YAY! It's October, the beginning of fall and all the wonderful holidays that come during and after! I'm so excited for cozy reading and drinking hot tea lattes and curling up with a good book or three. Below are some recent reads and reviews and some odd tidbits to start the fall out right! Enjoy!
I have loved Charlottes Web since I was a child...even after many re-reads, the ending still makes me cry (and I'm one of those people who generally dislikes bugs, especially spiders, but I'll make an exception for Charlotte). So I'm looking forward to seeing this TV streaming adaptation this week.
TV:
Charlotte's Web
HBO Max's three-part special
Charlotte's Web, based on E.B.
White's classic novel, will be released
in its entirety on October 2.
The animated retelling of the story is
from Academy Award winner Luke
Matheny (Ghostwriter) and executive
produced in collaboration with
Sesame Workshop.
The ensemble voice cast includes Amy
Adams as Charlotte, Elijah Wood as
adult Wilbur, Griffin Robert Faulkner
as young Wilbur, Jean Smart as
Narrator, Cynthia Erivo as Goose,
Natalie Chan as Fern, Danny Trejo as
Gander, Randall Park as Templeton,
Chris Diamantopoulos as Homer,
Rosario Dawson as Edith, Ana Ortiz as
Dolores, Tom Everett Scott as
John, Leith Burke as George, Keith
David as Old Sheep, Patricia
Richardson as Widow Fussy, and Dee
Bradley Baker as Animals.
"This adaptation has been years in
the making, and every detail reflects
our passion for E.B. White's novel,
which has touched generations," said
Kay Wilson Stallings, executive v-p,
chief creative and production
officer at Sesame Workshop. "With
this extraordinary cast, we've created
a retelling of this story that
celebrates friendship, empathy, courage,
and community. We can't wait for
families to fall in love with these
characters all over again."
Doesn't this book sound like the perfect October read? Delicious and diabolical! I will be on the hunt for a copy.
Book
Review: The Bookshop Below
Georgia Summers renders an enchanting
world of self-sabotage, romance, deadly ink magic, and dearly beloved
bookstores in her sophomore novel, The Bookshop Below. London was
once full of shops where books and the magic they held could be
exchanged for the priceless: self-extracted teeth, a lock of hair, a
firstborn child. In contemporary times, the force that imbues books and bookshops with their power,
through the particular magical workings of booksellers, is fading. Now
Cassandra, a disgraced former bookseller, is drawn back into the life
that exiled her, just in time to die along with the world she
reveres--or, perhaps, to save it.
She's been living as Cass Holt for
years, getting by (and keeping her
hands on the books she loves) in the
most ignoble fashion: Cass is a
book thief. She is also one of the most
talented readers--wielders of
the magic within enchanted books; now
she sells that gift without
scruples to whomever can pay. But Cass
once had another name: "Cassandra
Fairfax, named after a woman whose
words melted into thin air no matter
how truthful they were, with the
surname of a character in disguise from
a novel by a long-dead author. Layers
upon layers of insubstantiality."
The Bookshop Below offers a delicious
combination of shadowy, sinister
magic, wistful romance, propulsive
action, and the utter reverence one
holds for the right book. Summers
excels at transporting her readers to
a dreamy otherworld where anything is
possible. --Julia Kastner
mailto:juliasbookreviews@gmail.com,
blogger at pagesofjulia
I LOVE Emma Thompson, and would happily watch her read the phone book, as they used to say. I'm looking forward to streaming this series, as long as it's not too horrific.
TV:
Down Cemetery Road
Apple TV+ has released a trailer for
the new series Down Cemetery Road, based on Mick Herron's (Slow
Horses) novel from the "Zoumle Boehm" book series. Starring
and executive produced by Emma Thompson, the eight-episode series
will make its global debut on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes
on October 29, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through
December 10.
The synopsis: "When a house
explodes in a quiet Oxford suburb and a girl
disappears in the aftermath, neighbor
Sarah Trafford (Wilson) becomes
obsessed with finding her and enlists
the help of private investigator
Zoeuml Boehm (Thompson). Zoeuml; and
Sarah suddenly find themselves
in a complex conspiracy that reveals
people long believed dead are still
among the living, while the living are
fast joining the dead."
Hurrah! RR is back! I'm so excited that another generation of kids will be inspired to become avid readers after watching this wonderful program.
Reading
Rainbow to Return on YouTube Channel KidZuko
After a nearly 20-year absence, Reading
Rainbow will return with a new
series on the YouTube channel KidZuko
in October, according to TheWrap. Hosted by Mychal Threets (Mychal
the
Librarian on TikTok), the show will
continue the premise of the original PBS series, which was hosted by
LeVar Burton from the 1980s to the early 2000s.
The show's official Instagram account
released a first look at the series this week, noting: "Reading
Rainbow is returning to motivate, help, and encourage kids to become
avid readers with new episodes, new friends, new projects, and of
course... new books! Make sure to follow the rainbow."
"Threets has long been an advocate
of local libraries and children's
education, spreading his love for
literature on various social media
platforms," TheWrap wrote. "The
influencer and former librarian has
gained traction in recent years as a
positive influence both on--and
offline. On his arm, followers can see
a tattoo of a library card owned
by the famed cartoon character Arthur
Read." He has also served as PBS'
resident librarian for more than a
year.
Reading Rainbow will launch with a
four-episode short-form run every
Saturday from October 4 to October 25.
Episodes will also be embedded on
ReadingRainbow.org
Spellcaster by Jaymin Eve is a dark academia romantasy with a gorgeously illustrated cover, gold foiled, and illustrated edges that will have you marveling at the gorgeous details and wondering whether or not to include this beauty of a book as part of your Christmas present roster (I would recommend yes). Here's the blurb: Don’t miss this deluxe print
edition of an all-new story featuring stunning sprayed and stained edges
and foil detailing!
Spellcaster is an intense enemies-to-lovers romantasy with steamy heat, magical creatures, fast pacing, and stakes that will keep you hooked. Dive into a world where love is as dangerous as power—and nothing is ever as it seems.
Welcome to Weatherstone College:
Don’t walk the halls late at night.
Don’t disturb the ancient magic.
And don’t, under any circumstances, ever trust a spellcaster.
When my magic bloomed at twenty-two, the last thing I expected was to receive an acceptance letter to the most prestigious witch college in the world. It’s not that I don’t have magic. It’s just…unpredictable. But with Weatherstone a part of my family legacy, I’m determined to live up to their expectations.
A task that’s almost derailed on my very first day when I come face-to-face with Logan Kingston, the son of my father’s enemy. I’m warned to avoid the powerful spellcaster at all costs, but apparently Logan did not receive the same memo. The more time I spend around him, the more I crave his unsettling attention, and as hate flirts with obsession, I’m left wondering if there’s another side to the decades-old feud between our fathers.
On top of that, Weatherstone is not at all like I expected. Built on the ancient blood of necromancers and battle, the magic here is as unpredictable as mine, and I sense a dark energy stalking my footsteps. When a monster attacks me, I have no choice but to turn to the strongest warlock in our school: Logan.
After all, to fight a monster, I’ll need a monster.
Paisley was a fascinating character, though I was saddened that such a smart young woman was stricken with the ridiculous "love at first sight" trope, leading her to lose all common sense and intelligence merely at the sight of some handsome douchebag privileged guy, who, of course, is a sexist tool and treats her like crap, which only makes her want him more, for some bizarre reason. Anyway, the prose here was slick and edgy and made the faster than light plot go by in a heartbeat. You will have trouble putting down this page turner, tropes and all, I'm afraid. The ending was rather frazzled and seemed incomplete compared to the rest of the novel, still, I'd give it an A, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys magical college books and romantasy that has just the right amount of spice.
Spellcaster is an intense enemies-to-lovers romantasy with steamy heat, magical creatures, fast pacing, and stakes that will keep you hooked. Dive into a world where love is as dangerous as power—and nothing is ever as it seems.
Welcome to Weatherstone College:
Don’t walk the halls late at night.
Don’t disturb the ancient magic.
And don’t, under any circumstances, ever trust a spellcaster.
When my magic bloomed at twenty-two, the last thing I expected was to receive an acceptance letter to the most prestigious witch college in the world. It’s not that I don’t have magic. It’s just…unpredictable. But with Weatherstone a part of my family legacy, I’m determined to live up to their expectations.
A task that’s almost derailed on my very first day when I come face-to-face with Logan Kingston, the son of my father’s enemy. I’m warned to avoid the powerful spellcaster at all costs, but apparently Logan did not receive the same memo. The more time I spend around him, the more I crave his unsettling attention, and as hate flirts with obsession, I’m left wondering if there’s another side to the decades-old feud between our fathers.
On top of that, Weatherstone is not at all like I expected. Built on the ancient blood of necromancers and battle, the magic here is as unpredictable as mine, and I sense a dark energy stalking my footsteps. When a monster attacks me, I have no choice but to turn to the strongest warlock in our school: Logan.
After all, to fight a monster, I’ll need a monster.
Paisley was a fascinating character, though I was saddened that such a smart young woman was stricken with the ridiculous "love at first sight" trope, leading her to lose all common sense and intelligence merely at the sight of some handsome douchebag privileged guy, who, of course, is a sexist tool and treats her like crap, which only makes her want him more, for some bizarre reason. Anyway, the prose here was slick and edgy and made the faster than light plot go by in a heartbeat. You will have trouble putting down this page turner, tropes and all, I'm afraid. The ending was rather frazzled and seemed incomplete compared to the rest of the novel, still, I'd give it an A, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys magical college books and romantasy that has just the right amount of spice.
Cold Clay by Juneau Black is the second book in the Shady Hollow mystery series, starring a small cozy town populated by anthropomorphized animals who do everyday human jobs and have formed a tight knit little community. Here's the blurb: The second book in the Shady Hollow series, in
which some long-buried secrets come to light, throwing suspicion on a
beloved local denizen.
It's autumn in Shady Hollow, and residents are looking forward to harvest feasts. But then a rabbit discovers a grisly crop: the bones of a moose.
Soon, the owner of Joe's Mug is dragged out of the coffeeshop and questioned by the police about the night his wife walked out of his life—and Shady Hollow—forever. It seems like an open-and-shut case, but dogged reporter Vera Vixen doesn't believe gentle Joe is a killer. She'll do anything to prove his innocence ... even if it means digging into secrets her neighbors would rather leave buried.
It's autumn in Shady Hollow, and residents are looking forward to harvest feasts. But then a rabbit discovers a grisly crop: the bones of a moose.
Soon, the owner of Joe's Mug is dragged out of the coffeeshop and questioned by the police about the night his wife walked out of his life—and Shady Hollow—forever. It seems like an open-and-shut case, but dogged reporter Vera Vixen doesn't believe gentle Joe is a killer. She'll do anything to prove his innocence ... even if it means digging into secrets her neighbors would rather leave buried.
I loved this second foray into the cozy animal mystery genre, and I was excited to read more about intrepid fox reporter Vera Vixen, whose brilliant mind and determination always finds the clues to solve the case, even a cold case. The succinct prose, still rich with detail and the zippy plot make for a lovely afternoons read of this slender volume, which weighs in at under 300 pages. I wish more authors would learn to keep their stories lean and well plotted, with obviously nicely edited prose that's as clean as it is smart. I'd give this second book in the series a B+, and recommend it to anyone who read the first book.
Timeborne by Sara Samuels is a time-travel historical romantasy novel that was a bizarre mix of science fiction and historical fantasy with a lot of blood and gore intermixed with painfully cringe-worthy "spice" scenes that weren't sexy at all, IMO. Here's the blurb:
When the ancient scriptures are uttered.....you never know what might happen under the blinding light of a full moon.
She was born in darkness, under the shadow of a full moon during a solar eclipse, with a mysterious black dagger at her side.
As a child, Olivia James witnessed her mother’s gruesome murder. As an
adult, her godfather has trained her to be a skilled fighter. But when
Olivia’s boyfriend betrays her and threatens her life, setting off a
string of events that catapults her back in time from 21st century
Seattle into 3rd century Rome, the secrets of her past begin to unravel.
The discovery that she is a Timeborne, one with the ability to travel
across time, is just the beginning.
Soon Olivia finds
herself under the protection of—and owned by—Roman Alexander, a former
gladiator and bodyguard to the emperor. Torn between his duty to his
emperor, a desire for vengeance, and a longing to search for his lost
twin brother, Roman now has the added complication of protecting this
strange woman from the depravity of ancient Rome. Worse, he finds
himself falling for her, despite accusations that she is an enemy spy.
But
even Roman is no match for the dark shadow that has pursued Olivia into
the past. A fighter in her own right, she’s forced to work with Roman
to find a way back to her own time. Do the ancient scriptures on her
dagger hold the key? Can she trust Roman with her secrets? And can she
fight her enemies and protect her heart at the same time?
As per usual with a lot of other "dark" romantasy novels, the hero and heroine as both seriously damaged/abused people both physically and mentally, so they fear love and vulnerability because they're grieving and hurt from past losses and betrayals. There's a healer mother figure who helps to heal them and urges the two main characters to open up to one another ,but eventually, of course, she dies, because mother figures in books like these are either harridans or martyrs, because their older women and therefore of no use because they are no longer considered sexy and fertile. So there's ageism in addition to misogyny here. The sex scenes are anachronistic (I somehow doubt Roman men were as focused on female oral sex as men are supposed to be nowadays), and the stilted prose didn't help the over-written plot full of historical info-dumps. The author ends the book on a cliffhanger obviously desgined to make readers buy the next book, which I don't plan on doing. I also don't believe in the old trope so prevalent in romance and romantasy currently, that pain=pleasure. As someone who has been in pain for much of my life, I can honestly say that there's nothing remotely sexy about it. BDSM is not my "kink" and if it's yours, I suggest you seek therapy. I'd give this book a C, and recommend that readers find something better to indulge in.Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald (who used to be the arts and entertainment critic for the Seattle Times) is what is termed "women's fiction" which is just a high falutin' way of saying its a contemporary fiction novel with a romantic through line. Here's the blurb: To be honest I expected a lot more out of Macdonald, who has given scathing reviews to many a book during her heyday at the ST. She clearly flouts many of the rules of a good story by creating characters who are all whiny, insecure introverts who are too spineless to have a social life and too judgemental/snobbish to have an active love life. People here are only valuable for shallow reasons like looks, size, etc, and the women especially are all anxiety/OCD riddled b*tches or spineless wallflowers who are indecisive and utterly boring. Macdonald's contempt for her fellow women is on full display here, sadly, so readers can never really feel compassion or empathy for her main characters. Due to the dearth of interesting characters, the plot plods along like a zombie funeral, and the prose is superficial and beige, as dull as the vituperative characters who seem to thrive on being alone with memories, or enjoying their petty jealousies and spiteful gossip. The ending was a positive HEA, but it fell flat in light of the rest of the book to be engaging. Rude and depressing, and most definitely not worth the price of a hardback book, I'd give this novel a C, and I can't think of anyone to recommend it to, unless you'd like to see what a crap novelist the high and mighty Moira Macdonald turned out to be after she left the ST.
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