December is over. 2022 is over. And what a year of reading it has been!

 This month was a pretty average month for me. 8 books. A total of 2,572 pages. An average of 86 pages a day. But most importantly, this is also the end of 2022. So it’s time for the yearly breakdown. A total of 100 books read. A total of 33,835 pages. An average of 93 per day. And the favorite book of the favorite books is……The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (October’s book). But let’s get into this month’s readings, shall we?

 Circe by Madeline Miller (385 pages). I have always LOVED mythology. But the character of Circe had a small role in it. Until this book. I’d call it mythological fiction. Circe was the daughter of a Titan, the god Helios, and a nymph. Sadly, she had none of her father’s power nor her mother’s allure. What she did have was a fascination for mortals and a flair for witchcraft. After turning a mortal into a minor deity and a fellow nymph into a monster, Zeus banishes her to the island of Aiaia. There, she hones her craft and crosses paths with the greatest figures in Greek mythology- Hermes, Athena, the Minotaur, Medea, Daedalus and Icarus, and Odysseus (with whom she has a son). Despite many centuries alone, Circe never changes in her devotion to her witchcraft and to her humanity. I loved, loved, LOVED this book. From start to finish, it was practically perfect!  I finished in 5 days. 

The Vanished Bride by Bella Ellis (290 pages). The Bronte sisters as detectives?  I’m in!  When all 3 Bronte sisters find themselves living at home with their father and brother, they spend a great deal of time writing together. However, learning of a young wife and mother who has disappeared in a gruesome scene of apparent murder, the sisters immediately decide to become unofficial detectors (a newfangled idea at the time). As more clues turn up, the sisters find themselves caught up in a mystery of epic proportions. The conclusion to the mystery was perfect!  I finished in 5 days. 

The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy (292 pages). One of our dearest family friends from Cape Cod is Peter Walter. We met Peter through his brother Lamar (a former colleague of my father’s) and he is part of our Falmouth vacation every year. Peter is truly one of the most extraordinary men I’ve met. And Peter spent a day teaching with Pat Conroy on Yamacraw (aka Daufuskie) Island. Conroy took the job in 1969. Yamacraw had electricity but not much else. The school was one small building. And Conroy’s was one of the few white faces on the island and the only white face in the school.  The 18 5th through 8th grade students were depressingly undereducated. I mean, depressingly. They did not even know that they lived in America. Or that the Atlantic Ocean lapped at the shores of their home. The school system had failed them. But Conroy didn’t teach by the book- he wanted to open the world off the island up to them. Music, a Halloween spent off the island, a trip to DC, and countless daily lessons made him beloved on the island. But hated by the school board. Shocker. After one year, he was let go. His memories of the island never left him. And one of those children went on to become a bestselling cookbook author. And most of them got of the island. It was a great story. And then, of course, I watched the movie. Not nearly as good as the book. But what movie ever is?  I finished in 4 days. 

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan (432 pages). This was my October Once Upon a Book Club book (I’ve been hoarding them for the end of the year). So gifties on social, per usual. 12 years ago, Olivia McAfee took her young son Asher and escaped her abusive marriage by returning home. Home to a small New Hampshire town where she took over her father’s beekeeping. Asher’s senior year of high school brings Lily Campanello, the new girl, into his life. They fall passionately in love, as only teenagers can.  But one day in December changes everything. Lily is dead and Asher is accused of killing her. With her defense attorney brother Jordan at her side, Olivia does everything in her power to prove his innocence. But does Asher have a darker side than she knew?  And was Lily actually hiding things herself?  Jodi Picoult had gotten a little predictable for a while. This book was not what I expected at all. I finished in 3 days. 

The Christmas Witch by Dalea Faulkner (166 pages). This was a special edition Christmas Once Upon a Book Club box. So gifties on social. 13 year old Brigid Baelfyre and her mother Cerri relocated from Scotland to Amberlight Valley after the death of her father. Amberlight Valley is a town tingling with magick. But it’s magick is off balance and Brigid and her frenemy Morgan must find the mythical Amberlight Stone to restore their town. As both of them come into their witchcraft, they begin to learn some of the other secrets of their town. And whether or not they can trust each other. The book was not that great- lots of grammatical errors and one dimensional characters. I finished in 1 day.

Verity by Colleen Hoover (314 pages). Best selling author Verity Crawford was in a horrific car accident, an accident that left her unable to complete her successful series. Her husband Jeremy hires Lowen Ashleigh to complete the series. Lowen heads to the Crawford home in Vermont to look through Verity’s outlines. And finds an autobiography that she assumes Verity never wanted the world to read. Because what Lowen uncovers shows Verity to be a monster. But as Lowen finds herself falling for Jeremy (and Jeremy reciprocating those feelings), she becomes more and more unnerved by the woman she is there to write for. The ending was <chef’s kiss>.  So unlike the other Colleen Hoover books I have read. I finished in 3 days. 

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid (364 pages).  When Carrie Soto retired from the world of tennis at 31, she was the greatest female tennis player of all time, with a record 20 Grand Slam titles. But 6 years later, she finds herself in the stands of the US Open, watching her record being matched. And Carrie is a winner who will not stand for that. With the help of her coach (who is also her father) and her hitting partner (who is also an ex fling), Carrie stages a comeback to reclaim her record.  She has 4 shots to take back her title- the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. But for a woman who has only ever wanted to be a champion, will it ever be enough?  And is there life beyond tennis?  Loved it!  I finished in 5 days. 

Improbably Yours by Kerry Anne King (329 pages).  This was my New Years book box from Once Upon a Book Club. On Spokane native Blythe’s 30th birthday, she gets a job she doesn’t want, a proposal she doesn’t want, and a present from her long decreased grandmother. The present?  Blythe must take Nomi’s ashes to an island they had made up (but one that turns out to be in the San Juan Islands, clear across Washington State), dig up a treasure and bury the ashes. To everyone’s amazement, Blythe heads off on her treasure hunt.  She rents out Improbable House and makes friends with islander/treasure hunter Flynn and his niece Savannah. Turns out, Blythe has more of a connection to Improbable House (and the island) than she could have ever imagined. It was a super sweet story about family and being yourself. I finished in 3 days. 

This month’s favorite was…..Circe. But Verity and Carrie Soto were tied for a very close second. 

No-kidding that No-vember was a good month!

 November was a good month for reading. A lot of chick lit and psychological thrillers (I guess that’s the best word for it). I read 7 books. A total of 2,628 pages. An average of 87.5 pages per day. So let’s get into it!

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine (395 pages).  Amber Peterson has a plan. A plan to become the next Mrs. Jackson Parrish. But to do that, she must first ingratiate herself to his current wife Daphne before pulling the rug out from under her.  Because Daphne has it all- gorgeous husband, 2 amazing daughters, and all the wealth she could ever want. So Amber sets about with her plan. Little does Amber know that Daphne has a plan of her own. So which woman will ultimately win?  I loved this book. It was not at all what I expected!  I finished in 4 days. 

Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score (556 pages). Naomi Witt arrives in Knockemout, Virginia, with two things on her mind- fleeing her wedding and helping out her no-account twin sister Tina. But little did she know that Tina had left a disaster waiting her. A town where people didn’t trust Tina (and therefore Naomi by extension) and an 11 year old niece Waylay. So Naomi finds herself jobless, homeless, carless (after Tina stole hers) and no linger childless. What she didn’t expect was a town that embraced her. And a new neighbor/boss in the form of Knox Morgan. A man who doesn’t form attachments. Until Naomi and Waylay make him realize what he has been missing this whole time. It was a cute rom com. I finished in 5 days. 

The Lost Ticket by Freya Sampson (337 pages). This was my September Once Upon a Book Club box (yes, I’m not up to date. Sue me). So gifts on social, as usual. Libby Nicholls arrives in London with her life a shambles- her boyfriend of 8 years has dumped her, leaving her homeless and jobless. Fortunately her sister offers her a place to live and a temporary job babysitting her nephew. Libby meets Frank on the 88 bus.  Frank, who has been riding this bus for 60+ years, looking for his lost girl. A girl he met once but who changed his life forever. Libby joins forces with Frank’s carer to search for the girl. But time is ticking, as Frank’s dementia is advancing. This book was so super sweet. I finished in 3 days. 

When She Returned by Lucinda Berry (289 pages). Eleven years ago, Kate disappeared, leaving behind grieving husband Scott and 5 year old Abbi. In the ensuing years, Scott finally had her declared dead and eventually remarried Meredith. But one day, a call from Montana lets them know that Kate is alive. The family brings her and her 7 week old daughter Shiloh back home to California. But Kate is hesitant to tell where she has been. Because 11 years ago, she became enthralled with a local cult, Love International. And that’s when all of the family’s troubles began. Can someone ever really fully deprogram from complete cult immersion, even when they see problems with the cult and its leader?  That’s the struggle that this family now faces. This book was soooo good!  I finished in 4 days. 

Book Lovers by Emily Henry (373 pages). Every romance novel has its tropes- the handsome stranger, the small town love affair, the cold hearted workaholic girlfriend who gets left. Nora Stephens, a book editor in New York, knows her role in life. Work first, her beloved baby sister Libby second. So when Libby asks Nora to take a month away, Nora says yes. With trepidation. Because Libby wants to go to Sunshine Falls, NC, the town that’s the star of the best selling book by one of Nora’s clients. And Libby has a plan. Little do either of them know that a difficult book editor from the city, Charlie Lastra, is also in Sunshine Falls. And his appearance puts a bit of a kink in Libby’s plans. Or does it?  Super cute rom com book. I wish I’d been sitting poolside for it!  I finished in 6 days. 

A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee (369 pages). Felicity Morrow has returned to Dalloway School to repeat her senior year.  The year before, her girlfriend Alex died in an accident and Felicity took a year away to get help. Upon returning, she moves back into her old room in Godwin House. And quickly finds herself inthralled with the new girl, prodigy author Ellis Haley. But the ghosts of Alex and the Dalloway Five (five of Dalloway’s earlier students who were accused of witchcraft and all died mysteriously). Dalloway is steeped in witchcraft and darkness. And Felicity finds herself drawn back into it. This was one of those books that I both liked and didn’t like. The writing was excellent. But I found myself not really connecting to the characters. I finished in 4 days. 

Beauty and the Baller by Ilsa Madden-Miles (309 pages). Former NFL quarterback Ronan Smith’s life is not going well. After a horrific car crash claimed the life of his fiancée and his NFL career, he’s in a downward spiral. Until a one night stand with Princess Leia shakes him out of it. Two years later, Nova Morgan finds herself returning home to Blue Belle, Texas.  Her new next door neighbor?  The head football coach- retired quarterback and former one night stand from hell, Ronan. As they become closer, Ronan has to face a choice- his dream job or a new forever love. Another total chick lit, pool perfect read. I finished in 3 days. 

This month’s favorite was…..a tie between The Lost Ticket and When She Returned. They are totally different genres, so I feel like I can choose both!

Falling into some good books this month

I did pretty good this month. 8 books. A total of 2,680 pages. An average of 86.5 pages per day. So let’s get to it!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (385 pages). Evelyn Hugo was THE movie star. And she has finally decided to tell the truth about her life. To little known magazine reporter Monique Grant. As Evelyn shares her life from her start in Hollywood in the 1950’s to her retirement in the 1980’s, Monique learns there is so much more to Evelyn than her seven husbands and her one great love. And even the reason why Evelyn chose her to tell this story. The novel was separated into 7 sections, devoted to Evelyn’s life during the years with each husband. I’ve read several books by this author. And liked them all. But this one was my favorite. I finished in 2 days. 

Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig (360 pages). Ginny is an autistic 14 year old girl who’s been in foster care for years. She’s now, hopefully, found her forever home. But there are still lingering issues stemming from her birth mother that cause Ginny to lie, steal and get herself kidnapped in order to find out what happened. Honestly, I didn’t really enjoy this one. Unlike Eleanor Oliphant, I didn’t really find Ginny to be an enjoyable character. I certainly felt sorry for her (there is a really good reason why Ginny has been in foster care). But I didn’t like her. I finished in 5 days. 

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford (362 pages). This was my August Once Upon a Book Club book (I’m a little behind). So as usual, gifties on social. This was a really interesting novel about how past generational traumas can effect many generations. The story opens with Dorothy Moy and her five year old daughter Annabel. Dorothy is a tortured poet in 2045 Seattle who doesn’t want to pass her traumas on to her daughter. So she seeks an experimental treatment to help confront these inherited traits. And as she goes back in time, she learns what must be fixed. First, with her mother Greta- a techie genius in 2014 who creates and losses a revolutionary dating app.  Then her grandmother Zoe- a schoolgirl at a famous school in England with no rules in 1927.  Her great grandmother Faye- a nurse serving with the Flying Tigers in 1942. Her great great grandmother Lai King- a young girl who loses everything in the San Francisco plague of 1892. And finally her great great great great grandmother, the woman who began her line- Afong, the first Chinese woman to come in America in 1836.  Throughout each of these lifetimes, Dorothy learns and overcomes traumas. And also learns that there is someone who is there in each life, someone who loves her. And she will do anything to break the cycle and help her daughter find love and happiness. It was very interesting. I finished in 4 days. 

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (316 pages). This was my Sweet Once Upon a Book Club Halloween box. The gifties are on social, per usual. Nowadays, witches can’t spend time together because it means their powers might mingle and draw attention to their existence. But Mika Moon loves people, other witches and magic. When given the opportunity to tutor 3 orphaned witches at the remote and bewitched Nowhere House, Mika tentatively agrees. And while it goes against everything she’s been taught, Mika finds herself falling in love with the 3 young girls and their 4 caretakers, including prickly (and handsome) librarian Jamie. But when danger threatens her new family, Mika must risk everything to save them and her new life with them. It was so super cute and such an easy read. I finished in 2 days. 

Remembering Columbia South Carolina by Dr. Miles S. Richard’s (124 pages). This was a collection of stories about crimes and deaths and celebrities that I’d never heard about my hometown. It was a fun and easy read. I finished in 1 day. 

The Night Singer by Johanna Mo (434 pages). Police detective Hanna Duncker finds herself in a place she never expected- her hometown of Oland. After years in Stockholm, she felt the pull to return home. But Oland is a place that doesn’t forget. And after Hanna’s father was convicted of murder, Hanna fled. Now that she has returned and is immediately assigned a case of a murdered 15 year old, she has to work to solve the case and confront the demons of her past. I finished in 6 days. 

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey (342 pages). My special edition Spooky Once Upon a Book Club Halloween box, which means more gifties on social. Vera Crowder has returned home for the first time in a long time to help her dying mother.  But returning to the house where her beloved father committed gruesome murders is harder than she imagined. Especially when she keeps finding notes from him in unexpected places.  This book was not at all what I expected. And not in a good way. The ending was super weird and actually kind of left me disliking the book. I finished in 5 days. 

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover (357 pages). Morgan finds herself pregnant at 17.  Pregnant and rather unhappy with her life. 17 years later, she is contentedly married to Chris, her high school sweetheart and the father of her nearly 17 year old daughter Clara. But Morgan and Clara’s worlds are turned upside down when Chris and Morgan’s sister Jenny are killed in a car accident. As Morgan and Clara struggle to come to terms with this loss, truths about their lives begin to emerge. I finished in 5 days. 

This month’s favorite was…..The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Although honestly, four of them kind of tied for favorite. 

I guess you could say that September readings went well

 September had a vacation in it. And we know what that means- more books will be read!  And yes, I did read more books this month. I actually started one but didn’t finish it until October. So we won’t count that one. This month I read 11 books. A total of 3,594 pages. An average of 124 pages per day. So pretty good I’d say!  Let’s get into it, shall we?

The War Girls by V.S. Alexander (431 pages). Historical fiction AND a Once Upon a Book Club box?  Heaven!  The novel spans the years of 1939 to 1943 in Warsaw. Hanna Majewski left Poland to live with her aunt and uncle in England because living the strict life of a proper Jewish girl was too stifling for her. But she left behind her parents and two siblings, sister Stefa and brother Aaron. Meanwhile, Polish Catholic Janka Danek cannot believe what is happening to her neighbors and other Jews in Poland. As the war rages on, Hanna, Stefa and Janka each find a way to fight. As War Girls. I didn’t know as much about the decimation of Jews in Poland. The ghetto in Warsaw actually had an uprising where the Jewish people attempted to fight back after years of Nazi rule. There was a camp outside of Warsaw called Treblinka where 700,000 to 900,000 Jewish Poles were killed in a 15 month period. But the stories of these women and their families was so inspiring. I finished in 4 days. 

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (336 pages). It’s the day before New Year’s Eve and a real estate agent has an open house for an apartment. At the open house are Ro and Julia, married with a baby on the way; Roger and Anna-Lena, married and devoted flippers; Estelle, an older woman waiting for her husband to park the car; Zara, a woman who’s hobby is going to open houses; and Lennart, a gentleman there for other purposes.  But this open house goes awry when a failed bank robber holds them all hostage. What happens over those hours, as father and son police officer Jim and Jack try to crack the case, changes all of them. Each entered with a set of struggles. And each walked out with a newfound happiness. I finished in 5 days. 

The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton DiSclafani (416 pages). In 1930, 15 year old Thea Atwell is sent from her beloved home and family, including her twin brother, in Florida to boarding/finishing school in North Carolina.  Thea, like many girls, is sent away “for a reason”. While there, she spends most of her time riding and getting to know the other wealthy daughters of Southern families. Thea manages to get herself into a little more trouble while at school before she comes home. It took a long time to fully get to what had happened at home that forced Thea to leave. Which was rather annoying. I finished in 5 days. 

Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena (349 pages). The Mertons are a wealthy but miserable family. Fred and Sheila host their three adult children (Catherine, Dan and Jenna) for Easter Sunday dinner. A dinner that does not go well, as Fred is abusive and Sheila is neglectful. On Tuesday morning, their king time housekeeper Irena finds the Mertons brutally murdered. As each of the children is set to inherit millions, the cops immediately look into motives. And Fred’s sister Audrey makes it her person mission to learn the truth. Every member of this family has a motive. But who did it?  I truly had no idea who the murderer was going to be. So bravo on that one!  I finished in 6 days. 

The It Girl by Ruth Ware (420 pages). Hannah arrives at Pelham College, Oxford University, as a fish out of water. As luck would have it, her suite mate is the fabulous April. April is truly the It Girl of their college. And Hannah quickly becomes part of her group- Will, Hugh, Emily and Ryan. But when Hannah finds April murdered at the end of second term, she knows exactly who did it. The creepy porter John Neville who she saw leaving their staircase. Her testimony helps convict him. But 10 years later, Hannah is approached by a reporter who is convinced of the now deceased Neville’s innocence. Hannah begins her own investigation and uncovers some truths about her college friends that change everything. I do love Ruth Ware’s novels. She usually manages to get one over on me with a twist near the end. And this one was no different!  I finished in 1 day. 

Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover (327 pages). Five years ago,Kenna went to jail when she caused an accident that took her boyfriend Scotty’s life. Now that she is out, she wants the one thing she was forced to give up- their daughter. But Diem has never met her mother. And Scotty’s best friend Ledger doesn’t seem too eager for Kenna to have a relationship with her daughter. But there’s no denying the attraction between Kenna and Ledger. Can forgiveness ever truly be granted?  Can Kenna ever forgive herself?  It was a very sweet story. But honestly, just a slightly different version of the first Colleen Hoover novel I read. I finished in 1 day. 

Hooked by A.C. Wise (330 pages). Decades ago, James is just a merchant sailor who’s ship disappears. When it reappears, he is in Neverland. And Peter Pan decides he must be a pirate. So Captain Hook is born, out of the dark imagination that is Pan. And because Neverland is Pan’s, Hook can never truly die. But he finally finds a way to escape Neverland. But once you are there, you can never be free. And the dark monster of Pan follows him to London 22 years after his escape. When he reunites with grown Wendy Darling and her daughter Jane, Hook realizes he must return to Neverland and become a villain one last time for them all to be able to escape Pan’s darkness. I really didn’t like this one very much. I finished in 2 days. 

Pumpkin by Julie Murphy (326 pages). The third and final book in the Dumplin’ series. This one focuses on Waylon Brewer, a slightly flamboyant gay senior at Clover City High School. Waylon is so ready to escape their small town with his twin sister Clementine and go Full Waylon. But when his sister announces her plans have changed, Waylon decides to make an audition tape for his favorite TV drag show. When the tape gets out, Waylon learns that he’s been nominated for prom Queen. Seeing as his sister’s girlfriend was nominated for prom king, the two of them decide to go all in. And Waylon begins to realize that maybe his small town isn’t the horrible place he thought it was. And maybe the small town people aren’t as horrible as he thought either. We got to see old friends again- Willowdean and Ellen. Millie. Drag Queen Lee. I finished in 2 days. 

Meant to Be by Emily Giffin (350 pages). John F Kennedy Jr, I mean Joseph Kingsley III, is American royalty. Between war heroism and politics, there’s nothing about this family that isn’t golden. Not that they are tragedy proof- Joe’s father was killed in an accident when he was very young. But Joe isn’t like the rest of his family. And when he meets model Carolyn Bessette, I mean Catherine Cooper, it’s game over. Cate is as far opposite of Joe as one could be- grew up middle class with an oppressed mother and an abusive stepfather. She was able to escape that by becoming a model and eventually working for a designer. When she and Joe finally get together, they realize they are everything the other has ever needed. It was a fictionalized version of JFK Jr and Carolyn’s love story. Total chick lit. And I loved it. I also promptly did my own research to look up the differences in the novel and in life. Let’s just say that Cate and Carolyn, other than both working in the fashion world and both being uncomfortable with the paparazzi, had very little in common. Joe and JFK Jr, on the other hand, were frighteningly similar. The best part about the novel is that it doesn’t end in tragedy, but rather in the what might have been. I finished in 2 days. 

In Her Boots by KJ Dell’Antonia (357 pages). Rhett Smith is back in the States, freshly off of a breakup and the loss of her beloved grandmother.  She returns home to Pioneer Hill Farm, ready to hang up her traveling shoes for work boots at the farm.  The wild success of her book, The Modern Pioneer Girl’s Guide to Life, allows her a little more financial freedom that she’s ever had. But her intense hatred of the limelight causes her to thrust her best friend Jasmine into a tv interview and unwittingly force her to become the face of the MPG. While Rhett struggles against her old self and the new MPG she has become, she also struggles with how to take over the Farm and make it a success. I finished in 3 days. 

The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell (368 pages). This is the sequel to The Family Upstairs. That novel was amazing. But I didn’t remember all of the details. But it told of the horrible 6 years that the Lamb children spent in their own home while their parents allowed a con man to rule their lives. This was the story of those children as adults. When a mudlarker on the Thames finds a bag of bones, an investigation begins that brings everything full circle. The crimes that occurred against the Lamb children, the death of Birdie, the disappearance of the Thomsen children. All of it. It was really good. I finished in 3 days. 

This month’s favorite was…..The It Girl. 

This month was not a particularly August month of reading

 This month was not super impressive, as far as the number of books read. But honestly, of the 7 books read, there was only one that I really didn’t like at all. And thank goodness it was the first one of the month so the month only improved!  It was a total of 2,244 pages and an average of 72 pages per day. So let’s get to it. 

The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal (310 pages). Sisters Rajni, Jezmeen and Shirina have never been particularly close. And that distance has only worsened as they have gotten older. But when their beloved mother dies and requests that the three of them make a week-long pilgrimage to India for her, they comply. During the journey, they realize that each of them have been keeping secrets. Secrets that, once shared, will open them up to a closeness they never realized was missing. I finished in 6 days. 

A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale by Karen Schaler (335 pages). This was my holiday Once Upon a Book Club box (that yes, I am just getting around the reading). Kaylie Karlyle is an investigative journalist in NYC and loves every minute of it. But when the station she works for gets sold, she finds herself jobless at Christmas time. But her boss sends her on a special assignment- to visit the royal family of Tolvania and learn about their Christmas traditions. Little did Kaylie know that she would be meeting an amazing queen, a handsome prince (the queen’s son) and an adorable princess (the queen’s granddaughter) all while experiencing the magic of Christmas- a magic that she had lost along the way. It was an absolutely adorable read- it totally got me in the Christmas spirit (a few months early). And the gifts were super cute as well!  I finished in 4 days. 

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (306 pages). In 15 year old Will’s world, there are three rules to live by. Never cry. Never snitch. Always get revenge. So when his older brother Shawn is shot, Will thinks he knows who the responsible party is. So he grabs Shawn’s gun and gets on the elevator. But the 60 second ride from the 8th floor to the lobby can be long. Especially when you aren’t the only person in the elevator. This book of poetry (or rather verse) was not what I expected. But it was very very interesting. I finished in 1 day. 

Rush by Lisa Patton (405 pages). In honor of #rushtok, this book was a must-purchase and an almost immediate must-read. The Alpha Delta Beta house at Ole Miss is one of the most highly sought after sororities on campus. Wilda Woodcock is the newest member of the Rush advisory board, with daughter Ellie going through Rush. She was asked to join by fellow Alpha Delt alum (and House Corp President) Lilith Whitmore. After Lilith asked for their daughters to be roommates. The girls’ next door neighbor Cali also seems like Alpha Delt material. Except for one small problem- she lacks pedigree and has a big family secret that could spoil everything. Miss Pearl is the beloved Alpha Delt housekeeper of over 20 years. When an opportunity for promotion comes her way, Pearl decides it’s the perfect fit. But when Lilith tries to stop the promotion, the girls realize that it is up to them to create a house they are proud of. I really liked this book. It wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be- it was better!  I finished in 5 days. 

The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson (328 pages, including historical notes). This is the sequel to The Boom Woman of Troublesome Creek. It’s 1953 in Kentucky and Honey Lovett is the adopted daughter of Cussy Mary and Jackson Lovett (main character of the first novel). She’s 16 years old and used to hiding from the law (her parents’ interracial marriage between a white man and a blue-skinned woman made them criminals). But when her parents are imprisoned, Honey quickly learns who she can trust and how to make it on her own. So taking up her mother’s old Pack Horse library route seems like the perfect fit. I finished in 5 days. 

Fake It Til You Bake It by Jamie Wesley (321 pages). Yes, I’ve been sitting on several Once Upon a Book Club boxes. This is the one from June that I’m finally getting around to. So gifties on social (as always). Jada Townsend-Matthews is at a crossroads. She’s the most hated woman on the internet, thanks to turning down a proposal on a dating show. Donovan Dell is a successful professional football player and a semi-professional cupcake store owner. When their worlds collide and Jada is forced to take a job at Sugar Blitz, a reporter sniffs out a story. And a fake relationship is born. In typical rom-com/chick lit fashion, a fake relationship usually doesn’t stay fake for long. It was cute. And the gifts were great!  It also made me really want to bake the cupcake recipe that was included in the box. I finished in 2 days. 

In Another Light by AJ Banner (239 pages). You are supposed to be a widow at 40. But that’s exactly what happened to mortuary cosmetologist Phoebe Glassman 3 years ago. But one day, the very anniversary of her husband’s tragic accident, a body of a younger woman shows up at the mortuary. And this woman, Pauline Steele, looks exactly like Phoebe with a tattoo that Phoebe has seen before. But what really peaks Phoebe’s interest is a picture she finds in Pauline’s effects- a faded photo of Phoebe. As Phoebe investigates Pauline’s death, she learns of their shared past. I finished in 3 days. 

This month’s favorite was…..Rush. 

I only read 6 books this month? July-ing!

 This month was kind of a slow month. I only read 6 books. It was a total of 1,974 pages. Which makes for an average of 64 pages per day.   I’ve definitely had better months of reading (but I’ve also had way worse). So here goes!

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St James (341 pages). This was another Once Upon a Book Club book, so gifties are on social. But back to the book itself. The small town of Claire Lake, Oregon, is seemingly peaceful. But nothing is as it seems. In 1977, the Lady Killer murders rocked the town- two men were gunned down. And poor little rich girl Beth Greer seemed like the only suspect. After her acquittal, she retreated into her mansion. In 2007, a child rapist and murderer terrorized the town. And in 2017, part time true crime blogger Shea Collins lands the interview of a lifetime with Beth Greer. After a childhood “incident”, Shea herself lives a sheltered life. And as her involvement with Beth deepens, she begins to wonder what darkness lies in Beth’s home. I finished in 3 days. 

The Harrowing by Alexandra Sokoloff (296 pages). 5 students at Baird College decided to stay on campus during Thanksgiving break- Robin, Patrick, Lisa, Cain and Martin. As they spend the weekend slowly getting to know each other, they also realize that there is a presence in their residence hall. And when the rest of the student body returns from break, the 5 of them realize that this presence isn’t a friendly ghost. And they need to send this evil spirit back to the abyss before it inflicts any more damage to their college or the other students. It was like Breakfast Club meets Poltergeist with a little Jewish religious folklore. And I loved it!  I totally see why it was a Bram Stoker Award nominee. I finished in 3 days. 

Remember Me by Mario Escobar (357 pages). Back to historical fiction for this girl. From 1936 to 1939, the Spanish Civil War raged. I actually didn’t really understand what they were fighting about for a very long time. It wasn’t like the American Civil War. This was the communists vs the fascists (had to google the difference on those).  13 year old Marco Alcade and his two younger sisters are sent, by their parents, to Mexico to escape the ravages of war. Along with nearly 500 other children, the Alcades faced a very different reality upon reaching Morelia. And most of these children never saw their parents again. I finished in 5 days. 

Confess by Colleen Hoover (306 pages). At 15, Auburn Reed experienced a life changing grief. Nearly 6 years later, she accepts a temporary job at an art gallery. An art gallery where the artist Owen Gentry specializes in artwork inspired by anonymous confessions. Their connection is immediate. But both of them have confessions that could change everything if they let them out. I finished in 3 days. 

The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkel (337 pages). From age 11 to 19, Val and Lilly are absolute best friends and pen pals, sharing letters and recipes when they are apart. But one moment of betrayal lead to 27 years of silence. Can letters (or rather emails) and recipes help these two lifelong friends find their way back to each other?  I finished in 3 days. 

Darling Girl by Liz Michalski (337 pages). This was a Once Upon a Book Club book. The gifts were super cute. Holly Darling is the granddaughter of Wendy Darling (yes, that Wendy). The owner of a successful cosmetics company, Holly seems perfectly happy and successful, despite many family tragedies. But then she gets a phone call that her daughter Eden (who has been in a coma for over a decade) has vanished. Holly knows that there is only one culprit- Peter Pan. Because Holly knows the truth- Peter is not the hero the stories made him out to be. So Holly hires Christopher Cooke, a private detective, to help her track down her daughter. And the man the world will always view as the boy who never grows up. I finished in 3 days. 

This month’s favorite was…..Darling Girl. I guess. I didn’t really have an absolute favorite this month. 

I was over the June with this month's readings

I feel like I slacked off a little bit this month.  I only read 8 books with a total of 2,776 pages.  That's an average of 92.5 pages a day.  Which is a little low for me.  Not embarrassingly low, but worse than last month for sure!  But let's get on with the reviews.

The One and Only by Emily Giffin (413 pages).  Shea Rigsby is 33 years old.  And has never left her hometown of Walker, Texas.  A town where football is king and her best friend's father, Coach Carr, is a god (and the winning-est college football coach in Texas).  Shea willingly worships at the altar of football (and Coach Carr).  But when tragedy strikes the Carr family, Shea begins to wonder if she is truly happy with the life choices she has made.  I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it either.  There were just some portions of the story line that didn't sit right with me.  I finished in 3 days.

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (235 pages).  Mma Precious Ramotswe owns the only female private detective agency in all of Botswana.  She loves helping people and this is th best way she can.  Her cases are actually interesting- a con man, a missing husband, a wayward daught4er, a missing eleven year old.  The book was fine.  But something seemed a little off to me in my enjoyment of it.  And when I read other people's reviews, it made sense.  A lot of people stated that it was a little odd to have a middle aged white man (albeit one who was born in Zimbabwe) write a book about a Botswana woman.  I finished in 3 days.

The Summer House in Santorini by Samantha Parks (294 pages).  Anna isn't really happy with her life- her boss/boyfriend is less than satisfactory, as is her job at his NY gallery.  So when she learns that she and her sister have inherited their estranged father's summer house on Santorini, she decides it's the perfect time to leave NY and fix up the house for sale.  Little did she know that this island would help her find her roots, her passion and herself (along with a little side of true love).  It was cute-a perfect beach read.  I finished in 3 days.

Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray (480 pages).  In the village of Lkossa, Koffi and her mother are indentured servants of the Night Zoo, where all sorts of dangerous creatures are kept.  Ekon is attempting to follow in his father and brother's footsteps and join the Sons of the Six, the warriors who protect their village.  When Koffi and Ekon are able to escape what seems like their destiny, they find themselves in the jungle, hunting the deadly Shetani.  Woven throughout is the story of Adiah, a powerful daraja who is learning to use the splendor (aka magic).  I would characterize this genre as Pan-African magical realism (which isn't a thing but should be).  I only found myself invested in the story (and how the characters were connected) in the last hundred pages or so.  I finished in 4 days.

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (354 pages).  This is a Once Upon a Book Club box that I've been very behind on reading.  Olive Smith is a third year Ph.D. candidate in the biology department at Stanford.  She is almost always analytical.  And when she realizes that her best friend Ahn will not go out with her ex Jeremy (even though they both like each other), Olive decides that she needs to convince Ahn that she is over Jeremy.  So she kisses the first man she sees- Dr. Adam Carlsen, well known ass and professor.  They realize that a fake relationship will actually be beneficial to both of them.  But what happens when the hypothetical becomes reality?  Super cute chick lit and easy read!  I finished in 3 days.

Where Are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clark (288 pages).  Seven years ago, Nancy Harmon fled from California to Cape Cod, changing her name and appearance.  She left behind a murder trial where she was charged with the death of her two young children.  When the conviction was overturned and the main witness against her disappeared, Nancy knew it was her opportunity to start over.  Now happily married with two young children, Nancy has finally started to heal.  Until the morning of her 32nd birthday,.  When a newspaper article exposes her true identity.  And her children disappear.  I went through a big MHC phase in high school but couldn't remember if I'd ever read this one.  So I decided to give it a go.  It was good!  And turns out I think I DID read it.  But I feel like a 28 year gap in between readings in enough to constitute it being a new(ish) read.  I finished in 2 days.

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (325 pages).  Omaha, 1986.  16 year old new girl Eleanor (who is anything but unnoticeable) gets on the bus for the first time.  The only seat available is next to 16 year old Park (who prefers to be invisible).  At first, they barely acknowledge each other's existence.  But over the exchange of comic books and mixed taps, these two social misfits discover the enormity of first love.  It's sweet but also heavy.  First love is always sweet, but never for forever.  As these two soon learn.  I finished in 5 days.

The Wish by Nicholas Sparks (387 pages).  Travel photographer Maggie Dawes is 39 years old.  She and her business partner hire a new employee at their gallery, a 22 year old named Mark.  As Maggie faces a heart wrenching diagnosis, she begins to tell her story to Mark.  A story that really began when she was sent at 16 years old to live with her aunt on Ocracoke for a few months and met Bryce.  The young man who taught her to love- him, herself and photography.  Totally standard heartbreaking Sparks material- illness, lost love, etc.  And even though I fully anticipated my tears, I still found myself heartbroken for the characters.  I finished in 4 days.

This month's favorite was .... The Wish.

I MAY have gotten a lot of reading done this month

Despite the fact that May was an insanely busy month for me (hello getting married), I still managed to get a lot of reading done (hello honeymoon).  It was 10 books and a total of 3,700 pages.  Which averaged 119 pages a day.  So let's get to it.

How Jesus Became God by Bart D Ehrman (371 pages).  This was a theological study by an agnostic Bible historian who attended Wheaton College.  Yes, that's an oxymoron for me as well.  I found it interesting and thought-provoking.  But never once did I question my own faith and beliefs.  Basically he went into great historical and theological debate on why Jesus was merely a man who was elevated to go-like status by his followers.  Honestly, he made some interesting observations.  But I was truly just sad for him.  I finished in 5 days.

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (303 pages).  Hannah is madly in love with her husband of one year, Owen.  His 16 year old daughter?  Well, let's just say that Bailey isn't Hannah's biggest fan.  But when a child shows up with a note from Owen that simply says "protect her," Hannah knows who he is talking about but doesn't know why.  Until the news breaks that the company Owen worked for was involved in a huge Ponzi scheme.  As the US Marshals and the FBI begin to show up on their doorstep, Hannah and Bailey go on a quest to learn the truth about the man they both love.  I finished in 2 days.

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles (351 pages).  Ah, historical fiction.  My favorite!  In 1920, the American Library was founded in Paris-the largest English language lending library in mainland Europe.  In 1937, Dorothy Reeder was named directoress.  And Dorothy Redder was a real life hero.  the novel begins in 1939 when Odile gets a job at the American Library.  Unfortunately, her dream life becomes a nightmare when the Nazis march into Paris.  But under the leadership of Directoress Reeder, the librarians band together to save their beloved library and its books.  In 1983, in a small town in Montana, teenager Lily is lost after the death of her mother.  Until she begins to befriend her next door neighbor.  And as the neighbor's past comes to light, Lily learns much about life.  I finished in 4 days.

You Love Me by Caroline Kepnes (385 pages).  Book 3 in the series (which is so different than the Netflix series at this point).  Unlike the Netflix version, in this one, Love is alive.  And the Quinn family paid Joe off to relinquish custody of his son.  So Joe moves to Bainbridge Island.  And promptly falls in obsession with Mary Kay, the head librarian at his new job. Joe swears to himself that he will be a different man this time.  And everything seems different with Mary Kay.  Until it isn't.  When your past comes back to find you, do you really have any hope for a future?  I finished in 2 days.

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell (356 pages).  10 years ago, 15 year old Ellie Mack disappeared without a trace.  Teen-agers might be prone to something like that but not Ellie.  Her life is perfect.  Her mother, Laurel, is still reeling from her loss all these years later when she meets a perfect man.  And when she meets his daughters, 9 year old Poppy takes her breath away.  Because she looks just like Ellie.  Now Laurel begins to wonder again what happened to her daughter.  And the truth is more bizarre than anyone could have imagined.  I finished in 2 days.

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton (367 pages).  Another historical fiction (because you know it's my jam).  In 1896, New York is in the midst of a newspaper war between Hearst and Pulitzer (and now the Newsies soundtrack is running through my mind).  Reporter Grace Harrington gets a job with Hearst's Journal.  Meanwhile, Cuba is in the midst of its own revolutionary war.  Evangelina Cisneros is the daughter of a revolutionary, unjustly imprisoned.  But when the Journal learns of her plight, she becomes The Most Beautiful Woman in Cuba and a rallying cry for America to help the Cubans fight for their independence.  Despite her spectacular escape of New York, it takes the explosion of the USS Maine for America to declare war on Spain.  Meanwhile, Marina Perez, wife of a Cuban rebel, does her part as a courier, delivering messages all over Havana.  These three women (two of them fictional, one historical) show the bravery of all of the women involved in the revolution.  I finished in 2 days.

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline (366 pages).  Obviously, the sequel to Ready Player One.  Wade and his friends are now the owners of Halliday's technology.  And when Wade (as the heir) discovers a new technology Halliday created that will make the OASIS even more amazing, he and his friends decide to share it with the world.  But unfortunately, there are still quests and secrets hidden within the OASIS.  And the friends must go on one last quest.  This time to save humanity.  I finished in 1 day.

After All by Heidi McLaughlin (318 pages).  It's been 15 years since Brooklyn Hewitt set foot in Cape Harbor.  But when she gets a call from Carly woods, her would have been mother in law and 14 year old daughter Brystol's grandmother to help her reopen the Driftwood Inn, Brooklyn knows she needs to go home.  Even though it means confronting the ghosts of her past- Austin, her child's father who was tragically lost at sea.  And Howie, his best friend.  With whom she spent one night- the very night they both lost Austin.  Reuniting to rebuild the Driftwood forces them to face the past.  And contemplate their futures.  I finished in 1 day.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt (559 pages).  After one miserable year at a college near home in California, Richard transfers to the idyllic Hampden College in New England.  He immediately becomes fascinated by Professor Marrow and his elite Greek students- Henry, Francis, Bunny and twins Charles and Camilla.  The students and professor are almost cult like in their devotion to their studies and to each other.  As Richard becomes one of them (or at least on the outer edges of the inner circle), an incident occurs that leads them to killing one of their own.  And to the subsequent dissolution of this once intertwined group.  I finished in 7 days.

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier (324 pages).  For centuries, the women of the Montrose family and the men of the De Villiers family have been a part of the Lodge, a group of time travelers and their associates.  One day, 16 year old Gwen (who was assumed to be missing the time traveling gene) leaps into the past.  She is quickly brought up to speed on what she can expect (well, halfway up to speed).  She meets her time-traveling counterpart, Gideon.  And once she learns what their mission is, she is ready to accompany him into the past.  I finished in 4 days.

This month's favorite was...…a tie between The Paris Library and Then She Was Gone.  Totally different genres, but both equally enthralling. 

April- what a glorious month of reading it was

 I got into a good reading groove this month. I finished 11 books. It was a total of 3,416 pages. So an average of 114 pages a day. This month was historical fiction heavy (which is always a good thing for this girl) at 4 of the 11. So let’s get to it. 

Beautiful Exiles by Meg Waite Clayton (388 pages). As I have said before, I do not like Ernest Hemingway, the author. But I find Ernest Hemingway, the person, to be absolutely fascinating. This was historical fiction about Hem meeting his third wife, Martha Gellhorn. I knew the story of wife number 1, Haley, after reading The Paris Wife. And a little bit about wife number 2, Pauline, after The Paris Wife and Hemingway’s Girl. I did not know much about wife number 3, Martha, other than she was a journalist. Turns out she was actually a freaking top war correspondent!  She and Hem covered the Spanish civil war together, which is how/when they fell in love. Their relationship, like all of his relationships, was volatile. I think she was the wife who was the least capable of being Mrs Ernest Hemingway. She was career driven and she was headstrong. She did not appreciate merely being a wife- she wanted to be her own person. Now to find a book about wife number 4, Mary. The only one I know absolutely nothing about, but the one he was married to when he committed suicide. I finished in 4 days. 

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander aka JK Rowling (88 pages plus about 20 pages of intro). I think I was expecting to find the plot of the movie. Instead, it was literally a glossary of magical beasts, what level of threat they are, and what their characteristics are. The intro gave background of why Newt wrote this book. It was a super easy read. I finished in 1 day. 

Geostorm: The Shift by Bobby Akart (244 pages). I 100% thought this was the book on which the movie of the same name was based. Nope. The movie was released in 2017 and the book was published in 2019. And they are two totally different stories. Weather Channel reporter Chapman Boone and his zoologist sister Kristi are both experts in their fields. But nothing can prepare either of them for what is happening to our planet. Spanning the globe from Seattle to Paris (and many places in between), Chapman and Kristi watch in horror and the weather and the animals begin to change. I finished in 3 days. 

The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abe (316 pages).  In 1910, Madeleine Force is just 17 years old when she meets 46 year old divorce John Jacob Aster, one of the wealthiest men in America. After a little over a year of courtship, they wed, much to society’s shock. And Madeleine quickly became a focus of the newspapers. Jack decided that the best course of action would be an extended honeymoon to Egypt and Europe. When Madeleine realizes that she is pregnant, they decide to return home so that the baby can be born in America. So they book passage on Titanic. Madeline was one of the souls who survived. Madeline and her unborn child. She returned home to begin a new life as a young widow and mother. The only thing I knew about Madeline Astor prior to this book was that Rose Dewitt Bukater commented that Madeleine was her age, in a delicate condition and that it was quite the scandal. This book sheds so much more light on the story. Jack and Madeline were truly in love and their story was heartbreaking. I finished in 3 days. 

Three Sisters by Heather Morris (397 pages). In 1929 Slovakia, sisters 9 year old Cibi, 5 year old Magda and 3 year old Livi Meller promise themselves and their father that they will always take care of each other. 13 years later, that promise is well and truly tested when Cibi and Livi are sent to Auschwitz in March of 1942. While Magda stays behind with their mother and grandfather (a brief hospital stay kept her safe), that safety will only last for so long. And after two and a half years, the sisters are reunited at Auschwitz-Birkenau.  When they are finally free in 1945, they are a little unsure of where to go and what to do in a home country that still hates them for being Jews. Magda and Livi have an idea of what might make them happy.  And it’s the idea of going to the Promised Land. Little did they know that Israel was truly the one place on earth that they could find healing and their happily ever afters. While Cibi passed away in 2015, Magda and Livi are still thriving in Israel. Because yes, this was a true story!  It was absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking. It was also the third book in The Tattooist of Auschwitz series (Lale gave the girls their tattoos).  I have ordered the second because I didn’t realize it was a series.  I finished in 2 days. 

Looking for Alaska by John Green (225 pages). Miles is fascinated by famous last words. And finds himself challenged by the idea of The Great Perhaps. So he heads off to boarding school.  Once there, he enters a whole new world and finds himself enthralled with the beautiful Alaska. For one hundred twenty eight days, his life finally starts opening up to the Great Perhaps. And then one moment, one decision, one day, changes everything. And for the next one hundred thirty six days, he must struggle to learn who he really is and what life has to offer him. I finished in 2 days. 

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (316 pages). In the 1870’s, the Osage Indians were driven from their land in Kansas to a rocky county in Oklahoma. That rocky land ended up being an actual oil field, with the Osage now being the richest people in the world. Despite having government appointed guardians (the Osage weren’t citizens after all), they still lived well on their headrights. In 1921, members of the tribe began being murdered. The newly created FBI, headed by J. Edgar Hoover, came in to solve these murders. An undercover team was created and one of the most shocking conspiracies ever was exposed. Turns out it wasn’t just one murderer. And it wasn’t just members of the same family. The Reign of Terror spanned roughly a decade, and hundreds of people all were killed. All. For. Their. Headrights. This time has had a lingering effect on the Osage people- the loss of family members, the loss of traditions, the loss of their inheritances. And I cannot believe it’s something I never learned about in school. I finished in 3 days. 

The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre by Robin Talley (448 pages). Junior Melody McIntyre knows exactly what she wants to do with her life- be a stage manager on Broadway. And as SM for all of her high school productions, she seems well on her way. Until the crew determines that all of the problems with any shows stem from Mel’s relationship dramas. So no more dating for Mel until after the spring musical. Seems an easy enough task- there’s no one on the audition list that Mel is even remotely interested in. Or is there?  When Mel falls hard, will it spell disaster for Les Mis?  Super easy, super cute YA read. I finished in 3 days. 

The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop by Fannie Flagg (283 pages). Did you know there was a sequel to Fried Green Tomatoes?  Neither did I!  The main focus of the book was Buddy Threadgoode Jr aka Stump from the first book. Just like Idgie wanted, the loss of his arm had no effect on Bud. He became a veterinarian. He married his high school sweetheart and had a daughter named Ruthie (after his mother). The stories were both familiar (repeats) and new. But the return of old characters made it feel like coming home. I finished in 4 days. 

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (351 pages). Have you ever wondered about the rise and fall of a truly great band?  This is the story of Daisy Jones and the Six, the greatest (fictional) band of the 1970’s. Brothers Billy and Graham Dunne started their band, originally named The Dunne Brothers but changed to The Six as they rounded out their sound. They were great on their own. Daisy Jones was the wild child It Girl of the LA Strip, wildly talented in her own right. But when Daisy met The Six, they made magic. At the center was the relationship between married father of 3, recovering addict Billy and chaos incarnate Daisy. What brought them together to create musical magic and what caused the band to fall apart at the height of fame. This book was amazing!  I finished in 3 days 

Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris (340 pages). This was the second in The Tattooist of Auschwitz series. Cilka was 16 years old when she and her older sister Magda were sent to Auschwitz. Cilka was beautiful and able to use that beauty to her advantage. At least when it came to surviving. She became friends with Lale (the tattooist) and his future wife Gita. But when the Nazis were defeated and the prisoners of the camps freed, Cilka’s imprisonment truly began. Accused of collaborating with the Nazis by being a prostitute and a spy, Cilka is sentenced to 15 years hard labor in a Siberian gulag. While at the gulag, Cilka finds a purpose in her life- she becomes a nurse. She also finds love, as fantastical as that may seem. It was a beautiful story of survival and love. Apparently the author was sued by Cilka’s stepson for defamation. I’m not sure he read the story, because nothing about her story would have made me ashamed- I would have been proud to have her as my stepmother. She did what she had to do to survive. And she did it with as much dignity and thoughtfulness as she could. I finished in 3 days. 

This month’s favorite was…..Daisy Jones and the Six. Namely because all of the historical fiction this month was top notch and I couldn’t pick a favorite amongst them!

Marching through my bookshelves

 This month was pretty average in regards to my reading.  One book in particular was my Sisyphean task.  And I blame it and it alone for my merely average list this month.  But I digress.  This month I read 8 books.  A total of 2,575 pages.  An average of 83 pages per day.  So let's get into it.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (309 pages).  I'm doing a reading challenge where one of the books is one you haven't read in over 3 years.  Anne was (and always will be) one of my favorite book series of all time.  I love all of her adventures.  I love her growth.  I love her quotes.  If you don't know, it's the story of brother and sister Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert who adopt young orphan Anne Shirley (when they really wanted a boy).  But as fate would have it, they needed this delightful redhead more than she needed them.  I finished in 3 days.

Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey (301 pages).  Maud is 82 years old and into early stages of dementia.  But she is convinced that her best friend Elizabeth is missing.  No one she tells seems to care.  But as Maud continues to leave herself notes about Elizabeth's possible disappearance, she remembers her sister's disappearance shortly after WWII.  I did not like this book at all.  Honestly, it seemed like Maud had dementia at all times, whether it was her 82 year old self or her teen aged self.  I spent most of the book just hoping it would end.  I finished in 4 days.

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (591 pages).  American Rebecca Porter decided to do something without her twin Lacey for the first time in her life- she did an exchange program with her university of Cornell and Oxford.  Little did she realize that classmate Nicholas Wales was the Prince Charming she would find.  Quite literally, as Nick was the future King of England.  While Bex dealt with being both an American and a commoner in love with the future King, their relationship ebbed and flowed.  But this was beachy chick lit at its best.  So nothing can keep true love apart.  Right?  Honestly, Bex was a little bit Kate Middleton and a little bit Meghan Markle.  The fact that this book was published a year before Harry and Meghan began dating is shocking.  It seemed like a fictionalized version of their lives in a lot of ways.  Only I liked Bex and Nick and Nick's redheaded younger brother Freddie way more than I like Harry and Meghan.  I finished in 6 days.

The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale (288 pages).  Delphine, Margaux and Lindsay met as teen aged students at the Paris Opera Ballet.  After 10 years of being inseparable, one split second decision tore them apart and sent Delphine to St Petersburg for a new career.  But after 13 years away, Delphine returns to Paris to choreograph for the Ballet.  And must face the friends she left behind.  The novel goes back and forth between the past and the present.  I didn't love this book, but I didn't hate it either.  I finished in 2 days.

The Beet Queen by Louise Erdrich (338 pages).  In 1932, 14 year old Karl Adare and his 11 year old sister Mary hop a freight train to find their aunt and uncle in Argus, North Dakota, after their mother abandons them.  Mary stays with their family, while Karl hops back on the train.  Over the next 40 years, the novel covers their lives.  Mary grows up to be perfectly sturdy and seemingly ordinary, while Karl ends up scattered and loses himself on a regular basis.  Their beautiful cousin Sita plays a large role in Mary's life, as does Sita's former (and now Mary's) best friend, half Native American Celestine.  As soon as I realized I'd read another book by this same author, I understood why I didn't like this book at all.  Every chapter had a postscript chapter.  And honestly, most of them left me wondering what I had just read.  I finished in 4 days.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (151 pages).  Mary Katherine, her sister Constance and their Uncle Julian are the only remaining members of the once large and proud Blackwood family.  Merricat's weekly trips to the village are the only contact the family has with the outside world after Constance was tried and found innocent of killing the family with arsenic four years prior.  They are happy in their self-imposed solitude.  Until one day, their unsavory Cousin Charles arrives on their doorstep.  Merricat does not appreciate his presence.  And suspects he has ulterior motions.  But when tragedy strikes, the true feelings of the village come out.  And Merricat and Constance are forced to reevaluate their solitude and routine.  Shirley Jackson is such an amazing and frequently overlooked author.  I finished in 2 days.

The Great Controversy by Ellen G. White (456 pages).  I did not purchase this book.  After googling it, I'm pretty sure it arrived in the mail one day, completely unsolicited.  And, in an effort to clear off my shelves, I read it.  It was published in 1858 and it shows.  The author was one of the co-founders of the Seventh Day Adventist Church and it shows.  It was literally one of the worst books I've ever read.  I only finished it because I started it.  I finished in 9 days.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (141 pages, which included 56 pages of introductory essays and an afterword).  I think everyone knows the story of Jekyll and Hyde- the easygoing doctor who drinks a potion that turns him into a criminal.  What I found most intriguing was that every time Jekyll and Hyde are referenced in movies, Jekyll is always scrawny and Hyde is big and muscular.  In the novel, Jekyll is larger and older, while Hyde is much smaller and younger.  Just an observation.  I also found it odd that in movies, when Hyde is killed, he reverts to Jekyll's form.  That does not happen in the book.  All preconceptions from movies aside, I enjoyed this book.  I finished in 2 days.

This month's favorite was.....well, I decided it would be unfair to the other books to choose Anne (as she is more than a monthly favorite, she is a lifetime favorite).  So I went for We Have Always Lived in the Castle.