Miss Nelson is Missing Movie, Twice Movie, ABA Names LeVar Burton Bookstore Ambassador, Shady Hollow by Juneau Black, Hopelessly Teavoted by Audrey Goldberg Ruoff, The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin and The View From Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani

The final week of September is here! Hurrah! I love October and November and December because of all the birthdays and holiday celebrations! My book-loving mom turns 88 on October 5, and I'm hoping to send her some chocolate and a couple of books, if I can find any that she hasn't read. Anyway, here are some tidbits and four reviews, though I'm already one book into my next stack for early October! Keep warm and toasty and keep reading, fellow book dragons.

 

This looks like another fun and funny movie starring the hilarious Melissa McCarthy. I hope that I get the chance to see it.

 

Movies: Miss Nelson Is Missing

Netflix is in early development on a movie adaptation of the children's

book Miss Nelson Is Missing by Harry Allard, illustrated by James Marshall. Deadline reported that Melissa McCarthy is starring in the project, which will be written by Brad Copeland (Ferdinand, Spies in Disguise, Jerry and Marge Go Large).

The classic book series is about "a misbehaving class whose teacher is

mysteriously absent from school one day. But after a week with their

strict substitute, Viola Swamp, the kids can't wait for Miss Nelson to

come back. Sources say McCarthy would play both Nelson and Swamp in the film," Deadline noted.

This sounds fantastic, kind of like The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Something to look forward to streaming this fall.

 Movies: Twice

Netflix has acquired Mitch Albom's upcoming novel Twice

"in a competitive situation," Variety reported. Paul Weitz (Fatherhood,

Murderbot, About a Boy) will adapt and direct the film. He is also

producing with Andrew Miano through their company, Depth of Field. The

book will be be published on October 7 by Harper.

Twice "is a love story about magical second chances, Variety noted. "The

novel asks: 'What if you got to do everything in your life--again?'

That's the reality for Alfie Logan, who discovers the magical ability to

undo any moment and live it again. The one catch... is that he must

accept the consequences of his second try, for better or worse."

I've always loved LeVar B, and I'm chuffed that he's been named a book ambassador...a title he's definitely earned!

 

ABA Names LeVar Burton Indie Bookstore Ambassador

LeVar Burton has been named the American Booksellers Association's Indie

Bookstore Ambassador for 2025-2026. From Indies First Day/Small Business Saturday on November 29 to Independent Bookstore Day on April 25, 2026, Burton will serve as a champion for independent bookstores.

Burton is an actor, director, producer, and podcaster whose work

includes Roots, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Reading Rainbow. He

is the recipient of seven NAACP Awards, a Peabody, a Grammy, and 15

Emmys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Inaugural

Children's & Family Emmys. He is also a lifelong literacy advocate and

has dedicated decades to encouraging children to read.

In 2023, Burton premiered his first documentary, The Right to Read, a

film that considers the literacy crisis in the U.S. as a civil rights

issue. The Right to Read was an official selection at the Santa Barbara

International Film Festival and SXSW EDU.

He is also the award-winning author of Aftermath, The Rhino Who

Swallowed a Storm, and A Kids Book About Imagination. He launched his

first book club with Fable, a digital book club community, and partnered

with Masterclass to share the power of storytelling.

His production company, LeVar Burton Entertainment (LBE), develops film, television, podcasting, and publishing projects with the mission to

share stories that foster empathy, champion diversity, and build

community. The LeVar Burton Reads podcast has more than 175 episodes in

its catalog, with 25 million downloads. LBE's first Kids & Family

podcast, Sound Detectives, made its debut on Stitcher in 2023.

Burton called it "an extraordinary honor to be chosen as ABA's Indie

Bookstore Ambassador. From my earliest memories, books carried me beyond the world I knew. They let me explore distant planets, ancient kingdoms, and lives very different from my own. Independent bookstores are where those explorations began. They are sanctuaries of possibility where a single story can change a life. In my forthcoming book, I reflect on discovering and embracing one's authentic self. Bookstores offer that same opportunity to every reader. Step inside, wander the shelves, ask questions, and follow your curiosity. Every book you open is an

invitation to imagine, to learn, and to see the world anew. But, you

don't have to take my word for it!"

 

Shady Hollow by Juneau Black is a unique fantasy mystery about a town populated by walking, talking animals...anthropomorphized to seem like a human community. The town of Shady Hollow is sleepy and lovely until two of the town's denizens are murdered, and its up to an intrepid fox reporter to solve the case. Here's the blurb: The first book in the Shady Hollow series, in which we are introduced to the village of Shady Hollow, a place where woodland creatures live together in harmony—until a curmudgeonly toad turns up dead and the local reporter has to solve the case.

Reporter Vera Vixen is a relative newcomer to Shady Hollow. The fox has a nose for news, so when she catches wind that the death might be a murder, she resolves to get to the bottom of the case, no matter where it leads. As she stirs up still waters, the fox exposes more than one mystery, and discovers that additional lives are in jeopardy.

Vera finds more to this town than she ever suspected. It seems someone in the Hollow will do anything to keep her from solving the murder, and soon it will take all of Vera’s cunning and quickness to crack the case.
This sweet cozy mystery, told from the perspective of a smart fox is short (not even 300 pages!) but full of charming characters, like the moose who runs the local coffee shop and the beaver family who are the rich town industrialists. I loved the concise and elegant prose which propelled the no-nonsense plot along at record speed. There was a sense of melancholy about the book, but it didn't interfere with the story arc at all. I'd give this slender volume an A, and recommend it to anyone looking for a comfort read for the fall.

 

Hopelessly Teavoted by Audrey Goldberg Ruoff is a magical romantic fantasy with comedic undertones that keep the book from being too grim or weird. It's an Addams-family-esque fall read that is spicy but engrossing. Here's the blurb: 

After the deaths of his parents, a witch returns to his spooky family manor and joins forces with his former crush when his parents’ spirits warn them of a sinister threat in this witty and lyrically unique rom-com in the vein of The Crescent Moon Tearoom and The Ex Hex.

Azrael Ashmedai Hart must be cursed. He’s a witch twice named for the devil. He’s making his way back to his family manor in Hallowcross after a failed screenwriting career. He’s adopted a cat he’s allergic to, and if all of that is not enough, he’s also forced to come face-to-face with his childhood best friend and former crush.

Victoria Starnberger, the bubbly girl-next-door Az lost touch with after an awkward incident in college, has just been disowned by her parents for quitting business school and buying Azrael’s late parents’ Hopelessly Teavoted tea shop against their wishes. Being cut off financially is one thing. But, now Vickie also owes a lesser devil for the souls her parents promised him in exchange for her gift to summon the dead by touching something they treasured in life, destroying the object in the process.

When spirits all over town, including Az’s parents, keeping warning her about a sinister threat, Vickie and Az are forced to combine their powers to save the Hallowcross. But to do so, they must prevent her magic from immolating him after Vickie’s devil places a curse on them to keep them from touching until she repays her debt. As they race against the clock to find clever ways around their curse, they find it increasingly harder to deny that they’ve been hopelessly devoted to each other all along.

This odd but rather too spicy romantasy was a decent read, but I was shocked by the number of typos in every chapter that pulled me out of the story. I felt as if the prose was badly translated from some other language (it wasn't, but it reads like it was). The prose was also very gothic and overwritten, and though the plot was dtermined and marched along, it fell afoul of too much description that slowed things down considerably. I did like Vickies magic but found Az's worshipping of her unrealistic. Still, I was able to finish it, though I hope that whatever editor worked on this book was fired for being incompetent. I'd give it a B-, and recommend it to those who love the campy, cartoon aspect of the Addam's Family love story. 

 

The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin is a historical women's fiction novel that was beautifully rendered inside and out, with a beautiful blue gilded cover and lush prose. Here's the blurb: 

A captivating new historical novel from Madeline Martin, set in Victorian London about a forbidden book club, dangerous secrets, and the women who dare to break free.

You are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…
London, 1895: Trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations, three women receive a mysterious invitation to an afternoon tea at the home of the reclusive Lady Duxbury. Beneath the genteel facade of the gathering lies a secret book club—a sanctuary where they can discover freedom, sisterhood, and the courage to rewrite their stories.

Eleanor Clarke, a devoted mother suffocating under the tyranny of her husband. Rose Wharton, a transplanted American dollar princess struggling to fit the mold of an aristocratic wife. Lavinia Cavendish, an artistic young woman haunted by a dangerous family secret. All are drawn to the enigmatic Lady Duxbury, a thrice-widowed countess whose husbands’ untimely deaths have sparked whispers of murder.

As the women form deep, heartwarming friendships, they uncover secrets about their marriages, their pasts, and the risks they face. Their courage is their only weapon in the oppressive world that has kept them silent, but when secrets are deadly, one misstep could cost them everything.

I loved this book, though it was hard to read about the intense misogyny of the Gilded Age/Belle Epoque of the late 19th/early 20th century Victorian England. Women's struggles for freedom, autonomy and agency for not just themselves but their children is detailed here in stark but silken prose that keeps the swift and thrilling plot rumbling along at breakneck speed. The birth of feminism from a bibliophiles perspective is refreshing and engrossing...I couldn't put it down! I sincerely hope that there were secret societies that saved women back in the day, but if not, this book gives one hope for a brighter future. I'd give it an A, and recommend it to anyone interested in women's history.

 

The View From Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani is a contemporary women's romance that has its roots in historic Italy and New York. I've read all of Adriana's novels, and this one was more serious and religious than most of her previous novels, but I was still engrossed by the family story as it unfolded. Here's the blurb: Jess Capodimonte Baratta is not living the life of her dreams. Not even close.

In blue-collar Lake Como, New Jersey, family comes first. Recently divorced from Bobby Bilancia, “the perfect husband," Jess moves into her parents’ basement to hide and heal. Jess is the overlooked daughter, who dutifully takes care of her parents, cooks Sunday dinner, and puts herself last. Despite her role as the family handmaiden, Jess is also a talented draftswoman in the marble business run by her dapper uncle Louie, who believes she can do anything (once she invests in a better wardrobe).

When the Capodimonte and Baratta families endure an unexpected loss, the shock unearths long-buried secrets that will force Jess to question her loyalty to those she trusted. Fueled by her lost dreams, Jess takes fate into her own hands and escapes to her ancestral home, Carrara, Italy.

From the shadows of the majestic marble-capped mountains of Tuscany, to the glittering streets of Milan, and on the shores of enchanting Lake Como (the other one), Jess begins to carve a place in this new/old world. When she meets Angelo Strazza, a passionate artist who works in gold, she discovers her own skills are priceless. But as Jess uncovers the truth about her family history, it will change the course of her life and those she loves the most forever. In love and work, in art and soul, Jess will need every tool she has mastered to reinvent her life.

Fed by the author’s cherished Italian roots comes a bighearted, hilarious novel of the moment: the story of one woman’s determination to live a creative life that matters, with enough room left over for love. With a one-way ticket to Italy, Jess is determined to write a new story on her own terms--this time, in stone. 

The focus in the book of two Italian American families living in New Jersey (like the Sopranos) with all the Jersey Shore cliches, was a bit off putting, especially as the women were all seen as house-slaves who were only allowed to cook,clean care for their parents and raise children, without any consideration for their own needs or desires...such staggering misogyny! Throughout the book, the cliches about Italian Americans are trotted out, including the older generation making money illegally and hiding it from the IRS and getting brought up on RICO charges by the infamous "Feds". I gather we're supposed to find all these men, who are sexist, immature and aggressive bastards, charming,but I didn't find them charming at all. They used the women around them constantly for their own selfish reasons. It took the main character going into therapy to find her spine, grow up and move to Italy, where she's expected to fall in love with an Italian man just when she's finally found some peace and freedom in her life. I felt sorry for her, but she was apparently happy at the end. I didn't find a lot of humor in the book, either, but I'd give it a B+ and recommend it to anyone of Italian American heritage.

 

Gnoll's Loot Table Bookstore Lands in Iowa, The Housemaid Movie, B&N Opening in Puyallup, WA, The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, The Entirely True Story of the Fantastical Mesmerist Nora Grey by Kathleen Kaufman, Mrs Endicott's Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen, Cackle by Rachel Harrison, and Ambrosia by CN Crawford

Hello book people! I can hardly believe that September is almost over! It seems like just yesterday we were mired in the heat and humidity that is August, which is a month that always seems to last forever. Still, it has been a hotter that usual, rough month, but I've managed to read a ton of books, so there will be lots of reviews in this post. Meanwhile, October and "spooky season" lurks right around the corner, with cooler fall temps, thank heaven. Grab a hot cuppa and a blanket and get some reading done!

 

My family moved to Davenport when I was about 2 years old, and that town is near Riverside, which is now famous for being the future "birthplace" of Captain Kirk from Star Trek, the original series. I'm heartened to read that a new science fiction-focused bookstore is opening up in Riverside...live long and prosper, Gnoll's!

 

Gnoll's Loot Table Lands in Riverside, Iowa

Gnoll's Loot Table, which offers new and used

sci-fi and fantasy titles, has opened at 51 E. First St. in Riverside,

Iowa, "known as the future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk from Star

Trek," Corridor Business Journal reported.

"We built Gnoll's Loot Table to be a cozy landing pad for readers," said

owner Noel Burns. "From space opera and epic fantasy to under-the-radar

indie and self-published gems you won't see in big-box stores, we want

fans to discover great stories and feel right at home in our

'comfort-geek' community."

Burns plans to host reading groups, author events and, a monthly podcast

called "The Gnollcast," featuring book reviews and creator interviews.

"Riverside is already a pilgrimage for Star Trek fans," she added. "It

felt wrong that there wasn't a bookstore here tailored to sci-fi and

fantasy. We're excited to help visitors and locals alike find their next

adventure, right where the Trek begins."

On the bookstore's opening day, August 30, Burns posted: "Gnoll's Loot

Tables opening day of our opening weekend was a success

and we are very happy we were able to share today with some new faces

and old friends. We were thrilled to find so many people excited about a

new bookstore in the community and fans of the sci-fi and fantasy

genres. We sold many new and used books and sold completely out of the

first book of the Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman. (Don't

worry we have PLENTY more coming.) We look forward to seeing some more new and excited faces coming through the door tomorrow. Thank you for your guys' support."

This sounds like a fascinating movie, which I hope to see on streaming services after its left movie theaters. I gather the books were amazing, but I didn't read them as they seemed too horror genre focused for me.

 

Movies: The Housemaid

The first trailer has been released for Lionsgate's The Housemaid,

based on Freida McFadden's 2022 novel, the first in a trilogy that

includes The Housemaid's Secret and The Housemaid Is Watching. Directed

by Paul Feig and written by Rebecca Sonnenshine, the film stars Sydney

Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, and Michele Morrone. The film

is produced by Todd Lieberman for Hidden Pictures, with Feig and Laura

Fischer also serving as producers. It hits theaters on December 19.

The Housemaid "follows Millie (Sweeney), a young woman who finds herself working as a housekeeper for the wealthy Winchester family," Variety wrote. "Trying to find her footing after a brief stint in jail, Millie

works diligently inside the family's house and becomes closer to the

married couple. As she starts to get more familiar with the Winchesters,

she soon sees behind the facade of the seemingly perfect family, and

finds herself unraveling in the dark secrets that lurk beyond the

family's decadence."

More great news on the bookselling front! Puyallup isn't too far from where I live, so if I'm lucky my son or one of his buddies who live there will stop by and give me the low-down on the new bookstore.

 

B&N Opening New Store in Puyallup, Wash. 

Barnes & Noble will open a new bookstore in South Hill Mall at 3500

South Meridian St., Puyallup, Wash., on September 24. During the

19,000-square-foot store's official launch, bestselling author J.A.

Jance will cut the ribbon and sign copies of her books.

"It has been over a decade since the Borders Bookstore closed just

across the road from where we are to open this beautiful new Barnes &

Noble," B&N noted. "Our booksellers are delighted to bring back a

bookstore of such scale to Puyallup."

 

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans is what is termed "women's fiction" nowadays, which is misogynist if you take the time to think about it. It's actually a splendidly poignant work of epistolary fiction that is so engrossing I read it all in one day, without looking up or moving from my bed. Each new letter was a revelation and fascinating in how it revealed the layers of the elderly female protagonist, Sybil. Here's the blurb: This is an intimate novel about the transformative power of the written word and the beauty of slowing down to reconnect with the people we love.

“Imagine, the letters one has sent out into the world, the letters received back in turn, are like the pieces of a magnificent puzzle. . . . Isn’t there something wonderful in that, to think that a story of one’s life is preserved in some way, that this very letter may one day mean something, even if it is a very small thing, to someone?”

Filled with knowledge that only comes from a life fully lived, The Correspondent is a gem of a novel about the power of finding solace in literature and connection with people we might never meet in person. It is about the hubris of youth and the wisdom of old age, and the mistakes and acts of kindness that occur during a lifetime.

Sybil Van Antwerp has throughout her life used letters to make sense of the world and her place in it. Most mornings, around half past ten, Sybil sits down to write letters—to her brother, to her best friend, to the president of the university who will not allow her to audit a class she desperately wants to take, to Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry to tell them what she thinks of their latest books, and to one person to whom she writes often yet never sends the letter.

Sybil expects her world to go on as it always has—a mother, grandmother, wife, divorcee, distinguished lawyer, she has lived a very full life. But when letters from someone in her past force her to examine one of the most painful periods of her life, she realizes that the letter she has been writing over the years needs to be read and that she cannot move forward until she finds it in her heart to offer forgiveness.

Sybil Van Antwerp’s life of letters might be “a very small thing,” but she also might be one of the most memorable characters you will ever read. 

I completely agree with the blurb in that I don't think I will ever forget this marvelous book of letters and the messages of wisdom it offers readers. I loved it, not just as a reader, but also as someone who, when in the lowest points in my life, has taken up the pen and written letter after letter to people, companies and authors, only to receive sustenance from the replies I got to nearly every letter I sent. It's one of the many things my friend of 50+ years, Roger Blakesley, and I share...he used to write me fulsome letters wherever I was that were encouraging and sustaining when I felt confused and fearful and alone. He would often include amusing quotes on the envelopes with little sketches of creatures from Monty Python. In this book, Sybil also relies on letters and replies to make sense of her past and present. The prose in this slender volume is concise and silken, with a plot that unfolds like a rose at daybreak. I'd heartily give it an A+ and recommend it to anyone who remembers what it was like to wait by the mailbox for a handwritten letter reply to their correspondence.

 

The Entirely True Story of the Fantastical Mesmerist Nora Grey by Kathleen Kaufman is an historical supernatural fiction novel that takes place in two different time periods which are spanned by the psychic powers of the main character Nora, and her grandmother Lottie, who, like many women who stood up for themselves and demanded to be paid for their work, was forced into an insane asylum, where she was tortured by sadistic doctors who wished to profit from her talents. Here's the blurb: 

As spiritualism reaches its fevered pitch at the dawn of the 20th century, a Scottish girl crosses the veil to unlock a powerful connection within an infamous asylum in this thrillingly atmospheric, exquisitely evocative exploration of feminine rage and agency, or lack thereof.

Leaving behind a quiet life of simple comforts, Nairna Liath traverses the Scottish countryside with her charlatan father, Tavish. From remote cottages to rural fairs, the duo scrapes by on paltry coins as Tavish orchestrates “encounters” with the departed, while Nairna interprets tarot cards for those willing to pay for what they wish to hear.

But beyond her father’s trickery, Nairna possesses a genuine gift for communicating with the spirit world, one that could get an impoverished country girl branded a witch. A talent inherited from her grandmother, Lottie Liath, widow of a Welsh coalminer, whose story of imprisonment and exploitation in a notorious asylum is calling out to Nairna from four decades past—a warning to break free from the manipulations, greed, and betrayals of others.

What do the cards hold for Nairna’s future?

Rescued from homelessness by a well-connected stranger, Nairna is whisked into a new life among Edinburgh’s elite Spiritualist circle, including visiting American star Dorothy Kellings. Researchers, doctors, psychics, and thrill-seekers clamor for the rising young medium. But after a séance with blood-chilling results, a shocking scandal ensues, and Nairna flees to a secluded community near Boston, where she assumes a new identity: Nora Grey.

But Nora can’t stay hidden when Dorothy Kellings offers her the chance to face all comers and silence skeptics at a spectacular séance at Boston’s Old South Meeting Hall, where Nora will come face to face at last with her spiritual guide: the courageous Lottie Liath, whose heart-wrenching story and profound messages are indelibly tied to Nora’s destiny.

This feminist tale of how horribly women were treated in the late 19th/early 20th centuries was fascinating and made me furious at the same time. The prose was sterling, and the plot held just enough twists and turns to keep readers turning pages. Truly engrossing, if you've ever wondered about invisible and remarkable women in history, this is the book for you. I will warn you that its got a lot of horrific moments and the atmosphere is depressing and claustrophobic, but if you can wade through the melancholia, you're in for a memorable tale well told. I'd give it a B+ and recommend it to anyone who wonders about the spiritualist movement of the late 19th century.

 

Mrs Endicott's Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen is a historical fiction novel that is, as the title suggests, splendid and delightful. I couldn't put it down! Here's the blurb: 

Blindsided by betrayal in pre-WWII England, a woman charts a daring new course in this captivating tale of resilience, friendship, and new love by the bestselling author of The Rose Arbor and The Venice Sketchbook.

Surrey, England, 1938. After thirty devoted years of marriage, Ellie Endicott is blindsided by her husband’s appeal for divorce. It’s Ellie’s opportunity for change too. The unfaithful cad can have the house. She’s taking the Bentley. Ellie, her housekeeper Mavis, and her elderly friend Dora—each needing escape—impulsively head for parts unknown in the South of France.

With the Rhône surging beside them, they have nowhere to be and everywhere to go. Until the Bentley breaks down in the inviting fishing hamlet of Saint Benet. Here, Ellie rents an abandoned villa in the hills, makes wonderful friends among the villagers, and finds herself drawn to Nico, a handsome and enigmatic fisherman. As for unexpected destinations, the simple paradis of Saint Benet is perfect. But fates soon change when the threat of war encroaches.

Ellie’s second act in life is just beginning—and becoming an adventure she never expected.

Having read a number of Bowen's other novels, I was not surprised by how delicious this stand-alone book was. It's a robust story told in elegant, lovely prose with a sturdy plot that never flags. I adored the main character, Ellie, and how she flourished without her immature and selfish husband in a small town in Southern France. This sould be because I can only dream of the same situation, and how wonderful it would be to escape the confines of my constricting marriage to an alcoholic narcissist. I've always been the kind of woman who loves adventure and visiting other countries and meeting new people and seeing the sights. I can't do that anymore, especially now that I am disabled by Crohn's disease, but books like this help my imagination take flight to other places by dint of another woman's POV after she's escaped. I'd give this book a B+ and recommend it to anyone who loves a good second act from a well-deserving woman.

 

Cackle by Rachel Harrison is a short supernatural fantasy that nearly qualifies as a novella.  The sweet but misty prose danced along the lively plot that seemed to be going to one place but ended up in another, much to my surprise. Here's the blurb: 

A darkly funny, frightening novel about a young woman learning how to take what she wants from a witch who may be too good to be true.
 
All her life, Annie has played it nice and safe. After being unceremoniously dumped by her longtime boyfriend, Annie seeks a fresh start. She accepts a teaching position that moves her from Manhattan to a small village upstate. She’s stunned by how perfect and picturesque the town is. The people are all friendly and warm. Her new apartment is dreamy too, minus the oddly persistent spider infestation.  
 
Then Annie meets Sophie. Beautiful, charming, magnetic Sophie, who takes a special interest in Annie, who wants to be her friend. More importantly, she wants Annie to stop apologizing and start living for herself. That’s how Sophie lives. Annie can’t help but gravitate toward the self-possessed Sophie, wanting to spend more and more time with her, despite the fact that the rest of the townsfolk seem…a little afraid of her. And like, okay. There are some things. Sophie’s appearance is uncanny and ageless, her mansion in the middle of the woods feels a little unearthly, and she does seem to wield a certain power…but she couldn’t be…could she?

Other than the sentient spiders (shudder...I loathe insects, especially spiders), This was actually more of a "coming of age" novel about a woman with very low self esteem who is ridiculously co-dependent on men, learning that it's okay to be alone with herself. The witch in the small town she absconds to shows her how amazing she and her powers are, and eventually, Annie comes to terms with herself as a person with magic. Though this is a short (under 300 pages) book, its feminist message rings loud and clear, and is refreshingly entertaining, in a world where romance and romantic fantasy novels that are popular always seem to depict women getting beaten to within an inch of their lives, over and over again, and falling for the abusive and misogynist male main character simply because he's handsome. Blech. So shallow and boring and cliche! I much perfer novels like this with characters who realize that a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle. I'd give it an A, and recommend it as a quick read for when you're in line or on an airplane, bus, or train.

 

Ambrosia by C.N. Crawford is the second book in the romantasy Frost and Nectar series. Having read the first book, I expected great things of the second, only to have my hopes dashed by a wiggly and confusing plot and prose that seemed almost opaque at times. Here's the blurb: After the Seelie king Torin nearly froze me to death, I plunged through a portal into my true home. Turns out, my hometown is a wild Unseelie kingdom known as the Court of Sorrows. When Torin follows me and sees my new horns, he quickly realizes that his intended bride is an enemy of his realm. In fact, his name for my kind is "demon."

But even if I have the horns of an Unseelie, I'm not welcome here, either. Queen Mab and her monstrous soldiers are delighted to torment us, accusing me of being a traitor. If we want to get out of the Court of Sorrows with our lives, the only hope we have is to stay as close to each other as possible--even if it means fleeing on horseback and sharing a bed. Every moment is bittersweet since it could be our last--and Torin is condemned to kill anyone he loves.

 This book ramped up the "spice" (sex) scenes and the romance at the expense of the story arc itself. I was really hoping Ava would come into her own and stop chasing after Torin, who seemed weak and unworthy of her regard, but I gather he was necessary for the HEA. I'd give this slender volume a B- and only recommend it to those who have read the first book and want to know more about the romance between the main characters.

Quote of the Day, Review of Irving's Queen Esther, Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings, Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross, The Scholar and The Last Faerie Door by HG Parry, and Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross

Welcome to the second week of September. It's been a rocky first week, with my health going south (my Crohns and my arthritis both have been giving me fits) and my alcoholic, dying husband being difficult, plus my son having to intervene with a shouting match, my stress levels have been through the roof. Still, as always, books have been my solace and escape from even the most horrid situations. Fortunately, the weather is also starting to cool off, so I'm looking forward to more days under blankets with hot tea and biscuits and a good book for the rest of the month. Here's a couple of tidbits and a lot of reviews. Hang in there, bibliophiles!

 

I totally agree with this, though I don't get to shop at Indie bookstores as often as I'd like, and I have to resort to lining the pockets of heinous billionaires, unfortunately. Still, the thought remains that Indies are the best! Shout out to Island Books, Powells, etc.

 

Quotation of the Day

"Bookstores have always been a place that I really enjoyed going. Every

bookstore has knowledgeable people that intentionally selected every

single book that's in there, so getting recommendations from booksellers

is one of my favorite things. Independent bookstores carry what they

like. They're not carrying the same handful of books that you can find

in every chain. There are real human beings behind each decision."

--Josh Funk, author

I'm really looking forward to reading John Irving's latest novel, reviewed here. I was a huge fan of his early works, and stopped reading when I encountered some of his later novels that were deeply misogynist, which is just sad. Now this novel, which bears a resemblance to Irvings own life and career, also espouses influnces such as Charles Dickens, and that is all but waving a red flag at a classic book lover like myself. So we shall see if the Irving of old is back with unforgettable characters and prose so poignant its magnificent. 

 

Book Review: Queen Esther

For anyone who's followed John Irving's nearly six-decades-long literary

career, settling into another of his novels feels like stepping into a

beloved pair of slippers. But, as he demonstrates in Queen Esther, that

sense of homecoming shouldn't distract readers from the insight and

empathy that have consistently characterized his work, including this

tenderhearted bildungsroman about a writer whose life, not surprisingly,

bears some similarity to Irving's own.

Irving's previous novel, The Last Chairlift, clocked in at more than 900

pages, and though Queen Esther doesn't make it to even half that length,

there's no shortage of engaging characters and complications to keep the

plot pulsing along. In what's clearly a homage in both substance and

style to Charles Dickens's Great Expectations, it tells the story of

Jimmy Winslow, whose grandfather Thomas teaches English at Pennacook

Academy, a New Hampshire boys' prep school, and who's instilled in his

grandson a love of the Victorian novel.

Jimmy's story is intertwined with that of Esther Nacht, who is Jewish

and was born in Vienna in 1905. She emigrates with her parents at age

three, but after her father dies in transit and her mother is murdered

in Portland, Maine, she's abducted and taken to an orphanage operated by

Dr. Wilbur Larch (whom readers might recognize from Irving's 1985 novel

The Cider House Rules). As a teenager, Esther is brought into Jimmy's

grandparent's household to serve as an au pair for the daughter they're

expecting.

Irving, who has tackled the issue of bigotry against sexual minorities in novels like The World According to Garp and In One Person, turns his attention here to antisemitism. It manifests in the genteel-seeming bigotry of

Pennacook's townspeople toward Esther, and surfaces in Esther's native

Austria, where Jimmy spends his junior year of college in 1963-64,

feeling the first stirrings of his dream to become a writer. Without

sacrificing the demands of his story to that concern, Irving subtly but

persistently raises awareness about the pervasiveness of the ancient

hatred.

With its New England and Vienna settings, presence of a handful of

wrestlers, the prominent role of an animal (no bears, but there is a

German Shepherd named after a Bob Dylan song), and lots of talk about

sexual subjects (circumcision is a big one), many of Irving's familiar

tropes are here to delight his longtime readers. At its heart, Queen

Esther is a gentle story about identity and family, the one we're born

into and the one that, if we're fortunate, grows organically out a

lifetime of loving relationships. It clearly reflects John Irving's

compassion and generosity of spirit, recognizing our flaws while still

focusing on what's best in us. --Harvey Freedenberg

 

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings (is she related to famed fantasy author of the Belgariad, David Eddings? In her bio blurb it mentions that she's also a dentist, which seems like a practical back up profession for a novelist) is a contemporary semi-spicy rom-com replete with lots of delicious banter between the two main characters. Here's the blurb: An utterly delightful and sexy second-chance romance between a black cat and golden retriever with Mazey Edding's signature sparkling voice!

Eva Kitt never expected to be the host of Sausage Talk, interviewing B-list celebrities over lukewarm hot dogs, instead of pursuing the journalism career she dreamed of. But when Eva’s impromptu public call out of her college ex goes viral, she’s thrust into the spotlight. It doesn’t help said ex is Rylie Cooper, a beloved social media personality that has built a platform on deconstructing toxic masculinity and teaching men how to be good partners.

Forced to confront Rylie on a live episode of Sausage Talk, he offers Eva a deal: allow him to take her on a series of dates to make up for his toxic behavior, then debrief them on his channel to show he’s changed. Eva refuses to play nice, but agrees to the scheme to advance her own career and continue defaming Rylie’s good name. When these manufactured dates start to feel real, Eva has to wonder if the boy that broke her heart has become the man that might heal it. 

I loved this book's hilariously witty main character, Eva, right up until it became clear that Eva's whole life and career depended on her boyfriend's shoring up her lower than low self esteem, which there's literally no reason for! She's gorgeous, intelligent, fun and talented. But her lack of self esteem is blamed on her being an ignored and neglected middle child. Being a middle child myself, that did resonate a bit, especially needing outside affirmations and compliments on one's worth as a woman and a person. Because I know what its like to have your siblings soak up all the love and caring, attention and oxygen in the room, while you're left to fend for yourself and be everyone's emotional support slave, ala Cinderella. That said, once you graduate high school and start to fashion your own life, you have to be willing to fight for yourself and your esteem against the forces of misogyny rampant in patriarchal society, though it seems a Sysphean task. You have to come to understand that you are worth more than your size or the money you make or your looks...you have a right to exist exactly as you are, full stop. Eva needed to learn this without leaning on Riley for all her emotional and mental support, and assuming that sexual energy between them made her a worthy "better" person. Eva acted more immature and and needy as the story went on, which was sad. I kept wanting to tell her to put on her big girl panties, go forth and conquoThe r! Still, it was a swift read with excellent prose and a fast plot. I'd give it a B-, and recommend it to any woman who has had to fight for her place in the world of corporate journalism (literally everyone, then.)

 

Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross is an epic romantasy novel that is gloriously put together with end paper illustrations and a gorgeous cover design. Though it says its set in the world of Divine Rivals, this is enough of a prequel that you don't get a glimpse of how this world and that intersect until the very end...so fair warning. Here's the blurb: This stunning luxury edition includes a jacketed printed case with custom character art, full-color designed endpapers, black stained edges and foiled cover elements. 
True love is more divine than any ruthless god.

Born in the firelit domain of the under realm, Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan, blessed with humble messenger magic. But in a land where gods often kill each other to steal power and alliances break as quickly as they are forged, Matilda must come of age sooner than most. She may be known to carry words and letters through the realms, but she holds a secret she must hide from even her dearest of allies to ensure her survival. And to complicate matters . . . there is a mortal boy who dreams of her, despite the fact they have never met in the waking world.

Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life―begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. When his request went unanswered, Vincent moved on, becoming the hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda. That is, until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.

As Fate would have it, Matilda and Vincent were destined to find each other beyond dreams. There may be a chance for Matilda to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, but at immense sacrifice. She will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: to be vulnerable, and to allow herself to finally be loved. 

This book, though sedately paced (meaning you will have to have patience to make it through the first 70 pages without growing bored), is rife with glowing, evocative prose and an ending that will leave you gasping for more, or for a re-read of Divine Rivals, at the very least. The story of an immortal, reluctant goddess who falls in love with a mortal king, and must sacrifice all for their relationship is nothing new. Every book of mythology from every country on earth has some variation on this timeless tale, but what surprised me was that the whole "woman who is nearly killed and abused repeatedly, and eventually has to sacrifice years of her life for helping her beloved" is a well-trodden trope that is re-used here, with the expected outcome that the couple are eventually together, though the male half of the equation doesn't have to do even half of the heavy lifting. Why the misogyny? I expected better of Ross, who doesn't display this kind of inequality in her other works. Still, engrossing and entertaining, I'd give this book a B+, and recommend it to anyone who is a fan of mythology.

 

The Scholar and The Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry is a bittersweet historical fantasy that is poignant and lyrical and un-put-downable. Here's the blurb: The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door, a mythic, magical tale full of secret scholarship, faerie curses, and the deadliest spells of all—the ones that friends cast on each other. 

All they needed to break the world was a door, and someone to open it. 
 
Camford, 1920. Gilded and glittering, England's secret magical academy is no place for Clover, a commoner with neither connections nor magical blood. She's there only to find a cure for her brother Matthew, one of the few survivors of a deadly faerie attack on the battlefields of WWI. 

When Clover catches the eye of golden boy Alden Lennox-Fontaine and his friends, doors that were previously closed to her are flung wide open, and she soon finds herself enmeshed in the seductive world of the country's magical aristocrats. But the summer she spends in Alden’s orbit leaves a fateful mark: months of joyous friendship and mutual study come crashing down when experiments go awry, and old secrets are unearthed. The consequences will only be truly understood many years later, when it's too late. 

I enjoyed just about everything about this delicious academic fantasy, especially Clover, the main character, who is a magnificent scholar who doesn't let anything get in the way of her education, though I don't understand why she and her fellow scholars don't toss Alden off a building early on. He's a rich, evil prat with a horrific agenda. Hero, a supporting character, was fiesty and interesting and Eddiethe gay botanist was the unsung hero of the book. the finale was very emotional but well done and I suggest you get a box of tissues at the ready before the final chapter of this wonderful book. I'd give it an A, and recommend it to anyone who wants a grown up version of the Harry Potter novels. 

 

Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross is a YA dark romantasy novel that is unlike her other series in that it delves into the realm of dreams and nightmares and what people might do to have control over them and profit off that control. Here's the blurb: 

From Rebecca Ross, comes a story about magic, vengeance, and the captivating power of dreams.

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 father for his domain, she is unknowingly drawn into a century-old conflict. She seeks revenge, but as she gets closer to Phelan, one of the vexingly handsome young magicians, secrets—as well as romance—begin to rise.

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

While I liked Clem/Anna and her strong sense of self, I didn't really feel that her attraction to Phelan was legit, it seemed grounded more in sympathy for his consistent weakness. I also felt that she gave up on her vengeance too quickly upon discovery of the real identity of her father, her uncle and the other immortals. This book is beautifully put together with lovely cover illustrations that are gilded, etc. And I was fortunate enough to find a used copy that no one realized (otherwise they would have put a much higher price on it) was signed and had a tip-in page with a summation of the books plot on it, also signed by the author. What a find! Though the book itself and the ending had a sort of Shakespearean flavor to them, I would still give it an A- and recommend it to high school age students interested in dreams and fairy tales and myths.

 

Beguiled Books Opens in Seattle, Reese Picks To the Moon and Back, Ownership Change at Vashon Bookshop, Literarian Award for Roxane Gay, Sisters Books&Nooks Opens in Cedar Rapids, IA, Bookseller Moment at Newtown Bookshop, Happy 25th Inklings Bookshop in Yakima, WA, Frost by CN Crawford, Never the Roses by Jennifer K Lambert, The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center and the Robin On the Oak Throne by KA Linde

Okay, fellow book lovers, its the second week of September, and I've been struggling like mad with my Crohn's disease, and haven't really felt able to post another review or two, so this might not be the most fulsome post I've ever done, but its currently the best I can do between bathroom breaks, ugh. Bear with me, please.

 

Though its not in the best neighborhood (Pioneer Square has been going downhill for decades, and now isn't a safe place to shop, really), I am hoping to get the chance to visit this "almost underground" Seattle store...I imagine its not too far from the original location of Elliott Bay Bookstore, which had to relocate to Capitol Hill years ago. It should also be noted that Pioneer Square had a lot of damage caused by the Nisqually Earthquake some years ago that prompted a lot of business in the area to close or relocate.

 

Beguiled Books Opening Physical Store in Seattle, Wash., This Fall

Beguiled Books, a romance-focused

bookstore that debuted as a mobile bookstore earlier this year, will

open a bricks-and-mortar location in Seattle, Wash., this fall.

Located in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood, Beguiled will span

about 2,300 square feet in an historic building at 109 1st Ave. S. The

bookstore will carry a wide variety of romance sub-genres, including

contemporary, romantasy, dark, LGBTQ+, and vintage, which owner Ashley

Adair called her "little personal baby."

Alongside those categories customers will find YA and middle grade

options, a small selection of picture books, and sections dedicated to

local and indie authors. The store will sell an assortment of bookish

goods, many of them sourced from local artisans and creators, as well as

ceramics, jewelry, and its own store-branded coffee blend, which Adair

described as the "most Seattle thing ever."

Adair's event plans include book signings, classes on book bedazzling

and book rebinding, book clubs, and writing groups. The bookstore's main

floor, she said, is "going to be great for author events," while she

intends to make the store's loft space a "chill out area" that will be a

good fit for book clubs and writing groups. Noting that although the

store won't have a food or beverage component because of an "awesome

cafe next door," she does plan to serve refreshments at events.

Elaborating on the store's location, Adair said that as a "little bit of

a history nerd," she's excited to be in Pioneer Square and is pleased

that the building is "on the Underground Tour." Those tours, she

explained, explore parts of Seattle that were effectively buried

underground after the city rebuilt in the wake of the Great Seattle Fire

in 1889, and many "go under our building."

While Adair always intended to open a bricks-and-mortar store, it is

happening sooner than she expected. She discovered the space

serendipitously while on a trip to look at a different space, and it was

"love at first sight."

She and her husband are able to take this leap, she continued, because

the response to the bookstore has been "overwhelmingly possible." The

biggest surprise, Adair said, has been the number of loyal customers who

will "hunt us down in the wild" to attend the mobile bookstore's various

appearances. There has been so much enthusiasm from "all of our new

followers and friends," and even offers to come help build out the store

or assist on opening day.

"The community is being so supportive," Adair said. "It's taken me by

surprise, but in the best of ways."

 

This sounds like a fascinating book, and I will be on the look out for a copy ASAP.

 

Reese's September Book Club Pick: To the Moon and Back

To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage is the September pick for Reese's Book Club, which described the book this way: "Steph Harper dreams of becoming the first Cherokee woman in space, a goal that often feels as unreachable as the moon itself. As her ambition leads her away from the people and community who shaped her, she's forced to confront what she's truly seeking. This debut from Eliana Ramage is a thoughtful narrative that reminds us that identity and destiny are not separate, but deeply intertwined."

Reese called To the Moon and Back "a breathtaking debut about family,

identity, and love across generations."

I'm so glad that this store is just changing hands and not closing...we need indie bookstores now more than ever!

 

Ownership Change at Vashon Bookshop, Vashon, Wash. 

Last month, ownership of Vashon Bookshop, Vashon, Wash., passed from Nancy Katica to longtime staff member Carrie Van Buren.

The Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber reported that Katica became involved with the bookshop in 2001, became a partner in 2007, and assumed sole ownership six years later.

This year, "Everything just aligned," she said. "I was looking to

retire, and this was a good way to transition."

Van Buren moved to Vashon Island in 1999. "I'd been looking at Vashon

from West Seattle for five years," she said. "I was ready to have space

and quiet--in Seattle there were too many sirens, and like Nancy, I knew

the island would be a fabulous place for our kids."

They met at a book club more than 20 years ago; their daughters worked

at the bookshop during high school, then Van Buren followed suit. She

said she is honored to be continuing the bookshop's legacy: "And I'm

excited to be in this business right now." She added that it is

"particularly gratifying to see children respond to books," and that her

work is exciting because it connects "people to the stories, ideas and

the collective thoughts found on these shelves."

Katica observed: "We also enjoy the experience here of having books that

these days have been banned elsewhere."

Both women are optimistic about the bookstore's future. "Having Carrie

continue the bookshop's story means the world to me--I know it's in good

and loving hands," Katica said.

Congratulations to Roxane Gay, on her well deserved win! I've long been a fan of her books.

Literarian Award for Roxane Gay

The National Book Foundation is giving the 2025 Literarian Award for

Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community to writer,

editor, publisher, professor, and cultural critic Roxane Gay. Gay will

be presented with the Literarian Award by National Book Award Winner

Jacqueline Woodson at the 76th National Book Awards ceremony & benefit

dinner on Wednesday, November 19, in New York City.

Gay is perhaps best known for her essay collection Bad Feminist and

memoir Hunger. She is also the author of Ayiti, An Untamed State,

Difficult Women, and, most recently, Opinions: A Decade of Arguments,

Criticism, and Minding Other People's Business. For decades, Gay has

been a fearless champion for books, emerging and underrepresented

writers, and the global literary community. Gay is the editor of Roxane

Gay Books, an imprint of Grove Atlantic dedicated to publishing works by

Black writers and writers of colors, queer writers, writers with

disabilities, writers from varied economic backgrounds, and those who

live at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities.

In 2021, Gay introduced her newsletter The Audacity, where she publishes

her own writing along with the work of emerging writers and interviews.

She is also the curator of the Audacious Book Club, a monthly book club

that features online reader-led discussions and conversations with the

authors. 

 

I'm so glad to see more bookstores opening in Iowa, a place that has been catching up on culture for years. I'm hoping that this LGBTQ positive store will be able to thrive in the fascist atmosphere of a red state, dedicated to horrible things like book bans.

 

Sisters Books & Nooks Opening Tomorrow in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Sisters Books & Nooks will open officially tomorrow, September 9,

in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the Corridor Business Journal reported.

Located at 1612 C St. SW, Suite A, in the city's Czech Village

neighborhood, the bookstore will emphasize genre fiction, banned books,

local authors, and LGBTQIA+ voices. At opening there will be self-serve

coffee and tea, and co-owners Jamie Sharar and Sarah Danielson plan to

add wine to the offerings in the future. The store's event plans include

author appearances, book clubs, trivia nights, craft activities, and

cabaret performances.

Danielson told the Corridor Business Journal that the store has a "very

lived-in vibe," with a lot of vintage decor. There are also "cozy

touches like a fireplace, candelabra sconces, and plush chairs. We want

you to relax your shoulders when you walk in the front door."

Sharar said she and Danielson "wanted to create a place where people can

hang out, decompress, and find community, not just buy a book and leave.

Especially with the political climate right now, members of marginalized

groups especially need places where they are comfortable and safe to be

themselves. We are unapologetic about our inclusive beliefs and our

merchandise reflects that."

I love what they have to say about the importance of bookstores in any given community...I wholeheartedly agree.

Bookseller Moment: Newtown Bookshop

Newtown, Pa.: "Where Stories and People Meet. At the Newtown Bookshop, we believe that every page turned can lead to a new connection, making our little shop a treasure for our community. Whether you're finding your next favorite author or sharing a laugh over a beloved book, the stories we explore together create friendships that can last a lifetime. Remember the last time you stumbled upon a novel that resonated with you? It's like

finding a long-lost friend! So, let's gather together to share our

literary journeys, engage in delightful discussions, and discover new

adventures waiting on our shelves. Come visit us and become part of our

vibrant reading community, where every visit feels like coming home!"

I once traveled to Yakima to receive a woman of the year award, and instead of flowers, I was given a silver bowl full of apples, which were delicious and lovely. 

 

Happy 25th Birthday, Inklings Bookshop!

Congratulations to Inklings Bookshop, Yakima, Wash., which has begun celebrating its 25th anniversary. Through the end of the month, the store is offering customers a (cosmic) crisp, locally grown apple from Johnson Orchards and 25% off of adult & children's classics at the register as well as a special surprise for in-store shoppers on September 20 and 21.

Owner Susan Richmond remembered: "In the summer and fall of 2000, so

many people helped us get ready to open Inklings. We applied for a

business license, applied stain to the very same shelves we are using

today, took book recommendations from reader friends for our opening

order, and researched gift companies. Nerves were a little twitchy that

morning of September 18th. We had done the work, but would anyone come?

Well, they did. And you are still coming. One of the first comments from

a customer when they came through the door was, 'This is a Seattle-kind

of place!' A tremendous compliment. Thank you, faithful customers, for

our first 25 years."

Frost by C.N. Crawford is a slightly dark romantasy novel that was short and yet still told a full and rich story that read like an old fairy tale, updated. Here's the blurb: On the worst birthday of my life, I come home to find my boyfriend in bed with another woman. Within hours, I’m drunk, homeless, and pledging to stay single forever. And that is when the dangerously sexy Seelie King rolls through town, looking for fae like me.

Every generation, the king holds a competition for Seelie queen. But for reasons he won’t explain, Torin is looking for a charade, not a real marriage. So when I drunkenly sling insults his way, I have his attention.

When Torin offers me fifty million to participate, I think, “What have I got to lose?” The answer turns out to be “my life,” because my competition will literally kill for the crown.

And the more time I spend with the seductive king, the harder it becomes to remember it’s all supposed to be fake. Now, my life—and my heart—are on the line.

 

I found the prose to be spritely and concise, and the plot moved along on a scented wind...so, like a lot of page-turners, you're halfway through the book before you've even noticed how much time has passed. Ava and Torin's romance is very slow burn, but the added humor of the modern day woman falling for an ancient fae lord makes it all the more fascinating. I'd give this slender tome an A-, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys twists on fairy tales retold.

 

Never The Roses by Jennifer K. Lambert is a gorgeously produced romantasy that I just had to have, because of the purple roses on the beautiful cover and the stars and castle decorating the edge papers. Fortunately, the story within also didn't skimp on the luxury and brilliance of the body of the book. Here's the blurb: DELUXE EDITION―featuring beautiful stenciled edges, stylish endpapers, a foil casestamp and a detailed map.

The most powerful sorceress in all the world comes face to face with her greatest rival in this enchanting and seductive fantasy romance debut from Jennifer K. Lambert.

The Dread Sorceress Oneira has retired. She’s fought and won endless wars for her ambitious queen and has finally exiled herself, seeking peace in a remote forest where the mountains meet the beach. There, in the peculiar company of a wolf, a kestrel, and a cat, she comes to accept that her death would be the beginning of a better world.

But she has one last curiosity to satisfy.

Oneira makes a reckless trip from her hidden fortress to the most extensive library in existence: the collection of her most powerful rival, the sorcerer Stearanos.

Perhaps at the behest of fate, a book on rare roses catches her eye. With little to lose, she steals it and returns to her self-imposed exile. As the subject takes root, she initiates a forbidden correspondence with her once-enemy. Taunting notes and clever retorts reveal a connection neither has found―nor could ever find―in any other.

But Oneira soon learns that Stearanos, bound to a vile king, is called to war against the queen she once served.

A relationship with him is far too dangerous to pursue despite their mutual desire―and yet, Oneira can’t seem to stay away. A bond with the only person who’s ever really understood her is too tempting to ignore.

But not all dreams were meant to come true and not all budding romance blooms.
I completely understood Oneira's desire to retire from being used by humans as a weapon to win their bloody wars, for the purposes of greed and egotistic rulers, but I didn't get why she was willing to give it all up for her rival Stearanos, who was still bound to one of the rulers as a long-term indentured servant who must commit atrocities on his behalf. In the end, though, as it most always is in books with romance, the woman makes the final sacrifice that the man is too stupid or blind to make, and saves the day at the expense of her own dear life. So with the nearly Sleeping beauty style ending, we're left to ponder what a woman's life is worth, and whether we're always doomed to be the martyr in our own stories. The elegant prose and lovely plot that never hesitates makes this a page turner of a book that I will be thinking about for years to come, ie "what price love?" the question that has consumed writers through the ages. I'd give it an A, and recommend it to anyone who is mature enough to understand women's need to become solitary as they grow older and retire.

 

The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center is a "women's fiction" short novel about being a single mother, unexpectedly, of course, and dealing with all the bittersweet problems of finding your way as a person while you're helping a small person grow up. Though many blurbs call this book wise and mature, I found the main character, Jenny, to be the opposite; immature and lost, constantly questioning herself and her life choices and worried that her daughter will pay the price for her gullibility and ignorance. Here's the blurb: Very pregnant and not quite married, Jenny Harris doesn't mind that she and her live-in fiancé, Dean, accidentally started their family a little earlier than planned. But Dean is acting distant, and the night he runs out for cigarettes and doesn't come back, he demotes himself from future husband to sperm donor. And the very next day, Jenny goes into labor.

In the months that follow, Jenny plunges into a life she never anticipated: single motherhood. At least with the sleep deprivation, sore boobs, and fits of crying (both hers and the baby's), there's not much time to dwell on her broken heart. And things are looking up: Jenny learns how to do everything one-handed, makes friends in a mommy group, and even gets to know a handsome, helpful neighbor. But Dean is never far from Jenny's thoughts or, it turns out, her doorstep, and in the end she must choose between the old life she thought she wanted and the new life she's been lucky to find.

In a completely predictable trope, Jenny's idiot boyfriend, the father of her baby, is only compelled to return to her and their child when his rich parents give him an ultimatum of marrying her and helping to raise the baby or saying goodbye to his monthly allowance, which keeps him from growing up and having to work to sustain himself (and pay child support, which his parents do for him, but they're not happy with Jenny's homemade and poor living circumstances). That Jenny doesn't realize this early on is just mind-boggling, when its obvious that Dean isn't mature enough to keep a monogamous relationship going, or deal with a crying, messy baby 24/7. There was a bit of the Gilmore Girls about this book, but Jenny wasn't smart or funny enough to keep it interesting, nor did she have Lorelai's fascinating quirks. I'd give this book a B-, and only recommend it to those who find women who act like lost teenagers and their idiot boyfriends interesting. 

 

The Robin On the Oak Throne by K.A. Linde is the second book in this romantasy series, and it's beautifully put together, with a gorgeous cover illustration, interior color illustration and lovely indigo woven with ivy end papers. The book is nearly 500 pages long, but even that can't detract from how glorious it looks and reads. Here's the blurb: The only thing worse than fearing a monster is falling for one…

Kierse McKenna just shattered the Monster Treaty. Again.

It wasn’t entirely her fault. The job was supposed to be simple: steal a goblin-made bracelet off of the Queen of the Nymphs in her own palace. Trade the bracelet for a way to uncover the truth about her past. Except everything goes sideways.

And then he shows up to save her.

Graves—the warlock who ensnared her, betrayed her, and left her to fend for herself. He’s a villain. A monster draped in charm and shadows. And gods help her, he always knows exactly what she wants.

But Graves never does anything for free. He has a job for his favorite little thief. One that will pit her against the most powerful monsters in existence, including his mortal enemy, the Oak King.

An ancient artifact has been located, and only together can they hope to steal it. She just has to let him in.

But once she lets a monster in, he’s impossible to forget…and even harder to resist.

 

Several times things seemed to happen in slow motion in this book, and the plot, though interesting, was uneven. The prose was lyrical, for the most part, but  I kept waiting for the good guys to win, and that didn't happen. The ending of the book was indirect and unsatisfying, and I felt the whole novel needed a good 75 to 100 pages trimmed off of it. Hence I'd give this hefty tome a C+, and only recommend it to those who don't mind a sexist male protagonist and an uneven/unhealthy relationship between the male and female protagonists.