Christina reads the 2019 Category Challenge

My 2019 Category Challenge


(Charles Edward Perugini, "Girl Reading")

Hello, and welcome to my 2019 Category Challenge thread! I've had my categories in mind for quite some time, but I couldn't come up with a clever theme this year. So my challenge will be themeless, but I did find some nice paintings of women reading to spruce the thread up a bit!

I've decided to aim for a total of 75 books this year, which seems like a comfortable target for me. I will do three categories of 25 books each:

1. Books acquired before January 1, 2019. This category can include both physical books and e-books; rereads also count.

2. Books acquired on or after January 1, 2019. This category will include books I buy, books given or loaned to me, and library books.

3. Books for Bingo. As in previous years, I plan to cover the entire BingoDOG card. Each book I read will only count in one category, so if I use it for Bingo, I can't place it in category 1 or 2.

With these categories, every book I read in 2019 will "count" toward the challenge. Category 1 will help to reduce my TBR, while category 2 will allow me to read shiny new books right away. The Bingo category will provide me with some challenge and structure, but not so much that I feel unpleasantly restricted. My goal for 2019 is simply to enjoy what I'm reading, and I believe this challenge structure will help me do that. Thanks for stopping by, and happy reading!

1. Books Acquired before January 1, 2019


(Jean-Honoré Fragonard, "La Liseuse")

1. Bria Quinlan, Worth the Fall (10/4/18)
2. Alan Melville, Death of Anton (8/26/17)
3. Agatha Christie, Sad Cypress (8/8/06) - reread
4. Loretta Chase, The Devil's Delilah (7/19/18)
5. L.M. Montgomery, The Blue Castle (6/29/09) - reread
6. Grace Burrowes, A Rogue of Her Own (12/15/18)
7. Lucy Parker, Pretty Face (2/20/17) - reread
8.
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25.

2. Books Acquired on or after January 1, 2019


(Darren Thompson, "No Place to Sit")

1. Leigh Bardugo, King of Scars
2. Alan Bradley, The Golden Tresses of the Dead
3. Jessie Mihalik, Polaris Rising
4. C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms
5. Francis Spufford, Unapologetic: Why, Despite Everything, Christianity Can Still Make Surprising Emotional Sense
6. Frank Sheed, To Know Christ Jesus
7. Sophie Kinsella, I Owe You One
8. Josie Silver, One Day in December
9. Ngaio Marsh, Enter a Murderer
10. Jasmine Guillory, The Proposal
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3. Books for Bingo



1. McKelle George, Speak Easy, Speak Love (artistic character: one main character is a novelist, and another is a jazz singer)
2. Stuart Palmer, The Penguin Pool Murder (animal in title/on cover/significant role: penguins are in the title and on the cover)
3. Julia Quinn, What Happens in London (part of a series: book 2 in the Bevelstoke series)
4. Lyra Selene, Amber & Dusk (debut novel)
5. R.S. Grey, Hotshot Doc (related to medicine or health: hero is a doctor, heroine is a surgical assistant)
6. Lissa Evans, Crooked Heart (LT rating of 4.0 or more: 4.14 as of January 20, 2019)
7. Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen (children's or young adult: YA fantasy novel)
8. Loretta Chase, Viscount Vagabond (alliterative title)
9. Jennifer Crusie, Crazy for You (title contains homophone word: for/four/fore, you/ewe)
10. Kelly Jones, Murder, Magic, and What We Wore (main title has 6+ words)
11. Sally Thorne, 99 Percent Mine (about or featuring siblings: central conflict is that the main character is in love with her twin brother's best friend)
12. Meagan Spooner, Hunted (fairy tale: Beauty and the Beast retelling)
13. Lindsey Kelk, One in a Million (read a CAT: Feb CalendarCAT = Valentine's Day, Feb AlphaKIT = K, O)
14. AJ Pearce, Dear Mrs. Bird (author uses middle name or initial)
15. Annie Darling, True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop (cover has at least 2 human figures: silhouettes of the hero and heroine)
16. Robert Cardinal Sarah with Nicolas Diat, God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith (book in translation: translated from the French by Michael J. Miller)
17. Stephanie Burgis, Kat, Incorrigible (mentioned in another book: Murder, Magic, and What We Wore)
18.
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CATs


(Charles Wysocki, "Frederick the Literate")

I may participate in some or all of the CATs, depending on what they turn out to be. But I plan to treat them as take-it-or-leave-it challenges; I won't do all of them every month.

January
RandomCAT (your name in print):
TBRCAT (first in, last out):
CalendarCAT ():
SeriesCAT (in translation):
AlphaKIT (Q, A): Julia Quinn, What Happens in London; Lyra Selene, Amber & Dusk; Bria Quinlan, Worth the Fall; Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen; Alan Melville, Death of Anton
SFFKIT (meant to read in 2018):

February
RandomCAT (we need a break!):
TBRCAT (borrowed):
CalendarCAT (Valentine's Day): Sally Thorne, 99 Percent Mine; Lindsey Kelk, One in a Million; Loretta Chase, The Devil's Delilah; Annie Darling, True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop
SeriesCAT (YA/children's): Leigh Bardugo, King of Scars
AlphaKIT (K, O): Lindsey Kelk, One in a Million; Leigh Bardugo, King of Scars
SFFKIT (colonization):

March
RandomCAT (Brexit madness):
TBRCAT (trip or special occasion):
CalendarCAT ():
SeriesCAT (favorite author):
AlphaKIT (U, L): C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms; Francis Spufford, Unapologetic: Why, Despite Everything, Christianity Can Still Make Surprising Emotional Sense
SFFKIT (mystery):

April
RandomCAT (Easter greetings from the Rooster):
TBRCAT (LT group read or challenge):
CalendarCAT (Lent/Easter): Frank Sheed, To Know Christ Jesus
SeriesCAT (been meaning to get back to):
AlphaKIT (B, M): Stephanie Burgis, Kat, Incorrigible; Ngaio Marsh, Enter a Murderer
SFFKIT (sword and sorcery):

May
RandomCAT (I could have danced all night):
TBRCAT (look at but don't open):
CalendarCAT ():
SeriesCAT (newest in a favorite series):
AlphaKIT (H, V):
SFFKIT (non-US/UK author):

June
RandomCAT ():
TBRCAT (book bullet):
CalendarCAT ():
SeriesCAT (definitely complete):
AlphaKIT (J, D):
SFFKIT (road trip):

July
RandomCAT ():
TBRCAT (author with 2+ books on TBR):
CalendarCAT ():
SeriesCAT (fantasy):
AlphaKIT (C, P):
SFFKIT (space opera):

August
RandomCAT ():
TBRCAT (excited when purchased but still unread):
CalendarCAT ():
SeriesCAT (set in country/region where you don't live):
AlphaKIT (N, I):
SFFKIT (alternate history):

September
RandomCAT ():
TBRCAT (classic):
CalendarCAT ():
SeriesCAT (mystery):
AlphaKIT (F, W):
SFFKIT (series):

October
RandomCAT ():
TBRCAT (purchased for visual appeal):
CalendarCAT ():
SeriesCAT (historical):
AlphaKIT (G, T):
SFFKIT (comedy):

November
RandomCAT ():
TBRCAT (gift):
CalendarCAT ():
SeriesCAT (female protagonist):
AlphaKIT (S, Y):
SFFKIT (award winner):

December
RandomCAT ():
TBRCAT (too cheap to resist):
CalendarCAT ():
SeriesCAT (new to you):
AlphaKIT (E, R):
SFFKIT (end-of-year wrap-up):

Year-long
AlphaKIT (X, Z):

Lovely pictures. This challenge gives you a lot of flexibility. As you mentioned, the most important thing is to enjoy your reading.

>6 sallylou61: Thank you! I'm looking forward to a fun reading year.

Congrats on making up your mind so early! These are very flexible categories so I'm sure you'll have a great reading year. That is a gorgeous picture for your books bought in 2019. Who painted it? Every year I look at the "reading women"-themed calendars, and they rarely have modern paintings in them.

I like the TBR/new and shiny focus! And like Birgit, I love the picture in >3 christina_reads:

Well done on being brave and being first to post their challenge. >:-) I like the flexibility you have. The pictures are lovely as well.

>8 MissWatson: Thank you! The painting at >3 christina_reads: is by Darren Thompson -- I found it while Googling "women reading" and really liked it! As you say, most of those "reading women" calendars don't have modern art...and they generally don't feature women of color either! So I was happy to find something a little different.

>9 Jackie_K: Thanks, Jackie! I'm always trying to balance the need to reduce my TBR with the desire to read shiny new books!

>10 Helenliz: Thanks -- someone had to do it. :)

Congrats on being the first to post their thread, Christina. I am trying to wait until the Cats are finalized because I know I will be participating and would like to ensure I have a place for them. Looking forward to continuing along with you throughout 2019.

>12 DeltaQueen50: Thanks for stopping by, Judy! It makes sense to wait until the CATs are finalized. I decided I didn't want to tie my reading too closely to the CATs, since I did that in 2018 and found it too restrictive. But I'm sure I'll still participate to some degree!

Congrats on being first! I also really like your paintings, and especially the Darren Thompson one.

>14 LisaMorr: Thank you, Lisa!

I'm glad you were the first to post! I had my thread ready but it seemed like it would be a bit vain to be the group admin AND have the first challenge thread :P

Enjoy your flexible 2019!

>11 christina_reads: Thanks, I'll look him up.

>16 rabbitprincess: Haha no, not vain at all! I look forward to seeing your thread. ;)

>17 MissWatson: You're welcome!

Good luck with your reading!

>19 Tess_W: Thank you!

You have the most perfect challenge! If I participate again mine challenge will look a lot like yours most likely. I'm really in the mood to just read whatever I want to right now. Good luck with your 2019 reading!

>21 LittleTaiko: Haha, thanks! I'm remembering fondly the days of reading whatever I wanted. I *intended* to do that with the 2018 challenge, but I got sucked into the CATs! So I'm trying again for 2019.

Good idea to remain open in your choices so that you can pretty much read anything you want. I've locked myself down for the year.

>23 The_Hibernator: But having more structure can definitely be helpful in terms of motivation! So I think there are pros and cons to both.

Hi Christina, I love that you are going "themeless" in 2019. ;-) Like you, I am going for flexibility with my 2019 reading. Looking forward to following your reading.

>25 lkernagh: Thanks for stopping by, Lori! Flexibility is the name of the game for me these days.

Great challenge! I'll be following along.

>27 VivienneR: Thanks -- good to see you here!

Wishing all my friends at LT a very merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Christina!

Happy New Year!

>2 christina_reads:

I've got a small copy of that picture hanging in my guest room. It's always been a favorite of mine.

Have a great year for reading.

>30 rabbitprincess: Thanks, and same to you!

>31 The_Hibernator: Thank you! Looking forward to starting my 2019 reading. :)

>32 hailelib: Isn't it lovely? Happy New Year to you!

>34 thornton37814: Haha, cute! Happy New Year!

>36 Tess_W: Same to you!

My New Year's Eve plans consist of pizza and a movie on my couch. Obviously I know how to party!

Wishing you and yours a happy and joyous 2019, filled with peace, love, and great books.

>37 christina_reads: Sounds like a great plan to me! We're having chips instead of pizza, but we'll be watching movies as well :)

>37 christina_reads: We partyed hard as well! In our small town, they have the fireworks at 10.30pm so the kids don't have to stay up too late. After we get home from that, the next hour until midnight is always a bit of a fizzer!

I saw on the 2018 thread that you enjoyed The Spy Wore Red. I wanted to be sure you knew it's the first in a trilogy. The others are The Spy Went Dancing and The Spy Wore Silk, great titles aren't they? I've read these more than once and recently saw Aline's obit which made me a bit sad. What a remarkable life she lead, first her experiences in the war and then her marriage into one of the most prominent families in Spain. I also read a book in 2017 she wrote about her experiences restoring her husband's old, old, old and maybe even older than that, family home. It wasn't as good as her previous books but I still enjoyed it.

I hope you find lots and lots of good reading in 2019!

Happy New Year, Christina! As always, I look forward to following your reading again this year.

>38 Dejah_Thoris: Thank you! I'm definitely hoping for peace, love, and great books in 2019!

>39 rabbitprincess: Mmm, chips. I ended up popping some popcorn too. :)

>40 JayneCM: Fireworks at 10:30 seems smart! But yeah, I can see how midnight would be anticlimactic after that.

>41 clue: I did know it's a trilogy, and I definitely want to hunt down the other two books now! They are great titles, and Aline definitely seems to have led an extraordinary life!

>42 RidgewayGirl: Happy New Year, Kay! I'll be following your thread with interest as well!

I wrapped up my 2018 challenge earlier today, including a list of my favorite books read last year. Spoiler alert, my absolute favorite was Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik!

Also, here are my answers to the end-of-year meme, using titles of books I read in 2018:

Describe yourself: The Napoleon of Crime (Ben Macintyre)
How do you feel? A Gathering of Shadows (V.E. Schwab)
Describe where you currently live: Faithful Place (Tana French)
If you could go anywhere, where would you go? The Bookshop on the Corner (Jenny Colgan)
Favorite form of transportation: Home by Nightfall (Charles Finch)
Your best friend is: The English Wife (Lauren Willig)
You and your friends are: The Humans (Matt Haig)
What's the weather like? Winter in June (Kathryn Miller Haines)
Your favourite time of day is: Unexpected Night (Elizabeth Daly)
What is life for you? The Jane Austen Project (Kathleen A. Flynn)
You fear: Death in the Tunnel (Miles Burton)
Best advice: You Need a Budget (Jesse Mecham)
Thought for the day: The Grave's a Fine and Private Place (Alan Bradley)
How you would like to die: The Big Sleep (Raymond Chandler)
Your soul’s present condition: Alterations (Stephanie Scott)

Ooh, I almost put the same thought of the day! Excellent answers. I agree in particular with "If you could go anywhere, where would you go?" ;)

>45 rabbitprincess: Haha yes, I thought most LT-ers would approve of that answer! :) I just realized that most of my answers for the meme are pretty dark, but I couldn't find any "happy" titles that would work for these questions!

This LTer definitely approves of the Bookshop answer!

Hi Christina, happy new year! Love your meme answers :-) Stopping by to place a star, in the hopes that this year I'll be able to spend some time in the forum threads.

>47 LittleTaiko: Why thank you, Stacy!

>48 SouthernKiwi: Happy New Year! Hope to see you around the threads this year. :)

Happy New Year! I love your meme responses, especially how you would like to die. :)

>45 rabbitprincess: Good answer for 'if you could go anywhere' - I think you'll find most of us there too!

>51 Jackie_K: Wouldn't that be lovely, if we could all magically meet up in the same bookstore somewhere?

I need to read a book with the word 'bookshop' in the title so I can go there next year!

>53 DeltaQueen50: I loved The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald - the movie was lovely too. One of those books from a while ago (1978) that is enjoying a revival after being made into a movie. And the book Lolita features in it! That book is popping up everywhere!
I also have The Bookshop of Yesterdays on my list as a book that revolves around a puzzle or game. Haven't read that one yet so can't comment but it sounds good as I love books where you have to solve clues.

>53 DeltaQueen50: I just finished The Haunted Bookshop. It was delightful!

>55 casvelyn: My library didn't have that one - I tried looking for it when I saw your post! :(

>56 JayneCM: Aww, that’s disappointing! :(

Book #1: McKelle George, Speak Easy, Speak Love
CATs: none
Bingo: artistic character (one main character is a novelist, and another is a jazz singer)

This debut novel is a YA retelling of Much Ado about Nothing set in the 1920s. Hero Stahr and her father Leo run a speakeasy called Hey Nonny Nonny on Long Island, with the help of Pedro "Prince" Morello. Benedick Scott is an aspiring novelist who chafes under his privileged upbringing and finds a sympathetic home at Hey Nonny Nonny. So does Beatrice Clark, Hero's cousin, who wants to be a doctor despite her gender and her poverty. Margaret Hughes, the speakeasy's resident jazz singer, longs for success on a bigger stage -- almost as much as she longs for Prince's standoffish brother, John -- but her black skin may stop her from achieving either dream. As these characters fight to keep Hey Nonny Nonny up and running, they must deal with parental pressures, misunderstandings, dangerous bootleggers, and falling in love.

I wasn't prepared for how much I would love this book. The premise sounded fun, but I thought at best I'd get a lighthearted romp -- or, more likely, it would all go horribly wrong. I didn't expect to care so deeply about these characters, to be so moved by their stories, or to be so invested in their relationships. But I adored this book, and I'm very sure it will be on my "best of 2019" list a year from now! The writing style is sharp and inventive -- Beatrice, for example, is described as "a clock-throwing ruin of a girl," and how could you not love her after that description? I loved the central romance between Beatrice and Benedick, which unfolds with agonizing, delicious slowness. As in Shakespeare's original, the joy comes from their teasing banter and mutual respect for each other's intelligence. The book deviates from the play somewhat with the secondary characters, but I thought all the changes made sense and enhanced the story the author was telling. In short, I loved (LOVED) this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes the premise!

>58 christina_reads: I'm usually cautious about YA, but how can I resist a review like that? I just placed a hold for Speak Easy, Speak Love with my library system.

>58 christina_reads: I'm taking this one too! I love reimaginings of classics.

>59 Dejah_Thoris: I'm also pretty cautious about YA these days, but Speak Easy, Speak Love definitely exceeded my expectations! Hope you enjoy it too.

>60 JayneCM: Hope you like it!

Book #2: Stuart Palmer, The Penguin Pool Murder
CATs: none
Bingo: animal in title/on cover/plays a significant role (penguins are in the title and on the cover)

When schoolteacher Hildegarde Withers, a "spinster" of 39, takes her third-grade class to the New York Aquarium, she expects nothing more than an educational outing for her students. But first she thwarts a pickpocket by tripping him with her umbrella, and then she discovers a dead body in the penguin tank. Not the sort of person to miss a chance to investigate, Miss Withers quickly befriends Inspector Oscar Piper, the policeman in charge of the murder case. Through a combination of usefulness (she takes shorthand notes of the initial witness statements) and sheer stubbornness, she is allowed to accompany Piper throughout the investigation. Suspicion immediately falls on the dead man's wife and her former lover, who were both at the aquarium on the fateful day; but Miss Withers isn't convinced, and her intelligence and determination eventually enable her to solve the case.

I enjoyed this mystery, although it's a fairly typical example of the Golden Age detective novel. There are a few creative touches -- such as one of the penguins swallowing a key piece of evidence -- and I enjoyed the repartee between Miss Withers and Inspector Piper, although I wish their relationship had been a bit more fleshed out. In fact, I wanted more character development all around, but that does tend to be a weakness of mysteries from this era, and I wouldn't quibble so much if the plot had been more inventive. But instead everything unfolds pretty much as expected, from spurious confessions to various motive-related revelations to a second death. I also guessed the murderer's identity fairly early on. The final chapter, in which the solution is explained, does contain one delightful surprise, which I won't spoil. But all in all, this book isn't particularly special -- which doesn't mean it's not a good read! It just doesn't deviate much from the traditional formula, so if you're looking for something with a lot of surprises, this may not be the book for you.

Book #3: Julia Quinn, What Happens in London
CATs: Alpha (Q = Quinn)
Bingo: part of a series (Bevelstoke #2)

After serving in the army during the Napoleonic Wars, Sir Harry Valentine now works as a translator for the War Office. It's not particularly dangerous (which is just how he likes it), but it does require a certain amount of secrecy. So when Harry notices that his beautiful neighbor seems to be watching him, he knows there's a slight chance she could be a threat. Meanwhile, Lady Olivia Bevelstoke is intrigued by her new neighbor, since rumors are flying about the mysterious gentleman who hardly ever goes out into society. When he catches her watching him, she is mortified -- especially because, when they finally meet in public, he directly confronts her about it. However, Harry and Olivia's initial dislike of each other soon turns into friendship and, inevitably, romance. But will a rival suitor, who may also be a spy for Napoleon, come between them?

When I want a light, fluffy Regency romance with minimal angst, I turn to Julia Quinn, and this book delivered pretty much what I expected. I found it a very enjoyable read, particularly because both Harry and Olivia are such nice, normal people. No tortured rakes or unconventional bluestockings here! Don't get me wrong; those types of characters can be fun to read about, too, but they do tend to be overrepresented in historical romance. By contrast, Harry and Olivia are both fairly conventional, which I found refreshing. There's plenty of humor in the book, too, mostly surrounding the lurid gothic novel that Harry presents to Olivia. There's a fantastic scene in which Harry's cousin Sebastian reads the book aloud to an assortment of spellbound listeners, and it's an absolute delight. The plot does go off the rails a bit toward the end, with a tonally jarring kidnapping, but at least that storyline wraps up quickly. Overall, I doubt this book will stay with me for a long time, but it was certainly a fun read, and I'd recommend it to fans of historical romance.

>63 christina_reads: - Oh, light, fluffy Regency romance with minimal angst is totally a lovely diversion type of read for me so making not of Julia Quinn. Any particular favorites of hers that you can recommend?

>64 lkernagh: Her Bridgerton series is very popular, with the first book being The Duke and I, but I actually prefer her non-Bridgerton books. My favorite of hers so far is probably Just Like Heaven, the first book in her Smythe-Smith quartet. Of course, the nice thing about romance series is that you usually don't need to read them in order -- just jump in anywhere with a premise you find interesting!

>65 christina_reads: - Excellent. Thanks!

I just got around to adding a thread and wanted to chime in on what a great job you did on the bingo cards! Thanks for all the hard work.

>2 christina_reads: There is a print of "La Liseuse" right behind me that was in the house I grew up in before I was born, and in all that time I somehow never learned what it was called! So thanks for that too. :)

>67 madhatter22: Thank you! And I've been aware of that painting for years but never knew it was called "La Liseuse" either. I believe it's mostly referred to in English as "Young Girl Reading."

Book #4: Lyra Selene, Amber & Dusk
CATs: Alpha (A = Amber)
Bingo: debut novel

Although she was abandoned by her parents and raised by strict nuns at the very edge of the Dusklands, Sylvie has always known she’s been destined for great things. She has a legacy — a magical power that marks her as someone of noble birth. Determined to claim the benefits of her legacy, she travels to the heart of the Amber Empire and demands a place at the empress’s court. But despite the court’s aura of magic and luxury, Sylvie soon learns that dark secrets lurk beneath its facade, and she’s not sure whom, if anyone, she can trust. But eventually she decides to take action, and the fate of the entire empire may rest in her hands.

I received this book as a Christmas gift; it’s not something I would necessarily have picked up on my own, but I do enjoy fantasy and political intrigue, so I was happy to give it a try. Unfortunately, I really disliked this book. The plot is fine, though not particularly original, and I liked the detail that every noble’s legacy manifests in a different way. But Sylvie drove me nuts as a protagonist! She’s rude and entitled, she never thinks before she acts, and she does some incredibly dumb things that have horrible consequences for others. I also hated the overly flowery writing style, which set my teeth on edge; you’ll know whether or not it’s for you within the first couple of pages. I should also note that, while there’s not technically a cliffhanger, the book leaves a lot of things open for a sequel . . . but I definitely won’t be reading it!

Amber & Dusk looks like something I would pick up so thanks for the warning!

>70 SouthernKiwi: If you're curious, I'd suggest checking out the Amazon preview and reading a couple pages...that should give you a sense of the writing style. It was definitely not for me, but other people seem to have loved it!

>58 christina_reads: What a great review for Speak Easy, Speak Love! I'm going to keep an eye out for that one.

>62 christina_reads: Also a great review. I really appreciate the point that not deviating from a formula doesn't make it a bad read.

>69 christina_reads: I notice the LT rating for Amber & Dusk is extremely high! Just goes to show that the rating won't reflect all tastes...

>72 pammab: Oh, you should definitely read Speak Easy, Speak Love! It was such an unexpected pleasure for me. As for the high rating for Amber & Dusk, well, my book opinions have certainly been in the minority before! And of course, books tend to attract readers who are predisposed to like them, so it makes sense that sometimes ratings and reviews are skewed toward the positive.

Book #5: R.S. Grey, Hotshot Doc
CATs: none
Bingo: related to medicine or health (hero is a doctor, heroine is a surgical assistant)

Bailey Jennings is perfectly content with her life. Maybe she hasn’t had a date in years, but she loves working as a surgical assistant (specializing in spinal surgery) and taking care of her younger sister, Josie. But when her wonderful boss announces he’s retiring, Bailey panics: she’ll either have to retrain in a new speciality or work for the cold, arrogant — and extremely handsome — Doctor Matthew Russell. Bailey and Matt’s professional relationship gets off to a rocky start, but they are surprised (and dismayed) to discover a mutual attraction. Can they find a way to pursue a relationship without jeopardizing either of their careers?

This contemporary romance novel is a fun read, with some good banter and likable main characters. Bailey is scrappy and strong, and her relationship with Josie is very sweet. Matt is a bit of a jerk at first, but his rudeness arises from his passion for his work and his high standards for himself as well as others. So I really liked each character individually, but the romance itself didn’t quite work for me. It just felt very generic, especially once Bailey and Matt got together. I thought their workplace romance would generate some interesting conflict, but it’s honestly pretty smooth sailing once they act on their feelings. All in all, a pleasant read that I’d recommend to fans of workplace romances, but it didn’t blow me away.

>62 christina_reads: I'm always interested in discovering more Golden Age mystery writers, so I'll definitely keep Stuart Palmer in mind!

>75 mathgirl40: I don't feel a strong urge to read more of his books, but he's worth a try, for sure.

Book #6: Lissa Evans, Crooked Heart
CATs: none
Bingo: LT rating of 4.0 or more (4.14 as of 1/20/19)

In this novel set during World War II, Noel Bostock is a precocious 10-year-old boy who lives with his strong, intelligent godmother, Mattie. But his life changes dramatically when Mattie begins to exhibit signs of dementia, just as children are being evacuated from London under the threat of bombing. Noel is sent to the country to live with Vera Sedge, a middle-aged woman desperately trying to make ends meet, who only takes him in for the sake of the small government stipend she’ll receive. Vera plans to make some money by pretending to collect donations for the war effort, but her high-strung, panicky nature makes her fairly unsuccessful — until Noel shocks her by offering to help.

I love a good World War II novel, and this is one of the most unique ones I’ve read so far. What makes it different is that the main characters are not heroes. In fact, what Vera and Noel do in this book is pretty despicable: they lie to people, playing on their feelings of patriotism and compassion, and steal their money. Even without their illegal scheme, neither character is particularly likable at first. But somehow this book peels back their layers and makes them understandable, even sympathetic. Both Vera and Noel are completely alone and very guarded as a result, but this novel shows them slowly coming closer together. I enjoy “found family” narratives, and this one definitely qualifies! So I would recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in the period or the premise.

Also, this book has no epigraph, but I’m fairly certain the title is from the W.H. Auden poem “As I Walked Out One Evening”: “You shall love your crooked neighbour / With your crooked heart.” Which perfectly sums up the theme of the book, in my opinion!

Book #7: Bria Quinlan, Worth the Fall
CATs: Alpha (Q = Quinlan)
Bingo: none

This romantic comedy follows the misadventures of Kasey Lane, who loses her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment all in the same week. Luckily, she stumbles upon the Brew Ha Ha café, where she meets a bubbly writer named Jenna and her boyfriend Ben, who take Kasey under their wing and help her find a new place to live. They also introduce her to their friend group, including attractive policeman Max Darby, who just so happens to have seen Kasey at some of her lowest moments. As Kasey starts to put her life back together, she’s adamant that she wants to be single and figure things out for herself, yet she finds herself drawn to Max. But if she pursues a relationship, will she just be repeating her past mistakes?

This is a book that definitely requires some serious suspension of disbelief. Kasey is some kind of marketing professional who is great at her job (we are told), is fired through no fault of her own, yet somehow can’t find another job. Despite having no money (we are told), she secures a great apartment in an expensive part of town. She instantly becomes BFFs with a woman she randomly meets in a coffee shop. But despite all that, I actually enjoyed this book a lot! Kasey is a likable character who comes to greater self-knowledge in the course of the book. And I loved the development of her relationship with Max! They start out a bit hostile to each other but soon embark on a friendship (complete with banter) that is off-the-charts adorable. Overall, I liked this book and will look for the rest in the Brew Ha Ha series (this is book 2 but can definitely be read as a stand-alone!).

Book #8: Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen
CATs: Alpha (A = Aveyard, Q = Queen)
Bingo: children’s or young adult (YA fantasy)

In the world of this fantasy novel, people are divided into two classes based on the color of their blood. The Reds are commoners, forced to serve the Silvers or, if they can’t find work, be conscripted into the army to die in a never-ending war. The Silvers, by contrast, are nobles whose special blood gives them various supernatural abilities. Mare Barrow is a Red who hates Silvers more than anything, but in a twist of fate she discovers that she has a supernatural ability despite her red blood. Immediately she is thrust into the world of the Silvers, where she must constantly hide the truth of who she is. She ultimately becomes involved in a plot to overthrow the government and develops relationships with both of the royal princes.

It’s funny that I read Lyra Selene’s Amber & Dusk so recently, because this book has almost exactly the same plot: poor girl discovers magical ability, enters court full of intrigue and treachery, finds romance, and plots a royal coup. But I much preferred this book’s execution of that premise. The plot moves along at a good clip, and I was genuinely surprised by some of the twists. I also found Mare an interesting character to follow, although like many YA fantasy heroines, she’s too quick to jump to conclusions and too black-and-white in her thinking. But I appreciated that she’s always trying to do the right thing, despite her dark and morally ambiguous environment. Annoyingly, the book doesn’t really work as a stand-alone (the main plot is sort of resolved, but there are a ton of loose ends), but I liked it enough to read the sequels at some point.

Book #9: Loretta Chase, Viscount Vagabond
CATs: none
Bingo: alliterative title

Max Demowery has always felt stifled by his aristocratic upbringing and done everything in his power to rebel. But now that he has succeeded to his brother’s title, he knows it’s his duty to marry and start producing heirs. He celebrates his last night of freedom in a brothel, where he is confronted by the last thing he’d ever expect: an innocent girl who needs his help. Catherine Pelliston is desperate to escape from her alcoholic father and loutish fiancé, but she now finds herself in even more dire circumstances, kidnapped and forced into prostitution. She appeals to Max for help, but even after he saves her from the brothel, she has nowhere to go. Against his better judgment, Max finds himself getting involved in Catherine’s future — and finding love in the process.

The premise of this book seems very implausible, but I found it so charming I didn’t care at all! I loved Max right away; he’s funny and likable from the very first scene. Catherine is a bit pricklier — understandably, given her backstory — but it’s not hard to warm up to her. She tries to approach everything logically and precisely, which makes for a humorous contrast to the impulsive Max. The plot is a bit contrived, involving multiple kidnappings and an over-the-top villain, and there’s an obligatory adorable urchin whom Catherine inevitably befriends. But for me, the book’s light and witty style, plus the utterly adorable main characters, more than make up for those shortcomings. Loretta Chase has written a few more of these “traditional Regencies” (so called because they don’t have explicit sex scenes), and I’m definitely going to seek them out!

Book #10: Alan Melville, Death of Anton
CATs: Alpha (A = Alan, Anton)
Bingo: none

Joseph Carey’s World-Famous Circus and Menagerie has just arrived in town, complete with clowns, trapeze artists, an intelligent sea lion, and seven Bengal tigers. Detective-Inspector Minto has also just arrived in town for his sister’s wedding, and he becomes friendly with several members of the circus during his stay. After one performance, he’s invited to a party that ends in tragedy: Anton, the man who does the tiger act, has been found apparently mauled to death. Luckily, Minto is on the case, and he soon realizes that Anton was murdered. But who did it — the circus owner, who seems to be hiding something? The jealous trapeze artist, whose wife was allegedly having an affair with Anton? The clown whose costume was ripped as though by a tiger’s claws? Minto’s investigation eventually encompasses not just the murder but a larger mystery surrounding the circus as a whole.

This is a fairly typical Golden Age mystery, albeit with an interesting setting and a fun, breezy writing style. The shady goings-on at the circus aren’t hard to uncover, and while I didn’t actually guess the murderer, there are no big surprises in the denouement of the mystery. But this is a clever book with a lot of interesting little details. My favorite scene is when one character is almost killed because a trapeze has been shortened by just a few inches — what a creative way to murder someone! My big quibble with the book is that the detective’s brother is a Catholic priest to whom someone confesses the crime, and he reveals way too much about that conversation to the detective! I think the author didn’t understand how confession works…but as a Catholic myself, I’m probably more sensitive to that than many other readers. Overall, I like Melville’s writing — I also enjoyed Quick Curtain — and I look forward to reading the rest of his novels.

>77 christina_reads: I love seeing other people charmed by Crooked Heart. Such a wonderful book!

Book #11: Jennifer Crusie, Crazy for You
CATs: none
Bingo: title contains homophone word (for/four/fore, you/ewe)

Thirty-something Quinn McKenzie is stuck in a rut. She has great friends, she likes her job as a high school art teacher, and she’s dating the football coach, whom everyone in town recognizes as a total catch. But she still wants a change, and change arrives in the form of an adorable stray dog. Quinn wants to adopt the dog, but her boyfriend doesn’t. This small disagreement soon leads to a much bigger fight, and Quinn begins to realize that her seemingly great life is based on her always sacrificing what she wants for the sake of other people. Her friends and family are initially horrified at the change in Quinn, but she eventually inspires them to make changes in their own lives. In the most exciting change of all, Quinn is beginning to look at her longtime friend Nick in a whole new light, but it seems her old life isn’t quite ready to let her go….

I’ve found Jennifer Crusie’s books to be somewhat hit-or-miss, but this one was definitely a hit for me! I don’t think it’s a book for everyone, though, for several reasons. There’s quite a bit of profanity and a few pretty graphic sex scenes, so if those elements would bother you, steer clear. Also, and more importantly, there is stalking and violence against women in this book, which makes it quite a bit darker than I was expecting. However, all that said, I liked this book a lot, and it’s almost entirely due to the relationship between Quinn and Nick. I love a friends-to-lovers romance, especially when one or both of the people involved are very reluctant to act on their feelings for fear of ruining the friendship. In this case, I totally bought into the romantic tension between these characters and was rooting for them all the way. So this book worked really well for me, but I realize not everyone will feel the same!

>82 raidergirl3: It was super charming! But in a serious way, if that makes sense -- it's not insubstantial at all.

Book #12: Kelly Jones, Murder, Magic, and What We Wore
CATs: none
Bingo: main title has 6 or more words

Miss Annis Whitworth is down on her luck. She and her Aunt Cassia have just learned that her (Annis’s) father has died, leaving them with nothing to live on and forcing them to seek employment. Cassia insists that Annis become a governess, but Annis is determined to escape from such a horrible fate. Instead, she decides to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a spy; but the War Office wants nothing to do with her, even after they learn that she has a magical talent for sewing glamours (illusions) into her garments. Undeterred, Annis decides to use her talent to open a dress shop in a country village, while still sending the War Office information about the various secrets her father had discovered before his death. Little does she know that this knowledge puts her and Cassia in danger, too.

This is a book I really wanted to like. I adore the “magical Regency” setting, and both Caroline Stevermer and Stephanie Burgis — two authors I really like — blurbed it. But my overall impression is that the book is very scattered and confusing. There’s the story about a young woman trying to make her own way in the world, there’s the espionage plot, there’s a fairly prominent subplot involving Annis’s maid, not to mention the magical element — there’s just too much going on. As a result, nothing is developed in much depth, especially the main character. She comes across as extremely flighty and thoughtless, jumping from one half-baked scheme to another. I have no sense of how magic fits into this world. There is some resolution to the spy plot, but Annis doesn’t actually get hired by the War Office until the end of the book! So clearly there’s supposed to be a sequel, but I’m too frustrated to read it when it comes out.

Book #13: Agatha Christie, Sad Cypress
CATs: none
Bingo: none

I noticed two things on rereading this book for probably the third or fourth time. First, it's a real page-turner -- it only took me a couple of hours to read. Second, the writing style is a bit clunkier than I remember. There are a lot of italics, a lot of implausible dialogue, and fairly shallow characterization. I suspect these flaws aren't unique to this particular book. But despite that, I'm a diehard Christie fan, and I still really enjoyed the book!

My approach to Christie is to ignore the writing and just enjoy the story.

>87 hailelib: That's probably a good approach! Although I must say, even though I noticed issues with the writing, I still blew through the book. So it definitely didn't slow me down or distract me that much!

>86 christina_reads: - That one isn't one of my favorites but it's a Christie so still better than most. :)

>89 LittleTaiko: Yeah, I definitely wouldn't call it one of Christie's strongest novels, but it's still a really good read.

January recap

I can't believe we're already a month into 2019 -- January has just flown by for me! One of my projects for this month was to go through my books, get rid of the ones I'm never going to read or reread, and reorganize my shelves. Here's the result:



I'm still adjusting to the new system -- general fiction up top, followed by sci-fi/fantasy, romance/chick lit, mystery, poetry, drama, and nonfiction at the bottom. I wish I didn't have to stack my books vertically, but despite getting rid of a couple hundred books, I still need the room, as you can see! But at least I'm no longer double-stacking.

I also managed to do a lot of reading this month, thanks to the 24 in 48 readathon! I didn't read a full 24 hours last weekend, but I did last for about 19 hours and finished several (short, fast-moving) books. Here's what I read in January:

1. McKelle George, Speak Easy, Speak Love
2. Stuart Palmer, The Penguin Pool Murder
3. Julia Quinn, What Happens in London
4. Lyra Selene, Amber & Dusk
5. R.S. Grey, Hotshot Doc
6. Lissa Evans, Crooked Heart
7. Bria Quinlan, Worth the Fall
8. Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen
9. Loretta Chase, Viscount Vagabond
10. Alan Melville, Death of Anton
11. Jennifer Crusie, Crazy for You
12. Kelly Jones, Murder, Magic, and What We Wore
13. Agatha Christie, Sad Cypress

Book of the month:
I really lucked out with my first book of 2019! Speak Easy, Speak Love was the 1920s Much Ado about Nothing retelling I didn't know I needed. It will almost certainly make my "best of 2019" list at the end of the year!

Dishonorable mention:
I really wasn't feeling Amber & Dusk, which combined a frustrating main character with an extremely off-putting (to me) writing style.

CATs completed:
AlphaKIT (Q, A): Julia *Quinn, What Happens in London; Lyra Selene, *Amber & Dusk; Bria *Quinlan, Worth the Fall; Victoria *Aveyard, Red *Queen; *Alan Melville, Death of *Anton

Bingo squares completed:
- Artistic character: In Speak Easy, Speak Love, one main character is a novelist, and another is a jazz singer.
- Animal in title, on cover, plays significant role: The Penguin Pool Murder has penguins in the title and on the cover.
- Part of a series: What Happens in London is book 2 in the Bevelstoke series.
- Debut novel: Amber & Dusk is Lyra Selene's first book.
- Related to medicine or health: In Hotshot Doc, the hero is a surgeon and the heroine is a surgical assistant.
- LT rating of 4.0 or more: Crooked Heart had a 4.14 rating as of January 20.
- Children's, YA, reread a childhood favorite: Red Queen is a YA fantasy novel.
- Alliterative title: Viscount Vagabond qualifies.
- Title contains homophone word: Crazy for You has two homophone words, for/four/fore and you/ewe.
- Main title has 6+ words: Murder, Magic, and What We Wore just qualifies with six words.

Books acquired in January:
Mariana Zapata, The Wall of Winnipeg and Me
Katherine Arden, The Winter of the Witch
Jodi Taylor, Just One Damned Thing after Another
Sarah Perry, The Essex Serpent
Tracey Garvis Graves, The Girl He Used to Know
Loretta Chase, Viscount Vagabond (e-book)
Sally Thorne, 99 Percent Mine
Mimi Matthews, A Holiday by Gaslight

Your shelves look great, Christina. Mine are in a bit of a mess and really need some TLC. I, too, am working on eliminating the double stacking.

>92 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy -- I had fun reorganizing them! I really don't like double-stacking, but sometimes it's necessary.

Awesome shelf reorganization! Double stacking is still a fact of life around here -- I don't have enough walls to put bookcases on! Going to have to get a coffee table that doubles as a bookshelf ;)

>93 christina_reads: Great job organizing! I have one bookshelf of three that is double-stacked and hopefully my CAT reads this year will take care of that!

>77 christina_reads: Taking a book bullet on this one - sounds great!
>92 DeltaQueen50: >93 christina_reads: I don't like double-stacking either, but it is a necessary evil. One day, when I can design my library, I will have double sided bookshelves, problem solved. One day!

>94 rabbitprincess: Coffee table, dining room table, bedside table...any surface can be a bookshelf! ;)

>95 Tess_W: Best of luck with your CAT reads this year -- I hope they lead to less double-stacking!

>96 JayneCM: If you like the premise, I think you'll enjoy Crooked Heart. I love the double-sided bookshelf idea!

Great batch of reviews, love the bookshelves and nice January wrap-up post!

>98 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori!

Your shelves look beautiful.

>100 RidgewayGirl: Thank you! I'm enjoying staring at them. :)

>101 christina_reads: Ha! I tidied up my shelves recently and every time I'm in the living room, I give them an appreciative look.

>91 christina_reads: You've been reading up a storm recently! And reorganizing books too! I'm impressed. The shelves look wonderful.

>102 RidgewayGirl: It's such a pleasant feeling of accomplishment, isn't it?

>103 VivienneR: Thanks! I definitely had a more productive reading month than usual...not too surprising since I spent an entire weekend reading!

>77 christina_reads: Given you enjoyed Crooked Heart I wonder if you've come across Goodnight Mister Tom? A young boy who hasn't had an easy life is evacuated to the country to live with a crotchety old man. A lovely found family ensues.

Your shelves are looking great!

>105 SouthernKiwi: I had not heard of Goodnight Mister Tom, so thanks for the recommendation! I'll check it out. :)

Book #14: Sally Thorne, 99 Percent Mine
CATs: Calendar (Valentine’s Day)
Bingo: about or featuring siblings (central conflict is that the main character is in love with her twin brother's best friend)

Darcy Barrett has always been more comfortable moving around than staying in one place. For the past 10 years or so, she’s been traveling the world, tending bar to make enough money to support her wanderlust. Now she’s forced to stand still for a while so that she can renovate and sell her dead grandmother’s house. Helping her is contractor Tom Valeska, who just so happens to be Darcy’s perfect man. She’s been in love with him since they were kids, but as her twin brother Jamie’s best friend, he’s always been off limits. Now Tom is around all the time, and Darcy is determined to take their relationship to the next level. But she knows that by pursuing him, she may do even more damage to her strained relationship with Jamie. And then there’s the little issue that Tom may not actually reciprocate her feelings. . . .

After loving The Hating Game, I was so excited for this book to come out. Now, having read it, I’m having trouble deciding how I feel about it. I don’t have that same LOVE feeling that I did about The Hating Game, but I’m not sure why . . . it’s equally well written, and I really like the premise. I had some trouble connecting with Darcy, which may have caused me to detach from the story a little. I don’t always need to like or relate to a protagonist, but I think I do in the romance genre because the plots are so character driven. Also, I couldn’t quite figure out why it took Darcy and Tom so long to get together. While the fear of Jamie’s disapproval certainly explains part of it, I think the real obstacle to their relationship is lack of communication. I got frustrated wishing these characters would just talk to each other! Overall, I did find this to be a fun and absorbing read, but I haven’t decided whether I’m keeping it yet.

>107 christina_reads: Two years ago, with all the confusion surrounding the release dates for 'The Comfort Game', I put in two pre-orders, one through Waterstone's and the other through Amazon. And then I completely forgot about it until last week when Waterstone's sent me a notice that 99 Percent Mine had already shipped! I canceled my Amazon order, and as eager as I have been to dive in, I admit that I know to keep my expectations low. I've seen too many disappointed reactions. Nonetheless, I expect to be diving in this weekend...

>106 christina_reads: There's also a lovely TV movie starring John Thaw (aka Inspector Morse). I've re-read the book several times and it still charms me.

>108 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Managing your expectations is a good idea, but I feel like maybe my review was unfairly negative. I can see 99 Percent Mine really working for some people, and my main reason for not loving it as much as The Hating Game was that I didn't connect with the heroine, which is such a subjective thing. So I hope you love it, and I look forward to seeing what you think!

>109 MissWatson: Ooh yay, a book *and* a movie to look forward to!

>91 christina_reads: Lovely bookshelves. :) Congratulations on the purging and organizing.

>111 madhatter22: Thank you! The purge was tough but very satisfying in the end.

Book #15: Meagan Spooner, Hunted
CATs: none
Bingo: fairy tale (Beauty and the Beast retelling)

Yeva has a comfortable life as the youngest daughter of a prosperous merchant: she is a lady-in-waiting to the local baronessa and has a chance at a good marriage. But Yeva has always been happiest hunting in the nearby forest, following in the footsteps of her father, who was a skilled hunter before becoming a merchant. So when her father loses his fortune and must return to hunting to support his family, Yeva is not heartbroken — until her father begins raving about a mysterious, cunning beast in heart of the forest. When he does not return from his latest hunting trip, Yeva goes after him, only to find that the mythical Beast is real . . . and that he has plans for Yeva.

So, that plot summary pretty much covers the setup of the book, but I feel like it leaves out all the interesting parts, which of course happen after Yeva encounters the Beast. I love a good Beauty and the Beast retelling, and this is now one of my favorites, along with Robin McKinley’s Beauty. The Beast is appropriately terrifying at first, and Yeva has a very good reason to hate and distrust him (she thinks he killed her father, though the reality is more complicated), yet he can also be thoughtful and kind. I loved how their relationship develops throughout the novel and how the Beast’s human side becomes more prominent the more time he spends with Yeva. I also really enjoyed the magical setting with its nods to Russian folklore. In short, if you’re a fan of fairy tale retellings or of this fairy tale in particular, I highly recommend this book!

Book #16: Lindsey Kelk, One in a Million
CATs: CalendarCAT (Valentine’s Day: primary story is a romance); AlphaKIT (K = Kelk, O = One)
Bingo: read a CAT (Feb CalendarCAT = Valentine’s Day, Feb AlphaKIT = K, O)

Annie Higgins is a master of social media, and she co-owns a digital marketing company that manages the social media accounts of various internet content creators. Unfortunately, the company isn’t doing so well, and Annie’s getting desperate for a way to turn things around. Then a conversation with her office landlord turns into a bet: she has to make a random stranger Instagram-famous in 30 days, and if she wins, she doesn’t have to pay rent for a month. Annie jumps at the chance — until she realizes that winning the bet will be a lot harder than she thought. Historian Samuel Page, PhD, is stiff, socially awkward, and absolutely hates social media. But the more time Annie spends with him, the more she genuinely enjoys his company, and the less important the bet seems.

This was a cute, enjoyable chick-lit read with more than a few nods to My Fair Lady, but I liked that the makeover wasn’t all one-sided. Annie helps to give Sam a more marketable public persona, but he also helps her to realize that there’s more to life than the perfect Instagram selfie. (Come to think of it, Eliza Doolittle also changes Henry Higgins in a much more profound way than he changes her.) The central romance is adorable, and I love that Sam is an unconventional hero with his awkward, slightly too formal demeanor. I also enjoyed Annie’s funny first-person voice. I didn’t love all the emphasis on social media; at times the book reminded me of those thinkpieces about whether technology is ruining our lives, which I found tedious. But overall, I liked this fun and breezy rom-com, so I’d recommend it if you’re into that kind of thing!

>113 christina_reads: I've taken note of Hunted, Christina, I like a good fairy tale retelling and Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite stories.

>115 DeltaQueen50: I hope you enjoy it, Judy! It is YA, but even though I've been a bit burned out on YA fantasy lately, I enjoyed this one a lot.

I nabbed a kindle copy of The Hating Game at some point when it was on sale and I've made a mental note to get to it soon.

>117 RidgewayGirl: It's a really fun read! Hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

Book #17: AJ Pearce, Dear Mrs. Bird
CATs: none
Bingo: author uses middle name or initial (J)

In 1940 London, Emmeline Lake is determined to do her bit for the war effort. She volunteers at a local fire station, but she dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent, diving into the midst of the action to get a big story. When she sees an advertisement for a job at the Evening Chronicle, she jumps at the chance, only to realize that she’s actually applied for a job with Mrs. Bird’s advice column at Woman’s Friend magazine. Her main duty is to sort through the letters that come to Mrs. Bird and throw away any that mention “unpleasantness.” But Emmy can’t help thinking that these women ought to be helped; and when Mrs. Bird refuses to respond to their letters, Emmy decides to take matters into her own hands. In the meantime, as bombs continue to fall on London, the war affects the lives of Emmy and her friends in profound ways.

The voice of this novel hooked me from the very beginning. Emmy is young, somewhat naive, and relentlessly cheerful, and I really enjoyed her as a narrator and protagonist. (Her quirky voice may not be for everyone, but you’ll know within the first couple of pages whether it’s for you or not.) I also loved Emmy’s relationship with her best friend Bunty, which turned out to be a much bigger focus of the novel than I was expecting. Even though I love a good romance, it’s refreshing to read a book in which the most significant relationship is a friendship. The secondary characters are also delightful, particularly Emmy’s colleague and mentor, Mr. Collins. (I may or may not have developed a crush on him . . . but sadly, Emmy’s romantic destiny appears to lie elsewhere.) Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to people who like their World War II fiction on the lighter side, à la The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

>119 christina_reads: On my list it goes, my library has a copy!

>120 clue: Yay, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Book #18: Loretta Chase, The Devil’s Delilah
CATs: CalendarCAT (Valentine’s Day)
Bingo: none

Delilah Desmond is coming to London to make an advantageous marriage; but because her father is the notorious “Devil” Desmond, she knows being accepted by high society will be an uphill battle. Adding to her difficulties, the Devil has written a highly improper and scandalous memoir; though he’s promised not to publish it until he truly needs the money, Delilah knows that even a whiff of scandal will destroy her matrimonial prospects. When the memoir goes missing, she immediately flies into a panic. Luckily, she has the dependable, albeit absentminded, Jack Langdon to lean on. Jack has always been more comfortable with books than with people, especially women. But Delilah attracts him like no one else, and he’s determined to help her, even though the far more charming Lord Berne has his eye on the young beauty as well.

I’m really enjoying making my way through Loretta Chase’s traditional Regencies. Though she’s not quite Georgette Heyer, she’s definitely the next best thing. But I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much as Viscount Vagabond (to which this novel is technically a sequel, though it can be read as a stand-alone). I loved the idea of Jack as a hero — someone who seems bookish and absent-minded but who comes through when it counts. But I felt like his character was a bit inconsistent; he doesn’t spend very much time enjoying his scholarly pursuits because he’s always in turmoil about his feelings for Delilah. I also thought the scenes between Jack and Delilah were quite repetitive; they keep having the same fight over and over, which is frustrating. The book is still a fun, fast read with some witty dialogue — I especially enjoyed the Devil’s character — but it’s not my favorite by Chase.

Book #19: Leigh Bardugo, King of Scars
CATs: SeriesCAT (YA); AlphaKIT (K = King)
Bingo: none

***Warning: SPOILERS for the Grisha trilogy and the Dregs duology!***

Nikolai Lantsov, King of Ravka, is trying to lead his country in the wake of its devastating civil war. But he faces threats of invasion by the powerful Shu and the Grisha-hating Fjerdans, the rise of a new cult that worships the Darkling as a saint, plus the possibility that Kerch might call in Ravka’s staggering debts. And then there’s the fact that Nikolai is sharing his body with a demon that hungers for human flesh. Hoping to rid himself of the monster inside him, Nikolai and his Grisha general, Zoya, travel to the heart of the Fold to perform an ancient—and possibly deadly—ritual. Meanwhile, Nina Zenik is a Ravkan agent helping to rescue Grisha from Fjerda. She’s also grieving the death of Matthias, but she finds a new purpose when she discovers a new atrocity the Fjerdans are committing against Grisha women. As Nikolai, Zoya, and Nina encounter various surprises, reversals, and betrayals, who will be left standing in the end?

Phew, there is a LOT going on in this book, and I think that’s the main reason I didn’t like it as much as I expected to. I adore the character of Nikolai—for me, he’s the best part of the original Grisha trilogy by far—so I was disappointed that he didn’t get more “screen time” in his own book! Instead, half the novel follows Nina’s story, and I have to say, I wasn’t terribly interested in it, especially since it ended up having no relevance to Nikolai’s story. I wish Bardugo had just written two separate books! I did enjoy learning more about Zoya and seeing the events of previous books from her point of view. She’s an intriguing character, and I liked seeing her spar with Nikolai…I just wish there had been more of it! This book also dives deep into the religion and mythology of the Grishaverse, which was interesting but also caused the plot to get lost in the weeds, I think. Overall, I’m a bit irritated with this novel…but I’m sure I’ll still read the sequel when it comes out.

Book #20: Annie Darling, True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop
CATs: Calendar (Valentine’s Day)
Bingo: cover has at least 2 human figures (silhouettes of the hero and heroine)

Despite her job at a bookstore specializing in romantic fiction, Verity Love is happy being single. But her well-meaning friends continue to set her up with every single man they know, and Verity’s tired of it—so tired, in fact, that she’s invented a fake boyfriend to deter their matchmaking. When her friends insist on meeting him, however, she quickly realizes she needs a real person to substantiate her scheme. Enter Johnny, a handsome stranger who also wouldn’t mind having a fake girlfriend to prevent being set up by his own interfering friends. Verity and Johnny agree to be each other’s dates to various social functions for one summer, at the end of which they’ll amicably part ways. But of course, the more time they spend together, the more blurry the boundaries of their relationship become.

Every chapter of this book begins with a quote from Pride and Prejudice, which immediately told me that I’d either love it or hate it. I’m happy to say that I mostly loved it, although occasionally the book does get a bit too twee and cutesy for its own good. But I really liked and related to Verity as a character; she’s an extreme introvert who needs alone time to recharge, but with her large, loving-but-noisy family, she never gets enough of it. As an introvert myself (though definitely not to Verity’s level), I empathized with her when she just couldn’t handle any more socializing. I also love a good “fake relationship” plot, so I was on board for Verity and Johnny’s romance. I was very pleasantly surprised by the writing style as well, give or take a minor copyediting error. Overall, this novel is just the charming, fun romance I was hoping for, and I’m definitely interested in reading the other books in this series at some point.

>124 christina_reads: I'll take a book bullet for this one - I don't read romance that often, but this sounds like it would be the right one for when I want to pick one up!

>125 LisaMorr: It's a cute read -- hope you enjoy it!

Sounds cute - I'm also a fan of the whole "fake relationship" for some reason. It's a completely ridiculous premise, but yet I find them quite entertaining in books if done well.

>127 LittleTaiko: It's one of my favorite romance tropes, despite the fact that it doesn't exactly reflect reality!

>127 LittleTaiko:, >125 LisaMorr: In case you haven't seen it, the ebook is $2.99 on Amazon.

>129 clue: Thanks! I think the whole series is $2.99 on e-book right now, at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

And speaking of book sales, is anyone else checking out the Barnes & Noble #bookhaul promotion? I took a look yesterday, and while most of the selection didn't thrill me, I did score my own copy of Dear Mrs. Bird for 50% off!

Book #21: Alan Bradley, The Golden Tresses of the Dead
CATs: none
Bingo: none

***Warning: SPOILERS for previous books in the series***

Flavia de Luce is at it again in this 10th book of the series. Her older sister Feely is finally getting married, and Flavia is surprised to find that she has mixed emotions about Feely’s leaving Buckshaw. But her inner turmoil soon becomes the least of Flavia’s concerns when, at the reception, she discovers a human finger in the wedding cake. Of course, Arthur W. Dogger and Associates are on the case — and of course, a second mystery presents itself soon afterward, involving a famous homeopathic doctor and two female missionaries who have recently returned from West Africa. As Flavia investigates, with the help of faithful Dogger and annoying cousin Undine, she realizes that the two cases may be connected.

Is it just me, or did the mystery plot of this book make even less sense than usual? One character dies in the novel, but I don’t think we ever find out for sure who the murderer was or how the killing took place. Another dies off-page, and it’s not actually clear what the cause of death was — murder, natural causes, something else? Maybe I wasn’t paying close enough attention, but I felt like there were a lot of loose ends with this plot. Nevertheless, I very much enjoyed the book for Flavia’s voice and her relationships with the other characters, particularly Dogger. I also like the fact that she’s slowly gaining more self-awareness as she grows up, and I hope to see that trend continue in subsequent books. So I actually did like this novel overall, but it’s not a book (or series, really) to read for the mystery.

February recap

This has been another good reading month for me! My very broad categories for this year's challenge seem to be working well. I find that I'm not forcing myself to read anything to fit a category; instead, I can read whatever appeals most to me in the moment. As a result, I'm enjoying most of what I pick up, which is honestly making me happier in life in general! Anyway, here's what I read in February:

1. Sally Thorne, 99 Percent Mine
2. Meagan Spooner, Hunted
3. Lindsey Kelk, One in a Million
4. AJ Pearce, Dear Mrs. Bird
5. Loretta Chase, The Devil's Delilah
6. Leigh Bardugo, King of Scars
7. Annie Darling, True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop
8. Alan Bradley, The Golden Tresses of the Dead

Book of the month:
It's a tie between Meagan Spooner's Hunted, which is right up there with Robin McKinley's Beauty when it comes to Beauty and the Beast retellings, and AJ Pearce's Dear Mrs. Bird, a funny and touching novel set in London during the Blitz.

Dishonorable mention:
I was so disappointed in 99 Percent Mine, because I'd had such high hopes for it after loving The Hating Game! But I didn't connect to the heroine and was frustrated with the main characters' lack of communication.

CATs completed:
CalendarCAT (Valentine's Day): 99 Percent Mine, One in a Million, The Devil's Delilah, and True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop are all either romance novels or books with significant romantic storylines.
SeriesCAT (YA/children's): King of Scars is the first book in a YA duology.
AlphaKIT (K, O): Lindsey *Kelk, *One in a Million; Leigh Bardugo, *King of Scars

Bingo squares completed:
- About or featuring siblings: In 99 Percent Mine, the central conflict is that the main character is in love with her twin brother's best friend.
- Fairy tale: Hunted is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
- Read a CAT: One in a Million fulfilled the February CalendarCAT (Valentine's Day = significant romantic plot) and AlphaKIT (K = Kelk, O = One).
- Author uses middle name or initial: The author of Dear Mrs. Bird, AJ Pearce, uses (I presume) her first and middle initials.
- Cover has at least 2 human figures: The cover of True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop has the silhouettes of the hero and heroine.

Books acquired in February:
Lucy Parker, Making Up
Flannery O'Connor, Mystery and Manners
Annie Darling, True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop (e-book)
Ngaio Marsh, Enter a Murderer
Lois McMaster Bujold, A Civil Campaign
Edward Grierson, The Second Man

***

Looking ahead, my thread is going to look a little different for the next couple of months. I've decided to give up reading for pleasure for Lent this year; I'll only be reading books about religion and spirituality during that time. March 6 is Ash Wednesday, so from then until Easter (April 21), my thread is going to be super Catholic. Fair warning! ;)

>130 christina_reads: - I finally took a look at their sale and bought a couple of non-fiction books that had been on my wishlist for a while - Radium Girls and The Butchering Art. Happy for a good sale!

I have heroically refrained from buying any books from B&N, although there are two I may go back for.

>133 LittleTaiko: Congrats on finding some good stuff!

>134 RidgewayGirl: Very heroic indeed!

Book #22: Jessie Mihalik, Polaris Rising
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Ada von Hasenberg is a princess on the run. The universe is ruled by a Consortium of noble Houses, of which the von Hasenberg family is one of the most powerful. As a result, Ada’s duty is to marry for her House’s political advantage, but rather than accept her fate, she’s determined to carve her own path. Unfortunately, she’s captured by a mercenary ship and forced to share a cell with Marcus Loch, the so-called Devil of Fornax Zero. Loch is said to have butchered his regiment in a past military action, so he has a price on his head almost as big as Ada’s. Now, Ada and Loch must work together to escape captivity — but when her fiancé, the son of a rival House, comes looking for her, Ada begins to suspect that more than a marriage is at stake. To figure out what’s going on, she’ll need Loch’s help, even though she’s finding it harder and harder to fight her attraction to him.

I found it hard to summarize this book because it’s chock full of plot. All you really need to know is that this is a very entertaining, page-turning sci-fi/romance adventure, and I really enjoyed it. Ada is a strong heroine, but not one of the obnoxious variety; she’s not incredibly amazing at everything, nor does she rush into decisions without thinking carefully about them first. One of my favorite details was how she always (smartly) checks for bugs and tracking devices when she enters an unfamiliar environment. I also found the overall plot compelling, albeit a little predictable. I wasn’t as enthralled with the romance — Loch is a pretty stereotypical alpha male (although not a jerk, which is nice!), and since the book is only told from Ada’s point of view, I felt I didn’t get a good insight into what makes him tick. Their relationship doesn’t seem to be based on anything more than physical attraction, so it fell a little flat for me. Nevertheless, this was a really fun read for me, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series when it comes out this fall!

I usually shy away from SFF-Romance (don't know why) but this sounds like a fun read! #BB :-)

>137 Tanya-dogearedcopy: I hope you enjoy it! It's the kind of book that you could easily imagine being a summer blockbuster. I should note that there are a few quite steamy scenes, in case that makes a difference to anyone.

Book #23: L.M. Montgomery, The Blue Castle
CATs: none
Bingo: none

I very much enjoyed rereading this lovely little book about Valancy Stirling, a thoroughly miserable “old maid” at 29, who reaches a turning point in her life and decides to start pleasing herself instead of her cold, rigid family. There are fun flashes of humor, a sweet romance, and a lot of loving descriptions of the Canadian wilderness. If you love the Anne and Emily books, you should definitely hunt down this one as well!

>139 christina_reads: I really liked The Blue Castle as well! Of course, I am the person who still has my Anne books from childhood and planned a vacation trip to Prince Edward Island and Green Gables. I love all things Montgomery.

>140 NinieB: I still have my Anne (and Emily and Pat) books as well! They're the epitome of comfort reads for me.

>139 christina_reads: I just won The Blue Castle in the latest ER and I’m hoping there is finally a good cover for it. There was a Blue Castle musical put on for a few years here on PEI and it was as wonderful as the book. Classic comfort read.

>142 raidergirl3: It would be nice to get a good cover! I'm not especially fond of mine, although it does match my Anne and Emily editions. I'm very intrigued by the idea of a Blue Castle musical!

Book #24: Grace Burrowes, A Rogue of Her Own
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Charlotte Windham hates London “society” life and has suffered through too many seasons of being envied by other women (because of her titled connections) and dodging the proposals of fortune hunters. Meanwhile, Lucas Sherbourne is a commoner whose substantial wealth has gained him entrance into society, but he is still acutely aware of his lower status in the eyes of the aristocrats surrounding him. The two decide to embark upon a marriage of convenience: Charlotte will have a wealthy husband and a secluded Welsh estate to call home, while Lucas will benefit from marrying into a noble family. Of course, there’s no question of love; but as Lucas tries to jump-start a new coal mine and Charlotte gives her spending money to “fallen” women, they find themselves turning to each other for support and understanding.

I find myself very confused about this book, because the things I really liked about it are also the things I disliked about it! For example, I liked that the book has a lot of plot (trouble with the coal mine, Charlotte’s charitable giving, the backstory of why she’s so passionate about helping women in trouble), but I also felt that the romance suffered because of it. I also liked that both Lucas and Charlotte have friends and family who support them; I especially enjoyed the development of Lucas’s friendship with his aristocratic neighbors. But again, those relationships almost felt more central than the romance. I also thought some of the plot twists and turns were a little melodramatic. Overall, I liked this book for having characters with their own interests and lives outside of one another…but I think I wanted a little more of them together, too! That said, I’d definitely be willing to try another book by Grace Burrowes.

Recently I've been wondering how many books are on my personal TBR -- those I own but haven't read yet. I don't have a separate TBR shelf (or, more realistically, bookcase); everything is mixed together, so I can't tell at a glance how big my TBR has gotten.

So I decided to make a special LT collection for my unread books, and I now have an actual number: of the 927 books I physically own, I haven't yet read 325 of them.

These numbers aren't 100% accurate -- I may have gotten rid of a few books without subtracting them from LT, and I didn't include reference books or poetry collections (i.e., books I wouldn't read from start to finish anyway). But even with those caveats, 325 is a pretty close approximation of my TBR.

I'm not sure how I feel about this number. It's essentially 1/3 of my total books, which is about the fraction I would have estimated offhand. But 325 seems like a LOT of books. Is this an embarrassing number? I'm curious if any of you, my fellow LT-ers, have a similarly high TBR. Regardless, I'm happy to know my "number"; it's given me a renewed interest in shopping from my own bookshelves!

>145 christina_reads: I have a very high number of TBR books, much higher than yours (and I think about 40% of my books on the shelf - yet I haven't finished cataloging them all yet, so the number will go up, but hopefully not the percentage...).

I guess I am embarrassed because I'm not actually telling you the number...OK, it's over 1000 (!!!).

I've been collecting books for a long time and pretty much have kept them all (I'm only now starting to think about getting rid of books that I read but didn't like that much and will never re-read).

Besides embarrassed, how do I feel - I actually feel comfort that I have so many books to read that I'll never need to buy another book (probably), but I still will. I'm prepared for the book apocalypse when there will be no more books (or if the power goes out permanently...). I'm also prepared for retirement which I'm contemplating in 5-10 years.

I don't buy as many new books as I used to, but I do buy used (usually 1001 books and Virago Modern Classics). I have a massive wishlist from all of the wonderful LTers here (600+).

In the end, this is my one addiction, and I'm OK with that. Luckily, my husband supports my addiction too (i.e., has suggested building an addition with a proper library in it...!).

And I agree with you - picking my next read from my own shelves is a priority!

>145 christina_reads: I catalogued my TBR pile - it is the bottom shelf on the bookcase in my study and that came to ~120. but I know that's not all the books i own that i have not read. Some are on shelves and then there's all the one's that he'll have bought. It shocked me that it was that high - then a number of other people commented on my thread and suddenly it didn't seem nearly so bad.
It does make me want to read some of those I own, rather than having the languish in the pile. I can think of worse vices. >;-)

>145 christina_reads: I counted mine 2 or 3 years ago when I started my Jar of Fate system, and I found I had massively underestimated the number of unread books! I had thought it was around 100 (I wish!!!!), but then it was 300 and something. Every year since then I've counted my TBRs read (ROOTS) and the acquisitions, and each year up till the end of last year I have bought more new books than unread books read. I started this year with a TBR total of 443 (I had really really hoped that it wouldn't go over 400, but at the end of last year I may have been a little over-enthusiastic with my book-buying. Ahem). This year I am trying to make a big effort to have fewer TBRs at the end of the year than I do at the start - I've not set a target beyond that, but if it's lower than 443 then I'll be happy. I'm trying the 2 for 1 that a few people here do (ie only buying a new book when I've read 2) and so far have stuck to that (although the year is young, still plenty of time to fall off the wagon). My TBR as of today is 437 books. I've absolutely no idea about what percentage that represents of my overall books though.

At the end of the day, I reckon if buying more books than I can read is my worst* vice then it could be a lot worse!

* I originally put 'only vice' here, but have to be realistic. That cheese and chocolate won't eat itself.

I don't keep many books after I have read them, mostly they get forwarded on to family members or go to the second hand shop. Currently my TBR in actual books stands at 742 (this doesn't count the number of e-books I have stashed over three Kindles). So Christina, you are just one of many here that like to have a variety of choices on our shelves. ;)

>146 LisaMorr: Don't be embarrassed! You're not alone -- although your absolute number is higher than mine, our TBR percentages are pretty close! And I completely identify with this: I'm only now starting to think about getting rid of books that I read but didn't like that much and will never re-read. I'm starting to do this and have been surprised at how freeing it feels. But as addictions go, buying books is not a bad one to have. :)

>147 Helenliz: 120 definitely seems like a small TBR pile to me! But I agree, it bothers me that some of my books have been languishing on the pile for years.

>148 Jackie_K: I so admire your Jar of Fate idea and have been thinking about doing something similar for 2020. I'm also considering a "one in, two out" rule for new books...but I don't know that I'd be able to stick to that! Library sales and a cheap used bookstore keep thwarting my plans.

>149 DeltaQueen50: I am also trying to be more selective about the books I keep. There's a great used bookstore near me that gives me store credit for the books I read and don't want to keep. Of course, that only perpetuates the cycle! I'm actually very impressed by your 742-book TBR...we do have to have choices, after all!

My physically owned total is 1501 of which 515 are unread. I'm trying to get that back down to at least under 500 but when your Thingaversary adds 14 to the total like my last one did then that's a tough ask.

I have about 550 unread physical books and 160 ebooks. Just this week I started another sweep through my shelves to remove books that I know I won't ever read.

I don't know for sure how many TBRs I actually own... because I don't know exactly how many books I own. (!) Since I can't fit them all on the shelves, I've never bothered to catalog everything. Total librarian fail! I think I own ca. 400 books, but that includes reference works. I know I have ca. 1000 books on my TBR list, but most of those are things I don't own.

Going way back to >91 christina_reads:, where did you get your bookshelves? They are lovely! (I realized that all my shelves are built-ins so when I move later this year, I will need to actually acquire some bookshelves.)

My physical TBR is close to 1000. My house is struggling but personally I love it.

>154 NinieB: My house is struggling but personally I love it - love that!

>153 casvelyn: I think I own ca. 400 books, but that includes reference works. gulp. Now I know why I've never set out to catalogue all of ours! I've got that many in my study - and that's the smallest set of bookcases... I like books, as does himself, we agree on that. Unfortunately we agree less on the contents of books. The odd murder mystery series gets agreement, but that's about it.

>154 NinieB: >:-)

>151 AHS-Wolfy: Thingaversaries certainly do add to that unread TBR! I think setting small goals to reduce your number is a good idea. Maybe I'll strive for getting under 300 this year.

>152 clue: Oh, I didn't even count e-books! They don't take up any physical space, so I don't feel guilty about them. Of course, that also means I've had several sitting on my e-reader for years!

>153 casvelyn: Thanks for the bookshelf compliment! I got them at Ikea, but it was about 10 years ago. I will say, they've held up very well!

>154 NinieB: Hey, as long as it works for you! :)

>156 Helenliz: It sounds like you've got a very impressive total!

I'm with Lisa and NinieB in the size of my tbr, but in January I took all the books off of my tbr shelves, rearranged them and before putting them back on the shelf, I took a minute to look at the book and remember why I brought it home in the first place. I'm happy with the books I have (I got rid of a bunch) and want to read them all, it's just an issue with all the time consuming issues of real life and not being able to read more than one book at a time - I have two eyes, so it should be possible!

>157 christina_reads: we have Ikea bookcases. Ours are all Billy in Beech, of various vintages. Last ones we bought must be when we moved in, so 9 years ago. They're fabulous. They're easy to put together, but really sturdy and the fact that you can get extra shelves for them means you can get more books per case than with fixed or limited numbers of shelves. I know Ikea gets a bad wrap at times, but this is one item that has never let us down.

>158 RidgewayGirl: Haha, if you ever figure out how to read two books simultaneously, one per eye, please share! :)

>159 Helenliz: I definitely agree on the quality...didn't have a great experience actually buying the bookshelves (long story short, the original shelves had the wrong parts, and then I went through customer service hell trying to get the correct ones), but they have served me well through the years.

>157 christina_reads: Sweet! I was looking at the Ikea shelves, but the price made me question the quality. I really want custom-built shelves, but there are so many things to buy for a first house that high-end bookshelves are not really near the top of the list. But if they can last 10 years at that price point, that's more than good enough! And my city got an Ikea last year, so no more road trips needed!

I have about 600 books in my TBR stacks, which includes, print, e-books and, audiobooks. This has remained a near constant for as long as I have been logging in books but the actual books in the stacks have changed dramatically over the years! I used to feel a little overwhelmed and even guilty-like-a-hoarder, but then I found this interesting bit about "antilibraries: https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/03/24/umberto-eco-antilibrary/

I do actually make a concerted effort to read from my TBR stacks. On average, about a third of my yearly reading comes from my shelves though obviously my rate of acquisition is on par! :-)

ETA: FWIW, We've used our IKEA Kallax shelves for twenty, fifteen, and five years respectively. They are square-shelf units that work as bookcases and room dividers. Plus, no sagging bookshelves! https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20409936/#/10409932

When I looked at the house I have lived in over twenty years, I walked into the dining room and saw the most perfect bookcase wall ever. I knew that if I bought the house I would buy some REAL bookcases at some point for that room. I did buy the house, couldn't afford the bookcases then but put a little money back along and after 10 or so years had enough to pay for them. I have four units that fit the wall perfectly and they have doors with glass "windows". There is nothing in my house I enjoy more so they were well worth the wait. I had to special order them but one of my friends husbands was a salesman at a big furniture store and he poured through catalogs looking for a match to what I had described. Without him I'm not sure I would have found them!

>161 casvelyn: Well, I hope the Ikea shelves work out for you, if you decide to go that route!

>162 Tanya-dogearedcopy: That's so interesting that your TBR has changed in content so dramatically, yet remained at pretty much the same number! Also, thanks for sharing the article about "antilibraries" -- very interesting!

>163 clue: I love that you waited 10 years for the perfect bookcases! Any chance we can see a picture? ;)

>161 casvelyn: We have an IKEA wall unit that has lasted for over twenty years. The edges are a little banged up after several moves, but it's still sturdy and holding books.

Another IKEA fan here, we have several Billy bookcases too.

>158 RidgewayGirl: Obviously I can't read more than one book simultaneously, but I do always have at least 3 books on the go at any one time. I'm one of those readers who, if I'm not in the mood for a book, will put it down till I am, and when I only read one at a time, it meant that I'd go long periods of not reading much. This way I've been able to get through tons more books than if I just read one at a time - I generally aim (doesn't always happen) to read a chapter of each per day.

>166 Jackie_K: Jackie, I've found that five books is the ideal number for me to juggle.

>145 christina_reads: - Congratulations on LT sorting your TBR pile! Like Judy >149 DeltaQueen50:, I don't keep many physical books after I read them (ebooks I do keep - except for the NetGalley books that "expire" and can no longer be read - but only because I don't have a storage problem for those books, at least not yet). ;-)

I created a "To Read" category when I first joined LT and it is fun to watch the number, even though it continues to climb (thanks predominantly to my latest addiction for purchasing ebooks). I have 503 books currently on my TBR pile, predominantly ebooks but I am not at home at the moment so unable to do a quick count of my physical books for comparison.

We have a Billy bookcase and I love it! Easy to double stack trade paperbacks on the shelves.

>168 lkernagh: Totally agree that e-books don't count toward the TBR total -- they don't take up any extra room!

Book #25: C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms
CATs: Alpha (L = Lewis)
Bingo: none

“In this wise and enlightening book, C. S. Lewis—the great British writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster, Christian apologist, and bestselling author of Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many other beloved classics—examines the Psalms. As Lewis divines the meaning behind these timeless poetic verses, he makes clear their significance in our daily lives, and reminds us of their power to illuminate moments of grace.” (Summary from Amazon.com.)

As the title indicates, this book is a collection of C.S. Lewis’s reflections on the psalms. His thoughts aren’t presented in a systematic way; he doesn’t go through every psalm in order, for example. Instead, he discusses some themes that struck him personally in his reading and prayer. The end result is somewhat disjointed — I think this is one of Lewis’s lesser-known works for a reason — but I still found plenty of food for thought. His ideas about some of the psalms’ more surprising elements, such as the cursing of one’s enemies, make a lot of sense. He also discusses how 20th-century Christian interpretations might differ from (or, from his perspective, enhance) the psalmists’ original intention. Overall, I’m glad I read this, especially since Psalms is one of my favorite books in the Bible, but I’d recommend that newcomers to Lewis start elsewhere.

March recap

March was an interesting month because it marked the start of my religion-focused reading for Lent. So perhaps unsurprisingly, it was a slower month for me than January or February -- fewer novels, more nonfiction. I am liking my Lenten experiment, though I find that I'm often choosing TV over my religious books, unfortunately! Anyway, here's what I read in March:

1. Jessie Mihalik, Polaris Rising
2. L.M. Montgomery, The Blue Castle
3. Grace Burrowes, A Rogue of Her Own
4. C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms
5. Robert Cardinal Sarah and Nicolas Diat, God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith (trans. Michael J. Miller)
6. Francis Spufford, Unapologetic: Why, Despite Everything, Christianity Can Still Make Surprising Emotional Sense

Book of the month:
Although I didn't agree with absolutely everything in the book, I really liked Unapologetic and found it surprisingly moving in places.

Dishonorable mention:
God or Nothing provides a lot of good insights and interesting historical details, but I must admit I found it a bit of a slog.

CATs completed:
AlphaKIT (U, L): C.S. *Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms; Francis Spufford, *Unapologetic: Why, Despite Everything, Christianity Can Still Make Surprising Emotional Sense

Bingo squares completed:
- Book in translation: God or Nothing is translated from the French by Michael J. Miller.

Books acquired in March:
Emma Thompson, The Sense and Sensibility Screenplay and Diaries: Bringing Jane Austen's Novel to Film
AJ Pearce, Dear Mrs. Bird
Francis Duncan, Behold a Fair Woman
Kate Milford, Greenglass House
Robert Cardinal Sarah and Nicolas Diat, God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith (trans. Michael J. Miller)
Meagan Spooner, Hunted
Lois McMaster Bujold, Cryoburn
Zen Cho, The True Queen
Benjamin Dreyer, Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style
Mary Robinette Kowal, Ghost Talkers

Book #26: Robert Cardinal Sarah and Nicolas Diat, God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith (trans. Michael J. Miller)
CATs: none - I read this in March
Bingo: book in translation (translated from the French by Michael J. Miller)

"In this fascinating autobiographical interview, one of the most prominent and outspoken Catholic Cardinals gives witness to his Christian faith and comments on many current controversial issues. The mission of the Church, the joy of the gospel, the heresy of activism , and the definition of marriage are among the topics he discusses with wisdom and eloquence." (Summary from Amazon.com.)

I read this as part of my Lenten spiritual reading project, but I must say, it isn't quite what I expected. I thought it would focus on theology and Christian living, but it reads much more like a memoir or autobiography. I did find the story of Cardinal Sarah's life fascinating; he was born in a small village in Guinea, was educated by French missionary priests, and eventually joined the priesthood himself. I was especially interested in his time as a bishop, during which he often came into conflict with the Communist regime of Sékou Touré. Ultimately, I think this is a good read for people who are interested in the history of postcolonial Africa and/or the institutional history of the Catholic Church. But it's not great for devotional reading or for learning more about Catholic doctrine.

Book #27: Francis Spufford, Unapologetic: Why, Despite Everything, Christianity Can Still Make Surprising Emotional Sense
CATs: AlphaKIT (U = Unapologetic) - I read this in March
Bingo: none

"Francis Spufford's Unapologetic is a wonderfully pugnacious defense of Christianity. Refuting critics such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and the "new atheist" crowd, Spufford, a former atheist and Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, argues that Christianity is recognizable, drawing on the deep and deeply ordinary vocabulary of human feeling, satisfying those who believe in it by offering a ruthlessly realistic account of the grown-up dignity of Christian experience." (Summary from Amazon.com.)

A coworker recommended this book for my Lenten spiritual reading project, and I honestly had no idea what to expect, but I ended up liking it quite a bit. As the summary blurb indicates, Spufford is in some sense responding to popular atheist writers like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens; so the book's tone is conversational, informal, and peppered with swear words. Spufford isn't concerned with making logical arguments in favor of Christianity. Rather, he describes how it fulfills people's emotional needs in a way that (in his opinion) modern secular culture doesn't. I liked the premise and found the book a quick, enjoyable read. It doesn't go into very much depth about Christian theology, but that might make it more accessible to a secular audience.

Book #28: Frank Sheed, To Know Christ Jesus
CATs: Calendar (Lent/Easter)
Bingo: none

"This modern spiritual classic by Frank Sheed, the renowned author, publisher and lecturer, is brought back into print for the benefit of new generations of readers to develop a deeper, more profound knowledge of Jesus Christ. Sheed's concern with the Gospels is to come to know Christ as he actually lived among us, interacted with all the various people he encountered from his infancy to his passion and death--the God-man who was like us in all things except sin. Sheed has tried especially to see Our Lord in his effect upon others--seeing how they saw him, trying to see why they saw him so. There is much about Mary and Joseph in their task of bringing up a baby who was literally adorable; about John the Baptist; about Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalen; about Nicodemus; about people we meet only for a moment, like the man born blind and the owners of the drowned swine; and why the Pharisees, not only the worst of them but some of the best, would not accept Christ. Faith, doctrine, prayer, worship--all the content and consequences of Christian belief--rest on the person of Christ Jesus as recorded in the Gospels." (Summary from Amazon.com.)

This book does pretty much what it says on the tin: it examines Jesus's life and teachings as recorded in the four gospels. I really appreciated this deep dive into Scripture, and it definitely gave me a lot to think about. Sheed discusses the historical context of Jesus's life, including the Roman occupation of Palestine, background on the Pharisees and Sadducees, and contemporary expectations of who the Messiah would be. He also interprets Jesus's words about the "kingdom of God" in a very interesting and (to me) unique way. This book is definitely written from a Catholic perspective, which may annoy other Christian readers, but I think the focus on the Biblical text would be appreciated by Christians of all denominations. Overall, I would recommend this book to Christian readers and think it might make good supplemental material for a Bible study.

Book #29: Lucy Parker, Pretty Face
CATs: none
Bingo: none

I decided to reread this book in preparation for Parker's latest release, The Austen Playbook, whose heroine is a secondary character from Pretty Face. I loved this novel the first time I read it, but I might have enjoyed it even more this time! It's the romance between Lily, a 26-year-old actress, and Luc, a 40-something theater director who's just cast her in his new play. Normally I would not be interested in this type of setup, but Parker does such a great job of portraying how both the age gap and their professional situation are legitimate obstacles to their relationship. They're both very serious about their careers and worry about how a romance between them will damage their reputations. I completely bought into the conflict and loved seeing how they slowly grew closer in spite of it. I highly recommend this, and all of Lucy Parker's novels, to fans of contemporary romance!

Book #30: Sophie Kinsella, I Owe You One
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Fixie Farr comes by her nickname honestly: she's an extreme people-pleaser who can't help trying to fix every problem in her family and friends' lives. She is the manager of the family store, and while her brother James and sister Nicole are also supposed to help out, Fixie often finds herself picking up their slack. Now James is determined to turn the modest store into a trendy, upscale shop, and Nicole wants to get rid of merchandise and replace it with a yoga studio. Fixie is horrified by these changes but struggles to stand up for herself. She also faces trouble in her personal life, when she's torn between her childhood crush and a handsome stranger whose laptop she rescues, kick-starting a chain of IOUs and possibly a new relationship.

I generally enjoy Sophie Kinsella's books, and I had fun reading this one as well, but I must admit that I was bothered by several aspects of the book. The biggest problem is Fixie herself; she's such a doormat, and it's incredibly frustrating to see her constantly giving in to her awful siblings. I know that many people, especially women, are people-pleasers and have trouble advocating for themselves, but I couldn't understand why Fixie was such a pushover. I also hated her obsession on childhood crush Ryan, who is obviously 100% terrible from the moment he's introduced. Fixie's deluded belief that he wants a relationship with her just made her seem stupid. I did like her relationship with the stranger, Seb, but even that has some weird pacing issues and questionable logic (why does he go back to his ex-girlfriend?). Despite my complaints, I did find the book an enjoyable experience overall, but it's definitely not one of Kinsella's best -- try I've Got Your Number instead.

Book #31: Stephanie Burgis, Kat, Incorrigible
CATs: Alpha (B = Burgis) - I read this in April
Bingo: book mentioned in another book you have read (Murder, Magic, and What We Wore)

"In nineteenth-century England, twelve-year-old Kat Stephenson knows she was born to be a magical Guardian and protector of Society—if she can find true acceptance in the secret order that expelled her mother. She’s ready to upend the rigid Order of the Guardians, whether the older members like it or not. And in a Society where magic is the greatest scandal of all, Kat is determined to use her powers to help her two older sisters find their own true loves, even if she has to turn highwayman, battle wild magic, and confront real ghosts along the way! History seamlessly merges with fantasy in this humorous and lively novel." (Summary from Amazon.com.)

As you know, I'm a sucker for anything that can be described as "Jane Austen plus magic," and this book delivers on that premise with a fun middle-grade adventure. There are two plots, each in a different genre. Oddly, the Regency romance plot, in which Elissa and Angeline both encounter obstacles on their way to marital bliss, gets most of the emphasis. The fantasy plot, in which Kat discovers her magical abilities and has to figure out what they mean, is somewhat underdeveloped by comparison. But there are (at least) two more books in the series, so hopefully the magical system and Kat's role in it will become clearer as the series progresses. I think my favorite aspect of the book is the relationship among the three sisters; although they often squabble, they always have each other's backs when things get tough. All in all, I found this novel charming and look forward to reading the sequels.

Book #32: Josie Silver, One Day in December
CATs: none
Bingo: none

Laurie has just left university and is living in London with her best friend, Sarah, as she pursues a career in magazine publishing. One December evening, she's sitting on a bus crowded with Christmas shoppers, when she looks out the window and spots a man standing across the street. Their eyes meet, and Laurie feels a deep, instant connection. She could swear he feels it, too, but the bus drives away before she can get off and speak to him. For the next several months, Laurie searches for "bus boy," convinced that they're meant to be. But when she finally does meet him, there's a catch: he just happens to be Sarah's new boyfriend, Jack. The book follows Laurie and Jack over the next several years, as they experience career achievements and setbacks, tragedy, love, and heartbreak; but will they ever be able to act on that moment of connection they experienced even before they met?

This book caught my eye because of the adorable cover, and I was interested to read a cute holiday rom-com. In fact, this is much more of a drama than a comedy, and I have mixed feelings about it. I think it's very well written and executed. The premise made me nervous -- I was skeptical about a romance that would presumably end in betrayal of the innocent best friend. But the book managed to make me sympathetic to both Laurie and Jack. I liked that Laurie sincerely tries to put her own feelings aside, not to spend time alone with Jack, and to move on by dating other people. I believed that Laurie and Jack really do become friends who care about each other, regardless of whatever does or doesn't happen between them. But I'm not sure we needed to follow their story for so many years, especially since the expected confrontation between Laurie and Sarah doesn't happen until almost the end of the book -- and then it's rushed to a resolution. As a skeptic of love at first sight, I also didn't buy that both Laurie and Jack would be so affected by their initial brief moment of attraction. Despite my quibbles, though, I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to people who are interested in the premise.

Book #33: Ngaio Marsh, Enter a Murderer
CATs: Alpha (M = Marsh, Murderer)
Bingo: none

This second installment of the Inspector Alleyn series is set in the London theater world. Arthur Surbonadier, a supporting actor in a new play, has managed to alienate nearly everyone in the cast and crew. He has threatened his uncle, who owns the theater company, in order to be cast in a better role. He has made unwelcome advances to the leading lady, which upsets both her and her new lover, the leading man. So it's not entirely surprising that Arthur ends up murdered -- shot onstage with a prop gun that was supposed to be loaded with dummy cartridges. Luckily, Inspector Alleyn and his journalist friend, Nigel Bathgate, are in the audience. Their investigation uncovers many sordid details about the victim's past, including blackmail, drug dealing, and the seduction of one of the stagehands. But they are nevertheless unprepared for another murder, which leads to the shocking discovery of the killer's identity.

I've been reading up a little bit about Ngaio Marsh, and one of the most frequent complaints about her novels is that they have a good setup but get very boring once the murder takes place. I can see some validity in that complaint: the first few chapters of this book are very compelling, as they introduce the characters and ratchet up the pre-murder tension, but the rest of the novel follows the relatively mundane police activity of interviewing suspects. Nevertheless, I wasn't bored by this book -- it's very short, and I didn't mind the suspect interviews, especially when they allowed Alleyn and Bathgate to bounce off of each other. I still don't really have a sense of Alleyn as a character, except that he can occasionally be playful and enjoys keeping his friends (i.e., Nigel) in the dark. But perhaps he'll be fleshed out more in later books. I did enjoy the solution to the mystery, which I didn't guess ahead of time, and I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

I'm finally caught up on reviews through the end of April, so I figure it's time to start a new thread! Come join me here, or follow the thread continuation link.

>178 christina_reads: I read this earlier this year and ended up really disliking it: It started out as a British Rom-Com with acknowledged precedents and turned into a sadly derivative cliche of the form. And then a decade of angst and cowardice , without much heat. I got so tired of it that by the end I wasn't even that appeased by what should have been the "it" scene. And yeah, I totally agree about that "One Look" thing. Anyway, I think it's a book for those who like very light romance and more chick-lit-style stories (and that would not be me!)

>181 Tanya-dogearedcopy: I agree with both your criticisms, and I also felt that the climactic scene was flat. I do like chick lit sometimes, so I enjoyed the book while I was reading it, if that makes sense. But it's definitely not something I ever need to read again!