The Play Reader's Club Begins Monthly Event, The Devil Wears Prada Musical, Paris Booksellers Go for Gold, Doris Kearns Goodwin Quote, Met Gala Gets Literary, Little Women Musical, Obit Note for Steve Miller, Netflix Adapts a Ton of Books, System Collapse by Martha Wells, Hang the Moon by Jeanette Walls, The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent and The Last Storm by JD Linton

Hello fellow people of the book! It's still saucy February, which, although it's the shortest month, has felt like the longest in our household. Thankfully, next week is the last of this chilly and gray month.  I've managed to read some great works of fiction in the past 10 days, and I'm hoping to read a lot more next month in March.

Anyway, here's some interesting tidbits and 4 book reviews.

This is a great idea, as I recall when I was a theater major at Clarke College, the head of the dept had us read all kinds of plays, from classic Greek plays to Shakespeare and Harold Pinter to Edward Albee and Tennessee Williams. While it would have been impossible to actually mount all the plays we read (our dept was fairly small), just knowing what was out there, and sometimes going to see the plays produced by professionals was very educational and eye-opening for the drama junkies of Dubuque, Iowa. 

Cool Idea of the Day: The Playreaders Club

American Theatre Wing is partnering with the Drama Book Shop in New  York City to launch the Playreaders Club https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscQTdlesI6a9hdhhzGw~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6nDD5SjpoMLg-gVdw, a monthly event that will offer both in-person and virtual programming to engage the theatre community across the U.S., Playbill reported.

"With the American Theatre Wing's focus on supporting and uplifting artists and creating experiences for the theatre community, and the Drama Book Shop's established history in hosting community events to promote readership and scholarship of theatre texts, the club aims to unite enthusiasts, professionals, students, and educators alike to read and discuss published theatrical works," Playbill noted.

Each play will be selected by a committee of theatre artists, experts and industry members from the American Theatre Wing Board and advisory members, including Tony Award-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (Kimberly Akimbo), Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly), Tony Award-winning costume and scenic designer Clint Ramos (Once on This Island), theatre journalist and producer Ayanna Prescod (Pass Over), Tony Award-winning director Leigh Silverman (Violet), journalist and author Patrick Pacheco, and talent agent Ben Sands.

The Devil Wears Prada is one of those classic movies that, if you've seen it once or a thousand times, it's still always a blast to watch and quote, "Gird your loins, people!" So I'm delighted that they're making a musical version, because why not?! Especially with a score by the ever-fabulous Elton John.

The Diva Wears Prada

London theater-goers (or should that be theatre-goers?) will have a new show to enjoy this fall. A musical adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada will open in October featuring a score written by Elton John (!) and a brilliant piece of casting: Vanessa Williams will play the epically icy Anna Wintour avatar Miranda Priestly. One can only hope Stanley Tucci, who lives in London, after all, is available to reprise his work as Nigel,( Indeed!)

Amen to Mr Jardin! Paris wouldn't be the cultural icon that it is without books and booksellers!

Paris Booksellers Go for Gold

As Paris prepares to host the summer Olympics, booksellers who make up Europe’s largest open-air book market—more than 930 stalls line a two-mile stripe of the Seine—have notched the first big win of the year. Last summer, city police told the booksellers they would have to relocate during the Games because of security concerns, sparking an outcry from vendors and citizens alike. Now, with just a few months to go, French President Emmanuel Macron has reversed the order.

“The Seine, our main river, flows in between rows of books,” said Alexandre Jardin, a French writer who was among those who signed the column. “To think the bouquinistes are just booksellers is to understand nothing. They speak to the very identity of Paris and its profound ties to literature. Paris is a city born from the dreams of writers.”

YES, exactly, Doris Kearns Goodwin! Not since Barak Obama was in office have we had a leader with great integrity and character.

 Great Quote from DK Goodwin at ABA Conference

Author Doris Kearns Goodwin speaking at the ABA conference: "What we need more than anything in leaders in this country is leaders with character. Character. What does that mean? What it means are people who are willing to acknowledge errors and learn from their mistakes. They have the humility to know that they will make mistakes and they can learn from them. We want leaders who have empathy, who can understand other people's points of view, who listen to other people, leaders who have resilience.

"Ernest Hemingway once said that everyone is broken by life, but afterwards some are strong in the broken places. We need people who've been through troubling times and can somehow come through with wisdom and reflection. We need people who are accountable, people who have a certain ambition that's not for themselves but for the country. We need people who have integrity. That's what character is."

Ahhh yes, the wild fashion show that is the Met Gala...this year should prove to be especially exciting, as people will be wearing fragile fashion, and there will likely be a few "wardrobe malfunctions" on the red carpet.

The Met Gala Gets Lit(erary)

Inspired by a 1962 short story by J.G. Ballard, the theme for the 2024 Met Gala will be “The Garden of Time.” <Miranda Priestly voice> “Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking.” This being the Met Gala, though, and Anna Wintour being Anna Wintour, it’s not quite so straightforward. This year’s gala will celebrate an exhibition called “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” and the dress code calls for “clothing and fashion so fragile that it can’t ever be worn again.” Somewhere, there is a designer crafting a dress out of the pages of a very old book. Read the full text of Ballard’s story here, and tell me in the comments: what would you wear?

I have always loved Little Women, it's one of those classic novels that never gets old...Jo and her sisters speak to this generation as much as they did to girls 156 years ago. I'd love to see this musical when it debuts.

On Stage: Jo--The Little Women Musical

JoAnn M. Hunter, who choreographed Broadway's Bad Cinderella, School of Rock, Disaster!, and the 2011 revival of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, has been named the director of the Broadway-aimed Jo--The Little Women Musical https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscQeIkOgI6a9gJkx1GA~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6nAWpGgpoMLg-gVdw, Playbill reported.

"The creative team has written a piece about an iconic character in literature with a lovely freshness to it," said Hunter. "Jo speaks to me because of the will and commitment of this family, even when it means, maybe not giving up on yourself and the selflessness of love. Whatever that love is for you."

I was once a part of the Liaden Universe fandom, but after giving a mixed review to an anthology that they edited, (and they asked for a completely honest review, but apparently they only wanted a positive review) and being lambasted for being honest about many other things that Sharon and Steve did that I didn't think were completely kosher, ( like constantly asking fans for money), I left their fandom and vowed to not read or review their books ever again. I've kept that promise, but now that I found out that Steve Miller has passed, I felt it was important to include his obit on my blog. The Liaden Universe is a highly recommended space opera series, and without Steve, I'm not sure that Sharon will keep it going. Sharon had a fantasy series that she'd written separately from her husband, (that I read and enjoyed), and I hope she will continue on with her own projects in the future.

Obituary Note: Steve Miller

Steve Miller who, with co-author and wife Sharon Lee, wrote more than 30 novels, including 20 in their Liaden Universe series, died February 20, File 770 reported. He was 73. Announcing his death on the pair's website https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscQeIw-QI6a9gJR0nGA~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6nAWsKspoMLg-gVdw, Lee noted: "We had known his health was failing, and he told me a couple months ago that he'd written an obit. I found it on his computer last night."

Miller wrote that in pursuing his life-long interest in writing and science fiction, he attended the Clarion West writing workshop in 1973 where he studied with genre greats Peter Beagle, James Sallis, Harlan Ellison, Terry Carr, Vonda McIntyre, Ursula LeGuin, and Joanna Russ, shortly after which he joined the University of Maryland Baltimore County's Albin O. Kuhn Library staff as the founding Curator of Science Fiction. Following his stint as a library curator, he worked as a freelance writer for many Baltimore region weekly and monthly newspapers.

In 1978, he and Lee declared themselves partners in life and in writing, Miller wrote in his obituary, adding: "In the next while they opened Dreams Garth and Book Castle, a science fiction themed used bookstore and art gallery business. They married in November 1980, and moved from Maryland to Skowhegan, Maine, in October 1988 after the publication of their first joint novel, Agent of Change, the first in what was to become a long series of space opera novels and stories set in their original Liaden Universe. In 1992, they moved to Winslow; and to Waterville in 2018."

After the move to Maine, Miller continued to pursue his writing career and also became increasingly involved in computers, starting Circular Logic BBS, which became one of the state's largest independent BBS systems, and joining the Oakland Public Library as children's librarian and IT specialist, a part-time position. He eventually became internet librarian for Unimation, a startup in Unity that folded in 1995 during the dotcom winnowing. After that he transitioned to publisher and writer, a career he continued until his death.

Last summer, the Portland Press Herald profiled Miller and Lee https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscQeIw-QI6a9gJR0nGQ~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6nAWsKspoMLg-gVdw, noting that they "still write science fiction novels together, but with the luxury of time and space. Both write full-time and each have their own writing office, at opposite ends of their ranch house in Waterville.

The co-authors told the Press Herald that one of the reasons their writing collaboration had worked so well was that neither was concerned with getting credit for a well-written chapter or particularly imaginative plot twist. "I think what helps keep our process, and therefore our marriage, relatively peaceful is that we're each committed to achieving a correct outcome," said Lee. "The story has to be right. The story isn't about me, and it isn't about Steve. It's about the characters who live in the book."

I've been saying this for years now, but I think writers whose work is adapted to film or streaming series/TV don't get enough credit for being a huge creative engine for Hollywood/the Film Industry in general. At the Academy Awards, for example, the person who adapts the book to film/TV is lauded, but the actual author of the work is generally forgotten or overlooked. It wasn't always this way, for example, everyone lauded Harper Lee when To Kill a Mockingbird became a famous movie, but the same can't be said for the 3rd iteration of Dune, for example, perhaps because Frank Herbert is long dead, though his son Brian has taken on the mantle of keeper of the Dune flame. During pre-premier press, the cast has spoken glowingly of the director and the cinematographer, the other actors and the special FX, but I have yet to hear any of them speak highly of the source material, the Dune series, or Frank Herbert (the author's) vision of the future. I feel that especially now, with the many films and series coming out based on books, that this is an oversight that needs to be addressed. See below.

It Feels Like a Lot Because It Is a Lot

If your latest scroll through the Netflix menu left you feeling like every other option was based on a book, you’re not super wrong. Nearly one-third of the English-language shows Netflix has released so far this year are adapted from existing IP. Leading the way are the limited series Fool Me Once, based on the novel by Harlan Coben, and One Day, adapted from David Nicholls’s 2009 novel, which was previously adapted for film in 2011. When we look beyond Netflix, 7 of the 10 highest-grossing movies of last year were based on existing work, and—here’s the real stat—the last time the highest-earning film of the year was not adapted from existing IP or part of a franchise was 1998 when Titanic raked in the equivalent of $600 million (equivalent to $1.2 billion today) in the U.S. alone. That’s a full quarter-century of adaptation domination, and there’s no slow-down in sight.

System Collapse by Martha Wells is the 7th book in her Murderbot Diaries series, and, having read them all, I can honestly say that this one was just as much fun, yet it packed a real punch. This SF series has a sly mystery/thriller feel to it, and by the time you get past the first chapter's scientific info dump, you can't put it down. Here's the blurb: Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back in the next installment in Martha Wells's bestselling and award-winning Murderbot Diaries series.

Am I making it worse? I think I'm making it worse.

Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly-colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there’s an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can’t have the planet, they’re sure as hell not leaving without something. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize.

But there’s something wrong with Murderbot; it isn’t running within normal operational parameters. ART’s crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza’s SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they’re going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what’s wrong with itself, and fast!

Yeah, this plan is... not going to work.

As with the previous Murderbot books, I was excited to read about Murderbot's  latest growth in understanding not just of itself, but in figuring out the other human/AI interactions and finding ways to subvert the BE corps nefarious plans to enslave unwitting human beings, as they've done with their SecUnits. I especially like ART and Murderbots interactions. In the end, finding and rescuing some wayward humans through honest communications and a film Murderbot helped to create, all was well and there was a nice tidy HEA. I'd give this book a B+ and recommend it to anyone who has read any of the other Murderbot diaries, and enjoys the unique perspective and dry wit of Murderbot and his fellow AI's, like ART.

Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls is a historical literary novel with some weird romantic subplots interwoven throughout. Since this is my book group's book for March, and my final appearance as book group leader (no good deed goes unpunished, I've discovered), I felt that I needed to read this book with special attention, so I could discuss its ins and outs with my group. Here's the blurb: From the bestselling author of The Glass Castle, the instant New York Times bestseller a “rip-roaring, action-packed” (The New York Times) novel about an indomitable young woman in prohibition-era Virginia.

Sallie Kincaid is the daughter of the biggest man in a small town, the charismatic Duke Kincaid. Born at the turn of the 20th century into a life of comfort and privilege, Sallie remembers little about her mother who died in a violent argument with the Duke. By the time she is just eight years old, the Duke has remarried and had a son, Eddie. While Sallie is her father’s daughter, sharp-witted and resourceful, Eddie is his mother’s son, timid and cerebral. When Sallie tries to teach young Eddie to be more like their father, her daredevil coaching leads to an accident, and Sallie is cast out.

Nine years later, she returns, determined to reclaim her place in the family. That’s a lot more complicated than Sallie expected, and she enters a world of conflict and lawlessness. Sallie confronts the secrets and scandals that hide in the shadows of the Big House, navigates the factions in the family and town, and finally comes into her own as a bold, sometimes reckless bootlegger.

“You’ll fall in love with Sallie on the very first page and keep rooting for her all the way through to the last in this thrilling read that “goes down easy…like the forbidden whisky that defines the life of Sallie Kincaid” (Associated Press).

This book reads like a combination of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Bonnie and Clyde, if the latter were written by Flannery O'Connor. While I always enjoy some good Southern potboiler stories, this book took that trope as far as possible, straining credulity, with each nasty, lying, cheating man and the pregnant women and abandoned children that they leave behind. There's always a "Big Daddy" character in these stories, someone who is a big fish in a small pond, who makes money running whisky or drugs and who can't keep it in their pants and has illegitimate children all over the county. There's also the "second in command" legitimate child of Big Daddy, (in this case it's a rare young woman) who sets out to prove they're worthy of being the scion of the ruthless kingpin of the family business, similar to the siblings in the Godfather. My main problem with this genre and the tropes of Southern fiction is that the bad guys are always lionized by everyone in the town and in their household, though it's obvious that they are uneducated, greedy, vicious and corrupt. Duke's string of impregnated women keeps getting bigger the further along you are in the novel, but his daughter Sallie just keeps idolizing her father as being wonderful, when it's apparent that he's not, and is in fact despicable. It's no wonder then that by the time Sallie has finally fallen in love, she discovers that her fiancee has had an affair with her half sister, producing a child that he inevitably wanted nothing to do with. So in the end, Sallie is left raising several illegitimate children with her illegitimate sisters and other family members and making peace  so that she can rebuild the mansion after it was burned down during a feud with another hillbilly family. The prose was clean and the plot slick and swift, making this page turner readable in a day. I'd give it a B, and recommend it to those who like books like Gone with the Wind, or the Godfather, or Flannery O'Connor's sterling short stories. 

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent is a "dark magic fantasy romance," which in this case means it's a horror novel with fantasy trappings, so you'd better have a strong stomach before you sit down to read it. As everyone who knows me realizes, I'm not a fan of horror fiction (or most horror movies), so this book, with death and dismemberment and disembowelment on nearly every page had my "ick, gross" factor set to high. Here's the blurb:

For humans and vampires, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night is the first book in a new series of heart-wrenching romance, dark magic, and bloodthirsty intrigue, perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Everything in this book is fraught with blood and trauma and pain, both mental and physical.  It strained my credulity to believe that Oraya could have been beaten to within an inch of her life, stabbed, flayed and poisoned, among other things, and still survived to fight in the tournament the next day or week. The same, of course, goes for Rain, her frenemy-turned-love, whom she knows she must kill, but then she brings back, only to discover that she was being used for that very purpose, so that Rain could lead a rebellion against her evil father, kill him and then take control of the nightborn court and crown. For someone raised as a bunny surrounded by hungry ravening dogs, Oraya is your fairly standard mixed up naive princess who is duped by the first guy who helps her in battle and is kind and loving to her when they're in private. Why is it always the woman/girl in romance novels or hybrids like this one, who is so desperate for love that she ends up losing it all because she doesn't realize that she's being used by her first and only lover? Why the stupid blindspot in an otherwise smart character? Why is it never the guy who is an idiot for love?? At any rate, I'd give this book, which had a tissue-thin ending, a C+, and recommend it to those who really enjoy bloody battles that take pages to detail all the blood and gore for the reader. Shudder.

The Last Storm by JD Linton is a fantasy romance with an enemies to lovers trope powering the whirlwind plot and the spicy prose. Here's the blurb:

Ara Starrin’s entire life has been a lie.

Hidden in the shadow of her controlling father, General Evander of Auryna, Ara has never tasted true freedom. For most of her life, she’s been locked away in his estate as he is determined to protect her from the bloodthirsty Fae across the border.

But as her twenty-sixth birthday comes and goes, he decides it's time for her to marry, against her wishes and completely unbeknownst to her.

Ara’s fate is sealed the moment he announces her engagement.

Rogue Draki’s entire life has been a painful truth.

Raised at the hands of his father, the merciless king of Ravaryn, Rogue has never tasted an ounce of kindness. Now that his father is dead, the crown has been thrust upon him, and it is his responsibility to save his people from the wrath of Auryna.

It is for that reason he crosses the border into Auryna to spy on the court in the Capitol—for secrets, leverage, anything.

Rogue’s fate is sealed the moment he lays eyes on Ara Starrin.

I loved that Rogue makes mistakes but learns from them and grows as a character, but I found myself wanting Ara to do the same...but things seemed to take a lot more time with her, I suppose because she sought, throughout the book, freedom and independence, not a bond-mate or marriage that would put her in yet another cage, like the one she grew up in. But the banter and chemistry between Rogue and Ara continues to bubble and boil in the cauldron of the plot, until they unite for some fierce sex and intimacy that goes on and on...think Rege Jean Paige and his beloved in Bridgerton. I do appreciate a well written love scene, so that was satisfying, if somewhat overblown in spots....pun intended. The ending was nice and not a cliffhanger, so I'd give this book a solid B, and recommend it to those who enjoy romantasy and well-written banter and sex scenes.

Florida Limits Student Access to Black History, The Little Book Opens in Des Moines, IA, A Gentleman in Moscow Comes to TV, Obit for Ellen Gilchrist, A Short History of Nearly Everything Gets Animated Series, Shogun on TV, What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez, A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft, On The Plus Side by Jenny L Howe, and The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett

Good evening fellow bibliophiles! We're more than halfway through February, and it's still cold enough outside that I think it's best to curl up under a fuzzy blanket near a warm fireplace with a hot cup of tea or cocoa and a good book (also including your favorite fuzzy friend, whether they're a pup or a kitty, for lap-warming and petting purposes) and forget the world and its troubles for awhile. Herein are some troubling and tremendous tidbits, along with 4 reviews by yours truly. 

Of course Florida, state of ignorance, racism and ridiculousness, has laws/policies requiring parental consent to learn the horrors of black history, so that a number of kids will just be able to opt out of learning the realities of systemic racism, so they'll be perpetuated for the next generation and the generation following that. Ignorance of history only causes it to be repeated, which is sad. 

Black History Month Activities

IPrep Academy in Miami-Dade County, FL, has begun requiring parental consent for students to participate in Black History Month activities. A permission form asks parents if they want their kids to have access to “…class and school wide presentations showcasing the achievements and recognizing the rich and diverse traditions, histories, and innumerable contributions of the Black communities” and is a result of a policy that was enacted last fall in connection with the state board’s Parental Bill Of Rights.

Say it with me, folks: it was never just about the books. As Professor Marvin Dunn of Florida International University puts it, “this will create a generation of people who are miseducated when it comes Black history.” And that is precisely the point.

I'm so excited that another bookstore is opening in the capital city of Iowa! Many of the towns I grew up in were suburbs of Des Moines back in the 60s and 70s. 

Grand Opening for The Little Book in Des Moines, Iowa

The Little Book <https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscQTZwbgI6a9hJRF1Hw~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6nDC8DwpoMLg-gVdw> children's bookstore will celebrate its grand opening today at 520 Euclid Ave., Suite 102, in Des Moines, Iowa, We Are Iowa reported, adding that the event will also feature Nic Roth's mural unveiling and artist exhibition.

Bethany Fast, co-owner of the new bookshop with her husband, David, described her life as a series of "big life shifts," including cross-country moves, major career changes, and having kids before her most recent venture.

"There's children's sections at every bookstore, but there's not a store that's really predominantly aimed at children," Fast said. "It just felt like a niche we could fill."

Located in the city's historic Highland Park neighborhood, the Little Book is focused on creating a "child-inclusive" space for kids and families. "As caregivers of children... it's a lot of times hard to bring them into a space and feel like it's okay for them to make noise. It's okay for them to be their loud, chaotic little selves," Fast said. In a space that is intentionally child-focused, the "shelves don't tower over visitors, making it easier for kids and people with mobility aids to access books. When kids aren't browsing, they can sit in the reading nook or at a kid-sized craft table," We Are Iowa wrote, adding that even the bathrooms are designed for children and parents.

"We're just really trying to take the time to walk through what we go through as parents trying to wrangle kids," Fast said, adding that part of creating a child-inclusive environment is making sure every child is represented on the shelves: "We are seeing a lot of legislation and, you know, laws being put into place that really are affecting children in a big way in a way that they don't get a say in.... All kids and all families can come in and see themselves on the shelves, see themselves in the employees, see themselves in the art and feel like it's a place where they can be safe and be comfortable and be celebrated."

I read this book last year or the year before for my book group, and though it was well written, I don't think it deserved all the hype it received. Still, with Ewan McGregor as the Gentleman, I think this could turn out of to be real winner of a streaming series.

TV: A Gentleman in Moscow

Showtime has released first look photos and a premiere date announcement teaser video https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct pjJscQTZwbgI6a9hJRFwGA~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6nDC8DwpoMLg-gVdw have been released for A Gentleman in Moscow, the highly anticipated upcoming series based on the 2016 novel by Amor Towles. Vanity Fair reported that the limited-series adaptation, starring Ewan McGregor in the title role, will premiere March 29 on Paramount+ With Showtime, "which mounts Amor Towles's novel on an expansive, sumptuous scale."

Adapted by Ben Vanstone (The Last Kingdom) and largely directed by Emmy nominee Sam Miller (I May Destroy You), the project stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Ahsoka, Kate, Birds of Prey), Alexa Goodall (The Devil's Hour, Lockwood and Co.), Johnny Harris (Without Sin, This Is England '86), and Fehinti Balogun (Dune, I May Destroy You).

A Gentleman in Moscow is produced by Lionsgate Television in association with Paramount. Ben Vanstone serves as executive producer and showrunner on the series, with Tom Harper also executive producing alongside McGregor, Sharon Hugh, Pancho Mansfield, Moonriver TV's Xavier Marchand, and Towles.

I started reading Ellen Gilchrist in college, after she was recommended by an English Lit professor. I loved her Land of Dreamy Dreams and her novellas I Cannot Get You Close Enough. I had no idea she was about my mother's age, and I know the literature community will feel her loss deeply. RIP.

Obituary Note: Ellen Gilchrist

Ellen Gilchrist https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscQTbwesI6a9hcEh-Hw~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6nDCcCjpoMLg-gVdw, "a Southern writer with a sharp, sometimes indulgent eye for her region's foibles and eccentricities," died January 30, the New York Times reported. She was 88. Gilchrist "had spent part of her childhood on a family plantation in the Mississippi Delta... and her fiction was populated by the gentry that came from that land, in both its urban and rural incarnations."

A disciple of Eudora Welty, with whom she studied at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., in the 1960s, Gilchrist published more than 25 books, including novels, short story collections, poetry and memoirs.

She won the National Book Award in 1984 for her collection Victory Over Japan, but it was her first collection, In the Land of Dreamy Dreams (1981), "which depicted in large part the fissures and pathologies of the New Orleans upper class, that was in some ways most characteristic. She considered it her best work," the Times noted.

First published by the University of Arkansas Press, In the Land of Dreamy Dreams was an unexpected hit for a university press. "It was this huge success and sold all the copies in about a week, and then he kept printin' 'em," Gilchrist said in her interview at the university, where she taught English and creative writing for 25 years. The book sold more than 10,000 copies in its first 10 months; was republished by what became her principal publisher, Little, Brown; and earned critical acclaim.

Gilchrist's other books include Drunk With Love (1986), Light Can Be Both Wave and Particle (1989), I Cannot Get You Close Enough: Three Novellas (1990), Collected Stories (2000), Nora Jane: A Life in Stories (2005), Acts of God (2014), Falling Through Space: The Journals of Ellen Gilchrist (1987), The Writing Life (2005), and Things Like the Truth: Out of My Later Years (2016).

My brother and I share very little other than parents and a love of the books of our fellow Iowan, Bill Bryson. I can hardly wait to see this animated TV series, which will be hilarious.

TV: A Short History of Nearly Everything

Bill Bryson's bestselling book A Short History of Nearly Everything "is being reimagined" as an animated TV series by former The Simpsons showrunner Josh Weinstein and Paddington screenwriter Jason Hazeley, with Richard Ayoade narrating. Deadline reported that Altitude and Brouhaha Entertainment "are developing the series version of a book that has sold 15 million copies worldwide and been translated into 50 languages, with a view to turning it into a long-running entertainment franchise."

"I feel very lucky to have such a gifted and distinguished group of creative talents turning my words into screen magic," said Bryson.

Altitude co-CEO Will Clarke commented: "Bill's brilliant mind expands beyond the hugely impressive number of books he's sold and is arguably a global brand in its own right. We know from broadcasters and streamers that audiences are hungry to explore and learn more about our universe whilst being entertained and our series--which we envisage as a long-running entertainment franchise--is the perfect way to deliver that."

There was a TV series based on Shogun back in the 70s that I watched with my brothers. I will be curious to see how they update it. I was the only member of my family to read the book that it was based on, though.

TV: Shōgun

FX has released an extended trailer for Shōgun https://www.shelfawareness.com/ct/x/pjJscQTckrgI6a9hdxtwHw~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6nDDpPwpoMLg-gVdw, its original series adaptation of James Clavell's 1975 novel, Deadline reported. The 10-episode series premieres February 27 on Hulu in the U.S. with the first two episodes, followed by a new episode each week. The project was created for television by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks.

The series stars Hiroyuki Sanada as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, Cosmo Jarvis as John Blackthorne, and Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko. Shōgun features a Japanese cast, including Tadanobu Asano, Hiroto Kanai, Takehiro Hira, Moeka Hoshi, Tokuma Nishioka, Shinnosuke Abe, Yuki Kura, and Fumi Nikaido.

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez is a historical romance full of mystery and adventure, sort of like Indiana Jones with the lead being a sheltered South American 19th century orphaned teenager. This novel is well written (I assume it was translated from Spanish to English) and the evocative prose helps the twisty plot fly by...it's definitely a page turner for readers who can't wait to see what happens next. Here's the blurb: The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in What the River Knows, Isabel Ibañez's lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt and filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.

Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind.

When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and a golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.

With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.

What the River Knows is the first book in the thrilling Secrets of the Nile duology.

I must mention how lovely the cover art is for this novel, and the sequel, which doesn't come out until November, looks to be just as beautiful. While I enjoyed the mystery of where Cleopatra's tomb is in Egypt, and where Inez's parents were, or what/who actually killed them, I was distraught to note that Inez didn't seem to mature at all through the book, falling for one lie and trick after another, right up to the end, which was left unresolved and wide open. I have a problem with authors who can't seem to write a decent ending, just stopping their work in mid-scene, so readers are left wondering what happened?! It's a manipulative way to get readers to buy the next book in the series, and I don't appreciate it. That said, the tension and roller-coaster ride thrills of the book kept me turning pages until the book was finished. I'd give it a B+, and recommend it to those who are fans of Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series or Indiana Jones movies.

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft is a Regency romantic fantasy about a magical seamstress who is assigned with creating the wardrobe for a royal wedding, only to discover that the groom is only marrying out of a sense of duty. This, like several other hardback books I've acquired lately, has glorious cover art that will intrigue casual readers into taking a second look. Here's the blurb: 

In this romantic fantasy of manners from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft, a magical dressmaker commissioned for a royal wedding finds herself embroiled in scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her undeniable chemistry with the groom.

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous gossip columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.

Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.

There was a definite "Bridgerton" vibe within this book, especially between the lowly seamstress Niamh and the royal groom Kit, who was kind of a pain in the tuchas for the first half of the novel, (fortunately he grows on you as the novel goes on). I also noticed some redundancies during the second half of the book, but they were small, and so they didn't derail the plot, which dances along on velvet slippers. Saft's prose is deft and sweet, and her world building isn't at all clunky, but adds to the character's lives to make them seem all the more realistic. I'd give this book an A-, and recommend it to fans of Bridgerton and other magical fantasy romances.

On The Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe is a size-positive romantic comedy that feels like "You've Got Mail" combined with "When Harry Met Sally" and reality TV shows like the Bachelor/Bachelorette. Though the first 22 pages give the book a slow start, once Everly gets onto the set of the makeover for fat girls show, On the Plus Side, things really start to move at a lightening pace, right to the end. Here's the blurb:

What Not to Wear and Queer Eye meet All the Feels in this sparkling romantic comedy by Jenny L. Howe, in which the new guest on a popular plus-size makeover show has her style—and her love life—transformed.

Everly Winters is perfectly happy to navigate life like a good neutral paint color: appreciated but unnoticed. That’s why she’s still a receptionist instead of exploring a career in art, why she lurks but never posts on the forums for her favorite makeover show, On the Plus Side, and why she’s crushing so hard on her forever-unattainable co-worker. When no one notices you, they can’t reject you or insist you’re too much.

This plan is working perfectly until someone secretly nominates Everly for the next season of On the Plus Side. Overwhelmed by the show’s extremely extroverted hosts and how much time she’ll have to spend on screen, she finds comfort in a surprising friendship with the grumpy but kind cameraman, Logan. Soon Everly realizes that he’s someone she doesn’t mind being noticed by. In fact, she might even like it.

But when their growing connection is caught on camera, it sends the show’s ratings into a frenzy. Learning to embrace all of herself on national TV is hard enough; can Everly risk heartbreak with the whole world watching?

 

The dialog between Everly and the handsome cameraman Logan was delicious, and the plot zoomed along double-time once the sparks started to fly between the two. This page-turner surprised me several times with scenes I didn't see coming. I found the whole "fat girl as introverted wallflower" thing to be troubling, though, because that's a stereotype that society likes to perpetuate to keep women of all sizes feeling that they're never good enough, never pretty enough or thin enough to have a robust sexual relationship, or a fulfilling job or a happy life. It's just another tentacle of misogyny that is woven throughout society that makes diet companies and exercise gyms and many other businesses all kinds of money. If more women would say NO to diets, which do not work 95% of the time, we wouldn't have to deal with men taking away our rights and trying to control women in society. Anyway, this book had a wonderful ending and was a pleasure to read. I'd give it an A-, and recommend it to anyone woman/girl who feels like they're not good enough, just as they are.

 

The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett is a literary fiction novel by the author of the award-winning Bel Canto. I read Bel Canto, and though it wasn't my favorite book, I did recognize a fantastic prose stylist in the making. Patchet is now not only an established author, she's a bookstore owner (Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN) and sometime sage of the South. I started this book wondering where she was going with this unwed mother's home full of characters plot, but by the time I was halfway through I was astonished at how I'd come to know each character and become fascinated with their journey. Here's the blurb:

Acclaimed author Ann Patchett's debut novel, hailed as "beautifully written . . . a first novel that second- and third-time novelists would envy for its grace, insight, and compassion” (Boston Herald)

St. Elizabeth’s, a home for unwed mothers in Habit, Kentucky, usually harbors its residents for only a little while. Not so Rose Clinton, a beautiful, mysterious woman who comes to the home pregnant but not unwed, and stays. She plans to give up her child, thinking she cannot be the mother it needs. But when Cecilia is born, Rose makes a place for herself and her daughter amid St. Elizabeth’s extended family of nuns and an ever-changing collection of pregnant teenage girls. Rose’s past won’t be kept away, though, even by St. Elizabeth’s; she cannot remain untouched by what she has left behind, even as she cannot change who she has become in the leaving.

Though Patchett is known for her narration of every thought and feeling that her main characters have, I was tempted to get out a red pen and rid several chapters of the "fluff" of psychological analysis that seemed to go on forever and slowed the plot to a shuffle. Still, I found Rose's journey to be poignant, and the ending was well done. I'd give this book a B+, and recommend it to anyone who is interested in the Homes for Unwed Mothers that used to dot the countryside and villages of America and Ireland. 

Will Clarke commented: "Bill's brilliant mind expands beyond the hugely impressive number of books he's sold and is arguably a global brand in its own right. We know from broadcasters and streamers that audiences are hungry to explore and

Quote From the Clandestine Bookshelf about the Age of Censorship, The Memory Police Movie, Quote of the Day, followed by Cool Idea of the Day returning Banned Books, Margot's Got Money Troubles Comes to TV, Christopher Priest Obituary, Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, The Girl in the Green Silk Gown by Seanan McGuire, and Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross

Welcome to February and Valentine's Day, which is on the horizon. This is a very lean February for us for several reasons, so I probably won't get any vegan chocolate or books that I'm dying to read (like Kristin Hannah's latest tome, called "The Women" about military nurses serving during the Vietnam war in the 70s), but I'm going to be surrounded by those I love and those who love me, so that should be enough, I suppose. At any rate, I'm delving deep into my TBR right now, and I have some great tidbits and good reviews to share with you all. Keep warm and dry, folks!

 

Indeed, I also appreciate the heroes coming out of this age of book bans and ridiculous insinuations about books "turning" children into someone on the LGBTQ spectrum, which is nonsense (as Lady Gaga once said, you are "born that way," it's not something that happens by being exposed to external ideas). 

 

Quote from The Clandestine Bookshelf of Houston, Texas

"There are some heroes coming out of the Age of Censorship (TM) we are living through. And they are mostly librarians, students, and city-level officials challenging, resisting, and in this case, rebelling as they can. I am not sure that a movie starring a renegade librarian who provides students with banned books and having those students meet in secret to read them is gold, but I can’t help imagining a Dead Poets-like movie that is about finding space for truth and self-expression being something that would work. No suicide please. Let’s end with state-level legislation and a rousing music cue. May their efforts not need to be covert for long."

This is a movie that is based on a woman-authored SF novel that I've been meaning to read, so I'm looking forward to seeing what the powers that be in Hollywood do with it.

 

Movies: The Memory Police

Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon, The Unknown Country) will

star in The Memory Police https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscQSMwr4I6a9iKk0iEg~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6nDXsP2poMLg-gVdw, based on the science fiction novel by Yoko Ogawa, according to the Hollywood Reporter. With a script by Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), the film will be directed by Reed Morano, who helmed episodes of The Handmaid's Tale as well as the indie film I Think We're Alone Now.

Morano and Margot Hand of Picture Films will produce. Martin Scorsese is

executive producing alongside Ogawa, whose novel was originally released

in 1994, with an English translation published in 2019. The novel was a

finalist for the National Book Award, International Booker Price, and

World Fantasy Award. 

 

This is a great quote that accurately describes the important role that indie booksellers play in people's lives, especially in relation to selling challenging books or banned books.

Quotation of the Day

"I've visited small independent bookstores across the country and have

never lost the feeling of immersion and intoxication. The smell of

bookstores, the sheathy sound of books pulled from shelves, lifted from

book piles. The whispery customer discussions of good books in aisles.

The bookstore seller's excitement in sharing their selections. I've

walked down a thousand aisles of bookstore shelves and read a thousand

bookseller's recommendations....

"There is such wonder in independent bookstores. Every day booksellers

bravely recommend books that challenge and stir-up readers. They read

and sell books that expand our imaginations, touch our aggrieved souls,

and ignite our intellect. They invite readers to experience the

diversity of our rich world. Read this, they say, and tell me what you

think. For years and years and years they have shown me that I matter as

a reader. I have known independent booksellers to sell difficult and

challenging books even when they are threatened. Booksellers are

courageous in their desire to share knowledge and ideas. Booksellers

matter." --Debra Magpie Earling, author of 2024 Pacific Northwest Booksellers

Association Book Award winner The Lost Journals of Sacajewea (Milkweed

Editions), in an essay for NW Book Lovers https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscQSNwugI6a9ickwnEg~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6nDX8OgpoMLg-gVd

This is such an awesome idea, to get banned books back into the hands of kids and teens in Florida public schools. Freedom of the press and of thought can't be killed!

 

Cool Idea of the Day: Banned Books Back!

 

"How many banned books can a room full of dedicated volunteers pack in an hour? Yesterday we found out!" Firestorm Books https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscQSNwugI6a9ickwiGQ~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6nDX8OgpoMLg-gVdw, Asheville, N.C. noted in a Facebook post, adding: "At our first Banned Books Back! packaging party, community members turned out in droves to sort through dozens of cartons of books removed from Duval County Public Schools in Florida. Together we prepped 642 chapter books and 936 picture books to return to young readers."

This looks like a hilarious series based on a book that spawned a bidding war before it was even published for public consumption!

TV: Margo's Got Money Troubles

Margo's Got Money Troubles

https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscQSBk-wI6a9hJxAjHA~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6nDU5KkpoMLg-gVdw, "a hot series package... set in the world of OnlyFans with a wrestling twist," has landed at Apple TV+ with a straight-to-series order,

Deadline reported. Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman will star and

executive produce the eight-part series, alongside David E. Kelley and

Dakota Fanning with A24 as the studio.

Apple TV+ outbid a number of other companies, including Netflix, for the

rights to the series, which is based on Rufi Thorpe's upcoming book, set

to be published by William Morrow on June 11, Deadline noted. Kelley

will serve as showrunner. 

 

I read and loved The Prestige, though it was a gothic horror novel with a supernatural twist, which is not my usual reading fare. But then the awful movie came out, and it extinguished my love of the mystery and fascination of the story Priest told. Though I adore Hugh Jackman, I loathe Christian Bale. At any rate, I am sorry to hear that Priest has passed. RIP.

Obituary Note: Christopher Priest

British novelist Christopher Priest https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscQSBxb8I6a9hJhhwTA~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6nDU8T3poMLg-gVdw, who was best known for The Prestige and "became eminent more than once over the nearly 60 years of his active working life," died February 2, the Guardian reported. He was 80.

In 1983, he was included in the Granta Best of Young British Novelists,

a list that included many writers--Martin Amis, William Boyd, Kazuo

Ishiguro, Ian McEwan, Salman Rushdie, Graham Swift, A.N. Wilson among

them--significantly younger than Priest, whose career had begun almost

two decades earlier, with at least 15 books and 50 stories in print by

the early '80s.

The Prestige (1995), about two feuding 19th-century magicians, won both

the James Tait Black Memorial prize and a World Fantasy award. A film

adaptation by Christopher Nolan (2006) starred Hugh Jackman and

Christian Bale.

"The New Worlds/New Wave vision of a world that had lost all sense of

itself, with no stories to show a way out, was inspiring: but from the

beginning Priest recognized the central influence and mentoring genius

of J.G. Ballard, who made hypnotic stories out of the seemingly

unstoryable, for his uncanny intuition that past, present and future

were an 'inner space' we must explore and live with," the Guardian

wrote. "Though his works are formally more ingenious, everything Priest

wrote acknowledges his mentor's foreknowledge that we now live in that

inner space, where the lighting is treacherous."

Tomasz Hoskins, his editor at Bloomsbury, added: "His was a unique mind,

and his legacy is a generation of intelligent science fiction writers

inspired by his work and that of his contemporaries."

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer is an utterly delightful YA fantasy that reads like a cross between Kim Possible and Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell books. There's also some of Amy Sherman Paladino's rapid-fire dialog herein that will leave you laughing until you're breathless. I had no idea, BTW, that you could publish a book in installments on TikTok, so now I'm jealous of all those folks who were able to read this delightful book before me.

Here's the blurb:

Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.

ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer—naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain—and his entire nefarious empire—out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.
After all, a good job is hard to find.

 

The prose of HNM's world is clean and tight and full of snarky humor. The plot moves like a bullet train with no stops, and I found myself reading this book in a day because I couldn't put it down. I didn't want it to end, and now I find myself hoping for a sequel. Evie's exploits and her love of her evil boss reminded me of Grue and the female secret agent from the Despicable Me movies. The ending was satisfying in a "happy for now" manner, and the quest for rescuing the Villain is now officially on! I'd give this marvelous book an A, and recommend it to anyone who likes oddball romance stories.

 

The Girl in the Green Silk Gown by Seanan McGuire is the second book in her Ghost Roads series, following the fascinating Sparrow Hill Road, which I read last month. These books are a combination of ghost stories (and urban legends) with fantasy romance with a bit of mystery thrown in for good measure. I'm a fan of McGuire's October Daye series of fantasy books, so I was confident in picking up a copy of this novel, because I knew McGuire knows her way around a paranormal urban fantasy environment. Here's the blurb: The second book in the Ghost Roads series returns to the highways of America, where hitchhiking ghost Rose Marshall continues her battle with her killer--the immortal Bobby Cross.

Once and twice and thrice around,
Put your heart into the ground.
Four and five and six tears shed,
Give your love unto the dead.
Seven shadows on the wall,
Eight have come to watch your fall:
One’s for the gargoyle, one’s for the grave,
And the last is for the one you’ll never save.
 
For Rose Marshall, death has long since become the only life she really knows.  She’s been sweet sixteen for more than sixty years, hitchhiking her way along the highways and byways of America, sometimes seen as an avenging angel, sometimes seen as a killer in her own right, but always Rose, the Phantom Prom Date, the Girl in the Green Silk Gown.

The man who killed her is still out there, thanks to a crossroads bargain that won’t let him die, and he’s looking for the one who got away.  When Bobby Cross comes back into the picture, there’s going to be hell to pay—possibly literally.

Rose has worked for decades to make a place for herself in the twilight.  Can she defend it, when Bobby Cross comes to take her down?  Can she find a way to navigate the worlds of the living and the dead, and make it home before her hitchhiker’s luck runs out?              
There’s only one way to know for sure.
 

So though it was a well-written book about the 'real' story behind urban legends like the hitchhiker girl who disappears at dawn, but appeared perfectly real when she was picked up and taken to a truck stop for burgers, I found myself a bit bored at the redundancy in this book, especially about the rules surrounding the dead who walk the ghost roads, and the mythological gods/goddesses who lurk behind the road witches and various ghosts, waiting for them to beg favors and offer various things in trade for those favors. McGuire repeated a lot of the lore over and over, until I found myself screaming "I know! You've already told us those things in previous chapters!" Still, the plot was solid and moved along at a clip, and the prose was sterling and adaptable. I'd give this book a B, and recommend it to anyone who read the first book in the series and has enough patience to see their way through the redundancies of the sophomore novel.

 

Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross was a YA fantasy/folklore/romance novel with beautiful characters that reminded me of Night Circus and Witcher, as well as Caraval by Stephanie Garber and Sarah Maas's fae romance series. Here's the blurb:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals comes a story about magic, vengeance, and the captivating power of dreams. A must-read for fans of The Hazel Wood and The Night Circus.

 

The realm of Azenor has spent years plagued by a curse. Every new moon, magic flows from the nearby mountain and brings nightmares to life. Only magicians—who serve as territory wardens—stand between people and their worst dreams.

Clementine Madigan is ready to take over as the warden of her small town, but when two magicians arrive to challenge her, she is unknowingly drawn into a century-old conflict. She seeks revenge, but as she gets closer to Phelan, one of the handsome young magicians, secrets—as well as romance—begin to rise.

To fight the realm’s curse, which seems to be haunting her every turn, Clementine must unite with her rival. But will their efforts be enough to save Azenor from the nightmares that lurk around every corner?

  

Be warned, there's a lot of reveals that happen in the last 1/3rd of the book, so if you're not a fan of surprise parenting reveals or the like, you might have to sit this one out.  That said, the liquid prose that flowed like melted gold through the elegant plot left a sizeable impression on me as a reader, which is unusual...I have read Ross's latest bestsellers, Divine Rivals and the sequel, so I thought I had her style down pat. Then she goes and surprises me with this fantasy full of dreams and gods and good and evil, but you don't know which is which until you near the finale of the book. I'd give this book an A-, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy and romance that are unique and somewhat bizarre.