Pageturner's In Iowa Relocating, Masque of the Red Death Movie, NYC Mayor Makes Book Free During Winter Storm, Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix, The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson, Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown, Twelve Months by Jim Butcher, and Star Crossed Letters by Sarah Deeham

Welcome my fellow book lovers! Its the last week of January (so soon!) and I've been hunkered down with cozy blankets and hot tea and lots of good books. We're fortunate here in the PNW, in that we only have frost on the ground that melts rather quickly in the sun, or the cold rain, and our temps are generally in the 40s and 50s during the day. The cold weather, with lots of snow and ice storms rampaging through the Eastern US and the Midwest haven't made it past the mountains and valleys of the Southwest and Western US, including the West Coast. But Spring is on the way, and by March I think the snow and ice will have dissipated into a shivering memory. Meanwhile, here's some tidbits and reviews.

I remember visiting Indianola, Iowa, back when I was a kid, for their spectacular balloon races, which were thrilling and colorful. My mother has always been a fan of ballooning, and having ridden in them a couple of times, was happy to ride in one here in Eastern Washington for her 70th birthday as a gift from myself and my husband. Though she was only up there for a short time, she loved it. I wish that I could pay to take her up again, but she's 88 now and in a nursing home in Altoona. But I think this move by Pageturners sounds like a cracking good idea!

Pageturners Bookstore, Indianola, Iowa, Relocating

Pageturners Bookstore in Indianola, Iowa, is moving to a new space,the Independent Advocate reported.

The bookstore, which sells new and used titles, is relocating from 101 E. Salem Ave. to 103 W. Salem Ave. The new space is larger, allowing for more bookshelves along the walls, and there is a loft that will become a cozy reading area.

Owner Kathy Magruder, who founded Pageturners in 2014, told the Independent Advocate the move came about quickly once she learned that a boutique called Pamela's Place would be closing. Less than an hour after seeing a video announcing the closure, she was inquiring about the space.

"I thought that would be just such a wonderful bookstore, so I called her about a half an hour later," Magruder said. "I said, 'I know you're probably a little bit overwhelmed right now, but have you thought about renting the place, and would you think about renting it to me'?"

Magruder is still figuring out the logistics of the move, but expects it to happen in late February, followed by a grand opening in the new space in early March. She noted that many customers have volunteered to help with the move, and the general reaction has been "so positive."

I've been an EA Poe fan for decades, especially after reading his creepy stories and poetry as a pre-teen. This new take on the story sounds fascinating, especially in light of post-COVID America.

Movies: The Masque of the Red Death

Palme d'Or-winning French actress Léa Seydoux (France, Blue Is the Warmest Colour) will star opposite Oscar winner Mikey Madison (Anora) in The Masque of the Red Death, the new film from A24 and Picturestart, "billed as a revisionist and darkly comedic take on the short story of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe," Deadline reported.

The project is from writer-director Charlie Polinger (The Plague). Julia Hammer and Erik Feig will produce for Picturestart, alongside James Presson and Lucy McKendrick, with Polinger exec producing. A24 willdistribute the film worldwide. 

I've always wanted to visit NYC, for the theaters, of course, but also for the iconic bookstores and the NYC Public Library, with its famed lions out front. This idea to share this very popular gay romance novel for everyone to read via ebook during the East Coast snowstorms is GENIUS by the Mayor. Enjoy, NYC bibliophiles!

NYC Mayor Mamdani's Snowstorm Survival Tip: Read Heated Rivalry

"The snow is coming down heavily across our city," New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Sunday in a winter storm update that also included a book recommendation: "And I can think of no better excuse for New Yorkers to stay home, take a long nap, or take advantage of our public library's offer of free access to Heated Rivalry on e-book or audiobook for anyone with a library card."

Here's the New York Public Library's offer: "If you're in line for Heated Rivalry and other books in the Game Changers series--GET OUT OF LINE. Starting today, and through Valentine's Day on February 14, e-book and audiobook copies of Heated Rivalry--currently the most popular romance novel in the U.S.--and all five other books in the Game Changers series are immediately available (no wait!) to anyone with an NYPL library card. Read or listen to one or all of the books through the Libby app."

Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix is a YA paranormal romantasy that is fun and concise and well worth the price for the few hours it will take you to read through this page-turner. If you're at all familiar with Nix's Sabriel series, then you know how engrossing his stories are, and how his whimsical characters fascinate. Here's the blurb: 

Romance crackles in magical Regency London in this dazzling tale of a stolen jewel and the heroine who will do anything to retrieve it—even don a disguise and work with a high-handed-but-attractive stranger who is not what he seems. 

 On her eighteenth birthday, Lady Truthful Newington—nicknamed “Newt”— is dreaming about her upcoming trip to London, where the streets are filled with magic and eligible young lords. Before she goes, she is to inherit her family’s treasure: the Newington Emerald. A dazzling heart-shaped gem, the Emerald contains mysterious and powerful magic.

When the Emerald is stolen, Newt sets off to recover it. Her plan entails dressing up as a man, mustache included, as no well-bred young lady should be seen out and about on her own. While disguised, Newt encounters the handsome but insufferable Major Harnett, who joins the hunt for the missing Emerald. Offended by her new ally’s high-handedness but eager for assistance, Newt strives to conceal her true identity from Harnett, little guessing that he too is not as he appears.

A sweeping adventure ensues filled with sinister fey, fancy dresses, witty banter, daring seaborne escapes, grand balls, and a sorceress whose evil plot threatens everyone from Newt herself to the Prince Regent. And as Newt and Harnett face danger together, each realizes there is more to the other than meets the eye—and more alarming yet, they may actually be falling in love.

Though the prose is clean and crisp and the plot well gelled, this short novel reads like a middle-grade book, very easy to understand and unravel the mystery, and the character's motivations. I would recommend it for young teens and pre-teens who enjoy historical romance or watching "Bridgerton" on Netflix. Still, its a page-tuner, fun and fascinating take on Regency society lords and ladies with magical talents. I'd give it a B+.

 

The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson is a WWII historical fiction novel that contains a lot of wonderful bibliophiles and information on the power of books to transport, soothe and provide hope during dark times...there's also a thread of romance through the novel that, while not all sweetness and light, is realistic for the pain and suffering of wartime England. Here's the blurb: Inspired by true events, The Wartime Book Club is an unforgettable story of everyday bravery and resistance, full of romance, drama, and camaraderie and a tribute to the joy of reading and the power of books in our darkest hour.

The Isle of Jersey was once a warm and neighborly community, but in 1943, German soldiers patrol the cobbled streets, imposing a harsh rule.
 
Nazis have ordered Grace La Mottée, the island's only librarian, to destroy books that threaten the new regime. Instead, she hides the stories away in secret. Along with her headstrong best friend, she wants to fight back. So she forms the Wartime Book Club: a lifeline, offering fearful islanders the joy and escapism of reading.
 
But as the occupation drags on, the women's quiet acts of bravery become more perilous – and more important – than ever before. And when tensions turn to violence, they are forced to face the true, terrible cost of resistance.

 

This book reminded me of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which I read in 2009, and was about a similar (almost identical) subject, of English people on an Island occupied by the Nazis in WWII who are starved, beaten, and often killed for ridiculous reasons by the jack-booted thugs of the Third Reich. Yet in this novel, which is not as epistolary as "Guernsey" Grace the librarian struggles to save those fleeing the Nazis as she also tries to keep banned books in circulation. This novel is all based on real people in Jersey and other places whose valor, or lack thereof hasn't really been much talked about in the past 80 years since the war ended. There's photos and letters in the back of the book that tell the tale of the wars survivors and those who gave their lives for freedom. Though the book is too long (well over 500 pages), the excellent quality of the prose and the skillful plot keep the pages turning long into the night. I became invested in the characters right away, and was so glad that Grace got her HEA, though it came at the expense of another. I'd give this book an A-, and recommend it to anyone who loves real stories of heroism during WWII, and details about how everyday people, from librarians to postal workers, resisted the Nazi regime at great cost to their lives.

 

Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown (yes, the actress from Stranger Things/Enola Holmes) is an historical romance set during WWII that I believe is geared to the YA crowd. Here's the blurb: 

Love blooms in the darkest days…

It’s 1942, and air raid sirens continue to wail around London. Eighteen-year-old Nellie Morris counts every day lucky that she emerges from the underground shelters unharmed, her loving family still surrounding her.

After a chance encounter with Ray, an American airman stationed nearby, she becomes enchanted with the idea of a broader world. Just as she begins to embrace an exciting new life with Ray, a terrible incident occurs during an air raid one evening, tearing her world apart. But when it seems all hope is lost, Nellie finds that, against all odds, love and happiness can triumph.

Nineteen Steps is a deeply affecting, mesmerizing page-turner based on a true story from the author’s family history. An epic story of longing, loss, and secrets, Millie Bobby Brown’s propulsive debut introduces an unforgettable, brave young woman and boldly portrays the strength in the power of love.

“Inspired by my Nanny Ruth, this book is very personal and close to my heart. I grew up listening to stories about her time living through the war. I’m honored to keep her story alive.”—Millie Bobby Brown

I really wanted to like this book, but any well-read bibliophile can tell that it was written by a first-time novelist. The writing is immature, and the plot is lumpy and unsteady. While she's penning a story based on family lore, which is sweet, she needs to take some classes on prose style and deepening characters, as the people who populate her book are thinly disguised and flimsy. However, it was a nice distraction for an afternoon of reading about life in a different time and place. I'd would give it a B- and recommend it to teenagers enamored with WWII history.

Twelve Months by Jim Butcher is the 18th (19th if you count all the short stories in the Dresden Files) book in the Dresden Files series, one that I have never been unable to resist, though, having met Butcher, (and finding him lacking as a person), I shouldn't be supporting his literary efforts. But no one writes urban fantasy like Butcher, and no one else could create the raft of utterly wonderful characters that he's created and set free in the literary world with such deft aplomb. Once I met the title character, Chicago's most famous wizard, Harry Dresden, I was in love, and I couldn't gulp down this series fast enough. I even watched the one and only season of the TV series that debuted back in the 90s (It made me really like Paul Blackthorn). And no one can write action fantasy prose that's as powerful as Jim Butchers. His Chicago, full of vampires, fae, werewolves, Angels and Wizards is utterly real-seeming and totally engrossing. I dare you to try to put down a Dresden Files novel, once you pick it up and start reading. Here's the blurb: 

Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, has always managed to save the day—but, in this powerful entry in the  bestselling Dresden Files, can he save himself?

One year. 365 days. Twelve months.

Harry Dresden has been through a lot, and so has his city. After Harry and his allies narrowly managed to save Chicago from being razed to the ground, everything is different—and it’s not just the current lack of electricity.

In the battle, Harry lost people he cared about. And that's the kind of loss that takes a toll. Harry being Harry, he’s doing his level best to help the city and his friends recover and rebuild. But it’s a heavy load, and he needs time.

But time is one thing Harry doesn’t have. Ghouls are prowling Chicago and taking out innocent civilians. Harry’s brother is dying, and Harry doesn’t know how to help him. And last but certainly not least, the Winter Queen of the Fae has allied with the White Court of vampires—and Harry’s been betrothed to the seductive, deadly vampire Lara Raith to seal the deal.

It's been a tough year. More than ever, the city needs Harry Dresden the wizard—but after loss and grief, is there enough left of Harry Dresden the man to rise to the challenge?

After reading all 18 books, there's still one nitpick that bothers me, and that is Harry's creepy sexual attraction (that he thankfully never acts on) toward Molly, his best friend Michael (the Archangels) daughter, whom he's watched grow up and who he helped learn the ways of magic. I mean, he babysat this woman as a child, and wanting to sleep with her is pedophilia at its most heinous, because he knows that she had a crush on him as a teenager. EW. Butcher should have nipped this in the bud early on and then never mentioned it again....but now every single time Molly appears in any of the books, Harry reminisces about his longing to get in her pants. Gross. Get laid with someone your own age, Harry and then STFU about it. Throughout the book, he is grieving the loss of Karrin Murphy, his cop bestie and girlfriend, and feeling guilty for not saving her, when she made it clear that her actions were under her own agency. But, like most guys, Harry has that hero complex that tells him he's responsible for the lives of everyone around him, especially the infantilized "damsel in distress" who was his girlfriend (she really was a badass and didn't need his protection or rescue at all). At any rate, there's a few great Easter eggs from previous Dresden Files novels, and there's plenty of kicking ass and teaching his new apprentice, who shows great promise. The plot flies by  and I couldn't put this book down (I read it in a day). I'd give it an A, and recommend it to anyone else who has read the Dresden Files series, and misses reading about Harry getting the crap beat out of him by otherworldly creatures, again. 

Star Crossed Letters: A Celebrity Pen Pal Romance by Sarah Deeham is a fun and flirty, spicy romance complete with a "meet cute" over typewritten letters. This was a free ebook that sounded like it was right up my alley, as I love epistolary books, even if they evolve into text messages sent between the two main characters. Here's the blurb: One girl with a typewriter + one movie star = anonymous pen pals, a secret crush, and a steamy, slow-burn summer to risk it all.

The bookshop barista…
When I sold a vintage typewriter, I never imagined its new owner would become my pen pal, best friend, and secret crush.
We have two rules: no photos and no real names.

Over the years, “Remington” and I go from typewritten notes to daily texts, but our rules stay the same. And so does my life. I’m a wannabe writer who can’t complete a novel, and I’ve fallen for a guy who I’ve never met.

So when I receive a letter my Nanna wrote before she died encouraging me to embark on a summer of risks—my first on the list is to break all the rules.

& the celebrity...
I hate keeping secrets from my pen pal, the one woman I care about. But I’m Hollywood’s hottest celebrity, and my fame is toxic. If I get close to a girl, she becomes vulnerable, stalked by the tabloids, trolls, and superfans.

Our anonymous friendship works until “Typewriter Girl” suddenly ghosts me. Now, I’ll do anything to ensure she’s safe, including stepping out from behind the screen and leading a double life.
 

Sadly, like a lot of romance or rom-com novels, the male protagonist becomes a knuckle-dragging caveman who wants to "possess" and control the female protagonist, who is nearly always a virgin, which is a turn on for the guy, because he knows that he's the only one to get his dick wet with her, and therefore feels he has a lifelong claim on her body and soul. He also "introduces" her to light BDSM, because of course what young virgin wouldn't be thrilled by having their hair pulled painfully or their bottom spanked?! EWWWWW. There are many, many women, young and old, who do not derive pleasure from pain. Apparently its a fairly common fantasy among douchebag guys, who are allowed to have as many sexual partners as they want, but the woman must remain "pure" until their tender ministrations turn her from an introverted shy virgin into a rampaging, blow job giving sex slave (of course she "naturally" knows how to give a primo BJ, though she's never done it before, because she's read romance novels!) UGH. So much misogyny! Make it stop! Even though he stalks her, again, he's given a pass because he's a "gorgeous" celebrity, and their looks give them a pass on everything. Oh, and he's damaged by women who have treated him badly in the past (oooh, poor baby!) and he hates the fact that he's wealthy beyond is wildest dreams now, but of course he's had to give up his privacy (again, poor baby!) so he's willing to work behind the camera and produce projects now so he can marry the manic pixie dream girl who is only slightly overweight (enough so she can have a big butt and boobs) and they can have a family and a life together. Awww. Except she will have to be a trad wife who is under his control, of course. The prose was simplistic and the plot moved at an even pace. I'd give this painfully sexist novel a C+ and recommend it to anyone who writes fan fiction that "Ships" various characters together....this is right up your alley.

 

Obituary for Erich von Daniken, Quote of the Day, A Reading Road Trip Across America Video, The Inn at Thistledown Hollow by Devon Yates, The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Queen of Thieves by Beezy Marsh, and Kneading a Spark by Lia Duchaine

It's the third week of January, already, and I'm gearing up for another long week of reading some intriguing new titles that have just come out. Meanwhile, here's some reviews and tidbits, including the obit of the weird and hilarious author Erich von Daniken, who was really popular in the late 60s and early 70s when I was a pre-teen and easily influenced by flim-flam authors who spouted nonsense that they somehow got published, like EVD's "Chariots of the Gods". I was also reading a lot of science fiction and fantasy, and wanted to believe that some of that wonder and scientific magic actually existed, if not on this earth, on some faraway planet. This was a time when Star Trek, the Original series was in heavy rotation on Iowa TV stations, and the Apollo space missions were happening, so it didn't seem so far-fetched that humans were close to discovering life on other planets. I know, it seems silly now, but then it was exciting and forward-thinking, and so much better than the world of our "square" and staid parents, who grew up during the later part of the Depression and WWII, so they seemed boring and unimaginative, working for the "man" of big corporations and the government. 

I read, along with everyone I knew under the age of 30, Chariots of the Gods, and watched the documentary and the movie, though the premise was utterly ridiculous. Still, this guy had a handle on the national zeitgeist, and was able to capture the imagination of the counter-culture and those who wanted to be "free" of the staid lives of their parents and grandparents. Critics saw through his BS, but all the hippies and free thinkers wanted to believe. Thus Erich VD made his nut off of the national gullibility of the youth of America.

Obituary Note: Erich von Däniken

Erich von Däniken, the "bestselling Swiss author and self-styled maverick archaeologist who propagated the theory that thousands of years ago an advanced alien species visited Earth, mated with ancient humans, and gave them the technology, and the intelligence, to erect such marvels as the Great Pyramids," died January 10, the New York Times reported. He was 90.

Von Däniken was a 32-year-old hotel manager in Davos, Switzerland, when he published his first book, Chariots of the Gods (1968). "In breathless prose, saturated with exclamation points and folksy interjections such as 'Hey, presto!' Mr. Von Däniken posited that virtually the sum of human knowledge and ability had been bestowed by extraterrestrials," the Times wrote.

He claimed that the Egyptian pyramids could have been built only with alien expertise: "Is it really a coincidence that the height of the pyramid of Cheops multiplied by a thousand million--98,000,000 miles--corresponds approximately to the distance between the earth and sun?"

Critics were unimpressed, with one anthropologist writing that the book was "a warped parody of reasoning, argumentation, as well as a vigorous exercise in selective quotation, misrepresentation and error based on ignorance."

Astrophysicist Carl Sagan said of von Däniken: "Every time he sees something he can't understand, he attributes it to extraterrestrial intelligence, and since he understands almost nothing, he sees evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence all over the planet." Nevertheless, Chariots of the Gods sold hundreds of thousands of copies and inspired documentaries, comic books, and a movie.

"But for a certain kind of reader--and, to scientists' alarm, there were many of them--Mr. von Däniken's theories registered not only intellectually but also spiritually, constituting something like the catechism of an enlightened new faith," the Times noted, adding that the book "positioned itself squarely against the establishment, scientific or otherwise--not a hard sell in 1968."

Over the next 50 years, von Däniken published more than 40 books, though none offered much variation from his original themes or ideas. The titles include Gods From Outer Space, The Gods Were Astronauts, and Arrival of the Gods. Collectively, his books sold more than 70 million copies.

 I agree with Laura Dave...bookstores (and Libraries) are like home, no matter where I find them. And for me, my undergrad college provided the breath of fresh air of people who were also readers and wanted to discuss books and ideas, instead of the hierarchy of teenage life, and the harassment of those on the bottom rung of that hierarchy (myself and anyone who was "different.")

Quotation of the Day

'Every Town I Go to, the Indie Bookstore Is the First Place I Go'

"I know last time we talked a lot about DIESEL, A Bookstore, which is still my home away from home.

"For me, books are always like a coming home. I love them more than anything. One of the reasons I loved graduate school so much is it was a group of people with which you could talk about books (and reading and writing and poetry and plays) and they all cared. They all wanted to talk about it. And that's what an indie bookstore feels like.... Every town I go to, the indie bookstore is the first place I go." --Laura Dave, whose novel The First Time I Saw Him 

This looks to be the kind of series that is right up my alley...bookstores and libraries and regional great authors...I can't wait for the segment on Washington state and Iowa.

Video: American Stories: A Reading Road Trip

The Library of Congress, in partnership with its Affiliate Centers for the Book and PBS Books, has launched the new video series, American Stories: A Reading Road Trip. The cross-country streaming series "uncovers the literary treasures of individual states and territories within the U.S. and the expansive storied heritage of the country," the Library said.

Timed with America's 250th birthday, each installment of American Stories: A Reading Road Trip will showcase the influence that local writers, poets, and raconteurs have had on the cultural identity of their region, inviting viewers to explore the heart, history and creative spirit of the U.S. through the lens of books and storytelling. Episodes include iconic authors, books, hidden-gem bookstores, libraries, and the locations that inspired great works.

In addition, each episode will share highlights from local programs and events hosted by each state's Affiliate Center for the Book, as well as showcase items in a variety of media from the online collections of the Library of Congress--maps, photographs, sheet music and more--that help illustrate the stories and reveal surprising connections.

"We are delighted by this partnership and the resulting programs," said Lee Ann Potter, director of Professional Learning and Outreach Initiatives at the Library. "It embodies 'E pluribus unum' ('Out of many, one'). Each episode is unique, just like the state or territory it focuses on, and together the series will present a full-length literary portrait of our nation at its semiquincentennial."

Thus far, the series has featured seven states: Rhode Island, Georgia, Ohio, Wyoming, Louisiana, Alaska, and Indiana. Episodes launching in early 2026 feature Washington state (scheduled to air February 4), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Arkansas, Iowa, and Nevada.

Episodes can be viewed at the Library's Center for the Book webpage, and the series is streaming from PBS Books. All future episodes will be added to the Library's website once they are released.

The Inn At Thistledown Hollow by Devon Yates is a (self published) cozy fantasy that is poorly edited in spots, but still has a load of sweetness in its storyline of self discovery, found family and magical tea. Here's the blurb:

When burned-out city herbalist Wren Alderidge inherits her estranged aunt's mysterious inn in the magical village of Thistledown Hollow, she plans to sell it and return to her failing urban life. But the Lavender Fox Inn has other ideas—and so does Kip, the sharp-tongued fox who insists the tea won't brew itself.

As Wren discovers her gift for brewing emotions into tea and helping lost souls find their way home, she's drawn into a world where magic lives in everyday moments. From healing broken marriages with specially crafted blends to managing guests who transform furniture into butterflies, Wren learns that true magic isn't about power—it's about creating space for people to remember who they are.

With the help of her found family—including a patient carpenter, grieving guests who become permanent residents, and a village baker with strong opinions about proper scone technique—Wren must decide whether to embrace her inherited destiny as innkeeper or flee back to the safety of her old, empty life.

Perfect for fans of cozy fantasy, The Inn at Thistledown Hollow is a heartwarming tale of second chances, magical tea ceremonies, talking animals, and the transformative power of choosing community over isolation. Set in an enchanting world where ghosts offer guidance, greenhouses grow hope along with herbs, and every cup of tea carries the possibility of healing, this novel celebrates the magic found when people choose to care for one another.

A story about coming home to yourself, building chosen family, and discovering that the most powerful magic is often the simplest: showing up for each other with love, patience, and perfectly brewed tea.

This book could have used an editor to get rid of the typos (which were glaring) and grammos, as well as trimming down the redundant 'tear-jerking' episodes within each chapter in the second half of the book. Those later chapters ended in what felt like a natural stopping point, only to come up with yet another melodramatic theme to wrap up with character acceptance and love and grief...only for it to happen all over again in the next chapter. Its like some editor told the author that she needs to expand the number of pages in this slender volume, so she padded it out by doing the same thing over and over, only with a slightly different environment and POV on the problem. Still, Yates added enough sweetness to rot reader's teeth, though, as with bakery treats, half the fun is savoring the flavor in the moment. I'd give this light and fluffy, endearing and relatable novel a B, and recommend it to anyone who needs a break from pain and death and cynical political stuff that surrounds each of us with its cacophony every minute of the day.

 

The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon  is the third book in his "Cemetery of Forgotten Books" series of mystery/thriller book adventures, set in Spain during the 1950s. I've read 7 of Zafon's other novels, each a hidden jewel of literary excellence that will leave readers breathless for more. Here's the blurb: 

“A deep and mysterious novel full of people that feel real. . . .An enthralling read and a must-have for your library. Zafón focuses on the emotion of the reader and doesn’t let go.” — Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Internationally acclaimed author Carlos Ruiz Zafón creates a rich, labyrinthine tale of love, literature, passion, and revenge, set in a dark, gothic Barcelona, in which the heroes of The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game must contend with a nemesis that threatens to destroy them.

Barcelona, 1957. It is Christmas, and Daniel Sempere and his wife, Bea, have much to celebrate. They have a beautiful new baby son named Julián, and their close friend Fermín Romero de Torres is about to be wed. But their joy is eclipsed when a mysterious stranger visits the Sempere bookshop and threatens to divulge a terrible secret that has been buried for two decades in the city's dark past.

His appearance plunges Fermín and Daniel into a dangerous adventure that will take them back to the 1940s and the early days of Franco's dictatorship. The terrifying events of that time launch them on a search for the truth that will put into peril everything they love, and will ultimately transform their lives.

 Though this novel is 13 years old, the prose is so lush and gorgeous that it never feels dated or cliche'd. I remember reading The Shadow of the Wind and being stunned at the excellence of the wordsmithing, and of the miracle of a translator who managed to keep the prose and the story arc tight and enthralling while translating the book from the original Spanish to English, no mean feat. The Angels Game wasn't as exciting as Shadow of the Wind, because it felt rushed to me as a reader. Prisoner of Heaven pulls out all the stops, though, and smoothly glides back to Shadow of the Wind's easy elegance and thrilling paragraphs of danger and intrigue. I loved each and every paragraph of Fermin's story, and as usual, felt as if Zafon's characters are so well written that they breathe off the page. This riveting story, brilliantly told, deserves an A, and a recommendation to anyone who read and loved the seductive Shadow of the Wind, and its Cemetery of Forgotten Books (which will tantalize bibliophiles the world over). 

 

Queen of Thieves by Beezy Marsh is a post-WWII crime/adventures in gangland novel that follows women's POV in a male society bent on forcing women into slavish, subservient roles. Though the author's name sounds like some country-club scion from a wealthy family, (BEEZY?!? Really?), Marsh's prose is sturdy and earthy, and her plot as swift and straightforward as a razor. Here's the blurb: 

An electrifying historical adventure about a ring of bold and resourceful women thieves in post-World War II London.

Gangland was a man’s world. Or so they thought. The women knew different. London, 1946. The city struggles to rebuild itself after the devastation of the Blitz. Food is rationed, good jobs are scarce, and even the most honest families are forced to take a bit of “crooked” just to survive.

Alice Diamond, the Queen of Thieves, rules over her all-female gang with a bejeweled fist. Her “hoisters” are expert shoplifters, the scourge of London’s upscale boutiques and departments stores. Their lucrative business stealing and fencing luxury goods always carries the threat of violence; Alice packs a razor, and has been known to use her heavy rows of diamond rings like brass knuckles.

Young Nell is a teenager from the slums, hiding a secret pregnancy and facing a desperately uncertain future when Alice takes her under her wing. Before long, Nell is experiencing all the dangers—and glamorous trappings—that comes with this underworld existence. Alice wants Nell to be a useful weapon in her ongoing war against crime boss Billy Sullivan’s gang of rival thieves. But Nell has a hidden agenda of her own, and is not to be underestimated. The more she is manipulated by both Alice and Billy, the more her hunger for revenge grows.

As Nell embraces the rich spoils of crime and the seedy underbelly of London, will she manage to carve out her own path to power and riches? Might she even crown herself the Queen of Thieves?

 Though the plot twist was easily deduced from the start of the novel (SPOILER, the rival gangs are run by a brother and sister who loathe one another), getting to that discovery proves quite intriguing, with fascinating characters forced by fate into questionable moral dilemmas. I found that the female protagonist's journey from a frightened, starving and pregnant foolish girl to a woman fully capable of supporting herself by thievery and ambition and street smarts to be utterly riveting stuff, especially at the time, when women were being boxed into strict societal roles of wives and mothers who were completely dependent on men for survival. Though the ending is a bit improbable and leaves things open for a vengeful sequel, I still felt that this gritty book deserves a B+ and a recommendation to those looking for an historical feminist POV in the mid-20th century.

Kneading a Spark by Lia Duchaine is a self published romantic comedy by a local author whom I had the great good fortune to meet a few weeks ago. After chatting with Lia a bit, I bought her novel and the more gothic novel of the author next to her at the same table, who was also a local. I had high hopes for both books, but found that only Lia's was engaging and exciting, full of enthusiastic prose and memorable characters. Here's the blurb: 

Jasmine Browne has been passionate about baking since she was four years old whipping up brownies in her Easy Bake Oven. Now, twenty five years old, she is a proud owner of her own baking company that she runs out of a converted shed in her backyard. She keeps busy spending time with her friends and working hard on her flourishing business but there is one major distraction. And his name is Tanner Hayes. The adorably goofy, attractive firefighter who has been her friend with benefits since they met on their trip to the Bahamas a few months ago. Will she be able to multitask keeping her business afloat and keeping her heart safely intact?

Tanner Hayes was fourteen years old when he decided he wanted to be a firefighter. If people ask he jokingly tells them it’s to get women. Because who could resist all of that in a uniform? But only a few people know the real reason why. He is happy with where he is at in life. He has his best friends, who are essentially family, and his steady job. And he has Jasmine. The feisty, beautifully charming baker who has become his good friend. His good friend that is also his friend with benefits. But it won’t be anything more because relationships are a no go for him. How could he invite love in to only have it ripped away from him….again.

This story of two closed off people who have walled up their hearts due to the trauma of losing loved ones, is especially pertinent in this day and age, when young people struggle with work/life balance and marriage/children and elderly parent care coming at them from both sides. Finding a well-paying job and working toward independence is a nearly 

Sisyphean

 task under the oligarchical and fascist rule of our current clown/POTUS. Seeing these young people in this novel struggle and ultimately succeed is heartwarming and welcome after so much cynical or saccharine literature covering the same ground with ill effect. Lia never falls prey to either, and her delicious prose glides along a well-thought-out plot that never bogs down into info-dumping or repetition. All in all, I'd give this lovely rom-com an A, and recommend it to anyone looking for something fresh and fascinating in the realm of romantic literature. 

 

Bookish Debuts on TV, As Does Imperfect Women, Grand Re-Opening of HEA Book Boutique in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Funny Story Movie, The Awakening by Nora Roberts, Firefly: Coup de Grace by Una McCormack, A Wish For Us by Tillie Cole and Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber

Wow, January is already moving into its second week, and I still feel like it's Boxing Day! Time is just speeding up, the older I get. Anyway, on Saturday this weekend I attended the "soft launch" of a tiny little book nook that has opened in the corner of a community artisan and wine bar space here in Maple Valley. It was just pure joy to talk books with fellow bibliophiles and local authors (I bought two books from some very smart and lovely young women), all while looking through a wonderful selection of local handmade crafts and clothes. Then we went for hot dogs and boba tea, so a good time was had by all. Here are some fresh tidbits and reviews.

 

I just watched the first episode of this delightfully arch streaming series, and I was impressed with Mark Gatiss's fierce and florid sleuth in post-war Britain. 

 

TV: Bookish Debuts

Bookish, a new six-part murder mystery series created, starring, and written by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, The League of Gentlemen), will premiere January

11 on PBS, with new episodes released every Sunday through February 15.

Directed by Carolina Giammetta, the series is co-written by Gatiss and

Matthew Sweet.

PBS noted that Gatiss and director Carolina Giammetta take viewers "into

the chaotic and dangerous shadows of post-war 1946 London, where Gabriel

Book's [Gatiss] encyclopedic knowledge of literature and history makes

him an invaluable--if unconventional--consultant to the local police.

With razor-sharp wit and an entourage of charming social misfits, Book

helps unravel London's most puzzling mysteries by turning to the

thousands of books lining his shelves."

Polly Walker (Bridgerton, Line of Duty) stars as Trottie Book; Connor

Finch (Everything I Know About Love) as Jack; Elliot Levey (We Were the

Lucky Ones, Quiz) as Inspector Bliss; Blake Harrison (World on Fire,

Still Up) as Sergeant Morris; and Buket Koumler (Our House) as

Nora. Bookish is a production of Eagle Eye Drama (an ITV Studios Company) and Happy Duck Films produced in association with UKTV and Beta Film for PBS.

I'm hoping to get to watch this series as soon as we're able to afford to get more streaming subscriptions. Right now we have desperately-needed renovations and our washing machine and dryer and dishwasher all need replacing.Food and shelter and heat are priorities.

 

TV: Imperfect Women

Apple TV released a first look at Imperfect Women,

a new limited series based on Araminta Hall's novel. Created for TV by

Annie Weisman (Physical, Based on a True Story), the project stars and

is exec produced by Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid's Tale, Shining Girls,

Mad Men) and Kerry Washington (Scandal, Little Fires Everywhere,

UnPrisoned). It premieres with two episodes on March 18, followed by new

episodes every Wednesday through April 29.

The cast for the eight-episode thriller also includes Kate Mara, Joel

Kinnaman, Corey Stoll, Leslie Odom Jr., Audrey Zahn, Jill Wagner, Rome

Flynn, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Violette Linnz, Indiana Elle, Jackson Kelly,

Keith Carradine, Ana Ortiz, and Wilson Bethel. The series is a

co-production of 20th Television and Apple Studios.

Apple TV noted that Imperfect Women "examines a crime that shatters the

lives of three women in a decades-long friendship. The unconventional

thriller explores guilt and retribution, love and betrayal, and the

compromises we make that irrevocably alter our lives. As the

investigation unravels, so does the truth about how even the closest

friendships may not be what they seem."

This sounds like a smashing new store in Cedar Rapids, which is near where my mother was born. I wish I had the funds to visit mom and this bookstore in Iowa.

 

Grand Re-opening for HEA Book Boutique, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

HEA Book Boutique, a romance-focused

bookshop, will host a ribbon-cutting today, January 9, and a grand

re-opening celebration on January 10 in its new location at 588 Boyson Road NE, #116, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The event will feature a book signing, swag bags, and giveaways. Owner and self-described "Chief Book Babe" Jenn Draper launched HEA Book Boutique in 2023 as a pop-up, but quickly moved into a physical storefront in Marion, Iowa. 

"The romance bookstore trend has skyrocketed in the last two years

nationwide, and we've seen that popularity here in Iowa," said Draper.

"This expansion is a true testament to the loyal and tight-knit

community of readers we're building. The new location will almost double

our space, and provide opportunities to offer more events, author visits

and even some new products."

 

I've read a lot of books by Emily Henry, including the ones listed below, but I'm not sure how well they will transfer to the film media. Her books tend to have a lot of internal dialogue, which doesn't do well on the screen, because TV and movie plots need more action to get forward momentum going.

 

Movies: Funny Story

Netflix's film version of Emily Henry's novel People We Meet on Vacation

debuts today, but the bestselling author is already looking to the

future. Variety reported that the streaming service has acquired the movie adaptation rights to her novel Funny Story, and will be shifting its

already-in-the-works Happy Place adaptation from a TV series into a

film.Happy Place is being produced by Nuyorican's Jennifer Lopez, Elaine

Goldsmith-Thomas, and Benny Medina. Leila Cohan is showrunner.

Funny Story is being produced by Lyrical Media and Ryder Picture Company (RPC) with Lyrical Media's Alexander Black and Natalie Sellers as well as RPC's Aaron Ryder and Andrew Swett are producing. Henry is writing the script. Neither project has set its cast yet.

"Emily Henry has a gift for creating characters that truly connect with

audiences, and it's no surprise her books have resonated with so many,"

Alex Black, founder and CEO of Lyrical Media, said. "We're excited to be

following up People We Meet on Vacation and collaborating with her on

Funny Story--it's going to be such a thrill bringing her beloved

characters to the big screen."

The Awakening by Nora Roberts is a science fictionish (a parallel universe lives alongside our reality, and it contains all the magical creatures we think are myths), romantasy with dragons and the inevitable female protagonist who is shy and insecure who needs to "find herself" and create a new life for herself after being abused by her family/friends/bosses, etc. Here's the blurb: Author Nora Roberts begins a new trilogy of adventure, romance, and magick in The Awakening.

In the realm of Talamh, a teenage warrior named Keegan emerges from a lake holding a sword—representing both power and the terrifying responsibility to protect the Fey. In another realm known as Philadelphia, a young woman has just discovered she possesses a treasure of her own…

When Breen Kelly was a girl, her father would tell her stories of magical places. Now she’s an anxious twentysomething mired in student debt and working a job she hates. But one day she stumbles upon a shocking discovery: her mother has been hiding an investment account in her name. It has been funded by her long-lost father—and it’s worth nearly four million dollars.

This newfound fortune would be life-changing for anyone. But little does Breen know that when she uses some of the money to journey to Ireland, it will unlock mysteries she couldn’t have imagined. Here, she will begin to understand why she kept seeing that silver-haired, elusive man, why she imagined his voice in her head saying Come home, Breen Siobhan. It’s time you came home. Why she dreamed of dragons. And where her true destiny lies—through a portal in Galway that takes her to a land of faeries and mermaids, to a man named Keegan, and to the courage in her own heart that will guide her through a powerful, dangerous destiny

 

Thankfully there's only one sizable love scene in this novel to lend it the required "spice" and it mostly focuses on Breen's awe-inspiring Irish journey of learning to defend herself and learning to use her newly discovered magic powers. Having been to Ireland myself, I can honestly say that the landscape is every shade of green, and breathtaking, and the people are also welcoming, funny and wise, but there's a definite lack of technology and other things we take for granted here in the US that can make your trip seem boring after a week or so. Roberts, a veteran fiction novelist, knows her way around shining prose and a zingy plot that keeps readers engrossed chapter after chapter. I'd give this book a B+ and recommend it to anyone who loves Ireland and fae tales that have been told there for centuries.

 

Firefly: Coup de Grace by Una McCormack is a story set in the fantastic universe created by Joss Whedon who wrote Firefly and introduced rabid fans to this funny and poignant Western space opera that only lasted for 1 season. Here's the blurb: The Serenity crew land on the remote moon of Abel for a lucrative job, but becomes embroiled in a young woman’s quest for vengeance and a starving frontier town’s fight for survival. Join Mal and the gang in this enthralling original tie-in novel from the award-winning series.

The Serenity crew head to Yell City, one of the settlements on Abel, a moon in the Rim. Their job: track down the killers of a local lawyer shot dead in the streets by a local gang. Their client is Annie Roberts, the eighteen year old daughter of the murdered man.

Lucky for them, Annie Roberts is more than capable of handling herself. Unlucky for them, the job is lot more complicated than they first think. Annie’s father is not just the victim of local gang violence, but the target of some powerful men.

Taking down a local gang is one thing, but cleaning up a whole city? That’s not a job for the Serenity crew. But when their ship is impounded, and Mal and the crew find themselves trapped in Yell City, they realize they are already in deeper than they could have ever imagined.

I loved this show so much that when I found the entire season and the movie that followed at a garage sale, I bought them and then watched the whole series twice, which is unusual for me because I don't like repeating my viewing choices. But Firefly's characters and scripts were just that good. I was surprised how good this authors "step above fan fiction" novelization was, and how engrossed I became in this page-turner. The "True Grit" theme with the young girl seeking vengeance for the death of her parent never faltered or fell into a plot hole. Mal and Jane and the rest of the crew found their footing and fell into place, each doing what they could to help this impoverished town and the young gal who watched her father die, and is overwhelmed with anger and grief. The prose was sleek and Whedon-ish, and the plot never faltered, but chugged forward like a freight train. I kept hearing the mournful theme song to Firefly, You Can't Take the Sky From Me, and I could see the actors, like Nathan Fillon and Morena Baccarin, trouping around this dusty dying planet hoping to find a way to help Annie and all the poor folks trying to eake out a living on a destitute rock. I'd give this page-turner an A, and recommend it to all the Browncoats in the 'verse!

 

A Wish for Us by Tillie Cole is a YA romance that has an adequate amount of mild spice and a lot of sentimental schmaltz that will doubtless appeal to young women in their late teens and early 20s. Here's the blurb: 

A story of music. A story of healing. A story of love conquering all. From author Tillie Cole comes a new tearjerker YA romance, perfect for fans of A Thousand Boy Kisses.

Nineteen-year-old Cromwell Dean is the rising star of electronic dance music. Thousands of people adore him, but no one knows him. No one sees the color of his heart. Until the girl in the purple dress breaks through his walls to the darkness within.

After Cromwell leaves behind the gray skies of England to study music in the South Carolina heat, the last thing he expects is to see that girl again. And he certainly doesn't expect that she'll stay in his head like a song on repeat. But she does.

Bonnie Farraday lives for music. She lets every note into her heart, and she doesn't understand how someone as talented as Cromwell can avoid doing the same. He's hiding from his past, and she knows it. She tries to stay away from him, but something keeps calling her back.

Bonnie is the burst of color in Cromwell's darkness. He's the beat that makes her heart skip. But when a shadow falls over Bonnie, it's up to Cromwell to be her light, in the only way he knows how. He must help her find the lost song in her fragile heart. He must keep her strong with a symphony only he can compose.

A symphony of hope. A symphony of love.

A symphony of them.

Though most contemporary romances these days hew to Hallmarks misogyny-encrusted story format that has a soap opera atmosphere in which the female protagonist falls so hard for the traditional tropey male protagonist (who is usually a bad boy with tattoos, muscles and a History) that she gives up her career and her dreams of an independent life to settle down in some cheesy small town and have the reformed-by-love bad boy's babies and focus her life on being a traditional wife and mother, which, due to regular hot sex, becomes all she's ever wanted or dreamed of having. This was the case for "Wish", especially at the end of this overwrought emotional-overload of a book. Because it's assumed that when a woman, especially a young one, faces her mortality due to a bad heart, that what she wants to live for is getting married to the local jerk bad boy and having babies with him. Her musical talent and career suddenly don't matter. Insert eye roll here. I'd say that the prose wasn't bad, but it was full of cliches, and the plot was, again, very Hallmark channel, so you knew every beat of the oft-repeated storyline (and the HEA). Even the mother in the book doesn't escape the misogyny, as she sacrifices her life so that her heart can be transplanted into her daughter. I'd give this cheesy book a B- and recommend it to those who like their romances traditional.

 

Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber is a strange and atmospheric novel that kept me guessing as to what the author was trying to say. Though it is listed as contemporary fantasy, I felt as if there were elements of old fashioned horror and mystery as well as a bit of romance woven throughout. Here's the blurb: Deluxe limited edition first printing featuring unique case stamp and black sprayed edges

What if the urban legends you've always heard about were real?

It starts with a class in an old movie theater. Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor. Most students believe the Professor’s stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend named the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you’ll die, the world finally makes sense. Except that the Watch Man tells her she will die at midnight tomorrow unless she finds an ancient object called the Alchemical Heart.

With the clock ticking, Holland is pulled deeper into this magical world in the heart of Los Angeles―and into the path of a magnetic stranger. Everything about him feels like a bad idea, but he promises Holland that her sister sent him to protect her. As they chase clues and stories that take them closer to the Alchemical Heart, Holland realizes everyone in this intoxicating new world is lying to her, even this stranger. And if she can’t figure out whom to trust, not even the Alchemical Heart will save her.

 I felt at times that I was reading science fiction/fantasy noir without a strong plot but with gilded prose that keeps the reader guessing as to who the characters really are...we're never actually told if the Watchman or the Professor or the sexy stranger are angels or the devil, sent to steal Holland's soul. I won't spoil the ending except to say that, like much of this novel, it was somewhat anticlimactic. Had I known what a nightmarish book this was, with a plot that left me bored and irritated halfway through, I would never have spent 25 dollars on it. I'd give it a B-, and I'm being generous, and only recommend it to people who like novels that leave you scratching your head wondering what the heck you just read.

 

Obituary of John Carey, Critic, The Odessey Movie, Exit Strategy by Lee and Andrew Child, The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Up All Night With a Good Duke by Amy Rose Bennett, Curse of the Fae Library by DM Fike, And The Study of Storms and Magic by Maria V Snyder

Hey there, fellow bookish folks! It's 2026, and this is my first post of the year. I know I should have posted before this, but I've been waist-deep in clearing out my deceased husband's loads of stuff from his destroyed bedroom and closet. There's still a lot to do, but I'm going to need my son's help with reaching things on high shelves and putting things into garbage sacks for pick up or for donating. Said son is opting out of a lot of things these days, I assume its due to delayed grief or feeling, rightfully so, overwhelmed by all that there is to do...and he's the only one who can drive stuff to other locations. There's only one car, his, and I've not driven in over a decade. Anyway, he's finally awake and going to the store to pick up some stuff, including my prescriptions. Meanwhile, I will post some book reviews and a couple of tidbits (Shelf Awareness has been pretty spare of good book tidbits this year). 

 

This man was an amazing intellectual who cut through all the publishing hype to get to the crux of why things were published and lionized, while other books languished that were much better reads. RIP, Mr Carey.

 

Obituary Note: John Carey

John Carey, an author, literary critic, and academic, "who lobbed contrarian hand grenades at high-culture snobs and ossified elites who, in his view,

revered lofty affectation over accessibility and saw appreciating the

arts as a path to moral superiority," died December 11, the New York

Times reported. He was 91.

A Merton Professor of English Literature at Oxford from 1975 to 2002, he

wrote several books, as well as reviews for the Sunday Times of

London--for nearly 50 years--in which he challenged sacred cows and

received wisdom. In The Intellectuals and the Masses (1992), Carey

accused modernists like Virginia Woolf and D.H. Lawrence "of writing

abstrusely with the express purpose of preventing the rabble from

understanding their books," the Times noted. "This book is richly

stocked with people whom any person of decent instincts will find

loathsome."

"He truly dislikes, and helps us to dislike with him, the bleating

toffs, the scented scribe agonizing over his weightless sonnet, the

glassy metropolitan snobs, the varsity idlers in their pleated gowns,"

noted critic James Wood in the London Review of Books (2001), adding

that Carey's "complaints vibrate with an appealing, nonconformist"

outrage.

In 1975, he published an essay in the New Review titled "Down with Dons,"

which began: "From the viewpoint of non-dons, probably the most

obnoxious thing about dons is their uppishness. Of course, many dons are

quite tolerable people. But if you ask a layman to imagine a don, the

idea will come into his head of something with a loud, affected voice,

airing its knowledge, and as anyone who has lived much among dons will

testify, this picture has a fair degree of accuracy."

Noting that Carey "bestrode the ever-narrowing bridge that

connects the academic teaching of English literature to the world of

literary journalism like a colossus," the Guardian wrote that "he

combined his professional duties with a half-century-long stint on the

books pages of the Sunday Times. All this gained him a formidable

reputation as the most erudite and possibly the most pugnacious critic

of his generation."

 

I'm actually looking forward to Nolan's version of the Odyssey, because he brings to bear Hollywood A-list actors and a lot of the over-the-top cinematics that make big budget films so popular. Greek myths generally don't get that kind of treatment.

 

Movies: The Odyssey

Universal has released a trailer for The Odyssey,

Christopher Nolan's highly-anticipated "reimagining of the iconic Greek

epic" by Homer, IndieWire reported. The film was shot entirely using

IMAX cameras and will be released in theaters everywhere on July 17.

The film stars Matt Damon (Odysseus), Tom Holland (Telemachus), Anne

Hathaway (Penelope), and Mia Goth (Melantho). The cast also includes

Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Benny Safdie, Charlize

Theron, Jovan Adepo, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, and Elliot Page.

Earlier this year, Nolan told Empire magazine: "As a filmmaker, you're

looking for gaps in cinematic culture, things that haven't been done

before. And what I saw is that all of this great mythological cinematic

work that I had grown up with--Ray Harryhausen movies and other

things--I'd never seen that done with the sort of weight and credibility

that an A-budget and a big Hollywood, IMAX production could do."

Here are the reviews:

 

Exit Strategy by Lee and Andrew Child is a father and son written Jack Reacher thriller that does not disappoint in the fast-paced thrills dept. This Thriller/Suspense Action Fiction novel is a real page-turner that I couldn't put down. Here's the blurb: 

Jack Reacher will make three stops today. Not all of them were planned for. 

The “blockbuster”  new Jack Reacher thriller from bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child, featuries“the best villain yet”

First—a Baltimore coffee shop. A seat in the corner, facing the door. Black coffee, two refills, no messing around. A minor interruption from two of the customers, but nothing he can’t deal with swiftly. As he leaves, a young guy brushes against him in the doorway. Instinctively Reacher checks the pocket holding his cash and passport. There’s no problem. Nothing is missing.

Second—a store to buy a coat. Nothing fancy. Something he can ditch when he heads to warmer climates. Large enough to fit a man the size of a bank vault. As he pulls out his cash, he finds something new in his pocket. A handwritten note. A desperate plea for help.

Third—wherever this bend in the road takes him. Impressed by the guy’s technique and intrigued by the message, Reacher makes it his mission to find out more . 

Having read more than a few Reacher novels, I was intrigued as to what Child's son could bring to the franchise. There was a bit more info-dumping, especially about the military and weapons, than usual, but I still enjoyed Reacher's latest round of arse-kicking adventure. I now see him as Alan Richter, who plays Reacher on the streaming series, and is one big powerhouse dude, but in Exit Strategy he's less of a superhero nice-but-grumpy and gruff guy and more serious tough guy who just cuts right through the BS of life and gets down to business of solving the main problem or mystery. I missed some of his Army buddies who make great sidekicks on the streaming series, but this book's plot was swift enough that I didn't have a lot of time to wonder what happened to them all (Like Neeley, whose love of Reacher and cocopuffs are eternal). At any rate, the prose was sterling and the plot unrelenting. I'd give this gripping novel an A, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys previous books or the streaming series.

 

The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson is  a historical British fiction novel that is very densely written and has a snail's pace plot to boot. Here's the blurb: This “intricately plotted, epic” in the vein of the vivid novels of Sarah Waters and Sarah Perry—follows an orphaned fortune teller in 18th-century England as she searches for answers about her long-dead mother.

Cornwall, 1730: A young girl known only as Red travels with her father making a living predicting fortunes using the ancient Cornish method of the Square of Sevens. Shortly before he dies, her father entrusts Red’s care to a gentleman scholar, along with a document containing the secret of the Square of Sevens technique.

Raised as a lady amidst the Georgian splendor of Bath, Red’s fortune telling delights in high society. But she cannot ignore the questions that gnaw at her soul: who was her mother? How did she die? And who are the mysterious enemies her father was always terrified would find him?

The pursuit of these mysteries takes her from Cornwall and Bath to London and Devon, from the rough ribaldry of the Bartholomew Fair to the grand houses of two of the most powerful families in England. And while Red’s quest brings her the possibility of great reward, it also leads to grave danger. 

 

As the author notes in the afterword of the novel, hours and months of research into 18th century London and surrounding towns, and cartomancy or fortune telling via cards, went into the making of this book, which is obviously why each paragraph is so dense and rich with detail that even a chapter feels like an entire book unto itself. While this attention to detail can be fascinating, it grows tedious and boring quickly. The characters go through many twists and turns, and no one is whom they seem to be, which also makes the plot hard to follow. The mystery and misogyny that Red, the main character, must navigate are harrowing, and given the time period, believable and terrifying. Though I think an editor could have trimmed at least 200 pages from this book, I stuck it out and was thrilled that it had an HEA ending. The whiff of Dangerous Liasons-style political intrigue spiced things up considerably toward the end of the novel. All in all, a long read that will take you on a mind-numbing journey for over 500 pages, I'd give it a B-, and recommend it to those fascinated with the "magic" scams and scammers of the 1700s.

 

Up All Night With a Good Duke by Amy Rose Bennett is a historical romantic fiction novel with plenty of spice and all kinds of good humor and witty banter between the two main characters. Artemis, the "Bluestocking" (meaning well educated and well read woman, a rarity at the time) female protagonist has no need of a marriage as she plots her own course as a writer and a teacher, while Dominic Winters, the Duke of Dartmoor is a disrespectful nobleman who needs a male heir and a marriage after the death of his first wife. Still in mourning, though, he's none too keen on the idea of romance and succumbing to the marriage market maidens, all of whom leave him cold. Until he meets his match in the spitfire Artemis, and suddenly passionate attraction flares between the two, which neither expected. Hijinks ensue. Here's the blurb: "I can think of the perfect way to keep you occupied and your mind diverted," she murmured. "Come to my room. If you're not too tired…"

Lust flashed in his gaze and then he caught her face between his hands and kissed her. "For you, my beautiful Artemis, I'd stay up all night."

Artemis Jones―"respectable" finishing-school teacher by day and Gothic romance writer by night―has never lost sight of her real dream: to open her own academic ladies' college. When Artemis is unexpectedly called upon by a dear friend, a fellow Byronic Book Club member, to navigate her first London Season, she comes at once. Who knows, perhaps she can court the interest of a wealthy patron for her school. As long as she can avoid her high-handed aunt's schemes to marry her off.

Dominic Winters, the widowed Duke of Dartmoor, needs a wife―someone who will provide him with an heir and help him to manage his spitfire adolescent daughter. The problem is, Society has dubbed him "The Dastardly Duke." Rumors are rife that he murdered his mad wife so his choices for a suitable bride are limited. But then he meets the ravishing and passionate Artemis Jones who might just be everything he needs.

"The perfect blend of sexiness and humor… Amy Rose Bennett has created a lush, vibrant love story, her characters sharing a fabulous sensual chemistry that fairly scorches the page."―Christina Britton

If you are not a fan of some classic romance novel tropes, such as steamy love scenes with heaving bosoms and throbbing manliness, you won't enjoy this book...give it a wide berth. However, I found the sparkling and concise prose and straightforward plot to be engrossing and intriguing. I also loved the fact that the author didn't take those tropes and breathless sex scenes too seriously. The addition of humor made it all seem like a jolly good lark. I liked the fact that Red didn't give up on her dream of opening a real school for women, even though she fell in love with the Duke. Nor did he require her to diminish herself or her goals in favor of being his wife and mother to his children. I'd give this splendid romance an A-, and recommend it to anyone who likes spice but also likes smart female protagonists.

 

Curse of the Fae Library by DM Fike is the first part of the Magical Midlife Librarian series, and it's a romantic-ish cozy fantasy with dragons and an older female protagonist, which is rare in fantasy these days. Here's the blurb:  A magical tree library. An angry dragon. A family secret. Rosalind’s ordinary life is about to get turned upside down.

 After a bitter divorce and no job prospects, forty-year-old Rosalind Baldwin yearns for a fresh start. She gets her chance when her estranged grandmother Clio urges her to come for a visit. But Clio is no ordinary grandma. She’s the legendary Librarian of Atlantis, a powerful fae who guards the sentient ash tree that houses a magical library.

Then Clio dies under mysterious circumstances.

Now only Rosalind, Clio’s sole female heir, can keep the Library of Atlantis open. It won’t be an easy job. The fae don’t trust her. Her sasquatch bodyguard Henry wants her to quit. Oh, and there’s a fire-breathing dragon rampaging on the library grounds.

Can Rosalind really run the mythical Library of Atlantis? Or will the same killer catch her before she even has the chance to try?

Curse of the Fae Library is perfect for readers who enjoy cozy paranormal fantasy with a dash of adventure and romance. Readers of Magical Midlife Mom will delight in revisiting familiar characters, although you can enjoy this series without reading any prior books.
Though it appears to be self-published, I was surprised at how well-written this novel was, from the sturdy and delightful prose to the surprising plot full of intricate discoveries, it was well worth the price of the ebook and the time it took to read it in one sitting. I loved Rosalind and her soft heart and love of getting books into the hands of readers. Well deserving of an A, with a recommendation to anyone who is an Anne McCaffrey fan and who loves libraries, pick up this fun novel and enjoy.

 

The Study of Storms and Magic by Maria V Snyder is a science fiction/fantasy "Study" book from her bestselling series that is told from Valek's POV instead of Yelena's, who is the heroine of her original series. Here's the blurb: “No one survives the third transgression.”

The storm season is fast approaching, and Zethan can’t wait to travel to the Northern Ice Pack in Ixia to aid in taming its ferocious blizzards. It’s a needed break from his twin sister, Zohav’s constant criticism; his magic classes at the Magician’s Keep; and the pressure of being compared to his famous brother, Valek, the hero of Sitia.

Except, this time, Zohav is tagging along to test if her magical abilities to influence water will work on ice. Zohav longs for her old home in Ixia and the quiet life that was ripped from her when she developed magical powers.

Together, with Heli, a strong Stormdancer who can harvest the energy from the formidable blizzards, the trio set off on an adventure. Battling through freezing temperatures, gale winds, icy precipitation, and snow cats, are all part of the job. Unfortunately, the elements aren’t the only danger they face as their escapade turns into a fight for survival.

This novella is set in the Study Chronicles world of Ixia and Sitia! Find out what Valek’s younger siblings are up to in this chilling tale.

The great thing about this well-written and swiftly plotted novella is that it only takes a couple of hours to read...the bad thing is it's over in a couple of hours, leaving the reader bereft and yearning for more of Snyder's delicious storytelling. Ze and Zo, who are Valek's twin siblings, are fun and fascinating, and their adventures will keep readers glued to their e-readers. I'd give this short book an A, and recommend it to anyone who has read any of Snyder's Study Chronicles. You will not regret it, I guarantee it.