New year, new books

 I did not start the year off well. Only 6 books. A total of 2,491 pages. An average of 80 pages per day. Which is way below my average. 

The Ordeals by Rachel Greenlaw (364 pages). This was my Up All Night Once Upon a Book Club book. Sophia DeWinter is desperate to escape the clutches of her uncle, the Collector. When she finally learns about the entrance exam to Killmarth (a magically college that will help her break her bond to him), she goes. There, she meets other wielders- illusionists (which is what Sophia is), masquiers, botanists (including the handsome Alden Locke) and alchemists. This entrance exam, known as the Ordeals, is more intense than Sophia realized. It is made up of four parts- poisons, illusions, lies and the final ordeal. During the Ordeals, you succeed, you quit or you die.  While the Ordeals seem to pit the hopefuls against each other (after all, only 20 will become scholars), Sophia can’t seem to view everyone as a rival. She becomes friends and allies with Tessa, Greg and Knox. Turns out that the Ordeals are not the only threat facing them. I finished in 4 days.

The Last Carolina Girl by Meagan Church (288 pages). This was my gym book club book. In 1935 Brunswick County, North Carolina, 14 year old Leah Payne lives in a one room house with her father, lumberjack Harley. Her best friend Jesse lives next door in the big house with his parents. Leah had always had flashes (or spells as I’d call them). Small moments of probable seizures that cause her to stand still and zone out for just a bit. But when an accident takes her father’s life, Leah is sent to live with a family in Matthews as a helpmate. And the wife seems to have a vendetta against Leah. When Dr Foster comes to a women’s meeting, preaching about eugenics and how it will lead to a better society, Leah doesn’t understand what that means. But I did. The story was quite sad, but good. I finished in 3 days.

My Salty Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadow (422 pages). 1719, the Golden Age of Piracy.  Mary Read (former little mermaid, current pirate) has been sailing the Caribbean for a year, posing as a boy. One of the other pirates on board, young Tobias Teach, is in love with her. And also trying to figure out how to let his father, Blackbeard, know that he doesn’t want to be his father- he wants to crew Mary’s ship. Jack Rackham is Mary’s cousin. And half human, half mer. He’s in love with Anne Bonny, who has designs to become a lady pirate.  But Jonathan Barnet has been hired to weed out and kill all the pirates in the Caribbean. And when he succeeds in killing Blackbeard, Tobias’ whole world changes. Because there must be a new Pirate King. And Toby does NOT want it to be him. So the adventure begins to help Mary win the title. I’ll say it again- these authors are so cute. There’s all sorts of familiar captains- Hook, Morgan, Penzance. Pirates named Swift (who is great with a catchy line) and Child (an excellent cook). All in all, good fun. I finished in 4 days. 

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman (396 pages). This is part of the Pratical Magic series. Didn’t know it was a series?  Neither did I!  This tells the story of Maria Owens, the witch who cursed all men who would fall in love with an Owens woman. Maria was born in England in 1664, a natural born witch. Her mother abandoned her to be raised by the kindhearted (and talented) Hannah Owens. It was here that Maria learned much of the Nameless Arts. But seeing as her mother was a true witch, Maria came by it honest. when Hannah was killed for witchcraft, Maria fled to Curaçao. There she met Puritan John Hathorne and became pregnant. She followed him to Salem and nearly escaped death (just like we saw in the movie). And at that point, cursed any man who would fall in love with an Owens woman. Her daughter Faith was stolen from her by a jealous neighbor. When they were finally reunited in New York, Faith’s natural abilities had turned dark. Her goal?  Revenge. I really liked this book. But I didn’t like that it changed Maria’s story as we had learned it in the movie.  If this had been the story from day one, chef’s kiss!   And it only made me more excited about Practical Magic 2 in September! I finished in 4 days. 

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood (397 pages). Maya Killgore is 23 and trying to decide her next step in life- continuing in academia, getting a job. But the one thing she knows she wants is Conor Harkness. He’s 38 and her brother Eli’s best friend and business partner. But Conor has made it perfectly clear- he’s too old for her. When they end up in Italy for a week for Eli’s wedding, Maya isn’t sure she can just let her feelings go. Because maybe Conor cares more than he lets on. I’ve read several Ali Hazelwood and love that her main characters are women in STEM (Maya is a physicist). But this one wasn’t my favorite of hers. I finished in 4 days.

The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo (624 pages). This was the February book for my gym book club. It was 1975 when Marilyn Connolly met David Sorenson. 41 years later, they are content in their semiretirement. But eldest daughter Wendy is a young widow who spends her time on booze and men. Violet is a stay at home mom of two who left her job as a litigator. Liza just became a tenured professor but finds herself drowning with a depressed partner. And youngest Grace just seems lost- she can’t get into law school and life just keeps passing her by. When Jonah Bendt comes into the family’s lives, everything changes. Because Violet gave him up for adoption 15 years ago. The book looks back at the family’s past and also their present. Honestly, I found myself bored through some of it. I think I wanted more out of it than it actually provided. I finished in 6 days.

This month’s favorite was…Magic Lessons. Probably out of nostalgia and excitement for Practical Magic 2!

Happy New Readings! Here's what 2025 read like

 This month was pretty average for me, reading-wise.  I read 7 books.  A total of 2,159 pages.  An average of 70 pages a day.  Not my best, not my worst.  But let's getting into the books, shall we?

Reign by K.A. Riley (312 pages).  The fifth and final book in the series.  Ash and Finn's battle is still not over.  The Bishop has left New York and is heading towards the Arc to take control there.  But Ash and her friends are not willing to let him win.  And they will do anything they can to defeat him.  And anyone else who stands in their way.  Because they WILL bring peace to their world.  It was a pretty good ending to the series.  I finished in 3 days.

Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb (366 pages).  It's Christmas time in 1968 and Thomas Harding is visiting Paris one last time.  As he visits, he rereads letters that were written during World War I between him and his best friend's sister, Evelyn Elliott.  What had been just a sibling-based friendship blossomed into more as years of letter writing was exchanged between Tom and Evie.  Their plans for Christmas in Paris in 1914 were dashed as the war raged on.  But now Tom has one last letter to read.  And he promised to read it in Paris at Christmas.  The book was told through letters and telegrams, which I loved.  I read a lot of WWII historical fictions but not as much WWI.  I really loved this!  I finished in 4 days.

The Christmas Shoes by Donna VanLiere (130 pages).  This was my gym book club book.  Not ashamed to admit that I cried quite a bit during this read.  Robert is a successful attorney who has everything a person could want.  But has lost his wife and daughters in his quest for money and success.  Their home is full of things, but love seems to be missing.  8-year-old Nathan comes from a far less monetarily successful family, but one that is surrounded by love.  However, his mother is dying.  On Christmas Eve, Robert and Nathan's paths cross.  And both lives are changed forever.  This book was so sweet and pure.  I finished in 1 day.

Christmas at the Ranch by Julia McKay (304 pages).  This was my Once Upon a Book Club Christmas box.  The Christmas of her senior year, 18-year-old Emory Oakes falls in love.  Tate Wilder was perfect.  He lived on the ranch next door to their rented vacation home.  But she lives in Toronto, and he lives hours away in cottage country.  10 years later, Emory is working as a freelance journalist when her father is arrested for embezzling clients out of millions.  And Emory flees the city and returns to the one place that felt like home, cottage country.  Something about Evergreen will always feel like home. As she and Tate keep running into each other, Emory wonders what might have been.  And as the town begins to welcome her, she wonders what could be.  It was so sweet.  And the gifties were so cute!  I finished in 2 days.

The Glovemaker's Daughter by Shari J. Ryan (341 pages).  In June 1942, leather goods shop owner Raya learns that her best friend is going to be forced into a Jewish ghetto in Paris.  So, she hides Charlette and her parents in her home.  One day, by the newspaper stand, she meets Nicholas.  Nicholas is a newspaper reporter.  He is also involved in the Resistance.  By October 1943, Raya is en route to Ravensbruck as a political prisoner.  By April 1944, Nicholas is still frantically searching for any sign of where Raya was taken, even harder when France finally takes back their country and he can openly search.  But in March 1945, the last death march from Ravensbruck begins.  And the toll of deaths was high.  Y'all know I love a WWII historical fiction.  I finished in 4 days.

The Idea of You by Robinne Lee (372 pages).  Solene Marchand is a 39-year-old divorcee, art gallery owner and mother of 13-year-old Isabelle.  When her ex-husband bails on taking Izzie and her friends to see their favorite boy band, August Moon, Solene takes them.  And meets 20-year-old Hayes Campbell, one of the members of the band.  Thus begins a whirlwind romance that spans the globe.  At first, their relationship is very secretive.  But once the news breaks, Solene's whole world changes.  She's not just a mom and gallery owner.  She's famous by extension. And pretty unpopular to the fans.  It eventually becomes too much for her.  Then I watched the movie.  And boy- did they change things!  Hayes is 24.  Izzie is 16 (and no longer an August Moon fan).  And the backstories are different- Hayes' relationship with his parents, his relationship with his bandmates, Solene's relationship with her ex.  Honestly, the changes pissed me off.  Because the book was great.  The ending was sad and perfect.  And the boy band fan in me will always have this fantasy (although maybe not with a boy bander I could have birthed and definitely not cheating on my husband!).  I finished in 4 days.

Never Lie by Freida McFadden (334 pages).  Tricia and her new husband Ethan are house hunting for their forever home.  When they learn of a gorgeous house outside the city, they decide to go look.  But a blizzard traps them there for a few nights.  The house belonged to author and psychiatrist Adrienne Hale.  A woman who has been missing and presumed murdered for 3 years.  When Tricia finds Dr Hale's hidden room, containing all the tapes of her patient sessions, she listens to several of them.  Most compelling?  EJ, a narcissistic blond man who probably killed his parents and is blackmailing Dr Hale.  And PL, a young woman who barely survived a murderous rampage at a cabin that left her fiancé and two of their friends dead.  But there's more to this house than either Tricia or Ethan realize.  And the truth about Dr Hale's disappearance needs to come to light.  McFadden always has a twist.  I thought I'd guessed this one.  I guessed wrong.  I finished in 3 days.

This month's favorite was......Last Christmas in Paris.

But it's also the end of 2025.  So, here's a rundown of what I read this year.
95 total books
33,777 total pages read
An average of 92.5 pages a day
This year's favorite was the Beartown series.

Kind of a No Read November

 This month wasn’t super impressive- either books read or books themselves. But here we go!  7 books total. 2,396 pages. An average of 80 pages a day

Brontë’s Mistress by Finola Austin (306 pages). Y’all know I love some historical fiction! In 1843 England, Lydia Robinson is in a loveless marriage, made worse by the recent loss of her mother and youngest daughter. Her husband just hired a tutor for their son. Branwell Brontë happens to be the brother of the children’s governess, Anne, and brother to writers Charlotte and Emily. He also happens to be half Lydia’s age. But Lydia isn’t in a good place and Branwell is a persuasive romantic. Lydia gives in and a short lived affair happens. But when their secret is uncovered by several people, Lydia ends the affair. But her life begins to unravel- her children are distant and her husband passes away. Honestly, the affair portion of her life is very small. But her overall story is quite sad. I don’t consider myself a Brontë scholar by any stretch of the imagination. So I had no idea about this long rumored romance. I enjoyed the story though! I finished in 3 days.

The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey (366 pages). Tallulah is 26 years old and a graduate student in Boston. When an opportunity arises for room and board in exchange for nannying 12 year old Lissa, daughter of hockey star Burgess Abraham, she takes it. Not a little uneasily, as Tallulah has trust issues surrounding men. But there’s something about Burgess that makes her feel safe. And there something about Tallulah that drives Burgess crazy. It doesn’t take long for them to realize how much they like each other and how seamlessly they fit into each other’s lives (and beds). The path to smutty happily ever after is never smooth in a rom com, but it always works out. This one was not my favorite though. I finished in 4 days. 

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (458 pages). Aiden Bishop has been invited to a masquerade weekend at Blackheath House in honor of Evelyn Hardcastle. But Evelyn is going to be murdered the night of the ball. Each day, Aiden wakes up in the body of one of the guests- some are smart, some are rash, some are more helpful than others. And each day, he gets an opportunity to solve Evelyn’s murder. But there are other people trying to solve the murder. Because whoever does is the only one who will escape Blackheath. Think murderous whodunit Groundhog Day edition meets Black Mirror. It took me quite a while to really get into the book (honestly I was pretty confused for a lot of it). But once it REALLy clicked what was going on, I couldn’t stop reading to get to the end! I finished in 5 days.

The Cure by K.A. Riley (308 pages). In a dystopian future, a Blight takes the life of almost every person over 18. Your only hope, once you turn 17, is to get selected to live in the Arc and earn the chance for the Cure. The Arc is a self sustaining city of wealthy people who could buy the Cure and run by a select group called the Directorate. Now, the outlying land is so desolate that no one else can afford it. But Ashen Spencer is ready to try, for her own sake as well as her ten year old brother and her mother (one of the few adults who has survived the Blight). But it turns out that the Arc isn’t the paradise they are promised. The Cure isn’t what it seems. And the Directorate aren’t benevolent leaders. When an old classmate from before the Blight steps in to help, Ashen learns more than she ever thought about her father and the country she lives in. It’s almost like a Hunger Games where the only adults are in the Capital. It’s the first in a series that I may or may not finish (if the rest of the series is free on Kindle!) I finished in 1 day. 

Awaken by K.A. Riley (306 pages). Book 2 of the series (because yes, they were free!). Now that Ashen has learned some of the truths behind the Arc and the Cure, she leaves the safety of the Arc and sets off to find the rebel group, the Consortium. What she finds is the Bastille, a former ski town turned headquarters for what remains of the Consortium. Or so Ashen thinks. But the Bastille isn’t what it appears to be. And the Consortium isn’t so easy to find. But old friends from the Arc are still helping Ashen along the way. Even when she returns to the Arc to save her brother. I finished in 3 days.

Ascend by K.A. Riley (332 pages). Book 3 of the series. Ashen is safe and protected in the Pit, the headquarters of the remnants of the Consortium. But she soon learns that there are other pockets of rebels, separated by underground trains. When Ash and her friends are able to break into the Arc to steal power sources, she is reunited with lost love Finn and they slowly begin a rebellion in the Arc. And finally the long awaited war against the Directorate begins, with Ash as the face of the rebellion (ala Katniss in Hunger Games). I finished in 3 days. 

Fallen by K.A. Riley (320 pages). Book 4 of the series. Ash and Finn are on their way to the Behemoth, the largest Arc in the country that’s located in New York. The Behemoth is run by the Bishop, a man more powerful and more cruel than anyone they have come across. But he’s also more charismatic than anyone they have met. When they finally find a way into the Moth, Ash and Finn learn what the Bishop has been up to. And it is mind blowing!  But the Bishop isn’t content to use Ash and Finn’s brains- he wants total power. I finished in 5 days.

This month’s favorite is……..I guess The 7 1/2 Deaths. Honestly, this month was a bunch of books I enjoyed but didn’t LOVE!

I liked this month’s BOOOOOks!

 This month wasn’t my best month of reading. 7 books. 2,544 pages. An average of 82 pages per day. But honestly, I enjoyed all of them!  So I’ll consider this month a win. 

The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware (384 pages). This was one of my book club books. Lo Blacklock has been enjoying her life since her book Dark Waters was published (the book about her adventures in The Woman in Cabin 10). But after years of being a stay at home mom to her two boys, she’s ready to start writing again. When the invitation for a weekend at the opening of Marcus Leidmann’s new hotel in Switzerland comes, she decides to go. What she never expects is to meet Marcus’ mistress, who begs her for help with escaping Marcus. Against her better judgment, Lo agrees. And thus begins an adventure across Switzerland to England that ends with Marcus dead and Mo arrested for his murder. But Lo KNOWS she didn’t kill him. Can she figure out who did and how?  I love Ruth Ware’s novels. I finished in 4 days.

Eternal by Lisa Scottoline (463 pages). In 1937, Rome is a beautiful place. Yes, the Fascists are in control under Mussolini. But Elisabetta, Marco and Sandro don’t care. Best friends since they were children, they couldn’t be more different. Elisabetta dreams of becoming a journalist (while both of the boys dream of her). Marco is the most popular boy in school. Sandro is Jewish and a mathematical prodigy.  All of them are strongly fascist (or at least don’t fight against it). Until the Race Laws begin. And then lines must be drawn. Sandro is forced into the Ghetto, Elisabetta learns to fend for herself and Marco finds himself drawn deeper into the world of the Fascists. And when Mussolini takes his country to war WITH Germany, loyalties are truly tested. Because it seems like Italy sees itself as Italy before anything else. I don’t read a lot of WWII set in Italy, so it was fascinating to read the effect the war had on that country. The blackmail by the Nazis. The deportation of 1200 Jews to Auschwitz, where only 16 survived. This story was beautiful- the heartbreak, the loss, the love. I finished in 4 days. 

My Imaginary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows (479 pages). Mary Shelley (you know, the author of Frankenstein) and Ada Lovelace (the unacknowledged mother of computer programming) never met in real life. In fact, they weren’t even remotely the same age (Mary was 18 when Ada was born but interestingly they did die within a year of each other). But isn’t fiction so much more fun?!  Mary and Ada attend the same party, a party where a scientific demonstration is done that brings a frog back to life. Later that evening, they meet their fae godmother and learn that they are both magical (as so many in the arts and sciences are). They work together to create PAN (practical automaton number one). Well, Ada builds it and Mary uses her fae magic to help. But when they go a step farther and bring Pan to life using lightning, well, let’s just say that Frankenstein wasn’t the only one who said “it’s alive!” Unfortunately, scientist Giovanni Aldini (the man who was doing the frog experiments at the party) learns of Pan’s existence and kidnaps him (and Ada).  They escape and set off across Europe to see if Lord Byron (Ada’s father) can help. The fae aspect is a lot of fun. As was Mary’s inspiration for Frankenstein and the inclusion of her stepsister (who did have an illegitimate daughter with Lord Byron when Ada would have been 2). But Shelley (you know, the man that Mary eventually married) was an awful character in this novel. This wasn’t my favorite book by the Lady Janies. It strayed too far from history. But it was still really cute!  I finished in 5 days.

The Vicious Circle by Katherine St John (302 pages). Model Sveta has been somewhat estranged from her uncle Paul (or Shiva as he is known to some). So when she learns that she has inherited his “wellness/self-help retreat” Xanadu in the jungles of Mexico, she’s more than a little shocked that he left it to her and not his wife/partner Kali. But Sveta heads down to Xanadu with her uncle’s attorney Lucas (who also happens to be the man she lost her virginity to). Once they get there, they realize that Xanadu isn’t just a retreat, it’s a cult. And Kali isn’t as pleased about the will as Sveta is. Because Kali thinks that she is a god, sent to take her people to a higher plane. I do love a good cult story. I finished in 2 days.

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers (257 pages). In 2012, Nic’s older sister Kasey vanished. And since then, Nic has been a bit of a mess. She’s now 24, living in a crappy apartment with a crappy job and dealing with a DWI. Until the day that Jenna walks into her job. Her sister Jules disappeared right before Kasey did. And in the suburbs of South Bend, their disappearances are just too similar for there to be no connection. So Nic and Jenna team up to track down the person who took their sisters away. And they find the person responsible. And it was NOT what I thought!  Loved solving this mystery. I finished in 3 days.

An Ancient Witch’s Guide to Modern Dating by Cecilia Edward (310 pages). This was my Magic Halloween Once Upon a Book Club box. So cute!  39 year old Thorn is a witch (and a spinster) in the late 1600’s. And all she wants is a husband. Her potions seem to work on everyone but herself. When a spell goes awry, Thorn finds herself and her feline familiar Bandit in her cottage. But it’s no longer in the middle of a forest and it’s now a museum. Because Thorn has traveled 300 years into the future.  Where dating should be a lot easier- it’s literally at your fingertips!  But Thorn still thinks she needs to use spells to find her true love. Meanwhile, Walls, the local vet who helps her with Bandit, shows her that spells aren’t needed to create relationships- connection and friendships are the best place to start. After all, love comes from the heart, not from a cauldron (to quote the book). Super cute witchy rom-com. I finished in 3 days.

How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold (349 pages). This was my Nightmare Halloween Once Upon a Book Club box. When horror author Mortimer Queen dies, he has invited seven authors to come to the reading of his will at the Mortimer Queen Manor. Melanie Brown, who has yet to publish a book and only met Mortimer once. Scott Clay, a handsome and prolific author who has a blackout temper. Crystal Flowers, who specializes in erotic horror and was close “friends” with Mortimer. Winnie Roach, who really specialized in finding out celebrity gossip in between writing her books. Buck Grimm, who used to be Mortimer’s publishing assistant and knew his darkest secrets. Chester Plumage, whose series has him swimming in lawsuits because kids are reckless and his books are daring. Petey Marsh, who once stole (and published) one of Mortimer’s manuscripts. Turns out all of them are connected to Mortimer in some way. And Mortimer has left them a game in his will, a series of riddles to escape the Manor. Because the Manor is more than it appears. Just like Mortimer’s most famous book Monster House, the Manor is built on the bones of his family. And the Manor is always hungry for more. I could LITERALLY picture this on screen. I saw the characters. I pictured the monster house. I finished in 3 days. 

This month’s favorite is……..a tie. Eternal and How to Survive a Horror Story. I know, total opposite ends of the spectrum. But both SO good!

Decided to FALL into not reading a lot this month

 Reading-wise, this was a bit of a below average month. Only 7 books. 2,317 pages. An average of 77 pages a day. But most of the books were really good this month- honestly only one that I didn’t really care for. 

Elphie: A Wicked Childhood by Gregory Maguire (277 pages). Elphie did not live a golden childhood.  Her father, Frexspar, was a missionary from Munchkinland to Quadling Country, taking his high born Munchkinlander wife Melena Thropp with him. Their oldest daughter Elphba was born green. Their middle daughter (or the child of Melena’s affair with Quadling Turtle Heart) Nessarose was born without arms.  Their youngest son Sheltergod is the only one born physically perfect (but he’s literally a hellion).  I really wanted to like this book. I wanted answers, like why is Elphie harmed by water. The book was too slow for me. Sorry, I’m still pro musical, anti book (which is SHOCKING for me!). I finished in 4 days. 

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick (368 pages). This was the book for my non-gym book club. In 1963, 4 neighborhood women in northern Virginia start a book club. Their first book is The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. And suddenly, the Betty’s (as they dub themselves) start to realize the feelings they have been having. Newest neighbor Charlotte is a glamorous transplant from New York City. But she struggles with neuroses and prescriptions. Margaret thought she was happy, married with kids. But when she gets a job as a columnist for A Woman’s Place magazine, she remembers what it was like to do things for herself. War nurse and mom of 6 Viv goes back to work, even though she’s pregnant with baby #7. Bitsy is married to an equine vet who is much older than she is. Their struggles with infertility and his dismissal of her brains lead to problems in the marriage. During their year of book club, their friendships deepen into lifelong sisters. The women learn that they can be so much more than wives and mothers; they can be women. As someone who has friendships from high school/college and more recent friendships, this idea of a sisterhood that lifts you up was so wonderful. I finished in 4 days. 

Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon (328 pages). In 1841 London, a baby girl is born in a workhouse. She is raised as a boy amongst thieves and ruffians until her uncle takes her in and forces society upon her. 18 years later, Olivia Brownlow (formerly known as Oliver Twist) meets Jack MacCarron. Jack is new to society, having been taken in by his elderly aunt. But something about him seems so familiar to Olivia. Because Jack isn’t really new to the London streets. He used to be known as the Artful Dodger. When the orphan boys Olivia has taken under her wing are threatened by a new menacing street lord named Monks, Olivia needs Jack’s help to save them. And herself, as it turns out Monks is her half-brother and he has a vendetta against her. This was a very creative twist (get it?) on Oliver Twist. I finished in 4 days. 

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid (327 pages).  Emma and Jesse fell in love at 17. And for the next 10 years, they created an amazing life in California and around the world- Emma as a travel journalist and Jesse as a production assistant on travel documentaries.  But when Jesse’s helicopter was lost as sea the day before their first wedding anniversary, Emma’s life is upended. She moves home to Massachusetts. And rekindles a friendship with Sam, a schoolmate who had worked at her parents’ bookstore. That friendship turns to love and they get engaged roughly 3 years after Jesse disappeared.  Then Jesse calls her. It was like Castaway if it had only been told from Helen Hunt’s perspective. Or like Jane the Virgin. The question is can you have more than one true love in your lifetime?  And does a new love negate the old one?  This was really a beautiful story of learning who you were and who you are and appreciating both. I finished in 4 days.

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley (350 pages). Francesca Meadows inherited her family home in Tome, on the southern coast of England. She decided to turn the home, with the help of her architect husband Owen, into The Manor. The Manor is a boutique resort that specializes in holistic and sylvan experiences. But there’s a dark history in Tome and surrounding the Manor. And the local justice is handed out by The Birds. The opening weekend of The Manor falls on the summer solstice, so Francesca wants to take full advantage of that magic with an al fresco midnight feast. But secrets have a way of making themselves known. And the aftermath of the midnight feast leaves a fire and several bodies. I finished in 3 days.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (416 pages). This was the book for my gym book club. Celebrity journalist Alice Scott is hoping she finally has her shot- the chance to tell the life story of Margaret Grace Ives. Margaret is in her 80’s and has lived quite a life- newspaper heiress, wife of rock royalty, tabloid princess. All before she disappeared from public. But Alice is in competition with Hayden Anderson, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist. Margaret has both of them move to Georgia for a month and compete for the chance to tell her story. But she doesn’t give either of them the full story. Soon the competition (and Georgia heat) becomes too steamy.  Margaret’s story is sad and beautiful. And she is willing to share the public’s story and her truth. I finished in 5 days.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle (251 pages). Corporate lawyer Dannie Kohan’s life is perfect. She just nailed an interview for her dream job and said yes to her boyfriend David’s proposal. But one of the questions from the interview must have struck deeper than she realized. Because when they got home from the Rainbow Room, Dannie found herself exactly five years in the future for one hour. And it was NOT the future she thought she’d have.  She wasn’t with David anymore. In fact, she was engaged to a different man and living in a different part of New York. When she comes back to current time, she tries to forget Aaron and her future, as she and David continue to create the future they had planned. But four and a half years after her hour with Aaron, she sees him. In person. As her best friend Bella’s new boyfriend. While Dannie tries desperately to keep the future she lived for an hour to come to fruition, life shows her that no matter what you try to do, things unfold as they are meant to. Y’all- this one gutted me. I was in tears for the last several chapters. I finished in 3 days. 

This month’s favorite is……..In Five Years. I know I just finished it, so it’s freshest. But there was just something about it. 

This was not an August month for reading

 August was a bit of a slow month. We had a lot of rain, so I didn’t get as much pool time (and therefore as much uninterrupted reading time) as usual. This month was only 7 books. A total of 2,682 pages. An average of 86.5 pages a day. And 2 special edition boxes from Once Upon a Book Club. Let’s get to it!

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (538 pages). This was a special edition Classics Edition box from Once Upon a Book Club. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen almost every movie version of Little Women ever made, starting with the 1949 version with Elizabeth Taylor to the 1994 one with Winona Ryder to the 2019 one with Saoirse Ronan. The 1949 and 1994 ones are the best. Anyway, this is the story of the March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. Set in Massachusetts during the Civil War and beyond. It follows their adventures. Their loves. Their lives. It’s such a sweet story and I’d never actually read it before. I finished in 4 days. 

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty (497 pages). This was the book for my gym book club. On a delayed flight from Hobert to Sydney, nothing seems out of the ordinary. At least not until close to the time of landing. When the Death Lady stands up and begins to tell every passenger when and how they will die. Most of them don’t take her too seriously (who can be upset when they are told they will die of old age at age 100?). But some of the passengers learn they have months or years left. And those are the passengers we focus on- a mother who is told her son will drown at 7. A flight attendant who is told she will die from self harm at 28 (her 28th birthday is the day of the flight). When the first death occurs, the passengers think it’s just a strange coincidence. Then more deaths happen. And the passengers become frantic to find the Death Lady.  Throughout, we learn about the Death Lady’s past and what brought her to be on that plane at that moment. I love Liane Moriarty. Her books are so good. And this one didn’t disappoint. I loved how everyone dealt with the predictions. And what happened as the predictions approached. And the aftermath. I finished in 5 days. 

The Fourth Daughter by Lyn Liao Butler (284 pages). This was the book for my non-gym book club. It goes back and forth between modern day New York and Taiwan and 1960’s Taiwan. Liv Kuo is still traumatized from an incident in the restaurant where she worked. So when her grandmother, Yi-ping Wang, asks her to come to Taiwan to search for her lost fourth daughter, Liv decides to go. To Yi-ping’s traditional in-laws, four was an unlucky number. Especially four daughters (and no son). After Yi-ping gives birth to a son, her husband secrets Yili, the fourth daughter, out of their home and their lives. The Wang family were powerful members of the KMT, so Yi-ping knew she had no hope of getting her daughter back.  But she never gave up hope. And Liv vows to help with the search. Along the way, Liv finds herself and her passions again. This was a beautiful story of love, loss, betrayal, hope, and, most importantly, family. It also made me really hungry (as Liv and her Ah-Ma were amazing cooks). I finished in 4 days. 

Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson (385 pages). Keyanna “Key” MacKay is a bit lost after her father dies. So she decides to go to Scotland to see if she can reconnect with her family there. She doesn’t know why her father left, but she wants to find out. She does know that, until the day he died, her father swears that he was saved from drowning by the Loch Ness Monster.  Lachlan Greer is working on the MacKay family farm, which is located on Skallangal Cove on Loch Ness. And he’s got a family secret he’s trying to uncover. Once Key and Lachlan decide to team up to uncover the truth behind their families, they discover magic and curses.  And learn that true love is truly the greatest magic of all. This was a very cute magical rom com. I finished in 4 days. 

Wicked by Gregory Maguire (406 pages). Yes, I DID read this 20+ years ago when it first came out (and right before I saw it with original cast on Broadway). But when Once Upon a Book Club does a special edition, you get it!  Yes, the book is very different than the musical. Additional characters like Avaric, Crope, and Tibbett who are part of the friend group at Shiz. Shiz itself is different- there are single sex colleges for the students. Fiyero is married at the time he arrives in Shiz (and has blue diamonds tattoos covering his skin). Nessarose has no arms but can walk (and is hyper religious). Elphaba and Nessa have a younger brother named Shell. Doctor Dillamond is killed by unknown assassins. Elphaba and Fiyero have an affair that ends with his death and her giving birth to his son, Liir. Elphie isn’t as gifted a sorceress; honestly Glinda and Nessa are better than she is at first. And the story itself is a lot darker- it looks at the religions and politics of Oz in addition to the animosity between humans and Animals.  Honestly the whole story of the novel is so different that it doesn’t seem like the same story of the musical. I finished in 4 days.

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston (326 pages). Clementine West enjoyed her life. She had a job she loved as a book publicist. And she had an aunt she loved, who brought travel and magic to her world. But in the six months since she lost her aunt, Clementine’s world has gotten smaller and more practical. Until she moves into her aunt’s apartment. Her aunt told her that the apartment itself was magic- it was a place where time could slip seven years into the past or into the future. Clementine never really believed her. Until she woke up to a man in her kitchen. A man who is seven years in the past. Iwan came to New York to become a chef. And when Clementine finds him in her present, she learns that he has done so. But is he still the man she met?  And is she the girl he knew?  I loved the concept but the ending seemed a little rushed. It was still sweet. I finished in 2 days.

Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand (246 pages). It’s December 23 at the Winter Street Inn. Kelley Quinn loves this time of year. He and his wife Mitzi host a Christmas Eve party that everyone on Nantucket shows up for. But this year is different. Oldest son Patrick is in trouble for insider trader. Middle son Kevin is secretly dating someone. Middle daughter Ava is dating a man who doesn’t appreciate her and is friends with a man who worships her. Youngest son Bart is a Marine in Afghanistan and hasn’t been responding to texts and emails. Ex-wife Margaret (a famous broadcast journalist) gives up her trip to Hawaii to come to Nantucket. Because Mitzi has left Kelley for George, their annual party Santa Claus!  The book took place over 3 days. And boy did a lot happen!  Hilderbrand doesn’t usually do a winter on Nantucket in her books. So I loved the winter aspect of it. I finished in 2 days. 

This month’s favorite is……..Little Women. Just a classic!

Ju-LY. It's still summer reading time!

This month was far from my best showing, but definitely not my worst.  I read 8 books.  A total of 3,367 pages.  An average of 109 pages a day.  And I liked all but one of them!  So I consider that a win of a month.  Let's get into it, shall we?

My Friends by Fredrik Backman (434 pages).  This was a book for one of my book clubs.  Yes, I'm in 2 book clubs.  Honestly, are we shocked?  All her life, 17 year old Louisa has loved a postcard of a famous painting.  As an artist herself, she sees more in the painting than other people do.  At the bottom of the painting, she sees 3 small figures sitting on a pier in front of the sea.  A chance meeting in an alleyway leads to her getting possession of the painting itself after the artist dies.  And possession of the artist's best friend Ted.  Ted tells Louisa the story of the painting.  And the friendship between him, the artist, Joar, and Ali.  Honestly, I don't even know where to begin.  There's just something about Backman's writing that gets you.  The friendships.  The characters.  You get them.  You love them.  I finished in 4 days.

Bridesmaid Undercover by Meghan Quinn (484 pages).  The second in the Bridesmaid for Hire series.  Quinn connects almost all of her characters in some way (the Can brothers and their significant others from the Cane Brothers series, the Rowley siblings and their significant others from the Almond Bay series, and of course the Hopper siblings and Maggie from Bridesmaid for Hire book 1).  In this one, Maggie's employee Everly and Hardy Hopper (brother of Haisley the bride from book 1) are the main characters.  When Everly is hired to help the maid of honor (and Hardy's ex) plan the bridal shower and bachelor/ette party for their college friends, Hardy has a second job for her.  To help him get Maple back.  As Hardy and Everly work closely on the parties, they begin to fall for each other.  Which is obvious to everyone but them.  And when Maple lets Everly and Hardy know, in no uncertain terms, that she has no interest in getting back together with Hardy, sparks really begin to fly.  Quinn's books are always a cute and spicy rom-com.  I finished in 3 days.

The Coworker by Freida McFadden (362 pages).  Natalie loves her life.  She's the top sales rep at a vitamin and supplement company.  She's beautiful and popular.  And she's got a brand new boyfriend.  But she also has a very odd coworker named Dawn.  Dawn is an accountant and is just plain awkward.  One day, Dawn doesn't show up to work (which is unusual for this type A employee).  And with one phone call, Natalie finds herself involved in figuring out who might have wanted Dawn dead.  Sometimes secrets from your past can come back to haunt you.  This one did NOT go the direction I was thinking it would.  And I loved that!  I finished in 3 days.

Angels Fall by Nora Roberts (452 pages).  This was for book club #2, Reading Between the Reps (my gym book club).  Reece survived a brutal crime in Boston and has spent life since then on the road, never staying anywhere long enough to plant roots.  But when her car acts up in Angel's Fist, Wyoming, she finds an idyllic town in the Tetons.  And a job in a restaurant (she was a chef in her prior life).  And a place to live (above the restaurant).  And friends (boss Joanie, waitress Linda-Gail, shop owner Mac and writer Brody).  One day on a hike, she sees a man attack a woman and kill her.  But there's no evidence of the crime.  And only Brody seems to believe her.  Little things begin to happen- things are moved in her apartment, water is left running, clothes are tampered with.  But instead of running, Reece and Brody double down to find the murderer.  I'd never read Nora Roberts before.  I get why she's a NYT best selling author- the story pulled me in and kept me guessing all the way through!  I finished in 3 days.

Bridesmaid by Chance by Meghan Quinn (476 pages).  The third one in the Bridesmaid for Hire series.  This one focuses on Hudson Hopper (eldest brother of Haisley from book 1 and Hardy from book 2).  Hudson feels the pressure from starting a new company with Hardy and getting out from under their father's control.  Sloane is his super capable assistant (who also happens to be the sister of Hudson's business partner/best friend and sister-in-law to Haisley).  When a business opportunity opens up, Hudson is eager to take it.  But he needs to be a married man.  Enter Sloane with the perfect plan- a real fake marriage.  He gets his business deal, she gets a $40k bonus to buy her house.  So off to London the newlyweds go, where Hudson is wooing a business deal and Sloane has stepped in as a bridesmaid for hire.  Typical back and forth and misunderstandings, blah blah blah.  Honestly, this was my least favorite of the series (and possibly all of Quinn's books).  Hudson took the fake marriage too seriously and not as a simple business deal.  But then also didn't want to take Sloane seriously.  I just didn't get these two as a couple.  I finished in 5 days.

My Calamity Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows (516 pages).  It's 1876 in the American Wild West.  Where Wild Bill Hickok's Wild West Show is the greatest show on earth.  It features teens Frank "Pistol Prince" Butler, Annie Oakley and Calamity Jane.  It's also a cover, as Wild Bill (a US Marshall) and his business partner Charlie (a Pinkerton) are garou hunters.  What are garou, you might ask?  Werewolves.  When a garou hunt goes wrong and Jane finds herself with a bite on her arm, she heads to deadwood, where she's been told there is a cure.  But Frank, Annie and Wild Bill aren't going to let her go alone.  The lawlessness of Deadwood has met its match with these three!  Add into that some lyrics from Annie Get Your Gun as part of conversations, a shoutout to those seven pesky Pontipee brothers, and you've got perfection!  I love these cute books.  I finished in 3 days.

My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows (496 pages).  This one takes place after My Lady Jane (which I read a few months ago).  The Ethians and the Verities are still at odds.  Elizabeth I is now on the throne of England.  And a young girl named Mary is Queen of Scotland.  Mary and her ladies in waiting are living in France, where she is engaged to marry the dauphin Francis.  One of her ladies in waiting in Aristotle Nostradamus, daughter to yes, THAT Nostradamus.  Although she is quite adept at potions, her visions are lacking (they seem to be plots of modern day movies, which is hysterical).  Meanwhile, John Knox is stirring up an Ethian rebellion in Scotland, as he feels that a Verity should not sit on the throne.  But Mary has a little secret of her own.  These books are so creative, so cute, so fun!  I love the creative license the authors take while still sticking to real history when they can.  And any book that references The Princess Bride (more than once) is a winner in my eyes!  I finished in 3 days.

The Narnia Code: CS Lewis and the Secret of the Seven Heavens by Michael Ward (147 pages).  To this day, there are 2 series that mean more to me than any others: Anne of Green Gables and the Chronicles of Narnia.  These two series are the ones that I like to think solidified my love of reading.  The author of this book ALSO loved Narnia.  And during university, he got to live at CS Lewis' former home (I'm so jealous!).  But he always wondered (as did others) about some of the seemingly incongruous additions to Narnia and how the books fit together and tie to the Bible.  And he figured it out.  Lewis was an expert of the Middle Ages.  During that time, Earth was thought to be the center of the universe, with 7 planets orbiting around it (the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn).  There are 7 books in the Narnia series.  This book explains Ward's theory (which was actually his doctoral dissertation).  I finished in 3 days.

This month's favorite is....My Friends.  Although the nerdy academic in me really enjoyed The Narnia Code.