Happy New Reading!!

So I KILLED it this month!  9 books for a total of 3,250 pages. That’s an average of 105 pages a day!  I have a feeling February will go back to my normal average. But wow!  Kicking off the new year right. So here we go.....

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough (692 pages). This is one of those novels that I feel like I already knew all about without having read it. The novel begins when Meggie Cleary is 4 years old and living in New Zealand as the only daughter in a large family. They move to Australia to help run her aunt’s sheep farm (a small 250,000 acres of land!). There, 10 year old Meggie first meets 28 year old Father Ralph de Bricassart. And thus began a lifelong passionate love that defied the Church, distance and time. It was an epic story that spanned over 50 years. So much drama. So much detail. Yet it went so quickly. The Cleary family themselves were quite fascinating. I finished in 9 days. 

When Calls the Heart by Janette Oke (221 pages). This was a re-read for me. Oke is one of my favorite Christian authors. I recently started watching the Hallmark series When Calls the Heart. And remembered how much I loved the book series (which is entirely different than the television series). Toronto-born Elizabeth Thatcher moves to the Canadian West to teach. She meets her brother’s good friend, North West Royal Mounted Policeman Wynn Delaney. While their attraction is immediate, Wynn feels that his job and a wife are not compatible. But can love convince him otherwise?  I finished in a day. 

When Comes the Spring by Janette Oke (255 pages). Book 2 in the series. Spoiler alert- love did conquer all. Wynn and Elizabeth marry and head off to their first assignment together. But is Elizabeth truly equipped to handle the rigors of the far North?  Especially in a world where white women are the minority. I finished in a third of a day. 

When Breaks the Dawn by Janette Oke (223 pages). Book 3 in the series. Elizabeth and Wynn are firmly established in their post town. They have friends and a purpose (Wynn as a lawman and Elizabeth as a teacher again). But life is never easy and Elizabeth’s dream of starting a family with Wynn never seems to come true. I finished in a third of a day.

When Hope Springs New by Janette Oke (222 pages). Book 4 in the series. Elizabeth and Wynn make their way to their new posting. In an even more remote village where Elizabeth is the first white woman to ever be seen by the Indians. Her isolation is almost more than she can bear. But when a tragedy strikes the village, Elizabeth finds a strength she never knew. Sadly, the same tragedy that finally endears them to the village results in their departure from the village. But new adventures await in a much more civilized town. I finished in a third of a day. 

East of Eden by John Steinbeck (602 pages). So clearly, this month was a month of classics!  This is one of those books that I thought I knew the plot. Twins Cal and Aron, right?  Right, but so much more than that. It’s the story of the Samuel Hamilton family (modeled after Steinbeck’s grandfather, and yes, the author makes an appearance) and the Trask family.  And how they all end up in Salinas Valley. Cal and Aron only play a role in the second half of the book. You know, after their mother abandoned them after shooting their father in the shoulder. It’s a story of family and forgiveness and timshel (thou mayest). I finished in 12 days. 

Beyond the Gathering Storm by Janette Oke (253 pages). Book 5 in the series. This book focuses on Elizabeth and Wynn’s adopted children. Henry has followed in his dad’s footsteps and become a Mountie. Christine moves to a big city and seems willing to sacrifice her beliefs for a man. But both of them know who their parents raised them to be. I finished in one day. 

When Tomorrow Comes by Janette Oke (256 pages). Book 6 in the series. Again, the focus is on the Delaney children. Henry has found true love. But Christine doubts herself and her decisions after her broken engagement to the wrong man. She knows the Lord is always in control. But all she wants is to return to her beloved North. I finished in a day. 

The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe by J. Randy Taraborrelli (526 pages, which included some appendices). I find Marilyn to be a fascinating and tragic figure. This book only served to prove me right. The amount of research this author did is staggering. And actually makes me believe that the only Kennedy with whom Marilyn truly had a relationship was Pat, Jack and Bobby’s sister. Yes, she did have a one weekend affair with JFK. Yes, she did talk to RFK on several occasions, as she considered him an inspiring man. But the only long term relationship was with Pat. To be honest, Marilyn’s relationships (or lack thereof) simply broke my heart for her. I wonder how different her life could have been if she’d just stayed a simple unknown Norma Jeane. Or if she’d been born later, when people would have been better able to cope with her mental illnesses. I also now want to watch more of her movies. She truly wanted to be a great actress. And constantly challenged herself to be more than just Marilyn Monroe. I finished in 10 days. Because I had to!

This month’s favorite was ....The Thorn Birds. Although I truly loved the Marilyn biography. 

December (and 2018) is done. So here are the books

I feel like I did okay this month.   A total of 5 books, 2103 pages, at an average of 68 pages per day. 

A Dance with Dragons by George RR Martin (1051 pages plus all those dang pages with the family lineages). It was weird to go back in time with the story. Jojen is still alive. Hodor (sob, hiccup, sob some more) is still alive and Hodor’ing. Ramsey is still alive (boo). Jon Snow still knows nothing and isn’t on to his second life (and a relationship with his aunt).  Arya still has no name. Maergery is still queen and Tommen is her king. And Cersei takes her (literal) walk of shame. Actually, there were so many things that I had forgotten because they happened so long ago in the show (or because they didn’t make it to the show and it was new info). I don’t typically say this, but the show has become so much better than the book that I was just ready to be done with this one. And, to be honest, I’m not sure I’ll even purchase and finish the series if Martin ever finishes writing it! I finished in 18 days. 

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (401 pages). When their heretofore unmet Aunt Elspeth passes away in London and leaves them her flat (with express instructions that they must live there together for a year before selling it), mirror-image twins Julia and Valentina decide to take advantage and move. They have never been apart; in fact, they are almost one person. They slowly begin to make friends with their neighbors, Elspeth’s younger lover Robert and OCD stricken Martin. They also come to realize that death isn’t always the end.  And that their aunt had more secrets up her sleeves than anyone realized (and was kind of a selfish bitch). I legit couldn’t put it down. I found myself so intrigued. I finished in 2 days. 

The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel (426 pages plus notes). I knew this had been turned into a movie, but I had no idea what it was about. It was fascinating!  During WWII, the Allied governments established the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives division in an attempt to save as much as they could from Hitler (either being taken by his troops or destroyed by them). This is the story of just a handful of the Monuments men (as they were called).  I guess, as an American, I never really think about war in my own front yard (so to speak). Once we got rid of the British and finished our family squabble, we’ve been a war-free zone. We also, being a country for less than 250 years, don’t really have the centuries of artwork and architecture that Europe has. It warmed my heart to know that people, even in the face of war, realized the importance of culture. I finished in 8 days. 

Horse Sense & Savvy by Hunter D. Darden (136 pages). This was just a collection of columns about her life and observations that the author had written for the Charlotte Observer. It was easy, it was cute. Honestly, it was just a short little book that had been sitting on my shelf for years and needed to be read. That’s about all I have to say about that. I finished in 1 day. 

Incest by Marquis de Sade (89 pages). I’m pretty sure I bought this book after watching Quills, a movie about de Sade’s time in the mental hospital. The title pretty much says what the story was about.  Honestly, for blue work, it was pretty tame. Well, except for the subject matter. Which was disturbing TO SAY THE LEAST. This man groomed his daughter into an incestuous relationship with him. And it was awful. Super disturbing ending too. I finished in 2 days. 

This month’s favorite was ....Her Fearful Symmetry. Although The Monuments Men was absolutely fascinating. 

November readings. That is all

I know it doesn’t look like I read a lot this month because it was only 4 books. But at a total of 1,685 pages (that’s an average of 56 pages a day), it was still a good month!  So without further ado....

I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb (891 pages).  Dominick Birdsey is a complex man who hasn’t lived the easiest life. His wife left him after their daughter died, his mother died without telling him who his birth father was, his stepfather is a bully and his identical twin brother Thomas is a paranoid schizophrenic who cuts off his hand as a religious sacrifice.  Honestly, his life is a mess. But through his struggles with his brother and stepfather and a little Old Country knowledge from the autobiography of his grandfather, Domenico Tempesta, Dominick finally comes to terms with who he is. It actually took me a while to get into the book. But once Dom started reading his grandfather’s story in his grandfather’s words, I got completely wrapped up in it. I finished in 14 days. 

Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt by Anne Rice (322 pages, including author’s notes).  Yes, the vampire queen. This novel covered Jesus’ life from age 7 to age 8. I’ve had this book for quite a while. And have been debating on if I should read it. Is it sacrilegious?  Honestly, I’m still not sure. Anne Rice grew up a Catholic, then became an atheist. Later in life, she returned to her Catholic roots, only to realize that she needed God, not the rules of Catholicism. There were definite undercurrents of her Catholicism throughout the book. For example, Jesus has one older brother, from Joseph’s prior marriage (huh?) and a bunch of cousins because Mary is still a virgin.  Protestants believe that Jesus had lots of younger siblings because Mary and Joseph were a true married couple. Back to this novel though. It covers Jesus and family returning home to Nazareth from Egypt after the death of Herod. Obviously, almost nothing is known about Jesus’ life as a child. So Rice takes liberties with that. But I wasn’t bothered by it. You can tell Rice did her research about the historical aspects of the novel. And she definitely did a wonderful job incorporating scriptures into the novel. Watching a young boy learn who He is and what the ramifications of His birth were was gut wrenchingly amazing. He knew He was different, but He didn’t really understand why. I ended up really liking the book. I finished in 6 days. 

Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana by Anne Rice (242 pages). Yes, the sequel. This one covers the last year of Jesus’ life before He began His ministry. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one. In this one, Jesus struggles with His family and His human feelings. There’s a storyline about a cousin/neighbor who ends up being the bride in the wedding miracle at Cana that was a little much for me. But she did again beautifully weave the scriptures into the novel, from Jesus’ baptism to His 40 days in the desert with Satan trying to tempt Him to driving the demons from Mary Magdalene to rounding up the disciples and ending with the wedding. I finished in 5 days. 

The Quartet by Joseph J. Ellis (230 pages plus a LOT of appendices that I did not read). This was full on history. There’s so much about American history that I think I know, but really don’t. Like the fact that just because the Revolution was over didn’t mean that America immediately became America. George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison helped shape our country into what it is (or was, depends on your viewpoint). It was well written and chockfull of very interesting history. It amazes me to no end to see the foresight and wisdom these founding fathers had for our country. And, I’m not going to lie, it was fun to read quotes from Hamilton in there (yes, Lin Manuel used direct quotes in a lot of the song). I finished in 5 days. 

This month’s favorite was ....I Know This Much is True. Although I learned the most from The Quartet. 

October readings ended on a scary note

This month wasn’t a big number of books (only 4). But at 1,889 pages total, that’s 61 pages a day. So well above my resolution. Here we go!

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (940 pages). So apparently this is my year to finally read all the classics that have been sitting on my antelibrary shelves for years. First observation- Anna’s last name is actually Karenin. There is no A on it in the novel. Second observation- for a novel that is literally named after one character, she is far from the main character. There is another storyline involving Levin and his life that gets just as much attention. Those observations aside, I’m glad I finally tackled this one. I rather enjoyed it. Unlike Crime and Punishment, the Russian surnames were distinctive (I legit got characters confused when I read C&P). I kept everyone straight in this one!  Long story very short- the married Anna has an affair with the unmarried Vronsky (who broke another girl’s heart by leaving her for Anna). Tragedy ensues. Other stories intersected this one. I truly found all of the stories relatively interesting. I did assume that Anna’s suicide would be the ultimate action of the novel and it was not. I finished in 13 days. 

The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin (402 pages). Historical fiction about Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of Charles Lindbergh. I literally knew nothing about her, including her name. And other than Lucky Lindy’s flights and the kidnapping of their baby, I knew nothing about them as a family either. Turns out, first and foremost, we share the middle name Spencer. So love her already. More importantly, she was an amazing woman. She was the first American woman to get her glider pilot’s license. She was her husbands copilot and navigator for much of their marriage. She was an author. She mothered 5 babies after her first was kidnapped and murdered. And she dealt with Charles. He was a hard man, a bit of a Nazi sympathizer, and a serial adulterer. Like 3 other women and 7 other children. She was amazing. I finished in 7 days. 

Vivian by Alexander Walker (304 pages). Despite the fact that Gone with the Wind is one of my favorite novels and movies, I could list on one hand the number of things I knew about the beautiful star. I knew that Vivien was British, that she campaigned for the role of Scarlett and got it by appearing at the burning of Atlanta filming, and that she was married of Lawrence Olivier. She was so much more than that. And this book was a wonderful biography of her life, from her birth in India to her death at 53. And all of her loves and life in between. I actually had no idea she suffered from bipolar disorder that basically ruined her mental health (and subsequently her marriage to Olivier). I finished in 6 days. 

Funerals to Die For by Kathy Benjamin (243 pages). An excellent choice for the days leading up to Halloween. This book discussed different funeral and burial rituals from around the world and throughout time. It also offered up some very amusing stories about very odd people and their funerals. I enjoyed it!  I finished in 5 days, because it was the end of the month and that’s how many days I had left!

This month’s favorite was ....

I’m out of punny titles this month. September. Readings. Done.

This month was a good month. Between traveling and vacation and pool time, I managed to get 10 books read at 3,997 pages. Which is an average of 133 pages a day. With no further ado, here’s what I read!

‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King (653 pages). I haven’t read a lot of King’s novels (although I have seen his home in Maine. At midnight. With a full moon. Creepy). This one was super fun!  Ben, a writer, decides to return to his childhood hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot. But he’s not the only “new” face in this small town. Two mysterious men have just moved in, Straker and Barlow. And as Ben makes friends (and lovers), he also realizes that something strange is happening in the town. And it’s up to him to figure it out and help save the town. I figured out what was going on before the novel revealed it. But that didn’t change the shock and awe of the revelation. King said this is his favorite of his novels. And I can see why. I really liked it a lot. I finished in 7 days. 

Blood and Beauty by Sarah Dunant (500 pages). I watched The Borgias on Netflix recently. And remembered that I had this novel sitting on my shelf. So decided to give it a read. I’m actually glad I’d watched the series first, as I felt like I had a better grasp on the cast of characters. This novel covered from Rodrigo Borgia’s accent to Pope Alexander VI to Lucrezia Borgia’s third and final marriage. It was really good. Especially for someone who loves a historical fiction!  I finished in 3 days (hooray for travel and vacation!)

Even Silence Has an End by Ingrid Betancourt (528 pages). Ingrid Betancourt was a presidential candidate in Colombia in 2002 when she was kidnapped by the FARC and held hostage for over 6 years. What she and the other hostages went through is horrifying. That humans do that to other humans. And the corruption, both of that country and of humanity when at its most base level, is just shocking and heartbreaking. The fact that she was able to come through on the other side with a continued faith in God and in humanity is most admirable. I finished in 3 days. 

The Other Story by Tatiana de Rosnay (307 pages). Nicholas Kolt skyrocketed to success as an author with his very first novel. A novel based partially on his own life and the discovery that there were family secrets he knew nothing about. Now, after years of fame, he is stuck without a single idea for his next, much anticipated novel. His life has become something he doesn’t even recognize anymore.  But a weekend at an exclusive Tuscan island resort changes everything. Even though the novel only spans a weekend, it covers so much of what got Nicholas to this point. I enjoyed it. Fine, I couldn’t put it down. I finished in 1 day.

Varina by Charles Frazier (353 pages). Loved the story, hated the book. Varina Davis was the only First Lady of the Confederacy. This was her story, in historical fiction form. Her story was fascinating. But I hated the writing style of the book.  The premise was that a former slave of the Davises has come to talk to V (as the author refers to her) in her old age. Mainly to discuss their attempted escape after the war ended and to spark his memories of life with the Davis family. The book jumps around from “current” day to the days surrounding their escape to older memories. It’s just not a smooth book to read. I found Varina to be a captivating figure- a woman who didn’t want the role that life thrust upon her, but who handled it with grace. I finished in 2 days. 

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (55 pages). As an English major, I am embarrassed that I’d never read this before. Poor Gregor Samsa. One morning, he simply woke up as a large beetle. He could understand everything his parents and sister said to him, but couldn’t communicate with them. Slowly, he was alienated by his family and left to live in his former bedroom, alone and depressed. It was actually a sad little story. I finished in 1 day (actually less than an hour). 

Hanging Mary by Susan Higginbotham (371 pages). This is the story of Mary Surratt, a woman hanged as an accomplice of John Wilkes Booth and the first woman hanged by the federal government. Oddly enough, the story of Mary’s hanging is briefly recounted to Varina Davis in that book. Lots of confederate history this month I guess. I had literally never heard of Mary Surratt prior to this book. I had, of course, heard of Booth. But not her. She ran a boardinghouse in DC. Her son was friends with Booth, which meant that he visited her home quite frequently. The book was told from Mary’s perspective and from that of one of her boarders, Nora Fitzpatrick.   I really liked it a lot. And, in typical me fashion, I ended up researching Mary, her son,  Nora, Booth, and other people involved.  I finished in 5 days. 

The Meowmorphosis by Franz Kafka and Coleridge Cook (190 pages). I couldn’t very well read the mashup without having first read the original. But once that was done, on to a fun mashup!  Although I would have titled the story The Metameowphosis. I think it sounds better. But anyway, in this version, Gregor wakes up as a cute man sized kitten. There was also an entire storyline involving another man turned cat named Josef K. On further research, he’s a character in another Kafka novel, The Trial. And in this book, he holds a trial where Gregor is found guilty. Not sure of what though. It was creative. And equally as sad, just in a cute and cuddly way. I finished in 2 days. 

Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by Fanny Flagg (320 pages). If you are a southern woman and have never read a Fanny Flagg novel, I’m not sure you can consider yourself a southern woman!  This one was the story of the hilarious and mischievous Daisy Fay Harper. It spans 7 years of Daisy Fay’s life and all of her adventures (and misadventures). It was cute and it was fun. I finished in 3 days. 

The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan (377 pages).  This novel was great. The true story of Mary Frances Gerety, the ad woman responsible for the famous “A Diamond Is Forever” slogan that is still being used over 70 years after she created it, and several other fictional stories of love. With all its complications and beauty. The first takes place in 1972, the second in 1987, the third in 2003, and the last in 2012. Each story was unique and enjoyable. Yet all the stories were connected in a most wonderful way. I finished in 2 days. 

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (343 pages). The story of the Clutter murders in Kansas in 1959. All 4 members of the Clutter family were killed in their home. With very few clues as to why. Truman Capote was so intrigued by the crime that he and Harper Lee went to Kansas so he could interview people. Turns out, the crime was committed by two outsiders who had been given the very false information that Mr. Clutter had a safe and lots of money (he actually hated to deal in cash and never had any on hand). Capote apparently took a few liberties with the truth, but all in all, stayed close to what truly happened. I finished in 5 days. 

This month’s favorite was ....actually, I didn’t have one. I loved Hanging Mary, Daisy Fay and The Engagements equally!

An August list of books this month. I’m sticking with the punny titles

This month ran the gamut of genres. From classics to sci-fi to thrillers. I did pretty well. 8 books at 2,758 pages. So here we go!

Middlemarch by George Eliot (890 pages). I went for another classic, one considered to be one of the greatest novels in the English language. So big promises of greatness to be met. This novel was about the town of Middlemarch and its inhabitants. Dramas abound (of course) but much different dramas that you would see in a modern novel!  Of course, as in any Victorian novel, there is a scandal that shocks the town. I did enjoy it. But not as much as I’d hoped. I blame myself for reading too much modern literature,  so that my love and enjoyment of the classics is fading. I finished in 15 days. 

It’s Always the Husband by Michele Campbell (327 pages). Kate (the beautiful and damaged rich girl), Jenny (the local girl made good), and Aubrey (the poor girl) are freshmen roommates at idyllic Carlisle College. And think they are going to be best friends for life. Until something happens during their freshman year that causes a rift and their lives go in different directions. But twenty years later, their past comes back to haunt them. And one of them ends up dead. But who killed her?  I literally had no idea through the whole thing!  It’s always great when an ending can surprise you. I finished in 3 days. 

A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena (305 pages). Karen and Tom Krupp have a picture perfect marriage. But one night, Tom comes home from work to find his wife gone and dinner half-made. Then he gets a call from the police that his wife has been in a serious accident on the wrong side of town. She had gotten a phone call and gone to meet someone. And then fled the scene. But she can’t remember any of the events of the evening. And when the police find a dead body, all signs point to Karen. But Karen’s been hiding some secrets. Including the fact that SOMEONE has been in their home, moving things, touching things. And suddenly, no one feels safe. Another one with a great surprise ending!!  I finished in 2 days. 

Paris for One and Other Stories by Jojo Moyes (274 pages). A great collection of several short stories. Paris for One was really more of a short novel, while the others were all truly short stories. But I enjoyed each of them so much, especially the title story.  Nell is a super by the books, never adventurous girl. She plans a weekend away in Paris, but her very flaky boyfriend blows it off. Resulting in Nell doing something impulsive and outrageous for the first time in her life. It legit made me want to just up and go to Paris for a min break!  I finished in 2 days. 

The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger (234 pages). We’ve all seen the movie (if not, what is wrong with you?). But who all has read the book it was based on?  This girl has!  Yes, there was a little more fisherman’s terminology and weather information than I would’ve preferred. But it had nothing on Moby Dick!  I actually found it much more fascinating than I thought I might. The author interviewed the family members of the fishermen on the Andrea Gail and other fishermen who had survived brutal storms. I finished in 4 days. 

Jane Eyre Laid Bare by Charlotte Bronte and Eve Sinclair (322 pages). One of the last mashups I had on my shelves. Imagine Fifty Shades, but not quite so raunchy and much better written!  It only covers Jane’s time at Thornfield, leading up to her fleeing upon learning of Antoinetta’s existence (after reading Wide Sargasso Sea, I can think of her no other way). I finished in 3 days. 

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (216 pages). I’ve been trying to finish this book for years now. For a book that is consistently on the “best books of all time” lists, I didn’t enjoy it. Sci-fi isn’t really my jam. But I was determined to finally finish it. It’s about Earthling Arthur Dent who is saved from the destruction of the world by space hitchhiker extraordinaire Ford Prefect. They find themselves in all sorts of adventures. I finished in 1 day

Manuscript Found in Accra by Paulo Coelho (190 pages). Very seldom do I find myself underlining sentences in books. But when I do, it’s usually in books by Coelho. He’s my go to for my weekly quote board. And this one did not disappoint. The story is simple- the night before an attack on Jerusalem in 1099, the people of the city ask the Copt (a wise man) for advice. Each chapter is advice about a different subject. It was simple and beautiful. I finished in 4 days (because that’s how many days were left in the month!). But I could have easily finished it in a day!

This month’s favorite was ......  A Stranger in the House. The ending was such a twist!

Ju Lie- I did NOT average over 100 pages a day. Or did I?

This month was phenomenally good for reading. Between pool time and a little traveling, I managed to read 10 books at 3,241 pages. That’s an average of 100 pages a day!!  So here goes

The German Girl by Armando Lucas Correa (336 pages). Another historical fiction. This one about an event I had no idea even occurred. In 1939, war is on the horizon in Berlin. Twelve year old Hannah Rosenthal and her parents flee their home, where generations have lived, and seek passage on the St Louis. This transatlantic ocean liner offers the Jews of Germany a chance to hope that Cuba will take them in. The Rosenthals, Hannah’s sweetheart Leo and his father, and 932 other people board the St Louis. Somehow, in the 3 weeks it takes for them to cross the Atlantic, Cuba changes its mind and refuses to allow 900+ people off the boat. Those people, including Leo and his father and Hannah’s father, are sent back across the Atlantic to any country that will take them. The 200+ who are allowed into England are the only ones who survive unscathed. For the others, concentration camps await them. Hannah, her mother, and her brand new brother start a half-life in Cuba. In 2014 NYC, twelve year old Ana Rosen gets a package from her previously unknown Great Aunt Hannah. So she and her mother travel to Cuba to meet her and learn about the father she never met. I had never heard of the tragedy of the St Louis before. So of course, I did my own research while reading. What a heartbreaking story. I finished in 2 days. 

The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell (309 pages). After her husband has a schizophrenic break, Clare takes their daughters, 13 year old Grace and 12 year old Pip, to the seemingly perfect Virginia Park. It’s a communal park in the middle of London. Only those who live around it have access to the park. With multiple other children living around the park, it seems like the right place for them to heal. One night, after a community summer party, Pip finds Grace unconscious and bloody, with her clothes disheveled. What actually happened to her though? What’s going on with the relationships around the park?  I finished in 3 days. 

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware (368 pages). 17 years after they are expelled from their boarding school, Isa, Fatima and Thea get a text from Kate. “I need you.”  When the women return to Salten, all the memories of their year together come rushing back. Including their game, the lying game. Some truths begin to come to light. And a truth that they thought they knew- Kate’s father’s suicide- is revealed to be so much more than they thought. I finished in 3 days. 

Good Wives, Nasty Wenches and Anxious Patriarchs by Kathleen M. Brown (373 pages +121 pages of index). Nothing fluff about this book. It was a very deep look at race and gender in colonial Virginia. It also happened to be pretty interesting. Some of the stories about relationships and crimes were fascinating. I finished in 6 days. 

The Girl from the Train by Irma Joubert (370 pages). 6 year old Gretl is on a train in Poland, taking her, her sister, her mother and her grandmother to a concentration camp. Their train never makes it, as a bomb meant for a German military train explodes on their track. Gretl is the sole survivor. And Jakob, one of the young Polish men who set up the bomb, finds her. Eventually, Jakob sends Gretl to a German orphanage so that she can be adopted by a family in South Africa. Neither of them ever forget the other.  But years and continents separate them. Will the ravages of war and distance keep them apart forever?  I had no idea that “good,” Aryan, Protestant, German children were sent to South Africa after the War. So that was fascinating to research. I finished in 3 days. 

The Joys of Love by Madeleine L’Engle (255 pages). I thought I’d finished all of the L’Engle books in my antelibrary. Wrong. This one was a hardback, so I missed it. But decided to finish out with this author. This was one of her first novels, but it was published posthumously. In the 1940’s, 20 year old Elizabeth Jerrold is working as an apprentice at a New England summer stock theatre company. She’s fallen in love with the company’s director/leading man, Kurt Canitz. Meanwhile, the assistant director, Ben, has fallen in love with her. The book takes places over just a few days. It’s not action packed or supernatural. It’s simply a sweet coming of age story. I finished in 5 days. 

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters (340 pages).  The book is exactly what the title implies- a mash up of Sense and Sensibility and sea monsters. It was so much fun. Of course, I say that as a fan of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. If you didn’t like that book, you won’t like this one. Long story short- same story(ish) of the Dashwoods. With a little attack of killer sea creatures and underwater adventures thrown in for fun.  I finished in 4 days. 

The Twisted Thread by (374 pages). The school year is almost over at prestigious boarding school Armitage Academy. But the school is shaken to the core when beautiful senior Claire Harkness is found dead in her dorm room. Even more shocking, Claire has just given birth and the baby is nowhere to be found. The teachers and local authorities all quickly become involved in uncovering the truth behind Claire’s death.  And with it, dark truths of Armitage and its history. It was a great murder mystery novel. I finished in 3 days. 

Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner (359 pages). It’s been 15 years since high school graduation. And 15 years since former best friends Val and Addie last spoke. But when Val shows up at Addie’s door the night of their class reunion in need of help, it’s like no time has passed. Addie, still suffering from the tortures of high school (she was overweight and an outcast while Val became a cheerleader), immediately steps right back into her old role. I finished in 2 days. 

In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway (157 pages). A collection of short stories?  A chapter book that just simply didn’t flow from chapter to chapter but rather jumped from story to story?  A strange hybrid that is interspersed with stories from the war?  Who knows. Maybe all three. Papa was an amazing writer. But a confusing storyteller. And I’m not sure I’ve ever forgiven him for his treatment of his first wife. But I didn’t really enjoy this. I’ve got some other Hemingway in the antelibrary. So maybe I’ll like something else better. I finished in 2 days. Because there were only 2 days left in the month!

This month’s favorite goes to..... it’s a tie. The Joys of Love and The Twisted Thread. Two totally different books. But both equally enjoyable.