MickyFine's 2019 Reading Quest, Second Adventure

I'm Micky, 32, newlywed, librarian and general reading nerd. I'm a collections librarian for the public library system in Edmonton and as a result I read a solid chunk of non-fiction as I select it for work every day. The rest of my reading is a wide mix of genres but there's usually a healthy dose of romance, fantasy, YA, and historical fiction in the mix. This year, in an effort to whittle down my to be read list (referred to as The List) I'm attempting to read 150 books this year. In addition to books, I'm likely to discuss life events (sometimes featuring Mr. Fine), whatever I'm watching on TV, and our cats, Smee & Ash. Posters and lurkers alike are welcome.

January
1. Pirate Women: The Princesses, Prostitutes, and Privateers Who Ruled the Seven Seas - Laura Sook Duncombe
2. Vision in White - Nora Roberts
3. My Lady's Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel - Kitty Curan & Larissa Zageris
4. The Burning Page - Genevieve Cogman
5. The Governess Game - Tessa Dare
6. Renegades - Marissa Meyer
7. The Tea Dragon Society - Katie O'Neill
8. How to Fracture a Fairy Tale - Jane Yolen
9. Lumberjanes: Parents' Day! - Shannon Watters & Kat Lehy
10. Cocaine Blues - Kerry Greenwood
11. The Card Catalog: Books, Cards, and Literary Treasures - Library of Congress
12. The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster - Scott Wilbanks
13. Due or Die - Jenn McKinlay
14. We Should All Be Feminists - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
15. Regency Buck - Georgette Heyer
16. Her Every Wish - Courtney Milan
Favourite read(s):


February
17. The Undateable - Sarah Title
18. A Rogue of Her Own - Grace Burrowes
19. Four to Score - Janet Evanovich
20. Paris by the Book - Liam Callanan
21. A Week to Be Wicked - Tessa Dare
22. The Story Girl - L.M. Montgomery
23. Mockingbird: I Can Explain - Chelsea Cain
24. Mockingbird: My Feminist Agenda - Chelsea Cain
25. Happy Go Money - Melissa Leong
26. Giant Days, Vol. 1 - John W. Allison & Whitney Cogar
27. Consumed - J.R. Ward
Favourite read(s):


March
28. The Loving Cup - Winston Graham
29. Rainshadow Road - Lisa Kleypas
30. Archenemies - Marissa Meyer
31. Giant Days, vol. 2 - John Allison
32. Do You Want to Start a Scandal - Tessa Dare
33. The Blue Castle - L.M. Montgomery
34. Circle - Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen
35. The Lost Plot - Genevieve Cogman
36. I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom - Greg Oppenheimer
37. The Golden Road - L.M. Montgomery
38. Tempest - Beverly Jenkins
39. How to Give Your Cat a Bath in Five Easy Steps - Nicola Winstanley
40. The Lost Detective: Becoming Dashiell Hammett - Nathan Ward
Favourite read(s):

April
41. Bed of Roses - Nora Roberts
42. First Earl I See Tonight - Anna Bennett
43. 4:50 From Paddington - Agatha Christie
44. The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London - Christopher Skaife
45. The Little Brooklyn Bakery - Julie Caplin
46. Switch and Bait - Ricki Schultz
47. One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter - Scaachi Koul
48. Maisie Dobbs - Jacqueline Winspear
49. When the Irish Invaded Canada - Christopher Klein
Favourite(s):


May
50. As You Like It - William Shakespeare (re-read)
51. The Library Book - Susan Orlean
52. Amazing Spider-Man: Edge of Spider-Verse - David Hine et. al.
53. Keepers of the Record: The History of the Hudson's Bay Company Archives - Deidre Simmons
54. Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince - V.E. Schwab
55. Venetia - Georgette Heyer
56. Spider-Verse - Dan Slott et. al.
57. Spider-Gwen: Most Wanted? - Jason Latour
58. High Five - Janet Evanovich
59. It's All a Game - Tristan Donovan
60. Teetotaled - Maia Chance
61. Jane of Lantern Hill - L.M. Montgomery
62. Big Stone Gap - Adriana Trigiani
63. Spider-Gwen: Greater Power - Jason Latour
64. Three Men in a Boat, To Say Nothing of the Dog - Jerome K. Jerome
Favourite(s):


June
65. Unseemly Science - Rod Duncan
66. The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side - Agatha Christie
67. Chaotic Good - Whitney Gardner
68. Without a Summer - Mary Robinette Kowal
69. Spider-Women - Dennis Hopeless
70. Everything, Everything - Nicola Yoon
71. Dragonshadow - Elle Katharine White
72. Lumberjanes: Time After Crime - Shannon Watters et. al.
73. Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold - Stephen Fry
74. Spider-Gwen: Weapon of Choice - Jason Latour
Favourite(s):

My rating system:

/ = Ran screaming in the other direction (aka did not finish)
* = Suffered through it for reasons I'm still not sure of
** = Had far more flaws than virtues
*** = A read I don't regret but could use some improvement
**** = A good, solid read that I might revisit
***** = Loved it beyond reason and will probably re-read in short order

Happy new thread!

Happy new one, Micky!

Looking forward to plenty of BB's on your new thread, Micky!

Happy new thread!

Happy new one!

Happy new thread!

Happy New thread Micky!

Thank you Jim, Katie, Rachel, Leah, Figs, Foggi, and Steve for the new thread well wishes!

Book 41



Bed of Roses - Nora Roberts

Emmaline Grant has always firmly believed in love and romance and her job as the florist for Vows, a wedding planning company she co-owns with her three best friends, has always reinforced those beliefs. But when Emmaline begins to have more than friendly feelings for long-time friend Jack, whose never settled into a serious relationship in his life, both of them must consider whether risking their friendship as they know it is worth indulging their new attraction.

Second in a series, I enjoyed hanging out in the adept narrative hands of Nora Roberts. All of the characters are well fleshed out and she does an excellent job of highlighting the realities of being a wedding florist. The final conflict did feel a bit blown out of proportion by all sides but otherwise the novel was super solid and enjoyable. I look forward to picking up the remaining books in the quartet and spending more time with all of these characters.

Rating: ***

Happy new thread!!

Happy new thread, Micky!

Happy new thread, Micky.

Thank you Natalie, Anita, and Paul for the additional thread well wishes.

Happy new thread, Micky!

>17 AMQS: Thanks, Anne!

Book 42



First Earl I See Tonight - Anna Bennett

Fiona Hartley has never been a typical debutante and when she receives a blackmail note that requires immediate access to her dowry, Fiona flouts all the rules and writes a proposal letter to the Earl of Ravenport. Having been recently jilted, Ravenport has no interest in another engagement and invites Fiona and her small circle to his crumbling estate to scare her off. Instead, the proximity has Ravenport reconsidering and Fiona considering that what she proposed as a marriage of convenience might just be a love match after all.

A very cute romance, Anna Bennett establishes strong characters with believable back stories. While the blackmail storyline was a bit predictable and the final conflict suffered from the common romance issue of characters just not communicating and making problems worse but I found the book compelling enough I walked home from the train while reading at the same time to finish the last chunk of the novel. I'll definitely be trying the rest of the series and exploring Bennett's other works.

Rating: ***

Happy New Thread, Micky!

>20 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe.

Book 43



4:50 From Paddington - Agatha Christie

When Mrs. Elspeth McGillicuddy takes the train from London to Brackhampton, her train briefly runs alongside another train going in the same direction and witnesses a murder. But when no body is found either on the train or on the tracks, everyone presumes that she must have imagined it. Everyone, of course, but Mrs. McGillicuddy's dear friend, Miss Jane Marple.

I really enjoyed this Miss Marple mystery. The character names are fabulous (seriously, Elspeth McGillicuddy is perfection as a name), the mystery is well-crafted, the red herrings expertly placed, and each of the characters fantastically well-drawn. I enjoyed the element of Miss Marple using a younger woman as her eyes and legs on the scene, particularly as Lucy Eyelesbarrow is a lovely character to spend time with. Definitely recommended.

Rating: ****

>22 MickyFine: Ooh, that's one of my favourite Christies! Lucy is such a great character. I'd have loved to see more of her in other novels, but alas.
I didn't care for the film version of 4.50 - they changed too much and not for the better.

Happy new thread!

Happy New Thread! I loved the Agatha Christie mysteries when I was young and my grandparents had a basement full of her books. I still enjoy reading them now.

>22 MickyFine: I think that was the first Marple, I read, Micky and I still remember enjoying it immensely.

Have a lovely weekend.

Happy new thread, Micky. I love a good Christie novel, especially the Miss Marple ones and 4.50 from Paddington is a really good one. Maybe I should revisit it soon.

>23 PawsforThought: It's definitely a gooder, Paws. :)

>24 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle!

>25 vancouverdeb: They're reliably enjoyable for sure, Deb.

>26 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. It's an excellent choice for a first Marple.

>27 Familyhistorian: It's enjoyable and I'm lucky (?) that when it comes to mysteries, even if I've read it before I'm unlikely to remember who actually did it so given a couple years' space, I can re-read Christie and enjoy the mystery all over again. :)

Book 44



The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London - Christopher Skaife

This is an utterly charming memoir from the current Ravenmaster at the Tower of London, whose primary duty is to care for the resident ravens at the Tower of London. Skaife is an excellent storyteller (you can definitely see his skills giving tours at the Tower at work here) and he weaves together his life experiences with his work at the Tower providing an insight into both Tower and raven lore and history, mixed with some insights into his own life and character. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and highly recommend it if it intrigues you even slightly.

Rating: ****

>29 MickyFine: What a cool job! Also cool that the book does the job justice. Into the Swamp!

>29 MickyFine: Sounds good, added to mount TBR.

>30 swynn: I hope you enjoy it when it re-emerges from the Swamp.

>31 FAMeulstee: Glad to pass out the BBs, Anita.

>29 MickyFine: Now that’s a book I can sink into! Thanks for the concise r view and BB, Micky.

>33 Matke: Happy to oblige, Gail.

Book 45



The Little Brooklyn Bakery - Julie Caplin

When Sophie's long-term boyfriend turns out to have been keeping secrets from her for their entire relationship, she jumps at the chance for a job exchange at the American branch of the magazine she works for as a food writer. Suddenly living in Brooklyn and working in Manhattan, Sophie meets a wonderful circle of friends in the bakery she lives above and finds the opportunity for romance.

A cute British romance that I quite enjoyed although there were constant irritations. The first chapter was very choppy and could have been eliminated without any detriment to the novel. I also couldn't forgive the writer for the many British-isms that came out of American characters mouths (for example, car park, "nip over," and many, many more). I'm not sure if it's a result of this book being published for a British market and the publisher not wanting to confuse their British readers or just lack of research on the author's part, but I found it pretty jarring. Those nitpicks aside, the novel is lovely, the romance is sweet, and the descriptions of various baked goods will have you heading to your nearest bakery. Enjoyable but not so charming that I'll be picking up other novels in the series. YMMV.

Rating: ***

>35 MickyFine: Sounds like your last read and mine had similar problems.

>36 foggidawn: Fact.

>44 MickyFine: Ooh, I've been so tempted by The Ravenmaster when I've seen it recently. I think I passed it over when it was still in hardcover (is it in paperback yet?) but it has been in my mind, and your review was a direct hit! Marina and I saw the ravens at the Tower of London last summer, and I think we'd both love the book - thank you!

>35 MickyFine: I have a similar problem with US writers attempting to use British titles. There exists no such creature as the "Marquis of London." Marquess (though not of London!) is a British title; his wife isn't a Marquess, HE IS, and she's the Marchioness. Thus explaining that rank's rarity in today's world.

>38 AMQS: I don't know if it's in paperback or not, Anne. I borrowed it as an ebook from my library. The author also has a great Instagram feed where he posts pictures of the ravens. I started following it after reading the book and it's a lot of fun.

>39 richardderus: Sigh. Good authors do their homework. That would be painful, RDear.

>40 MickyFine: Ravens on Instagram, you say? *immediately follows*

>29 MickyFine: Definitely adding that one to my reading list, Micky! I'd seen it on the shelf at work, but your review is the first one I've read. Glad you enjoyed it!

Belated happy new thread Micky! >22 MickyFine: That Miss Marple is the high on my Agatha Christie reread list.

>41 PawsforThought: Happy to oblige. :)

>42 aktakukac: Glad to hand out the BB, Rachel.

>43 souloftherose: It's a gooder for sure, Heather.

Book 46



Switch and Bait - Ricki Schultz

Blanche Carter has a pretty decent life. She manages a beloved bookstore in Washington, D.C., close to one of her best friends from college, and lives with one of her great co-workers. She also has a side hustle as an online dating consultant, subbing in for her clients through the awkward online messaging section and helping them snag the right men for them. Which works great right up until one of her clients gets matched with Henry, a man Blanche has a history with full of attraction and bickering. Can she pretend to be her client with Henry? And does she want to actually set him up with someone else or snag him for herself?

I read this romance novel pretty quickly and enjoyed the premise and the depth Schultz gave the supporting characters but I could never quite pin down Blanche. She moves all over the map emotionally and her jaded-ness about romance leaves me questioning how she ever became a such an adept giver of advice in that realm. I also couldn't pin down her age at all, which makes it hard to figure out if it's believable for her to be managing a bookstore that's a thinly disguised Politics & Prose. It was a fun read and there were sections that were genuinely funny but I find the more I think about it critically the less I like it.

Rating: ***

>45 MickyFine: That's one of those ideas that, when first heard, sounds cute; then it hits me: How cruel. What an awful thing to do to someone, and if someone had done it to me, I'd be hurt, humiliated, and FURIOUS.

>46 richardderus: If it makes you feel better, she definitely grapples with the ethics of the situation a couple times in the book.

That's some relief...but somehow the whole idea sticks in my craw. Well, one more book I don't have to worry about bookhorning into the Kindle.

Stopping by with belated Happy New Thread and Happy Easter wishes, Micky!

Onto the wishlist goes The Ravenmaster!

>48 richardderus: Huzzah for an anti-BB?

>49 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. Lovely to see you.

>50 archerygirl: Happy to see that one finding more interested readers.

Abominably behind after a trip to Calgary for the Fan Expo (basically, Comic Con). I've got a few backlogged reviews to add and my April summary to work on, which I might get to today. We'll see.

Book 47



One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter - Scaachi Koul

A collection of essays from a Canadian journalist at Buzzfeed in which she reflects on the experience of being the child of immigrants, finding her way between two cultures, the experience of being brown, and her experiences as a woman. Funny and scathing, Koul is an intriguing voice.

Rating: ****

Book 48



Maisie Dobbs - Jacqueline Winspear

Newly established on her own as a detective, Maisie Dobbs is willing to take on a wide range of cases and thus takes on the case of a husband who believes his wife is being unfaithful. What she finds instead is a larger mystery around an estate who takes in those who have been physically and emotionally scarred by the Great War. As Maisie digs into what is happening at the estate, she will also have to deal with her own trauma from her time in the war.

I am spectacularly late to the Maisie Dobbs party but I'm very glad to join in. I thoroughly enjoyed both the mystery and the writing, which so beautifully crafts the realities of London in the late 1920s as well as the experiences of the troops during WWI. I eagerly look forward to my next adventure with Maisie.

Rating: ****

Book 49



When the Irish Invaded Canada - Christopher Klein

A detailed history of the Fenian Raids, exploring the men who lead the Fenian Brotherhood movement in the US, and the events that led to multiple attempts to invade Canada with the goal of holding it hostage so that Britain would free Ireland.

This particular aspect of Canadian history has always been one of my favourite anecdotes. The hubris of attempting to invade a country as large as Canada with a force as small as what the Fenians assembled is laughable. However, Klein treats his subject with all seriousness and crafts a respectful history of the movement, the men who lead it, and the context in Ireland, the United States, and Canada. A little bit more military history than I expected, I still recommend the work if this particular aspect of history intrigues you.

Rating: ***

Ditched



A Murder in Time - Julie McElwain

This book ended up on the list a few years ago when it was OverDrive Big Read that I didn't have time for but being a sucker for time travel narratives I wanted to try. I made it through maybe a dozen pages before admitting that the writing style was just not my jam.

Rating: /

>52 MickyFine: Cool-sounding collection.

>54 MickyFine: WAY cool historical anecdote underknown in the US.

Happy Hump Day/May Day/Beltane.

April Summary





Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 9 (49)
Books ditched: 1 (6)

Fiction: 6 (40)
Non-fiction: 3 (9)

Library: 8 (41)
Mine: 1 (8)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (0)

Re-reads: 0 (0)

Female authors: 7 (40)
Male authors: 2 (10)

Adult fiction: 6 (27)
YA fiction: 0 (8)
Children's fiction: 0 (5)

Pages: 2,784 (13,944)

Average rating: 3.4 (3.48)

Average time to read book: 3.8 days (3.33 days)

Favourite book(s): Agatha Christie is Queen of Mystery for a reason and thus she gets the prize this month for 4:50 From Paddington.

>56 richardderus: Thank you, kind sir.

>53 MickyFine: I'm glad to see you liked Maisie Dobbs, Micky. I haven't yet joined that party, but I've had my eye on it for a couple of years and will hopefully soon join in. Looks like it'd be just my kind of thing.

I guess I'm surprised you are just now reading Maisie Dobbs, but I'm glad you enjoyed it.

>59 PawsforThought: I think you'd enjoy it.

>60 thornton37814: It was one of those "everyone loves it so I'm going to resist engaging with it" things. But I'm here now. :)

Book 50



As You Like It - William Shakespeare (re-read)

I recently ordered this L.A. Theater Works audio production for work and couldn't resist the temptation of having James Marsters reading Shakespeare in my ears. The production is excellent and while the physical comedy that comes with cross-dressing is obviously missing, the actors do an excellent job of conveying the comedy using just their voices. An excellent way to revisit the Bard.

Rating: ****

Book 51



The Library Book - Susan Orlean

In theory a book about the fire in 1986 at the Central Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library. In execution it seems more like a loosely connected non-fiction narrative about the fire, the history of the LA public library, and the future of libraries in general. While there are some good sections in this book and there are sections where you can see Orlean's skills as a writer, there are also sections that I can see driving other readers away. For me her quirk of exhaustively listing things (every possible animal and contraption used for mobile libraries across the globe for example) was irritating. If you come to the book for the true crime component about the fire, you're likely to be disappointed as it gets relatively little page count in comparison with the history component. As a librarian, I found some of the internal workings of the current LAPL interesting from a professional standpoint but I'm not sure how compelling the average reader might find all of those details. And the last few chapters on the future of libraries overall had me rolling my eyes a lot but that again might be the result of working in the field as this is a frequent topic of discussion in the professional literature and her discussion of it is not nearly as insightful or in-depth as other writing I've been exposed to. A decent read but not one I'd really recommend.

Rating: ***

Book 52



Amazing Spider-Man: Edge of Spider-Verse - David Hine et. al.

The set up for the Spider-Verse event introduces several different versions of Spidey in various alternate universes including Spider-Man Noir, Spider-Gwen, and SP/DR.

Picked this up because after seeing Into the Spiderverse (so good!), I wanted to explore Spider-Gwen a little more. It's fun to see the variants in the back story for the various Spider-people between each other and between this source material and the film. Even if most of these comics are just laying the pipe for the Spider-Verse event, there's some interesting things going on and I quite enjoyed it.

Rating: ***

>53 MickyFine: I thought the Maisie Dobbs series had a lot of promise, but I kind of dropped it after the third book. I felt like the author hadn't quite decided where she was going with the character, but I've always meant to revisit the series. Thanks for reminding me not to forget about her!

>63 MickyFine: I was utterly underwhelmed as well. Very annoyed about it, too. Such a great story! Aaannnd...well, that didn't stink, was about as enthusiastic as I could get.

>65 laytonwoman3rd: You're very welcome, Linda.

>66 richardderus: That is a completely fair reaction, Richard. Seems like it's more often the mediocre ones that become the runaway bestsellers. Of course, Reese Witherspoon helped it along too. *sigh*

>67 MickyFine: They don't challenge anyone's limits, so they appeal to the majority. Bland always works. Like Chi-Chi's "Mexican" food.

Book 53



Keepers of the Record: The History of the Hudson's Bay Company Archives - Deidre Simmons

Definitely more on the dry academic history side, this one was interesting but I definitely stalled on it and read other books for a few weeks. There is a smattering of HBC history in here but the focus is the archives so there's more history of goings on at the London Office rather than that of the forts and fur trading posts in Canada. If you've got a strong interest in records management and archives, this might be intriguing. There's also some good bits for those interested in North American history and the influence of the HBC but those readers might be better served by prudent skimming.

Rating: ***

>69 MickyFine: ...on balance, I think not...I'll seek out an executive summary. I wonder, has anyone done the same for the East India Company's archive?

Book 54



Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince - V.E. Schwab

This graphic novel prequel series to Schwab's Shades of Magic trilogy follows Maxim Maresh when he's still a prince and banished by his father from the court to the port city of Varose. Here the forbidden magics flourish and the threat of the powerful Pirate Queen frightens the locals far more than the edicts of the royals.

I adored the Shades of Magic trilogy and found the graphic format less compelling for this narrative. While I am intrigued enough to keep reading, I miss Schwab's world building and also found it difficult to puzzle out what kinds of magic were being used in the various fight sequences as it's harder to determine in the visual format. That said, how magic is represented in the artwork is beautiful. Definitely not a starting point for the Shades of Magic universe and interested readers should definitely start with the books rather than the graphic novel series.

Rating: ***

>71 MickyFine: Hmm. I loved the Shades of Magic series, but I think I'll pass on the graphic novels, at least for now.

>70 richardderus: Not that I can discover but while trying to answer that question, I discovered that the National Archives website (where the EIC archives are hosted online) is gorgeous! So thanks for sending me down that rabbit hole, Richard.

>72 foggidawn: Fair enough. The second collected volume is due out in October and I'll be giving it a try for sure. So you can just read vicariously through me. ;)

>73 MickyFine: Heh. #sorrynotsorry

I checked out archives.gov for the US National Archives...can't say it's gorgeous, but very intuitive.

>64 MickyFine: I also loved the Spiderverse film and have been wondering where to jump in with the comics - sounds like a good starting place.

I had been debating giving The Library Book a chance but I think I'm going to pass after all.

>75 souloftherose: I am about halfway through the massive Spider-Verse collection and I'm not going to lie, it is a wee bit intimidating (both size and storyline wise). I am enjoying it though.

>76 ChelleBearss: It's a fair choice, Chelle. Many other books out there. :)

Book 55



Venetia - Georgette Heyer

Venetia Lanyon is an orphaned eldest daughter who has spent most of her twenty-five years living a small and isolated life in a small community in Yorkshire. With only her younger brother, Aubrey, for company, Venetia's life is not as adventure-filled as she'd like and her two local suitors are more irritating than in anyway suitable to her personality. However, when her notorious rake neighbour, Lord Damerel arrives at his country estate he turns her quiet country life upside down.

An utter delight from start to finish, this is an excellent example of Heyer at her writing peak. The characters are fantastically well-drawn and while I was briefly concerned at Damerel's introduction that I was going to have to deal with an obnoxious alpha male, his character very quickly reveals far more depths. Venetia is bright, funny, and genuine and remains a delight throughout even in the midst of all the craziness that comes from her various family members and her two ridiculous suitors. An excellent point for sampling if you've never tried Heyer's Regency romances.

Rating: ****

I'm champing at the bit to get Faro's Daughter from the library. The transit time is unusually long...because I'm eager for it, of course it is. *martyred sigh*

>78 MickyFine: Oooh, that sounds quite interesting. Almost like an Austen.

>79 richardderus: A watched hold never arrives, Richard. You should know that by now. ;)

>80 PawsforThought: Georgette Heyer's Regency novels will definitely appeal to you if you're an Austen fan. It scratches that itch for me at least.

>81 MickyFine: Great! I'll check if any of my local libraries have them.

Venetia is one of my favorites of hers, Micky. I'm glad you had such a good time with it. I just finished Faro's Daughter and enjoyed it.

>82 PawsforThought: Good luck!

>83 jnwelch: I ended up getting this copy from my SiL who loves Heyer but was finding she wasn't re-reading it enough to want to keep it on her shelves. I'll be going back to my publication order attack now for reading my way through Heyer's bibliography for the Regency titles.

Book 56



Spider-Verse - Dan Slott et al

A family of immortal creatures are hunting down and killing Spider-Man (and Spider-Woman and Spider-Ham and... you get the idea) across the multiverse. As several of the Spider-Men unite and realize what is happening they begin to recruit Spider-people everywhere in an effort to save themselves and the larger universe.

Ambitious with some fascinating side stories, I have to admit that I found the central story arc for this one a little underwhelming (but that might be the side result of having seen Into the Spiderverse first which is so tightly crafted). It also could be slightly the fault of how this collected volume is set up with the first half of this chunky book focused on the main Spider-Verse plot line, while the various side plot lines that weave in and out are all collected in the second half. I definitely found the side-plots more interesting as this was where we got to explore characters and their familiar but new origins. I particularly enjoyed the Steampunk-ish Lady Spider, Silk, and Spider-UK who came for interesting worlds of their own. An interesting read if you're a hard-core Spider-Man fan but not a must-read for me as I mostly picked it up for Spider-Gwen back story (of which there is very little).

Rating: ***

Book 57



Spider-Gwen: Most Wanted? - Jason Latour

In the wake of the events of Spider-Verse, Gwen is back in her own universe and grappling with her responsibilities to her Dad, her recent falling out with her band mates in the Mary Janes, and her efforts to get the city to recognize Spider-Woman as a hero and not a villain.

A solid intro to Gwen and her universe, it's fun to see characters from the larger Marvel universe appear in this series with different characterizations. The artwork is also well-done (especially the gorgeous covers) and I'm looking forward to seeing where the series goes. Also, the appearance of Spider-Ham had me giggling frequently.

Rating: ***

>81 MickyFine: I'm here to say that when you're right, you're right: The hold arrived today. I spent it writing my 5-star reviews of two poetry collections. One of which, The Art of Dying, is CanLit via McGill-Queen's University Press that I'd guess y'all's system might add...?

>87 richardderus: Impressive. Poetry is a weird bag and since it doesn't circulate hugely, what I select for the collection is largely driven by titles that are well-reviewed in the professional literature and customer suggestions. But I'll keep that title in mind.

>87 richardderus: "I spent it writing my 5-star reviews of two poetry collections." Richard!!! Someone has hi-jacked your account and is posting under your name!

>89 laytonwoman3rd: *chuckle* No, really: https://tinyurl.com/yyyzbxbv

>90 richardderus: BOTH accounts have been hijacked!! (I'm on to you scammers.)

Book 58



High Five - Janet Evanovich

When Stephanie's Uncle Fred goes missing, the family asks her to look into it and since there's a dearth of bounties for Stephanie to bring in, she agrees. What she finds is that the disappearance of a harmless old man is possibly rolled up in something much bigger and scarier than anyone could have imagined.

Another solid entry in the Stephanie Plum mysteries with Stephanie continuing to get into scrapes only she could, flirting with very good looking men, and spending lots of time with her crazy family. Grandma Mazur is in fine form in this one and so many of her lines had me cracking up, I gave the book an extra star just for her. A bit of a sneaky cliffhanger in this one on the relationship front for Stephanie that will definitely have me picking up the next in the series.

Rating: ****

Weirdness happening with posting today.

Stop making me want to rewatch things!!

>94 norabelle414: Ha! Enablers gotta enable.

Taking advantage of a rain-soaked Victoria Day Monday to visit some threads.

>78 MickyFine: - I so need to do a Georgette Heyer binge read. Wonderful review of one of the books I am pretty sure I haven't read, yet.

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead, Mickey.

>96 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. It was a sunny long weekend here but quite windy as well so I didn't spend as much time outside as you'd expect. I definitely encourage the Heyer binge. She's always a delight.

Book 59



It's All a Game - Tristan Donovan

A fun niche history of various popular board games as well as how trends in culture influenced their development (and vice versa). Donovan's writing is smooth and easy reading and there's plenty to enjoy here whether you're super into table top games or if you just have fond memories from childhood. My only problem was some weird copy editing things; the chapter on Clue misuses "gentile" twice in a context where it should have been either "gentle" or "genteel". Other than that small issue, I highly recommend the book if it tickles your fancy at all.

Rating: ****

>98 MickyFine: Oh, that sounds like an interesting book. I was just thinking today that I ought to get myself some more board games (but it might be helpful if I had more people to *play* board games with, too.

>98 MickyFine: That sounds very interesting! We like board games a lot (though I'm a little less into the super complicated ones than my boyfriend) -- we're going on our annual Memorial Day camping trip next weekend and typically what happens is we just play games with friends the whole time. Always a fun way to spend a few days off the grid!

>98 MickyFine: What a terrific idea for a gift book! No one'd buy it for themselves but would for their gaming friends. And then read it sneakily before gifting it....

>99 PawsforThought: Board games are always a lot of fun. And there are an increasing number where there are single person variations.

>100 curioussquared: Sounds like a great way to spend a long weekend, Natalie.

>101 richardderus: You are a very wise man, RDear. :D

Book 60



Teetotaled - Maia Chance

Lola Woodby is barely scraping by in her new business, the Discreet Retrieval Agency, with her former Swedish cook, Berta. When they're asked by one of Lola's mother's friends to retrieve the diary of her daughter, Grace Whiddle, who is currently staying at a health farm they have no choice but to accept. But while attempting to retrieve the diary at the farm, another one of the guests is murdered and Lola and Berta find themselves suddenly embroiled in another murder investigation.

Just as charming as the first entry in this Roaring Twenties cozy mystery series, Lola's deductive skills continue to amaze while she manages to muss up endless dresses and shoes, consume a bit more chocolate than entirely wise, and try and figure out exactly the state of her relationship with private detective Ralph Oliver. And of course Berta is on fine form as always. Recommended if you enjoyed the first in the series.

>103 MickyFine: - On the list! The first was so much fun.

>103 MickyFine: After Katie the Fiend warbled her lungs out about the first one, I put in a library request for it...and checked today, the book is in the system but my request was never filled. Hmph. So thanks to your goodness and perspicacity (unlike Katie's gleeful sadism in warbling another series) I've got the library system scrambling to make it happen at last. With some *very* red faces. This request is very very old!

>105 richardderus: - I can *hear* you!

>104 katiekrug: Yay! Happy to put the series back on your radar. :)

>105 richardderus: Glad to hear your library is hopping to it and making you sure you get to meet Lola and Berta.

>106 katiekrug: Oh. Hello. Cruel cruel persons have ears, who knew. *grumble*

>107 MickyFine: Every system has failures, but it's been over a year!

>103 MickyFine: That sounds like a really fun book series - a bit Phryne Fisher-esque? - but OMG, is the cook's name Berta? That is not a good name in Swedish. Urgh, no.

>109 PawsforThought: Mmm, Lola isn't as glam as Phryne and she's decidedly the wrong body type for the heights of 1920s fashion. She's also a little more bumbling in her mystery solving, which leads to more comedic moments. So similar mostly just in time period. I'm not sure Lola will scratch the itch if you've run out of Miss Fisher mysteries but I highly enjoy both.

>110 MickyFine: I haven't even started reading the Miss Fisher books yet (only watched the TV show - multiple times) so I'm good for now. But Lola still sounds good. I'll keep her in mind for the future.

Book 61



Jane of Lantern Hill - L.M. Montgomery

Eleven-year-old Jane Stuart has had a rather gloomy childhood growing up with her beloved but distant mother and her cruel grandmother in her grandmother's massive and grim house on Gay Street in Toronto. Shortly after learning that her father isn't dead but only estranged from her mother, Jane receives an invitation to spend the summer with him on Prince Edward Island. While Jane desperately doesn't want to leave her mother, when she arrives in PEI she discovers how different her life can be and she begins to dream of a life where can be Jane of Lantern Hill all year round.

While there's nothing earth-shattering or surprising in this simple tale, I absolutely adored it from start to finish. Montgomery's prose is as evocative as ever, beautifully conjuring the experiences of living in the country on PEI. While Jane reads a bit old for her age and some of her skills come a bit easy, it's also rewarding to see her grow as a person. Utterly charming, Jane has now taken second place after Anne Shirley as my favourite of Montgomery's creations.

Rating: *****

>112 MickyFine: - I do love the covers of the republished Montgomery books!

>112 MickyFine: That’s one of my favorites, too!

>113 lkernagh: I've collected all of them that have been released so far and I regularly check on the Tundra website to see if there's more coming. :)

>114 foggidawn: Well you have excellent taste so I'd expect nothing less. ;)

Book 62



Big Stone Gap - Adriana Trigiani

It's the late 1970s in the small Virginia coal-town of Big Stone Gap and Ave Maria Mulligan, the self-declared spinster of town, is convinced that during her 35th year big and positive changes are coming for her. And while change does come, it doesn't seem all that positive to begin with.

This one ended up on The List after I read Dear Fahrenheit 451 and while I can see the appeal of the book and get why the librarian author recommends it, I also can declare that it's not really my kind of book. I was initially worried it was going to be too Southern cutesie for me and while it moved away from that, I didn't find the town all that charming. I cared enough about the characters and the plot to read the entire first book but I don't feel compelled to read the rest of the series. YMMV.

Rating: ***

Catching up: disappointed to hear the the Orlean book was a bit of a disappointment, especially from a professional perspective. I'm still going to get around to it, though. I hadn't yet heard about It's All a Game, though, so thanks for calling that one to my attention!

>116 MickyFine: One of the funny things about Dear Fahrenheit 451 is that I enjoyed it so much but the author and I do not have the same taste in books at all

>117 swynn: I think that's a fair approach, Steve. I've had colleagues who loved the book and I've had others who didn't even finish it. Maybe it will work better for you. And happy to be of service with the board game book. :)

>118 norabelle414: I'm finding exactly the same thing. I added a handful of books she recommended to The List and of the ones I've got to so far two were ditched and this one I didn't like that much.

>116 MickyFine:, >118 norabelle414: I've been wondering about that, too. I listened to Dear Fahrenheit 451 but ended up requesting a print copy so I could frantically write down all of the titles she recommended. I absolutely loved Just Kids as she did, and enjoyed Meryl Streep's narration of Heartburn, but other titles haven't grabbed me, or reading the description, I haven't been inspired to pick up the books. I think I might have Big Stone Gap in my ancient pile somewhere... no hurry to look for it:)

OK Micky, super dangerous around here, though your thread usually is, and when I fall behind it's not so much a BB but heavy book shelling. You got me with >98 MickyFine: It's All a Game, >112 MickyFine: Jane of Lantern Hill, and >78 MickyFine: Venetia, which I think I started last year on audio but stopped because I wasn't in school and couldn't consistently listen to audios since I wasn't in the car alone so much. Also MISSED a hit with >63 MickyFine: The Library Book. Fascinated to learn about the Irish invasion of Canada from >54 MickyFine:. I had never even heard that. I actually remember learning very little about Canada while in school, and then being fascinated when visiting Montreal and Quebec City with my family.

>120 AMQS: Happy to add to your summer reading list, Anne. :)

Book 63



Spider-Gwen: Greater Power - Jason Latour

Gwen grapples with her baggage around Peter Parker's death when a Lizard 2.0 arrives on the scene. Meanwhile, her father must make his own choices between knowing what his career asks of him and what his daughter needs from him.

I'm really enjoying this series. Gwen is a fascinating character, it's delightful to see an alternate universe spin on major Marvel characters (Captain America is an African-American woman! Matt Murdock is evil!), and the larger superhero universe remains intriguing.

Rating: ****

Book 64



Three Men in a Boat, To Say Nothing of the Dog - Jerome K. Jerome

The classic tale of three young men who decide to take a respite from their lives and spend two weeks rowing up the river Thames.

I knew this was a comic novel but I wasn't quite prepared for just how often this book would have me laughing out loud. The many asides our narrator gives on his previous boating experiences, the locales that surround him, and the adventures that he and his two friends as well as his dog get up to had me giggling loudly both at home and in public. Probably best read if you've had some other experience with Victorian literature but highly recommended if you haven't picked this one up already.

Rating: ****

>123 MickyFine: Ooh, it's that funny, is it? I picked Three Men in a Boat up years ago but for some reason never read more than a chapter (I think it was right when I was moving from a different town and back here, so not an ideal time to pick up a book). I can't remember anything about it but always felt bad that I didn't read any more. Might be time to pick it up again.

>123 MickyFine: That is quite the cover!

I highly recommend reading the sequel. Three Men on the Bummel is about the guys getting back together about 10 years later to go on a bike trip and slowly realizing that they are not so young anymore. It was very hilarious in a 30-something way. (but sadly no dog)

May Summary





Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 15 (64)
Books ditched: 0 (6)

Fiction: 11 (51)
Non-fiction: 4 (13)

Library: 12 (53)
Mine: 3 (11)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (0)

Re-reads: 1 (1)

Female authors: 8 (48)
Male authors: 7 (17)

Adult fiction: 6 (38)
YA fiction: 4 (12)
Children's fiction: 1 (6)

Pages: 3,960 (17,904)

Average rating: 3.6 (3.54)

Average time to read book: 3.1 days (3.22 days)

Favourite book(s): So charming it earned a full five stars, the prize must go to Jane of Lantern Hill.

>124 PawsforThought: Yup. Mr. Fine was a teensy bit annoyed by how often it had me laughing out loud.

>125 norabelle414: I know. Not the normal Penguin classic design but I liked it. I have duly added the sequel to The List. Somehow, having read nearly the magic number of books for the year, The List hasn't shrunk at all. I'm now sitting at 162 books on it. Sigh.

>127 MickyFine: Ugh it's like new books keep getting published or something. So rude!

>128 norabelle414: Very rude! And the series I read never start sucking so I'm just perpetually reading one book in the series and then adding the next to The List. It's Sisyphean is what it is. ;)

I loved Three Men in a Boat too. But "Mr. Fine was a teensy bit annoyed " gave me the shudders...3 1/2 years into retirement, "Mr. Fine" still conjures up images of my former boss, as that was (is) his name as well!

>130 laytonwoman3rd: If it helps Linda, Fine isn't actually our name. :D

Hi Micky, happy reading this week! I'm saddened by the loss of Say Nothing, but those bankster-like librarians insisted they get it back because some goofball wanted to read it and I'd had my two weeks. It's book-usury, I tell you! Down with...

...oh...um

Yeah, well now, I'll see you later!

>131 MickyFine: *whew* I think it does help, actually, although I really wasn't holding it against you!

I saw your review in >98 MickyFine: and put it on my mental list. I had some extra hours on the desk last week, and when I was checking the book return, saw It's All a Game in there...so I had to check it out, because that seemed like a sign to me! No telling when I will actually get to it though. I also have Jane of Lantern Hill on my night stand. I ordered a replacement copy for work and want to read it while it's still nice and new and clean.

>132 richardderus: *gives stern librarian face* Mmhmm. You just make sure you stay on the right side of the due date line. ;)

>133 laytonwoman3rd: Glad to hear it. :)

>134 aktakukac: I hope you enjoy both of those, Rachel!

Book 65



Unseemly Science - Rod Duncan

In this second book in the trilogy, Elizabeth Barnabus must evade the authorities as the Republic and the Kingdom work on a treaty that could force Elizabeth to return home where she'd be forced to be an indentured servant to a lecherous duke. Meanwhile, her best friend has gotten herself involved in a local charitable organization of women who are working to resolve a conflict between ice workers and the manufacturers. However, as Elizabeth begins to help in the investigation, they discover there is far more at risk than ice.

This second book in the trilogy continues the steampunk-ish mystery and adventure and while it had been over a year since I'd read the first book, I was able to jump back into the series with few issues (the glossary in the back of the book was pretty helpful for refreshing my memory on some details though). The mystery is well crafted, Elizabeth is a compelling character even though I felt like we didn't get as much of her emotional reactions to things as I think would have made her understandable. I'll definitely be finishing off the trilogy.

Rating: ****

>136 MickyFine: Oooh, I've not heard of this series of books before. Sounds interesting. I'm definitely going to read more about them.

Book 66



The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side - Agatha Christie

Miss Marple is slightly alarmed by all the changes in her beloved St. Mary Mead with new Development on the edge of the village. She's also irritated with herself for some of the limitations her age has brought into her life. However, her mind remains as sharp as ever and when one of the new residents of the village dies suddenly at a fete hosted by some Hollywood people at the local large estate, Miss Marple can't help but try and determine why the murder happened.

It's delightful to return to St. Mary Mead in this entry in the series, to get a sense that time has passed in Miss Marple's world, and to see a well-drawn depiction of the challenges of an aging body not quite being able to keep up with the keen mind within. As always, the mystery is well-drawn and while I picked out bits of the clues that I thought would matter, I didn't quite manage to put the mystery together before Miss Marple's final reveal. Recommended as ever.

Rating: ****

>136 MickyFine: I'm so pleased you like Rod's books! The second trilogy is delightful, as well, but has a different setting. Makes the world fleshier.

>138 MickyFine: I liked that story as well. It was so poignant.

>138 MickyFine: Oh, that's an excellent Christie. If I remember correctly, the TV film/episode (with Joanna Lumley as Marina Gregg) was also good.

>139 richardderus: I'll have to try it then, since I find the alternate universe he's created pretty interesting. As for Christie, she rarely disappoints, and it's lovely to see her crafting a real world that changes with the times.

>140 PawsforThought: Good to know, Paws. I've watched some TV adaptations of Marple mysteries but I think I'll have to track down some others when I finish reading them all. I have to say, of the versions of Miss Marple I've seen, I prefer Geraldine McEwans' performance.

>141 MickyFine: Me too. I think she's really good in the role, and looks much closer to how I imagine Marple in my head than the other women who've portrayed her.

>142 PawsforThought: My thoughts exactly.

Book 67



Chaotic Good - Whitney Gardner

Cameron Birch isn't wild about her family's move to Eugene, Oregon right before her final year of high school. It doesn't help that right before she moved, she and her friends won a costume contest at a con that ended up bringing a lot of internet vitriol down on Cameron for not knowing much about the fandom she made the costumes for. Even with all the online hate coming at her, Cameron is still determined to get her portfolio put together for her application for college with the ultimate career goal of being a costume designer. However, to get the reference material she needs for her work, she has to go to the local comic book shop which is full of obnoxious dude bros. Cut to Cameron deciding to dress up as a boy to avoid the hate, being invited to join a D&D group, and finally finding a great group of friends. But will revealing herself as a girl ruin everything?

This YA novel is so good. It gets so many things right about being a girl in nerd culture, particularly the often antagonistic circles of comic fans and D&D players. Gardner crafts Cameron so beautifully. She is by no means a perfect person but her flaws are compelling and the reader can't help but root for her, even as she digs herself in deeper. The D&D game play is so well done (and gorgeously illustrated by comics panels done by Gardner) and the descriptions of Cameron's sewing sessions are also beautiful. My only quibble is that both Cameron and her twin brother Cooper read as a bit older than they're supposed to be. That issue aside, this is a fantastic read.

Rating: ****

>144 MickyFine: Whelp. That's a BB.

>144 MickyFine: That was one of my top ten favorites last year! So glad you enjoyed it. I devoured it in a single day.

>136 MickyFine: Hm, you're making me want to go back and reread The Bullet Catcher's Daughter to read the rest of the series.

>138 MickyFine: I've only read a few Agatha Christie and no Miss Marple. This seems like one I may enjoy more if I was already familiar with the character though.

Hope you're having a good weekend!

>144 MickyFine: Yup, adding that one to the list.

>145 lycomayflower: Yay! I hope you like it.

>146 curioussquared: Awesome. I sped through it in my spare time in two days. :)

>147 bell7: I wasn't sure how well I'd do dipping back into the Duncan trilogy given that it was so long since I'd read the first but I actually did ok. As for my most recent Miss Marple read, you'd definitely need to read A Murder at the Vicarage and The Body in the Library first to really appreciated this one. But there are several other Miss Marple mysteries that you can definitely read as a one off.

>148 scaifea: Wow. I gave a BB to Amber. I feel accomplished. :)

>149 MickyFine: *snork!*

Book 68



Without a Summer - Mary Robinette Kowal

Jane and her husband, Vincent, are back in England and now that they've recovered from their encounter with Napoleon's army, both of them are eager to get back to their work as glamourists. When they're offered a job in London, they jump at it and agree to bring along Jane's younger sister, Melody, who is eager to find a suitor who appreciates her for more than her beauty. Of course, upon arriving in London they find themselves embroiled in political protest as many of the citizens are blaming coldmongers for the unseasonably cold summer and Vincent's distant father suddenly seems interested in the couple with unknown aims.

The third in Kowal's Glamourist Histories series and it continues to be an enjoyable mash up of Regency historical fiction with light fantasy. Initially the plot of this one seemed pretty straight forward but Kowal managed to squeeze in a twist I wasn't expecting. At this point, I'm fond enough of these characters I'll read any entry in the series even if it isn't quite as strong as the first.

Rating: ***

>151 MickyFine: I read that book (after reading the first two, of course), but stopped at that point. I keep meaning to read the rest of the series, but I just don't feel any urgency about it. I enjoyed the ones I read, but...

>151 MickyFine: If it helps, I think this one was my least favorite of the series, but I do think a lot of the draw of the books is just the strength of the characters.

>152 foggidawn: Well, if I get to the next book before you do, hopefully it'll motivate you to get back to the series.

>153 curioussquared: Absolutely, Natalie. I have every intention of completing the series for sure but like most series I read, it'll be at the whims of shuffling The List and not because I desperately want to read the next and am seeking it out immediately. That latter doesn't happen much these days.

>151 MickyFine: I adore the idea much more than I long to read the books. I mean, fantasy trappings aren't my Thing, but Regency fiction is; the two together? Awesomesauce. I keep in check my hopes of finding another reading experience like Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell or The Ladies of Grace Adieu.

>155 richardderus: I think that's fair. I quite enjoy the series and as the friend who recommended the series to me, it's nice to see books in which a married couple continues to have a life and adventures after the wedding, especially in this time period. But I'm not quite sure it would be your jam.

Book 69



Spider-Women - Dennis Hopeless

When Spider-Woman, Silk, and Gwen are all trapped in Gwen's universe by unknown individuals, the three women must team up. In the process, each of them will learn more about themselves.

A pretty fun side arc, I enjoyed a comic that so effortlessly aced the Bechdel test. The story itself is solid and as ever, I enjoyed the variants an alternate universe provides. There's also an interesting development for Gwen's character that should provide some interesting stories going forward. However, be warned the art in the first issue of this collected volume is AWFUL. After that issue, it goes back to the excellent quality I've been used to in pursuing this part of the Marvel universe.

Rating: ***

Book 70



Everything, Everything - Nicola Yoon

Madeline Whittier has spent her entire life inside her house with her Mom who is a doctor and her nurse, Carla. Madeline has been diagnosed with SCID, often known as the bubble syndrome. She's allergic to everything. Stepping outside could quite possibly kill her. But when a new family moves in next door, Madeline begins to get to know Olly and now she's wondering whether her life inside is really worth living at all.

A compelling and fast read that I enjoyed, even though I saw the ending coming from quite early on. The writing is well done and Yoon captures the tone of teenagers quite well. The illustrations by Yoon's husband are also very charming. A quick, enjoyable read.

Rating: ***

>158 MickyFine: I enjoyed this one, too. If you haven't read Yoon's other book, The Sun Is Also a Star, I recommend it -- I think I liked it even more than this one.

>103 MickyFine: You reminded me of the Lola Woodby series, Mickey. I now have the next book (the third in the series) on hold at the library.

Look at you go! Almost to 75 already :)

>159 curioussquared: I read the blurb for it after I finished Everything, Everything and it didn't strike my fancy at the moment but I'm glad you enjoyed it.

>160 Familyhistorian: Happy to be of service, Meg.

>161 ChelleBearss: Yup. If I stay at this pace, reaching my goal of 150 for this year should actually happen. Yay!

Book 71



Dragonshadow - Elle Katharine White

In this sequel, Aliza and Daired's honeymoon is interrupted when Daired receives a request for aid from one of the northernmost kingdoms in the realm. An unknown creature is killing Idar and stealing their heartstones. As Aliza and Daired find their way in their marriage, they must also unravel the mystery that points to a much larger battle ahead.

The first novel in this series was a Pride and Prejudice retelling so I was surprised to discover the author had written a sequel. However, I'm very pleased she did as this is a very well-written fantasy novel that stands on its own without an Austen narrative to rely on. Aliza and Daired continue to grow here and it's interesting and lovely to see another novel who doesn't treat marriage as the end of the plot but rather the beginning. The fantasy world-building is solid, the central mystery of the novel is well-done, and the looming sense of threat from the larger conflict to come is well-established. I look forward to the release of the next book in the series.

Rating: ****

Book 72



Lumberjanes: Time After Crime - Shannon Watters et. al.

Jo finishes her device to detect time anomalies at camp but when Molly hears a voice in the woods with suggestions on how to improve the device, the changes she makes causes time to act even weirder. Can the Lumberjanes fix it before the anomalies cause the campers irrevocable damage?

Another great entry in this series. I'm always game for timey-wimey plots and this one was great. Plus I'm just happy to spend any time with the Lumberjanes. Devoured this on my train ride to work. Highly recommended as ever.

Rating: ****

I'm glad for you that Lumberjanes's timey-wimey plot wasn't wibbly-wobbly.

I enjoyed Everything, Everything, too, Micky, and join the recommendation of her The Sun Is Also a Star if you haven't read it yet.

>165 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. *smooch*

>166 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe.

Ditched



Always a Bridesmaid for Hire - Jen Glantz

Ditched at almost the halfway point because the book failed to deliver on what I thought the major point of the book was. At the halfway point, Glantz had only discussed one wedding she'd been in as a bridesmaid for hire and the details there were fairly light. Instead the focus is mostly on the author and her personal life and that's fine, but it's not what I came to the book for. Also, there were some weird tense choices in several sections (several chapters are written in the present tense) and other stylistic choices that turned me off the writing. YMMV.

Rating: /

Huh...I'm always flummoxed when books don't deliver on their titles. Sorry it wasn't what it appeared to be, as the cover/title does sound pretty intriguing. Only...some of the chapters in the present tense?

>169 bell7: Yup. The entire chapter where she recounts her post-graduation meltdown about what she was going to do with her life is in the present tense and it's weird. Also, the chapter where she recounts her first live tv appearance after her Craigslist ad went viral is in present tense and most of it is in italics as she's doing an internal monologue around the discussion with the reporter, which makes it an unpleasant reading experience.

To counterbalance the previous less than ideal reading experiences, I've dived into Stephen Fry's Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold which is just as delightful as I'd hoped. Favourite bits so far include the following:

"During the course of the ten-year Titanomachy, apocalyptic as it was, Zeus always found time to fulfil his desires. Perhaps he saw it as discharging his duty to populate the earth. It is certainly the case that Zeus liked to discharge."

"Poseidon spent almost all his time pursuing a perfectly exhausting quantity of beautiful girls and boys and fathering by the girls an even greater number of monsters, demigods and human heroes - Percy Jackson and Theseus to name but two."

>171 MickyFine: Ahahahaha! Love the Percy Jackson reference. Maybe I will have to read that.

>171 MickyFine: Ha! How I love Stephen Fry. He is droll and witty and always delivers on his promises.

Unlike Other Book Writers we could name, but won't because no.

>170 MickyFine: How utterly bizarre. I would be annoyed too.

>171 MickyFine: Glad your next read is more enjoyable!

>172 foggidawn: It's a fun one.

>173 richardderus: Stephen Fry is just utterly lovely.

>174 bell7: Thanks, Mary.

>171 MickyFine: Mythos sounds great! I've got it requested at my library, who are still pondering whether or not to buy it...

Karen O.

>176 klobrien2: Crossing my fingers they fill your request, Karen. :)

Oh, Mythos sounds as great as I hoped it would be. I’ve been continuously tempted to buy it for the past I-don’t-even-know-how-many months, because for some reason it’s at the top of BookDepository’s poetry page. So every time I go there to look for poetry I’m reminded of it. I guess I’ll crack one of these days.

>178 PawsforThought: You should. I'm seriously considering adding a copy to my collection, I enjoyed it that much.

Book 73



Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold - Stephen Fry

Stephen Fry's retelling of the Greek myths is exactly as brilliant and funny as you'd expect. Even if the myths are familiar, there's a pleasure in encountering Fry's own take. There's also plenty of footnotes filled with plenty of word nerdery and funny asides. This may rival Edith Hamilton's Mythology as my favourite recounting of these myths. Highly recommended.

Rating: *****

Book 74



Spider-Gwen: Weapon of Choice - Jason Latour

As Gwen grapples with whether to let go of her spider powers, she must also face down threats to herself, her secret identity, and her Dad.

The twist at the end of this volume is super interesting and I'm fascinated to see where things go for Gwen from here.

Rating: ***

>180 MickyFine: ...and the TBR approaches singularity...

>182 richardderus: Happy to be of service. :)

I can't honestly say it's a surprise that Fry landed on the over-overstuffed TBR since he's hilariously funny, witty, and downright irresistible. (Not that I try too terribly hard to resist, if I'm honest.) Why deny myself the pleasure of such an erudite cicerone through the stories of yore?

>184 richardderus: I should warn you that it's a really a two-for-one BB as he wrote a follow up book recounting the myths of Greek heroes, aptly titled Heroes.

June Summary





Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 10 (74)
Books ditched: 1 (7)

Fiction: 9 (60)
Non-fiction: 1 (14)

Library: 10 (63)
Mine: 0 (11)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (0)

Re-reads: 0 (1)

Female authors: 6 (54)
Male authors: 4 (21)

Adult fiction: 4 (42)
YA fiction: 5 (17)
Children's fiction: 0 (6)

Pages: 2,872 (20,776)

Average rating: 3.7 (3.62)

Average time to read book: 2.8 days (3.01 days)

Favourite book(s): Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold was really fantastic. Do yourself a favour and dip into it sometime.

And with that, it's time for a new thread! Follow the link below.