I just Marched through my to-be-read list this month

 I got a LOT of reading down this month. I did read several short stories, which helped. But it was just a really read-y month. I read 17 books/short stories. A total of 4,034 pages. An average of 130 pages a day. This is probably my highest totals and average ever!  So let’s get into it

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (369 pages). Young prince Patroclus is just 10 years old when he is exiled from his father’s kingdom. He is taken in by King Peleus and taught to fight. He also becomes best friends with Peleus’ son, Achilles. The boys create an unbreakable bond. And when they are called on for Patroclus to honor his oath to protect a kidnapped Helen of Troy, they join the fight. But the Fates and the gods control the outcome of the war. And the love between Achilles and Patroclus isn’t enough to stop what fate has decreed. I’ve read a lot of mythology. And I really love it. This was a much deeper look into what I always just assumed was a rumor of a relationship between these two men. I finished in 3 days.

Four Funerals and a Wedding by Rhys Bowen (291 pages). Lady Georgina Rannoch is thrilled to be marrying Darcy O’Mara, despite her dreams for a simple wedding turning into a much grandly scale, with the queen in attendance and Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret set to be her bridesmaids (I mean, Georgie’s great-grandmother WAS Queen Victoria). When her former stepfather offers up his ancestral home of Eynsleigh as their new marital residence, Georgie is thrilled. But the estate isn’t the same as the one she remembers from childhood. And Georgie is going to have to figure out why.  With a little help from her maid, her mother, her grandfather and her fiancé. I finished in 3 days.

Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton (328 pages).  I always thought Paris Hilton was a spoiled party girl. Turns out, that’s not really the truth. She’s certainly privileged. And she loves the party scene. But there’s a lot more to her than that. Paris had a vision for her life and she’s worked hard to create that life. And she went through a lot more than I ever thought. Her parents sent her to one of those horrific behavioral camps for nearly 2 years. She tried to escape several times. And it created a level of trauma to her psyche that it seems like is only now healing after meeting her husband. And she did all of this with undiagnosed ADHD (which is most likely what led to her minor behavioral issues as a teen). I actually found myself respecting her a lot more, as a businesswoman and as a woman.  I finished in 3 days.

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury (335 pages, including 70 pages of commentary). This movie absolutely terrified me as a child (yet I loved it). So I decided to read it. It’s the story of 12 year olds Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade and the October that the Cooger and Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show came to their town. The carnival is centuries old, feeding on the souls of people who are willing to trade everything for the fantasy of nothing. Even Jim is tempted by Dark’s fantastical carousel, a carousel that can age you in any direction. But with help from Will’s father (a significantly older father who is the janitor at the library), the boys figure out a way to stop Dark. Sadly, the movie isn’t streaming anywhere (I found a pirated copy on YouTube but the quality is horrific). So until Disney gets it together and puts it on Disney+, I guess there’ll be no rewatch. I finished in 3 days.

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth (342 pages). Stephen Aston is a doctor in his 60’s. Pamela, his wife, is in her late 60’s and in late stage Alzheimer’s. Their adult daughters Tully and Rachel are in their 30’s. And Stephen’s new fiancée?  Well, Heather Wisher is younger than his daughters. But as the wedding date draws closer, Tully and Rachel wonder about some family secrets that have begun to rear their heads.  There were some interesting twists to each of the characters. I finished in 3 days.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (288 pages). This is my third time reading this book (once just for me, twice for totally different book clubs). And I will never NOT be happy about reading this book. I wish I could read it again for the first time. I finished in 1 day. 

Coffee Shop Girl by Katie Cross (282 pages). Bethany is 24 years old and inherited her father’s coffee shop in a small mountain town 8 months ago when he died. Bethany hates coffee and wants to be a real estate agent. Maverick is in town, renovating a cabin. And he has a proposal for Bethany. No, not that kind. A business proposal. Meanwhile, Bethany’s younger half sisters Lizbeth and Ellie flee their father and show up on Bethany’s doorstep. As Bethany struggles to turn her coffee shop into a success so she can gain custody of her sisters, she also struggles with her feelings for Mac. This was the sweetest, most PG little rom com ever. I finished in 3 days. 

Jane in Love by Rachel Givney (434 pages). In 1803 in Bath, a woman of a certain age (namely 28) who is unmarried stands a very small chance of finding a husband. Such is Jane Austen’s fate. While her writing helps ease some of her disappointment, it’s not enough. Especially because her mother hates it. So when she is given a chance to change her life, she takes it. Little does she know that her adventure will result in a change of time more than a change of place. Namely, time traveling to Bath in 2020. And the film set of Northanger Abbey!  One of the stars of the movie is Sofia Wentworth, an actress whose star power is fading but who is desperate to save her marriage to the film’s director. When Jane meets Sofia’s brother Fred, she finally begins to understand what love is. But when Jane’s books begin to disappear, she must make a decision. Remain in 2020 with the man she loves and be erased from history as one of the most famous female authors of all time. Or return to 1803 to fulfill her artistic destiny. Which do you choose, love or the pen? This book was delightful!  I finished in 4 days.

The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren (100 pages). On February 14, 2014, c.sun16@ipsd.edu emails t.sol18@ipsd.edu about a missing assignment for class. But T isn’t his teacher, she’s actually another student in the Irvine California school system. Their email exchange ends with wishing each other Happy Valentine’s Day. And thus begins a decade’s long email exchange that only takes place on Valentine’s Day.  They share very few details about themselves (no names, phone numbers or school information is exchanged).  But they still share enough that they make a connection. But one year, T (real name Terra) goes to a party with friends and accidentally overhears a very embarrassing conversation involving Callum, the very hot TA in her graduate program. When she emails C this very funny story, he realizes that he finally met T face to face.  Such a cute short story that was the first of a six book series called Improbably Meet-Cute. I finished in about an hour. 

Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez (60 pages). Short story #2. Holly is a hospice nurse on her toughest assignment ever- being with her grandmother while she’s dying. John is the resident maintenance man at an apartment complex. But when he accidentally places a Valentine’s Day card meant for his brother’s girlfriend on Holly’s car, it sparks an interaction that results in the world’s worst wingman getting the girl. Another cute short story. I finished in about an hour. 

Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne (43 pages). Short story #3. Rosie ‘s life never really seems to go well. Case in point- she decided to treat her sister to a fabulous Valentine’s Day treat. An all day spa-cation. But when Rosie’s sensory deprivation tank malfunctions, she trapped in total darkness. And mineral water. Enter fireman Leo to save the day. Through the metal of the tank, they have such a delightful exchange that it’s absolute love when she escapes from her watery doom.  I finished in less than an hour. 

Drop, Cover and Hild On by Jasmine Guillory (39 pages). Short story #4. It’s Valentine’s Day. And all Daisy wants is some pastry from her favorite bakery. But going in means she’ll have to see her least favorite baker, the scowling owner Harris. But pastries win out. As soon as she enters, she’s greeted with a scowl. And a 6.8 earthquake!  After the quake, they are trapped in the bakery. And turns out Harris’ scowl was never really directed at her. I finished in about 30 minutes. 

With Any Luck by Ashley Poston (42 pages). Short story #5. Audrey Love is super lucky. In everything BUT love (ironically). She’s lucky for others in love though- any time she kisses a guy, the next girl he meets is his soulmate. When her best friend Rhett asks her to be his best man, she happily agrees. When she arrives for the wedding, she unhappily learns that the bride’s maid of honor is Theodore Luck, with whom Audrey has a bit of a past. But when the groom goes missing after the bachelor party, Theo and Audrey have to team up to figure out what happened. I finished in about 30 minutes. 

Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson (70 pages). Short story #6. Princess Ilaria of Monterra just wants one weekend of normalcy. so she convinces her assistant Anne to pretend to be her so she can enjoy anonymity in Rome for 2 days. She meets a charming man, Callum (no, not the Callum from the first book. Although the two Callum know each other). And enjoys a magical Valentine’s Day with him. Until the paparazzi spot them.  To each of their chagrin. Because Ilaria isn’t the only one hiding a royal secret!  This one was super cute too. I finished in less than an hour. 

The Elite by Kiera Cass (324 pages). The second in The Selection series. The Selection is down to the Elite (only 6 of 36 remain). One of them being America. While she still has lingering feelings for first love Aspen, her feelings for Prince Maxon grow stronger with every passing day. But when Maxon must make a decision that causes America to question her feelings, she begins to wonder if she is cut out for the crown. Or is she actually what the country needs?  As more girls are let go, America decides she is ready to fight for Maxon. I finished in 3 days. 

The One by Kiera Cass (328 pages). The third in the series. The Selection is down to four. America. Her number one rival (and friend) Kriss. The only one with foreign political connections Elise. And everyone’s number one enemy Celeste. But as the girls begin to grow closer, the country remains in a state of unrest. rebels are fighting back against the caste system that was placed on them years against by the first King Gregory. But through fights and threats, Maxon and America can’t seem to deny that they belong together. I finished in 2 days. 

The Heir by Kiera Cass (359 pages). The fourth in the series. Princess Eadlyn respects that her parents found love through the Selection 20 years ago. But that’s not what she wants. Despite the good her parents have done while in power, there is still unrest in Illea. So Eadlyn agrees to participate in the first ever female led Selection for three months to buy her father some time to fix things. But as she watches the love between her parents and the love between her twin brother and his girlfriend, the princess of France, she wonders if love could be in her future. The Selected slowly begin to make an impact on her heart (with some bad eggs along the way). I liked meeting the next generation of this family. I finished in 2 days.

This month’s favorite is…….The Song of Achilles and Jane in Love. I truly can’t pick just one. And I don’t feel like it’s fair to declare The Midnight Library the favorite of the month. It’s in my top favorites of all time. 

The month of love(ing to read)!

 I’ve been reading a lot of books that have movie/show adaptations. Which has been kind of fun. This was a pretty average month for me. 10 books. 2,823 pages.  An average of 97 pages a day. But y’all aren’t here for that. You are here for the recaps. So let’s go

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura (345 pages). This was the Valentine’s Once Upon a Book Club special edition, so gifties on social. Archaeologist Dr Corrie Mejia has dreamt of one dig- to find the remains of her ancestor, the Aztec warrior Chimalli. When she is invited to join a dig in Mexico, it’s literally her dream come true. But the dig becomes a nightmare when Corrie realizes that her nemesis, Dr Ford Matthews, is running it. Corrie and Ford have a long history of rivalry, dating back to their graduate school days. But they also have a long history of attraction, dating back to one night in the library. And the steamy Mexican jungle might be more than either of them can handle. A little bit Lara Croft, a little bit Indiana Jones. It was fun. The gifts were a little racier than usual though. I finished in 3 days.

The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford (148 pages). I’ve seen both versions of this movie- the 1963 one and the 1993 one. Loved them both (yes, I cry every time I watch). If you don’t know the story, it might be one of the sweetest ever. Luath (a young golden retriever), Tao (a Siamese cat) and Bodger (an 11 year old Bull Terrier) journey over 200 milers through the Canadian wilderness to be reunited with their family. Their adventures and their love for each other is beautiful. Y’all- cried reading the book. Then promptly watched the 1963 version and cried again. I finished in 1 day.

Dead Poets Society by N.H. Kleinbaum (166 pages). In a weird twist, this book was based on the movie, not the other way around. I absolutely love this movie. Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary. O Captain, my Captain. If you don’t know the story, it’s about a stuffy boys prep school and their new English teacher. Mr Keating doesn’t just teach the boys about poetry- he teaches them about life!  I finished in 1 day. 

The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson (237 pages). This is my 6th book this year that I’ve both seen the show or movie AND now read the book. I sense a theme….  Anyway, this is the true story of the Lutz family. In December of 1975, the Lutzes bought their dream home in Amityville, NY.  A house where just one year earlier Ronnie DeFeo had murdered his parents and 4 siblings in their sleep. Only 28 days later, they fled the nightmare house and never returned. If you don’t know what they experienced in the house, you’ve clearly been living under a rock!  The book is a day by day account of what they experienced during those 28 days. I finished in 3 days.

The Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah (391 pages). A six year old girl and her wolf cub wander into the public park of Rain Valley, Washington. Local police chief Ellie Barton has no idea what to do with this child who can’t speak. But luckily her sister Julia Cates is a famous (and recently somewhat disgraced) child psychiatrist. So Julia returns to her hometown to find out who this little girl is. After naming her Alice, Julia (with help from the town) begins to bring her out of her shell and give her words and a voice. But when her father shows up, will all that go away?  Alice is clearly a child who has been abused. Was it at her father’s hand?  I really liked this book. I loved the relationship between Alice and Julia. I finished in 3 days. 

The Rose that Grew from Concrete by Tupac Shakur (151 pages). My 40 book reading challenge included a book of poetry this time. When I went book shopping at Books-A-Million, I had just listened to a podcast episode about Tupac. So when I saw this, I had to grab it. I am not a big fan of poetry. But y’all, this was beautiful. Gave me a whole new view of Tupac. As a true artist, not merely a rapper. The poems were deep and thoughtful and even heartbreaking. I finished in days. (2/14)

The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic by Linsey Hall (327 pages). Charming Cove is the most magical place in England. But only the witches from there know it. Aria has been away from her hometown and her family’s potion shop for years. Why?  Because she’s a magical disaster. Literally. Callan is a self made millionaire property mogul mage. And Aria hates him with every fiber of her being. When both of them show up to compete to inherit the Garden of Enchantment, it’s game on. But Callan has never felt about Aria the way she feels about him. And he realizes that it’s more important for her to inherit the Garden. But will she accept his help?  And can anyone help her harness her true magic?  This was such a cute rom-com. I finished in 4 days.

Too Hard to Forget by Tessa Bailey (305 pages). It’s been three years since head cheerleader Peggy Clarkson graduated from University of Cincinnati. And it’s been three years since her relationship with head football coach Elliott Brooks ended. Elliott has kept his focus on football. But has never had Peggy far from his thoughts. Peggy has been engaged four times and knows that her lingering feelings for Elliott have affected her relationships. So when alumni weekend rolls around, Peggy decides this is the year to get Elliott out of her heart and mind for good. Honestly, I love a romcom. But this one wasn’t my favorite. The story was all over the place.  I finished in 3 days.

The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende (324 pages). This was different than the other Allende books I’ve read- no magical realism to be found. But still such beautiful writing and stories. Alma arrived in America as a young child, escaping the war that was engulfing Poland. Her family in San Francisco embraced her as their own. She immediately fell in love with Ichimei, the gardener’s son. But America’s fear of Japanese kept them apart. Eventually, despite her love for Ichi (which became physical after many years apart), she married her cousin Nathaniel for the stability he offered. In her old age, she moved to Lark House. Where she met Irina, a young Moldovan woman who worked there. Together with Alma’s grandson Seth, Irina begins to uncover Alma’s secrets. And share some of her own. I finished in 4 days.

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace (429 pages). Anastasia is a junior at Unoversity of California, Maple Hills, and a star on the figure skating team. Her life’s goal?  Making the Olympics with her skating partner. Nathan is a senior and the captain of the university’s hockey team. And equally as focused on his sport and making it to the NHL. Until a facility mishap leaves both teams to practice on the same rink.  And Stassie and Nate have a hard time denying their attraction. Imagine a racier The Cutting Edge, set at a college. “Toe pick”.  I finished in 5 days. 

This month’s favorite is…….The Rose that Grew from Concrete. I cannot believe I chose poetry!

New year, new books

 I started off the year a little slow (for me). I only read 7 books. A total of 2,468 pages. An average of 80 pages a day. But I read some pretty good books this month. Actually, I really enjoyed all of them. 

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (417 pages). Alex Claremont-Diaz is the son of the first female US President. Prince Henry is the youngest grandchild of the Queen of England. And they are archenemies. Their animosity comes to a head at Henry’s brother’s royal wedding. And both the President and the royal family act quickly to stop an international debacle. Alex and Henry must pretend to be friends. But what isn’t expected is that they actually do become friends. Until a New Years kiss changes everything. And now two of the most powerful and recognizable young men in the world have to figure out how to navigate falling in love while hiding their relationship. After all, Henry’s gran is the Queen. And Alex’s mom is running for reelection. It was a sweet story about love and family. I finished in 4 days.

The Selection by Kiera Cass (326 pages). In the country of Illea, the caste system reigns supreme. America Singer and her family are Fives, only three away from the bottom of the system. But now that Prince Maxon is of age, it’s time for The Selection. Where 35 girls from every section of the country compete to marry the Prince, regardless of their caste. For America, it’s a chance to give her family a better life. She would automatically become a Three. But it would also tear her away from Aspen, the boy she loves who’s a Six and therefore not an option for her.  As America spends more time with Maxon, their friendship begins to turn into something more. But can she truly give him her heart when it has so firmly belonged to someone else?  Think Hunger Games meets the Bachelor.  Hunger Games in that it is a dystopian North America, completely united and provinces redrawn. And Bachelor because, well, duh.  The first book in a series. And now I might need to look into the rest of the series!  I finished in 4 days.

Holes by Louis Sachar (233 pages). I’ve seen this movie more times than I can count. And I’ve heard that it is one of the more faithful adaptations of a book. So I was excited to read it!  If you don’t know the story, Stanley Yelnats IV is innocent of the crime that sends him to Camp Green Lake. Where the boys dig holes. There’s a lot of backstory about Stanley’s family curse and about the town of Green Lake (which is all very interesting, just like the movie). Honestly, the biggest differences are that Stanley is overweight when he first arrives at Green Lake. And that Stanley’s dad is trying to invent a use for old tennis shoes (not a foot odor eliminator). Everything else is just very, very minor changes. I liked the book, but I loved the movie. I finished in 2 days.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (386 pages). It’s 1961. Elizabeth Zott has a successful tv show called Supper at Six. But Elizabeth is a chemist. In fact, that’s what makes her cooking show so successful. She’s actually so much more than a chemist- she’s a single mother, a forward thinker, an inspiration. After a series of events lead her from being a researcher at Hastings Institute and madly in love with fellow scientist Calvin Evans to being a single mother of a brilliant child, Mad, and an equally brilliant dog, Six-Thirty, she finds herself on television. But she refuses to pander to the executives. Women need to know they are more than just housewives and Mrs. insert husband’s name.  They can do anything. And Elizabeth gives them that confidence, all while teaching them that cooking is a science. With help from her neighbor Harriet, her tv producer Walter, local preacher Wakely and her ob/rowing coach Dr Mason, Elizabeth creates a life that is truly wonderful. She learns that family (both biological and created) and science are all she needs.  I found Elizabeth inspiring. And then promptly started watching the Appletv show as soon as I finished the book. Sadly, I was very, VERY disappointed in the show. I do not understand when major changes are made to amazing stories. Never have, never will. I finished in 4 days.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab (442 pages). In 1714, Adeline LaRue made a Faustian deal with a stranger- she would never grow old, she would never die, she would never be remembered. Literally, people forget her as soon as she is out of their presence. And no one from her small village has any memory of her. She can’t even tell people her name. For the next 300 years, she travels the world- meeting people, stealing things, never making concrete connections to anything but inspiring wherever she goes. Then, she meets a boy in a bookstore. A boy who remembers her name. This book, y’all. I absolutely loved it. LOVED it!!  It was beautiful. It was intriguing. I finished in 4 days.

The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary (381 pages). Four years ago, Addie and Dylan met in France. She was the caretaker at a chateau for the summer, he was on a family vacation (without most of his family). The next two years were intense. But a misunderstanding and a lie led to a breakup. Now, two years later, they find themselves road tripping to a friend’s wedding in Scotland with her stepsister, his best friend and another wedding guest. Subsequent misadventures occur on the road trip. Honestly, while I knew there were some factors working against Addie and Dylan, I didn’t really like them as a couple. I’ve never found myself rooting for a couple NOT to work out in a rom-com. But I did in this one. This misadventures on the road trip were fantastic, however. I finished in 4 days.

Beaches by Iris Rainer Dart (283 pages). I love this movie. Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey were perfection. And I had no idea that it was based on a book!  They kept remarkably close to the story. A few changes. Cee Cee Bloom is 10 and Roberta “Bertie” White is 7 when they first meet on the boardwalk of Atlantic City in 1951. There is a theatre owner they both love and Cee Cee marries. Bertie gets married while in college rather than becoming a lawyer (and her husband is a perfect douche). She does find out she’s pregnant after he walks out on her. I really liked this one. It was such a sweet story of friendship. And yes, I cried. Just like I did during the movie.  I finished in 3 days.

This month’s favorite is…….The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Hands down. It was probably be the favorite of the year. The bar is set HIGH, y’all. Like the cashier at Book-A-Million said, I find myself thinking about this book at random moments, all the time. I wish I could read it again for the first time

Farewell 2023- it’s been nice reading you!

 This month was just kind of average with how much I read. 9 books. A total of 2721 pages. An average of 88 pages a day. But I got stuck on a series (again). So what can I say!

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover (410 pages). The first of a five book series. Sky Davis likes her life. She’s got a best friend named Six who lives right next door. She’s got an adoptive mom who she loves. But when she finally starts public school (without Six, who went to Italy for a foreign exchange program), she is a little nervous. Until Dean Holder enters her life. There’s something different about Holder. And as Sky becomes closer with Holder, she also begins to remember things about her life pre-adoption. And the things she remembers begin to terrify her. Colleen Hoover writes a book that is easy to get involved in the plot and the characters. I finished in 3 days. 

Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover (330 pages). Book 2 in the series. This is Hopeless, from Holder’s perspective. You see, Holder has his own demons. His twin sister Lesslie committed suicide a year earlier. His parents are divorced and remarried, living in different cities. And he has secrets about Sky’s pre-adoption life. I do love reading the same story from different perspectives. I finished in 3 days.

Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover (129 pages). Book 3 in the series. Holder has a best friend named Daniel. Before Sky and Holder ever met, Daniel had a life changing experience with a girl in the dark in a janitor’s closet at school during fifth period. And he’s been looking for that girl and that feeling ever since. Now, he’s been third wheeling with the happy couple. Until Sky’s best friend Six returns from Italy. Because Six isn’t just Sky’s best friend- she’s closet girl. But while Sky and Holder have some secrets they haven’t told their best friends, Six has some secrets too. I am throughly enjoying this series. It’s fun to read things from different characters perspectives. I finished in 1 day. 

All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover (310 pages). Book 4 of the series.  Quinn and Graham first met when they discovered that her fiancé and his girlfriend were having an affair. Six months after that awful day, they ran into each other while on dates. And immediately became inseparable. Years later, they are unhappily married and desperately trying for a child. Something that doesn’t seem like is ever going to happen for them. Can a marriage withstand Category 6 troubles when it’s not the marriage you thought you wanted?  This one was much heavier than the first 3, in a good way. As a grown married woman, I connected more with Quinn than I did with the high schoolers of the first 3 books. Not that the first books weren’t good. This one just hit more. And yes, this book IS connected to the rest of the series- Quinn’s sister is an ex-Pat Italian tutor for foreign exchange students. I finished in 2 days.

Finding Perfect by Colleen Hoover (86 pages).  Book 5 and the final one in the series. And the most beautiful conclusion to the story.  We again go back to Daniel. He and Six are still together by Thanksgiving break of their freshman year of college. But their secret from the earlier book lies heavy on both of them. When Daniel finds a way to ease their pain, all of the stories come full circle. Y’all, I started crying about halfway through and didn’t stop until I finished. This one might have been my favorite of the series. I finished in 1 day. 

Through the Snow Globe by Annie Rains (292 pages). This was my Christmas Once Upon a Book Club box (I only do their special edition books now) so gifts on social. Diana is an in-home physical therapist. She’s engaged to Linus, a toy store owner. So everything should be perfect. But Diana was raised to never show her feelings. And it seems like that has spilled over to all her relationships- with her patients, with her best friend, and most importantly with her fiancé. On December 4, after a horrible day, Linus is in an accident. and for the next three weeks, Diana goes to visit him, hoping that he will come out of his coma before Christmas. When she finds his Christmas gift to her, a snow globe of their little town, she makes a wish on it. And wakes up to December 4 all over again. She tries everything to change the outcome of the day (ala Groundhog Day). But it isn’t always about changing the day. It’s about seeing changes that need to be made in yourself. It was super sweet.  I finished in 2 days.

Untying the Knot by Meghan Quinn (461 pages).  A spin-off of the Cane brothers series that I read earlier in the fall. Ryot and Myla Bisley first met 12 years ago and have been together for 7 years. But Ryot isn’t the charming man that Myla married. Since retiring from baseball (they met when he was in the minors), he’s not really sure of who he is anymore.  So Myla does the only thing she can- she files for divorce. But Ryot isnt willing to let her get away. And with JP and Kelsey’s wedding in 3 weeks (see book 2 of the Cane brother series), he decides to buy himself as much time as he can. Because an athlete always has a game plan on how to win. This might have been my favorite of the series. I loved how it went back and showed you how Ryot and Myla’s love story grew. And how it got to where it is in present day. None of Meghan Quinn’s characters are perfect but somehow the stories just work. I finished in 4 days.

Main Character Energy by Jamie Varon (313 pages). This was my Up All Night Once Upon a Book Club box. Which means I’ve got my new reading challenge scratch off for next year!  It was also my 100th book of the year. But on to the book. Poppy Banks feels like a failure. She hates her job. Her older (perfect) brother has the writing career she always dreamt of. And her mother makes her feel like she’s not good enough, not thin enough, not anything enough. But every year, her clandestine meeting with her estranged Aunt Margot makes her feel okay. And when Margot dies and leaves Poppy her elusive writers retreat, The Colony, Poppy is intrigued. Even more so by Margot’s stipulations- she must move there for 6 months and finish a book before she can take ownership. So off Poppy goes to the French Riviera. She meets new friends and begins to wonder if she can actually be like Margot and be the main character in her own life. Turns out, she’s more like Margot than she ever dreamed. This book was really cute- just the right amount of romance and self confidence. I finished in 3 days. 

Home Front by Kristen Hannah (390 pages). Jolene Zarkades is a Black Hawk helicopter pilot in the National Guard, married and living outside Seattle with her criminal defense attorney husband Michael and 2 daughters, 12 year old Betsy and 4 year old Lulu. She loves being both a military woman and a mother. The same can’t be said about her relationship with Michael. But Jo lives by the credo that happiness is a choice. When her unit is deployed to Iraq, everything changes. And when her copter is shot down, her injuries upend their lives. Meanwhile, Michael is assigned a case that makes him question everything he’s thought about the military- a young soldier is accused of murdering his wife. But he has no recollection of actually doing it. When Michael delves into the world of PTSD, he starts to understand his wife, perhaps for the first time ever. And finally, FINALLY, the family is able to heal. I bawled several times throughout reading. Jo’s struggles, the family coming together, it was so difficult and beautiful all at the same time. I finished in 4 days.

This month’s favorite is…….Home Front and Finding Perfect. Yes, the two books that made me cry

Being the last entry of 2023, it’s time to give my yearly report. I read 101 books this year. A total of 34,273 pages. An average of 94 pages a day. And this year’s favorite?  The Personal Librarian. 

A busy November meant not as much reading time

 This month was the month of a series. I got hooked and just couldn’t stop.  I ended up reading 7 books. A total of 2,338 pages. An average of 75 pages a day (which is not quite up to snuff with my regular monthly averages). But let’s get to the books, shall we?

Hooked by Emily McIntire (300 pages). The first of the Never After Series. James “Hook” Barrie is part of a crime syndicate (The Lost Boys) that sells pixie dust (clearly drugs) and runs Boston. Wendy is the daughter of Peter Michaels, owner of NevAirLand Planes. When Hook sees Wendy at his bar, the Jolly Roger, he decides he must have her. Because Hook has some unfinished business with Peter. But Hook has never let anyone in before. Until Wendy. This was not a reimagining of a fairytale. This was a full on naughty reinvention. And I loved it!  The character names (the twins, Curly, Smee) and location names (the Lagoon, the Jolly Roger) were such a creative way to keep the magic of the original but also completely recreate it. I finished in 3 days. 

Scarred by Emily McIntire (337 pages). Book 2 in the series. Lady Sara Beatreaux has spent her adult life knowing one thing- that she will avenge her father’s death by destroying the Faasa line of royalty in the kingdom of Gloria Terra. Her betrothal to the king will allow her to do just that. But what Sara didn’t anticipate was the king’s brother Tristan, the scarred prince. Tristan, doesn’t want to destroy his family’s line; he just wants to destroy his brother. As they begin to fall wildly (and quite dirtily) in love and lust, they realize that their goals aren’t that dissimilar. A little Hamlet and a lot of 50 Shades. Again, the characters were great. Even though this wasn’t inspired by a fairy tale (at least not one I know), I might have liked it more than Hooked! I finished in 4 days.

Wretched by Emily McIntire (268 pages).  Book 3 in the series. Woo hoo- the jolly old land of Oz!  Evelina is the youngest of three sisters- oldest sister Nessa died when Evie was 17 and middle sister Dorothy is the reason she’s dead. And her father is the head of an Irish crime family. Seven years later, Nicholas is the DEA agent assigned to go undercover and bust the drug ring. A drug ring that Evie is intimately involved in. And when Nick and Evie become intimately involved, everything shifts. For both of them. So many shoutouts to Oz. A bar called Winkies. A drug called Flying Monkey. A hacker named Oz. A strip club called Yellow Brick. A yacht named My Toto. A mother named Glinda. And another naughty naughty reinvention. I finished in 3 days.

Twisted by Emily McIntire (366 pages). Book 4 in the series. A twisted Aladdin. Yasmin is the only child of Ali, owner of the worldwide diamond company Sultans. His right hand man is Julian. And Yasmin’s first love is Aiden, the boy who grew up on her father’s estate as the son of one of the staff. But when Ali learns that he has very little time left, he lets Yasmin know that only her husband will be inheriting Sultans. And Yasmin isn’t married. But Julian is bitter that HE isn’t the one who will inherit. So he tricks Yasmin into marrying him. All while sending Aiden off to find a legendary lamp. I’m not sure how I felt about this one. Part of me liked it, part of me was super bothered by the Stockholm Syndrome that clearly occurred with Yasmin and Julian. I finished in 4 days.

Crossed by Emily McIntire (403 pages). The 5th and final book in the series. I’d say this was a reimagining of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but honestly it was just a modernization of it in a lot of ways. The small town of Festivale, Vermont, is a little bit of Paris in America. Amaya works at the Chapel, a strip club, as Esmeralda in order to provide for herself and her younger brother Quinten  (when their mother left, she left them indebted to Parker, the local criminal in charge). But when Father Cade arrives at Notre Dame to bring renewed religion to the town, his obsession with Amaya becomes overwhelming. Nothing different than Victor Hugo imagined with that one. The biggest difference?  Amaya feels the same draw to Cade. Honestly, I think this one was my favorite of the whole series. I finished in 6 days.

The Girl Beyond the Gate by Becca Day (326 pages). Jodie Madison needs a fresh start. And the exclusive gated community of Kensington Grove seems like just the spot. But you can never escape the ghosts of your past. And try as Jodie might, she can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong with her next-door neighbor, Norah Williams, and Norah’s terminally ill daughter Lacey. As the months go by, Jodie becomes even more suspicious. When the safe little community is rocked by a murder, Jodie becomes even more convinced that she needs to save Lacey. But are her suspicions merited?  Or is it her own guilt, coming back to mess with her head?  I finished in 2 days.

The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose (338 pages). OMG!  This book!  Sarah and Adam Morgan seem to be the perfect couple. She is a super successful defense attorney in DC. He is a struggling author who spends most of his time at their lake house in Virginia. But there are always secrets. And Adam’s is that he’s been carrying on an affair with Kelly Summers, a local woman near their lake house. One night, after an encounter with Kelly, Adam heads home to Sarah. But when the housekeeper arrives at the lake house, she finds Kelly’s lifeless body, stabbed 37 times. Adam is immediately charged with her murder. And Sarah puts away her heartbreak at the affair by agreeing to represent him. And that’s all I’m going to say. The investigation. The trial and outcome. So, so good. I finished in 3 days. 

This month’s favorite is…….The Perfect Marriage.