The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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The Queen Of the Tambourine – Jane Gardam – 3***
This slim novel is written in epistolary style, as Eliza Peabody writes letters to her former neighbor. The novel won Britain’s Whitebread Award for Best Novel of the Year in 1991, but it missed the mark for me. I liked it but didn’t love it.
LINK to my full review
Royal Flush – Rhys Bowen – 3***
Book number three in Bowen’s “Royal Spyness” series of cozy mysteries, starring Lady Georgiana Rannoch, thirty-fourth in line to the throne. I like this cozy series. Georgie and her best friend Belinda are quite the pair. And I like the historical background that Bowen weaves into her plots as well.
LINK to my full review
The Stolen Lady – Laura Morelli – 3.5***
A work of historical fiction with a dual timeline – 1939 in France as the Germans are invading; and 1479 in Florence, when Leonardo da Vinci is commissioned to paint a portrait of Lisa Gherandini. In both cases one woman takes it upon herself to ensure that the portrait remains hidden away in order to protect it. Between the two storylines, I clearly preferred the World War II one. I wasn’t sure that this novel needed the 15th century story line. I really appreciated the extensive author notes / interviews and historic photos of the Louvre staff moving these treasures.
LINK to my full review
The Sandalwood Tree – Elle Newmark – 3.5***
A good historical fiction tale framed by the British leaving India as that country gained its independence. Newmark captivated me with this dual story line of relationships and the difficulties two people might have as a result of different cultural backgrounds, family expectations, and emotional trauma suffered by one or both of the parties.
LINK to my full review
Requiem for a Mezzo – Carola Dunn – 3***
Book number three in this delightful cozy mystery series set in 1920s England. Daisy may be “to the manor born,” but she is fiercely independent. She’s also observant, intelligent and an astute judge of character. There are plenty of suspects including other performers, jealous lovers, a long-suffering sister, and a possible anarchist. It’s a fast read with a satisfying resolution. I’ll keep on with this series.
LINK to my full review
Foster – Claire Keegan – 5*****
Facing tough times, a rural Irish family sends their oldest daughter to another community to live with distant relatives she hardly knows. Keegan explores what it means to be family in this short novella. She also deals with grief and the ways we show love without words being said. The somewhat ambiguous ending is perfect for this award-winning tale.
LINK to my full review
Midnight Howl – Clare Hutton – 3.5***
This is the fifth entry in the Poison Apple series of middle-school books dealing with various paranormal phenomena. Each book can easily be read as a stand-alone work, however. I’m not a great fan of paranormal genre, but this one is light on the paranormal and focuses more on the relationships between the kids. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the story. At its core, this is a story of friendship, loyalty and compassion.
LINK to my full review
Red Berries, White Clouds, Blue Sky – Sandra Dallas – 3.5***
In this novel, suitable for middle-school children, Dallas focuses on one Japanese-American family and their experiences inside the WW2-era internment camp near Ellis, Colorado. Dallas deals well with this episode of USA’s history. She shows how ill-equipped the camps were for the influx of residents, and details the efforts made by the Japanese-Americans to improve the conditions, and form their own governing groups within the camps. I liked how she showed the different attitudes and coping mechanisms that people employed.
LINK to my full review
The Lifeboat – Charlotte Rogan – 3.5***
In the summer of 1914, newly married Grace Winter and her husband Henry, set sail from London back to America. But after an explosion aboard ship, Grace is hurried aboard a lifeboat that is over capacity. As days go by with no sign of rescue it becomes clear that not all (if any) will survive. Grace is not a completely reliable narrator. There are times when I felt Grace was a weak woman content to let the wind blow her where it will. And other times when I felt she was manipulative and scheming. But then again, we have only Grace’s word for what happened.
The Perfume Thief – Timothy Schaffert – 4****
This was a marvelous heist caper thriller, featuring interesting characters, several twists and turns and the atmosphere of Paris on the verge of world war. I found it fascinating and exciting and when it was over, I wanted to start it again to catch what I’m sure I must have missed.
LINK to my full review
Old Bones – Douglas Preston & Lincoln Childs – 3***
First book of the Nora Kelly series. An expedition to find the “Lost Camp” of the infamous Donner Party goes awry quickly. The body count rises as a major spring storm threatens to strand the expedition members. Preston and Childs are great thriller writers. They keep the reader turning pages with short sentences and chapters. I really liked Nora and will read more of this series.
LINK to my full review
The Good Thief’s Guide to Paris – Charles Ewan – 3***
Book two in the Good Thief mystery series, has author and thief Charlie Howard in the City of Lights. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one fell flat for me. Oh, I still like Charlie and I like the way he thinks. I enjoyed the introduction of Victoria, his agent; she really added a lot to this episode. One thing I expect of mysteries is that the conclusion answers all my questions, and this one did not. Though he did set up the next in the series rather nicely, so I’ll probably read more.
LINK to my full review
The Viscount Who Loved Me – Julia Quinn – 4****
Book two in the Bridgerton series focuses on Anthony. This is a typical Regency romance. It’s so hot between the pages that an August heat wave feels positively cool. Devilishly handsome, and very rich, gentleman meets and seduces a chaste and vulnerable young woman. Sparks fly. Multiple orgasms are had. True love results. What’s not to like? A quick read that sets my pulse racing. Perfect escape.
LINK to my full review
Rosemary – Kate Clifford Larson – 4****
Subtitle: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter. Intent on building a political dynasty, Joe and Rose Kennedy insisted on keeping their oldest daughter’s intellectual and developmental delays a secret from all but a few close friends. Larson does a fine job of detailing Rosemary’s life, and that of the Kennedy family. Their ups, downs, successes and tragedies have been chronicled frequently, but little has been known about Rosemary.
LINK to my full review
Bombay Time – Thirty Umrigar – 4****
Umrigar’s debut novel focuses on the residents of a particular middle-class apartment building in Bombay. Umrigar’s writing is full of the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of this vibrant community. Several scenes are shockingly brutal – abject poverty, violence, pestilence. And then there are scenes of loving tenderness – a new baby, a man’s love for his wife, the devotion between a mother and daughter.
LINK to my full review
The Paris Daughter – Kristin Harmel – 3***
There are a number of historical threads woven into this melodrama: the Nazis penchant for stealing art, the role of the French Resistance, the many Jewish families who sent their children into hiding, and the post-traumatic stress survivors had to deal with. In general, Harmel’s story kept me interested, but I thought the writing was just okay. I guessed the central plot point VERY early in the book and noticed the foreshadowing as a result.
LINK to my full review
All the Days of Summer – Nancy Thayer – 3***
A novel that explores what a woman’s “second act” might look like. Like most of Thayer’s novels, this feature a woman in her middle years, finding new purpose as her children are leaving the nest. Heather Willette rents a cottage on Nantucket for the summer to think on what her next chapter of life might look like. But, of course, there are bumps in the road. Will everything work out? Well, there are no pretty ribbons tied around a perfect ending here, but there is positive movement and hope for a splendid future. A totally enjoyable read.
LINK to my full review
Small Things Like These – Claire Keegan – 5*****
Gosh but Keegan packs a lot into a small volume! There is not a wasted word or extraneous thought. Furlong’s inner struggle is evident in the way he behaves and the things he thinks about as he walks the streets of town on a snowy evening. When he makes his decision, he acts on it, deliberately, quietly, resolutely. He is confident he is in the right, and that gives him some comfort despite the possible (probable) consequences.
LINK to my full review
A Curious Beginning – Deanna Raybourn – 4****
Book number one in the Veronica Speedwell mystery series, set in Victorian England. Veronica is quite the heroine! An independent woman with a healthy appetite (and attitude) regarding her own “physical needs” and a no-nonsense approach to solving problems. Veronica doesn’t need much but her wits, her butterfly net, and a sharp hatpin, but she forms a partnership with the enigmatic “Stoker.” I look forward to more books in the series to see how their relationship fares.
LINK to my full review
The Little Italian Hotel – Phaedra Patrick – 3***
This was mostly predictable, but I didn’t care. It was exactly the kind of “coming of middle age” adventure I wanted to read as an escape. The characters are interesting and sometimes surprised me, and the setting was gloriously depicted. I felt as if I were in Venice or Florence. And I loved the food descriptions! A fun, fast, enjoyable read.
LINK to my full review
The War That Saved My Life – Kimberly Brubaker Bradley – 5*****
Ten-year-old Ada lives in a one-room apartment with her mother and younger brother. Ada, however, has never left the apartment. She has a club foot and her mother doesn’t want anyone to see Ada. So, she sits at her window and watches the neighbors. She has no friends. She’s never attended school. Still, when her brother Jamie, reports that the children of London are to be sent to the country due to the war with Germany, Ada makes up her mind to go with him. This is a marvelous story of courage and tenacity. Bradly doesn’t sugarcoat the difficulties Ada faces, from her abusive mother, to her ignorance of things we take for granted, to the anger and fear that sometimes overwhelm her. But Ada is a very strong girl. And with perseverance, she will overcome the poor start she’s had in life.
LINK to my full review
Weather Girl – Rachel Lynn Solomon – 3***
This was a cute rom-com with an underlying serious issue. Ari is a charming young woman who has achieved her dream of becoming a TV meteorologist. But she sometimes struggles to maintain her on-screen persona; she suffers chronic depression, although therapy and medication help. I liked the way Ari and Russell interacted; they seemed genuine, with real-world challenges, and recognizable coping mechanisms.
LINK to my full review
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies – Alison Goodman – 4****
Set in Regency England, this is a delightful romp! The Colbrook sisters – Lady Augusta “Gus” and her twin, Lady Julia – are up to any task, it seems. They are intelligent, determined, resourceful and certain of their course. They move from crisis to crisis with a sense of purpose and quick-witted improvisations. I particularly appreciate that Goodman has given us women of a certain age, who would most often be ignored. The book ends on a bit of a cliff-hangar, and I hope Goodman is a fast writer, because I can hardly wait to find out what the sisters get up to in the next episode.
LINK to my full review
Everything That Rises Must Converge –Flannery O’Connor – 3.5***
This collection of short stories was published posthumously, after O’Connor died at age 39 from complications of lupus. I like Southern literature, and particularly Southern Gothic literature. The dark themes explored in such works intrigue and interest me. O’Connor excelled at this. While her characters may be blind to their (and others’) faults, the author gives the reader a clear view.
LINK to my full review
Finished Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast and starting Three Act Tragedy
Velvet Was the Night – Silvia Moreno-Garcia – 4****
This is the third book by Moreno-Garcia that I’ve read and by far my favorite. In this work she does NOT include paranormal, horror, or magical realism elements. Rather she writes a wonderful noir crime novel based on historical events in Mexico, with interesting characters, multiple twists and turns in the plot and an unlikely partnership that I’d love to see again.
LINK to my full review
Push – Sapphire – 5*****
Precious Jones is a young pregnant black teenager, who is functionally illiterate and the product of an abusive home. But Precious has a fierce determination to care for the baby growing inside her and to better her life. The issues raised are horrific and difficult to read about and process. Brava to Sapphire for highlighting the plight of young people such as her protagonist. The writing is raw and brutal; the story is gripping and inspiring. My heart broke for Precious, even as I cheered her on.
LINK to my full review
Ursula Under – Ingrid Hill – 3***
I don’t remember why I put this on my TBR list, though I suspect it was a recommendation from my local indie bookseller back in 2004. Having finally read it, I wonder why I kept it on the list for so long. Hill does have some strikingly original and beautifully written passages in the book. And those fed my love of literary fiction and kept me turning pages, hoping for more of this. But it was a slog to get through. It took me over a month to finish it, because I kept putting it aside for other books that required less brain power to enjoy.
LINK to my full review
Lessons In Chemistry – Bonnie Garmus – 4.5**** (rounded up)
Elizabeth Zott is a chemist, but in 1960s America her intellect is not valued, which is how she winds up hosting a TV cooking show. This is basically a fairytale, with many improbable coincidences and a strong heroine. I loved it. Now, excuse me while I sharpen my pencils.
LINK to my full review
Feelings: A Story in Seasons – Manjit Thapp – 4****
What a lovely and remarkable graphic novel! Thapp explores one young woman’s feelings over the course of a year, from the highs of a sunny summer day to the doldrums of a gray winter. The artwork is beautiful and evocative. The text is spare and poetic.
LINK to my full review
Classified As Murder – Miranda James – 3***
Book two in the series featuring librarian Charlie Harris and his Maine coon cat, Diesel. When an eccentric millionaire with a rare-book collection dies under mysterious circumstances, Charlie Harris gets involved in the investigation. I figured out the culprit fairly early, but it was still fun to watch the characters put the clues together.
LINK to my full review
How Moon Fuentez Fell In Love With the Universe – Raquel Vasquez Gilliland – 3***
This is a pretty typical enemies-to-friends-to-lovers scenario. It’s also a YA coming-of-age book that deals with bullying, body-image, and self-confidence. The up-and-down, on-and-off romance drove me a little crazy, but it’s part of the package for this genre. At least Gilliland had the couple get to know each other over several months before they acted on their attraction.
LINK to my full review
The Children’s Blizzard – Melanie Benjamin – 3***
Benjamin is known for writing novelized “biographies” of historical figures (usually women) who have been under-represented (or completely ignored) by history. This time, she turns her attention of an historical event, the blizzard of 1888 that caught residents of the great plains completely unawares, and invents the characters to populate the story. She focused on two sisters, both schoolteachers, who took different approaches which resulted in dramatically different outcomes. Unfortunately for Benjamin, I had previously read David Laskin’s nonfiction account of the same blizzard, and this work fell short of that excellent read.
LINK to my full review
Ripley Under Ground – Patricia Highsmith – 3***
This is book two in the series, featuring psychopath Tom Ripley. Highsmith was a talented writer, and she could craft a chilling psychological thriller. In the first Ripley book we met a charming, somewhat socially inept, closeted gay young man with ambition. But THIS Ripley is a drudge. Still, lies and killing come naturally to him. As the bodies pile up and investigators get closer to the truth, Ripley’s ability to charm his way out of things is taxed to the max. By the end, he seems to be completely unraveling, The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. But I suspect Highsmith just ran out of steam and decided to stop.
LINK to my full review
The Good Guy – Dean Koontz – 4****
Tim is an average guy having a beer when he’s mistaken for a hit man, and given an envelope with cash, a photo and an address. Minutes later the real hit man shows up and mistakes Tim for the man who is hiring him to commit the murder. Then things get really complicated. This thriller just grabbed me. I could not figure out why this woman was targeted, and why the killer was so relentless in his pursuit. Several of the close calls stretch credulity, but Koontz kept me turning pages to see what would happen next.
LINK to my full review
A Natural History of Dragons – Marie Brennan – 4****
Subtitle: A Memoir by Lady Trent. This was a wonderful romp of an adventure. Isabella is a wonderful heroine. She’s intelligent, tenacious, curious, and determined. I was completely engaged from beginning to end. I’ll definitely continue with the series.
LINK to my full review
I'm trying to decide if I should read
or
next. Which one should it be?
I loved Dear EdwardYellowface was good but kind of predictable if you havent read Babel that is amazing
No Exit – Taylor Adams – 3.5***
A taut psychological thriller featuring a college art student, a kidnapped child, and four strangers all trapped at a rest stop during a blizzard in the Colorado Rockies. Darby is a courageous, if naïve, young woman. She never stops thinking of ways to save herself, the child, and the innocent people in the shelter. She certainly got one thing right – the criminal is NOT really smart, just determined and callous. The question is whether Darby can last the night, and that kept me turning pages long past my bedtime.
LINK to my full review
The Song of Achilles – Madeline Miller – 4****
Miller turns her remarkable talent to Greek mythology in this retelling of events leading up to and including the Trojan War. The novel is narrated by Petroclus, a young prince who has been exiled to the court of King Peleus, where he meets Achilles. Of course, I knew the basic storyline of the Trojan War going into the book, but Miller makes this such an intimate tale that I felt I was first hearing this story. There are two young men learning about life, honor, duty, and love. I was initially taken aback by Miller’s choice to have Petroclus narrate the tale, but I quickly came to love his point of view.
LINK to my full review
The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Butterfly Garden (other topics)A Certain Age (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir – 5***** and a ❤
Earth is threatened with an extinction-level event. Ryland Grace has just awakened from a coma while aboard a spaceship sent to fix the problem. But the rest of the crew is dead and now he has to do it all alone. Or does he? The book jacket promises “an irresistible interstellar adventure” and that is exactly what Weir delivers.
LINK to my full review