Christina reads whimsically in 2018, part 2

My Year of Reading (Not So) Whimsically



Hello, and welcome to the second thread of my 2018 category challenge! My plan this year was NOT to plan, so I made my categories the 12 months of the year, thinking that I would simply read whatever caught my fancy. Of course, that non-plan didn't exactly come to pass, since I became very invested in most of the CATs and decided to participate in them every month. I'll probably continue on this path for the rest of the year, so I'm not reading quite as whimsically as I thought! But I'm still having fun, and that's what counts. :)

I'm also trying to read 50 books this year that I've owned for at least six months. I'm tracking my progress here:




Thanks for stopping by, and happy reading!

Books read in January



1. Cheryl Honigford, Homicide for the Holidays
2. Jesse Mecham, You Need a Budget: The Proven System for Breaking the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle, Getting Out of Debt, and Living the Life You Want
3. Ngaio Marsh, A Man Lay Dead
4. Kristan Higgins, Now That You Mention It
5. Ragnar Jónasson, Snowblind (trans. Quentin Bates)
6. V.E. Schwab, A Gathering of Shadows*
7. W.H. Auden, For the Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio

* = owned 6+ months

Books read in February



1. Katherine Arden, The Girl in the Tower
2. Alan Bradley, The Grave's a Fine and Private Place
3. Jasmine Guillory, The Wedding Date
4. Lois Austen-Leigh, The Incredible Crime*
5. Seanan McGuire, Discount Armageddon*

* = owned 6+ months

Books read in March



1. Garth Nix, Frogkisser!
2. Tana French, Faithful Place*
3. Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey
4. Ashley Poston, Heart of Iron
5. Leslie Cohen, This Love Story Will Self-Destruct
6. Tom Rob Smith, Child 44

* = owned 6+ months

Books read in April



1. Lindsey Kelk, I Heart New York*
2. Elizabeth Daly, Unexpected Night*
3. Lauren Willig, The English Wife
4. William Ritter, Beastly Bones*

* = owned 6+ months

Books read in May



1. Kathleen A. Flynn, The Jane Austen Project*
2. C.J. Redwine, The Shadow Queen
3. Miles Burton, Death in the Tunnel*
4. Eva Ibbotson, The Star of Kazan*
5. Charles Finch, Home by Nightfall*
6. Deanna Raybourn, City of Jasmine*

* = owned 6+ months

Books read in June



1. Lucy Parker, Making Up
2. Matt Haig, The Humans
3. William Ritter, Ghostly Echoes*
4. Morgan Matson, Save the Date

* = owned 6+ months

Books read in July



1. Ben Macintyre, The Napoleon of Crime: The Life and Times of Adam Worth, Master Thief
2. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
3. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

* = owned 6+ months

Books read in August



1. Dorothy L. Sayers, Have His Carcase*
2. Lindsey Kelk, Always the Bridesmaid
3. Marissa Doyle, Between Silk and Sand
4. Mary Balogh, Someone to Love
5. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
6. Anna Lee Huber, This Side of Murder
7. Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Plain Jane
8. Melissa McShane, Servant of the Crown
9. James Thurber, The 13 Clocks

* = owned 6+ months

Books read in September



1. Robin McKinley, Chalice
2. Manda Collins, Why Earls Fall in Love*
3. Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep
4. Anthony Horowitz, Magpie Murders
5. Jenny Colgan, The Bookshop on the Corner
6. Naomi Novik, Spinning Silver

* = owned 6+ months

Books read in October



1. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2. Alison Goodman, The Dark Days Club*
3. Jill Baguchinsky, Mammoth
4. Kathryn Miller Haines, Winter in June*
5. Mary Balogh, Someone to Wed
6. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

* = owned 6+ months

Books read in November



1. Aline, Countess of Romanones, The Spy Wore Red
2. Stephanie Scott, Alterations
3. Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer, Agnes and the Hitman
4. Theresa Romain, Season for Temptation
5. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

* = owned 6+ months

Books read in December



1. Sarah Morgan, Miracle on 5th Avenue
2. Francis Duncan, Murder for Christmas*
3. Ella Cheever Thayer, Wired Love: A Romance of Dots and Dashes
4. Loretta Chase, A Duke in Shining Armor
5. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
6. Connie Willis, A Lot Like Christmas
7. Eva Ibbotson, A Countess below Stairs
8. Jane Langton, The Memorial Hall Murder*

* = owned 6+ months

CATs

I originally intended to treat these as take-it-or-leave-it challenges, but as it turns out, I've been participating in all of them every month! So I'll aim to continue doing that for the rest of the year.

January
RandomCAT (ack! I've been hit): Ragnar Jónasson, Snowblind
ColorCAT (black): Ngaio Marsh, A Man Lay Dead
MysteryCAT (Nordic): Ragnar Jónasson, Snowblind
AlphaKIT (V, M): Jesse Mecham, You Need a Budget; Ngaio Marsh, A Man Lay Dead; Kristan Higgins, Now That You Mention It; V.E. Schwab, A Gathering of Shadows
SFFKIT (there's always tomorrow): V.E. Schwab, A Gathering of Shadows

February
RandomCAT (laissez les bons temps rouler): Jasmine Guillory, The Wedding Date
ColorCAT (brown): Lois Austen-Leigh, The Incredible Crime
MysteryCAT (female sleuth): Alan Bradley, The Grave's a Fine and Private Place
AlphaKIT (P, J): Alan Bradley, The Grave's a Fine and Private Place; Jasmine Guillory, The Wedding Date
SFFKIT (urban fantasy): Seanan McGuire, Discount Armageddon

March
RandomCAT (ripped from the headlines): Tom Rob Smith, Child 44
ColorCAT (green): Garth Nix, Frogkisser!
MysteryCAT (global): Tana French, Faithful Place
AlphaKIT (F, I): Garth Nix, Frogkisser!; Tana French, Faithful Place; Ashley Poston, Heart of Iron
SFFKIT (off world): Ashley Poston, Heart of Iron

April
RandomCAT (April loves books!): Lindsey Kelk, I Heart New York; Elizabeth Daly, Unexpected Night
ColorCAT (yellow): Elizabeth Daly, Unexpected Night
MysteryCAT (classic, Golden Age): Elizabeth Daly, Unexpected Night
AlphaKIT (Y, U): Lindsey Kelk, I Heart New York; Elizabeth Daly, Unexpected Night
SFFKIT (time travel): Kathleen A. Flynn, The Jane Austen Project

May
RandomCAT (spring is all around): Deanna Raybourn, City of Jasmine
ColorCAT (blue): Miles Burton, Death in the Tunnel; Charles Finch, Home by Nightfall; Deanna Raybourn, City of Jasmine
MysteryCAT (involving transit): Miles Burton, Death in the Tunnel
AlphaKIT (Q, K): C.J. Redwine, The Shadow Queen; Eva Ibbotson, The Star of Kazan
SFFKIT (rise up): C.J. Redwine, The Shadow Queen

June
RandomCAT (unusual narrators): Matt Haig, The Humans
ColorCAT (purple): William Ritter, Ghostly Echoes
MysteryCAT (true crime): Ben Macintyre, The Napoleon of Crime: The Life and Times of Adam Worth, Master Thief
AlphaKIT (G, R): William Ritter, Ghostly Echoes
SFFKIT (series): William Ritter, Ghostly Echoes

July
RandomCAT (getting to know you): Dorothy L. Sayers, Have His Carcase
ColorCAT (pink):
MysteryCAT (police procedural):
AlphaKIT (S, A): Dorothy L. Sayers, Have His Carcase
SFFKIT (cyberpunk, techno):

August
RandomCAT (let's go to the mountains):
ColorCAT (gray):
MysteryCAT (historical): Anna Lee Huber, This Side of Murder
AlphaKIT (O, D): Marissa Doyle, Between Silk and Sand
SFFKIT (makes you laugh): Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Plain Jane

September
RandomCAT (happy birthday): Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep
ColorCAT (metallic): Naomi Novik, Spinning Silver
MysteryCAT (noir, hardboiled): Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep
AlphaKIT (B, E): Manda Collins, Why Earls Fall in Love; Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep; Jenny Colgan, The Bookshop on the Corner
SFFKIT (myths, legends, fairy tales): Naomi Novik, Spinning Silver

October
RandomCAT (playing cards): Alison Goodman, The Dark Days Club
ColorCAT (orange): Kathryn Miller Haines, Winter in June
MysteryCAT (espionage):
AlphaKIT (N, L):
*SFFKIT (historical, alt-historical): Alison Goodman, The Dark Days Club

November
RandomCAT (it's all about money...):
ColorCAT (red): Aline, Countess of Romanones, The Spy Wore Red
MysteryCAT (cozy):
AlphaKIT (T, H): Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer, Agnes and the Hitman; Theresa Romain, Season for Temptation
SFFKIT (creatures):

December
RandomCAT (secret Santa): Loretta Chase, A Duke in Shining Armor
ColorCAT (white): Francis Duncan, Murder for Christmas
MysteryCAT (futuristic, fantastical):
AlphaKIT (C, W): Francis Duncan, Murder for Christmas; Ella Cheever Thayer, Wired Love: A Romance of Dots and Dashes; Loretta Chase, A Duke in Shining Armor; Connie Willis, A Lot Like Christmas
SFFKIT (this is how it ends):

Year-Long
AlphaKIT (X, Z):

BingoDOG



1. Book fits at least two CATs/KITs -- Ngaio Marsh, A Man Lay Dead
2. Title contains name of a famous person, real or fictional -- Kathleen A. Flynn, The Jane Austen Project
3. Money in the title -- Seanan McGuire, Discount Armageddon
4. Originally in a different language -- Ragnar Jónasson, Snowblind
5. Book bought in 2017 that you haven’t read yet -- Lois Austen-Leigh, The Incredible Crime
6. New-to-you author -- Jasmine Guillory, The Wedding Date
7. Autobiography or memoir -- Aline, Countess of Romanones, The Spy Wore Red
8. Book published in 2018 -- Alan Bradley, The Grave's a Fine and Private Place
9. On your TBR for a long time (or the longest time) -- Dorothy L. Sayers, Have His Carcase
10. Book with a beautiful cover -- Francis Duncan, Murder for Christmas
11. Poetry or play -- W.H. Auden, For the Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio
12. LGBT central character -- V.E. Schwab, A Gathering of Shadows
13. Read a CAT -- Garth Nix, Frogkisser!
14. Title contains a person’s rank, real or fictional -- C.J. Redwine, The Shadow Queen
15. Published more than 100 years ago -- Ella Cheever Thayer, Wired Love: A Romance of Dots and Dashes
16. Humorous book -- Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Plain Jane
17. Fat book (500+ pages) -- Alison Goodman, The Dark Days Club
18. X somewhere in the title -- Elizabeth Daly, Unexpected Night
19. Relative’s name in the title -- Lauren Willig, The English Wife
20. Related to the Pacific Ocean -- Kathryn Miller Haines, Winter in June
21. Set during a holiday -- Cheryl Honigford, Homicide for the Holidays
22. Title contains something you would see in the sky -- Eva Ibbotson, The Star of Kazan
23. Book on the 1001 list -- James Thurber, The 13 Clocks
24. Number in the title -- Tom Rob Smith, Child 44
25. Involves travel -- Miles Burton, Death in the Tunnel

FIRST HALF RECAP

Books read: 32, plus about half of Kristin Lavransdatter

Average books read per month: 5.33

Bingo squares completed: 17, but I still have only one bingo!

Books read (owned 6+ months): 13 out of 50...I'll have to hurry if I want to reach my goal by the end of the year!

Books acquired: 39

Favorite books of the year so far:
V.E. Schwab, A Gathering of Shadows -- excellent fantasy world-building and compelling characters
Katherine Arden, The Girl in the Tower -- beautifully written historical fantasy
Tana French, Faithful Place -- an intense, compelling crime novel
Elizabeth Daly, Unexpected Night -- a clever and well-written Golden Age mystery
Eva Ibbotson, The Star of Kazan -- the perfect comfort read
Charles Finch, Home by Nightfall -- a very good installment of this Victorian mystery series
Lucy Parker, Making Up -- a delightful contemporary romance with nods to Much Ado about Nothing
Morgan Matson, Save the Date -- an adorable summer read

And with that, my new thread is open for business! Stop by, say hello, and share what you've been reading!

Happy new thread! Looks like you've been having a great reading year so far. Ghostly Echoes seems to have been a particularly useful book for those KITs and CATs :)

Dropping by yo wish you a happy new thread and say that I finished Harry Potted book 1 in June. I had forgotten quite how good a read they are, so thanks for the prompt to read them in the second half of the year.

Happy new thread, Christina!

>17 rabbitprincess: Thanks! Yes, Ghostly Echoes was a great CAT read -- it knocked out the SFF series theme plus both letters of the AlphaKIT, and it had a purple cover!

>18 Helenliz: I saw your review! Glad you enjoyed your reread. I'm planning to read books 1 and 2 this month to catch up with you. :)

>19 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori!

Happy new thread, Christina!

>21 MissWatson: Thank you! I really need to get posting...I'm about 10 reviews behind at this point!

Happy new thread!

>23 -Eva-: Thanks for stopping by, Eva!

I mentioned at >1 christina_reads: that I had originally planned to read whatever I wanted this year, but I subsequently became seduced by the lure of the various CATs and KITs. While I've had a lot of fun finding books that fit each CAT, my reading has practically come to a standstill. I'm just not that excited about my CAT-related plans, especially since they have taken over the remainder of my 2018 reading, and I don't really have time to read anything else! Reading these CAT and KIT books feels like a chore to me now, when I want to read for fun and relaxation.

So, in short, I think it's time for me to return to my original challenge idea: no rules, just reading! If I happen to read a book that fits a CAT, that's great, but I'm not going to pressure myself to do every CAT every month. I will still plan to cover my Bingo card -- that seems like a doable amount of structure! But for the rest of this year, my goal is to experience reading as a pleasure, not as work.

>25 christina_reads: Good idea to hit the reset button and get back to that whimsical reading!

>26 rabbitprincess: Thanks! I do feel like a weight has been lifted off my mind.

>25 christina_reads: - Hope you find some really good books to get you back on track! I completely understand the desire to just read what sounds good at the moment instead of something that feels required. Happy reading!

Good for you, Christina, I'm looking forward to seeing where your whimsy takes you. :)

>28 LittleTaiko: Thanks, Stacy! I can't wait to dive into something completely frivolous and fun. I think that's what my brain needs right now.

>29 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy! I'm reading a Lord Peter Wimsey book right now, so the phrase is particularly apt. :)

Good luck finding books you can thoroughly enjoy!

Christina, I decided that I needed a little frivolous fun in my reading right now so I reached for a Georgette Heyer! Ah, she sure hits the spot. :)

>31 MissWatson: Thank you! I've recently acquired several new books that look promising.

>32 DeltaQueen50: Heyer is always the right choice!

July recap

A truly abysmal reading month for me, at least in terms of quantity -- I only managed to read three books! And two of them were Harry Potter rereads! Real life has been keeping me extremely busy...I've been in rehearsals for a community theater production of "Legally Blonde: The Musical" that opens tomorrow (!), so between that and work, I haven't had much reading time. Here's hoping to a better (and less busy) August! Anyway, my July books are below:

1. Ben Macintyre, The Napoleon of Crime: The Life and Times of Adam Worth, Master Thief
2. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
3. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

I also read most of Dorothy L. Sayers's Have His Carcase, so I'm counting it for this month's relevant CATs.

Book of the month:
With only three books read, it feels silly to choose! But I did very much enjoy rereading the first two Harry Potter books. Rowling certainly has created an amazing fantasy world!

Dishonorable mention:
I love Ben Macintyre's WWII books, but The Napoleon of Crime didn't grab me in the same way. I also thought the thesis (that Adam Worth was the real-life inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Moriarty) was overstated.

CATs completed:
RandomCAT (getting to know you): Have His Carcase was published in 1932, around 50 years before I was born.
AlphaKIT (S, A): Dorothy L. *Sayers, Have His Carcase

Bingo squares completed:
9. On your TBR for a long time (or the longest time): I've owned Have His Carcase since before I joined LT 12 years ago.

Books acquired in July:
Marissa Doyle, Between Silk and Sand (LTER win)
Naomi Novik, Spinning Silver
Maggie Stiefvater, Blue Lily, Lily Blue
Melissa McShane, Servant of the Crown (The Crown of Tremontane)
Melissa McShane, Rider of the Crown
Melissa McShane, Agent of the Crown
Loretta Chase, The Devil's Delilah (e-book)
Kayleen Schaefer, Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship
Mary Balogh, Someone to Love
Sherry Thomas, A Study in Scarlet Women
McKelle George, Speak Easy, Speak Love
Nancy Campbell Allen, Beauty and the Clockwork Beast

In my defense, July is my birthday month, so many of these new acquisitions were gifts! Of course, some were gifts I gave myself, but that's totally allowed, right?

Happy belated birthday! Of course giving gifts to oneself is allowed. Who knows better what you truly want or need?

>25 christina_reads: That sounds very wise to me! If it's a chore, then that sucks all the joy out of reading. I tend to only choose the CATs where I already have enough on my TBR that I know will work for them (so this year I'm only doing ColourCAT, plus the non-fic challenge in the 75ers group). Likewise I'll do RandomCAT on a month where I know I have a book that fits, but otherwise give it a miss.

Also, happy belated birthday from me too!

>35 MissWatson: Exactly what MissWatson said ;)

I pick books for the CATs but put them in a pool and read them if/when the mood strikes.

>35 MissWatson: Exactly! I ordered some books from Amazon so that they would arrive on my birthday and I'd have something to open! :)

>36 Jackie_K: Your CAT strategy sounds like a good one. I usually do have books on my TBR that would fit the various CATs, but sometimes I just don't feel like reading that book at that specific time. (And thanks for the birthday wishes!)

>37 rabbitprincess: I would really like to do the same and treat the CATs as "take it or leave it" challenges. That's how I'll approach them for the rest of this year, at least!

Time to start catching up on reviews...some of them have been lingering since May!



Book #26: Eva Ibbotson, The Star of Kazan
CATs: Alpha (K = Kazan) - I read this in May
Bingo: 22 - title contains something you would see in the sky

Twelve-year-old Annika has never known her parents, but she has grown up surrounded by the love of her kind guardians. Her childhood has been largely carefree: she helps with the cooking and household chores, goes to school, and plays with her friends and neighbors in the little square in Vienna where she lives. But she still dreams of the day when her long-lost mother — who will naturally be beautiful, elegant, and kind — will come looking for her. One day the dream comes true, and Annika is overjoyed when her mother whisks her away to live with her “real” family. But as she spends more time with her biological relatives, she is confused and hurt by their indifference, and she eventually learns that their interest in her may have an ulterior motive.

Ibbotson’s books are the ultimate comfort reads, in my opinion — they’re so sweet and old-fashioned, extolling the virtues of community, kindness, and generosity. This one is geared toward younger readers, which makes some aspects of the plot a little simplistic, particularly the "mystery" of Annika's newfound relatives and their inconsistent treatment of her. But the book is still very charming, and it paints an absolutely beautiful picture of both Vienna and the Austrian countryside. I'm not normally into books with lots of descriptive details, but this novel really makes me want to visit Austria! I also enjoyed the characters, particularly Annika's friends Pauline (who is afraid of everything but eventually conquers her fears to help Annika) and Zed (a servant who has a way with horses). Overall, this book hit that happy comfort spot for me, and I would recommend it, along with any of Ibbotson's other books.

Book #27: Charles Finch, Home by Nightfall
CATs: Color (blue cover) - I read this in May
Bingo: none

***Warning: Slight spoilers for previous books in this series.***

In this ninth installment of the Charles Lenox series, the Victorian gentleman-sleuth is happy that his fledgling detective agency is beginning to thrive. He is especially excited about the recent disappearance of a famous German pianist who had been performing in London. Hoping to be hired to assist the police, Charles eagerly reads the newspaper reports and spins theories to explain the disappearance. But his attention is split between this mystery and his brother Edward, who is grieving the recent death of his wife Mary. Charles offers to keep Edward company at his country estate, only to run into more strange occurrences: a break-in, several thefts, and an unsettlingly cryptic drawing. Now Charles must work to solve two mysteries, and he soon realizes that in both cases, nothing is as it seems.

I quite enjoy this series, so I'm not sure why I waited three and a half years to read this book after reading the previous installment! It was nice to revisit these characters and immerse myself in this world after spending some time away. And I think this might be one of the strongest books in the series. I was able to guess some elements of the countryside mystery, but it still held my interest, and I found the resolution to be very thought-provoking and poignant. I also enjoyed the diversion to the village setting -- most of the plot takes place there, although Charles does dash up to London every so often to work on the case of the disappearing pianist. In fact, my main complaint is that the dual mystery plots split the reader's focus; I would have preferred to stay in the country and follow that case, perhaps leaving the pianist for another book. Still, this is a very good installment of an enjoyable series -- well worth reading for fans of historical mysteries!

Book #28: Deanna Raybourn, City of Jasmine
CATs: Random (spring - jasmine); Color (blue on the cover) - I read this in May
Bingo: none

Famed aviatrix Evangeline Starke is in the midst of a big publicity stunt, flying her plane over the seven seas of antiquity. This trip is motivated by her need for money, her thirst for adventure, and her subconscious desire to move past the death of her husband, Gabriel, which occurred five years before. But when Evie receives a mysterious — and apparently current — photo of Gabriel, she is determined to discover whether he is still alive, and if so, what really happened to him five years ago. Her search takes her to the ancient city of Damascus, where various European countries are carving up the region into strategically advantageous states, and into the heart of the desert itself. What she finds is a priceless relic, ethnic tensions, life-threatening dangers, and possibly a second chance at love.

Something has happened to me in the way I react to Deanna Raybourn's books. When I first read Silent in the Grave, I remember really loving it and being eager to read the rest of the series. I loved the combination of 19th century historical detail, mystery, and romance, which, as I recall, was fairly unique in my experience at the time. I think the issue is that, as time has passed, I've read a lot more books; I've become a more sophisticated consumer and have read more widely in the various genres I like. As a result, Raybourn's brand of historical fiction no longer seems particularly unique or special to me. She has good plots and some funny lines, but her characters are pretty typical for the genre, and I'm not fond of the rugged alpha males she tends to use as heroes. This particular novel is quite entertaining, and I really can't point to anything wrong with it; it just didn't really excite me, and I've already removed it from my shelves.

Book #29: Lucy Parker, Making Up
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Trix Lane is a confident, talented circus performer whose daring aerial acrobatics have won her a major role in a popular and long-running London show. But some of her spark has dimmed lately, in the wake of an emotionally abusive relationship that shook her confidence. Now she has the opportunity to get an even bigger role in the show, but she’s not quite sure she can do it. And her anxiety isn’t helped when she learns that Leo Magasiva has just been hired to do makeup for the show. Leo and Trix have a fraught past, and whenever they meet, they can’t seem to help antagonizing each other. But beneath their sarcastic banter is an undeniable attraction, and when they begin to explore their true feelings for one another, Trix is surprised to discover how compatible they really are. But will their fledgling relationship be able to survive new misunderstandings and competing career goals?

I adore Lucy Parker’s contemporary romances, and this one is no exception. I love the enemies-to-lovers trope when it’s done well, which it definitely is here; I especially loved the nods to Much Ado about Nothing (my favorite Shakespeare play, not surprisingly!). I have to admit, though, I didn't adore this book quite as much as I did Act Like It and Pretty Face. I think it's because the overall tone is a little more somber, and there isn't quite as much witty banter. (That's understandable, of course, given that Trix is recovering from her ex's abusive treatment.) I also find that I can't remember very many incidents in the book. Both Leo and Trix do change throughout the novel, but their development is largely internal, not necessarily tied to specific plot events. Don't get me wrong -- I still really liked this book! It's just a bit quieter than Parker's previous novels. But I still love her and can't wait until her next book, The Austen Playbook, comes out!

Book #30: Matt Haig, The Humans
CATs: Random (unusual narrator - alien) - I read this in June
Bingo: none

Professor Andrew Martin, a mathematician at Cambridge University, has just proved the Riemann hypothesis, an action that represents a huge breakthrough with dramatic consequences for the improvement of human science and technology. Unfortunately, his discovery has come to the attention of an alien race that, believing all humans are motivated by violence and greed, will do anything to prevent it from going public. Therefore, one of the aliens is sent to Earth to invade the professor’s body, destroy the proof of the Riemann hypothesis, and kill anyone who might know about the discovery — including the professor’s wife and troubled teenage son. At first, the alien is eager to complete his mission; but the more time he spends on Earth, the more he comes to understand and even love the humans around him.

I went into this book knowing very little about it, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! Matt Haig has a light, playful style but doesn't shy away from more serious moments, as when the alien narrator begins to feel the tension between his growing empathy with the humans and his own cultural values. I liked that the book is a sort of philosophical thought experiment, exploring how the human race might look to an intelligent but emotionally detached outsider, and ultimately considering the question of what it means to be human. Oddly, I found the human culture on display in this book to be a bit off-putting . . . for example, the fact that Andrew Martin's son is named Gulliver rubbed me the wrong way. But overall, this is a fun read with a good mixture of levity and thoughtfulness.

>43 christina_reads: Hi Christina, I have just started The Humans so I am glad that you enjoyed it.

>44 DeltaQueen50: I look forward to seeing what you think of it, Judy!

Book #31: William Ritter, Ghostly Echoes
CATs: Color (purple cover); Alpha (G = Ghostly, R = Ritter); SFF (series - Jackaby #3) - I read this in June
Bingo: none

This third installment of the Jackaby series focuses on Jenny Cavanaugh, the resident ghost of 926 Augur Lane. She was brutally murdered 10 years ago, and now she is finally ready for her friends Jackaby and Abigail to investigate. As they begin to research the case, they realize that Jenny's murder may be connected to recent disturbing events in New Fiddleham. Their investigation leads them to the eerie pale man who lurked at the edges of Beastly Bones, to a group of scientists with a sinister plan, and even to the Underworld itself. Meanwhile, Jenny continues to grow in confidence, even as she grapples with the question of what will happen to her when her murder is finally solved. Abigail's mettle is tested as never before, and glimpses of Jackaby's mysterious past are finally revealed.

I read this book a couple months ago, and I'm afraid I may not be remembering the plot very clearly; no doubt my summary has left some things out. But this is an exciting installment of the series, pulling together some of the plot threads from earlier books and setting the stage for a magical showdown in the fourth and final novel. I liked that we finally get a little insight into Jackaby's past and some of the more unusual aspects of his personality, and it was also nice to learn more about Jenny, who is a fairly minor character in the first two books. The solution to the murder mystery is very clever, but I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that it ties into a much larger story arc that won't be resolved until book four. The first two books in the series are much more episodic, but this one definitely can't be read as a stand-alone novel. However, I'm certainly intrigued enough to pick up The Dire King and see how everything turns out!

Book #32: Morgan Matson, Save the Date
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Charlotte "Charlie" Grant is the youngest of five siblings, and she loves her big, boisterous family more than anything. Now her older sister is getting married -- a bittersweet occasion for Charlie, since the wedding will be the last big event in her family home, which is about to be sold. Still, Charlie is thrilled that her siblings will all be coming home for the wedding, and she's looking forward to a perfect weekend of family togetherness. But, of course, nothing goes according to plan: The wedding planner quits at the last minute, forcing the Grants to scramble for a substitute. The weather refuses to cooperate. The house is overcrowded with unexpected guests. Charlie's favorite brother brings home an awful girlfriend without telling anyone. And, of course, there are Charlie's own problems, including a possibly requited crush on the neighbor boy and a tough decision about which college to attend in the fall. As Charlie attempts to cope with these issues, she also begins to realize that her seemingly idyllic family might not be quite so perfect after all.

Morgan Matson is one of my favorite YA contemporary authors, so it's no surprise that I really enjoyed this book. I love anything wedding-related, so the setting was automatic catnip for me; and I also love books about big families, which seem to be somewhat underrepresented in fiction. I completely bought the family dynamic in this book, especially the loving but complicated bonds between Charlie and her siblings. An interesting aspect of Charlie's character is that she tends to perceive her siblings in somewhat static categories: Danny, the oldest brother, is her hero; J.J. is the class clown; Mike is the "problem" child. And a lot of her growth comes from recognizing that they can't be classified so neatly, that they are real human beings who grow and change just as she does. So I really liked that aspect of the book! I will say that the romance, while adorable, doesn't get much development compared to all the family stuff, so readers who are looking for that might be disappointed. Also, Charlie can be almost irritatingly naive at times. But overall, I liked this one a lot and am eagerly awaiting Matson's next book!

Book #33: Ben Macintyre, The Napoleon of Crime: The Life and Times of Adam Worth, Master Thief
CATs: Mystery (true crime) - I started this in June
Bingo: none

Ben Macintyre’s enthusiasm for larger-than-life historical figures is evident once again in this biography of Adam Worth, one of the most notorious thieves and con artists of the late 19th century. Worth began his criminal career as a pickpocket but soon established himself as a gang leader, gaining notoriety through planning a series of successful bank jobs. Eventually Worth set up shop in London, where he created a public persona as a wealthy English gentleman, which he was able to maintain for decades even while continuing his criminal activities. His crowning achievement was the theft of Gainsborough’s famous portrait of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. Worth’s criminal genius, plus his short stature, prompted a Scotland Yard detective to dub him the “Napoleon of the criminal world” — a phrase famously used to describe the ultimate fictional criminal mastermind, Sherlock Holmes’s nemesis Moriarty.

I’m a big fan of Ben Macintyre’s books about World War II-era espionage, so I was excited to try this book even though it has a different subject matter. I’m not sure if it was the different focus or the fact that I was extremely busy in real life at the time, but I just couldn’t get into this book the same way I did with Operation Mincemeat, for example. I think Macintyre overstates his thesis, which is that Worth was the real-life inspiration for Moriarty; the evidence that exists really doesn’t seem very conclusive. Also, he focuses a lot on Worth’s theft of the Gainsborough painting and engages in some psychological speculation about Worth’s supposed obsession, which according to Macintyre had a sexual component. In this area, there really seems to be NO evidence supporting the book’s claims! I did find the interactions between Worth and William Pinkerton (yes, one of those Pinkertons) to be very interesting and would have loved the book to focus more on that relationship. Overall, the book is entertaining enough, but I didn’t like it as much as I expected to.

Books #34-35: J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
CATs: none
Bingo: none

It’s been a while since I’ve visited the world of Harry Potter. I was a latecomer to the series — I think I read the first four books after Goblet of Fire came out, then went back and started from the beginning as subsequent books were published. So before commencing this reread, I’d read the first four books twice and the last three only once. But I’ve been wanting to go back and reread the series now that I know what’s going to happen, so this year I finally took the opportunity!

As it turns out, I really enjoyed revisiting these first two books in the series. J.K. Rowling has created an unforgettable fantasy world in Hogwarts, and it was fun to relive the magic of being introduced to that world along with Harry. I’m also very impressed with the plotting of these books and with the series as a whole. For example, I had forgotten that Sirius Black was mentioned in the first chapter of Sorcerer’s Stone! And of course, Tom Riddle’s diary in Chamber of Secrets has a huge significance in the later books.

I do often find myself getting frustrated with the adults in this book — why can’t they solve the mysteries that Harry and his friends seem to solve so easily? Why are they always withholding key information? Why doesn’t Dumbledore intervene earlier and more often? But these are children’s books, after all, so I guess it makes sense that the brave, clever kids would have the adventures while the adults remain pretty clueless. Anyway, I’m having fun with this reread so far and look forward to refreshing my memory of the later books!

Book #36: Dorothy L. Sayers, Have His Carcase
CATs: Random (different generation); Alpha (S = Sayers) - I read this in July
Bingo: 9 - on my TBR for a long time/the longest time

Harriet Vane, the famous detective novelist and infamous murder suspect (recently acquitted), is on a walking tour of British coastal villages. One afternoon she has a picnic on the beach and drops off to sleep. When she awakens, she is shocked to discover the body of a dead man farther along the beach. The man’s throat has been cut, but there is only one set of footprints (which must belong to the corpse), so suicide is a possibility. But Harriet can’t help thinking it might be murder. She photographs the body — which will be washed away when the tide comes in — and goes for help. But much to Harriet’s chagrin, help eventually arrives in the form of Lord Peter Wimsey, whose eagerness to solve the mystery is compounded by his desire to spend more time with Harriet. As the two join forces to solve the mystery, they also struggle to define the nature and boundaries of their relationship.

The more I read of Dorothy L. Sayers, the more I come to realize that she is emphatically not for everyone. This book is a Golden Age mystery, but it’s far from a typical one. Sayers is unquestionably familiar with the tropes of the genre — indeed, Peter and Harriet have some fun mocking them in this book — but she doesn’t seem particularly interested in following them herself. As with many of her other books, the “whodunit” is not the main concern; rather, she spends most of her time setting up a seemingly impossible crime, then explaining at length how it was possible after all. It’s clever, but I must confess that it didn’t hold my attention. A chapter near the end, where Peter and Harriet decode a letter and painstakingly explain how the code works, is especially dull.

However, I still really liked this book, and the reason is that I’m fascinated by the development of the relationship between Peter and Harriet. There’s one scene in particular, where they leave aside their usual polite banter and express their real emotions, that hit me right in the gut. Much as my romantic heart wants them to get together, I completely understand Harriet’s ambivalence and her struggle to maintain her independence in the face of Peter’s relentless pursuit. I’m extremely eager to read Gaudy Night now, but since I’m going in publication order, I have a couple books in between. I think that when I reread the series (as I undoubtedly will), I’ll group all the Peter-and-Harriet books together.

Book #37: Lindsey Kelk, Always the Bridesmaid
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Maggie is a people-pleaser whose two best friends are on opposite ends of the matrimonial spectrum: one has just gotten engaged, while the other is getting divorced. She’s also dealing with the boss from hell and trying to figure out her own love life, where she must choose between two suitors.

I remember really enjoying this book the first time I read it, but I was less impressed this time around. The book has a fun narrative voice, but I found most of the characters pretty selfish and unlikable. Maggie was a total pushover, and while I understood her impulse to avoid conflict, I just wanted her to stand up for herself already! Most of all, I didn’t believe that she and her supposed BFFs were actually friends — they treat each other horribly for most of the novel. Time to take this one off my shelves.

Book #38: Marissa Doyle, Between Silk and Sand
CATs: Alpha (D = Doyle)
Bingo: none

As the younger daughter of the king of Thekla, Saraid has always known that it is her duty to marry the ruler of a neighboring country, thus cementing an alliance that will benefit her people. With the help of The Book, a treatise written by a wise courtier to a previous Theklan monarch, Saraid knows she can become the perfect royal wife. When she is betrothed to the Lord Protector of Mauburni, she sets off with a small retinue through the harsh desert land called the Adaiha. En route she is kidnapped by a warlord named Cadel who is determined not to let her reach her destination. At first, Saraid is furious and desperate to escape. But the more time she spends in Cadel’s camp, the more she finds herself drawn to him — and the more conflicted she becomes about where she truly wishes to be.

I want to start off by saying that I didn’t dislike this book; it was a pleasant enough read, and I liked Saraid as a character. But several things about this book really frustrated me! First of all, the premise reminds me of Robin McKinley’s The Blue Sword — which is not necessarily a bad thing, except that The Blue Sword is so much better! Second, the prologue reveals way too much of the plot of the book, which completely killed the dramatic tension for me. And third, I found the romance somewhat problematic because it seems like Saraid is always wrong and Cadel is always right. Not to mention the fact that she is his prisoner; and while Cadel does have legitimate reasons to prevent her from reaching Mauburni, he never shares those reasons with her. So overall, I found myself focusing a lot more on this book’s flaws than its good points. I’ve read and enjoyed other books by Marissa Doyle, but I’d advise people to pass on this one.

Book #39: Mary Balogh, Someone to Love
CATs: none
Bingo: none

The earl of Riverdale has just died, and his family is putting his affairs in order. Obviously his son will inherit the title, the estate, and the bulk of the money. But the late earl also had an illegitimate daughter, Anna Snow, who grew up in an orphanage and is now a teacher there. The earl’s widow wants to give Anna some money, both as a kind gesture and as a way to forestall any future claims on the estate. But the lawyer she employs for this purpose makes a shocking discovery: Anna is actually the earl’s legitimate daughter, and her existence effectively disinherits his widow and his other children. Anna would like to be close to her newfound family, since she was previously alone in the world, but they all resent her for depriving them of their wealth and status. Her only ally is Avery Archer, a friend of the family, who decides to help her acclimate to her new life. But he never expected to be so drawn to her; and Anna never thought she would be so tempted to lose her heart to a (seemingly) shallow leader of society.

I was craving a good romance novel when I saw a review of this one at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books and decided to give it a try. I’m glad I did, because I really enjoyed this book! First of all, I think the setup is pretty genius; it may not be the most plausible premise, but it certainly sets up some great conflicts, both for this book and (presumably) for future books in the series. I very much liked Anna as a heroine — she’s confident in herself but also has a deep longing for intimacy and connection that she’s not sure how to express. In this respect, Avery is a great match for her, since he also conceals deep loneliness under a bored and detached facade. I really enjoyed his urbane quips and his witty conversations with Anna, and I loved that he’s not a typical alpha-male hero. My only quibble with the book is Avery’s practice of martial arts, because every time Avery engages in violence in the novel, it’s portrayed as being sexually appealing. Additionally, a somewhat stereotypical “Chinese gentleman” is the source of Avery’s knowledge (see the SBTB review and comments for a great discussion of this). Aside from that, though, I liked this book a lot and will definitely seek out more by Mary Balogh when I want a well-written Regency romance.

Book #40: J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
CATs: none
Bingo: none

I'm still very much enjoying my reread of the Harry Potter books. I remembered this as being one of my favorites in the series, and I would affirm that now. It's still a children's book, but it explores some deeper ideas relating to friendship, betrayal, and the question of when (if ever) murder is justified. I like that the characters are being given more nuance; Snape in particular is shown to have some legitimate grievances against Harry's father, if not against Harry himself. I also think it's clever that Hermione's secret -- which seems like nothing more than a side plot -- turns out to be the key to solving the final problem of the book.

Something about the plot is niggling at me, though...at this point, I don't think we actually know why Voldemort killed Harry's parents or why he wants to kill Harry. All we really know is that Voldemort is generally evil. So the entire premise of this book -- that Sirius wants to murder Harry in order to get back into Voldemort's good graces -- doesn't quite make sense. I'm also not entirely sure why Peter Pettigrew chooses to be the Weasleys' pet rat for 12 years and even helps Ron and Harry in the first book. That said, I'm happy to overlook these minor issues because the book as a whole is so entertaining. Looking forward to book 4, which I believe is my favorite of all the books!

Book #41: Anna Lee Huber, This Side of Murder
CATs: Mystery (historical)
Bingo: none

It’s 1919, and war widow Verity Kent is on her way to an engagement party. Her late husband, Sidney, had been close friends with the groom, and they had fought together in the war. Nevertheless, Verity isn’t particularly excited about this party, but she has a specific reason for going: she has received an anonymous note implying that Sidney was involved in treasonous activity during the war. Verity is outraged — she knows Sidney would never do such a thing — and she wants to identify and expose the letter-writer. But when Verity arrives at the party, she learns that all the male guests knew Sidney from the war; in fact, they all served in the same battalion. Then one of the men turns up dead, and Verity is convinced that the murder is connected to the battalion’s actions during the war. To solve the mystery, Verity must investigate her husband’s past, but what she discovers is more shocking than she ever imagined.

I’m always on the lookout for historical mysteries set in the period between the two world wars. Ever since my tween self’s obsession with Agatha Christie, I’ve enjoyed books set in this era, especially if they also involve murder and skulduggery. So I was predisposed to like this book, and I did find it fairly enjoyable. Verity Kent is a somewhat stereotypical heroine, in that she is beautiful, highly competent, and forward-thinking enough to be appealing to contemporary readers. She’s fine, but I wasn’t particularly engaged with her character. However, I do have to give the author credit for surprising me, both regarding the evildoer’s identity and regarding certain romantic plot elements. I’m not entirely on board with how the romance turned out, but I’m intrigued to see what might happen in future books! So while this book didn’t blow me away, I liked it enough that I plan to seek out the sequel, Treacherous Is the Night.

Book #42: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Plain Jane
CATs: SFF (makes you laugh)
Bingo: 16 - humorous book

***Warning: This review contains SPOILERS for Jane Eyre!***

In this fractured-fairytale take on Jane Eyre, Jane is a real person, and she and Charlotte Brontë are best friends. Also, she can see dead people: her other BFF, Helen Burns, is a ghost. Jane is currently a teacher at Lowood School, but her unique gifts bring her to the attention of Alexander Blackwood, the star agent of the Royal Society for the Relocation of Wayward Spirits. Alexander’s job is to find and capture ghosts who are causing trouble for humans, and Jane’s abilities will aid him in this task. But Jane inexplicably prefers to be a governess, and she sets off for Thornfield Hall, where she becomes entangled with a certain Edward Rochester. Charlotte, however, would love to become a member of the Society, despite her utter inability to see ghosts. So she teams up with Alexander to follow Jane, hoping to persuade her to join the Society. When they arrive at Thornfield, they soon realize that something is very wrong, but Jane might be too blinded by her feelings for Rochester to see it. . . .

I think this book was written for a very specific audience in mind, which is people who enjoy Jane Eyre but also realize that Mr. Rochester is a deeply flawed character. As one of those people, I found this book very enjoyable! Ghostly Helen Burns is a hilarious Greek chorus, pointing out Rochester’s inconsistent and manipulative behavior to Jane at every turn. For example, it’s pretty cruel of him to act like he’s going to marry Blanche Ingram just to make Jane jealous. He runs extremely hot and cold, sometimes focusing on Jane with special intensity and sometimes completely ignoring her. And then, of course, there’s the whole wife-in-the-attic thing, which this novel turns on its head, making Bertha Rochester a strong and sympathetic character. I also enjoyed Charlotte’s quest to become a member of the Society, as well as her budding romance with Alexander. It’s all a bit lightweight, and not something I necessarily feel a need to ever reread, but it’s great fun if you’re familiar with Jane Eyre.

Book #43: Melissa McShane, Servant of the Crown
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Alison Quinn, Countess of Waxwold, has no use for the trappings of high society; she’s perfectly content to work as an editor at her father’s printing press. So she’s both shocked and resentful when she receives a summons from the palace, commanding her to become a lady-in-waiting to the queen’s mother for the next six months. Refusal is impossible, so Alison is forced to move to the palace and participate in court life. There she catches the eye of Anthony North, the queen’s brother and a notorious womanizer, but she wants nothing to do with him. As she and Anthony are thrown together more and more, however, Alison finds herself letting her guard down. But can she really trust the prince? Meanwhile, something mysterious is going on with the Royal Library, so even when a disastrous incident causes Alison to flee the palace, she must eventually return to set things right — and perhaps find love as well.

I really wanted to love this book, since I thoroughly enjoyed Burning Bright by the same author. But I was disappointed, primarily because I found Alison SO obnoxious at first. For the first half of the novel, she seems to be completely self-obsessed and judgmental. Any time a male character talks to her, she assumes he is only interested in sleeping with her, because she is Just So Gorgeous. I suppose that could be a legitimate problem for some people, but let’s just say I didn’t find it relatable! I also wish the fantasy element had been more fleshed out; this is clearly a fantasy world, but aside from a few mentions of magical Devices, there’s no world-building to speak of. And finally, the book suffers from an identity crisis: the first half is almost entirely a romance, while the second half suddenly becomes all about political intrigue. Happily, I did enjoy the second half a lot more! Alison experiences some much-needed character growth, and the plot is much more interesting. All in all, the book got off to an abysmal start but partially redeemed itself in the end. I already own the next two books in the series, so hopefully the upward trajectory will continue!

>56 christina_reads: Great review, I've added that to my wishlist! I love the thought of Bertha as sympathetic and strong, and especially Helen Burns as a ghostly Greek chorus!

>58 Jackie_K: To be fair, Bertha isn't in the book much, so I hope I didn't mislead you! But it's a very fun book -- hope you enjoy it!

August recap

I'm excited to report that August was SO much better than July! Not only did I read more books in August than in any other month of 2018 so far, but I also had a lot of fun reading whatever I wanted, rather than what I felt obliged to read. Here's the list:

1. Dorothy L. Sayers, Have His Carcase
2. Lindsey Kelk, Always the Bridesmaid
3. Marissa Doyle, Between Silk and Sand
4. Mary Balogh, Someone to Love
5. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
6. Anna Lee Huber, This Side of Murder
7. Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Plain Jane
8. Melissa McShane, Servant of the Crown
9. James Thurber, The 13 Clocks

Book of the month:
I really enjoyed Someone to Love and am very excited that Mary Balogh has a considerable backlist to dive into!

Dishonorable mention:
I have to mention Always the Bridesmaid, even though it's a reread...I liked it the first time around, but this time it just frustrated me! Servant of the Crown is also a contender because I really didn't like the first half, but the second half was much better.

CATs completed:
MysteryCAT (historical): This Side of Murder is set in post-World War I England.
AlphaKIT (D): Marissa *Doyle, Between Silk and Sand
SFFKIT (makes you laugh): My Plain Jane is a tongue-in-cheek spoof of Jane Eyre and gothic novels in general.

Bingo squares completed:
16. Humorous book: See my comments on My Plain Jane above. :)
23. Book on the 1001 list: The 13 Clocks is on the list.

Books acquired in August:
Kristan Higgins, Good Luck with That
Sarah Caudwell, Thus Was Adonis Murdered
James Thurber, The 13 Clocks
Renee Patrick, Design for Dying
Paula Byrne, Belle: The Slave Daughter and the Lord Chief Justice
G.G. Coulton, The Medieval Scene: An Informal Introduction to the Middle Ages
Theresa Romain, Season for Temptation
Jonna Gjevre, Arcanos Unraveled

September recap

Another fairly good reading month for me! I didn't finish my Harry Potter book for this month, and I'm several reviews behind, but hopefully I'll be able to catch up in October. At any rate, here's what I read in September:

1. Robin McKinley, Chalice
2. Manda Collins, Why Earls Fall in Love
3. Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep
4. Anthony Horowitz, Magpie Murders
5. Jenny Colgan, The Bookshop on the Corner
6. Naomi Novik, Spinning Silver

Book of the month:
I absolutely loved Spinning Silver -- it might be my top book of 2018!

Dishonorable mention:
No real duds this month, although Why Earls Fall in Love was fine but forgettable.

CATs completed:
RandomCAT (happy birthday): Raymond Chandler, author of The Big Sleep, shares my birthday of July 23.
ColorCAT (metallic): Spinning Silver has a metal in the title, and the cover is silver with touches of gold.
MysteryCAT (noir, hardboiled): The Big Sleep is a quintessential hardboiled detective novel.
AlphaKIT (B, E): Manda Collins, Why *Earls Fall in Love; Raymond Chandler, The *Big Sleep; Jenny Colgan, The *Bookshop on the Corner
SFFKIT (myths, legends, fairy tales): Spinning Silver is loosely based on Rumpelstiltskin.

Bingo squares completed:
None this month.

Books acquired in September:
Felicity Hayes-McCoy, The Library at the Edge of the World
Kate Quinn, The Alice Network
Mary Balogh, Only a Kiss
Mary Balogh, Slightly Dangerous

I am looking forward to reading Spinning Silver as everyone is giving it rave reviews. Hopefully I will be able to fit it in to my 2019 Challenge.

>62 DeltaQueen50: I hope you enjoy it, Judy! It's a slow start, but very much worth it, in my opinion!

I took the plunge and set up my 2019 challenge thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/297023.

>64 christina_reads: YAY!!!!

>65 rabbitprincess: Someone had to do it! :) Thanks for setting up the group!

October recap

I seem to be averaging around 6 books per month, which means I was right on track in October:

1. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2. Alison Goodman, The Dark Days Club
3. Jill Baguchinsky, Mammoth
4. Kathryn Miller Haines, Winter in June
5. Mary Balogh, Someone to Wed
6. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Book of the month:
Probably Someone to Wed -- once again, I'm picking a Mary Balogh novel! Luckily I've already acquired a couple more of her books.

Dishonorable mention:
I'd say Winter in June...it's not bad by any means, but I think I've just lost interest in the series. I do still plan to read the last one, just to see how everything turns out, but I'm not terribly invested at this point.

CATs completed:
RandomCAT (playing cards): The title The Dark Days Club contains one of the four suits in a deck of playing cards (clubs).
ColorCAT (orange): Winter in June has an orange cover.
SFFKIT (historical, alt-historical): The Dark Days Club is a fantasy set in Regency England.

Bingo squares completed:
17. Fat book (500+ pages) -- The Dark Days Club is just over 500 pages, including the author's note and bonus novella (which I read).
20. Related to the Pacific Ocean -- Winter in June is set in the Pacific theater (the Solomon Islands, specifically) during World War II.

Books acquired in October:
Jenny Colgan, The Endless Beach
Sylvia Izzo Hunter, A Season of Spells
Tracy Kiely, Murder at Longbourn
Mary Balogh, Someone to Wed
Stuart Palmer, The Penguin Pool Murder
Connie Willis, Terra Incognita: Three Novellas
Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow
Tana French, The Trespasser
Sheri Cobb South, In Milady's Chamber
Charlie Jane Anders, All the Birds in the Sky
Stephanie Burgis, Kat, Incorrigible
Laura L. Sullivan, Love by the Morning Star
Helene Hanff, The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street
Tessa Dare, Do You Want to Start a Scandal?
Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer, Agnes and the Hitman
Walker Percy, Lancelot

To be fair, I purchased the vast majority of these via Thriftbooks, at a used bookstore, or at my library's semi-annual sale!

November recap

So it seems I've completely stopped posting to my thread, except for monthly updates -- oops! I will eventually post mini-reviews of everything I've been reading, but it may be a few more weeks! In the meantime, here's what I read in November:

1. Aline, Countess of Romanones, The Spy Wore Red
2. Stephanie Scott, Alterations
3. Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer, Agnes and the Hitman
4. Theresa Romain, Season for Temptation
5. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Book of the month:
Agnes and the Hitman surprised me by being an utterly delightful romantic farce! I also really enjoyed The Spy Wore Red, which is a memoir that reads more like a spy thriller.

Dishonorable mention:
I wanted to like Alterations, a YA retelling of Sabrina, much more than I did. Not a terrible book, but definitely not worthy of the original!

CATs completed:
ColorCAT (red): The Spy Wore Red has red in the title and a red cover.
AlphaKIT (T, H): Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer, Agnes and the *Hitman; *Theresa Romain, Season for *Temptation

Bingo squares completed:
7. Autobiography or memoir: The Spy Wore Red is a memoir of the author's time as a secret agent during World War II.

Books acquired in November:
Lauren Willig, The Other Daughter
Lois McMaster Bujold, Miles Errant
Sarah Morgan, Miracle on 5th Avenue

Wishing all my friends at LT a very merry Christmas!

Also attempting to catch up with reviews, some of which are 3-4 months old at this point!



Book #44: James Thurber, The 13 Clocks (illustrated by Marc Simont)
CATs: none - I read this in August
Bingo: 23 - book on the 1001 list

This odd little book is like nothing I’ve ever read. A sort of fable or fairytale for adults, it’s the story of a wicked duke who is keeping captive the beautiful Princess Saralinda, and of the noble prince who must complete an impossible task in order to rescue her. Good ultimately triumphs over evil, yet the overall mood is creepy and melancholy. Neil Gaiman was the perfect choice to write the short introduction, because his writing gives me a similar (though even darker) vibe. I would definitely recommend this to anyone, and I think it will be even more interesting on a reread.

Book #45: Robin McKinley, Chalice
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Robin McKinley is an author onto whom I imprinted sometime in my late elementary or middle school years. Novels such as The Blue Sword, Beauty, and The Outlaws of Sherwood were my introduction to the fantasy genre, and they remain some of my all-time favorite books. Chalice was written several years later, and while I still bought and read it immediately, I remember not loving it as much as McKinley’s other books. Because of my memory of that disappointment, I’d never reread it until now, but I appreciated it more this time around. I loved the protagonist, Mirasol, and her stubborn attempts to do her duty in an unusual situation. It was a pleasure to sink into the lush descriptions and slow unfolding of the story. It is a very slow-moving book, which might put off some people; but if you like McKinley’s style of writing, you’ll like this one.

Book #46: Manda Collins, Why Earls Fall in Love
CATs: Alpha (E = Earls) - I read this in September
Bingo: none

In this Regency romance, Georgina Mowbray is a war widow eking out a living as Lady Russell’s paid companion. Despite the fact that much of Lady Russell’s family regards her as the help, Georgie is quite content with her situation; it’s a vast improvement over life with her husband Robert, who was violent and abusive toward her. So she certainly has no intention of getting involved with Lady Russell’s attractive nephew, the Earl of Coniston, even when he begins to show an interest in her. Though Georgie soon finds herself drawn to Con, she cannot bring herself to trust him, or any man, after what Robert put her through. But when a secret from Georgie’s past threatens her safety, Con is determined to protect her from harm—and to give her the love she truly deserves.

I enjoyed this book while reading it, but ultimately it’s not one I plan to keep. I read it just a couple months ago, and I’ve already forgotten most of the salient details. I was annoyed by the fact that this isn’t really a stand-alone novel; although I knew it was book 2 in a trilogy, I expected to be able to follow the plot (most romance novels, even in a series, can be read as stand-alones). But in this case, you really need to know what happened in book 1, because there’s a big suspense plot in this book that is almost entirely based on previous events. (There’s a prologue that is meant to catch you up, but I still felt like I was missing a lot.) Also, Con seems to fall for Georgie awfully quickly . . . if I’m remembering correctly, he’s a rake who pretty much immediately gives up his rakish ways for her. So overall, this book was fine, but I don’t feel compelled to seek out more books by the author.

Book #47: Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep
CATs: Random (happy birthday = same month and date, July 23); Mystery (noir, hard-boiled); Alpha (B = Big) - I read this in September
Bingo: none

I haven’t read widely in the hardboiled mystery genre, but I don’t tend to love dark books, so I was a bit apprehensive about trying this one. But I actually really enjoyed the voice of this book — it’s funny and descriptive and uses startlingly apt metaphors. The plot is exciting and twisty, highlighting the governmental and societal corruption of 1930s Los Angeles in a grim yet matter-of-fact way. Philip Marlowe is a flawed protagonist, to say the least, and the book’s portrayal of women is ugly, albeit true to its time. But all in all, I’m interested to read more of Raymond Chandler in the future.

Book #48: Anthony Horowitz, Magpie Murders
CATs: none
Bingo: none

This book has gotten a lot of good buzz, including a lot of comparisons to Agatha Christie, so I was excited to read it. Ultimately, though, I have mixed feelings about it. There are two mysteries for the price of one. First, an editor is reading the manuscript of famous mystery writer Alan Conway’s latest novel, but the last chapters are missing. What happened to them, and where is Conway now? Second, of course, there’s the mystery within Conway’s novel, which involves two deaths that may or may not be related. I was much more interested in the second mystery than the first; I found the editor tiresome, Conway odious, and none of the other characters in that story memorable. But I did think the solution to the second mystery (within Conway’s novel) was pretty ingenious. Basically, I enjoyed the puzzle but could have done without all the meta stuff.

Book #49: Jenny Colgan, The Bookshop on the Corner
CATs: Alpha (B = Bookshop) - I read this in September
Bingo: none

I’m now officially a fan of Jenny Colgan. This book is pure wish-fulfillment fantasy, but it’s also well-written and charming — the perfect read if you’re looking for something light and uplifting. When main character Nina gets laid off from her job, she decides to follow her dream of opening a mobile bookstore. I think a lot of us bookish folks can relate! Nina also, naturally, finds herself torn between two suitors…I wanted to roll my eyes at the saccharine predictability of it all, but the romance actually did work for me, so I won’t complain too much! A lovely comfort read, and I’ll continue to seek out more books by Jenny Colgan.

Book #50: Naomi Novik, Spinning Silver
CATs: Color (metallic = silver); SFF (myths, legends, fairy tales) - I read this in September
Bingo: none

I won't hide the ball here: this is my favorite book of 2018. I read it in September, but I should probably have waited until now because it is a perfect book to read in wintertime, with biting cold temperatures and the constant threat of snow. I loved all three of the novel's heroines, especially Miryem, who is cold and uncompromising and unlikable and not ashamed of it. I loved the creative take on the Rumpelstiltskin story. I loved how all the main characters have hidden depths to them, and I loved the development of the two romances. I'll admit that the pacing is slow, especially in the beginning, but that just gave me time to soak in the lush descriptions of the wintry village and to get to know the characters a little better. I highly recommend this book to fans of fantasy, especially if you loved Uprooted!

Book #51: J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
CATs: none
Bingo: none

This is the turning point in the Harry Potter series. What used to be charming children’s stories about a boarding school for wizards are about to become dark tomes filled with danger and loss, as Voldemort and his followers begin to stage their comeback. I remembered this as being my favorite HP book, but I wasn’t quite as enthralled this time around. I loved learning about the Unforgivable Curses and the Triwizard Tournament, but the book certainly does have a pacing problem; all the stuff with Barty Crouch really drags, even though it turns out to be vital to the plot. Not to mention the blast-ended skrewts! Still, I liked the fact that Polyjuice Potion, a small plot point in Chamber of Secrets, comes back in a big way here. And the final chapters, where Harry confronts Voldemort, are genuinely scary and moving. (I may have shed some tears when Harry tries to give Cedric’s mother his tournament winnings.) Overall, although some elements of this book aren’t the strongest, it’s an excellent hinge for the series and sets up the darker tone of the three remaining books.

Book #52: Alison Goodman, The Dark Days Club
CATs: Random (playing cards); SFF (historical or alt-historical) - I read this in October
Bingo: 17 - fat book (500+ pages)

In this Regency fantasy novel, Lady Helen Wrexhall learns of the existence of Deceivers, demons who survive by stealing energy from living humans. She also learns that she is a Reclaimer, a human capable of spotting and killing Deceivers (who take human form and are thus able to hide in plain sight). Initiating her into these mysteries is the Dark Days Club, a society of Reclaimers led by the broodingly handsome Lord Carlston. But Lady Helen isn’t sure she wants to accept her newfound destiny, and she soon finds herself torn between two worlds. I liked the premise of this book (Regency fantasy is my catnip!), and the writing style is quite good, but I just didn’t find myself very interested in the Deceivers or in Lady Helen’s struggle. I may read the sequel at some point, but I didn’t love this one as much as I was hoping to.

Book #53: Jill Baguchinsky, Mammoth
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Natalie is a plus-size fashion blogger and dinosaur enthusiast who is ecstatic when she wins a prestigious paleontology internship. But when she gets there, she has to deal with professional and personal insecurities, as well as disillusionment with her scientist hero. She also meets some new people who aren’t what they seem and finds herself in the midst of a love triangle (or polygon). As a fellow plus-size person, I both related and didn’t relate to Natalie. Some of her insecurities felt very real to me, but she also had this weird habit of guessing other people’s weight, which is not something I have ever done. It seems like something a thin person would assume a fat person would do, if that makes sense. So I have mixed feelings about that plotline, although I do think it’s great to see more plus-size main characters in fiction! As for the internship drama, I wasn’t very compelled by it. So, not a bad read, but not a great one either.

Book #54: Kathryn Miller Haines, Winter in June
CATs: Color (orange) - I read this in October
Bingo: 20 - related to the Pacific Ocean

In this installment of the Rosie Winter series, Rosie and her best pal Jayne have joined the USO, and they’re headed for the South Pacific to entertain the troops. There, Rosie gets involved in various forms of trouble, from disagreements with the local WAAC corps to mysterious thefts of military supplies to an inevitable murder investigation. In the meantime, she’s also looking for her ex-boyfriend Jack, who was rumored to have resurfaced in the South Pacific. It’s been years since I read the first two books in this series, and I think I’ve just lost my taste for it. I couldn’t remember who one character was at all, although he was apparently a big part of the first book. And I didn’t find Rosie consistent as a character, although I did still find her voice fairly enjoyable. I’ll read the fourth and final book in this series, just to see how everything turns out, but this series is not a keeper for me.

Book #55: Mary Balogh, Someone to Wed
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Wren Hayden longs for the companionship of marriage, but a “disfiguring” birthmark on her face has led her to become a recluse. Nevertheless, she thinks her large fortune might be enough to induce someone to marry her. Alexander Westcott has unexpectedly inherited an earldom, along with the debts and huge financial responsibilities that go with it. He knows he must marry a rich wife, but Wren’s forthright proposal shocks and troubles him. He agrees to test the waters, hoping that at least friendship and respect can grow between them. But can Wren overcome her insecurities and be open to the possibility of a real relationship? I really felt for Wren in this book, and I liked that she and Alex aren’t immediately attracted to one another. In fact, he has to overcome some revulsion — not so much from the birthmark, but from Wren’s cold demeanor toward him. Their relationship is not romanticized, if that makes sense; it felt plausible and real. Another winner from Balogh!

Book #56: J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
CATs: none
Bingo: none

So before I started this reread, I would have said that this was my second-least-favorite Harry Potter book (my first-least-favorite being Chamber of Secrets). But I liked it a lot more this time around! Everything about Dumbledore’s Army is delightful, but I especially love how it helps Neville come into his own. The battle sequence at the Ministry of Magic is perfectly terrifying, and I love that we catch a rare glimpse of Dumbledore actually being a powerful wizard, instead of just hearing it talked about. I even enjoy Harry being shouty and cranky for most of the book, because of course he’s shouty and cranky — all the adults in his life are keeping hugely important, useful, life-saving information from him! And I like that we learn more about Snape’s history with Harry’s dad, which brings a lot more complexity and nuance into their relationship. Oh, and Umbridge — what a loathsome (but wonderfully written) character! Professor McGonagall’s impatience with Umbridge is one of my favorite things ever. So I liked this installment of HP a lot more than I expected!

Book #57: Aline, Countess of Romanones, The Spy Wore Red
CATs: Color (red) - I read this in November
Bingo: 7 - autobiography or memoir

This is a fast-paced, entertaining memoir that reads more like a spy thriller. Aline Griffith was a young woman working as a model in New York, when a chance encounter with a US intelligence operative propelled her into the world of espionage. The book covers her training and her first assignment in Spain, where she must get close to various people suspected of being German spies. The narrative has everything an espionage lover could wish for: code names, double agents, assassination attempts, and even a bullfight or two! Highly recommended for people who like spy novels or who are interested in WW2-era intelligence work.

Book #58: Stephanie Scott, Alterations
CATs: none
Bingo: none

I adore the movie Sabrina (the original, starring Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart), so I was excited to come across this YA contemporary retelling. Unfortunately, I think the concept was better than the execution…or maybe I’ve just outgrown this particular type of novel, with its focus on teen drama and the prom as the pinnacle of human existence. I did like the main character’s personal journey as she gets a prestigious fashion internship and grows in confidence. But I was less interested in the love triangle, although there are a few cute scenes. Overall, I’m left with a strong desire for more Sabrina-inspired books!

Book #59: Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer, Agnes and the Hitman
CATs: Alpha (H = Hitman) - I read this in November
Bingo: none

Part romantic comedy, part gangster movie, this novel is about a food writer named Agnes who accidentally finds herself a target of the local mafia. As a result, her “connected” friend Joey hires a hitman, Shane, to look after her. They are instantly attracted to one another, but their romance is complicated by real estate fraud, several attempts on Agnes’s life, and a flamingo-themed wedding from hell. I didn’t expect this farcical mash-up of genres to be so enjoyable, but I was utterly charmed by it! The plot sweeps along at a dizzying pace, as does the rapid-fire banter, and it’s all great fun. Highly recommended if the idea of a modern screwball comedy appeals to you!

Book #60: Theresa Romain, Season for Temptation
CATs: Alpha (T = Theresa, Temptation) - I read this in November
Bingo: none

After seeing a lot of praise for Theresa Romain over at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, I was excited to try her debut novel. But I wasn’t as impressed as I wanted to be. The plot is quite typical for a Regency romance: the hero needs to marry quickly, proposes to a proper and elegant lady, then falls in love with the lady’s unconventional younger sister instead. Both the hero and heroine are likable, and it’s a pleasant enough read. I also like that the original fiancée gets some character development and is not just a two-dimensional model of propriety. But the writing was occasionally clunky, and I just didn’t see anything exceptional about the book. Not one for the keeper shelf, but I’ll consider trying more by the author — if I can get them from the library!

Book #61: J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
CATs: none
Bingo: none

One of my favorite books in the series, where we finally learn about Voldemort’s backstory and the horcruxes. I remember being so excited to learn that events of previous books had a huge new significance, particularly Tom Riddle’s diary in book 2. I also loved — LOVED — everything that happens between Ron and Hermione in this book; they are so sweet and ridiculous! And Ron’s relationship with Lavender Brown is hilarious from beginning to end, providing some much-needed comic relief to a pretty grim book. I’m not a huge Dumbledore fan, but I like that this book gives him a bit more dimension as he and Harry spend more time together. I didn’t love all the back-and-forth about Snape (we KNOW he’s not really on Team Voldemort, Harry, just get over it!), nor am I a fan of the Harry-Ginny relationship. But overall, the book does a great job of moving the plot forward and setting things up for the grand finale.

Book #62: Sarah Morgan, Miracle on 5th Avenue
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Eva Jordan, who owns an event-planning company with her two best friends, has been hired to decorate a swanky Manhattan apartment for Christmas. Little does she know that the owner — wildly successful (and handsome) mystery writer Lucas Blade — is still in residence. As luck would have it, a severe blizzard hits New York, trapping them in the apartment together. Sunny, optimistic Eva and grumpy, brooding Lucas clash right away, until of course they don’t. But will their very different personalities and priorities put a stop to their growing romance? I liked how honest Eva was about her needs and feelings, but otherwise I thought this book was just okay.

Book #63: Francis Duncan, Murder for Christmas
CATs: Color (White); Alpha (C = Christmas)
Bingo: 10 - beautiful cover

A quintessential English country house mystery in which Father Christmas himself (as portrayed by one of the house party) is murdered. Naturally, all the characters seem to have a motive, and amateur detective Mordecai Tremaine just happens to be on the scene to solve the case. I really liked the atmosphere and writing style of this novel, although I’ll admit to being somewhat disappointed by the resolution of the mystery. It does make logical sense; it just didn’t turn out the way I would have preferred. Still, I’m definitely interested in trying more of the Mordecai Tremaine novels!

Book #64: Ella Cheever Thayer, Wired Love: A Romance of Dots and Dashes
CATs: Alpha (C = Cheever; W = Wired)
Bingo: 15 - published more than 100 years ago (1880)

A charmingly old-fashioned story about a young woman who falls in love with someone she “meets” on the telegraph wire, before ever seeing her correspondent in person. Naturally, complications ensue! I really enjoyed the fact that this is the same plot as You’ve Got Mail written more than 100 years earlier. I also liked the main romance, but I was extremely indignant at the fates of some of the secondary characters (poor Quimby and Jo!). So, not quite as satisfying as I’d have liked, but I still enjoyed this short book overall.

Book #65: Loretta Chase, A Duke in Shining Armor
CATs: Random (secret Santa); Alpha (C = Chase)
Bingo: none

This book is the first in a series starring a trio of dukes known as Their Dis-Graces. Ripley, Ashmont, and Blackwood have been friends since childhood, and together they’ve drunk, gambled, and whored their way through London society. Now Ashmont is getting married, but the bride — bookish, practical Olympia Hightower — is having second thoughts. When she runs away on the wedding day, it’s up to best man Ripley to track her down and return her to Ashmont. The trouble is, the more time Ripley spends with Olympia, the more he wants her for himself. I really enjoy Loretta Chase’s writing, especially her humor, but this book was not the right book for me. I really don’t like the “reformed rake” trope, and Ripley is such a stereotypical alpha-male hero. (That said, the humor makes him somewhat more bearable.) But I’ll still be reading more Loretta Chase, and perhaps even more in this series…Blackwood’s marital difficulties, a tiny side plot in this book, sound intriguing!

Wow, love the batch of reviews!

>74 christina_reads: - I have been on the fence about reading that one. I think I will stay on the fence and not take the plunge to read that one anytime soon.

>76 christina_reads: I loved Uprooted so I'm looking forward to reading this one. Such a gorgeous cover too!

>82 christina_reads: I've gone through the same process. Every time I reread one of the Harry Potter novels, I tend to like it more than the last time around. My first time through the series, I would have said The Goblet of Fire was my favourite, but now I'm not so sure.

>92 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori! I wish I liked Magpie Murders more than I did, but it definitely seems to work for a lot of people! Hopefully you will have better luck.

>93 mathgirl40: Ooh, I think you will definitely like Spinning Silver too, then! And I agree that the HP novels improve upon rereading. I even liked the epilogue of Deathly Hallows more this time around!

December recap

I got a fair amount of reading done this month, despite the Christmas craziness! I took the opportunity to reread a couple of old favorites, as well as seeking out some holiday-themed books:

1. Sarah Morgan, Miracle on 5th Avenue
2. Francis Duncan, Murder for Christmas
3. Ella Cheever Thayer, Wired Love: A Romance of Dots and Dashes
4. Loretta Chase, A Duke in Shining Armor
5. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
6. Connie Willis, A Lot Like Christmas
7. Eva Ibbotson, A Countess below Stairs
8. Jane Langton, The Memorial Hall Murder

Book of the month:
Apart from the rereads, I quite enjoyed Murder for Christmas and will definitely be on the lookout for more of the Mordecai Tremaine books.

Dishonorable mention:
Miracle on 5th Avenue was just kind of meh.

CATs completed:
RandomCAT (secret Santa): I received A Duke in Shining Armor through a secret Santa swap this year!
ColorCAT (white): Murder for Christmas has a snowy scene on the cover, featuring a lot of white.
AlphaKIT (C, W): Francis Duncan, Murder for *Christmas; Ella *Cheever Thayer, *Wired Love: A Romance of Dots and Dashes; Loretta *Chase, A Duke in Shining Armor; *Connie *Willis, A Lot Like *Christmas

Bingo squares completed:
10. Book with a beautiful cover -- I wouldn't call it beautiful per se, but I do find the cover of Murder for Christmas very striking and appealing.
15. Published more than 100 years ago -- Wired Love: A Romance of Dots and Dashes was originally published in 1880.

Books acquired in December:
Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White, The Glass Ocean
Georgette Heyer, Snowdrift and Other Stories
Stella Gibbons, Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm
Lois McMaster Bujold, Komarr
Loretta Chase, A Duke in Shining Armor
Grace Burrowes, A Rogue of Her Own
Cindy Anstey, Duels and Deception
Peter Ginna, ed., What Editors Do: The Art, Craft, and Business of Book Editing
Jane Friedman, The Business of Being a Writer
Lyra Selene, Amber & Dusk

In my defense, all but two of those new acquisitions were Christmas gifts! Now I just have a few more reviews to post, and then I'll do my year-end wrap-up...and then it's on to 2019! I still haven't picked out my first book of the new year, so that will be a fun thing to do tonight!

>95 thornton37814: Happy New Year! Love the cute kitty. :)

Book #66: J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
CATs: none
Bingo: none

***Warning: SPOILERS for all seven Harry Potter books!***

As with most of the Harry Potter books, I enjoyed Deathly Hallows a lot more on this reread than I did when it first came out! I think it helped that I’d recently read the rest of the series, so I remembered the backstory very clearly. But I loved so many things about this book! Here are a few of my favorite parts:

• Harry choosing to focus on the horcruxes and not to pursue the Hallows, making him a better man than Dumbledore.
  
• The entire sequence at Malfoy Manor, especially when Draco pretends not to recognize Harry and his friends, thus revealing a glimmer of hope for his character.
  
• When Ron expresses concern about the house elves during the Battle of Hogwarts, and Hermione jumps on him, and Harry is all, “Really, guys? THIS is the moment?”
  
• When Neville catches Harry up on what’s happening at Hogwarts and reveals casually that he’s been tortured for standing up to the Death Eaters and says that Harry inspired him to do it.
  
• Ron coming back just in time to save Harry from the horcrux, which reveals all Ron’s worst insecurities and fears, and finding the strength to destroy it anyway. The friendship between Ron and Harry is one of the most interesting relationships in the book, in my opinion, and this scene (my most favorite) brilliantly shows the complexity of that friendship.
  
• My other most favorite scene: when Neville stands up to Voldemort and pulls the sword of Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat. Neville is the best!
  

Of course, the book does have its flaws . . . the Harry/Ron/Hermione camping trip goes on too long, and all the stuff about the Deathly Hallows and Dumbledore’s past is very, very infodump-y. And there’s hardly any foreshadowing of the Hallows in previous books (if any?), which makes them feel like a bit of a cheat. But I really enjoyed this final book of the series, and even the sappy epilogue made me happy. I look forward to many more rereads of these books!

I just finished Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan too and like you I'll be looking for more Mordecai Tremaine mysteries.

Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with good health and good reading.

>99 VivienneR: Thanks, and Happy New Year to you! Glad you also enjoyed Murder for Christmas!

Book #67: Connie Willis, A Lot Like Christmas
CATs: Alpha (C = Connie, Christmas; W = Willis)
Bingo: none

This collection of Christmas-themed short stories with a speculative-fiction twist is a revised and expanded edition of Miracle and Other Christmas Stories, which I previously reviewed here. I still stand by that review, but here are my comments on the new stories:

• “All about Emily” — A sly take on the movie All about Eve featuring an aging Broadway actress and a robot who wants to be a Rockette. A fun one for fans of musicals and old movies.
  
• “All Seated on the Ground” — The aliens have arrived, but no one can figure out what they want. The clue may reside in a Christmas carol, so protagonist Meg teams up with choir director Calvin to solve the mystery. A lovely and romantic meditation on “peace on earth.”
  
• “deck.halls@boughs/holly” — I liked this funny rom-com about the effects of technology, especially the internet, on Christmas. It’s futuristic and over the top, of course, but the story does a great job of presenting different views on the issue — with a charming romance thrown in!
  
• “Now Showing” — Lindsay really wants to see a particular movie, but she keeps being thwarted by circumstance. It seems like the universe is conspiring against her . . . and according to her ex-boyfriend Jack, that’s exactly what is happening. I really liked this playful homage to romantic-suspense-adventure movies such as How to Steal a Million, French Kiss, and Romancing the Stone.
  
• “Just Like the Ones We Used to Know” — Thanks to climate change (or a “discontinuity,” or Armageddon, or . . . ?), places all over the world are having a white Christmas. Places like Los Angeles, and Honolulu, and Bethlehem. The story follows various characters as they deal with the unexpected snowstorm and try to figure out what’s causing it. I thought there were maybe a few too many characters in this one, and at least one storyline was never satisfactorily resolved.
  

All in all, I'm glad I purchased this one, even though I already own Miracle and Other Christmas Stories. But if you don't have either book, definitely go with A Lot Like Christmas instead!

Book #68: Eva Ibbotson, A Countess below Stairs
CATs: none
Bingo: none

This book is one of my most treasured comfort reads, so it’s pretty much impossible for me to be objective at this point. I adore this romance between Anna, a countess forced by the Russian Revolution to become a servant, and Rupert, an Englishman who unexpectedly inherits an earldom when his brother dies in World War I. Of course, Rupert’s hateful fiancée is in the way, but it all turns out right in the end. I really don’t have anything constructive to say about this book — I just love it so much! If you don’t mind something a bit old-fashioned and perhaps a bit too sweet, look no further than Eva Ibbotson!

Book #69: Jane Langton, The Memorial Hall Murder
CATs: none
Bingo: none

This is the third book in the Homer Kelly mystery series, but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. The book begins with an explosion that destroys part of Memorial Hall on the campus of Harvard University. A headless body is found in the rubble, and it is soon identified as the corpse of Hamilton Dow, an extremely popular music professor. Homer Kelly, who used to work at the district attorney’s office, happens to be on the scene and decides to investigate. As a mystery, the book is nothing to write home about; the reader is given a lot of information early on, and the perpetrator’s identity isn’t hard to discover. I kept thinking there would be a plot twist to point the finger in a new direction, but it never came. However, the book is fun to read for its playful satire of university life and its prominent featuring of Handel’s Messiah. All in all, I’d consider reading more books in this series.

YEAR-END RECAP

Books read: 69, plus about half of Kristin Lavransdatter

Average books read per month: 5.75

Bingo squares completed: 25 -- I accomplished my goal of covering the entire Bingo card.

Books read (owned 6+ months): A paltry 19 -- my target was 50, so I definitely didn't reach that goal!

Books acquired: 92 for the year, including e-books and gifts. Too many? Nah!

Favorite books of the year (in the order in which I read them):

1. Katherine Arden, The Girl in the Tower -- Just as haunting and enchanting as the first book in the trilogy, The Bear and the Nightingale.
   
2. Tana French, Faithful Place -- Gritty procedurals aren't usually my thing, but this book is an excellent psychological study that really gutted me.
   
3. Elizabeth Daly, Unexpected Night -- I love a Golden Age mystery, and this one is both well written and cleverly plotted. Looking forward to reading more in the series!
   
4. Eva Ibbotson, The Star of Kazan -- I can't say enough good things about Ibbotson, and this book is utterly charming!
   
5. Lucy Parker, Making Up -- Lucy Parker has quickly become an auto-buy author for me. If you like contemporary romance with plenty of banter, definitely give her books a try!
   
6. Dorothy L. Sayers, Have His Carcase -- I didn't love the mystery in this book, but the development of the relationship between Peter and Harriet makes it all worth it!
   
7. Mary Balogh, Someone to Love -- I'm so glad I discovered this author, since I'm always on the lookout for a good Regency romance!
   
8. Naomi Novik, Spinning Silver -- My favorite book of the year, hands down!
   
9. Aline, Countess of Romanones, The Spy Wore Red -- If you enjoy vintage spy movies, you'll love this!
   
10. Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer, Agnes and the Hitman -- Part farce, part gangster movie, part romantic comedy, and tons of fun!
    

At first, I was discouraged by my total for the year, which is probably my all-time low. But I've also had a very busy year, and 69 books is still more than one book per week! When I think about it that way, I'm at peace with my reading year. :) And I discovered some great new authors, which is always a good thing!

So now it's on to a new year and a new challenge. My 2019 thread is here -- please stop by and visit! Happy New Year to you all! :)

>83 christina_reads:
Love this book description -- real life meets spying in The Spy Wore Red!

Happy new year and all the best to you and yours!

>105 pammab: Thank you! And yes, I'm amazed that all Aline's exploits in The Spy Wore Red were based on true events!