April readings. I’ve nothing punny to entitle this entry

 This month was kind of average as far as the amount I read. But the books were all pretty good!  7 books. 2,349 pages. An average of 78 pages a day. 

Between Sisters by Kristin Hannah (425 pages). Meghann Dontess (high powered divorce attorney in Seattle) and Claire Cavenaugh (campground resort owner in Harlen) are sisters. But also strangers. When their actress mother abandoned them, Meg was just a teenager. And all she could do was find Claire’s father and ask for help. Meg never felt part of this new family and left. Now the sisters barely know each other. But when tragedy strikes, it turns out that sisters are sisters, no matter what. It was a sweet story. I finished in 4 days.

The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose (320 pages). Sarah Morgan is a powerful defense attorney in DC. Her husband, Adam, is a once promising author who now spends his time at their lake house, trying to recapture his literary success. And having an affair with a local waitress named Kelly. When Kelly is found stabbed 37 times in his bed, Adam is charged with her murder. His only hope?  His wife’s fantastic courtroom skills. Because Adam swears he didn’t do it. And unless Sarah can find the true killer, Adam might be found guilty. Really enjoyed this one!!  I finished in 3 days.

The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose (277 pages). The sequel to The Perfect Marriage. It’s been 12 years since the trial of Adam Morgan. Sarah is remarried to Bob Miller, a former coworker. Their life with their daughter seems perfect. Until Bob cheats. And his mistress goes missing. And the former sheriff who led the murder investigation on Kelly becomes connected to that case through DNA.  But Sarah is always one step ahead. I liked the first one better than this one. But it was still pretty good. I finished in 2 days.

Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben (333 pages). Maggie McCabe is a combat surgeon and renowned plastic surgeon whose whole life has gone up in flames, including the loss of her husband and the revocation of her medical license. When her beloved mentor offers her a job opportunity that is too good to pass up, she doesn’t. And finds herself in Russia, performing plastic surgery on a Russian oligarch and his mistress. But when one of her patients disappears, Maggie realizes there was more to this surgical request than she first thought. And she quickly has to make sure that she’s not the next to disappear.  Her father in law, Porkchop, might be one of my favorite characters. He’s a tough biker who will do anything for family. I finished in 4 days.

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams (359 pages). In 1882, Esme is born into a world of words. Her father is a lexicographer at the Scriptorium who works under Dr Murray, the man responsible for the first complete Oxford English Dictionary. While Esme finds words themselves fascinating, she finds the ones that are discarded from inclusion even more fascinating. Most of these words have never been written down but are said almost daily. Mostly by women. So Esme begins collecting these lost words. Esme’s life covers the suffragette movement, WWI, love, death, loss and everything in between. Which Esme is a fictional character, the men she worked with at the Scrippy were very real. It was a fascinating look at language and words.  I finished in 3 days.

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (391 pages). Natalie Heller Mills is a 32 year old tradwife influencer. She is pregnant with her sixth child. And her life is perfect.  Or so she claims. With her 2 nannies, full time social media producer, ranch hands, 5+ million followers and very rich in-laws that fund a very cushy “farm life”. But one day, Natalie wakes up in her house. With completely different children and a slightly different husband. And the year is now 1855.  Natalie has no idea how to function in this life, despite her social media reflecting otherwise. And this life just seems wrong. It’s way more of a psychological thriller than I thought it would be from the description. And quite a satirical commentary on social media influencers. But I really liked it!  I finished in 4 days.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (244 pages). Esther Greenwood is 19. And on top of the world. She’s won an internship that’s allowed her to work in New York for part of a summer. She is inspired to be a poet. But then, something switches. And she slowly descends into a breakdown. It’s semi autobiographical. And a commentary of societal pressures on women that existed in the 1950’s (and honestly still today). This book was depressing and a little disjointed. I didn’t love it (but my heart still breaks for Sylvia Plath and her life). I finished in 3 days.

This month’s favorite was…The Dictionary of Lost Words. Y’all know I love historical fiction!

An embarrassingly bad showing/reading this month

 This month, I really slacked off. Like didn’t read for several days throughout the month. But let’s get into it. 6 books. 2,270 pages. An average of 73 pages a day (or 95 for the days I actually read)

The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman (378 pages). The last of the Practical Magic series. For 300 years, Maria Owens’ curse had affected the Owens women. From secret weddings to never living together, the women have found a work around. But it still ultimately claims the men they love.  But Jet learns the secret of how to end the curse. And begins to set that into motion with her death. When Sally’s youngest daughter Kylie’s longtime love is in an accident, Kylie learns of the curse and is determined to break it. So she travels to England to seek the true beginning of their curse. As Franny, Sally, Gillian and Vincent follow her, they encounter left hand, dark magic that they have never encountered before. This was a beautiful ending to the series. And now I’m even more excited to see how the movie sequel turns out. I finished in 4 days.

Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill (395 pages). This book was for my gym book club. Jenna was literally born into Scientology in 1984. Her grandparents joined in the 1969 and her uncle was David Miscaviage, the man who took over the “church” when L. Ron Hubbard died. Throughout her time in Scientology (from birth in 1984 to her escape in 2005), Jenna experienced family upheaval, manual labor that no child should endure, and mental/emotional manipulation of the highest degree. At 8 years old, she signed a contract to join Sea Org, the most senior staff of the group. A contract for one billion years. Because in Scientology, your Thetan (spirit) never dies <insert eye roll here>. Eventually, Jenna, her two brothers, her parents, and her grandfather (you know, the FATHER of the head of the organization) all left Scientology. Y’all- i knew Scientology was crazy. But I had no idea HOW crazy. Learning about the requirements of this group just reinforced every belief that I have that it is a dangerous cult. I finished in 3 days.

The New Girl by M.I. Hattersley (277 pages). Jade Fisher just started a new job at Beautiful You! Incorporated, an eco-friendly lifestyle brand. Working for THE Rebecca Burton-Webb. But Jade isn’t working there for the experience. She’s there for revenge. Because she and her sister are convinced that Rebecca has stolen their legacy. And Jade plans to prove it by working her way into Rebecca’s trust. But this world is more than Jade thought it would be. And the hidden secrets could be deadly. I finished in 4 days.

The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin (468 pages). The year is 1876. 20 year old heiress Charlotte Baird, an avid photography hobbyist, has been invited to spend time in the English countryside during hunting season. While there, she meets Bay Middleton, one of the greatest horseman in England (but not a nobleman). And Charlotte immediately falls in love. But Bay has been asked to pilot the Empress Elisabeth of Austria during the hunting season. She is staying at Easton Neston with the Spencers (yes, THOSE Spencers. The ancestors of Princess Diana). And Sisi is well-known as the most beautiful royal in all of Europe. She is also a fearless horsewoman. And thus began a wild royal love triangle. Y’all know I love some historical fiction. And I do love historical fiction about rumored relationships. This one took a few liberties with history (like the fact that Charlotte and Bay were engaged for 7 years rather than the elopement that ended the book). But on the whole I rather enjoyed the story. Sisi’s story is pretty tragic, so it was kind of nice to see her happy for a moment, even if it was because she was cheating on her husband. I read somewhere that Sisi was the Princess Diana of her day. And that tracks. I finished in 5 days.

The Chanel Sisters by Judithe Little (379 pages). Y’all know I love historical fiction (as declared literally with the immediate prior book). Everyone in the world knows the name Coco Chanel. But what about the woman herself?  Gabrielle “Coco” was one of three sisters (older sister Julia-Berthe was a year older and younger sister Antoinette was four years younger). They also had two brothers. But when their mother died, the girls were left at a convent orphanage. And the boys just kind of disappeared. Gabrielle and Antoinette eventually met their young aunt Adrienne and the three became inseparable. Despite their humble beginnings and upbringing, they know they are meant for Something Better. The girls all learn how to sew, but Gabrielle is convinced that her future is on the stage. She earns the nickname of Coco from her songs. Eventually she realizes that she doesn’t have a future on the stage. And she and Antoinette open a hat shop in Paris (backed by one of Gabrielle’s lovers). Eventually they expand into resort wear. Then WWI hits and they switch to simplicity. And thus, the House of Chanel is born. Coco did not like to share her past. In fact, she lied about it. But I loved this story. Obviously, embellishments were made. But it seems like this truly was the gist of her origin. I finished in 4 days.

The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A. Flynn (373 pages). In September of 1815, Rachel and Liam arrive in London. Not from Jamaica, as they tell people. But from the future. Their mission? To befriend Jane Austen, recover a suspected unpublished novel simply referred to as The Watsons and possibly save Jane’s life. But 1815 is a difficult time for women, especially a woman like Rachel who is a doctor and highly independent. She begins to wonder if she is losing herself as she begins to develop romantic feelings for Liam (who is supposed to be her brother in 1815) and true friendships with the Austens. They have one year to achieve their goal and leave history unchanged. This was an interesting concept and I really liked the idea of would you change history if you could. I finished in 4 days.

This month’s favorite was…The Chanel Sisters. Honestly, because I knew so little about Coco herself. 

February- the month of love-ing books

This was not my best month. Only 6 books. A total of 2,154 pages. An average of 77 pages a day. 

The E.M.M.A. Effect by Lia Riley (287 pages). This was a Valentine’s Day special edition Once Upon a Book Club box. 30 year old Harriett Smythe is a computer genius (but rather a rube at love). She works for a company that is creating cutting edge AI technology called E.M.M.A., short for Empirical Machine for Maximizing Athletes. Basically an AI-powered platform designed to revolutionize athletic performance and well-being. When her boss finds out that her best friend Brooke’s young brother is 25 year old NHL star Gale Knight, Harriett has to ask Gale if he will take part in their beta testing. Turns out that Gale needs Harriett in order to improve his athletic performance, at least according to EMMA. Because matchmaking is just one of the many abilities this system has. Now that they finally have permission from a computer, can Gale and Harriett admit to themselves that they are crazy about each other?  It was cute, it was frothy, it was a quick read. I finished in 2 days.

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman (366 pages). Have you ever wondered about the magical aunts, Franny and Jet, in Practical Magic?  Well, this is their story. Born to Susanna Owens (one of the rare Owens women who fled Massachusetts for new sights), Frances, Bridget and their younger brother Vincent (an anomaly in the all female Owens family) grew up in New York City in the 1950’s and 60’s. When Franny turns 17, she receives an invitation from Aunt Isabella. And all 3 children head to Massachusetts for the summer. They all know that they aren’t normal. But they don’t know what magic flows through their veins. It’s the magic of Maria Owens. As all men who love an Owens are cursed, this affects the siblings in different ways. But they live their lives in New York City, leaning on each other. When the unthinkable happens, Franny and Jet find themselves in the ancestral home in Massachusetts, creating a new life there and eventually welcoming Sally and Gillian into their lives. How did I not know about all of these sequels?!  I finished in 4 days. 

My Plain Jane by the Lady Janies (Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows) (447 pages). Y’all know I love these creative reimaginings. And this is the last one they’ve written!  The main characters in this novel?  Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë and Alexander Blackwood. Jane is a teacher at the Lowood School for Girls, who eventually leaves to become a governess for the ward of Edward Rochester.  Charlotte is one of the students, and one of Jane’s best friends. Alexander is a ghost hunter with the Society for the Relocation of Wayward Spirits, and a seer, meaning he can actually see ghosts. And he thinks that Jane might be one as well. But she’s not- she’s so much more. As the three of them (along with Charlotte’s brother Branwell) join forces, they learn that the Society doesn’t care about the best interests of anyone other than themselves. I finished in 4 days.

The Block Party by Jamie Day (374 pages). Every year, the exclusive Alton Road cul-de-sac in Meadowbrook, Massachusetts, has their annual Memorial Day cookout. But this year, someone is dead before the end of the day. We then go back one year to learn the secrets of the street. Alcoholics, abusive relationships, unhappy marriages, young love, cheaters, stalkers, cyber geniuses and even Only Fans models litter the street. Now one of them is dead. And one of them had the motive. I did not see the murderer OR the murderee coming, which is always good. I finished in 4 days. 

The Beach at Summerly by Beatriz Williams (357 pages). May of 1946. The war is over and the summer crowd is finally returning to Winthrop Island. 21 year old local Emilia Winthrop is thrilled that Summerly, summer home to the Peabodys where her father is the caretaker, will be reopened. Shep and Amory Peabody survived the war and are coming home. Along with them is their aunt Olive Rainsford and her children.  But Emilia is approached by special agent Sumner Fox to help apprehend a Soviet spy. Aunt Olive. And one night, it all goes down and lives are forever changed. In April of 1954, Emilia is now a doctoral student at Wellesley College. Fox calls and lets her know that Olive has a request for her, a request from behind bars. And once again, lives are forever changed. I don’t normally read a lot of POST war/Cold War historical fiction. So that part was pretty interesting. But honestly, the ending seemed a little rushed. I literally had to reread a chapter because I thought I’d missed something. I finished in 5 days.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (323 pages). If someone wishes you dead, have they actually killed you?  6 years ago, Alicia Berenson killed her husband Gabriel by shooting him in the face several times. From the moment the police arrived, Alicia never spoke another word. The only clue she left was a self portrait entitled Alcestis (a Greek tragedy). After her trial, she is sent to the Grove, a psychiatric hospital. Forensic psychotherapist Theo Faber begins working at the Grove, just so he can work with Alicia.  Ever since the trial, he’s been convinced he can help her. But if she won’t talk, can he actually help her?  Is Alicia actually guilty?  Or is she just crazy?  I did NOT see the ending coming at all. And I loved it!  I finished in 4 days. 

This month’s favorite was…The Silent Patient. Although The Rules of Magic was a very close second. 

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!