This month was a good month, reading-wise. I started a book on the 30th and did not come close to finishing it. So I didn’t count it towards this month’s readings. But this month I read 7 books, at a total of 2724 pages, which is an average of 94 pages per day. Let’s get to it!
Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy (291 pages). This was a prequel to Anne of Green Gables. The author said she was inspired by Marilla telling Anne that John Blythe had been her beau. The book opens with the Marilla we know and love (don’t kid yourself, you know you loved her, crotchety old love bug that she was). Then immediately flashes back to 13 year old Marilla. She is full of life and love. She and Matthew adore their parents. And Avonlea. And Green Gables. Tragedy strikes the Gables. But life goes on. Marilla finds, and loses, love with John Blythe. The author created a wonderful world for Marilla, full of the characters we know (hello there, young Rachel Lynde nee White) and so many other familiar names (the Blairs, the Pyes, the Andrews). And even some adventures. I finished in 5 days.
One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus (434 pages). In 1854, a Cheyenne chief offered a peace treaty with the US Army. 1000 white women to be offered as wives to the Cheyenne men. Because theirs was a matriarchal society, the children would be white. Needless to say, the offer was refused. In this novel, it is not. And the first of the 1000 women (including patients at mental hospitals) are sent west. Including May Dodd, who’s great grandson J. Will Dodd publishes her diaries. The book was great! The Cheyenne seemed a peaceful people. And these white women truly integrated themselves into the Indian lives. But when gold is found in the Black Hills, a sacred place to the Indians, the peaceful life is quickly shattered. Honestly, every time I read about the destruction of the Indians’ lives by the invading white man, it breaks my heart. I finished in 6 days.
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty (450 pages). The title is a little misleading. The nine people aren’t perfect strangers. The novel takes place at Tranquillum House, a high end health spa resort. Masha, the director, has come up with a groundbreaking new treatment and is going to test it out over a 10 day retreat. The guests are a family of three who are mourning the death of son/brother, a couple with marital issues, and four completely unrelated single people. Let’s just say that Masha’s treatment plan is completely unexpected. And quite insane! Like legit, Masha is crazy. CRAZY!! It’s a different Moriarty than I had expected. But I really liked it! I finished in 5 days.
The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel by Alyssa Palombo (405 pages). This was the story of Sleepy Hollow, told from Katrina’s point of view. Which actually made it a lot of fun. After all, as she says in the prologue, her story “has everything that a grand, epic tale should have, even if the details have been lost: a romance between a handsome hero and a beautiful heroine, a jealous rival, loyal friendship, music, ghosts and demons, magic, and murder most foul.” All of the details that were either glossed over or left out of Washington Irving’s version (which I love btw). This one was WAY more fun though! Katrina isn’t just a passive prize to be fought over- she is passionate and headstrong. And she gets to the bottom of the ghost story of the Horseman. I finished in 4 days.
When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger (340 pages). The third in the Devil Wears Prada series. Emily is now an image consultant/fixer. But she’s not as in demand as she used to be. So when Karolina, the wife of a senator, is accused of drunk driving with her stepson and his friends in the car, Emily jumps at the chance to help out when her old friend Miriam calls. Emily comes up with the perfect plan to win Karolina back her life. And her own! It would have been a perfect pool read. But alas, I had to read it indoors. It was mindless fun. I finished in 2 days.
The Traitor’s Wife by Allison Pataki (464 pages). Not only do I love historical fiction, but I also really like this particular author (she tends to focus on female historical characters, which is uncommon). I’m going to be honest- other than knowing that Benedict Arnold betrayed our country in some way, I literally knew nothing about him or his family. Now I feel like I do. I don’t think I realized that Arnold was truly an American hero before his Loyalist wife and her ex-love British officer John Andre convinced him to betray the country. The novel begins in May 1778, with the arrival of fictional lady’s maid Clara at the Shippen household, where she begins her life with Peggy Shippen. She watches Peggy’s love affair with Andre and her eventual marriage to Arnold. And the subsequent betrayal of their country by the Arnolds. All in a little over 2 years. It was heartbreaking to watch Arnold’s fall from grace- a man who fought and was injured for his country became so disenchanted that he was willing to betray it. I finished in 4 days.
The Party by Robyn Harding (340 pages). It’s Hannah’s 16th birthday. Her parents decide that a slumber party with 4 of her girl friends is enough. But what they don’t know is that 2 of Hannah’s friends are in the popular clique and Hannah is desperate to fit in. When a horrendous accident happens that night, everyone’s life is effected. From Hannah and her parents to the girls in attendance and really even the whole high school. It was pretty good. I finished in 3 days.
This month’s favorite was ...The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel. But I really liked the historical fiction books as well.
