Christina reads by Hogwarts houses in 2020, part 2

{Ron Weasley describing Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets}

Hello, and welcome to part 2 of my 2020 category challenge! I've loosely themed my challenge around Harry Potter, so I'm working on four very broad categories, each associated with a different Hogwarts house. My original goal was to read 100 books, but now I'm wondering if I can get to 125, or maybe even 150...still, I'll stick with 100 for now, and anything more will be a bonus! :) Thanks for stopping by, and happy reading!

Slytherin: Books I own (before January 1, 2020) but haven't read yet.
Slytherin is the most ambitious house, and one of my great ambitions is to decrease my TBR pile!

1. Kate Milford, Greenglass House (3/3/19)
2. Mary Balogh, Only Enchanting (10/5/19)
3. Katherine Arden, The Winter of the Witch (1/15/19)
4. Georgette Heyer, Detection Unlimited (10/30/12)
5. Becca Wilhite, Check Me Out (6/14/19)
6. Lauren Graham, Talking as Fast as I Can (12/19/17)
7. Kate Morton, The Forgotten Garden (4/8/11)
8. Bria Quinlan, It's in His Kiss (10/4/18)
9. Bria Quinlan, The Last Single Girl (7/9/19)
10. Helen MacInnes, Assignment in Brittany (4/6/19)
11. Diana Wynne Jones, The Lives of Christopher Chant (9/20/15)
12. Martha Wells, The Death of the Necromancer (11/29/09)
13. Sandhya Menon, When Dimple Met Rishi (2/8/18)
14. Caroline Preston, The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt (5/6/14)
15. Anthony Berkeley, Not to Be Taken (5/31/18)
16. Louise Penny, Still Life (8/26/19)
17. Mary Balogh, Dark Angel (6/9/19)
18. Mary Balogh, Lord Carew's Bride (6/9/19)
19. Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White, The Glass Ocean (12/6/18)
20. Deborah Crombie, A Share in Death (4/29/17)
21. Rachel Bach, Fortune's Pawn (12/27/13)
22. Robin Stevens, Murder Is Bad Manners (5/24/17)
23. Juliet Marillier, The Well of Shades (4/28/13)
24. Stephanie Burgis, Masks and Shadows (11/17/17)
25. Kent Haruf, Our Souls at Night (4/6/18)

***

26. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy (12/25/17)
27. Anthony Berkeley, The Piccadilly Murder (4/6/18)
28. Zen Cho, The True Queen (3/13/19)
29. Patrick Quentin, A Puzzle for Fools (4/27/19)
30. Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow (10/12/18)
31. P.D. James, Talking about Detective Fiction (10/12/14)
32. Nancy Campbell Allen, Beauty and the Clockwork Beast (7/25/18)
33. Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go (4/29/17)
34. Kate Quinn, The Alice Network (9/2/18)
35. Dorothy L. Sayers, The Nine Tailors (10/22/11)
36. Jackie Lau, One Bed for Christmas (12/30/19)
37. Sherry Thomas, A Conspiracy in Belgravia (10/26/19)
38. Mary Balogh, Slightly Dangerous (9/10/18)
39. Tracy Kiely, Murder at Longbourn (10/6/18)
40. Cecilia Grant, A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong (3/14/19)

Ravenclaw: Rereads.
Intelligent Ravenclaws know that true wisdom comes with reflection and that an old favorite can always inspire new knowledge.

1. Martha Wells, The Element of Fire
2. Georgette Heyer, Black Sheep
3. Jennifer Crusie, Bet Me
4. Kristan Higgins, On Second Thought
5. Diana Wynne Jones, Charmed Life
6. Kasie West, P.S. I Like You
7. Josephine Tey, Brat Farrar
8. Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study
9. Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study
10. Maria V. Snyder, Fire Study
11. L.M. Montgomery, Pat of Silver Bush
12. L.M. Montgomery, Mistress Pat
13. Kristan Higgins, Just One of the Guys
14. Robin McKinley, Beauty
15. Patricia C. Wrede, Mairelon the Magician
16. Patricia C. Wrede, The Magician's Ward
17. Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles
18. Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle
19. Polly Shulman, Enthusiasm
20. Agatha Christie, Death on the Nile
21. Sally Gardner, The Red Necklace
22. Eva Ibbotson, A Company of Swans
23. Georgette Heyer, The Grand Sophy
24. Elizabeth Marie Pope, The Sherwood Ring
25. Zen Cho, Sorcerer to the Crown

***

26. Dorothy L. Sayers, Murder Must Advertise
27. Megan Whalen Turner, The Thief
28. Sally Thorne, The Hating Game
29. Lindsey Kelk, The Single Girl's To-Do List
30. Megan Whalen Turner, The Queen of Attolia
31. Dorothy L. Sayers, Gaudy Night
32. Juliet Marillier, Heart's Blood
33. Louisa May Alcott, An Old-Fashioned Girl
34. Georgette Heyer, Friday's Child

Gryffindor: Books I buy, borrow, or otherwise acquire in 2020.
Gryffindors love to bravely (or foolishly) rush into dangerous situations -- in this case, the danger to my overflowing bookshelves!

1. Kate Clayborn, Love Lettering
2. Rachel Winters, Would Like to Meet
3. Jenny Colgan, Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend
4. Mimi Matthews, A Modest Independence
5. Loretta Chase, Isabella
6. Julia Quinn, First Comes Scandal
7. Rosamund Hodge, Crimson Bound
8. Ngaio Marsh, The Nursing Home Murder
9. Andrea Penrose, Murder on Black Swan Lane
10. Cindi Madsen, Just One of the Groomsmen
11. Jessie Mihalik, Chaos Reigning
12. Mhairi McFarlane, If I Never Met You
13. Mary Balogh, Slightly Married
14. Sarah Title, The Undateable
15. Susanna Kearsley, A Desperate Fortune
16. Natalie Jenner, The Jane Austen Society
17. Mary Balogh, Slightly Wicked
18. Beth Brower, The Q
19. Loretta Chase, The English Witch
20. Chanel Cleeton, Next Year in Havana
21. Kate Stayman-London, One to Watch
22. Rachel Bach, Honor's Knight
23. Mary Balogh, Slightly Scandalous
24. Beth O'Leary, The Switch
25. Amanda Sellet, By the Book

***

26. Elizabeth Daly, Deadly Nightshade
27. Lia Louis, Dear Emmie Blue
28. Evie Dunmore, A Rogue of One's Own
29. Mimi Matthews, The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter
30. Teri Bailey Black, Chasing Starlight
31. Mary Balogh, Slightly Tempted
32. Staci Hart, Wasted Words
33. Jen DeLuca, Well Played
34. Jane Ashford, The Bargain
35. Mary Balogh, Slightly Sinful
36. Naomi Novik, A Deadly Education
37. Connie Willis, Take a Look at the Five and Ten
38. Kate Clayborn, Missing Christmas
39. Jean Merrill, The Girl from the Diadem
40. Jenny Bayliss, The Twelve Dates of Christmas
41. Olivia Atwater, Half a Soul

Hufflepuff: Books read for BingoDOG.
All dogs are Hufflepuffs. :)

1. Laura Wood, Under a Dancing Star (title contains 3+ consecutive letters of "Bingo": DancING)
2. Sheri Cobb South, In Milady's Chamber (red cover, or red is prominent on cover)
3. Alan Rusbridger, Play It Again: An Amateur against the Impossible (by a journalist or about journalism: author was then the editor of the Guardian)
4. Meagan Spooner, Sherwood (mythology or folklore: retelling of Robin Hood)
5. Nicholas Blake, A Question of Proof (pen name or anonymous author: author's real name is Cecil Day-Lewis)
6. Joyce Dennys, Henrietta's War: News from the Home Front 1939-1942 (epistolary or letters)
7. Mimi Matthews, The Matrimonial Advertisement (small press or self-published: Perfectly Proper Press)
8. Katherine Reay, The Austen Escape (proper name in the title)
9. Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera, The Awakening of Miss Prim (female author not from the US or UK: author is from Spain)
10. Anne Bogel, I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life (book about books, bookstores, or libraries)
11. Lucy Parker, Headliners (published in 2020: pub date 1/20/20)
12. Cynthia Felice and Connie Willis, Water Witch (not set on Earth: set on a desert planet called Mahali)
13. Sherry Thomas, A Study in Scarlet Women (LT author)
14. Craig Rice, Home Sweet Homicide (Legacy Library: Edna St. Vincent Millay, Astrid Lindgren, Carl Sandburg)
15. Tessa Dare, Do You Want to Start a Scandal (read a CAT: February RandomCAT, published in a leap year (2016))
16. Richard John Neuhaus, Death on a Friday Afternoon: Meditations on the Last Words of Jesus from the Cross (involves a real historical event: the crucifixion of Jesus)
17. Patricia Wentworth, Grey Mask (mystery or true crime)
18. Karen Cushman, The Midwife's Apprentice (book about birth or death: protagonist assists at several births)
19. Jodi Taylor, Just One Damned Thing after Another ("library" or "thing" in the title)
20. Philip Pullman, The Ruby in the Smoke (published in my birth year: 1985)
21. T.S. Eliot, The Sacred Wood and Major Early Essays (published in 1820 or 1920: "The Sacred Wood" was originally published in 1920)
22. Alice Tilton, Cold Steal (title contains a pun: steel/steal)
23. A.M. Stuart, Singapore Sapphire (set in Asia: Singapore)
24. Sally Gardner, The Silver Blade (periodic table element in the title: silver)
25. Catherynne M. Valente, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (weird title)

CATs
All cats are Slytherins. :) As in previous years, I'll participate in these (or not) as the mood strikes me. Some good topics this year!

January
RandomCAT (book that is challenging for you):
GeoCAT (Asia I):
NonfictionCAT (journalism and news): Alan Rusbridger, Play It Again: An Amateur against the Impossible
AlphaKIT (A, U): Laura Wood, Under a Dancing Star; Alan Rusbridger, Play It Again: An Amateur against the Impossible
SFFKIT (book you meant to read last year):
MysteryKIT (historical): Sheri Cobb South, In Milady's Chamber

February
RandomCAT (published in a leap year): Sherry Thomas, A Study in Scarlet Women; Craig Rice, Home Sweet Homicide; Tessa Dare, Do You Want to Start a Scandal
GeoCAT (Europe excluding UK): Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera, The Awakening of Miss Prim
NonfictionCAT (travel):
AlphaKIT (F, B): Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera, The Awakening of Miss Prim; Anne Bogel, I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life; Cynthia Felice and Connie Willis, Water Witch
SFFKIT (transformation):
MysteryKIT (furry sleuths):

March
RandomCAT (season in the title): Katherine Arden, The Winter of the Witch
GeoCAT (Middle East and North Africa):
NonfictionCAT (biography): Lauren Graham, Talking as Fast as I Can
AlphaKIT (G, C): Richard John Neuhaus, Death on a Friday Afternoon: Meditations on the Last Words of Jesus from the Cross; Patricia Wentworth, Grey Mask; Georgette Heyer, Detection Unlimited; Karen Cushman, The Midwife's Apprentice; Becca Wilhite, Check Me Out; Lauren Graham, Talking as Fast as I Can
SFFKIT (series): Katherine Arden, The Winter of the Witch
MysteryKIT (Golden Age): Patricia Wentworth, Grey Mask; Georgette Heyer, Detection Unlimited

April
RandomCAT (showers and flowers): Kate Morton, The Forgotten Garden
GeoCAT (Australia and Oceania): Kate Morton, The Forgotten Garden
NonfictionCAT (law and order):
AlphaKIT (S, T): Bria Quinlan, The Last Single Girl; Jodi Taylor, Just One Damned Thing after Another; Sandhya Menon, When Dimple Met Rishi; Caroline Preston, The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt; Anthony Berkeley, Not to Be Taken; Julia Quinn, First Comes Scandal
SFFKIT (time travel): Jodi Taylor, Just One Damned Thing after Another
MysteryKIT (espionage): Helen MacInnes, Assignment in Brittany

May
RandomCAT (believe in your shelf): T.S. Eliot, The Sacred Wood and Major Early Essays
GeoCAT (any place you’d like to visit): Louise Penny, Still Life
NonfictionCAT (science):
AlphaKIT (L, P): Louise Penny, Still Life; Philip Pullman, The Ruby in the Smoke; Mary Balogh, Lord Carew's Bride
SFFKIT (sentient things):
MysteryKIT (novel to screen): Louise Penny, Still Life

June
*RandomCAT (take to the sea!): Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White, The Glass Ocean
GeoCAT (space): Jessie Mihalik, Chaos Reigning; Rachel Bach, Fortune's Pawn
NonfictionCAT (society):
AlphaKIT (K, Y): Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White, The Glass Ocean; Mhairi McFarlane, If I Never Met You; Susanna Kearsley, A Desperate Fortune
SFFKIT (aliens): Rachel Bach, Fortune's Pawn
MysteryKIT (police procedural/private investigator): Deborah Crombie, A Share in Death

July
RandomCAT (picture this!):
GeoCAT (Latin America and the Caribbean): Chanel Cleeton, Next Year in Havana
NonfictionCAT (human science):
AlphaKIT (J, R): Natalie Jenner, The Jane Austen Society; Robin Stevens, Murder Is Bad Manners
SFFKIT (space opera):
MysteryKIT (cross-genre/mashup): Robin Stevens, Murder Is Bad Manners

August
RandomCAT (get your groove on): Stephanie Burgis, Masks and Shadows
GeoCAT (Asia II - South and East Asia): A.M. Stuart, Singapore Sapphire
NonfictionCAT (history):
AlphaKIT (O, H): Rachel Bach, Honor's Knight; Kent Haruf, Our Souls at Night; Beth O'Leary, The Switch
SFFKIT (female author): Stephanie Burgis, Masks and Shadows; Rachel Bach, Honor's Knight; Sally Gardner, The Silver Blade
MysteryKIT (international author): A.M. Stuart, Singapore Sapphire

September
RandomCAT (recommendations): Anthony Berkeley, The Piccadilly Murder
GeoCAT (polar and tundra):
NonfictionCAT (religion and philosophy): Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy
AlphaKIT (M, E): Anthony Berkeley, The Piccadilly Murder; Catherynne M. Valente, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making; Elizabeth Daly, Deadly Nightshade; Lia Louis, Dear Emmie Blue
SFFKIT (international): Zen Cho, The True Queen
*MysteryKIT (series): Elizabeth Daly, Deadly Nightshade

October
RandomCAT (healthcare heroes): Patrick Quentin, A Puzzle for Fools
GeoCAT (US, UK, Canada): Evie Dunmore, A Rogue of One's Own; Patrick Quentin, A Puzzle for Fools; Mimi Matthews, The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter; Teri Bailey Black, Chasing Starlight; Mary Balogh, Slightly Tempted; Staci Hart, Wasted Words; Jen DeLuca, Well Played; Nancy Campbell Allen, Beauty and the Clockwork Beast
NonfictionCAT (the arts): P.D. James, Talking about Detective Fiction
AlphaKIT (D, V): Evie Dunmore, A Rogue of One's Own; Mimi Matthews, The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter; Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow; P.D. James, Talking about Detective Fiction; Jen DeLuca, Well Played
SFFKIT (classics): Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow
MysteryKIT (new-to-you author): Patrick Quentin, A Puzzle for Fools; Teri Bailey Black, Chasing Starlight

November
RandomCAT (lest we forget): Kate Quinn, The Alice Network
GeoCAT (sub-Saharan Africa):
NonfictionCAT (food, home, recreation):
AlphaKIT (I, Q): Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go; Kate Quinn, The Alice Network
SFFKIT (dystopian): Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go
MysteryKIT (noir/gumshoe):

December
RandomCAT (roll a die > 2 > number in the title): Connie Willis, Take a Look at the Five and Ten; Jenny Bayliss, The Twelve Dates of Christmas; Olivia Atwater, Half a Soul
GeoCAT (catch-up):
NonfictionCAT (adventures by land, sea, or air):
AlphaKIT (W, N): Naomi Novik, A Deadly Education; Connie Willis, Take a Look at the Five and Ten; Cecilia Grant, A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong
SFFKIT (short fiction): Connie Willis, Take a Look at the Five and Ten
MysteryKIT (cozy): Tracy Kiely, Murder at Longbourn

Year-Long
AlphaKIT (X, Z): Zen Cho, The True Queen

* = I'm hosting the thread.

FIRST HALF RECAP

It's been such an odd year that time seems to have lost all meaning, but I guess we're halfway through 2020 now! I've had a surprisingly great reading year, and I'm well on my way to reaching my original challenge goal of 100 books. Here are a few stats I've compiled and compared with previous years:

Books read: 71 (compared with 50 in 2019 and 32 in 2018)

Average books read per month: 11.83 (compared with 8.33 in 2019 and 5.33 in 2018)

Bingo squares completed: 21 (compared with 18 in 2019 and 17 in 2018)

Books acquired: 29 (compared with 43 in 2019 and 39 in 2018) — and I’ve already read 19.5 of them!

Top 10 books of the year so far:

In the order in which I read them...

1. Sheri Cobb South, In Milady’s Chamber — Obviously a Regency mystery with romantic elements is right up my alley, and this one is also light and charming, with likable characters. I’m excited that there are several more books in the series!

2. Kate Clayborn, Love Lettering — I loved this slow-burn contemporary romance, especially the swoonworthy hero and the motif of signs, both figurative and literal.

3. Meagan Spooner, Sherwood — This unique take on the Robin Hood legend took me by surprise! I loved Marian's character and how she grew throughout the book. Also, the romance sneaked up on me but turned out to be an utter delight!

4. Mimi Matthews, The Matrimonial Advertisement — I loved this slightly Gothic Victorian romance between a woman in desperate circumstances and a brooding, mysterious hero.

5. Katherine Arden, The Winter of the Witch — A fitting conclusion to a stunning fantasy trilogy set in the world of Russian folklore.

6. Helen MacInnes, Assignment in Brittany — A well-written and suspenseful spy novel set in occupied France during World War II.

7. Philip Pullman, The Ruby in the Smoke — Just a cracking good Victorian adventure story that's left me eager to read the sequels!

8. Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White, The Glass Ocean — Romance and intrigue on the Lusitania! Despite the ship's sinking, the book is ultimately hopeful and uplifting.

9. Mhairi McFarlane, If I Never Met You — A lovely contemporary romance that makes excellent use of the "fake relationship" trope. I just cared about the characters so much and thought they worked beautifully together!

10. Susanna Kearsley, A Desperate Fortune — Codebreaking + Jacobites + romance = everything I want in a historical novel! Despite being underwhelmed by some of Kearsley's other books, I really loved this one!

Ooh you're doing really well on reading the books you acquire! :D Happy new thread!

>9 rabbitprincess: Thank you! I do feel proud of that...normally I hoard books for YEARS before reading them!

Happy new thread! My compliments on your Bingo Card, you're almost done!

>11 MissWatson: Thanks! Just have to finish up those last few pesky squares...

I'm glad you liked the Helen MacInnes. I worked in the public library when I was in high school about 45 years ago and she was one of the few women writing espionage then. Well, maybe I should say one of the few getting published!

Recently I had an experience that threw me. One of my friends, who isn't a big reader but does read a few popular mystery writers like Lee Child and Harlan Coben, said to me "You read women writers don't you?" in a condescending voice. She's the same friend who asked me if I was sorry I didn't have anyone picking out books for me like her husband does for her. Clearly we live on different planets.

>13 clue: I really did like the MacInnes and hope to track down some more of her books. Also, as someone who reads almost exclusively female writers, I definitely share your shock at your friend's statement! Although it's nice to get good recommendations, I like picking out my own books, thanks very much!

>13 clue: Wow. I'd say that remark comes from a completely different star system.

Happy new thread, Christina!

>16 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori!

Book #61: Andrea Penrose, Murder on Black Swan Lane
CATs: none - I read this in June
Bingo: none

All London society knows about the animosity between the scientifically minded Lord Wrexham and the Reverend Josiah Holworthy. Cartoonist A.J. Quill has even been selling pointed satirical sketches about their feud. So when Holworthy is murdered, Wrexham is the number-one suspect. To clear his name, he hunts down A.J. Quill and discovers that “he” is actually Charlotte Sloane, a poor widow using her artistic talents to earn a meager living. They team up to solve the murder and are soon plunged into a sinister plot involving alchemy. I love a good Regency mystery, so I had high hopes for this book, but I ended up being a little disappointed. It’s not bad, per se, but nothing about it stood out to me, and I doubt I’ll continue with the series.

Book #62: Cindi Madsen, Just One of the Groomsmen
CATs: none - I read this in June
Bingo: none

This is a cute friends-to-lovers romance set in the small town of Uncertainty, Alabama. Addie Murphy has always been “one of the guys” — literally, because all her best friends since childhood are male. But one of them, Tucker Crawford, has just moved back to town after a few years away, and he’s starting to see Addie differently. The feeling is mutual, but both Tucker and Addie are hesitant to act on their attraction, fearing that they’ll ruin their friendship, irrevocably change the friend group, and become the talk of their small and gossipy town. This book was fun and lighthearted, and I liked that the obstacle to the romance was realistic yet simple. It felt like the book equivalent of one of the better Hallmark movies. I’d definitely consider reading more by this author.

Book #63: Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White, The Glass Ocean
CATs: Random (take to the sea! = "ocean" in the title, setting is the last voyage of the Lusitania); Alpha (K = Karen) - I read this in June
Bingo: none

This historical novel focuses on three characters whose destinies are intertwined as they all sail from America to England on the Lusitania's final voyage. Caroline Hochstetter is a rich Southern belle torn between her husband, a business-preoccupied industrialist, and her longtime friend Robert Langford. Robert is also aboard the ship, pursuing both Caroline and secret knowledge to aid the British -- or is it the Germans? And Tessa Fairweather is a con artist hoping to pull off one last job, but she soon learns that the stakes are higher than she realized. There's also a contemporary framework narrative involving one of Robert's descendants and an author hoping to use the story for a book. I really enjoyed this novel, especially the historical parts. What's not to love about romance and intrigue aboard ship? Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction!

Book #64: Deborah Crombie, A Share in Death
CATs: Mystery (police procedural/private detective = protagonist is a Scotland Yard detective) - I read this in June
Bingo: none

I discovered something about myself while reading this book: I don’t generally enjoy contemporary mysteries! I love the Golden Age writers such as Agatha Christie, with their puzzle plots and limited selection of suspects. I like their orderliness and clarity, whereas more modern mysteries seem to embrace ambiguity and loose ends. That said, I really enjoyed this particular contemporary mystery; though it was written and set in the ‘90s, it feels very much like a Golden Age throwback, in which a hotel employee is murdered, and the killer must be one of the guests or other employees of the hotel. My one quibble is that protagonist Duncan Kincaid seems to spark a mutual romantic interest with every woman he meets — but I believe a particular love interest will emerge in future books. I’m looking forward to continuing with the series!

>18 christina_reads: - Oh dear, I have the first two books on my ereader (I believe they were either free or discounted purchases) so, I am disheartened that the story did not meet your expectations. I so love the cover art and was hoping for an atmospheric Regency read. Oh well, you said it not bad so I will probably get around to reading it, at some point.

>22 lkernagh: Now I'm worrying I might have been too hard on the book! I think it was a perfectly fine read; it just didn't grab me. But I hope you like it more than I did!

>21 christina_reads: I agree on the "Golden Age" quality this series has. I've read through the third, Leave the Grave Green and thus far I think they get better and more Golden Age-y as they go along.

>24 casvelyn: That's great to hear!

>6 christina_reads: You are doing well on your BINGO card. I think I have 4 remaining squares. It may be 5, but I'm getting there.

>26 thornton37814: Thanks! I don't think I've ever gotten this far on the Bingo with half the year still to go. :) Sounds like you won't have a problem covering your card either!

Book #65: Jessie Mihalik, Chaos Reigning
CATs: Geo (space = book is set partially on a spaceship and a non-Earth planet) - I read this in June
Bingo: none

The final book in the Consortium Rebellion trilogy focuses on Cat, the youngest daughter of House von Hasenberg. Her persona is that of a ditzy space princess, but in fact she uses her social capital to gain valuable information for her House. When she’s invited to a house party that is also a prime intelligence-gathering opportunity, her sister Bianca forces her to take two bodyguards — one of whom, Alex, is far too attractive for Cat’s peace of mind. The house party brings unexpected dangers and eventually culminates in news of an open rebellion against the Consortium. I thought this was a fine conclusion to the series, although I enjoyed the first half of the book more than the second. The house party intrigue was a lot more interesting to me than the straightforward space-battle stuff at the end. Overall, I’d recommend this series to people who enjoy action-filled sci-fi romance.

Book #66: Mhairi McFarlane, If I Never Met You
CATs: Alpha (Y = You) - I read this in June
Bingo: none

For women’s fiction with depth, you can’t beat Mhairi McFarlane! I’ve loved several of her books, but this one may be my new favorite. Laurie is a successful lawyer in a prestigious firm, and she’s been in a loving relationship with her boyfriend Dan for more than a decade. So when Dan dumps her out of the blue, she’s completely blindsided; and to make matters worse, he works at the same firm, which means there will be gossip. Meanwhile, Jamie Carter is the office playboy, but he desperately wants to be taken seriously so that he can make partner. He proposes a fake relationship to Laurie: his “commitment” will show the bosses that he’s a responsible adult, while Laurie will avoid the pity of her coworkers and possibly even make Dan realize his mistake. I love a fake relationship, and moreover I just really loved these characters. They’re very different, but they’re able to find common ground as they build a friendship through mutual respect. Highly recommended if you enjoy this genre!

Book #67: Mary Balogh, Slightly Married
CATs: none - I read this in June
Bingo: none

I picked up Balogh’s Slightly Dangerous some time ago because I’d seen many people praise it as their favorite Balogh novel and compare it to Pride and Prejudice. So I obviously had to add it to my TBR pile immediately! But then I was advised to read the entire six-book Bedwyn series — of which Slightly Dangerous is the last book, naturally — so that I could get a complete picture of the hero and his relationship with his family. So I caved and started with the first book, Slightly Married, which is a marriage-of-convenience story. The hero, Aidan Bedwyn, is a military officer who promises a dying soldier that he’ll take care of his sister no matter what. As it happens, the sister, Eve, is about to be forced out of her home unless she marries quickly, so Aidan proposes. I love a good uptight, duty-bound hero, and Aidan is a great example. The more open-hearted and empathetic Eve is a great match for him. I liked this book a lot and will continue to read the series in order.

>30 christina_reads: Book Bullet! I've picked up the first one, Slightly Married and have placed the rest on my wishlist. I'm always ready for a good romance escape read!

>31 DeltaQueen50: I hope you enjoy it, Judy! I've always liked love stories, but I think I've been craving even more romance than usual lately!

>31 DeltaQueen50: >32 christina_reads: I took the #BB too! I haven't read a Regency in while and this looks good! :-)

>33 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Yay, hope you enjoy it too! I do love a good Regency romance...for which I blame Jane Austen. :)

Book #68: Rachel Bach, Fortune’s Pawn
CATs: Geo (space), SFF (aliens) - I read this in June
Bingo: none

Devi Morris is a space mercenary whose dream is to join her home planet’s most elite fighting force. In order to gain the necessary qualifications and experience, she signs onto the crew of the Glorious Fool, a spaceship with a reputation of getting into trouble. But Devi has no idea just how much trouble is in store for her. I really enjoyed this book, which is sci-fi with a prominent romantic subplot. It’s not groundbreaking, just a really solid example of this type of story. I’m also very intrigued by the plot developments at the end of the book, so I’m definitely planning to read the rest of the trilogy!

Book #69: Sarah Title, The Undateable
CATs: none - I read this in June
Bingo: none

This is a cute romance focusing on Melissa “Bernie” Bernard, a feminist and somewhat frumpy academic librarian. When her student assistant gets engaged via a flash-mob proposal, Bernie’s disapproving reaction is caught on camera and immediately becomes a viral meme. That meme gets the attention of Colin Rodriguez, who works for an online fashion magazine and is looking for a story that will make his job secure. When they team up to do a story about the Disapproving Librarian going on a series of blind dates, they discover an inconvenient mutual attraction. This is a fun book with a very enjoyable heroine; and while the hero isn’t quite as fleshed out, I like that he comes to appreciate Bernie’s quirkiness. They each grow as they learn to understand the other’s point of view, which is a feature I always like in a romance. Worth reading if you like the premise.

Book #70: Susanna Kearsley, A Desperate Fortune
CATs: Alpha (K = Kearsley) - I read this in June
Bingo: none

I’ve read a few of Kearsley’s books before, and I liked but didn’t love them. Still, I decided to give this one a try because it contains a lot of elements I enjoy: codebreaking, espionage, and Jacobites. And I’m so glad I read it, because I absolutely loved it! Mary Dundas is part of a Jacobite family living in exile in France. She yearns for adventure, and finds it when her brother claims her for a mission to camouflage the identity of a fellow Jacobite who is being hunted by the English. Meanwhile, in the present day, Sara is hired to decrypt Mary’s encoded diary. Both Mary and Sara travel, learn more about themselves and the world, and find romance. I should note that Sara has Asperger syndrome, and I thought this aspect of her character was portrayed well — but I don’t really know much about it, so perhaps someone with more expertise would have a different opinion. Overall, I really loved this book and may have to rethink my stance on Kearsley in general!

Book #71: Robin McKinley, Beauty
CATs: none
Bingo: none

It’s impossible for me to be objective about the Robin McKinley books I fell in love with as a child. So I’ll just say that for me, this is the quintessential Beauty and the Beast retelling, and I still love the thoughtful heroine and the gorgeous prose. I must admit that not a lot happens; the focus is definitely on characters and setting rather than on plot. But I highly recommend this book if you just want to sink into something magical for a day or two.

Book #72: Alice Tilton, Cold Steal
CATs: none
Bingo: title contains a pun

Leonidas Witherall is returning home from a trip around the world, and he’s looking forward to some peace and relaxation. But of course, he’s immediately embroiled in a mystery when he witnesses suspicious activity on a train. Then he is kidnapped by one of his fellow travelers; and when he finally escapes, he discovers the dead body of a local woman in his house! This book, like the previous installments in the series, is pure farce and a lot of fun. But some scenes, where all the characters are talking at cross-purposes and no one is explaining anything, actually stressed me out a bit! The mystery is definitely secondary to the farce; barely any time is spent on actual detection. Still, I enjoy this series and will continue with it at some point. One quick note: I think it would be helpful to read at least book 2, The Cut Direct, before reading this one, as several of the characters are recurring.

Book #73: Natalie Jenner, The Jane Austen Society
CATs: Alpha (J = Jenner, Jane)
Bingo: none

This book, set in 1950s Chawton, is about a group of very different people who are united by their love of Jane Austen and their desire to preserve her legacy. At this time, Chawton is much like any other English village; while some tourists do show up looking for the house where Austen lived, there’s no official effort to preserve her home or other items of historical value. So the self-appointed Jane Austen Society decides to lead this effort. In the meantime, of course, the various society members become entangled in Austen-esque stories of their own. I found this book a pleasant, enjoyable read, but I’m having trouble remembering a lot of the details. It definitely didn’t affect me emotionally in the way that The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society did…perhaps that’s an unfair comparison, but the similar titles and time periods made a connection between the two books in my mind. Overall, though, I did like the book and think it’s a great escapist read for Austen fans!

Book #74: Mary Balogh, Slightly Wicked
CATs: none
Bingo: none

This second book in the Bedwyn series focuses on Judith Law, the daughter of an impoverished clergyman who is destined to live with her aunt as a “poor relation.” But Judith secretly yearns for adventure — and when a chance encounter with the dangerously attractive Rannulf Bedwyn gives her the opportunity to experience a sexual relationship, she takes it. After all, she’s unlikely ever to marry, and this may be her only chance. But when she arrives at her aunt’s home, she is dismayed to learn that Rannulf is in the area visiting his grandmother, and what was meant to be a one-night stand quickly becomes much more complicated. I didn’t enjoy this book as much as other Balogh novels that I’ve read. The premise didn’t do anything for me, and I didn’t particularly connect to Rannulf as a hero; other than his good looks and wealth, I couldn’t see what Judith saw in him. There’s also some cringeworthy dialogue, in the first love scene especially. I still liked the book enough to finish it in two days, but I’m definitely hoping the series improves with subsequent books.

>36 christina_reads: That sounds cute and fun.

>38 christina_reads: I adored that novel when I was a teenager. I'm glad you think it holds up -- I'm wary of revisiting old favorites just in case they aren't a wonderful to me now.

>42 RidgewayGirl: "Cute and fun" is the perfect description for The Undateable! And I honestly think everything by Robin McKinley holds up. :) It's so great when an old favorite is just as good as you remembered!

Book #75: Beth Brower, The Q
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Quincy St. Claire has put her heart and soul into The Q, a popular publication owned by her Great-Uncle Ezekiel. When Ezekiel dies, she expects to inherit The Q, but she soon discovers that there are conditions attached to the inheritance. She must complete 12 undisclosed tasks within a year, or she’ll lose The Q; and she’ll be supervised in these tasks by James Arch, Ezekiel’s solicitor, whom Quincy thoroughly dislikes. This is a self-published novel, and it shows a bit; the plot tends to meander, and there are several intriguing characters on the sidelines whose stories should have been more developed. But I really enjoyed this book nonetheless; it’s part romance, part coming-of-age tale as Quincy learns what’s really important in life. The setting is great, and I’d love to read more books set in this world! I am definitely interested in reading more by Brower.

Book #76: Robin Stevens, Murder Is Bad Manners
CATs: Alpha (R = Robin), Mystery (cross-genre = mystery, historical fiction, middle grade, epistolary)
Bingo: none

In a British boarding school in the 1930s, Hazel Wong stands out for being the only student from Hong Kong. Luckily, she’s best friends with Daisy Wells, a quintessentially English girl whose good looks and pleasant demeanor distract everyone — well, everyone but Hazel — from the fact that she’s also highly intelligent. Daisy and Hazel have formed a secret detective society, but so far their cases have been mundane and easy to solve. That is, until Hazel discovers the body of their science teacher on the floor of the gymnasium! I really enjoyed this book; not only is the mystery surprisingly satisfying for a middle-grade novel, but I also loved Hazel and was fascinated by her relationship with Daisy. They may be best friends, but Hazel is often relegated to the role of sidekick. Fortunately, she starts to realize this and to come into her own more as the book goes on. Overall, I liked this a lot and will definitely plan to continue with the series.

Books #77 and 78: Patricia C. Wrede, Mairelon the Magician and The Magician’s Ward
CATs: none
Bingo: none

I adore Patricia C. Wrede, but it had been a while since I’d read this duology about Kim, a street urchin whose life changes unexpectedly when she meets Mairelon, a bona fide magician who takes her on as his assistant. The first book centers around a collection of magical artifacts that Mairelon is trying to get his hands on before the bad guys do. It’s a very fun romp culminating in a farcical, almost Heyer-esque final confrontation between all the interested parties. The second book isn’t quite as much fun, since it’s split between magical hijinks and Kim’s training in how to behave like a lady. But overall, this is a delightful story, and I’m very glad I decided to reread it!

Book #79: Juliet Marillier, The Well of Shades
CATs: none
Bingo: none

I read the first two books in the Bridei trilogy years ago, and I finally decided to pick up this final installment. It focuses mainly on Faolan, Bridei’s trusted spy and assassin, who is on the road once again on a mission for Bridei. Things quickly go wrong when Faolan meets Eile, a 16-year-old girl who is clearly trapped in an abusive household. Faolan helps Eile and her daughter to escape, then decides they must travel with him so that he can keep them safe. Meanwhile, intrigue surrounds Bridei’s court once again: one of his biggest allies seems to have betrayed him; his trusted adviser, Broichan the druid, has disappeared; and a group of Christian monks is asking to live in Bridei’s lands, threatening their traditional way of life. I’m glad I finally finished this series, especially because Faolan was one of my favorite characters and I wanted to see a happy resolution for him. I really liked the Faolan/Eile chapters, but I found some of the other sections less interesting, especially everything involving Broichan. Still, I enjoyed the book overall, and it’s reminded me how much I like Juliet Marillier in general!

Book #80: Loretta Chase, The English Witch
CATs: none
Bingo: none

This book is the sequel to Isabella, which I read and enjoyed a few months ago, and the villain of that book is now the hero. Basil Trevelyan has been away from England for several years, working for a prosperous merchant and doing the odd job for the British government along the way. Now, at his aunt’s behest, he must rescue the beautiful Alexandra Ashmore, first from peril in Albania and then from an unwanted engagement in England. Though Basil is by nature a womanizer whose first goal is to pursue his own pleasure, he begins to develop genuine feelings for Alexandra. The fun of this book is watching Basil (1) recognize that he is capable of feeling actual love, not just desire, and (2) hilariously fail every time he tries to articulate his feelings. I’d recommend this book (as well as Isabella) to those who enjoy their historical romance on the lighter side, with lots of plot and minimal angst.

Book #81: Chanel Cleeton, Next Year in Havana
CATs: Geo (Latin America/Caribbean = set in Cuba)
Bingo: none

In 1958, Elisa Perez is the daughter of a wealthy Cuban family. Despite unrest throughout the country and popular discontent with Batista’s regime, her life is mostly occupied with suitors and social engagements. But when she falls in love with Pablo, an intense and dedicated revolutionary, Elisa must rethink what it means to be loyal to her country. In the present day, Elisa has just passed away in Miami, and her granddaughter Marisol is returning to Cuba to lay Elisa’s ashes to rest. Marisol is excited to visit her family’s homeland but soon realizes that her Cuban American identity is more complex than she realized. There’s nothing wrong with this book, but it never really grabbed me and took me a long time to finish. I found the historical background about Cuba fascinating — and sadly new to me, since I learned basically nothing about the country in school — but the individual characters and circumstances weren’t compelling. That said, Cleeton wrote a follow-up book featuring Elisa’s sister Beatriz, and I might be curious enough to seek that one out at some point.

Book #82: Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles
CATs: none
Bingo: none

It had been a while since I’d read this novel, which introduces the famous Poirot, and it was a lot of fun to revisit! I love Hastings as a narrator; his well-meaning pomposity and utter cluelessness are hilarious. I did remember the solution to the mystery, but it was still enjoyable to watch Poirot get there. I found myself wondering how Poirot and Hastings actually met; when this book begins, their friendship is already established. But Poirot is old enough to be retired, while Hastings is only 30 (which I was somewhat startled to discover! I’d always pictured him as more middle-aged), so they’re a bit of an odd couple. I also found myself nitpicking one aspect of the plot: Poirot worries about arresting the guilty party too early and invokes the concept of double jeopardy. But I believe that only means you can’t be tried twice for the same crime, not that you can’t be arrested twice. There were a couple jarring phrases that reflect attitudes of the time (an anti-Semitic reference and a use of the N-word). Still, you can’t beat Agatha Christie for an excellent Golden Age mystery plot!

>50 christina_reads: What?! I'm older than Hastings now?! Yikes.

I too picture him as more middle-aged, probably because of Hugh Fraser :)

This is one of my favourites; the death scene still gives me the creeps if I think about it.

>51 rabbitprincess: Haha yes, that was my reaction too! And I agree, it's a very memorable death scene. I prefer it when the murders happen off page.

>49 christina_reads: that book is being pushed by book clubs, etc. Most of the reviews I've read by "regular" people, seem to say what you've said: not compelling.

>53 Tess_W: I'm glad I read it, just because of the unique (to me) setting and the information about Cuba's history. But the actual story and characters are just "meh," at least in my opinion. Not a keeper for me.

Book #83: Diana Wynne Jones, Howl’s Moving Castle
CATs: none
Bingo: none

In the fairy-tale land of Ingary, Sophie Hatter is the eldest of three sisters, so she doesn’t think she’s destined for adventure. But then she is cursed by the Witch of the Waste and forced to leave her quiet life behind. She ends up in the castle of the Wizard Howl, where she promptly inserts herself into his household, along with his apprentice Michael and a fire demon named Calcifer. She soon learns that despite being the eldest, her talents and common sense prove quite valuable to Howl and his friends. I adore this book, and it was a pleasure to revisit it once again! The perfect magical escape from reality. I still haven’t seen the Studio Ghibli movie, which I’m told is also good, though quite different from the book.

Book #84: Kate Stayman-London, One to Watch
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Bea Schumacher is a plus-sized fashion blogger with a certain amount of internet fame. But when she writes a drunken rant criticizing the lack of body diversity on a Bachelor-style reality show, her piece goes viral, and she is unexpectedly offered the chance to become the next season's star. Twenty-five men will compete for her affection on camera, and at the end of the season, she'll become "engaged" to the winner. Bea agrees, but she's hesitant; despite her efforts to accept her body, she knows that the world isn't always kind to fat people, and she doubts whether any of the men on the show will truly be interested in her. But as the show is filmed, she finds both rejection and affirmation in surprising places. I enjoyed this book a lot! It's fun and entertaining--a perfect beach read--but as a plus-sized woman myself, I also found Bea incredibly relatable. It was great to see her overcome her doubts and insecurities to find a happy ending. Definitely recommended if you think the premise sounds fun!

July recap

July has been a surprisingly eventful month for me, considering I’m still spending most of my time at home! I got a new job (same organization, different department), which I’m really liking so far. I also turned 35, and while I couldn’t have a big party, I did order myself some delicious food and talk to a couple friends via video chat. I also managed to catch up on reviews, which I’m disproportionately proud of. :) And finally, I read some good books, including several rereads that it was a delight to revisit!

Books read in July:
1. Alice Tilton, Cold Steal
2. Natalie Jenner, The Jane Austen Society
3. Mary Balogh, Slightly Wicked
4. Beth Brower, The Q
5. Robin Stevens, Murder Is Bad Manners
6. Patricia C. Wrede, Mairelon the Magician
7. Patricia C. Wrede, The Magician’s Ward
8. Juliet Marillier, The Well of Shades
9. Loretta Chase, The English Witch
10. Chanel Cleeton, Next Year in Havana
11. Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles
12. Diana Wynne Jones, Howl’s Moving Castle
13. Kate Stayman-London, One to Watch

Favorite book of the month:
Recency bias may be a factor here, but I really liked One to Watch! Fun brain candy with a relatable heroine.

Dishonorable mention:
Next Year in Havana was fine, but not as good as I wanted it to be. The historical background was a lot more interesting than the characters.

CATs completed:
GeoCAT (Latin America and the Caribbean): Next Year in Havana is set in Cuba.
AlphaKIT (J, R): Natalie *Jenner, The *Jane Austen Society; *Robin Stevens, Murder Is Bad Manners
MysteryKIT (cross-genre/mashup): Murder Is Bad Manners is a mystery that is also historical fiction, middle grade, and epistolary.

Bingo squares completed:
Title contains a pun: Cold Steal contains a play on words (steal/steel).

Books acquired in July:
Mary Balogh, Slightly Scandalous
Mary Balogh, Slightly Wicked (already read)
Philip Pullman, The Shadow in the North
Beth Brower, The Q (already read)
Laura E. Weymouth, The Light between Worlds
Kate Saunders, The Secrets of Wishtide
Antoine Laurain, The Red Notebook
Chanel Cleeton, Next Year in Havana (already read)
A.M. Stuart, Singapore Sapphire
Sandhya Menon, Of Curses and Kisses
Kate Stayman-London, One to Watch (already read)

>57 christina_reads: Happy birthday! Glad to hear you were able to have a video chat for your birthday. This is definitely a strange year for celebrations.

>55 christina_reads: I've seen the Ghibli movie and it will be interesting to read the book knowing that book and movie are so different.

>58 rabbitprincess: Thank you! It's true, celebrations are hard this year. I feel really sorry for everyone who was planning a big vacation or a wedding!

>59 christina_reads: Yeah, one of my coworkers had already been thinking of getting married NEXT year, but she is worried that all of the cancelled 2020 weddings are going to make booking a spot in 2021 difficult... and of course not knowing how many people she'll be able to invite by then or even what the celebration will look like makes planning even more complicated.

Happy birthday!

>61 MissWatson: Thank you! It was a pretty good one, especially considering the pandemic!

For my fellow Jane Austen fans: the e-book Wasted Words by Staci Hart, which is "inspired by Jane Austen's Emma," is free right now at Amazon and Barnes & Noble! I have no idea whether it's any good, but for that price I'm willing to try it. :)

Book #85: Stephanie Burgis, Masks and Shadows
CATs: Random (get your groove on: several characters are musicians, plot centers around an opera performance); SFF (female author)
Bingo: none

This novel, set at the Palace of Esterháza in 1779, centers around a group of musicians and a fateful opera performance. Carlo Morelli, a castrato famous throughout Europe, is one of the prince’s guests. Another is Charlotte von Steinbeck, an accomplished pianist whose sister Sophie is the prince’s mistress. As Charlotte and Carlo slowly grow closer, the prince’s opera troupe is rehearsing a new opera by Franz Joseph Haydn, and an assassination plot is brewing that includes the use of dark magic. The various plot lines converge at the opera’s opening performance. I really enjoyed this book — it’s the perfect combination of historical fantasy, political intrigue, and romance. Some of the magical elements were a bit too dark for me, but overall I found the novel very compelling. I’m glad the RandomCAT inspired me to finally read it!

>47 christina_reads: I read this book last month immediately after finishing its predecessor. Let me re-phrase that: I gobbled it within about a week. The story of Faolan is an intriguing one, and I was really glad Marillier brought him to the forefront of this novel.

>65 threadnsong: The Well of Shades was a surprisingly fast read for me too! I really like Marillier, but I generally find her books slow because they are so dense and descriptive. I was able to immerse myself in this one pretty quickly, though!

Book #86: Rachel Bach, Honor’s Knight
CATs: Alpha (H = Honor’s); SFF (female author)
Bingo: none

***Warning: Spoilers for Fortune’s Pawn***

This book picks up where Fortune’s Pawn left off: after the climactic battle in that book, Devi’s memory has been wiped, so she can’t remember anything about either the battle or her love affair with Rupert. All that’s left is a strong feeling of revulsion toward him and a sense of confusion about the other crew members. Between that, her visions of small glowing blobs that are apparently invisible to everyone else, and some sort of disease or parasite that periodically turns her limbs black, Devi has more than enough to worry about. This book is a good sequel to Fortune’s Pawn; it explains a lot of the mysterious loose ends from that book and nicely sets up the final book in the trilogy. I also appreciated the character development for Devi, who finds herself having to make complex moral choices for the first time in her life. I’m looking forward to reading the third book sometime later this year.

Book #87: Kent Haruf, Our Souls at Night
CATs: Alpha (O = Our, H = Haruf)
Bingo: none

Addie and Louis, both in their 70s, have lived on the same street in Holt, Colorado, for many years. They’ve known each other casually but have never been close friends. Now, however, Addie has a proposition for Louis: she wants him to sleep with her. Not to have sex, but merely to sleep in the same bed, keep each other company, and have someone to talk to at night. Louis is surprised but agrees to the scheme, and the rest of the book deals with the fallout. This isn’t my usual type of book at all — indeed, when I realized that there were no quotation marks, I almost gave up right then — but I’m glad I persevered. This is a lovely but melancholy book about all the ordinary, mundane things that make up a life. There’s no plot to speak of; the book just follows Addie and Louis as they pursue their unconventional relationship, with both positive and negative results. I really liked this one and would highly recommend it!

Book #88: A.M. Stuart, Singapore Sapphire
CATs: Geo (South and East Asia = set in Singapore); Mystery (international author = author is Australian)
Bingo: book set in Asia (Singapore)

I love a historical mystery, and this book’s uncommon setting of 1910 Singapore intrigued me, so I decided to give it a try. Overall, I liked but didn’t love it. Protagonist Harriet Gordon is a widow living with her brother and eking out a meager living as a typist. She’s been hired to type Sir Oswald Newbold’s memoirs, but after only a day of work, the man’s throat is cut. Inspector Robert Curran is on the case, and while he and Harriet get off to a bad start, they soon become friendly as they work together to solve the mystery. I think the mystery itself hangs together well, but it definitely takes a backseat to the setting and characters. It was interesting to get a glimpse of Singapore at this point in time, which was home to so many different cultures, both Asian and European. But if you’re looking for a novel with diverse characters, this isn’t it — there are a few Asian secondary characters, but they’re quite two-dimensional and have no impact on the story. Overall, I’m curious enough to give the next book a try, but this one fell a bit flat for me.

Book #89: Mary Balogh, Slightly Scandalous
CATs: none
Bingo: none

This third book in the Bedwyn saga focuses on Lady Freyja Bedwyn, who is much bolder and more direct than the typical Regency lady. Having grown up with four brothers, she can shoot and ride and box with the best of them. She’s also in no hurry to marry; most of the fashionable society men bore her, and she’s still not over a former flame who recently married someone else (as told in A Summer to Remember, though you don’t need to read that book to understand this one). But when Joshua Moore, marquess of Hallmere, proposes a fake betrothal, Freyja agrees to the scheme, not realizing that there is more to Josh than meets the eye. I continue to enjoy the Bedwyn books, and this might be my favorite so far! Freyja hasn’t been particularly likable in the previous books, but this novel gave her much more dimension. And the roguish Joshua, whose carefree manner and bad reputation hide his true goodness, is a hero after my own heart. The book does have some moments of cheesiness, but overall I liked it a lot and look forward to more of the Bedwyns. I find myself more and more excited for Wulfric’s book!

Book #90: Polly Shulman, Enthusiasm
CATs: none
Bingo: none

When I created a “rereads” category for this year’s challenge, I thought it would give me the opportunity to read some books that I love but haven’t revisited in years. But this year has shown me that it has a second purpose: to revisit books I enjoyed at the time but no longer need to keep on my shelves. Enthusiasm is that type of book. It’s a cute YA novel that engages with the works of Jane Austen: main character Julie is an Elinor Dashwood type, while her best friend Ashleigh is more of a Marianne. Conflict ensues when they both fall for a handsome and popular “Mr. Darcy.” I remember being charmed the first time I read it. This time, I thought it was fine but definitely not a keeper: the writing is clunky at times, and the characters’ typical teen problems no longer resonate with me. Fortunately, this means I’ll be making room on my shelves for new books!

>68 christina_reads: I really liked that Haruf too! I would like to try another by him, because that one doesn't sound like anything I would like and yet... he made it work.

>72 pammab: I agree -- I wasn't sure I'd like Haruf, but now I'm looking forward to trying something else by him!

Oh dear.... here I am with rather belated Happy Birthday wishes for you Christina! So happy to see your review for Our Souls at Night. That one is my favorite Haruf book, with a quick second favorite being The Tie That Binds. Great review for Singapore Sapphire. I admit that I loved that one more than you did, mainly for the descriptive details for the setting.

>74 lkernagh: Thanks for the bday wishes and for the Haruf rec! I agree that the setting descriptions in Singapore Sapphire were great, but they actually made me less interested in visiting Singapore! I hate hot weather and humidity, so it sounds like emphatically NOT the climate for me, although I'm sure it's a lovely country in other ways!

Book #91: Agatha Christie, Death on the Nile
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Jacqueline de Bellefort, a poor but passionate young woman, is engaged to the handsome but equally poor Simon Doyle. Since they don’t have enough money to marry, Jackie reaches out to her best friend, Linnet Ridgeway, for help. Linnet is beautiful, intelligent, and extremely wealthy, so she’s used to getting what she wants — and what she wants is Simon. When Linnet and Simon marry, Jackie follows them on their honeymoon to Egypt, determined to ruin their happiness. But when Linnet is murdered during their trip up the Nile, there are plenty of other suspects who may have wished her harm. Luckily, Hercule Poirot is on the scene to uncover the truth. This is one of my favorite Agatha Christie novels, and I still enjoyed it even though I remembered the solution to the mystery. It was fun to pick up on all the clues as I went along!

>76 christina_reads: One of my favorites too! I've seen several adaptations but none of them really do it justice.

>77 NinieB: I haven't seen any adaptations for that very reason -- I don't want to be disappointed! Still, it could be fun to see what's available on the various streaming services.

You do have Bette Davis as Mrs Van Schuyler in the 1978 version but Mia Farrow as Jacqueline de Bellefort? I don't think so.

Looks like there is a new adaptation coming out this fall also, with Kenneth Branagh as Poirot again. I didn't see his Murder on the Orient Express, but much as I love Branagh in other things, I really can't accept him as Poirot! The rest of the cast looks very good, though...

I saw Kenneth Branagh's Orient Express. He did not create a really memorable Poirot, but that might be because I watched it on an airplane in the tiny seatback screen!

Books #92 and 93: Sally Gardner, The Red Necklace and The Silver Blade
CATs: SFF (female author)
Bingo: periodic table element in the title (silver)

This YA fantasy duology set during the French Revolution focuses on Yann, a Gypsy boy with unusual gifts, and Sido, an aristocratic girl with a neglectful father. They meet in The Red Necklace when Yann’s theater troupe performs at Sido’s father’s house, and they are immediately drawn to one another. But when the troupe falls afoul of the powerful and evil Count Kalliovski, Yann must flee the country. Later, when Kalliovski sets his sights on Sido as a bride, Yann returns to rescue her. In The Silver Blade, Yann continues to rescue aristocrats from the guillotine, while Sido waits in England. But his plans are once again thwarted by Kalliovski, who wants Yann’s magic for himself. I found these books enjoyable enough — loved the French Revolution setting and the Pimpernel-esque elements — but didn’t like that they spend just as much time (if not more) on the villain as on the heroes. As a result, Yann and Sido don’t have much dimension; I wanted more time with them and less time describing just how evil Kalliovski is. I’m glad I read these books, but now they can leave my shelves to make room for something new!

I read The Red Necklace a number of years ago, but probably won't read The Silver Blade. Is it just me or doesn't the fellow on the cover look like a younger Ashton Kutcher?

>83 DeltaQueen50: I hadn't noticed the Ashton Kutcher resemblance, but you're totally right!

>83 DeltaQueen50: Ahaha he totally does!

Book #94: Beth O’Leary, The Switch
CATs: Alpha (O = O’Leary)
Bingo: none

Leena Cotton has always been driven, but since her sister Carla died more than a year ago, she’s completely thrown herself into her work. But when an anxiety attack causes her to ruin an important meeting, her boss insists on her taking two months of paid leave. Meanwhile, Leena’s grandmother, Eileen, has lived most of her life in a tiny Yorkshire village. Her husband has recently left her, and now Eileen yearns to have the adventures she missed out on as a young woman. So Leena and Eileen decide to switch places: Leena will use her sabbatical to rest in the country, while Eileen will go to London and explore the world of online dating for senior citizens. The premise of this novel might be a little farfetched, but who cares when it yields such delightful results? I really enjoyed both women’s stories, but Eileen totally steals the show: she knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it! I loved her benevolent meddling and the fact that, as a 79-year-old woman, she’s allowed to find love and have adventures. Definitely recommended if you’re looking for something fun and pleasant in your life right now!

Book #95: Eva Ibbotson, A Company of Swans
CATs: none
Bingo: none

After a tough week at work, I was desperate for a comfort read, so naturally I turned to Eva Ibbotson. This novel is about Harriet Morton, a young Englishwoman who is bullied into propriety by her unloving father and aunt. Her only solace is ballet dancing; and when she is offered a job with a touring company that will travel down the Amazon, she throws caution to the wind and takes it. In the course of her adventures she meets Rom Verney, a handsome and rich Englishman with a tragic backstory. They fall in love, but a series of misunderstandings threatens their romance. This book is pretty short on plot, and some elements would be widely viewed as problematic today (i.e., the interactions between European and native characters). But the central characters are so pure and kind that it was just lovely to sink into their world. I definitely recommend this, as well as Ibbotson’s other YA/adult novels, as a perfect comfort read!

August recap

One silver lining of this pandemic is that, since my normal evening activities (choir, band, etc.) are canceled, I have a lot more time for reading! August was another good month for me. It's been years since I managed to read 10+ books in a month! I'm also nearly done with my original challenge, having read 95 out of my target 100 books. I wonder if I can make it to 125 or even 150 this year!

Books read in August:
1. Stephanie Burgis, Masks and Shadows
2. Rachel Bach, Honor’s Knight
3. Kent Haruf, Our Souls at Night
4. A.M. Stuart, Singapore Sapphire
5. Mary Balogh, Slightly Scandalous
6. Polly Shulman, Enthusiasm
7. Agatha Christie, Death on the Nile
8. Sally Gardner, The Red Necklace
9. Sally Gardner, The Silver Blade
10. Beth O’Leary, The Switch
11. Eva Ibbotson, A Company of Swans

Favorite book of the month:
I greatly enjoyed Masks and Shadows — a wonderful mix of historical fiction, fantasy, romance, and music!

Dishonorable mention:
Singapore Sapphire was fine, but I wanted to like it more than I did.

CATs completed:
RandomCAT (get your groove on): Masks and Shadows centers around an opera, and several of the protagonists are musicians.
GeoCAT (Asia II - South and East Asia): Singapore Sapphire is set, unsurprisingly, in Singapore.
AlphaKIT (O, H): Rachel Bach, *Honor's Knight; Kent *Haruf, *Our Souls at Night; Beth *O’Leary, The Switch
SFFKIT (female author): Masks and Shadows, Honor’s Knight, and The Silver Blade are all by female authors.
MysteryKIT (international author): The author of Singapore Sapphire is Australian.

Bingo squares completed:
Book set in Asia: Singapore Sapphire is set in Singapore and also references some events in Burma.
Periodic table element in the title: The Silver Blade contains silver, which is #47 in the periodic table.

Books acquired in August:
Staci Hart, Wasted Words
Sherry Thomas, The Art of Theft
Beth O’Leary, The Switch (already read)
Mary Balogh, Slightly Sinful
Mary Balogh, Slightly Tempted

Woo hoo to more reading time, although it is unfortunate that it comes as the result of a pandemic :( I hope you're able to keep in touch virtually with the choir and band folks.

>89 rabbitprincess: Yes, we do the occasional Zoom meeting, which is a nice way to keep in touch -- although obviously making music together, in the same space, would be preferable!

>6 christina_reads: Congratulations on completing the entire BingoDog board. Good job! :-)

Glad to hear you are looking at the bright side of the pandemic, with more reading! I'm not musical myself, but my husband and daughter are really missing playing with his band and her orchestra. It's nice that you're still keeping in touch with your fellow musicians via Zoom.

You're going to run over that goal of 100 in September! How early. Pre-congratulations to you. ;) My own evening activities have tended more to dishes than to reading, but I am so glad that you're still able to maintain *some* hobbies, because things are stressful enough.

Very impressive CAT participation!

>91 This-n-That: Thank you! I don't think I've ever completed it this early before.

>92 mathgirl40: I'm trying to stay positive, because the lack of social contact (I live alone) is really wearing at times! The Zoom meetings with band and choir do help, although obviously they're not ideal.

>93 pammab: Thanks! :) I just completed my 100th book yesterday, but I'm not technically done with my challenge because I still need a couple more books in my rereads category. Almost there, though! I'm hoping to officially complete my challenge this month so that I can enjoy some "free" reading for the rest of 2020...as well as planning for 2021, of course!

Hello Christina! Congratulations on going over your reading challenge, though the causes for it are terrible. And kudos to you for sticking with your band and choir. I'm taking music lessons this term (Irish music) and we do Zoom. It's different to hear just the instructor and myself, since we are all muted during the learning portion. But it is a way to stay connected. Please continue to stay well and stay safe!

>95 threadnsong: Your Irish music lesson sounds fun! What instrument(s) are you playing? Hope you are keeping well also.

Book #96: Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy (trans. John Saward)
CATs: Nonfiction (religion and philosophy = book is about Catholic liturgy)
Bingo: none

Anyone who’s ever been to a Catholic mass will know that it follows a very specific, structured order called the liturgy. This book explains the “why” behind various liturgical practices and also talks about the philosophy of liturgy itself. I found it very interesting, though heavy going at times, and I definitely received some new insights on why certain liturgical rules exist — for example, that churches should be oriented to the east — and why they are important. I would definitely recommend this book for people who are interested in the subject and who already have some knowledge of Catholic liturgical practices. It wouldn’t be a good introductory work, however!

Book #97: Amanda Sellet, By the Book
CATs: none
Bingo: none

In this cute YA romance, Mary Porter-Malcom is a socially awkward teenager who’s accumulated most of her knowledge of the world from classic literature. As you might suspect, she’s not terribly popular; but when she overhears a group of girls discussing a notorious “cad” at their high school, Mary can’t help but share her opinion and cite the novels that support her theory. In gratitude, the girls accept Mary into their friend group. But as they apply Mary’s literary wisdom to their other relationships and potential romances — and as Mary starts to fall for the cad herself — she risks losing both her friends and her crush. I liked the premise of this novel and thought it was executed fairly well, but it panders a little too much to its target audience of bookish teen girls. The romance is predictable but fine, and I liked that Mary’s friendships are at least as important to her as her love life. A fun book, but not a keeper for me.

Book #98: Anthony Berkeley, The Piccadilly Murder
CATs: Random (recommendations = recommended by NinieB); Alpha (M = Murder)
Bingo: none

Mild-mannered Ambrose Chitterwick is a detection enthusiast, but apart from one notable exception (detailed in The Poisoned Chocolates Case), he “detects” merely by observing people and drawing conclusions about them. During one such people-watching adventure at the Piccadilly Palace Hotel, however, he actually sees a murder take place! As the star witness for the prosecution, Mr. Chitterwick is approached by the suspect’s wife, who insists that her husband is innocent and begs Chitterwick to reconsider what he saw. I very much enjoyed this Golden Age mystery; it’s well plotted, the central characters are interesting, and there’s plenty of humor in the form of Chitterwick’s formidable aunt. Definitely recommended if you like this type of thing!

Book #99: Georgette Heyer, The Grand Sophy
CATs: none
Bingo: none

This book is one of my all-time favorite Heyer novels, and it’s always a pleasure to reread. I love a tightly wound hero falling in love with a lively, independent heroine despite himself! But the outrageous Sophy is truly the star of the book. I love that she is genuinely concerned with the welfare of the troubled Rivenhall family (with whom she comes to live at the beginning of the book) and does what she can to set things right. Highly recommended for those who love their romance with a large dose of witty banter!

September recap

How is September over already? This month has flown by...but I must say, I’m thrilled that fall is officially here! I’m also happy that I have officially reached my 2020 challenge goals: I’ve read 25 or more books in each of my 4 categories, and I’ve covered my Bingo card. I’m curious to see how many more books I can read before the end of the year!

Books read in September:
1. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy
2. Amanda Sellet, By the Book
3. Anthony Berkeley, The Piccadilly Murder
4. Georgette Heyer, The Grand Sophy
5. Catherynne M. Valente, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
6. Elizabeth Marie Pope, The Sherwood Ring
7. Elizabeth Daly, Deadly Nightshade
8. Lia Louis, Dear Emmie Blue
9. Zen Cho, Sorcerer to the Crown
10. Zen Cho, The True Queen

Favorite book of the month:
Apart from rereads, I really enjoyed both The Piccadilly Murder (a jolly Golden Age mystery) and Dear Emmie Blue (women’s fiction with a strong romantic subplot).

Dishonorable mention:
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, while beautifully written, struck me as being all style and no substance.

CATs completed:
Random (recommendations): The Piccadilly Murder was recommended to me by NinieB in my previous thread.
Nonfiction (religion and philosophy): The Spirit of the Liturgy is about the meaning behind the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Mass.
Alpha (M, E): Anthony Berkeley, The Piccadilly *Murder; Catherynne *M. Valente, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own *Making; *Elizabeth Daly, Deadly Nightshade; Lia Louis, Dear *Emmie Blue
Alpha (Z): *Zen Cho, The True Queen
SFF (international): Zen Cho is Malaysian, though she currently lives in the UK.
Mystery (series): Deadly Nightshade is book 2 in the Henry Gamadge series.

Bingo squares completed:
Weird title: I think The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making qualifies!

Books acquired in September:
Elizabeth Daly, Deadly Nightshade
Jen DeLuca, Well Met
Jane Ashford, The Bargain
Andre Norton and Rosemary Edghill, Leopard in Exile
Mimi Matthews, The Winter Companion

>101 christina_reads: One of my absolute favourites, too!

>100 christina_reads: In The Golden Age of Murder, Martin Edwards judges Anthony Berkeley quite harshly!

>103 MissWatson: It's so good! I have to force myself not to reread it too many times. I think it had been a few years since my last read!

>104 pamelad: Interesting! I've only read three Anthony Berkeley books, and my reactions have ranged from fine (Not to Be Taken) to AMAZING (The Poisoned Chocolates Case). So I'm curious to see Edwards's opinion!

>100 christina_reads: Looks good to me, on my wish list it goes!

>106 Tess_W: I hope you enjoy it when you get to it!

>101 christina_reads: I still haven't read The Grand Sophy but have heard other readers hold similar opinions to yours. Sounds like a good romance/comfort read.

Well, I've given in to temptation and set up my 2021 challenge thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/325398. Stop by if you want to see what I'm up to! Spoiler alert: it's the same categories as this year, but hey, at least the art is different! :)

>109 christina_reads: I tend to have the same categories, also, with different pics or theme. We like to read what we like to read!

>110 Tess_W: Absolutely! If it ain't broke, don't fix it. :)

Book #100: Catherynne M. Valente, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
CATs: Alpha (M = M., Making) - I read this in September
Bingo: weird title

A 12-year-old girl named September yearns for adventure, and she finds more than she expected when she is whisked away to Fairyland by the Green Wind. There she meets various Fairy creatures, undertakes a quest, and comes up against the sinister Marquess, who has usurped the throne of Fairy from Good Queen Mallow. This is a book I wanted to like more than I did. The writing style is interesting and unique, but I felt like the book was all style and no substance. September has a variety of adventures, but I’m not sure what was the point of them, if that makes sense. The stakes of the book are never very clear. Ultimately, I think it sort of collapses under the weight of its own whimsy. I don’t plan to continue with the series, but I would consider reading something else by Valente.

Book #101: Elizabeth Marie Pope, The Sherwood Ring
CATs: none
Bingo: none

To say that this is a haunted house book is both factually correct and totally misleading. Seventeen-year-old Peggy Grahame goes to live with her uncle in his stately historical home, where she encounters the ghosts of her ancestors and learns a bit about her family’s role on both sides of the American Revolution. Despite the ghosts, the book is not at all spooky; it’s a fairly light adventure/romance with some espionage thrown in for good measure. I’ve read this book three or four times now, and I love it every time! Highly recommended if the premise interests you.

Book #102: Elizabeth Daly, Deadly Nightshade
CATs: Alpha (E = Elizabeth); Mystery (series = Henry Gamadge #2) - I read this in September
Bingo: none

After the events of Unexpected Night, Henry Gamadge is called back to coastal Maine to assist the police with a new investigation. Several local children have eaten poisonous nightshade berries; one is now dead, and another is missing. The police suspect that someone may have intentionally given the berries to the children, but they don’t have any leads. Complicating matters is the presence of a Gypsy encampment on the outskirts of town; some of the locals view the Gypsies as convenient scapegoats, and tensions are running high. For me, this book was a mixed bag. On the one hand, I liked the writing style and the main characters. On the other hand, the mystery is extremely convoluted — I’m still not entirely sure it all makes sense — and impossible to guess in advance. So I’m still game to read more Henry Gamadge books, but I don’t think I’ll be revisiting this one.

Book #103: Lia Louis, Dear Emmie Blue
CATs: Alpha (E = Emmie) - I read this in September
Bingo: none

Emmie has been best friends with Lucas for years — ever since he found the balloon she released into the air when they were just 16. More recently, Emmie’s feelings have deepened into love; so when Lucas invites her to a special birthday dinner and says he has something important to ask her, she’s convinced that he wants to start a romantic relationship. But he actually asks her to be his “best woman” at his upcoming wedding. Emmie is crushed and must now reevaluate her relationship with Lucas and his family, who have always loved her more than her own negligent mother ever did. This book is enjoyable women’s fiction with a romantic subplot (which I loved, even if it was a bit predictable!), but it touches on some heavier themes — not only Emmie’s relationship with her parents, but also a traumatic incident from her past. This book isn’t a keeper for me, but I liked it quite a bit and will look for more books by Louis.

Books #104 and 105: Zen Cho, Sorcerer to the Crown and The True Queen
CATs: Alpha (Z = Zen); SFF (international = author is Malaysian) - I read this in September
Bingo: none

I was just as delighted by Sorcerer to the Crown on this reread as I was the first time I read it. It’s set in an alternate Regency universe in which England’s magic is disappearing, and the Sorcerer Royal, a man of African descent, must team up with a magically gifted woman to get it back. The sequel, The True Queen, deals with sisters from the island nation of Janda Baik, which has been colonized by the English: one of them is lost in Fairyland, and the other must rely on English magicians for help to find and retrieve her. I love the combination of an Austen-esque setting, mystery, fantasy, and romance, so I really enjoyed both books (perhaps the first a smidge more than the second). Most authors writing in this time period don’t get the style or voice quite right, but I think Zen Cho really nails it! The books are also more diverse than many works of historical fiction set in this period, featuring queer characters and people of color. Definitely recommended if the premise interests you!

Book #106: Dorothy L. Sayers, Murder Must Advertise
CATs: none
Bingo: none

In this installment of the Lord Peter Wimsey series, Peter poses as “Death Bredon” and gets a job as a copy-writer at Pym’s Publicity. He’s been asked to investigate the death of Victor Dean, a former employee who fell down the office’s iron staircase and broke his neck — perhaps not by accident. But it soon becomes evident that even more sinister crimes are afoot at Pym’s. I really enjoyed this book, and it might be my favorite Wimsey so far! The description of the ad agency, with its gossip and its interdepartmental rivalries and frustrations, is hilariously spot-on. The mystery of what’s really going on at Pym’s is well plotted and fascinating, although I think the final resolution is a bit of a let-down. I also found some of Peter’s extracurricular antics (i.e., the Harlequin stuff) a bit ridiculous, but that’s a minor nitpick. All in all, I’m very much looking forward to continuing with the series!

Book #107: Evie Dunmore, A Rogue of One’s Own
CATs: Geo (US, UK, Canada = set in England); Alpha (D = Dunmore)
Bingo: none

This sequel to Bringing Down the Duke focuses on Lady Lucinda Tedbury, an ardent suffragist whose sole focus is convincing Parliament to pass an act allowing married women to own their own property. In pursuit of this goal, Lucie and her friends are trying to buy a London printing press to disseminate their ideas; but they are thwarted by Tristan Ballentine, a notorious rake who has just purchased a 50 percent share in the business. Lucie has known Tristan for years and has always viewed him as weak and contemptible; but the more they’re forced to work together, the more she adjusts her opinion of him. I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first in the series, largely because I don’t like the “reformed rake” trope and also didn’t find Lucie a very interesting heroine. I think the series is a bit schizophrenic so far; it tries to be a serious examination of feminism, but it also has to hit all the beats of a historical romance novel, and I feel like the split focus detracts from both goals. That said, I’m interested enough to continue with the third book when it comes out next year.

Book #108: Patrick Quentin, A Puzzle for Fools
CATs: Random (healthcare heroes = doctor/nurse characters); Geo (US, UK, Canada = set in US); Mystery (new-to-me author)
Bingo: none

Broadway producer Peter Duluth has been drinking his life away ever since the tragic death of his wife two years ago. Now he’s hit rock bottom and checked himself into a sanatorium to dry out. When he hears a creepy voice talking about murder late one night, he initially thinks he’s imagined it — until a couple of the other patients mention a similar experience. Then a member of the staff is murdered, and while the police are officially investigating, Peter decides to do a little sleuthing of his own. This is my first book by Patrick Quentin, and I’d definitely consider reading more. It’s a solid Golden Age mystery with a perfect sinister setting. The only thing I didn’t particularly like was the romance, which was quite superficial. Still, I’ll keep my eye out for more Peter Duluth mysteries.

Book #109: Mimi Matthews, The Viscount and the Vicar’s Daughter
CATs: Geo (US, UK, Canada = set in England); Alpha (D = Daughter; V = Viscount, Vicar’s)
Bingo: none

Like A Rogue of One’s Own, this novella is a Victorian romance featuring the “reformed rake” trope, and the rake is even named Tristan! This book’s Tristan shows up at an annual country house party that is known for being exceptionally racy, where he unexpectedly befriends Valentine March, a vicar’s daughter who is attending the house party as a lady’s companion. When Tristan and Valentine are caught in a passionate embrace in the conservatory, Tristan does the honorable thing and offers marriage. But Valentine, despite her attraction to Tristan, isn’t sure she wants to marry a man with his unsavory reputation. I liked this novella more than A Rogue of One’s Own, but the many similarities made me feel like I was reading the same book again! I did enjoy this one more, but it’s definitely not my favorite by Mimi Matthews. Still, I look forward to trying some more of her full-length novels.

Book #110: Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow
CATs: Alpha (D = Doria); SFF (classics = won the Arthur C. Clarke Award)
Bingo: none

The premise of this novel caught my fancy immediately: humans have discovered intelligent life on another planet, and the Jesuits (an order of Catholic priests) are spearheading the mission to make contact with these life forms and learn about their culture. The novel starts in 2060, and Fr. Emilio Sandoz is the sole survivor of that mission; he has returned to Earth badly damaged, both physically and spiritually. The book then jumps back and forth in time, giving the backstory on Emilio and his companions and describing what happened on the alien planet and its aftermath. The novel is epic in scope, and I’m frankly still digesting it. Overall, I think it’s wonderfully done, although it takes a while to get going — we don’t actually meet the aliens until about 2/3 of the way through the book. So it’s not quite an action-packed sci fi story; but as an examination of faith, of human goodness and human frailty, and of the complexity of relationships, this novel has a lot to say and gave me a lot to think about.

>119 christina_reads: Yay! I also liked this one.

>121 christina_reads: I'm still like 30th on the list for one copy of this at the library. I should just buy it, especially if it is a bit of a slow burn.

>118 christina_reads: Just curious, when is this book set?

>119 christina_reads: I've read a couple of later Peter Duluth mysteries, which I enjoyed, and I'd like to read this one. A Puzzle for Fiends has a notably unusual plot.

Double Tristans is actually pretty funny! I have recently been really surprised how much books I read seem to be talking to each other...but that is farther than most!

I am glad to see you liked The Sparrow. It is one of the thinky SF books that I like to recommend to folks. Not a fast plot, but a lot to say and a lot to unpack, as you say, and using SF as a rather unique way to get there. A few years after reading it, I don't really want to read it again because it tore me up a bit, but the ideas still resonate and it sticks out pretty far in my mind on the shelf of all the genre fiction I've ever read.

>122 rabbitprincess: I will say, The Sparrow took me a little while to get through, and it's a book that I'd like to revisit sometime, so I'm glad to own my own copy. On the other hand, I got it used from a library sale, so the price was right!

>123 NinieB: A Rogue of One's Own is set in 1880...but honestly, it didn't feel very different from a traditional Regency historical. Thanks for the recommendation of A Puzzle for Fiends! I'm definitely interested in reading more Peter Duluth mysteries.

>124 pammab: I've definitely had that experience before, where I'll read several books in a row that have a similar theme or character name, but it's totally coincidental! And I agree with you about The Sparrow -- "thinky SF," not something I want to reread right away (though I will someday!), and definitely a unique experience.

Book #111: Teri Bailey Black, Chasing Starlight
CATs: Geo (US, UK, Canada = set in Hollywood); Mystery (new-to-me author)
Bingo: none

After a series of misfortunes, aspiring astronomer Kate Hildebrand is forced to move in with her estranged grandfather, a former silent movie star, and an assortment of male boarders. Though she dislikes her situation at first, Kate gradually becomes fond of her grandfather and some of the other boarders — particularly the handsome actor Hugo Quick. But when one of the other boarders is murdered, and Hugo and her grandfather are both implicated, Kate must decide whether to cooperate with the police or protect her friends and solve the crime herself. Meanwhile, she gets a job as a production assistant at a Hollywood studio and begins to rethink her career aspirations. I very much enjoyed this YA mystery set during the Golden Age of Hollywood. I loved the atmosphere, which ranges from the glamour of the film studio to the seedy danger of a gangster’s club. The mystery is a little weak, but adequate since I really liked the setting and the main characters. I’m not sure if a sequel is planned, but if it does materialize, I’ll certainly read it!

Book #112: Mary Balogh, Slightly Tempted
CATs: Geo (US, UK, Canada = set partially in England)
Bingo: none

When Gervase Ashford, the Earl of Rosthorn, spots Lady Morgan Bedwyn across a ballroom in Brussels, he can hardly believe his luck. He has spent the past nine years on the Continent, having been banished from England as a direct result of certain actions of Morgan’s brother, the Duke of Bewcastle. Now Gervase has the opportunity to take his revenge by flirting outrageously with Morgan and making her the subject of unsavory gossip. But the more time he spends with her — and especially when he sees her strength and determination in helping the wounded after the Battle of Waterloo — the more he genuinely comes to admire her. Meanwhile, Morgan knows that Gervase is an experienced rake, and she’s determined not to fall for his act; but she didn’t expect him to become her closest friend. I think the Bedwyn series gets better and better — I really loved Gervase and Morgan’s story! It’s on the heavy side for a Regency romance, because Waterloo and its aftermath play a pivotal role in the story, but seeing both characters work through their traumas and find love in the process is a fulfilling experience. I can’t wait to continue with the series!

Book #113: P.D. James, Talking about Detective Fiction
CATs: Nonfiction (the arts = literature); Alpha (D = D., Detective)
Bingo: none

I have mixed feelings about this book. I think I expected more of a general survey of detective literature, whereas the book is a very brief overview of mostly British writers, mostly from the Golden Age — in other words, authors that P.D. James herself happens to like. Nothing wrong with that, of course! It just wasn’t quite what I wanted. I was also annoyed by the occasional spoiler; the book does a good job of avoiding them in general, but then goes and gives away the ending to The Murder of Roger Ackroyd! Being a fan of Golden Age British mysteries myself, I found a lot to enjoy in the book, but I also didn’t really learn anything new or add any books to my TBR list. There’s not even a list of recommended detective novels in the back, which I would think is pretty mandatory for this type of book! All in all, I was pretty “meh” on this, but maybe fans of James’s would enjoy it more.

Book #114: Staci Hart, Wasted Words
CATs: Geo (US, UK, Canada = set in New York City)
Bingo: none

Cameron Emerson and Tyler Knight have been roommates and good friends for more than a year. Cam is also attracted to Tyler, but she knows they could never be more than friends; they just aren’t a good match. Tyler is an exceptionally handsome ex-football player, the epitome of the popular jock, while Cam is a short, “nerdy” girl who loves comics and doesn’t wear makeup. Of course, that doesn’t stop them from eventually taking their friendship to the next level, but Cam’s insecurities might sabotage their relationship before it truly begins. I wanted to like this book because it’s “inspired by” Jane Austen’s Emma, but I would say the similarities are superficial at best. Cam likes matchmaking and being in control, but that’s really the only Emma-esque aspect of the plot or characters. The writing style isn’t great; the dialogue is unrealistic and the descriptions of love overwrought. I also got very impatient with the conflict, which basically boils down to a lack of communication. I hate when characters who are supposed to be in love won’t TALK to each other! Overall, I was disappointed, and I won’t seek out more by this author.

October recap

Only two more months of 2020! I must admit, I'm already thinking ahead to Christmas...I think the world could use a little joy right about now! Meanwhile, here's what I read in October.

Books read in October:
1. Dorothy L. Sayers, Murder Must Advertise
2. Evie Dunmore, A Rogue of One’s Own
3. Patrick Quentin, A Puzzle for Fools
4. Mimi Matthews, The Viscount and the Vicar’s Daughter
5. Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow
6. Teri Bailey Black, Chasing Starlight
7. Mary Balogh, Slightly Tempted
8. P.D. James, Talking about Detective Fiction
9. Staci Hart, Wasted Words
10. Megan Whalen Turner, The Thief
11. Jen DeLuca, Well Played
12. Nancy Campbell Allen, Beauty and the Clockwork Beast

Favorite book of the month:
The Sparrow is unquestionably the best book I read this month. But in terms of enjoyment, I also really loved Slightly Tempted!

Dishonorable mention:
Appropriately, Wasted Words felt like a bit of a waste. :)

CATs completed:
RandomCAT (healthcare heroes): A Puzzle for Fools features doctor and nurse characters.
GeoCAT (US, UK, Canada): A Rogue of One’s Own, The Viscount and the Vicar’s Daughter, Slightly Tempted, and Beauty and the Clockwork Beast are all set at least partially in England. A Puzzle for Fools, Chasing Starlight, Wasted Words, and Well Played are all set in the United States.
NonfictionCAT (the arts): Talking about Detective Fiction is about literature.
AlphaKIT (D, V): Evie *Dunmore, A Rogue of One's Own; Mimi Matthews, The *Viscount and the *Vicar's *Daughter; Mary *Doria Russell, The Sparrow; P.*D. James, Talking about *Detective Fiction; Jen *DeLuca, Well Played
SFFKIT (classics): The Sparrow has won the Arthur C. Clarke Award and is frequently on “best of science fiction” lists.
MysteryKIT (new-to-you author): Both Patrick Quentin (A Puzzle for Fools) and Teri Bailey Black (Chasing Starlight) are authors I’d never read before.

Bingo squares completed:
None; I have covered my Bingo card.

Books acquired in October:
Lois McMaster Bujold, Falling Free
Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

>130 christina_reads: It snowed here last week and the snow stuck for a few hours, so I said the heck with it and played a Christmas album!

>131 rabbitprincess: Nice! I may have already watched a few cheesy Christmas movies. :)

>128 christina_reads: That’s a bit disappointing, but not surprising about the Staci Hart book. I have read two of her other books this year in the same series (Red Lipstick Coalition) and stopped a quarter of the way through the third-in-line. While SH was able to set each plot within a unique aspect of NYC life, the women were basically the same person and, the big misunderstandings the same lack of communication. IIRC, What had me put down, Work in Progress though was the threat of another woman— a manipulative, vicious character which I just didn’t have the stomach for at the time. I still haven’t gone back to it so it’s unlikely I ever will at this point.
I had picked up Wasted Words on sale a few weeks ago, hoping for a re-set and, the Austen premise sounded like fun. But your assessments align with mine a lot of the time so I’ll probably “ice” it on my e-reader.

>133 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Hmm, sounds like the Red Lipstick Coalition series probably would not be for me either. From what you say, I think Wasted Words and its sequels probably have the same strengths and weaknesses as the books you've already read by her.

>130 christina_reads: You acquired Falling Free! Have you read it before? That one has themes related to religion/politics/power/gender and some new-to-me observations on what it would mean to grow up in space that really spoke to what I like in fiction.

>135 pammab: No, I haven't read it before...I've only read a few of the Vorkosigan books, but I've been stockpiling them so that I can do a full series read one of these days. :)

>136 christina_reads: It's set in the same universe but has no character overlap with the main series, so it's rather standalone and I think I avoided it for a while for that reason. I did like it though (though maybe it was also one of the more dated ones?), and I hope you do too when you get to it!

>136 christina_reads: I did a full series Vorkosigan read a few years ago (as part of the LT group read) and it was great. I need to do that again sometime, as it's one of my two favourite space opera series (the Expanse is the other).

>138 mathgirl40: I think I started participating in that group read and then fell off somehow! Maybe I'll make it a personal challenge for 2021....

Also, I was really into the "Expanse" TV show for a while, although I think I'm a season or two behind at this point. I've been meaning to get back to it. Haven't read the books, but I've heard they're good as well!

I'll chime in to say The Expanse is not something I expected I'd like (so many genres! such odd baddies!), but I did find it surprisingly entertaining when I picked the first in the series up unknowingly. It turns out that I still think of the characters semi-regularly, so I expect I'll eventually return to it.

November recap

I thought I’d get a lot of reading done in November, since I took a week’s vacation for Thanksgiving and assumed I’d have a lot of free time. Since I spent that week with my family, however, including my three adorable nephews all under the age of 5, that did not turn out to be the case! :) As a result, I’ve had my worst reading month of 2020 in terms of quantity, but I regret nothing! Here’s what I did read in November:

Books read in November:
1. Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go
2. Sally Thorne, The Hating Game
3. Kate Quinn, The Alice Network
4. Lindsey Kelk, The Single Girl’s To-Do List
5. Jane Ashford, The Bargain
6. Dorothy L. Sayers, The Nine Tailors
7. Megan Whalen Turner, The Queen of Attolia

Favorite book of the month:
I don’t normally mention rereads in these monthly metrics, but I have to plug The Queen of Attolia because it is JUST SO GOOD! I also very much enjoyed The Bargain; the hero is insufferable at first but does get better by the end, and his brothers totally steal the show!

Dishonorable mention:
I actually quite liked most of Never Let Me Go, but I was disappointed by the ending. It felt like Ishiguro just ran out of steam.

CATs completed:
RandomCAT (lest we forget): The Alice Network is set partially during World War I.
AlphaKIT (I, Q): Kazuo *Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go; Kate *Quinn, The Alice Network
SFF (dystopian): Never Let Me Go is set primarily at a boarding school with sinister secrets.

Bingo squares completed:
None; I have covered my Bingo card.

Books acquired in November:
Connie Willis, Passage
Darcie Wilde, And Dangerous to Know
Kate Noble, The Dress of the Season
Mary Kelly, The Christmas Egg
Connie Willis, Take a Look at the Five and Ten

Book #115: Megan Whalen Turner, The Thief
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Gen is a thief by trade, so he’s used to getting into trouble; but when his boast that he can steal anything lands him in the dungeon of the King of Sounis, he may be in over his head. Now, along with the king’s magus and a few other companions, Gen is being forced to steal a legendary artifact that supposedly bestows on its possessor the throne of the neighboring kingdom of Eddis. Fortunately, Gen still has a trick or two up his sleeve. Since the final book in this series recently came out, I decided to start over from the beginning. Knowing what I now know about these characters and subsequent events, I think I enjoyed this first installment even more upon rereading! It has a rather slow pace, and not much happens until near the end, but attention to detail will be rewarded. I love this whole series and would highly recommend it!

Book #116: Jen DeLuca, Well Played
CATs: Geo (US, UK, Canada = set in Maryland); Alpha (D = DeLuca) - I read this in October
Bingo: none

Stacey loves her small town of Willow Creek, Maryland, and she loves her summer job as a bar wench at the local Renaissance Faire, but she's starting to feel stuck in a rut. When she impulsively emails Dex MacLean, a Faire musician with whom she had a casual fling, she's just looking to change things up a little. She never expected that they'd end up corresponding throughout the year -- or that he would be so sensitive, vulnerable, and caring. When the next Faire season comes around, Stacey is excited to begin a real relationship with Dex, but life has a few big surprises in store. As with the previous book in the series, this is a fun, low-stakes read. It might almost be TOO low-conflict, and I'm not someone who needs a lot of angst in my books! But the main problem is resolved around halfway through, so there's not a lot going on in the rest of the book. Still, I liked the setting and the characters, and I'm excited to read the next (and final?) book, Well Matched, when it comes out in 2021!

December recap

A belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all! I was able to spend a week with my parents for the holiday, which was lovely and relaxing -- lots of Christmas cookies and old movies. I also did a lot of reading this month, partly because of the week's vacation and partly because I read a few short-and-sweet holiday novellas. :)

Books read in December:
1. Mary Balogh, Slightly Sinful
2. Naomi Novik, A Deadly Education
3. Connie Willis, Take a Look at the Five and Ten
4. Kate Clayborn, Missing Christmas
5. Dorothy L. Sayers, Gaudy Night
6. Jackie Lau, One Bed for Christmas
7. Jean Merrill, The Girl from the Diadem
8. Juliet Marillier, Heart’s Blood
9. Sherry Thomas, A Conspiracy in Belgravia
10. Mary Balogh, Slightly Dangerous
11. Louisa May Alcott, An Old-Fashioned Girl
12. Georgette Heyer, Friday’s Child
13. Tracy Kiely, Murder at Longbourn
14. Jenny Bayliss, The Twelve Dates of Christmas
15. Olivia Atwater, Half a Soul
16. Cecilia Grant, A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong

Favorite book of the month:
I was pleasantly surprised by A Deadly Education, but then I shouldn’t have been surprised, because I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Naomi Novik so far!

Dishonorable mention:
One Bed for Christmas was fine but didn’t do anything for me. I’d heard such great things about Jackie Lau that I was a bit disappointed.

CATs completed:
RandomCAT (roll a die > 2 > number in the title): Take a Look at the Five and Ten, The Twelve Dates of Christmas, and Half a Soul all have numbers in the title.
AlphaKIT (W, N): *Naomi *Novik, A Deadly Education; Connie *Willis, Take a Look at the Five and Ten; Cecilia Grant, A Christmas Gone Perfectly *Wrong
SFFKIT (short fiction): Take a Look at the Five and Ten is a sci-fi novella.
MysteryKIT (cozy): Murder at Longbourn is a cozy set on Cape Cod.

Bingo squares completed:
None; I have covered my Bingo card.

Books acquired in December:
Kate Clayborn, Missing Christmas (already read)
Kate Clayborn, Love Lettering (read in January)
Ellis Peters, The Potter’s Field
Jean Merrill, The Girl from the Diadem (already read)
Olivia Atwater, Half a Soul (already read)
Lucy Worsley, Jane Austen at Home
Dorothy L. Sayers, The Whimsical Christian
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice: The Complete Novel, with Nineteen Letters from the Characters’ Correspondence, Written and Folded by Hand
Jules Wake, Covent Garden in the Snow

***

I've gotten terribly behind on reviews, so I'm busily drafting them now and will post them later today. Then I'll post my year-end recap and head on over to my 2021 challenge thread. Stay tuned!

Looks like a great reading month! Hope you like the Lucy Worsley book. It's on my list of books to borrow from my mum when I next visit.

>145 rabbitprincess: Thank you! I've heard good things about the Worsley, so hopefully it will live up to both our expectations.

Book #117: Nancy Campbell Allen, Beauty and the Clockwork Beast
CATs: Geo (US, UK, Canada = set in a steampunk version of England) - I read this in October
Bingo: none

In this gothic, steampunk fairytale, plucky botanist Lucy Pickett goes to visit the estate of the enigmatic Lord Blackwell to care for her cousin, who has married Blackwell’s brother and who has a mysterious illness. Miles, Lord Blackwell, certainly doesn’t need Lucy distracting him from his own problems, particularly the fact that he’s secretly a werewolf. But of course, they are mutually attracted and must work together to discover what’s really going on with Lucy’s cousin and who, among Miles’s friends and neighbors, might be at the bottom of it. I enjoyed this book so much more than I was expecting to! It’s not great literature, but it is fun escapist fiction, and I’m definitely planning to continue with the series!

Book #118: Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go
CATs: Alpha (I = Ishiguro); SFF (dystopian) - I read this in November
Bingo: none

On the threshold of a big change in her life, narrator Kathy looks back on her youth at Hailsham, a prestigious British boarding school, and on her friends Ruth and Tommy, whom she met there. As Kathy tells her story, it slowly becomes obvious that there is something different about Hailsham and its students. But only now, as an adult, does Kathy truly understand how her experiences at Hailsham have shaped the course of her life. I really liked the first 75 percent of this book, but I felt it petered out toward the end. The meat of the book is the relationships between Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy, which I found complex, interesting, and poignant. The speculative-fiction elements of the book, by contrast, didn’t interest me much, and because the ending has to deal with those elements, I think it’s not as strong as the rest of the novel. Still, I did like the book overall and would recommend it to fans of The Remains of the Day.

Book #119: Sally Thorne, The Hating Game
CATs: none
Bingo: none

When I first read this book in 2017, I commented, “This book may be a giant predictable cliché, but it’s so well written that I don’t even care!” I’d say the same thing again today. This book is a pretty straightforward enemies-to-lovers romance, but good writing and characters make it a delightful read! Lucy and Joshua are professional rivals and temperamental opposites — she’s all heart and loves to please people, while he’s logical and blunt to the point of rudeness. Yet they can’t deny the sparks between them, and Thorne wisely doesn’t keep them apart for too long. Instead, the main conflict of the book is about Lucy and Joshua moving past mere attraction and trying to make a real relationship work. Definitely recommended for contemporary romance fans!

Book #120: Kate Quinn, The Alice Network
CATs: Random (lest we forget = set partially during WWI); Alpha (Q = Quinn) - I read this in November
Bingo: none

In 1947, American coed Charlie Sinclair is desperate for some news of her cousin Rose, who has lost touch with her family after the war. Charlie’s search leads her to Eve Gardiner, a curmudgeonly older woman who agrees to help her for a price; but Charlie soon learns that Eve has an ulterior motive. In 1915, the young and pretty Eve is recruited as a British spy. She is sent to a small town in France to pose as a waitress in a restaurant popular with the occupying German troops. The book switches between Charlie’s story and Eve’s until their two quests converge in the late 1940s. I enjoyed this book — it’s well written with an exciting plot and likable characters — but I didn’t LOVE it, and honestly I’m not sure why. I definitely think that fans of historical fiction would enjoy it!

Book #121: Lindsey Kelk, The Single Girl’s To-Do List
CATs: none
Bingo: none

When Rachel is unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend of five years, she realizes that she’s barely spent any time being single as an adult. Her perpetually single BFFs convince her to create a “single girl’s to-do list” so that she can experience the positive aspects of being uncoupled and independent. As Rachel crosses off various items on the list (get a tattoo, travel to another country, splurge on something extravagant), she comes to a greater knowledge of herself and finds love in an unexpected place. I really liked this book the first time I read it, but upon rereading I found it a little too formulaic and dated. With her best friends in particular, I feel like I’ve read those characters in almost every chick lit novel from the ‘90s and early 2000s. The humorous first-person narration also seemed to be trying too hard at times. Overall, it was still a decent read, but I’m no longer keeping my copy.

Book #122: Jane Ashford, The Bargain
CATs: none
Bingo: none

When the Prince Regent believes he’s being haunted by the ghost of actress Bess Harding, he calls on Lord Alan Gresham for help. Alan is the sixth son of a duke, but he has no taste for high society; he’d rather be conducting scientific experiments at Oxford than mingling with the prince’s crowd and hunting for a nonexistent ghost. But Alan’s scientific investigation is complicated by Ariel Harding, Bess’s daughter, who is desperately seeking a reason for her mother’s suicide. Passionate, headstrong, and emotional, Ariel is a menace to Alan’s logical and orderly life. Too bad he also finds her infuriatingly attractive. I wasn’t sure I would like this book at first — Alan is SUCH a jerk in his attitude toward women. To him, they’re all flighty, hysterical, and incapable of logical reasoning. But he eventually realizes the error of his ways, including that Ariel is not the only woman capable of rational thought, so he won me over by the end. I also loved how Alan’s relationships with his brothers change throughout the book, and how Ariel helps them all with their romantic difficulties. I almost wanted a sequel by the end! Recommended for fans of Regency fluff, and I might try more by this author in the future.

Book #123: Dorothy L. Sayers, The Nine Tailors
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Lord Peter and Bunter are trapped by a snowstorm in the town of Fenchurch St. Paul in East Anglia. There, Peter partakes in a bit of New Year’s Eve bell-ringing and learns about a decades-old scandal involving a stolen necklace. Months later, the dead body of a stranger is found in Fenchurch St. Paul’s churchyard, and the town vicar asks Peter to investigate the matter, with tragic results. I liked this installment of the series; it’s a twisty mystery with a few good surprises, although I found the frequent digressions into the theory and technique of bell-ringing tedious. Also, this book isn’t as humorous as many others in the series; it’s a bit darker and moodier. Still, definitely a good read, and I’m happy to be continuing my acquaintance with Lord Peter.

Book #124: Megan Whalen Turner, The Queen of Attolia
CATs: none
Bingo: none

***Warning: SPOILERS for The Thief***

Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, is on a mission for his queen in the neighboring kingdom of Attolia. But the mission goes disastrously wrong when the queen of Attolia captures him and inflicts a punishment that can only be seen as an act of aggression against Eddis. Soon the two countries are preparing for war, while Attolia also faces pressure from Sounis. As the queen of Attolia struggles to maintain control of her precarious throne, Eugenides comes up with an audacious plan that might save his country and Attolia as well. This is the book that made me fall in love with the series; the characters — especially Eugenides and the queen of Attolia — are so flawed and complex and interesting! And the political intrigue kept me on the edge of my seat. In short, I LOVE this book and would recommend it to anyone, although I definitely think the series should be read in order, starting with The Thief.

Book #125: Mary Balogh, Slightly Sinful
CATs: none
Bingo: none

***Warning: SPOILERS for Slightly Tempted***

This book overlaps somewhat with the previous Bedwyn book, Slightly Tempted, in which Alleyne Bedwyn goes missing on the day of the Battle of Waterloo and is presumed to be dead. In fact, Alleyne isn’t dead, but he sustained a head injury and now has amnesia — he can’t even remember his name. Fortunately, he is rescued by Rachel York, a beautiful young woman who, having been abandoned by her con artist fiancé, is now living in a brothel. As Alleyne recovers from his other injuries in the brothel, he and Rachel fall in love, but they can’t pursue a relationship until Alleyne discovers his true identity (since he might be married already). Meanwhile, Rachel and her friends from the brothel decide to go to England and force her fiancé to give back the money he stole from them. I was really looking forward to Alleyne’s book, since he’s the lovable rogue of the Bedwyn clan, but I admit I was somewhat disappointed. I think I wanted more of the rest of the Bedwyns, who are necessarily absent for most of this novel. And Rachel was a perfectly fine heroine, but nothing about her really stood out to me. Still not a bad read, but not one of my favorites in the series.

Book #126: Naomi Novik, A Deadly Education
CATs: Alpha (N = Naomi, Novik)
Bingo: none

This book takes place in an alternate reality in which evil beings called maleficaria are devouring all the magically talented children throughout the world. These children’s only hope is to get a place in the Scholomance, a magic school that trains its students in the use of magic and gives them the opportunity to form alliances with each other. But maleficaria are present in the school too, and only the most careful and vigilant students will make it out alive. El (short for Galadriel) is a student in the Scholomance, and she’s trying desperately to hang onto her humanity even though the school wants to turn her into a powerful dark sorceress. Her affinity for evil magic makes her a social outcast — except for Orion Lake, the school’s golden boy, who for some reason keeps trying to help her. This book is nothing like Novik’s Temeraire series or her stand-alone fairy tales, but I absolutely loved it anyway! El’s voice is such fun, and the setting of the Scholomance is fascinating. The book’s pace is actually a bit slow because there’s so much world building, but I didn’t mind that. I’m dying to know what happens next; fortunately, I think the sequel is coming out sometime this summer!

Book #127: Connie Willis, Take a Look at the Five and Ten
CATs: Random (dice - 2 - number in the title = Five, Ten); Alpha (W = Willis); SFF (short fiction)
Bingo: none

Ori isn’t looking forward to the holiday season with her obnoxious relatives. She especially dreads seeing Grandma Elving, who tells the same story — about how she worked at Woolworth’s one Christmas in the 1950s — over and over again, in mind-numbing detail. But at Thanksgiving dinner, her stepsister’s new boyfriend, Lassiter, seems fascinated by Grandma Elving’s story. He thinks it may be a traumatic flashbulb memory, and he wants to include Grandma Elving in an experiment to uncover the root cause of this trauma. Ori drives Grandma Elving to and from the research lab and ends up assisting Lassiter in his experiment. But she doesn’t expect to fall for him, nor to discover that his hypothesis may be entirely wrong. I love Connie Willis, and this is another great Christmas story from her, although I must confess it’s not my favorite — I think that might be All Seated on the Ground. But I’d still recommend this one, especially to fans of her work!

Book #128: Kate Clayborn, Missing Christmas
CATs: none
Bingo: none

I’ve been meaning to read more Kate Clayborn ever since I read and loved Love Lettering back in January. This novella is loosely tied to her Chance of a Lifetime series, but it can definitely stand alone as well. Kristen and Jasper are friends and business partners, but Jasper has always wanted more. He’s crazy about her, but he doesn’t want to make a move that would jeopardize their friendship and partnership. Unfortunately, one kiss changes everything, and then they end up stuck in a snowy, romantic cabin over the holidays. I liked this story but didn’t feel the same magic I felt with Love Lettering. Maybe Clayborn just does better with a full-length novel. Still, I did enjoy this one and will continue to read more by the author.

Book #129: Dorothy L. Sayers, Gaudy Night
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Technically this book is part of the Lord Peter Wimsey series, but the central character is Harriet Vane, who travels to Oxford for a class reunion and becomes embroiled in a poison-pen mystery. When she has trouble discovering the culprit on her own, she reluctantly asks Peter for help. Meanwhile, her visit to Oxford causes her to reflect on her life’s path and the relative advantages and disadvantages of single versus married life. As Peter continues to pursue her, she must finally decide what she truly wants. As usual with this series, I think the mystery is the least important part of the book. Far more interesting are the depictions of Harriet and her former friends and colleagues, all of whom have their own opinions about women’s roles in academia and in the wider world. Some of the questions they ponder are still relevant today. I really liked the philosophizing in this book, as well as the continued development of Harriet’s relationship with Peter. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series in January!

Book #130: Jackie Lau, One Bed for Christmas
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Another holiday romance novella, this one centering on happy-go-lucky Wes Cheng and competent, driven Caitlin Ng. Wes has been in love with Caitlin since their college days, but he hasn’t made a move because he doesn’t feel worthy of her. But when a snowstorm knocks the power out at Caitlin’s place, she asks Wes if she can stay with him for a few days, and sparks start to fly between them. I’m not sure why I didn’t connect with this story more; both the main characters are likable, and I usually enjoy the friends-to-lovers trope. Maybe I was a little frustrated by Wes…I just wanted him to COMMUNICATE already! The novella was also a bit too racy for me, but obviously others’ mileage will vary. Overall, I didn’t hate this one but didn’t particularly like it either, and I won’t seek out more by this author.

Book #131: Jean Merrill, The Girl from the Diadem
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Actress Belle Barclay is losing her voice, which means her career is ending and she needs to plan for her future. An opportunity drops into her lap when the young Earl of Orsett offers to hire her for one last acting job: she’ll accompany him to a house party, posing as his love interest, so that his parents, appalled by the prospect of an actress as their daughter-in-law, will permit him to marry his penniless childhood sweetheart instead. Of course, complications ensue, and the house party descends into a farce of miscommunications and unrequited loves. Belle congratulates herself on being above the fray, only to discover that she’s fallen in love with the worst possible man. This short novel is a delightful Edwardian romp, and while it’s not quite as good as Heyer or Wodehouse, it feels a bit like a combination of the two. Definitely recommended if you can find a copy — I had to buy a used one in pretty bad condition from Thriftbooks, but it was worth it!

Book #132: Juliet Marillier, Heart’s Blood
CATs: none
Bingo: none

In medieval Ireland, Caitrin is a young woman running away from her abusive family. She finds herself in the neighborhood of Whistling Tor, a haunted domain that the local villagers speak of with fear and avoid at all costs. But Caitrin is trained as a scribe, and Whistling Tor’s chieftain Anluan has need of her skills. So she is accepted into Anluan’s unusual household, which largely consists of ghosts who only appear to be living men. As she learns more about Whistling Tor’s history, she comes to better understand its inhabitants and even finds a way to help them. But powerful malevolent forces are arrayed against them. I enjoyed this book a lot the first time I read it, and I still liked it on this reread. It’s not my favorite Juliet Marillier novel, but frankly, I haven’t hit a bad one yet!

Book #133: Sherry Thomas, A Conspiracy in Belgravia
CATs: none
Bingo: none

I really liked the first Lady Sherlock novel when I read it earlier this year, and this second installment in the series is equally good. Charlotte Holmes has left her family to live independently with Mrs. Watson, and she works as a consulting detective under the name of the fictional Sherlock. Her latest client comes as a surprise, however: Lady Ingram needs her help to locate an old flame, who turns out to have ties to Charlotte herself. When Charlotte takes the case, she discovers that it’s much more complicated than she originally assumed — not least because she is secretly helping the wife of the man she loves. The plot thickens wonderfully in this book, and I can’t wait to continue with the series and see what new twists and turns will arise! I highly recommend this series, but you really need to start with the first book, A Study in Scarlet Women.

Book #134: Mary Balogh, Slightly Dangerous
CATs: none
Bingo: none

In this final book of the Bedwyn saga, we finally get Wulfric’s story. The Duke of Bewcastle has always prided himself on his propriety, his detachment, and the competent performance of his duty. But now that all his siblings are married and gone, he finds himself lonely and vaguely dissatisfied. He impulsively accepts an invitation to a friend’s house party, where he meets the widowed Christine Derrick. She is outgoing, fun-loving, and always getting into some improper scrape — in other words, just the sort of woman to repulse the Duke of Bewcastle. But much to his surprise and chagrin, Wulf is drawn to Christine, and she to him. But can two such different personalities ever compromise enough to form a lasting relationship? This book is Balogh’s take on the Pride and Prejudice formula, and as such I enjoyed it immensely. Wulf is a man after my own heart — I love an uptight, emotionally repressed hero who gradually learns to unbend a little. I wasn’t 100% sold on Christine at first, but as the book went on, and especially after she met the other Bedwyns, she won me over. I probably won’t keep every book in this series, but this one will stay on my shelves for the foreseeable future!

Book #135: Louisa May Alcott, An Old-Fashioned Girl
CATs: none
Bingo: none

This is a sweet, though certainly dated, novel about a country girl named Polly and her relationship with the wealthy, sophisticated Shaw family. She comes to stay with them as a child and is frequently surprised by the differences between her own family and theirs. Despite the Shaws’ greater wealth and social prestige, Polly can see that they aren’t happy because they don’t make the effort to treat each other with kindness and respect. Polly leads by example, both during her childhood visit and in later years, when she and the Shaw children meet again as young adults. Though this book isn’t as popular as Little Women — and for good reason, as Polly is irritatingly angelic compared with Jo March — I still enjoyed my reread, although that may be partially due to nostalgia. Recommended for Alcott fans.

Book #136: Georgette Heyer, Friday’s Child
CATs: none
Bingo: none

In the opening scene of this novel, young buck Lord Sheringham proposes to his childhood friend Isabella, who has become a fashionable society beauty. When she refuses him, correctly intuiting that his proposal is more about following the fashionable crowd than about actual love, Sherry leaves in a huff and vows to marry the first woman he sees. Of course, that turns out to be Hero Wantage, another childhood companion who is about to be shipped off to Bath as a governess. Since Hero is terrified of this fate, Sherry decides to keep his impetuous promise and sweeps her off to London to be married. Hero is delighted, having worshiped Sherry for ages, but her ignorance of society constantly gets her into trouble. As Sherry and Hero jump from one problem to another, their relationship both deepens and is tested, and it’s up to Sherry’s dimwitted but well-meaning friends to save the day. I always love Georgette Heyer, and this is a fun one because the hero and heroine are both young and giddy, still figuring things out. That also makes things frustrating at times; there are perhaps too many shenanigans and not enough development of the central romance. But Sherry and his friends are so delightful that I can’t help enjoying the ride anyway!

Book #137: Tracy Kiely, Murder at Longbourn
CATs: Mystery (cozy)
Bingo: none

In this cozy contemporary mystery, Elizabeth Parker goes to visit her Aunt Winnie, who owns a bed and breakfast called the Inn at Longbourn on Cape Cod. Aunt Winnie is hosting a New Year’s Eve murder mystery party — but disaster strikes when one of the guests is really murdered. Because the dead man wanted to force Aunt Winnie to sell the inn to him, she becomes the police’s prime suspect. Confident that her aunt is innocent, Elizabeth does some amateur sleuthing to find the real killer. I don’t normally read contemporary cozies, but this was a pleasant read that kept me turning the pages. I enjoyed the nods to Pride and Prejudice (yes, there are a Darcy and a Wickham for our heroine to choose from) and to Agatha Christie (characters named Jackie and Linnet!). I may continue with the series, since the books are available at my local library.

Book #138: Jenny Bayliss, The Twelve Dates of Christmas
CATs: Random (dice - 2 - number in the title = Twelve)
Bingo: none

Thirty-four-year-old Kate Turner lives in a small English village with few opportunities to meet single men. So as the holiday season approaches, she decides to sign up for the Twelve Dates of Christmas, a local matchmaking event where she’ll go on 12 dates with 12 different men in the hope of finding romance. Naturally, some dates are better than others, and a few are downright awful; but as Kate tries to envision a future with these men, she must also confront her feelings for her long-time best friend, Matt. This was a fun, light, predictable book that I enjoyed, although it’s not necessarily a keeper for me. Still, I’d recommend it to those looking for a cute holiday read.

Book #139: Olivia Atwater, Half a Soul
CATs: Random (dice - 2 - number in the title = Half)
Bingo: none

After a dangerous encounter with a faerie as a child, Dora Ettings has been left with half a soul. As a result, she has trouble feeling and processing emotions, which makes her prone to socially embarrassing situations. When Dora and her family travel to London for the Season, she just wants to avoid getting into trouble. But the Lord Sorcier takes an interest in her case, and he and Dora soon find themselves working together to combat a plague with a mysterious connection to Faerie. I'm a sucker for the "magical Regency" genre, and I greatly enjoyed this book. Can't wait to pick up the next in the series! Definitely recommended if the premise appeals to you.

Book #140: Cecilia Grant, A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong
CATs: Alpha (W = Wrong)
Bingo: none

In this Regency Christmas novella, Andrew Blackshear is on the way to buy his sister a Christmas present when he comes across the beguiling Lucy Sharp, who happens to be the daughter of the man he came to meet. After a series of accidents, Andrew ends up driving Lucy to a house party, but even more misfortunes arise, forcing them to spend multiple nights together. Andrew values propriety and self-control above all, but he can't help being wildly attracted to Lucy. The more time they spend together, the more they consider whether they are compatible enough for marriage. I liked this novella and especially enjoyed how Andrew and Lucy both came to appreciate each other's good points. A cozy little story to end the year with!

YEAR-END RECAP

Books read: 140 (compared with 106 in 2019 and 69 in 2018)

Average books read per month: 11.67 (compared with 8.83 in 2019 and 5.75 in 2018)

Books acquired: 66 (compared with 88 in 2019 and 92 in 2018)

Top 10 books of the year:
In the order in which I read them...

1. Kate Clayborn, Love Lettering
2. Meagan Spooner, Sherwood
3. Sherry Thomas, A Study in Scarlet Women
4. Katherine Arden, The Winter of the Witch
5. Helen MacInnes, Assignment in Brittany
6. Susanna Kearsley, A Desperate Fortune
7. Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White, The Glass Ocean
8. Stephanie Burgis, Masks and Shadows
9. Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow
10. Naomi Novik, A Deadly Education

I can't believe I read 140 books this year -- it might be a record high for me! But I suppose it's not too surprising, given that most of my normal after-work activities (choir, band, and theater rehearsals) weren't really happening in 2020. I suppose that's one silver lining of the pandemic! But truly, I'm delighted that 2020 is behind us and am looking forward to a fresh start in 2021. Please join me at my challenge thread in that group: https://www.librarything.com/topic/325398. Happy New Year!

>171 christina_reads: Wow, you smashed last year's total! Excellent work!

I really have to buy my own copy of The Sparrow. Note to self: make that part of the first book haul of the year, if possible.

>172 rabbitprincess: Thank you! And yes, I definitely support getting your own copy of The Sparrow. :)

So many great books! I don't even know where to comment, so I'll leave it at happy new year, thanks for sharing, and I hope you have an excellent reading year in 2021 as well as the chance to get back to your usual hobbies!

Happy New Year! I will have to check out some of those books on your top-10 list, especially the new Naomi Novik. I've loved all the books of hers that I've read so far.

>174 pammab: Thanks, and best wishes to you for an excellent reading year as well!

>175 mathgirl40: Happy New Year! I definitely recommend A Deadly Education; it's very different from Novik's other works, but I still really liked it and can't wait for the sequel!