made me do the mental equivalent of sitting down suddenly in shock with my jaw dropped to the floor. I loved it!

How to Love by Thich Nhat Hanh

I started reading this book years ago, picking away at it a little at a time. It's a short book with tiny chapters-- each only about a minute or so to read. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of love and mindfulness and I read it slowly because I wanted to let each lesson sink in. Not every chapter was profound or mattered to me right now, but every few chapters were. Those were the chapters that made me pause, think, and sometimes change my approach. I love the simple, approachable way this book is written.

Sanctuary by Edith Wharton

My dabbling in Edith Wharton's short novels/novellas continued and for the next foray I chose Sanctuary. This one felt a lot shorter than Bunner Sisters with the characters reading more like sketches. The first half of the story follows Kate, a young woman soon to be married to a man who has recently come into a fortune. Shortly before their wedding, Kate discovers something about her husband that irrevocably changes their relationship. The situation unravels with Wharton presenting a thought-provoking moral dilemma that left me mulling over the possibilities and wondering "What would I do?" Had the story ended here, it would have been an interesting short story.

But, of course, it didn't end there. The choice Kate ultimately made (which I thought was absurd) guaranteed that Wharton had to write the second party of the story. This is that part that left me lukewarm. The bones of the story are good. The writing and characterization is strong in the way I've come to expect from Wharton. The dilemma mirroring the dilemma in the first half was interesting and kept up a "What will he do?" tension, thickened by what the reader, but not the character, knows happened in part I. A dozen conversations could be sparked by this story and I would happily chat for hours over the different angles of the story (nature versus nurture, morality, so on). While I appreciated the short length, it might have been nice to have the second part fleshed out a little more, and maybe even told from Dick's point of view.

And yet...I couldn't shake an icky feeling throughout the whole second half. Kate's relationship with her son felt...wrong. I can't say more without spoiling things, but it's this relationship that leaves me slightly unsettled with the story, even though I loved everything else.

Okay, almost everything else. Kate is so righteously annoying. But, I don't read Edith Wharton books for her lovable characters.

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February's Reads Reviewed

February's Reads Mini-Review Roundup

The Time-Traveling Fashionista and Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile by Bianca Turetsky

For purely aesthetic reasons, these books are a joy to read. Illustrations are peppered throughout, the pages are thick, and there are additional flourishes for the chapter headings and page decorations. I usually prefer e-books, but when I read this series, I make sure to read the print versions. I also love that the chapters are super short. I fly through these books.

But, what about the actual story? Well, it's okay. The main character is nice enough and even though she exudes a miasma of blah with a tinge of dreary, I do actually like her. I love all of the historical settings of these books, and the Cleopatra book had the unexpected but wonderful pit stop to the film setting of Elizabeth Taylor's movie Cleopatra, which was like a mini-bonus destination. All good things.

Also good, is that the books are sprinkled with good historical tidbits, including fashion bits from the times, which is what I really love. I do feel like you can actual learn from these books. But....they're also much less meaty than I would have liked. The Titanic book spent more time really digging into the history and spending time there, but the Marie Antoinette book was more like an overnight visit instead of a week-long vacation, and the Cleopatra book was more like a day trip. I wanted more.

The series kind of petered out, which is a shame because I love the concept, love the presentation, loved the zany old-lady sidekicks, and loved the unexpected heft of the first book. I really wish the author had put in the depth of the first book into the next two and I wish she had continued on writing the series. Had she done that, this would have been one of my favorite auto-buy series, but instead it just kind of trickled away into nothing. Very sad.

Bunner Sisters by Edith Wharton

I've been on a real Edith Wharton kick lately and she's rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors. Her books are beautifully but accessibly written, describe an era I love (turn of the 20th century), feature memorable characters that are likable despite their flaw, and stories that pull me in and stay vividly in my mind long after they're over.

But, ah, they are often gut-punchy and sad and The Bunner Sisters is no exception. This is not a happy book. Things just go from bad to worse and at the end when you think the final nail has been hammered into the coffin and you're done and lying on the ground beaten and you've cried mercy and you've been left alone to catalogue your cuts and bruises...Edith turns around and gives you one final kick in the stomach for good measure.

I know that doesn't sound appealing at all, and I am not the kind of reader that likes depressing books. I'm actually the kind of reader that runs screaming from depressing books. But there's something about Edith Wharton that just makes me like her books in spite of this.

It does also help that The Bunner Sisters is a quick read. It's one of Wharton's over 100 pages but under 200 pages books (though in some printings they're under 100 pages), and I'm really enjoying working my way through them (she has a lot). I'm not sure if you'd call them novellas or novels and I think depending on the definition you use and who you talk to they're both. I think of a novella as around 60-80 or so pages, but Wikipedia has a bunch of examples of novellas that I'd personally consider short novels so what do I know? Whatever you classify it, Edith Wharton is really good at writing evocative, immersive stories in a short amount of pages.

Thoughts...

I was sick for a lot of February and stressing a lot watching the spread of the virus and wondering what was going to happen. This, unsurprisingly, took a toll on my reading and I only managed to get through two books in February. But, the books I did read were both enjoyable in their own way, and both check "goal" boxes as being series/authors that I enjoy, a book I own, historical fiction, and a "classic" author.

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January's Reads Reviewed

Mini-Review Roundup

So, I'm trying something a little different this year. Instead of focusing on single-review posts, which, let's face it, I haven't been doing much of lately, I'm going to try mini round ups. Maybe that will work? We'll see.

Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski
After enjoying the first book, I decided to keep going with this series until I didn't want to read it anymore. See, I'm still having commitment issues, and that makes no sense considering I actually really like these books. This collection of stories focused far more on Yennifer and Geralt's relationship and had a mix of stories that were included in the show and a few that weren't. All were good and added depth to the characters and stories that the show just glossed over. I liked the show a lot more before I read the books and saw how much better things could be.

I warmed up to Yennifer much more than I did in the TV series. See, in the series she's kind of awful, but I didn't get the impression that we were supposed to think that. I got the impression that we were supposed to think she was an awesome badass and her yearning for children and anger at the sorcerers who "stole" her ability to have children (after, you know, demanding they do it) was supposed to be righteous.  In the books she's even more awful, but it's very clear that you're supposed to think that. She's flawed and nuanced. As a result, she has depth and I actually care about her and her relationship with Geralt becomes both tragic and epic. That I can get on board with.  

The Other Tudor Princess by Mary McGrigor
I started reading this in September 2018, put it down at 55% in October and didn't pick it back up again until January 2020. In the year in between readings my knowledge of the main players (Margaret Douglas, Elizabeth I, Mary Stuart, etc.) has grown significantly (Leanda de Lisle's excellent Tudor was the perfect prereq).

I remember putting the book down in part because I was having trouble keeping track of everything and everyone. Picking it up now, I was able to follow everything much better. It's a short book, and maybe it's a little too short for the reader with very little knowledge of the time period. A lot is glossed over in order to keep that page count down, and that combined with so many people with the same name makes this perhaps not the best introduction to the era. Another reason not to read this without pre-knowledge? There are a surprising number of silly errors like referring to Anne Boleyn as Catherine Howard's aunt (she was her cousin) or calling Henry VII Margaret Tudor's grandfather (he was her father).

However, go into this with some background knowledge and it's a great, quick review that hits all the high points while adding a lot of extra tidbits to keep things interesting. Chapters are super short, the writing is pleasant to read, and I cared about Margaret. I like these quick overview types of books as they help me make connections between the individual components I've gone more in depth with (or have heard about in passing through some of those in-depth excursions, like Arbella Stuart). We also got to go more in depth with Margaret Tudor, which provided nice background.

Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
So, this was nothing like I was expecting. I had images of a posh Audrey Hepburn and high society ritzy glitz. Clearly, I haven't seen the movie. Or maybe the movie does give that impression. I don't know, I haven't seen the  movie. Anyway, that's probably a good thing because I don't think I would have liked this book at all if I had seen the movie first.

The book isn't uplifting. Holly is a mess, and while this contributes to her charm and attracts men left and right, it's also pretty tragic. She's a fascinating person in that rubberneck at an accident kind of way and if this story had been longer I don't think I would have liked it as much. As it is, it's the perfect length to draw me in, keep my interest, leave before overstaying its welcome, but leave a lingering impression. I'm glad I finally read this one.

I wasn't planning on reading the three short stories also included in my copy, but I'm very glad I did. Each had that same fascinating draw-you-in vibe of the first, but in three very different ways. The first was intriguing in a way I can't quite put my finger on, the second was sad and had an old west vibe even though it took place in a prison, and the third is easily my favorite: a Christmas memory of a young boy with his grandmother.      


Empire of the Summer Moon by S. C. Gwyne
Loved this. Immersive writing, quick pace, chapters were a little long for me, but that just goes to show how interesting it was that the large chapters didn't deter me. I tend to shy away from this subject because it's hard to find books that focus on the facts of history and don't color things with the perspectives of the present. Thankfully, this was a brutally honest take with no villains and no heroes- just straight up history. Though, I have to say, I loved the Texas spirit.  





Minette by Melanie Clegg
Ah, it's so hard to read historical fiction that ends on a high note when you know it doesn't ultimately end that way.

Anyway, that aside, I loved this book. Well-drawn characters, good pacing, immersive history. I felt for Minette and I loved the characterization of her mother. The focus on how these two women felt in the aftermath of the revolution and how these events shaped them was well done...and heartbreaking. Not much insight into Charles II or Louis XIV, but that's okay. Melanie Clegg is a historical author to watch.

The Tudors by G. J. Meyer
Well, G. J. Meyer clearly is not a fan of Elizabeth I. He didn't sing Henry, Edward, or Mary's praises either, but their sections were a lot more balanced. Elizabeth, not so much. Apparently, she didn't do anything right and anything good from her era was either propaganda or someone else's achievement.

That aside, this was a nice overview of the Tudor era and worth reading. I liked Leanda de Lisle's Tudor more, but this one is still worth reading. While his Elizabeth section was clearly biased, it was still interesting to entertain that point of view and reexamine the popular narratives.

Chapters alternated between the chronological history (larger chapters) and historical asides (shorter chapters) that often took a deeper look at a particular aspect of the narrative covered in the prior chapter. Sometimes these asides gave insight into a minor player, more often they gave more general historical depth to one of the major issues of the time like corruption in the church, the history of Lutheranism, the Tower of London, Parliament, and so on.

I looked forward to these chapters. They added something to the book that let it stand apart from all the other Tudor books. I also appreciated how they were paired with the greater narrative. Some books just focus on these broader topics (Life in Tudor England type books) or take a whole book to focus on one of those topics, but this combination of royal narrative and supplementary asides helped root them in the larger context, making both sections better as a result.

Thoughts...

Two books I put down earlier and picked up again only to quickly polish them off. Four historicals, three of which are non-fiction. One print copy owned since 2019. One classic. One fantasy. All adult. Engaged with all of them. All winners.

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Year in Review: April through June

I made a really big list

It's that time of year again! I started making these lists because I'm a list kind of person, but they've become so much more. I've found myself returning to them time and again almost like a scrapbook. It's been a nice way to reflect, remember, and reminisce.

Sif and the Dwarfs' Treasure by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
April continued my more positive trend and started off with a new installment in a fairly new series from a favorite author duo. While I've almost entirely shifted my reading/reviewing to what I'm interested in reading and reviewing rather than letting publishers or new releases drive my reading and reviewing, Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams' Goddess Girls and Thunder Girls series are books I feel compelled to read and review. They're just so good and I believe in these series so much that I need to share them. They're also straight up delightful to read. 

Flashman by George MacDonald Frasr
The Flashman books have been on my TBR for a really long time but for a variety of reasons I just never seemed to get around to giving them a try. So, I felt pretty good about finally trying out the series. I'm also glad I did because I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's...not a typical book. Flashman is a horrible person. No excuses, no shades of gray, no anti-heroism. He's just straight up mean, immoral, and despicable. Not only does he invariably choose to do the wrong thing, but he doubles down on the badness of it and comes out smelling roses in the end in ways that should infuriate me. I should hate reading about him, but I didn't.There was also a surprising amount of history packed into what is on the surface a swashbuckling adventure tale.

The Decoy Princess by Dawn Cook
I first read this back in 2013 and even though I adored it, and even though I bought a copy of the sequel that same year, and even though it ended on a cliffhanger...I didn't read the sequel. So I've let this story go unfinished for six years, and by this point I had to reread the first book because there were too many details I just didn't remember anymore. So, since rereading was going so well this year, I decided to pick up this old favorite. It's still a favorite. I still preferred one romantic interest over the other. I liked the main character even more than I remembered. It was great...

Princess at Sea by Dawn Cook
...And then. Then I read the sequel, and I don't know what to think. Things took a turn, and I don't think I liked it much. I say that in this hesitating way because in a lot of ways what I wanted to happen did happen. So I should be happy. But the way it all happened was weird, a little unsettling, and not exactly in line with the first book. It was like the first book was written as a straight up fantasy, and in the second book the author's urban fantasy roots starting showing through (Dawn Cook is Kim Harrison). The author also introduced a magic element that then took over the whole plot and it just...wasn't very interesting. The same thing happened in her Truth series, and I couldn't finish that series because of it, even though there was a lot I did love about that series. I guess I just really dislike the way this author deals with magic. It's super descriptive and, well, boring.

A Tangled Web by L. M. Montgomery
I made a list of all the authors that make me happy and decided I wanted to make an effort to read more of their books. L. M. Montgomery has a solid place on that list due to her Anne books (I've only read the first three so far), but The Blue Castle eclipses everything and I absolutely adore it. It's described as one of two of L. M. Montgomery's books written for adults, so I decided to try her other adult book: A Tangled Web. Well, it was okay. I liked it, but it's no Blue Castle, or even Anne, that's for sure. I'm glad I read it, especially since I've been wanting to read it ever since I got a copy in 2017, but I don't know that this is one I'll reread often.  

A Pearl Among Princes by Coleen Murtagh Paratore
I first read this book in 2010 and while I didn't love it, there were elements that I did like a lot and wanted to revisit. This was another case where the initial read was less enjoyable because of expectations, but the second read, with expectations appropriately calibrated, actually made for a much more enjoyable experience. I'm glad I reread this one.

Royal Flash by George MacDonald Fraser
I wasn't ready to let Flashman go, and this second book was almost even better than the first. Flashman is still an awful person, but something about him felt a little less reprehensible and the story was a rip-roaring adventure. Flashman is set up, blackmailed, and then forced to stand in as a replacement for a prince with whom he shares an uncanny resemblance ala Prince and the Pauper. Of course this is filled with humor, intrigue, danger, castles, and adventure. I was surprised to find that much of the historical events were also true, and so I got a nice history lesson again.

Amphitrite the Bubbly by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
I ended up liking this one a lot more than I thought I would. I had read the first few pages a while ago, didn't click with the main character and put it aside. I'm glad I picked it up again, because this was another delightful addition to the Goddess Girls series.

The Far Side of the World by Patrick O'Brian
I really do like this series, though I read it so slowly. Some books really click with me, whereas others feel slower and are harder to get through. This one was the latter and I don't really remember much beyond that at this point.

Let's Mooove! by Courtney Sheinmel and Bianca Turetsky
This came unexpectedly as a review book. It's cute, short, has a sweet but forgettable story, and fun bits about the featured US state. Overall nice, but not particularly standout. 

The Last Collection by Jeanne Mackin
I was curious enough about this one to download it from NetGalley, but I wasn't actually convinced I wanted to read it. I loaded it up on my e-reader and grudgingly read the first few pages...and then couldn't stop. I'm so glad I read this book. The fashion, perfume, history, and art have stuck with me all year.

One Hundred and Four Horses by Mandy Retzlaff
I picked this up as an impulse. I think someone might have been reading it on Goodreads. The idea of the horses and the African setting sounded exotic and I was hoping for something uplifting like a Gerry Durrell book. I know it was about exile and the turmoil in Africa, but the historical aspects of this were also intriguing. What I got was both what and not what I had hoped for. Following the family and getting to know the horses was at turns nice, exciting, and terrifying. The history and the bad things that happened were enraging and horrifying. The ending was happy, but in a brittle way that doesn't feel like it will last. I'm glad I read it, but it wasn't an easy read.

Where I End and You Begin by Preston Norton
When I get a book for review, outside my genre, and over 400 pages, that shouldn't bode well. But this is Preston Norton, and for some reason none of the usual rules apply. I felt excited every morning to wake up and read this book...and I am decidedly not a morning person. I felt joyful. Things really felt brighter in June.






The King's Secret Matter by Jean Plaidy
Plaidy, Tudors, check, check. I read her Anne Boleyn book and her Mary I book, both of which covered this time period, and so it was nice to round things out with Katherine's perspective. It's not a happy book, that's for sure, but I was happy while reading it. 

The Ghost Tree by Barbara Erskine
This book = goals achieved. It was a doorstop and a review book and an author I've been meaning to check out. I didn't love the book, but I did really enjoy the experience. June felt so filled with light and possibilities. Thinking back on what was actually happening then, that doesn't entirely fit with my feelings now, but perhaps it's important to remember that the little stresses of life (even if they feel big at the time) blow over and things have a way of working out, so focus less on those stresses of the moment and more on the joys of the moment because they're the things that remain with you.

The Poison Thread by Laura Purcell
June was a good month for review books, and really, reading in general. My memories again are of waking up and diving into this book and totally losing myself in happy reading. I really threw myself into these stories, and I'm reminded now that this is something I should do more often: throw myself fully into the story I'm reading.

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
Ah, I had forgotten about the story-within-a-story aspect of this one. It's almost like getting two stories in one. Now that I've spent more time in the Utah-Nevada region, the flashback story took on a whole new feel and relevance for me. It's interesting how our life experiences color our reading so much. This reminds me again how important it is to not worry about forcing books at any particular time. Maybe it's not the right time, but maybe in a few years with a few more life experiences the book will suddenly fit. Which isn't the case here since I loved this the first time, but I gained more upon the reread. Which, perhaps is another lesson learned (reinforced?) on the value of rereading.

Hestia the Invisible by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
Another wonderful entry in this series. Hestia's introverted homebody personality was a real winner for me and I loved getting to see Pheme again (who is the complete opposite, but just a joyful character to read). June ended on a high note.

Thoughts...

April through June really turned things around for me, and keeping close track of my reading helped me keep focus and momentum on turning around my mindset. I don't know that life was any less stressful, but my approach to it was much healthier and happier.

The fact that it was getting sunnier and warmer outside certainly didn't hurt, either. Now that I'm back living in an area with seasons and more dramatic daylight changes makes me realize how much I thrive in an area with more consistent warmth and sunlight and how much I struggle with the seasons changing. Since I can't control the weather or sunlight, it's good to recognize how much I am affected by it at least and try to take some proactive measures and keep in mind how I'll react to these things (and that my reaction isn't actually rooted in any real stress or sadness).



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