Spring has sprung (but not many books off my shelf)

 For a long month, I didn’t do a lot of reading. Only 6 books. 2,057 pages. An average of 66 pages per day. I think I read too many that were too good and way too many that were too bad. 

James by Percival Everett (303 pages). There are always 2 sides to every story. In the late 1800’s, we first met Huck Finn and read about his great adventure with Jim. Well, Jim had his own story in all of this. When Jim heard that he was going to be separated from his wife and child and sold, he decided to escape and eventually buy their freedom. But when he came across Huck, they joined forces. And their adventures on the Mississippi River began. Jim isn’t the slave you thought he was. He was educated and thoughtful. I’ve always been intrigued by hearing the other side of the story. And this one did not disappoint. I loved Jim’s connection to Huck, to his wife and child, and to other slaves who crossed his path. I finished in 3 days. 

Beartown by Fredrik Backman (415 pages). In Beartown, there is only one thing of any importance. And that is hockey. The town is dying, but finally, there have hope in their junior level hockey team. This team is going to win nationals and bring the promise of a hockey academy to town.  But an incident one night at a party changes everything. For the players. For the coaches. For the sponsors. For the whole town.  Y’all- I did NOT expect this book. I read portions of it to my husband. I laughed. I cried. I was seriously touched. Backmon is a phenomenal wordsmith. Painfully exquisite. Truly. I finished in 4 days. 

Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James (291 pages). Payton Kendall and JD Jameson are associates at a large Chicago law firm. They are both up for partner. They are both amazing lawyers. And they both can’t stand the other!  But when they are forced to team up to woo a new client, they realize that perhaps their hatred is misguided. And maybe they work better together than on opposing sides. It was cute and would’ve been perfect poolside. I finished in 2 days. 

The Wolf of Cape Fen by Juliana Brandt (288 pages). The inhabitants of Cape Fen live under a curse- they can never leave the town. And when the magical Baron Dire and his Wolf return at the first frost, the inhabitants know that bargains can be made. Sister Eliza and Winnie still miss their mother, who allegedly made a bargain to escape Cape Fen. But when the Wolf attacks Winnie, Eliza realizes that their mother’s bargain might not have been what she imagined. And Eliza will do anything to save her sister. Honestly, I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. The reviews were good. But I didn’t care for it. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for it. I finished in 3 days. 

Girl Gone Viral by Arvin Ahmadi (402 pages). Picture a world where technology controls everything- drone delivery, driverless cars, VR life. Opal Hopper is a senior at a prestigious boarding school for science and technology. All she wants is to find out what happened to her father when he mysteriously disappeared years ago. She believes that a reclusive tech genius knows the answers and enters a contest to meet him. But she and her friends’ entry takes off in ways she never expected. I really couldn’t stand the book. It was boring. And confusing. And it had a lot of potential. I finished in 5 days. 

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord (358 pages).  Pepper Evans and Jack Campbell are students at an elite school in New York. And both of them help out with the family business. Pepper’s family owns the wildly successful Big League Burger, a restaurant that is taking over the world. Jack’s family owns the local Girl Chessing deli, a NY institution. And when BLB steals a sandwich recipe, a Twitter war begins. With Pepper and Jack leading the charge. But behind the scenes, they have been talking for months on a secret app. With no idea that they are talking to each other. But they begin to connect in real life. And realize that they might have more in common than they thought. So cute!  I finished in 4 days.

This month’s favorite is……..Beartown. Without a doubt. 

The month of love-ing books!

 February is a short month. But I didn’t let that stop me. I read 7 books. A total of 2,442 pages. An average of 87 pages a day. So let’s get to it 

Romance Rules for Werewolves by Linsey Hall (272 pages). The third in the Charming Cove series. Isobel learns, after nearly a decade with her boyfriend, that he’s been cheating on her and basically taking advantage of her kindness. So when she learns that her grandmother has passed away and left her an ornery house in Charming Cove, she jumps at the chance to start her life over. And without a weak sorcerer of a boyfriend who kept her from using her magic. She makes friends with the coven. And Rafe, the lone werewolf who is living in the boat house. Isobel learns that Rafe has been cursed- he has no memory of his pack and they have no memory of him. So between fixing up her new house (which has a distinct personality) and recovering her power, Isobel vows to break the curse that has followed Rafe for 10 years. Y’all know I love some cute rom-coms. And having the other characters from the series appear as friends for Isobel was great. Super cute (possibly my favorite of the series!). I finished in 3 days. 

She Doesn’t Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke (321 pages). This was the Valentine’s Special Edition box from Once Upon a Book Club. So as always, gifties on social!  Best selling author Kate Valentine is a reluctant guest at the exclusive wedding of her editor and his wealthy fiancée. Reluctant because the groom is her ex-fiancé. But when the bride is poisoned and a guest ends up murdered, Kate puts on her sleuthing hat. After all, her best selling series features super sleuth Loretta. And the murder scene seems to be mimicking Kate’s latest book. So Kate and her biggest romantic regret Jake team up to find the murderer. Turns out Kate isn’t quite the sleuth that Loretta is. But as she begins to uncover clues, the truth begins to emerge. Honestly, not my favorite book from OUABC. Not my favorite gifts either. I finished in 3 days. 

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows (491 pages). I’ve always found Lady Jane Grey a bit of a fascinating character. Married at 16 to a total stranger so that when King Edward died, she could be catapulted onto the throne instead of Mary or Elizabeth. She reigned for 9 days before Mary staged a coup and took the throne. And with it, Lady Jane’s head. This book was literally the cutest reimagining. Instead of Protestants vs Catholics, it was Ethians (people who could shape shift into animal form) vs Verities.  It wasn’t even remotely factual (other than Jane’s marriage and brief reign). Instead, the authors created the ending that THEY would have loved. And I loved it too! I finished in 5 days.

The Paris Apartment by Kelly Bowen (394 pages). In 2017, Aurelia Leclaire has just inherited her grandmother’s apartment in Paris, an apartment she didn’t know existed. And in that apartment, she finds a veritable treasure trove of priceless art hidden in the walls. So she enlists the help of art expert Gabriel Seymour. In 1942, Estelle Allard lives a fabulous life in Paris. And when the Nazis take over, she decides that she can use her fabulous life to her advantage- by being part of the Resistance. Her path crosses with secret agent Sophie Seymour. Y’all know I love WWII historical fiction. And this one was great!  I finished in 4 days. 

The Dollhouse Academy by Margarita Montimore (306 pages). This was a special edition Once Upon a Book Club box. In 1998, one of the biggest stars in the world is 34 year old Ivy Gordon. She came from The Dollhouse Academy, the premiere star-making boarding school owned by Dahlen Entertainment. She’s been there what seems like her whole life and feels trapped in the TV role that made her a household name. 22 year old best friends Ramona Holloway and Grace Ludlow have long idolized Ivy and life at the Dollhouse Academy. And when they finally make it to the Dollhouse, they know their stars are starting to rise. But as Grace’s star skyrockets, Ramona struggles to find her footing. And they begin to learn that life is more sinister at the Dollhouse than they ever could have imagined. The book (and gifts) were great. Imagine a story about Fame, Stepford Wives and the movie The Substance. And then add in some crazy Hollywood conspiracy theories. I finished in 3 days. 

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter (393 pages). In the early 1990’s, 19 year old college student Julia tells her friends she is going to head back to her dorm and leaves the bar. She is never seen again. And her family is shattered. Then 16 year old Lydia becomes a drug addict. 13 year old Claire becomes a people pleaser. And their parents divorce. After years of begging for answers, their father commits suicide. Fast forward 24 years. Lydia is now a mom and a small business owner who has gotten her life together. Claire is the coddled wife of a wealthy man. And the sisters are estranged. But when Claire’s husband Paul is stabbed to death in an alley right in front of her, Claire begins to learn some of the secrets her perfect husband had been hiding. This book was heavy and dark. Trigger warning- some truly brutal subjects are covered. But underneath it’s a story of resilience and family. I definitely needed some time after finishing it though. I finished in 4 days. 

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (265 pages plus 81 pages of notes and bibliography). This book was a look at the women who helped shape NASA. Black women who remained unknown, to a certain extent. I had seen the movies, so I had an idea of this story. The author went into much more detail (some of which was a little boring to be honest). But these women were inspirational. If you know nothing about them, do yourself a favor and google them. And watch the movie. Everyone should know about the human computers of Langley. I finished in 3 days. 

This month’s favorite is……..My Lady Jane. It was creative. And I already love the story of Lady Jane Grey

Starting the year off right

After a slow year last year (I didn't read as many books as I'd planned), I decided to start the year out strong.  I read 8 books.  A total of 2,675 pages.  An average of 86 pages a day.  And let's face facts- I'm not going to get another book read today.  So let's get to it!

A Haunted History of Invisible Women by Leanna Renee Harper and Andres Janes (340 pages).  This was a compilation of stories about ghosts around the country.  Some of them I knew (Mary Surratt, the Winchester House), but most were completely unknown to me.  I really enjoyed the detail and research these two women did about the backstories of the ghosts.  It was a little dry at times, but overall pretty good stories.  Especially the one starring a ghost in Joan Rivers' apartment (yes, THAT Joan Rivers!).  I finished in 4 days.

The Life Impossible by Matt Haig (321 pages).  This was the Up All Night special edition box from Once Upon a Book Club.  The box I look forward to the most because it's got the yearly 40 book challenge in it!  At 72, Grace Winters truly feels like her life is over.  She's a retired math teacher.  Her husband has passed away.  And she lost her son when he was only 11.  But out of the blue, she receives news that she has inherited a home from a former coworker, Christina.  A coworker she one time helped but then lost touch with.  So Grace goes to Ibiza to learn how Christina died and why she left Grace her home.  But what Grace finds is more than she bargained for.  Because the waters around Ibiza aren't just magical, they are mystical.  And they choose who they bless with their powers.  Haig might be the new king of magical realism.  Or maybe I'm just biased.  I finished in 3 days.

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul (401 pages).  When famous white Hollywood icon Kitty Karr Tate passes away, she bequeaths her entire fortune (nearly a billion dollars of cash, real estate, etc) to the famous (and already wealthy) St John sisters.  Their father is a musician and their mother is an actress.  Elise and Giovanni are both actresses and Noele plans to become a lawyer (rebellious daughter).  But the St John sisters are black.  So why in the world would Kitty leave them her fortune?  The book told us Kitty's story- her rise to fame after she arrived in Hollywood from North Carolina in the 1950's.  And why she made her decision to leave her fortune to her neighbors.  I liked the premise.  I loved the stories.  I didn't love that it got a little political at the end though.  I finished in 5 days.

Arthur: The Dog who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home by Mikael Lindnord (274 pages).  Mikael is a Swedish adventure racer (no, I didn't know what that was before this book either).  But it's basically weirdos who travel to other countries and race as teams across various terrain (bike, running, canoeing, etc) on limited sleep and rest to see who can win.  Nope, doesn't sound like fun to me either.  But when a stray dog joins Mikael's team during a race in South America, Mikael is smitten.  Their relationship is amazing.  And Mikael vows that he will bring Arthur home to live with him in Sweden.  Y'all- this was the sweetest animal story ever.  And if you'd rather a movie, Marky Mark stars in Arthur the King (which is also a heartwarming Americanized version of Arthur and Mikael's story).  I finished in  3 days.

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter (398 pages).  In 1939 Europe, the Kurc family is as tight knit as possible, getting together for as many holidays as they can.  Parents Sol and Nechuma own a fabric store in Radom, Poland.  Their 31 year old son Gerek is a lawyer (although as a Jewish man, he's recently been demoted to legal assistant) and his wife Herta is ready to begin their family.  Their 29 year old daughter Mila is married to doctor Selim and is struggling with life as a new mother to 1 year old Felicia.  Their 25 year old son Addy is an engineer and composer in France who is the only child who is single and who doesn't live in Radom.  Their 23 year old son Jakob is in law school and a photographer who is in love with his longtime girlfriend Bella and ready for them to marry.  Their 22 year old daughter Halina is a medical assistant who is dating Adam, an architect.  But when the war breaks out, Sol and Nechuma are terrified- they lived through the Great War.  And as the war tears the family apart, sending them across the globe, they can only hope that they can find each other when the war is over.  The author is Addy's granddaughter.  So knowing that this is a true story is absolutely amazing.  Their hometown of Radom was home to 30,000 Jews at the beginning of the war.  300 survived.  This family was 12 of those survivors.  And now Sol and Nechuma's descendants number over 100.  I finished in 4 days.

Remedial Magic by Melissa Marr (322 pages).  Ellie is a librarian who loves her life.  Until a mysterious witch named Prospero shows up.  Ellie learns that she is actually a witch herself.  And that Crenshaw, the magical land where all witches live, is in danger.  And that all newly discovered witches must first attend remedial magic college.  But when Ellie arrives in Crenshaw with several other new witches, she learns that there is more to this land than she first thought.  And that there's more to Prospero than she could have ever imagined.  Honestly, I did not like this book at all.  I finished in 4 days.

If You Would Have Told Me by John Stamos (321 pages).  I was always a Full House girlie.  And Uncle Jesse was such a dream.  So reading a little more about his life was pretty cool.  He had some random connections throughout his life (the magazine editor who put him in Tiger Beat ended up married to the Night Stalker while he was in prison).  He had some highs and lows, both professionally and personally.  He has experienced losses (both of his parents, Bob Saget).  And now he's found joy in his marriage to his second wife and the birth of his first child.  I finished in 3 days.

How to Fake Date a Vampire by Linsey Hall (298 pages).  This is part of the Charming Cove series.  Emma moved to Charming Cove 2 years ago.  Because where else can an orphaned witch fin the perfect place to live?  But Emma is still an apprentice.  And when Alaric, the vampire Duke of Blackthorn, returns home, Emma decides to ask him if they can use his estate to host the annual Beltane Ball.  He agrees, if she will be his girlfriend.  At least, if his grandmother asks!  As Emma and Alaric begin to plan the ball (it has to be spectacular so that the witches can harvest joy to use for their spells- yes, their magic is powered by joy), they get closer and closer.  In true rom-com fashion, there is miscommunication.  But when a witch and a royal vampire are involved, everything works out!  I finished in 4 days.

This month's favorite is......Arthur.  As much as I loved WWII novels and rom-coms, there is something that warms my heart about a happy animal story

Happy New Readings! Here’s what I did in 2024

 I didn’t really do too well with reading this month. Only 5 books. 1,888 pages. An average of 61 pages a day. Which is all way below my average

The War Orphan by Anna Stuart (387 pages). In 1945, the war is almost over. But 16 year old Tasha Ancel and her mother Lydia are cruelly ripped apart. Tasha remains at Auschwitz with the other children, Lydia is forced on the death march. But they swear they will find each other. Alice Goldberger escaped Germany before the war truly began, but had to leave behind her beloved brother, sister-in-law and niece. But she finds a new purpose helping with war orphanages. Tasha finds herself under Alice’s care, in England. But she cannot shake the feeling that she will one day find her mother. Along the way, she gains an adopted little sister, the love of her life (a fellow survivor) and a new life skill. But her desire to find her mother never leaves her and her guilt at surviving seems almost overwhelming. Y’all know I love some WWII historical fiction. And this one was great. Alice was a real person, a woman who dedicated her life to the care of war orphans. And the places the children lived in England were also real places- Windemere in the Lake District and Weir Courtney estate in Surrey. And these were aspects of WWII I knew nothing about. So of course I stumbled down that rabbit hole. Loved it!  I finished in 3 days. 

Hexed by Emily McIntire (505 pages). A new book in the Never After series!  Venesa Anderson and Aria Kingston grew up in South Carolina, Aria the pampered princess daughter of the most powerful gangster in the South and Venesa the cousin who works as his enforcer. When Venesa heads up to New York to check on Aria, they save the life of Enzo Marino, a young man whose father is involved with the Cosa Nostra. And Enzo falls immediately into lust with Aria. But a year later, Enzo finds himself engaged to Aria, at the behest of their fathers. And when he meets Venesa, he realizes Aria was never the girl for him. I loved having this as a mafia love story. It was great!  And in typica McIntire fashion, the callbacks to the movie/story were great. Characters named Bastien or nicknamed Guppy, a bar called the Lair. Good stuff!  I finished in 4 days.

A Winter Wish by Emily Stone (346 pages). This was the special Christmas box from Once Upon a Book Club. So gifties on social (per usual). Lexie has been estranged from her father for years. So when she learns that she has inherited half of his business at his death, she is shocked. Especially when she learns that his employee Theo has inherited the other half. The caveat?  They must run the business together for one year before they can sell it. But this business is going to be hard for Lexie. Her father started a travel company that focused trips around celebrations and holidays around the world- something that he had done with Lexie before he left her and her mother. So it’s a tough pill for her to swallow. Not to mention that working with the handsome Theo is no picnic. But sparks fly on one of their recon trips. And Lexie begins to realize that the father she thought had abandoned her had never really stopped thinking about her. Y’all know I love a rom com. And a holiday themed one that made me want to travel was even better!  I finished in 4 days.

One of Us Is Back by Karen M. McManus (356 pages). The third in the One of Us Is Lying series. The original Bayview Four are now part of a larger group after younger siblings and friends got pulled into another cat and mouse game. This time around, the Bayview Crew is facing another fight for their lives. But there are always secrets. And like Simon said before (and after) he died, secrets always come out. Especially when Simon is a part of those secrets. It was fine. It had been so long since I’d read the others in the series that I had a hard time getting back into the characters. I finished in 4 days. 

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins (294 pages). The McTavish family is old money in North Carolina. And I do mean OLD. When matriarch Ruby passes away, she leaves everything to her adopted son, Camden. But Camden never wanted anything to do with the family or the money. He finally goes home to Ashby House with his wife Jules. And family secrets start coming out. Because Ruby lived a life- she was abducted as a child, widowed 4 times (under questionable circumstances each time) and adopted Cam late in life. I liked all the family secrets that came out while Cam and Jules were back at Ashby House. I finished in 3 days. 

This month’s favorite is……The War Orphan. Y’all know I love historical fiction. Although honestly, I really enjoyed all of the books I read this month!

But it’s also the end of 2024. So here’s a rundown of what I read this year

91 total books read

32,195 total pages read

An average of 88 pages a day

The year’s favorite(s) were The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Women