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2025 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


30 / 30 bookish books. 100% done!

2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


46 / 50 books. 92% done!

2025 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (2)
- Arizona (2)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (9)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (2)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (1)
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (3)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (4)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (1)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (8)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (3)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (2)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (3)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (4)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (1)

International:
- Australia (5)
- Canada (3)
- England (16)
- France (2)
- Greece (2)
- Italy (1)
- Japan (1)
- Norway (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (2)
- Vietnam (1)

My Progress:


51 / 51 states. 100% done!

2025 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


31 / 50 books. 62% done!

2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

My Progress:


37 / 50 books. 74% done!

Booklist Queen's 2025 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


40 / 52 books. 77% done!

2025 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


43 / 52 books. 83% done!

2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


30 / 40 books. 75% done!

2025 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


38 / 51 cozies. 75% done!

2025 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge

2025 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

My Progress


26 / 26.2 miles. 99% done!

2025 Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


33 / 100 books. 33% done!

2025 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


70 / 109 books. 64% done!

2025 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


57 / 62 books. 92% done!

Phase Out Your Seriesathon - My Progress


23 / 55 books. 42% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

My Progress:


97 / 100 names. 97% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

My Progress:


75 / 80 skills. 94% done!
Friday, November 16, 2018

French's Newest Slower, More Meditative, But Compelling Nonetheless

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

A charmer with an uncanny knack for lucking his way out of every scrape, 28-year-old Toby Hennessy is celebrating his latest near-miss when his luck finally runs out.  When he surprises a pair of thieves in the act of robbing his flat, Toby is beaten and left for dead.  Although he survives, he suffers a traumatic brain injury that results in debilitating anxiety and panic attacks.  Needing a change of scenery, Toby flees Dublin for the Ivy House, his ancestral home in the country.  

Toby's idyllic country retreat is shattered when a skull is discovered inside a witch elm on the property.  When the remains are identified and motives are ascertained, Toby is left with a mystery to solve.  With the help of two cousins with whom he grew up, he tries to make sense of his past, a prospect that is suddenly much grimmer and perplexing than he ever thought.  His closest friends and relatives are keeping damning secrets—can Toby uncover the truth they're hiding?  Does he even want to?  

As much as I love the Dublin Murder Squad series by Irish crime writer Tana French, I admit I was intrigued when I heard she would be publishing her first standalone novel.  While The Witch Elm shares similarities with French's previous books, it's also quite different.  Slower moving and more meditative.  Which doesn't mean it's not compelling.  It is.  It's just engrossing in a different way.  Although the story revolves around a mysterious death and involves a police investigation, The Witch Elm is not a crime novel per se.  That is, it's not so much about solving a case as it is about looking inside the heads and hearts of some very intriguing characters.  While the action does ramp up toward the end, the book's finale is depressing and pointless, but also thought-provoking.  Overall, I liked The Witch Elm, although it's definitely not my favorite from French.  

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other books by Tana French)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:


for language, violence, drug use, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of The Witch Elm from the generous folks at Penguin via those at Edelweiss.  Thank you!
Wednesday, November 14, 2018

I Don't Usually Love Regency Romances, But This One Is a Most Delightful Exception (With a Giveaway!)

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Juliana Ashbourne may be just a governess, but the 19-year-old has dreams that are grander than her station and richer than the pitiful sum she has squirreled away in her jewelry box.  When she receives notice that she has inherited a shockingly large amount from a grandfather she never knew, Julianna's dream of opening a school for girls is suddenly within reach.  There's only one caveat.  In order to get the money she must spend a month at Havenfield, the sprawling country estate where her mother grew up and from whence her mother was banned after eloping with an unsuitable man—Juliana's beloved father.  How can she accept such a bargain from the family that callously banished their own daughter, shunning her for the rest of her life? 

When circumstances force her hand, Juliana reluctantly travels to Havenfield to begin her sentence.  From the moment she steps onto the grounds, she finds herself among both friends and foes.  While her aunt pelts her with icy glares, Julianna feels only warmth from Mr. William Rowley, the handsome heir to Havenfield.  He might be a relentless tease, but his interest in Juliana is sincere.  Which only makes her place in this strange new world more confusing.  When a scandal threatens everything she's come to hold dear, Juliana must decide where she really belongs and what her heart truly wants.  

Although I'm not a big romance fan, Regency love stories always entertain me with their light, frothy storylines; engaging, witty banter; and virtuous, likeable characters engaged in clean, wholesome romancing.  I've come to expect (and accept) all the loosey-goosey plotting; cliché, too-good-to-be-true story people; and the same soap opera dramas playing out in the same stately parlors and gilded ballrooms.  Because they're more brain candy than soul food, it's rare for me to really love a Regency novel.  Which is why I found The Truth About Miss Ashbourne, a debut by Joanna Barker, such a delightful exception.  With its engaging plot, well-developed characters, slow-burning romance, and skillful prose, it kept me thoroughly entertained.  I loved the cast, especially Juliana, who kept surprising me even though I felt like I knew her.  The romance developed predictably, but over time, which made it feel less insta-lovey than other Regency couplings.  Although The Truth About Miss Ashbourne runs a little longer than I usually like these kinds of novels to go, I found I didn't mind at all.  In fact, I would eagerly read more books about these characters or at least by this talented new author on whom I will very definitely be keeping an eye.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Regency/Proper romances by Sarah M. Eden, Jennifer Moore, Julianne Donaldson, Josi S. Kilpack, etc.)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:


for mild innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of The Truth About Miss Ashbourne from the generous folks at Covenant in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

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Monday, November 12, 2018

Beyond the Books: LightView Rolling Base Magnifier Lamp from Brightech

It might surprise you to discover that I have other hobbies besides reading (gasp!). Not that I've engaged in some of them much over the past few years, but still, I want you to know that I'm more than just a reader/blogger.  I'm a well-rounded (literally and figuratively) book nerd!

The good folks at Brightech, a Los Angeles lighting company, offered to send me a free magnifier lamp (in exchange for an honest review) that would be perfect for one of my hobbies—cross-stitching.  I eagerly accepted their generous offer.  Because I cross-stitch (and read) most often while sitting in a recliner, I chose the LightView Rolling Base Magnifier Lamp, which features a dimmable LED magnifying light on a long swing arm.  This element, plus the six-wheeled base, makes it easy to move the lamp to the exact position I need.  It's simple to place it over my head, over my shoulder, or wherever it works best to light up the project on which I'm working.  The brighter settings are perfect for needlework, especially since my aging eyes have trouble seeing fine details.  It would also work well for any other craft, hobby or repair project that requires magnification.  For reading, I prefer one of the softer settings so that I can see the words on the page without straining my eyes.  Despite the bright light, you won't feel any heat coming off the lamp, which means you can enjoy reading or crafting without sweating to death!

I used to have an Ottlite lamp in a similar design and had been considering replacing it when Brightech contacted me.  Since the LightView version does everything my Ottlite did and more, I'm very pleased with it.  The product was simple to put together (my 13-year-old son did it for me), looks nice, and has lots of great features that make it very useful.  It's solid and well-constructed, which lets me know that it's something my family and I will be using for years to come.  Right now, the lamp is on sale for $108.99 with free shipping since it's over $50.  While that may seem a little pricey, it's cheaper than similar Ottlite products.  If you don't love the LightView Rolling Base Magnifier Lamp, never fear—you can return it for free.  If you do, you'll be happy to know it comes with a 5-year warranty, just in case.  I've been very happy with this lamp and would definitely recommend purchasing one if you're in the market for a high-quality magnifying lamp to use while enjoying your favorite hobbies.

(If you're not looking for a magnifying lamp right now, be sure to check out Brightech's other lighting products.  They have a large selection of table lamps, floor lamps, and string lights at affordable prices.)   

Thank you, Brightech!

I Heart Its Premise Big Time. Its Execution? Not So Much.

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Few people are tough enough—physically, mentally, or emotionally—to endure a "winter over" in Antarctica.  Not everyone can handle being cooped up in an isolated compound with the same small group of people for nine months, let alone in extreme weather and almost complete darkness 24/7.  For Cass Jennings, a 30-something mechanical engineer, working at the Shackleton South Pole Research Facility for the austral winter is a way to escape her troubled past and start over.  Her job as a vehicle mechanic/plumber/carpenter may not be glamorous or exciting, but it is essential.  Her tasks keep her mind in the present, not the past, and that's all Cass needs right now.

When the death of a colleague sets a series of mysterious events into motion, however, Cass begins to worry about her future.  The stranger things get at Shackleton, the more she starts to panic.  With little communication from the outside world, it's up to the 44 people at the facility to figure out what's going on.  The tension is already tearing people apart, filling them with a dangerous combination of paranoia, hysteria, and fear.  As rationality disappears around her, Cass fights to stay calm.  It's up to her to find the answers that will save herself and everyone left in the remote facility.  Can she do it in time?  Or will they all fall victim to an enemy even more extreme and deadly than anything Antarctica can throw at them?

I'm a sucker for thrillers set in harsh, secluded environments so when Kay mentioned The Winter Over by Matthew Iden, I knew I had to read it.  The haunting, atmospheric setting gives the novel a deliciously shivery backdrop.  Although Iden goes into a lot of detail about Antarctica, he weaves it into the story in a way that feels natural, not info-dumpy.  I found it all fascinating, much more so than the novel's characters or its disjointed plot.  Because there are so many people in this tale, I had a hard time keeping them straight or caring about any of them (most of them are unlikable anyway).  Add to that a predictable (albeit abrupt) ending and, overall, I just didn't love this one.  I heart its premise big time, but its execution leaves a lot to be desired. 

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of My Last Continent by Midge Raymond)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:


for strong language, violence, and blood/gore

To the FTC, with love:  I bought an e-copy of The Winter Over on Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.
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The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed By Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

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The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner



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