Caroline Reads in 2022

Hello Everyone! It's the beginning of a new year and I feel good about my reading. Last year I challenge myself to read 13 book and I read 21! This year I am challenging myself to read 14 books in the hopes that I read 22! Ha! Here is my list:

1. The Boys: a Memoir of a Hollywood Family by Ron and Clint Howard (Finished 1/5/2022)
2. Amnesia Moon by Jonathan Lethem (Finished 1/11/2022)
3. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (Finished 1/22/2022)
4. The Night Portrait by Laura Morelli (Finished 2/13/2022)
5. The Last Duel by Eric Jager (Finished 2/20/2022)
6. Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem (Finished 3/6/2022)
7. Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston (Finished 3/19/2022)
8. Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi (Finished 3/31/2022)
9. Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of HUGUETTE CLARK and the Spending of a Great American Fortune by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr. (Finished 4/15/2022)
10. Wonder Woman 80 Years of the Amazon Warrior by George Perez (Finished 4/23/2022)
11. The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis (Finished 5/1/2022)
12. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (Finished 5/9/2022)
13. Circe by Madeline Miller (Finished 5/28/2022)
14. Twelve Days of Terror: A Definitive Investigation of the 1916 New Jersey Shark Attacks by Richard G. Fernicola (Finished 6/13/2022)
15. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson (Finished 7/2/2022)
16. Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel (Finished 7/10/2022)
17. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune (Finished 7/26/2022)
18. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Finished 8/4/2022)
19. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (Finished 8/29/2022)
20. Dangerous Rhythms: Jazz and the Underworld by T. J. English (Finished 09/15/2022)
21. The Glass Key by Dashiell Hammett (Finished 09/28/2022)
22. The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Finished 10/22/2022)
23. Amari and the Great Game by B. B. Alston (Finished 11/5/2022)
24. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Finished 11/23/2022)
25. The Haunting of Alma Fielding by Kate Summerscale (Finished 12/1/2022)
26. Sherlock Holmes and the Twelve Thefts of Christmas by Tim Major (Finished 12/18/2022)
27. Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne (Finished 1/1/2023)

The Boys: a Memoir of a Hollywood Family by Ron and Clint Howard (4 Stars)

I read this memoir because I was interested in learning more and Ron Howard's father Rance and his brother Clint. I watch the science fiction tv show Babylon 5 and Rance Howard plays the father of the main character, Captain John Sheridan played by Bruce Boxleitner. He seems like a terrific father on Babylon 5 so I wanted to see what kind of father he truly was. I also thought that Rance and Jean Howard must be great parents because Ron Howard didn't fall victim to the curse of being a child star. I was right. Ron Howard a successful actor/director because of his parents loving upbringing. Ron's unusual brother Clint also benefited from being a part of this down to earth caring family, even though he was his own worse enemy, becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol in his teens and early twenties. He was strong enough to get sober and has a varied character acting career doing mostly B movies and movies with his brother. I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to people interested in the Howard family or the families of successful child stars.

Good Luck, and Happy Reading, Caroline.

>3 Sergeirocks:. Thank you!

Amnesia Moon by Jonathan Lethem 4 Stars

This novel is about dreams changing reality. Chaos or Everett, depending on where our protagonist is staying, starts out living in a dystopian city were there has been an atomic war. People are living with deformities and there is very little food to go around. He leaves this city with a fur covered girl named Melinda and travels across country. Each town he goes into is a different dystopian society with different circumstances and rules. All of the realities are being created by people that can change the world around them through dreams. One town has been blinded by green fog. In another, your life is either good or bad depending on a test that tells you how lucky you are with good luck giving you better work and housing. No one can remember the way the world used to be or why dreams started changing reality. Some people have the dreams and therefore control the people around them who are susceptible to the dreams.

I started reading this book and thought it was too dystopian, but I couldn’t stop reading it. The story pulled me in and it got better and better as I read it. I like stories that question reality and make me think. There isn’t a solution or an ending to this novel and I like that.

>5 craso: This sounds fascinating.

And enjoy your 2022 reading, Caroline!

>6 threadnsong: Thank you for joining me! Another great book to read where dreams change reality is The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (4 1/2 Stars)

Piranesi lives in The House. It is filled with halls, vestibules, stairs, and statues. The sea crashes through The House and provides seaweed and fish. The clouds on the top floor rain sometimes and when it’s clear you can see the stars. This is Piranesi’s world, but it isn’t our world. He helps The Other find The Great and Secret Knowledge. He is told by The Other to watch out for a new person who will drive him mad if he listens to what they have to say.

The author has created a spectacular world. I could visualize the immense statues and the ocean waves crashing through the halls and streaming down the staircases.

This novel is a mystery as much as it is a fantasy. It takes place in world apart from ours, but who are these people and how did they get there. You have to be reading carefully to catch all the clues. I could feel how staggering the big reveal was to the main character. This is a very well written book from the woman who wrote Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. It is a must read for Susanna Clarke fans and anyone who likes fantasy or magical realism.

The Night Portrait by Laura Morelli (3 1/2 Stars)

This novel has an intriguing premise. It centers around a painting by Leonardo Da Vinci titled Portrait of a Lady with an Ermine. The story is told through the eyes of four characters; an art conservator, a soldier, the subject of the portrait, and Da Vinci. The art conservator is Edith, a German woman tasked with collecting and cataloging artworks stolen by the Nazi's during World War II. The soldier, Dominic, works with the Monument Men to bring stolen art objects back to their rightful owners. The subject of the portrait is Cecilia, the mistress of the Duke of Milan. The Duke hires Da Vinci to create artworks and inventions for his court. Eventually the two 1940's timelines come together and Da Vinci and Cecilia become close friends. This is a historical novel and a majority of the characters were real people including the horrible Hans Frank who was the instigator or many atrocities in Poland.

The novel was well written with everything wrapped up in a neat bow at the end. It felt a bit long at times and I found I enjoyed the 1490's storyline more interesting that the 1940's. I like learning about the Monument Men and will look for more books about them. I recommend this novel to anyone interested in art history, Renaissance History or World War II.

The Last Duel by Eric Jager 3 1/2 Stars

I decided to check this book out because I saw the trailer for the related movie and thought it sounded interesting. This is the true story of the last legally sanctioned duel in France. A legal duel or trial by combat takes place when it’s decided by the court that the legal case can only be judged by God. A duel in this case is a joisting match between a knight and a squire. Jean de Carrouges’ wife Marguerite accused Jacques Le Gris of raping her. The Carrouges/Les Gris law case was very popular in Medieval France with speculation over the truth of the case going on for decades.

I found the beginning of the book rather dull. It was a detailed explanation of Feudal law and governance. I understand that the author wanted to set the ground work for the legal case to come. Once the assault took place, I’m sorry to say, the book became more interesting. I would recommend it to readers interested in Medieval France.

Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem 4 1/2 Stars

This is another book I decided to read because I saw the trailer for the film. I also wanted to read it because Jonathon Lethem is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. The story is told by one of the most unusual characters I have ever encountered, a man with Tourette’s syndrome. It is obvious to the reader that he is a smart guy, but everyone considers him to be a “Freakshow.” This gives him the edge when he investigates the death of his boss and mentor. You hear his obsessive thoughts and feel his embarrassing tics. If you enjoy neo noir detective novels with one of the most unusual character’s in fiction, this book is for you.

Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston 4 Stars

This was a fun middle grade book. It reminded me of the Harry Potter Series. A young black girl who has trouble fitting in at a prep-school gets an invitation from her lost brother to join a special summer camp. The summer camp is just a cover for the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. It turns out that her brother is an agent who polices supernatural happenings. When she participates in a ceremony to discover her supernatural ability it turns out that she is a magician with a gift for illusion. Magicians are frowned upon in the supernatural community so she has to prove herself as a potential junior agent and as a “good” magician.

Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi 4 Stars

This book was written at the beginning of 2021 after the author had been ill during the end of 2020. He wrote it as a fun adventure story for a time where everyone needed a little fun in their lives. The main protagonist, Jamie Gray, gets demoted from office worker to delivery driver at a food app company at the beginning of 2020. He delivers food to an acquaintance from college who offers him a job at KPS. KPS stands for Kaiju Preservation Society. If you don’t know what a Kaiju is, think Godzilla. Kaiju live on an alternate reality Earth where an asteroid did not wipe out the dinosaurs. Jamie meets a great group of people and has some laugh out loud adventures trying to protect the Kaiju from those who would exploit them for their internally grown nuclear reactors. If you have read John Scalzi before you know how fun his books can be. If you haven’t read Scalzi, but love Kaiju movies, then read this book.

Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of HUGUETTE CLARK and the Spending of a Great American Fortune by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr. 3 1/2 Stars

This is an unusual book for me to read. I normally don't read books about heiresses, but it was mentioned in my Book Chat program at work so I thought I would give it a try. The writing is objective like good reporting should be. The author is a Pulitzer Prize journalist who gives you all the facts and you get to make any judgments. I wanted to read it because of the copper mining history. I live in Arizona and copper is one of our main principal products. Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot of Arizona history involved in the book.

The book starts with Huguette's father's history of becoming a mining magnate and then moves to her life story. The end is the most interesting part of the book. I don't want to spoil anything so I won't say anymore than Huguette was a caring generous soul. Don't read this book for copper mining history, but read it for an interesting story about a shy heiress and her fortune.

Wonder Woman 80 Years of the Amazon Warrior 4 Stars

This is a compilations of 22 comics spanning 80 years starting with the introduction of Wonder Woman in All-Star Comics #8, December 1941-January 1942. Scattered in-between are commentary and insights from Lynda Carter, Trina Roberts, Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot. Some of the comics I have read before in other graphic novels and compilations, but there are a few gems here I hadn't read before like "The Impossible Day" with Wonder Woman, her mother Hippolyte, Wonder Girl and Wonder Tot appearing all together in one comic. This was "impossible" because at this time in the Wonder Woman comics Wonder Girl and Wonder Tot were younger versions of Wonder Woman so they could not be together in the same time. It also includes a "Special" women's lib issue of "Diana Prince: Wonder Woman" when Wonder Woman had given up her powers and is fighting evil as Diana Prince. In this one she fights for women's rights against a business man who is hiring women at wages lower than men. In another issue we are introduced to Diana's sister Nubia. Nubia was taken as a baby and raised by Mars to lead his army and fight against Wonder Woman. Nubia has been reintroduced into DC Comics recently and I enjoy her comics. I recommend this book to Wonder Woman fans everywhere.

The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis 3 1/2 Stars

Sometimes, science fiction is used to make social commentary more palatable. I believe Tevis used the idea of an alien coming to Earth to show the reader the faults of us sorry Earthlings. Newton comes to Earth to build a ship to bring the last of his people to Earth to start a new life. He amasses a huge fortune by introducing alien technology. He is so naïve about Earthlings, partly because he studied us by watching TV shows. Newton comes into contact with people from all socio-economic backgrounds and has something to say about everyone. He assimilates to well into our culture to his detriment. If you are looking for a smart science fiction novel then I recommend this book. The novel has been reissued because it has just been remade into a streaming tv show, and that is why I was able to check it our of the library.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides 3 1/2 Stars

I read this novel because it was mentioned at work by one of my book chat members. I heard that there was a twist ending and unreliable narrator so I had to read it. It's a very quick read, in fact I rarely read a book as fast as I read this one. I guess I really wanted to get to the twist at the end. We learn the particulars of the story from Alicia, a.k.a the silent patient and Theo her psychoanalyst. They are both mentally and emotionally damaged people. In fact, there are no characters in this novel that I can say I liked or rooted for. Even the most decent of the bunch had there own agenda. If you enjoy psychological thrillers then this is about as psychological as you can get.

Circe by Madeline Miller 4 Stars

This novel tells the story of the goddess and sorceress Circe from her perspective. In Greek mythology she is depicted as an evil seductress. In this novel she is characterized as a lonely outcast. Circe isn't enough of a goddess or sorceress for her family to have any interest in her. She is exiled by Zeus to a deserted island when the gods become afraid of her power. She is used by the gods and by mortals until she finds her true self with a man she can finally trust.

I read this novel because I enjoy Greek mythology. I liked the retelling of the story of the Odyssey and the fleshing out of Circe's back story. Using Greek mythology in current literature is very popular at the moment, especially retelling the myths from a female perspective. If you enjoy Greek mythology or stories about powerful women, then you will enjoy reading this novel.

Twelve Days of Terror: a Definitive Investigation of the 1916 Shark Attacks by Richard G. Fernicola (3 1/2 Stars)

Off the coast of New Jersey in 1916 five people were attacked by sharks in a twelve-day period. Up until that time, it was believed that sharks would not attack a person and if they did attack a person they could not do extensive damage. The author gives us an overview of what was going on socially and politically in the United States at that time. He explains how bathing in the Atlantic was a fad for the rich and what kind of bathing attire they wore. He also told each attack story in detail with first person accounts if family members of those who were attacked were still alive.

The author thoroughly researched sharks and shark attacks from around the world to try and find the cause for so many attacks occurring in one area in such a short time span. Unfortunately, listing different sharks, where they hunt, and how they attack, can become a little boring. If it was not for the narrator of the audiobook who spoke in a fast passed and exiting manner, I would have listening to the book a little over half way through. When the narrator says at the end that this is the unabridged version of the book, you better believe it.

Those interested in the history of the United States in the first half of the 20th Century will like the beginning of the book. If you are interested in learning everything about every shark and shark attack ever, then you will enjoy the second half of the book.

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson (4 1/2 Stars)

The theme for our Summer Reading Program at work is "Oceans of Possibilities." I have asked my book chat group to read books with ocean and sea themes. Last month I read Twelve Days of Terror: a Definitive Investigation of the 1916 Shark Attacks. This month I read Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania.

I enjoyed Eric Larson’s style of writing. He uses first hand accounts to create a fiction like story. The captain of the Lusitania and the captain of U20 as well as the passengers on the Lusitania become characters in this true story. The author also uses short chapters showing each thread of the narrative to create tension until the ship is finally struck by the torpedo. I found the scenes of the sinking and aftermath to be harrowing and quite disturbing. This was a well written, riveting, engaging non-fiction book. I will look at reading more from this author in the future.

>20 craso: I love Larson!

>21 JulieLill: I will be reading more of his books.

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (4 1/2 Stars)

Three different people in three different centuries experience the same strange occurrence in a forest in Canada, the sound of violin music being played in an airship terminal. How can this be? Gaspery Roberts is determined to find out the reason for this anomaly, even if it means it will change his life forever.

I enjoyed the structure of this novel. Each section is about different characters in a different time period until all the threads are woven together and you figure out what is going on. There are clues in each section that help you figure out that it must be time travel or simulation theory related.

I am a big fan of science fiction that questions reality. This book is the right book for me. I have put Emily St. John Mandel's other science fiction novel on my want list.

>20 craso: Oh, Larson! I love his work and his ability to bring the history to vivid life. I hope you enjoy more of his books.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune (4 Stars)

I can see why the American Library Association awarded this book the Alex Award. It is an adult book that teens and young adults would love to read. The story is very sweet and funny. It's about not being afraid to be who you are and that families come in all shapes and sizes.

Linus Baker is a strict by-the-book caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He goes to different orphanages to see that magical youth are being taken care of properly. When he visits the orphanage run by Arthur Parnassus he finds some of the most magical children in the world.

I recommend this book to readers who like humorous fantasy novels in the vain of Douglas Adams and Jasper Fforde. I also recommend it to readers that believe everyone should live a happy life full of love and hope regardless of size, color, or sexual orientation.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (4 Stars)

I saw this book everywhere, in book stores and online, so I decided to read it. It also fit in well with the theme I set up for my book chat group at work, read a book set in another country. It was a real page turner and I enjoyed reading it. Just the right amount of horror without being super gory or scary.

Noemi is a debutant from a rich family in Mexico. Her cousin Catalina marries into an English family that became rich mining silver in Mexico. Catalina sends her family a strange letter and they become worried for her sanity. Noemi visits Catalina at High Place, a house in the Mexican countryside. The house is old and the walls are covered in mold and mildew. The family is inhospitable and Catalina's husband is menacing and alluring. The family has many dark secrets including murder and strange rituals. Can Noemi and her cousin escape this strange family and their haunted home?

Noemi is a very stubborn and determined character. It's nice reading a novel with a strong female protagonist.

I thought this book would be a straight gothic novel and it has a lot of gothic elements, but it also has more than a few Lovecraftian themes. If you enjoy gothic horror or themes of family genetics and body horror, then you will enjoy this novel.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (4 stars)

I decided to read this book after I read Sea of Tranquility. The setting for this novel is a pandemic. The novel follows different characters before, during, and after the pandemic. The focal point of the novel is an actor named Arthur Leander. All of the characters come into contact with this man at some point in their lives.

As you can tell, I enjoyed the narrative structure. The book starts with Arthur on stage playing King Lear, as the pandemic is starting to spread. It then goes to the paramedic that tried to help him, the little girl who watched him on stage, Arthur's first wife, Arthur's best friend, Arthur's second wife and son, etc. You find out about each character’s life before during and after the pandemic.

I also like how the author made the pandemic seem like a plausible thing. She made the setting relatable with fast food restaurants and other places that you could relate to. I understand why so many people read this book during the COVID-19 pandemic. It describes one character buying cart loads of food at a grocery store. This reminded me of the hording the went on during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I like this author and I have put her on my favorite author list. I recommend her works to anyone who enjoys reading novels that are not told in a linear fashion.

Dangerous Rhythms: Jazz and the Underworld by T. J. English (4 Stars)

Have you ever watched an old gangster movie or just a movie from the 1930s or 40s with a scene in a nightclub? Most likely a big band is playing in the background and a beautiful woman is singing. I always took those scenes for granted. I didn't realize how jazz music, nightclubs, and the mafia were tightly intertwined. This book is a history of jazz and the mafia. It starts with the first jazz bands in New Orleans at the turn of the last century and how to mafia ran the brothels and speakeasys and used the bands to bring in clientele. Jazz and the mob moved to Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, L.A. New York, Florida, Cuba, and finally Las Vegas. The mafia both protected and took advantage of the musicians. They made jazz stars like Frank Sinartra and they got jazz musicians like Charlie Parker hooked on heroin. Besides nightclubs and speakeasies, the mob had their hands in juke box sales and ran MCA records. If you are interested in the history of jazz or the history of the mafia you will enjoy reading this book.

The Glass Key by Dashiell Hammett (4 Stars)

This e-audiobooks goes well with the last book I read Dangerous Rhythms: Jazz and the Underworld. It was recommended to me by a co-worker who had read the book many years ago. I listened to it in the car as I drove to and from work. I tried reading it, but found I enjoyed listening to it better. The form of the novel is third person objective. This means that you do not know what the characters are thinking. For example, a typical sentence in this novel would read like this, "Ned Beaumont walked into the room, lit a cigar, and stared fixedly at Paul Magvig." I found that this type of narration is fun to listen to and not fun to read.

The novel is about a mob boss backing a senator for reelection who is accused of killing the senator's son. Ned Beaumont is a gambler, ladies man and fixer for the mob boss. He is out to prove that his boss is innocent. Other plot lines involve Ned getting money out of a bookie and stopping the rival gangster Shad O'Rory from taking over the city.

If you enjoy reading noir thrillers this is considered one of the best. I enjoyed listening to it more than reading it. It was also made into a movie in 1935 and 1942. I looked at the movies on IMDB and the 1935 one seems more true to the original novel.

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (4 Stars)

This is the last book in The Inheritance Games series. We finally find out why Tobias Hawthorne gave his billions to Avery Gramps, a young woman that he had only meet once and his family knew nothing about. Toby Hawthorne, Tobias's adopted son is kidnapped by a millionaire who plays the same sort of games that Tobias and the rest of the Hawthorne clan play. Who is this mysterious man and how does he fit in with the history of the Hawthorne's?

This is a satisfying ending to the series. I almost gave it 3 1/2 stars because the ending is wrapped up so quickly and neatly. It felt like two or three pages and it's over. I do like where the novel went in the end and what Avery did with the money once she had complete control. She was definitely the right person to inherit the fortune.

If you like mysteries with a lot of games and puzzles then I recommend this whole series of books. Be warned, these are teen novels so the main characters are mostly 17-24 years old and there is a romance.

Amari and The Great Game by B. B. Alston 4 Stars

Amari goes back to summer school for junior Supernatural Investigation agents. She saved the world last summer so this summer should be a breeze. Unfortunately, the Supernatural Congress has been frozen in time and magicians are being blamed. Amari must prove herself again with her classmates and the rest of the supernatural world. She also is brought into a struggle for power within the League of Magicians. She is forced to face her worst enemy in the Great Game to see who will be crowned the leader of the League of Magicians.

This is the second book in the Supernatural Investigations series. I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first one. This is a middle grade chapter book series. I enjoy the world that the author has built and the characters that inhabit it. If you enjoy books like the harry potter series, you will enjoy reading this series.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia 4 Stars

This novel is a retelling of the H. G. Wells story The Island of Doctor Moreau. The setting has been changed to the Yucatan in the 1877's during the Caste War. The author used the hybrids as a metaphor for the Maya peoples subjugation by the Mexicans and Europeans. The story is fairly simple. Doctor Moreau is creating animal/human hybrids to work in the fields of his land lord. The house is populated by his daughter Carlotta, the overseer Montgomery, the cook Ramona, and the hybrids. Carlotta has grown up with the hybrids and feels like everyone in the household is a part of her family. When that family is threatened, she takes action first with negotiation and then violence. I enjoyed the romantic aspects of the book as well as the social and historical commentary. It wasn't a frightening novel, even though it is considered to be a horror novel. If you are looking for a gothic romance novel with a historical background, then you will enjoy this book.

The Haunting of Alma Fielding by Kate Summerscale 4 1/2 Stars

The book centers around Alma Fielding, a wife and mother in Croyden, England and psychic investigator Nandor Fodor. It begins with a poltergeist phenomenon in the Fielding home. Fodor starts an investigation for the International Institute for Psychical Research. He decides to invite Alma to the institute for further study and training to develop her psychic abilities. It soon becomes clear that she has had some traumatic situations in her life and that these traumas caused a psychotic break. Fodor starts to psychoanalyze her which causes an uproar in the spiritualist community.

I found this to be a fascinating book on the psychology behind mediums and parapsychology. I enjoyed the authors style of writing and I am looking for her other books at the library.

Sherlock Holmes and the Twelve Thefts of Christmas by Tim Major 4 Stars

This was a pretty good Sherlock Holmes novel. I have read a lot of Holmes novels written by authors other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and this is one of the best. One of the main things I look for in a Holmes novel is how Watson is portrayed. Sometimes he is portrayed as a bumbling buffoon. This is not the case in this novel. It is later in his relationship with Holmes and he is married to Mary. Watson knows all of Holmes idiosyncrasies and they compliment each other. I also liked how Mrs. Hudson and Mary Watson were characterized.

The Woman is back to taunt Holmes. She has devised twelve “thefts without theft” just in time to bring Holmes out of his malaise. At the same time, arctic explorer Fridtjof Nansen has hired Holmes and Watson to investigate the strange appearances of fresh meat on his doorstep each morning. It this a gift or a warning to end his career as an explorer?

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne 3 1/2 Stars

While Victor Frankenstein is busy creating his monster, his sister Angelika is busy creating her love match. This was a fun and humorous romance novel that borrows a few characters from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The best part of this novel is the well developed characters. The reason I didn't give it 4 stars is that it is a romance and I'm not a big romance fan. I enjoy humorous novels and gothic novels, but romance novels can be a bit frustrating. The main love interests spend the beginning of the novel professing their undying love and then finding reasons why they can't be together. If you enjoy quirky romance novels then you will enjoy this novel.

Wow! I read 27 books in 2022. Yay! This is my last post on this thread. See you on my 2023 thread.

>36 craso: Well Done! 🙂👏

>37 Sergeirocks: Thank you!